NXT
Date:
March 25, 2015
Location:
Full Sail University, Winter Park, Florida
Commentators:
Rich Brennan, Corey Graves
Reviewed by Tommy Hall
We're
back home in Florida tonight with the main event being Kevin Owens
defending the NXT Title against Finn Balor. This is the lower level
main event that still has the potential to tear the house down if
they're given enough time, which NXT is usually really good about
doing. In addition to that, we have Sasha Banks defending the
Women's Title against Alexa Bliss. Let's get to it.
We
open with a recap of last week's road trip to Columbus for the first
episode out of Florida.
Opening
sequence.
Women's
Title: Sasha Banks vs. Alexa Bliss
Sasha
is defending after losing a non-title match via countout last week.
Bliss grabs a quick rollup for two and a crucifix gets the same.
More rollups get more near falls and Sasha is having trouble keeping
up with Sasha early on. Bliss tries to jump over her in the corner
but gets kicked in the ribs to finally slow things down. A running
slap to a seated Bliss gets two and the double knees to the ribs in
the corner get the same. Sasha shouts that Bliss isn't in her league
but Bliss escapes the straitjacket choke into a small package for
two.
The
champ gets thrown out to the floor for a big crash. Back in and
Bliss lands a slap of her own followed by some forearms before the
Glitz Flip (moonsault into two knees to the chest) gets two more.
The fans are WAY behind Bliss now which really does show both how
good she is as a plucky face and how awesome Sasha is as a heel.
Bliss takes time going up and gets slammed down, setting up the Bank
Statement for the submission at 5:38.
Rating:
C+. I seem to be the last
person to notice it, but Sasha has gotten AWESOME in the last few
months and is looking like the next big star of the Women's Division.
I believe Sara Del Ray is training the girls down there and it might
be time to bring her up to train the Divas, because I don't remember
the last time these girls had a bad match. That's unthinkable for
the main roster Divas.
Kevin
Owens says Finn Balor made his mark by dressing up like a demon.
Owens made his mark by debuting and becoming NXT Champion in two
months. Bring the demon tonight because it won't matter. No one is
taking this title from him and his family.
Video
on Owens' short time in NXT and his quick rise to the top.
Emma
comes up to Bayley in the back and says she told Bayley so. Bayley
has been being too nice with the hugs and then she went out and lost
to Becky Lynch. She needs to find her inner aggression because the
NXT Universe will lie to her. Bayley doesn't but it and stands up to
Emma, so the Aussie slaps her HARD in the face. Emma
as the disenchanted main roster failure is an interesting new
character and a logical progression for her.
Tyler
Breeze doesn't like being asked what his next move is because it's a
stupid question. After beating “Hideous” Itami last week, he
wants to get the NXT Title and make it gorgeous. Itami comes up and
says he beat Breeze too, so he wants 2/3 falls next week.
Wrestlemania
card rundown.
Finn
Balor video, showing him taking NXT by storm.
We
look at Alex Riley getting beaten up by Owens last week.
Enzo,
Cass and Carmella are in the back when Murphy and Blake come up to
apologize to her. They bring her jewelry but the guys aren't
impressed. Carmella wants to know why they never get her jewelry.
NXT
Title: Finn Balor vs. Kevin Owens
Owens
is defending and Balor isn't in the demon paint. We're
ready to go after some Big Match Intros and they have well over
twenty minutes for the match not
counting commercials. Kevin
bails to the floor to start before getting back into the corner.
It's a trap though as Balor shoves him back but eats a hard shot to
the face. A headlock slows
Balor down a bit and Kevin wants to know where the demon is now.
He's a Dale Torborg fan? Finn gets up and scores with a nice
dropkick as we take a break.
Back
with Balor holding an armbar before a basement dropkick gets two.
Owens drives him into the
corner but uses the weakened arm to drive a shoulder into the ribs,
only to further damage it. A Stunner over the top rope puts Balor
down and Owens puts his boot
on Finn's jaw. We hit the
chinlock as this is clearly
going like a long match instead of just running through the motions.
Back up and Owens levels him
with an elbow to the face but is good enough to hold the arm after,
making it easier for Balor to kick out. Off to another chinlock as
we take a second
break.
Back
with Owens driving his boot
into Balor's ribs before putting on another chinlock with his knee in
the back. This one doesn't
last as long as Owens throws him to the floor and has an evil look on
his face. The powerbomb onto the apron is countered with a backdrop
and they head back inside with Owens catching him in something
resembling White Noise for two. The backsplash gets the same and we
hit the chinlock again. That's
getting a bit repetitive which isn't something you often see in NXT.
Owens
asks if Balor wants to stand back up and whips him hard into the
buckle. A nice overhead
belly to belly (with an even better face from Balor) gets two and
we're back to the chinlock, earning a big ovation from the crowd.
They're nothing if not perceptive.
Back from another break with
Finn making his comeback with forearms and a backdrop to put the
champ on the floor. He follows Kevin out with a big flip dive and
the top rope double stomp to the back for two in the ring.
The
Pele drops Kevin again but Finn can't follow up. The
Sling Blade sets up the reverse Impaler for two more and
Balor is STUNNED. Owens
avoids the running corner dropkick and Finn comes up holding his
knee. The champ goes right after the injury with kicks and chop
blocks before ramming it
into the apron. A
backsplash on the knee sets up a half crab but
Balor crawls over for the rope. Balor
escapes a powerbomb attempt and hits the jumping double stomps to put
both guys down.
Owens
goes up but gets kicked in the head, only to counter Finn's superplex
attempt into a spinning release
fisherman's superplex
(freaking SWEET) for two. Kevin
can barely move so Finn kicks him in the head again, only to have the
champ chop block him again. The
Cannonball connects and Finn is almost
out of it.
Owens
wraps the bad leg around the ropes and hits a Cannonball onto the
leg, but his third attempt only hits buckle. Finn
hits a running dropkick (he really shouldn't be able to do that) and
the Coup de Grace but his knee is too hurt to cover. That's more
like it. Owens gets up and
hits the pop up powerbomb to retain at 30:37.
Rating:
B+. This took its time getting
going and the first half had too much chinlockery, but once they got
in a grove and had Balor messing up his leg, this was all gravy.
Owens is ready for the main roster and Balor has been ready since
before he set foot in NXT, but I'm
very glad they're sticking around here and getting to put on awesome
matches like this one. That arena is going to come unglued when
Sami comes back to fight Owens again.
Overall
Rating: B. Good episode this
week as we wrap up the first half of this cycle and can move on to
the next big batch of matches, perhaps with the next Takeover coming
soon. This was a really fun night though and Balor showed how ready
he is for the main roster. I wasn't completely thrilled with the
main event at first but they made me care about it. That's one of
the hardest things to do in wrestling and those two nailed it.
Finally, I continue to love this crowd as they acknowledged the
amount of chinlocks and applauded to let the guys know to mix it up a
bit. How awesome is that?
Results
Sasha
Banks b. Alexa Bliss – Bank Statement
Kevin
Owens b. Finn Balor – Pop up powerbomb
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I love that for years people bashed the regular Impact Zone crowd but now is all in love with the regular NXT crowd. They are literally the same people! Also i've at least twice seen people I know in the NXT crowd so that's always cool.
ReplyDeleteIm not gonna be sad if they ditch the paint for Balor or at least change it up. It used to be different themes just to jazz up a big match, seeing the same Carnage paint repeatedly makes it seem a little cheesy.
What method did you use to determine that the Impact Zone mutants and the NXT crowd are all the same people?
ReplyDeleteI mean both are/were Orlando, it's not an unreasonable assumption
ReplyDeleteAnd they're equally self-interested at times.
ReplyDeleteDisagreed on Balor -- I prefer the paint to be of one style for now, in order to build his brand. Then he can experiment later, like Rey-Rey.
I actually was thinking during the first half of tonight's show that we were still in Columbus because the crowd was so silent. The crowd seems to be good for the live specials at least.
ReplyDeleteI continue to be underwhelmed by Owens' NXT promos. I feel like he's doing Bully Ray's character, but not as well.
ReplyDeleteI realize I'm in the minority here, but I suspect a quick callup to the main roster would not go well for him.
They both like to start chants at any given opportunity, including self-aware ones that make zero sense to the crowd at home.
ReplyDeleteI was not into the main event at all until mid-match. It got really good, but the beginning drags it down to about the 3 star mark for me.
ReplyDeleteOne is Orlando, one is Winter Park.
ReplyDeleteSo you didn't.
ReplyDeleteIf 1998 Rock got called up to the main roster in today's wrestling climate, it wouldn't go well for him either.
ReplyDelete... What?
ReplyDeleteYou shared similarities, not proof that they are literally the same people.
ReplyDeleteMaybe by "same people" he means the same race of people? Is Floridian a race?
ReplyDeletefrom Google:
ReplyDeleteWinter Park is a suburban city in Orange County, Florida. The
population was 27,852 at the 2010 United States Census. It is part of
the Orlando–Kissimmee–Sanford, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area
actually the kinda are:
ReplyDeleteWinter Park is a suburban city in Orange County, Florida. The
population was 27,852 at the 2010 United States Census. It is part of
the Orlando–Kissimmee–Sanford, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area
I love how Owens clings to his love of his family, as if that justifies him being a total prick.
ReplyDelete22 minute drive without traffic
ReplyDeleteMatch dragged a little to start, but got great in the middle and stayed great to the end. And Owens getting a pop for a CHINLOCK was fucking amazing. He's such a smarmy prick, he's like every school bully I ever knew wrapped up into one.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Owens' promos. I dig the doin' for his family heel character, but I don't see how he's anything special speaking. And I'm lower on Owens than everyone here, except maybe Dougie. I just don't see it with him.
ReplyDeleteHow do the backstage segments come across?
ReplyDeleteThey aren't like Raw where everyone is standing shoulder to shoulder but more like everyone just standing around having a normal conversation?
Dougie's just self loathing because Owens can get around without having to use a motorized cart.
ReplyDeleteAnd Brooklyn and Queens are both part of New York City, but they're not the same.
ReplyDeleteIt seems a lot more natural.
ReplyDeleteI'm probably a tad higher on him than you are, but I agree more with you than the general Internet consensus of him. I don't see a big-time superstar in him.
ReplyDeleteI didn't start the topic. And does he really want literal, photographic proof?
ReplyDeleteThat's rather ludicrous.
I find his delivery to be very natural and it makes what he says more believable than others who have trouble not just sounding like guys trying to cut wrestling promos.
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Only about a thirty minute drive between the two.
ReplyDeleteNot the same but people here are used to traveling between Kissmmee Orlando and the Sanford area. I often drive through 7 or 8 different cities on regular daily errands.
ReplyDeleteWhy the fuck does a show that's only shown online have commercial breaks?
ReplyDeleteAlso, it might be "it's so obvious you have to do it", but Bank Statement is a great finisher name.
Do you consume dicks by the bag or by the bushel?
ReplyDeleteI think he means that the NXT crowds are always the same people at every show just like the Impact Zone was (like the ECW Arena and Baltimore ROH crowds), not that the old TNA crowds are now going to see NXT.
ReplyDeleteI like his matches quite a bit - he's getting over as an asshole. His character is straightforward and a dick, a la Ole Anderson.
ReplyDeleteBecause it's not an online only show in many international markets.
ReplyDeleteHe's still better than Rollins. If he's a good enough promo for the main roster so is Kevin
ReplyDeleteCall Balor up and be a surprise entrant in the Andre battle royal. Do the facepaint entrance and have him win it. Raw desperately needs fresh blood right now.
ReplyDeleteThis.
ReplyDeleteThere's this guy. His name is Kevin Owens. He fights. He's a total asshole, but he doesn't care. He just goes out...destroys who he's supposed to destroy...in order to put food on the table for his family.
He doesn't need to get all shouty or dramatic...because shouty and dramatic wouldn't be this guy.
It works. (It'll probably get ruined if he gets called up to the main roster and they start giving him scripts to try to get over...but for NXT, it seems natural...and it works.)
...and, if it is a developmental program, you might as well teach 'em the way you'll be doing things if they make it to the big time.
ReplyDelete"So, you'll be in the middle of your match...building up a story that you're telling with your actions, your moves, your reactions, your counter moves...then, occasionally, we'll just stop showing the audience what you're doing--so, make sure you plan in times when you don't do anything interesting..."
I hate Kevin Dunn so much.
Definitely a race, but definitely not people.
ReplyDeleteI used to live in Orlando and I know people who regularly attended both, and they say there is a large contingent of people who are regulars. And just common sense would say that if you run regular wrestling shows in the same city a lotbof the same fans would show up.
ReplyDeleteIt's partly a matter of licensing, I'd imagine.
ReplyDeleteShameus is winning the battle royal.
ReplyDeleteNot sure how Owens vs Baylor who are 2 of the top 5 guys in NXT are a "Lower level main event". Now Breeze vs Itami is a better example of a lower level main event. Two guys who have an issue and are taking it out in a gimmick match but arent exactly tippy top guys.
ReplyDelete"make sure you plan in times when you don't do anything interesting..."
ReplyDeleteMr. Kennedy was a NATURAL at this. Entire matches he could pull this off, such was that man's ability.
He's running a masterclass on NXT, in how to be a completely unlikeable douchebag heel who transcends indie cool to be that guy who people really just do not want to see win matches. Not in an X-Pac heat kind of way, but in a "You know, I *AM* going to watch this, I hope that jerk gets his kicked in" style.
ReplyDeleteTo achieve that in THIS day and age is impressive shit. He's like a one-man reinvention of what a heel is. He's the polar opposite to the NWO 'cool heel' style character, and it's a move that I've been hoping dearly for and worrying would never return to wrestling.
He's like a straight man in a comedy. He doesn't deliver the big jokes. You just desperately want to see him get his comeuppance.
I hated the pacing of Zayn-Owens at Takeover.
ReplyDeleteExcept the fans literally cheered him throughout his destruction of babyface Alex Riley. And they still chant "Kill Owens Kill." I don't really think he's reinventing the wheel.
ReplyDelete"I believe Sara Del Ray is training the girls down there and it might be time to bring her up to train the Divas"
ReplyDeleteSara isn't training women in NXT. Also Robbie Brookside and Norman Smiley exist too.
Rome wasn't built in a day. This is just the beginning.
ReplyDelete