NXT
Date: April 22, 2015
Location: Full Sail
University, Winter Park, Florida
Commentators: Corey
Graves, Rich Brennan
Reviewed by Tommy Hall
We haven't heard from
NXT Champion Kevin Owens in a good while so it's probably time to get
him out here for more greatness. Alex Riley has called Owens out to
meet him in the ring tonight because, due to quitting his commentary
job, Riley has nowhere else to go but the ring. Let's get to it.
Opening sequence.
Finn
Balor vs. Tye Dillinger
Balor starts with some
dropkicks as the fans want him to KILL THE JOBBER. The Pele sets up
the Sling Blade and the Coup de Grace ends Dillinger at 2:28. This
was an old school squashing and Balor looked great.
Tyler Breeze pops up on
screen to call Finn Balor the flavor of the month. See you around
Finn.
Dana Brooke says last
week was the rebirth of the women's division in NXT because it was
the debut of the strongest Diva ever. It's play time.
Kevin Owens is asked
his thoughts on the match with Riley tonight but first, he thinks
it's cold. Riley gave him a good fight a few weeks back but he's
never going to be NXT Champion. After the loss tonight, he can go
find a chair, table and headset to use because his future isn't in
the ring. If you'll excuse him, he'd like to go find a coat.
Charlotte
vs. Bayley vs. Becky Lynch
#1 contenders match. Becky
gets double teamed to start and Bayley throws her to the floor,
setting up another showdown between herself and Charlotte. A chop
out goes to Charlotte (of course) and we hit the figure four headlock
with the flips to knock Bayley senseless. Becky sneaks back in with
a nice German suplex to take Charlotte down and we take a break.
Back with Becky dropping some running legs on Bayley for two.
Off to a knee hold as we get
what might be the first ever crawler advertising NXT live shows. A
limping Bayley fights out of the corner but charges into a knee.
Becky outs on a complicated leg lock but Charlotte breaks it up with
Natural Selection and no cover. The fans think that this is
wrestling and better than the Divas.
Becky pulls Charlotte off
the middle rope to break up a superplex attempt but Charlotte pulls
her away from the corner into a powerbomb with Bayley adding a middle
rope elbow to the jaw to drive Lynch down. Charlotte pulls Becky off
the cover and puts her bad leg in the Figure Eight (the official name
for the bridging version). Charlotte can't see though and Becky
drapes her arm over Bayley for the pin at 11:32 with the hold still
on.
Rating:
B. The girls continue to steal
the show and Becky is getting better every week. Lynch vs. Banks
could be something interesting given their history and now I have a
reason to believe it could be a good match. Charlotte has nothing
left to do in NXT and is ready for the main roster and the
destruction of her career as a result. Bayley needs to find
something to do as she's been running in still adorable circles for a
while now.
CJ
Parker vs. Hideo Itami
Dang
Parker just won't leave. Parker
stalls to start as the fans want Hideo to kick his head off. A
headlock slows Itami down but he drives a knee into Parker's ribs to
set up some kicks for two. CJ
punches him in the corner and gets two off a suplex. Another attempt
doesn't work though and it's time for the strike off. A
running delayed corner dropkick sets up the Shotgun Kick to give
Hideo the pin at 4:06.
Rating:
D+. This has to be Parker's
last match as I can't find anything else taped for him. Hideo looked
better here and it seems that the GTS is going to be his super
finisher when he isn't using the Shotgun Kick. This did its job of
getting Hideo back on track after his big moment was treated like
nothing special by Big Show at Wrestlemania.
Becky
Lynch doesn't like Sasha Banks taking credit for her career.
Rhyno
vs. ???
No
name for the jobber. Gore ends this in 27 seconds.
Blake
and Murphy sing to Carmella when Enzo and Cass come up to accuse the
two Sinatras of having Halitosis. Carmella
is wearing the jewelry they gave her and that's not cool either.
Cass brings up getting
Carmella a job.
Alex
Riley vs. Kevin Owens
Non-title
and no sign of the coat.
Owens gets in his face in
the corner but Riley shoves him into the same corner. A nice
dropkick sends Owens outside and the champ needs a breather. The
mind games begin as Owens won't get back inside, which eventually
draws Alex outside for a whip into the barricade.
We
come back from a break with Owens
choking on the middle rope and not seeing Riley as much of a threat.
The backsplash gets two and
we hit the chinlock. Riley
fights up and hits a running elbow in the corner, followed by a
flipping neckbreaker. He
gets crotched on top though, setting up the Cannonball and Pop Up
Powerbomb for the pin at 8:44.
Rating:
C-. I
wasn't wild on this one as it was basically a less energized version
of their first match. Owens is a killer and looked fine while Alex
looked like he could still go in the ring, but we knew those things
after their match in Columbus. Not much to see here but Owens is
always entertaining with his explosiveness.
Post
match Owens loads up the apron powerbomb but Sami Zayn comes out for
the big brawl. Security comes out but Sami dives on the pile to send
Owens running away to end
the show.
Overall
Rating: C. This wasn't the best
show but it seems that this was a show taped out of order which took
away a lot of the chemistry. Sami coming out to go after Owens was a
great sign though as it's time to pick things up all over again,
likely for the next upcoming Takeover. Not a great show but it set
up the future and gave us a good triple threat.
Results
Finn Balor b. Tye
Dillinger – Coup de Grace
Becky Lynch b.
Charlotte and Bayley – Lynch pinned Bayley while Bayley was in the
Figure Eight
Hideo Itami b. CJ
Parker – Shotgun Kick
Rhyno b. ??? – Gore
Kevin Steen b. Alex
Riley – Pop Up Powerbomb
Remember to follow me
on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up my new book of 1998 Pay Per View
reviews at Amazon for just $3.99 at:
And check out my Amazon
author page with wrestling books for under $4 at:
Either Owens was working hurt or Riley really isn't that good, because I wasn't feeling that main event either.
ReplyDeleteColumn A, column B.
ReplyDeleteHe was working hurt. He was working hurt for months. He went into surgery soon after.
ReplyDeleteI'm beyond excited for Lynch/Banks. And I love the interplay between their characters. Sasha's journey from confidence lacking babyface to heel hanger-on to manipulator to home-grown champion. And I appreciate that it's almost a mirror of Zayn/Bayley in the way they went from wide-eyed to dedicated to title contenders.
ReplyDeleteAnd then you contrast Sasha's heel-ery which comes from insecurity and her need to prove herself and the best with Becky Lynch, who's just a horrible person. She's mean, petty, egocentric and is willing to take any shortcut possible. Sasha is the emotional jerk whose problems just come from her own lack of self-esteem, and Becky's just this exploitative asshole willing to attach herself to anything to get a leg up.
I'm thinking Sasha will be playing the face in the match.
The Columbus show was taped after this and everything else aside from the Access show.
ReplyDeleteNew taping cycle tomorrow night at Full Sail finally.
Or maybe he's thinking of http://prowrestling.wikia.com/wiki/Cynthia_Lynch
ReplyDeletehttp://www.wrestlecrap.com/inductions/active-inductions/nation-of-domination-uswa-version/
ReplyDeleteDamn. I don't know what's the worst part of this induction.
Where did you come to?
ReplyDeleteWhere did you go?
Where in the hell did bob cat go?
This run?
ReplyDeletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eU-Tig_HNDg
I just wanted to let you know I feel your pain on this stuff. I'm all about ROH the way you are TNA and it's tough when no one else gets it.
ReplyDeleteMonty was awesome.
ReplyDeleteLook at the adjective: go.
ReplyDeleteGotcha, I totally misread that.
ReplyDeleteHas this one been lost in the mail since 2002?
ReplyDeleteBobcat Goldthwait always sounds like he's cutting a wrestling promo. Well, a Heroes of Wrestling promo.
ReplyDeleteYou shot who in the what now?
ReplyDeleteYeah, that was the one.
ReplyDeleteNew QOTD writer right here.
ReplyDeleteWell Riley isn't very good, the Columbus match was a little better which is their second match in actuality since it was filmed after.
ReplyDeleteMan, Baker used to be so much more verbose.
ReplyDeleteCharlotte's "destruction of her career" =making more money. Hmmmm.
ReplyDeleteWhat about Ernest Miller?
ReplyDeleteBob Cat was the Ho that won the hardcore title. Then she was Eric Young's (who?) manager and her gimmick was ... I have no idea.
ReplyDeleteDignity might've been a better word.
ReplyDeleteI read it the same way.
ReplyDeletehi thanks for answer
ReplyDeleteIf I could have a 3 way with Becky and Bayley I would kill myself afterwards as my life could not possibly get any better.
ReplyDeleteI didn't even like the Columbus match, personally. Felt like an extended squash.
ReplyDeleteBut no, Riley isn't that good.
I just don't see it with Bayley.
ReplyDeleteAlexa, on the other hand...
I think the hi is my favorite part.
ReplyDeleteBob Cat - she was a former Wwf hardcore champion. Russo would book anybody who spent 14 seconds in the WWF. I mean he booked Alicia (Ryan Shamrock/Symanithy) as a hooker taking money from wrestlers and the payoff was .... actually nothing. It was like of like all NWA-TNA PPVs. Seriously when Dusty Rhodes promos about midgets makes you laugh - you are watching a poor excuse of a wrestling promotion.
ReplyDeleteWho would want to marry Al Snow? I'm kidding - and please no dirty jokes.
ReplyDeleteYes!!! This guy gets a joke older than Bob Cat.
ReplyDeleteWhat you guys talking about? She's going to do great on the main roster and I can't wait for Michael Cole to remind us that she's the daughter of Hall of Famer Ric Flair every 30 seconds.
ReplyDelete"Becky
ReplyDeletegets double teamed to start by Orton and Batista. VIVA EVOLUTION" Paid, made, and laid.
We didn't come here to go.
ReplyDeleteScott: But Kev, where are we going to go?
He was Black Goldberg before there was a Bobby Lashley.
ReplyDeleteWhy did the antelope?
ReplyDeleteNobody gnu
I thought NXT had been sputtering for a while except for the Itami centric show which was more of a showcase than an actual linear episode, but I thought this episode got everything back on track.
ReplyDeleteOwens/Zayn II and Banks/Lynch are two really strong matches to build on for the next Takeover.
I hate the tag title feud, but they're been stripped bare over the past few months with The Ascension & Lucha Dragons graduating so I'll give them a little pass for now.
Balor needs to be on the main roster soon. A Tyler Breeze feud for him is pointless at this point.
Charlotte's outgrown NXT as well.
They've done a good job establishing Itami recently, but they need to give him some direction. The other thing about Itami, I've become convinced from watching Lucha Underground that if they had him cut promos in Japanese and subtitled them he'd be fine. Half the Lucha Underground wrestlers don't speak English and the subtitles work fine. I believe WWE used some subtitles in the Itami video package a couple weeks ago, but I'd like to see them give it a try. It'd help him immensely while he's improving his English.
Scott, if you ever need to defer some of your emails, my inbox is all yours.
ReplyDelete*shoots self*
I don't know if the professional wrestling business is the best place to go looking for dignity, just ask Bret Hart.
ReplyDeleteTo save money to try and sign Joe Gomez, obviously.
ReplyDeleteI'm actually wildly entertained by the tag feud. It's so comically pure that I don't care about the wrestling. Silly. Wrestling is allowed to be silly sometimes. And this is just some young dudes, pining over a trashy woman and being great.
ReplyDeleteBecause 1. Blake and Murphy are wooing her at the same time. It implies a sort of Corey and Trevor from Trailer Park Boys vibe. Are they both going for her at the same time? Do they not care? Is it truly OK, if it's in a 3 way. It's not gay, if it's in a 1,2,3 way. Etc.
2. Enzo doing anything is hilarious. I like him saying Fugazi almost as much as I like hearing Dusty Rhodes say "sabotage". And I am a man who likes hearing Dusty Rhodes say "sabotage".
And 3. They all seem to know how to have an actual tag team match.
The Dragons were ready to get called up and frankly should have the tag belts already, but I'm ok with this scenario.
I mean. 3 ways are great and everything. But what everyone forgets is that you're going to get yelled at the next morning by one of them. Enjoy the moment, but there's no reason to kill yourself afterward.
ReplyDeleteAnd I'm not saying I wouldn't love to snug up to Bayley or anything but if you really wanted some ladies on the same hotness level, you could just go to vegas and hire 2 ladies. Or work on your game.
my point is that life is precious. And 3 ways aren't that hard to find.
|￣￣￣￣￣￣￣ |
ReplyDelete| THREE WAYS |
| ARE NOT |
| THAT HARD |
| TO FIND |
| ____________ |
(\__/) ||
(•ㅅ•) ||
/ づ
...PERIOD
ReplyDeleteDoes Bret have a daughter...and if he did, do you think he'd let her wrestle?
ReplyDeleteLol yes!
ReplyDeleteHe does--last I recall, she was selling kimonos online, I think? Not sure if the site is still active but here you go: https://www.etsy.com/shop/JadeHartKimonos
ReplyDeleteMaybe this is the "official" site? I thought there was a just a jadehart.com but I guess not. http://oliverbeatson.co.uk/websites/jadehart/philosophy.php#index.php
ReplyDeleteI truly believe that Charlotte is WWE's greatest chance of making women's wrestling matter. If they fail with her, a wrestler with not just every tool to be great, but everything necessary to impress jaded wrestling fans (those two are not the same) then they might as well fire every female they have because everything is fucked.
ReplyDeleteBut even if they get Charlotte over and don't just relegate her to 2-min matches and backstage cat-fights, who are you going to throw her against? It'll be a Brock Lesnar situation where you have one credible champion and a back of losers that surround him.
I don't know, I think, ultimately, the best will rise to the top no matter what. Plenty of top people had crappy gimmicks and booking before they hit it big. I think she'll do well as a legitimate athletic woman booked against divas.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you caught that he was talking about getting a coat--I thought he said he was gonna go get a Coke. Had this been the 80s, he would definitely have been talking about getting some coke.
ReplyDeleteI always thought his son Blade would become a wrestler. Bret even gave him a wrestler name.
ReplyDeleteJade and Blade Hart.
ReplyDeleteJesus, and it took how long to figure out wrestlers had problems with brain damage and Bret, in particular, had a hole in his head?
I'm interested in what happened to Cheex, I'm guessing by now gastric band or heart attack.
ReplyDeleteWas it not David Young she was with?
ReplyDeleteHere we go
ReplyDeletehttp://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/bios/b/bobcat/
I think you're all looking at this the wrong way.
ReplyDeleteScott, the nwa was a national association of wrestling promotions.
Robert Feline aka Bob Cat
ReplyDeleteI believe this was Battle Cat's son.
ReplyDelete25 letters and zero punctuation of pure magic.
ReplyDeleteEvery time I scroll down the main page and see the lowercase title "bob cat" I giggle.
How do I miss these things?
ReplyDeleteSee, I had to google who that was so your comparison is apt.
ReplyDeleteThat Scott only replied who is gold.
ReplyDeleteThat would be GOLD
ReplyDelete"hi tell your favorite wrestling"
"when did you become a fan of walter"
hi why is wrestling
ReplyDeleteShe was with Tommy Young, but she wouldn't break on the count of 5, so he disqualified her.
ReplyDeleteThat was WildCat Willie.
ReplyDeleteI hate that I remember that...
I would have paid to see that. Too bad Tara came along later. She would have been the perfect manager for them.
ReplyDeleteI see the bastards finally broke CAPSLOCKGUY (I smells me a lobotomy; I watched One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest)...
ReplyDeleteThis needs to happen. Seriously.
ReplyDelete