NXT
Date:
June 10, 2015
Location:
Full Sail University, Winter Park, Florida
Commentators:
Corey Graves, Rich Brennan, Byron Saxton
Reviewed by Tommy Hall
The
big story tonight is the in ring debut of Samoa Joe, who debuted a
few weeks back and has had some intense staredowns with NXT Champion
Kevin Owens. It should be interesting to see who Joe's first victim
is, because it's fairly clear that he's coming for Owens and the
title. Right now though, Finn Balor is the #1 contender and will be
facing Owens for the title in Tokyo on July 4. Let's get to it.
The
opening video is all about Joe debuting in NXT and setting his sights
on the title.
Opening
sequence.
Zack
Ryder/Mojo Rawley vs. Mike Rallis/Elias Samson
Ryder
is WAY over here and the fans even seem happy to see Rawley. Mojo
shoves Rallis down, slams Samson, but then stop, HAMMER TIME. Ryder
comes in and takes some shoulders in the ribs, only to raise his
knees in the corner to stop a charge. The middle rope dropkick sets
up the Broski Boot but Samson offers a distraction to take over.
We
hit the chinlock but a GET HYPED chant brings Ryder to his feet for
the hot tag to Rawley. Mojo cleans house with some very fast paced
offense, including a big running punch and capped off by a middle
rope Hart Attack with the Rough Ryder instead of the clothesline for
the pin on Samson at 3:55.
Rating:
C. I've always liked Ryder and
this was a good sign for him. A lot of guys could use a recharge
down in NXT and Ryder is probably at the top of that list. He
clearly still has a following as the fans were all over him. Rawley
was doing exactly what he should have done all along here: cleaned
house and never looked back. One of his biggest problems was getting
beaten up until the last 45 seconds of the match for a big comeback.
Guys like him should hardly ever be on defense and the reaction was a
lot better as a result.
Finn
Balor promo with his voice talking about how everyone has two sides.
Shots of the demon paint keep appearing until “FINN BALOR ARRIVES –
July 4 in Tokyo” comes on screen. Oh that's going to be amazing.
Dana
Brooke video. She's the Total Diva.
Emma
vs. Blue Pants
SHE'S
BAAAAACK! Big Cass' Price Is Right entrance music got one of the
loudest reactions in recent weeks. The fans are smart enough to know
that it's Blue Pants' birthday. Emma jumps her to start, making her
the most hated woman in the promotion. A dropkick gets two and we
hit the bow and arrow on Blue Pants. Fans: “BLUE PANTS ROCKS!”
Blue Pants gets some rollups for two but it's back to the chinlock.
Emma drops an elbow to the back of the head for two more but Blue
Pants comes back with some kicks to the head. Blue Pants gets going
but Emma trips her down and the Emma Lock gets the submission at
4:40.
Rating:
D+. Here's the key thing about
Blue Pants: she isn't used that often. They could bring her in more
often for some loud reactions, but they would eventually die down
because Blue Pants is so beloved due to being a special attraction.
If this were the main roster, she would be in five segments a night
and people would get sick of her in two weeks. This common sense
stuff is addictive.
Enzo,
Cass and Carmella say that Blake/Murphy/Bliss wouldn't last one week
in the Hunger Games and if they grew up where they're from, it would
be time to go live with Uncle Phil. Six person tag next week.
Tyler
Breeze vs. Bull Dempsey
Dempsey
knees him in the head to start and we're quickly in a chinlock.
Fans: “BULL IS GORGEOUS/NO HE'S NOT!” Back up and the standing
splash sets up the top rope headbutt but Breeze rolls away before the
jump. Breeze gets him in a chance around the ring and Bull keeps
getting winded. Fans: “CARDIO! CARDIO!” Breeze laps Bull,
throws him inside and gives him a Beauty Shot for the pin at 2:49.
Tyler is basically a face now due to all of his hard work and string
of good matches.
We
look back at Becky Lynch's standing ovation after losing to Sasha
Banks. Brennan's nickname for her: The Lass Kicker. As much as I
hate myself for this, I kind of dig that name.
Becky
Lynch vs. Jesse McKay
Becky
has a very high energy entrance now, complete with smoke along the
entrance. The fans are responding to it and it's easy to sey why.
McKay used to wrestle in Shimmer under the same name. Jesse gets in
a kick to the ribs to start, followed by another to the face. An
armbar has Becky in some trouble but she comes back with a hammerlock
suplex and some legdrops. “BETTER THAN HOGAN!” Let's not get
crazy here. Something like a torture rack Samoan drop sets up the
armbar (Rich: “The Disgoosted Armbar!” Graves: “The WHAT?”)
for the submission at 4:16.
Rating:
D+. I really wasn't feeling
this one as Jesse got in way too much offense in what should have
been a Becky showcase match. McKay was good enough in there though
and could be something interesting if she's allowed to develop like
the rest of the girls down here have done. This was too much like an
old Mojo Rawley match though: awesome entrance, next to no offense
until the very end.
Regal
announces that Owens will be on commentary for Joe's match but Bull
Dempsey comes in eating a bag of Doritos. He blames his loss on a
lack of sleep. Regal gets serious and tells Dempsey to get his act
together. The boss leaves so Dempsey pulls an open Snickers out of
his singlet. Well they had to do something new with Dempsey so this
works well enough.
Jason
Jordan says he has another partner when Chad Gable comes in, saying
it should be him. “I'm ready, willing and Gable. See what I did
there?” Jason says no but Gable adds his name to Jordan's locker.
Baron
Corbin vs. Angelo Dawkins
Corbin
throws him around to start and walks him around the ring before a
slam. A bulldog attempt is countered by a huge clothesline and End
of Days gives Baron the pin at 2:29.
Samoa
Joe vs. Scott Dawson
Owens
is on commentary and Joe's music still sucks. He does however look a
bit more toned. Fans: “PLEASE DON'T DIE!” How nice of them to
be worried about Joe's safety. They trade armbars to start until Joe
takes it up a notch with a back elbow to the face. Owens: “Wow a
back elbow! I've got a mean back elbow.” The release Rock Bottom
out of the corner sets up the Muscle Buster for the pin on Dawson at
3:45.
Rating:
C. Total squash here and it did
exactly what it was supposed to do. Owens is great on commentary as
the guy trying to cut into Joe's hype and this was a very fun use of
about five minutes. Joe's physique looked about as good as you can
fairly expect. The guy is never going to look like John Cena and
it's unfair to expect him to, but he looked fine here.
During
the replays, Kevin offers to get Brennan a Joe shirt from the
merchandise table. Owens goes to leave but Joe calls him to the
ring. Kevin won't get in because he's a good man who won't drop Joe
after his first match. Joe is a rookie here in NXT and one win isn't
enough for an NXT Title match. Cue
Regal who agrees with Owens. Joe hasn't earned a title shot, but
he's earned the right to a non-title fight against Owens next week.
Overall
Rating: B-. Matches made for
the future, six matches, some amusing promos, two in ring debuts and
a new character for Dempsey. How in the world can they get all that
inside an hour and have almost no filler? This was the efficient NXT
that flies by every week because it's very well put together. Couple
that with an energetic crowd and you have one heck of a fun show.
Results
Zack
Ryder/Mojo Rawley b. Elias Samson/Mike Rallis – Middle rope Rough
Ryder to Samson
Emma
b. Blue Pants – Emma Lock
Tyler
Breeze b. Bull Dempsey – Beauty Shot
Becky
Lynch b. Jesse McKay – Disgoosted Armbar
Baron
Corbin b. Angelo Dawkins – End of Days
Samoa
Joe b. Scott Dawson – Muscle Buster
Remember to check out my website at kbwrestlingreviews.com and head over to my Amazon author page with cheap wrestling books at:
http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Hall/e/B00E6282W6
I dunno man, I can't see them having any success by turning Dempsey into an out-of-shape slob unless the goal is to get him into incredible shape and reintroduce him in six months. Seems like he'd be a short-term comedy act at best, and nobody really wants Bullstion Booger, do they?
ReplyDeleteC'mon, you want to see Bull beat up some jobber while eating a sandwich.
ReplyDeleteI know I do
ReplyDeleteI doubt it's going to be anything great but it's better than nothing.
ReplyDeleteSomething I did not know I wanted until now.
ReplyDeleteBull's ceiling has always been midcard. So giving him a comedy act gives him a way better chance than the baby Rhyno gimmick.
ReplyDeleteIf they ever called Bull up to the main roster he could have an easy opening match comedy pop spot where he comes out eating whatever the popular local cuisine is, kills a fool, and then goes back to the food. Like in Boston he comes out with a lobster roll or whatever. Cheap pops aren't always bad.
ReplyDeleteI actually liked the promo. "I was doing good until then I wasn't. But the thing is, I was up all night training? So that's why I was tired." That's gold right there.
ReplyDeleteI know the topic has been beaten to death, but there's no reason Ryder couldn't have been a mega-over opening match guy for the last few years.
ReplyDeleteI'd have loved to see him as Cena's little buddy. Have him be a midcard guy and occasional champion and he'd be fine. But no, we need to crush him into powder for the sake of a filler Kane feud.
ReplyDeleteBlue Pants is the best
ReplyDeleteSince TNA doesn't exist in my world, this was truly my first time seeing Samoa Joe wrestle. I can't wait for him to join the main roster. Raw is so freaking stale right now.
ReplyDeletePlus Cena made out with his woman for some reason.
ReplyDeleteJesse McCay stunk.
ReplyDeleteI now literally want nothing BUT Bullstion Booger.
ReplyDeleteEntire offense nothing but shoulder blocks, never stops eating.
ReplyDeleteIn Cena's defense, it was Eve Torres.
ReplyDeleteOh, but conversely, Emma-Blue Pants was really fun "television" even though it wasn't a technical marvel. Blue Pants is an awesome sometimes-treat and Evil Emma is pretty great with her facial expressions and body language. I loved her pissed-off "uh huh, yeah, I used to do that dance, haha, so cool, fuck you" nodding before she jumped her.
ReplyDeleteIt better be a meatball hero.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite Ryder moment was that time Vince trolled him by saying he could have tv time in his hometown.
ReplyDeleteThere's a very good reason: he SUCKS.
ReplyDeleteI'm no expert, but didn't TNA do the "he can't stop eating" thing with Shark Boy?
ReplyDeleteWilliam Regal is the best. He has the right amount of gravitas without being oppressive. He has credibility and can spend some of that capital being the straight man in a comedy sketch without coming across lessened or as a buffoon (something that wasn't always true when Regal was in a similar position on the main roster shows.)
ReplyDeleteSo good.
ggg
ReplyDeleteShoulder block, shoulder block, shoulder block, shoulder block...drops sandwich by accident.
ReplyDeleteTop Rope Burning Hammer.
Yeah but with far less charm.
ReplyDeleteNot sure why, but I love it when people come barging in demanding matches halfway through the show and he's like "dumbasses, the card is full tonight but I can book you next week."
ReplyDeleteJust way she was agented.
ReplyDeleteJessie is one of the best female Wrestlers in the Word has been for several years.
Lacks greatly in the ring though.
ReplyDeleteShe's getting better. Much though we are loathe to admit this sometimes, it IS developmental. She's developing. For some reason it doesn't bother me on NXT if I see a super green match. As opposed to the main roster where I get annoyed.
ReplyDeleteMaybe, but her execution didn't look great tonight.
ReplyDeleteShe's not getting better and she isn't in developmental.
ReplyDeleteShe's not? What's NXT if not developmental? She's not Lynch or Flair, but her match with Emma wasn't Bella levels of bad.
ReplyDeleteI 100 percent agree with this. I've ALWAYS had a problem with that on the main shows. And even on Smackdown, when they'd make a tag team match, playa, it wasn't AS bad. The match was often booked as a single and they'd just add the teammates.
ReplyDeleteOn Raw, Kayfabe, what was going to happen if Roman Reigns had not opted to interrupt Hunter and Steph. Was the show just going to end 20 minutes early? They never explain!
I don't know if they'll have him eat during matches. I hope not. But his little promo was the first actual bit of humanity I've ever seen from the guy.
ReplyDeleteHe's insanely over, gets the crowd warmed up, and can work a passable five minute match. That's all you need to open a show.
ReplyDeleteI loved Owens smugness, teeling Joe that he couldn't get a title shot after just one match, because that's not how things work. It was hilariously heelish.
ReplyDeleteThis may be the first time that "charm" and "Bull Dempsey" have ever been connected.
ReplyDeleteNicely done (everyone!)
Yep. He's actually a decent hand.
ReplyDeleteSee, I thought Bull was great in that little promo with Regal. He really nailed the whole "awkward manchild" schtick.
ReplyDeleteWell it worked wonders for Brodus Clay.
ReplyDeleteOnly if it's a meatball sub and a diet cock like Magnificent Muraco.
ReplyDeleteNot maybe.
ReplyDeleteThe Bellas have better strikes and selling.
ReplyDelete