I had fallen asleep last night just as Gable and Jordan were coming out. No fault to them at all, I had just been up 17 hours and taken a few melatonin, so there was no way I was staying up. I’m working in the middle of my shift right now, and catching NXT inbetween meals. Let’s see how this turns out.
Intro-Video Package-
It was a video of last Saturday’s Takeover event, as important as that event was. This video made it feel like the most can’t miss event. They are still in Brooklyn too. I believe this show and next weeks were taped before the Takeover card, which means the crowd will be on fire.
Realest Guys in the Room and Hype Bros. vs. Dawson and Dash and Jordan and Gable.
Notice how three of the heels have first names as their first and last names? Jason Jordan, Chad Gable, and Scott Dawson? Something I want to talk about also. Is this.
Those are genuine faces of shock. I don’t think they have ever wrestled in front of or got the ovation by 15,000 people. I can not imagine the rush they must be feeling. The Realest Guys in the Room know how to get there shit in still. Enzo’s voice cracks a little bit, which I assume to be the raw emotion coming out during the “You Can’t Teach That routine.” Notice how Enzo and Cass get in their groove quickly like they had been there before though.
Yes, I did only include that last screenshot of Enzo dancing cause that is my FAVORITE dance to do at work!
Now for those that aren’t regular NXT watchers here are pictures of the other guys.
I didn’t need to include Hype Bros. cause, well, it’s the Hype Bros.
When Dash & Dawson come out their music reminds me of this Sage Francis song or Bubba Sparxxx which I’m not sure is a good or bad thing yet.
Also look at Gables head in comparison to his body. HIS HEAD IS HUGE. Outside of feeling bad for his mother, it makes me think of this theory my friend Jim has. He says that all famous people, be it politicians or entertainers, have heads that are not proportionate to their body. The big head/big ego euphemism could have some weight behind it adding Jim’s theory. Having said that, Gable is gonna be a star!!! Glad I just found out Gable is from Minnesota!
As the match is happening Zack Ryder is in the ring and all your here from New York is “we want Enzo” that is a far cry from We Want Ryder . Once Enzo comes in, he hits one of his signature moves.
That is him just walking on a guys back. The crowd chants “Certified G, Bonafide Stud.” I’ve started to realize that it’s hard to predict who will be stars, but I can still try.
I believe the reason Ryder was a rising star was because he had the star-character qualities i.e. A catchphrase (woo woo woo), a distinct look and personality (Long Island frat guy), hand gestures ( the L-I and fist pump), a move that incorporated the crowd (broski boot), but he didn’t have anything he was attached to, like a prop. Undertaker has had his urn/motorcycle/streak, Jake Roberts had his snake, Savage had Elizabeth, these were things the characters were emotionally attached to. He also did not have ring gear he can work into a match. The Rock and his elbow pad, Mankind and Socko, Angle and his straps, these were used to intensify a match or elicit a greater response. His entrance could have been better too. Non-Verbal ways to get who your character is across to the audience.
Now, Ryder had a good portion of the things casual fans can grasp and like. What I believe sustains momentum is when die-hard fans like you when the buzz dies. I feel Ryder fell off not because of a bad love storyline, Daniel Bryan had THREE of those and he still came out to be a star. Ryder fell off because he wasn’t authentic, if you saw Z! True Story, you were able to tell when his real self came out, on tv it felt so forced. This long ass rant has a relevant reason behind it. I think Enzo has a bright future. His moves of doom are not established no. Ryder has way more going for him character wise, what he had and lost, what Enzo has, that raw energy and passion that transfers through the screen. I hope that thought process of mine was coherent enough to understand, I could have used a lot less words to describe that Enzo is gonna be what Zack Ryder couldn’t be.
Back to the match all eight men got into the ring at once and the goodie threw the baddies to the outside. Then Cass throws ‘Zo onto the heels with reckless abandon.
How do you safely fall if your Enzo?
The match slows down with the heels working on Enzo’s arm. I love me some methodical body work, but I feel anything you do in a match, outside your moves of doom, should be done with the finish in mind. If a guy gets his arm worked over all match, then loses to a roll up, what’s the point? It would make sense if the one applying the moves had a finisher that involved the arm, but to my knowledge both teams finishers hit the face or back.
Dawson does good work though adding his own spices on the meal that is arm-rest holds. He tags in Gable who adds his own seasonings of asking his partners “Should I break his arm?” while he has Enzo in a hold.
If you’ve ever been to a show live, you know the action is displayed on many screen around the building. You see what the people at home see, I didn’t realize it til now but WWE gives subtle cues to the crowd on what to do. For instance, Big Cass is not featured much in the match at this point. As Enzo is getting beat on the camera does a close up of just Cass’ face and within seconds the crowd responds with “we want Cass.” Just as Enzo almost makes the tag, he gets stopped by Jason Jordan, Jordan then taunts Cass.
If that isn’t primo work on building a hot tag, I don’t know what is. Eventually Enzo gets the tag and Cass lights up anyone he comes across. Cass almost wins with the Empire Elbow, that lead to the breakdown of the match. Everyone gets their shit in, we even see the shatter machine finisher by Dawson and Dash. The finish happens when Cass hits his swinging sidewalk slam and throws Enzo off the top for the win.
And I’m Like… That is a great opening match to give this show some amazing energy. This match made The Realest Guys In The Room look like stars. All the losers have to do is act like they didn’t lose and talk about what they’ll do next.
Neville is backstage with William Regal and asks to be put in the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic.
We get an Emma video package. It starts off showing how she was bubbly and all about having fun, her old Theme song. Then the video shows that she did not succeed doing the nice stuff. The music changed to her New theme song. She says it’s time for a fresh start.
Devin interviews Charlotte and Becky about tonight by asking “Charlotte, Becky, two thirds of PCB. But tonight it’s a fatal four-way with Dana Brooke and Emma” the girls say stuff about how they will win.
Becky Lynch video package. She started wrestling at 15, that’s nuts. I’m 26 and doing that seems extremely daunting. The older I get the more I appreciate what these wrestlers do. Becky says she is weird, high energy, and a submission specialist.
Eva Marie vs. Carmella
Eva Marie is starting to relish in the boo’s, as long as she doesn’t want to be liked she will be great at getting boo’d. Carmella comes out, but for some reason the crowd hates on her too.
The match might be better if Eva did not have this stink about her. “We want Blue Pants” chants fill the arena. Eva talks shit to Carmella but only us at home can hear it cause the arena is so big. Maybe in a year we will be all Bayley/Sasha about these two? I mean these girls are trying hard, we aren’t sure what the future holds but these girls got boo’d like at The Apollo .
And I’m Like… It’s hard to love woman’s wrestling in NXT so much but then see this. They are trying hard, it just doesn’t work. This match is like me coloring in the lines with my left hand.
Tyler Breeze says who really won last Saturday? He gets to always look like this and Liger still has to wear a mask lol.
Bill Dempsey vs. Elias Sampson
Holy Shit. I don’t even have to know anything about Elias to hate him. He is every doushe I’ve ever seen at the coffee houses in my town. Depressed quiet “mysterious” fux with guitar and no ambition. They are the legit worst. I’m so happy this is a gimmick, I want everyone to kick Sampsons ass.
Bull is home in Brooklyn! He is not fit like he says he would be but he is happy. Maybe Bullfit is like Crossfit but for the people that want it easier. Corey Graves points out how Bull is working on his ‘ab’ it’s only a matter of time before Buuulfit is a chant.
The match is very basic. Headlocks, back drops, and I start to wonder, do I know any of the moves of doom of these two? As much as NXT is considered a brand, this match reminds you it’s developmental. Bull starts to “Bull-up” where he becomes impervious to pain. He hits this for the win.
We get a Nia Jax video, the music is brooding that’s about it.
There is an Apollo Crews interview. It was after his win over Tye Dillenger, he can barely control his excitement. You can tell this is authentic and no character.
I really want Blake and Murphys shirt. Alexa says this is about Blue Pants, is she even on this roster? She says Blue Pants will be back on the clearance rack next week.
There is a Charlotte video package where she says she will headline Wrestlemania one day, probably when they grow up.
Charlotte vs. Emma vs. Becky Lynch vs. Dana Brooke
Emma used to have this thing where she would screw up certain spots of her entrance, like clumsily getting into the ring. With her new character, she pretends like she is gonna do the same, flashes a smirk and does her entrance smarmier than before.
Dana Brooke trolled a fan pretty hard. Dana gestured towards him and starting walking his way. The second he bought into it she put her hand in his face!
The match is able to tell a good story too. The good girls of Charlotte and Becky Lynch would try and clear the ring so they can go one-on-one. The crowd is split with dueling let’s go Becky and let’s go Charlotte chants.
Emma and Dana take over and double team Charlotte on the outside so they can work over Becky for a little bit. I feel bad for Emma. She got called up right as the revolution was being televised, and sent back down when the Four Horsewomen cemented their legacy.
Now Emma has to protect her spot from the new crop; Dana Brooke, Carmella, Eva Marie, Nia Jax, Blue Pants, Alexa Bliss, and NXT Woman’s champ Bayley.
Everyone was starting to get their shit in during the match. Emma was doing Emmamite sandwiches and got the pin on Becky while everyone looked confused.
And I’m Like… Thinkin that wasn’t supposed to be the end but I’ll take it. I had a lot more written about this but, I lost over half the work. Sorry, I should learn to save more often.
-jake.
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