It’s felt like forever since a new NXT was on that wasn’t a recap show. I didn’t realize until last week but I need NXT weekly. It fills an emotional void that I can’t get anywhere else. I feel like I work hard and am trying to achieve a goal. In NXT I feel like everyone on the show: from the announcers, to the wrestlers, to the crowd. Everyone wants this to succeed and are trying their hardest to make it happen. It’s a connection that I didn’t know I had, or even existed to wrestling. It’s kinda like how I feel when I watch Daniel Bryan.
NXT Opening
Corey Graves welcomes us and says “If you think 2015 was big, you’ve seen nothing yet” We find out we are getting NXT year end awards. I tried voting a week ago on the WWE App and they kept saying it wasn’t connecting or that my vote didn’t work… That was disappointing.
William Regal comes out, looking a little skinnier than normal. He is greeted with “Welcome Back” He looks happy as hell too. Regal says NXT is the fastest growing promotion in the history of the industry. Is that true??!?! Crazy!
Regal says tonight’s main event is a woman’s battle royal for the NXT Woman’s championship. Regal then announces SAMI ZAYN!!!
Sami Zayn Promo
“Ole” fills the arena and Sami let’s that bitch breathe . Sami asked us to allow him to reintroduce himself . He says he is the lead singer of a band, it sounds like his band came out to play tonight. “Ole” is sung by the crowd and Sami says “that’s our number one single”. Sami says he is one of the men responsible for building NXT. Sami says there is no place like home.
Sami is proclaiming that he came back to NXT to become the first ever 2-time NXT champion.
Samoa Joe Comes Out
Joe looks a little hairier than normal. Joe appreciates Sami Zayn’s ambition, but he doesn’t think Sami deserves it. “The last time you were in this ring with your championship title shot I had to come out and save your life.” Joe says at London in Takeover “the champ said it himself, he didn’t beat me, he survived.” Joe says if Sami wants his shoulder tucked in his socket, to put the mic down and go to the back.
Baron Corbin Comes Out
This has a Monday Night Raw feel to it… AANNNYYWAAYYS
Baron says Joe usually spits nonsense. He says not tonight and that Sami needs to get into the back of the line. Corbin says he was victorious at Takeover and Joe wasn’t. Baron says while Sami was at home nursing his injury, he was passed by someone more determined and durable. Baron has a good cadence going and his vocal inflection is the best I’ve ever heard from him. Corbin considered himself the uncrowned NXT Champion.
Joe says Baron doesn’t belong in this conversation because he was choked out in Brooklyn. Joe tells Sami to “know your place when your in MY ring.” Sami says “my place is in the ring and I am standing right here. Baron Corbin takes Sami Zayn out.
Sami hit a Helluva Kick and knocks Corbin out of the ring. Joe feigns going in but walks to the back instead.
And I’m Like… That didn’t feel like NXT. I mean all the motivation is spot on and the wrestlers have legitimate claims and gripes. It’s just, usually that doesn’t open a show. If these three are tangling and Apollo Crews isn’t around yet, what is Finn gonna do? Props to the crowd for not doing a bunch of chants too, they just did the ones that were appropriate for the moment.
Bayley Promo
She doesn’t think either woman won the match in London. She didn’t know she had that ferociousness in her and she still prevailed. She says she is jealous she isn’t in the battle royal because she loves them. She said depending on who wins, maybe she will give them a hug.
Here Are Your Year End NXT AWARDS-
Danny Burch vs. Tommaso Ciampa
Corey Graves said that Tommaso silenced a lot of doubters, himself included.
We start with a little bit of chain wrestling and Ciampa is able to take Burch down to the mat. He quickly does some joint manipulation, but Danny is able to gain control after a top rope drop kick. I figured this to be a squash but it is an even affair.
Ciampa gets upset a little bit and unloads with a series of hard strikes. Ciampa then does some sort of rope assisted hanging reverse russian leg sweep deal. I’m sure there is an official name, I just don’t know it.
Burch lands a punch on Ciampa that Tommaso sells by crumbling to the ground and kicking out of a very close nearfall. This match is super hard hitting. Ciampa lays in a vicious slap on Burch and wins with an innovative armbar.
And I’m Like… When I used to watch ROH, Ciampa was one of my favorites. It’s cool how he is transitioning in NXT, he doesn’t have much of a character, but he is winning people over with his offense and matches. I am excited to see more from him. Good job to Danny Burch to, for taking and receiving like a true tough guy.
Enzo and Cass have a message for Dawson and Dash. “We do not forget” Enzo said like 4 or 5 phrases he probably had in a notebook for years. Enzo has a pony like Blake and Murphy. Realest Guys are just too upset to be fun. They are serious business and I am intrigued for the match against the Ascension.
Billy Kay says tonight she is bringing the NXT woman’s division to it’s knees.
Deonna Purrazzo says she is known as the woman Asuka knocked out cold.. She said we will forget when she wins.. I already forgot until she reminded.
Emma said this week she will do what she normally does and that is make it about her.
Regal speaks about the triple promo earlier tonight. He says everyone has a legitimate point, the only way to settle this is a triple threat. Winner is true Number One Contender.
Dash and Dawson (whom I call the Carolina Wrecking Crew) vs. The Ascension
I still am not feeling Dash and Dawson’s theme song. I feel like its
Slipknot
made a song with
Bubba Sparxxx
. We are getting Yah’s all over the place.
The Ascension can be super weak on the main roster, but I think they will always be a legit threat when coming to NXT.
Dash shoves Vik in the face and Viktor primal screams and attacks Wilder. It becomes your typical Carolina Wrecking Crew match with limb work and rapid punches. CWC tag in and out, and utilize the count of 4 so they can administer THE MOST damage.
CWC had the match well in hand until Viktor hit a flash STO. Dawson is getting worked over with yah punches.
Viktor gets dumped out of the ring, so does Dash. Dash and Dawson do a blind tag to a shatter machine.
And I’m Like… Glad that match is over. I started yawning a lot when that was one. It wasn’t much of a story, they beat the tough guys. They outsmarted them and did more double team moves. Dash and Dawson are on quite a roll.
Nia is told that she is not medically cleared because she was choked out a few weeks ago. Eva is stoked to hear this and keeps trying to say it’s okay and do a yes fist pump because she don’t want Nia in the match. This storyline is making us like Nia.
Carmella says tonight is the biggest opportunity of her career. She says 2016 will get more fabolous.
Peyton Royce has her flower and says she hasn’t had a real shot in NXT. She said she is the venus flytrap of NXT and she will make it her own.
Alexa Bliss says she will win because she is focused on Bayley and not the match?
‘The Drifter’ Elias Samson vs. Corey Hollis
Elias has a good interview
here
. He does the whole sitting on the top rope and not caring thing.
Samson puts a headlock on and won’t let go. He holds on the grip so hard. Corey Graves says The Drifter is the worst kind of person because he says he is like Johnny Cash. Graves says Cash is a legend and Samson is a rookie. One is music, and one is wrestling.
This squash is taking a little too long, Full Sail doesn’t even have a drifter chant at all.
Samson hits a snap neckbreaker for the win, which is his 2nd win with a 2nd finisher. I wonder if this one will stick.
And I’m Like… Samson grabs the mic and talks to Hollis. Then he grabs his guitar and doesn’t have his pick. I am still torn on this guy, I feel like they could take it places that would be so much fun.
Finn interview. Finn is told there is a number one contender triple threat match. Finn says the champion never rests and he will face every challenger head to head. The hard part is waiting on who will be #1 contender. He puts over all the guys in the match and gets himself over too. Magic.
Cameron says she is here to prove she is more than a Funkydactal. Girl bye.
Aliyah says she is debuting tonight. For those who watch Breaking Ground, this is the girl with the inauthentic entrance and horrid promo. She looks super happy too. Still don’t know what her character is outside of belly dancer.
Liv Morgan is talking about how she is gonna win for Jersey, herself, her family, and the NXT universe. Ends it with a
dice reference
and hand motion.
Asuka says “tonight I will be number one contender.”
Woman’s Battle Royal for Number One Contender
Instead of doing all the entrances, here is the main picture.
No Dana Brooke either. I am thinking her injury was like a popped implant or something. On Breaking Ground they didn’t specifically say what the injury was.
As Eva makes her entrance ASUKA totally takes her thunder. Eva tries to do the same entrance she always does because she only knows her cues. Asuka shoves her out of the way and slowly makes it into the ring. It is ALL vs. One for REAL!!
Asuka kicks Eva in the face hard. She then looks at the rest of the roster and smiles at them like she is gonna take them all down. Emma attacks first and the girls start battling each other. WE instantly go to Battle Royale Mode and everyone is near the ropes. Eva Marie is still not in the ring…
Emma plays it smart and takes a knee by the middle rope and just kinda sits there. This is over-the-top-rope, that is a far cry from
Battle Royales where you could eliminate yourself
coughGAILKIMcough.
Aliyah was the first one eliminated, and it was by Cameron of all people. Oh well good she got in the ring right? Experience?
We still have no mention of Dana Brooke. Deanna get’s eliminated while I type that. There should be a 10 woman Royal Rumble for a shot at Charlotte. Liv Morgan goes for a power bomb on Cameron but they botched it and it was scary. They go for it AGAIN and almost screw it up AGAIN! Alexa Bliss comes over and ends that misery. Please don’t let those girls attempt that NXT. My heart went into my neck because anxiety.
We have Alexa Bliss, Emma, Carmella, Peyton Royce, and Billy Kay. I believe Eva is still on the outside. Some girl is doing some primitive screaming and I have no idea who it is. Carmella slid under the bottom rope with Eva Marie too. Corey points out Emma, Billy Kay, and Peyton Royce all wrestled together in Australia.
Asuka almost was eliminated by the Aussie Brunettes. Once they were trying to eliminate Asuka, they went for each other. Asuka was able to overcome Australia and then was surprise eliminated by Eva Marie. Eva was taunting and doing an air guitar like Heath Slater. Red heads and air guitars. As Eva was taunting, Carmella snuck in and threw Eva over the top rope. Carmella wins and the crowd goes nuts.
Bayley runs out and hugs Carmella to celebrate her victory. Creepy ass Asuka is smiling on the way out.
And I’m Like… That was a good battle royale. They usually aren’t my thing unless some story is attached to it. The match took a while to get the story in, all it was really was was two people thought they won it, only to be thwarted by a third. Eva had a gameplan set up and almost won, except Carmella had the same idea and waited just a little bit longer to enact her plan so she could win. The Diva’s/Woman’s divison is deep as hell y’all. Let’s hope we get more Emma, Asuka, Dana, and Bayley’s out of this bunch. Eva Marie might have a new gimmick where she is smart because she sucks at wrestling. I am interested in finding out what makes the new women of NXT tick.
That was a good show, a few slow spots but power through those and it ends nicely. NXT is all about the build, and we are one week into this build. The emotion needs a base and the base was built for a few stories tonight.
I was up early so will be in bed early. You guys be safe doing whatever you do.
Have a good one
-Jake
