Welcome to another NXT Wednesday! This week they've been hyping a Women's Triple threat for #1 Contendership, and Riley/Owens 2. We're hitting the ground running as Rich and Corey Graves welcome us.
IN RING!
Finn Balor's music is playing. Out he comes. They mention the fact that Finn was on the European tour. Out next? Tye Dillenger. Last time we saw Tye was against Jason Jordan. They kick off with some mat grappling. Finn hits a huge dropkick. Finn tries an arm ringer and eats a forearm, and then Dillenger begins chopping Finn, as the crowd chants "DillenJOBBER". Finn hits a chop of his own. A couple more chops. Two running forearms. A Pele kick. The Slingblade. High velocity running dropkick into the corner and caps it off with the Coup De Grace. Finn is our winner.
Glorified squash. Fine with that. Finn Balor is one of the faces of NXT, and I think he could be on main roster by the end of the Summer. Dillenger is pretty good, and it'll be interesting to see how they use him moving forward. Today he gave of a decidedly "CJ Parker" vibe, not character or anything, just as "dude is gonna lose… a… LOT!"
BACKSTAGE!
Selfie Cam. Prince Pretty is saying BRAVO, FINN… BRAVO! Says other people are impressed, but he isn't. Calls Balor a "flavor of the month". He says its time Finn to meet someone who is dominating NXT (So Breeze wants to see a rematch with Owens, TOO?! … Oh… he was talking about himself. Good stuff. Mostly because Breeze/Itami has run its course.
BACKSTAGE!
Dana Brooke is talking to Devon (I think I've finally learned her name, so goodbye her nickname "Female Mic Stand" – at least we still have "Male Mic Stand") Brooke is playing up her ego. Condescending pat on Devon's head. She says it wasn't a debut, but the rebirth of the NXT Women's division. She calls herself the most: beautiful, defiant, and strongest Diva. Apparently NXT is Dana's playground, and "Playtime is Over." – Her promo was pretty good. That part of her game seems more polished than her in ring.
HYPE!
Owens and Riley is later tonight. Women's triple threat is… NEXT! Graves tells us the triple threat is going to steal the show.
BACKSTAGE!
Devon with Kevin Owens. Devon asks about Riley. Owens complains about a draft. Devon got a rough schedule of interviews tonight. Kevin gives Riley some credit. Says Riley gave a decent fight. But that Riley will never be NXT Champion, and after tonight Riley should find himself a table, chair, a headset, and leave Owens alone. Owens leaves to get a coat. (C'mon Kev… you're Canadian, you don't GET "cold".
IN RING!
BAYLEY! Followed by Becky Lynch. Finally Charlotte is out. The crowd chants for Bayley. Charlotte attacks Becky. She and Bayley hit a few clubbing forearms. Early on Bayley and Charlotte are taking turns beating on Becky until Bayley rolls Becky out of the ring so Bayley and Charlotte can mix it up. Chops from Charlotte. Charlotte locks Bayley into the figure four headlock and continues to take Bayley up and over slamming her. That's a nice move! Charlotte kips up, and Full Sail applauds. Becky Lynch is back. She attacks Charlotte. Pump Handle suplexes Charlotte out of the ring and begins working over Bayley. Until… COMMERCIAL!
HEY! Miz and Summer Rae are in a movie!
And.. we're.. back! Becky taunts as she continues to work Bayley over. Running leg drops. Get her a two count. And then consecutive one counts. Becky begins working the left leg. Hamstring kicks and then hyperextending the left knee. Dragon leg screw and looks like she she is going for a figure four, but Charlotte is up on the apron. Running forearm knocks Charlotte off. Lynch counters a Bayley roll up into a nasty looking submission. Bayley's legs are all kinds of tied up with Becky kneeling on Bayley's lower back, and Charlotte ends up hitting the Natural Selection on Becky… Bayley saves the three count. Charlotte puts Bayley on the top rope. They exchange chops and forearms until Becky pulls Charlotte off the middle rope. Now Becky ascends. Looking for the superplex. Bayley blocks. Charlotte comes in for a power bomb, walks her out, and Bayley hits a diving back elbow off the top rope onto Becky while Charlotte drives her down with a power bomb. Bayley suplexes Charlotte. Hits the Bayley to Belly on Becky and Charlotte pulls her away. Charlotte with the figure four. Bayley gets to the ropes… but Graves reminds us, there IS NO ROPE BREAK IN A TRIPLE THREAT! Charlotte lets go of the hold though to pull Bayley to the middle. Goes into the "FIGURE 8" Where she does the high angle bridge to add pressure. Bray Wyatt approves. WHOA… BECKY CRAWLS TO COVER BAYLEY WHO IS ALMOST OUT… ONE… TWO…THREE!! Lynch is the #1 contender. Really well done finish. Charlotte is shocked. Lynch is shocked. Bayley is hurting.
Excellent match between three of NXT's finest. Good action with some really cool/inventive spots, and I like that Lynch has a title match coming.
IN RING!
CJ Parker… STILL EMPLOYED! Hahaha… So They weren't out of Pre-Mania TV tapings, just yet. At the end of the last match they said he'd be facing Hideo Itami. So Tye Dillenger can't be the new CJ Parker… just… yet! Here comes Itami. Don't blink, y'all I don't think this one is going long. They feel each other out. CJ goes for a leg kick, but Itami doesn't like it so CJ runs away. Itami catches another kick, and CJ runs to find cover in the ropes. Itami is being a little aggressive so the referee has to back him off CJ, but as soon as Itami steps back CJ runs and locks in a side headlock. CJ dominates. He hits a vertical suplex. Continues to get cocky. Goes for a 2nd Suplex, but Itami fights out. Ends up kicking and clotheslining his way into taking control. He goes into strike mode. Stalling dropkick into the corner, and the then "Shotgun Kick" to finish it.
BACKSTAGE!
Becky is unlacing her boots, and in walks Sasha Banks. Becky doesn't think silver looks good on Sasha. Sasha says she made Becky. The two agree to disagree and go their separate ways.
IN RING!
RHYNO is out. Some dude is in the ring, I have no idea if anyone has said his name. Bell. Clothesline. Belly to belly. Gore. 1. 2. 3. Legit that's what happened. Complete Play by Play. (Rhyno and your humble recapped are efficient)
BACKSTAGE!
Carmella is standing around wearing lots of jewelry. Blake and Murphy slide in singing, well its kind of singing. They are cut off by Enzo and Cass. Enzo and Cass don't like that Carmella is wearing the jewelry the Tag Champs got for her. The three argue until we cut away to…
IN RING!
RAGE! Riley's music is already playing and he's on his way out! Owens is out next. Kevin is smirking as he saunters out from the back. These two have continued their feud on Twitter, especially. These two circle and tie up. Owens backs Riley into the corner. They smirk and posture at one another. Another tie up. Again Owens backs Riley into the corner and the trash talk continues. An exchange of hard shoves, and Owens winds up for a right hand. BLOCKED. Riley dropkick sends Owens rolling to the outside to take a T.O. (A T.O. for K.O.!) – Owens stays on the outside, taunting. Riley goes for a baseball slide dropkick. Owens side steps takes two fistfuls of riley and slams him backwards into the steel entrance ramp! That sends us to Commercial! Hey! There's a Pay Per View this weekend!
And…we're… BACK. Stomps and punches from Owens. Beatdown is ON! Big slap from Riley. Right hand. Goes for a boot and its caught by Owens. Kick to the hamstring. Then a leg kick and Owens drops his girth across Riley with a Senton. Continues to pound and ground A-Ry. Locks in the… REVERSE… .CHINLOCK…. O'… DOOOOOOOOOM!!!! And adding discomfort to injury? He grinds his stubble/beard into Riley's cheek and forehead. Hahahaha that's excellent. Riley gets some momentum. Hits a snap swinging neck breaker, but Owens quickly regains control. Running Clothesline into the corner. And then? Cannonball into the corner. AND THEN? Pop Up Powerbomb. AND THEN? 1…2….3! Owens wins in dominant fashion. Poses in the center of the ring with the belt, briefly… He isn't done with Riley. He tosses him outside. Feigns walking to the back and comes back. Looking to hit the power bomb on the apron… NO! SAMI ZAYN! SAMI ZAYN! THE BRAWL IS ON! Herd of Zebras (Group of referees) tries to separate the two. Is that REALLY gonna work?
Crowd chants "let them fight". The locker room is out. Zayn gets away gets in the ring and goes to the top rope and hits a somersault plancha off the top rope to the outside whiping out the refs and extra muscle, and of course Kevin Owens. Bodies everywhere. Owens scurries away. Sami in ring stares angrily. Owens goes and grabs his belt and pouts at the top of the ramp. Cue Sami's music. They stare down.
OVERVIEW!
Good episode this week. Can't remember the last show we saw: Zayn, Owens, Balor, and Itami on. Sure we had two glorified squashes and one OUTRIGHT, but I'm fine with that. That's something WWE really needs more of to help get guys/girls some momentum. Main event was good, but really still was squashy. You had three of the top four women put on an excellent match. Easily match of the night. Stories were good. Breeze gunning for Balor is good, but I wonder what they do with Itami. Owens/Zayn looks like it will heat up for the next few weeks, hopefully leading to that rematch. The tag title feud is being well done too, and its intriguing because I'm thinking Carmella is being wooed away from Enzo and Cass.
I'll see you in 7.
