Greetings and Salutations, Cheap-Heaters. Welcome to another Wednesday and another edition of NXT! Last week kicked off another set of tapings. So lets see what we have while we head towards our next Takeover.
We cold open to Triple H surrounded by the NXT crew. He talks about losing Dusty Rhodes. Talks about being a family. References Dusty calling everyone on stage his "NXT Kids". He asks the crowd to stand with him as a family to honor the passing of the American Dream, Dusty Rhodes. Ten Bell salute follows.
Opening. Crowd chants NXT.
IN RING!
Hideo Itami's music hits. Itami is out with a sling and rocking a hair style any of the Beatles would be proud to have sported. Male Mic Stand says it'll be three or four months before Hideo will be back. Itami says he can't wait to be back in this ring. Talks about his trip to Japan to hype the upcoming July 4th Supershow. Itami says doesn't matter WHO wins, but that he'll challenge whoever it is for the NXT Title. He's interrupted by Kevin Owens. Owens not impressed. Owens has the dickbag cranked to eleven. Sarcastically saying how nice it'll be for Hideo to be able to visit his wife and kids, and too bad he can't compete. Owens stumbles over the world Delusional. Crowd "OOOOHS" and Owens quickly says, "man I sound like Hideo trying to speak English." Owens also says he didn't attack Itami. If he DID attack Itami? He wouldn't be standing there. He'd be licking his wounds with Sami Zayn. Owens says Itami owes him an apology for calling him a bad person. Itami doubles down. Calls Owens a great champion, but a terrible human being. Owens says since he's being blamed for Itami's injury, he might as well make it so. Owens is stomping to the ring, to take out Itami's GOOD arm. FINN FOR THE SAVE! Finn looks like he might go for the Coup de Grace off the entrance stage, but Rhyno comes in and LEVELS him. We go to break with Finn down and Rhyno standing tall.
OVERVIEW!
Good opening. Reminded us about Itami. Gave us a timeline. Hyped Balor vs. Owens, and gave us a main event for this episode. That's a tidy piece of bidness!
IN RING!
We come back and a main event has been made! Finn vs. Rhyno. Enzo and Cass' music hits. Nice touch by Enzo to have the Dusty polka dots clipped into his head. Enzo and Cass cut a promo that references many a summer blockbuster for the summer. Their opponents are Jason Jordan and Sylvester Lefort. When's the last time we saw Lefort? The announcers are on the same page as I am. They also do a good job of selling over Jordan's difficulties finding a partner AND Putting over Jordan's accomplishments. Match is pretty standard Enzo and Cass so far. Enzo is getting worked over… hard. Oh! Enzo with a roll up. Enzo gets the win. Cass has himself one easy night of work. Lefort and Jordan bicker as Enzo, Carmella, and Cass celebrate and dance in the ring.
OVERVIEW!
Predictable. Good work for the continuing story for Jason Jordan and his search for a partner. Plus Enzo and Cass continue to roll.
BACKSTAGE!
Recap of Owens and Joe's pull apart brawl. We get a WWE.com Exclusive. Angry Joe is Angry. Joe did NOT get the fight he wanted. He uses the "LET THEM FIGHT" chant Full Sail performed last week. He caps it off with yelling "LET… ME… FIGHT!"
IN RING!
Dana Brooke is out with Emma. Cassie is in the ring. (Remember Rule 14: If you don't get a ring entrance? You're gonna have a bad time.) – Cassie gets a little offense, but eventually Dana Brooke gets to work. Brooke has her in a decent submission move, but Cassidy fights out! (Don't call it a comeback!) – don't worry I won't. Dana ends up planting Cassie and gets the win. She and Emma celebrates.
OVERVIEW!
Glorified squash. Its about building up Dana Brooke. She's improving in the ring.
BACKSTAGE!
Charlotte is asked about Dana Brooke. Good promo from Charlotte.
HYPE VIDEO!
Finn Balor's house. Sami Zayn shows up. They joke around, as Finn Balor builds Lego pirate ship. Balor loves playing with Legos. He's watch Summerslam '95 and play with Legos. They go into a sit down with Matt Bloom (Albert). They talk about his time in Japan. Shots of him, Bloom, and Karl Anderson. Well we just saw a NJPW t-shirt on NXT. They talk about the Dojo. How the young boys/green boys are treated… well not EVERYTHING they do to those guys. They talk about Prince Devitt. We see Bullet Club t-shirts. Him with all the New Japan trophies and titles. Really good part two for the Finn Balor hype video. Actually did MORE with him in Japan than I imagined.
STORY TIME!
They talk about Regal telling Bull Dempsey to get in better shape. Then follow that up with pictures from Tyler Breeze and Zack Ryder of Bull looking all sloppy with food laying on him.
IN RING!
Stay Hype-Bro, is on their way out. Dawkins and Sawyer are their opponents. Mojo rocking eye black stickers… because… of course he is. Mojo and Ryder could be a fun tag team. I think this is a good fit for both these guys, too. Ryder and Mojo dominate early. Quick tags and some double team moves. Mojo gets in a little trouble, but Mojo makes a hot tag. Ryder hits his signature moves. Double team rough ryder spine buster type combo finisher dealie-o! Hype-Bros get the win.
OVERVIEW!
Establishing another tag team in NXT is great. Hype-Bros and the eventual team for Jason Jordan only improves the division. For the tag team wrestlingfan that I am? That's quality stuff.
IN RING!
Balor is out. Full Sail is happy. They recap Rhyno's attacks on Finn. Owens music hits. Owens joining the announce table. Rhyno out second. Owens like Rhyno and rhinos. Owens bullies Saxton. Balor on the attack. Huge somersault plancha from Finn takes out Rhyno. Only gets a one count. Owens says he is going to beat Finn on July 4th… then tries to figure out what holiday it is, cuz he's Canadian. He realizes its Independence Day, and then shouts out Will Smith and says "Great Movie". Owens torments Byron and Rich. Threatens to take Byron's job, cuz he does it better than him. Calls out Rich for saying "He was talking to the competitors earlier today", but not believing him. He hugs Byron and tells him to take a nap, and says Rich hit puberty during this match.
Commentate Owens… COMMENTATE.
Owens hates being asked questions during guest commentary. He also hates going back to Japan. Finn is working Rhyno over. Big running chops. Huge dropkick. Two plus count. Rhyno hits a series of shoulders in the corner. Finn hits a the Pele, but Rhyno stays vertical! Finn kicks RHyno off the top rope, but Owens heads ringside. Balor gets distracted. Kicks Owens off the apron. Balor eats a belly to belly. Rhyno goes for the Gore, but Balor punts his way out of it. Sling Blade. Coup De Grace. Finn Balor gets the win. Owens hits the ring and the beatdown is ON. Joe runs down to make the save. Owens and Rhyno back up the ramp. Joe and Balor stand mid ring. Stare down is ON.
OVERVIEW!
Nice win for Balor, though I more than half expected Rhyno to get a win here somehow. Guessing they didn't want to have Balor win this close to the Japan show. Still? I think it could have been good if Owens' involvement led to the Gore and win for Rhyno. Just so we avoid Rhyno's matches being super predictable. THAT said, the potential for the matches coming out of the post match beatdown/save with Joe's involvement? That's good stuff.
Too Long! Didn't Read?!
Very good episode of NXT. Some decent in ring. Mostly about building characters and teams, or progressing storylines. Even the main event had that purpose. Which is great. They're doing GREAT work with Balor leading into this show in Tokyo. These videos are spectacular, and they'll basically have half a DVD documentary done. I really hope we get drawing board type story with how the Demon was born next week. I just realized I forgot an Eva Marie segment. IT was awkward. Regal said "You don't just get into our Diva's Division" (Really wish they'd ditch the "Divas" tag for NXT. I don't think they call the dudes "Superstars". Good stuff and I can't wait to see you all again in 7!
