Peter Kostka
Taped at Full Sail University. Rich Brennan, Alex Riley and Jason Albert are on commentary, so I don’t have high hopes for this episode.
The Ascension opens things up against yet another jobber team. Riley has the gall to compare them to the Shield. Come on now. They squash, they cut a promo, “ya” is used in a dumb way. Next.
Next: The new GM is introduced!
WILLIAM REGAL IS THE NEW GM! Hell and fuck yeah! His first act is to announce the main event for Takeover and asks Adrian Neville to join him. Out comes #DirtbagTysonKidd to accept his championship shot, but Tyler Breeze believes everyone else deserves a shot ahead of Kidd “including his wife”. Finally, Sami Zayn throws his hat in the ring. Neville cuts the bullshit and challenges all three of them for Takeover. He’s fallen on his head a few too many times I think. Regal makes the match and we have a hell of a main event. Good that they had Neville make the challenge to try and put over his fighting spirit at least.
Regal is backstage and makes the main event for tonight: Zayn and Neville vs. Kidd and Breeze. This is a great man we have as GM, folks.
Sasha Banks vs Bayley!
New music for Banks. This is a rematch from a pretty good match a few weeks ago. They get right back into it from the bell and Banks takes control. These two just click in the ring as Banks continues to improve on her own. Bayley makes the comeback and surprises her with the Bailey to Belly for the pin. Hey, the #1 contender actually getting wins. How novel. She cuts a promo with Renee Young putting over how long she has been in NXT and that being champ is her dream, but Charlotte is out to ruin her mood, telling Bayley to give up before she’s embarrassed. Bayley isn’t afraid, but isn’t going to offer her a hug, just a handshake, but Charlotte refuses.
Thoughts: A basic buildup to this match, but when has “I want to be champion.” “Well I’m better than you so tough.” been a bad buildup in pro wrestling? It’s kind of awkward how Charlotte now has to play an actual heel after being almost a babyface since she won the title.
BULL Dempsey vs. Angelo Dawkins
The FUCK is Dawkins wearing? It’s like he fell out of an early 90s teen fashion magazine. Bull kills him anyway and the Bulldozer finishes. He will face (and destroy hopefully) Mojo Rawley at Takeover.
The Legionnaires gloat over shaving Enzo Amore’s beard last week and accepts his challenge for a Hair vs. Hair tag match at Takeover.
Adrian Neville and Sami Zayn vs. #DirtbagTysonKidd and Tyler Breeze
Breeze is worked over to start and Zayn sends him out, catching Kidd as well with a powerslam and Neville hits a corkscrew splash off Zayn’s back. Kidd takes control as Breeze cheap shots Neville with a superkick as we go to a break.
They have Neville in the Tree of Woe as we return and Breeze cuts off a tag as they continue to control the match., but Neville takes out Kidd’s knee on a charge and makes the tag. Zayn crossbodies both heels and hits a Michinoku Driver for 2. Neville in and a standing SSP gets another 2. The heels collide and Neville gets another 2. He goes for Red Arrow, but Breeze crotches him and Zayn accidentally Heluva Kicks him in the face. The heels argue for a bit and Kidd shoves Breeze into a Blue Thunder Bomb and takes the pin for himself. He has a brief moment to celebrate before Zayn drill him with a Heluva Kick and grabs the NXT Title belt, looking into it as we fade out.
Thoughts: A pretty standard tag match with some cool spots thrown in. Give these guys 20 minutes to run wild on each other and we are in for a treat at Takeover.
Final Thoughts: Pretty much a show to set up the rest of the card for Takeover, which looks like a pretty good show. Not much to go out of your way to see this week, though.
