Peter Kostka
This is NXT, from the CFE Arena on the campus of the University of Central Florida in Orlando, Florida. Your commentators are Tom Phillips and Corey Graves. The bigger arena is set up much like the typical Full Sail setup, but the bigger crowd definitely is a welcome change.
Baron Corbin vs. Johnny Gargano
Johnny sticks and moves, using his speed to get shots in where he can until Baron gets tired of his shit and the fans’ chants and drills him in the jaw. Corbin goes to work and launches Gargano into the corner with Johnny doing a quasi-Flair flip. Corbin is extra surly tonight as he yells at the fans (“I’m doing just fine, little man!”) and the ref (“Don’t touch me!”). Johnny gets a sleeper and fights off Corbin, drilling him with a spear through the ropes for 1. Corbin hits Deep Six but takes too long jawing at Gargano instead of finishing which earns him a sudden superkick for a CLOSE 2. Gargano slugs a stunned Corbin around ringside but once back in Corbin catches him with End of Days for the pin. Tremendously fun match as Corbin being the surly asshole sick of these Indy geeks getting in his way is absolutely the best way to take his character.
We look back at the controversial finish two weeks ago before getting Sami Zayn’s reaction to GM Regal’s decision. He’s disappointed but understands why he has to face Joe again next week. His first title win wasn’t easy, so why should this attempt be any different? It’ll be the first time against Joe next week and Zayn knows it will be a fight, but nothing will get in his way.
The Hype Bros vs. John Skylar and Corey Hollis
This is a Hype Bros squash, so instead let’s play another round of “Corey Graves Hates The Hype Bros and It’s The Best Thing”:
{When asked about their loss last week] “If I was Mojo Rawley, I would have retired.”
“You got Zack Ryder out there, former US Champion and Internet Champion and Mojo Rawley his blithering idiot partner.”
Skylar and Hollis get a tiny bit of offense on Ryder but hot tag Mojo and he runs through them leading to the Hype Ryder for the pin.
Bayley and Carmella have some last comments before their title match tonight. Bayley is proud of her friend for getting this match, but she’s faced some tough competition as champion and she’s not ready to give up the title yet. Carmella says this is the biggest match of her career and she doesn’t know if she’ll ever get another opportunity like this. Bayley: “May the best woman win.”
Alexa Bliss (w/Blake and Murphy) vs. Cameron
Remember that whole thing about Eva Marie being absolutely awful in the ring?
Multiply that by 5 and you have Cameron.
It takes quite the (lack of) talent to be surrounded by as much talent in the PC as Cameron is and still be this bad. She knocks down Bliss with a flying….pieface….face push…thing and hits a running split into a knee that really must have sounded good when she thought of it, but looks absolutely dreadful in execution as it looks like she trips over her own feet doing a running knee and she has to save the spot by doing a split. The crowd boos her out of the building and immediately gets behind Alexa as she fights back, Cameron screwing up a “snap your throat on the rope” spot in the process. The match devolves into 2009-era hair pulling and hair pulling-based spots before Bliss hits the Bliss Flip and Sparkle Splash for the pin (with Cameron pulling her shoulder up through the count for no reason). Man….woof. Cameron is sure not gonna last long if this is what we’re gonna get out of her.
Enzo and Cass have more words for Dash and Dawson. They are the 2015 Tag Team of the Year and in 2016, they vow to go “back to back like we on the Lethal Weapon 2 cover.” American Alpha interrupt as Gable reminds us that 2016 is “an Olympic year, and you know what that means”. Unfortunately, not even Jordan knows what that means, but Enzo speaks Gable so he interprets that Gable is saying it will be American Alpha’s year. Gable declares that he has “layers” (Enzo: “Tiramisu over here!”) and Jordan brings it all together as he says they will all be back to back against Dash and Dawson and Blake and Murphy next week. They will all be Ready. Willing. and Gable/Jordan/Cass/Smacktalker Skywalker.
The Drifter vs. Jesse Sorensen
Corey Graves really flexed his broadcast journalist skills as he went back to Pittsburgh and TALKED TO ACTUAL DRIFTERS and found out they saw someone that looks like Samson in a bar playing Nickleback. Graves is the GOAT.
It’s the same Drifter match we’ve seen, but this time the fans start chanting “Drift away” at him. The neckbreaker finishes.
We recap last week’s main event and Apollo Crews cuts another bland promo about how now he knows what he needs to do to be the best and promises a new Apollo Crews. His delivery just sounds so phony and unnatural. It’s the biggest thing holding him back from being an absolute star.
Bayley (C) vs. Carmella (NXT Women’s Championship match)
The besties have a handshake and hug before locking up. They trade holds to start and Bayley armdrags her down but Carmella avoids a charge and hits an atomic drop leading to a double dropkick stalemate and a standoff. The crowd chants “Hug her up, Bayley, hug her up” as she drops a knee for 2 and has control as we take a break.
Carmella fights out of a submission and makes the comeback, hitting a headscissors but Bayley pops out of the corner and clotheslines a charging Carmella down in a nice spot. She hits elbows in the corner and a powerslam for 2 before going up, but Carmella cuts her off and dumps her to the floor. Carmella fires herself up and dives out onto Bayley twice before rolling her back in for a trio of desperate two counts. She hits the Bronco Buster and goes for the headscissors, but Bayley rolls it into a pin and they trade rollups until Bayley gets her down for the three count. Actually a pretty impressive outing for Carmella as she stayed with Bayley the whole way and they built up a nice bit of drama leading to the finish.
They hug it out post-match and Carmella gives Bayley the ring which allows Eva Marie and Nia Jax to jump Carmella in the aisle. Bayley comes to the rescue, but Nia headbutts her down and the heels drag Carmella to the ring. Nia drops a couple of legs until Asuka storms out (to a huge pop) to make the save. Asuka simply stares them down with a look that made me poo myself a little and the heels decide to hit the bricks. Bayley comes back in to check on her friend and Asuka suddenly turns her attention to Bayley, tapping the NXT Women’s title belt as the fans erupt in “Yes!” chants. Bayley isn’t quite sure what to make of things as Asuka walks to the back, having not said a single word but getting her message across all the same. Asuka is incredible. I think we have a match coming for Dallas.
Samoa Joe ends the episode with comments for Sami Zayn. Sami is ungrateful for Joe saving his ass against Owens and now he has to finish Sami himself. “What stands before you is the inevitable for I will be the next NXT Champion.”
OVERALL: NOW we’re talking. A couple of fun matches, but what stands out, aside from the change of scenery, is that we’re out of the holding pattern and things are starting to happen again. The Road to Takeover has officially begun.
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