Peter Kostka
I hope you enjoy this week’s recap. It is taking up precious MGS V play time!
From the NXT Arena at Full Sail University. Your commentators are Rich Brennan and Corey Graves.
Tonight: The Dusty Rhodes Tag Classic begins with two first round matches.
Rhyno and Baron Corbin vs. The Ascension (Dusty Rhodes Tag Classic 1st Round Match)
I think this is the first time I’ve seen the Ascension on and WWE TV since some random RAW 4-tag team match. This is also probably the biggest reaction they’ve got since…well…they were last in NXT. They run through the (I guess) heel team to start and go to work on Corbin but Rhyno cheapshots Viktor and Corbin sends him into the post. There’s a weird audio edit as the sound goes completely quiet for like 10 seconds before the match resumes. This match is basically a whole bunch of punching until Viktor hits a STO and hot tag Connor who runs through the heels and sidesteps a Gore attempt, planting Rhyno with a flapjack. They go for the Fall of Man, but Corbin breaks it up and Rhyno Gores Connor for the pin. Man, it sucks to be The Ascension right now.
Devin talks to Neville and Solomon Crowe, who will have their first round tournament match tonight. Neville calls it an honor to be involved and will be honored to win it. Crowe is excited to team with Neville and cuts a goofy promo about it, predicting they will win it all.
Nia Jax: Still Coming Soon
Alexa Bliss vs. OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL’ Blue Pants
Alexa looks even more pissed than usual this week and she takes it out on Blue Pants. It’s pretty much an Alexa squash as Alexa actually looks pretty good in the ring. Blue makes the comeback but Alexa cuts her off and backflips into a double knee to the gut before the Sparkle Splash ends it.
Tyler Breeze once again interrupts an important GM Regal meeting and wants a partner that will help him win the tournament. Regal introduces him to Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa (oh my poor spell check), a team he has invited to compete in the tournament. Regal decides that next week Tyler will team with Bull Dempsey to face Gargano and Ciampa.
We go back to last week’s main event where they totally didn’t blow the finish and Emma won for real you guys. She points out that she started this whole “Divas Revolution” with Paige at the first NXT special.
Apollo Crews vs. Martin Stone
Crews rolls to start but Stone wipes him out with a clothesline before wearing him down in a chinlock. Crews makes the comeback and finishes him with the gorilla press into a standing moonsault. They really need to fast track him into some kind of storyline.
Devin talks to NXT’s Greatest Tag Team. Gable says that history is written by the winners and they will write their own history by winning the tournament, starting tonight. Their chemistry together is really starting to show. Gable wants Jordan to finish the catchphrase and Jason reluctantly does so. He says he’ll deny it, but Gable points out that it’s on camera. I love these guys.
Finn Balor talks about defending his title in NXT’s upcoming Texas run. Samoa Joe, his partner for the tournament, asks Finn if he is ready and Finn confidently shakes his hand. I love how everyone is still making this tournament into a big important thing even though there’s seemingly no money prize or title shot for the winner.
Eva Marie vs. Billie Kay
Back to back weeks of Eva? Come on. Eva’s still awkward as shit in the ring and the fans absolutely hate her. This is an epic troll job by WWE. She barely makes contact on a senton and Corey has to be ashamed of himself for having to hype her up. Billie makes the comeback and hits a suplex….and Eva forgets to kick out which sets the crowd off. This really is a joke on everyone, isn’t it? She hits her shitty finish for the pin and makes the belt motion around her waist. Stop doing that!
Enzo and Cass and The Hype Bros talk about their win last week and try to figure out where in NYC to celebrate. They decide to ditch Mojo, the best idea.
Next Week: Finn Balor and Samoa Joe face The Lucha Dragons in Dusty Classic action.
NXT’s Greatest Tag Team (2-0) vs. Neville and Solomon Crowe (Dusty Rhodes Tag Classic 1st Round Match)
Screw it, that match didn’t count last week. Neville gets a hero’s welcome (as well he should). Gable schools Crowe on the mat to start as the crowd immediately wants Neville. Crowe plants him with a flapjack and Neville tags in. Oh man, I would love to see a singles match with Neville and Gable. Jordan tags in and keeps him grounded, but Neville backflips out of a German and the heels are tossed as we take a break.
Crowe is getting worked over as we return and Jordan suplexes him out of his shoes before they work him over in their corner. Gable waves his towel in Crowe’s face and Jordan fans Gable with it as Crowe writhes on the outside. Put those things on WWEShop already. The beatdown kind of goes on for a while as Gable and Jordan establish their dominance until Crowe makes the hot tag. Neville flies around the ring on Jordan before kicking him down and going upstairs, but Gable pulls him out of the ring, so Neville just moonsaults out onto Jordan while Crowe dives out onto Gable. Neville springboards into a flying nothing right into Jordan’s arms and gets tossed onto his face. Crowe tags himself in and hits a running knee, but Jordan catches him in a big overhead suplex and the Grand Amplitude finishes Crowe off. When Crowe wasn’t in there, it was a really fun match that established Gable and Jordan as possible favorites.
OVERALL: If anything, this tournament should provide some fun matches with new teams and possibly help spin off feuds for the next Takeover. It seems like the October special is a bit of a stopgap and the UK Takeover in December is the big show they are going to be building to. I really (repeat REALLY) hope Emma is the next challenger for Bayley and not Eva Marie because I can only take so much.
That’s it for this week. @PKIsTwitting on Twitter. Say hi!
