Peter Kostka
I would have gotten to this sooner, but two things got in the way: RiffTrax Live: Godzilla (fun show as always) and that stupid goddamn addictive WWE Super Card game on Google Play. I need to build up my Super Rare HBK card!
We open with a recap of Tyler Breeze’s road to the #1 contendership leading to the NXT championship match tonight. Am I crazy or did he actually never say exactly when he was going to challenge in his promo last week?
Taped at Full Sail University. Tom Phillips, Renee Young and Byron Saxton are your commentators
BULL Dempsey & Mojo Rawley vs. The Vaudevillians (1st Round #1 Contenders Tag Tournament Match)
Mojo and English tangle to start and English quickly takes control. The Villains work Mojo’s arm, but Mojo gets into the corner and Bull tags himself in to take control. Mojo tags himself back in and that proves to be a very stupid decision as the Vaudevillians finish him with a senton combo for the pin. They will face Enzo Amore and BIG CASS in the next round. Bull, completely within his right to do so, beats the shit out of Mojo. I’m failing in my attempt to feel sorry for him.
Thoughts: Not much of a match BUT the Vaudevillians won AND Mojo looked stupid and got his ass kicked in the end so I can live with it.
BAYLEY! warms up in the locker room, but Sasha Banks tells her that she will be the next Women’s champion, not her as they face off for the #1 contendership tonight.
BAYLEY! vs. Sasha Banks (#1 Contendership Match)
So this is basically the blowoff to the Bayley/BFF feud. Nice back and forth to start and they trade roll ups. Bayley controls and aggressively hugs her into the corner. She means business tonight. Sasha escapes to the outside and trips Bayley up to take control as we take a break.
Sasha has a bow and arrow as we return as she continues to work her over and talks some trash as she applies another hold. Bayley escapes and makes the comeback, showing great facials as she sells the pain and lays her out with a clothesline. She goes for the Bailey to Belly but Sasha slaps the taste out of her mouth and takes control back. Bayley gives her a slap of her own and tries again, but Sasha turns it into her backstabber/facelock combo, but Bayley shifts her weight to get the pin. Banks is in shock as Charlotte comes out to the stage and shakes Bayley’s hand (though Bayley is reluctant to do so).
Thoughts: That’s some classic old-school pro wrestling right there. I love Sasha’s aggressiveness and Bayley is a tremendous face because she can sell a beating and still show that she has fight left. That was a pretty good finishing sequence as well.
Sin Cara & Kalisto vs. Buddy Murphy & Wesley Blake (#1 Contenders Tournament 1st Round Match)
Murphy and Blake have dubstep as entrance music. OK then. Cara and Kalisto show off some nice double team moves and it’s basically all Team Lucha as Kalisto finishes with his unnamed finisher for the win. They advance to face Sami Zayn and Adam Rose which should be REAL good.
The Legionnaires are a bit miffed at not being in the tournament and focus their attention on Amore and Cassidy.
Tyler Breeze vs Adrian Neville (C) (NXT Championship Match
I’m honestly kind of surprised that they are just throwing this match on a “normal” episode. With the buildup, you would think they would save it for a live show. Neville works the arm to start and kicks away, but Breeze sweeps his leg on the apron as #DirtbagTysonKidd joins on commentary and we take a break.
Breeze in control as we return and Kidd remains silent on commentary. Breeze with the headlock as I smell an angle incoming. I really wanted more out of this matchup. Breeze dumps Adrian to the outside and sends him into the steps, but only gets 2. Neville powers out of another headlock and snaps off a few uppercuts and a standing SSP for 2. Neville springboards off, but Breeze meets him with a dropkick for 2. Neville sends him into the corner and hits a superkick for another 2 as things seem to finally be ramping up here. Neville sets up for the Red Arrow but Breeze pops up and triesvca superplex, but Neville blocks it and hits a sunset bomb for 2. Breeze boots him on a charge, hitting a tornado DDT and holy shit that sell by Neville.
Somewhere RVD is smiling. That alone is worth looking into this match. It only gets 2. They fight over a German and Neville flips out of a Breeze try and hits his own for 2. THIS is the match I wanted from these two. Neville slugs him to the outside and torpedo dives out after him as Kidd goes to get a closer look. Unfortunately, he eats a kick from Neville. Neville goes up to finish but that GOD DAMN DIRTBAG Tyson Kidd interferes for the DQ. He beats on Adrian but Breeze pulls him off, understandably a bit angry at the interruption. They go at it and Neville joins back in but the heels join up on him which draws out Sami Zayn for the save. He dumps the heels and protects Neville as we fade out.
Thoughts: It’s kind of sad that three months of build led to a match that is just setting up another match. At least the last 5 or so minutes were really fun and whatever combination they come up with for these four guys should be a pretty good one.
FINAL THOUGHTS: NXT seems to be alternating between fun, productive shows and decent but altogether forgettable shows by the week, but with another live special coming up on 9/11, we should be building up to some good matches over tthe next few weeks. Thumbs up all around this week however.
Now back to Super Rare HBK…..
