Peter Kostka
LIVE from Full Sail University in Orlando, Florida. Renee Young, Tom Phillips and Byron Saxton are your commentary team.
Kalisto & Sin Cara vs. The Ascension (C) (NXT Tag Team Championship match)
How We Got Here: Kalisto & Sin Cara won a tournament to earn this match, defeating Buddy Murphy and Wesley Blake, Sami Zayn and Adam Rose, and then Vaudevillians in the finals. The Ascension are the longest reigning tag champs in NXT history, holding the titles for nearly a year now.
Viktor and Cara begin with Cara using his Lucha power to gain control, but Viktor catches him on the apron and sends him into the barricade, tagging in Konnor for some more punishment. He stomps a Ya-hole and Viktor grabs a hold to slow things down. Cara headscissors out of a powerbomb, but Konnor tags and lays out Kalisto to prevent the tag. These guys aren’t half bad when they actually have to have a real match it looks like. Cara lays out Konnor, but he’s smart enough to just lay on Cara and pushes him back into the Ascension corner like a puppy pushing a ball, but Cara flips over him and makes the tag. That was unique. Kalisto flies around, hitting anything that moves, including assisting Cara on a dive outside onto Konnor. He tries a springboard onto the Ascension himself, but they’re like “nah” and catch him, tossing him back onto the ramp (though Kalisto lands on his feet). Cara takes the opportunity to hit a dive of his own, which is more successful. Back inside, Viktor avoids a moonsault and lays Kalisto out with an STO and it’s Fall of Man time, but Cara takes out Konnor and Kalisto hits Salida del Sol on Viktor for the pin and the titles.
Thoughts: Fun match with the Ascension holding their own out there. It had to happen as the Ascension had basically run their course in NXT and it’s time to see what they can do on the main roster. There are a ton of fun tag teams on the NXT roster so this opens things up in that division as well.
Adrian Neville promo package as he believes he is invincible since he has beaten all three challengers one on one so all he has to do is beat all three at once to cement his legacy. He comes across kind of heelish in this to be honest. Hmm…
CJ Parker vs. Baron Corbin
Just as I am about to rant on having to watch CJ Parker wrestle, Corbin just MURDERS him, finishing with a kind of inverted Downward Spiral move for the win. This guy is OK with me and his finisher looks really cool.
Dirtbag Tyson Kidd promo package showing him in full dirtbag glory. FACT.
Enzo Amore (w/BIG CASS) vs. Sylvester LaFort (w/Marcus Louis) (Hair vs. Hair match)
How We Got Here: The Legionnaires were not too happy at being left out of the tag tournament and turned their anger on Cass and Amore, attacking Amore on the episode. Amore made the challenge later that same night.
Huh, I thought this was a tag match for some reason. Enzo may just be one of the best promos not only in NXT, but the entire WWE. Him describing all the different types of haircuts he can give LaFort while Cass plays hype man is the greatest.
Basic mat wrestling to start as Enzo teases LaFort’s hair at every opportunity. He hits a dropkick and LaFort bails, but Enzo yanks his hair to pull him back in. He tries more hair abuse but LaFort necks him on the rope to take over. This is pretty standard wrestling, but both these guys just ooze personality that it is still entertaining. LaFort talks trash en Francais but Enzo begins his comeback, only to be distracted by Louis and laid out for a 2 count. Louis tries to get involved again, but Cass lays him out and Enzo rolls LaFort up for the pin.
LaFort tries to run but Cass lays him out and it’s to the chair as the fans chant “get the bucket”, but Louis makes the save and LaFort runs off, leaving Louis to take the hair removal cream bucket challenge himself. Never trust a Frenchman, I say.
Thoughts: These guys are just fun to watch. Enzo can get over on the main roster with his promos alone and Cass is the perfect hype man.
A #gorgeous Tyler Breeze promo.
NXT GM William Regal joins us to introduce Japanese star KENTA, putting over his past work very strongly. Hey, his theme begins with the Pride drums! He cuts a promo in Japanese first, before saying that this is a dream come true in English. He is starting over in NXT and wants to pay tribute to one of his heroes, so his new name in NXT will be Hideo Itami. Help me out on this, Puro nerds. The Ascension interrupt and toss him out. They want a rematch, but Hideo is back in and the suit jacket is off. He lays out both guys and grabs a chair, sitting in the ring and beckoning at the Ascension, who back off. Interesting debut as it is going to take a while for the Hideo name to get over, I think.
Mojo Rawley vs. Bull Dempsey
They get right into it and Bull gets the early advantage but Mojo tackles him down and rams him into the corner. Bull avoids a charge and goes up (!), hitting a flying headbutt (!!) for the pin (!!!). Well then. He adds another one for good measure.
Thoughts: Damn, Mojo got wrecked. Bull kind of reminds me of Rhyno a bit; a squat looking guy that hits like a freight train.
Enzo and Cass are outside looking for a bald Marcus Louis. They find him with a towel over his head and jump him, carrying him back into the arena to show him off. He’s B-A-W-L-D BAWWWWLD! I can deal with dumb comedy if these guys are doing it.
Bayley vs. Charlotte (C) (NXT Women’s Championship match)
How We Got Here: Bayley had long been a target of Charlotte and her Beautiful Fierce Females group, which included Sasha Banks and Summer Rae. After Charlotte beat Natalya for the title at the first TakeOver in May, the group dissolved due to friction between Summer and Charlotte. Bayley faced Banks on the episode for the #1 contendership and won.
BAYLEY HAS STREAMERS! And new music. Charlotte wants a handshake to start, but Bayley instead charges her into the corner. Charlotte cuts her off with chops but Bayley takes her down and hits an elbow for two. They fight over a backslide and Charlotte turns it into a backbreaker to take control. Figure-four headlock, but Bayley bridges into a pin attempt, forcing a break. Charlotte continues to control with Bayley getting shots in when she can as the commentators bring up their friendship when they first got to NXT. Back to the figure four headlock and Charlotte rolls her around the ring for added punishment. Bayley’s selling is so damn good. She escapes again and rolls Charlotte up on a figure four leg lock attempt for 2. She counters a slam into another roll up for 2 and Charlotte knees her in the gut. They trade forearms as Bayley fires up, but Charlotte cuts her off again, but Bayley finally hits the big move with a top rope hurricanrana…for 2. She goes for the Bayley to Belly but Charlotte counters into a roll up for 2. Charlotte school girls her head into the bottom turnbuckle in a nasty spot and goes up, hitting a REALLY bad looking moonsault that thankfully only gets 2. Natural Selection (formerly Bow Down to the Queen) gets the pin. Sasha Banks strolls down to ringside after the match and gets her piece of Bayley, but Charlotte pulls her off. She doesn’t do the Handshake of Respect, but there is respect there.
Thoughts: Clunky finish aside, there was some great psychology in this match as Charlotte was obviously stronger, but Bayley was the spunky face that stayed in the fight but just couldn’t overcome the odds while earning the champion’s respect in the process. Pro wrestling 101 here.
Sami Zayn promo as he is most focused on Adrian Neville in the upcoming match.
Hideo Itami will be in action next week.
Sami Zayn vs Tyson Kidd vs. Tyler Breeze vs. Adrian Neville (C) (NXT Championship Match)
How We Got Here: Zayn and Breeze faced off for the #1 Contendership at the first TakeOver, which Breeze won while Neville successfully defended the title against Kidd in the main event. Breeze finally got his title shot after dealing with an injury (and shooting an awesome European Music Award winning music video in the process) on the episode, but Kidd interfered. All three men laid claim to the title on the episode, so Neville just challenged all three of them to a fatal 4 way match.
Kidd has Beats headphones on. He’s achieved Full Dirtbag (note: the author does not believe owning Beats headphones makes you a dirtbag. But it does).
The heels square off with the faces to start and it spills outside. Neville and Zayn are alone in the ring for a second which gets the crowd buzzing, but Breeze and Kidd attack and it’s back to the brawl. Zayn hits Breeze phone and takes a selfie. How dare you, sir! Kidd sends Adrian into the barrier and goes after Zayn in the ring, but Zayn wraps in the Koji Clutch and Breeze makes the save. Neville sends Breeze out and they brawl up the ramp. Kidd and Breeze double suplex Neville on the stage and then gang up on Zayn, suplexing him on the ramp. The heels work over Zayn to try and take him out of the match and keep Neville out of the ring. Breeze goes for a pin and that ends that alliance as Kidd tosses him and hits a neckbreaker on Zayn for 2. Kidd works Zayn over and tosses Neville again to keep on 1-on-1. Kidd gets his time to shine as he boots Neville’s teeth out and dropkicks Zayn in the corner for 2. He hits the chinlock to slow things down and cuts off yet another Neville attack but Adrian comes back in with a vengeance. Breeze is back in and Zayn runs wild on him, sending him to the outside. He goes for a dive, but Neville decides to one up him and springboard moonsaults onto both heels himself. Neville and Zayn have the staredown and it’s clear the crowd wants them to go at it. Neville kicks him around and goes for a springboard elbow, but Zayn catches him and a Blue Thunder Bomb spot is botched but they recover nicely. Kidd tosses Zayn and sets Neville up in the corner, but Neville fights him off. Zayn charges, so Kidd just alley-oops him into Neville, knocking the champ the the floor. He hits a spinning fisherman neckbreaker on Zayn, but only gets 2. Kidd goes for the Sharpshooter, but Zayn fights out and a springboard elbow hits knees. Zayn wants the Heluva Kick, but Breeze storms in with a Beauty Shot on Zayn! Then a Super(model) kick on Kidd! Then catches Neville coming off the top with a dropkick! All in the span of 30 seconds! Fuck yes! He only can get 2s on Zayn and Kidd. Breeze puts Neville on top and Kidd joins him on a superplex attempt, but Zayn joins in and we get a Tower of Doom with a powerbomb twist! This has picked up nicely. Zayn gets a close 2 on Kidd. “This is wrestling!” chant from the crowd as Zayn goes nuts on Kidd but charges into a Neville boot. Neville goes up and hits a shooting star press on Zayn and Breeze tries to steal the pin, but only gets 2. Breeze tries the Beauty Shot, but Kidd pushes Zayn out of the way and catches Breeze with a Sharpshooter. Breeze looks finished, but Neville scurries in and holds Breeze’s hand up to save his title while Zayn takes out Kidd. Neville and Zayn slug it out and Neville charges into a backdrop to the floor. Zayn exploder suplexes Kidd into the corner and dives out onto Neville on the outside before finally taking out Breeze with his tornado DDT through the turnbuckles. Heluva kick finishes off Kidd…but Neville pulls the ref out at 2! Holy shit. Zayn is understandably upset by that and goes outside, but Neville answers with a superkick to the jaw and finishes Kidd himself with the Red Arrow to retain.
Thought: Wow…that was NOT the finish I expected, but it makes absolutely PERFECT sense given the buildup and Neville’s willing to do anything to remain champion. Plus, this sets up a Neville/Zayn match that will FUCKING RULE. Great match as everyone got their chance to shine and they built up the intensity until everyone went full bore for the finish. Great job to all.
FINAL THOUGHTS: Another home run by NXT. Feuds were settled and new rivalries look to be beginning. The main events delivered like expected and it looks to be an intriguing fall for NXT.
That’s it for this week. We’ll see you in seven.
