B. Patrick
WWE NXT – 1/1/14
NXT opens with Byron Saxton informing the crowd that Tyler Breeze has entered the building.
Lana comes out making announcements in another language to rile up the audience at Full Sail before bringing out her Bulgarian Brute, Alexander Rusev.
The announce team of Tom Phillips, Alex Riley and William Regal share some banter about getting Regal a translator as WWE Superstar Kofi Kingston makes his way to the ring.
Alexander Rusev vs. Kofi Kingston
The Bulgarian Brute opens up the initial offense on Kofi Kingston, easily handling the man whom the announce team just finished highlighting ten career title victories in his decorated career. Kofi is unable to show his incredible athleticism in the opening of the match, as the NXT powerhouse shows off his strength until missing a falling headbutt.
Kingston gets in the game with some rapid offense before moving to his signature spots while wearing his Bane from Batman inspired tights. He connects with the Boom Drop. Clearly he cannot get Trouble in Paradise. It never connects on the first attempt anymore. Kofi does some high flying offense off of the top. Rusev is in trouble until Lana runs distraction. Alexander tosses Kingston off the top and drops him like Mike Adamle dropped JAMAICAN ME CRAZY.
Rusev instantly locks in the Accolade and while the former Intercontinental Champion struggles, the Bulgarian’s dominant submission is too much.
Winner: Alexander Rusev
Devin Taylor is backstage and welcomes Sylvester Lefort. Lefort is apparently auditioning new clients since Scott Dawson apparently was injured in the Mojo Rawley match. The first to appear is Bull Dempsey. He shows up with his Hercules Hernandez chains and gets ripped by Lefort for being too fat.
As Lefort talks, Mason Ryan shows up. Ryan had no idea there were auditions and embarrasses Lefort, who curses under his breath.
Match graphics presented for a 2 out of 3 Falls main event between Sami Zayn and Leo Kruger, as well as a #1 Contenders Match for the Women’s Championship between Emma and Natalya. The Divas Match is next.
Star of the E! Network, Natalya, makes her way out first. The announces make this clear that this match is for a #1 Contenders Spot that Emma already owns. Natalya most recently lost to the champion, Paige, so the outcome will be interesting either way.
Emma comes out dancing and children as shown emulating her dance in the audience.
#1 Contender for the NXT Women’s Championship
Natalya vs. Emma
The announce team talks about the likelihood that the marriage of Nattie and Tyson Kidd lasts, while Regal jokes about having been married seventeen times. I’d call him the Ric Flair of marriages but Ric Flair is the Ric Flair of marriages.
The savvy veteran Nattie makes quick work of Emma, making her look as silly as her dance moves. After a brief roll-up, Emma gets cocky. She eventually locks in her Dill-emma Tarantula and Phillips acknowledges Regal’s old companion Tajiri.
As Nattie takes control, Regal makes a more obscure reference to Smith Hart. He starts making claims he favors a Natalya win, as he has a soft-spot for people who have been around the business. Riley wants Emma to win because he has a crush on her. Never change, A-Ry.
Nattie eventually goes for the Sharpshooter but we once again see a rookie take advantage of a veteran, as Emma reverses into the Emma Lock.
Winner: Emma
Two matches in the first episode of 2014 and NXT grapplers are making the main roster folks tap. Emma gets standoffish of Natalya who comes over and raises her arm before doing the dance. Emma chases a bubble before the show throws to another commercial.
A reminder of tonight’s main event of another 2 out of 3 falls match is given before we find out next is the FIRST EVER NXT SING OFF. Colin Cassidy sings off against Aiden English.
CAN’T WAIT CAN’T WAIT… wait,
Renee Young introduces the first contest, Aiden English.
English asks for his spotlight but rather than singing an entrance, he tells us he will save his vocal styling for the ring.
Colin Cassidy is introduced next. His music hits and Big Cass makes his way out in a suit. We are told that Big Cass used to be a subway performer. Definitely not SAWFT.
SING OFF
Aiden English vs. Colin Cassidy
Aiden tells us he is going to sing some Italian opera and he goes for it. The crowd still doesn’t like foreign languages.
Big Cass gets introduces and starts doing some stutter and vomit thing. When he finally starts to sing, he actually has a better voice than Aiden English. He changes the lyrics of “Danny Boy” to make fun of Aiden English. He ties it all together with singing Aiden is S-A-W-F-T, SAWFT, which the crowd thoroughly enjoys.
The crowd votes Big Cass as the winner before Aiden complains and shoots down the opinion of the people.
He demands a “rematch”. He gets spotlight and does a singing rundown of the crowd.
Big Cass does his own lyrics to the tune of the Temptations’ “My Girl” to tell Aiden English he sucks.
Aiden attacks Colin Cassidy and leaves him lying.
Tyler Breeze is shown backstage checking himself out in his phone before the commercial. He makes his entrance when the show returns as William Regal tells us the kind of cat his purple jacket is made from.
MASON RYAN enters the arena next.
Tyler Breeze vs. Mason Ryan
We hear that Mason Ryan is down to 291 pounds, making him more agile and athletic. He does look to be moving better, however the much smaller Breeze downs the Colossus of Cardiff quickly.
Sylvester Lefort shows up ringside to watch Ryan. Ryan takes advantage of Breeze and runs outside to knock out Lefort. When he gets back in, Tyler Breeze nails the Beauty Shot kick and gets an impressive, quick victory of the former member of the New Nexus.
Winner: Tyler Breeze
A huge victory for the Gorgeous One. Breeze is most concerned with getting back on his phone. He selfies his way up the ramp.
Advertised for next week is a Tornado Match between Hunico & Camacho and the NXT Tag Team Champions, The Ascension.
Leo Kruger enters Full Sail for tonight’s 2 out of 3 Falls main event.
As Sami Zayn makes his entrance, the announcers talk about this match being a right of passage. I love that they’ve been using these but using it for this current Zayn vs. Kruger match just seems like overusing the gimmick. It was fitting for the acclaimed Zayn vs. Cesaro, it made sense for the Graves-Neville breakup. This one seems like too much.
2 out of 3 Falls
Leo Kruger vs. Sami Zayn
Kruger takes an early advantage and as he beats Zayn inside and outside the ring, Alex Riley points out he has never been in one of these matches. Regal makes a quip about Riley’s history in the ring in general.
The announcers debate the merit of Zayn’s previous encounter with Cesaro in a match like this. Riley gives Zayn the edge with the experience and Regal mentions Zayn is probably still suffering from Cesaro’s punishment months later.
Kruger asserts dominance until a sudden exploder suplex into the turnbuckles by Zayn, leading into Sami’s signature corner boot to claim the first fall.
Sami Zayn 1, Leo Kruger 0
The show goes to commercial immediately following the first fall. The match resumes with Zayn nearly being counted out on the outside. Sami makes it in and avoids a nearfall but Kruger, despite being down a fall, continues to dominate the match.
Kruger’s sadistic nature is put over, despite Regal not being able to say it and Riley guessing the wrong word. Kruger gets too comfortable and Sami busts out his spinning powerbomb, which Riley puts over as the second most impressive move in NXT. He attributes the first to the Red Arrow of Adrian Neville.
Kruger is able to crush Zayn with a DDT that does not get a fall but once again shift momentum. Zayn does slither away and climb the top but it results in Kruger punishing him more.
Zayn misses a high risk move and gets locked in the GC3 submission of Kruger. Last time, Cesaro locked Zayn in a submission and he was applauded for submitting quickly. Instead, Zayn fights it until he makes his way over to rope but now is selling a badly injured arm while Kruger rests.
Kruger nails his huge spinebuster, rips off his shirt and sets up the Slice. He swings and misses, Zayn ties Kruger up in a submission. The South African hunter struggles but eventually taps to get swept.
Winner – Two Falls to None : Sami Zayn
Zayn celebrates on the ramp as the announcers discuss the two straight fall victory being an NXT first, as they sign off another week of NXT action.
NXT Win/Loss Totals 2014
Emma 1-0
Alexander Rusev 1-0
Sami Zayn 1-0
Kofi Kingston 0-1
Leo Kruger 0-1
Natalya 0-1
