WWE NXT – 5/22/2013 – CXF | Culture Crossfire

WWE NXT – 5/22/2013

The show opens up with Curt Hawkins coming out. This week we have Tony Dawson and William Regal at the booth. Excited for Regal, I hope Dawson is better here than on Superstars.

Hawkins has the short hair, it may be time for the Major Broskis.

The former El Generico is make his debut now, Sami Zayn.

Curt Hawkins vs. Sami Zayn

Regal really puts over Zayn as being the best anywhere he has ever competed. Dawson says Hawkins is the only person not looking forward to Zayn, as he is a veteran and above this. A few in the crowd try to get Ole chants going. Hawkins gets flustered with Zayn and scoots out of the ring.

Hawkins, back in the ring, knocks Zayn down and brags, but Sami comes back with some quick exchanges before cornering and chopping Hawkins. Curt is able to back off Zayn and hit a nice Pele kick for a two-count.

Zayn is down and Hawkins starts toying with him, getting a little over-confident. Hawkins begins to work over the back before placing a headlock on Zayn. Zayn breaks free, scrambles to the corner but avoids a Hawkins charge to regain control.

We hear how the French Canadian Zayn also speaks Arabic, as his parents are Syrian. Regal tells us how Zayn just lights a room up as Hawkins catches him for a slam, only getting himself a two-count and more frustration. Hawkins starts threatening Zayn but cannot seem to get him up for a powerbomb. Zayn knocks him back, grabs his arm and runs to the corner, dragging Hawkins to deliver a diving tornado DDT for the win.

Winner: Sami Zayn

As we see Hawkins out on the mat, Regal illustrates Zayn won his debut over a former WWE Tag Team Champion. Zayn shouts “We’re gonna get to know each other pretty well” and we cut to a match graphic for tonight’s Corey Graves vs. Bray Wyatt match.

After the graphic, we go straight into a promo for Graves, as he talks about his tattoos, which we hear are his suit of armor.

The Hulu commercials end, bringing me back to that new astronaut WWEShop commercial, which I really don’t care for, outside of the humming for Fandago.

As the action starts, Antonio Cesaro’s music hits, which makes me quite happy. We do hear that while Cesaro has been on NXT, this is the debut of his beret. Two great debuts in one night.

Yoshi Tatsu next! Antonio vs. Yoshi Tatsu?! I am probably more excited for this match then I have been for most matches in a while.

Antonio Cesaro vs. Yoshi Tatsu

Cesaro ties up Tatsu in the corner but we learn more about Yoshi’s Army on Twitter as he gets some of his trademark kicks in on Cesaro.

Cesaro hits his crazy European upper cut. The Neutrilizer. Glad I was excited for this, it was 40 seconds.

Winner: Antonio Cesaro

Antonio tells us he doesn’t always ask for a microphone but if he does, he has something important to say. He questions the competition and tells us he puts the W in WWE. He starts listing off WWE’s programming to say there is no one that can hold a candle to him on any of those shows. People may enjoy that, so he starts talking in another language. He says a word that sounds like a swear but is interrupted by Sami Zayn.

Zayn says he just got here but questions Cesaro. Zayn lets him know the people don’t agree and if he is looking for competition, then starts speaking Arabic at Cesaro. He belittles Cesaro for not knowing that language, switches to French before calling Cesaro homeboy and hitting the ring.

Impromptu match –Cesaro vs. Zayn

Antonio Cesaro vs. Sami Zayn

William Regal questions Zayn’s decision to pick on Cesaro and how he could risk all he built in that first match but he is super excited for this match and for the international fans. Thank goodness for William Regal.

Zayn quickly causes Cesaro to scuttle away, as we hit a commercial. This could make up for my lack of Tatsu.

Back from commercial, I have to wait because I need to know about 12 Rounds: Reloaded. Clearly.

Cesaro has Zayn tied up against the ropes and tosses him before laying the boots. Cesaro makes a one foot cover for a one-count.

Dawson calls these two “mirror images in some sense” because they have thrived in international competition and speak multiple languages. I will wait for William to speak.

Cesaro with a hard whip in the corner but another failed pin attempt.

A chokehold gets reversed by Cesaro and the two struggle back and forth. As Cesaro fights out of a sunset flip, Zayn kicks out. Dastardly clothesline? Zayn kicks out at two.

Cesaro continues to wear down Zayn but Sami breaks free and lays a pretty heel kick across Cesaro’s face. Cesaro tries to back Sami in the corner, quick roll-up by Zayn.

Sami has control and climbs to the top, only to be caught from the cross-body to be crunched by Cesaro. We get Zayn referred to as a rookie and Cesaro is clearly frustrated.

Zayn kicks out of another hard boot by Cesaro and Antonio starts laying in jabs to Sami in the corner. Sami is down and Cesaro stares into the crowd. Sami is grasping at Antonio’s feet. Cesaro stands above him. Sami tries to do a small package, Cesaro uses his strength to stop him. Cesaro makes a lift but Sami pulls off another small package, 1-2-3!

Winner: Sami Zayn

The announcers tell us we will be talking about Zayn’s debut for a long time as Cesaro does not take the loss well and start destroying Sami. Zayn receives the Neutralizer. Regal tells us it is not classless, it is retribution and sometimes, necessary. Got to love him. The announcers really put over Zayn, Cesaro stands tall. Good stuff.

Rene Young is backstage when she is interrupted by, she isn’t introduced but I think it is Emma from a quick skim on the NXT website. Whoever she is, we find out she isn’t the scheduled interview. Audrey Marie comes in to shoe her away, as Maybe Emma keeps getting her name wrong. She awkwardly starts to dance, Audrie Marie gets mad and says she will take her out. We hear she would like to go out because she is hungry. Guess she is the new ditzy Diva but it is all coming across pretty awkward and forced. Not sure where this is going because I am pretty sure Audrey Marie was in the batch of developmental cuts last week.

Another graphic for Corey Graves vs. Bray Wyatt before we get the creepy Wyatt hype video again.

Back from commercial, we get another “Jersey Guido” gimmick coming out, Enzo Amore. Apparently his catchphrase is “Bada Boom, Realist Guy in the room”. That’s money.

OH SNAP! MASON RYAN!

MASON RYAN HAS LONG HAIR AND LOOKS READY TO DESTROY.

I am trying to figure out what vibe I am getting from Ryan, maybe Chris Hemsworth in Thor?

Enzo Amore vs. Mason Ryan

Ryan totally just tosses Enzo and smashes him in the corner. Mason break Enzo.

Mason looks a bit more mobile than before and is having fun squashing Amore.

Mason has him in a Torture Rack and spins him into the neck breaker.

YES MASON RYAN

Winner: Mason Ryan

More flexing. Go Bada Boom yourself, Enzo. Regal tells us Bada Boom must mean “Scrape me off the mat”. Heart.

Dawson calls Ryan the “Welsh Wonder”.

This show cannot get better.

Another hype for the featured Graves/Wyatt confrontation and we go to commercial with another Wrestlemania Home Video hype.

Back from commercial, we hear Stephanie McMahon will be on the show with a historic announcement. If that was not enough, the Battle Royal for Number 1 Contender hyped last week is on the show too.

Corey Graves makes his way to the ring, we hear he is The Patron Saint of Bad Decisions and he leads the Filth Parade. You know, the kind of guy you want to date your daughter. He is the babyface.

The creepy Bray Wyatt music hits and he is strolling to the ring with his followers, tag team champions The Wyatt Family, Erick Rowan and Luke Harper, in tow.

Wyatt really should be back on the main roster, although I guess he would need some followers up there.

Wyatt, still in the face mask, squares off with Graves.

Corey Graves vs. Bray Wyatt

Regal speculates the face mask is for intimidating and as an old villain, he’d wear it simply to headbutt his opponents.

Graves corners Wyatt and as Wyatt charges, Graves ducks out and applies a submission. Wyatt tries to break free, but the smaller Graves holds on. Wyatt eventually performs a suplex but Graves maintains his front-face lock on Wyatt.

The crowd starts to die down but Wyatt finally tosses him free. Wyatt’s face mask flies off and Graves kicks Bray to the outside. The Family protects Wyatt as he reapplies his face mask.

Wyatt aggressively hammers down Graves and charges him in the corner, only to get a boot to face. Graves wraps up Wyatt in a move that is very much like Tajiri’s Tarantula, with a little bit of flare thrown in. As the match starts to pick up, we get commercial again.

Back from commercial, Wyatt is letting loose on Graves on the outside. Jumping off the apron on him, then leaning into the crowd to their dismay. Graves rolls back in the ring and Wyatt starts dropping elbows, although Regal points out it is more of throwing than dropping.

Corey cannot get free and Bray has control, until he rushes Graves at the ropes, only for Corey to pull the ropes down. Wyatt and Graves face to face outside and Wyatt manages power-shoving Graves into the steps. As he is downed, Wyatt sits on the steps and throws stomps down on Graves.

Both men back in the ring, a pin attempt but Graves kicks out. Wyatt is wearing him down but we hear about Graves having heart, like an episode of NXT in the past where Graves stood up to The Shield by himself.

Graves manages a quick roll up, kickout. Bray loses his mask again and Corey gets a crossbody. Both men down. Wyatt keeps going at it and we are told Corey should go for the face while it is exposed. Corey starts targeting the nose and taking Bray down.

Wyatt in the corner, Corey connects and is now in control. As Graves tries to put on his Lucky 13 leg submission, the family climbs on the apron. He chases both off, gets the hold on but Rowan distracts the ref long enough for Harper to break the hold.

Bray is able to hit his finisher and another win for The Family.

Winner: Bray Wyatt

Bray Wyatt is grinning and his lackeys start stomping away on Corey Graves. As the two lay-in, Kassius Ohno hits the ring and dismisses the tag champions. Tony Dawson somehow thinks one man entering to help scare off 3-on-1 attack evens the numbers.

The numbers game overwhelms Ohno and the family stands tall above Ohno and Graves. Bray’s haunting theme music plays as NXT goes off the air for this week.

NXT Win/Loss Totals (as of 5/15/2013)

Bray Wyatt 2-0

Sami Zayn 2-0

Big E Langston 1-0

Conor O’Brien 1-0

Summer Rae 1-0

Mason Ryan 1-0

Antonio Cesaro 1-1

Enzo Amore 0-1

Danny Burch 0-1

Corey Graves 0-1

Curt Hawkins 0-1