NXT – May 1, 2014: Taking Us To The Takeover

NXT
Date: May 1, 2014
Location: Full Sail University, Winter Park, Florida
Commentators: Tom Phillips, William Regal, Byron Saxton

We’ve got a big show to build towards now, meaning things should start coming together in the near future. On top of that we’ve got a challenge from Adam Rose to face Camacho at some point in the future, which isn’t a terrible idea for an opponent for Rose, especially when he’ll be in WWE very soon. Let’s get to it.

 

HHH is in the ring to open the show to talk about how awesome NXT is and how much of an impact it’s having on WWE with people like Paige. The fans think this is awesome. You can tell when this was taped as HHH has a sore throat. Taking over WWE is a good idea, so on May 27, there will be a two hour special called NXT Takeover.

Opening sequence.

Tyson Kidd vs. Bo Dallas

Bo has new music. Feeling out process to start as the fans chant for Total Divas of all things. Dallas grabs a headlock but Tyson fights out and sends him into the corner for a dropkick. A suplex looks to set up a missile dropkick but Bo rolls outside before anything can happen. Dallas takes over with a dropkick for two as the fans are singing He’s Got The Whole World In His Hands. An elbow drop gets two for Dallas and we hit the cravate.

Tyson fights up with elbows but misses a dropkick of his own to give Bo a two. Back to the cravate as the announcers actually talk about the history of the two wrestlers in the ring. Like actual commentary you might say. Tyson fights up again but charges into an elbow in the corner. Now the fans chant for Tyson Kidd as he comes back with kicks to the ribs and one to the head for two. A belly to belly gets two for Dallas and a bulldog gets the same as frustration is setting in. Tyson goes up top but gets crotched down, only to kick Dallas in the head, setting up the Blockbuster for the pin at 7:20.

Rating: C. Nice little match here as Kidd’s push in NXT continues. The guy has the skills to make it work and a good finisher so I can’t complain much about him getting this much time in the ring. Dallas is heading to WWE and it makes perfect sense at this point as there’s nothing left for him to do here anymore.

The fans are all over Dallas and sing the Goodbye song as he freaks out even more.

Camacho says his parties are better than Adam Rose’s. Adam comes up and calls Camacho a silly little rabbit and says it doesn’t matter if it’s NXT, WWE, NYC or Hawaii, it’s party time all the time when Adam Rose is around. A party breaks out.

Here are the brackets for the Women’s Title tournament.

Bayley
Sasha Banks

Natalya
Layla

Emma
Charlotte

Alexa Bliss
Alicia Fox

Bayley says winning the title is more important than ten hugs from John Cena.

Sasha promises to beat the smile out of Bayley.

Women’s Title Tournament First Round: Bayley vs. Sasha Banks

Sasha drives shoulders into the corner to start but gets rolled up for a quick two. A backslide and second rollup get two each for Bayley and she comes off the middle rope into an armdrag. Bayley hugs Sasha in the corner and throws in a slap for good measure before a suplex gets two.

Banks sends her into the corner as Regal picks Alicia Fox as the favorite for the tournament. A very high backdrop gets two for Bayley and some running ax handles put Banks down again. The Belly to Bayley connects but Sasha gets in the ropes. Bankrupt gets two for Banks but she comes back with a backstabber and a modified crossface for the submission at 4:00.

Rating: C. The match wasn’t bad and Banks got to show off that she could actually wrestle a decent match under the right circumstances. Bayley is improving as well as she’s got the character down perfectly and is starting to be able to back it up in the ring as well. This was good for NXT standards, http://onhealthy.net/product-category/sleeping-aids/ meaning it would be better than most Divas matches.

We look at Brodus Clay’s heel turn and attacks on Neville.

Adam Rose vs. Danny Burch

Regal apparently got to go to one of Rose’s parties recently. Tom: “Why didn’t I get invited?” Regal: “No one likes you.” Burch shoves him into the corner to start but Rose prances around to get on his nerves. Rose is all ticked off and destroys Burch before finishing him off with a kind of facebuster called the Party Stopper for the pin at 2:49.

Post match the party comes out but Camacho sneaks in and destroys a masked man.

Brodus says he’s destroying Adrian Neville tonight because he’s the baddest man in the world.

Women’s Title Tournament First Round: Natalya vs. Layla

Layla says she’s getting what she wants like she always does. Natalya takes over to start but Layla pulls the hair and kicks Natalya in the ribs for two. We hit a double arm crank for a bit before Natalya fights up, only to be pulled right back down to the mat. Back to the arm crank until Natalya fights up and nails a snap suplex. A clothesline looks to set up the Sharpshooter and the second attempt works for the submission from Layla at 3:23.

Rating: D+. This didn’t have the time to go anywhere but Natalya is a good choice to push in the tournament. She’s a veteran and somehow one of the older Divas on the roster, despite being 31 years old. Layla is there for her looks but she’s not terrible in the ring at the same time. Natalya winning dominantly at the end was the right call though.

Adrian Neville’s teeth are back and he’ll win tonight, but not by countout.

Mojo Rawley vs. Oliver Grey

Rawley runs him over in the corner to start and Hyperdrive ends Grey at 1:00.

Post match Aiden English comes down and tells Rawley to get out of his ring. English jumps Rawley and is quickly dispatched.

NXT Title: Brodus Clay vs. Adrian Neville

No DQ and Clay is challenging. Clay tries to grab the title and gets elbowed in the head. A low bridge sends him to the floor and Adrian dives on him as the opening bell rings. Back in and Adrian fires off kicks but can’t launch the Red Arrow. Adrian is sent hard into the corner as Clay takes over with a running splash. Fans: “PLEASE DON’T EAT HIM!” A suplex and elbow drop get two on Neville and it’s time to work on the ribs.

Clay throws him over his shoulder for a backbreaker but Adrian rakes the eyes to escape. Some kicks to the head don’t do much to Clay so he powerbombs Neville in half. A middle rope splash connects for two and Regal is in shock. Clay goes to the floor and grabs the belt but Adrian kicks it into his chest, setting up the Red Arrow to retain the title at 5:30.

Rating: C+. Regal treats it like a huge win and great performance which is a stretch but the kickouts and heart Neville showed were nice touches. This gets rid of Clay as a big challenger which is the right idea as they have a ton of time before the big match at the live special. Not bad here and it makes Neville look like he’ll never quit.

Overall Rating: B-. Good show this week as they covered almost everything they have going on outside of Sami Zayn. I’m guessing the six man tag last week was the blowoff for that feud, which is fine as it wasn’t doing much for either guy anyway. The live special should be good as they have time to build it up.

Results
Tyson Kidd b. Bo Dallas – Blockbuster
Sasha Banks b. Bayley – Crossface
Adam Rose b. Danny Burch – Party Stopper
Mojo Rawley b. Oliver Grey – Hyperdrive
Adrian Neville b. Brodus Clay – Red Arrow

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