NXT – August 3, 2016: A Little Old And A Little New
NXT
Date: August 3, 2016
Location: Full Sail University, Winter Park, Florida
Commentators: Tom Phillips, Corey Graves
We’re less than three weeks away from Takeover: Back To Brooklyn and a lot of the card seems to be set. Before we get there though, we have two big names back/returning tonight with Hideo Itami making his TV return after nearly a year and a half away and Bobby Roode making his TV debut. Let’s get to it.
Opening sequence.
Hideo Itami vs. Sean Maluta
Maluta was in the Cruiserweight Classic so Zack Sabre Jr., Drew Gulak and Tony Nese are in the front row. Hideo shoulders him down to start and kicks Maluta in the back before casually kicking him in the face. Something like a middle rope Codebreaker gives Maluta a near fall and it’s off to a bodyscissors. Itami comes right back up with his quick strikes to set up a hesitation dropkick in the corner. The running knee puts Sean away at 3:49.
Rating: C. Itami is the same guy he was back in the day and that’s not the most thrilling person in the world. He has all the skills you could need but there’s just not the kind of fire that’s going to get me interested in seeing him come out. The barrage of strikes feels old hat now as there are so many people who do the same thing and that gets a bit tiresome. Still glad to have him back though as NXT really needs top names at the moment.
We look at the Authors of Pain beating American Alpha in Alpha’s last match.
Revival says they’re the best team in the world but here’s TM61 to say the world is a big place. They’ve fought the best around the world so how about a title shot. Revival suggests that they go to the back of the line but here are Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa to say that their ticket says #1. Revival says the teams can figure it out amongst themselves.
Mojo Rawley vs. Chris Atkins
No time to talk as Samoa Joe comes in for the DQ at 23 seconds.
Joe says if Regal doesn’t have to ask him who he’s facing then he doesn’t have to ask Regal when he can disrupt the show. Rawley tries to fight back and gets choked out with ease.
Bayley has been studying Asuka’s matches and thinks she’s ready. Asuka comes in to say not so fast.
Asuka vs. Aliyah
Bayley is on commentary but Asuka offers her a chair to sit down in the aisle. That’s fine with Bayley but she would rather stand actually. Asuka cuts off Aliyah’s early offense and nails a running hip attack. Aliyah gets up a boot to stop a charge but dives into a kick to the head for two with Asuka pulling her off the mat. The Asuka Lock ends the destruction at 2:30.
Bayley comes in to break things up and Asuka holds up the title.
We look back at Oney Lorcan beating Tye Dillinger in an upset last month.
Lorcan wasn’t sure it was an upset but he knows the competition is going to get stronger. He needs to go back to his roots.
The universe is shifting vignette. It’s for Ember Moon, who debuts at Takeover. That would be the recently signed Athena.
Here’s Bobby Roode with his rather awesome theme song which keeps saying “GLORIOUS! I WILL DEFEND” in the chorus. Roode says the wait is over because he is NXT. A few months ago he was in Dallas for Wrestlemania weekend and he knew it was the place he needed to be. He was very lucky to be with those fans because they’re just as much NXT as anyone else.
Roode is ready to take NXT to that next level but it needs him, just like everyone else here needs him. Now that NXT has found their new superstar, his face will be on billboards and TV campaigns so he can take the company to corporate America and Wall Street. Then this place will be filled with Presidents of Fortune 500 companies instead of people in cargo shorts and overly large shirts. He is a superstar from his watch to his socks because there has never been anyone like him. From now on NXT will be GLORIOUS. This was some combination of Rick Rude and Ric Flair and it was rather awesome.
TM61 vs. Revival
Non-title. Miller cranks on Dawson’s wrist to start and a double shoulder gets two early on. Thorn keeps him on the mat with the wristlock but a hair pull gives Dawson some relief. A quick dropkick hits Dawson in the face and we take a break. Back with Thorn’s shoulder being worked over like only an old school tag team can. Dawson hits a dropkick to a downed Thorn for two more.
Dash almost does the dive into two boots but is fast enough to catch himself, only to get kicked into the corner. The hot tag brings in Miller as everything breaks down. A spinebuster gets two on Dawson and it’s time for a chase, capped off by Dawson grabbing a DDT on Miller for the pin at 11:16.
Rating: C. I’m liking the Revival more and more every time they’re out there while TM61 continues to look like a team that is just kind of there. This was a fairly decisive victory but to be fair it was too early for them to give the Revival much of a fight yet. It’s pretty clear that Gargano and Ciampa are the next challengers and they certainly should be after that recent win over the champs.
Post match Revival brags about beating a bunch of teams but here are Gargano and Ciampa to pick up some of the names Revival just dropped. That means teams like the Hollywood Blonds, Kermit the Frog/Miss Piggy and Pikachu/Charizard. Fans: “POKEMON! POKEMON!” Gargano: “Serious question: have you caught them all?” The challenge is issued but Revival goes to leave, triggering the brawl. Wilder is taken down and Gargano counts his own three count to end the show.
Overall Rating: C+. The women and the tag division got some major boosts here which they were really needing as neither feud was really on fire heading into Brooklyn. The two big names showing up were a nice way to make the show feel important but it’s all about Brooklyn at the moment and we can really get more into those two in the coming weeks. Another good show here as we’re firmly getting ready for the big show.
Results
Hideo Itami b. Sean Maluta – Running knee
Mojo Rawley b. Chris Atkins via DQ when Samoa Joe interfered
Asuka b. Aliyah – Asuka Lock
Revival b. TM61 – DDT to Miller
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I had to come back and comment just to say that….dammit WWE….you finally did it……..you created a theme song that is by the catchiest HYPE thing ever! Bobby Roode’s theme song may be the best theme song in wrestling history. I can’t stop hearing it.
Imve always loved Roode but he nailed that promo. Bayley getting a bit of an edge to her was interesting, and I’m dying to see the showdown in Brooklyn. Can we put an APB out on Dillinger? And while we’re at it, Tessa Blanchard? And Almas?
Nah. Forget Almas.
I still don’t understand you’re dislike of Hideo but whatever I guess. I thought Bobby Roode’s debut was great and the Theme Music just added to it. Be interesting to see where he fits in at Brooklyn.
I don’t necessarily agree on Hideo. He seems to have a little more vinegar to him but we will see if that lasts. He really needs a new finisher. Some kind of submission that gives him an excuse to work over body parts because Hideo really is one of the best at seamlessly transitioning from strikes to submission holds.
I totally agree on Bobby Roode. His music is just AWESOME and he cut one heck of a heel promo and finally got Full Sail to boo him. Look forward to his role as it seems that the bookers are content with the former TNA guys being the big three of bad guys.
Did Asuka just turn heel in a very natural way? That was also awesome and increased my level of interest in what is essentially a lame duck feud tenfold.
Yeah she did and it was teased starting back at Takeover. It helps a lot too.
I sorta love how NXT portrays it’s titles as corrupting influences to everyone who is not named Bayley, Balor, Zayn, and American Alpha. Not to be to nerdy but they turn anyone who chases the belts or holds them for any length of time into Gollum a little bit.