NXT – October 5, 2016: I Love That Concept
NXT
Date: October 5, 2016
Location: Full Sail University, Winter Park, Florida
Commentators: Tom Phillips, Corey Graves
It’s time to start a tournament as we have the first round of the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic kicking off tonight. Last year’s event was a lot of fun and set up the NXT Title feud for the next several Takeovers. The finals of this year’s tournament will be taking place at Takeover: Toronto in November so let’s get to it.
The opening video talks about the Dusty Classic returning this year.
Opening sequence.
Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic First Round: Bollywood Boyz vs. Authors of Pain
Harv and Gurv Shira dance a lot before the bell so Razar puts Harv on the top rope for some clubberin. Gurv comes in and gets beaten down as well, setting up the Russian legsweep and clothesline combination (now dubbed the Last Chapter) for the pin at 1:47.
Dan Matha arrives tonight.
Rich Swann vs. Patrick Clark
Clark looks like he’s wearing Prince style gear. Even Swann looks confused here. Rich does some dancing punches in the corner until he gets caught in a spinebuster. The fans sing Swann’s theme song and he makes a quick comeback with a running kick in the corner. A running moonsault puts Clark away at 2:58.
We look back at Cedric Alexander and Andrade Cien Almas facing off a few weeks back and joining forces in the tournament as a result.
Video of Asuka squashing Liv Morgan last week. After the match, Billie Kay and Peyton Royce laughed at Morgan’s loss.
Peyton Royce vs. Danielle Kamela
Kamela starts fast with a small package and cross body for two each. Peyton sends her into the corner for some long legged choking and forearms to the chest. We hit the chinlock for a bit before Kamela fights up for handspring elbow, only to get kneed in the head. A fisherman’s suplex gives Peyton the pin at 3:44.
Rating: D+. The wrestling wasn’t much but it was a good sign that they’re actually trying to make some new names both in the division and in the promotion as a whole. Royce and Kay are fine as replacements for Dana Brooke and Emma as the heel team, though I can’t imagine them being much of a threat to Asuka.
Bobby Roode is way too fired up for the first round match in the Dusty Classic. He doesn’t want to talk about Sanity when everyone is talking about Glorious Ten. “It will be glorious when we’re victorious.” Roode rushes Dillinger out before he can say anything.
Dan Matha comes out (looking like a cross between Matt Morgan and Nathan Jones) for his debut but here’s Samoa Joe to beat him down instead. Joe asks Regal how many more have to suffer like this one here.
Rich Swann and No Way Jose have teamed up due to a love of dancing.
Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic First Round: Andrade Cien Almas/Cedric Alexander vs. Revival
Non-title. Alexander and Dawson start things off with Cedric getting shouldered down. Everything breaks down and the Revival is dropkicked out to the floor and a backdrop does it all over again. A big flip dive from Cedric takes the champs down again and it’s all Alexander/Almas in the first four minutes. Revival finally gets it together by suckering Almas into a blindside forearm as we take a break.
Back with Dawson getting two off a northern lights suplex as the champs start in on Almas’ arm. The fans want Cedric and an enziguri from Almas gives them what they want. Everything breaks down again and Alexander gets two off a sunset flip into a bridge. Almas has knocked out to the floor though and it’s the Shatter Machine to send the Revival on at 12:40.
Rating: B. I liked this more than I was expecting to as Almas is looking better while Alexander looks like one of the most natural newcomers to WWE in a very long time. Revival has to advance here and that’s the only possibly outcome they could have, especially in the first round. Someone almost has to take them out though as you have Gargano/Ciampa and the Authors of Pain looming for them.
Post match, Almas beats Cedric down and sends him into the post. Almas soaks in the YOU SUCK chants to end the show.
Overall Rating: B. Another fast paced show with every story hitting perfectly. Almas turning is long overdue and is another example of NXT seeing something not working and changing course as a result. That’s close to blasphemy in WWE but down here, it’s what you do when something isn’t going right. NXT actually pays attention and fixes things because they listen to their audience. I love that concept.
Results
Authors of Pain b. Bollywood Boyz – Last Chapter to Gurv
Rich Swann b. Patrick Clark – Running moonsault
Peyton Royce b. Danielle Kamela – Fisherman’s suplex
Revival b. Cedric Alexander/Andrade Cien Almas – Shatter Machine to Alexander
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Patrick Clark reminded me too much of Orlando Jordan from his TNA days, but his wrestling style was closer to blue blood HHH. Interesting concept.
I love The DRTTC but I find it a bit odd that Dusty Roades got a Tag Team Torement named after him when he got his fame being a singles star who wasn’t known for his tag wrestling.
Loved that heel turn by Almas at the end as the fans were just ready to boo him. As you said KB always lean in and work with what the crowd is giving you.
Gotta love this tournament but these brackets have me flummoxed as both the Revival and Gargano and Ciampa are on the same side and Aries/Mystery Partner and Ibushi and Itami are on the same side. Revival and G/C are likely to meet in the quarters while the other two teams likely meet in the semis and I would have bet my house those four teams making the semis opposite their feuding opponent and then one of those feuds blowing off in the finals. Authors of Pain will cake walk to the semis apparently.
The only person WWE has a problem turning is Roman.
And Cena I guess but he’s practically gone beyond the face/heel dynamic.
That’s what I was getting at.