NXT – April 24, 2019: Keep Planning Ahead
IMG Credit: WWE
NXT
Date: April 24, 2019
Location: Full Sail University, Winter Park, Florida
Commentators: Mauro Ranallo, Nigel McGuinness, Percy Watson
Things are getting interesting around here as Johnny Gargano is still dealing with the Undisputed Era. That could make for some fun matches going forward and we’re starting those tonight with Roderick Strong getting a non-title shot at the champ. Other than that, we could be in for the first steps towards Velveteen Dream vs. Dominik Dijakovic for the North American Title. Let’s get to it.
Here are last week’s results if you need a recap.
We open with a quick recap of Gargano vs. Strong.
Opening sequence.
Jaxson Ryker vs. Humberto Carrillo
Ryker powers him into the corner to start but Carrillo flips out of a belly to back suplex. A springboard kick to the face gets two and there’s a headscissors to take Ryker down again. The standing moonsault is good for two more but Ryker gets all serious and hiptosses Carrillo into the corner. The Widowmaker sends Carrillo outside but Ryker follows and sends him into the barricade a few times. They head over the barricade with Ryker kneeing him in the head against another barricade for….I guess the double countout at 2:59.
Post match the beating continues until Danny Burch and Oney Lorcan come out for the save.
Adam Cole doesn’t want to hear about Strong getting a match with the cowardly Gargano. It doesn’t matter though because Strong will get the job done. Matt Riddle pops up to laugh at Cole being so jealous. Cole leaves and Riddle does his photo shoot with the goofy poses that feel more natural for him than talking.
Vanessa Borne/Aliyah vs. Candice LeRae/Kacy Catanzaro
Aliyah takes Catanzaro down to start and drops a knee with a flip forward for a bonus. Catanzaro is right back up with a flipping kick to the back so Aliyah pulls her down by the hair. Borne comes in to forearm her in the back and it’s Aliyah working on something like a surfboard. A double neckbreaker gets Catanzaro out of trouble and it’s off to Candice to pick things up a bit. The missile dropkick sets up a springboard jawbreaker (Nigel: “NOT TO THE FACE! NOT TO THE FACE!”) to Borne and the Lionsault is good for the pin at 4:26.
Rating: D+. Candice is clearly miles ahead of the other three, which for Kacy is just due to inexperience. Aliyah and Borne can get by without embarrassing themselves but Aliyah should have gotten better just due to time spent around here. The match wasn’t bad, but Candice was the only thing worth seeing.
We look back at Io Shirai being forced to watch Kairi Sane having her arm crushed last week.
Shirai promises to get Shayna Baszler but Marina Shafir and Jessamyn Duke beat her down.
Video on Kushida, who debuts next week.
William Regal is excited to see Kushida debut and like clockwork, here’s Kassius Ohno to interrupt. They exchange pleasantries and Ohno offers to be Kushida’s first opponent. Regal thinks that’s an excellent idea and the match is made.
Street Profits vs. War Raiders
Non-title. How often do you see NXT’s continuity behind WWE? Ford hits a big flip dive over the top to take the champs down and it’s a spinebuster into the frog splash for a VERY close two on Rowe. A Doomsday Device is escaped and Hanson is in to hammer on Dawkins. The running seated crossbody drops Dawkins and a heck of a clothesline puts Ford down. We settle down to a regular match with Hanson slamming Rowe onto Dawkins, who is right back with a right hand to the jaw.
Ford’s running forearms stagger Hanson, who kicks him in the face. Ford is right back with a delayed belly to back suplex and Rowe gets knocked to the floor. Some spinning splashes in the corner get two on Hanson but the handspring double elbow takes the Profits down. Rowe comes back in for the knee to Dawkins’ head, setting up the springboard clothesline/German suplex combination to Dawkins. Thor’s Hammer finishes Ford at 5:48.
Rating: B. That was a lot of fun with the only lower point being the part where they were actually doing a regular tag match. The Profits can go and with the Raiders heading up to the main roster (under whatever name they’re called this week), someone is going to have to take the titles. I don’t think the Profits will be the team to take them, but they had a very good match here.
Mia Yim doesn’t like Bianca Belair calling herself undefeated because she’s been defeated. Yim should be getting the next title shot and she’s going to prove it.
Roderick Strong vs. Johnny Gargano
Non-title. Strong front facelocks him to start but has to roll his way out of an early Gargano Escape attempt. Gargano knocks him outside for a kick to the face from the apron. A half nelson backbreaker onto the apron puts Gargano in more trouble and a gutbuster gives Strong two. He cranks on Gargano’s arm for a bit before chopping him on the mat and yelling at Gargano to stay down.
The Gory Stretch makes things even worse for Gargano and he rolls outside. This time the half nelson backbreaker is countered into a whip into the steps to put Strong in trouble for a change. Back in and the slingshot spear gives Johnny two. The rolling kick to the head sends Strong outside again for the Cannonball from the apron. They head inside again with the low superkick giving Gargano two but the Lawn Dart is countered.
Strong gets a butterfly suplex into a backbreaker for two, followed by another backbreaker and the belly to back faceplant for two. Johnny pulls him down into the Gargano Escape but here’s Adam Cole for the distraction. A rollup gives Strong two as the rest of the Era comes out. Cue Matt Riddle for the save and the distracted Cole kicks Strong in the head by mistake. That sets up the slingshot DDT to give Gargano the pin at 13:38.
Rating: B-. This was all about the ending but it was nice to have Gargano get a victory over someone with some credibility after the title win. I’m hoping the Era isn’t about to split as they never quite made it all the way to the top of the promotion. Cole as NXT Champion with his minions around him could have made for a good story, but the team has been together for a long time now and I can see why they might want to move on.
The Era argues to end the show.
Overall Rating: B+. It’s another show where they just do everything right, including good wrestling and storyline advancement that the show thrives on. I can’t emphasize enough how great it is to have things built up for next week. When Raw and Smackdown are seemingly written the day of the show, it’s so nice to have some structure instead of setting everything up the night of the show. Do more of that and things will get a little better.
Results
Jaxson Ryker vs. Humberto Carrillo went to a double countout
Kacy Catanzaro/Candice LeRae b. Aliyah/Vanessa Borne – Lionsault to Borne
War Raiders b. Street Profits – Thor’s Hammer to Ford
Johnny Gargano b. Roderick Strong – Slingshot DDT
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I think Undisputed Era should have been kept together until they could hold all the gold, or at least compete for it all on TakeOver. Let the split come from Cole not winning the big one, of Strong not winning the NA title. But, oh well. I have faith in NXT putting together something good, unlike any other WWE program.
As an aside, when will reviews be up for Worlds Collide? There’s some matches I’m looking to see your take on.
First one is already up. I’ve started the cruiserweight one so hopefully tomorrow. The women’s…..this weekend if I hustle.
NXT keeping the War Raiders name is just further proof that they get every single thing right that the main shows get wrong.
I know there’s different people involved, but it really never ceases to amaze me that the same company produces both NXT and RAW.
You guys uh ever doing the Mania review podcast?
Indeed. A few things came up and it was delayed.