NXT – November 9, 2021: Seesaw Show, Back And Forth

NXT
Date: November 9, 2021
Location: Capitol Wrestling Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Beth Phoenix, Wade Barrett, Vic Joseph

We’re back with more of this show and I’m not exactly sure what that means. Odds are it means more Toxic Attraction though, as the trio has been all over the show almost every single week as of late. Throw in more of the usual suspects and this hasn’t been the most thrilling time in NXT in recent memory. Let’s get to it.

Here are last week’s results if you need a recap.

Kayden Carter/Io Shirai/Kacy Catanzaro vs. Toxic Attraction

They’re starting fast this time. Rose hammers on Carter to start and it’s quickly off to Dolin for more of the same. Carter fights up and brings in Shirai to take Jayne down by the leg. Catanzaro’s sliding trip takes Jayne down and a slingshot flip dive gets two. Jayne takes her into the corner though and it’s Rose coming back in, only to be sent outside for a slingshot corkscrew dive. Carter dives onto Rose and Dolin but Rose cuts off Shirai’s dive.

We take a break and come back with Rose chinlocking Catanzaro while holding a bodyscissors. That’s broken up and the tag brings in Shirai, who gets to take over for a bit. The Moon Over Moonsault connects on Rose as everything breaks down. Carter comes in as well and everything breaks down, with a brawl breaking out on the floor. The distraction lets Dolin pull Carter off the top and grab an abdominal stretch rollup for the pin at 12:05.

Rating: C. This could have been a lot worse and the fans were into it. That’s more than you can say for a lot of things around here so maybe they are making some progress. I’m not sure who is next for Toxic Attraction, but it is pretty clear that they are going to be a thing for a good while on this show.

Pete Dunne doesn’t think much of Tony D’Angelo and he can come get a fight if he wants one. Trick Williams and Carmelo Hayes come in, with Williams saying a bunch of stuff that Dunne doesn’t understand. The result seems to be Dunne vs. Hayes for tonight.

MSK is walking to find whoever they’re looking for and finally get there….but the person has moved. They look up the new address, which is 420 miles away. First, they need a change of clothes and a shower, but they’re flying, with references to the Mile High Club. I’m assuming this is just a way to get the team away from the rather annoying NXT fans, which is rather sad if that’s the case.

Kay Lee Ray vs. Sarray

Ray walks through Toxic Attraction, who are still here for some reason. Ray knocks her down to start and hits a big forearm to the face. Sarray reverses a whip into the corner but misses a charge. Back up and Sarray pulls her to the mat for a nasty pull on the leg, only to have Ray make the rope. A fisherman’s suplex gives Sarray two but she misses the running dropkick in the ropes. They head outside with Ray hitting the KLR Bomb onto the announcers’ table. Back in and another KLR Bomb gives Ray the pin at 4:50.

Rating: C-. Pretty quick match here but the main idea was to get Ray back in the ring and winning a match. Ray has all of the potential in the world and it would be great to see her getting to do something more important around here. As for Sarray…I’m still not sure what went wrong but she isn’t looking to be the next big thing around here anytime soon.

Joe Gacy has requested a match with Boa to help him, because he sees the shame Boa carries. He also wants Harland to reach out his hand because he’s doing this for the two of them.

We see some clips of Bron Breakker on the UK tour, where he learned a lot and is ready to take the NXT Title.

Boa vs. Joe Gacy

Gacy knocks him down to start and scores with some shots to the face, setting up a suplex for two. Boa gets a boot up in the corner though….and we’ve got some flickering lights. They seem to recharge Boa, who cokes Gacy into the ropes and that’s a DQ at 3:27.

Rating: D+. So the guy who is subject to a thousand year old witch just got recharged by a red light and choked the woke guy for a DQ. This is one of those situations where you can see just how screwy the whole NXT 2.0 is, but at least the match was short. Nothing to see here, but the Boa attempts continue.

We look at the formation of Jacket Time (Ikemen Jiro/Kushida), which has the Diamond Mine annoyed. It’s time to dominate.

Grayson Waller interrupts Solo Sikoa’s interview but here is LA Knight to annoy both of them. Sikoa wants this settled tonight.

Jacket Time vs. Creed Brothers

Barrett: “Jacket Time is the worst tag team name I have ever heard.” Joseph: “Worse than the Corre with two r’s?” Barrett mutters. Brutus takes Jiro down to start and Jiro’s running shoulder doesn’t make much different. Kushida comes in and is quickly powerslammed and suplexed, but he comes back with a double handspring elbow.

Back with Kushida coming in off the hot tag (see how easy it can be to come back with energy) and house being cleaned. Jiro comes back in with a Swanton for two on Julius but the Ikemen Slice misses. Julius rips off Jiro’s jacket, allowing Roderick Strong to pull Jiro outside. Back in and Julius hits a gutwrench powerbomb for the pin on Jiro at 7:45.

Rating: C. I can’t get my head around the name Jacket Time, but at least the match went as it should have. The Creed Brothers could be something special and that means they shouldn’t be losing a match like this. Thankfully NXT seems to know they have something there and if that’s the case then everything should work out for them.

Post match, Odyssey Jones runs in and helps clean house.

Toxic Attraction isn’t losing their titles anytime soon. Raquel Gonzalez rides up on a motorcycle and says keep her title warm for her.

Gonzalez rides into the arena and says she wants Dakota Kai out here right now. Cue a kind of unhinged Kai to say it felt good to hit her with a shovel, but here is Cora Jade for the pull apart brawl.

Andre Chase’s lesson of the day is Mental Toughness. One student asks about Chase messing up last week so another defends him, with Chase yelling a lot.

The Grizzled Young Veterans distract a food delivery driver and steal his meals, saying they can use this to distract a referee too. Remember when they were loudmouthed heels who were good in the ring and could get crowd hating them after about thirty seconds on a microphone? That’s not good enough around here apparently.

Cameron Grimes vs. Ru Feng

Feng goes right after Grimes to start and stomps away. Cue Duke Hudson to watch as Grimes fights back and knocks Feng into the corner. The Cave In finishes for Grimes at 1:40.

Post match Hudson gets in the ring and demands to know how Grimes was so good last week. Grimes says he won and thinks it’s funny but Grimes calls him an ugly hick who lives under a bridge. That doesn’t seem to bother Grimes, who says he holds it down everywhere. Hudson doesn’t accept that and the challenge is on for next week…in a poker showdown. Deal.

Solo Sikoa vs. LA Knight vs. Grayson Waller

Sikoa punches Knight into the corner to start but some double teaming puts him in trouble. That doesn’t last long as Sikoa clotheslines both of them but gets punched in the face by Waller. Knight gets sent outside, only to come back in and breaks up Sikoa’s suplex on Waller. A double suplex puts Sikoa down but he counters a double superplex attempt into a double powerbomb. Sikoa hits a running hip attack in the corner on Waller but misses one on Knight. Waller is sent outside but runs back in for the Stunner on Knight. Sikoa sends him outside though and the Superfly Splash finishes Knight at 5:05.

Rating: C. I’m not big on this kind of match as they had three people hitting each other until the right one won. Sikoa is someone who is going to wind up as a force around here and I’m curious to see where he goes. Knight still has star power and I don’t think a loss like this is going to hut him all that much.

Indi Hartwell and Persia Pirrotta are annoyed at not winning the Women’s Tag Team Titles. This sends Hartwell into another speech about how much she loves her husband but Tony D’Angelo interrupts. He’ll see Dexter next week but for now, he hands Indi a dead fish and Persia gets some money.

Tommaso Ciampa was on the UK tour as well and is ready to beat Bron Breakker again.

Elektra Lopez vs. Erica Yan

Lopez runs her over to start and hits a snap suplex, followed by a sitout powerbomb for the pin at 1:24. Total squash.

Post match Legado del Fantasma calls out Xyon Quinn, who is right here to join the festivities. Lopez says Quinn turned a lot of heads last week so the offer to join is tossed out. Quinn thinks she is amazing but he isn’t down with the team. Legado goes after him and gets tossed outside in a hurry. Lopez’s slaps are blocked and Quinn pulls her to him, which she doesn’t seem to mind. The intrigued staredown ensues and Lopez holds Legado back.

Takeover WarGames is on December 5. And who in the world is supposed to be in that???

Kyle O’Reilly isn’t sure what to do with his future, but he thinks he and Von Wagner are a special team (no, they aren’t) and they should go after the Tag Team Titles. Imperium pops up but so does Wagner for the showdown.

Pete Dunne vs. Carmelo Hayes

Non-title and Trick Williams is here with Hayes. Dunne jumps Hayes in the corner to start and stomps away in a hurry. It’s already time to work on Hayes’ fingers but he flips over Dunne and hits a springboard clothesline. Dunne sends him outside and slingshots out to grab Hayes’ arm, setting up the X Plex onto the apron. Cue Dexter Lumis to grab a headset and stare Williams down as we take a break.

Back with Dunne fighting out of an armbar but walking into a Codebreaker (for a big flipping bump) and a near fall. Dunne is back with a quick forearm to knock Hayes out of the air but what looks to be the X Plex is reversed into a twisting suplex. Hayes gets creative by trying the Gargano Escape but Dunne escapes that as well. Hold on though as Williams tries some interference, only to be taken out by Lumis. The distraction lets a gloved hand grab Hayes’ foot. That’s enough for the Bitter End to finish Hayes at 12:35.

Rating: C+. Thank goodness we’re starting to get champions losing in non-title matches around here as that was one of the main roster tropes that hadn’t made its way down here yet. Dunne vs. Hayes could be good on Takeover, but I don’t needs more of this 50/50 stuff. Or the “mysterious” hand popping up for that matter.

It was Johnny Gargano, in Dexter Lumis gear.

Overall Rating: C. The main word I would use to describe tonight is indifferent. The show had its up and down moments, but the biggest problem was that when things would get going, some goofy concept would come up and suck the energy out of the whole thing. As a result, the whole show felt like it was just kind of there all night, with little reason to get invested into almost anything they were doing. Takeover seems to be a stretch at this point, with WarGames (especially minus William Regal to announce it) being even harder to reach. The show could work, but that’s a far cry from what used to be a layup around here.

Results
Toxic Attraction b. Kacy Catanzaro/Kayden Carter/Io Shirai – Abdominal stretch cradle to Carter
Kay Lee Ray b. Sarray – KLR Bomb
Joe Gacy b. Boa via DQ when Boa choked in the ropes
Creed Brothers b. Jacket Time – Gutwrench sitout powerbomb
Cameron Grimes b. Ru Feng – Cave In
Solo Sikoa b. LA Knight and Grayson Waller – Superfly Splash to Knight
Elektra Lopez b. Erica Yan – Sitout powerbomb
Pete Dunne b. Carmelo Hayes – Bitter End

 

 

 

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