Here we go again.

https://wrestlingrumors.net/tommyhall/breaking-wwe-releases-18-wrestlers/

Scarlett
Frankie Monet
Ember Moon
Oney Lorcan
B-Fab
Jessi Kamea
Zayda Ramier
Trey Baxter
Katarina Cortez
Jeet Rama
Gran Metalik
Lince Dorado
Karrion Kross
Nia Jax
Keith Lee
Harry Smith
Mia Yim
Eva Marie

To recap: R-Truth, Akira Tozawa and Drew Gulak have jobs because they chase after Reggie every week, but Monet, Kross, Yim and Lee are out of work.  As usual, the reason is budget cuts and as usual, it comes shortly (as in hours) after their latest conference call bragging about how much money they have.  This is the latest example of WWE letting people (not all of them, but some) who could be future stars go at a time when WWE REALLY needs some fresh names.  You have how many people who almost never miss a week of Raw or Smackdown but calling someone up would just be insane?  WWE continues to stand pat with so many of their wrestlers and continues to drop people who could be the future, and I’m sure they’ll get it again soon.

Oh and this happens about a week after Ring of Honor is gone, meaning there is one less secure place to go.  Great.

NXT
Date: November 2, 2021
Location: Capitol Wrestling Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Vic Joseph, Beth Phoenix, Wade Barrett

We’re done with Halloween Havoc and that means it is time to get ready for…well I have no idea actually as I’m not sure what they’re going to do as far as Takeover goes. There were a bunch of title changes last week and now it is time to see where things go from here. Let’s get to it.

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

Here is Mandy Rose to open things up and Barrett is VERY happy to see her as the new Women’s Champion. She is very proud of her win because she is the best looking champion in the title’s history and she is still the baddest b**** around. Last week was a great night for Toxic Attraction and we see all of them holding up their new titles last week (Mandy: “D*** I’m hot.”).

Her girls aren’t here, so we cut to the back where the rest of Toxic Attraction is beating up Zoey Stark. Mandy is proud of them but wants some competition. Cue Io Shirai to say she’ll fight right now, but Rose says she isn’t scared. Rose wants a referee out here right now so Shirai looks to the entrance and gets hit with the microphone. The beatdown is on until Shirai fights back, which draws out the rest of Toxic Attraction for the real beating. Kacy Catanzaro and Kayden Carter run in for the save, likely setting up the six woman tag.

In the back, Toxic Attraction find Dakota Kai, who says she didn’t help them last week. She just wants to get rid of Raquel Gonzalez.

Cameron Grimes is in Duke’s Poker Room with a bunch of other people, though he doesn’t seem to know the rules. Grimes: “You got 21? I GOT 22!” Hudson looks happy.

Dakota Kai vs. Cora Jade

Kai wastes no time in knocking Jade down and grabbing a chinlock. Back up and Jake fires off the running elbows, setting up the running hurricanrana. Jade gets two off a sunset flip but Kai scorpion kicks her. The running boot in the corner finishes Jade at 2:24.

Post match the beatdown stays on, including another shot to Jade’s head. Kai pulls out a table and lays it on Jade on the floor, but stops before jumping off the apron. Instead, she walks away and leaves Jade down.

Kyle O’Reilly/Von Wagner have been yelling at Legado del Fantasma on Twitter over the weekend.

Robert Stone doesn’t like everyone being happy with Xyon Quinn beating him up last week. The challenge is on.

MSK is depressed by their Tag Team Title loss but they’re getting help from someone. They don’t say who it is, but he invented the legend of MSK and has helped millions and millions. We’re about to hear the legend, but a bus pulls up and we can’t hear the explanation. And they missed their bus, so they’ll just have to walk.

Xyon Quinn vs. Robert Stone

Stone doesn’t like Quinn and promises to win in a hurry. This one is for Frankie Monet though and it’s time to dance to Monet’s theme. Quinn stands in the middle of the ring while Stone dances around him before asking if Quinn can dance better. After Quinn says no, Stone dances around like a chicken so Quinn says play the music and then dances/sings to Shawn Michaels’ theme. He even dances with Stone a bit, including a Dirty Dancing lift. Stone slaps him in the face so Quinn says ring the bell. A Samoan drop and Jackhammer (better than that running elbow) finish Stone at 47 seconds.

Joe Gacy talks about how horrible the world is, including clips of people arguing and talking about how evil social media really is. Harland is called a monster because he’s big and has tattoos. They will change the world together.

Legado del Fantasma, including Elektra Lopez, seems impressed by Xyon Quinn, who says he has a lot of sides to him.

Legado del Fantasma vs. Kyle O’Reilly/Von Wagner

Elektra Lopez is here with Legado. O’Reilly headlocks Wilde’s head to start so Mendoza comes in and has his sunset flip blocked. The much bigger Wagner comes in to take Mendoza down as well but Mendoza springboards over him for a breather. That doesn’t go well either as Wagner plants him, allowing O’Reilly to come back in and go after the arm. Wilde comes in so Wagner shoulders them both down, setting up a double suplex as we take a break.

Back with O’Reilly loading up a kick on Wilde but getting distracted by Lopez. Wilde’s kick connects in the corner and it’s Legado taking over for the first time. Mendoza kicks Wagner off the apron and it’s a springboard flip dive to drop O’Reilly for two. O’Reilly comes back and kicks Mendoza down, with Wilde making the save. Wagner comes back in but has some miscommunication with O’Reilly, allowing Wilde to roll him up for the pin at 10:59 (with Wagner’s foot in the rope).

Rating: C+. For the life of me I cannot get into this O’Reilly/Wagner team. O’Reilly was a main event player in NXT and now he seems to be there to mentor a pretty run of the mill big guy. The team isn’t bad or anything, but it’s not something I’m going to be interested in, which is making for some rough sits.

Carmelo Hayes and Trick Williams are ready to move on from the Way but Andre Chase pops up to say he has their back. Chase insists that he was NOT a coward last week and promises to give someone a beating to blow off some steam.

Back to the Poker Room, where Cameron Grimes is on a streak of beginner’s luck despite hitting on the women and not knowing the rules. Duke Hudson takes all of one of the women’s money and Grimes starts losing. More later.

Here’s Andre Chase for the open challenge (required on every show) but his microphone doesn’t work. We get a replacement microphone so Chase can say that people have been calling him a COWARD after last week. That sounds like a teachable moment so the challenge is on.

Andre Chase vs. Bron Breakker

Chase gets knocked outside in a hurry and Breakker blasts him with a clothesline. Back in and Chase chops away a bit but Breakker grabs the gorilla press powerslam for the easy pin at 1:41.

Post match, Breakker says he fell for one trap after another last week. Tommaso Ciampa is the man in NXT but they’re not done, because Breakker is coming after the title. Breakker’s voice in this promo was so Steiner that it might as well have been the University of Michigan fight song.

Imperium is proud of their Tag Team Title win, but they don’t like America. Toxic Attraction comes up to say Imperium should watch their six woman tag next week. Barthel thinks America has its benefits. I’m not sure if you noticed, but Toxic Attraction is a bunch of good looking women, just in case you didn’t get it from how many times we heard about them.

It’s time for Lashing Out With Lash Legend, with Lash talking about last week’s Halloween costumes. She doesn’t like the suggestion that LA Knight and Grayson Waller were the hosts because she is the REAL host around here. This week’s guest is Tony D’Angelo, who talks about allegedly kidnapping Lash’s producer, but here is the producer in person! D’Angelo makes vague threats to the producer’s family before moving on to saying he wants to face bigger NXT stars. This was the dumbest thing on a show with a lot of dumb things and feels like it belongs on a low level territory show from 1989.

Solo Sikoa vs. Jeet Rama

Sikoa sends him into the corner for the running Umaga attack and scores with a kick to the head. The Superfly Splash finishes Rama at 1:29.

Josh Briggs and Brooks Jensen cook steak, play cornhole and pitch horseshoes while talking about loving to fight and compete.

Boa vs. Grayson Waller

LA Knight is on commentary. Waller drives Boa into the corner to start but gets taken down into a crossarm choke. Back up and Waller fires off some clotheslines into a cravate with knees to the head. Knight offers a distraction though and Waller gets kicked off the ropes. Boa scores with a kick to the head to finish Waller at 2:28.

Back to the Poker Room where Cameron Grimes beats Duke Hudson on a big bluff. Grimes hat 2’s, because he’s going TO THE MOON. So a poker game gets three segments, a good fifteen or more years after the poker boom hit its peak. That’s very WWE of them.

Kay Lee Ray is back in a rage next week.

Boa can’t find Mei Ying. I’d call that a positive.

Here is Tommaso Ciampa for a chat. Ciampa talks about how last week was a changing of the guard in NXT and lists off the new champions. Bron Breakker was supposed to be the next NXT Champion but no one told Ciampa about that. With this title comes a target, but he knows that this is usually the time when someone interrupts. Cue Carmelo Hayes and Trick Williams, with the former saying he is that guy. Hayes says he is the A Champion in NXT, but Ciampa can’t hear him over the CIAMPA’S GONNA KILL YOU chants. The brawl is teased and Williams gets dropped, making Hayes think twice as Ciampa leaves.

The Way vs. Carmelo Hayes/Trick Williams

Ciampa is still in the aisle as Johnny Gargano comes out for a tease of the good old days. Lumis and Williams start things off, with a single glare sending Williams over for the tag to Hayes. That’s fine with Lumis, who crawls over to scare Hayes, meaning Williams comes back in to hammer away. Lumis scores with a Thesz press and right hands before it’s off to Gargano to work on the arm.

That should mean a top rope ax handle, but instead Lumis lands on his feet and uppercuts Williams in the face. Hayes comes back in and gets his kick to the ribs caught, meaning Gargano can come back in for some more traditional wrestling. Gargano nails the slingshot spear to cut Hayes down, allowing the Way to clear the ring as we take a break. Back with Hayes cutting off Gargano’s tag attempt and hitting an assisted springboard legdrop for two. Gargano gets over for the tag to Lumis a few moments later though and it’s time to clean some house.

An assisted superplex gets two on Hayes and Gargano superkicks Williams. Gargano loads up his own glove for stereo shots to the face, followed by stereo superkicks. Lumis adds a top rope elbow for two on Williams with Hayes making the save. We settle down to Hayes and Gargano chopping it out until Hayes goes to the throat. A discus lariat turns Hayes inside out and there’s the Silencer to keep Hayes in trouble. The referee gets Gargano out though, allowing Williams to hit Lumis with a shoe. That’s enough to set up the top rope ax kick to give Hayes the pin at 13:32.

Rating: C+. Another perfectly decent if not fairly good match, as Gargano and Lumis have a weird chemistry, but are also an established team. What matters here is they made Hayes and Williams look pretty good, which is exactly the point of something like this. Hayes looks like a possible NXT Title challenger, so it isn’t like he was going to lose here. I’m not sure what is next for the Way, but this father-in-law/son deal could be funny.

Overall Rating: C-. The two longer matched helped this show a lot but my goodness this felt like a circus. There are so many characters and so many gimmicks running around that it felt like a high school improv exercise where you pulled your character out of a hat and figure it out in ten minutes. That’s fine for some low level place that needs something for people to do, but this is national television and I’d expect a bit better.

There are a lot of problems on this show, but there are certainly good parts too. I want to see where some of the new characters go, including Sikoa, Quinn, Breakker and Hayes, which shows that NXT does know how to do some things right. At the same time though, there are a bunch of things that are a bit less than thrilling, including Toxic Attraction, Duke Hudson’s Poker Room, Tony D’Angelo and Lash Legend (egads). Those things are bringing the show down, because they do not exactly offer the greatest hope.

Overall, this show was a microcosm of what NXT is at the moment: a bunch of things happening, with some interesting prospects but a lot of people who are bordering on disaster because it isn’t 1994. Why would I want to see a mobster on a talk show with a loud host when I could see more of the talented athletes getting to do their thing? This was a rough sit, but it did have some bright spots to keep some hope alive.

Results
Dakota Kai b. Cora Jade – Running kick in the corner
Xyon Quinn b. Robert Stone – Jackhammer
Legado del Fantasma b. Kyle O’Reilly/Von Wagner – Rollup to Wagner
Bron Breakker b. Andre Chase – Gorilla press powerslam
Solo Sikoa b. Jeet Rama – Superfly Splash
Boa b. Grayson Waller – Kick to the head
Trick Williams/Carmelo Hayes b. The Way – Top rope ax kick to Lumis

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Hall/e/B00E6282W6

AND

Remember to check out Wrestlingrumors.net for all of your wrestling headline needs.

NXT UK
Date: October 28, 2021
Location: BT Sports Studios, London, England
Commentators: Andy Shepherd, Nigel McGuinness

It’s time for another title match and this week that means the Heritage Cup is on the line. After spending what has felt like the better part of forever crowning a new #1 contender, it is time for Tyler Bate to defend the Heritage Cup against Noam Dar. Other than that, I’m not sure what really matters because I’m too relieved that the tournament stuff is finally over. Let’s get to it.

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

Opening sequence.

Mark Coffey vs. Rohan Raja

Wolfgang and Teoman are the seconds. Coffey takes him down into the armbar to start but Raja reverses, meaning it’s time to go to the ropes. Raja Codebreakers the arm and the fans are not pleased, though Coffey taking him into the corner makes it a bit better. Not that it matters though as Raja goes right back to the arm and some knees in the corner get two.

The seated armbar goes on but Coffey comes back with a clothesline and middle rope bulldog. Raja isn’t having that and plants him with a sitout powerbomb for two more, followed by a Backstabber for the same. Back up and Coffey scores with a quick kick to the head, followed by a sliding forearm for the pin at 5:55.

Rating: C. The ending was really abrupt but this was the best performance from Raja so far. He looked like someone who could hang with a bigger star like Coffey and that is a good sign for his future. This is the kind of feud that could go on for a bit, though I’m a bit surprised that Teoman hasn’t taken off more than he has. Either way, not a bad match to start things off here.

Post match Teoman and Raja jump Gallus and leave them laying.

Sid Scala is making a triple threat match to crown new #1 contenders between Oliver Carter/Ashton Smith, Symbiosis and Jack Starz/Dave Mastiff.

Charlie Dempsey is ready for his match but Gallus storms in looking for Teoman.

Myla Grace vs. Amele

Amele takes her down to start and shouts a lot before grabbing a headlock. Grace is back with some rollups for two each but Amele stomps her out of the corner to take over again. A fisherman’s neckbreaker gives Amele one and we hit the chinlock. Cue Blair Davenport to watch as Grace fights up and hits a 619 to the ribs in the corner. A tornado DDT out of the corner gets two on Amele, but she is right back with the Hopebreaker for the pin at 3:49.

Rating: C-. I get more out of Amele every time she’s on this show and it wouldn’t surprise me to see her moving up the ladder in a hurry. I’m not sure where Davenport fits into the whole thing but it could go somewhere in the future. Grace didn’t get to do much here but she showed off some skills while she had the chance.

Nina Samuels interrupts an Aleah James interview and makes fun of her for being short. James leaves and Samuels isn’t sure what went wrong.

Flash Morgan Webster comes up to Rampage Brown, who pins him up against the wall. If Webster wanted a match, all he had to do was ask.

Charlie Dempsey vs. Danny Jones

Dempsey takes him down in a hurry and works on a cravate with some grinding. Jones is back up with an uppercut and a backfist rocks Dempsey. That’s enough of being in trouble for Dempsey who goes for the leg and whips him face first into the middle buckle. A front facelock suplex gives Dempsey two as Nigel is rapid firing the British wrestler references. The rolling butterfly suplexes into the crossface chickenwing makes Jones tap at 4:48.

Rating: C+. This was a lot of fun as Dempsey is such a throwback to the old grappling style. That is something you can always use on any show because it is such a classic style of wrestling. Jones looked good in defeat here, but this was all about Dempsey, who isn’t the most impressive looking but can do some painful things in the ring.

Video on Meiko Satomura vs. Jinny before their title match next week.

Isla Dawn has her box of trophies but says she needs one more thing.

Heritage Cup: Tyler Bate vs. Noam Dar

Bate is defending and has Trent Seven in his corner while Dar has Sha Samuels. Round one begins with the two feeling each other out until Bate starts working on the arm. Dar’s twisting of the arm doesn’t last long so it’s a standoff until Bate takes him down by the head. Back up and Bate drives him up against the ropes but the round ends.

Round two begins with Bate taking him down by the foot and cranking away on the leg. That’s enough for Dar to need a breather in the ropes and they fight over the arm some more. Dar avoids a charge but has to slip out of the airplane spin. A double clothesline rocks both of them and they fight over an aggressive lockup as the round ends. Round three begins with Bate dropkicking him to the floor and then going after him. That’s enough for Dar to knock him outside with Bate hurting his knee. Back in and the Nova Roller gives Dar the first fall at 59 seconds of the round and 8:06 overall.

Round four begins with Dar throwing a rocked Bate down and taking his turns on the limbs. Bate manages a DDT but the knee is too banged up to do anything about it. The northern lights suplex drops Dar and Bate nips up, setting up a heck of a clothesline. The Tyler Driver 97 ties things up at a fall each at 2:03 of the round and 10:42.

Round five begins with Bate grabbing a dragon screw legwhip but Dar does the same to bring him off the ropes. Dar kicks him down for two but Bate is back up with a Birminghammer attempt. Samuels offers a distraction though and Dar slips out, only to miss the Nova Roller. Bate pulls him into a kneebar and they slug it out with the hold still on as time expires.

Round six (the final round, with Bate retaining in a draw) begins with another slugout until Dar kicks out the leg. Bate catches him on top with a t-bone superplex so Dar rolls outside for a breather. You don’t do that to Bate, who takes Dar out with a dive. Back in and Bate hits the rolling Liger kick but gets caught in the Champagne Super Knee Bar (I’m not sure if that is clever or not).

That’s broken up with a rolling German suplex to put both of them down but cue Pretty Deadly to go after Seven. The brawl is on as the knee bar goes on again….and Seven’s towel winds up in the ring, which is enough to make Dar champion at 2:45 of the round and 17:35 overall.

Rating: B-. I wasn’t feeling this one as much as some of the other tournament matches but what matters it they went with the right winner. After that never ending tournament, they more or less had to put the title on Dar. Bate having issues with Seven could be the start of something great, but the towel accidentally being thrown in is not the greatest. Still though, good enough match and the ending sets up some stuff.

Bate isn’t happy with Seven as Dar and Samuels celebrate to end the show.

Overall Rating: B-. Pretty solid show again this week, as they manage to turn the midcard title match into an event, which is a pretty impressive feat. I’m still enjoying this show every week and having fans back has made it feel that much better. More good stuff this week as things continue chugging along.

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

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AND

Remember to check out Wrestlingrumors.net for all of your wrestling headline needs.

NXT
Date: October 26, 2021
Location: Capitol Wrestling Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Beth Phoenix, Wade Barrett, Vic Joseph

It’s another special show this time around with Halloween Havoc. Last year’s edition did rather well but now we need to see if they can do the same with the new cast. The main event is Tommaso Ciampa defending the NXT Title against Bron Breakker, plus a bunch of Spin The Wheel, Make The Deal matches. Let’s get to it.

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

Chuckie as in from the Child’s Play movies, welcome us to the show and runs down part of the card.

Women’s Tag Team Titles: Toxic Attraction vs. Persia Pirotta/Indi Hartwell vs. Io Shirai/Zoey Stark

Shirai/Stark are defending in a ladder match, with Chuckie giving us another intro. It’s a brawl to start with Toxic Attraction being sent outside. Some ladders are thrown inside and it’s Hartwell/Pirotta going up, only to have the champs break it up with some dropkicks. Jacy Jayne kicks the ladder and breaks one of the metal pieces in the middle. Since that doesn’t work, Jayne just shoves the ladder over, leaving Stark and Dolin to kick each other over. Hartwell and Stark slug it out on top of the ladder but Pirotta sets up the big ladder.

That sets up a bunch of crashes until Pirotta has to pull Shirai down. Shirai gets dropped onto the top turnbuckle and Dolin gets powerbombed hard onto a bridged ladder in the corner. Jayne tries to go up but Shirai pulls her down onto a ladder, setting up a Lionsault onto Jayne onto the ladder. Now it’s Hartwell planting Stark onto the ladder but Shirai knocks Hartwell off the ladder. Hartwell then knocks the ladder over, sending Shirai back of the head first onto the bridged ladder. With that terrifying crash out of the way, Dolin runs up and wins the titles at 12:23.

Rating: C+. That must be the best ladder match I’ve seen in at least 22 hours. It felt like they went to the ending really fast after Shirai’s landing and at least the right team won. I don’t think there was any real doubt in the idea that Toxic Attraction was going to win here and they didn’t bother going in another direction. This had some brutal crashes, but it’s only so exciting when the most recent WWE match before this was a ladder match as well. At the very least, it’s nice to have a non-thrown together team holding the titles.

Commentary is dressed as…..themselves. Wow that’s a missed opportunity.

We now join Carmelo Hayes and Trick Williams as they search through a haunted house for the North American Title, which the Way stole last week. They can’t believe they’re doing this, which I can certainly understand. We cut to Johnny Gargano and Dexter Lumis in the house, with Gargano saying he Home Aloned the heck out of this house. He even had help from the zombie referee from last year! Back to Williams and Hayes, with Hayes not interested in just getting a replica title. More on this later.

Video on Kay Lee Ray, who breaks a bunch of things.

Grayson Waller (who isn’t the host) is here as Dracula and promises the women will be in revealing outfits. Cue Joe Gacy to complain about things and now it’s time for him to deal with someone.

Joe Gacy vs. Malik Blade

Gacy jumps Blade to start as we cut to Harland walking around backstage in a Michael Meyers style. Another shot puts Blade down but here is Harland to grab Blade by the throat. That’s not a DQ, so Gacy hits the handspring lariat for the pin at 2:18.

Gacy talks to Harland post match.

We go to the NXT Halloween party, with Waller liking what he is seeing (the fact that a lot of the wrestlers aren’t in any kind of special costume tells you a lot about the current state of NXT). Cameron Grimes, dressed as an astronaut, hits on two women but calls them extraterrestrials instead of angels, much to their dismay. Waller gives him a pep talk.

Malcolm Bivens issues a Diamond Mine open challenge.

Odyssey Jones vs. Roderick Strong

Non-title in a rematch from a recent 205 Live. Strong kicks away at Jones, who throws him down with ease. A choke doesn’t get Strong very far so he goes with some kicks to the face instead. Jones fights back up but has to deal with the rest of the Diamond Mine, allowing Strong to hit some jumping knees. A bit one to the jaw makes Jones fall forward for the pin at 4:12 (the exact same finish as their 205 Live match).

Rating: C-. I think we can get closer to writing off Jones, as this wasn’t exactly his finest hour. It’s also not a good thing to see the same finish between the same people on two different WWE shows, even if 205 Live isn’t exactly important. The show is still broadcast by WWE, but they couldn’t even change the endings. WWE being lazy isn’t a surprise, but at least make it seem like you’re trying?

Imperium, with subtitles, promises to win the Tag Team Titles. How you have subtitles on a live interview is beyond me.

We go back to the Halloween party where no one recognized Von Wagner, Cameron Grimes promises to be in Duke Hudson’s poker room next week, and Robert Stone, as Elvis, gets put through a table by Xyon Quin. The latter makes everyone celebrate.

Women’s Title: Mandy Rose vs. Raquel Gonzalez

Gonzalez is defending and comes to the ring on a motorcycle. This is Spin The Wheel Make The Deal, so Chuckie gets to spin. That would be Chuckie’s Choice, so let’s have a Trick or Street Fight. Rose starts fast with the kendo stick but gets knocked outside where Gonzalez, in lime green for quite the visual, misses a boot against the post. Some kendo stick shots rock Gonzalez again and we take a break.

Back with the fight still on at ringside, where Rose puts Gonzalez in an announcers’ chair and locks her in place with a kendo stick. Rose shoves the chair over unloads with the kendo stick again. Gonzalez, now in a hockey mask for no apparent reason, is back up with a fire extinguisher to blind Rose. A gorilla press….doesn’t quite get Rose over the middle rope so Rose gets rolled under the bottom rope instead.

Back in and Rose gets dropped face first onto some chairs in the corner so it’s time for the steps. Rose kicks those into Gonzalez’s face for another near fall but Rose can’t get her up in a double underhook. Gonzalez is back up with a spear through the table in the corner for a very near fall. Cue a woman in a Grim Reaper costume to hit Gonzalez in the back with a shovel, allowing Rose to knee her in the face the pin and the title at 11:08.

Rating: C. It was all smoke and mirrors, but that’s exactly what they needed here. Rose is not exactly a polished worker but doing all of the weapons stuff hides so much of that. This was by no means a great match and the ending was designed to protect Gonzalez. That might be a bit annoying, but it’s all about Toxic Attraction in NXT now and this was as good of a way to get there as they had.

Post match Toxic Attraction poses with their titles and the Grim Reaper is….Dakota Kai. Makes sense.

Trick Williams and Carmelo Hayes are still scared in the haunted house. Post break, they run into an old woman and a guy with his face painted and keep moving. Andre Chase pops up and the three of them see Lumis in a mirror. They turn around and Lumis isn’t there, but then he appears so running ensues. Williams and Hayes find the title, but Williams says it’s never this easy in the movies. Hayes grabs the title and everyone shows up, with Gargano saying Lumis’ house is weird. Next week, they’ll do it at Gargano’s place. Everyone gives a collective thumbs up to seemingly finish things up.

Grayson Waller is in the ring to talk about exclusive content on social media when LA Knight arrives (in the same costume). Knight had car trouble, but wants to know how Waller knew about it (that’s a classic angle from back in the day). Not that it matters as the debuting Solo Sikoa, a martial artist, clears the ring.

Bron Breakker is warming up with Chuckie watching from a locker.

Tag Team Titles: MSK vs. Imperium

Imperium is challenging and we Spin The Wheel to Make The Deal of….Lumberjack O’Lantern (as chosen by a fan’s spin). The lumberjacks come out, in costumes, with Vic Joseph calling Wade Barrett “Stu” by mistake. Aichner throws Carter around to start so it’s off to Barthel to kick Lee in the face. Imperium gets sent outside where the lumberjacks jump them, meaning it’s a double dive from MSK.

We take a break and come back with Aichner being knocked outside again, setting up a moonsault for two on Barthel. Aichner picks up both champs at once to plant them down and take over, but the Imperial Bomb is broken up. Lee hits a big dive to take out Barthel and a bunch of lumberjacks, leaving Carter to cutter Barthel off the top and out to the floor as well.

That’s enough for the referees, who eject the lumberjacks, which makes this a rather unique lumberjack match. Another Imperial Bomb is broken up and Carter hits a middle rope Canadian Destroyer to knocks Barthel silly. The push moonsault gets two and it’s a brainbuster to drop Lee. The Imperial Bomb gives Imperium the titles back at 13:12.

Rating: C+. It was a good run for MSK, though you can’t keep the titles on them when the fans are booing the heck out of them every single week. It was better once they got rid of the lumberjacks as things settled down a lot, but Imperium getting the titles back isn’t exactly inspiring. They do their thing really well, but when your gimmick is that you are ultra serious, it is a little hard to get excited.

Chuckie introduces us to a video on Tommaso Ciampa vs. Bron Breakker. Ciampa won the title back to start the new NXT and now Breakker is accepting the challenge for the title shot. This is all about power and force vs. experience, which makes for an interesting showdown. Chuckie taking shots at Breakker’s dad is a great Easter egg for older fans.

NXT Title: Tommaso Ciampa vs. Bron Breakker

Ciampa is defending in a God Of War costume. A big shoulder puts Ciampa on the floor to start so he comes back in for a headlock. That’s fine with Breakker, who suplexes his way to freedom in a hurry. Ciampa goes to the ribs to slow Breakker down though and we hit the bodyscissors.

We take a break and come back with Ciampa hitting a middle rope ax handle to the back for two. The waistlock stays on the ribs but Breakker fights up and hits some forearms to the face as the LET’S GO CIAMPA/DOG BARKS dueling chants are on. A running shoulder puts Ciampa on the floor again but he grabs Willow’s Bell for two more. Breakker snaps off a Frankensteiner into a butterfly powerbomb for two of his own.

They slug it out with Ciampa getting the better of things. The fight heads outside, where the floor bad has been pulled back. A DDT onto the exposed concrete knocks Breakker silly (while possibly busting him open). and the Fairy Tale Ending gets two. Ciampa knees him in the face a few times and hits another Fairy Tale Ending to retain at 13:50.

Rating: B-. They had a good match, but it’s going to take some time to process Breakker losing that close to clean. I do get the idea that he isn’t ready yet (and he probably isn’t), but dang it was a little jarring to see him get pinned. Ciampa going on as champion is not a bad thing and I can imagine USA wanting to keep the title on a star rather than a project. It’s just kind of surprising to see Breakker lose so soon, even if it probably is the right call.

Overall Rating: C+. This show started off rough but did settle down and got a good bit better by the end. Halloween Havoc is a tricky show to pull off and they did it well enough here, though there were some things that needed to be tweaked. They leaned pretty heavily into the goofy at times, though Chuckie being around all night was a nice touch. The title changes more than made it feel big, though your mileage on Toxic Attraction may vary. Still though, it certainly felt like an important show and that’s what they were going for. Maybe a bit too over the top at times, but it worked more than it didn’t.

Results
Toxic Attraction b. Io Shirai/Zoey Stark and Persia Pirotta/Indi Hartwell – Dolin pulled down the titles
Joe Gacy b. Malik Blade – Handspring lariat
Roderick Strong b. Odyssey Jones – Jumping knee to the face
Mandy Rose b. Raquel Gonzalez – Running knee to the face
Imperium b. MSK – Imperial Bomb to Lee
Tommaso Ciampa b. Bron Breakker – Fairy Tale Ending

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NXT UK
Date: October 21, 2021
Location: BT Sport Studios, London, England
Commentators: Andy Shepherd, Nigel McGuinness

The fans came back last week and saw a classic with Ilja Dragunov successfully defending the United Kingdom Title against A-Kid. It did feel like something was changing around here and that is quite the upgrade as it just makes the show feel that much bigger. Hopefully they do that again this week so let’s get to it.

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

Opening sequence.

Xia Brookside vs. Aleah James

Brookside cranks on the arm to start but neither can get very far. A headlock takeover puts James down but she reverses into a headscissors to keep Brookside in trouble. That’s finally reversed and it’s a seated abdominal stretch to put James in trouble. Back up and James fires off some kicks, only to get taken down with a running neckbreaker. The Iconoclasm is loaded up but James kicks her away and grabs a sunset flip for the pin at 4:17.

Rating: C. I’m not sure what has happened to Brookside but this feels like the kind of losing streak that you see before someone turns heel. The idea of Brookside as a villain is almost hard to fathom but that might be where things are going. James looked good here and we could be in for a nice new batch of women moving up the ranks here soon.

Post match, Brookside shows frustration as the heel turn is looking imminent.

Meiko Satomura is the Final Boss so she’s not scared of Jinny.

Kenny Williams is looking a little nuts and says he can be even badder after his Heritage Cup loss. Then we see some bugs on the ground because….someone needs to be like Bray Wyatt?

Jack Starz/Dave Mastiff vs. Symbiosis

Fallout from Starz/Mastiff cutting off Symbiosis’ failed interference attempt in a Tag Team Title match. Eddie Dennis is at ringside and Pretty Deadly is on commentary, which should be downright snazzy. T-Bone shoves Starz down without much trouble to start but gets pulled into an armbar. That earns Starz a fall away slam and it’s off to Primate as commentary talks about Tik Tok. Starz gets up and cleans house with some dropkicks, setting up a clothesline from Mastiff to clear the ring.

Mastiff’s backsplash sets up Starz’s slingshot splash for two on Primate. T-Bone comes back in and it’s time to wreck Starz, including sending him crashing out to the floor. Back in and a sitout powerbomb gets two on Starz and Primate pounds on his (own) chest. There’s a delayed vertical suplex for a delayed two on Starz, who is then tossed outside. That’s actually fine with Starz, who slams T-Bone on the floor and makes the hot tag to Mastiff. Everything breaks down with Mastiff hitting Into The Void but Dennis hits Starz with a chair for the DQ at 8:26.

Rating: C. They went pretty fast here and the match didn’t feel nearly as long as it was. What we got was a way to keep things going between the two teams as Starz/Mastiff seem ready to move into a Tag Team Title feud with Pretty Deadly. Good enough match here, as the tag division is bringing in some fresh blood, just like the women’s division.

Post match the beatdown is on but Ashton Smith and Oliver Carter save Starz and Mastiff.

Video on Amale, who says her loss to Emilia McKenzie was a fluke.

Charlie Dempsey thinks his time in NXT UK has been great so far but Gallus interrupts. They don’t think he should get too confident, but here are Teoman and Rohan Raja to brawl with Gallus.

It’s time for Supernova Sessions, though this time it’s actually in the ring. Noam Dar is ready to take the Heritage Cup next week, and it happens that he’ll be taking it from this week’s guest, Tyler Bate (with Trent Seven). Dar says he respects Bate so much that he’s willing to let Bate forfeit the Heritage Cup to him right now.

That isn’t happening, so Dar accuses Bate of going soft and blames Seven for the problems. Seven is ready to take him down but Bate says hold on, because this is going to be Bate beating Dar again. Dar gets in a cheap shot and bails with Sha Samuels. I think you know where this is going and that’s not a bad thing.

Gallus steals Jordan Devlin’s jacket as he’s warming up.

Jordan Devlin vs. Joe Coffey

The jacketless Devlin jumps him in the aisle before the bell but Coffey says ring the bell. Devlin shrugs off the early flurry and grabs a headlock takeover but Coffey fights up and hits a quick powerslam. The armbar has Devlin in trouble until he fights up and sends Coffey shoulder first into the post.

Coffey’s ribs get wrapped around the post as well and there’s a knee to the ribs to make it worse. Some kicks to the chest set up an abdominal stretch, followed by a bodyscissors. That’s countered with a ram into the corner but Coffey bangs up his ribs again. Devlin goes up top but dives into a hard uppercut. A pop up World’s Strongest Slam gets two on Devlin and the springboard spinning crossbody gets the same.

Another shot to the ribs puts Coffey on the floor though and Devlin hits the Penalty Kick off the apron. Back in and Devlin goes up, earning himself a belly to belly superplex right back down. Coffey is up first and slugs him down for two, setting up the running headbutt to the ribs in the corner. Devlin kicks him right back though and the 450 is good for a rather near fall. Back up and the Devlin Side finishes Coffey at 14:10.

Rating: B-. The latest rise of Devlin continues and that is an interesting way to go. I’ve long since thought that he seems primed for a main event run around here and Ilja Dragunov could use some new challengers. Beating someone as big as Coffey could get him in that direction, but I’m not sure how soon a match like that would happen, assuming it ever does.

Overall Rating: C+. This show seemed designed to help move us towards the next batch of challengers and stories, which is not a bad thing. At some point you need to move forward and it would make a lot of sense to do so now that the fans are back. NXT UK has been good for a long time now and it would be nice to see them take another step forward, which might have started this week.

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NXT
Date: October 19, 2021
Location: Capitol Wrestling Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Vic Joseph, Wade Barrett

Things got a bit more intense at the end of last week’s show as Carmelo Hayes cashed in his Breakout Tournament contract to become the new North American Champion. Odds are we’ll deal with some fallout, plus we have Halloween Havoc coming up next week. That might mean some spinning the wheel and making the deal so let’s get to it.

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

Here are Trick Williams and Carmelo Hayes to celebrate Hayes winning the North American Title last week. They aren’t humble, so tonight is the start of the Mellowbration, which seems to please the fans. Hayes talks about how great he is and says that he is holding this title, which is now the A title, for a long time.

Cue Johnny Gargano, who says that he has been busy as of late, but now Candice LeRae is off pregnant and Austin Theory is on Raw, so now it’s time for him to get back in the ring. Gargano issues the challenge, but Trick says that Indi Hartwell has been in their DM’s all week. With that, Dexter Lumis pops up behind them and the Way clears the ring. Lumis scares Williams and Gargano is left looking at the North American Title. Gargano and Lumis share a thumbs up as Gargano holds up the title.

Odyssey Jones vs. Andre Chase

Chase dedicates his win to the student section. We start with an ODYSSEY chant as Jones shoves him down with ease to start. Chase realizes that isn’t going to work so he starts kicking at the legs to take Jones down. The double stomp puts Jones in trouble and there’s a short DDT for two. Jones isn’t having that and shoves Chase away, setting up a big slam and splash for the pin at 2:54.

Malcolm Bivens wants the Creed Brothers to get a chance.

Creed Brothers vs. Imperium

The rest of the Diamond Mine is here with the Brothers. Barthel takes Brutus down to start but Brutus pops up with a belly to belly to escape. Back up and a heck of a big boot cuts Brutus down so it’s off to Julius, who gets hit in the face. Hold on though as Roderick Strong gets in a quick distraction, allowing Julius to plant Barthel and take over.

The chinlock brings Barthel back to life and it’s off to Aichner to start cleaning house. A cheap shot takes Aichner down so Barthel comes back in, only to dive into a gutwrench powerbomb for two. Cue Kushida and Ikemen Jiro to go after the Diamond Mine though, allowing Barthel to grab a rollup for the pin at 5:39.

Rating: C. I’m really not sure I would be having the Creed Brothers taking falls for a long time, though at least it wasn’t clean. Imperium is probably getting the Tag Team Title shot against MSK sooner than later, likely at Halloween Havoc. Not the most exciting match, but they hit each other hard and it was an interesting pairing.

Post match the Diamond Mine and Kushida/Ikemen Jiro go to the back, allowing MSK to come in and jump Imperium, again drawing the ire of the fans. MSK clears the ring and challenges Imperium for the Tag Team Title match next week.

Kyle O’Reilly was supposed to meet Von Wagner for a bike ride but Wagner didn’t bring a bike. Instead they go to the woods and work out with large pieces of wood/in the trees. Beers are consumed.

Joe Gacy doesn’t like violence or people who make any micro aggression. He will speak for us as a coalition and we will be stronger together. Gacy extends his hand and here is Harland to put his hand there too, with Gacy calling him little snowflake.

Here is Legado del Fantasma for a chat. The first words Santos Escobar ever heard in this business were “may God always bless you with luck”, which was always the case, at least until last week. Carmelo Hayes is a lucky son of a ***** but Escobar and Lady Luck are going to find him. Elektra Lopez is about to speak but Cora Jade and her skateboard interrupt.

Elektra Lopez vs. Cora Jade

The bigger Lopez powers her into the corner to start and whips Jade hard into another corner. A toss out of said corner has Jade in more trouble as this has been one sided so far. Then Jade grabs a small package for the pin at 1:47, though Lopez seemed to be out a good bit before the pin.

Bron Breakker tells Tommaso Ciampa to watch himself in their tag match tonight. Ciampa says he’s going to follow Breakker’s lead.

Grayson Waller thinks he should host Halloween Havoc.

LA Knight thinks he should host Halloween Havoc.

Io Shirai vs. Persia Pirotta vs. Jacy Jayne

The winner gets to spin the wheel for next week’s Women’s Tag Team Title match. It’s a three way slap off to start until Pirotta clotheslines both of them down. Shirai isn’t having that and dropkicks Pirotta down for two as the fans are WAY behind Shirai here. Pirotta is back up to suplex both of them before throwing Jayne in a fireman’s carry. That’s broken up by Shirai’s dropkick, sending Jayne into a Samoan drop.

With Pirotta sent outside, Jayne tries a suicide dive but gets her feet caught in the ropes and faceplants on the floor for a SCARY crash. Pirotta immediately checks on her and Shirai adds a moonsault to send us to a break. Back with Jayne gone (as she should be after that landing) and Pirotta kicking Shirai in the face for two. A hard clothesline gets the same but Shirai tries a comeback.

That’s cut off with a Batista Bomb to give Pirotta two more but a kick to the head puts her into the ropes. There’s the 619 into a springboard (with a bit of a slip) missile dropkick to give Shirai two. We hit the Crossface on Pirotta but she powers out, only to get caught in a German suplex. The Moon Over Moonsault finishes Pirotta (ignore Shirai’s shoulders being down too) at 11:21.

Rating: C-. This was a hard one to rate as they had to shake everything up due to the injury. Shirai had to put in some effort to beat Pirotta in a glorified singles match, which is about how it should have been. Pirotta is brand new around here and shouldn’t be beating a former Women’s Champion on her own. Hopefully Jayne is ok though, as that was a terrifying landing.

Post match, we spin the wheel and it’s going to be a ladder match. Jayne got hurt in a regular match and you want her in a ladder match?

Legado del Fantasma has beaten up Trey Baxter while Cora Jade had to watch. Josh Briggs and Brooks Jensen made the save.

Tony D’Angelo knows everyone is talking about him and it’s time for him to do it again.

Solo Sikoa is still coming.

Ikemen Jiro and Kushida are ready to go back to the future. The lights turn blue for some reason.

Tony D’Angelo vs. Ru Feng

D’Angelo grabs a headlock to start and, after shrugging off a kick to the face, elbows Feng down. A short arm clothesline sets up a northern lights suplex, rolled into a fisherman’s neckbreaker to give D’Angelo the pin at 1:47.

Post match D’Angelo is questioned about Lash Legend’s producer missing so he pays off the interviewer and says forgetaboutit.

We’re in Duke Hudson’s Poker Room where we can hear Hudson’s thoughts about his hand. Hudson wins, then wins again.

Legado del Fantasma has jumped Brooks Jensen and Josh Briggs before their tag match.

Legado del Fantasma vs. Josh Briggs/Brooke Jensen

Joined in progress with the rest of Legado at ringside. Jensen fights back against Mendoza and hands it off to Briggs to send him flying. Elektra Lopez distracts the referee though and Santos Escobar gets in a cheap shot so Wilde can take over. Briggs gets send into the corner for some running clotheslines from both of them, setting up a double slam to plant Briggs again.

Back up and Briggs manages to toss Mendoza outside and kicks Wilde away, allowing the diving tag to bring Jensen in. Everything breaks down and a powerslam puts Wilde down for two. A backdrop makes it worse for Wilde but Jensen heads outside to deck Escobar. The distraction lets Mendoza jump Jensen from behind though, setting up the Russian legsweep/running kick to the face to give Wilde the pin at 5:17.

Rating: C. Briggs and Jensen are an easy gimmick to understand and what they’re doing works rather well, though I’m not sure if they make sense as good guys. Big bar fighters scream heels most of the time, but it’s not like this has been a terrible thing. They can fight in anywhere and they do look the part, so maybe we’re on to something with them, despite a loss here.

Video on Mandy Rose vs. Raquel Gonzalez for the Women’s Title next week. Gonzalez wants to be champion for the competition while Rose wants to be champion because it makes her look better.

The mystery man is still in the graveyard, with a broken mirror, playing cards and a WWE chair. Whoever it is debuts next week.

Trick Williams and Carmelo Hayes are looking for the North American Title. They search through Ikemen Jiro’s locker (Williams: “HOW MANY JACKETS DOES THIS GUY HAVE???”) but find a drawing from Dexter Lumis. It’s an invitation to an open haunted house next week, though Williams is a bit scared. Hayes wants his title back.

LA Knight vs. Grayson Waller

The winner is the Halloween Havoc host. Waller rolls him up for two to start but Knight cuts off a jump in the corner. The chinlock goes on but the fans get behind Waller again. Waller tries to fight up and hits the jumping Stunner, only to have Knight hit him in the face. Blunt Force Trauma makes Knight the host at 2:45.

Halloween Havoc rundown.

Tommaso Ciampa/Bron Breakker vs. Grizzled Young Veterans

Drake headlocks Breakker to start but gets taken down with a shoulder. Breakker tells Drake to try his own running shoulder, which does not go well for Drake. With Drake in trouble, Ciampa tags himself in, much to Breakker’s annoyance. Ciampa scores with a series of running clotheslines, including a double clothesline to put both Veterans down.

Back with the Veterans working over Ciampa’s arm and cutting off a comeback attempt in a hurry. A double shot to the face doesn’t do much good though as Ciampa chops right back. Drake Downward Spirals Ciampa into the Kofi Clutch but Ciampa slips out. That’s fine with Drake, who pulls on his beard like a real villain.

Ciampa fights up and smacks Breakker for the tag, meaning it’s time to clean house. Breakker isn’t happy with that and teases clotheslining Ciampa but takes Drake down instead. The straps come down but the Breakker Recliner is broke up by Gibson. That’s fine with Breakker, who clears Gibson out and hits the gorilla press powerslam for the pin on Drake at 10:59.

Rating; C+. Remember all those times when WWE has people who are about to face each other in a big match team up and beat an established team while teasing tension? Well this is the most recent version, as this was every tired, worn out version of the same idea that we have seen forever now. I wasn’t interested when it was announced and I was bored while it was going on, as it just isn’t that interesting of an idea. The match itself was completely fine due to the talent involved, but can we please retire this idea already?

Breakker yells at Ciampa and wants him to come back in to end. Ciampa joins him in the ring for the staredown to end the show.

Overall Rating: C. I’m really not sure what to think about this one, as it did feel like a big hype show for Halloween Havoc, but nothing stood out whatsoever. They have done a good job of cutting back on the rapid fire debuts and new characters, but at the same time they have cut back on anything being overly interesting. Next week should be better as NXT knows how to do big shows, though I’m not sure how much interest they are going to be able to bring. This was another one sized fits all show, with almost everything being right in the middle or at least pretty close to it. That’s good in a way, but it’s not the most exciting.

Results
Odyssey Jones b. Andre Chase – Splash
Imperium b. Creed Brothers – Rollup to Julius
Cora Jade b. Elektra Lopez – Small package
Io Shirai b. Persia Pirotta and Jacy Jayne – Moon Over Moonsault to Pirotta
Tony D’Angelo b. Ru Feng – Fisherman’s neckbreaker
Legado del Fantasma b. Brooks Jensen/Josh Briggs – Russian legsweep/running boot combination to Jensen
LA Knight b. Grayson Waller – Blunt Force Trauma
Tommaso Ciampa/Bron Breakker b. Grizzled Young Veterans – Gorilla press powerslam to Drake

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

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NXT UK
Date: October 14, 2021
Location: BT Sports Studios, London, England
Commentators: Nigel McGuinness, Andy Shepherd

It’s championship week as Ilja Dragunov is back to defend the United Kingdom Title against A-Kid. That has all the makings of a great match, but more importantly, there will be a crowd here for the first time in WAY too long as the United Kingdom has started to lighten their Coronavirus restrictions. Let’s get to it.

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

Opening sequence, with a new song.

The fans are back!

Blair Davenport vs. Stevie Turner

Davenport jumps Turner before the bell as we start fast. That’s fine with Turner, who fights back at the bell and scores with a Thesz press to hammer away. Some right hands in the corner don’t work out so well as Davenport drops her face first onto the turnbuckle and scores with a basement dropkick to the back of the head. Turner is back up with a running boot to the face and some neckbreakers get two. Davenport BLASTS her with a kick to the head for two more but Turner is back with a Side Effect for the same. That’s enough for Davenport, who knees her in the face and hits a Falcon Arrow for the pin at 4:36.

Rating: C. This was short and to the point, as Davenport shrugged off Turner’s offense and pinned her in short order. You can tell that Davenport is likely the next big thing and eventually the top star in the division, but we still have a little while before we get that far. They had another good step here though, as it is nice to have Davenport back in the ring.

Sha Samuels commandeers a birthday party and gives it to Noam Dar instead. Samuels isn’t happy with the banners but Dar says this can be a warmup for the real celebration when he wins the Heritage Cup.

Rohan Raja makes excuses to Teoman for the Heritage Cup tournament but Teoman promises that the family will grow soon.

Sid Scala has a match to announce when Jinny and Joseph Conners come in. As luck would have it, the match was about her, as Jinny challenges Meiko Satomura for the Women’s Title in three weeks. Jinny’s advice to Scala: burn his clothes.

Flash Morgan Webster vs. Sha Samuels

Webster dodges to start and scores with some right hands in the corner. A few fast chops annoy Samuels, who takes Webster’s head off with a chop of his own. Some hard kicks to the back give Samuels two and a shoulder to the ribs in the corner gets the same. They head outside with the fans chanting for Webster, who is dropped face first onto the apron.

Back in and Webster suddenly picks up the pace, including a middle rope standing moonsault. Samuels is sent outside for a change and that means a suicide dive from Webster. They head back inside where Webster scores with a running kick to the face for another near fall, setting up a heck of a top rope flip dive to the floor. Back in again and Webster scores with a headbutt but walks into a spinebuster to give Samuels the pin at 8:16.

Rating: B-. They were starting to rock here with that Webster comeback being a standout highlight. This was a rather fun edition of power vs. speed and that is going to work every single time. Webster doesn’t get as much attention as Mark Andrews but he showcases himself well when he gets the chance.

It’s time for another Nina Samuels Show, with Xia Brookside not realizing she is the guest. Brookside calls over Leah James and gets a match with her instead. End of show.

We recap Dave Mastiff/Jack Starz cutting off Symbiosis’ attempt at interfering in a recent tag match. They’re facing off next week as a result.

Gallus interrupts Jordan Devlin’s meeting with Sid Scala. Devlin doesn’t want to hear this and threatens to take Joe Coffey out soon.

United Kingdom Title: A-Kid vs. Ilja Dragunov

A-Kid is challenging and circles around the champ to start until a headscissors pulls him to the mat. They go with some grappling until A-Kid rapid fires kicks to the leg. That earns him a big chop but he nips up and kicks at the leg some more. Dragunov checks one though and snaps off a German suplex, sending us back to the grappling. That’s broken up so Dragunov snaps off the rebound lariat, only to hurt his own arm in the process.

Now it’s Dragunov’s turn to crank on the leg but A-Kid chops his way out of a leglock. The leg gets cranked back again though and it’s time to chop A-Kid in the corner. Dragunov gets two off something like a powerbomb but A-Kid kicks at the bad arm to get a breather. The good arm is fine enough to blast A-Kid….who responds by kicking Dragunov in the face. The kicks to the chest (with the bad leg) don’t do much to Dragunov, who catches the leg and sends us back to a strike off.

A kick to the head sets up a fisherman’s suplex (with the bad leg being raised) for two on Dragunov, who is right back with an STO. Dragunov takes him down with a hard knee to the ribs and the rolling German suplexes, though A-Kid cranks on the arm to escape. Some elbows to the head set up another suplex for two on A-Kid as the fans (accurately) deem this awesome. Dragunov misses a top rope backsplash and gets pulled into a sleeper. With that broken up, A-Kid scores with a running kick to the chest.

An armbar over the ropes has Dragunov hurt again but he drops A-Kid again. Torpedo Moscow is cut off with a kick to the face though and they’re both down one more time. They slug it out with A-Kid getting the better of things and Dragunov not being able to powerbomb his way out of a cross armbreaker. He can however flip out of an Oomoplata, setting up Torpedo Moscow to the leg. Another Torpedo Moscow retains the title at 19:25.

Rating: A-. This was excellent stuff and the two of them beat the fire out of each other. That is what you should be expecting to see from Dragunov these days and A-Kid was able to hang in there with him every step of the way. The battle of limb manipulation was great here and it felt like a huge main event title match. These guys brought it and the match was excellent throughout, as you probably expected.

Dragunov demands A-Kid stand up so the handshake can end the show.

Overall Rating: B+. There is a reason that this show has been so well received as of late and the fans being back only make it better. This show felt important again and the energy from the fans played a bit role in that change. Granted the main event being a nearly twenty minute clinic helped as well, as we had one of the better editions of this show in a very long time.

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NXT
Date: October 12, 2021
Location: Capitol Wrestling Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Beth Phoenix, Wade Barrett, Vic Joseph

It’s another big night this time around as we have Santos Escobar challenging Isaiah Scott for the North American Title. Given that Scott and company have been Drafted to SmackDown, there might not be the most drama on this one. Maybe they have a curve ball for us, but that might not be a good idea. Let’s get to it.

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

Earlier today, Legado del Fantasma jumped Hit Row and kidnapped everyone but Isaiah Scott.

Opening sequence.

Joe Gacy is in the ring and says that Tommaso Ciampa holding the NXT Title means untold unbalance. Tonight, Gacy will beat the walking example of toxic masculinity and championship privilege. He represents all of his Snowflakes and is ready to inject himself into the championship match at Halloween Havoc.

Tommaso Ciampa vs. Joe Gacy

Non-title but if Gacy wins, he is added to the NXT Title match in two weeks. Ciampa knocks him around to start but Gacy hits a shoulder for two. The chinlock doesn’t last long but here is Harland (the man who looked at Gacy last week, better known as Parker Boudreaux) for a distraction.

Ciampa is back with a running knee in the corner and they head to the floor, with Gacy bouncing off of the announcers’ table. Back in and Ciampa hits him in the nose, only to get taken outside again. This time it’s a drop onto the apron to put Gacy in control as we take a break. Back with Ciampa running him over again but what looked to be White Noise is escaped. Instead they slug it out with Gacy getting the better of things, only to have Ciampa come back with the Fairy Tale Ending and the pin at 9:49.

Rating: C. The match was fine but what were you expecting here? I know NXT has gone a bit nuts but they aren’t going to put Gacy in a spot like that. Ciampa beating him up was nice to see, but it wasn’t like there was any real doubt about the winner. Now we sit back and wait for Bron Breakker to win the title and hopefully one day remember that he is a Steiner and really get into the new era of NXT.

Post match Harland jumps Ciampa and then chokes Gacy (Fans: “WHO ARE YOU???”), who rubs Harland’s face to get him to let go.

Here is Toxic Attraction for a chat. They want all the titles and they left last week very unsatisfied. They aren’t going to play by the rules and they get what they want. The three of them are getting their title shots at Halloween Havoc and leaving with all of the titles. Mandy Rose doesn’t care what color her hair is, because she is always the baddest b**** in the business. The fact that the team lost their first title shot and the fact that it’s Mandy Rose trying to sound tough makes this kind of hard to take seriously.

Someone is at a graveside and starts shoveling dirt, saying he will bury the past to start anew, apparently at Halloween Havoc.

Xyon Quin vs. Malik Blade

Toxic Attraction seems impressed by Quin during his entrance. Quin powers Blade around to start and whips him hard into the corner for two. Blade gets thrown around again and plants with a spinebuster. The running elbow to the face finishes for Quin at 2:48. The more I see of Quin, the more I like him.

Tommaso Ciampa is ready for Bron Breakker in two weeks, but here are the Grizzled Young Veterans. They are ready to see him lose, but here is Breakker to say he’s ready to fight right now. Breakker will have Ciampa’s back until Halloween Havoc because he wants Ciampa at his best. Worked for John Cena and Shawn Michaels in 2007.

Isaiah Scott says his friends are warriors and if Santos Escobar wanted to bring out the evil spirits in him, IT WORKED. He is taking this North American Title to Smackdown and there is nothing Escobar can do about it.

Ivy Nile vs. Valentina Feroz

The rest of the Diamond Mine is here with Nile, who is the first female champion of the Titan Games. Nile catches Feroz’s crossbody and muscles her up into a delayed vertical suplex. Some kicks in the corner have Feroz in trouble as Barrett says he is getting Glamazon vibes from Nile, which he means as a compliment. As Beth tries to get her head around that, Nile muscles her up into a torture rack and does a squat to make it even worse. Feroz (eventually) taps at 2:43. Nile is an athletic machine, but you can tell she is just doing power/athletic stuff rather than knowing how to string a lot of this together (fair enough).

Post match Malcolm Bivens praises the Diamond Mine, but here is Ikemen Jiro to cut Roderick Strong off. Julius Creed cuts him off but Jiro hits him in the face.

Ikemen Jiro vs. Julius Creed

Creed throws him around to start and scores with a powerslam to plant Jiro again. There’s another suplex to send Jiro flying again as this is a total squash so far. Jiro fights up and kicks him down, setting up a delayed splash off the top. A Lionsault to the floor drops Julius but he pulls Jiro out of the air and plants him down again. The basement clothesline finishes Jiro at 3:30.

Rating: C. This was just beneath a total squash and Creed looked impressive. His gear needs more than a few upgrades, but wins like this will get him noticed. The fans like Jiro, but I can’t imagine he goes much further beyond where he is not. There is nothing wrong with being a low level, less than serious guy, and that’s about all he’s going to be for a good while.

Post match the beatdown is on but here is Kushida to make the save. It doesn’t work and he is beaten down as well, but at least he tried.

Raquel Gonzalez talks about how great her title reign has been and is down to face Mandy Rose. Let’s just make it Spin The Wheel, Make The Deal.

It’s time for Lashing Out With Lash Legend. She liked the Draft, misses Hit Row, and didn’t have time for Tony D’Angelo.

Kyle O’Reilly/Von Wagner vs. Pete Dunne/Ridge Holland

Holland and Dunne didn’t get an entrance, but Lash Legend needed the time more. Wagner jumps Dunne to start and muscles him up for a vertical suplex. It’s off to O’Reilly, who kicks Dunne over to the corner a tag to Holland. That goes a bit better for the Brits, as some knees to the back have O’Reilly in trouble. An overhead belly to belly takes O’Reilly down again and Dunne gets in his own shots.

Holland uppercuts him down to set up an arm trap chinlock, followed by a hard clothesline. O’Reilly manages to knock Dunne away and brings Wagner back in to clean house, including sending Holland into the steps on the floor. We take a break and come back with Holland holding O’Reilly in a chinlock as the fans give him a YOU DON’T GO HERE chant. Dunne comes back in to work over O’Reilly as Holland takes Wagner down off the apron.

Everything breaks down and Wagner takes out both villains on the floor. O’Reilly brings Wagner back in off the hot tag to clean house, including a jumping knee and an Angle Slam. Dunne gets dropped by a running knee from O’Reilly and Wagner hits a double underhook spinning slam to finish Holland at 12:42.

Rating: C+. This is a good example of one of the biggest problems with NXT right now: we haven’t gotten an explanation of who Wagner is and now we likely won’t, because he is a regular around here. It’s more lazy writing from NXT and that is not something I’m used to seeing. The match was fine, but I have little reason to care because I have no connection to Wagner. I’m sure it won’t be a problem though, because it’s not like he is one of about half a dozen characters with that problem.

Andre Chase points out how Odyssey Jones should have had his foot over the rope instead of underneath it last week, but hit low ring awareness prevented it. One of the Chase University students asks if that was illegal and gets thrown out by Chase. Several F bombs ensue.

Tony D’Angelo is proud of his win last week but isn’t happy that he was bumped from Lashing Out With Lash Legend. It seems that D’Angelo has kidnapped Legend’s producer.

Grayson Waller vs. Duke Hudson

Waller talks about being a former Golden Gloves boxer and since he’s facing a poker player, he’s all in. Waller goes right after him but charges into a suplex, setting up a waistlock. The fans chant for “Dukie” as Waller makes a comeback, including snapping Hudson throat first across the ropes. A running Stunner gives Waller two but Hudson rolls him up with tights for the pin at 2:38.

Santos Escobar promises that Legado del Fantasma will stay in the back for tonight’s title match.

Imperium doesn’t like MSK and want the Tag Team Titles.

Indi Hartwell/Persia Pirotta vs. Sarray/Amari Miller

Commentary talks about the Queen’s Crown and Beth actually brings up the fan complaints about the matches being short. Sarray kicks Hartwell down to start so it’s off to Miller, who gets run over by Pirotta. Miller gets kicked into the corner, setting up a sitout F5. Hartwell drops Pretty Savage (rope walk elbow) for the pin at 2:26.

Post match Pirotta says she wants the Women’s Tag Team Titles, but here are Io Shirai and Zoey Stark to interrupt (WAY too fast, as the music hit maybe half a second after Pirotta mentioned the titles). Before they can agree that they don’t like each other, here is Toxic Attraction to say they want the titles too. The brawl is on with the champs clearing the ring.

Grayson Waller hits on a woman but Cameron Grimes interrupts. He’s impressed by how Waller did despite losing, but Waller says it’s just the accept. Waller shows Grimes a dating app and has Grimes’ attention.

Solo Sikoa: coming soon.

North American Title: Isaiah Scott vs. Santos Escobar

Escobar is challenging but gets jumped in the aisle as Scott gets going fast. Scott runs him over at ringside and hits the big running flip dive to take him out again. They get inside where Escobar has to block the JML Driver and knocks Scott back to the floor. There’s a suicide dive to send Scott over the announcers’ table and we take a break.

Back with Scott fighting out of a double arm crank and blasting Escobar with a clothesline. Scott’s rolling cutter is countered into a Downward Spiral to give Escobar two and a frog splash gets the same. Scott catches him on top though and a Death Valley Driver onto the apron plants Escobar again. The 450 hits knees though and Escobar rolls him up for a very near fall. Cue Legado del Fantasma for a distraction but Trick Williams and Carmelo Hayes come in to take them out. Escobar gets dropped into the corner and the JML Driver gives Scott the pin to retain at 11:15.

Rating: B-. Scott is a heck of a star and the more I see of him, the more sure of that I am. There is something to him that makes you want to keep watching and in a way, it’s a shame that he is in Hit Row. Good main event here and the match of the night, though something seems up with a certain pair of interfering people.

Post match, Hayes jumps Scott and it’s time for another title match, via Breakout Tournament cash in.

North American Title: Carmelo Hayes vs. Isaiah Scott

Hayes is challenging and gets in a springboard clothesline for a close two. The top rope Fameasser gives Hayes the pin and the title at 1:14.

Celebrating ends the show.

Overall Rating: C-. This is a good example of a show where all of the problems are in the presentation. There are talented people and some of the wrestling is high quality, but the way the material is being presented is killing the show. Above all, there is WAY too much going on here. For two hours, this is a show that is just throwing stuff on the screen, hoping that it catches your attention, and then moving on. Nothing has a chance to develop, nothing has a chance to make an impact and nothing has a chance to stay in your mind, because it’s all about getting the next act out there.

It also doesn’t help that some of the stuff on here just isn’t good. Gacy is a way for some of the writers to poke fun at people they don’t like, Hudson is suddenly a poker guy, Grimes just kind of hangs out backstage looking for women, Toxic Attraction is supposed to be taken seriously, and Von Wagner just…kind of is. What “is” you might ask? Just is, period.

NXT took a long time to define itself and it turned into its own thing. Suddenly deciding that everything that once was is now gone and replacing a bunch of the wrestlers with new ones (Why? Just go with it.), while some (certainly not all) of them wrap up their stories is going to be really jarring. This show is NXT in name only and that is becoming more and more obvious every week. It might be good, but don’t expect me to just drop everything that I cared about and suddenly love a bunch of new gimmicks and characters who we are learning about on the fly. That’s insulting to the fans, but I doubt WWE really cares at this point.

Results
Tommaso Ciampa b. Joe Gacy – Fairy Tale Ending
Xyon Quin b. Malik Blade – Running elbow
Ivy Nile b. Valentina Feroz – Torture rack
Julius Creed b. Ikemen Jiro – Basement clothesline
Kyle O’Reilly/Von Wagner b. Pete Dunne/Ridge Holland – Double underhook spinning slam to Holland
Duke Hudson b. Grayson Waller – Rollup with tights
Indi Hartwell/Persia Pirotta b. Sarray/Amari Miller – Pretty Savage to Miller
Isaiah Scott b. Santos Escobar – JML Driver
Carmelo Hayes b. Isaiah Scott – Top rope Fameasser

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NXT UK
Date: October 7, 2021
Location: BT Sports Studios, London, England
Commentators: Andy Shepherd, Nigel McGuinness

Things are about to change again in a good way as the fans are going to be returning to the show rather soon. The taping has already taken place and now we get to see just how the show can work with an audience. As for tonight, it is FINALLY the end of the Heritage Cup #1 contenders tournament as Noam Dar faces Wolfgang. Let’s get to it.

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

We open with a recap of the tournament to get us to the finals.

Opening sequence.

Jinny vs. Emilia McKenzie

Joseph Conners is here with Jinny. They fight over wrist control to start until Jinny flips her over for two. A front facelock has Jinny in some trouble but she reverses into a leg crank and elbows at the head. McKenzie is back up with a dropkick and fisherman’s neckbreaker but can’t grab a German suplex. Instead Jinny twists her down by the arm and puts on an Iron Octopus for the always cool sounding hold. Now it’s off to a half crab, with Jinny letting go to stomp away before a rope can be grabbed.

Back up and McKenzie wins a slugout and snaps off a cutter for a much needed breather. A belly to back gets two on Jinny but Conners offers a distraction. Cue Meiko Satomura to kick him in the head (while still holding her title) so McKenzie can Angel’s Wings Jinny for two. Back up and McKenzie charges into an elbow to the face, setting up a Liger Kick to give Jinny the pin at 7:30.

Rating: C. I’m a bit surprised by the loss as I would have bet on McKenzie being the next challenger for Satomura. That being said, Jinny does make a lot of sense of her own as she has been the top heel in the division since Kay Lee Ray left. I’m not sure how much of a threat she would be to Satomura once the bell rang, but this is what makes the most sense.

Post match Jinny says she beat McKenzie and issues the challenge for the title match. Satomura holds up the title and I think we have a deal.

Blair Davenport storms into Sid Scala’s office, where she is told she’s back next week. This isn’t because of her actions, but because Stevie Turner wants to face her. Just don’t be all evil again. Davenport says she gets what she wants.

A-Kid is ready for Ilja Dragunov.

Mark Andrews vs. Sam Gradwell

This seems to be over Gradwell’s issues with riding skateboards. Gradwell cranks on the arm to start, which is countered with an armdrag into an armbar. That’s broken up and they head outside, with Gradwell sending him flying without much trouble. Back in and Gradwell says “come on skater boy” before hitting him in the back of the head for two. Knuckles to the ribs and a right hand to the face have Andrews in more trouble but he gets in a kick to the head. Gradwell pulls him off the ropes for two though and it’s off to the chinlock.

Back up and Gradwell tries to pull him off the ropes again but this time Andrews counters into a middle rope DDT. A double stomp to the back gives Andrews two but Gradwell is back with a discus forearm for the same. Another chinlock doesn’t last that long as Andrews is back up with the Stundog Millionaire. That sends Gradwell outside though, allowing Andrews to moonsault down onto him for the crash. Back in and Andrews tries a springboard but lands in a fireman’s carry for a Samoa driver to give Gradwell the pin at 8:47.

Rating: C+. This got going near the end and it’s nice to see Gradwell getting some focus as he has done quite well in recent months. I’m not convinced he is going to go anywhere but I’ve liked what I’ve seen from him lately. They had a nice match here and that’s about all you can expect out of a midcard match like this.

Flash Morgan Webster slaps Sha Samuels in the face and runs off. Sounds like a match for next week.

Ilja Dragunov is ready for A-Kid.

Heritage Cup #1 Contenders Tournament Finals: Noam Dar vs. Wolfgang

The rest of Gallus and Sha Samuels are here too. Round one begins with Dar getting powered against the ropes and telling Gradwell to bring it. Dar tries to drop down but gets lifted up, allowing Wolfgang to grab a headlock. Wolfgang gets taken into the corner for some arm cranking but pulls Dar up for a powerbomb attempt as the round ends.

Round two begins with Dar kicking him in the face for one but Wolfgang is right back up to hammer away in the corner. A top rope ax handle drops Dar, only to have Jordan Devlin come out to jump Gallus. The distraction lets Dar grab a rollup with tights for the first fall at 1:27 of the round and 5:02 total. Round three begins with Wolfgang hitting a spear to tie it up at 6 seconds of the round and 5:42 total.

Round four begins with Dar having to pull himself up in the corner so Wolfgang whips him hard into another corner. The threat of another spear sends Dar bailing to the floor, where Samuels offers a distraction to give Dar a breather. Back in and Dar goes after the arm again, including kicking Wolfgang’s arm out to the floor. Dar tries to get away but eventually kicks the post by mistake as the round ends.

Round five begins with Dar stomping away in the corner, setting up a running boot to the face. Wolfgang manages a backbreaker for two but gets pulled down into the ankle lock. That’s broken up as Wolfgang gets to his feet and hammers away until Dar kicks him in the head. The Nova Roller is countered with a spear for a very close two as the round ends. That means it’s time for overtime and round six begins Dar striking away until Wolfgang snaps off a suplex.

Wolfgang misses a charge and gets kicked in the leg though, setting up a top rope knee to Wolfgang’s knee. Back up and Wolfgang blasts him with a clothesline for two but Dar is back with the Nova Roller. Wolfgang pops back up before the cover so it’s another Nova Roller to give Dar the pin and the tournament at 2:20 of the sixth round and 15:51 overall.

Rating: B. This took some time to get going but they hit a nice roll near the end. If nothing else, it is nice to see the tournament finally wrapping up and Dar is one of the best choices you could have for the winner. Wolfgang got a lot out of the tournament and he can move up the ladder a bit as well. Good final, but it took so long to get here.

Tyler Bate comes out for the staredown to end the show.

Overall Rating: B-. Good show here and that isn’t much of a surprise. If nothing else, it is a nice feeling to have the tournament over. I’m not sure how the title match is going to go, but after so much time to get here, the interest might not be the highest. The rest of the show worked rather well too and now we get to see how much better the fans are going to help the show. Nice job this week, as stuff happened.

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NXT
Date: October 5, 2021
Location: Capitol Wrestling Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Wade Barrett, Beth Phoenix, Vic Joseph

Things are starting to come together around here and that’s a good thing. Now, instead of bringing in a bunch of new people, we’re seeing those wrestlers getting to do something. The pieces that have been introduced are now being put into some stories and that’s a positive sign. Let’s get to it.

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

The opening video looks at the Tag Team Title situation. Tonight’s scheduled eight man tag has been changed into a four way for the titles.

Mandy Rose vs. Ember Moon

The rest of Toxic Attraction is here with Mandy. Moon takes her down to start and Mandy bails to the floor, meaning it’s a suicide dive to take the team out. Back in and Mandy kicks away in the corner, setting up a bodyscissors. Moon fights up and slugs away, including a heck of a discus forearm. A middle rope Codebreaker drops Mandy again but Moon has to bail out of an Eclipse attempt. Mandy’s running knee finishes Moon at 4:35.

Rating: C-. If they want to make Mandy into the next big thing, this is how you go about doing it: short matches where she can pick up wins, including over someone like Moon. While she has fallen a long way, Moon still has some name value and it is a good move to have Rose go over her. Mandy plays her part well, and keeping the match short made it even better.

Legado de Fantasma isn’t done with Hit Row and Santos Escobar wants Isaiah Scott’s North American Title.

Odyssey Jones vs. LA Knight

Jones throws him around to start, including one heck of a toss into the corner. Knight needs a breather on the floor before Jones runs him over back inside. Knight manages to get in a shot of his own but a cover only gets one. For some reason Knight tries a slam, which goes as well for him as you would expect. Cue Andre Chase for a distraction though and Knight scores with a jumping neckbreaker for the pin at 4:02.

Rating: C. Another short match and again, that is probably the right idea. Jones is a huge guy and it should be a case of less is more. Don’t let the fans get worn out on a guy that size who can move like that. Let him get the crowd’s attention and then leave, as now they want to see him pummel Chase, as is the plan.

Cameron Grimes says love is in the air around here and wants to find a lucky lady of her own. Pete Dunne and Ridge Holland come up with Dunne throwing out a challenge for tonight. Grimes heads off to hit on some women instead.

Kyle O’Reilly asks Von Wagner why he has been helping him. Wagner says he respects O’Reilly but Kyle doesn’t trust anyone. O’Reilly appreciates it but wants Wagner to leave him alone. Wagner is going to need some help with the talking.

Here is Tommaso Ciampa for a chat. Halloween Havoc is back on October 26 and the champ needs a challenger. He knows that Bron Breakker has been circling around but who has the guts to come out here and face him? Cue Bron Breakker, who says he doesn’t care how long he has been here because he wants the NXT Title. Ciampa says Breakker wants the title but Ciampa needs it. Breakker sees it as a stepping stone to something bigger and better, but to Ciampa, it is something bigger and better. That leaves Breakker with three weeks to get ready, because challenge accepted. Breakker’s Steiner was showing here again.

Joe Gacy talks about how he wasn’t worried when social media crashed yesterday. Tonight, the ring is his safe space.

Persia Pirotta is here with Indi Hartwell and talking about how great the honeymoon was. Indi wore Dexter Lumis out by going through two packs. After saying Lumis is 9.5, they find a door with smoke coming out from underneath and find….Tian Sha, who throws them out.

Joe Gacy vs. Ikemen Jiro

Jiro shoulders him to start and Gacy encourages him to do it again. That earns him a running armdrag and a hurricanrana, meaning Gacy wants a breather. Gacy runs him over but Jiro slips out of a slam. Jiro tosses him down again but misses the Ikemen Slash. The handspring clothesline finishes for Gacy at 3:08.

Rating: D+. I don’t remember the last time I’ve seen a gimmick that beat you over the head as hard as Gacy. There might as well be a big sign over his head explaining the joke every time for how subtle the whole thing is. It isn’t funny and the matches aren’t exactly great, but I’m sure the people writing it are having a great time so we aren’t getting away from it anytime soon.

Post match, Gacy picks him up for a bit of an awkward hug. As Gacy leaves, a guy stares down at him from the stands and Gacy smiles back up at him.

Cora Jade likes to skateboard.

Duke Hudson is a wrestler and a professional poker player with his own Duke’s Poker Room. He’ll take your belt or your money. Or your Swinger’s Palace.

Cora Jade vs. Virginia Ferry

Hold on though as here is Frankie Monet to jump Ferry and take her place.

Cora Jade vs. Frankie Monet

Monet hits the running knees in the corner to start so here is Trey Baxter to cheer Jade on. A stomp has Jade in more trouble and a spear cuts her in half. Not that it matters as Jade rolls her up for the pin at 2:04.

The Grizzled Young Veterans come up to MSK in the back. Let’s just make the title match elimination rules? Josh Briggs/Brooks Jensen and Trick Williams/Carmelo Hayes come in for the brawl.

Tommaso Ciampa is ready for Bron Breakker but Joe Gacy comes in. Gacy thinks Ciampa is putting forth his privilege as champion and would like a shot of his own. Ciampa says if Gacy can beat him next week, Halloween Havoc can be a three way. Just remember that the ring isn’t going to be a safe space for Gacy.

Pete Dunne vs. Cameron Grimes

Ridge Holland is here with Dunne. They trade wristlocks to start with Dunne getting the better of things. Back up and a running hurricanrana gets Grimes out of trouble, setting up an armdrag into an armbar. Dunne kicks him down again but misses a charge in the corner, allowing Grimes to hit a good high crossbody for two. A double stomp to the hands slows Grimes back down but he is back up with a bridging German suplex for two more. Holland goes for the distraction, drawing out Kyle O’Reilly for the save. The distraction lets Dunne hit the Bitter End for the pin at 5:40.

Rating: C+. I could have gone for more of this as these two had some chemistry. It’s always nice to see some of the people who can have a good match getting the chance to do so and it worked out well enough here. Dunne winning off the distraction is fine as Grimes saves some face, but he’s over enough that a loss to a more established star isn’t going to hurt him.

Post match Dunne and Holland lay out O’Reilly.

Hit Row isn’t running from NXT but running to the money. Smackdown wanted them and that’s where they’re going. They’re ready to finish things with Legado del Fantasma and Santos Escobar can have his title shot.

During the break, Von Wagner helped Kyle O’Reilly up.

Tony D’Angelo vs. Malik Blade

The fans go nuts for D’Angelo, who talks a lot and grabs a headlock to start. A running shoulder sets up another headlock as commentary talks about D’Angelo’s, ahem, businesses, with all the subtly of a pair of concrete shoes. Blade manages to get in a shot and head outside, only to walk into a spear. A waistlock sets up an abdominal stretch but Blade fights up and hits a high crossbody. Some rolling suplexes set up a fisherman’s neckbreaker to finish Blade at 4:44.

Rating: C. Oh man this has potential. The fans were loving D’Angelo and it certainly felt like a case where they’re in on the joke of how bad he really is. D’Angelo looks like an athlete but there were a lot of instances of pausing for holds here as it didn’t seem like they were ready. The fans were absolutely loving it though and it is a rare case where they were able to bring this WAY higher than it would have been otherwise.

Carmelo Hayes and Trick Williams are bout it and ready to win the Tag Team Titles without using Hayes’ contract.

Indi Hartwell vs. Mei Ying

Persia Pirotta is here with Hartwell and Boa is with Ying. We get a MRS. LUMIS chant as Ying hammers away to start and grabs the nerve hold. The Tongan Death Grip has Indi on the floor but Ying lets go and kicks Persia in the face by mistake. Indi posts Ying and hits a springboard clothesline for the surprise pin at 2:52.

Lash Legend is talking about how great her show will be next week. Tony D’Angelo comes in and wants to be her guest, which works for Legend. She takes credit for shutting down Facebook and Instagram yesterday because her show was so hot.

Malcolm Bivens introduces the Diamond Mine and gives us a quick bio of every member. More stuff like this please, as you need to get to know these people.

Raquel Gonzalez thinks Mandy Rose’s hair dye has gotten into her brain because Mandy doesn’t know who she is messing with. Touch her title again and Mandy can start posing for a body cast. Cue Toxic Attraction to say Raquel is coming off desperate. The three of them talk about how great they are but Gonzalez says she can only look at the staples in Gigi Dolin’s head from when Gonzalez hit her with the belt. Jacy Jayne says they’ll hold all of the gold soon because they’re THE attraction. Gonzalez is surrounded but Zoey Stark and Io Shirai run in for the save.

Von Wagner comes in to tell Kyle O’Reilly that they’re facing Pete Dunne and Ridge Holland. O’Reilly isn’t happy.

Raquel Gonzalez, Io Shirai and Zoey Stark are ready for Toxic Attraction but Indi Hartwell and Persia Pirotta come in to say they’re coming for the titles. Shirai said the only gold they’re wearing is in their ears.

Tag Team Titles: Grizzled Young Veterans vs. Josh Briggs/Brooks Jensen vs. Trick Williams/Carmelo Hayes vs. MSK

MSK is defending and it’s elimination rules. Wes Lee rolls Zack Gibson up for two to start and it’s off to Nash Carter for the rapid fire kicks to the chest. That’s enough to send Gibson over for the tag to Hayes, who drops Lee in a hurry. Williams comes in and clotheslines Jensen, who cuts Hayes off with an atomic drop. A double shoulders sends Hayes over to Williams, who gets booted in the face. Lee comes back in and sends Williams outside for a suicide dive. Back in and the Hart Attack Blockbuster pins Williams at 3:55.

We take a break and come back with the Veterans working over Lee, including some choking on the ropes. Lee gets away and brings Carter back in though, allowing house to be cleaned. A moonsault to the floor drops the Veterans but Gibson drops Lee. Briggs makes a blind tag though and a double powerbomb finishes Gibson to get rid of the Veterans at 10:30. Briggs’ running boot into a Russian legsweep from Jensen gets two on Lee. There’s a huge double spinebuster to plant Lee again but Carter breaks up the double powerbomb. Lee hurricanranas Jensen to retain at 12:32.

Rating: C+. I like the elimination rules, but MSK needs to drop the titles pretty soon. That being said, outside of the Veterans, who are they supposed to drop them to? The country boys? Hayes and the new guy who shouts bout it all the time? I’m sure the Veterans aren’t gimmicky enough for this NXT though and that shouldn’t be a big surprise. Nice match, but they need to shake up the titles sooner than later.

Post match Briggs and Jensen pick up the titles….and hand them to MSK. The fans want Melo but get Imperium jumping MSK instead. Briggs and Jensen run in for a late save. Fans: “THANK YOU IMPERIUM!” This really didn’t do the division or the titles any favors, but there is in fact a division there now, which is more than you can say about the main roster.

Overall Rating: C. This was a big step back for NXT and I’m scared that it’s a sign of things to come. A lot of this show felt like WWE saying “this is what you’re getting and we don’t care if you like it”. Maybe the live fans were complaining for the sake of complaining, but it was pretty clear that they weren’t happy with a good bit of this.

Between Toxic Attraction doing their best Beautiful People impression to Duke Hudson suddenly copying Johnny Swinger to that wacky Joe Gacy to Imperium vs. MSK, there wasn’t much to get excited about around here. That seems to be NXT in a nutshell, but at least Vince’s lovable gang of goons have their jobs instead of HHH right?

Results
Mandy Rose b. Ember Moon – Running knee
LA Knight b. Odyssey Jones – Jumping neckbreaker
Joe Gacy b. Ikemen Jiro – Handspring lariat
Cora Jade b. Frankie Monet – Victory roll
Pete Dunne b. Cameron Grimes – Bitter End
Tony D’Angelo b. Malik Blade – Fisherman’s neckbreaker
Indi Hartwell b. Mei Ying – Springfield clothesline
MSK b. Grizzled Young Veterans, Josh Briggs/Brooks Jensen and Carmelo Hayes/Trick Williams last eliminating Briggs/Brooks Jensen

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

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