NXT
Date: August 15, 2018
Location: Full Sail University, Winter Park, Florida
Commentators: Nigel McGuinness, Percy Watson, Mauro Ranallo

It’s the go home show for Takeover: Brooklyn and we now have a new main event of NXT Champion Tommaso Ciampa vs. Johnny Gargano in a Last Man Standing match. The big question now is who attacked Aleister Black, who was originally in the match but was found unconscious in the parking lot last week. Odds are that one is going to take some time to find out though so let’s get to it.

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

In Memory Of Jim Neidhart. Why didn’t they have that on Raw and Smackdown? I’d really like an answer to that.

We open with a recap of the NXT Title situation, including a look at Black being laid out.

Street Profits vs. The Mighty

The fans sound like they’re chanting MIGHTY JOBBERS. Miller and Ford start things off with the former taking over off some chops in the corner. Ford jumps over him though and it’s off to Dawkins to run Thorn over. A belly to back suplex into a moonsault (Black Panther Splash) sets up the old World’s Greatest Tag Team jump over the back to keep Miller in trouble.

Miller avoids a twisting splash in the corner and scores with a northern lariat. A double belly to back suplex gets two and the chinlock goes on. Miller’s spinebuster is good for two more but another suplex doesn’t work, allowing the hot tag to Ford. House is cleaned and a sunset flip gets two on Miller. A second rollup to Miller, with a handful of tights, is good for the pin at 6:23.

Rating: D+. Just a match really as these teams have been kind of feuding for weeks now and it hasn’t exactly taken off. The new look is an upgrade for the Mighty but the Profits are still a lot of fun. The match was fine enough and the right team won, but you can tell they’re going with more of a placeholder show, which makes sense.

The Undisputed Era isn’t sweating Moustache Mountain or the War Raiders. Adam Cole talks about the team beginning a year ago and they’ve never been stronger. They’ll continue to show the world that this is their era and that is undisputed.

Aaliyah vs. Kairi Sane

Shayna Baszler is on commentary. Sane wastes no time in grabbing a Stretch Muffler (Brock Lock) to make Aaliyah scream. A rope is grabbed fast enough so Kairi spears her in half and hits the sliding elbow in the corner. Kairi hits the Insane Elbow, glares at Baszler, drops another elbow, glares at Baszler again and drops a third elbow….for two as she pulls Aaliyah up. That makes Baszler get up as Sane puts on the Anchor (bending back to stare and point at Baszler) for the tap at 4:00.

Rating: C. That was way more effective than I was expecting with Sane looking like a killer that she has never been before. Baszler is walking out with the title (or she should) but egads what a performance from Sane here. I didn’t think she would be able to turn it on like that and it’s the kind of character stuff she needs going into this big of a match.

Video on Adam Cole vs. Ricochet. Cole talks about how amazing of a year he’s had and that’s going to continue. Ricochet is a good superstar but Cole is a great one. Ricochet talks about having his hands on the gold in New Orleans and on Saturday, he’ll have it for real.

Here’s Velveteen Dream to talk about EC3. The fans chant for Dream, until he brings up EC3 and then the chants change to NX3. Just like all of us, EC3 had the Dream’s curiosity, but now EC3 has Dream’s attention. On Saturday, it’s Dream Over, but here’s EC3 to interrupt. EC3: “Sick fanny pack by the way.” Dream is trying to get into EC3’s head but EC3 builds theme restaurants in people’s heads. Dream again says Dream Over, earning another FANNY PACK chant. The fight is on and it’s a One Percenter to Dream.

We look at some people leaving the parking lot when Black was injured, including Kassius Ohno, Undisputed Era, Lars Sullivan, Johnny Gargano, Tommaso Ciampa and others.

Video on the history of Gargano vs. Ciampa. This includes looks at New Orleans and Chicago, with Ciampa coming out in the end of the second match, leading to becoming NXT Champion. Johnny is still freaked out that he caused the title change and now he has to take the title from Ciampa to save NXT. Gargano has one more shot to take Ciampa down and he won’t stop until Ciampa can’t get up.

Tyler Bate vs. Roderick Strong

Trent Seven and Kyle O’Reilly are here as seconds. Bate kicks him in the face at the bell and hits a fast backdrop. Some right hands in the corner have Strong in trouble but he drop toeholds Bate down and puts on a chinlock. It’s off to a seated abdominal stretch for a bit before Strong loads up a superplex. That’s broken up as well and a middle rope European uppercut puts Strong down.

Bate can’t do the airplane spin due to the back but he’s fine enough for the reverse hurricanrana. The Stronghold is broken up so Strong knees him in the corner for two instead. A Rock Bottom backbreaker looks to set up End of Heartache but Bate lands on his feet. Well of course he does. The bounce off the ropes into the forearm puts Strong on the floor for the no hands dive and they head back inside. Seven takes care of O’Reilly and the Tyler Driver 97 is good for the pin at 7:59.

Rating: B-. Bate continues to be incapable of having a bad match and Strong is as good a hand as you’re going to have around here. The tag match is going to rock in front of that kind of a crowd on Saturday and if it’s anywhere near as good as their previous matches, we’re in for a major treat.

Overall Rating: C+. This was a pretty safe and secure go home show and that’s how things should be. The card is completely set so there’s no point in doing anything crazy and messing with it. Just let them get to Brooklyn on a roll and that’s what’s happened here. The crowd is going to carry things as high as they can go on Saturday and I’m very interested in how things go.

Results

Street Profits b. The Mighty – Rollup to Miller with a handful of tights

Kairi Sane b. Aaliyah – Anchor

Tyler Bate b. Roderick Strong – Tyler Driver 97

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the paperback edition of KB’s Complete 2003 Monday Night Raw Reviews (also available as an e-book) from Amazon. Check out the information here:

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2018/07/23/new-book-kbs-complete-2003-monday-night-raw-reviews/

And check out my Amazon author page with cheap wrestling books at:

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

NXT
Date: October 4, 2017
Location: Full Sail University, Winter Park, Florida
Commentators: Percy Watson, Mauro Ranallo, Nigel McGuinness

It’s a big night this week as NXT Champion Drew McIntyre is putting the title on the line against Roderick Strong. There’s a good chance that this is going to be more about the post match issues as you can almost guarantee that the Undisputed Era will be getting involved. Let’s get to it.

We open with a We Stand With Las Vegas graphic.

Quick recap of Strong vs. McIntyre which was just announced by William Regal two weeks ago.

Opening sequence.

Mauro gives a quick voiceover tribute to the late Lance Russell. That’s very classy.

Ruby Riot vs. Billie Kay/Peyton Royce

Nikki Cross was supposed to be Ruby’s partner here but is nowhere to be seen. Ruby sends Billie into the corner to start before working on Peyton’s arm. It’s back to Billie to send Riot into the corner and hammer away before Peyton comes in to do the same. The slow beating continues but here’s Cross through the crowd to stand in the corner.

Peyton grabs a chinlock for a bit before a double faceplant puts both women down. Riot crawls over and makes the reluctant tag to Cross to clean house. A reverse DDT gets two on Billie with Peyton making the save. Peyton bulldogs Nikki onto Billie’s knee but Riot pulls Peyton outside. Ruby comes back in with a double missile dropkick, followed by something like a Pele to end Billie at 7:03.

Rating: C+. Billie and Peyton are much better as a team than on their own but they shouldn’t be beating a pairing like Cross and Riot. You could easily see the two of them in the four way for the Women’s Title and it would be cool to see the two of them as focal points of the division, at least for a short time.

We look back at Lars Sullivan destroying Oney Lorcan until Danny Burch made the save.

Sullivan says everyone should be afraid and warns Burch to not face him next week.

Zelina Vega isn’t worried about Johnny Gargano getting a rematch with Andrade Cien Almas. Gargano’s lifeline is dead.

We look at Adam Cole defeating Eric Young last week with some distractions at the hands of the Undisputed Era. In two weeks, it’s a six man tag.

Lio Rush vs. Aleister Black

This is Rush’s in-ring debut. Hang on a second though as Velveteen Dream comes in and drops Rush before going up top. After a quick hip swivel at Black, Dream drops the Purple Rainmaker on Rush. Black flips into the ring and Dream bails. Dream: “Hey Aleister. WHAT’S MY NAME! ACKNOWLEDGE ME!” No match of course.

Kairi Sane vs. Aaliyah

Sane rolls around to start before blasting Aaliyah in the face for two. Back up and Aaliyah bends Sane over her knee to work on the back, followed by a hard whip into the corner. A hard spear gets Kairi out of trouble and the sliding corner clothesline rocks Aaliyah again. The top rope elbow gives Kairi the pin at 3:12.

Rating: C. Just a squash here and that’s all Sane needed to do. Aaliyah may not be the most successful woman on the roster but she’s a name that people are familiar with, which is all you need in a moment like this. If nothing else that huge elbow is going to get Sane all the attention she needs.

Next week: Liv Morgan vs. Peyton Royce vs. Nikki Cross for a spot in the four way title match.

Also next week: Andrade Cien Almas vs. Johnny Gargano.

NXT Title: Drew McIntyre vs. Roderick Strong

Strong is challenging and headlocks the champ to start. That’s thrown off by raw power and we take a break. Back with McIntyre kicking him in the ribs and LAUNCHING him with an overhead belly to belly. Strong is right back up with a running knee from the apron as they’re trading big shots. He’s not done either as it’s a big backbreaker onto the steps to really stun McIntyre for the first time.

Back in and Strong stays on the back before just hammering away at the head. Another suplex gets Drew out of trouble though and we take a second break. Back again with Drew scoring with a reverse Alabama Slam for two of his own. Strong’s tiger driver is countered with more power and a spinebuster gives Drew another near fall.

Drew puts him on top but has to block a sunset bomb. Instead Strong settles for a corner enziguri and a superplex for the closest two yet. The fans are starting to get into these kickouts too. Now the tiger bomb gives Roderick two more but Drew is right back up. A super Celtic Cross still can’t put Strong away so it’s Claymore time.

That’s blocked by three straight jumping knees to the face, followed by the Sick Kick for a very close two. They head outside with Strong trying a hurricanrana off the apron but getting powerbombed into the post. Strong is done so there’s the Future Shock, followed by the Claymore to retain Drew’s title at 23:44.

Rating: B+. Heck of a performance from both guys here, which is exactly what Drew needs. He’s the guy who has been a bit left behind in this big Undisputed Era vs. Sanity feud so tearing the house down is a great way to remind us that he’s still here. Strong is going to be around as well and would fit in as a fourth member of the Undisputed Era if they want a fourth member.

Strong leaves but runs into the Undisputed Era. They talk to him with Cole patting him on the arm. We couldn’t hear what was said but Strong looks a bit confused.

Overall Rating: A-. Well that worked. Matches made for next week, Sane makes her debut and a heck of a title match to close it out. That’s how you present an hour of wrestling television and I had a great time with the whole thing. I’m also curious to see where they’re going with Houston, which has a lot of options at this point. Great show this week.

Results

Ruby Riot/Nikki Cross b. Billie Kay/Peyton Royce – Pele to Kay

Kairi Sane b. Aaliyah – Top rope elbow

Drew McIntyre b. Roderick Strong – Claymore

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the Updated History of the Intercontinental Title in E-Book or Paperback. Check out the information here:

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2017/10/02/new-paperback-kbs-history-of-the-intercontinental-title-updated-version/

And check out my Amazon author page with cheap wrestling books at:

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