NXT
Date: February 17, 2021
Location: Capitol Wrestling Center, Winter Park, Florida
Commentators: Beth Phoenix, Wade Barrett, Vic Joseph

It’s the fallout show from Takeover: Vengeance Day, which was certainly a noteworthy show. Not only do we have two new Dusty Classic winners, but the big story came at the end, as the Undisputed Era seemed to split up. That might be long overdue, but you could also say it was too soon. Let’s get to it.

Here is Takeover if you need a recap.

Long recap of Takeover, including Adam Cole turning on the Undisputed Era.

Commentary talks about the show but here’s Kyle O’Reilly to interrupt. He has watched the clip time after time and doesn’t understand. The Undisputed Era was supposed to be different but then Cole kicked him in the face. Kyle needs to know what is going on so Cole can come out here and tell him. Now yes Kyle will probably punch him in the face, but get out here.

Cue Roderick Strong, which doesn’t make Kyle very happy. Strong says Cole did everything based solely off of emotion and he knows Cole regrets….and Kyle doesn’t want to hear it. He wants Cole himself out here and doesn’t need Strong playing peacekeeper. Strong gets on the apron but Kyle keeps shouting for Cole to get out here.

Cue Finn Balor, which only makes Kyle even madder. Balor says O’Reilly may want Cole but he’ll have to get in line. Balor knew that he shouldn’t have accepted O’Reilly’s hand on Sunday but here are Oney Lorcan and Danny Burch to jump Balor and Strong. Pete Dunne joins in and O’Reilly gets beaten down as well, with Balor grabbing his leg.

Earlier today, Santos Escobar said the Karrion Kross match wasn’t happening tonight because he doesn’t like being threatened.

William Regal isn’t happy and says Escobar can face Kross next week or be stripped of the Cruiserweight Title. Also tonight, Lorcan/Burch/Dunne vs. Balor/O’Reilly/Strong.

The Way vs. Shotzi Blackheart/Ember Moon

Johnny Gargano has missing posters for Austin Theory, who is still gone after being kidnapped by Dexter Lumis at Takeover. Johnny even sits in on commentary for a bonus. Candice LeRae gets taken into the corner and then knocked outside as we take a very early break. Back with the Way getting caught by stereo kicks to the face but Indi Hartwell finally kicks Ember in the face to take over.

The front facelock goes on but we cut to the parking lot where a white van pulls up. Back in the arena and Ember slips off of Hartwell’s shoulders but walks into a side slam for two. LeRae comes back in to crank on both arms and hands it back to Hartwell to forearm Moon in the face. Moon gets sent outside for a springboard dive from LeRae, but we cut back to the van again. That’s enough for Gargano to go check it out as we take a break. Back with Shotzi coming in off the hot tag to clean house but Hartwell drops her with a clothesline to put everyone down.

We cut back to the parking lot where Gargano can’t get in the van, which doesn’t seem to have anyone inside. LeRae hits a low superkick for two on Blackheart and everything breaks down. Hartwell hangs Moon in the ropes as Gargano is back with the still tied up (and in his underwear) Theory. LeRae goes to celebrate, leaving Moon to roll Hartwell up for the pin at 16:28.

Rating: D+. Well that was long and they had multiple parts of the match dedicated to the Lumis/Theory stuff, which is certainly going to continue because everything Lumis does has to go on forever. Moon and Blackheart get back on the winning track, as apparently they are continuing as a team. Maybe they could face the Women’s Tag Team Champions, assuming the titles come here, where they would make more sense.

Pat McAfee joins us from his plane, saying that he told us so about Adam Cole. Feel free to tweet him about how awesome and right he was.

Kushida says he is glad he faced Johnny Gargano and wants to do it again. Bronson Reed comes in and says he was impressed but he might need to beat Kushida to get his own title shot. That’s cool with Kushida and Reed leaves. Cue Malcolm Bivens, who suggests Kushida wrestle tonight.

Leon Ruff vs. Isaiah Scott

Ruff armdrags him down a few times but Scott grabs the rope to avoid another one. A dropkick sets up an armdrag into an armbar to have Scott down for a bit. That’s a short bit though as he’s back up with a running boot to the face and a powerbomb backbreaker. A hard running dropkick in the corner puts Ruff on the floor and Scott kicks him in the face again.

Back in and we hit the bodyscissors as Scott is getting rather cocky. Ruff fights up with some chops and an elbow to the face, followed by the spinning cutter out of the corner. Scott has to grab the rope for the save, which is a little closer than I would have expected. Some forearms rock Scott again and a double stomp to the back keeps him in trouble. The crucifix bomb gives Ruff the surprise pin at 5:25.

Rating: C. I’m hoping this is the kind of loss that is going to shake Scott up a bit because he has lost time after time around here. You would think that WWE would want to push him a bit based on his podcast alone but nothing has clicked so far. I do like that Ruff wasn’t just a goon who loses everything after his big story was over.

Post match Scott beats the heck out of Ruff, including a release Death Valley Driver into the corner. Scott says Ruff is handed everything while he has to scratch and claw for everything. This is Swerve’s time and Swerve’s house? Where is his North American Title shot opportunity?

Kacy Catanzaro/Kayden Carter vs. Aliyah/Jessi Kamea

During the entrances, we see Carter and Catanzaro getting beaten down by Xia Li last week. We also get a chat from the two of them, who want Li back but also want a win tonight. Catanzaro spins out of a fireman’s carry and armdrags Kamea into the corner. Stereo kicks to the head get two and it’s already back to Kacy for a flipping anklescissors for two.

Cue Boa for a distraction so Kamea can get in a forearm and it’s off to Aliyah to hammer away. A combination wheelbarrow faceplant/cutter gets two on Carter but she’s over for the tag to Catanzaro in a hurry. House is cleaned and a neckbreaker/top rope splash combination finishes Kamea at 2:34. Catanzaro continues to look more and more comfortable every week.

Post break, Kacy goes to talk to Xia Li, who grabs her hand and marks it, meaning they’re on for next week. Well so much for Catanzaro’s rise, as this is going to hurt.

Malcolm Bivens thinks Kushida should face Tyler Rust tonight.

Here’s Beth Phoenix in the ring to present the Dusty Classic trophy. After a video on both tournaments, here is MSK for the first presentation. The team is rather fired up and call out Danny Burch/Oney Lorcan for their title shot on March 3. They promise to win the titles but there is something else that needs to be done. Beth brings out Dakota Kai and Raquel Gonzalez to present them with….apparently the same trophy as we only have one.

They’re proud of their win but here are Shayna Baszler and Nia Jax to interrupt. MSK even holds the ropes for the, but Jax scares them off. Kai introduces Gonzalez to the champs, including saying that Shayna ran away after Rhea Ripley beat her up. Gonzalez brings up beating Ripley in the Last Woman Standing match but Baszler laughs at the idea of Kai being tough.

Kai offers to kick Baszler’s head off but Jax says she is here to honor Dusty Rhodes. They worked together in NXT and remembers him calling her a big bad*** b****. Gonzalez says Dusty never met her and gets in Jax’s face. Shayna says they’ll be back in two weeks for some humiliation. Gonzalez promises to put her boot so far up Jax’s hole that we’ll never find it. MSK found popcorn somewhere in there. This was kind of a mess, and the single trophy thing was a little amusing.

Balor and O’Reilly seem to argue in the parking lot but we can’t hear them.

We see the still amazing Cameron Grimes Is Rich music video.

Grimes has wrecked his car but who cares? He’ll just buy another one.

Toni Storm jumped Io Shirai during a photo shoot and kicked her in the face.

Kushida vs. Tyler Rust

Malcolm Bivens is here with Rust. Kushida goes for the arm to start but gets shoved into the corner. That means it’s time to go after the arm again, only to have Rust take him down by the arm as well. Back up and Kushida nails the handspring elbow, setting up a bridging rollup for two. That earns him a shot to the face from Rust but Kushida manages an enziguri from the apron.

Back in and Kushida gets pulled off the top rope for a crash and it’s time for more Rust arm cranking. Kushida is sent outside and we take a break. We come back with Kushida striking away but missing a running kick. He goes to Rust’s arm again though and some Kawada kicks put Rust right back in trouble. Rust doesn’t seem to mind and grabs a front facelock suplex into an ax kick for two.

Two more kicks to the head get two more and Bivens is annoyed at the kickout. Rust grabs a rear naked choke before switching to something like a bow and arrow. That’s countered into a rollup for two and Kushida kicks him in the arm again. Kushida has to elbow his way out of a fireman’s carry and the Hoverboard Lock goes on for the tap at 11:16.

Rating: C+. Good stuff here as Kushida manages to get back on track after a heck of a match on Sunday. I’m still not sure what they’re doing with Rust at the moment, but he is having some pretty good matches and keeping himself out there. The midcard is getting beefed up around here and that is always a good thing.

Video on Zoey Stark.

We look at LA Knight debuting at Takeover.

Knight knows that everyone thinks he’s already the best NXT star of all time. He’ll be the biggest star ever around here and that is just a fact of life. If he’s exactly the same thing as he was as Eli Drake, was there a point to the change other than owning the name?

Zoey Stark vs. Valentina Feroz

The bad name generator is back. Stark grabs a suplex and then drives her into the corner as the beatdown is on in a hurry. Feroz avoids a stomp though and judo throws her down for two but Stark is back with some knees to the ribs. A release hot shot in the corner sets up a kick to the face into a half nelson suplex to rock Feroz again. The running kick to the face into a flip over knee to the face (something like a belly to back suplex flipped into a GTS) for the pin at 2:40. Stark looked good enough but needs some more polish.

Scarlett says Santos Escobar is out of time and Karrion Kross says Escobar’s destiny has been decided. Even if Escobar doesn’t show up next week, Kross will catch up with him anyway. Tick tock.

Pete Dunne/Oney Lorcan/Danny Burch vs. Finn Balor/Roderick Strong/Kyle O’Reilly

Lorcan drives O’Reilly into the corner to start but he’s right back with some forearms to the face. Balor comes in to work on the arm, with O’Reilly coming back in to stay on said arm. It’s already back to Balor as Strong seems to be ignored on the apron. Lorcan finally drives Balor into the corner but Balor armbars Burch down without much trouble. Strong comes in to cut off the left out idea and armbars Burch as well.

It’s off to Dunne to work on the arm as well, only to have Strong hit a running kick to the face for two. Strong gets sent outside where Lorcan and Burch throw the steps around for no apparent reason. The distraction lets Dunne go after Strong but he snaps Dunne’s throat across the top. The tag brings in O’Reilly to strike away but Dunne blasts him with a forearm.

We take a break and come back with O’Reilly fighting out of a chinlock to dragon screw legwhip Dunne into the corner. Lorcan comes in but gets backslidden for two. O’Reilly manages a clothesline and, after bouncing off the rope, rolls over for the hot tag to Balor. House is cleaned in a hurry with Balor and Dunne being left in the ring. Dunne scores with an enziguri but Balor scores with the Sling Blade. Burch tries to bring in a title belt but the referee stops him only to get bumped.

Cue Adam Cole as the referee gets bumped again and there’s a bicycle kick to O’Reilly. A brainbuster onto the steps drops O’Reilly again but Strong cuts Lorcan off. Strong picks up the title. That earns him a Pele kick from Balor (who didn’t see who it was), allowing Dunne to hit the Bitter End on Balor for the pin at 12:03.

Rating: B-. Good stuff here and the important thing is they set up a few different angles. Odds are this sets up Cole vs. O’Reilly and Balor vs. Dunne II, both of which could be nice matches to counteract the power of Shaquille O’Neal on March 3. I’m not sure if they would do both of those on the same show, but the future is looking pretty bright, which is always nice to see.

Post match everyone else leaves so here’s Cole to superkick Balor and hold up the title to end the show.

Overall Rating: B. This was a show that set things going forward for the next few months after Takeover and there is nothing wrong with that. It also set up a few people into some slightly higher levels and hopefully that extends into the future. Throw in McAfee being back and this should be a fun way to go in the next few weeks. NXT is picking up a bit again and that’s worth a smile.

Results

Ember Moon/Shotzi Blackheart b. The Way – Rollup to Hartwell

Leon Ruff b. Isaiah Scott – Crucifix bomb

Kacy Catanzaro/Kayden Carter b. Aliyah/Jessi Kamea – Neckbreaker/top rope splash combination to Kamea

Kushida b. Tyler Rust – Hoverboard Lock

Zoey Stark b. Valentina Feroz – Flip into a knee to the face

Oney Lorcan/Danny Burch/Pete Dunne b. Roderick Strong/Kyle O’Reilly/Finn Balor – Bitter End to Balor

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NXT
Date: January 27, 2021
Location: Capitol Wrestling Center, Winter Park, Florida
Commentators: Wade Barrett, Vic Joseph, Beth Phoenix

It’s still tournament time around here as the women’s Dusty Classic continues the first round but the men’s version heads on to the quarterfinals. I’m still not sure if this is the best idea in the world as these tournaments are dominating the show, but maybe the action is going to be enough to carry the show. Let’s get to it.

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

Opening recap.

Men’s Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic Quarterfinals: MSK vs. Killian Dain/Drake Maverick

Maverick and Lee start things off and go to the mat in a hurry. Maverick’s headlock is driven against the ropes so Lee says bring it. Dain wants in but Maverick isn’t ready yet, instead taking Lee to the mat with a front facelock. That’s broken up as well as Maverick is taken into the corner for a running Bronco Buster from Carter. Maverick slips away and brings in Dain to clean house, including throwing Maverick at Nash for a knockdown (always effective).

The running big boot in the corner rocks Carter but a shot to the knee put Dain down for a second. Lee comes back in and is tossed outside with ease to send us to a break. Back with Dain hitting Lee in the face again and crushing him with a backsplash. That’s enough to give Maverick two but the chinlock is countered for the hot tag to Carter. A penalty kick rocks Maverick and a dropkick puts Dain on the floor. The push moonsault connects for two with Dain making a save. Dain is sent outside again though and it’s a Hart Attack with a Blockbuster instead of a clothesline to finish Maverick at 11:06.

Rating: C+. This was more like it for both teams, as Dain and Maverick are the kind of a team with just enough credibility to mean something and MSK feel primed for a serious run in the tournament. They made enough sense here too, with Dain being the wrecking ball that had to be dealt with and then Maverick being a much easier target. Good enough match and MSK continues to make me smile.

Danny Burch and Oney Lorcan are fired up for tonight. Pete Dunne looks like he’s ordering dinner.

Raquel Gonzalez/Dakota Kai and Jessi Kamea/Aliyah are ready to win the Dusty Classic.

Curt Stallion looks out the window and sees shooting stars. One day he followed it and knew what he was ready to do. Now he wants to have a rocket strapped to his back in the form of the Cruiserweight Title.

Women’s Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic First Round: Jessi Kamea/Aliyah vs. Dakota Kai/Raquel Gonzalez

Kamea and Aliyah have Robert Stone in their corner. Gonzalez and Aliyah start things off with Aliyah not being able to shove her around. Instead Gonzales swings her around in a lockup so it’s off to Kamea, who has to avoid an elbow. A dropkick sends Gonzalez into the corner for a running forearm but she sends Kamea into Kai’s elbow. Aliyah comes in for some double teaming and a running flipping hair faceplant puts Kai down.

Kai is sent outside but manages to pump kick Aliyah down hard and gets two back inside. Back in and Gonzalez hits a swinging powerslam on Aliyah, setting up Kai’s running kick to the face in the corner. Kai gets two off a double stomp but Aliyah manages a clothesline to bring in Kamea. That’s fine with Gonzalez, who plants her with the chokeslam for the pin at 5:58.

Rating: C-. This wasn’t quite as interesting as the ending wasn’t in doubt and the match felt a good bit longer than just under six minutes. That being said, the women’s tournament is only three rounds long so it is a good thing to see the winners look dominant. Not the worst match, but it needed more wacky Robert Stone shenanigans to really push it over the edge.

The Way is sure they’ll win the Women’s Dusty Classic but Johnny Gargano isn’t going to answer anything about Kushida. Austin Theory says it’s kind of like the curse but Gargano orders him to say no more words. Kushida does not get a title shot.

Scarlett uses Tarot cards to display that destruction is coming.

Tegan Nox has been training with Brie Larson. Video tomorrow.

Tyler Rust vs. Dante Rios

Malcolm Bivens is at ringside and he has an inset promo, promising that Rust will win. Rust takes him down with ease to start and then nails a hard right hand. A stomp onto the head keeps Rios down and it’s time to crank on the arm. Some chops rock Rust and a backside gives Rios two. What looks to be a tornado DDT winds up as a guillotine choke but Rust powers out. A big boot into a flipping neckbreaker sets up a modified Rings of Saturn (When did that become the most popular move in the world?) to make Rios tap at 3:23.

Rating: D+. Rust still looks good but they are playing into the idea that he might not be as polished as Bivens thinks he is. At least he won here, but it took a little longer than expected. It’s something different though, and that’s often a nice thing to see, especially when so many newcomers have the dominant run before their first story.

Bivens and Rust get a post match photo.

The Grizzled Young Veterans and Kushida/Leon Ruff are ready to win the Dusty Classic.

Finn Balor and Kyle O’Reilly are ready, don’t trust each other, and will see each other out there.

Men’s Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic Quarterfinals: Leon Ruff/Kushida vs. Grizzled Young Veterans

Before the match, Zack Gibson promises to win because Ruff and Kushida have been a team for about five minutes. Kushida takes Gibson to the mat without much trouble but Drake comes in for a spinning kick to the face. It’s off to Ruff for a dropkick but Kushida is already back in for stereo basement dropkicks and two on Drake. We hit the quickly broken armbar and Ruff snaps off a top rope hurricanrana to put Drake down again. Drake forearms his way to freedom but Kushida saves Ruff from a double suplex. A middle rope cutter gets two on Gibson and we take a break.

Back with Ruff grabbing a sunset flip for two on Drake, who pops back up with a heck of a clothesline. Ruff is sent outside for a slingshot forearm/backbreaker combination to put him in even more trouble. A neckbreaker gets Ruff out of trouble back inside and the hot tag brings in Kushida to start cleaning house. The cartwheel into the basement dropkick rocks Drake again and there’s a running dropkick in the corner. Gibson comes back in and escapes an Octopus, setting up a Doomsday Device of all things for two on Kushida.

The double handspring elbow drops the Veterans though and the hot tag brings in Ruff for the second house cleaning. A suicide dive hits Drake and a top rope flip dive hits Gibson. Back in and a running clothesline puts Gibson down again but Ruff misses the Swanton. Drake gets caught not paying attention on the apron and it’s the Ticket to Mayhem to finish Ruff at 13:15.

Rating: B-. I could watch the Veterans at least three days a week and the two of them could be favorites in the tournament. Granted that could be the case for most of the remaining teams and that’s a good sign for the whole thing. This worked out about as expected and Kushida getting the North American Title shot at Takeover (as he is almost a lock to do) is a lot more important than this team.

Post match here’s the Way to beat down Kushida and Ruff. Johnny Gargano insists that Kushida will never get a shot but here’s Dexter Lumis to scare them off. Sweet goodness why can’t this guy just fall in a hole somewhere?

Curt Stallion has been attacked by Legado del Fantasma.

Post break, the Cruiserweight Title match is officially canceled for tonight. If this was supposed to be a surprise, maybe they shouldn’t have pulled the match from the show’s official preview.

Legado del Fantasma doesn’t know what’s going on but ANGRY William Regal comes in and says the title match is on for next week, with promises of consequences if anything else happens to Stallion. Regal leaves and the trio is freaked out by a playing card, though they insist there is nothing to worry about. I wonder if that’s an ace. Like, say, an Irish ace.

Here’s Toni Storm to say she wins whatever she wants. She wanted to be the first ever person to win the Women’s Dusty Cup but Io Shirai took that away from her. Now she wants to hurt and ruin Shirai, but more than anything else, she wants to be the NXT Women’s Champion.

Cue Io Shirai to say she’ll fight Toni anytime because she doesn’t like her. The fight is on with Storm being sent outside but here’s Mercedes Martinez to jump Shirai from behind. Martinez holds up the title but Storm says it’s hers. Shirai is back in to jump them both but Storm pulls her off the top. A pair of hip attacks in the corner leave Shirai laying and Storm rubs the title.

Isaiah Scott doesn’t like being accused of messing with Bronson Reed and suggests you could the fingers pointing at you when you point your finger at someone.

Imperium video, which heavily suggests the return of Walter. It’s about time.

The Undisputed Era aren’t worried about facing Tommaso Ciampa and Timothy Thatcher because they’re tougher, more experienced and better. Well that was to the point.

Bronson Reed vs. Isaiah Scott

Reed throws him outside to start but Scott sticks the landing, only to get sent face first into the apron. A crossbody on the floor crushes Scott and we take a break. Back with Scott working on an armbar and then raking Reed’s face a bit. Reed isn’t having that and runs him over again, setting up a backsplash for two.

Scott gets in another shot to the shoulder but Reed goes to the middle rope anyway. An enziguri connects though and Scott hits a 450 for two. Scott tells him not to get in his business and hits Reed in the face, which seems to be a rather bad move. Reed headbutts him and adds a hard clothesline, setting up the Tsunami for the pin at 9:21.

Rating: C+. This is the kind of thing that I can go for: taking two young (or at least new) stars and giving them a story. Reed is looking more and more like a breakout star every week and Scott….well at least he can still talk rather effectively. Pushing one of them is a good idea though and if Reed is their guy, so be it.

Scott really does not look pleased.

Tommaso Ciampa talks about how some fights change people and respect can grow. Timothy Thatcher joins him to say pretty much the same thing. Ciampa promises a war with Undisputed Era next week.

Kyle O’Reilly/Finn Balor vs. Oney Lorcan/Danny Burke

Non-title, which I didn’t know until this show started. Balor armdrags Lorcan into an armbar to start and it’s quickly off to O’Reilly vs. Burch. O’Reilly grabs an armbar of his own but Burch goes to the recently injured jaw to break up a tag attempt. Lorcan and Burch get to work on the arm for a change, followed by Burch’s headlock on the mat. That’s reversed into a wristlock, which is enough for O’Reilly to get back over to Balor.

O’Reilly is back in less than five seconds later as Balor and O’Reilly start the rapid fire tags and arm cranking. They stop to glare at each other though and we take a break. Back with Balor getting a tag to clean house in a hurry, including a bunch of stomping on Lorcan. A trip takes Balor down though and Lorcan gets in some stomping of his own.

The chinlock goes on to keep Balor down and a double atomic drop into a Russian legsweep gets two. Lorcan starts yelling at Balor, which rarely seems like a good idea, and is quickly followed by Balor nailing a Pele kick. The Sling Blade is enough for the hot tag to O’Reilly as house is cleaned in a hurry. Burch gets a boot up in the corner and tries a middle rope but dives into a kneebar to give O’Reilly and Balor the win at 11:56.

Rating: B-. They were telling a nice story here, though I’m hoping we get at least a token Tag Team Title match out of this. I’m not sure we will, but it would serve well as a TV main event. At least they had a good match in the non-title version, but I would hope that NXT isn’t he kind of place that just lets the champs lose.

Post match O’Reilly and Balor seem cool but Pete Dunne pops up. Burch and Lorcan send O’Reilly into the barricade and Dunne breaks Balor’s fingers as the Undisputed Era come to the ring for the save, albeit rather slowly. The big staredown ends the show, though Balor drops to the floor with the Era standing in the ring. We could use a fourth for the villains here as that’s a heck of an eight man tag.

Overall Rating: B-. The tournament matches are good but I’m rather relieved that they are wrapping things up sooner rather than later. There are too many tournament things going on at once here and it’s kind of dragging things down. It’s the majority of things going with the show and while the wrestling is good, I could go for something else. This was another good week, but I’m losing patience with all of the tournament stuff.

Results

MSK b. Killian Dain/Drake Maverick – Blockbuster/spinebuster combination to Maverick

Dakota Kai/Raquel Gonzalez b. Jessi Kamea/Aliyah – Chokeslam to Kamea

Tyler Rust b. Dante Rios – Rings of Saturn

Grizzled Young Veterans b. Leon Ruff/Kushida – Ticket to Mayhem to Ruff

Bronson Reed b. Isaiah Scott – Tsunami

Kyle O’Reilly/Finn Balor b. Oney Lorcan/Danny Burch – Kneebar to Burch

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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IMG Credit: WWE

NXT
Date: October 14, 2020
Location: Capitol Wrestling Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Vic Joseph, Beth Phoenix, Wade Barrett

Things are in a weird place at the moment as Finn Balor is out recovering from his broken jaw and some of the returning and newer stars are doing what they can to get over again. I’m not sure how that is going to go but it is a transitional time at the moment. Maybe things can get better again in the near future though because it has been a rough time. Let’s get to it.

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

Opening recap.

Here’s the Undisputed Era for a chat before their match. Kyle O’Reilly says he’ll be cleared next week but Adam Cole still has broken ribs. They never got their hands on Ridge Holland but if they had, he would have been in the same hospital bed he is in right now. It’s time for the Golden Prophecy to return and tonight, they’re becoming #1 contenders to the Tag Team Titles.

Undisputed Era vs. Danny Burch/Oney Lorcan

The winner gets a title shot next week. Strong headlocks Lorcan to start but gets taken down into a headscissors on the mat. Burch comes in and works on O’Reilly’s arm but it’s off to Fish to pick up the pace. A slingshot hilo misses Burch though and he uppercuts Fish down. It’s time to work on Fish’s arm, followed by a double Russian legsweep. O’Reilly tries to come in but gets suplexed onto Fish for two.

We hit the armbar on the mat to keep Fish down and it’s a seated armbar for a change. Some chops get Fish out of trouble though and we see Breezango sitting near the top of the arena as we take a break. Back with Fish chopping out of the corner but getting pulled into a Boston crab. That’s broken up as well but Fish comes in off the top….with a missed headbutt.

The hot tag brings in Burch to clean house, including a pop up powerbomb for two on O’Reilly. A Samoan drop plants Burch but he fights out of a fireman’s carry. The double middle rope dropkick puts the Era down and Lorcan is back in to run O’Reilly over. The Era counters the double submission into a rollup for two but it’s the spike DDT for two on O’Reilly. Lorcan is rammed into Burch though and O’Reilly hits a jumping knee for the pin at 13:28.

Rating: C+. Good, action based match here with the Era getting the win to move on. That being said, I really don’t need to see the Era getting another title shot after they have long since established themselves as the top team in NXT history. They had a good match here though and it worked out well, though I’m almost scared to see how it is going to go against Breezango.

We look at Finn Balor undergoing surgery to repair his broken jaw. He’ll be out for a bit but should not have to vacate the NXT Title.

Video on Ember Moon, who has been out for a long time now but came back, wanting her Women’s Title again. She has to go through a who’s who to get there and if that is what she has to do to get to Io Shirai, so be it. They’re betting a lot on Ember’s star power and I’m really not sure it’s there.

Jake Atlas vs. Ashante Adonis

Adonis grabs a sunset flip for two to start and they trade a few grapples. With that not going anywhere, Adonis kicks him in the face to set up a strike off. Cue Legado del Sol though and it’s a rollup to give Atlas the pin at 1:45.

Post match Legado jumps Adonis but Atlas makes the save. Santos Escobar comes out to glare at them so the trio heads to the ring, with Isaiah Scott coming in with chairs to make Legado think twice about it.

Candice LeRae calls herself the uncrowned Women’s Champion and Johnny Gargano wants to know why Dexter Lumis is getting a North American Title shot. Gargano: “HE DRAWS PICTURES! AND KIDNAPPED A GUY!” Gargano isn’t worried about Austin Theory because it’s time to teach him a wrestling lesson.

Johnny Gargano vs. Austin Theory

Gargano takes him down into a front facelock to start but Theory pops up with a headlock. That earns Theory a dropkick and it’s Gargano chopping him into the corner. The armbar goes on and it’s Theory in more trouble early on. Gargano takes him to the match but the threat of the Gargano Escape sends Theory over to the ropes. Back up and Theory hits a hard clothesline into a standing moonsault for two.

Gargano takes him into the corner but Theory kicks away from the apron and hits a rolling dropkick to take over. The slingshot spear gets Gargano out of trouble though and we take a break. Back with Gargano working on an abdominal stretch but Theory slips out and hits a quick suplex. Theory hits a slingshot stomp to the chest and another suplex plants him.

A superkick into a brainbuster onto the knee gets two but Gargano gets up a boot in the corner. Gargano goes up to the middle rope but his crossbody is pulled out of the air. Theory stacks Gargano up for two and it’s time to slug it out. Gargano hits a heck of a superkick, which sets up the Lawn Dart into the corner. One Final Beat finishes Theory at 14:17.

Rating: B-. This got some time and Theory loses to someone who he has no business beating. They’re doing something nice with Theory by having him rubbing elbows with bigger names and getting the chance to show that he can hang with them for a bit. He’ll need some kind of a change in the future to make him into a star, but the base is starting out rather well.

Raquel Gonzalez is ready to face Rhea Ripley in two weeks so here’s Rhea for the near brawl, with agents holding them back.

Tommaso Ciampa is not happy with Velveteen Dream and is coming for him.

Shotzi Blackheart vs. Candice LeRae

The winner gets a Women’s Title shot at Halloween Havoc. They lock up to start with Shotzi pulling on the arm and sliding underneath a clothesline. The reverse Cannonball against the ropes misses so Shotzi settles for a kick to the head instead. A shoulder to the ribs puts Shotzi outside but they switch places, with Shotzi hitting a suicide dive (possibly getting caught in the ropes on the way) to take over again.

Back in and Candice grabs a jawbreaker but walks into a fireman’s carry facebuster onto the knee. Candice knocks her down and hits a Hennig necksnap for two. The seated armbar keeps Shotzi down and it’s off to the neck crank for a change of pace. Candice knocks her into the corner and they head to the apron, with Shotzi being sent into the post before she can knock Candice silly. A running faceplant sends Shotzi face first into the apron and we take a break.

Back with Shotzi hitting a dropkick into the corner and a reverse Sling Blade to drop Candice again. Now the running reverse Cannonball to the back connects but the top rope backsplash hits Candice’s raised knees. Candice catches her on the ropes with a release German suplex, followed by a low superkick for two. Shotzi is back up with a tiger suplex for two, only to get caught with a Backstabber.

The Lionsault gives Candice two but Candice is back with Cattle Mutilation, albeit with Candice sitting down instead of laying on her face. Candice makes it over to the rope but gets sent into the corner. Shotzi goes up for a top rope Thesz press but Candice rolls outside before the top rope backsplash. With Candice rolling outside, Indi Hartwell slips her an object and it’s a knockout shot to pin Blackheart at 15:38.

Rating: B. That’s the best match I’ve ever seen from the two of them and that’s a great sign for the future. Blackheart gets cheated out of the win and assuming Candice wins the title at Halloween Havoc, a Takeover rematch with Blackheart would make a lot of sense. As for this one, these two beat the heck out of each other and it was very good stuff, especially for two people who haven’t reached that level before, at least around here.

Earlier today, Drake Maverick had a marketing presentation for Killian Dain, completely with costumes (Drake: “Fishnets are in!”) and a team name of the Furry and the Fury. It’s all going to fit together tonight when they face Imperium. Dain: “WE HAVE A MATCH TONIGHT???”

Video on Toni Storm.

Robert Stone is here with Aliyah to talk about how great the Robert Stone Brand is. And then this.

Toni Storm vs. Aliyah

Storm gets the rockstar entrance and headbutts Aliyah down to start. A running basement dropkick gives Storm two but Aliyah gets in a running dropkick in the corner for two. Aliyah’s swinging neckbreaker gets two and we hit the double arm crank. Storm fights up and snaps off a German suplex into the corner, setting up the running hip attack. There’s the running clothesline into Storm Zero for the pin at 2:29. Storm feels like a star and that’s all that mattered here.

William Regal isn’t happy with how Candice LeRae became #1 contender but he’s thinking of upping the stakes in her title match with Io Shirai. In addition, in two weeks, it’s Raquel Gonzalez vs. Rhea Ripley. Xia Li, with Boa, comes up and says she needs to compete. Regal says he’ll take it into consideration.

Drake Maverick/Killian Dain vs. Imperium

Dain still doesn’t like the whistling entrance and throws Drake into the ring for trying to dance. Aichner gets thrown down to start and Dain pulls Maverick over the top (that’s a tag) and onto Aichner for two. A hard clothesline takes Maverick down though and the beating is on in the corner. Barthel comes in, hits him in the face a few times, and hands it back to Aichner.

A quick low bridge allows the hot tag to Dain, who can’t quite suplex them both at once. Aichner manages a spinebuster to allow Barthel to add a kick to the chest. Dain is right back up and gets over for the tag to Maverick. That’s about all of the good things for the team though as Maverick gets taken down in a hurry and it’s the Imperial Implosion (no longer the European Bomb) for the pin at 3:48.

Rating: C-. They’re keeping these matches short and that is the right idea for a team like Maverick and Dain. There is a nice enough idea for the team but you are only going to be able to keep them out there for so long, at least at this point. They can grow into that in the future, but for now it isn’t working. Then there’s Imperium, who shouldn’t be allowed around that long either, though for fear of having everyone around fall asleep.

Post match Dain leaves so it’s Ever Rise running in to go after Maverick. Dain comes back in for the save, saying that no one hits Maverick but him. And there’s your big turning point.

North American Title: Damian Priest vs. Dexter Lumis

Lumis is challenging. They fight over a lockup to start with Lumis being sent into the ropes and coming back with a glare to make Priest back off. An armdrag into an armbar has Lumis down before Priest hits a quick Old School into a crossbody. Back up and Lumis hits a Thesz press to hammer away so Priest kicks him in the face. The running jumping elbow in the corner sets up the Broken Arrow for two on Lumis.

We take a break and come back with Lumis hammering away and grabbing a bulldog out of the corner. A spinebuster gives Lumis two more but Priest is back up with a kick to the head. The Downward Spiral gets two and it’s an ankle lock (remember that Lumis missed time with an ankle injury) to have Lumis in big trouble. He finally kicks away though and grabs a belly to back suplex for a double knockdown.

Lumis nips up and jumps into a legdrop for two but the Swanton misses. A heck of a clothesline sets up a missed spinning kick to the head so Lumis hits the Side Effect into Silent. Priest gets his foot in the rope but here’s Cameron Grimes for a Cave In on Lumis (Priest didn’t see it). South of Heaven retains the title at 12:08.

Rating: C-. In case you didn’t have enough proof of it before, Dexter Lumis is not interesting. His whole deal seems to be that he stares at people and I have no idea why that is supposed to be enough to make me interested in him. Grimes can probably get something out of him, but he is one of the few who could. This didn’t work very well, but a lot of that is on trying to make Lumis seem important.

Post match Grimes goes after Lumis but Priest makes the save, telling Grimes to stay out of his business. Gargano pops up to chair Priest down, but here’s William Regal to say they will both get title shots at Halloween Havoc. There’s more though, so here’s Shotzi Blackheart to announce that the matches will be…..SPIN THE WHEEL MAKE THE DEAL. That was one of my favorite gimmicks back in the day so this is a great surprise.

The show had a four minute overrun, which isn’t the norm around here.

Overall Rating: B-. This is where NXT TV shines: they had goals they needed to accomplish and then did just that, which is one of the most important things that they can do. They had good (not great) matches tonight, but what matters the most is that Halloween Havoc is feeling fun. Takeover: 31 felt like something that we had to do just because it was there. This is coming off as something they have set up to make into a cool show, which is where NXT tends to be best. Good show here, and it felt like a return to what works for them.

Results

Undisputed Era b. Danny Burch/Oney Lorcan – Jumping knee to Lorcan

Jake Atlas b. Ashante Adonis – Rollup

Johnny Gargano b. Austin Theory – One Final Beat

Candice LeRae b. Shotzi Blackheart – Right hand with brass knuckles

Toni Storm b. Aliyah – Storm Zero

Imperium b. Drake Maverick/Killian Dain – Imperial Implosion to Maverick

Damian Priest b. Dexter Lumis – South Of Heaven

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the paperback edition of KB’s Complete 2004 Monday Night Raw Reviews (also available as an e-book) from Amazon. Check out the information here:

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2019/08/26/new-book-and-e-book-kbs-complete-2004-monday-night-raw-reviews/

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

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

IMG Credit: WWE

NXT
Date: August 19, 2020
Location: Full Sail University, Winter Park, Florida
Commentators: Vic Joseph, Mauro Ranallo, Beth Phoenix

It’s the go home show for Takeover and really, I’m not sure I could remember half of the card at this point. This show has felt slapped together and while I have confidence in NXT to be able to pull it off, it doesn’t exactly make me want to watch the show. Hopefully they do something better here. Let’s get to it.

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

North American Title Match Qualifying Match: Johnny Gargano vs. Ridge Holland

Candice LeRae is here with Johnny. Holland starts fast and knocks him outside but Gargano manages a kick from the apron and a stomp to the hand to take over. Back in and Holland knocks him down with straight power again before a forearm to the face makes it even worse. Gargano pulls him down by the leg but a crank on said leg is broken up with some kicks to the face. Holland misses a running knee in the corner and Gargano takes him down with the suicide dive as we take a break.

Back with both guys down and everyone panicking after Gargano got dropped on his head after a botched spinning powerslam attempt. That looked HORRIBLE but Gargano is fine enough to hit a superkick. Holland grabs him in a front facelock and swings him around, which is probably not advisable after he got dropped on his head. Gargano flips out of an over the shoulder backbreaker but gets Pounced out to the floor. LeRae grabs the foot on the way back in though and Gargano kicks the rope for a low blow. One Final Beat finishes Holland at 8:10.

Rating: C+. The match was a nice power vs. speed fight but that drop on the head was absolutely terrifying as Gargano came straight down. I’m a little surprised that they didn’t edit that out of this as the show is taped and it could have allowed for a lot less cringing. Gargano winning was the only call here as Holland isn’t ready to beat him one on one and you already have Reed in the match as the young power guy.

Dakota Kai vs. Jessi Kamea

Kai sends her hard into the corner to start and yells about being #1 contender. Some running boots to the face in the corner set up a Facewash for two. Kai’s double arm choke is broken up and Kamea hits a kick of her own, followed by a sliding kick to the chest in the corner. A spinebuster gives Kamea two more but Kai is back with the GTK for the pin at 2:58. That was a lot of offense for a #1 contender to give up two days before a title shot.

Post match Kai grabs the mic and says she isn’t scared of Shirai. Io is so focused on Kai’s past but she’s focused on the future, which means taking the title from her. Kai promises to kick her in the face over and over but here’s Kai to beat her up. They fight up to the ramp and it’s the returning Raquel Gonzalez to take Shirai out. It makes the title match more intriguing, but Kai’s promo had very little fire and sounded scripted in a bad way.

Tegan Nox doesn’t like how Candice LeRae has been and needs to fix it. Maybe over a glass of wine like old time. She’s ready to talk.

Finn Balor knows Velveteen Dream has talent but tonight, no one is getting in the way of Balor getting his North American Title back. Tonight is the same as always: Finn over.

Breezango/Isaiah Scott vs. Legado del Fantasma

Fandango’s arm is still taped. It’s a brawl at the bell with Fandango being left in the ring with Mendoza for a running clothesline. Wilde comes in and gets draped over the top, setting up a double kick to the face. Fandango comes back in but gets sent outside, with Scott having to hit a slingshot dropkick through the ropes to Mendoza. Escobar’s dive is cut off with a kick to the head and Breezango’s double superkicks put the rest of Legado down.

Back from a break with Fandango being shoved off the top and out to the floor to bang up the arm again. Mendoza comes in and helps with a springboard moonsault from Mendoza. Apparently the tag just doesn’t matter as Mendoza stays in and kicks at Fandango’s arm some more. Another kick sends Fandango into the corner but he gets in a double backdrop to the floor.

That’s enough for the hot tag to Scott for the house cleaning, including the jumping Downward Spiral on Escobar. A Wilde distraction lets Escobar knee him out of the air though and it’s Scott in trouble this time. Wilde’s springboard missile dropkick hits Escobar by mistake and Scott is knocked into the corner, knocking Breeze off the apron. Scott comes back out and hits the JML Driver on Escobar but Scott running into Breeze counted as a tag (What else was it supposed to be?). Breeze comes in to slug away but walks into the Phantom Driver for the pin at 12:00.

Rating: C-. This was a messy match and the ending felt a little more complicated than it seemed to be. The idea was to have Scott ready to pin Escobar but Scott not realizing that touching your partner on the apron was a tag was a weird moment. They tried to put in a little more than they should have and it didn’t work out that well. Scott vs. Escobar should work, but the Breezango stuff is making it seem a lot less serious than it should be.

Here’s the Undisputed Era to go face to face with Pat McAfee. Cue McAfee, complete with a bunch of NFL players, through the side entrance. He knows Adam Cole goes nowhere without the rest of his team so he brought a team of his own. Everyone else drops to the floor and McAfee talks about how the last time they were in this arena together, Shawn Michaels was checking Cole’s vitals. Then the next week, Cole went on a rant about how McAfee isn’t special enough to be here.

Cole has wrestled all over the world and even called himself the King of NXT. Yeah Cole was undefeated for 400 days or whatever it was but it took McAfee one kick to knock Cole out. McAfee has made a million dollars in seven different professions and he could make wrestling #8 if he wanted to. Cole gave him two weeks to get ready for this match and HHH talked about how he can make McAfee famous.

On Saturday, Cole is getting knocked out with another kick to the head and all anyone will hear is BOOM. Cole comes at him and beats up the referees before saying he’s making McAfee his b**** at Takeover. McAfee’s promo was one of the best celebrity talks I’ve ever heard but I’m still not sure why I’m supposed to cheer for Cole, who has been the top heel for a year plus, after a guy called him out and knocked him cold.

Mercedes Martinez/Aliyah vs. Shotzi Blackheart/Rhea Ripley

Robert Stone is here too. After Beth gets done with a horribly obvious read off a script to recap the feud (not her fault as I’m sure she was told to sound that way), commentary immediately starts ignoring the women to talk about Cole vs. McAfee. Ripley goes right after Martinez to start but Aliyah makes a quick save. That earns Aliyah a trip into the corner for a beating from Ripley and Shotzi comes in for the WELCOME TO THE BALL PIT. Aliyah gets in a shot to the face though and Martinez comes in to grab a chinlock as we take a break.

Back with Aliyah grabbing a neckbreaker on Blackheart and Martinez coming back in for a knee to the face. Blackheart gets dragged back into the corner and Martinez grabs a seated abdominal stretch. The double underhook suplex gives Martinez two but the fisherman’s buster is blocked.

Blackheart grabs a jumping DDT and the diving tag brings in Rhea to clean house. A basement dropkick rocks Aliyah and an electric chair faceplant gets two with Martinez making the save. Riptide plants Aliyah but a Stone distraction lets Martinez crotch Shotzi on top. Ripley manages to powerbomb Martinez over the barricade for a big old crash and the top rope backsplash finishes Aliyah at 9:55.

Rating: C. That ending made up for some of the weaker parts of the match as Ripley vs. Martinez could be one of the best hoss fights the women’s division has seen in a long time. Aliyah is great as someone who can take a fall for the team and Blackheart has the charisma. I liked this more than I would have bet on and that’s a rather nice surprise.

Long video on Karrion Kross vs. Keith Lee. Kross was watching Lee win the NXT Title and made it clear that he wanted the next shot. Then Kross choked out Lee’s friend Dominick Dijakovic and burned Lee’s eyes. This awakened the monster in Lee, which could make for one heck of a showdown at Takeover in a big hoss fight.

Takeover rundown.

North American Title Match Qualifying Match: Finn Balor vs. Velveteen Dream

Dream is in a red shirt and jeans for a weird look. Balor headlocks him over and then sends Dream outside, where the concern in Dream’s face takes us to a break. Back with Dream fighting out of a chinlock and running Balor over, setting up the Thesz press. Dream sends him into the corner and rakes the back. Balor makes another quick comeback and they hit the mat, with Balor cranking on the legs.

The knee gets cranked around the ropes and Balor stomps away, with the referee having to make sure Dram can continue. Dream manages to crank on a cross armbreaker for a bit until Balor kicks his way to freedom. Back up and Dream’s side kick gets two, followed by some right hands in the corner. After Dream gets annoyed at the lack of counting from the fans, Balor dropkicks him to the floor. Cue Cameron Grimes to talk a lot of trash and we take another break.

Back again with Grimes sitting on the ladder and holding the North American Title as Dream hits a backbreaker. Dream hits the Rick Rude hip swivel but Balor rolls through a sunset flip and hits a basement dropkick. Balor stomps away in the corner but stops to chase Grimes up the ladder, allowing Dream to hot shot him onto the apron. Back in and the Dream DDT is countered so Dream tries the Dream Valley Driver. That’s broken up as well and Balor hits the shotgun dropkick into the corner.

Balor looks to go up but a Grimes distraction lets Dream run the corner for the superplex. Cue Johnny Gargano to shove the ladder over, sending Grimes into the referee. Grimes gets up and is taken down by Balor, setting up a Fameasser from Dream. Balor hits Dream with the Sling Blade, only to charge into a superkick for the double knockdown. Gargano grabs the title so here are Bronson Reed and Damian Priest to surround him.

That means a quick knockdown as Priest takes the title and kicks Reed in the face. Dream kicks Priest in the face and the monsters are knocked to the floor. Balor is back up to clothesline Dream to the floor and hits a big flip dive. Cue Timothy Thatcher to drop Balor, setting up the Dream Valley Driver to Balor. The Purple Rainmaker sends Dream to Takeover at 20:26.

Rating: C. This felt like a main roster match and that’s not a good thing. Ignoring everything involving Dream, there was WAY too much going on here and it took away a lot from what was a pretty nice back and forth match. Thatcher vs. Balor should be a good fight (probably next week on TV) and Dream going on to Takeover makes sense, assuming you ignore a lot of stuff happening elsewhere.

Post match we get the usual parade of shots to the face, capped off with Reed holding the title to end the show.

Overall Rating: C-. For the first time in longer than I can remember, I really didn’t care for this week’s NXT. There was nothing on here worth seeing and Takeover feels ice cold. I can’t say I’m surprised by the North American Title qualifying matches not being interesting, as they almost never are. The wrestling hasn’t been all that great in recent weeks and there isn’t much on the line anyway. Takeover should be good as it always has been, but dang they need something fresh on television in a hurry.

Results

Johnny Gargano b. Ridge Holland – One Final Beat

Dakota Kai b. Jessi Kamea – GTK

Legado del Fantasma b. Breezango/Isaiah Scott – Phantom Driver to Breeze

Rhea Ripley/Shotzi Blackheart b. Mercedes Martinez/Aliyah – Top rope backsplash to Aliyah

Velveteen Dream b. Finn Balor – Purple Rainmaker

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the paperback edition of KB’s Complete 2004 Monday Night Raw Reviews (also available as an e-book) from Amazon. Check out the information here:

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2019/08/26/new-book-and-e-book-kbs-complete-2004-monday-night-raw-reviews/

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

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

IMG Credit: WWE

NXT
Date: August 12, 2020
Location: Full Sail University, Winter Park, Florida
Commentators: Vic Joseph, Beth Phoenix, Mauro Ranallo

We’re coming up on Takeover and that means most of the card is either set or more or less set. We still need to figure out what the heck is going on with the ladder match as last week saw a change to the lineup. Other than that, we have the build towards Karrion Kross vs. Keith Lee in the big hoss fight. Let’s get to it.

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

Opening sequence.

Karrion Kross vs. Danny Burch

We get the full entrance for Kross as he continues to look like the biggest star in the world. Burch says ring the bell and goes right at Kross with a dropkick. A clothesline puts Kross on the floor but Kross pulls him outside and hits a two handed chokeslam. Back in and Kross talks trash while slowly hammering away, as should be the case with him. There’s the exploder but Burch manages an enziguri out of the corner.

Burch hits the missile dropkick out of the corner into a German suplex. A second German suplex sets up the Crossface but Kross rolls….well right into the middle of the ring without breaking the hold. That’s countered into a pair of Doomsday Saitos, followed by the Krossjacket for the win at 4:59.

Rating: C. Burch got in some offense here but the point was to make Kross look like a killer in the end, which is exactly what they did. They’re setting up a good main event for Takeover as it’s hard to imagine either Kross or Keith Lee actually losing a match. That’s what you’re supposed to do and if the hoss fight is that good, they’ll be more than fine.

Post match here’s Keith Lee with a contract in hand. His name is already signed and William Regal has approved, so Kross needs to sign sot hey can fight at Takeover. Scarlett takes the contract and Kross signs, with Scarlett kissing the contract and handing it back to Lee, who slowly picks it up. Lee opens the contract….and a fireball comes out to burn his face. Medics immediately hit the ring to take care of Lee and get him outside. Lee: “WHERE IS KROSS???” Lee keeps shouting to get him Kross as he is taken to the back and we get ready for the next match.

Drake Maverick vs. Killian Dain

We take a break just after the bell and come back to the Undisputed Era arriving in the parking lot. Back in the ring, Dain gets taken down with a big flip dive to the floor and Maverick heads up top. Maverick hits the top rope elbow but the Era comes in for the no contest (or double DQ) at 5:12. Not enough shown to rate and it was just a way to set up the Era’s promo anyway.

Post match Adam Cole gets rather serious and says he isn’t taking what Pat McAfee did to him last week because McAfee is in over his head. That’s why he wants McAfee here next week to see him face to face where the beating will be undisputed.

Video on Legado del Fantasma beating down Breezango last week.

Video on Kushida, who wants to be North American Champion.

Santos Escobar vs. Tyler Breeze

Non-title and Escobar sends his goons to the back. Escobar chops him down to start and kicks away at the chest. More kicks have Breeze down so Escobar can pose, allowing Breeze to hit a dropkick to the floor. Breeze makes the mistake of following him and gets his leg taken off, setting up a drop down onto the apron.

We take a break and come back with Breeze fighting out of a chinlock but walking into an atomic drop (you don’t see that one very often these days). A running knee to the face drops Breeze again but the Phantom Driver is countered. Breeze hits some running forearms in the corner and the Supermodel Kick, which draws out the rest of Legado del Fantasma. The distraction lets Escobar hit the Phantom Driver for the pin at 7:51.

Rating: C. I’ve always liked Breeze and Escobar is the first interesting thing to happen to the cruiserweight division in a long time. Or maybe it’s that he’s the first thing that they have treated as important in a long time. I’m curious to see who they build someone up to take the title from him and that’s going to be an interesting road to travel.

Post match the beatdown is on but Fandango limps to the ring with a stick for the save. That earns him another beatdown but Isaiah Scott comes down for the real save.

Video on Dakota Kai, who knows how to defeat Io Shirai. Kai is in Shirai’s head and knows how to outsmart her She’s coming to Takeover and leaving with the title.

Video on Ridge Holland.

Mia Yim vs. Indi Hartwell

Before she comes to the ring, Mia says she’s ready despite what happened to Lee. Hartwell shoulders her down to start but Mia knocks the knee out and hits a basement dropkick. There’s the Cannonball in the corner for two but Hartwell is back with a side slam for two. We hit a pretty weak looking chinlock (crank a bit Hartwell) and Hartwell pulls her down into it a second time.

A backpack Stunner gets Mia out of trouble but Hartwell grabs it for a third time. This time Mia shrugs her off so Hartwell elbows her in the face. Mia sweeps the legs and hammers away before muscling her up for a German suplex. With her patience running out, Mia grabs her by the arm and pulls her into something like a reverse cross armbreaker for the tap at 4:37.

Rating: C-. This wasn’t a great match but they had an idea there with Mia being distracted. It’s a relationship that you don’t need to have portrayed on screen but it makes sense here and it can add a dimension to Lee. I don’t need it to be a major moment, but it worked out well enough here as a reason to care about the match.

Finn Balor is ready to face whoever is left out of tonight’s triple threat because he’s getting the North American Title.

Video on Pat McAfee vs. Adam Cole, complete with a lot of the ESPN media coverage.

McAfee will be here next week.

Damian Priest vs. Bronson Reed

They glare at each other to start until Priest grabs him by the wrist. Reed gets in his own wristlock but Priest pulls him into an armbar with a crossface. Back up and Reed tells him to run the ropes, so Priest kicks him in the leg and then does just that. Reed knocks him down though and it’s time to slug it out. Priest leapfrogs him and this a jumping back elbow to the face as we’re in hoss fight mode.

Some discus forearms rock Reed but he catches Priest’s jumping elbow in the corner. A DDT plants Priest and sends him outside for a needed breather. We take a break and come back with Reed fighting out of a chinlock and hitting a splash in the corner. Priest is back with a bell clap but Reed throws him down with a twisting fall away slam. The backsplash gives Reed two so Priest comes back with a bunch of shots to the face.

A springboard flipping attack puts Reed down again and now the running elbow connects in the corner. Priest manages the Broken Arrow for two so Reed evens things up with a suplex. Back up and Priest hits a spinning kick to the head to win the slugout but his springboard is powerbombed out of the air. Reed goes up for the top rope splash but Priest rolls over (not away, as Reed mostly landed on Priest’s back). Back up and Priest loads up the Reckoning, only to have Reed sweep the legs and grab a jackknife cover for the pin at 11:28.

Rating: B. This is one of those match types that is always fun and that worked rather well here. I know I’m probably getting my hopes up for Reed but they’re giving him a chance here and that’s one of the best things that could happen to him. I’m really surprised by the win here, but what matters for Reed is what happens after the ladder match.

Priest is STUNNED.

Video on Io Shirai, who knows what Kai has been doing as of late. Kai has been smart and taking people out, but Kai is no match for her. Kai has ticked her off and that isn’t going to end well.

Video on Cameron Grimes, who is ready for the North American Title.

Kacy Catanzaro/Kayden Carter vs. Mercedes Martinez/Aliyah

Robert Stone is here with Martinez and Aliyah and offers Kacy a spot on the team. That earns Stone a slap to the face and Kacy hurricanranas Martinez out to the floor to start. A slingshot hilo gets two on Aliyah and a double basement superkick gets the same. Martinez is back up and tags herself in for a wheelbarrow into a cutter from Aliyah (cool) for two. We take a break and come back with Martinez coming in to hammers on Carter in the corner. Aliyah drops a leg for a few near falls but Carter kicks her in the head to bring in Kacy. Everything breaks down and Martinez grabs a quick Air Raid Crash to finish Kacy at 7:50.

Rating: C-. This was a fine way to help establish the Robert Stone Brand as a team who actually works well together, but at the same time, I’m not sure how much more proof you need for that. Martinez is destined for the big showdown with Rhea Ripley at Takeover and that could be a heck of a fight. Martinez is awesome and as annoying as it is that it took her this long to get here, it’s great to have her around.

Post match it’s Rhea Ripley coming out for the brawl but the numbers game gets the better of her. Cue Shotzi Blackheart for the save and the Stone Brand runs off.

We go to the Gargano house where Johnny is climbing a ladder while Candice reads a book to their dog. This turns into a rant about how Tegan Nox needs to be destroyed (with the camera being from the dog’s perspective). Johnny: “What kind of book are you reading?” Anyway, Johnny knows there are going to be talented people in the ladder match, but he has to be there too.

How can you have a Takeover without Johnny Takeover? He has a real qualifying match with Ridge Holland next week and he’ll go on to the ladder match he should have been in since the beginning. Gargano climbs the ladder and fixes a light before the two of them, both in POWER COUPLE suits, retire for the night.

Timothy Thatcher demonstrates an ankle lock at Thatch As Thatch Can school.

North American Title Match Qualifying Match: Kushida vs. Cameron Grimes vs. ???

We have a mystery entrant and….hokey smoke it’s Velveteen Dream. I’m actually stunned to see him as he was facing some of the most serious allegations in all of WWE. Unless I’ve missed it, WWE hasn’t said much of anything about him and he just disappeared from TV about two months ago. I’m going to assume that WWE hasn’t lost their freaking minds and have one heck of a pile of evidence proving his complete innocence, because there is no way that they are stupid enough to put him anywhere near a WWE logo without having a completely airtight answer to every single accusation against him.

Yes I said even WWE couldn’t be stupid enough to do something, because this would be about as dumb as you could get. Dream is facing accusations of some rather serious illegal activity and while it is possible he is innocent, there were quite a few people accusing him of doing similar things. If WWE has some been satisfied as to his innocence, they might want to make that public, because otherwise they are looking completely insane.

One way or another, WWE is going to have to explain something about this because a lot of people are going to going to be wanting some answers. I can’t imagine WWE is just going to let this go without making some kind of a statement as they all but have to on this. Maybe Dream is innocent and has proven it to WWE, but they might want to let others know, because otherwise it looks like they’re allowing him back on TV after giving him a two month vacation.

Oh yeah we have a match too.

Dream, with his blond goatee, gets knocked to the floor to start and Kushida arm wrings Grimes down hard onto his head. It’s Dream coming back in with a top rope ax handle to Kushida’s head for two but a tornado DDT plants Dream on the apron. Grimes crotches Kushida though and we take a break. Back with Kushida hitting a basement dropkick to Grimes and following it up with a running elbow in the corner. Dream comes back in but can’t hit the Dream Valley Driver on Kushida.

Instead everyone punches each other in the face and everyone is down. It’s Dream back up with a running clothesline to put Grimes on the floor, setting up a big dive to take him down again. Back in and the Dream Valley Driver connects on Kushida but Grimes pulls Dream out to the floor. The two fight outside until Kushida hits a big flip dive off the top onto Dream. Back in and Kushida pulls Grimes off the top and into the cross armbreaker but has to let go to catch Dream coming off the top. The Hoverboard Lock goes on Dream, who stands up, allowing Grimes to Cave In both of them and pin Kushida at 8:55.

Rating: C+. I’m still trying to get over the fact that Dream is back on TV as I wasn’t expecting to see him on WWE TV for a LONG time (if ever actually). Ignoring all of the allegations against him, Dream is an incredible talent and can be a player around here, but he isn’t exactly the same since the crowds went away. Grimes is a good choice to win, but Dream making the ladder match as well wouldn’t surprise me.

Post match Dream beats up Kushida, seemingly going heel again. Finn Balor, who will face Dream next week, comes out for the staredown to end the show.

Overall Rating: C+. This could have been worse, though there isn’t anything you need to see on the show. The best thing they did here was make the North American Title feel like a big deal, just by having a lot of people talk about how they wanted to win the title. The Lee angle worked (partially because commentary stayed completely quiet until the fire hit Lee) and I’m more interested in Takeover than I was before. My head is still kind of spinning off Dream though and I’m really interested in seeing the reaction to his return. Not a great show, but it was the moving forward to Takeover week.

Results

Karrion Kross b. Danny Burch – Krossjacket

Drake Maverick vs. Killian Dain went to a no contest when Undisputed Era interfered

Santos Escobar b. Tyler Breeze – Phantom Driver

Mia Yim b. Indi Hartwell – Reverse cross armbreaker

Bronson Reed b. Damian Priest – Top rope splash

Mercedes Martinez/Aliyah b. Kacy Catanzaro/Kayden Carter – Air Raid Crash to Catanzaro

Cameron Grimes b. Velveteen Dream and Kushida – Cave In to Kushida

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the paperback edition of KB’s Complete 2004 Monday Night Raw Reviews (also available as an e-book) from Amazon. Check out the information here:

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2019/08/26/new-book-and-e-book-kbs-complete-2004-monday-night-raw-reviews/

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

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

IMG Credit: WWE

NXT
Date: July 22, 2020
Location: Full Sail University, Winter Park, Florida
Commentators: Tom Phillips, Beth Phoenix, Mauro Ranallo

We’re in Full Sail again and since Summerslam is right around the corner, there is a good chance that we are coming up on another Takeover as well. I’m not sure what NXT has planned, but they have a tendency to be able to do a lot of good things when they know they have a big show coming up. Let’s get to it.

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

William Regal welcomes us to the show and talks about Keith Lee’s career defining win two weeks ago. With that, he sends us over to Lee for an announcement.

Lee talks about doing everything his trainer told him that he would do and now he is on top of the world. All it took was an opportunity, and that’s what he wants someone else to have. Therefore, he is vacating the North American Title so someone else can have a chance.

Regal announces that there will be a series of triple threat matches, with the winners moving on to face off in a ladder match for the vacant title at Takeover XXX on August 22.

Killian Dain vs. Dexter Lumis

Dain runs him over to start but Lumis looks up at him for the mind games. Lumis sends him outside and keeps crawling around to stare at Dain until he drags Lumis outside. Some right hands have Dain in trouble so he whips Lumis at the steps….and Lumis dives over them. A running crossbody crushes Lumis on the floor though and Dain sends him head first into the Plexiglas a few times. Back in and the middle rope Fameasser connects on Lumis for two as we take a break.

We come back with Lumis fighting from his knees so Dain kicks him in the face. Lumis catches him with a spinebuster for two, but Dain dropkicks him into the corner for the Cannonball. A powerbomb into an elbow gets two on Lumis and frustration is setting in. Lumis is right back with his sitout Side Effect and a Swanton connects. Another Side Effect sets up the Silencer to knock Dain out at 10:42.

Rating: C-. I know I say this a lot but I still don’t get the appeal of Lumis. He comes out, he looks weird, he does his lame choke finisher. What is there in him that makes NXT think he is some kind of a big potential star? It wasn’t an awful match or anything, but I’m really not seeing the big appeal.

Roderick Strong says he’s ready to get the Undisputed Era back on track and should be in the ladder match because he never got a rematch. Bronson Reed and Johnny Gargano come in to disagree.

Dakota Kai liked taking out Io Shirai last week and wants a title shot.

Ever Rise vs. Breezango

Since Ever Rise are from Quebec, Breezango are dressed as Mounties. Breeze headlocks Parker to start and takes him down, allowing him to lay across the top rope. Back up and Parker bails away from the threat of a Supermodel Kick so Martel shouts DEFENSE from the apron. That earns him the Supermodel Kick, allowing Martel to jump Breeze from behind and RIP UP THE MOUNTIE UNIFORM!

It’s Breeze getting caught in the corner but flipping out of a belly to back suplex without much trouble. A hot tag brings in Fandango for a Canadian legsweep. Fandango goes up top for a saluting splash (please don’t make me think of Santino Marella) onto both of them. Back in and a double superkick finishes Parker at 3:26.

Rating: D+. Breezango continues to be the team who just exists in NXT, which is the kind of spot that doesn’t have the biggest upside. They do the funny entrances and that’s about all they have going. At least they won over a nothing team like Ever Rise, but I’m not sure if Ever Rise has ever actually won a match.

Dominik Dijakovic is ready for Karrion Kross.

Aliyah vs. Shotzi Blackheart

Shotzi chases Robert Stone off before the match and says WELCOME TO THE BALL PIT. The bell rings and Shotzi takes Aliyah down again, setting up another WELCOME TO THE BALL PIT and the legdrop between the legs. Blackheart misses a charge through the ropes though and gets sent face first onto the floor. Back in and Aliyah gets two off a northern lights suplex, setting up the camel clutch. Shotzi fights up without much trouble and hits a corner splash.

The kick to the head sets up a snap belly to back suplex for two. Aliyah goes basic by stepping on the foot and grabbing a rollup, with feet on the ropes, for two more. The referee doesn’t like the cheating and Shotzi uses the distraction to hit an enziguri. A tiger suplex plants Aliyah but Stone gets on the apron. That earns him a kick to the face, meaning a lot of screaming over the injured ankle. Back in and the top rope backsplash finishes Aliyah at 4:41.

Rating: D+. Another quick match here but my goodness Stone has become a treat to watch every single week around here. He gets out there and gets destroyed very single week and has a lot of issues with a green haired woman running him over with a tank. What more could you ask for out of something so short and to the point like this?

Post match Shotzi gets in the tank and runs over the leg again, but Mercedes Martinez comes in and beats her down as Stone looks stunned.

Video on Isaiah Scott. He likes making music and was honored to be in the ring with Johnny Gargano at the Great American Bash. Now he wants the Cruiserweight Title. I can absolutely go for more Scott.

North American Title Qualifying Match: Johnny Gargano vs. Bronson Reed vs. Roderick Strong

Strong and Gargano are knocked outside early on and they argue over who has to go back inside and face Reed. They eventually both get back inside and the double teaming doesn’t work either, with Gargano having to save Strong from a World’s Strongest Slam, only to have Strong kick him in the head by mistake. We take a break and come back with Reed crushing both of them in the corner, setting up a running hip attack to send Gargano outside.

Strong cuts Reed off with a running knee to the face though and this time it’s Reed getting beaten down in the corner. Now the double teaming works for a change, but Strong has to kick Reed in the knee to cut off a comeback bid. Instead Reed sends them together and runs them both over, only to get caught with another knee to the face. Reed is sent outside for a suicide dive from Gargano. Back in and Gargano gets caught in a double underhook backbreaker for two but the Stronghold takes too long to set up.

Reed is back in to run people over, including a backsplash for two on Strong. An Angle Slam plants Reed though and, after Strong sends Gargano outside, he gets a quick two. Reed gets tied in the rope for a superkick but Strong catches Gargano in another backbreaker. That lets Strong hit the running forearms to Reed until Gargano sends him outside. The two of them fight on the floor until Reed takes them both out with a suicide dive.

We take another break and come back with Reed getting angry and putting them both in a fireman’s carry at the same time. That means a double Samoan drop but Gargano breaks up a superplex attempt on Strong. Instead, Gargano goes up top and is quickly caught in a Doomsday Device. That’s countered with a reverse hurricanrana as Strong misses the top rope clothesline to put all three down.

Reed goes to the apron and Gargano slides outside, with Strong dropkicking Reed into a powerbomb onto the floor (THUD). Back in and Strong faceplants Gargano for two but Gargano headscissors him into the Gargano Escape. That’s countered into a Stronghold attempt, which Gargano reverses into the Lawn Dart. Strong hits a big gutbuster but Gargano is right back with One Final Beat. Before the cover, Reed comes in off the top with the splash to crush Strong for the pin at 20:50.

Rating: B+. I was digging the heck out of this one and it pulled the show out of the doldrums it had been in for nearly the first hour. Reed getting the surprise win was a good move as NXT is in need of some new stars. Strong and Gargano are established names and that great looking splash is going to make Reed look like a killer. Good stuff here and far better than I was expecting.

We look at Timothy Thatcher beating Oney Lorcan three weeks ago.

Timothy Thatcher vs. Oney Lorcan

They go straight to the grappling with Thatcher grabbing a front facelock. Lorcan reverses into an armbar as they get back to their feet. Thatcher hits him in the face and grabs the leg, only to have Lorcan chop away to get a breather. A takedown sets up a chinlock before it’s off to something similar to a seated abdominal stretch.

The bow and arrow goes on for a bit before Thatcher switched to a Kimura, sending Lorcan to the rope. Back up and Lorcan hits the running elbow to put Thatcher on the floor. Thatcher gets posted hard and we take a break. Back with Thatcher grabbing another armbar as Lorcan can’t keep anything going here. A crossface chickenwing is countered and Lorcan gets his own Kimura.

With that broken up, Lorcan rolls into a half crab and switches into a Fujiwara armbar. Thatcher fishhooks his way to freedom and it’s back up for a strike off. Lorcan gets in the half and half suplex for two, followed by another standing armbar. He pulls Thatcher down…and right on top of himself to give Thatcher the pin (with trunks) at 14:06.

Rating: B-. The best description I’ve heard of this stuff is “it’s good wrestling” and that fits well. Thatcher is one of the more unique guys around here and a case where you known what you’re getting throughout. Lorcan was starting to get things together near the end but he was outmatched here, which made Thatcher look even better. Then he cheated because he’s a hypocrite. Well done all around.

Mercedes Martinez comes up to Robert Stone and says she needs someone who can handle everything outside of the ring. Stone gladly shakes her hand and celebrates.

Finn Balor is ready to take an opportunity and wants the North American Title. Next week he’s in a qualifying match with Dexter Lumis and Timothy Thatcher.

Dominik Dijakovic vs. Karrion Kross

Scarlett handles Kross’ introduction as only she can. They stare at each other before going into the power lockup with Dijakovic taking him into the corner. That earns Dijakovic a kick to the ribs and a front facelock as things slow down. Dijakovic reverses into Feast Your Eyes but that’s reversed into the Doomsday Saito. That’s broken up as well and Kross is sent outside, where his right hand hits the Plexiglas instead of Dijakovic. The Cyclone boot rocks Kross but he’s right back with a DDT to send us to a break.

Back with Kross hitting the Doomsday Saito for two but Dijakovic forearms the heck out of him. Dijakovic slugs away and hits the toss suplex. The sitout chokeslam gets two on Kross and he heads outside, with Dijakovic hitting the big flip dive. Kross is back up and sends him HARD into the steps, with Dijakovic out cold and half underneath the ring.

Not entirely patient, Kross throws him back inside, where Dijakovic remembers what planet he’s on. Some big forearms connect to keep Dijakovic down but here’s Keith Lee to glare at Kross. Lee tells Dijakovic to stay down but Kross sits on his chest and forearms him again. Dijakovic tells Lee no and is choked out with ease at 13:30.

Rating: B. This was your storytelling match of the show and it worked quite well. Having Lee come out and watch his friend get beaten down by the monster who wants to get his hands on him is a Rocky IV story and I think you have your Takeover main event set. It’s not a classic or anything, but it sets up the next big match and did so rather well, which is quite the trick.

Referees check on Dijakovic and Lee glares at Kross to end the show.

Overall Rating: B. I don’t remember the last show I saw that was this down the middle. The first half didn’t even need to exist and then it got cranked to the top level starting with the triple threat match and never looked back. It was a great show in the end and if they had ANYTHING worth seeing in the first fifty minutes or so, it would be one of the best TV shows you would have seen in a very long time. As is it’s good and they turned on the jets later in the show.

Results

Dexter Lumis b. Killian Dain – Silencer

Breezango b. Ever Rise – Double superkick to Parker

Shotzi Blackheart b. Aliyah – Top rope backsplash

Bronson Reed b. Roderick Strong and Johnny Gargano – Top rope splash to Strong

Timothy Thatcher b. Oney Lorcan – Cover with a handful of trunks

Karrion Kross b. Dominik Dijakovic – Choke

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the paperback edition of KB’s Complete 2004 Monday Night Raw Reviews (also available as an e-book) from Amazon. Check out the information here:

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2019/08/26/new-book-and-e-book-kbs-complete-2004-monday-night-raw-reviews/

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

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

IMG Credit: WWE

NXT
Date: July 1, 2020
Location: Full Sail University, Winter Park, Florida
Commentators: Mauro Ranallo, Tom Phillips, Beth Phoenix

We’re bringing back the Great American Bash over the next two weeks and that could be an interesting situation. NXT tends to know how to do these big shows pretty well and that could make for some interesting stuff over the following two shows. Next week is the big one but tonight could be a heck of a strong outing as well. Let’s get to it.

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

Opening sequence, including a look at the history of the WWE Great American Bash.

Mia Yim vs. Tegan Nox vs. Dakota Kai vs. Candice LeRae

Elimination rules and the winner gets a title shot against Io Shirai next week. Candice bails to the floor to start with Kai joining her, leaving the other two inside early on. They circle each other until LeRae slides back in to roll Nox up for two. Kai comes back in to go after Nox, who she pulls to the floor. A kick to the head misses but Mia breaks up Candice’s suicide dive with a running dropkick. Candice is back up with a springboard spinning dive onto Kai.

Back in and Nox kicks down Kai and LeRae at the same time, setting up a parade of kicks to the face in the corner to take everyone down. Nox and Yim are up to run LeRae over, setting up Protect Yo Neck to get rid of LeRae at 4:06. Back from a break with Yim and Nox turning their attention to Kai, who kicks out of a double pin attempt. Kai bails to the floor so Yim can block a chokeslam attempt from Nox. Yim lays in the ropes ala Andrade, making Nox miss a charge.

Kai comes back in to kick Nox in the face and grabs a sitout hiptoss. Yim is back in for a dragon suplex on Kai and dives onto Nox. Kai gets a dive of her own, followed by a Code Blue for two back inside to give Yim two. Soul Food sends Nox right back to the floor but Kai snaps back in and rolls Yim up for the pin at 10:01.

Back from another break with Kai and Nox slugging it out and pulling themselves back up to keep fighting. Nox elbows her in the head and hits the reverse Cannonball in the corner for a delayed two. Kai avoids a dive off the top and hits a Kairopractor for two of her own. A faceplant gives Nox two more but Kai is back with the reverse Rings of Saturn. That’s broken up and Nox goes up top for a Molly Go Round of all things. The Shiniest Wizard gives Nox the pin and the title shot at 20:29.

Rating: B. Good match here, though I’m not sure it needed to be that long. Nox winning was a surprise as I would have bet on LeRae winning here so points for going with a twist. Nox is someone who could be a big star if she can stay healthy and while I don’t think she’s winning next week, it’s a great sign to see them putting this much faith in her.

Damien Priest wants to know what kind of a man Cameron Grimes is by challenging him to a match. The beating will live forever.

Timothy Thatcher vs. Oney Lorcan

Lorcan goes straight to the armbar to start and pulls it into a short armscissors. Thatcher can’t pick him up so Lorcan rolls forward to keep him down. Lorcan is finally reversed into a short armscissors from Thatcher, who switches to a mount and shots to the face. A double wristlock keeps Lorcan in trouble and Thatcher gets in a few more shots as we take a break. Back with Thatcher hitting a belly to bell to send Lorcan outside.

Lorcan slips over the back and hits a half and half suplex for two of his own. They uppercut it out as Mauro manages to explain Thatcher’s training history for a second time. Lorcan wins a slugout and grabs the half crab but Thatcher reverses into something similar. That’s broken up as well and it’s a butterfly suplex to give Thatcher two. Thatcher has had it and pulls Lorcan down into the Fujiwara armbar for the tap at 11:31.

Rating: B-. Good back and forth submission brawl here with a fairly obvious result. There is something very special about the two of them working each other over with hold after hold and Thatcher is someone who can do it with the best of them. Lorcan can do some awesome things as well and it was a good choice for both guys.

Post match Thatcher doesn’t let go of the hold immediately.

Karrion Kross video.

Rhea Ripley vs. Aliyah/Robert Stone

Stone is in boxing gloves and if Rhea loses, she has to join the Robert Stone Brand. It’s Stone starting for the team and throwing in an Ali Shuffle, meaning Ripley sends him outside without much trouble. The distraction lets Aliyah snap off a headscissors for two but Ripley gives her an electric chair faceplant. Stone makes the save and Ripley is sent outside, with Stone’s slingshot dive completely missing. Aliyah’s dive connects though and we take a break.

Back with Ripley caught in a Crossface/Boston crab combination but she powers out in a hurry. A double suplex plants Ripley but the team can’t decide who should cover. Rile gets in her own double suplex and dropkicks Stone into the corner. Aliyah is thrown into him, followed by another whip head first between Stone’s legs. A big boot drops Aliyah and there’s a headbutt to Ripley. Just to show off, Ripley grabs a double Prism Trap for the double tap at 9:56.

Rating: C. The match was nothing to see of course but the good thing was they didn’t do something crazy like stick Ripley in some lame comedy angle. She comes off like a star and didn’t have any trouble here, as she shouldn’t have. The Prism Trap is a cool hold on its own and the finish, with Ripley using one arm for each of them, was a great looking finish. This went how it should have and that’s a good sign.

Video on Roderick Strong vs. Dexter Lumis. Strong doesn’t like Lumis staring but is ready to face his fears.

Roderick Strong vs. Dexter Lumis

Strap match with pinfall or submission to win. Strong jumps him before the strap goes on but Lumis fights back and ties them together to get things going. They’re on the floor in a hurry with Lumis getting the better of it and taking Strong into the corner back inside. Strong is sent over the top for some choking and then gets slammed onto the mat again. Back in and Strong hits a knee to the face but right hands in the corner are countered with an uppercut to Strong’s jaw.

They head outside again with Strong being launched into the steps and then into the set. Lumis opens up the trunk of the Dodge Viper next to the set but Strong isn’t letting that happen and grabs an Angle Slam. Back in and Strong whips away but the chinlock doesn’t last long. Instead Strong chops away to a seated Lumis, who pops back up with a running clothesline.

A slingshot suplex gives Lumis two and the whipping is on again. The Silencer is blocked and Strong hits a jumping knee to the face. Strong nails a top rope superplex and ties Lumis’ legs up for a modified Stronghold. A rope is grabbed and Lumis fights up again but here’s Bobby Fish, who is taken down with a strap shot. Lumis’ Side Effect sets up the Silencer for the tap at 16:00.

Rating: B. It was a good, back and forth match and they’re trying something with Lumis, but it’s still Lumis. I’m not sure what the big appeal is for him as he’s just kind of standing there with a creepy look on his face. I can give NXT points for taking a shot with him though, as they could use some fresh blood around here. It also helps to have Strong out there as someone who can lose to almost anyone and be just fine.

We get a Prime Target video on Keith Lee vs. Adam Cole. Lee is ready to the biggest win of his career because he is Mr. NXT. He’s been on a roll in recent months and now he’s ready to take care of Cole for the title. Cole talks about how awesome Lee is but he’s beaten everyone thrown at him. They know only one of them can leave as champion, and Cole says he’s the one who gets things done. They’re ready for the showdown.

Candice LeRae is annoyed at being ganged up on in the four way. Johnny Gargano likes her aggression, including her attacking Mia Yim. Referees and Isaiah Scott of all people break it up and Gargano doesn’t like Scott getting involved with his wife with a match being teased. Works for me.

Here is Legado del Fantasma for a chat. Santos Escobar talks about shaping the wrestling world and following his role models. The fans were led to believe that lucha libre was all about masks and now they are going to rediscover lucha libre in his image. They are going to leave a legacy and right the wrongs of those who disrespect what it means to be a lucha libre artist. Cue Drake Maverick, in a neck brace, to interrupt. The brace comes off though and he charges into the ring, only to be cut off by Escobar’s goons. Cue Breezango to make the save and clean house. Breezango issues the six man challenge for next week.

Cameron Grimes doesn’t think much of Damien Priest and is ready to take care of him so he can go after the winner of Lee vs. Cole.

Io Shirai vs. Sasha Banks

Non-title and Bayley is here with Banks. As you might expect, Sasha and Bayley come out in a Jaguar, with Bayley carrying a dog. They also both have the red, white and blue gear on for some flavor. Banks drives her into the corner to start and strikes the signature pose. Shirai slips away though and gets to the top for a missile dropkick to send Banks outside. That means a suicide dive to drop Banks again, followed by the running knees in the corner.

Shirai hammers away but Bayley runs over to honk the car horn, allowing Shirai to slip away and drop Shirai to take over. The chinlock goes on, followed by some elbows to Shirai’s face. Banks’ running Meteora gets two but Shirai sends her into the corner. A super hurricanrana drops Banks again and there’s a flapjack as well. The 619 sets up a springboard dropkick for two but Banks grabs a quick Bank Statement.

That’s broken up as Mauro messes up his history, saying that Banks beat Bayley in the thirty minute Iron Woman match. Banks misses the running knees in the corner but Shirai misses the moonsault as well. A middle rope Meteora gives Banks two but she comes up favoring her ankle or leg. Another 619 misses for Shirai and they forearm it out on the apron.

Shirai gets caught on the top for a kick to the head, setting up a running sunset bomb into the Plexiglas. Back in and Banks misses the frog splash, setting up a Crossface from Shirai. Bayley throws the belt in for a distraction though and forearms Shirai to break it up. Banks goes after Shirai but cue Asuka to spray mist into Banks’ face, setting up a rollup for two. A palm strike sets up the moonsault to finish Banks at 14:05.

Rating: B+. This was a great showcase for both of them as Banks is someone who can do all kinds of things no matter what you ask of her and Shirai got one of the biggest wins of her career. It wasn’t the cleanest finish in the world but Bayley interfered and Shirai had to do something else to pin Banks. Either way, they looked sharp here and it was a rather good, hard hitting match.

Shirai and Asuka celebrate and it’s a preview of next week (now with Breezango/Maverick vs. Legado del Fantasma and Mia Yim vs. Candice LeRae in a street fight) to end the show.

Overall Rating: A-. This was where NXT shines: let the wrestlers wrestle and tear the house down. The main event felt like a main event and they set up a bunch of stuff for next week. It was a heck of a show with nothing being bad and the worst match on the card being a match that was put together as well as it should have been. The best thing here is the fact that that they have a huge main event set for next week and we should be in for another major night. Great show here.

Results

Tegan Nox b. Dakota Kai, Mia Yim and Candice LeRae – Shiniest Wizard to Kai

Timothy Thatcher b. Oney Lorcan – Fujiwara armbar

Rhea Ripley b. Aliyah/Robert Stone – Double Prism Trap

Dexter Lumis b. Roderick Strong – Silencer

Io Shirai b. Sasha Banks – Moonsault

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the paperback edition of KB’s Complete 2004 Monday Night Raw Reviews (also available as an e-book) from Amazon. Check out the information here:

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2019/08/26/new-book-and-e-book-kbs-complete-2004-monday-night-raw-reviews/

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

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

IMG Credit: WWE

NXT
Date: June 24, 2020
Location: Full Sail University, Winter Park, Florida
Commentators: Mauro Ranallo, Beth Phoenix, Tom Phillips

It’s title night as Keith Lee is defending the North American Title against Johnny Gargano and Finn Balor in a triple threat match. That’s big enough, but the bigger story is that the winner will be facing Adam Cole for the NXT Title in a title vs. title match in two weeks. And yes, that is the same night as the second week of AEW Fyter Fest. Let’s get to it.

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

Mauro explains the main event.

Cameron Grimes has attacked Damien Priest.

Here’s Grimes for a chat. He accuses Priest of no showing the biggest match of his career by faking an attack in the parking lot. That’s fine with Grimes though and he’ll accept a forfeit win. Cue the banged up Priest though and we’re ready to go.

Cameron Grimes vs. Damien Priest

Grimes jumps him before the bell and gets punched down with a single right hand. Priest stomps away but misses a charge in the corner. He’s fine enough for the big sitout chokeslam but the ribs are too banged up to cover. Grimes teases walking out but managed to send Priest ribs first into the apron. The Cave In on the floor rocks Priest again, though he manages to beat the count. Back in and the regular Cave In finishes Priest at 3:16.

Rating: D+. More angle advancement than match here as Priest wasn’t going to be able to do much of anything with the banged up ribs. They’re doing a good job with having Grimes rack up wins though and we could be in for something big if he is ever give a push a little higher up on the card. The talking alone will get him a long way.

Rhea Ripley wants the Women’s Title back. A slightly less disheveled Robert Stone comes in to say Aliyah has officially signed with him. He rarely gives seconds chances but he’s willing to give Rhea another shot. Rhea hits him low and throws him in a trashcan. Aliyah comes up and a match is made for later.

Back at the Catch As Thatch Can wrestling school, Timothy Thatcher shows how to torture more people.

Santos Escobar vs. Jake Atlas

Non-title and Raul Mendoza/Joaquin Wilde are with him. Atlas starts fast with a running crossbody before snapmaring Escobar into a chinlock. An armdrag lets Atlas hammer and stomp away as Escobar isn’t starting well. There’s a running headscissors but Atlas gets distracted by the goons, allowing Escobar to knock him to the floor.

Back from a break with Escobar grabbing the chinlock and then switching to a seated abdominal stretch. Atlas fights up with some ax handles to the chest and a standing moonsault gets two. Another distraction makes Atlas dive onto the goons, though he’s back up in time to get two off a bulldog driver. Escobar catches him on top though and the Phantom Driver finishes Atlas at 10;31.

Rating: C. This was more of a way to establish that Escobar can win matches without the mask but with the goons, which worked well enough. Atlas losing so soon was a little surprising but it would seem that either Drake Maverick or possibly Isaiah Scott is going to be the real threat to the title anyway. This got its point across without being all that great, which is fine.

Earlier today, Roderick Strong was still undergoing therapy with Dr. Kyle O’Reilly in a bad disguise to overcome his fear of car trunks. Strong thinks he’s ready and somehow finally recognizes Kyle. All four of them go outside and Strong gets in the trunk, which is immediately closed. The driver is told to pop the trunk and Strong gets out just fine. Tonight, he gets to face Dexter Lumis and he’s ready for that too. Well, maybe at least.

Malcolm Bivens and Indus Sher are ready for Danny Burch and Oney Lorcan.

Video on the North American Title match. All three of them want to be champion, but they also all want to get their hands on Cole and the NXT Title.

Video on Karrion Kross.

Kacy Catanzaro/Kayden Carter vs. Raquel Gonzalez/Dakota Kai

Carter chops at the much bigger Gonzalez to start and gets powered down. Kacy comes in and it’s a double shot to the leg to send Gonzalez into the middle rope. Back in and Carter catapults Catanzaro into a Thesz press for two on Kai. A Gonzalez threat distracts Catanzaro enough for Kai to send her into the corner though and things slow down.

Cater makes a save off a powerslam and comes in to kick Kai in the face. It’s back to Catanzaro but the delay lets Gonzalez come in. Cater launches Catanzaro at Gonzalez, who powerbombs the heck out of her. Kai comes in with the reverse Rings of Saturn for the tap at 4:06.

Rating: C-. This was more a showcase for Gonzalez and that’s a good idea. She’s so much bigger than almost the entire division that she is going to stand out in a big way. That’s what she did here and while she’s fine as a bodyguard at the moment, she could be a nice enough force in the division in the future.

Post match Kai says she wants the Women’s Title.

Bronson Reed vs. Karrion Kross

Scarlett is here with Kross. Reed gets thrown around to start but pops up yelling with a kick to the head. They slug it out until Kross hits a northern lights suplex. A hard clothesline drops Reed again and it’s the Doomsday Saito into the Krossjacket to finish Reed at 2:19. Reed brought it for awhile there.

Adam Cole doesn’t care who he faces.

Mercedes Martinez is coming.

Rhea Ripley vs. Aliyah

Robert Stone is here with Aliyah. Rhea starts with the power but Aliyah snaps her throat first across the top. Aliyah’s high crossbody is pulled out of the air but she goes to the eyes for a break. Ripley powers her down again though and it’s a running basement dropkick for two. The Prism Trap goes on so Stone gets on the apron and throws in his shoe. The chase is on and Ripley rips off Stone’s jacket. Aliyah’s cheap shot fails and Riptide is good for the pin at 3:04.

Rating: D+. What else were you expecting here? I’m getting some good chuckles out of Stone being humiliated every single week as it’s certainly a different twist on the classic manager trope. It’s a funny idea and it’s not like anything is being hurt since it’s so low level. Ripley beat Aliyah in short order as she should have so it was entertaining all around. Not good mind you, but fun.

Roderick Strong vs. Dexter Lumis

Bobby Fish has to make Strong go to the ring. Strong bails to the floor to start and gets stalked around the ring by Lumis. The slow motion chase sees Strong hit the Plexiglas and that’s enough for Strong, who runs off for the countout at 1:47. They never made contact.

Post match Fish is annoyed and it’s made even worse as Lumis chokes him for a bit.

Robert Stone asks William Regal for one more match between Aliyah and Ripley. Regal agrees and makes it a handicap match, but Stone wants one more thing: if Ripley loses, she joins the Robert Stone Brand. Ripley pops in and accepts for next week.

Also next week: Mia Yim vs. Tegan Nox vs. Dakota Kai vs. Candice LeRae for the next shot at Kai.

Also next week: Strong vs. Lumis in a strap match.

North American Title: Keith Lee vs. Johnny Gargano vs. Finn Balor

Lee is defending and the winner faces Cole, title for title, in two weeks. Gargano drops to the floor at the bell so Balor launches himself at Lee to no avail. That lets Gargano come back in for a failed rollup attempt, meaning it’s Lee running both challengers over in a hurry. Back from a break with Balor’s sleeper not doing much good on Lee, as he powers Balor into the corner.

Lee northern lights suplexes both of them at the same time and then taking them to the floor. Balor catches Lee with a Sling Blade though and Gargano hits a running flip dive off the apron. A double team sends Lee into the steps and we take another break. Back again with Gargano hitting the slingshot spear for two on Balor, who is right back up with a suicide dive to keep Lee on the floor. The Final Cut gets two on Gargano back inside and Balor goes to the corner….but Lee rises up next to him.

Lee slingshot crossbodies both of them down but Balor goes for Lee’s legs. That’s fine with Lee, who puts him in an electric chair but gets caught in a sleeper. Gargano superkicks Lee down and hits Balor with the One Final Beat for two. A tornado DDT plants Lee while also kicking Balor in the chest but Lee bails to the floor. Gargano hits a suicide dive on Lee but Balor blocks a second attempt.

1916 to Gargano on the floor is broken up by Lee’s Pounce (Why?) and it’s time to go back inside. The Spirit Bomb to Balor is countered into a stomp to the chest but Gargano superkicks them both. A rollup with feet on the ropes gets two on Lee, who hits the Big Bang Catastrophe on Gargano. Balor’s Coup de Grace save hits Gargano, so Lee adds another Big Bang Catastrophe to finish Balor at 19:42.

Rating: B. Good stuff here and I wasn’t sure who was going to win until the end, which is always a nice feeling. Lee winning is the right call though as he has been on such a roll as of late that it makes sense for him to have the big showdown with Cole. Balor can come later and Gargano feels like he is always going to be around, but it’s Lee’s time at the moment.

Post match Cole comes in for the staredown with both titles being held up to end the show.

Overall Rating: B-. Outside of the main event, the wrestling was absolutely nothing worth writing home about this week. That being said, the point of the show was to get us ready for the next two weeks (with next week being announced as the Great American Bash as we came back from a main event commercial) and it did that well enough. I’m not wild on some of the matches we’ll be seeing, but they were set up properly and that’s what matters most here. Not a great show, but it did what it was supposed to.

Results

Cameron Grimes b. Damien Priest – Cave In

Santos Escobar b. Jake Atlas – Phantom Driver

Dakota Kai/Raquel Gonzalez b. Kayden Carter/Kacy Catanzaro – Reverse Rings of Saturn to Catanzaro

Karrion Kross b. Bronson Reed – Krossjacket

Rhea Ripley b. Aliyah – Riptide

Dexter Lumis b. Roderick Strong via countout

Keith Lee b. Johnny Gargano and Finn Balor – Big Bang Catastrophe

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the paperback edition of KB’s Complete 2004 Monday Night Raw Reviews (also available as an e-book) from Amazon. Check out the information here:

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2019/08/26/new-book-and-e-book-kbs-complete-2004-monday-night-raw-reviews/

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

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

IMG Credit: WWE

NXT
Date: June 17, 2020
Location: Full Sail University, Winter Park, Florida
Commentators: Tom Phillips, Beth Phoenix, Mauro Ranallo

After everything that happened last week, we could be in for a big night. Well actually we could be in for some big nights on July 1 and 8, as AEW’s Fyter Fest probably need some competition. That could be set up tonight, but we also have some guest stars with Bayley and Sasha Banks. Let’s get to it.

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

Opening recap.

Opening sequence.

Tag Team Titles: Imperium vs. Breezango

Breezango is challenging and do their own version of the Imperium (or Emporium, under the names of Marsupial and Fabio). As you might guess, Imperium doesn’t like this and Aichner takes Breeze down with an armbar to start. Breeze is sent outside and into the Plexiglas as a WE WANT FABIO chant starts up. The chinlock doesn’t last long as Breeze fights up and sends Barthel to the floor. The hot tag brings in Fandango and the big dive to the floor takes out the champs as we go to a break.

Back with Fandango hitting a slingshot elbow onto Barthel onto Breeze’s knees, with Aichner making the save. The Last Dance gets two more but Breeze is backdropped to the floor. Barthel is sent outside with him and it’s Indus Sher coming out, only to have Oney Lorcan and Danny Burch Cutting them off. The distraction lets Aichner hit a DDT on Fandango to retain at 12:24.

Rating: C+. I’m not sure how much drama there was here and that became an issue. The interference wasn’t exactly interesting either, though that might just be to the general existence of Indus Sher. They didn’t look great in their previous appearances and “we’re foreign monsters” isn’t quite interesting. Other than that though, Breezango aren’t about to take the titles and I don’t know how many people bought it. The action was pretty good though and that’s enough to easily carry this one.

Post match Malcolm Bivens yells at Indus Sher.

Velveteen Dream sees one of Dexter Lumis’ drawings of the two of them as Tag Team Champions. That is a dream though, because Dream is a solo act.

Damien Priest vs. Killian Dain

They run the ropes for a standoff to start but Priest may have hurt his back on a leapfrog attempt. Dain dropkicks him into the corner and hammers on the back. Priest is sent to the apron and bangs his back up even more, allowing Dain to clubber some more. A middle rope legdrop to the back makes it even worse and rolling belly to back suplexes cut off Priest’s comeback.

Dain hits a belly to back faceplant for two but misses a charge into the corner. Priest strikes away and a big clothesline finally puts Dain down. A running crossbody gives Dain two but Priest is back with a rollup for two of his own. Priest kicks him in the head and the Reckoning finishes Dain at 5:41.

Rating: C. Are they turning Priest face? That’s one of the weirder ideas I’ve heard in a good while but I’m oddly intrigued by it. If nothing else it is something new for him, unlike having him fight another monster. Priest might need to change some things up about his character, but at least they are trying something with him, which NXT is often willing to do when necessary.

Video on Santos Escobar, along with his designated goons.

Xia Li vs. Aliyah

Robert Stone, holding a bottle in a brown paper bag, is down near the entrance but Aliyah pulls him up to ringside to put him in her corner. Aliyah takes over with a Thesz press and right hands but Li drives her into the corner for the kicks to the ribs. A northern lights suplex gets two on Li so she scores with a jumping kick. More kicks put Aliyah in the corner and a running kick has her down. Stone gets on the apron and vomits at Li, allowing Aliyah to grab a fairly sloppy rollup for the pin at 1:51. Is anyone surprised that this kind of thing has made it to NXT? Stone continues to be amusing though so well done in a way.

Post match Stone falls off the apron and crashes to the floor.

Timothy Thatcher has his students in the ring and demonstrates a Fujiwara armbar. The students are not shown, other than the one tapping a lot. A double wristlock makes him tap even more. It’s all Thatch As Thatch Can wrestling you see.

Earlier today, Adam Cole and Bobby Fish gave Roderick Strong Undisputed Therapy to deal with Strong’s fear of Dexter Lumis. They have Strong lie down and the doctor lowers his Justin Timberlake book to reveal…..Kyle O’Reilly in glasses and a hat. Strong talks about his history of incidents with Lumis, who he can’t get out of his head.

O’Reilly, using his thick accent, suggests a Rorschach Test, with Strong seeing muscles, Lumis, and the trunk that he was locked inside. O’Reilly says that’s a breakthrough because the trunk is what’s causing everything. Strong needs to face the trunk and Cole and Fish talk him into it. They go outside and go towards the trunk…but Strong sprints away. Cole: “Aside from him running away and stuff, I think that went pretty good.” I think this is all the evidence you need that they are rapidly running out of ideas for the team. Or that O’Reilly wasn’t in the same room.

Back in the arena, Adam Cole has the hourglass from last week and says it doesn’t matter who comes for the title. Keith Lee comes in to say he’s taking the title from Cole, and then smashes the hourglass. Lee: “Tick tock.”

Here’s Cole in the ring (he’s busy tonight) to talk about how great his NXT Title reign, now at 381 days, has been. After everything he has done, he can’t believe that people think they can just throw their name out there and get a title shot. Look at Killian (yes Killian) Kross, who beat Tommaso Ciampa (Cole: “Been there, done that.”) and thinks he should be #1 contender. Then there’s Lee, who has his eyes on the NXT Title but Cole has his eyes on the North American Title. Remember that he was the first champion and of course the best. Maybe he’ll come after Lee and become Champ Champ Bay Bay.

Cue Lee but before he could say anything, it’s Johnny Gargano interrupting to say Johnny Gargano (speaking in the third person) doesn’t care about moments anymore. Now it’s all about results, which is why he wants the North American Title back. But why stop there? Why not win the NXT Title too so he and Candice LeRae can be the co-champions that they should be. Lee finds it interesting that he was more concerned about LeRae last week and LeRae said thank you.

Cue Finn Balor to say they can stop being marks for themselves and start being a mark for him. Balor is coming for both titles because Cole is a great little transitional champion. Balor points at Cole’s chest and that’s where he’s going to punch him. Cue William Regal on the screen to make Lee vs. Gargano vs. Balor next week for the North American Title match. The winner of that will move on to face Cole at July 8 in a winner takes all match. And yes, that is the second night of Fyter Fest if you were suddenly curious.

Post break, Candice LeRae interrupts a Keith Lee interview but Mia Yim shows up for the brawl.

Kayden Carter vs. Dakota Kai

Kacy Catanzaro is here with Carter and Raquel Gonzalez is here with Kai as is customary. Carter knocks her to the floor to start and the chase is on but Gonzalez’s distraction lets Kai get in the scorpion kick for two. The comeback is on in a hurry with Carter hitting some right hands and rolling her up into a low superkick for two. Gonzalez gets on the apron for a distraction so Catanzaro goes after her, allowing Kai to grab a rollup for two. With that not working, it’s a reverse Rings of Saturn to make Carter tap at 2:43.

Scarlett finds the broken hourglass and looks at the sand. A foot steps on the glass.

Mercedes Martinez is coming. Cool.

Bronson Reed vs. Leon Ruff

Standing splash, backsplash, frog splash for the pin on Ruff at 24 seconds.

Post match Reed says he wants Karrion Kross for next week. Reed even helps Ruff up and carries him to the back in a nice (I think?) moment.

We cut to the parking lot where someone has flattened all of Damien Priest’s tires. Cameron Grimes pulls up, asks if Priest wants an Uber, and drives off.

Here are Santos Escobar, Raul Mendoza and Joaquin Wilde for a chat. Escobar talks about how El Hijo del Fantasma was known as the best cruiserweight artist in the world, but no one knew who he was because of the mask. Then he came to NXT and knew that the time of El Hijo del Fantasma would come to an end. He is a leader and knew that he would lead the two of them…but here’s Drake Maverick for the brawl. Maverick gets in a few shots but the trio gets the better of him and it’s a Phantom Driver through a table.

During the break, Maverick was taken out on a stretcher.

Women’s Tag Team Titles: Shotzi Blackheart/Tegan Nox vs. Bayley/Sasha Banks

Bayley and Banks, who are serious legends around here, are defending. Banks takes Nox down to start and sends her into the corner for some trash talk. A rollup gives Banks two but Nox pulls her to the ropes so Blackheart can come in for two of her own. Bayley comes in and gets rolled up as well. That doesn’t work for Bayley, who knees Blackheart in the head as we take a break.

Back with Bayley driving shoulders into Nox’s shoulders in the corner but Nox gets over to Blackheart for the tag. Everything breaks down as Blackheart cleans house and suplexes Banks for two. Banks sends her outside for the Meteora off the apron for two back inside. The Meteora in the corner missed (that looked painful) and the stereo reverse Cannonballs crush the champs.

Bayley and Banks are sent outside so Blackheart runs the corner for a big crossbody to the floor. Back in and the assisted Sliced Bread plants Bayley for two but Banks slips out of what looked to be a Doomsday Device. Blackheart’s missile dropkick gets two but Banks pulls her into the Bank Statement. Blackheart grabs Cattle Mutilation of all things so Bayley grabs a chair, with the distraction letting Bayley flip the hold over. Now the Bank Statement makes Blackheart tap at 11:39.

Rating: B-. The action was good but there wasn’t exactly a ton of drama about who was leaving with the titles. Given that they are already advertising the IIconics getting a shot on Raw, the doubt wasn’t strong here. Nox and Blackheart were fine as challengers of the week but that’s about as far as they were going to go int his situation.

Post match the celebration is on but here’s Io Shirai to take out both Banks and Bayley, who bail so Shirai can moonsault into a pose. A long staredown ends the show.

Overall Rating: C+. Pretty good show here with the big announcement of the title matches being the focal point throughout. The main event felt like a big deal because of the star power, but it’s not like Nox and Blackheart were some red hot team. Other than that they set some stuff up for the future, which is a rather important role that needs to be filled at some point. This wasn’t the big show, but rather the show getting to the big show and that’s not a bad thing.

Results

Imperium b. Breezango – DDT to Fandango

Damien Priest b. Killian Dain – Reckoning

Aliyah b. Xia Li – Rollup

Bronson Reed b. Leon Ruff – Frog splash

Bayley/Sasha Banks b. Tegan Nox/Shotzi Blackheart – Bank Statement to Blackheart

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the paperback edition of KB’s Complete 2004 Monday Night Raw Reviews (also available as an e-book) from Amazon. Check out the information here:

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2019/08/26/new-book-and-e-book-kbs-complete-2004-monday-night-raw-reviews/

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

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

IMG Credit: WWE

NXT
Date: May 13, 2020
Location: WWE Performance Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Mauro Ranallo, Byron Saxton, Beth Phoenix

It’s another title week this time around with the Tag Team Titles on the line as Timothy Thatcher and Matt Riddle defend against Imperium. It’s always fun to see Imperium in the ring so we should be in for a big match. Other than that, Finn Balor gets to beat up Cameron Grimes on his way to finding out who attacked him. Let’s get to it.

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

Opening recap.

Opening sequence.

Tag Team Titles: Timothy Thatcher/Matt Riddle vs. Imperium

Imperium (Marcel Barthel/Fabian Aichner this time) are challenging and it’s Thatcher taking Barthel down to the mat to start. Aichner comes in for an armbar as Riddle beats up Barthel on the floor. Riddle comes in to choke Aichner, who powers out without much trouble. That just earns him a gutwrench suplex so Barthel can come in, earning a suplex of his own. Aichner runs Riddle over though and we take a break. Back with Riddle fighting out of a chinlock but it’s too early for the tag.

Aichner hammers away again and hands it right back to Aichner to pound him down. Riddle suplexes his way out but misses the penalty kick, meaning Barthel can cut him off again. That earns Barthel a kick to the head and Riddle monkey flips him….right into Thatcher to knock him off the apron. That’s enough for Thatcher, who walks out, despite Riddle’s shouts. The European Bomb is broken up though and it’s a Bro to Sleep to Barthel. A blind tag brings Aichner back in though and the European Bomb gives us new champions at 11:04.

Rating: B-. They didn’t have much of a choice here as Thatcher and Riddle were a makeshift team to replace another makeshift team. At some point you need to just give them to a regular team and that’s a good idea with Imperium. Riddle and Thatcher can do something later on anyway and give them both something to do.

Post break Thatcher complains about Riddle not being serious. He wants to be a champion, but not with someone who is more about game shows and flip flops. Riddle comes in and the fight has to be broken up.

Tegan Nox vs. Indi Hartwell

Hartwell slams her down by the hair to start and some shots to the ribs have Nox in angry pain. A side slam gives Hartwell two but Nox fights back with a whip into the corner. The reverse cannonball sets up a high crossbody to drop Hartwell again. The Shiniest Wizard gives Nox the pin at 3:19.

Rating: C-. How great is it to see Nox not only on her feet but also getting to do something in the ring? You almost never see anything like that after two horrible knee injuries and yet here Nox is. I’m not sure how high she can go, but not wrestler deserves to have their career cut short so horribly and so soon.

We look back at Rhea Ripley returning to go after Charlotte but getting in a fight with Io Shirai.

Rhea is ready to bring the Women’s Title back to NXT and if she has to beat up Shirai to get there, so be it.

Riddle says he has a match with Thatcher tonight so here’s Thatcher to jump him from behind. He hits Riddle in the arm with what looks like a TV.

Jake Atlas says he has to win to advance and then hopes that Drake Maverick wins to force the tie.

Interim Cruiserweight Title Tournament Group A: Tony Nese (0-2) vs. Jake Atlas (1-1)

Last first round match for both guys. Nese grabs a headlock to start and snaps Atlas’ throat across the top to put him down. Some left hands set up a front facelock on Atlas but he’s right back up with a big boot. There’s a German suplex into a step up enziguri for two on Nese. That’s not good for Tony but he can’t hit the pumphandle powerslam. Instead Atlas hits a running neckbreaker, only to get caught in the corner. That lets Nese stomp away at the face and head but Atlas kicks him down. The Rainbow DDT finishes Nese at 5:04.

Rating: C. This didn’t have much time to go anywhere but Atlas is starting to grow on me. He’s come in pretty cold and now has a finisher that is getting over and is a contender for the tournament finals. I’m not sure where this block is going and that’s an interesting feeling, as this could set up a three way tie if Maverick can beat Kushida.

Group A Standings

Kushida – 2 – 0

Jake Atlas – 2 – 1

Drake Maverick – 1 – 1

Tony Nese – 0 – 3

Adam Cole talks to Kyle O’Reilly on Facetime because O’Reilly is making a movie. Apparently it’s Nuns On The Run Ghostbusters meets Titanic but here are Bobby Fish and Roderick Strong to join in things. It’s been a long time since they’ve been together but O’Reilly is happy with what they’ve been doing. They’re not happy with Dexter Lumis so Strong is going to take care of him.

Karrion Kross/Scarlett video, set to the old The End Is Here theme. They are not here to shock a system or to save anyone. No, they are your entertainment and it is time to wake up from the dream or else you will sleep forever. Tommaso Ciampa was the first but will not be the last.

Dakota Kai talks about how she cared too much about the fans because they didn’t care about her. She came back from her knee injury and was in the shadow of Tegan Nox. That brought her to Takeover: WarGames where she took Nox out. Then she met Raquel Gonzalez, who knows what it’s like to be an outcast as well. This is the hurting business and they’re going to hurt everyone.

Isaiah Scott is ready to win and stay alive in the tournament. He’s feeling confident to protect his house. If you can’t win a match in this tournament, you should quit wrestling.

D-Generation X (Shawn Michaels/HHH/Road Dogg in this case) announce the next Takeover, which will be Takeover: In Your House on June 7. Dogg finally remembers that HHH had the hog pen match and we’re suddenly out of time.

Finn Balor vs. Cameron Grimes

This could be interesting. Grimes goes for the Cave In at the bell but Balor isn’t having any of that and takes him into the chinlock. That’s broken up in a hurry and Grimes kicks him away, setting up some elbows to the back. Balor rolls out of a sunset flip and dropkicks him down but can’t get 1916.

Back from a break with Balor fighting out of an armbar but getting kicked in the knee to take him down again. Some shoulders to the back keep Balor in trouble and a big clothesline gives Grimes two. Balor is right back with the double stomp and then regular stomps put Grimes on the floor.

Rating: B-. I’m curious about how this is going to go as they have Grimes getting a big win to give him something to build from, but also Priest vs. Balor. Odds are you can pencil that in for Takeover and Grimes will probably get something out of this as well. Not bad for ten minutes of action.

Post match Priest hits the Reckoning on the chair and sits it on Balor’s throat ala HHH/Undertaker in 2001. Priest reveals himself as the attacker. Well that was simple.

Interim Cruiserweight Title Tournament Group B: Jack Gallagher (0-2) vs. Isaiah Scott (1-1)

Final first round match for both and if Scott loses, he’s eliminated. Hold on though as here’s Nese to deck Scott from behind and send him into the steps. Like any goodhearted schnook, Scott says he’ll fight so the bell rings. That is immediately followed by a running corner dropkick for two and the seated abdominal stretch goes on. Scott fights out and hits a quick House Call for two, followed by some YES Kicks. Gallagher pulls him down into a guillotine so Scott muscles up and throws him off. Not that it matters as Gallagher discus forearms him for the pin at 3:32.

Rating: C. This was working while it lasted but it didn’t have time to go anywhere. I’m surprised that Scott is already eliminated. It’s nice to see Gallagher actually get a win for a change, but I still don’t get why Scott can’t get out of the blocks around here. He seems like someone who is ready to be pushed but it just never takes off. He’s far from done, though they might want to actually do something with him.

Group B Standings

Akira Tozawa – 2 – 0

El Hijo del Fantasma – 1 – 1

Jack Gallagher – 1 – 2

Isaiah Scott – 1 – 2

Kayden Carter vs. Aliyah

Carter takes her down in a hurry and the trash talk is on. Aliyah fights up and gets suplexed down for two. A missed charge in the corner lets Aliyah kick away but Carter switches places and stomps as well. Cue Robert Stone to watch as Aliyah takes over again and goes up top. That’s broken up as well and something like an Indian Deathlock makes Aliyah tap. So much for the Stone deal.

And now, Dinner with the Garganos. Things have gotten better in recent weeks with Candice stomping a hole in a ninja and Gargano beating the 7’8 383lb Dominick Dijadofus. They look at some clips of the match with Gargano breaking Dijakovic down. If he did it so easily and Keith Lee had so many problems, Gargano wouldn’t have any problem with Lee. Candice isn’t happy with Mia Yim being rewarded over and over after losing time after time. Where is Candice’s chance? Everyone else deserves nothing, just like Mia.

Gargano knows what it’s like to be North American Champion and everyone loves you….until they don’t. The glory Lee is looking for doesn’t exist because it’s just a catchphrase to get fans on your side. Gargano has been turned on before and while Lee is strong physically, he isn’t strong enough to deal with reality. They’ll show everyone what glory looks like. These dinner deals are great and this worked well, again.

Next week: Kushida vs. Drake Maverick and Fantasma vs. Tozawa, plus Rhea Ripley vs. Io Shirai.

Timothy Thatcher vs. Matt Riddle

Thatcher can’t get the leg so Riddle drives him down again and they trade forearms from the mat. They get back up with Riddle firing off knees and kicks. Back from a break with Riddle working on the leg but Riddle gets up again. A German suplex is no sold and Riddle hits the running knee. Riddle gets in a triangle choke but Thatcher reverses into an armbar.

The powerbomb breaks things up and they get back to their feet to strike it out hard. Thatcher knocks him down for the ankle lock (on a bare foot, which is a little strange) but that’s reverses into a Bro To Sleep to put them both down. The Floating Bro hits knees and Thatcher grabs a Fujiwara armbar. That’s reversed so Thatcher grabs the ankle again but Riddle stacks him up for a pin at 12:26.

Rating: B. Maybe it was that the match was so different but this was a really entertaining one with a very different style. Thatcher looked like he could hang with Riddle and doesn’t lose all that much by getting pinned. Fans are still getting used to Thatcher so having him show off against Riddle is a good way to go.

Post match Thatcher sends the arm into the post and grabs the Fujiwara armbar. Riddle taps so Thatcher lets go, only to put it on again for more tapping and screaming to end the show.

Overall Rating: B-. The wrestling was pretty good overall here but the show just felt bleh. You can see some of what they’re setting up for Takeover and I’m sure they’ll be fine to set up a card over the next two weeks, but it’s still not all that thrilling. That being said, there is only so much that can be done with the limited crew and it’s pretty clear that they are lacking a lot of their big stars. It’s just a weird time and while the wrestling worked, it wasn’t a great feeling one and that’s a bigger problem.

Results

Imperium b. Timothy Thatcher/Matt Riddle – European Bomb to Riddle

Tegan Nox b. Indi Hartwell – Shiniest Wizard

Jake Atlas b. Tony Nese – Rainbow DDT

Cameron Grimes b. Finn Balor – Cave In

Jack Gallagher b. Isaiah Scott – Discus forearm

Kayden Carter b. Aliyah – Indian Deathlock

Matt Riddle b. Timothy Thatcher – Rollup

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the paperback edition of KB’s Complete 2004 Monday Night Raw Reviews (also available as an e-book) from Amazon. Check out the information here:

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2019/08/26/new-book-and-e-book-kbs-complete-2004-monday-night-raw-reviews/

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