NXT
Date: February 22, 2022
Location: Capitol Wrestling Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Wade Barrett, Vic Joseph

We are done with Vengeance Day and that means it is time to head on to whatever the next special show is going to be. The show is going to need a main event and odds are we will find out what that is tonight as Tommaso Ciampa and Raw’s Dolph Ziggler meet in a #1 contenders match. Let’s get to it.

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

We open with a long Vengeance Day recap.

Here is NXT Champion Bron Breakker for a chat. He talks about Santos Escobar being a tough opponent last week but now it is time for a new opponent. That could be as soon as Stand & Deliver, which will take place over Wrestlemania weekend. Cue Dolph Ziggler, who says he’ll be NXT Champion sooner than later, but the question is whether Breakker will make it to Stand & Deliver as champion.

Tonight, Ziggler is going to take out Tommaso Ciampa and get his title shot, but Breakker wants to fight over Ziggler superkicking him last week. Ziggler says Breakker has the night off this week, meaning he can watch Ziggler do what he does best. These two could make for a good title match and it’s a smart way to use Ziggler to help get Breakker over.

LA Knight vs. Grayson Waller

Sanga is here with Waller, who runs away to start, then does it again for a bonus. Back in and Waller gets in a cheap shot, only to get crotched on top. We take a break and come back with Knight yelling at Sanga and getting sent into the steps as a result. A top rope elbow gives Waller two but he spends way too much time setting up his rolling Stunner (from the floor), allowing Knight to counter it with a belly to back suplex. Knight hits his running clothesline into a backdrop but a Sanga distraction blocks the BFT. Waller grabs a rollup with trunks for the pin at 9:54.

Rating: C. The ending suggests that this is going to keep going and that is not the worst idea. It would make sense for Knight to continue going after Waller, perhaps on his way to the main roster just after Stand & Deliver. I’m not sure if they can stretch it out that far, but Waller getting wins is the right thing if they want him to be such a big deal.

Post match Knight beats on Waller again and drops Sanga with the BFT. Waller gets one as well.

Dakota Kai finds Wendy Choo, who is her partner in the Dusty Cup. Didn’t Kai make it clear last week that they WEREN’T going to team together? Anyway, Kai is upset that Choo is asleep and is worried about having a partner. Choo says Kai has never had her as a partner and leaves. Kai laments to her imaginary/invisible friend.

Cora Jade took Raquel Gonzalez to an adventure park to train and it turns out that Gonzalez is scared of heights. Jade: “You are the height!” They climb on various things and Gonzalez does not take it well, especially the ziplining finale. She finally goes through and her fear is conquered. Now, to conquer the Dusty Cup. This has been your latest example of NO ONE TALKS LIKE THIS!

Toxic Attraction is on the platform in the Toxic Lounge and mock Jade and Gonzalez.

Women’s Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic First Round: Kay Lee Ray/Io Shirai vs. Lash Legend/Amari Miller

Legend shoulders Shirai down to start but Shirai gets over to the apron. She seems to slip off a springboard but a regular dropkick frustrates Legend instead. Miller tags herself in and misses an elbow, allowing Shirai to hit a flapjack. Ray comes in and takes over on Miller, including some hard chops. It’s back to Legend, who gets caught in the KLR Bomb. Shirai’s Moons Over Moonsault finishes Legend off at 2:42. Basically a squash, as it should have been.

Dante Chen is ready to take out Duke Hudson and get his revenge.

Josh Briggs films Brooks Jensen for a dating service, but Jensen can’t even remember his name.

Dante Chen vs. Duke Hudson

Chen jumps Hudson from behind in the aisle and we start fast with Hudson in trouble. They get inside where Chen grabs a DDT for two before hammering away in the corner. Hudson is back with a kick to the face and a Razor’s Edge finishes Chen at 2:17. Hudson has talent and thankfully didn’t have much trouble with someone as low on the ladder as Chen.

Here are Trick Williams and Carmelo Hayes to brag about Hayes retaining the North American Title over Cameron Grimes last week. Hayes doesn’t care who he is facing or where he is doing it, because he’s what people will be talking about. Cue Pete Dunne to interrupt and the challenge is on for next week. Williams doesn’t seem interested but Hayes says he’s on, only to get jumped from behind by Cameron Grimes.

Cameron Grimes vs. Trick Williams

Joined in progress with Grimes running Williams over and taking him down with a clothesline. Williams manages a kick to the chest and a jumping clothesline of his own, meaning the stomping can ensue. The chinlock goes on as Barrett sings the Applebees jingle. Williams shrugs off a comeback attempt by knocking him down again and grabbing something close to a cobra clutch.

Grimes fights back up and hits a powerslam swung into a Side Effect. They head outside with Grimes missing a Cave In off the steps but hitting a superkick instead. Back in and Grimes comes off the top with a high crossbody, which mostly hits Williams in the face. The Cave In finishes Williams at 5:58.

Rating: C. There were some sloppy parts in here and it’s weird seeing Grimes have a match that is so off. At least Grimes is winning again as it makes a lot of sense to give him a nice win to get him on track after last week. Not a great match due to some less than sharp work, but it’s how things should have gone.

Brooks Jensen still can’t get the dating video right. He doesn’t know what Transformers are and is still rather hung up on Kayden Carter.

Bron Breakker comes in to see Tommaso Ciampa as he is warming up. Breakker leaves him in the zone but Ciampa says they’re 1-1 and he needs to know who is the better man.

Nikkita Lyons says she is a whole lot of woman who is ready to do a whole lot of whipping.

We go to Chase University for a lesson on intestinal fortitude. Andre Chase does not think Von Wagner has much fortitude left now that he has aligned himself with Robert Stone and freaks out over the idea of someone asking what he’ll do in the ring with Wagner. That was a teachable moment, as Chase continues to nail this stuff.

Nikkita Lyons vs. Kayla Inlay

This is Lyons’ debut and she doesn’t think much of Inlay trying a wristlock. An armbar keeps Inlay in trouble and a hiptoss makes it worse. Inlay blocks a German suplex though and chokes on the ropes, setting up some knees to the ribs. Lyons punches her in the ribs for trying a comeback. Another German suplex is blocked with a stomp to the floor but a third attempt sends Inlay flying. A splits sitdown splash finishes Inlay at 4:02.

Rating: C-. Lyons certainly has a unique look and is a giant compared to a lot of the division, but this needed to be much more one sided. Inlay got in a lot here for someone who is lucky to make it to LVL Up and her blocking the German suplex over and over didn’t work. Lyons will probably be fine, but this wasn’t a good start.

Persia Pirotta says Duke Hudson looked good out there and Hudson kisses her. Indi Hartwell comes in to say gross so Persia leaves. Hudson says Hartwell used to enjoy it but Hartwell says that was a long time ago. Hudson says it doesn’t have to be and Dexter Lumis just happens to be standing by. Lumis leaves with Indi going after him and saying she despises Hudson. NXT’s co-ed locker rooms continue to be odd.

Robert Stone and Von Wagner are ready for Andre Chase.

Here are the Creed Brothers with Malcolm Bivens to celebrate winning the Dusty Classic. Imperium doesn’t have their amateur wrestling background and haven’t defended their titles in weeks. The Creed Brothers are the real deal and Imperium are a bunch of coleslaw and sauerkraut eating….and here is Imperium to interrupt. Gunther doesn’t like what he is hearing and the brawl is on, with Gunther grabbing Bivens by the throat. Cue Solo Sikoa to superkick Gunther down, much to Bivens’ surprise/thankfulness. Bivens offers a very shaky thumbs up but doesn’t seem to know what is going on.

The dating video still doesn’t work but Fallon Henley comes in to say Brooks Jensen can just take a picture, which she does, and set up his profile, which he’ll do. Jensen yells at Josh Briggs for wasting so much time on a video. Henley did something amazing here: she talked like a human being.

Joe Gacy and Harland show us a clip of the two of them going after Draco Anthony in the gym. Gacy sees Anthony as someone he can mold and that will starts next week.

Women’s Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic First Round: Tatum Paxley/Ivy Nile vs. Kayden Carter/Kacy Catanzaro

Catanzaro rolls Paxley up for two t start and tries a headscissors, only to get punched in the face by Nile. A kick to the throat drops Catanzaro again but she slips over and brings in Carter to pick up the pace. An assisted spinning side slam drops Carter and Paxley adds a standing twisting moonsault. Catanzaro makes the save though and sends Nile outside, leaving Paxley to get caught with the neckbreaker/450 combination for the pin at 3:23.

Rating: C+. Carter and Catanzaro continue to be one of the better women’s teams around here and that could be a good thing for the rest of the tournament. Odds are the tournament has a decent final four, though it does make you wonder why they needed to have eight teams in the first place. I know four is kind of a lousy number, but why stretch it out for the sake of stretching it out?

Post match, Nile chokes Paxley out.

Solo Sikoa is ready to take out Gunther next week. Malcolm Bivens comes in to say that he had Gunther where he wanted him, but good luck next week. Sikoa says he did that for himself.

LA Knight wants another shot at Grayson Waller.

Tommaso Ciampa vs. Dolph Ziggler

For a future shot at Bron Breakker’s NXT Title. They go to the mat to start with Ciampa hitting him in the face to start the frustration. It’s too early for the Fairy Tale Ending and Ciampa misses a running knee to the face as well. A headbutt takes Ciampa down for two and we’re already on the chinlock. Ciampa fights up and makes the clothesline comeback but has to block the Zig Zag. A knee to the face puts Ziggler down and we take a break as Ciampa applauds himself.

Back with Ciampa fighting out of another chinlock and hitting a hard running clothesline for two. They slug it out until Ziggler scores with a dropkick into the Fameasser for two of his own. The superkick is cut off with another knee and Project Ciampa gets two. Ciampa lowers the knee pad and hits another running knee (following the Kenny Omega formula) for two more, with Ziggler getting a foot on the ropes.

They fall out to the floor for a bit before Ziggler grabs a sleeper with a bodyscissors back inside. That’s broken up as Ciampa gets to his feet and then drops backwards for the break and a near fall. They head to the apron for a slugout and an Air Raid Crash onto said apron (with about four camera cuts in five seconds) knocks Ziggler silly. Hold on though as a cameraman decks Ciampa with his camera, leaving Ziggler to hit the superkick for the pin at 15:35.

Rating: B. This felt like a heavyweight slugfest, meaning a match between two main event stars who were beating each other until one of them was left standing. The cheating was a good way to protect Ciampa, who didn’t need to take a clean loss. It was the best match on the show by far and felt like it belonged in this spot.

The cameraman is….Robert Roode. The beatdown is on but here is Bron Breakker for the save. Breakker makes the challenge for the tag match for next week. Ziggler and Roode charge back in and get beaten down again in a huge brawl to end the show.

Overall Rating: B-. The main event carried this a lot higher as it got time and was high quality, but the rest of the show was only so good. The Dusty Classic matches could have been a lot worse, mainly because they didn’t include the segments of the teams being put together. Some of the other stuff, such as Knight, Grimes and Hudson worked as well, making this a pretty good show. Maybe things are starting to come together around here, which would be nice after some dry months.

Results
Grayson Waller b. LA Knight – Rollup with trunks
Kay Lee Ray/Io Shirai b. Lash Legend/Amari Miller – Moons Over Moonsault to Legend
Duke Hudson b. Dante Chen – Razor’s Edge
Cameron Grimes b. Trick Williams – Cave In
Nikkita Lyons b. Kayla Inlay – Splits sitdown splash
Kayden Carter/Kacy Catanzaro b. Tatum Paxley/Ivy Nile – Neckbreaker/450 combination to Paxley
Dolph Ziggler b. Tommaso Ciampa – Superkick

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NXT
Date: February 8, 2022
Location: Capitol Wrestling Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Vic Joseph, Wade Barrett

We are a week away from Vengeance Day but there is another title match to get through first. This week will see Mandy Rose defending the Women’s Title against Kay Lee Ray in a match that seems likely to have some shenanigans. Other than that, we continue the men’s Dusty Classic while trying to find a field for the women’s version. Let’s get to it.

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

The opening video features Mandy Rose talking about all of her success and demands to be taken serious.

Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic Semifinals: Grizzled Young veterans vs. Creed Brothers

The Creeds break up the Veterans’ trash talking entrance and start the fight fast. That means Gibson gets beaten down inside as the brothers get to take turns on him. Brutus suplexes Julius onto Gibson but a cheap shot allows the tag to Drake. Julius runs Drake over without much trouble and isn’t fooled as Gibson comes in off a blind tag. Some alternating Creed knees to Gibson’s ribs set up a gutwrench suplex so Drake tags himself back in.

The Veterans get in a double team on Brutus on the floor though and it’s a catapult to send him throat first into the ring structure. Back in and the chinlock stays on the throat but Brutus manages to muscle Gibson up for a suplex. Drake cuts off the hot tag attempt with a sleeper though and Brutus is cut off again. That’s broken up though and the hot tag brings in Julius to power Drake around.

A suplex gets him out of a front facelock and everything breaks down. Drake hits a heck of a suicide dive to take out Julius on the floor, setting up a Doomsday Device for two back inside. It’s back to Brutus to clean house with the power but more double teaming takes him down. What looks like a 450 is loaded up but Julius runs in to run the ropes and superplex Drake for a huge crash. The basement lariat finishes Gibson at 12:03.

Rating: B. There was a story here with the Veterans having experience but being taken down by the power and ability. The fans were WAY into the Creeds and that is something that has been lacking from this version of NXT. This was a high intensity match though and the Creeds finally getting their shot at Imperium (assuming we don’t get a surprise) sounds good.

We look at Raquel Gonzalez beating Cora Jade and Gonzalez agreeing to team with her.

Jade is happy but Yulisa Leon/Valentina Feroz come in to mock her in Spanish. Gonzalez pops in to out-insult them. Leon and Feroz leave, with Gonzalez saying only she can call Jade that. Jade: “Wait, what did they call me?”

Last week, Wendy Choo and Amari Miller stole Tiffany Stratton’s credit card.

This week, Choo and Miller celebrate credit card fraud/theft/whatever illegal activity that was.

Wendy Choo vs. Tiffany Stratton

Choo works on the arm to start and frustrates Stratton by dodging some kicks. A one footed dropkick sends Stratton into the corner, setting up a running elbow (with Choo putting her hands under her head like she’s asleep). Now it’s a chinlock with a similar motion but Stratton (who seems to have broken a nail) fights up. Choo gets knocked into the corner and kicked down, setting up a corkscrew Vader Bomb to finish Choo at 3:01.

Rating: C-. There might be some hope here, as while Stratton isn’t much of an original idea, she’s a lot better than Oops I Feel Asleep. The credit card story is stupid but this should be the end of it, at least for now. They need some new stars in the women’s division and Stratton could be a little something if she is given the chance.

Draco Anthony is disappointed with his lost but Joe Gacy and Harland come in for a pep talk.

Pete Dunne is ready to crush Tony D’Angelo in a cage next week. Anthony comes in to offer him good luck before their match tonight but Dunne would rather snap his fingers.

Draco Anthony vs. Pete Dunne

Joined in progress with Anthony hitting a suplex but Dunne goes for the singers to cut that off. More finger twisting ensues, followed by a Kimura that is broken up pretty quickly. A suplex sends Dunne outside, where he has to deal with an interfering Tony D’Angelo. Back in and the Bitter End finishes Anthony at 4:42.

Rating: C. Anthony got to do some stuff here before falling to Dunne, as he should have. What surprised me here was the fact that Dunne had to deal with the interference but didn’t lose as a result. It was nice to see a change from the expected result, as WWE has a bad tendency to stick with the same tired formulas.

Post match Dunne goes after D’Angelo and busts out a bunch of weapons. D’Angelo declares the guy “Looney Tunes” and Dunne says let’s take all of these weapons and attach them to the cage. Sure why not.

Zoey Stark says Io Shirai needs a new partner for the Dusty Classic. She needs to be someone hard hitting and just as crazy as Shirai, so Shirai says she’s in.

Dakota Kai finds Wendy Choo’s shopping bags (which she and Amari Miller just left there) and says they won’t make her happy.

LA Knight vs. Sanga

Grayson Waller is here with Sanga. Knight comes to the ring and instantly feels like a star. He looks like he has been there before and has charisma instead of being the same assembly line style person with some gimmick that defines him. It’s such a notable difference. Knight slugs away at Sanga (with the amazing mustache) to start but gets knocked outside with a single shot.

Sanga gets posted (that sounded hard) but is still able to block BFT. Knight is right back up with a springboard dropkick for two, with Sanga kicking him off. Waller takes off a turnbuckle pad, but the distracted referee misses Knight raking Sanga’s eyes. Sanga misses a charge into the exposed buckle though and it’s a jumping neckbreaker to give Knight the pin at 3:11.

Rating: D+. It wasn’t exactly good but I’ll take this over building Sanga up as the next monster with little chance of becoming a star. Knight vs. Waller isn’t quite a mega feud but it’s something for Knight to do before he (presumably) gets called up to the main roster. Sanga looks intimidating but he wasn’t exactly looking great here, which probably won’t stop him around here.

Post match Knight jumps Waller and beats him down but has to bail from Sanga.

Duke Hudson isn’t worried about Dante Chen….and he wants Indi Hartwell to win the Women’s Tag Team Titles.

It’s time for a Championship Summit between Bron Breakker and Santos Escobar. Breakker is ready to fight and says let’s just flip the table over right now. Escobar calls him naive and says he is pulling all the strings. Breakker still wants to fight….and here is Dolph Ziggler, who has been arguing with Breakker on Youtube and Twitter. Ziggler has a seat at the table and puts his feet up before saying Breakker is doing well enough on Twitter, but who is he? Breakker: “I’M THE NEXT CHAMPION PAL!” He offers Ziggler the next shot after Escobar, but Ziggler calls that a rookie mistake.

Ziggler lists off his accomplishments and says that even though he has lost 99/100 matches or so, Breakker knows what he can do. Cue Tommaso Ciampa to cut Ziggler off (while calling him kid) and say he likes the idea of getting the title back. Escobar cuts them both off and says he’s going to win the title and then deal with Ziggler and Ciampa. That’s not cool with Ciampa, who says he’s next in line, if that’s ok with Kid.

Ziggler laughs off the idea of Ciampa fighting in the same place in front of the same people and wants to know when the gloves come off. Ciampa kicks him in the face and they fight tot he floor, leaving Legado del Fantasma to jump Breakker from behind. Breakker fights back but gets put through the table to leave him laying.

This was a nice surprise as Ziggler is the kind of person who could do a lot of good around here. We get one of his best promos in a LONG time as he was getting to do something different than the same stuff he has been doing for about ten years now on the main roster. Ziggler vs. Ciampa to set up Ziggler vs. Breakker works, as NXT gets some star power from someone who could be useful around here. Good stuff and better thinking.

Kay Lee Ray breaks a bunch of stuff with her bat.

Grayson Waller says LA Knight just broke his restraining order and next week, he’s going to jail.

Dakota Kai vs. Sarray

Joined in progress with Sarray missing the Sunray dropkick and getting caught with some running kicks to the face in the corner. A missile dropkick gives Sarray two but Kai hits a Scorpion kick (on the second try) for two of her own. Back up and Kai misses her kick in the corner, setting up a kick from Sarray. The Sunray dropkick sets up the high collar suplex for the pin on Kai at 4:11.

Rating: C. I’m not sure what is going on with Kai but she has gone from someone who felt ready to break into the main event scene to cannon fodder for the Sarray rebuilding project. This was a competitive match but it was over in four minutes with Sarray hitting her scary finisher for the win. Kai seems in a downward spiral and that’s kind of weird given how much more she has been appearing with her new persona.

Carmelo Hayes and Trick Williams are at the barber shop and convince everyone that Hayes is the favorite against Cameron Grimes next week. As usual, Hayes is one of the best things about this show as he feels like he’s being an amped up version of himself rather than a character.

Toxic Attraction and Indi Hartwell/Persia Pirotta talk trash about their Tag Team Title match. A photo of Hartwell/Duke Hudson is pulled out though and the fight is on.

WWE celebrates Black History Month with a look at Jackie Joyner-Kersee.

Nikkita Lyons knows how to sing and how to fight.

Brooks Jensen and Josh Briggs try to ask out Kayden Carter and Kacy Catanzaro for Valentine’s Day but it winds up being more of a group thing. Jensen even offers to pay Briggs to take one of them away at a movie but doesn’t have much money.

Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic Semifinals: MSK vs. Malik Blade/Edris Enofe

MSK takes over on Blade to start and a Bronco Buster gets an early one. Enofe comes in and gets kicked down as well, meaning it’s back to Blade, who gets kicked down again. We take a break with MSK in full control and come back with Enofe getting suplexed down. Blade comes back in for a rollup on Lee and a gordbuster/cutter combination gets two. Carter comes back in for a save though and Blade is sent to the floor. A corner dropkick sets up the Doomsday Blockbuster to send MSK to the finals at 9:30.

Rating: C+. They had a tricky path to walk here as MSK felt like major favorites who then had to make you believe that Blade and Enofe had a chance. That didn’t really happen, but I like Blade and Enofe together. At the same time though, MSK needed to win here as the Creeds beating Blade and Enofe wasn’t going to mean a thing.

Cameron Grimes is in Cameron, North Carolina and talks about his humble beginnings. Now he is a self made man and has everything he wants…except some gold.

Wendy Choo mocks Dakota Kai for losing her match and leaves in a huff.

Indi Hartwell/Persia Pirotta jump Toxic Attraction on the way to the ring but Mandy Rose, who wasn’t really hurt, has to defend the title anyway.

Women’s Title: Mandy Rose vs. Kay Lee Ray

Rose is defending and gets chopped so hard that her choker is knocked off. Rose gets in a few shots of her own but is quickly knocked outside, setting up the dive from Ray. Back in and Rose sends her head first into the middle buckle and then does it over and over for a bonus. The bodyscissors goes on and we get an audio update on Toxic Attraction and Hartwell/Pirotta being escorted from the building.

Ray gets her face slammed into the mat and it’s off to an abdominal stretch with an elbow in the ribs. That’s broken up and Ray pulls her into a Koji Clutch but Rose is out pretty fast. The KLR Bomb is countered into a sunset flip to give Rose two but Ray superkicks her down. Ray goes up….and Toxic Attraction is here anyway to distract the referee/shove Ray off the top. Rose’s running knee retains the title at 8:02.

Rating: C-. After having watched Ray for a long time in NXT UK, it is sad to see her being toned down like this so Rose can keep up. I don’t think it’s any secret that Rose isn’t the best in the ring, but she is wrestling/acting EXACTLY as she should be. It wouldn’t make sense for Rose to be out there tearing the house down when she openly brags about how her looks get her everywhere. She wrestles a safe, basic style that gets her where she needs to go and I’ll take that over a lot of the other people you see doing the same match over and over. That being said, the ending sucked the life out of this and that’s never good.

Post match Toxic Attraction loads up the bat but Io Shirai runs in for the save. Toxic Attraction is cleared out and we have another Dusty Classic team to end the show.

Overall Rating: C. I almost never have any idea what to make of this show anymore and that was the case again here. It’s a bunch of stuff happening and while there are good parts, there are also a lot of things that are just flat out dumb. They try to rush through too many things and it leaves you with a lot of “get this over with” feelings. The good stuff does work and there was a lot of it tonight, but then you see one of WWE’s bad ideas and you know it’s only going to get worse.

Results
Creed Brothers b. Grizzled Young Veterans – Basement lariat to Gibson
Tiffany Stratton b. Wendy Choo – Twisting Vader Bomb
Pete Dunne b. Draco Anthony – Bitter End
LA Knight b. Sanga – Jumping neckbreaker
Sarray b. Dakota Kai – Sunray dropkick
MSK b. Malik Blade/Edris Enofe – Doomsday Blockbuster to Enofe
Mandy Rose b. Kay Lee Ray – Running knee

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

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AND

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NXT
Date: January 18, 2022
Location: Capitol Wrestling Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Vic Joseph, Wade Barrett

It’s a new era in NXT as we have a new monster around here. Walter is making his full time debut this week, as he is scheduled to face Roderick Strong. Other than that we have the fallout of the return of LA Knight to deal with Grayson Waller. Now if only they can avoid doing some dumb things. Let’s get to it.

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

LA Knight arrives and tells some people to watch what he does in the ring. That brings Knight to the arena and he wants to talk to us. He also wants Grayson Waller out here right now so they can finish what they started last week. With Waller not showing up, Knight recaps everything that got us here, including a few weeks ago when a good looking woman picked Knight over Waller.

Cue Waller, and he has a restraining order. Waller: “If you come within fifty feet of me, you get arrested, YEAH!”. Knight thinks this is pitiful even for Waller, but he knows someone who doesn’t have a restraining order against them. Cue Dexter Lumis, and Waller gets to pick which one he fights.

Grayson Waller vs. Dexter Lumis

Joined in progress with Lumis in control, including dropping a leg. Waller gets in a shot of his own for a breather but gets dropped again without much trouble. Lumis hits a neckbreaker to put Waller down, then hits a neckbreaker to put Waller down, followed by a neckbreaker to put Waller down.

Using WWF War Zone rules, Waller fights back and knocks Lumis outside for a running clothesline. We take a break and come back with Lumis fighting out of an armbar and taking it to the floor. Waller manages to get inside…and here is a large man to send Lumis into the barricade. Back in and Waller’s Stunner finishes at 10:03.

Rating: C-. The Waller push continues as Knight is still stuck in NXT to make him look good. On the plus side, at least Waller has some muscle to beat people up, because this company doesn’t have enough enforcer characters just yet. Waller needed the win after last week so this does make sense, even if I’d rather have Knight on Raw every week.

Malcolm Bivens is hyping up the Creed Brothers but Walter comes in to get in his face. Roderick Strong pops in to say he isn’t afraid of Walter. A match seems to be set.

Video on the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic, complete with a look at the teams and the brackets:

MSK
Jacket Time

Malik Blade/Edris Enofe
Legado del Fantasma

Josh Briggs/Brooks Jensen
Creed Brothers

Grizzled Young Veterans
Andre Chase/Bodhi Hayward

MSK is ready for the Dusty Classic but Legado del Fantasma comes in to say if MSK beats Jacket Time, they’ll be losing to Legado. MSK doesn’t seem impressed.

Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic First Round: Josh Briggs/Brooks Jensen vs. Creed Brothers

Brutus takes Briggs down to start but gets hit in the face so hard that his mouthpiece comes out. A double slam puts Brutus down again and it’s Jensen coming in to work on an armbar. Brutus takes Jensen into the corner though and it’s off to Julius coming in to wrestle down. A chinlock sets up a spinebuster to plant Briggs and Brutus suplexes Julius onto him for a crash. Briggs fights up and drives Julius into the corner so the hot tag can brings in Jensen. The chokeslam gets two on Brutus with Julius making the save. Everything breaks down and Jensen is fed into a torture rack slam. Julius’ sliding lariat finishes Jensen at 5:42.

Rating: C. These are two of the teams who have been established over the last few months and the better one moves on in the tournament. That’s about all you could ask for and now the Brothers are probably the favorites to win the tournament. Granted they won’t, but at least they have started moving forward.

Dante Chen (he’s still from Singapore) is back and ready. His father has passed away since we last saw him around here and it is motivating him even more.

Imperium, through subtitles, is ready to dominate.

Dante Chen vs. Guru Raaj

They show some respect to start and head outside….where Duke Hudson jumps both of them for the double DQ at 58 seconds.

Hudson beats Chen up and says stay out of his way.

Joe Gacy says he and Harland could be in the tournament but Harland lost his temper. Cue Odyssey Jones, on crutches, to say that’s nonsense. Gacy thanks him for his feedback and opens the door so Jones can walk through it. Gacy wants Harland to think about things.

Bron Breakker knows everyone, including a great performer like Santos Escobar is coming for him. Elektra Lopez comes up to praise Breakker but he isn’t buying it. Escobar comes in to say Breakker isn’t ready for this level. He’s coming for the title so Breakker is ready to fight, only to have Escobar back off.

It’s time for Tony D’Angelo to present the Pete Dunne Memorial Service. Dunne needed to be taught a lesson and that was done by any means necessary. It’s a closed casket service, because no one wants to see Dunner after he took a crowbar to the face. D’Angelo is on to bigger and better things though, like the North American Title.

As luck would have it, Carmelo Hayes and Trick Williams pop up on the balcony, saying don’t say that. D’Angelo threatens them with members of the family, but Williams says they know all about them, like Ben & Jerry, Larry, Curly and Mo. Not that it matters, as they all look like Vic Joseph.

Violence is threatened but here is Cameron Grimes to say D’Angelo is going to have to go to the back of the line. He challenged Hayes last week, but all he got back was a call from Orlando Car Rentals. Hayes and Williams insist that it’s THEIR car and not a rental. Hayes says Grimes and D’Angelo can fight for the title shot (maybe) so D’Angelo jumps him, only to get Dunne’s portrait smashed over his head.

Brooks Jensen and Josh Briggs say they’ll be ok but here are Kacy Catanzaro and Kayden Carter to say they all need to go out for some drinks. Wendi Choo is on top of the lockers, saying the guys like them. Briggs starts babbling and hints that he likes Jensen more, sending the girls off on their own. Choo might be the stupidest thing I’ve ever seen in wrestling.

Video on Valentina Feroz/Yulisa Leon. Feroz has a martial arts background and Feroz won weightlifting championships.

Leon and Feroz are ready to win but Dakota Kai comes in to say success ruins friendships. The team isn’t impressed and walks away.

Kay Lee Ray vs. Ivy Nile

Nile rolls her up to start and grabs a quickly broken top wristlock. Nile takes her down again and grabs a headscissors, with Ray not being able to power out. Some spinning does get her out though and it’s a gordbuster to drop Nile again. Back up and Nile wraps her leg around Ray’s head, setting up a DDT (that’s a new one). Ray fights up again but here is Mandy Rose for a distraction, allowing Nile to counter the KLR Bomb into a rollup for the pin at 4:24.

Rating: C. I can go for Nile getting a win but Ray losing isn’t the best sign. It’s bad enough that she is going to have to tone it way down for the sake of Mandy Rose, but she has to lose too? Ray is someone else who seems like she could be moved up to the main roster almost immediately, but it would be nice if she could do something down here first.

Post match the fight is on, with the rest of Toxic Attraction coming in to take Ray out. Persia Pirotta and Indi Hartwell run in for the save and take out the champs, with Ray getting up for a superkick of her own.

Harland has attacked Odyssey Jones.

Sarray talks about how her first year here wasn’t great, but now she has found a necklace her grandmother gave her. Now she is ready to return better than ever. This is the second person in an hour making a return after being inspired by something involving a family member.

Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic First Round: Malik Blade/Edris Enofe vs. Legado del Fantasma

The rest of Legado is here too. Blade takes Wilde does to start and Enofe hits a standing moonsault for two. A headlock has Wilde in trouble but Mendoza comes in off a blind tag and it’s a double spinebuster to put Enofe down. The double teaming continues but Enofe gets over for the tag to Blade. Santos Escobar grabs a leg and gets ejected, with Bron Breakker coming in to carry him off. The distraction lets Blade grab a rollup for the fluke pin at 3:14.

Rating: C-. That is your second match in a row to end with a distraction rollup as NXT continues to feel more and more like the main roster shows from a few years back. I can go for the surprise, though it wasn’t quite shocking after what Legado was saying earlier. They telegraphed this fairly badly, but at least they are giving someone else a little something.

Malcolm Bivens says Roderick Strong is ready for Walter. The mat isn’t sacred, but rather a way to make them money, so they can get the deluxe apartment in the sky. Dang it now the theme song is going to be stuck in my head.

Solo Sikoa is mad at Boa for burning him with a fireball and revenge is promised.

Dakota Kai vs. Yulisa Leon

Valentina Feroz is here with Leon. Kai knocks her into the corner and hammers on Leon, setting up the running kick to the face for one. They head outside where a Feroz distraction lets Leon take over with clotheslines and a gutwrench suplex. A tabletop suplex gets two on Kai but she’s back up with a kick to the face for the pin at 4:03.

Rating: C-. Build people up, have them lose an hour later. That’s how things work in WWE and I can’t say I’m even a bit surprised these days. Kai needed to be rebuilt a bit here so at least the win makes sense, but maybe they shouldn’t have tried to turn Leon and Feroz into a thing earlier in the same show.

Post match Kai goes after Feroz but Leon makes the save.

Raquel Gonzalez is ready to move on but Cora Jade comes up to offer an alliance. Gonzalez is good though and leaves.

Malik Blade and Edris Enofe are fired up over their win. Bron Breakker comes in to say good job and go win that cup.

Here’s what’s coming next week, including a musical performance.

Walter vs. Roderick Strong

Feeling out process to start with Walter taking him down by the arm. Back up and Walter misses a chop, allowing Strong’s chop….to be easily blocked. Now the real chop can connect to knock Strong silly and a big boot makes it even worse. Walter grabs Bivens but gets his leg taken out, allowing Strong to hits a baseball slide through the ropes. That earns him a belly to back drop onto the apron and we take a break.

Back with Walter running him over but getting caught in the ropes so Strong can hit his running shots to the face. Walter knocks him down but gets caught on top, meaning it’s a top rope superplex for two. They strike it out with Strong getting the better of things, only to get blasts with a clothesline. Walter powers out of a double underhook and hits a kind of Beach Break. The powerbomb plants Strong for the pin at 12:16.

Rating: B. I’m as shocked as you are that these two had the match of the night by a few miles. These two beat each other up until Walter got a win over one of the bigger names remaining around here. I don’t know what Walter is going to do around here and it would be nice (in theory) to see him on the main roster, but for now I’ll take him stealing the show whenever he is around.

Post match Walter declares himself the winner, drawing in Imperium for the beatdown. The Creed Brothers come in and it’s a big brawl to end the show. Sweet goodness I don’t remember the last time I saw one of those on a WWE show but well done.

Overall Rating: C. This show had to be saved by Walter, as he and Strong were the only things that you needed to see on here. The rest of the show felt like a bunch of leftover ideas from Raw and that shouldn’t be a surprise given who is now in charge. Now it’s bad booking tropes with developmental wrestlers, making this quite the weak show to watch at times. Just be glad for Walter before they screw him up too.

Results
Grayson Waller b. Dexter Lumis – Stunner
Creed Brothers b. Josh Briggs/Brooks Jensen – Sliding lariat to Jensen
Dante Chen vs. Guru Raaj went to a double DQ when Duke Hudson interfered
Ivy Nile b. Kay Lee Ray – Rollup
Edris Enofe/Malik Blade b. Legado de Fantasma – Rollup to Wilde
Dakota Kai b. Yulisa Leon – Running boot to the face
Walter b. Roderick Strong – Powerbomb

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

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AND

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NXT
Date: January 11, 2022
Location: Capitol Wrestling Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Vic Joseph, Wade Barrett

We’re officially in a new era, as Bron Breakker won the NXT Title last week at New Year’s Evil. That is the kind of change you do not see take place very often and now we get to see what happens with Breakker as the star of the show. We should be in for some good stuff, which is long overdue around here. Let’s get to it.

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

We open with a recap of Bron Breakker winning the NXT Title.

Here is Breakker to get things going. The title looks good around his waist but the fans are split on whether or not he deserves it. Breakker thanks Tommaso Ciampa for being a great champion and a respectable human being. Last week, Ciampa told him it was his time and went over to shake his father’s hand.

We don’t have any days off around here though so if anyone wants some, come get it. Just remember that if you come in to train, he’s already trained. If you’re watching film, he’s already done it, because he’s the freaking NXT Champion. Breakker goes to leave but Santos Escobar comes out for his match, giving us a quick staredown. Breakker sounded like a Steiner here and that is a good thing.

Santos Escobar vs. Xyon Quinn

Elektra Lopez is going to leave with the winner. Quinn jumps him to start as Lopez is watching from the balcony. Some shoulders in the corner keep Escobar in trouble as this is one sided so far. There’s a toss into the corner to send Escobar flying and we take a break. Back with Lopez at ringside and Escobar working on an ankle lock.

Escobar hits a running dropkick to the knee in the corner, setting up an enziguri. Quinn is right back with another toss, but Legado offers a distraction so Escobar can dump him over the top. A posting is loaded up but Lopez offers a distraction to break it up. Quinn throws Escobar back inside and cuts off a dive with a right hand. That seems to please Lopez….who kicks Quinn low. Back in and the Phantom Driver finishes for Escobar at 10:37.

Rating: C+. While I don’t like Quinn losing again, I do like that they made a definitive decision about the story. If Escobar is going for the NXT Title next, this is a good way to go. That being said, Quinn is someone I’ve liked since he debuted and unfortunately it seems to be back to the drawing board for him. That is assuming there is a drawing board to be found around here.

Tony D’Angelo is ready to break Pete Dunne with the crowbar because tonight, he is in charge.

We look at Grayson Waller interfering in AJ Styles’ match on Raw but getting beaten up anyway.

Video on Cameron Grimes.

Mandy Rose is doing a photo shoot by her pool and brags about retaining her Women’s Title. She makes the title hot and wants you to keep staring, which she knows you’ll do.

Cameron Grimes vs. Damon Kemp

Kemp is better known as Bobby Steveson. Grimes takes him down for an early two and the armbar comes on. Cue Malcolm Bivens to watch from the stage as Kemp comes back with a belly to belly. The chinlock goes on but Grimes fights up with the clotheslines. A running shot in the corner drops Kemp again and it’s the Cave In for the pin at 2:20. Kemp got a bit in here before losing.

Joe Gacy and Harland are happy to be involved in the Dusty Classic Play In match. It doesn’t matter what you look like, but Edris Enofe/Malik Blade are going to be in a safe space.

We look back at Von Wagner attacking Andre Chase and some fans last week. Wagner has been fined and suspended.

Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic Play In: Malik Blade/Edris Enofe vs. Harland/Joe Gacy

Gacy drives Enofe into the corner to start and of course gets a clean break. Enofe gets elbowed in the face and it’s a swinging Rock Bottom to give Gacy two. Blade comes in for a dropkick and an armdrag into an armbar. Some double teaming keeps Gacy in trouble but Enofe missed a Stinger Splash, allowing the tag to Harland. Blade is driven face first into the corner and a bunch of rams into the buckle are enough to DQ Harland at 3:15.

Rating: D+. I’m sure this is going to lead to Gacy giving some speech about understanding and that is the important part, as Blade and Enofe are likely to be little more than cannon fodder in the tournament. Gacy and Harland isn’t exactly inspiring stuff, but they seem to be here to stay. It still isn’t great to see Harland in the ring because he is such a raw rookie, but that’s kind of the point of NXT these days.

Imperium is here to teach integrity, discipline and honor. Americans will not understand that, because Imperium only cares about working harder.

Pete Dunne vs. Tony D’Angelo

Crowbar on a pole match because reasons. D’Angelo goes for the crowbar to start and gets taken down into an armbar for his efforts. A stomp to the head sets up a front facelock and another stomp to D’Angelo’s head. D’Angelo cuts off a climb attempt and snaps off a t-bone suplex. They both go to the corner, where Dunne stomps on his head but can’t get the crowbar down. Instead D’Angelo hits a Falcon Arrow and we take a break.

Back with Dunne hitting a Regal Cutter and stomping on the arm twice in a row. It’s still too early for the crowbar though as D’Angelo hits a flipping German suplex. D’Angelo gets the crowbar and misses some shots, allowing Dunne to get the crowbar and miss some shots. They fight outside with Dunn saving himself from another hand smash. An enziguri rocks D’Angelo but he’s right back with a crowbar swinging neckbreaker.

D’Angelo stomps on the hand, which wakes Dunne up enough to kick him in the head a few times. Dunne flips out of a German suplex and grabs an STF with the crowbar in the mouth. D’Angelo manages to swing it back into Dunne’s face though and it’s time to grab a chair. That’s taken away though and Dunne grabs the fingers. D’Angelo grabs the crowbar though and they forearm it out. Dunne is send into the corner and a crowbar to the face gives D’Angelo the pin at 13:17.

Rating: C. That was a crowbar on a pole match alright. They both went for the crowbar, one of them got it, and then one of them hit the other with it for the win. It’s still hard to fathom Dunne, who was NXT UK Champion for such a long time, losing to someone like D’Angelo, but the past has pretty much been forgotten around here. D’Angelo is completely fine in the ring, but the campy gimmick is too much to get around.

Grayson Waller is happy with his social media exploding and promises another Grayson Waller moment tonight.

Toxic Attraction video.

Persia Pirotta/Indi Hartwell/Wendy Choo vs. Amari Miller/Kacy Catanzaro/Kayden Carter

Choo is in pajamas and has a pillow, while Carter and Catanzaro dance through the crowd, joining the also dancing Miller on the stage. The bell rings and Choo is already asleep in the corner. Miller kicks Indi in the ribs and dives onto Pirotta on the floor as Kayden tags herself in. She dives out onto Indi and Kacy adds a corkscrew flip dive. Back in and Carter gets kicked down, allowing the tag to Choo, who snaps off kicks and a belly to belly suplex. There’s a t-bone suplex to drop Miller as everything breaks down. Pirotta hits her sitout TKO on Miller, setting up Pretty Savage to give Hartwell the pin at 3:38. Choo is asleep again.

Rating: C-. Good action, but it’s another match that had the wacky comedy thrown in because that is required around here. Choo has a one note character and there won’t be any explanation for why she sleeps all the time. She was impressive when she was in there, but “I like to sleep” might not have the deepest roots.

MSK finds the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic trophy and talk about some teams who could give them trouble. Dakota Kai comes in and says she wants it, and suggests that success divides friendship.

Solo Sikoa is ready for Boa.

Kay Lee Ray breaks up Toxic Attraction’s photo shoot (without Toxic Attraction being around) with her baseball bat. They can to photo shoots but not defend the title? That’s not cool.

Boa vs. Solo Sikoa

Boa kicks away to start but Sikoa is back with some strikes of his own. They head outside with Sikoa getting posted to put Boa in control. Back in and a suplex drops Sikoa to set up a chinlock, with Sikoa bleeding from the mouth. That’s broken up and they fight out to the floor, with Boa being sent into the steps. Boa sends him into the announcers’ table and it’s a double countout at 3:40.

Rating: C-. So yeah, now they’re protecting Boa, which is another deal that continues to elude me. Sikoa gets my attention and has the family connections, while Boa has been bouncing around with a few different things with none of them clicking yet. Hopefully Sikoa wins the rematch, but I wouldn’t bet on it just yet.

AJ Styles is ready to end the Grayson Waller era because he’s happy the Georgia Bulldogs won the National Title last night.

We look at Carmelo Hayes unifying the Cruiserweight and North American titles last week.

Carmelo Hayes and Trick Williams arrive, telling security to keep the car here because they’ll be right back.

Boa and Sikoa are still brawling in the back, with Sikoa getting fireballed in the face again. Now Boa’s face is magically painted.

Von Wagner’s fine has been paid and his suspension has been lifted.

Here are Trick Williams and Carmelo Hayes for a chat. Williams wants the fans to pay some respect to Hayes because they go together like various things that go well together. They pay a quick tribute to Roderick Strong’s Cruiserweight Title and promise nothing but first downs and touchdowns going forward. Hayes is the walking cheat code and you can call the title whatever you want. As long as it is around his waist, it is the A title. Cue AJ Styles for the main event and we get the quick staredown with Hayes. As usual, Hayes sounds pretty confident on the mic.

Post break, Hayes and Williams go to their car, but Cameron Grimes has the keys. Normally he would have taken the car, but now he would rather take the gold.

AJ Styles vs. Grayson Waller

AJ drives him into the corner to start before grabbing a headlock. With that broken up, AJ kicks away at the leg before hitting a backbreaker. The big jumping knee connects for two but Waller sends him into the middle buckle. That doesn’t seem to matter as AJ snaps off a dropkick to send Waller outside. The dive is loaded up but Waller trips AJ face first onto the apron. Waller hits a heck of a clothesline and we take a break.

Back with AJ hitting the Phenomenal Blitz to put Waller back in trouble, setting up the seated Phenomenal Forearm. The Styles Clash is broken up so Waller sends him to the floor for the slingshot forearm. Back in and Waller hits a shot to the face, setting up a middle rope elbow for two. Styles grabs the Calf Crusher but Waller is right over to the ropes. A powerbomb and the flipping Stunner give Waller two each but Styles slips out of a superplex attempt. Styles plants him with a brainbuster, setting up the Phenomenal Forearm for the pin at 14:17.

Rating: B-. Barring some shenanigans, this was about all they could have done. You don’t have many options other than having Styles win, as Waller isn’t going to beat a former multiple time World Champion. The good thing is that there isn’t any shame in Waller losing and he can continue to be the biggest pest on the show. Good match, but were you expecting anything else with Styles involved?

Post match, Styles says Waller is good but not Phenomenal. This isn’t over yet though, and AJ wants to introduce him to one of his friends. Cue LA Knight and the big beatdown is on, with Waller being cleared out. Styles and Knight pose to end the show.

Overall Rating: C. Much like NXT tends to be, there was a good show in here which was dragged down by some bad ideas. Most of those involve bad characters, which was the case with D’Angelo, Choo and Boa. Toxic Attraction isn’t much better, but they aren’t exactly hiding why the team is pushed to the moon. The action was mostly good, and if you can get rid of some of the terrible stuff, you have a good show. I don’t see that happening anytime soon, especially now that Bruce Prichard is in charge, but at least there are some good pieces there.

Results
Santos Escobar b. Xyon Quinn – Phantom Driver
Cameron Grimes b. Damon Kemp – Cave In
Malik Blade/Edris Enofe b. Harland/Joe Gacy via DQ when Harland attacked in the corner
Tony D’Angelo b. Pete Dunne – Crowbar to the face
Persia Pirotta/Indi Hartwell/Wendy Choo b. Kacy Catanzaro/Kayden Carter/Amari Miller – Pretty Savage to Miller
Solo Sikoa vs. Boa went to a double countout
AJ Styles b. Grayson Waller – Phenomenal Forearm

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

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

AND

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

NXT
Date: December 21, 2021
Location: Capitol Wrestling Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Wade Barrett, Vic Joseph

We’re coming up on the end of the year and that means New Year’s Evil is on the way soon. That means we will be seeing Bron Breakker vs. Tommaso Ciampa for the NXT Title. The match seemed to be set up last week and now we should be ready for the showdown pretty soon. Oh and AJ Styles is here too so let’s get to it.

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

Here is NXT Champion Tommaso Ciampa to get things going. He knows that the title means that people are coming for you and that includes Bron Breakker. Last week he laid Breakker out and now it is time for Breakker to come out here and do something about it. Cue Breakker, but Ciampa cuts him off, saying Breakker is getting another shot when most people never get one.

At Halloween Havoc, Ciampa showed the flaws in Breakker, who is not ready to be a champion around here. He won’t be like Sami Zayn, Samoa Joe, Shinsuke Nakamura, Finn Balor or Tommaso Ciampa. All it took was one mistake for Breakker to lose, so now he knows what is coming at New Year’s Evil. Then he’ll win the title and take it home to his family, where everyone can bark about how happy they are. Ciampa slaps him in the face and gets lifted in the air, only to be sat back down. Breakker says the blood is in the water and the shark is coming for him.

Grayson Waller says he has no respect towards AJ Styles, but he’s hanging on like Johnny Gargano. Styles has been around for years and has money, so get a hair cut! His hair looks the same as Waller’s mom’s!

Raquel Gonzalez and Dakota Kai start their street fight backstage. Gonzalez doesn’t like Kai trying to jump her from behind so they throw each other into various things. Kai’s ribs are crushed with a big piece of metal grating and Gonzalez hits her with a bunch of things. An anvil case doesn’t work though and Kai gets in some trashcan shots. With Gonzalez down, Kai sets up a table but takes too much time and gets taken down by a metal cart. They fight out into the parking lot and we take a break. Back with the fight at ringside and the bell has officially rung.

Raquel Gonzalez vs. Dakota Kai

Street fight and we start with Kai taking the top of the announcers’ table to the face. Kai gets in a shot of her own though and it’s time for a table, because we can’t go through a fight without one. They get inside, where Kai is dropped onto a chair. A charge is reversed into a powerbomb, which is reversed into a hurricanrana to the floor. Kai puts Gonzalez in a trashcan and double stomps her from the apron for the big crash. Gonzalez is fine enough to hit a powerbomb onto the steps, with the fans wanting one more. Instead they head back inside with Gonzalez powerbombing her onto the trashcan for the pin at 5:44 shown.

Rating: B-. This is a tricky one as the match itself wasn’t much, but the whole thing went for the better part of fifteen minutes. They beat each other up rather well, though I’m a good bit burned out on these fights and brawls. The story calls for it well enough, but we just had a No Holds Barred match last week. Space these things out a bit.

Post match, Gonzalez calls out Mandy Rose for her title match right now.

After a break, Tony D’Angelo talks about taking Pete Dunne’s mouthpiece at WarGames. He’ll see Dunne tonight.

Back in the ring, Gonzalez is still calling out Rose but gets Cora Jade instead. Jade wants to face Rose too but that isn’t going to happen with the title on the line. Gonzalez is ready to take Jade out for the title match if she has to, but Rose pops up on screen. She’ll put the title on the line in a triple threat at New Year’s Evil, but for now, enjoy your beating. Cue Toxic Attraction to lay out Gonzalez and Jade, with Gonzalez being sent through the table in the corner.

Joe Gacy and Harland want to apologize for nearly killing Brian Kendrick last week. They can’t apologize though, because Kendrick triggered Harland by calling him a freak.

The Grizzled Young Veterans aren’t scared of the Creed Brothers, no matter how many awesome training videos they post.

Persia Pirotta tells Indi Hartwell that their match has been canceled. Grayson Waller comes in to mock them and say he isn’t worried about AJ Styles being here tonight. He already got rid of Johnny Gargano.

Creed Brothers vs. Grizzled Young Veterans

Gibson jumps over Julius to start and gets dropped into an armdrag. It’s off to Brutus, who gets slammed onto Gibson to keep him in trouble. Back up and Gibson is sent into the corner, where Drake breaks off the impact. That means Brutus can get caught in the wrong corner so the Veterans can take turns getting in some cheap shots to take over. Brutus gets kicked in the back and knocked outside, setting up the backbreaker/elbow to the chest combination.

Hold on though as here is Jacket Time with their own announcers’ table. We take a break and come back with Jacket offering Japanese commentary as Drake chinlocks Brutus. That’s broken up and Brutus gets over to Julius for the hot tag. House is cleaned in a hurry and everyone heads outside. They try to put each other through Jacket Time’s table but a big brawl breaks out for the no contest at 10:41.

Rating: C-. They were having a match but there was too much stuff going on and it all seems to be setting up a big multi team match soon. Maybe they can even make it a ladder match, as we haven’t had one in a few weeks. Anyway, you can only do so much with a match focusing on extra commentary and then a big messy finish, which was certainly the problem here.

Post match the brawl continues, with Brooks Jensen and Josh Briggs joining in.

Trick Williams and Carmelo Hayes are ready for Dexter Lumis, who pops up on a screen to scare them.

Io Shirai and Zoey Stark are working on rehabbing Stark’s knee. Legado del Fantasma comes in but the women aren’t scared.

Trick Williams vs. Dexter Lumis

Carmelo Hayes is here and Roderick Strong is watching from the balcony too. Lumis isn’t playing this time and takes Williams down to hammer away at the head. The neck crank goes on but Williams fights up, only to get caught in the ring skirt. Lumis hits a superkick as Strong brawls Hayes to the back. The distraction lets Hayes get in a few slams and a chinlock to keep Lumis down. Lumis fights up and hits a Russian legsweep, setting up the jumping legdrop. Williams grabs his shoe but gets taken into the Silence to give Lumis the win at 5:37.

Rating: C-. This is a feud that just keeps going with Lumis continuing to not be the most inspiring guy in the world. Hayes and Williams haven’t been able to do much to him but Hayes is more worried about Strong anyway. Another match that wasn’t too bad, but the story isn’t interesting enough to make up for the just ok action.

Post match here is Grayson Waller to chair Lumis down but we cut to AJ Styles arriving.

Video on Pete Dunne.

Back in the ring, Grayson Waller promises to say you’re welcome when he gets inducted into the Hall of Fame. Cue AJ Styles, who isn’t all that impressed. Styles has heard about the things Waller has been doing but doesn’t think much of him. Waller thinks AJ is here because he lost his meal ticket and needs something to make up for it.

AJ laughs it off and talks about how much Waller rips him off, even down to the gloves. There is talent in NXT, but the jury is still out on Waller, who would rather look good than be a star. Waller says he has gotten a Hall of Famer down here so AJ is ready to fight. Waller has had a good few weeks, but try having a good twenty years. Waller teases fighting but walks away instead, saying Omos can beat up Styles first.

Diamond Mine issues the challenge: Carmelo Hayes vs. Roderick Strong, title for title.

We recap Riddle as MSK’s shaman.

Riddle gives MSK Randy Orton hats and wants them to challenge Imperium next week, with him in their corner. They they all get hit by cars. MSK wakes up and it was all a dream, but they still have their hats. Then Riddle gets off a bus and they’re still calling out Imperium next week.

Von Wagner vs. Edris Enofe

Robert Stone comes out to watch as Wagner cleans house to start. Enofe gets punched down but comes back with a sunset flip for the upset pin at 57 seconds.

Post match Wagner destroys Enofe.

Imperium is ready for MSK.

Xyon Quin is still following Legado del Fantasma.

NXT has been doing stuff with children’s charities.

Io Shirai vs. Elektra Lopez

Lopez powers her into the corner to start and gets a takedown, followed by a hard spinebuster. The chinlock doesn’t last long as Shirai fights up and kicks Lopez down. There’s a missile dropkick to send Lopez into the corner for the running knees. The moonsault is broken up to put them both down but here is Xyon Quin to go after Legado del Fantasma. He pulls out some mistletoe and gets on the apron, which gets Lopez’s attention. Santos Escobar breaks that up though, allowing Shirai to knock Lopez down and hit the moonsault for the pin at 4:04.

Rating: C. The Quin/Lopez deal continues and I’m not sure where it is going. That’s a good feeling to have and it is one of the few occasions where it applies around here. Shirai didn’t quite struggle here, but she isn’t quite the ace that she used to be. At least she won here though and we have something for Lopez going forward.

Carmelo Hayes is in for the title vs. title match.

Brian Kendrick says he’s coming back to the ring to face Harland next week.

Pete Dunne vs. Tony D’Angelo

Dunne takes him down early but misses the stomp to the arm. Back up and they run the ropes until D’Angelo grabs something like a release t-bone suplex, with Dunne landing HARD on his head. Another suplex drops Dunne again but he escapes a third one to knock D’Angelo outside.

We take a break and come back with D’Angelo stomping away even more. Dunne grabs the hand to set up a triangle but gets suplexes down again. Dunne is suplexed into the corner but manages to avoid a charge. Some running shots to the face give Dunne two and it’s time to slug it out.

A big kick to the head gives Dunne two but the X Plex is countered into a Falcon Arrow. With that not working, D’Angelo grabs his crowbar but gets pulled down into an armbar. Dunne is sent into the corner for the counter and loads up the fisherman’s neckbreaker, only to have Dunne go for the fingers. The Bitter End finishes D’Angelo at 12:47.

Rating: C+. Those suplexes are going to be the memorable part here as D’Angelo needs to work on not dropping people on their heads. They were terrifying and there is no need to have Dunne bouncing onto his head like that, and certainly not multiple times. I’m also glad that Dunne won, as the youth movement can only get you so far and D’Angelo beating Dunne would have been too much to take.

Post match D’Angelo jumps Dunne again and breaks his hand with the crowbar to end the show.

Overall Rating: C. The wrestling was a bit better this week and Grayson Waller wasn’t quite as all over the show as he was before. They also beefed up the New Year’s Evil card and the show is looking good. It helps a lot to have a show to build towards and New Year’s Evil fills the role. There are still a lot of bad or just dumb things around here but at least the top of the card is starting to come together. Just fix some of those problems and this show jumps up in a hurry, but I wouldn’t bet on those happening anytime soon.

Results
Raquel Gonzalez b. Dakota Kai – Powerbomb onto a trashcan
Grizzled Young Veterans vs. Creed Brothers went to a no contest when both teams brawled with Jacket Time
Dexter Lumis b. Trick Williams – Silence
Edris Enofe b. Von Wagner – Sunset flip
Io Shirai b. Elektra Lopez – Moonsault
Pete Dunne b. Tony D’Angelo – Bitter End

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NXT
Date: December 14, 2021
Location: Capitol Wrestling Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Wade Barrett, Vic Joseph

It’s another new era as Johnny Gargano and Kyle O’Reilly are both gone, at least for the time being. That means we might be in for some new names, but ultimately that might not be the best thing. Some of the new generation has done well, but there are more than a few who haven’t been the most thrilling. Let’s get to it.

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

We open with a recap of Grayson Waller attacking Johnny Gargano to end last week’s show.

Waller arrives and gets booed by a bunch of fans, so he films a bit of the reaction.

We recap Cameron Grimes vs. Duke Hudson. Grimes has beaten Hudson in poker and a match, including cutting off some of Hudson’s hair. Tonight is the final fight, no holds barred.

Duke Hudson vs. Cameron Grimes

No holds barred so Grimes busts out the weapons before the bell. Hudson still has the blond wig, as held down by the headgear. The brawl starts on the floor, with Grimes getting in a few shots early on. Hudson has to fix the hair while fighting back, but Grimes slips out of a Razor’s Edge attempt on the floor. Back in and a chair is set up, with Hudson managing a Rock Bottom onto the edge (that was nasty) for two.

We take a break and come back with Grimes diving over a poker table to hit a high crossbody for another near fall. Hudson catches him on top though and counters the Cave In into a powerbomb through the poker table. The cover takes awhile because the shoulders aren’t on the mat though and Grimes is up at two. The frustrated Hudson goes outside to grab the electric hair clippers but gets kicked in the face. Grimes hits the Cave In through a chair for the pin at 10:45.

Rating: C+. I’m glad they got to the point with this as the feud was more or less done once Grimes cut Hudson’s hair. Grimes has done everything he can to Hudson at this point so let them both move on. It’s good to see Grimes pick up another feud and hopefully he gets to move on to a higher level.

Post match, Grimes de-wigs Hudson to reveal the bald head.

Cora Jade is medically cleared but here is Dakota Kai to say that this is what “she” does. Maybe “they” can get together and win the Dusty Cup! Jade is ready to beat Kai tonight instead. I’m not sure who Kai meant but it almost sounded like the interviewer.

Brooks Jensen and Josh Briggs are getting to go to a country concert with Kacy Catanzaro and Kayden Carter. The band isn’t actually mentioned, but the culture clash seems to be a bit of an issue. Carter and Catanzaro wind up dancing with each other.

Here is Grayson Waller for his big talk after attacking Johnny Gargano. Waller is very proud of what happened last week and we see some footage from his own phone of the chaos, including Vic Joseph looking rather annoyed. After he took out Gargano, he spent some time partying with the biggest celebrities in the world. What did the people here do? Spend the weekend yelling about him online!

We see some tweets, including from Wade Barrett, who calls Waller a “POS”, but Barrett might like him anyway. Waller doesn’t care what Barrett thinks because it isn’t 2010. He does find it interesting that Vic Joseph got so mad but didn’t do anything, which has Joseph looking mad. Waller says the only thing he needs to bet on is himself to wrap it up. This was pretty generic at best and I’m not sure if Waller has the level of heat NXT thinks/hopes he does.

We recap Riddle being revealed as MSK’s Shaman.

It’s time for Lashing Out with Lash Legend, with Jacket Time as this week’s guests. We pause for Mei Ying to walk by with her pillow until Legend can talk about how nice the two of them dress. Legend asks about the Grizzled Young Veterans so Ikemen Jiro goes into a rant about the Veterans, albeit with subtitles. That’s all the time we have, making this the least annoying edition yet, mainly because Legend barely talked. As usual though, these segments feel more like the comic relief stuff (especially Ying) and they are such a detour from everything else.

Amari Miller vs. Ivy Nile

Nile throws her down to start and then chokes away in the corner. Miller comes back with some rollups for two each and hits a dropkick. A spinwheel kick misses though and Nile spinebusters her down. The neck crank finishes Miller at 3:40.

Rating: C-. Miller continues to be someone they see something in and that is not a bad thing. She has a great smile and a lot of charisma so if she can back it up with the rest, she’ll be fine. Nile seems like she has all of the basic tools, but she is going to need to show she can do things in some longer matches.

Xyon Quinn knows how Elektra Lopez plays now so the game is continuing. Quinn leaves so here is Robert Stone to say it’s time for him to be taken seriously. Now it’s Von Wagner coming in to say if people has a problem, come say it to his face. Who knew he was an Alex Riley fan?

Riddle has a magic sack and pulls out presents for MSK: a baseball bat, a traffic cone and the John Cena spinner US Title belt. Riddle says these things are holding them down, so it’s time to learn to let it go and become the best again. Then Riddle pulls out a scooter, which is the key to clearing your mind.

Harland vs. Guru Raaj

Joe Gacy (with a peppier song about being yours) is here with Harland. Raaj is sent face first into the mat to start and some elbows to the face keep him in trouble. A belly to back slam finishes Raaj at 1:06.

Post match, Harland beats Raaj up again but Gacy calms him down so they can leave.

LA Knight arrives in his nice car and says he doesn’t want to hear about Grayson Waller after he hit one cool move (with help) at WarGames. It’s not Knight’s fault that some fine woman was feeling him last week and he’ll smack Waller around when he sees him.

Security is trying to get rid of Harland, so he throws Brian Kendrick (an agent) down the steps.

Dakota Kai vs. Cora Jade

Mandy Rose is on commentary. They fight the corner to start, with Jade’s bad shoulder being sent into the buckle. Kai works on the armbar but misses the running boot in the corner, as Rose tries to figure out why Jade rides a skateboard (Rose: “This isn’t a park.”). A Rock Bottom backbreaker gives Kai two, followed by a swinging reverse DDT for the same. Back up and Jade grabs a very quick rollup for the pin at 6:28, leaving Rose stunned at the luck.

Rating: C-. This was mainly a squash until Jade survived in the end, which is rarely a good way to go. I’m not sure how far Jade is going to go around here but she does have some charisma to back it up. That being said, she might need more than being able to hold her shoulder to make something like this work long term.

Post match Kai lays Jade out again but Raquel Gonzalez runs in for the save. Cue Toxic Attraction for the distraction though, allowing Mandy to take Jade down by the arm again.

Tiffany Stratton tells Grayson Waller her daddy thinks he’s a bad person. Io Shirai comes up and yells at Waller a lot. Waller thinks Shirai likes him.

Raquel Gonzalez and Dakota Kai are fighting in the back.

Andre Chase vs. Tony D’Angelo

D’Angelo drives him into the corner to start and sends Chase face first into the corner. Chase might go to the eyes to escape and swears by his student section that he didn’t cheat. A neckbreaker gets two on D’Angelo and a Russian legsweep gets the same. We hit the chinlock, but D’Angelo fights up and sends him into the corner for the break. Chase’s sweater is pulled over his head for some shots to the ribs, setting up the fisherman’s neckbreaker to give D’Angelo the pin at 4:14.

Rating: C-. These are two of the gimmickiest wrestlers on the show right now and it felt like something out of a low level indy promotion. D’Angelo is still as over the top as you can get and Chase is….I’m really not sure what he is actually. He has some talent, but where is he supposed to go with this beyond the NXT midcard?

Post match, D’Angelo declares himself as the head of the class but here is Pete Dunne to interrupt. D’Angelo doesn’t think much of Dunne and goes after him, only to get his fingers snapped.

Grayson Waller comes into the locker room, where Bron Breakker tells him to get out. Others agree, so Waller says real stars have their own locker room anyway.

Brian Kendrick is being checked on and is in a neck brace.

Boa vs. Edris Enofe

Boa knocks him down to start and grabs a quick cobra clutch to keep Enofe in trouble. Some knees to the ribs set up a butterfly suplex for two. Boa grabs the chinlock but Enofe fights up and hits a dropkick. A fisherman’s suplex gets two on Boa but he grabs the Tongan Death Grip. Enofe is stunned and it’s a spinning kick to the head to give Boa the pin at 3:03.

Rating: D+. I’m still not sure what they see in Boa, but I don’t think it’s the greatest idea to have him beat a bunch of people with interesting vignettes (like he did to Draco Anthony a few weeks ago on 205 Live). The matches aren’t even that good (save for that awesome kick to the head) but the Boa train continues for some reason. At least stop having him beat people before they get the chance to establish themselves.

Raquel Gonzalez has to finish this with Dakota Kai and wants a street fight.

Grayson Waller steals LA Knight’s car, having taken Knight out. There was someone in the car with him but it wasn’t clear who.

Jacket Time vs. Grizzled Young Veterans

Kushida takes Drake down to start so Gibson is right there for a pep talk. The advice doesn’t work as Kushida takes him down and twist the arm around. Kushida finally gets knocked down so the double teaming can begin. That lasts all of a few seconds until Kushida strikes his way to freedom and brings in Jiro.

House is cleaned as everything breaks down, including the Hoverboard Lock to Gibson. That’s reversed into a suplex for two but Kushida fights out of Ticket To Ride. Cue the Creed Brothers, whose distraction allows Jacket Time to hit stereo dives. A Swanton/reverse DDT combination finishes Drake at 6:24.

Rating: C. This was much more of a formula tag match and that is a good idea for both of them. That being said, the tag division is pretty terrible right now and I’m not sure I can see it getting that much better. Above all else, the Veterans have gone from a team who could have been a big deal to whatever they are now, while Jacket Time feels like a gimmick that probably doesn’t have much of a shelf life as anything more than comedy.

Trick Williams and Carmelo Hayes run into Roderick Strong and don’t think much of him. Then they find a scary drawing from Dexter Lumis and panic a bit.

Cora Jade and Brian Kendrick have both been injured and could be out for awhile.

Bron Breakker vs. Roderick Strong

Non-title. Strong takes him down to start as Carmelo Hayes and Trick Williams are watching from the balcony. Breakker muscles Strong up to start into a suplex, setting up a nip up to show off. They head outside with Strong dropping him onto the announcers’ table as we take a break.

Back with Breakker fighting out of a front facelock but getting caught with a fireman’s carry gutbuster. Breakker isn’t having that and comes back with a powerslam, followed by the big running shoulders. Strong knocks him against the ropes though and hits the running forearms. The Angle Slam gets two and it’s a top rope superplex into a tiger bomb for two more on Breakker. That’s too far for Breakker, who counters a charge into something like a powerbomb. The gorilla press powerslam finishes for Breakker at 9:53.

Rating: B-. This is the kind of thing they should be doing with Breakker: putting him in the ring with a talented veteran who can show him a lot more of the ropes. Breakker has all of the star potential in the world, but he is desperately in need of experience. Having him out there for ten minutes with someone like Strong, who can walk him through a match, is a good idea and the kind of thing he should be doing three nights a week on the house show circuit. Strong’s Cruiserweight Title continues to mean nothing, but it’s not like it has had any value in the better part of ever.

Post match, Tommaso Ciampa comes in and gives Breakker the Willow’s Bell to end the show.

Overall Rating: C-. This was a weird show as it had some up and down action, but also some all over the place character stuff. The wrestling was better than not for most of the show, but some of the matches felt like they should have been held in front of coaches at the Performance Center rather than on national TV. It doesn’t help when a lot of these people are flat out not ready for this level but are here anyway because NXT can’t have house shows anymore. There are good wrestlers here, but some of them are glorified coaches/on the job trainers and it shows badly.

Then there is the character stuff, which is the Grayson Waller portion of the show. Waller was ALL OVER this show and I’m not sure what to think of that. On one hand, it is really nice to have an overarching story rather than a bunch of things that just happen. Almost everyone had some kind of an opinion on Waller and it made things more interesting as a result. That being said, it’s still Grayson Waller, who is about as generic of a cocky heel as you can get right now. I’ll take what I can get, but not by much.

Overall, the show feels like it is going in a bunch of directions at once, with a lot of people being shoved into spots they aren’t ready to be in yet. You can tell which wrestlers are veterans and which are long term projects, but it doesn’t make a difference when they’re on the same show. This is what happens when you completely gut your roster, because there is not enough talent on this show to fill two hours of prime time. It’s really jarring to go from a full roster to this in such a hurry, but that’s what NXT is now, and I guess it’s what WWE wants. I don’t know why, but it’s going to be a long road from here on out.

Results
Cameron Grimes b. Duke Hudson – Cave In through a chair
Ivy Nile b. Amari Miller – Neck crank
Harland b. Guru Raaj – Belly to back slam
Cora Jade b. Dakota Kai – Rollup
Tony D’Angelo b. Andre Chase – Fisherman’s neckbreaker
Boa b. Edris Enofe – Spinning kick to the head
Jacket Time b. Grizzled Young Veterans – Swanton Bomb/reverse DDT combination to Drake
Bron Breakker b. Roderick Strong – Gorilla press powerslam

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

We’re not at a Takeover, but we’re pretty much at a Takeover. It’s close enough to November so let’s have some WarGames matches, with the men and the women both getting a shot. Other than that, we have a hair vs. hair match, a Tag Team Title match, and a Cruiserweight Title match with only one cruiserweight. Let’s get to it.

The opening video looks at WarGames and now violent this is going to be.

Team Toxic Attraction vs. Team Raquel Gonzalez

Toxic Attraction: Mandy Rosa, Jacy Jayne, Gigi Dolin, Dakota Kai
Gonzalez: Raquel Gonzalez, Kay Lee Ray, Cora Jade, Io Shirai

We’re in the double cage with Kay Lee Ray and Dakota Kai starting. The first period is five minutes, the rest are three minutes, you can win by pinfall/submission once everyone is in, and Jade falls off of her skateboard on the way to the ring. Ray brings in a baseball bad so Kai brings in a bunch of kendo sticks. They stare each other down for awhile to start until Ray’s bat shot only hits rope.

The weapons are dropped and it’s Ray being knocked into the cage and then sent into said cage as well. They go into the other ring with Ray being sent into the corner but she catches Kai with an enziguri. Kai grabs the bat but Ray knocks it away and drops her onto the kendo sticks bridged across the ropes. The period ends and Cora Jade comes in, with skateboard, to make it 2-1.

It’s Kai getting beaten down and double teamed for a good while as Ray and Jade keep looking at Toxic Attraction. Kai manages to counter a double suplex into a double DDT though and it’s Dolin coming in to help take over. A bunch of kicks have Ray and Jade in trouble until they get in a trashcan for a breather. Kai is put in the trashcan and the KLR Bomb drives Dolin onto her for the big double crash. Io Shirai comes in to make it 3-2 and brings in a bunch of chairs.

The villains get in some shots of their own though and Shirai is sent into the cage. Ray starts fighting back though and faceplants Dolin before Jade hurricanranas (or something resembling one) Kai between the cages. Now it’s Jayne coming in to even it up with a table as this is really not very good so far. Ray gets a trashcan kicked into her to knock her through some tables but Jayne kicks Dolin by mistake. Shirai starts cleaning house and Jayne is laid out on a table.

Jade flip dives off the top of the cage to put Jayne through the table and seems to bang up her shoulder on the landing. Shirai has to pop Jade’s shoulder back into place as the match basically stops until Raquel Gonzalez completes her team. That means Kai’s shovel, but first it’s a fire extinguisher blast so Gonzalez can get in. Gonzalez puts Kai in the trashcan and swings it around to knock people down.

Hold on though as Gonzalez goes to check on Jade, allowing almost everyone else to get on one corner for a Tower of Doom. Shirai moonsaults onto a trashcan with Dolin inside and everyone is down until Mandy Rose comes in to complete the field. Rose comes in and goes over to Jade, grabbing her by the bad arm as she should.

That’s broken up by Shirai and we now get the required big showdown spot as the previous 25 minutes are erased (save for the arm injury). The big brawl is on with kendo stick shots making it worse. Jade is back up with some one armed kendo stick shots but Kai knocks her down. Toxic Attraction holds Jade in place for a running knee to the face from Mandy and a near fall. The rest of Team Gonzalez makes the save and it’s a Chingoa Bomb to Jayne. Everyone is down….and Jade pins Jayne at 31:25.

Rating: C-. This is a good example of the problems with NXT WarGames: the weapons dominated the match, they spent too much time in one ring, the majority of the match felt like it didn’t matter at the end, and then it just ended. This was a match that did not need to be WarGames and would have been much better suited as an elimination tag than anything else. That being said, this could have been WAY worse as it was much more just dull than actively bad. I was expecting a lot worse of a match and they absolutely had a story with Jade’s shoulder injury. Not great, but it didn’t go as far down as I was betting.

Video on Josh Briggs/Brooks Jensen. I believe this originally aired a few weeks ago.

Boa says you will fear him. I certainly fear him being on the show.

Team Black & Gold is ready to go to war, though Johnny Gargano thinks this might be his last time.

Tag Team Titles: Imperium vs. Kyle O’Reilly/Von Wagner

Imperium is defending and it’s Barthel and O’Reilly going to the mat to start. Aichner comes in to work on O’Reilly’s arm, setting up some chops in the corner. It’s off to Wagner for some headbutts in the corner before O’Reilly comes in to strike it out with Aichner again. Wagner comes back in to take Barthel into the corner until Barthel kicks his way to freedom. Aichner hits a Regal roll (to much approval from the crowd, likely due to the squat in the middle) on Wagner, who is right back with a clothesline to Barthel.

O’Reilly comes in and knocks Barthel outside before sending Aichner to the floor as well. Aichner is back in to slow down a tag attempt but a backdrop allows Wagner to come back in and clean house. Everything breaks down and O’Reilly knees Aichner off the apron. An Angle Slam gives Wagner two on Barthel but the champs are back up with double running dropkicks to Wagner in the corner. O’Reilly comes in with a top rope knee to Barthel’s knee but Aichner makes the save with a double springboard moonsault.

Wagner and Barthel head outside, leaving O’Reilly to guillotine Aichner. That’s powered up into a suplex, which O’Reilly reverses into a small package for two. Everything breaks down again and it’s a high/low for two on Barthel. Wagner and Barthel go outside again and O’Reilly brainbusters Aichner for two. The triangle choke has Aichner in more trouble but he powers O’Reilly up into the Imperial Bomb to retain the titles at 14:48.

Rating: B. This was a bit of a weird one as it didn’t feel like an important match but they beat the heck out of each other and worked very hard. I don’t think there is much of a future to O’Reilly/Wagner, but they put in the effort in what is probably one of their last matches together. They had me wondering on some of those near falls, but at the same time, the tag division has fallen so far that it’s just hard to care these days.

Post match O’Reilly gets the big THANK YOU chant….but Wagner charges at him, only to get kicked down by O’Reilly. Wagner gets beaten down and O’Reilly throws up the Undisputed Era pose, plus some crotch chops. Then O’Reilly just looks at him before leaving.

Legado del Fantasma is ready for Xyon Quinn.

Video on Ikemen Jiro.

We recap Duke Hudson vs. Cameron Grimes. Hudson isn’t happy that Grimes beat him in poker and then cut part of Grimes’ hair. Now Grimes wants Hudson’s hair, so the loser is bald.

Duke Hudson vs. Cameron Grimes

Hair vs. hair. It’s a brawl to start with Hudson throwing him over the top for the big crash onto the steps. Back in and Grimes charges into a release Rock Bottom out of the corner. Hudson hammers away on the mat before taking Grimes outside for a belly to belly. Back in and an abdominal stretch has Grimes in even more trouble as Hudson stays on the ribs.

There’s a backbreaker to stay on said back but Grimes fights up and sends him into the corner for a break. The flipping powerslam gives Grimes two and a sunset flip is good for the same. A poisonrana plants Hudson hard and a high crossbody gives Grimes two. Hudson loads up a Razor’s Edge but gets sent into the corner for the counter. Grimes grabs a rollup (with trunks) for the fast pin out of nowhere at 10:18.

Rating: C+. They were working while they had the chance here and it’s nice to see Grimes win another match with some stakes. Hudson is someone WWE seems to see something in so Grimes winning before he is crushed in some other way is a good way to go. I’m sure Grimes will get a huge push out of this, because things have gone so well for him in the past.

Post match Hudson tries to run but knocks Grimes out instead. Hudson teases shaving Grimes anyway but Grimes hits the Cave In (points for a good fake out) and shaves Hudson’s hair. Well at least a little bit of it before Hudson bails again.

Video on the Grizzled Young Veterans stealing a delivery driver’s food.

Video on Kacy Catanzaro/Kayden Carter.

Video on Draco Anthony.

New Year’s Evil is on January 4.

We recap Joe Gacy vs. Roderick Strong for the Cruiserweight Title. Gacy thinks the Cruiserweight Title is about weight shaming so Strong is defending the title against someone out of the weight class.

Cruiserweight Title: Joe Gacy vs. Roderick Strong

Strong, with the rest of the Diamond Mine, is defending, though Gacy has Harland with him. Gacy gets taken down to start but comes back with a running shoulder. A clothesline to the back of the head puts Strong down again but he sends Gacy to the apron and strikes away. Gacy loses his shirt, which seems to fuel his comeback, including a suplex for two on Strong.

Back up and Strong manages a super hurricanrana to set up the Boston crab. That’s broken up so Gacy takes Strong outside but has to tell Harland not to end Ivy Nile. A gutwrench powerbomb plants Strong for two but he is right back with a jumping knee to the face. End of Heartache retains the title at 8:28.

Rating: C. So that happened. The Cruiserweight Title has felt worthless for a long time now and in a way I was hoping that Gacy could win it here so they could just drop the thing and move on to something else. I’m not sure if the title is going to get to do anything, but I can’t have my hopes go much lower.

Another Ikemen Jiro video. This time, he’s eating pizza and ice cream. Then his stomach hurts so he runs to the bathroom, where various noises are heard. I would bet at least $14 that this was written for/by Vince McMahon.

Kyle O’Reilly wants Von Wagner in a cage on Tuesday.

We recap the men’s WarGames match. It’s old vs. new for the future of NXT, with Bron Breakker feeling like the breakout star.

Team Black & Gold vs. Team 2.0

Black & Gold: Johnny Gargano, LA Knight, Tommaso Ciampa, Pete Dunne
2.0: Carmelo Hayes, Bron Breakker, Tony D’Angelo, Grayson Waller

In the double cage, five minutes to start and then three minutes each, first fall wins once everyone is inside. Hayes starts with Gargano, who gets to come out to Rebel Heart and gets the big hero’s welcome as he is probably out of here. Gargano also seems to be wearing gear that is a huge mashup of all of his special Takeover trunks and boots for an awesome look. Feeling out process to start with Gargano trying a rather early One Final Beat.

That’s broken up so Gargano hits the slingshot spear to take him down instead. Hayes is sent into the cage over and over again, leaving Hayes down until Waller comes in to get the advantage. The double teaming is on, with Gargano’s nose being busted open somewhere in there. Trick Williams throws in a chair from the floor and hits Waller by mistake, but Gargano survives long enough for Dunne to come in and even things up. Stereo Crossfaces have 2.0 in trouble and Dunne/Gargano kick them in the face at the same time.

Hayes is back up to send Dunne into the other ring but gets knocked out of the air. D’Angelo is in to give the villains the lead again as Williams pulls out a bunch of weapons. It takes so long that Dexter Lumis has enough time to appear underneath the ring and come out to stalk Williams to the back. D’Angelo chains the door shut and the weapons have Black & Gold beaten down even more. LA Knight is in to tie it up but has to climb the cage to avoid the lock.

With that minor inconvenience out of the way, Knight climbs the cage and starts cleaning house with all kinds of weapons. Waller is put into the trashcan and beaten on with various things. Referees grab some boltcutters to get the totally effective chain off the door as the Black & Gold wait for Bron Breakker to get in. Breakker grabs the cutters and finishes breaking the chain (which took a long time), allowing him to come in and clean house. The numbers game take him down until the rest of 2.0 gets back up.

Ciampa finally comes back in and gets to even things up for good. We get the DIY reunion, complete with crutch, and the fans are certainly pleased to see it happen one more time. Gargano and Ciampa get to clean house on Breakker and D’Angelo, at least until Breakker plants Gargano onto Ciampa out of the corner. The beatdown leaves Black & Gold in the middle of the ring but they pull themselves up and charge at 2.0 to set up the big beatdown against the cage. 2.0 is sent through some tables and it’s a Tower of Doom to drop Hayes.

Knight’s bulldog driver gets two with D’Angelo making the save. Ciampa Air Raid Crashes Breakker off the middle rope and onto a trashcan for two and everyone is down again. Knight is laid on a table and Waller hits an elbow off the cage but Dunne make the save this time. Dunne destroys Hayes’ hand with a kendo stick but D’Angelo is up with a crowbar. A crowbar across the throat sets up a super swinging neckbreaker on Dunne for no cover, leaving Ciampa and Breakker to slug it out in the other ring.

Gargano saves Ciampa and there’s One Final Beat to drop Breakker as Ciampa hits Willow’s Bell on Waller. Meet In The Middle drops Breakker for two as Hayes pulls the referee. Hayes hits Gargano low but gets kneed by Ciampa, who is speared through a table by Breakker. The gorilla press powerslam finishes Ciampa at 37:32.

Rating: B-. It was a heck of a fight with some big spots, but like so many NXT WarGames matches, it went on too long and felt like it should have ended at least ten minutes earlier. Breakker winning was the right call and the DIY stuff was great, but ultimately this was a match that needed to be trimmed down. The classic WarGames matches barely broke twenty minutes as they got in their violence and then went to the big finish. This is a bunch of filler until they can do their weapons spots, which makes things feel far longer than they should. Still a positive result, but egads it was long.

Overall Rating: B. NXT is such a mixed bag these days, as you have people working very hard and good matches taking place, but at the same time you have some wrestlers who do not seem to have the brightest future. The show is far from some disaster or even that bad a lot of the time, but it is pretty hard to have been around for the great days of NXT and move on to things like Ikemen Jiro’s stomach issues and Toxic Attraction feeling like a Divas era tribute.

The talent was there and on display here, but what happens when the veterans are all gone because they don’t want to stick around and no one is left to help things? Odds are they’re losing Gargano and O’Reilly soon after this, so what’s left then? The show is still holding it together and as usual, things are better when they focus on wrestling, but the future isn’t exactly looking bright.

Results
Team Raquel Gonzalez b. Team Toxic Attraction – Rollup to Jayne
Imperium b. Kyle O’Reilly/Von Wagner – Imperial Bomb to O’Reilly
Cameron Grimes b. Duke Hudson – Rollup with trunks
Roderick Strong b. Joe Gacy – End of Heartache
Team 2.0 b. Team Black & Gold – Gorilla press powerslam to Ciampa

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Since it’s NXT 2.0, this is pretty much a Takeover without being a Takeover. We still have the double WarGames matches, which have been set up about as well as can be expected. I’m not sure how the whole thing is going to go, but we could be in for a heck of a fight. That being said, NXT’s expectations have more or less plummeted in recent months so I wouldn’t quite get my hopes up as much. Let’s get to it.

Cameron Grimes vs. Duke Hudson

I like Grimes a lot and Hudson is slowly growing on me, but what is working for this match is Grimes’ talking over the last few weeks. Grimes has been cutting some old fashioned wrestling promos about Hudson taking away his hair and beard, which apparently meant a lot to him. That’s the kind of thing that has worked in wrestling for the better part of ever and it worked again to set up this hair vs. hair match.

I’m not sure on this one, but I think I’ll take Grimes. If nothing else, we have already been through the “Grimes loses over and over” deal so having him do it again here would seem counterproductive. Let him get the win and send Hudson on to something else, as Grimes should be fine enough with just the trimmed hair. Getting rid of the caveman look was a big change, but if it gets him higher up on the card where he belongs, I’m all for it.

Cruiserweight Title: Roderick Strong(c) vs. Joe Gacy

So this is a Cruiserweight Title match with a non-cruiserweight because WWE has given up on the title (again). This will be Strong’s first defense of the title since September so the cruiserweight deal is either being dropped or…well what other option is there really? Gacy is claiming weight discrimination or fat shaming or something similar and gets a title shot as a result, because NXT 2.0.

Therefore, we’ll go with Gacy to win, as it is pretty clear that WWE has no interest in keeping the title on Strong. I’m hoping this leads to the title either being dropped completely or turned into some kind of TV Title, the latter of which would be unnecessary in NXT when the North American Title is around. There’s a good chance that the title is done for after Gacy holds it for a bit, so we’ll say he starts his reign here.

Tag Team Titles: Imperium(c) vs. Kyle O’Reilly/Von Wagner

I had to think for a second about who held the titles coming into this show and that is rarely a good sign. This seems to be more about O’Reilly and Wagner’s future than the titles and that does not bode well around here. O’Reilly and Wagner haven’t exactly done much to get much momentum going here and I don’t think I can see that changing in the near or far future.

Give me Imperium to retain here and that is about the only good choice they have here. Wagner and O’Reilly seem destined to lose and split up, with O’Reilly probably putting Wagner over on his way out, likely with an Undisputed Era reunion in his future. That gives us Wagner and Imperium as the real winners in NXT, because…egads because that’s really where we are these days.

Women’s WarGames

This is Toxic Attraction/Dakota Kai vs. an assortment of heroines, because when you think WarGames, you think of Mandy Rose and pals. As little need as there is for this to be a WarGames match, it might be better to have them do a bunch of spots with weapons than trying to have a long form regular match. Leave the big spots to Kai and Io Shirai/Kay Lee Ray and it should lower the risk for a horrific injury.

I’ll go with the villains winning here, as Toxic Attraction needs another big win and I fully expect Ray to embrace her inner villain and turn on the rest of the team. That being said, if she does, it is going to leave NXT rather heel heavy and I don’t know how good of an idea that would be. Toxic Attraction needs challengers, but I’m not sure if either of them are in this match. Therefore, we’ll go with the champs and Kai winning.

Men’s WarGames

This is old vs. new, which is about as good of an idea as NXT has right now and should make for a good WarGames match. As usual, this is going to be about seeing what kind of carnage Bron Breakker can wreck on the rest of the field, as this is the kind of match where he could thrive. There is a lot more talent and success on the old side though and that could make things interesting.

This is where the good guys win, as you have either Grayson Waller or Tony D’Angelo to take the fall for the villains. Breakker is going to wreck people and likely get the NXT Title before the end of the year, but at least he should have a good run in this match to get him there. I’m looking forward to this one, as the DIY reunion alone should be worth a look, but the good/old guys win here.

Overall Thoughts

On paper, this show doesn’t look bad. The problem is that for every good thing they have, there is something else on there that feels like some kind of a joke or a half thought out idea that doesn’t belong on a major show. I do like that they dropped the Takeover name and are just going with the name of the show, because that is the only reason to make this a special at the moment.

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NXT
Date: November 30, 2021
Location: Capitol Wrestling Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Vic Joseph, Beth Phoenix, Wade Barrett

It’s the go home show for WarGames and that means DOUBLE LADDER MATCHES!!! Yes we’ll be getting the third and fourth ladder matches in WWE in about five weeks, because there is no other way to determine control of WarGames. That stupid coin flip stuff is just too old fashioned you see. Let’s get to it.

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

The two women’s teams get in a fight on the way to the ring before the non-participants brawl to the back.

Kay Lee Ray vs. Dakota Kai

Ladder match and Ray rocks her with a superkick to start. They’re on the floor in a hurry with the ladder being pulled out and Kai getting superkicked again. Kai is back with a roll of the dice onto the steps for a breather. Another ladder is pulled out but Ray uses the distraction to cut her off. There’s a big suicide dive to send Kai into the announcers’ table and Ray drops her ribs first onto the ladder.

Back in and Kai sends her into the standing ladder, allowing her to choke away in the corner. Ray knocks her down again and goes up but gets kicked in the face. An Alberto double stomp to the apron rocks Ray again and we take a break. Back with Kai bending Ray’s leg around the rope, only to have Ray escape and KLR Bomb her onto the announcers’ table.

Back in and they climb the ladder with Kai taking Ray down for the big crash. Instead of grabbing the briefcase though, Kai hits another double stomp off the ladder for a scary crash. Ray is right back up and ties Kai in a Tree of Woe in the ladder. A superkick knocks Kai free so Ray can go up and win at 14:08.

Rating: B. These two beat the fire out of each other and it felt like the brutal match it needed to be. It felt like they were fighting for something valuable and it’s great to see Ray getting the chance to shine. Kai was more like her usual self here instead of being a few steps off, meaning the match was better as a result.

We recap Andre Chase and Cameron Grimes getting on each others’ nerves.

The Grizzled Young Veterans try to rob a locker but Ikemen Jiro distracts them. Josh Briggs and Brooks Jensen come up to scare them off. The fact that WWE thinks the Veterans need some kind of wacky gimmick tells you a lot about where they are at the moment.

Cameron Grimes vs. Andre Chase

Chase goes after him to start but Grimes fights back without much effort. Grimes runs him over, misses something off the top, and hits the Cave In for the fast pin at 2:29.

Post match here is Duke Hudson with FUNNY PHOTOS of the haircuts Grimes could get after WarGames. Grimes goes after Chase to blow off some steam but one of his students makes the save. Grimes promises to shave Hudson.

Edris Enofe talks about making it out of a bad neighborhood and joining the Navy. Now he’s ready to prove himself again.

Team 2.0 is in the ring and don’t care who is going to be facing Johnny Gargano in the other ladder match. They’re all ready to fight but it’s Bron Breakker getting the spot in the ladder match. Breakker is ready but here is Gargano to interrupt. Gargano: “It’s the big bad booty nephew himself!” Gargano doesn’t think much of Breakker having his team out here and challenges him to leave them in the back. Breakker is down and promises pain. It continues to amaze me how out of place Tony D’Angelo feels around here.

Legado del Fantasma is ready to become #1 contenders.

MSK has reached their destination as they have made it to the Shaman’s house. After the GPS insults them, they knock on the door and are greeted by….someone we can’t see.

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

Wagner throws Mendoza around to start and puts him in the corner for some kicks from O’Reilly. Legado takes over on O’Reilly in the corner but O’Reilly sweeps Mendoza’s leg to get him down. It’s back to Wagner for a waistlock as Xyon Quinn comes out to stare and Elektra Lopez as we take a break.

Back with Wilde chinlocking O’Reilly as Quinn and Lopez have their staredown. Quinn beats up Santos Escobar as O’Reilly fights back up, only to get caught with a springboard flip dive. O’Reilly gets over for the hot tag to Wagner though and it’s time to clean house. Mendoza sends him into the corner and hits a springboard dropkick to put them both down. It’s back to O’Reilly, who is taken down as well, but Wagner gets slapped in the face on the apron. That draws him in to low bridge Wilde outside, leaving Mendoza to get caught with a clothesline/legsweep combination to give Wagner the pin at 12:20.

Rating: C. Well they didn’t make it a triple threat so well done for not going with the likely outcome. Wagner and O’Reilly continue to be that team that NXT seems to want to push no matter what, though I’m not sure I can see them getting the titles. Then again, Wagner turning on O’Reilly after the loss and beating him out of NXT wouldn’t surprise me either.

Imperium is ready but here are Wagner and O’Reilly to yell at them.

Tiffany Stratton is really rich and always has been.

Joe Gacy and Harland are in the ring with three other wrestlers (a smaller guy, a woman and a larger man). From this point forward, the Cruiserweight Title will not be bound by weight limits or gender biases. Gacy is here to prepare for his title shot against Roderick Strong at NXT….Conflict Resolution.

Joe Gacy vs. ???/???/???

Gacy runs the smaller guy over to start and kicks him in the face. A gutwrench powerbomb finishes for Gacy at 1:03. Worry not though as Gacy gives him a hug after the pin. The woman gets to try her luck as this seems to be elimination rules. Cue the Diamond Mine, with Malcolm Bivens offering to let Gacy face Roderick Strong (as I guess the match is a no contest). Gacy wants it to be one on one but Strong jumps him, allowing the larger guy to offer a distraction. That lets Gacy hit his handspring lariat to leave Strong laying. Ten points for anyone who can explain why we’re supposed to cheer for here.

Solo Sikoa is ready for Edris Enofe but Boa interrupts. Sikoa can’t understand him and leaves.

Solo Sikoa vs. Ednis Enofe

Sikoa shoves him around to start and grabs a swinging Rock Bottom for an early one. As Robert Stone is watching in the aisle, Enofe gets in a shot of his own and a standing moonsault gets two. Sikoa kicks him down and drops a backsplash for two, setting up a Superfly Splash for the pin at 4:18.

Rating: D+. It wasn’t a squash, but neither exactly seemed ready to lead things. This was a match between two young guys without much experience on this level and they need ring time. Normally that would be on some much smaller shows to get out there and see what works and what doesn’t, but that’s not the NXT way these days.

Post match Boa comes in and goes after Sikoa, who clears the ring.

Indi Hartwell gets a phone call and is told that Dexter Lumis has disappeared from the hospital. Why someone who appears to be Mei Ying is sleeping on a couch in the background isn’t clear.

Xyon Quinn isn’t worried about Santos Escobar. Elektra Lopez comes up and rubs her handover him, telling him good luck against Escobar next week.

Indi Hartwell/Persia Pirrota vs. Valentina Feroz/Yulisa Leon

Hartwell is all shaken up because of Dexter Lumis disappearing so Feroz and Leon double team her in a hurry. Pirrota tags herself in and wrecks both of them though, setting up a fireman’s carry spun into an X Factor for the pin at 1:49.

WarGames rundown.

We get a vignette from Draco Anthony, who says he’s what NXT needs. His actions speak louder than his words.

Bron Breakker vs. Johnny Gargano

Ladder match. Gargano grabs a headlock to start, earning himself a delayed vertical suplex. Breakker is sent outside for a slingshot dive but it’s too early to get the ladder. Breakker runs Gargano over and brings the ladder inside, only to have Gargano come back with the slingshot spear. The ladder is shoved into Breakker’s face and a dive sends him over the announcers’ table as we take a break.

Back with Breakker knocking him off the ladder but Gargano shoves the ladder over for the save. Breakker is back up to run the ladder over with a flying shoulder, followed by the overhead belly to belly to send Gargano flying. Another belly to belly has Gargano bouncing off of the ladder but he avoids the Breakker Bulldog. Gargano sends him face first into the ladder on the corner but Breakker picks up the ladder.

That earns him a few superkicks and Breakker is down in a heap. Gargano heads up so Breakker is right there to catch him with a super Frankensteiner. Breakker goes up but Gargano is there to meet him, including a briefcase shot to the head. That’s too early though as Breakker pulls him down and into the powerslam. Breakker goes up and grabs the briefcase for the win at 14:11.

Rating: B. Best ladder match I’ve seen in about an hour and a half. Breakker was his usual freak of nature self here as there is something to be said about someone who is just picking people up and moving them around because he can. Gargano did a lot of the work here, as he should have, and they had a good match as a result.

Post match, everyone in the men’s match runs in and the big brawl is on.

Overall Rating: B-. The two ladder matches were more than enough to make this a good show, though there were some problems in the middle. Above all else, this show continues to throw WAY too much at you in a single night with all kinds of characters being introduced. When you add in how few of them seem ready for this level, it can get even worse. The good thing is the top level stuff has gotten better and that’s enough to carry things.

Results
Kay Lee Ray b. Dakota Kai – Ray pulled down the briefcase
Cameron Grimes b. Andre Chase – Cave In
Von Wagner/Kyle O’Reilly b. Legado del Fantasma – Clothesline/legsweep combination to Mendoza
Joe Gacy vs. ???/???/??? went to a no contest when Diamond Mine interfered
Solo Sikoa b. Ednis Enofe – Superfly Splash
Indi Hartwell/Persia Pirrota b. Valentina Feroz/Yulisa Leon – Fireman’s carry faceplant to Feroz
Bron Breakker b. Johnny Gargano – Breakker pulled down the briefcase

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NXT
Date: November 16, 2021
Location: Capitol Wrestling Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Beth Phoenix, Vic Joseph, Wade Barrett

We’re back to whatever NXT has become but this time it’s all about WarGames. Somehow NXT thinks they have a matchup that will work there, though I’m almost scared to know who is going to be included. Maybe we find that out tonight, plus get what should be an obvious setup for Breakker vs. Ciampa II. Let’s get to it.

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

Tony D’Angelo vs. Dexter Lumis

Fallout from D’Angelo suggesting Lumis was about to get whacked. Lumis has a drawing for D’Angelo, showing him asleep in a school of fish. D’Angelo bails away to start and gets caught with a Thesz press. Back up and D’Angelo gets in a few shots of his own to take over and we hit the chinlock. Lumis fights up again but D’Angelo snaps his throat across the top. With Lumis staggered, D’Angelo grabs the easel the drawing is sitting on, which is quickly taken away. That’s all D’Angelo needs as he pokes Lumis in the eye behind the referee’s back. The fisherman’s neckbreaker finishes Lumis at 3:05.

Rating: D+. I’m trying to get into D’Angelo but he’s so straight out of central casting that it’s almost impossible. He feels completely out of place around here and it’s a really jarring thing to see. Having him pin Lumis is a way to go, but egads I’m really not sure how much of a future there is in someone doing the corniest mobster deal imaginable.

Post match here are Trick Williams and Carmelo Hayes to go after Lumis. They throw in a Pillmanizing to the hand, with Johnny Gargano getting in for the save a moment too late.

Post break, Gargano says we don’t need to see any replays. He wants Hayes out here right now but gets Pete Dunne instead. Before that can go anywhere, here are Hayes and Williams in the balcony to interrupt. Williams talks trash about Gargano but Dunne wants to know who these people are. Dunne says he’s the same age as Hayes with ten years more experience, plus with a win over him. Hayes doesn’t like this so let’s make it a triple threat match for the title next week. Hayes loads up the Melo Don’t Miss catchphrase but gets cut off by telling him how much he does miss. Gargano says you don’t want to miss the title match.

The Diamond Mine is warming up when Joe Gacy comes in. He likes the idea of a leader and seems to be interested in joining. Malcolm Bivens says the tryout is in a few weeks and that’s going to be 837 dollars. Gacy does at least get a business card.

LA Knight talks about how he has all kinds of things but he’s still the same person without them. He was ready for the NXT Title but then Grayson Waller came in to get in his way. Waller can talk all he wants, but there is one superstar around here and it isn’t him.

Diamond Mine vs. Odyssey Jones/Jacket Time

Strong and Kushida start things off, with Strong hitting Jones in the face on the apron. That’s enough to bring Jones in but it’s off to Julius Creed, who jumps on his back. Jones breaks that up so Brutus comes in and gets flipped over for his efforts. Jiro comes in to start on the arm but it’s off to Strong, who gets to face Kushida

The basement dropkick rocks Strong and Kushida takes out the Brothers for a bonus. A cheap shot from Strong takes Kushida down though and we take a break. Back with Julius working over Jiro and handing it off to Brutus to hammer away. That’s broken up and it’s back to Jones, who gets Olympic Slammed to give Strong two. Everything breaks down and Jones splashes Strong for the pin at 8:39.

Rating: C. I’m still not sure what the point is in having Jones feud with Strong, but at least it is something for both of them to do. Bringing Jacket Time (because their name really is Jacket time) is a good thing, but you’re only going to get so far with these three against a pushed team like the Diamond Mine. The match was fine though, which shouldn’t be a surprise.

The Grizzled Young Veterans have stolen the NXT Women’s Tag Team Titles but call Gibson’s grandmother to brag. She’s proud of their win, which should be enough to get him the lion’s share of the inheritance. They even have a board labeled Nana Con. I have no idea why the team needs a gimmick like this, but I don’t get a lot of this NXT.

MSK get to the airport but get caught with, ahem, supplies. Then they take separate flights to meet the Shaman, whoever that is. They get wherever they’re going and are off to find him.

Xyon Quinn vs. Andre Chase

Chase takes him down to start and grabs a running neckbreaker for two. The chinlock goes on but Quinn powers up and throws Chase down with ease. The Jackhammer finishes Chase in a hurry at 3:08.

Rating: D+. This was what it should have been as there was no reason to have Chase be a threat to a monster like Quinn. They have something with Quinn and having him dispatch Chase (with an upgraded finisher) is a good sign for what he’s doing. Now just get Quinn something more serious to do and see what you have with him.

Post match Raul Mendoza and Joaquin Wilde jump Quinn from behind. Quinn fights them off but Santos Escobar comes in to jump him from behind. Cue Elektra Lopez to say no one say no to Elektra Lopez (But didn’t she just say it?). Quinn gets planted on the ramp.

Raquel Gonzalez talks about how much she loved being champion but one shovel to the back took all of that away. Now she has to look at Mandy Rose holding her title, but tonight she’s burying Dakota Kai with that shovel.

It’s time for the Poker Showdown between Duke Hudson and Cameron Grimes. We actually go over the rules for the game and Hudson talks about how luck is for losers. Grimes says he played Hudson and now it’s time for poker. They play out the hand, with the pot getting to nearly $20,000. Hudson requests that the fans be quiet before calling.

The final card is dealt and Grimes goes all in, with Hudson being scared despite having the best hand. Hudson loses it and thinks that Grimes has him beat and folds, with Hudson grabbing the cards to find out he was bluffed (you don’t do that in poker). Grimes thinks it’s hilarious and gets kicked in the head, setting up a powerbomb through the table. Hudson grabs some scissors and cuts Grimes’ beard and hair. This was long but the ending was a step forward for the story.

Kyle O’Reilly doesn’t seem happy with Von Wagner appearing on Smackdown but they’re cool for tonight.

Josh Briggs/Brooks Jensen vs. Kyle O’Reilly/Von Wagner

O’Reilly ducks Jensen’s clothesline and kicks away before grabbing a headlock. Briggs tags himself in though and it’s a double shoulder to take him down. We see Imperium watching in the back as O’Reilly gets over for the tag to Wagner. That means the power standoff with Briggs, who can’t shoulder Wagner down. Wagner powers him into the corner so O’Reilly can come back in for the kicks. That earns him a bearhug but O’Reilly slips out, allowing the tag back to Wagner. Everything breaks down and O’Reilly takes Briggs down on the floor. That leaves Wagner to hit a double underhook swinging slam on Jensen for the pin at 4:58.

Rating: C. I was really hoping that O’Reilly and Wagner could be done but NXT sees something in them. I’m not sure what that is, but it seems to be continuing. Jensen and Briggs continue to be the easiest team in the world to set up, yet they have almost no success at all. Is Wagner really that great of a prospect?

Imperium is impressed, but not that impressed.

Indi Hartwell is worried about Dexter Lumis’ hand. Persia Pirotta will wrestle on her own, but she doesn’t seem happy.

It’s time for Lashing Out with Lash Legend (dang it I hoped they had dropped this stupid thing) and this week she doesn’t like Kay Lee Ray. Grayson Waller pops up to be the guest and talks about all of the veterans who have made it this far. Then Waller was a success on reality TV and made a video to get on here. The business has changed because it’s no longer about how many stars you get but how many followers. Lash: “The tea has just been spilled!” This continues to be the dumbest thing on a show full of dumb things.

Persia Pirotta vs. Gabby Stephens/Jenna Levy

Persia cleans house to start as Robert Stone is in the aisle. The jobbers are cleaned out and Pirotta puts them both on her shoulders for a double Samoan drop. A sitout F5 finishes Leavy at 1:49. Total domination.

Stone is impressed.

Dakota Kai seems a bit off but says she needs to purge Raquel Gonzalez. Toxic Attraction pops up to scare her off but here are the Grizzled Young Veterans to give them their titles back.

Tommaso Ciampa is ready to face anyone….and he’ll just address them in the ring.

Kayden Carter and Kacy Catanzaro went to a music festival and danced a lot. They want to bring the party to everyone. More vignettes like this, just to give us an idea of who these people are, even if they’ve been around.

Here is Tommaso Ciampa for a chat. He doesn’t like a lot of these new people, including Grayson Waller mocking old wrestlers working the indies for a hot dog and a handshake. Cue Bron Breakker to cut him off to say Ciampa must be upset over these new talents popping up. Ciampa reminds him of the loss at Halloween Havoc and we even see a clip. Ciampa says Breakker has less than a 33 1/3% chance of taking the title, because he is just a puppy instead of the champ.

Raquel Gonzalez vs. Dakota Kai

Before the match, Gonzalez points to Olympic gold medal winning gymnast Tamyra Mensah-Stock in the front row. The beating continues in the corner, with Kai smiling while Gonzalez unloads on her. An over the shoulder backbreaker makes it worse until Gonzalez sends her outside. This time Kai gets in a shot of her own and we take a break.

Back with Kai hitting a running boot against the ropes for two. Kai goes up and shoves Gonzalez off for daring to try a superplex. Another kick to the head keeps Gonzalez in trouble but she fights back, albeit with a bottom turnbuckle being pulled off. A Vader Bomb gives Gonzalez two but Kai breaks up the Chingona Bomb.

Instead, Gonzalez grabs a stretch muffler and spins Kai around for a crash. Kai is able to send her face first into the exposed buckle though and now it’s time for the shovel from Halloween Havoc. Gonzalez takes it away without too much effort…and here is Toxic Attraction to jump Gonzalez for the DQ at 11:45.

Rating: C+. This was pretty easily the best match on the show and I think you know where the ending is taking us. How Gonzalez isn’t on the main roster yet is beyond me, but it wouldn’t surprise me at all to see WarGames as her big NXT finale. Kai’s new character is certainly weird and I’m not quite sure what they’re doing with her. This was pretty good action for a bit though and that’s better than most of this show.

Post match the beatdown is on but Cora Jade makes the save with her skateboard. Mandy Rose cuts that off though and Jade gets beaten down. Cue Zoey Stark, with her leg in a cast, but Io Shirai runs out and grabs the crutch to clear the ring. The big brawl continues as fans chant for WARGAMES as Gonzalez and company clear the ring. Shirai issues the WarGames challenge to end the show, because Toxic Attraction needs to be in ANOTHER dangerous match.

Overall Rating: C-. I wasn’t feeling a lot of this show and that shouldn’t be a surprise. They have certainly settled down, but nothing feels overly big and Toxic Attraction does not feel like they belong in a WarGames match. This show is a bad mixture of goofy and people who aren’t ready yet. That works fine on local TV where you can get away with more, but at two hours a week on the same channel as Raw, it makes for a downright bizarre experience.

Results
Tony D’Angelo b. Dexter Lumis – Fisherman’s neckbreaker
Odyssey Jones/Jacket Time b. Diamond Mine – Splash to Strong
Xyon Quinn b. Andre Chase – Jackhammer
Kyle O’Reilly/Von Wagner b. Brooks Jensen/Josh Briggs – Double underhook swinging slam to Jensen
Persia Pirotta b. Gabby Stephens/Jenna Levy – Sitout F5 to Leavy
Raquel Gonzalez b. Dakota Kai via DQ when Toxic Attraction interfered

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

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AND

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