It’s that time of year again. Summer is wrapping up and that means WWE is heading to Brooklyn New York with its little buddy NXT in tow. It’s time for NXT’s biggest show of the year as we’re ready for “Takeover: Brooklyn III”. This show really doesn’t seem to have the same pop that a lot of the series’ entries have had, but there’s one thing I’ve learned watching NXT: never bet against them blowing you away.

Tag Team Titles: Authors of Pain(c) vs. Sanity

This is a match that hasn’t gotten a lot of attention but the more I think about it the more interesting I think it could be. The Authors have run roughshod over the NXT tag team division since they won the titles about seven months ago, but the key is they’ve won them against teams who are going to come at them with a logical plan. TM61, Revival and DIY are all smart teams, but they’re also teams you can plan for. How do you plan for a pair of crazy monsters? Can the Authors really hang on against these two?

Yeah I kind of think they can. The more I think about it, the more I think Sanity is better suited for the main roster (imagine them as part of a re-energized Wyatt Family or just something more like them) than the Authors. The problem is the Authors aren’t exactly the most in-depth team in the world and I’m not sure what they would do on the main roster. Once they lose a match, a lot of their mystique goes away. Sanity has a lot more depth and that would suit them better on the main roster, perhaps as the people tormenting Breezango? The Authors retain, pinning Wolfe in the process.

Aleister Black vs. Hideo Itami

This is all about who can kick the hardest and while the ending may look pretty obvious, that doesn’t mean the match won’t be entertaining. Itami has had a much better edge in recent months, all starting back when he lost to Bobby Roode in Chicago. Black on the other hand has turned into one of the best characters on the roster as he’s just freaking cool. His entrance is awesome, his calm is sweet and that Black Mass kick looks like it could stop anyone.

In what isn’t the most surprising choice in the world, I’ll take Black to win after one heck of a hard hitting (or kicking in this case) match. It’s pretty clear that Black is going to be one of the bigger stars going forward and I wouldn’t be surprised to see him getting the title at a big show in the future. Itami’s floundering continues but there’s nothing wrong with being the heel gatekeeper who you beat on your way to becoming a bigger star down the line. Black wins, likely with a great looking Black Mass.

Women’s Title: Asuka(c) vs. Ember Moon

If NXT timed this to coincide with the lunar eclipse on Monday, they’re some of the most brilliant people I’ve seen in years. I don’t think that’s actually the case but you know Mauro Ranallo is going to mention it about a million times on Saturday. Asuka has been a dominant force for well over a year now but WWE has built up the Eclipse as the deadliest weapon in NXT. Moon isn’t as great overall as Asuka, but Asuka doesn’t have anything that can hang with that one big move.

I’ll take Moon to become the new champion but it doesn’t feel like she’s ready to win the thing just yet. The problem here is Asuka has been built up as completely unstoppable and that makes it really hard to take the title off of her. Moon is going to need a lot more than just one move to make her a champion and that needs to be showcased in this match. The pinfall is going to be a big deal but if they don’t earn their way there, it’s risking a major failure. Asuka needs to go straight to the main roster after this as there’s just no reason for her left to do in NXT.

Johnny Gargano vs. Andrade Cien Almas

Now this one actually interests me more than almost anything else all night long for one simple reason: I’m not completely sure who is going to win. There’s no reason to believe that either of them should lose as Almas has grown a lot as a heel while Gargano has gotten one heck of a rub since the DIY split. You really could go with either of them winning here, which really isn’t something you would expect most of the time on a Takeover.

I think I’ll actually take Almas as Gargano seems like someone who can bounce back up from a single loss with a lot less effort. By putting Zelina Vega out there so recently, it would be a huge question mark to have Gargano beat Almas so quickly. Let Almas get a big win for a change and then Gargano can come right back with a win later on. Granted you could say the exact same thing with the names reversed, but I’ll take Almas to win here in a pick likely to go wrong.

NXT Title: Bobby Roode(c) vs. Drew McIntyre

The more I think about it, the less I’m sure that McIntyre wins here and it’s because of the Roderick Strong match coming up. There isn’t much of a story to McIntyre rising up to the title but Strong is right there ready to defeat Roode and take the title. Then you can have McIntyre go down the ladder a bit and rise back up to get the title later. McIntyre keeps talking about how he took things too lightly back in the day and now he needs to be more serious. What better way to test that than by having him lose here and build himself back up?

I’ll take Roode to retain the title here, likely through something other than a clean win. Have him get a pin with his feet on the ropes or something like a DQ but I wouldn’t be surprised to see him retain the title. McIntyre’s day will come, but I have a feeling it’s not coming just yet. We’ll go with Roode retaining the title, but don’t be surprised if they go with McIntyre winning for the feel good moment to end the show.

This is a show where everything is going to come down to the booking. We could have some great matches and that’s all that it needs to have an awesome show, but the right choices really need to work at the same time. It doesn’t feel like the biggest show of the year but that’s definitely how NXT sees Saturday night. The 15,000 people in the crowd probably won’t hurt either.

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the Complete 2002 Monday Night Raw Reviews in either E-Book or Paperback. Check out the information here:

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2017/07/21/new-e-bookpaperback-kbs-complete-monday-night-raw-2002-reviews/

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

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NXT
Date: August 2, 2017
Location: Full Sail University, Winter Park, Florida
Commentators: Mauro Ranallo, Nigel McGuinness, Percy Watson

With just over two weeks to go to before Takeover: Brooklyn III, it’s time to get some things moving. We already have a lot of the card set so now we can focus on building up what’s already announced and set up some other stuff. Tonight the main focus seems to be on Aleister Black, who currently doesn’t have a match for the big show. Let’s get to it.

Opening sequence.

Johnny Gargano vs. Raul Mendoza

Johnny comes out to the old DIY music and video but stops so they can both change to Gargano versions. Gargano takes him to the mat with a front facelock into a headlock but Mendoza nips up and gets two off a rollup. That earns Raul a superkick to the jaw and Johnny starts in on the arm. Mendoza gets in a dropkick for two of his own, only to miss a springboard and eat the spear through the ropes. Raul hits an enziguri and goes up but dives right into the modified Crossface for the tap at 4:13.

Rating: C. Gargano looked good here and that’s all he had to do in his first match after the DIY split. Ciampa vs. Gargano is going to be a headline match when it finally happens but you have to keep Gargano hot while he’s out there on his own. Not a bad match here, though Mendoza was nothing special.

We look at last week’s brawl between Sanity and the Authors of Pain. The title match is official for Brooklyn.

Paul Ellering says the Authors will write the chapter at Brooklyn. Until then though, be prepared because the monsters are real.

Here’s Asuka with something to say. As usual, she keeps it very simple by saying she’s beaten Ember Moon before and Ember isn’t ready to face her again. Cue Moon, to say she knows that she’s ready, just as Asuka knows. Asuka offers the handshake but slaps Ember instead. The fight is on with Ember getting in some right hands but eating a kick to to the face. Asuka poses with the title….and turns right into the Eclipse to knock her cold. Ember won’t pick up the title, saying she’ll touch it when she earns it. Good segment here with Asuka putting the Eclipse over huge.

Bobby Roode talks about proving that he’s a better man than Roderick Strong but of course Roderick wants to play the lottery again. As for Drew McIntyre, Bobby is more than willing to have a chat with him in the ring next week. Roode goes to leave when Strong charges in for a fight. William Regal and security break it up with Strong saying he’ll do anything to face Roode. Regal says his hands are tied because the match is made.

The Street Profits are here next week.

Sonya Deville vs. Jenna Van Bimmel

Sonya offers to let the much bigger Jenna have some free shots but does some head faking to avoid them. A hard clothesline sets up some knees to the ribs have Jenna in trouble as this is looking squashish. Jenna hits a charge in the corner but gets pulled down into a triangle choke for the tap at 2:06.

Hideo Itami is tired of not being respected so he’s not going to respect anyone. He rants in Japanese and ignores a need to go back to the arena. Instead he steals the mic and walks into the arena, saying he deserves respect. He doesn’t care who’s next but it’s Aleister Black cutting him off. After the long entrance, Itami goes to leave but tries a sneak attack. That goes bad for him though Black Mass drops Itami with one shot. Black just sitting there staring at Itami’s unconscious body is great stuff.

Kyle O’Reilly vs. Aleister Black

This is Kyle’s debut. Nigel: “HE’S HERE TOO!” Feeling out process to start and they fight over some grappling. Some striking doesn’t last long and they go back to the grappling with Kyle not being able to get a triangle choke. A chinlock is countered into a hammerlock as Mauro is trying to get in every MMA reference he can.

Back up and a spinning legsweep into the sitting pose has Kyle in trouble as we take a break. It’s not much better for Kyle when we come back as Aleister kicks him square in the chest for two. Black charges into a boot to the jaw though and Kyle snaps off some kicks of his own.

Kyle grabs a leglock on the mat and it’s a slap off until Black finally gets out. Black blocks a cross armbreaker so Kyle settles for a hammerlock and knees to the arm. Back from a second break with Black telling Kyle to hit him and grabbing a snap suplex for two. Kyle snaps the throat across the top though and it’s right back to another arm hold.

Black kicks him in the head to escape and gets two off a Lionsault press. A second attempt is blocked with a kick to the leg though and a big forearm to the back of the head gets two on Black. Aleister fires off more strikes but charges into a jumping knee. Not that it matters as Black Mass puts Kyle away at 22:56.

Rating: B+. I’m not big on the MMA style a lot of the time but this was very fun with both guys beating the heck out of each other for a long time. Black is one of the best built starts they’ve had in a good while as not only does he look cool but the finisher is as devastating as they’ve had in a long time. Kyle looked solid as well and it’s a very good debut, though I have a feeling the ReDRagon reunion is the way to go for both he and Bobby Fish.

Overall Rating: A-. You can tell NXT is starting to feel it as we head into the biggest show of the year. We had the Tag Team Title match confirmed tonight and you can probably pencil in Black vs. Itami as well as Gargano vs. someone. Add that to the already announced NXT and Women’s Title matches and Brooklyn is looking good. Give us a hard sell on the NXT Title match and everything will be fine.

Results

Johnny Gargano b. Raul Mendoza – Crossface

Sonya Deville b. Jenna Van Bimmel – Triangle choke

Aleister Black b. Kyle O’Reilly – Black Mass

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the Complete 2002 Monday Night Raw Reviews in either E-Book or Paperback. Check out the information here:

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2017/07/21/new-e-bookpaperback-kbs-complete-monday-night-raw-2002-reviews/

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

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

NXT
Date: July 26, 2017
Location: Full Sail University, Winter Park, Florida
Commentators: Mauro Ranallo, Nigel McGuinness, Percy Watson

With less than a month to go before Takeover: Brooklyn III, it’s time to start getting things ready for the biggest show of the year. We already have the NXT Title match set as Drew McIntyre will challenge Bobby Roode for the title but we need a bit more than that to fill out a card. Let’s get to it.

Opening sequence.

Ember Moon vs. Lei’D Tapa

Oh come on didn’t I have to watch enough of Tapa in TNA? Tapa runs her over with a clothesline to start but Moon shrugs it off. Moon loads herself up for a superplex but spins around into a regular suplex of her own (Bad News Barrett used to use that move). The Eclipse puts Tapa away at 1:22.

Ember wants Asuka and promises to give her some real competition.

Aleister Black video.

David Ramos/Timothy Bumpers vs. Authors of Pain

Non-title but hang on a second as Nikki Cross blocks the Authors’ path. Cue Sanity in the ring to beat up the jobbers as the Authors and Paul Ellering look on. The Authors hit the ring and the fight is on (Mauro: “LIKE DONKEY KONG!”) with the champs cleaning house without too much effort. No match of course.

The Street Profits are coming.

We look at Cezar Bononi shocking Andrade Cien Almas. Last week, Almas attacked Bononi again at the behest of the now named Zolita Vega.

Earlier today, Vega threatened No Way Jose with Almas’ wrath.

Velveteen Dream vs. Cezar Bononi

Dream pounds him down without much effort but gets kicked in the jaw and punched in the face. A Falcon Arrow gives Bononi two, only to have Dream come back with a Death Valley Bomb (a Death Valley Driver landing on the back instead of the head). The top rope elbow (Purple Rainmaker) for the pin at 1:39.

Post match Dream calls the NXT audience ugly and says their experience will have to wait.

General Manager William Regal officially makes Moon vs. Asuka for the title in Brooklyn.

Here’s McIntyre to talk about his upcoming title match. There are four weeks until Brooklyn and that’s not a lot of time. Drew doesn’t have a backwards button because he only goes forward. When he was in WWE before, he was the Chosen One and expected to have everything handed to him. That’s why he failed though. Once he was gone from WWE, it became clear to him that he had to be the hardest worker in the world. Now McIntyre looks at Roode and sees nothing but entitlement. This isn’t Roode’s NXT because it belongs to all of the people here. He wants everyone to stand up with him because WE ARE NXT.

Raul Mendoza is ready to face Johnny Gargano next week. Maybe we’ll be talking about his rise instead of Gargano’s return.

Kassius Ohno vs. Hideo Itami

Ohno takes him down by the arm to start and they hit the mat for some grappling. Itami shrugs off a chop so Ohno hammers away even more, including a basement dropkick to the head. Ohno flips onto the apron but gets kicked in the chest, followed by a middle rope Fameasser. Back from a break with Itami dropping a knee for two and kicking him in the back with a sneer.

A chinlock set up a few more kicks to the chest and it’s right back to the chinlockery. Itami dives into a chop though and Ohno runs through a kick, setting up a Shining Wizard. The cyclone boot and a backsplash give Ohno two but Itami is right back with a suplex. The GTS doesn’t work so Ohno kicks him in the jaw, only to have Itami kick him low for the DQ at 11:44.

Rating: C+. They beat the heck out of each other here and I dig the ending with Itami taking the cheater’s way out and attacking Ohno when he thought he couldn’t beat him. That’s a great way to push his heel turn and makes him look like a changed man instead of someone willing to fight with honor. Ohno continues to be a fine upper midcard face who isn’t going anywhere in the long term and there’s nothing wrong with that.

Itami unloads on him with kicks post match and adds a trio of GTS’s with the third landing on the steps.

Overall Rating: C+. This was kind of an odd show as they had some big stuff announced but a lot of the show was spent on stuff that didn’t seem to make the biggest difference. It wasn’t bad by any means though and I’m kind of glad they didn’t push things when they didn’t need to be pushed. NXT has found the right balance of focus and not overdoing things and that’s very helpful as we head towards Brooklyn. Two matches are official and I think you can figure out most of what else is coming without too much effort. Not bad with about a month to go.

Results

Ember Moon b. Lei’D Tapa – Eclipse

Velveteen Dream b. Cezar Bononi – Purple Rainmaker

Kassius Ohno b. Hideo Itami via DQ when Itami kicked him low

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the Complete 2002 Monday Night Raw Reviews in either E-Book or Paperback. Check out the information here:

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2017/07/21/new-e-bookpaperback-kbs-complete-monday-night-raw-2002-reviews/

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

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

NXT
Date: July 19, 2017
Location: Full Sail University, Winter Park, Florida
Commentators: Mauro Ranallo, Nigel McGuinness, Percy Watson

It’s all about the NXT Title tonight as Drew McIntyre faces Killian Dane for the title shot at Takeover: Brooklyn. Bobby Roode suggested the match for the shot at his title, which would suggest than shenanigans are afoot. Other than that we’re getting ready for the rest of the show, which is just a month away. Let’s get to it.

Opening sequence.

Ember Moon vs. Ruby Riot

The fans sound split here. Mauro asks Percy to give us the keys to victory for both of them. As you might expect, Watson has no idea and just says they both want to win. Thankfully Nigel is there to say it’s all about the Eclipse as they trade some early rollups. Riot monkey flips her but Moon lands on her feet but takes her down again and grabs a chinlock. Ember reverses into a bow and arrow for a bit (which Percy manages to identify as a hold working on the back) but Riot is right back up to hit Ember in the face. A Flatliner drops Riot for two and we take a break.

Back with Riot hitting a top rope backsplash for two but getting sent hard into the corner to change control again. Riot catches her on top with a hurricanrana though and the fans are WAY into this one. Ember goes with a roaring elbow and a modified backbreaker, setting up the Eclipse to put Riot away at 11:35.

Rating: B. This match felt important instead of just another match. As has been the case, they continued to build up the Eclipse as the biggest move in NXT and probably the one move that can finish Asuka no matter what she throws at Ember. Riot definitely has a following too and she’ll get her chance once things shift at the top of the division.

Earlier today Kassius Ohno was giving an interview when Hideo Itami came in to ask about their match next week, which Ohno requested. No violence ensues.

The Street Profits are coming.

Oney Lorcan vs. Danny Burch

Feeling out process to start with both guys getting an early two, only to have Burch punch him in the face to take over. Burch hits a dropkick and head kick in the corner, followed by the Tower of London (a hanging Diamond Cutter, Nigel’s old finisher) for two. Lorcan gets in a shot to the face of his own and it’s time to exchange some hard uppercuts. Danny turns him inside out with a clothesline and a rather sloppy powerbomb gets two. Back up and Danny misses a dive out of the corner and Lorcan rolls him into a half crab for the tap at 4:38.

Rating: C+. They were hitting the heck out of each other here and I like the idea that they have this kind of match on NXT from time to time. There isn’t much of a story here but they hit each other really hard and offer entertaining enough matches to warrant time on the shows. Sometimes that’s better than doing the same stuff over and over every week. Good little match here.

Danny shakes his hand post match and asks for one more match. Oney is game.

No Way Jose vs. Cezar Bononi

The fans sing about Jose and he scores with an early armdrag. Bononi takes him into the corner and gets in a good looking dropkick before throwing Jose around. That goes nowhere though as Jose gets in a clothesline and some dancing, followed by the pop up uppercut for the pin at 2:09.

Post match Andrade Cien Almas comes in to go after Bononi (who upset him a few weeks back) but Jose chases him off.

Drew McIntyre vs. Killian Dain

The winner gets the title shot against Roode at Takeover: Brooklyn. It’s odd to see Drew fighting someone bigger than he already is, which shows how small a lot of the NXT roster really is. Dain can’t intimidate him to start and gets taken down by a top rope shot to the head. Killian is right back with a basement crossbody to send Drew outside though and we take a break.

Back with Drew still in trouble and getting tossed hard into the corner. Dain stomps on the chest and drops a running elbow for two. Some hard crossface shots to the jaw have Drew in trouble. We hit the neck crank for a bit before Dain hammers away in the corner, only to get caught in a running powerbomb to give Drew a near fall of his own.

White Noise gets two more, only to have Dain hit a quick Wasteland into a backsplash into a Vader Bomb (collectively named the Belfast Blitz). The Ulster Plantation is broken up and the referee tells them they have two minutes left. Dain takes him up again and grabs a fisherman’s superplex for a delayed two but walks into Future Shock for one. Drew’s shocked face is great and it’s even worse when the Claymore (running boot to the face) isn’t even enough for a cover. A second Claymore sends Drew to Brooklyn at 13:35.

Rating: B-. Well you can’t say they didn’t have Dain looking strong with that ending. This was another good, hard hitting brawl with two big guys beating the heck out of each other until Dain couldn’t get up anymore. Drew winning is the right call and I wouldn’t be surprised if he didn’t win the title in Brooklyn as he’s looking like one of the most polished performers in the promotion at the moment.

Drew says he’s coming for the title to end the show.

Overall Rating: A-. The goal here was to set up a title match at Takeover and they nailed that as well as they could have. The show also had two very solid matches and a good brawl between Burch and Lorcan as a bonus. This was a very entertaining fifty one minutes of wrestling and I’m starting to get the itch for a Takeover, which has potential to be a very impressive show. Really good outing this week.

Results

Ember Moon b. Ruby Riot – Eclipse

Oney Lorcan b. Danny Burch – Half crab

No Way Jose b. Cezar Bononi – Pop up uppercut

Drew McIntyre b. Killian Dain – Claymore

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the Histories of Saturday Night’s Main Event and Clash of the Champions, now in PAPERBACK. Check out the information here:

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2017/05/19/history-of-saturday-nights-main-event-and-clash-of-the-champions-now-in-paperback-plus-price-drops/

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

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NXT
Date: June 27, 2017
Location: Full Sail University, Winter Park, Florida
Commentators: Tom Phillips, Nigel McGuinness, Percy Watson

It’s the last episode of a taping cycle and that means we have a major match to wrap things up as Aleister Black is facing Kassius Ohno in what could be one of the hardest hitting matches we’ve ever seen in NXT. If nothing else Black needs to get a win over a bigger name instead of just beating nobodies time after time. Let’s get to it.

Quick look at the main event.

Opening sequence.

Bobby Roode and Roderick Strong had a backstage altercation earlier today and we’ll see it later.

Ember Moon vs. Peyton Royce

I rather enjoy Royce and Billie Kay’s entrance but you can feel the pain coming from here. If nothing else I’m glad we get to hear Ember’s awesome theme again. Ember sends her cowering into the corner to start and hits a running forearm to really take over. An early Eclipse attempt is broken up but Peyton can’t hit a fisherman’s superplex (that’s a new one).

Instead she sends Ember shoulder first into the post and we take a break. Back with Peyton elbowing the bad shoulder like she should be doing. Ember fights up with the good arm but handsprings into a spinning kick to the face. A headscissors staggers Peyton but the threat of an Eclipse makes Billie pull her to the floor. Ember dives onto Kay to take her out and grabs a crucifix for two. Something like a Widow’s Peak (without grabbing the chin) gives Royce two of her own but Ember sends her face first into the buckle. The Eclipse (still looks great) is enough to put Peyton away at 9:01.

Rating: C+. Despite Ember being out for several weeks, the Eclipse still feels like one of the deadliest finishers in NXT. They set up a perfect story with Asuka being worried about that one move and seeing it come back felt like a big moment. Instead of possibly finishing Asuka, that feels like the be all and end all for her reign if Ember can hit it. That’s a great story and the roof is going to come off when she hits it on Asuka.

Hideo Itami comes up to Ohno to kind of apologize for his recent actions. Ohno understands and thinks they should be good to go, but Itami needs to stick on the good side.

Ealy Brothers vs. Sanity

Eric Young and Alexander Wolfe this time. Gabriel and Wolfe start things off with the twin being taken down for an elbow drop from Young. Sanity stays on him with alternating beatings, including Wolfe letting Gabriel get close to his brother and then drag him right back. That’s the kind of heel work I can always go for. A missed charge allows the hot tag off to Uriel, who cleans house for all of five seconds before getting caught in a belly to back suplex/middle rope neckbreaker combination for the pin at 3:21.

Rating: D+. Just a squash here and that’s something Sanity could use at this point. They don’t really have anything to do at this point so letting them squash a good looking team isn’t the worst idea in the world. That’s also a solid finisher which plays off of Young’s wheelbarrow neckbreaker. Nice little piece of business here.

We look back at the end of last week’s show with Asuka and Nikki Cross being left laying. Next week: Last Woman Standing.

Sonya Deville video.

Rachel Evers vs. Sonya Deville

Sonya wastes no time and clotheslines Rachel down for a knee to the back. Another knee to the ribs sets up some kicks in the corner, followed by a quick bodyscissors. The fans get behind Rachel and her right hands but Sonya takes off the glove and pounds away at the ribs. A Kimura makes Rachel tap at 2:42. Another total squash though couldn’t the finish have been something on the ribs, which were worked on all match?

Earlier today, Roode was in a photo shoot when Strong and his family showed up. Roode said Strong’s wife could be with a real man any time she liked and Strong snapped as you might expect. It’s quickly broken up with Roode saying Roderick can have a title shot anytime.

That anytime would be in two weeks on the 400^th episode.

Aleister Black vs. Kassius Ohno

Feeling out process to start with Ohno getting a quick takedown for almost no effect. Black sits him on the top rope for about the same impact and it’s back to the technical work. Ohno gets two off a rollup but gets caught in a front facelock. A hammerlock keeps Kassius in trouble but a rope grab gives us a clean break.

The threat of Black Mass sends Ohno outside and it’s the moonsault into the meditation pose. Ohno tries to kick him from there so Black nips up with a knee to the face. Kassius knocks him hard to the floor and we take a break. Back with Ohno chopping away in the corner and dropping a backsplash for two. To really make this personal, Ohno sits down like Black, who doesn’t take kindly to the disrespect.

Ohno pounds away again and asks if Black is good or evil. That’s quite the perceptive question no? Somehow not crushed by the weight of that gut, Black pops up and slugs away, including a kick to the head for two. Another exchange of hard kicks gives Ohno two more as the BOTH THESE GUYS chant starts up. Since that worked so well, Black knees him in the head again for two more. A spinning bicycle kick (cool) gives Ohno two but a LOUD knee to Ohno’s jaw staggers him again. Not that it matters as Ohno loads up the roaring elbow but walks into Black Mass for the pin at 16:47.

Rating: B+. Most matches have a distinct style to them and this one would be “hit each other in the face over and over again”. I had a lot of fun watching this as they were beating the heck out of each other until one of them hit their big shot. It made both guys look especially tough, which is something we hadn’t quite seen out of Black yet with all the short matches he’s had so far.

Overall Rating: B. A return, two squashes, title matches announced for the next two weeks and one heck of a main event in the span of about 58 minutes. I’d certainly call that a success as it felt like an old version of NXT, which is one of the highest compliments I can give to a show. Really solid stuff here and hopefully they stick with this formula.

Results

Ember Moon b. Peyton Royce – Eclipse

Sanity b. Ealy Brothers – Belly to back suplex/neckbreaker combination to Uriel

Sonya Deville b. Rachel Evers – Kimura

Aleister Black b. Kassius Ohno – Black Mass

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the Histories of Saturday Night’s Main Event and Clash of the Champions, now in PAPERBACK. Check out the information here:

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2017/05/19/history-of-saturday-nights-main-event-and-clash-of-the-champions-now-in-paperback-plus-price-drops/

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

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

NXT
Date: May 3, 2017
Location: Full Sail University, Winter Park, Florida
Commentators: Percy Watson, Tom Phillips, Nigel McGuinness

We’re rapidly approaching Takeover: Chicago and that means we need to fill in a lot of the card. As luck would have it, a major development is going to take place tonight as we have a battle royal for the #1 contendership to the Women’s Title. That leaves a lot of doors open for challengers, including a potential Ember Moon rematch. Let’s get to it.

Opening sequence.

Killian Dain vs. Danny Burch

The monster Dain drives him into the corner and pulls him off the middle rope for a big crash. The backsplash connects and is greeted by a SHAVE YOUR BACK chant, followed by a series of elbow drops. Burch slugs away with a series of strikes but Dain flattens him with a running dropkick. The Ulster Plantation finishes Burch at 2:51.

The Velveteen Dream, whom I believe is Patrick Clark, is coming. The silhouette certainly looks like him.

Heavy Machinery vs. Ricardo Watts/Hector Kunsman

The jobbers make Rey Mysterio look huge. Dozovich runs Hector over to start and a double falling headbutt makes things even worse. Ricardo is dragged in and Machinery exchange chest bumps. Knight splashes both of them in the corner before Dozovich lifts them both at the same time for a double World’s Strongest Slam and the double pin at 2:41.

Post match Heavy Machinery says they love to have a good time, meaning some carb shakes and trips to the buffet. When they step in the ring, they have a hunger for smashing bodies. The appetizers are over now and they want the main course: the Authors of Pain. Heavy Machinery is very much a case of “what you see is what you get” but they play their roles very well and that’s what matters the most.

Bobby Roode talks to Kona Reeves before Reeves faces Hideo Itami.

DIY might not have Heavy Machinery’s size but they’re the former NXT Tag Team Champions. They love more competition but the line starts behind them.

Kona Reeves vs. Hideo Itami

Itami has ditched the entrance gear and just comes out in his regular trunks and boots. Reeves jumps him before the bell though and has the advantage once the match actually starts. Kona turns up the cockiness but Hideo pops to his feet and fires off the clotheslines and kicks. More kicks knock Kona down in the corner and the GTS puts him away at 2:08. That’s an effective squash but I’m not sure a two minute match is the best way to get him back on his feet after an injury and so close to what’s going to be a twenty plus minute title match.

Video on Drew McIntyre, including a look back at his initial WWE run.

It’s part two of the mini documentary on Roderick Strong. This time we’re at home with his pregnant fiance and they’re getting things ready for the baby’s arrival. He loves the idea of being called a father and a husband and now those things are about to be true. We get some clips of Strong’s very early career from his days in IPW Hardcore Wrestling and then his time in the Performance Center.

Now we go back to the Ring of Honor days, which still messes with me just a little bit. He was there for thirteen years and then he got the call. With tears in his eyes, Strong says don’t give up and everything will be ok. We wrap it up with Strong holding his newborn baby. This was another excellent package and made me think more of Strong (who I’m a fan of) than I have before, which is exactly the point. He hasn’t made an impact yet (a match in Chicago would help) but that could change very quickly.

Roode is in William Regal’s office and doesn’t think much of the video. He also doesn’t think Hideo should get the title shot yet because it could mess with the champ’s face. Regal actually agrees and puts Itami in a #1 contenders match against Strong for next week. Strong comes in and has a staredown with Roode. I thought Roode vs. Itami was already set but I do like Itami having to earn the shot.

Battle Royal

Lacey Evans, Billie Kay, Peyton Royce, Nikki Cross, Liv Morgan, Ruby Riot, Ember Moon, Aliyah, Bianca Blair, Candice LeRae, Kimberly Frankele, Rachel Evers, Sonya Deville, Victoria Gonzalez, Sara Bridges

The winner gets Asuka in Chicago. Evans is better known as Macey Estrella, Deville is the former Daria Berenato and a lot of these women are unknowns without entrances. LeRae is a heavy fan favorite and gets a LET’S GO CANDICE chant. Gonzalez, who has some size to her, goes after Royce and Kay to start but can’t get rid of them. It’s your usual battle royal brawling with teased eliminations that don’t go anywhere.

We take a break and come back with Gonzalez having been eliminated at the hands of Royce and Kaye. Blair is out next, followed by Aliyah elbowing Evers out to a chorus of booing. Bridges, Evans and Deville go out in the span of five seconds and Riot eliminates Kimberly. We’re down to LeRae, Royce, Kay, Cross, Riot, Morgan, Moon and Aliyah. Kay kicks Candice out, earning possibly the most heat of her career.

Cross dumps Aliyah and the fans are rather pleased. Come on, Aliyah isn’t…..ok maybe she is that bad. Nikki does the same to Morgan and the fans are pleased all over again. Moon superkicks Kay out and gets rid of Peyton a few seconds later, leaving us with Moon, Riot and Cross. Cross goes straight for Riot but Ember kicks her in the face. All three wind up in the corner with Moon kicking the other two away and hitting the Eclipse on Cross. That’s not enough for an elimination so Ember heads up again, only to have Asuka come in…..for a no contest at 14:46.

Rating: D+. I liked the way they set this up with the unknowns not lasting very long, which should be the case when they didn’t have any realistic chance to win the title. Just let us get to the big names and go from there. The ending though…..yeah I’m not sold on that, though if they’re going to a four way, this is certainly a better option than a triple elimination at the end.

Asuka sends Moon HARD to the floor and head first into the barricade. Riot gets kicked in the head and Cross is dropped as well, leaving Asuka to shout that no one is ready for her. Asuka runs off as Moon is holding her shoulder on the floor. Regal comes out to announce the four way title match for Chicago to end the show.

Overall Rating: C. This is another good example of a show that wasn’t about the wrestling. Tonight we set up a Takeover match, set up a #1 contenders match for the NXT Title, looked at Roderick Strong some more and established Heavy Machinery as potential Tag Team Title contenders. They don’t have a lot of time between Orlando and Chicago so this is about as logical of a path as they have.

Results

Killian Dain b. Danny Burch – Ulster Plantation

Heavy Machinery b. Ricardo Watts/Hector Kunsman – Double World’s Strongest Slam

Hideo Itami b. Kona Reeves – GTS

A Battle Royal went to a no contest when Asuka interfered

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the NXT: The Full Sail Years Volumes I and II, now in PAPERBACK. Check out the information here:

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2017/03/24/kbs-history-of-nxt-volumes-1-and-2-now-available-in-paperback/

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

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Last year, NXT held its first Takeover event during Wrestlemania weekend with the instant classic “Takeover: Dallas”. The show stole the spotlight over Wrestlemania weekend and was pretty easily the best show of the four days, possibly even the year. Now it’s time for round two and as luck would have it, NXT is in their own backyard, making this almost like a cross between a major house show and one of their biggest pay per views of the year. You don’t hear something like that very often so let’s get to it.

Sanity vs. Tye Dillinger/Roderick Strong/No Way Jose/Ruby Riot

We’ll start with the most recently added match as Sanity makes a rare appearance at full strength against the combined forces of Tye Dillinger/No Way Jose/Roderick Strong/Ruby Riot. This has been simmering for months now and as usual, it’s a pretty simple idea. Sanity has gone after Dillinger and it was time to even the numbers up a bit as Dillinger was tired of all the beatings. His team came together over the next few weeks and now we have a full on match between the eight of them.

Very simply put, if Dillinger doesn’t get the fall here (it doesn’t matter who it’s over but Young would be preferable), I have no idea what they’re thinking. The fans are dying to explode for Dillinger and what better place is there than this Takeover? Sanity isn’t the most interesting team in the world aside from having a really cool look. While they need the win, I think they can bounce back better. Dillinger has lost so many times already that I’m not sure how many more times he can bounce back from losing on the big stage. I really hope they don’t screw this up as they’re running out of time to capitalize on Dillinger’s popularity.

Aleister Black vs. Andrade Cien Almas

We’ll move on to a pretty big debut with Black making his first in-ring appearance in NXT. He already had a match at the WWE United Kingdom Championship tournament under his Tommy End moniker but this week is the first time we’ll see his new gimmick. Almas has been on a roll lately with the heel character really starting to hit its stride. His match with Oney Lorcan last week was a major highlight and helped set him up for this match against Black.

That being said, this is another match where the winner should be obvious. NXT isn’t going to put Black out there in his debut and have him lose so Almas has next to no chance. That being said, you could have made the same case last year about Sami Zayn vs. Shinsuke Nakamura and that turned out fine. I’m hoping that Black can go in the ring well enough to match his great vignettes though that’s what got Almas in trouble for his debut. But yeah, Black wins here and does so handily.

Women’s Title: Asuka vs. Ember Moon

Asuka won the Women’s Title about a year ago in Dallas and hasn’t looked back since. She’s completely steamrolled over everyone she’s faced and it’s almost impossible to imagine her losing a match. That’s where the story has worked so well. It’s pretty much been acknowledged that Ember Moon can’t hang with Asuka all the way through a match but what she can do is hit the Eclipse, which has been built up as the most dangerous weapon the division has ever seen. It’s almost reminiscent of Steve Austin vs. Shawn Michaels as all Austin had to do was catch Michaels once and it would be over. The question is can Moon get that far.

As logical as it would be to have Asuka lose here and go on to the main roster soon after, I’m really not sure that happens anymore. NXT has done a nearly flawless job of making Asuka feel unbeatable and that’s still the feeling I have here. Moon should be the favorite and the place will go nuts if the Eclipse gives her the title, but I’m actually going with Asuka in my regular prediction almost guaranteed to be wrong. Moon is the best candidate to dethrone Asuka but I actually don’t think she does.

Tag Team Titles: DIY vs. Revival vs. Authors of Pain

I’m very rarely a fan of triple threats but this is a case where the story has been built precisely in this direction, which makes it more than acceptable. Revival and DIY had some incredible matches against each other last year but now they’ve run into a wall with the champions, who run over everything in their path. Having the other teams band together to fight the Authors is interesting and could make for a very good story to the elimination tag, especially if one of the other teams gets to conquer them in the end.

I’ll go with the Authors retaining here as DIY could easily be brought up to the Cruiserweight division while the Revival seem like perfect additions to the main roster tag divisions. The Authors are perfect choices to keep the titles until a new team is put together to slay them. I don’t know who could fight DIY save for maybe Sanity, which doesn’t seem like the most interesting thing in the world. We’ll go with the titles being retained, which would make the most long terms sense.

NXT Title: Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Bobby Roode

We’ll wrap it up with a rematch as Nakamura, this time on two good knees, tries to get the NXT Title back from Roode, who took it from him in a great match back at “Takeover: San Antonio.” This time around Nakamura knows not to underestimate him, which could make for an interesting change of pace. Roode has looked great since winning the title while Nakamura has spent most of the time rehabbing his injured knee.

I think I’ll go with the champions making a clean sweep as, much like the Revival, there’s no need to put the title back on Nakamura. He’s held it twice already and is more than ready to move up to the main stage. Just let Roode move on and feud with someone new (Dillinger for example) before losing the title at “Takeover: Brooklyn III”. The match will be fun, though I’m curious as to how they could have Nakamura lose to Roode again without some sort of shenanigans, which you don’t get too often in NXT.

Overall, the show looks good but not great. As is almost always the case, it’s going to come down to the performances, which have a tendency to be outstanding. Let the wrestlers do their thing in a logical manner and everything will be fine. The crowd is going to carry a lot of this and that’s what arguably matters most at any given NXT show. Last year set a very high bar but I believe NXT can actually pull something like this off again.

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the NXT: The Full Sail Years Volumes I and II, now in PAPERBACK. Check out the information here:

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2017/03/24/kbs-history-of-nxt-volumes-1-and-2-now-available-in-paperback/

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

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

NXT
Date: March 8, 2017
Location: University Area CDC Gymnasium, Tampa, Florida
Commentators: Percy Watson, Nigel McGuinness, Tom Phillips

We’re on the road again and that means we’re getting closer to heading back to Orlando for the next Takeover. None of the card is announced yet but with four shows left, you can imagine how fast that’s going to change. We’re also a week away from Bobby Roode defending the NXT Title against Kassius Ohno. Let’s get to it.

Opening sequence.

Tye Dillinger vs. Eric Young

That’s quite the opener. Young sends Sanity to the back before going to the ring. There’s no bell just yet though as the team brings Roderick Strong’s unconscious body out to the stage. Tye goes to check on him and No Way Jose comes out as well. Dillinger and Jose charge the ring for the brawl but the numbers get the better of them and Sanity dominates.

Peyton Royce and Billie Kay are trying to find a place to hang their award for Breakout Star of the Year. For some reason they’re hanging it at the Performance Center and talk about the various posters they see around the place. Billie thinks their award should be bigger, like the Dusty Classic trophy. They see Ember Moon working out and jokes ensue until a trainer has to hold Moon back.

We see a shadowy man in a church. He says he’s neither a saint or a sinner and says “fade to black.” That would seem to be Alistair Black.

HoHo Lun vs. Andrade Cien Almas

The fans seem to enjoy chanting “LET’S GO HOHO” but Almas stomps him down and sends him hard into the corner. Some forearms to the head knock HoHo even sillier and a clothesline cuts off his comeback. The hammerlock DDT ends Lun at 2:34.

Billie Kay vs. Ember Moon

Kay and Royce don’t seem too worried here so Ember kicks Billie in the head to take over. Peyton gets pulled inside for a second, allowing Billie to catapult Ember throat first into the ropes. Billie gets in a rolling forearm for two but Ember comes right back with a series of kicks. Another Peyton distraction fails and the Eclipse is enough for the pin on Kay at 3:33.

Rating: C-. Billie and Peyton are a weird case as they have the character stuff down but they really don’t have the in-ring abilities to back it up. They can cheat to win but I’m not sure if it’s enough to keep them that high on the card. They’ll be fine as a new LayCool style act though and that’s good enough.

Billie is hurt and trainers have to come check on her. She’s conscious and her limbs are moving. The fans cheer for her to get up and she’s able to sit up on her own. Kay is crying and the fans give her a round of applause as she gets to her feet. She gets out of the ring on her own and walks to the back slowly. The fact that she’s able to stand is a great sign. Also of note: while she was down, the announcers put the Eclipse over as a devastating move that can put anyone down. You don’t hear something like that often enough.

TJ Perkins is ready to face Shinsuke Nakamura tonight.

Ealy Brothers vs. Revival

No match again as the Authors of Pain come out and destroy the Twins.

The Authors go after the Revival but have to settle for beating up the Brothers again.

William Regal makes Ember Moon #1 contender.

We get a sitdown interview with Kassius Ohno who says it’s a little weird to be back here where he was four years ago. He’s won titles everywhere he’s gone and he wants to win the NXT Title.

Bobby Roode is at his home for a satellite and doesn’t care what Ohno said. Would you rather have a champion in a suit or a long haired hippie from the 70s? Roode throws the camera crew out.

TJ Perkins vs. Shinsuke Nakamura

Perkins tries to go after the leg but Nakamura sits out on him and they go to the ropes. Nakamura takes him down but it’s another standoff, followed by Nakamura’s COME ON to a nice reaction. TJ takes him down with a headscissors and dabs, only to have Nakamura escape and do the same thing.

Nakamura is sent to the floor and avoids the slingshot dropkick before kicking TJ in the chest. Back from a break with Nakamura missing a basement dropkick and possibly tweaking the knee. It’s fine enough for Good Vibrations but Perkins comes back with a jumping neckbreaker. The second slingshot dropkick connects and a middle rope DDT gets two on Nakamura. A big shot to TJ puts both guys down but Perkins gets smart and kicks the knee out.

Nakamura grabs a Fujiwara armbar but Perkins quickly reverses into something like a Scorpion Deathlock. That goes nowhere so TJ grabs the kneebar until Nakamura makes the ropes. Back up and Nakamura’s knee is WAY too fine as he knees TJ in the head. Another one to the ribs sets up the reverse exploder. Kinshasa is enough for the pin on Perkins at 14:59.

Rating: B. I liked this more than I was expecting as it was much more than just having Nakamura squash him in short order. Perkins was smart out there and had Nakamura in trouble before the ending was exactly what you would expect. This is a good example of a match that was better than expecting and didn’t need to be any kind of show stealing classic. Good stuff here.

Regal says the winner of Roode vs. Ohno has to defend against Nakamura at Takeover.

Overall Rating: B-. This show was about setting up stuff for the future and that’s all it needed to be. We’ve got one (technically two) match set for Takeover and that means we should be getting the rest of the card filled in pretty soon. I’m sure you can guess most of it but part of the fun in NXT is watching them set this stuff up.

Results

Andrade Cien Almas b. HoHo Lun – Hammerlock DDT

Ember Moon b. Billie Kay – Eclipse

Shinsuke Nakamura b. TJ Perkins – Kinshasa

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the History of the WWE’s Big Four Pay Per Views, now in PAPERBACK. Check out the information here:

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NXT
Date: February 22, 2017
Location: Full Sail University, Winter Park, Florida
Commentators: Tom Phillips, Percy Watson, Nigel McGuinness

We’re getting closer and closer to Orlando as we’re….well we’re still in Orlando but it’s not the big show yet. Tonight’s big deal is a triple threat match for the #1 contendership to the Women’ Title as Asuka is in need of some more competition. It’s hard to say what else we’ve got coming up around here and that’s a good thing as you could be in for a good surprise. Let’s get to it.

In Memory of George Steele.

Quick video on the triple threat.

Opening sequence.

Liv Morgan vs. Peyton Royce vs. Ember Moon

#1 contenders match and Morgan is in Space Jam Tune Squad inspired gear. Moon gets sent to the floor to start and Morgan does a Matrix move to avoid the a spinning kick. The two of them head outside and Ember hits a dive over the top to take Morgan down. We take an early break and come back with Morgan taking Peyton’s long legged choke in the corner.

Peyton sends her to the apron and puts on something like a full nelson with her legs before letting it go to put Ember back on the floor. Morgan comes back with an ankle scissors out of the corner for one but can’t follow up because it’s just an ankle scissors. The real comeback starts with a kick in the corner and a bulldog, finally drawing Ember in for the save.

A headscissors puts Moon right back outside though and it’s time for a superplex. Peyton isn’t fast enough though as Ember sneaks in to make it a Tower of Doom and all three are down. Moon loads up the Eclipse but Billie Kay takes it instead of Morgan, leaving Peyton to knee Ember in the face. A fisherman’s suplex to Morgan is good for the pin and the title shot at 11:54.

Rating: C+. That’s really the only option as Morgan has already been destroyed by Asuka and I’d assume they’re keeping Moon for a big showdown. The idea here was to keep Moon on the floor because otherwise it would have been her dominating the other two and slipping on a banana peel to lose in the end. Royce winning is the right call though I can’t imagine that title shot comes before Takeover.

Video on Pete Dunne and Mark Andrews.

Kassius Ohno is coming back.

Shinsuke Nakamura is healing up.

Mark Andrews vs. Pete Dunne

Rematch from the tournament where Dunne beat Andrews. Dunne goes straight for the fingers to start and then rips at the nose like a true heel. Andrews pops back up and sends him to the floor for a moonsault armdrag to take over. A second attempt doesn’t work though and Dunne forearms him in the jaw, followed by stomping the fingers onto the steps.

We take a break and come back with Andrews flipping Dunne over and grabbing a springboard hurricanrana. Dunne is ready for the shooting star though and forearms Andrews out of the air. The X Plex gets two but Andrews gets out of the Bitter End. A reverse hurricanrana of all things puts Dunne down again. Another Bitter End is reversed into a small package for two and the X Plex is countered into the Stundog Millionaire. Dunne gets the knees up on the shooting star though and the Bitter End wraps Andrews up at 13:52.

Rating: B+. This was very good stuff and the wrestling was enough to overcome the lack of a story coming in. In theory this sets up Dunne as the first real challenger to Bate but it’s not clear if anyone from outside the UK can challenge for the UK Title. You can also add Andrews to the list of people TNA screwed up horribly.

Kay and Royce are ready to take the Women’s Title back to Australia.

Patrick Clark is in action next week.

Tye Dillinger is ready for Sanity, no matter what they throw at him.

No Way Jose vs. Bobby Roode

Non-title and Roode’s entrance is reaching Undertaker lengths. Roode takes him to the mat to start and slaps the afro a bit. Back up and it’s dance time with a clothesline freaking Roode out a bit. The big spinebuster plants Jose again though and we take a break. Back with Roode striking the pose and grabbing a chinlock. Jose makes his comeback and cleans house with chops and a cobra clutch slam. The big right hand puts Roode on the floor but he comes back in and hits the Glorious DDT for the pin at 10:39.

Rating: C+. This was the kind of match that Roode needed. Jose is going to be fine with a loss to the champ and Roode gets a win over someone with some credibility. That being said, the credibility isn’t going to last all that long if he never wins a match anytime soon. Good enough though and a third solid match on a good show.

Post match Roode goes after the knee until Kassius Ohno makes a big return for the save. Roode asks who Ohno is so Kassius talks about how he’s been around the world. Now Ohno wants what Roode has, so Bobby is willing to put the title on the line right now. Roode gets in a cheap shot and starts in on the knee, only to get knocked out to the floor for his efforts. Ohno poses to end the show. Ohno got a strong reaction (not quite Nakamura but still a star level reception) and that’s a good thing as he’s likely going to be in the title scene very soon.

Overall Rating: A-. This was the pure wrestling show with almost no storyline development but three strong matches in the span of an hour. Sometimes you just need a long show with a lot of good wrestling and that’s what took place here. I had a good time with this and it went by fast, especially with the big angle to end the show. NXT needed a show like this and it worked very well.

Results

Peyton Royce b. Ember Moon and Liv Morgan – Fisherman’s suplex to Morgan

Pete Dunne b. Mark Andrews – Bitter End

Bobby Roode b. No Way Jose – Glorious DDT

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the History of the WWE’s Big Four Pay Per Views, now in PAPERBACK. Check out the information here:

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2017/01/27/kbs-reviews-now-available-in-paperback/

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

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

NXT
Date: February 15, 2017
Location: Full Sail University, Winter Park, Florida
Commentators: Tom Phillips, Nigel McGuinness, Percy Watson

We’ve got two big matches for tonight with a title on the line. First up it’s the Aussie women Billie Kay and Peyton Royce teaming up to face Liv Morgan and a mystery partner. We’ll cap it off with Tyler Bate making his first defense of the WWE UK Title against the debuting Trent Seven. Let’s get to it.

Quick look at Bate vs. Seven.

Opening sequence.

Authors of Pain vs. Garrison Spears/Lance Anoa’i

Non-title and Lance is Samu’s son. It’s total domination with stereo Death Valley Drivers putting the jobbers into the corner. The Final Chapter ends Spears at 1:20.

The jobbers get a Super Collider post match.

Video on Tyler Bate.

Billie Kay/Peyton Royce vs. Liv Morgan/Ember Moon

Kind of an obvious pick. Moon spins away from Billie to start and the Aussie is already looking shaken. Billie is smart enough to twist away and get in a kick to the ribs, only to get tossed down with a suplex. The hot tag brings in Morgan to a very limited reaction (that’s hard to do in NXT) for the house cleaning. An STO gets two on Peyton as everything breaks down. Moon gets sent outside and Billie knees Morgan in the side of the head for the pin at 3:18.

Rating: C-. I’m still confused by Morgan as they seem to want her to be the new big star of the division but keep having her do jobs in the bigger matches like this one. It’s also interesting that they didn’t have Moon get the pin here as it’s pretty clear that she’s going to be the next challenger for Asuka’s title and she wasn’t exactly the star of the match here.

We look back at Sanity telling Tye Dillinger that he belongs to the team and then beating him down later in the night. No Way Jose and Roderick Strong made the save.

Strong and Jose don’t like bullies and respect Dillinger enough to give him a hand.

Here’s DIY with something to say. They realized their dream in Toronto but that dream became a nightmare in San Antonio. They’ve never fought anyone like the Authors of Pain but they saw doubt in their eyes. No matter how much they’re beaten down they’ll never quit fighting so it’s time for a rematch. Cue Paul Ellering to say the match can take place in two weeks. DIY doesn’t want to wait but here’s the Revival to beat them down, only to have the Authors chase them off.

Video on Trent Seven.

Video on Kassius Ohno, who returns soon.

General Manager William Regal announces a #1 contenders triple threat match for next week between Peyton Royce, Ember Moon and Liv Morgan.

UK Title: Tyler Bate vs. Trent Seven

Bate is defending. They start slowly with both guys having a clean break and offering a twirl of the others mustache. Bate bounces off the much bigger Seven until Trent runs him over with a much harder version. Nigel starts talking about cricket and gets in a few jabs at Watson (not that difficult) as the slow beating continues while taking us to a break.

Back with Trent getting two off a backslide and Bate giving us that great scared face in the corner. Tyler finally gets going and knocks Trent outside for a good looking dive over the top. Back in and the Seven Stars Lariat is broken up so Tyler grabs the airplane spin. Since it’s just an airplane spin though, Trent pops up and gets in a powerbomb for two. A half crab (not a great one though) has Bate in trouble but the hold doesn’t last that long.

It’s time for rights and left (Bop and Bam if you haven’t been formally introduced) but Seven just blasts him with the Seven Star Lariat for two. You know, if it hardly ever finishes anyone, it’s not really a finisher. Trent takes his sweet time going up and gets caught in a super exploder suplex for two. Bate gets all fired up and hits the rolling kick to the head, followed by the Tyler Driver ’97 for the pin at 15:39.

Rating: B. I’m not really feeling Seven yet but I’m digging the heck out of Bate the more I see him. The fact that the guy is just nineteen years old is mind blowing as the guy looks like he’s been doing this for years, despite also looking like he’s about fourteen years old. These matches don’t really have stories but they’re knocking the heck out of the work, which is all they can really do at this point.

They shake hands post match.

Overall Rating: B-. Kind of a middle of the road show this week as we’re still getting ready for the bigger stories but it was still entertaining enough. The show breezed by and that makes for a very easy fifty minute show, especially with a strong main event. They also made sure to announce stuff for the future, which is still one of their greatest strengths. It’s never “what does someone have in store” but rather “this is what you’re going to get”. That’s a very key difference and incredibly important.

Results

Authors of Pain b. Garrison Spears/Lance Anoa’i – Final Chapter to Spears

Peyton Royce/Billie Kay b. Ember Moon/Liv Morgan – Knee to Morgan’s head

Tyler Bate b. Trent Seven – Tyler Driver ’97

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the History of the WWE’s Big Four Pay Per Views, now in PAPERBACK. Check out the information here:

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2017/01/27/kbs-reviews-now-available-in-paperback/

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

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