IMG Credit: WWE

NXT
Date: March 4, 2020
Location: Full Sail University, Winter Park, Florida
Commentators: Nigel McGuinness, Mauro Ranallo

It’s a big night around here with a pair of steel cage matches. First up Tegan Nox and Dakota Kai are in for a big fight, as Nox is still out for revenge after Kai attacked her back in November. Other than that, we have Roderick Strong vs. Velveteen Dream in a heck of a grudge match. Let’s get to it.

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

Opening recap.

Mauro previews the show.

Tegan Nox vs. Dakota Kai

Inside a cage with Raquel Gonzalez in Kai’s corner. Nox slugs away to start and takes Kai down to hammer her upside the head. The Shiniest Wizard misses but Kai can’t send her into the cage. A middle rope crossbody isn’t even worthy of a cover and Nox pounds away even more. Kai sends her into the corner though and chokes with a boot, followed by a ram into the cage for two.

Nox is back up and hits some running shots in the corner, onto to have the Cannonboar (yes Boar) hit knees. We take a break and come back with Nox sending Kai into the cage over and over, much to the fans’ delight. A tabletop suplex gives Nox two but Kai is back with the Kairopractor for her own two. Kai gets evil and goes after Nox’s knee brace but Nox kicks her away. It’s time for the climb, with Kai catching her on top, only to get chokeslammed right back down.

Instead of leaving, Nox climbs back down and hits the Cannonboar. Nox goes all the way up again and this time it’s a high crossbody of the cage. Nigel says that was a 20 foot drop, putting Kai at about 8’4. It’s time to go for the door but Gonzalez holds it shut, only to have Kai miss a running kick and knock the door into Gonzalez’s head. The Shiniest Wizard connects for two and Nox is STUNNED.

Gonzalez tries to come in this time but Nox kicks her in the face. Kai chases Nox up top so Nox kicks her down as well. Nox tries to climb down so Gonzalez tries to pull Kai out. That’s fine with Nox, who kicks the door onto Kai’s knee but Gonzales pins her against the cage with the door. The delay lets Kai escape at 16:10.

Rating: B-. The interference got annoying because the stipulation was built around the idea of Gonzalez not being able to interfere. Then she just did anyway, making the cage a rather pointless detail. There’s a good chance they do this one more time, perhaps in a ladder match in the tournament final at Takeover?

Finn Balor thanks Walter for sending Imperium to make the first move. That forced his hand and Walter will see him sooner than he thinks.

Rhea Ripley was in Raymond James Stadium (home of Wrestlemania XXXVI) and talks about how cool it is to have an NXT Title on the line. She started wrestling in front of 50-100 people and now she’s here. All she ever wanted to do was help people but she needed to find herself first. She changed everything and now she is ready to accomplish what she wanted. People called her a mini Charlotte when she got to WWE and now she wants to beat the real Charlotte.

#1 Contenders Qualifying Match: Chelsea Green vs. Shotzi Blackheart

Robert Stone introduces Chelsea. Green kicks her away to start but Shotzi takes her down for the Jeff Hardy legdrop between the legs. An enziguri drops Green again but she avoids a charge and gets caught with a Backstabber. Green kicks her in the ribs for two, followed by a missile dropkick to the apron. I’m Prettier (not Unprettier) finishes Blackheart at 2:24. I’m not sure I would have gone with Green over Blackheart for the ladder match. I’m also not sure how many people are going to be in the ladder match, as I thought it was just two but that might not be the case.

Here’s Keith Lee for a chat. After greetings and salutations, Lee talks about men invoking his name, including Dominick Dijakovic, who wants to fight forever. Or people like Damian Priest, who wants to live forever. Cue Cameron Grimes, who says Lee should be talking about him. Lee’s jacket comes off and Grimes has made the gravest mistake of his career.

The fans keep booing Grimes before he can get a word in, until Lee says he’d like to hear this. Apparently William Regal has granted Grimes a title match next week, so Lee shoves him out of the ring. Lee tells him to bring it next week. The fans didn’t like Grimes here.

Austin Theory is ready to win all of the titles but Isaiah Scott comes up to say not so fast. They’ll fight tonight.

The Undisputed Era is warming up.

Undisputed Era vs. Oney Lorcan/Danny Burch

Kyle O’Reilly/Bobby Fish here. Fish and Lorcan strike it out to start but everything breaks down in a hurry. The Era is sent outside and Lorcan hits a double Blockbuster off the steps to send us to a break. Back with Fish hitting Lorcan in the face again and having to throw in some knees to cut off the comeback attempt. Fish’s slingshot hilo hits raised knees though and it’s off to Burch to slug away. An RKO drops O’Reilly but Fish comes back in with a blindside shot to the face.

Burch gets beaten up in the corner and the chinlock goes on. That lasts as long as you might expect and it’s Burch getting up for a shot to the face. O’Reilly misses a big kick to the head though and Burch dives over for the hot tag. Lorcan comes in and gets to clean house, including a running Blockbuster to send O’Reilly outside. The big running dive over the top takes down Fish and O’Reilly and Lorcan takes him them back inside for running elbows in the corner. That’s not a good idea against the Era though as they come back with the High/Low to finish Lorcan at 11:50.

Rating: B. Burch and Lorcan are great gatekeepers as they can have good matches against anyone and make their opponents look good. The Era is in a weird place at the moment though as they’ve held the titles for the better part of ever and there’s no need for them to do so again. That being said, what else is there for them to do at the moment?

Post match the Era says they want their titles back. Adam Cole is taking care of business and tonight Roderick Strong is shutting up Velveteen Dream. Cue the Broserweights with Matt Riddle saying they’re down with a rematch. The Grizzled Young Veterans jump them from behind and throw the Broserweights off the stage. The Veterans don’t want to hear about rematch clauses because they’re going to be the Tag Team Champions.

Video on Austin Theory.

Austin Theory vs. Isaiah Scott

Feeling out process to start with Theory’s headlock not getting him very far. Scott takes him into the corner and hits a quick dropkick. A jumping kick to the face in the corner drops Theory and we take a break. Back with Theory hitting a slingshot rolling dropkick to take over, only to get caught with a discus lariat. A jumping Downward Spiral gives Scott two but Theory counters a hurricanrana into the buckle bomb.

RP1 (leg trap brainbuster onto the knee) gives Theory one but Scott pulls him into a cross armbreaker. With that broken up, Scott pins one arm behind Theory and stomps the other one down, giving us a SNAPPING sound that made me cringe harder than anything in wrestling has in years. Theory is fine enough to pull Scott off the top and hit a one armed ATL (Austin Theory Launch, a TKO) for the pin at 10:59.

Rating: C+. Theory is one of those guys where you can see everything WWE loves in a wrestler wrapped into one. It isn’t surprising me that he is getting this kind of a push and he’ll be around for the time being. The different names for his moves are going to help too. Scott continues to feel like he has potential but can’t get very far for whatever reason. He’s far from in danger, but he feels like he’s running on a treadmill.

We get a series of creepy visuals, mainly involving death. Killer Kross maybe?

Mauro sat down with Johnny Gargano at the Performance Center and asks what happened with Tommaso Ciampa at Takeover. Johnny says he was the only wrestler to show up at the premiere of Mauro’s documentary in New York, which Mauro says meant more to him than Johnny could ever know. Johnny talks about some of Mauro’s (complimentary) statements about him but Mauro doesn’t know him at all.

Mauro would like to think that he knows him but people want to know about the sneak attacks on Ciampa. That makes Johnny a lot more serious and says that it can’t be a sneak attack when you’re wearing a powder blue sport coat. No one has any idea what Johnny has seen, gone through or felt, but Mauro wants to know. Johnny gets up and nearly gets in Mauro’s face before sitting back down. Mauro asks why again and this time Johnny stands up and puts his hand on Mauro’s shoulder, saying that Mauro knows why.

If Mauro admits it though, he’s admitting he’s a liar. Mauro admits that they haven’t talked since Takeover: Portland so Johnny yells at him for calling him Johnny Turncoat. When Ciampa came back, Mauro couldn’t help but say Daddy’s Home. Johnny wants Mauro to look in the camera and say he’s a liar but Mauro walks off. Johnny: “No Mama Mias now!” Gargano grabs the camera and says next week at the Performance Center, they do things his way. This was a level of intensity that you don’t see from Johnny very often (if ever) and he feels like he’s on the verge of madness all over again.

Video on Velveteen Dream vs. Roderick Strong.

Next week: Keith Lee defends against Cameron Grimes and the Undisputed Era gets their Tag Team Title rematch, all from the Performance Center.

Velveteen Dream vs. Roderick Strong

Inside a cage ant they go straight at it at the bell with Strong sending him into the cage. Dream is right back with a crossbody but it’s too early for the Dream Valley Driver. They slug it out again with Strong getting the better of it, including the first backbreaker. Strong yells that Dream did this and starts with the running forearms. A backdrop sends Strong into the cage but here’s Marina Shafir (Strong’s wife) to slip him a kendo stick.

Shafir leaves and we take a break. Back with Strong going up but getting hit low, allowing Dream to grab a Boston crab. Strong grabs the rope and thankfully the referee does nothing, but Dream lets go anyway. The breather lets Strong grab the Stronghold but Dream slips out as well. Another Dream Valley Driver is broken up so Dream dropkicks him into the cage.

There’s a superkick to make it worse but Strong pulls him face first into the cage. They fight over the kendo stick with Strong using it for a pumphandle backbreaker. Strong goes up but Dream pulls the pants down (fans: “A******!”) for the save. Dream stays on the top with him and that means a super Angle Slam to put them both down.

Neither can dive through the door and now the Dream Valley Driver connects. Dream hits a second one and goes all the way to the top, only to have the rest of the Undisputed Era come out. Cole manages to get inside so Dream slams him off the top. Strong gets over to the door again so Dream grabs him, looks at Cole….and shoves Strong out to give Strong the win at 13:00.

Rating: B. This was both hard hitting and entertaining while setting up the next Takeover main event. Strong was fighting to get rid of Dream once and for all, but the ending says that Dream has his sights on something bigger (likely the guy he left himself inside the cage with, plus that guy’s shiny title). The match was a good fight but the ending was all about setting up something new and that’s a nice combination.

Post match Dream locks the cage with himself and Cole inside and the beating is on. Dream starts throwing Cole at the cage to knock the rest of the Era out, followed by using the stick to beat them up. Strong gets tied in the Tree of Woe and it’s another Dream Valley Driver to send Cole into the chair. Dream grabs the title and poses a lot to end the show.

Overall Rating: B+. This was a solid show up and down as the focus moves towards Tampa. I like a lot of where the show looks to be going and that’s hard to do on such a short turnaround time. It also helps that there was nothing bad here with a bunch of good matches and an intense promo from Gargano. Couple that with the potential of Balor vs. Walter (which might be more likely for Dublin) and things are in a good place. The doldrums that they were in for a few weeks have been shaken off and that’s quite the relief going forward.

Results

Dakota Kai b. Tegan Nox – Kai escaped the cage

Chelsea Green b. Shotzi Blackheart – I’m Prettier

Undisputed Era b. Oney Lorcan/Danny Burch – High/Low to O’Reilly

Austin Theory b. Isaiah Scott – ATL

Roderick Strong b. Velveteen Dream – Dream pushed Strong out of the cage

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

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

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

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

IMG Credit: WWE

NXT
Date: February 5, 2020
Location: Full Sail University, Winter Park, Florida
Commentators: Mauro Ranallo, Beth Phoenix, Nigel McGuinness

With less than two weeks to go before Takeover, the entire card seems to be set. However, there are some things beyond Takeover which also need to be taken care of and that includes Wrestlemania. Therefore, we have a guest star this week as Charlotte is here to answer Rhea Ripley’s Wrestlemania challenge. Let’s get to it.

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

Opening recap.

Here are the Broserweights, in a golf cart, with the Dusty Classic trophy in the back. You can tell Matt Riddle is in a good mood as he’s wearing a tie. They’ve been celebrating ever since and tonight it continues because the trophy is in a golf cart. Dunne can’t believe that he’s in a tag team with Riddle, who says it’s meant to be. Riddle wants to know how they’ll get to Portland but here’s the Undisputed Era to interrupt.

O’Reilly: “You’re Matthew Riddell and Peter Dune.” They’re ready to fight now but here’s Roderick Strong to pull them back. Fish: “There are much bigger fish to try than you too.” Riddle: “Bobby Fish just said fish!” He gets in a fish tongue twister but Dunne says not to worry about how many fish Bobby Fish could fry if Bobby Fish could fry fish. Riddle turns it into a song and does a Randy Savage spin for a nice touch. Dunne promises to smoke the Era in Portland.

Angel Garza vs. Isaiah Scott

They start fast and miss a clothesline each, meaning it’s an early standoff. Scott tries to cartwheel around but gets kicked in the ribs to put Garza in control. That’s fine with Scott, who springboards back up for a hurricanrana to send Garza outside. Garza is read for the dive so Scott puts on the brakes and kicks him back to the floor. Scott’s running flip over the ropes is superkicked down and we take a break. Back with Garza hitting a reverse powerbomb, allowing him to TAKE OFF HIS PANTS.

A superkick gives Garza two but Scott reverses a slingshot reverse suplex. Scott slaps him in the face but his springboard is superkicked out of the air (ok not much air as it was off the bottom rope). Garza tries a headscissors out of the corner, which is flipped forward into something like an Iconoclasm for two. It’s time to go up again but this time Garza throws his pants at him for a distraction. Scott doesn’t seem to mind and hits the House Call for two but Garza crotches him on top. The Wing Clipper finishes Scott at 10:38.

Rating: C+. The high flying was good here but I’m not sure how far Scott is going to get at this point. He seems tailor made for a big push but for some reason he keeps losing time after time. The action worked here though as they kept the movement up and the pants thing was a good spot at the end. Garza winning here was the only choice they had after Raw, but maybe he shouldn’t have been facing Scott.

Post match, Garza says he took out his cousin and Rey Mysterio, so now he wants his Cruiserweight Title back.

The Undisputed Era beat up some people for not knowing where Tommaso Ciampa is. Strong even messes up someone getting a haircut, because people get haircuts backstage at NXT.

Video on Mercedes Martinez.

Sgt. Slaughter is here for your random cameo.

Dominik Dijakovic vs. Killian Dain

Oh yeah Dain is a thing. These two got in each other’s faces earlier today at the Performance Center over who should get the next shot at Keith Lee. Dain goes right at him with the shoulders in the corner but Dijakovic fights out in a hurry and hits a middle rope elbow to the head. A clothesline puts Dijakovic over the top though and the SHAVE YOUR BACK chants start up. Dijakovic doesn’t seem to like hairy backs either and hits a flip dive off the steps, turning the chants into FEAST YOUR EYES. Back in and the discus lariat is cut off by Dain’s crossbody to send us to a break.

We come back with Dijakovic flipping out of a belly to back suplex and elbowing Dain hard in the face. The suplex slam into the chokebomb gets two on Dain but he’s right back up to catch Dijakovic on top. Dain’s superplex puts them both down but Dijakovic wins a battle of boots to the face for two. The moonsault misses and the Vader Bomb is broken up, meaning it’s Feast Your Eyes to finish Dain at 8:15.

Rating: B-. This was a hoss fight and another good example of what Dijakovic can do. There are so many times where I look at one of his matches and wonder how I’m seeing this stuff. He and Keith Lee took it to another level but these two more than held their own, making it a heck of a match.

Post match we’re told that Dijakovic gets a title shot in Portland so here’s Lee for the staredown.

Kushida doesn’t know where Ciampa is so the Undisputed Era throws him in a crate. Bronson Reed comes in to stare them down so it’s a jumping knee to the head.

We get a split screen sitdown interview between Johnny Gargano and Finn Balor. They were ready to fight at Takeover: WarGames and Gargano has been counting the days for three months. Finn says he’s been counting the days for four years because he’s sick of Gargano being called the next Finn Balor. Gargano says he’s the first Johnny Gargano and Balor needs this match as much as he does. Balor doesn’t need this match because he doesn’t get paid by the hour but he’s going to take his time and enjoy this.

That’s what Johnny has been looking for: the NXT Finn Balor, not the Finn Balor who lost to Bobby Lashley like seventeen weeks in a row on Raw. Balor isn’t here for the Match of the Year, because he’s here for the last match of Gargano’s life. Gargano promises to take the NXT flag that Balor dropped and drive it through his heart. Balor: “I don’t have a heart.” Heck of a heated exchange here and I want to see these two fight.

Video on Kacy Catanzaro.

Mercedes Martinez vs. Kacy Catanzaro

Martinez starts fast by shrugging off a waistlock and planting her with a spinebuster. A one armed delayed suplex….is broken up and Catanzaro hits a basement dropkick. Catanzaro grabs a hurricanrana for two but her springboard is broken up with a hard forearm. Martinez takes it to the floor and posts her, followed by a whip into the barricade. Back in and the fisherman’s buster finishes Catanzaro at 2:59. They got some stuff in here and Catanzaro looked good in defeat.

Rhea Ripley (listed as NXT Women’s Champion rather than NXT Champion) is ready for Charlotte and Bianca Belair.

The Undisputed Era gets jumped by Ciampa and the fight heads into the arena. Cole is sent into the announcers’ table over and over, which is good for some applause. The rest of the team catches up with them and beats down Ciampa. They get inside but the Broserweights come in for the save. Security breaks it up so here’s William Regal to make a six man. The fight breaks out again and they head to the back.

Jordan Devlin vs. Tyler Breeze

Non-title. Devlin jumps him during the entrance and the beating is on in a hurry. We take a break and come back joined in progress with Devlin elbowing him in the corner but getting kicked in the ribs for his efforts. A basement superkick gives Breeze two and he wraps Devlin’s knee around the post. Breeze drops a knee to the knee and cranks on the leg to keep Devlin down.

That doesn’t work very well as Devlin gets back up with a backbreaker, only to get dropkicked in the face. The neck crank goes on for a bit, followed by a clothesline to put Devlin on the floor. Devlin is right back up again and this time it’s a moonsault to take Breeze down again. Back in and the release Rock Bottom into the standing moonsault gets two on Breeze as we take a break.

We come back with Devlin standing on Breeze’s face (not fair to the gorgeousness), only to charge into a boot in the corner. Back to back dropkicks have Devlin in trouble and a clothesline gives Breeze two. Devlin pops up for a high crossbody, with Breeze rolling through for two more.

A standing Spanish Fly gets two on Breeze and they’re both a bit winded. Devlin tries the moonsault but hits raised boots, allowing Breeze to slap on a half crab. He has to pull it back to the middle but lets it go for some reason, setting up the Supermodel kick for a rather close two. The slingshot cutter gives Devlin two and that’s enough for him, meaning it’s the Devlin Side to put Breeze away at 15:33.

Rating: B. This took some time to get going but once it found its footing, they were off to the races. They’ve got something with Devlin, who has been great in almost everything that he’s done and looked very good here too. This is also the closest Breeze has looked to his old self around here and I could certainly go for more of him. Devlin was the star here though and I think they know it.

Charlotte arrives.

Here’s Bianca Belair for the big showdown. She’s on her way to Portland to become the new NXT Women’s Champion but here’s Charlotte to interrupt in a hurry. We get the big welcome home reaction and she says there is nothing like a Full Sail WOO. Charlotte respects the heck out of Belair but Bianca isn’t the Queen.

Rhea doesn’t like the disrespect and the saying around here is WE ARE NXT. Belair jumps Charlotte and they put her on their shoulders for a double faceplant. Rhea and Bianca trash talk each other until Belair leaves. Charlotte didn’t accept or decline Ripley’s challenge. Good segment here and I want to see where this goes.

Undisputed Era vs. Tommaso Ciampa/Broserweights

Roderick Strong is the odd man out but the other three jump the Era on the stage and the fight is on before the bell. Dunne X Plexes O’Reilly onto the apron and Ciampa kicks Fish in the face. Strong gets beaten down in the aisle and the limping Ciampa goes inside with O’Reilly going after the knee as the bell rings. Ciampa elbows him down and it’s Riddle coming in to strike away at Fish.

The MMA exchange doesn’t exactly work so Dunne and Cole come in. Dunne gets pulled to the floor though and Strong is back up to drop Dunne onto the apron. Back in and the Era takes turns on Dunne in the corner until he sends Fish to the floor and dropkicks O’Reilly to the floor, allowing the diving tag to Riddle (Ciampa’s arm wasn’t exactly extended there). Riddle starts cleaning house with strikes and throws into the back to back Brotons.

The Era needs a breather on the floor and we come back with Riddle getting knocked into the Era’s corner, allowing Cole to come back in for a chinlock. O’Reilly slaps on a guillotine choke but Riddle lifts him up without too much effort. Riddle no sells a German suplex, O’Reilly no sells a German suplex, Riddle hits him in the head and O’Reilly kicks him in the head for a double knockdown.

Dunne gets the hot tag and starts wrecking Cole, including X Plexing O’Reilly onto him for two. The Panama Sunrise is cut off by a forearm but Cole is right back with a brainbuster onto the knee for his own near fall. Dunne ducks a double kick from O’Reilly and Fish and the hot tag brings in Ciampa. Project Ciampa gets two on O’Reilly with Fish making the save. We get the big showdown between Ciampa and Cole but a kick to the head breaks it up in a hurry. Everyone starts hitting each other in the head/face but Strong comes in to break up the Fairy Tale Ending for the DQ at 13:41.

Rating: B. I could have gone for the clean pin at the end here but this was mostly all action throughout and they pulled me in near the end. If nothing else it was nice to see that Ciampa hadn’t hurt his knee again and that he got back in and started taking over. Strong interfering is fine enough, but it could have been a better ending and that slows it down a bit.

Post match the beatdown is on, including Chasing the Dragon to Dunne on the floor. Riddle takes High/Low and Ciampa gets End of Heartache. The Era goes NWO and paints an X on Ciampa’s back (ala Ciampa with the table last week)….but we’ve got three rings on the screen. Those rings would be like the Velveteen Dream’s glasses and he’s back, diving off the top onto the Era and beating all of them up at once.

The Era gets taken out and Dream rips off his gear, revealing Rick Rude style tights with Strong’s family painted on, plus an old school hip swivel. Dream clears the ring and the fans go coconuts to end the show. It’s a cool moment, though I wouldn’t have done the circles thing last week. Why telegraph it at all?

Overall Rating: B+. This is more like it with segments and matches that built towards Takeover. It’s a case of things being better when they have something to focus on and that’s always a good thing. The wrestling was quite strong tonight as well and overall, it was a heck of a show that flew by. Takeover is looking rather stacked, even with six matches at the moment. Hopefully they don’t overdo it, but what we have so far should be great.

Results

Angel Garza b. Isaiah Scott – Wing Clipper

Dominick Dijakovic b. Killian Dain – Feast Your Eyes

Mercedes Martinez b. Kacy Catanzaro – Fisherman’s buster

Jordan Devlin b. Tyler Breeze – Devlin Side

Tommaso Ciampa/Broserweights b. Undisputed Era via DQ when Roderick Strong interfered

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

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

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

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

IMG Credit: WWE

Worlds Collide
Date: January 25, 2020
Location: Toyota Center, Houston, Texas
Commentators: Tom Phillips, Nigel McGuinness

It’s a big night in Texas, and not just because I finally remembered that the show isn’t called When Worlds Collide. This is NXT vs. NXT UK and the card is actually stacked, with a bunch of matches that could be awesome. If they live up to the hype, it’s a show of the year contender. Let’s get to it.

Kickoff Show: Mia Yim vs. Kay Lee Ray

Non-title. Mia knocks her into the corner to start and hits a Cannonball for two. Ray gets chopped against the ropes but Mia takes her down by the leg and gets two off a kick to the head. A faceplant gives Ray her own two and the chinlock goes on. Mia fights up and chops her way out of the corner so Ray superkicks her for two. The Swanton misses though and Yim scores with her own superkick.

The springboard DDT gives Yim two more and Ray gets hit with a suicide dive. Ray is right back up with a top rope flip dive of her own and they’re both down on the floor. Back in and Code Blue gets two but Ray is right back with Eat Defeat for her own near fall. It’s Yim’s turn now and a Batista Bomb give her two more. A Canadian Destroyer is good for the same but they go to a series of rollups. Yim gets two more but gets reversed, with Ray grabbing the rope for the pin at 9:18.

Rating: C+. It was good action and a fine finish, though I still can’t bring myself to care about Yim. She just isn’t interesting and there is nothing that she can do to fix that. Maybe she’ll catch fire later on but so far it has been a lot of dull stuff from here where they push her well but nothing clicks. Ray is better, though I’m still waiting on her to step up to another level.

The opening video features narration by Winston Churchill, talking about how we will fight everywhere over video of Imperium and the Undisputed Era. The rest of the card gets some attention as well, but the eight man tag is the focal point, as it should be.

The announcers welcome us to the show.

Finn Balor vs. Ilja Dragunov

Dragunov comes out to some near silence. Balor grabs a headlock to start and takes Dragunov down, only to get reversed with a headscissors. Dragunov starts slugging away but gets sent outside for a baseball slide through the ropes. Back in and Dragunov knocks him down, setting up a backsplash for two. The armbar is broken up as Balor makes the rope but he misses his apron enziguri.

Balor bails to the floor so Dragunov hits a crossbody from the apron. A top rope ax handle misses though and Balor stomps away, setting up an elbow for two back inside. Balor stomps away in the corner and the fans are VERY pleased. A running chop gets two and we hit the chinlock to keep Dragunov down. 1916 is countered into a suplex though and Dragunov hits a running knee in the corner.

Dragunov hits a bunch of knees to the chest and a big one to the face gets two. Balor is one step ahead of him though and hits the jumping double stomp to the ribs. They slug it out until Dragunov hits an enziguri. The Pele is caught but Balor is back with a Nightmare on Helm Street.

The Sling Blade looks to set up the John Woo dropkick but Dragunov grabs a bridging German suplex for two more. Dragunov’s discus lariat puts Balor on the floor for another crossbody. Back in and Balor is draped over the ropes for a missile dropkick to the side of the head. Balor’s nose is busted but he’s fine enough to get his knees up to block a backsplash. The John Woo dropkick sets up the Coup de Grace into the 1916 for the pin at 13:50.

Rating: B. The best sign of the match is that they overcame an apathetic crowd to start. The fans did not care about Dragunov and were cheering Balor throughout, but the important part here is that they got the fans caring. Dragunov isn’t ready to defeat someone like Balor so the loss isn’t a bad thing, but what matters is that he was competitive and they had a heck of a match. Really good opener.

The Broserweights and the Grizzled Young Veterans are in the front row. They’re told that the winners will receive a Tag Team Title shot at Takeover: Portland and Gibson isn’t pleased. He’s seen the Broserweights’ resume and there’s nothing there. The Veterans should win the tournament because they’re the best team in the world.

Matt Riddle talks about how they should be happy over the new prize for the winners. Dunne is stone faced, but Riddle says that’s his happy face. Dunne: “I’ll be blunt.” That makes Riddle VERY happy and we even have to pause for his mini celebration. Dunne promises to smoke the Veterans next week because it’s their trophy to win. Riddle came off like a star here.

Cruiserweight Title: Isaiah Scott vs. Jordan Devlin vs. Travis Banks vs. Angel Garza

One fall to a finish with Garza defending. The fans are behind Scott and all four grab hands to start. Garza asks for a pause so he can TAKE OFF HIS PANTS but it’s a triple suplex to cut him off. Devlin Rock Bottoms Scott and Banks and moonsaults onto both of them. Scott is back up with the rolling Downward Spiral on Banks, followed by the dropkick to Devlin. Devlin and Scott go outside so Garza hits the big flip dive, leaving Banks to hit a stomp from the apron.

Banks kicks at Scott’s chest back inside but Garza joins in, earning himself some Banks kicks as well. Scott kicks Garza into the corner but gets suplexed into a different corner as banks continues to dominate. Scott is sent into Garza in the corner and Banks hits a suicide dive on Devlin. Back in and Banks sends Devlin into the corner onto the other two. Devlin is back up with a crazy spinning tornado DDT on Scott and a Spanish Fly to Garza, only to have Banks dive in with a double stomp for the save.

They slug it out from their knees until Garza sends Banks into Devlin. That means GARZA CAN TAKE OFF HIS PANTS before catching Banks’ crossbody. Devlin can’t hit a hurricanrana on Garza, who holds them both up at once. Scott dives in with a double stomp to Devlin and everyone is down. The House Call to Garza is broken up by Devlin but Banks is back up with a Canadian Destroyer to plant Devlin and everyone is down.

Garza and Scott go up top but get pulled down with a double super Spanish Fly from Devlin. Banks is right back up with the Slice of Heaven into the Kiwi Crusher for two on Devlin to put everyone down again. Banks tries a headscissors out of the corner but Scott flips him forward into something like an Iconoclasm for two. Garza hits a reverse hurricanrana on Scott and the Wing Clipper connects, only to have Devlin headbutt him down. The Devlin Side finishes Scott for the pin and the title at 12:08. Devlin’s celebration is awesome as he looks like he just won the World Title in the main event of Wrestlemania.

Rating: B. I had this one wrong but I can go with this as the Cruiserweight Title doesn’t mean anything on NXT. Devlin has needed a big win for a long time now and that’s the right call here. He’s lost several big matches now so giving him a major win and a title is a good move, especially when there isn’t much for Garza to do with the title in NXT. If nothing else, this might put Devlin on 205 Live, though I’d get a chuckle out of him just never showing up there and having 205 Live pretend the show serves any purpose (like it does now).

Post match Devlin says he told you all and you should believe him. Never bet against the Ace.

Keith Lee, Mia Yim, Chelsea Green and Robert Stone are here.

We recap DIY vs. Moustache Mountain. There isn’t much of a story but they’re both the signature teams of their brands so it’s time to have a dream match.

DIY vs. Moustache Mountain

This could be good. Maybe. Possibly. Gargano and Bate start things off with Gargano taking him down for an armbar. A headlock keeps Bate down and he can’t power out of a front facelock. He can however flip out of a hurricanrana attempt and try the Tyler Driver 97, only to have Gargano slip out this time. Gargano misses the rolling kick to the head so Bate grabs his leg on an attempted kick to the ribs.

Bate is nice enough to put the foot down and it’s a double tag to Seven and Ciampa. They have a moustache off and then a pose down with Seven conceding the second round. Ciampa takes him t the mat but the flip over armbar is countered into a rollup for two. Bate comes back in and he’s willing to pose with Ciampa. We go old school with a test of strength and the taller Ciampa gets the better of things.

They flip over to the mat and bridge up at two each. Bate loads up Bop and Bang but gets hit in the face in a hurry. Ciampa knees Bate to the floor and Gargano superkicks Seven out with him. The Brits are sent over the announcers’ table and DIY have a seat on the apron. Back in and Gargano mocks Bate’s pose before kicking him in the back of the head for two. Ciampa elbows Bate down and we’re off to the chinlock.

Bate finally fights up and flips out so he can tag Seven in for the chops. A DDT drops Gargano and the powerbomb into the Seven Star Lariat gets two on Ciampa. Another lariat is blocked with a jumping knee to the face, which may have knocked out Seven’s tooth. Gargano is back in with a Downward Spiral/DDT combination, followed by the slingshot spear for two on Bate.

Willow’s Bell hits Seven and Gargano’s slingshot DDT gets two on Bate. Gargano and Seven fight to the floor and Ciampa knees Bate in the head. Project Ciampa and the Tyler Driver 97 are countered so Bate hits the rebound lariat instead. Now the Tyler Driver 97 can connect for two with Gargano making the save and kicking Ciampa into a rollup for another two on Bate. Everyone is down until Bate muscles Gargano up into a suplex.

The standing shooting star press gets two and it’s off to the airplane spin. That’s reversed into the Gargano Escape and it’s Ciampa coming in with the flip over armbar to Seven at the same time. Both are reversed into stereo airplane spins, setting up a belly to back suplex/clothesline combination for two on Gargano. Bate is knocked down in the middle so Seven has to save him from Meet In The Middle.

DIY tries it anyway but walk into Bop and Bang, setting up the Birminghammer for two on Ciampa. A double Birminghammer hits Ciampa so Bate goes up for Spiral Tap, with Ciampa pulling Seven into the path to steal his own near fall in a great spot. They slug it out with DIY getting the better of it and superkicking Bate out of the air. That leaves Seven to take Meet In The Middle for the pin at 22:54.

Rating: A-. The beginning felt like it was going to be a comedy match but then things got serious and they beat the fire out of each other for the next fifteen or so minutes. Moustache Mountain can hang with anyone, including DIY, but it only makes sense to have DIY go over here when they’re likely going after the Tag Team Titles over Wrestlemania weekend. Either way, incredible stuff here with no clear winner almost the entire way through.

Post match, respect is shown.

Mercedes Martinez and Dakota Kai are here….and Tegan Nox jumps Kai from behind. They fight to ringside until security breaks them up, much to the fans’ annoyance.

We recap Toni Storm. They’re old rivals with Storm having beaten her twice and now wanting a shot at the new champ. Storm leads the series 2-1 so Ripley wants to even things up and keep her title.

#1 contender Bianca Belair is here.

NXT Women’s Title: Rhea Ripley vs. Toni Storm

Ripley is defending. They fight over a lockup to start and the fans are split. That goes nowhere so Storm forearms away, only to get blasted with a chop. A staredown sets up some clotheslines from Ripley but she walks into a superkick in the corner. Storm suplexes her into the corner and Ripley needs a breather on the floor. With her neck seemingly ok, Storm grabs a suplex for two and it’s off to an STF variation. That’s broken up so Storm hits a DDT for two more.

The chinlock doesn’t last long but some shots to the back have Rhea in more trouble. They slug it out with Ripley getting the better of it and kicking her into the corner. The standing Cloverleaf goes on but Ripley can’t get it on in full because of her neck. Riptide is countered into a crossbody to give Storm two. Storm’s German suplex drops Ripley on her head for two more but they hit heads for a double knockdown. It’s Storm up first but she misses a frog splash, setting up Riptide for the pin to retain Rhea’s title at 10:09.

Rating: C. Well that was….short. I’m not sure if Ripley was actually banged up in there or not because that’s a pretty fast ending to what could have been a much longer match. What we got was nice enough and Ripley winning is the best way to go, but that was very short for what could have been a longer match. The fans weren’t exactly into it though and that disappoints me a good bit.

During the previous match, Johnny Gargano was doing an interview when Finn Balor jumped him. Tommaso Ciampa and Moustache Mountain made the save.

We recap Imperium vs. Undisputed Era. The Era jumped them at the end of Takeover: Blackpool II and then Imperium cost them their Dusty Classic match. They’re the big faction in both companies and it’s time for a showdown.

Undisputed Era vs. Imperium

The medics come in and take him to the floor so it’s Walter vs. Cole instead. Walter throws him down so Cole decides to slap him for some reason. The threat of the big chop sends Cole bailing into the corner but Walter gets knocked into the Era’s corner. Walter is right back up with a leapfrog over Strong into a big boot, meaning Aichner can come in to stand at attention. Cole saves Strong from a powerbomb and takes over on Barthel with some elbows to the head.

It’s O’Reilly unleashing the strikes in the corner and Strong blasts Barthel so hard in the jaw that it brings Walter in for a few seconds. There’s the slingshot hilo from Fish and Cole slaps on the chinlock. O’Reilly kicks Walter on the apron and Walter just glares at him. The distraction lets Barthel get in a Russian legsweep though and it’s Walter coming in, meaning O’Reilly hits the panic button. The strikes are countered into a German suplex but O’Reilly reverses the powerbomb into a guillotine.

Just to show off, Walter suplexes Strong and O’Reilly at the same time. Barthel elbows O’Reilly in the face for two and it’s Aichner putting on a chinlock. It’s back to Walter for a running seated senton and the LOUD chop takes the spirit out of O’Reilly’s eyes for two. The running double dropkick in the corner rocks O’Reilly again but he dives around Walter for the tag off to Strong. He chops it out with Walter and actually knocks him into the ropes for the running elbows.

That’s broken up with a single clothesline so Aichner comes in. A heck of a tiger bomb sets up the Strong Hold but Aichner is out in a hurry. White Noise gives Barthel two but Fish gets away and brings in Cole to pick up the pace. The Panama Sunrise is blocked so it’s a fireman’s carry neckbreaker for two on Barthel instead. Walter comes back in so everyone but Cole pounds him down at the same time.

The announcers’ table is loaded up but Walter fights them off and loads up another table. O’Reilly and Strong have to break up a powerbomb and it’s the Angle Slam to put Walter through the table in a huge crash. Back in and it’s an exchange of strikes to the face, including Cole superkicking Aichner out of the air. Cole hits the brainbuster onto the knee to Barthel for two and the running knee to the face gets the same. Aichner comes back in and gets kicked down in a hurry.

O’Reilly gets Barthel in a kneebar but a crawl makes the rope. The hold is still on so Aichner moonsaults in to break it up. Aichner gets beaten down on the floor but Walter is back on the apron. An enziguri allows the hot tag to Walter to wreck everything in sight. Cole hits a superkick but the Last Shot is broken up with the huge chop.

The powerbomb hits Strong and the frog splash crushes him but Cole breaks it up with the Last Shot. Aichner and Barthel break that up at two and everyone is down again. Everyone gets up for the staredown and the fight is on. Walter gets taken down by High/Low and Strong flip dives over the top onto Cole, O’Reilly and Barthel. Aichner follows that with a dive of his own but Fish’s moonsault misses Walter. The powerbomb finishes Fish at 29:53.

Rating: A. Even with one of the eight people out of the match, these guys put on a clinic with great drama throughout with the Era using a strategy of divide and conquer. The problem with that is they had no answer for Walter, who came back up and wrecked the place, which is how you should have presented him here. It’s going to take a monster to take the title from Walter and I’m not sure who that is right now. This was a showcase for everyone involved though and the match was great up and down. Hopefully Wolfe is ok though because that’s the most important thing.

A highlight package wraps us up.

Overall Rating: A. The women’s match is the only thing on here that isn’t great and even that was completely watchable. This is one that actually lived up to the hype and that is hard to do given how good the show was looking on paper. It even added something to the future because NXT is smart enough to do something like that. This show flew by at about three hours total, making it an easy sit with some amazing matches. Check this one out for sure.

Results

Finn Balor b. Ilja Dragunov – 1916

Jordan Devlin b. Angel Garza, Isaiah Scott and Travis Banks – Devlin Side to Scott

DIY b. Moustache Mountain – Meet In The Middle to Seven

Rhea Ripley b. Toni Storm – Riptide

Imperium b. Undisputed Era – Powerbomb to Fish

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

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

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

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

IMG Credit: WWE

Leave it to NXT to make it work. A few months back, it was announced that we would not be having a Takeover during Royal Rumble weekend. Instead we were getting a Worlds Collide special, which didn’t exactly have people excited. The previous editions hadn’t been anything interesting, but this one was different. This time we’re getting NXT vs. NXT UK, which hasn’t been done before. As luck would have it, NXT UK is on a roll at this point and it should be a blast as a result. Let’s get to it.

Kickoff Show: Kay Lee Ray vs. Mia Yim

This is non-title and that’s a good thing as I don’t have to worry about Yim winning a title. I’m not sure what it is about her but something has fallen way down with her and it’s almost impossible to make myself care about what she does. Ray hasn’t blown me away as champion yet either, but she can do more interesting things than Yim so far.

As for the match, I’ll go with Ray as well, since I just can’t imagine them having a champion lose in a non-title match without some surprise plan to make a surprise turn into Yim in NXT UK. The match should be a fine way to warm up the crowd (note to WWE: ONE Kickoff Show match can do that very well) but it isn’t something that I’m exactly excited to see in the first place.

DIY vs. Moustache Mountain

And we have a dream match that you never knew you needed to see. DIY is one of the best tag teams that NXT has ever seen and Moustache Mountain is the biggest tag team that NXT UK has ever seen. We could be in for a match of the year candidate here and that’s only if they’re having an off night. I know DIY might not be at their peaks but sweet goodness we could be in for an awesome one here.

I’ll take DIY, who have said that this is just a one off reunion, but I think you know where they’re heading at Takeover, likely over Wrestlemania weekend. Moustache Mountain is going to be tearing the house down too though and I’m drooling over the idea of the false finishes that Gargano and Bate could have. Throw in Ciampa and my goodness this could be something incredible. But yeah DIY wins here.

Finn Balor vs. Ilja Dragunov

The more I think about this one, the more interested I am in seeing these guys beat the fire out of each other. Balor is a star and Dragunov has more raw intensity than anyone I’ve seen in a long time (never look into his eyes). This one doesn’t need to be that long as they’re going to beat the fire out of each other, though I’m not entirely sure which way they’re going to go.

As much as I want to say Dragunov wins in an upset here, I can’t go against Balor, not when he’s primed for a match against Gargano at Takeover. Dragunov is the kind of guy who can come back from a loss in the blink of an eye but he’s not ready to beat someone the caliber of Balor. The upset wouldn’t shock me here, but I just can’t go with Dragunov in this spot.

Cruiserweight Title: Angel Garza(c) vs. Jordan Devlin vs. Isaiah Scott vs. Travis Banks

This is one of those matches where you could see several possible outcomes. Garza is such a ball of charisma who can do all kinds of things in the ring (though I’m still not wild on his finisher) but the other three are all serious threats. That’s how you can tell there’s a good match to be had here: you really could see any of the four walking out as champion, which isn’t something that happens very often.

I’ll go with Garza to retain here, though much like so many other matches on this show, I could see it going multiple ways. Someone taking the title over to the UK wouldn’t be a bad idea as it isn’t doing anything in NXT at the moment, but odds are it stays down in Florida, where there are several challengers ready to come after it. Then again that’s the same in the UK so I’ll move on before I change my mind again.

NXT Women’s Title: Rhea Ripley vs. Toni Storm

These two are turning into a thing and that’s great for everyone involved. The two of them work well together and while Ripley has turned into the big star on the bigger stage, Storm has had her number more often than not, which gives the match a good story. We already know they can make the action work, so going with the story that makes sense is what matters in the end.

While I expect Storm to come over to NXT full time (assuming she wants to), this is Ripley’s to win. There’s no need to give Storm another win over her and Ripley has become a major star in a hurry down in NXT. Given that she already has a title defense set up for next month in Portland, it would be very out of the NXT nature to have her lose here. Ripley wins to even the feud.

Imperium vs. Undisputed Era

Back on the August 21, 2019 episode of NXT, the Undisputed Era stood on the stage where Adam Cole mentioned NXT UK. There was nothing I wanted to see more than Imperium come out, just for the sake of seeing Cole’s head explode at the thought of what he had gotten himself into. Well, since NXT is awesome, that’s what we’re getting now and it’s going to be great.

I’m going with Imperium getting the win here, as they get to make up for part of losing the overall competition to NXT. Imperium is one of the coolest things going in WWE today and giving them the big win like this should be a great step up for them. You can even have Roderick Strong take the fall without a champion getting pinned. What more could you ask for than that in a situation like this? These guys are going to tear the house down and it’s going to be outstanding in a modern dream match that I’ve known I’ve wanted to see for a long time now.

Overall Thoughts

When did this turn into such a great looking card? This thing is absolutely stacked and blows away a lot of recent WWE shows. I’m actually looking forward to this one and have every confidence that they’re going to blow us away. You have multiple matches on here that could show up on a lot of lists near the end of the year and that doesn’t happen every day. This is going to rock and I’m really excited for it.

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

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

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

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

IMG Credit: WWE

205 Live
Date: January 17, 2020
Location: Greensboro Coliseum Greensboro, North Carolina
Commentators: Jon Quasto, Mansoor

We’re wrapping up the week with another likely lifeless edition of the cruiserweight show. At least this time we can start building towards the four way Cruiserweight Title match at When Worlds Collide, with only one of the three challengers already set. I’m not sure what that means for tonight but hopefully it’s an upgrade. Let’s get to it.

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

We open with a recap of Isaiah Scott becoming one of three challengers to the Cruiserweight Title.

Opening sequence.

What a bizarre commentary team.

Tyler Breeze vs. Ariya Daivari

It’s amazing how much the place dies when Daivari’s music hits. Daivari takes him down to start and lounges on the ropes for a bit. Breeze is right back with a dropkick and does some lounging of his own. The threat of a Supermodel kick puts Daivari on the floor so Breeze sends him into the barricade a few times. Back in and Daivari pulls him down by the hair before cranking on the arm.

Breeze gets tied in the Tree of Woe for more stomping but he slips out and knocks him away. Daivari gets in a crotching on top though and the armbar goes on. That’s broken up and Breeze backdrops him hard out to the floor, followed by a catapult into the corner back inside. Daivari’s Rock Bottom gets two and he shouts about how no one wants Breeze here. That just earns him a Supermodel kick for two and it’s an enziguri to put Daivari down again. Breeze can’t hit the Unprettier but can hit the Beauty Shot for the pin at 10:49.

Rating: C-. Another match that wasn’t all that good but at least they didn’t have Daivari win. I don’t remember the last time that someone was this uninteresting but for some reason he sticks around for months on end. He just isn’t all that interesting and it was another instance of someone feeling like they’re here because they have nowhere else to go.

Jack Gallagher is willing to come back to 205 Live if certain criteria are met:

1. Drake Maverick stars dressing like a real General Manager.

2. My new entrance music is to be Stunner by Dan le Sac vs. Scroobius Pip.

4. I must be officially recognized as a former UpUpDownDown Champion.

5. I appear on one of those late night talk shows where they pretend to know who you are the whole time.

6. Wrestlemania in England.

Lio Rush vs. Sunil Singh

Rush dives onto Sunil to start, even breaking up the dancing in the process. They head back inside with Rush running him over and heading up top, only to have Samir offer a distraction so Sunil can knock him off the apron. Dancing, snap suplex, dancing, middle rope elbow for two. The chinlock goes on but Rush fights up in a hurry and puts him on the apron for a handspring kick to the head. The Brothers try to switch and are caught in a hurry, mainly due to the sunglasses (not due to the different gear). Rush knocks Sunil down in a hurry and hits the Final Hour for the pin at 6:01.

Rating: D. Dear goodness get some new heels already. That’s one of the biggest problems around here and it’s not getting any better. Rush is getting a lot better in the ring and is figuring out how to be the face around here. The Singhs….yeah I’m not sure what else I can say to complain about them any more. It isn’t that they’re bad, but it’s been the exact same things over and over again and it stopped being entertaining months ago. Just get something new, please.

We hear the announcement of the Cruiserweight Title qualifying matches from NXT UK.

Raul Mendoza vs. Isaiah Scott

Mendoza armdrags him down to start so Scott goes to the mat with a wristlock. Back up and Mendoza tries a rollup but Scott flips forward to his feet. This time it’s Mendoza being sent down and Scott’s confidence is starting in a hurry. They switch places though and Scott gets dropkicked into the barricade and it’s time for the chops inside. The chinlock goes on but Scott fights up and sends him outside for a kick to the face.

Back in and Scott hits a middle rope uppercut to the back, setting up a jumping Downward Spiral for two more. The JML Driver is countered though and Mendoza’s Santa Maria gets him his own two. Scott gets crotched on top and a bottom rope Lionsault gives Mendoza another near fall. Mendoza misses a Phoenix splash though and the House Call gives Scott the pin at 10:31.

Rating: C. The action was good and Scott got the logical win, though it wasn’t a match with any heat or really anything close to it. Mendoza continues to be a good hand but Scott is someone who seems to have all the potential around here. He should be on a bigger show but for some reason he’s around here, which seems just to be little more than a holding pen for so many talented people.

Overall Rating: D+. Another bad week here and so much of that is due to how the story is set up. There’s no overall structure with no major story and no top heels in sight. This is more like the old school original days of the show and that is one of the worst things you can have. There might be a few stories here but it’s not like they mean anything or have anything to build towards. Therefore, what’s the point in watching? I don’t think anyone has an answer to that and that has been the case for a long time.

Results

Tyler Breeze b. Ariya Daivari – Beauty Shot

Lio Rush b. Sunil Singh – Final Hour

Isaiah Scott b. Raul Mendoza – House Call

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

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

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

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

IMG Credit: WWE

205 Live
Date: January 10, 2020
Location: Ford Center, Evansville, Indiana
Commentators: Aiden English, Byron Saxton

The slow march through 205 Live purgatory continues with a grand total of nothing happening around here. I still don’t get why WWE puts in no effort on this thing and it’s still rather annoying to see how little they think of it, but the show must go on. I’m not sure why, but it must. Let’s get to it.

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

Opening recap.

Opening sequence.

Isaiah Scott vs. Lio Rush

They start fast with Scott sending him into the corner but having to avoid the springboard Stunner to set up an early standoff. Scott grabs the wrist and manages to hold on despite Rush’s spinning escape attempts. Back up and Rush starts running the ropes with the dodges included before they both flip to the floor for another standoff….and here are the Singhs as the match is thrown out at about 2:50.

The Singhs dance around a lot and I guess we’re having a tag match.

Singh Brothers vs. Lio Rush/Isaiah Scott

Scott jumps Sunil on the floor and we start in a hurry. Rush comes in and gets slapped in the face, meaning it’s time for a chase on the floor. Samir gets in a cheap shot though and we hit an early chinlock. A superkick gets two on Rush and the chinlock goes right back on. To mix it up a bit, Sunil wraps on a bodyscissors for a change. Back up and Rush bobs and weaves a bit, allowing the tag to Scott. Kicks to the Singhs’ chests set up the springboard Stunner into the House Call for the pin at 6:58.

Rating: D. Please stop featuring the Singhs. I’m guessing they appeal to the Indian audience, but is there really no one better for that role? They’re some of the most annoying and least interesting people on any roster and yet here they are almost every single week. This was a glorified workout for Scott and Rush, who deserve a lot more than what they got here.

Post match, Rush and Scott seem cool.

Video on Tyler Breeze.

Ariya Daivari vs. Jeff Brooks

Daivari talks trash to start and tells Brooks to do something. That earns Daivari some shots to the face but he’s right back with the Rock Bottom to plant Brooks. The hammerlock lariat gives Daivari the pin at 1:28. So now we’re giving DAIVARI showcase matches?

Post match, Daivari hits a second lariat. Good. Now go away.

We look back at Jack Gallagher snapping and turning heel two weeks ago, earning himself a suspension. Not that it matters as Drake Maverick lifted the suspension. So much for that.

Tyler Breeze vs. Tony Nese

Nese poses to start and Breeze really doesn’t seem impressed. A catapult sends Nese into the corner for two and it’s a quick rollup into an even more quickly broken half crab. They head outside with Breeze hitting some forearms to the back but Nese gets in a cheap shot to take over. A ram into the apron gives Nese two and it’s time to stomp Breeze down in the corner.

Nese kicks him in the face for two more and it’s off to the bodyscissors. Breeze fights up and sends Nese outside but a dive is blocked with a kick to the head. Left hands to the face keep Breeze down but the Lionsault misses. A backbreaker puts Nese in the corner so he snaps Breeze’s throat across the top. The springboard moonsault gets two and Nese yells about how Breeze doesn’t belong here. Nese dropkicks him in the back but the running Nese is blocked with a superkick. Back in and Breeze misses a high crossbody but is fine enough to grab a rollup for the pin at 11:57.

Rating: C. Tyler Breeze feels like a bigger star than anyone on this show but it isn’t going to help if he’s being dragged down by the same people that we’ve seen around here forever. That’s the case here, as Nese is pretty good in the ring and a former Cruiserweight Champion but he isn’t exactly thrilling. Not a bad match, but just there, as is so much around here.

Overall Rating: D+. That main event showcased so many of the problems with this show. The problem is still the lack of star power and if you’re on 205 Live, you don’t have star power by definition. Fans rightfully see this as the lowest rung on the pole and there is no reason to get excited over anything that happens here, especially now that most of the good talent is gone. It’s not about the wrestling or anything close to it. WWE doesn’t care about these people and they’ve been left in the lurch for years now. That isn’t changing but WWE likes having them around here and that’s what we’re stuck with for a long time to come.

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

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

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

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

IMG Credit: WWE

NXT
Date: January 15, 2020
Location: Full Sail University, Winter Park, Florida
Commentators: Mauro Ranallo, Beth Phoenix

We’re coming up on Worlds Collide, which is actually looking like a pretty good show in lieu of a traditional Takeover. I’m not sure what to expect from this one, but we will be getting the rest of the first round of the Dusty Classic, plus probably the start of the build to the next Takeover. Let’s get to it.

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

In Memory of Rocky Johnson.

Opening recap, including the Undisputed Era invading at Takeover: Blackpool II to attack Imperium.

Here’s Keith Lee for an opening chat. Last week he unlocked an achievement and now he is the #1 contender for the North American Title. The Undisputed Era now have all of the titles and the end of their 2019 was better than anyone….except maybe his. They have reached their limit but he is limitless. Next week he’ll win the title, but here’s the Undisputed Era for the beatdown. Lee gets taken down and Strong Pillmanizes the ankle. Tommaso Ciampa makes a late save to chase everyone off.

Tegan Nox is ready to face Dakota Kai in tonight’s battle royal. Candice LeRae runs up and hugs her.

Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic First Round: Broserweights vs. Flash Morgan Webster/Mark Andrews

That would be Pete Dunne/Matt Riddle. Dunne and Andrews start but it’s a very early standoff to send us to a break. Back with Webster flipping out of Dunne’s German suplex but getting caught in a quick X Plex. Webster fights out of the corner, flips over Dunne and crawls underneath Riddle to get over to Andrews. The pace picks up with Andrews doing the double knee slide and backflipping into a double Pele.

Andrews and Webster hit the stereo flip dives, followed by the assisted 450 for two on Dunne back inside. Dunne punches Webster out of the air but Andres is there to break up….well there wouldn’t have been a tag anyway as Riddle was pulling himself back to the apron. A double stomp to the hands allows Riddle to come in and stereo kicks to the head get two on Andrews.

Riddle German suplexes Andrews for two and Dunne grabs an ankle lock to mix things up a bit. Andrews rolls out and hits a double stomp as we take another break. Back with Webster dropkicking Dunne to the floor, setting up the big flip dive onto both of them. Andrews hits a reverse hurricanrana for two on Riddle with Dunne having to shove Webster into the cover for the save. A tornado DDT plants Dunne on the floor but Riddle spears Webster down.

Riddle’s suplex is countered into a small package for two so Riddle throws him into a kick from Dunne for a closer near fall. Andrews grabs a hurricanrana for two on Riddle with Dunne punching Webster into the cover for another save. The Bitter End is blocked and the X Plex is countered into a Stundog Millionaire. Riddle has had it with these two and gives Webster Bro Derek on the floor. Dunne loads up the Bitter End on Andrews, dropping him onto Riddle’s knee to the face for the pin at 18:20.

Rating: B+. This was an interesting one with the regular team being able to hang in there against the two individual stars. Then Riddle took it to a level where they just couldn’t hang and Riddle looked like the star that he is. Dunne looked rather good as well, but Riddle was the monster at the end and it was cool to see.

We look at the Undisputed Era jumping Imperium again.

After the attack, Imperium ranted quite a bit.

There is no update on Lee’s leg.

Here’s Tommaso Ciampa for a chat. He lists off some people that the Undisputed Era have attacked, which shows how they have a hit list. That’s good, because Ciampa has one as well and Adam Cole is on top of it. When Cole took Goldie he took Ciampa’s life and it’s time to take it back. Cue the Era to beat Ciampa down but Johnny Gargano runs in for the save. Gargano and Ciampa even hit Meet In The Middle on Bobby Fish as the DIY chants are on full blast. They seem to want to shake hands but can’t do it.

Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic First Round: Alex Shelley/Kushida vs. Grizzled Young Veterans

This is Shelley’s NXT debut. Gibson takes Shelley into the corner to start so it’s Drake quickly coming in, only to get chopped several times. The Veterans are sent outside for stereo dives and we settle down to Gibson trying to send Shelley into the ropes but Kushida comes in off a blind tag and kicks Gibson down. A double running suplex gets two on Gibson and we take a break.

Back with Gibson taking over on Shelley, including a belly to back suplex getting two. The chinlock goes on for all of a few seconds, allowing Shelley to fight up and bring Kushida back in to clean house. The hiptoss into a cross armbreaker has Drake in trouble but Gibson makes the save.

A neckbreaker gets two on Kushida but he’s right back up with a headscissors. Shelley comes back in for a top rope splash with Kushida adding a standing moonsault for two. Kushida’s basement dropkick hits Gibson but Drake shoves him off the top. Sliced Bread is broken up as well and Ticket To Mayhem sends the Veterans to the semifinals at 11:54.

Rating: B. It wasn’t quite as good as the first match but the Veterans winning is certainly fine. The Time Splitters can either keep going or they are just fine with being used as a way to get the Veterans over. Either way, it was cool to hear that they are coming back and it could be interesting to see where they go from here.

Post match the Veterans walk away from the offer of respect. Gibson rants about how they didn’t come here to shake hands in front of a crowd that doesn’t know who Shelley and Kushida are. Shelley and Kushida are a great team but the Veterans are soon to be crowned as the tournament champions.

Here are the updated brackets:

Grizzled Young Veterans

Undisputed Era

Imperium

Matt Riddle/Pete Dunne

I could go for the Era vs. Imperium at When Worlds Collide.

Robert Stone has pulled Chelsea Green from the battle royal because she is too good for the battle royal.

Finn Balor sees a lot of himself in Ilja Dragunov.

Tyler Breeze vs. Isaiah Scott vs. Lio Rush

Angel Garza is on commentary and the winner gets a spot in the four way Cruiserweight Title match at When Worlds Collide. They stare at each other until Breeze kicks Rush and suplexes him down for two. Scott gets armdragged down but is right back with a bunch of strikes to put Rush down. Rush is sent to the apron so Scott charges, setting up his flip onto the floor, with Rush backflipping outside at the same time.

Back from a break with Rush coming back in but getting suplexed from the apron by Scott, with is German suplexed by Breeze at the same time. Breeze starts firing off dropkicks but Scott is right back with a pair of dives for a double knockdown. Back in and Rush plants Scott with a Spanish Fly for two but Breeze kicks them both down for two more. Rush kicks Breeze through the ropes and hits a reverse hurricanrana to plant Scott.

The Final Hour gets two with Breeze making the save to put everyone down. It’s a three way slugout with Scott getting the better of things off a series of kicks, only to walk into a superkick from Breeze. Rush kicks Breeze down as well and hits the Final Hour, only to have Scott try to steal the pin. You don’t do that to Rush though, who hits the springboard Stunner to drop Scott again. The Beauty Shot hits Rush but Scott is back with the JML Driver to pin Breeze at 13:35.

Rating: B-. I can always go for more Scott, who is one of the best untapped talents around a place full of untapped talents. It was quite the relief that it wasn’t the one person hits a finisher and someone else steals the finish do at least they didn’t get on my nerves. This was all action throughout and the four way could tear down a lot of the house.

Rhea Ripley is ready to beat Toni Storm at When Worlds Collide and then face anyone at Takeover.

Johnny Gargano is outside when Tommaso Ciampa comes up to say thank you. Ciampa is about to leave but Gargano has an idea: one more at When Worlds Collide against Moustache Mountain. The Undisputed Era comes up for the fight but Keith Lee Pounces someone into a bush. Another guard is sent into a windshield and Lee promises that the prophecy ends next week.

Battle Royal

Candice LeRae, Mia Yim, Bianca Belair, Kacy Catanzaro , Mercedes Martinez, Shotzi Blackheart, Vanessa Borne, Kayden Carter, Santana Garrett, Io Shirai, Tegan Nox, Indi Hartwell, Shayna Baszler, Catalina, Vanessa Borne. Deonna Purrazzo, Jesse Kamea, MJ Jenkins, Xia Li

Hey Kacy is back. This is Martinez’s first official match as part of the NXT roster and Baszler is a surprise entrant. Everyone stares at Shayna to start but it turns into a regular battle royal instead of a group beatdown. We get a bunch of elimination teases with no one really getting close to going out. Jenkins is sent to the apron but grabs the rope, only to have Shayna wrench the fingers back for the first elimination.

Kamea is sent out and it’s Catalina hitting a hurricane on Shayna. A second attempt doesn’t work so well though and Baszler throws Catalina out. Carter tries to walk the ropes but gets forearmed to the apron. Kacy does the Silly String ala Private Party and Shayna knocks Carter out. Back from a break with Shayna knocking out Santana. Protect Yo Neck gets rid of Borne and Shotzi gets rid of Purrazzo a few seconds later.

Purrazzo pulls Shotzi underneath the bottom rope (not an elimination) and knocks her down with a bicycle kick to let off some steam. Li starts firing off some kicks but gets tossed by Baszler (yes again). Catanzaro’s springboard is broken up and Shirai dropkicks her out. Belair sends Candice to the apron and then into the post to get us down even further. Yim gets backdropped to the floor and it’s Baszler slugging it out with Martinez.

The Kirifuda Clutch has Martinez in trouble and Baszler tosses her without much effort. We’re down to Shirai, Nox, Baszler and Belair with Shotzi on the floor. Nox starts hitting reverse Cannonballs before chokeslamming Shirai onto Baszler. The Shiniest Wizard hits Belair and Nox goes up, only to have Dakota Kai run in and pull her out. Baszler grabs the Clutch on Shirai but here’s Blackheart to surprise Shayna with the elimination.

The argument breaks out and Belair tosses Blackheart so it’s Belair vs. Shirai. Belair can’t toss her out so Shirai hits a 619 to the ribs. A dive is countered into a fall away slam though and Shirai is sat on top. Shirai manages a kick to the head and it’s Belair on the apron but she pulls Shirai out with her.

They slug it out on the apron with Shirai standing on Belair’s head, meaning we need a hair pull legsweep for a unique move. Back in and they slug it out from their knees and then their feet until Belair spears her down. Shirai is right back to German suplex Belair into the corner. The running knees connect but Shirai’s double underhook is countered into the KOD over the top to give Belair the win at 23:01.

Rating: B-. Battle royals are some of the trickiest matches you can run as there are so many people who are just there to fill in spots. By getting rid of them and maybe even setting up some things down the line, they managed to make the match feel a lot more interesting. Belair is a good first Takeover victim for Ripley, though they can build her up rather well in the meantime. This was a long match but they did things the right way and it worked well enough.

Belair celebrates to end the show.

Overall Rating: B+. This was a bit of a strange show as the wrestling was all good and the storyline developments set up stuff both for Takeover and When Worlds Collide. I didn’t feel quite the connection to it this time though as it wasn’t so much about anything tonight but rather everything was about setting things up for later. That can happen with tournament shows and that was what happened here. It was a very good show though and When Worlds Collide has gone from a show that exists to what sounds like an awesome one so big well done in that area.

Results

Broserweights b. Flash Morgan Webster/Mark Andrews – Bitter End into a knee to the face to Andrews

Grizzled Young Veterans b. Kushida/Alex Shelley – Ticket To Mayhem to Shelley

Isaiah Scott b. Tyler Breeze and Lio Rush – JML Driver to Breeze

Bianca Belair won a battle royal last eliminating Shirai

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

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

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

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

IMG Credit: WWE

NXT
Date: December 25, 2019
Location: Full Sail University, Winter Park, Florida/Barclays Center, New York City, New York
Commentators: Nigel McGuinness, Mauro Ranallo, Tom Phillips, Beth Phoenix
Hosts: Pat McAfee, Cathy Kelly, Sam Roberts

It’s a Christmas night show because that’s something we needed this year. Last week’s show was a huge one with Rhea Ripley finally ending Shayna Baszler’s crazy long Women’s Title reign in a great moment. In addition to that, Johnny Gargano returned and annihilated Finn Balor to set up a huge match probably in the near future. Let’s get to it.

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

We open with a recap of last week’s big (and awesome) show.

The hosts welcome us to the show and do some bickering because that’s what WWE does.

From Full Sail.

Roderick Strong is issuing an open challenge for the North American Title.

North American Title: Roderick Strong vs. ???

Strong is defending against….Austin Theory, making his NXT TV debut. They go to the mat with Strong getting an early near fall and smiling a lot. Strong’s headlock doesn’t last long as Theory flips him over and even offers his cheek without much fear. The trash talk goes to Theory so Strong forearms him in the face and stomps away. Theory is back up with a nice dropkick for one and a hard whip puts Strong into the corner.

A standing moonsault connects for two and they head outside, with Strong hitting an Angle Slam into the post to start in on the back. That’s only good for nine so Strong stomps away again with the aggression starting to flow. Strong hits his own great dropkick and sends Theory outside, only to have Austin roll in….for a backbreaker to give Strong two.

Theory snaps off a snap suplex before rolling through the ropes for another dropkick. The fans are split as Theory kicks Strong away and hits a buckle bomb to rock Strong again. A fisherman’s buster onto the knee gets two on the champ but he’s right back with a superplex. Theory counters a backbreaker though and grabs a torture rack into a spinning powerbomb for his own two.

Strong takes him to the top for a backbreaker onto the buckle but Theory is out again. Theory is right back up with something like a fisherman’s buster onto the apron for a VERY close two and the shock is rather nice. They slug it out with Theory hitting a superkick (Mauro: “AUSTIN THEORY JUST JINGLED HIS BELLS!”) so Strong is right back with End of Heartache. The Stronghold finishes Theory at 16:46.

Rating: B. Theory looked like a potential star here and the fact that he is 22 years old puts him near the heights of Pete Dunne and Tyler Bate who should not be that good at that age. Strong was the right choice of an opponent for him too as he has a style that works with everyone, including Theory, and we got a rather awesome match out of the two of them. This was about Theory doing everything he could and Strong focusing on the back because that’s what he does to set up his finisher. Theory will be back.

Theory gets a standing ovation and we get a lot of replays.

The hosts chat a bit with McAfee shouting a lot.

From Brooklyn, after a Smackdown taping.

Isaiah Scott vs. Jack Gallagher

Scott starts working on the arm but Gallagher grabs a leg to get out. Now it’s Gallagher cranking on the arm and fingers (Beth: “Taking those phalanges to a place they’re not supposed to go!”) and then a chinlock to mix it up a bit. Scott is right back on the arm with something like a short armscissors and Gallagher can’t spin out of things. He finally flips away so Scott dropkicks him in the side of the head.

Scott sends him over the top for a face first drop onto the apron. Back in and we hit the chinlock as they’re certainly keeping things slow and mat based early on. Gallagher slams him away though and we take a break. Back with Scott’s arm a bit banged up but he uses the good arm for a heck of a discus lariat. The middle rope elbow to the back has Gallagher in more trouble and it’s time for some kicks to the chest against the ropes.

A rolling Downward Spiral gives Scott two more and a backbreaker gets him away from Gallagher cranking on the arm. Gallagher headbutts the heck out of him for two of his own and they’re both down. It’s back to Scott’s arm but Scott reverses into an arm hold of his own, only to have Gallagher reverse into a cross armbreaker attempt. Scott reverses that into a Pentagon style arm snap, albeit with his foot instead of pulling back. The House Call is good for the pin on Gallagher at 13:48.

Rating: C+. Scott is someone who has more starts and stops to his run in NXT than I can even imagine. He keeps coming and going without being able to really get very far. That becomes an issue, but the talent is there and he can do all kinds of things in the ring. It helps that the fans are with him and Gallagher is the same way, with the ability to have a good match against anyone.

The hosts talk about how important the Barclays Center has been for NXT.

Next week: the NXT Awards.

From Full Sail.

Candice LeRae vs. Taynara Conti

Conti can’t sneak in a kick to the ribs as LeRae knocks it away and hits a neckbreaker across the middle rope. A suicide dive connects and Candice adds a springboard crossbody to the floor for two. The chinlock goes on but Conti fights out in a hurry and hits a running knee as we take a break.

Back with Conti getting two off a tilt-a-whirl Boss Man Slam and then covering again for a bonus. Candice is so annoyed that she ties her hair back and slaps away, setting up a missile dropkick for her own two. The step up backsplash sets up the Lionsault to finish Conti at 7:55.

Rating: C-. LeRae is someone who can wrestle a fine enough match but she doesn’t exactly break through to the other side. I could see her getting a Cinderella run towards the title but I’m not sure if she will ever win the thing. Conti is fine as a midcard dragon to slay, though she needs to win a few matches to get her back to that status.

Arturo Ruas is coming.

Back to Brooklyn.

Dominick Dijakovic vs. Bronson Reed

They do the power lockup to start with Dijakovic getting the better of things off a headlock. Reed reverses into one of his own as he gets his turn to grind Dijakovic down for a change. An exchange of shoulders goes nowhere so Dijakovic tries and fails at a suplex attempt instead. Reed runs him over and sits on Dijakovic’s back as we take a break.

Back with Reed forearming him in the face and snapping off a German suplex. A running hip attack in the corner gives Reed two and there’s a suplex for the same. Dijakovic still can’t suplex him so he kicks and strikes away instead. Now the toss suplex connects for two on Reed and the Cyclone boot gets the same.

Just to show off, Dijakovic busts out a moonsault for another near fall and the fans are getting into these kickouts. The chokeslam is broken up with headbutts to the hand (that’s a new one) and Reed busts out a middle rope Thesz press for two more. Some headbutts to the head look to set up the splash but Dijakovic catches him on the middle rope with a chokebomb for the pin at 12:16.

Rating: C+. I can go for a good hoss fight like this and that’s what they did here. Reed has gotten to show off multiple times now and I’ve been having a good time watching him look so good. At the same time, Dijakovic is a monster and someone who should be pushed towards the main event in a hurry. He’s that good and NXT knows it.

Video on When Worlds Collide.

Video on Bianca Belair.

Bianca Belair vs. Shotzi Blackheart

Shotzi, recently signed, takes her into the corner to start and snapmares Belair down for blowing bubbles. Belair spins out though and drops a seated senton to take over. A sunset flip doesn’t work for Shotzi and Belair blows more bubbles. This one is broken up with a slap to the face and a springboard hurricanrana sends Belair into the ropes. A running reverse Cannonball against the ropes puts Belair on the floor but she counters a dive and drops Shotzi onto the apron.

Back from a break with Belair clotheslining her down and posing a lot on the cover. Shotzi gets caught with a running dropkick and we hit the cravate. That’s broken up and Shotzi hits a running faceplant to get a breather. There’s a kick to Belair’s head and a rolling faceplant gets two. Shotzi gets creative with a running tornado DDT onto the apron and Belair is rocked. Back in and a big boot misses though, allowing Belair to send her into the corner. The KOD finishes Blackheart at 10:15.

Rating: C. This was a way to showcase Shotzi and that worked out well enough. You knew she wasn’t going to beat a bigger star like Belair but at least she hit a bunch of nice stuff. It was designed as a get to know you match and for what it was, that worked out well enough. Shotzi is going to need some more work but she had a good first outing here so at least her first foot came off well.

The hosts discuss Shotzi and the women’s division.

Keith Lee/Lio Rush vs. Tony Nese/Damian Priest

What an odd pair of teams. Nese and Rush start things off but it’s off to Priest for the ridiculous visual on the staredown instead. Rush slaps him in the face for some reason but he gets in a kick to the chest as well. A blocked kick allows the tag to Lee though and now let’s have a staredown.

Priest makes it personal by pulling off Lee’s Santa hat and it’s time for them both to miss a lot of shots to the face in a far more fast paced exchange than should be legal for people their size. Lee hits a crossbody and smiles at Nese for trying to interfere. The chase is on outside with Nese being Pounced over the announcers’ table for a .6 Cole. Back from a break with Priest punching Rush out of the air to take over.

Nese comes in to kick Rush in the face and we hit the bodyscissors. A big kick to the head misses and Rush flips out of a belly to back suplex. The bottom rope springboard Stunner puts them both down though and it’s back to Lee to clean house. Lee’s running clothesline gets two on Priest but the Spirit Bomb doesn’t work. Nese knocks Lee down and gets two off a Lionsault but Rush comes back in for a springboard hurricanrana.

Rush strikes away and kicks Nese in the head but Priest chokeslams him onto the apron. Back in and….Lee, in the Santa hat, rises up next to Priest and throws him to the floor. Lee catches a diving Nese in the air so Priest tries a running flip dive….and Lee catches THAT, holds him up, and powerbombs him onto the apron. You know, because HE CAN DO THAT. The Limit Breaker into the Final Hour off of Lee’s shoulders finishes Nese at 13:25.

Rating: C+. The more I watch Lee, the more I’m convinced that he was built in a lab somewhere. The guy is a complete athletic freak with the power and athleticism being as impressive of a combination as you’re going to see. Throw in another rise into the camera and how can you not be impressed? Much like Dijakovic, he needs to be pushed up the card in a hurry, just because it’s hard to leave him out of the main event if he keeps this up.

Overall Rating: B. This was a show that you may not have needed to see but it was entertaining and flew by with no stories and little more than a bunch of showcase matches. There’s nothing here you really need to see, though Theory and Shotzi both had some valuable performances. We’ll be back to normal soon enough but for a one off special, this worked very well.

Results

Roderick Strong b. Austin Theory – Stronghold

Isaiah Scott b. Jack Gallagher – House Call

Candice LeRae b. Taynara Conti – Lionsault

Dominick Dijakovic b. Bronson Reed – Chokebomb

Bianca Belair b. Shotzi Blackheart – KOD

Keith Lee/Lio Rush b. Tony Nese/Damian Priest – Final Hour to Nese

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

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

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

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

IMG Credit: WWE

NXT
Date: November 13, 2019
Location: Full Sail University, Winter Park, Florida
Commentators: Nigel McGuinness, Mauro Ranallo, Beth Phoenix

We’re still on the way to Survivor Series and hopefully things can get back to where they were last week. At the same time though, things are starting to move towards Takeover, so we’re going to be seeing a ladder match for the advantage in the women’s WarGames. The lineups still need to be locked in though so let’s get to it.

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

Opening recap, which also seems to serve as the opening sequence.

Cruiserweight Title: Angel Garza vs. Lio Rush

Rush is defending. They start running the ropes in a hurry with neither being able to hit anything, meaning it’s a pair of flips to land on a knee each. Garza bails to the floor and goes into the crowd, where HE TAKES OFF HIS PANTS right in front of Rush’s family. That means the crazy fast suicide dive but another one is countered into a powerslam so Garza can smile as we take a break.

Back with Garza hitting a hard knee to the face but Rush is fine enough to escape the Wing Clipper. The springboard Stunner is blocked with a dropkick to the back to give Garza two more. Rush grabs a swinging neckbreaker for two of his own but gets caught on top. That means a super moonsault powerslam for a close two and the frustration makes Garza hammer away.

Rush counters a charge into Rush Hour before kicking Garza upside the head. Now the springboard Stunner can connect but Rush tries a second, only to get reversed into the Wing Clipper for two. Garza loads it up again but climbs up, allowing Rush to headbutt his way to freedom. Rush flips him down and hits the Final hour for a slightly delayed two. With nothing else working, Rush waits for Garza to start getting up and hits another Final Hour to retain at 12:55. Garza’s foot looked like it was in the ropes for a bit.

Rating: B. They didn’t bother wasting time with any slow paced stuff here and just went straight to a game of can you top this. Sometimes it’s nice to drop any pretense that you are doing anything but a spotfest and that is what they did here. It seems to be where they are both most comfortable though and the match was really entertaining while feeling half as long as it was.

Tegan Nox and Rhea Ripley have been attacked.

Video on Shayna Baszler invading the main roster.

Xia Li vs. Aliyah

Xia starts with the kicks so Aliyah gets in a neck snap across the top for a breather. A northern lights suplex gives Aliyah two and she kicks Xia in the back, only to get kicked in the chest. Xia hits a superkick and a cartwheel forearm in the corner, followed by a spinning kick to the face for the pin at 2:07.

Aliyah’s face is busted up and the medic comes in to check on her.

Video on Pete Dunne vs. Killian Dain. They meet tonight.

Here’s Finn Balor for a chat. He isn’t sure what happened around here because he was the heart and soul of this place. Now you have a bunch of people crying on social media and looking for sympathy when they get hurt. Since Johnny Gargano is out for Survivor Series weekend, he wants someone to come take Gargano’s place. Cue Matt Riddle to jump Balor and the fight is on until Balor bails. Riddle: “Come back here you little putz!”

Cue the Undisputed Era to surround the ring with Cole saying it’s the wrong place at the wrong time. Now it’s Tommaso Ciampa and Keith Lee coming out for the save. The Era talks about how they dominated Raw and Smackdown but Lee isn’t impressed. The challenge is on with Lee wanting to face Cole right now. Strong says he has this though.

Keith Lee vs. Roderick Strong

Non-title. Joined in progress with everyone else gone and Lee hitting a tossup faceplant for two. Some chops have Strong in even more trouble and he has to elbow his way out of a slam attempt. He can’t elbow enough though and Lee plants him with ease. Strong kicks at the legs for some more success and a running shoulder to a kneeling Lee. This goes badly for Strong, who bounces off of Lee a few times.

Lee gets up and smiles at him, setting up another big chop to cut Strong down. Strong comes back with a knee strike though and we take a break. Back with Lee getting dropkicked outside and a wrecking ball dropkick putting him down on the floor. The Sick Kick gives Strong two back inside and the reverse chinlock goes on. As usual, that just wakes Lee up and he shoves Strong around, followed by some elbows to the back for two.

Lee gets caught on top and, after some strikes, Strong manages a heck of a superplex for….one. The Stronghold isn’t happening so they slug it out until Lee turns him inside out with a clothesline. Cue the Era again though, followed by Ciampa and Riddle to cut them off. Finn Balor shows up with a Sling Blade to Riddle though, followed by a dropkick to send him into the steps. The distraction lets Strong hit an Angle Slam for two but Lee is right back up with the Supernova for the pin at 17:27.

Rating: B. Another solid match and the interference didn’t even cause the fall. I’m not a big fan of a champion losing like this but it isn’t done nearly as often around here, which means that it can be more forgivable. Lee is likely to get a title shot after Takeover and that is what you need to do with people like him.

Post match the beatdown is on but Dominick Dijakovic coming in for the save. With the Era dispatched, Dijakovic offers his services and Ciampa shakes his hand. Dijakovic runs into Lee, but it’s another handshake. Remember that Riddle is likely going to fight Balor so they still need another member.

Marina Shafir, Jessamyn Duke and Candice LeRae have been taken out. The yet to debut Scarlett Bordeaux is checking on LeRae.

Isaiah Scott vs. Bronson Reed

They trade short wristlocks to start until Reed runs him over with the size and power. There’s a headbutt to make it worse and a rather large headlock ensues. Reed goes with the simple style by sitting on Scott’s back and cannonballing down onto it before just throwing him outside. That earns him a posting though and we take a break. Back with Scott hitting a middle rope elbow to the back of the neck and getting two off a Flatliner.

One heck of a clothesline into a backsplash crushes Scott but the top rope splash is broken up. Scott goes up with him but has to fight out of a super Tombstone (geez), allowing him to hit a hanging DDT for two on Reed. Back up and Reed grabs a belly to back sitout piledriver for his own two. Scott gets to the apron and tries a slingshot hurricanrana but has to settle for a triangle choke. That’s broken up as well but Scott knocks him down and hits the House Call (Swerve Kick) for the pin at 11:57.

Rating: C+. Scott is someone I like more and more every time I see him. The good thing is that WWE seems to be getting the idea as well with a nice little winning streak. He can have a good match with anyone and that’s the kind of style that can keep you around for a long time. Reed is good too and makes the size work for him.

Respect is shown post match.

It isn’t clear who is behind the attacks, but we do know one thing for TakeOver: Balor vs. Riddle is confirmed and Dijakovic is taking Riddle’s place in WarGames, meaning Ciampa needs a fourth.

Video on the Forgotten Sons.

Killian Dain vs. Pete Dunne

Hang on though as Damien Priest jumps Dain on the ramp, meaning it’s Dunne running to the floor to get in on the fight. Everyone brawls and security breaks it up, only to have Priest powerbomb a guard over the top. He isn’t done yet as he adds a big running flip dive to take out Dunne and Dain again. Works for me as a triple threat at Takeover. No match here.

Mia Yim says if someone wants to come out them, it can be from any angle. Dakota Kai comes in and says there are no hard feelings after last week’s decision. She has Mia’s back tonight.

Next week: Cole vs. Dijakovic in a ladder match for the men’s WarGames advantage.

Mia Yim vs. Io Shirai

Ladder match for the advantage in the women’s WarGames match. They both want the ladder early but Shirai takes her down with a suicide dive instead. Mia is right back up and knocks her down, allowing the ladder to be thrown in. Shirai gets dropped onto a ladder, which is bridged between the apron and barricade. A superkick to the ladder knocks it into Mia’s face, though she’s fine enough to get in a ladder shot to Shirai’s hand.

Shirai uses the good hand to try a running ladder shot but only hits ring. Yim gets kicked away and they finally get back inside, only to fight over a suplex. It’s Shirai getting dropped back first onto the ladder and we take a break. Back with Shirai forearming away and hitting the 619, followed by a flapjack to keep Mia down. Mia isn’t about to let her climb though and it’s an overhead belly to belly into….well at least close to, the edge of the ladder.

That lets Mia set up the ladder but Shirai sends her into it and the ladder goes down again. Mia gets crushed in the ladder so Shirai pulls out a fresh one. That one has to be dropkicked into Mia so Shirai can climb, or at least she would if she has two good hands. Shirai takes too long going up and gets pulled down, though she’s right back up with a German suplex off the ladder. Shirai’s moonsault is broken up but she headbutts Mia to the floor.

Cue Dakota Kai to check on Mia but Shirai moonsaults onto both of them. Shirai goes up but Kai powerbombs her down, only to have NXT UK Women’s Champion Kay Lee Ray run in and shove the ladder down, sending Mia through the bridged ladder in a GREAT looking crash as I had forgotten about the other ladder. Ray helps Shirai up the ladder for the win at 19:58.

Rating: B+. This was very good stuff with the two of them beating the heck out of each other with some adult sized bumps. Ray as the fourth member of the team is interesting and could be the wild card that the match needs. I’m not a big Yim fan but she looked awesome here and they had a great match.

Post match Shirai, Ray and Bianca Belair pose in the ring as Shayna Baszler comes out, seemingly approving of the new team. It’s Bayley attacking her from behind though, presumably revealing herself as the attacking. Baszler gets planted face first onto the stage, drawing her team up to chase Bayley off to end the show.

Overall Rating: A-. This is the kind of NXT show that works well: good action up and down the card, a lot of stuff being set up for the future and a card that makes me want to see Takeover. They moved things forward here and helped advance their own card, which has almost been lost in the Survivor Series shuffle. We’re up to three (mostly complete) matches now and you can pretty much guess the fourth, though a card with no title matches is going to be rather weird. Anyway, very strong show this week as we get a good step towards Takeover.

Results

Lio Rush b. Angel Garza – Final Hour

Xia Li b. Aliyah – Spinning kick to the face

Keith Lee b. Roderick Strong – Supernova

Isaiah Scott b. Bronson Reed – House Call

Io Shirai b. Mia Yim – Shirai pulled down the briefcase

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

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

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

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

IMG Credit: WWE

NXT
Date: November 6, 2019
Location: Full Sail University, Winter Park, Florida
Commentators: Mauro Ranallo, Beth Phoenix, Nigel McGuinness

Things have changed in a hurry with this show as it is suddenly a show being treated like it belongs on the main roster. NXT has invaded Monday Night Raw and Smackdown and the question now is will those shows wind up here. It’s a nice feeling to not know what’s coming, though we also have to set up this month’s Takeover. Let’s get to it.

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

We open in the back with the OC attacking the Undisputed Era.

The OC comes into the arena with AJ Styles not being so impressed with NXT. They’re taking over NXT tonight and that is undisputed. Cue Tommaso Ciampa (Fans: “DADDY’S HOME!”) to say he’s been asked about being promoted tot he main roster for years. Instead, he welcomes the OC to the main roster. Ciampa doesn’t like them being in his ring but AJ points out that he’s here all alone. Cue Matt Riddle and Keith Lee with the challenge being made and accepted. Nigel says we could have a cracking main event. Yes cracking.

Pete Dunne vs. Damian Priest

Rematch from two weeks ago when Priest cheated to win. Neither can hit their finisher or a kick to the face to start and we take a break. Back with Priest striking away and hitting a Falcon Arrow for two. The chinlock goes on for a bit until Dunne fights up with the X Plex. Dunne starts striking away including a dropkick to the knees but he can’t hit a German suplex.

Neither can Priest though as Dunne flips out and kicks him in the head. The moonsault to the floor hits Priest as well and they’re both down. Priest is back up with a chokeslam onto the apron, though Dunne is fine enough to hit a sitout powerbomb for two back inside. The Bitter End is broken up though and Priest kicks him in the head.

Dunne heads outside and it’s a big flip dive from Priest as we take another break. Back again with stereo kicks to the head giving us a double knockdown. South of Heaven is broken up so Priest settles for a Razor’s Edge toss powerbomb for two more. Dunne gets tired of getting beaten up though and cranks on the fingers, setting up a cross armbreaker with more finger cranking for the pin at 15:11.

Rating: B-. The two commercials hurt things a bit here though having both of them getting to show off made up for a lot of it. Dunne evens things up and there is a good chance that we’ll be seeing a third match. Priest has already gotten his big win out of the thing and that is what matters most here. Dunne is going to be a big deal so giving him the win to at least even it up for now gives me a good reason to believe his time is coming.

Post match Killian Dain runs out and beats up Dunne, including knocking Priest to the floor. Priest goes after Dain as well but gets sent into the steps, setting up the Cannonball to crush him again.

We look at the WarGames teams, with Rhea Ripley picking Tegan Nox and Candice LeRae and Shayna Baszler picking Bianca Belair and Io Shirai.

Dakota Kai is ready to stand up to Shayna Baszler tonight because she isn’t scared anymore. She’s going to prove why she belongs in WarGames.

Santana Garrett vs. Taynara

This is something of an audition for the final WarGames spots. Taynara takes her down by the arm to start but Garrett is right back with some armdrags into a Russian legsweep for two. A hard running knee to the face gives Taynara two and it’s time to kick Garrett in the face. Taynara starts cranking on the arm but Garrett gets up and hits a few forearms. Garrett misses the handspring moonsault and it’s a hard kick to the face to put her away at 4:07.

Rating: C-. This didn’t have time to go very far but it was the standard veteran gets to beat a plucky rookie, which is an acceptable way to go. Taynara is someone who has enough capital that you can buy her winning and it’s not like Garrett got squashed in any way. Good enough debut from Garrett here, who has the experience and look to keep her relevant for a long time.

Video on Tony Nese.

Video on Angel Garza.

Survivor Series rundown, which looks pretty decent.

Dakota Kai vs. Shayna Baszler

Non-title and the rest of the Horsewomen are here with Baszler. Kai shoves her in the face and teases a kick before stopping for a quick mocking. Now the kick to the face sets up an armdrag and a flying mare of all things. A running kick to the face puts Baszler outside but she catches a charge to send Kai crashing into the post.

Back in and Baszler starts in on the braced knee, including a bunch of stomps to send us to a break. We come back with Kai hitting a double stomp to the chest out for he corner but hurting her leg again. A pump kick rocks Baszler again and a running knee to the face gets two. Kai goes up top but gets gutwrench superplexed back down for a crash and near fall.

A headbutt rocks Baszler and the running kick in the corner puts them both down. The Kawada kicks put Baszler in more trouble but she’s fine enough to hit a good looking jumping knee to the face. The Kirifuda Clutch is broken up but the second attempt goes on and the arm is trapped to make Kai tap at 11:14.

Rating: B-. Kai looked completely different than her earlier matches with Baszler here and that’s what they were going for. The history here is something that played well into the rebuilt Kai, who I wanted to be the one to come back and take the title from Baszler. Either way, Kai has a good future going at this point and I’m looking forward to seeing what she does next.

Post match the Horsewomen are in for the beatdown but it’s Team Ripley for the save. Io Shirai cuts off Candice LeRae though and the rest of Team Baszler is down for the beatdown. Cue Mia Yim with the kendo stick for the save though, including some shots to Baszler.

We recap NXT invading Smackdown and Raw.

Tommaso Ciampa isn’t worried about finding a fourth member for his WarGames team (I don’t remember that being confirmed before) against the Undisputed Era. As for tonight, if anyone wants to come after them, the front door is open.

Video on Isaiah Swerve Scott, who says Swerve is confidence.

Tony Nese vs. Angel Garza

The winner gets a Cruiserweight Title shot at some point in the future. Garza goes after the arm to start but it’s an early standoff. With that not working it’s time to start on the leg but Nese manages to get on top for a fast two and it’s another standoff. This time Nese takes him down by the arm for all of a few seconds, meaning it’s Garza snapping off a running hurricanrana.

That means it’s time for GARZA TO TAKE….a chop to the chest to prevent his disrobing. Garza puts him on the top and hits an enziguri, only to have Nese try a sunset bomb. That’s blocked and NESE TAKES OFF GARZA’S PANTS! Garza gets in a kick to the face and we take a break. Back with Garza hitting another kick to set up the moonsault to the floor. Nigel: “A thing of beauty from the most beautiful man in the world!”

Nese’s sitout pumphandle powerslam gives him his own two but Garza is back up with a reverse Project Ciampa. It’s Nese’s turn to knock him down and this time it’s a 450 for two with Garza getting a foot on the rope. They chop it out again until Garza flips around into a sitout powerbomb for his own near fall. A double underhook drop down (think a Bubba Bomb but with Nese turned the other way and with a butterfly instead of a full nelson) called the Wing Clipper finishes Nese at 11:19.

Rating: C. Garza winning is the right call and it makes more sense to push the NXT guys over the 205 Live guys. Point blank, most of the people on 205 Live are there for a reason and while Nese is good, he doesn’t feel like someone who would be a star around here. I’m still not sure how much longer 205 Live can last, but I’ve been saying that for two years now so what do I know.

Post match Lio Rush comes out and Garza slaps him in the face. Their title match is next week.

Rhea Ripley picks Mia Yim for the fourth spot on her team. She tells Dakota Kai that she just didn’t make the cut. Kai walks away in near tears.

Takeover rundown, which is just WarGames at the moment. Both Baszler and Ciampa’s teams still need fourths, and that previous segment seems like a clue.

Dominick Dijakovic vs. Isaiah Scott

This could be interesting. Scott starts dodging early on but jumps into a fireman’s carry. It’s too early for Feast Your Eyes so Dijakovic hits some standing knees to the back before tossing him to the side. The toss suplex gets two on Scott and a backbreaker lets Dijakovic hit a falling middle rope splash for two more. Scott gets in a quick Downward Spiral and a Release German suplex offers a surprise power display.

A DDT out of the corner gives Scott his own two and it’s time to go up, only to have Dijakovic nail a superkick. Feast Your Eyes is broken up though and Scott hits an enziguri to a kneeling Dijakovic. The cyclone boot staggers Scott though and a chokebomb gets two. Scott is fine enough to come back with a reverse hurricanrana to send Dijakovic to the apron for the big top rope double stomp. A big kick to the face gives Scott two more so he tries the rolling cutter but Dijakovic counters into Feast Your Eyes for the pin at 7:16.

Rating: B. This was a heck of a match and a great way to showcase the different styles. Scott can work with anyone and Dijakovic is such a freak that he can as well, despite his huge size. Really good stuff here and Dijakovic seems ready to move up to the next level at any given time. Scott needs to win a bigger match at some point, but he’s far from losing steam otherwise.

Next week: the Cruiserweight Title match plus Yim vs. Shirai in a ladder match for the WarGames advantage.

OC vs. Tommaso Ciampa/Matt Riddle/Keith Lee

The brawl is on before the bell until it’s AJ vs. Ciampa to get us going. Ciampa is knocked outside early on and the slingshot forearm hits Riddle on the floor. Back in and Willow’s Bell gives Ciampa two and it’s off to Lee vs. Gallows. A hard shoulder rocks Gallows and a pretty slow motion Pounce puts him on the floor.

Back in and Gallows kicks him in the ribs, as does the now legal Anderson. Lee goes simple with a crossbody and we take a break. We come back to Ciampa in AJ’s chinlock and Gallows driving in elbows to the neck. Ciampa fights up but Gallows is smart enough to knock Lee off the apron in advance. Anderson dives into a jumping knee to the face and the hot tag brings in Riddle.

Jumping knees and shoulders abound, followed by the string of Brotons. The Final Flash into the Bro To Sleep into a bridging German suplex gets two with Anderson making the save. Ciampa breaks up the Magic Killer to Lee, who curls Gallows just to show off. AJ’s tornado DDT plants Lee (Mauro: “Like a palm tree!”) and a brainbuster gets two on Riddle. There’s the Pounce to AJ but it takes out the referee at the same time.

Riddle tries a running flip dive but gets caught in the ropes and nearly lands on the apron for a bad crash. Ciampa loads up the Fairy Tale Ending but here’s Finn Balor. That’s enough for AJ to hit the Pele on Ciampa and 1916 plants Riddle on the floor. AJ throws up Too Sweet to Balor, who points the finger guns back at him. Cue Adam Cole to break up the Styles Clash to Ciampa and hit the Last Shot on Ciampa. Cole stares Balor down to end the show, meaning we’ll say it was a no contest at 13:25.

Rating: B. I’m not sure where this is going but it was enough good action and more importantly, the NXT guys were going step for step with the WWE talent and no one took a fall at the end. The match was entertaining and they gave enough of an ending to make me want to watch next week. I’m not sure where they’re going with WarGames and that makes for an interesting ending, especially when you tie in the invasion stuff.

Overall Rating: B. Heck of a show here again as they set up/advanced the big matches at Takeover and tied in the Survivor Series invasion stuff at the same time. I’m not sure what else they are going to have for the rest of the card, but we could be in for a shorter show due to two matches taking up sixteen people. There is still room for a lot of stuff though and under the right circumstances, we could be in for another classic, depending on how the WarGames matches go.

Results

Pete Dunne b. Damian Priest – Cross armbreaker

Taynara b. Santana Garrett – Kick to the face

Shayna Baszler b. Dakota Kai – Kirifuda Clutch

Angel Garza b. Tony Nese – Wing Clipper

Dominick Dijakovic b. Isaiah Scott – Feast Your Eyes

OC vs. Tommaso Ciampa/Keith Lee/Matt Riddle went to a no contest

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

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

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

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