NXT
Date: August 24, 2021
Location: Capitol Wrestling Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Beth Phoenix, Wade Barrett, Vic Joseph

Takeover has come and gone and I have no idea what to expect next. Everything is about to be turned upside down around here and there is a good chance that we are going to be seeing something completely different going forward. That might be a good thing, but it is certainly going to be an eventful thing. Let’s get to it.

Here is Takeover if you need a recap.

Ted DiBiase and Cameron Grimes arrive and we follow them into the ring. DiBiase talks about how people have wanted to see what he wanted around here. He is here because he saw something in Grimes, who kept getting back up. That is why he is now the Million Dollar Champion, which the fans seem to like. Grimes talks about how DiBiase drove him nuts when he got here, which DiBiase says was a test.

Instead of learning, Grimes got distracted by the money and the stuff, and now he has the accomplishment to back it up. At Takeover, the two of them took care of LA Knight and now he has the title to prove it. Now though, it is time to go TO THE MOON, and Cameron Grimes Bucks are launched at the crowd. Beth to Barrett: “You can buy a new gavel!”

We get the long Takeover recap video.

Ridge Holland vs. Timothy Thatcher

Pete Dunne and Tommaso Ciampa are here too. An exchange of shoulders doesn’t get them anywhere so Holland goes with the slam to send Thatcher’s legs into the ropes. Back up and a running elbow gives Holland two but a belly to belly gives Thatcher a breather. A knee to the ribs cuts Holland down again and it’s time to work on the arm.

Holland grabs Thatcher’s arm and grabs a clothesline though and we take a break with Thatcher on the floor. Back with Thatcher winning a slugout and hitting his own slam to send the legs into the ropes. The half crab goes on but a rope is grabbed in a hurry. Holland knocks a jumping enziguri out of the air and Northern Grit finishes Thatcher at 10:36.

Rating: C+. I can go for watching these two beat each other up as they know how to make things look physical. Holland is a good power guy and Thatcher is someone who can work well with anyone. You could mix these things up into various combinations and that is the way to keep a story moving for a long time to come.

Post match Ciampa comes in to save Thatcher but Oney Lorcan and the returning Danny Burch runs in for the big beatdown. Holland hits Thatcher in the arm with his club and gets in a shot to the throat as well. This is feeling like the groundwork to WarGames.

Carmelo Hayes is used to facing bigger people but he dubs himself the overdog instead of the underdog. This is a long time coming and he has put in the work to get here. If he wins tonight, it is still one match at a time and he will wind up with gold. Hayes sounds confident on the mic and if he can back it up in the ring with some personality, he should be fine.

Indi Hartwell and Dexter Lumis are ready to get married and have been making sandcastles on the beach. Lumis pulls out a wedding invitation with the wedding set for September 14. Beth: “WE HAVE A DATE!”

Kayden Carter/Kacy Catanzaro vs. Jacy Jayne/Gigi Dolin

Dolin rolls Carter up for two start but gets kicked in the head. Catanzaro and Carter tease double dives to the floor but bounce back in for some dancing. Dolin takes Catanzaro into the corner though and the beatdown is on, with Jayne calling her a little girl. Another shot to the face gets two on Catanzaro but she manages to get over to Carter for the hot tag. House is cleaned for a bit until Carter takes Jayne over to the corner for the neckbreaker/450 combination for the pin at 4:18.

Rating: C-. This was another fine win for Catanzaro and Carter, though calling them the Tik Tok Tag Team and showing their Tik Tok videos before the match doesn’t give me the most hope. They have turned into a pretty nice team over the last few months though and I’m curious to see how their eventual Tag Team Title shot goes.

Raquel Gonzalez knows it isn’t over with Dakota Kai because Kai is that tough. She has been waiting for Kay Lee Ray too and she can bring it. Cue Frankie Monet and company to say she doesn’t wait in line. She’s coming for the shine and the title.

Video on Kay Lee Ray.

We get a sitdown interview with Odyssey Jones, who knew he would get here one day. He just didn’t know how well it would go once he got here. Taking off the football helmet is a big change and his name comes from his energy. He isn’t thinking beyond tonight’s title match because he can’t look beyond Hayes.

Kay Lee Ray vs. Valentina Feroz

Ray goes after the arm to start and lifts Feroz off the mat with the arm cranking. Some forearms have no effect and it’s a gordbuster to drop Feroz again. Ray beats on her in the corner and Feroz’s feathers are falling off. A dropkick slows Ray down but she is right back with a superkick. The Gory Bomb finishes for Ray at 2:53. As it should have been.

Mandy Rose offers Gigi Dolin and Jayce Jane some advance. They shrug and follow her.

Here is new NXT Champion Samoa Joe for a chat. Joe talks about facing the most dominant NXT Champion of all time and taking him down at Takeover. Now he is the first ever three time NXT Champion but he is here to fight instead of celebrating. Someone needs to come out here and face him, so here is Pete Dunne to say he wants the next title match. Go get William Regal and have the match made.

Cue LA Knight to say Joe is running from the only megatstar in NXT and it would have taken him 43 seconds to dust Karrion Kross. He wants to be the first challenger and that means he will be the last challenger. Dunne to Knight: “Take one more step and I swear I’ll break every one of your fingers.”

Now it’s Kyle O’Reilly to say that Samoa Joseph, Peter Dunne and La (pronounced as one word, not two letters) Knight aren’t here to get a title shot. He mentions winning the Undisputed Finale but here is Ridge Holland to jump him from behind. Dunne and Joe are about to fight but Tommaso Ciampa runs in to go after Dunne, though Joe grabs the belt first. Holland comes in to headbutt Ciampa and Joe takes out Knight. I could go for a lot of this.

Cameron Grimes and Ted DiBiase are leaving when Grimes tries to give him the title back. DiBiase says it belongs to Grimes and hands it back…..but he switched it out for a replica and is keeping the real thing as he drives off. Grimes, with a smile: “That Ted DiBiase.” That’s a pretty perfect ending and hopefully they don’t keep the title around now that Grimes has gotten everything he needs out of it.

Duke Hudson jumps Kyle O’Reilly in the back but O’Reilly fights back and they have to be separated.

Breakout Tournament Finals: Carmelo Hayes vs. Odyssey Jones

William Regal is at ringside. The much smaller Hayes gets driven into the corner and sat on top for a bat on the chest. Hayes tries running the ropes but stops when he realizes what is waiting on him. Jones powers him into the corner again and a big toss sends him flying and then rolling out to the floor. Back in and Hayes scores with an enziguri but his springboard is knocked out of the air.

We take a break and come back with Hayes working on the leg in the corner. Jones misses a charge and gets caught in a sleeper to slow the big guy down. The fans are split as Hayes scores with a pump kick and a springboard clothesline but can’t put the big man down. An ax kick gets two on Jones but he is right back with a shoulder breaker. Jones misses a charge into the post though and a top rope ax kick puts him down again. Hayes can’t hit it twice in a row and gets crushed with the splash. That’s not quite enough though as Hayes grabs a crucifix for the pin at 10:32.

Rating: B-. Good showing here from Hayes, who looks very polished every time he is in there. Jones is going to be fine as he can go be an enforcer for just about anyone and make them look better. There wasn’t a bad choice here and both of them will likely be around for a good while to come. NXT needs some fresh talent too so this is something they should be doing.

Post match Regal hands Hayes his contract for a future title shot. Hayes says Jones is no joke but he isn’t sure who he is going to face first. He called his shot here and when he calls his shot, he doesn’t miss.

Pete Dunne, Ridge Holland, Oney Lorcan and Danny Burch are ready to hurt Timothy Thatcher and Tommaso Ciampa.

Boa vs. Xyon Quinn

Boa kicks away in the corner to start but stops to look up at Mei Ying. The distraction lets Quinn hit a forearm for the upset pin at 1:13.

Quinn is smart enough to leave through the crowd instead of walking near Ying.

Johnny Gargano is in William Regal’s office and asks for a favor: stop the Dexter Lumis/Indi Hartwell wedding. They get in an argument over Gargano going nuts and how to pronounce bananas. LA Knight comes in to yell a lot and Regal throws both of them out. Regal: “Buffoons.”

Malcolm Bivens is overseeing a training session with Diamond Mine and the Creed Brothers. Next week, Roderick Strong is issuing another open challenge and he hopes Kushida is watching.

Hit Row vs. Legado del Fantasma

Legado starts the brawl before the bell and Top Dolla is triple teamed until B Fab makes a save. Ashante Adonis and Swerve pull Raul Mendoza and Joaquin Wilde outside and the brawl is on. We settle down to Adonis hitting back to back monkey flips with Mendoza and Wilde being sent outside. A dropkick (which seems to miss) sends Wilde outside and it’s a flapjack on the floor to make it worse.

Legado needs a breather on the floor and we take a break. Back with Swerve caught in the Legado corner for a series of running clotheslines. A suplex drops Scott again and something like the old McGillicutter gets two. Scott counters a sunset flip and gets in a stomp to the chest, allowing the hot tag off to Dolla. Everything breaks down and Dolla carries ALL THREE members of Legado around at the same time (e pluribus gads), setting up a World’s Strongest Wasteland.

Adonis comes back in and gets caught with a double basement dropkick for two. Swerve and Escobar drawl in the ring as Dolla flip dives onto the rest of Legado. That leaves Swerve to 450 Escobar for two but Legado is sent outside. B Fab gets in a slap but here is Electra Lopez to hit B Fab with a pipe. Lopez throws the pipe to Swerve, but it’s a swerve so Escobar can roll him up with tights for the pin at 13:57.

Rating: B. Some of that is for Top Dolla carrying around three grown men at the same time. The action was good throughout and they evened the numbers in the end too. These teams are getting a nice feud going and they could be in for a pretty major match down the line. Keep this thing going, probably including the eventual title showdown with Escobar vs. Swerve.

Overall Rating: B-. This was still the traditional NXT, but there are some new faces showing up. That isn’t a bad thing as NXT has really been needing a freshening up, but they need to get the transitional period down. Overall, a rather fun show with a mixture of stuff to make the two hours and change go by pretty quickly. They have the talent to make this work, but they are going to need to execute it really well over the next few weeks.

Results
Ridge Holland b. Timothy Thatcher – Northern Grit
Kacy Catanzaro/Kayden Carter b. Gigi Dolin/Jacy Jayne – 450/neckbreaker combination to Jayne
Kay Lee Ray b. Valentina Feroz – Gory Bomb
Carmelo Hayes b. Odyssey Jones – Crucifix
Xyon Quinn b. Boa – Forearm
Legado del Fantasma b. Hit Row – Rollup with tights to Scott

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

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NXT
Date: July 27, 2021
Location: Capitol Wrestling Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Beth Phoenix, Wade Barrett, Vic Joseph

Things got serious around here last week as NXT Champion Karrion Kross attacked William Regal to close the show. Samoa Joe is ready to destroy him as a result and that is all this needs to be. We are less than a month away from Takeover and that means it is time to start getting the card ready. Let’s get to it.

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

The opening video recaps the end of last week’s show, as Karrion Kross left William Regal laying.

Tommaso Ciampa/Timothy Thatcher vs. Pete Dunne/Oney Lorcan

Thatcher and Dunne get things going with neither being able to get very far on the mat. Ciampa and Lorcan come in with Ciampa grinding on a headlock. A shot to the face knocks Lorcan outside and the beating continues back inside. Ciampa wants Dunne, who comes in and blasts him with a clothesline. Everything breaks down for a second with Ciampa and Thatcher pounding away with forearms to the chest. Everyone heads outside with Dunne and Lorcan being sent into the barricade as we take a break.

Back with Dunne surfboarding Thatcher so Lorcan can fire off more chops. Thatcher slips away and brings in Ciampa so everything can break down. Lorcan is sent outside, leaving Ciampa to go after Dunne’s arm. Thatcher and Lorcan brawl on the floor but the returning Ridge Holland takes Thatcher down. Lorcan is able to save Dunne and it’s the Bitter End to finish Ciampa at 11:55.

Rating: C+. This was about people hitting each other hard and laying things in, which is why you have this match in the first place. The return is a nice twist too as we never got to see what Holland can do. Having him as the big bruising villain works out well and he could become a player around here in a hurry. Good brawl here, but the surprise is the important part.

Post match Lorcan and Dunne hold Ciampa back as Thatcher gets destroyed by Holland. The villains stand tall.

Carmelo Hayes is ready to win the Breakout Tournament.

Hit Row is ready to take apart Legado del Fantasma, with Top Dolla throwing in some Spanish.

Here is Samoa Joe to set up a table and chair in the ring. He knows Kross isn’t going to come do anything himself, so he would like William Regal out here right now. Cue Regal, with Joe saying he knows Regal is going to fire Kross. Joe has a better idea though, and it is in three steps.

First up, he presents Regal with his resignation as part of NXT management. Step two is another piece of paper, which needs Regal’s signature to bring Joe back to the main roster. Regal signs, which brings us to step three: signing Joe vs. Kross for Takeover, which Regal does as well. Regal didn’t say a word (at least not one we could hear).

Josh Briggs is ready to win the Breakout Tournament.

Earlier today, LA Knight and Cameron Grimes were on the golf course. Grimes is busy washing Knight’s (golf) balls and then gets confused by which club to use (Grimes: “Driver? I’m your driver!” Knight: “That’s a sand wedge.” Grimes: “Sandwich? Now you’re hungry?”). Grimes even throws out a $5,000 bet on Knight hitting it into the trees. Knight does just that and then yells at Grimes for mentioning it.

Breakout Tournament First Round: Carmelo Hayes vs. Josh Briggs

Hayes is a cruiserweight and Briggs is a giant. Briggs slams him down to start so Hayes is back with some rights and lefts in the corner. A dropkick sends Briggs face first into the middle buckle and it’s time to go after Briggs’ knee. That just earns Hayes a backdrop to the floor for the crash. Back in and Hayes catches him with a springboard legdrop for two, setting up the front facelock. Briggs gets in a shot of his own though and we take a break.

Back with Duke Hudson, who faces the winner in the next round, on commentary as Briggs gets two off a splash. Hayes counters a powerbomb attempt with a hurricanrana into the corner, followed by a pair of enziguris. A Codebreaker gives Hayes two more and he hits a running boot in the corner. Briggs shows him how to hit a big boot and a chokeslam gets two. The side slam is countered into a faceplant and Hayes does it again for good measure. A top rope Fameasser gives Hayes the pin at 10:43.

Rating: B-. This was a power vs. speed match and that is wrestling 101. Hayes is someone who made an impact when he debuted a few weeks ago and he looked good again here. The high flying is effective as Hayes looks polished, which is what you could use in a tournament like this. Briggs is going to be fine as an enforcer of some kind and I’m sure he will be around in the future.

Frankie Monet is ready to take the Robert Stone Brand to the next level. Maybe they can even win the Women’s Tag Team Titles. Kacy Catanzaro and Kayden Carter come up to say not so fast, because you can’t create chemistry like theirs.

Back on the golf course, Cameron Grimes imitates a commentator and LA Knight hits his ball into the water. Grimes cracks up, until Knight sends him after the ball. He finds the ball, but here is Ted DiBiase in a golf cart. DiBiase talks about how people like Knight are always going to hold people like Grimes down. Grimes was born to be a champion and DiBiase sees him as a fighter. Think about that. The wheels continue to turn on this one and that’s a good thing.

Here are Dakota Kai and Raquel Gonzalez for a chat. Gonzalez talks about destroying Xia Li last week and wonders who is next. Bring them on, because no one is stopping her. Kai says Gonzalez is the most dominant woman in NXT history and lists off the greats of the women’s division.

This division is great because of one woman (though Kai doesn’t say who) and asks who is woman enough to challenge Gonzalez at Takeover. Kai says Gonzalez will be champion as long as she has Gonzalez’s back and posing ensues. Gonzalez turns around….and gets kicked in the face. Kai holds up the title and the fans seem to approve. This works.

Adam Cole thinks NXT is nuts right now, including Bronson Reed calling Cole his rebound. That’s not what Cole is because he is at the top of the mountain. Tonight, Reed is falling off of that mountain because he isn’t good enough. Cole doesn’t care about Reed’s fourteen year journey and tonight is another sad chapter.

Zoey Stark comes up to Io Shirai to ask for some partner bonding time. Shirai doesn’t seem convinced but eventually gives in.

Mandy Rose talks to Gigi Dolin and Jayce Jane until she has to throw the cameras out.

Kacy Catanzaro/Kayden Carter vs. Jessi Kamea/Frankie Monet

Robert Stone is here with Kamea and Monet. Kacy takes Kamea down for an early two and brings in Carter for a rollup. Monet comes in for a DDT out of the corner to take over on Carter, including the running knees in the corner. Rights and lefts keep Carter in trouble, with Monet getting to shout. Hold on though as Stone throws in his purse (yes purse) to get her attention. The distraction lets Carter hit a pump kick, setting up the neckbreaker/450 combination for the pin at 3:29.

Rating: D+. I get what they’re going for with the story but egads did they need to have Monet take a fall here? There was no way to have this set up Kamea taking a fall? Or anything but Monet taking a pin? That feels like something they would do on Raw and that is not a good thing these days.

Wade Barrett had a sitdown interview with Malcolm Bivens and Roderick Strong. The Diamond Mine was perfect for Strong, because he was tired of the drama of the Undisputed Era. Bivens talks about how great of a talent Strong is and anyone, including William Regal, can understand that. Barrett asks about the Cruiserweight Title and Bobby Fish, so Strong promises to end Fish next week.

We look at Dakota Kai turning on Raquel Gonzalez.

Kai leaves without saying a word.

Hit Row vs. Imperium

Ashante Adonis and Top Dolla for Hit Row. Adonis starts with Marcel Barthel, who takes him into the corner. It’s quickly off to Fabian Aichner, who gets dropped with a neckbreaker for one. Dolla comes in for a jumping knee to drop Aichner and Adonis comes back in for a dropkick. Another neckbreaker is countered into a belly to back suplex but B Fab breaks up the double dropkick in the corner. Adonis uses the distraction to take Aichner down again and we take a break.

Back with Adonis having his spine bustered but he kicks Barthel away anyway. The ankle lock cuts off the hot tag though and Aichner adds an elbow to the back for two. The beating continues, including Barthel grabbing a butterfly suplex for two of his own. Adonis finally manages a backdrop though and the hot tag brings in Dolla to clean house. Dolla knee lifts Aichner and a side slam putts him down again. Adonis plants Barthel but here is Legado del Fantasma to take Adonis out. Dolla chases them off and the European Bomb finishes Adonis at 12:23.

Rating: C. Not the best match but you’re not going to have Imperium in there for something energized. I’m not wild on Hit Row losing but at least it wasn’t a clean loss. Hit Tor vs. Legado will be pretty awesome once we get there and Hit Row isn’t going to lose any kind of momentum as long as they can keep talking.

Post match Legado comes in for the beatdown until Swerve makes the save.

The Way is looking for Austin Theory, with Johnny Gargano saying he ran away from home. Indi Hartwell gets a present, which is a drawing of Dexter Lumis with the Way. Gargano freaks out and says no way, even as Hartwell asks them for a chance. Gargano: “NO CHANCE!” A match is set up with Gargano vs. Lumis, with Lumis’ inclusion in their lives seemingly on the line. Hartwell goes to find Lumis.

It’s back to the golf course where the Grizzled Young Veterans pop up to ask if they can pick up the pace. Just let LA Knight hit the ball into the woods again so we can move on. Cameron Grimes makes another bet on who can get it into the hole next, with $20,000 on the line.

Knight hits the ball into the water again, so Grimes busts out a gold ball and, after hitting Knight low with the club, knocks it into the hole with one shot (and hits Knight in the head with the club on the way back). Grimes blames Knight for the club shots so the Veterans bail in the golf cart. As usual, this feels like Knight and Grimes were given a script saying “hijinks on a golf course” with a few bullet points and told to fill in the gaps. It’s the best thing on this show because it doesn’t feel forced. This is how these two would act on a golf course and it works as a result.

Adam Cole vs. Bronson Reed

Reed runs him over to start and sends Cole flying with ease. That lets Reed sit on his chest for two, and then stay there despite the referee not counting due to a foot under the rope. A superplex is loaded up but Cole slips out and kicks the knee. We take a break and come back with Cole working on the knee, including a dragon screw legwhip.

Reed gets up and runs Cole over again to get a breather. A suplex drops Cole and Reed punches him in the corner, only to get kicked in the face for two. Reed chops away until Cole gets in a shot of his own. The Panama Sunrise gets two and Cole is stunned by the kickout. Back up and Reed blasts him with a clothesline to set up a powerbomb. The Tsunami misses though and the Last Shot gives Cole the pin at 11:19.

Rating: B. Another power vs. speed match here, with Cole being just smart enough to make the difference. Cole is primed for a huge match against Kyle O’Reilly at Takeover and Reed seems likely for the main roster. The good thing for Reed is that his size and that splash are going to be more than enough to carry him anywhere he needs to go, so this loss doesn’t do much damage.

Post match Cole poses, but here is Kyle O’Reilly to chair him down. A brainbuster onto the steps leaves Cole out cold to end the show. I’m not sure how popular that made O’Reilly.

Overall Rating: B+. The wrestling was good here and the antics on the golf course made it even better. This show felt much more NXTesque as they seem to know where they want to go and are taking steps to get there. Not only did stuff happen on this show, but stuff happened that advanced the stories and got us closer to a Takeover card. That’s where NXT shines and it is great to have that feeling back, even if it is just for a week.

Results
Oney Lorcan/Pete Dunne b. Tommaso Ciampa/Timothy Thatcher – Bitter end to Ciampa
Carmelo Hayes b. Josh Briggs – Top rope Fameasser
Kacy Catanzaro/Kayden Carter b. Frankie Monet/Jessi Kamea – 450/neckbreaker combination to Monet
Imperium b. Hit Row – European Bomb to Adonis
Adam Cole b. Bronson Reed – Last Shot

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

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

AND

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

NXT
Date: July 13, 2021
Location: Capitol Wrestling Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Vic Joseph, Beth Phoenix, Wade Barrett

It’s a big night as the main event will feature Karrion Kross defending the NXT Title against Johnny Gargano. This comes amid rumors that Kross is on his way to the main roster so we could be in for some serious fireworks tonight. Other than that, it’s time to begin the Breakout Tournament. Let’s get to it.

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

In Memory Of Paul Orndorff.

We open with a recap of the Great American Bash and the setup of the title match.

Dakota Kai vs. Ember Moon

Raquel Gonzalez is here with Kai, who grinds away with a headlock to start. A running shoulder drops Moon as well but she armdrags Kai into an armbar. Kai pops up with a kick to the face but Moon sends her outside for a ram into the barricade. That earns him a kick from the apron as we take a break.

Back with Kai throwing her down again, only to have Moon nip up for an enziguri. A springboard spinning crossbody gives Moon two but Kai’s backbreaker gets the same. Kai goes up and gets kicked in the face, allowing Moon to hit a top rope hurricanrana for two. Moon is sent to the apron, where Kai pulls her over the top for the GTK and the pin at 12:59.

Rating: C+. This was a hard hitting, back and forth match until Kai won in the end. She needs the match a bit more, but it’s kind of a shame that Moon is left hanging out there. Shotzi Blackheart has been sent up to the main roster while Moon has nothing to do, but she seems to be a better fit in NXT anyway.

Post match Kai poses with Gonzalez but here is Xia Li to say she wants Gonzalez’s Women’s Title. Gonzalez is down.

Malcolm Bivens talks about how great the Diamond Mine is and issues an open challenge. Bobby Fish pops up to say he’s in to face Roderick Strong. Bivens switches that over to Fish vs. Tyler Rust instead.

Ikemen Jiro says don’t let his good looks fool you, because he can beat you up. He was trained by Tajiri and Great Muta so he knows how to fight.

Earlier today, Cameron Grimes showed up to start as LA Knight’s butler and doesn’t mind that he showed up late. He’s here because of his pride because he gave his word, but first up it’s time for a makeover. The beard and hair are adjusted and Knight even has a uniform for him. Grimes likes the look (the tuxedo works) and it’s time to go to work. More on this later.

Tyler Rust vs. Bobby Fish

Rust starts in on the arm and strikes away, setting up a Figure Four necklock. Back up and Fish punches him down, setting up a kick to the chest. Roderick Strong gets on the apron for a distraction but Fish knocks Rust outside anyway. The distraction lets Rust get in a chop block though and a kick to the head finishes Fish at 2:39.

Post match the Diamond Mine surrounds Fish but Kushida runs in for the save.

Samoa Joe comes up to Karrion Kross, who threatens him if he messes with the title match.

The Way arrived earlier today and Beth Phoenix asked Indi Hartwell what happened with Dexter Lumis. That would be nothing, but they both seemed to want it to. Beth tells her to take a chance.

Gigi Dolin vs. Sarray

Sarray grabs a wristlock to start but Dolin reverses into one of her own. A running armdrag into a headlock takeover has Dolin down again but here is Mandy Rose of all people to watch. Sarray grabs the leg and slaps on a Muta Lock, which she just lets go. That leaves Dolin to grab some rollups for two each, followed by an STO for the same. Sarray is back with a running dropkick against the ropes, setting up a MUCH harder one to knock Dolin silly. A high collar suplex (nearly dropping Dolin on her head) gives Sarray the pin at 3:31. Those last two moves were nasty and Dolin was rocked.

Rating: C. I wouldn’t be surprised if Dolin’s bell was a bit rung there so hopefully she’s ok. The Rose deal is interesting, if nothing else because she could use more ring time in NXT. You’re only going to get so much out of photo shoots and posing with Dana Brooke so if a few matches here can help her a bit, so be it. Sarray continues to just be kind of there, but she is certainly a physical one.

Santos Escobar doesn’t like Bronson Reed, Hit Row or Dexter Lumis.

Duke Hudson is ready for Ikemen Jiro. You can either call him Duke or just cut tot he chase and call him the Breakout Tournament winner.

Dexter Lumis vs. Santos Escobar

The rest of Legado del Fantasma is here too. Escobar runs him over to start but Lumis nips up to scare him a bit. Back up and Lumis runs the ropes, setting up the Thesz press to hammer away. That’s enough for Escobar to need a breather on the floor but Lumis uses the distraction to slide underneath the ring. Lumis tries to pull him under but has to settle for just crawling out for the glare as we take a break.

Back with Escobar hitting a basement dropkick to the side of the head and hitting some running clotheslines in the corner. Lumis fights up with some right hands and it’s a clothesline into a bulldog. The Silencer is loaded up but the rest of Legado makes a save. The distraction lets Lumis gets posted, allowing Escobar to hit the Phantom Driver for the pin at 9:18.

Rating: C-. I’m still not wild on Lumis but he is a good bit easier to take now that he is not featured nearly as much as he was before. That is the kind of thing that could give him a longer shelf life and I could go for him a lot more if he is in a match like this, especially one where Escobar wins. Escobar has a lot of possible ways to go and that is rather interesting.

Post match Legado runs into Hit Row for a showdown with trash talking.

Earlier today, Kyle O’Reilly sat down with Wade Barrett and said that unfortunately, losing is a part of life. That was the case last week against Adam Cole, but now he isn’t sure if he needs his soul back. He needs to get his groove back and he is willing to do what it takes to finish Cole.

Back at Knight’s estate, LA Knight has Cameron Grimes mow his rather large lawn with an old a rather ancient push lawnmower. Grimes talks about his grandmother chasing him with one like this but Knight doesn’t want to hear it.

During the break, Indi Hartwell tried to carry Dexter Lumis off but couldn’t hold him up. The kiss was imminent but Candice LeRae broke it up. Ok the fall was funny.

Breakout Tournament First Round: Duke Hudson vs. Ikemen Jiro

Hudson is formerly known as Brendan Vink and Jiro has wrestled on 205 Live for a few months. Jiro’s jacket, which he wrestles in, is universe themed but he gets shoved down to start anyway. A cartwheel and some flips have Hudson a little confused, as does Jiro’s headstand in the corner. Hudson gets him on his shoulder for a knee to the head and then drops Jiro down onto the top rope.

Some stomping in the corner has Jiro in more trouble but he gets in a few shots to the face (with jacket) to stagger Hudson. A few more right hands put Jiro in trouble again but he hurricanranas his way out of a Razor’s Edge. That’s enough to send Hudson outside for a top rope Asai moonsault but Jiro bangs up his ankle. Back in and Hudson hits a swinging Boss Man Slam for the pin at 5:28.

Rating: C. This was a bit of a styles clash but they made it work anyway. Hudson needs the win a lot more as he is best known for a forgettable run on Raw when nothing was going on while Jiro has some amazing chemistry which will take him a long way. The jacket alone is something that makes him stand out and a loss in the first round isn’t going to take him down.

Pete Dunne wants the winner of tonight’s title match but Timothy Thatcher doesn’t like Dunne calling himself the best technician in NXT. Tommaso Ciampa runs in to start the brawl with Dunne and Oney Lorcan.

Kacy Catanzaro/Kayden Carter vs. Robert Stone Brand

Jessi Kamea kicks Catanzaro into the corner and it’s off to Aliyah for a hair toss. Catanzaro gets up some boots in the corner to cut off Aliyah though and dives over for the tag to Carter. Everything breaks down and Catanzaro dives onto Kamea on the floor. That leaves Aliyah to get caught with the 450/neckbreaker combination for the pin at 3:30.

Rating: C-. Carter and Catanzaro have a long way to go but the Coconut Loop opening back up should help them out a lot. They both need more ring time and working a few house shows a week to give them some time in front of a crowd is going to help them. Working a three minute tag match on TV once a week isn’t getting you very far, but ten minutes two or three times a week could.

Post match Robert Stone checks on Aliyah, who shoves him away and shouts that she has done more for him than he has ever done for her. She slaps Stone in the face and beats the fire out of him, drawing a heck of a reaction as a result. Aliyah leaves as Frankie Monet comes out to look at Kamea. Stone crawls up the ramp as Kamea leaves with Monet.

Samoa Joe comes up to Johnny Gargano to protect himself at all times and obey his commands. Gargano is cool with that, just like Austin Theory is cool with the new Way shirt. Joe leaves and gets into a staredown with Pete Dunne.

Cameron Grimes is sitting by the pool because, as a fellow millionaire, he has hired a kid to mow the lawn for him. LA Knight is furious and sends the kid away so he gets kicked in the shin. That makes Knight drop his money, so Grimes sweeps it up, knocking Knight into the pool in the process. Slapstick still works.

Here is Adam Cole to say that Kyle O’Reilly needs to rethink that rematch idea. Anyway, it’s time to move on to Samoa Joe, who choked him out from behind a few weeks ago. Joe is a security guard in a suit and Cole knows no one in the back is man enough to face him. Cue Bronson Reed, who doesn’t have the North American Title anymore but he’s still ready to fight. Cole’s superkick is blocked and Reed runs him over, sending Cole outside. Cue Samoa Joe for the main event and the staredown with Cole is on.

Frankie Monet and Jessi Kamea are leaving with Robert Stone catching up to them. Mandy Rose pops up to say it looks like the brand is under new management.

NXT Title: Johnny Gargano vs. Karrion Kross

Kross, with Scarlett, is defending and Samoa Joe is referee. Gargano goes right after him to start but gets knocked down in a hurry. Some dropkicks tot he back put Kross on the floor though and a running flip dive from the apron drops Kross again. A missed charge sends Kross shoulder first into the steps but he is fine enough to drop Gargano onto the announcers’ table.

We take a break and come back with Kross being sent shoulder first into the post. Gargano kicks him outside but this time Kross comes back in with a suplex to take over. Back up and Kross hits a hard lariat but Gargano grabs a tornado DDT out of the corner. A chokeslam cuts off Gargano, who is right back with a superkick. The Krossjacket is escaped with a backflip and the Gargano Escape has Kross in trouble for a change. That’s countered as well and Kross grabs the Krossjacket again. Gargano makes the rope but Kross won’t let go, earning a break from Joe (his first important moment in the match).

They head outside with Gargano being rammed into the barricade. Kross loads up the steps but Joe takes them away and gets in Kross’ face. The distraction lets Gargano hit a DDT onto the floor. One Final Beat gets two (with commentary making it clear that it wouldn’t be a pin, which they really need to work on) but Kross hits him in the face. A powerbomb into another doublebomb into a triplebomb into a Doomsday Saito has Gargano mostly done. The running forearm to the back of the head retains the title at 12:47.

Rating: B. This worked well as Gargano knows how to wrestle this match in his sleep. The match made Kross look like a monster who was having a match rather than someone just doing one thing after another from bell to bell. Kross vs. Joe seems to be on the horizon and that should be the awesome brawl that you should expect it to be.

Post match Kross gets in Joe’s face again but Joe goes to walk away. Kross jumps him from behind and chokes him out to end the show. There’s the Summerslam Takeover main event.

Overall Rating: B+. It’s a good example of a show where the sum is greater than the total of the individual parts. The main event was the best match on the show but they had a nice collection of matches throughout, the funny Grimes/Knight stuff and setting things up for the future. The show also flew by and it was one of the best NXT’s in a good while. It was well put together and a rather entertaining show. Well done, and very NXT of them.

Results
Dakota Kai b. Ember Moon – GTK
Tyler Rust b. Bobby Fish – Kick to the head
Sarray b. Gigi Dolin – High collar suplex
Santos Escobar b. Dexter Lumis – Phantom Driver
Duke Hudson b. Ikemen Jiro – Swinging Boss Man Slam
Kacy Catanzaro/Kayden Carter b. Robert Stone Brand – 450/neckbreaker combination to Aliyah
Karrion Kross b. Johnny Gargano – Running forearm to the back of the head

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

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AND

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NXT
Date: June 15, 2021
Location: Capitol Wrestling Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Vic Joseph, Beth Phoenix, Wade Barrett

We’re past a pretty lackluster Takeover and that means it is time to start getting ready for the rest of the summer. I’m not sure what that is going to included but William Regal was teasing some kind of a big change. That could mean multiple things, though there are some rumors of what it could mean, most of which are rather intriguing. Let’s get to it.

Here is Takeover if you need a recap.

We open with a recap of Takeover.

Here is a serious looking William Regal for a chat. Regal talks about being with NXT from the beginning, including starting at the commentary desk for the first Takeover. NXT has grown throughout the last few years and they have gone around the world, including to his hometown of Blackpool. Regal gets a bit emotional as he talks about everything that NXT has done for everyone involved here. He thanks everyone who took them to San Jose and Houston and Brooklyn and Portland, but now there is so much chaos around here.

Regal doesn’t think he is capable of giving us what we deserve anymore, so it is time for…..him to be interrupted by Karrion Kross and Scarlett. Kross says he knew this was coming because he was going to control NXT with chaos and violence. He wants Regal to leave and admit that Kross has won…..and here is the returning Samoa Joe.

That makes Kross look a little worried and Regal says Samoa Joe should be the new General Manager. Joe understands what is going on but he is absolutely not accepting the job. Regal has cast a large shadow for seven years and Joe made his job a nightmare. Now though, he would like to make sure that Regal receives the respect that he deserves.

Regal finds this intriguing, but says Joe cannot be a competitor and cannot lay his hands on anyone…..unless he is provoked. Joe accepts, and asks why Kross is still in this ring. Joe: “Tick tock, young champion.” The fans sing the Goodbye Song as Kross and Scarlett leave. This is quite the nice moment, as Joe is a great way to counter Kross, especially if he can have a match one day.

The Grizzled Young Veterans are ready to take out Tommaso Ciampa and Timothy Thatcher.

Imperium vs. Breezango

Barthel shoulders Breeze down to start but a quick jawbreaker gets him out of trouble. It’s off to Fandango for a dropkick but Aichner pulls him into an armbar. Some chops in the corner look to set up a sunset flip so Fandango is back with a legdrop. Breeze loads up a bit dive but only hits mat, allowing Fandango to hit his own big flip dive. Back in and Fandango gets crotched on top and it’s an uppercut off with Aichner.

We take a break and come back with Aichner hammering away at Fandango and planting him with a slam. Barthel comes back in and grabs a cobra clutch but Fandango kicks him away. A backdrop allows the hot tag off to Breeze to….get dropped with a clothesline. Not that it matters as Breeze grabs a small package for the pin at 10:26.

Rating: C. I’m a bit surprised by the finish but Breezango continues to be one of the weakest teams around. I’m not sure what Imperium is going to be doing, though the wrath of Walter seems to be a real possibility. I can’t imagine MSK having to worry about either team, but at least we got a decent tag match here.

Post match Imperium lays out Breeze and drapes an Imperium flag over him.

Regal is breaking up a fight between Kyle O’Reilly and Adam Cole and says they can fight at the Great American Bash. Until then, they can pick their own opponents to fight next week. Joe comes in and gets shoved away by Cole, who is promptly choked out. With that broken up, Joe says that when Cole wakes up, he can give Mr. Regal an answer.

We see an image of a battery charging and it reaches 1%.

Santos Escobar does not like Bronson Reed putting him through a wall. Reed has revealed a weakness but now it is going to be one on one. This time, he’ll pick Reed up and let gravity do the rest on the way to the title.

Cruiserweight Title: Kushida vs. Trey Baxter

Baxter, better known as Blake Christian, is challenging and promises to show that he is all heart. Feeling out process to start with Baxter grabbing a rollup for two. A running hurricanrana sends Kushida to the corner and there’s an enziguri in the corner. Kushida gets draped ribs first over the top rope and sent to the floor for a big dive. Cue Kyle O’Reilly to watch from the stage as we take a break.

Back with Kushida scoring with an atomic drop but missing a running kick to the face. An enziguri doesn’t miss but Baxter hits a handspring kick to the face. Baxter is back with a Spanish Fly into a springboard 450 for two more. They head up top with Kushida hitting a super flying armbar, setting up the Hoverboard Lock to retain at 10:27.

Rating: C+. Another good open challenge title match here but Kushida vs. O’Reilly should be a heck of a match whenever we get there. That is the kind of a match which could tear the house down in a hurry, though I’m not sure how much of a chance that Kushida would have to keep the title. O’Reilly needs to win something, but it’s still the Cruiserweight Title. That is something that works great for someone new like Baxter (because his name is Trey Baxter) and he got a good rub out of this one.

Post match Kushida shakes Baxter’s hand but O’Reilly gets in the ring to say he wants to face Kushida next week. Kushida is ready.

Frankie Monet is going to be back in the ring next week but she goes over to Jessi Kamea and Aliyah, saying they would have won their most recent match if Robert Stone hadn’t gotten involved. Stone comes in and Monet says the team would have won if they had listened to Stone a bit more.

Mercedes Martinez talks about how she got taken down by Tian Sha but she isn’t going to be held down. If Boa wants to come after her, come get her. She and Xia Li are 1-1 so come on for round three.

Here is Ted DiBiase to present the Million Dollar Title to LA Knight. DiBiase shows us a video on Knight, who arrives in a rather nice car. Knight comes to the ring and loads up LET ME TALK TO YA but cuts himself off. Instead he would rather talk to DiBiase, because it is rare that you get to meet your heroes. Knight watched DiBiase growing up and he always wanted to be DiBiase when they were wrestling in the backyard. He needed DiBiase here tonight just to say thank you and they shake hands.

It would be the honor of Knight’s life to have DiBiase officially crown him the Million Dollar Champion. DiBiase puts the title on Knight’s shoulder and they take turns laughing. The fans still want Cameron Grimes but Knight says he has everything that he wants. Now it’s time to get rid of everything he doesn’t need, and he decks DiBiase. Knight shouts that this is his title and now he is the only true Million Dollar Champion. Cameron Grimes makes the save and clears Knight out in a hurry.

Dakota Kai and Raquel Gonzalez are ready for to get the Tag Team Titles back.

The battery is now at 11%.

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

Carter sends Kai into the ropes for a double knee to the face. Kacy holds Kai in place for a running dropkick to the side of the head. It’s off to Gonzalez to pull Carter by the hair but some double teaming puts Gonzalez on the floor. Carter hits a huge dive onto both of them and we take a break. Back with Gonzalez working on a backbreaker on Catanzaro, setting up Kai’s running knee in the corner. A running pump kick sends Catanzaro to the floor but she gets over for the tag off to Carter a moment later.

Carter gets to clean house and a nasty running kick to the face gets two on Kai. Gonzalez hits a messy spinning side slam for two on Carter and an assisted Codebreaker gets the same. Everything breaks down again and Catanzaro’s hurricanrana off the apron sends Gonzalez face first into the apron. Back in and a neckbreaker/450 combination gets two on Kai with Gonzalez making the save. Carter is sent hard into the barricade and the GTK finishes Catanzaro at 12:27.

Rating: C-. This was a bit too much on the sloppy side and that hurt what they had going on here. Catanzaro and Carter are a fine team for a spot like this as Gonzalez and Kai needed a win to build them up a little bit. It wasn’t exactly a red hot match, but it did what it was supposed to.

Ever-Rise isn’t happy with Hit Row breaking their house on the Takeover Kickoff Show but they have rebuilt.

The battery is now at 21%.

Here is Io Shirai to say that she is back. She says that her next target is….and here is Candice LeRae to interrupt. Candice talks about how she is no longer an uncrowned champion and Shirai picked the wrong time to come back. Cue Indi Hartwell to jump Shirai from behind and the beating is on. The announcers’ table is loaded up but here is Zoey Stark for the save.

William Regal and Samoa Joe are leaving but are asked about how they feel tonight has gone. Regal…..is cut off, as we jump to MSK eating popcorn as Tommaso Ciampa and Timothy Thatcher are on their way to the ring. Thatcher comes back and angrily steals some popcorn.

The Diamond Mine is opening next week.

William Regal and Samoa Joe are trying to give an update on the evening when the Way comes in to mock the JOE chants. They’re glad he’s here but Joe tells them to get out. Pete Dunne comes in for a heck of a staredown with Joe.

Tommaso Ciampa/Timothy Thatcher vs. Grizzled Young Veterans

Tornado Tag. It’s a brawl to start with Thatcher and Ciampa taking them down into stereo forearms to the chest. The stereo holds send the Veterans to the floor and the chase is on. Back in and the Veterans get in some cheap shots to take over, meaning the beating can be on. Thatcher is sent face first into a light tower but he is fine enough to come back in for a standing sleeper on Drake.

That is broken up but Ciampa is back in with a chinlock of his own. Ciampa is taken outside for a whip into the barricade, leaving Thatcher to get taken down in a belly to back suplex/neckbreaker combination. Ciampa is back up to send the Veterans into the barricade, setting up a running hip attack into the two of them. Back in and Thatcher and Ciampa hit some running shots to the face in the corner as we take a break.

We come back with Thatcher getting knocked into the Koji Clutch so Gibson can stomp away. Ciampa makes the save (after unloading on Drake’s head that is) but accidentally kicks Thatcher in the face. A Doomsday Device is broken up though and Ciampa hits a super Air Raid Crash on Gibson as Thatcher has Drake. Somehow Gibson kicks out so it’s Ciampa and Drake chopping it out on the apron.

The running Doomsday Device on the floor plants Ciampa so it’s time for Thatcher and Gibson to slug it out inside. An exchange of holds doesn’t work but Drake is back in for a running boot in the corner. A Backstabber hits Thatcher so Ciampa runs in for the save. The Veterans double team Ciampa on the floor and put him (mostly) through the top of the announcers’ table. Ciampa is back up with the Air Raid Crash to drop Gibson onto said table. Back in and some hard slaps set up Angel’s Wings into an ankle lock/armbar combination for the tap at 17:27.

Rating: B. This was a fight and that’s exactly what they were shooting for here. What mattered here was it felt like they wanted to win at all costs, which is not something you see enough of in wrestling. I’m a bit surprised at the result as the Veterans really need to win something at some point, but at least they had a pretty awesome showing in defeat. Thatcher and Ciampa moving up the card works too, so this was a pretty solid match all together.

William Regal is pleased with Samoa Joe’s first night around here. Joe says that was the first night of many as Regal gets into his car and……drives off with no problem to end the show.

Overall Rating: B-. The return of Joe was the big story here and the rest of the show was build around it. What matters is they have something fresh which might make people interested, which has been lacking around here as of late. It’s a good show with a solid main event, plus some things being set up for later. NXT still has some work to do, but this was a nice start.

Results
Breezango b. Imperium – Small package to Aichner
Kushida b. Trey Baxter – Hoverboard Lock
Dakota Kai/Raquel Gonzalez b. Kacy Catanzaro/Kayden Carter – GTK to Catanzaro
Tommaso Ciampa/Timothy Thatcher b. Grizzled Young Veterans – Ankle lock/armbar combination to Drake

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

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

AND

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

NXT
Date: March 31, 2021
Location: Capitol Wrestling Center, Winter Park, Florida
Commentators: Beth Phoenix, Wade Barrett, Vic Joseph

It’s the go home show for Takeover and that means we should be in for one of NXT’s specialties. They know how to hype up a show rather well and they can do it in a hurry, which is what they have to do here. I’m not sure how well that is going to work as they have to do it for two shows at once, but NXT has pulled off almost everything else. Let’s get to it.

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

The opening video looks at the headline matches for Takeover.

Cameron Grimes vs. Roderick Strong

Strong’s heart does not entirely seem to be in this one, which is fallout from Grimes offering to restart the Undisputed Era and getting dropped by Strong as a result. Before the match, Grimes says strong is leaving a lot of money on the table with that Undisputed Era intellectual property out there. This time Grimes is ready though, complete with a GRIMES THE SYSTEM shirt. We also get a GRIMES THE SYSTEM intro but Strong runs him down to start the brawl in the aisle.

They get inside with Strong taking him down and hammering at the ribs at the opening bell. Back up and Grimes gets chopped in the corner but grabs the eyes for a breather. Strong isn’t having any of that and puts Grimes against the rope for a heck of a chop. A clothesline puts Grimes on the floor and Strong rams him into a few things, only to get distracted by an Undisputed Era shirt in the crowd. Grimes rams him into a light post and we take a break.

Back with Grimes cranking on the neck and hitting a running forearm for two. Strong fights out of an armbar and grabs a Rock Bottom backbreaker. Grimes is sat up top for a top rope superplex but Strong needs a second to follow up. Now it’s the running forearms against the ropes but Grimes is right back with the flipping belly to belly (that thing always looks cool) for two. Strong suplexes him down again but Grimes (intentionally) drops an Undisputed Era elbow pad. The distraction lets Grimes hit the Cave In for the pin at 11:46.

Rating: C+. I liked this one a good bit, though it was better a few years ago when Johnny Gargano had the exact same problem about letting go of DIY. Still though, years between an angle is better than the days that WWE goes at times so I’d call it an improvement. Grimes winning is good, even if it required a bit of cheating. Strong needs to get his head on straight and that could be an interesting way to go for a bit.

Video on Karrion Kross training, including a variety of martial arts. Kross is ready to end Finn Balor by cutting the ring off and hitting him really hard. Balor can’t run forever.

Walter is ready to end Tommaso Ciampa.

NXT is moving to Tuesday!

The WWE Network is moving to Peacock!

Here is Legado del Fantasma, with Santos Escobar issuing an open challenge because he wants to prove his greatness to Jordan Devlin. Cue Tyler Breeze to say Escobar has had everything handed to him but Breeze has worked for everything. Challenge accepted.

Santos Escobar vs. Tyler Breeze

Non-title. Escobar wastes no time by sending him into the corner, only to have Breeze come back with a dropkick. Breeze knocks him into the corner as well and then out to the floor for a crash. Back in and Escobar drops him onto the ribs, only to have Breeze come back with an enziguri. Breeze has to take out the rest of Legado but stays on the ground as we take a break.

Back with Escobar hammering away and slapping on a surfboard. That’s broken up and Breeze manages a hurricanrana. Breeze works on the leg for a bit, including a spinebuster into the Sharpshooter. That’s broken up as well and Escobar counters the Unprettier. A leg lariat sets up the Phantom Driver to finish Breeze at 10:40.

Rating: C. Just a match to give Escobar some momentum going into Takeover and that is fine. I’m curious to see which way they go there but either option is a possibility. Then you have Breeze and….my goodness I’m not sure what to do with him. He has just been so far down for so long and there is no reason to believe things are ever going to get any better. It’s a shame as I’ve always liked him, but how much further can you really go?

Post match here’s the returning MSK to go after Legado del Fantasma and clear the ring. The Grizzled Young Veterans come up on screen to say they’re winning the Tag Team Titles at Takeover.

Johnny Gargano goes on a rant about the Gauntlet Eliminator and calls William Regal Cuckoo Bananas. Austin Theory is way too happy and suggests the Fingerpoke of Doom. Gargano: “That killed the business.” Theory: “But we’re still here.” Gargano: “LET’S DO IT!” The women want their Women’s Tag Team Title shot and are ready to earn it tonight.

And now….a dog is walking and looks at the Performance Center. That dog looks rather familiar.

Last week Raquel Gonzalez took out Io Shirai, who hates Gonzalez as a result.

The Way vs. Gigi Dolin/Zayda Ramier

That would be Candice LeRae/Indi Hartwell for the Way, with Gigi kicking Indi around to start. A side slam gets Hartwell out of trouble and Candice comes in for some shots of her own. Hartwell comes back in but gives up the hot tag, allowing Ramier (Booker T. student) to come in and pick up the pace. A spinebuster cuts Ramier down and it’s the Wicked Stepsister into a springboard elbow to the back to give Hartwell the pin at 3:08.

Rating: C-. I’m sure this is going to set up the Way for a title match but as usual, it isn’t a good sign when a single win is enough to warrant you a pretty big title shot. It isn’t like there is anything to the division at this point so the Way is good enough for the shot, though I’m not sure how much drama there is going to be. Dolin and Ramier looked fine in defeat here, but it wasn’t about them here.

Post match Candice rants about how no woman deserves to be a champion more than her. The Way is coming for the titles at Takeover…..so here are Ember Moon and Shotzi Blackheart in the tank to interrupt. Trash talk ensues and the challenge is accepted, leaving Shotzi to shoot a foam missile at Hartwell. That’s rather violent.

Io Shirai comes up to Raquel Gonzalez in the back and says Gonzalez can’t kill her. The brawl is on and Shirai gets dropped in a hurry.

The dog has made it inside and runs in slow motion. Beth: “Ok what’s with the dog?”

Roderick Strong leaves, saying he is done. He seems to be out of the battle royal tonight too.

Raquel Gonzalez vs. Zoey Stark

Dakota Kai is here too. Gonzalez powers her around to start but Stark manages to flip over her out of the corner. There’s a dropkick into the corner but Gonzalez counters a monkey flip with straight power. A faceplant gets two on Stark and we hit a fairly lengthy chinlock. Back up and Gonzalez charges into a superkick, allowing Stark to hit a running knee. Gonzalez is sent outside but pulls the dive out of the air.

That earns Gonzalez a posting but a Kai distraction….earns Kai a clothesline over the barricade. Back in and another knee gives Stark two more but she gets caught on top. The powerbomb out of the corner is blocked though and Stark hits a spinning Blockbuster for two more. Gonzalez has had it though and tosses Stark down, setting up the powerbomb for the pin at 4:54.

Rating: C+. This is a tricky one as this match did a great job of making Stark look competitive, but I’m not sure how good of an idea that was at this point. Do you really want your #1 contender having trouble a week before the biggest match of her career? It certainly was an entertaining match but I’m not sure if it was the smartest.

Post match Io Shirai comes in for another brawl and Gonzalez has to bail.

The dog goes upstairs and runs through one of the training rooms.

Kushida is ready to win to go to Takeover but Pete Dunne comes in to say prove it. That seems fine with Kushida.

We get the Prime Target video on Adam Cole vs. Kyle O’Reilly. Cole says they have fifteen minutes and sits down. O’Reilly talks about how they have known each other for about eleven years and knew there was a connection. Cole says they have been either friends or opponents since then, complete with a New Japan photo of them kicking each other in the face.

We see the Undisputed Era forming and all of their success and O’Reilly talks about how much better they all became. Cole however is the same evil man who walked into NXT three and a half years ago and O’Reilly has to convince himself that the last three years meant nothing. If there was the slightest chance that they could be cool again, O’Reilly wouldn’t put Cole down. Cole talks about how O’Reilly is a lapdog and we see William Regal making this an unsanctioned match at Takeover. They both promise to end each other. A lot of this was made of clips from last week but DANG WWE knows how to nail these things.

Kayden Carter/Kacy Catanzaro vs. Xia Li

This is supposed to be a tag match but Li is on her own. Kayden hammers away to start and takes Li into the corner so Catanzaro can get in her own shows. The running corner clothesline gets two but Li takes Catanzaro to the floor for rams into various hard objects. Back in and Catanzaro manages a spinning Codebreaker (that’s a new one) but hold on as Carter goes up to the throne, where she is quickly choked out by Mei Ling. (Well what else was she expecting?). That leaves Li to kick Catanzaro in the head for the pin at 3:08.

Rating: D+. The match was just there as a backdrop for Ling to show her power off. I’m not sure where this is going but it has certainly been one of the more unique stories NXT has had in awhile. It wouldn’t surprise me to see Carter join the evil now, because WWE likes having people join the dark side. Still though, good enough angle to go with a not very good match.

Io Shirai goes after Raquel Gonzalez again but this time gets thrown through a wall (for a great visual). Gonzalez: “STAY DOWN!”

The dog finds a woman in high heels and a message saying “See You April 13, Franky.” That’s an interesting way to set up a reveal.

Tommaso Ciampa talks about how Walter has reminded him of his own journey. Sometimes you need to be reminded of who you are, because people have been saying he has changed. And yeah, he has, and he still feels all of his supporters. At Takeover, he is chasing his dragon and climbing to the top of the dragon’s mountain to chop the dragon’s head off. Ciampa has been there before and knows what it is like to fall all the way back down. That changes a man and he knows what it takes to get back. The Blackheart still lives and he is taking the United Kingdom Title so Walter can learn how far of a fall it is. Intense stuff from Ciampa.

Takeover rundown.

Finn Balor knew he would face Karrion Kross one day and the time is now. The ring is his life and his stamina has always been his strength. He doesn’t get worn down and no matter how much Kross wants to keep the pace, Kross is drowning in the deep water.

Barrett and Joseph are in the ring to explain the rules of the main event.

Battle Royal

Isaiah Scott, Dexter Lumis, Leon Ruff, LA Knight, Bronson Reed, Pete Dunne, Kushida, Austin Theory, Cameron Grimes, Tyler Rust, Jake Atlas

The final six will be the six in the Gauntlet Eliminator on night one, with the order of elimination determining the order of entrance (the winner here comes in #6, the runner up comes in #5 etc.). The winner of that gets a North American Title shot on night two. Scott comes out first but Ruff jumps him from behind and the fight is on outside. We take a break and come back with the start of the mat, meaning it’s time to have everyone (save for Lumis) fight on the ropes early on.

Scott dropkicks Atlas out and Rust follows him to clear the ring out a bit. Kushida works on Grimes’ arm near the apron and Theory is knocked to the floor but he lands on his back. He can’t get up….until he nips up…..to his feet for the elimination. Reed throws Kushida over the top but can’t get him out. Grimes and Knight can’t get rid of Reed, so Kushida hits a double handspring elbow to Grimes and Knight.

Dunne grabs Ruff’s arm and Kushida kicks Grimes’ arm, meaning it’s time for Dunne vs. Kushida. They slug it out until Kushida cartwheels out of a cross armbreaker. The Hoverboard Lock goes on but they fall over the top for the double elimination. That leaves us with the final six, meaning that Knight, Scott, Lumis, Ruff, Reed and Grimes are moving on to the Gauntlet Eliminator.

We take a break and come back (with Dunne vs. Kushida being added to night one) with Lumis still having barely moved as Johnny Gargano is on commentary. While Gargano makes references to Edge’s theme songs, Reed dumps out Ruff and then Scott to get us down to four. Knight and Grimes get together to go after Reed, with Lumis finally moving to help get rid of him.

Lumis stands in the middle now…and Grimes busts out some money to try and buy them off. Knight thinks it’s a good idea but Lumis hits Grimes in the face and it’s a double toss to get rid of him. We’re down to Lumis vs. Knight and Knight isn’t sure what to do here. Some right hands have Knight in trouble and a backdrop puts him down. Knight sends Lumis to the apron and a neck snaps rocks him again. A missed charge sends Knight through the ropes (not an elimination) and he pulls Lumis down for the win at 13:00.

Rating: C. This was a battle royal and I’m not sure what else to say about it. Knight winning is fine as it’s not like this is going to be the big definitive result that determines the gauntlet. This makes as much sense as any other heel winning and Knight needed a little something for his first big win around here.

Post match Knight gets in Gargano’s face but here’s Shirai AGAIN to call out Gonzalez one more time. The brawl is on and the women’s locker room is here to break it up. Shirai beats more of them up and the springboard dive takes out Gonzalez and more. A lot of yelling at the downed Gonzalez ends the show.

Overall Rating: B. This show had a heck of a trick to pull of and it worked well enough….I think. It certainly wasn’t a great night and they have had better go home shows before, but the made me want to see Shirai vs. Gonzalez through sheer will power. Throw in what should be an amazing fight between O’Reilly and Cole, plus the rest of the cards looking fine and I think they’ll be good to go, though the double shows are taking away some of the spark.

Results

Cameron Grimes b. Roderick Strong – Cave In

Santos Escobar b. Tyler Breeze – Phantom Driver

The Way b. Zayda Ramier/Gigi Dolin – Springboard elbow to Ramier’s back

Raquel Gonzalez b. Zoey Stark – Lifting powerbomb

Xia Li b. Kayden Carter/Kacy Catanzaro – Spinning kick to Catanzaro’s face

LA Knight won a battle royal last eliminating Dexter Lumis

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

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AND

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NXT
Date: March 10, 2021
Location: Capitol Wrestling Center, Winter Park, Florida
Commentators: Wade Barrett, Beth Phoenix, Vic Joseph

This is one of the most stacked shows that NXT has had in a long time, with a pair of title matches to cap off the show. In addition though, General Manager William Regal is making two major announcements this week, both of which could be quite the game changers. Or they are either short term or not overly interesting ideas. Let’s get to it.

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

The champions and the challengers arrived earlier today.

Here’s William Regal to make the big announcements to start the show. First up, we go to a video on the history of Takeover, which is coming back over Wrestlemania weekend….for two nights, Wednesday and Thursday, on USA and Peacock respectively. This one is called Takeover: Stand And Deliver, which is at least better than Vengeance Day. Back in the arena, Regal has asked the women’s division to stand in the aisle. These women have proven themselves over and over, week in and week out, so Regal would like Dakota Kai and Raquel Gonzalez to come to the ring.

They got cheated out of their Women’s Tag Team Titles last week, so Regal is making his own move. Therefore, the two of them are the first ever NXT Women’s Tag Team Champions. Kai is rather proud and thanks Regal before bragging about running through the tournament to win the titles. Cue Shotzi Blackheart and Ember Moon to say if we have champions, we are going to have some challengers. Regal agrees and makes the match tonight. Well that was fast. These titles absolutely do not need to (and should not) exist, but at least it was fast.

Women’s Title: Io Shirai vs. Toni Storm

Storm is challenging and takes her up against the ropes for an early slap. They go to the mat to slug it out with Shirai being knocked into the corner. Shirai manages a shot to the ribs and hits a slingshot double stomp to the back. A rollup gives Shirai two and we hit the abdominal stretch with an elbow into Storm’s ribs. They head outside with Shirai being whipped into the steps as we take a break.

Back with Shirai hitting a flapjack, followed by the springboard missile dropkick for two. Storm nails a sliding clothesline into a bridging German suplex for two of her own. Another sliding clothesline against the ropes but Shirai backdrops her onto the apron. That’s enough to send Storm to the floor and there’s the big moonsault to drop her again.

Back in and another moonsault is broken up, setting up a sitout powerbomb out of the corner for two. Shirai snaps on a Crossface but Storm makes it over to the ropes in a hurry. Another moonsault misses and now Storm Zero connects for a rather near fall. Shirai is right back with the Crossface….and Storm actually taps at 12:00.

Rating: B-. I was surprised by the ending, though I do like the idea of Shirai having another finisher. She has been the champion for a very long time now and I’m not sure who is going to take the title from her this time around. Storm losing actually threw me here and I’m not sure where the two of them go from here.

Finn Balor wants tonight to be him and Adam Cole one on one and face to face for that title.

LA Knight says he’s ready to debut next week but here’s Bronson Reed to grab him by the throat. Drake says this is his time and I think we have a showdown for next week.

Pete Dunne vs. Jake Atlas

Oney Lorcan and Danny Burch are here with Dunne. Atlas starts with a cartwheel and gets hammerlocked down to the arm for his efforts. Back up and Atlas snaps off a hurricanrana, followed by a springboard armdrag. Dunne isn’t having any of this and kicks the arm in. There’s a knee to the arm to put him down again and the armbar goes on. Atlas is right back with a snap German suplex for two and a discus lariat drops Dunne again. The cartwheel DDT is broken up though and Dunne snaps the fingers into the armbar to make Atlas tap at 4:26.

Rating: C-. This was all about making Dunne look like a monster who picked Atlas apart. Dunne not having any time for Atlas’ flips and ripping him to pieces was great. I’m not sure what is next for Dunne, but he is the kind of guy who could face anyone in NXT today and have a great match. This wasn’t a squash, but it was a heck of a beating.

Post match Dunne says he made his name in the UK but he is the best technical wrestler in the world today. Prove him wrong.

Imperium says that they are awesome and want Timothy Thatcher to join them.

Leon Ruff is tired of being told that he lucked into the title so now he’s ready to prove that Isaiah Scott is in for another rough landing.

Women’s Tag Team Titles: Raquel Gonzalez/Dakota Kai vs. Shotzi Blackheart/Ember Moon

Moon and Blackheart are challenging. Shotzi wastes no time in grabbing the Cloverleaf on Kai, which is pulled into the middle of the ring. Kai finally makes the rope so they can both hit kicks to the face at the same time. We take a break and come back with Gonzalez dropping Kai into a double stomp onto Blackheart. Back up and a quick enziguri allows the hot tag off to Moon to clean house.

Moon picks Kai up for a powerbomb and spins her down into a faceplant (that didn’t look good), followed by the middle rope Codebreaker on Gonzalez. Blackheart dives onto Gonzalez and Moon throws Kai back in. Kai nails a running boot to the face in the corner and Gonzalez comes in for a gorilla press into Kai’s bicycle kick.

Gonzalez knocks Blackheart off the apron but Moon slips out of a powerslam and brings Blackheart back in. Blackheart dives onto Gonzalez off the top as everything breaks down. Moon comes back in but Gonzalez blocks the Eclipse with straight power. A hurricanrana sends Gonzalez and Moon to the floor though, leaving Blackheart to roll Kai up for the pin at 12:16.

Rating: C+. The match was kind of all over the place but the title change on the night the titles debuted is certainly an exciting way to go. Moon and Blackheart had potential as a team so it’s nice to see them getting a chance as a team. It’s a better fit for the titles anyway and maybe this can finally get Moon some momentum after the first few months of her rather uninspiring return.

Adam Cole talks about how he got rid of the dead weight in the Undisputed Era. Then he played Finn Balor like a fiddle because it was always about getting the NXT Title back. Tonight, the next reign begins.

Shotzi Blackheart and Ember Moon get a standing ovation in the back but the Way walks off. Candice LeRae and Indi Hartwell find Johnny Gargano, who is looking for Austin Theory. They can’t believe he paid off the therapist last week. Gargano says he did it to show Theory that Dexter Lumis does not care about him. Theory comes in and starts to cry, before ripping his shirt off and saying that Lumis has crossed the line. Storming off ensues.

Video on WWE working with Girl Up.

Xia Li vs. Kayden Carter

They start fast with Carter kicking her down and hitting some clotheslines. A scissors kick into a running boot in the corner gets two on Li but Carter misses a charge. Cue Kacy Catanzaro on crutches as Li loads up the leg in the corner. Li says this is for Catanzaro, who hits her with the crutch for the DQ at 2:04.

Post match Boa comes in and blocks the crutch shot from Catanzaro. Carter gets in a cheap shot on Boa so she and Catanzaro can escape.

Jordan Devlin says his travel ban is lifted and he is coming back for Takeover because the Cruiserweight Champion should be on the card.

Video on Zoey Stark, who grew up on the wrong side of the tracks and used wrestling as her escape. It lets her focus and then she got a job here through hard work. It’s cool to see her getting some focus like this because she certainly impressed in her early matches.

Santos Escobar yells at William Regal about Jordan Devlin and stays backstage during Legado del Fantasma’s match.

Legado del Fantasma vs. Grizzled Young Veterans

Before the match Zack Gibson asks what it feels like to be Santos Escobar’s goons. What they did to Wes Lee’s hand is going to be nothing compared to what they do to these two. Gibson gets knocked to the apron to start so Drake comes in and gets knocked into the wrong corner. A hiptoss into the ropes sets up a splash for two on Drake. Back up and an enziguri gives Drake a breather….and we’ve got astronauts ala Breezango last week. It’s MSK though, and the distraction legs Wilde sunset flip Drake for the pin at 1:43.

Post match MSK take off the helmets and smash Legado’s hands. Breezango runs in as well and the beatdown is on. With Legado done, dancing ensues.

Dakota Kai and Raquel Gonzalez are livid but they were the first champions. Io Shirai comes in to challenge Gonzalez, who says be careful what you wish for.

Timothy Thatcher is asked about Imperium but here’s Tommaso Ciampa to interrupt. Ciampa doesn’t want to put the cart before the horse and since they’re against Imperium, it’s a tag match next week. Thatcher doesn’t seem sure about this.

Here’s what’s coming next week.

NXT Title: Adam Cole vs. Finn Balor

Balor is defending. They start fast with the takedowns to the mat and an exchange of headlocks. Balor holds a headlock for a bit and then Cole holds one for a bit, followed by a standoff to send us to a break. We come back with Cole unloading in the corner Cole unloading in the corner but walking into a dropkick. Balor grabs a chinlock for a bit so Cole fights up, only to have his leg dropkicked out.

A shinbreaker can’t quite set up a half crab so Balor settles for a double stomp to the chest instead. The Nightmare on Helm Street gets two on Cole and he gets kicked outside, where he manages a quick pump kick. Cole loads up the steps but Balor manages a suplex onto the ramp to send us to another break. Back with Balor hitting a brainbuster onto the knee for two but the Panama Sunrise misses. Balor nails the Sling Blade, only to miss the Coup de Grace.

Cole’s superkick gets two and he grabs a Crossface of all things. They roll into the middle with Balor in trouble until he rolls back to escape. Cole is right back with the Crossface so Balor goes to the rope this time around. Cole kicks the knee out and the Last Shot connects for two, followed by the Panama Sunrise for the same. Another Last Shot is countered with a toss to the floor and Cole winds up in front of Kyle O’Reilly. The distraction lets Balor hit the big flip dive and 1916 on the floor knocks Cole silly. Back in the Coup de Grace retains the title at 20:07.

Rating: B+. They surprised me again as I would have bet on Cole taking the title here. That being said, I’m kind of glad that they didn’t because Cole as champion has been done, even if he was transitioning it to O’Reilly at Takeover. Balor is all but guaranteed to face Karrion Kross so they’re both set. As for the match, what else were you expecting? They’ve had great ones before and they had time on the big stage here. How else was this going to go?

Post match O’Reilly gets in the ring so Cole begs off but his low blow is blocked. O’Reilly shouts that Cole did this to him but referees break up the brainbuster onto the steps. The fight heads up the ramp and Balor is left in the ring….with Karrion Kross behind him. Kross asks what took him so long and the staredown ends the show.

Overall Rating: B+. If there is one thing that NXT knows how to do, it is turn on the jets and crank things up on the big stage. That is what they did here as this show was billed as a big deal and then wound up being a big deal. There were two major announcements, three title matches and a bunch of stuff set up for Takeover. That’s a heck of a way to use two hours and I had a great time with this. Awesome show and Takeover is looking great already.

Results

Io Shirai b. Toni Storm – Crossface

Pete Dunne b Jake Atlas – Armbar

Shotzi Blackheart/Ember Moon b. Raquel Gonzalez/Dakota Kai – Rollup to Kai

Xia Li b. Kayden Carter via DQ when Kacy Catanzaro interfered

Legado del Fantasma b. Grizzled Young Veterans – Sunset flip to Drake

Finn Balor b. Adam Cole – Coup de Grace

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

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

AND

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

NXT
Date: February 24, 2021
Location: Capitol Wrestling Center, Winter Park, Florida
Commentators: Wade Barrett, Beth Phoenix, Vic Joseph

It’s time for a night focusing on revenge, as Karrion Kross is going to get to destroy Santos Escobar for Escobar running his mouth, plus the fallout from Adam Cole attacking Kyle O’Reilly last week. The latter is likely to be a much bigger story but both have my interest. Let’s get to it.

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

The opening video looks at Karrion Kross being ready to destroy Santos Escobar.

Dexter Lumis vs. Johnny Gargano

Non-title. The Way fires up Gargano in the back before the match and Austin Theory doesn’t quite get it. The rest of the team is here with Gargano so the numbers advantage is strong. Gargano bails straight tot he floor to start and his slingshot back in is knocked out of the air without much effort. The rest of the Way accidentally distracts Gargano and it’s a Thesz press into some right hands to give Lumis two. A rather delayed suplex drops Gargano again and he heads outside for a breather.

This time a shot to the ribs staggers Lumis and Gargano sends him head first onto the floor. That just earns Gargano a hot shot onto the apron as much like almost everyone else, Lumis is just too confusing. Theory and Indi Hartwell try to offer a distraction and get stared down, leaving Candice LeRae’s hurricanrana off the apron to be blocked with ease. Gargano uses the distraction to nail a suicide dive though and we take a break.

Back with Lumis fighting out of a camel clutch and driving Gargano into the corner. Lumis punches him down a few times and nails a slingshot suplex. A belly to back into a nipup into a legdrop gets two on Gargano, who misses his rolling kick out of the corner. The Gargano Escape is countered into the Silence which is countered into a crucifix to give Gargano two.

They trade shots to the face and Lumis snaps off a spinebuster for two more. The top rope double stomp misses so Gargano nails him with a superkick for two. Gargano orders Theory to send in a chair but Lumis steps on it to cut that off. A kick to the head knocks Lumis down and while he gets his leg checked out, Theory grabs the chair to hit Lumis…but gets stared down instead. Gargano is sent into Theory and the Silence knocks Gargano out at 13:36.

Rating: C+. And yes the story will continue as NXT pushes Lumis for whatever reason they have. With so many other talented people they have sitting around, this is the best that they can do? I’m not sure what to expect from the story going forward, but hopefully it doesn’t wind up with Gargano dropping the title to him, because…just no.

William Regal looks for someone in the parking lot but no one is there.

Video on MSK, who started as opponents and then came together as a team and won the Dusty Classic. Nash Carter’s dad passed away in high school and he wanted to make his dad proud, which is why he has “Legacy Lives On” tattooed across his chest. Now they wan the Tag Team Titles.

MSK is ready for an interview but gets jumped by the Grizzled Young Veterans. Wes Lee’s hand is crushed with a chair and referees come in to break it up.

Earlier today, Leon Ruff was cleared to wrestle when Malcolm Bivens popped up from his hiding place in the trainer’s room. Bivens wants Ruff to face Tyler Rust tonight and you know Ruff is game.

Tyler Rust vs. Leon Ruff

Malcolm Bivens is here with Rust and says Ruff is in trouble. Ruff comes out but here’s Isaiah Scott to jump him from behind. After ranting about how he is sick of people like Ruff getting a chance, Scott hits a nasty AA onto the apron, with Ruff’s back bending in a rather scary visual. Bivens declares Rust the winner despite the lack of a match.

Yesterday, William Regal offered Zoey Stark a non-title match with Io Shirai. Sure.

Stark is ready to….have her promo cut off by technical difficulties that leave us looking at Shirai.

Cameron Grimes watches clips of Ted DiBiase offering people money for various tasks. Grimes likes the idea and tries the same thing with a guy standing nearby….who does it just fine and gets $1000. The guy says it was easy when Grimes didn’t cheat like DiBiase. Grimes knew he should have watched the whole thing! This is as gold as you can get around here.

We see stills of Adam Cole attacking Kyle O’Reilly last week, which will put O’Reilly out of action with herniated discs. He should be out for 4-6 weeks at the moment.

Io Shirai vs. Zoey Stark

Non-title. They lock up to start with Shirai grabbing the arm with Stark flipping up, only to get armdragged back down. A kind of weird looking backdrop sets up a bit of miscommunication as they seem to be trying to figure out what to do. The Octopus has Stark in trouble and Shirai takes her down for the running basement dropkick. the 619 is blocked and Shirai is sent to the apron, where she blocks a charge with a kick to the face. One heck of a running kick to the head knocks Shirai off the top though and we take a break.

Back with Stark kicking the leg out to cut off a comeback and hitting a sliding kick to the head for two. Stark jumps to the top but misses a 450, meaning stereo crossbodies put them both down. A half and half suplex gives Stark two and we hit the chinlock. Shirai blocks a kick and nails a flapjack, followed by the 619 into the missile dropkick. There’s a double underhook backbreaker for two and Shirai can’t believe the kickout. Stark is right back with a German suplex for her own two but Shirai sends her face first into the corner. The running knees set up the Over the Moonsault to finish Stark at 12:50.

Rating: B-. Stark has come off like a complete star in her two matches so far and I think NXT knows what they have with her. Having her in a non-title loss like this where she made the champ sweat is a good thing and more importantly it’s a positive sign for her future. Hopefully we get to see more of her in the future because she has done rather well so far.

Respect is shown post match but here’s Toni Storm to interrupt. She’s no Zoey Stark because last week she kicked Shirai’s head off and Shirai did nothing about it. Shirai had to pin Mercedes Martinez at Takeover because she can’t beat Storm. Shirai says she’ll fight Storm anywhere anytime but Storm says she’s scared. Storm tells her to go find William Regal and get the match made, which seems to work for Shirai.

The Way is leaving before Dexter Lumis finds them. Johnny Gargano asks Austin Theory why he didn’t hit Lumis with the chair. Theory says Lumis is just misunderstood, sending Gargano over the edge into a rant about how crazy Lumis is for kidnapping multiple people. Indi: “I think he’s kind of hot.” Candice: “WHAT THE…..” Gargano has to cover her mouth and promises to fix this because Theory is going to therapy. Ok a Dr. Shelby cameo could help a lot.

Video on Xia Li marking Kacy Catanzaro.

Cameron Grimes has finished the Ted DiBiase video and now he’s ready to try this again. He tries it with three people but one of the women (who seems to be former WNBA player Anriel Howard) accuses him of copying DiBiase. She stands up and is a good bit taller than him, which doesn’t bother her. The dribbling begins but she dribbles between her legs at eight to win the money. Grimes: “TED DIBIASE! THIS AIN’T OVER!” These things are gold.

Kacy Catanzaro vs. Xia Li

Kayden Carter is here with Catanzaro and Boa is here with Li, as Tian Sha watches from the stage. Catanzaro starts fast with a headscissors but gets dropped face first onto the turnbuckle. Li stomps her down in the corner and there’s a snap suplex for two. The chinlock goes on but Catanzaro fights out and grabs a sunset flip for two. A kick to the ribs sets up another chinlock but Catanzaro fights out again.

The stomping in the corner has Li in trouble and there’s a flipping kick to the back. They head to the floor with Catanzaro going into the barricade. Catanzaro’s leg winds up on the steps and Li stomps down HARD on it, with the knee going in a VERY wrong direction. Screaming ensues but Li throws her back inside anyway, where the referee stops it at 4:41.

Rating: C. I know the story is completely over the top but it is also one of the more interesting things that NXT has done in a while. I’m curious to see where this is going to go and that is more than I can say about a lot of things that take place in NXT these days. Li is a completely different kind of star and I want to see how things continue. Nicely done, though hopefully Catanzaro isn’t gone for a long time because she was getting better.

Post match referees check on Catanzaro as Carter goes up to yell at Sha. With Boa standing in the way, Sha signals to Li, who kicks Catanzaro in the head.

Regal is still waiting in the parking lot. It seems that he is waiting on Santos Escobar, which does make sense.

Video on Raquel Gonzalez/Dakota Kai vs. Nia Jax/Shayna Baszler for the Women’s Tag Team Titles next week. Jax and Baszler don’t seem intimidated.

Cameron Grimes finds someone else to try the basketball idea, which the guy thinks is like Ted DiBiase. After one dribble, Grimes punches him n the face and says DiBiase can kiss his grits. He throws the money around and leaves it on the ground because Grimes is a goof. An entertaining goof, but a goof.

Kacy Catanzaro might have a broken leg.

Grizzled Young Veterans vs. Killian Dain/Drake Maverick

For the sake of simplicity, I’ll only refer to James Drake as Drake and Drake Maverick as Maverick. Before the match, the Veterans announce that Wes Lee has a broken hand and they have been fined, but it’s cool because they know they’re the better team. Dain dropkicks Drake into the corner to start and it’s off to Maverick to work on the arm. Everything breaks down and Dain shoves both Veterans over the top and out to the floor. Then he throws Maverick onto both of them and we take a break.

Back with Maverick being thrown into the wrong corner to keep him from getting over to Dain. Maverick knees Drake in the back though and crawls between Gibson’s legs for the hot tag. House is cleaned in a hurry with Dain getting annoyed at Drake for jumping on his back. That means a Samoan drop/fall away slam combination to the Veterans at the same time, setting up a backsplash for two on Drake.

There’s a double suplex to the Veterans again and it’s off to Maverick for a high crossbody. Some dropkicks have the Veterans in trouble but a blind tag sets up a middle rope dropkick/Downward Spiral combination. Dain is taken to the floor and knocked down but Maverick hits Gibson with a bulldog. Gibson pulls him off the top though and Ticket To Mayhem finishes Maverick at 8:22.

Rating: C. Maverick and Dain are still a fun odd couple but you can only have them lose so many times. The good thing is that the Veterans won because I never get tired of those guys. They work so well together and it’s great to see them doing their thing and hopefully moving back up the ladder sooner rather than later.

Legado del Fantasma arrives.

Post break, Killian Dain carries Drake Maverick to the trainer’s room but they run into Alexander Wolfe, who says Dain used to be a monster. Dain ignores him and gets help for Maverick. Was it that bad of a beating?

Karrion Kross vs. Santos Escobar

Non-title and no DQ but we cut to the parking lot where Kross attacks Raul Mendoza and Joaquin Wilde. That brings Escobar out of his car and the brawl is on. They fight over to a truck with Escobar managing to drop the door onto Kross’ shoulder to make him scream. Kross fights back but the rest of Legado comes in to keep up the brawl. Escobar hides in the truck’s cab so Kross fights off the goons and finds a pickax to swing at the door.

That’s enough to bring Escobar out and the three on one beats Kross down again. The arm is sent into the truck and they head inside, with Escobar heading to ringside while Kross throws the other two through the Plexiglas. The staredown is on and Escobar realizes that he’s in major trouble. They get inside with a big boot dropping Escobar for one but Kross has to deal with Wilde. That’s enough for Escobar to get in a chair shot, followed by rams into the post and steps.

We take a break and come back with Escobar hitting a running basement dropkick in the corner as Scarlett is not pleased. The shoulder is wrapped inside of a chair and sent into the post to put Kross down again. A DDT onto the chair is good for two back inside and there’s a dropkick to the arm. They’re already back on the floor with Kross trying to fight back but getting knocked down by the arm again.

Back in and the armbar goes on before Escobar tries Three Amigos. The first two connect but the third is countered into some suplexes from Kross. They’re outside again but this time, Kross pulls him hard into the post. A suplex and a powerbomb get rid of Wilde and Mendoza, leaving Kross to Doomsday Saito Escobar through the announcers’ table. Another Doomsday Saito sets up a running forearm to the back of the head to finish Escobar at 15:36.

Rating: B. This took a bit longer than it needed but Kross as the unstoppable monster was the right way to go. There’s something interesting about him as the monster face rather than a villain and while that wasn’t quite the case here, he was definitely feeling different than usual and I was digging where they were going. Throw in Escobar being treated like a star as well and this was a very different main event which worked rather well.

LA Knight says he’ll debut on his time.

Here’s Adam Cole to look at a clip of his attack on Kyle O’Reilly last week. Now that footage makes him sick to his stomach. At first he was mad at O’Reilly for getting title shot after title shot but now he is ashamed. He knows O’Reilly can’t be here but he should be, and Cole promises to do everything he can to make it better. Cole sounds near tears but here is Roderick Strong to say Cole wrecked everything.

The Undisputed Era was based on trust and Cole broke it. Strong says O’Reilly is going to heal and Cole might not survive what is coming for him. Cue Finn Balor for the brawl with Cole but Strong tries to break it up, allowing Cole to hit a superkick. Strong and Cole head back inside, where Strong runs him over with a clothesline. Cole begs off and asks for mercy, with Strong dropping to his knees and saying he loves Cole too. They hug….and Cole hits him low. Cole calls Strong stupid to end the show. This was rather good and Cole sold the heck out of it.

Overall Rating: B+. This one was a bit of a different kind of show but I liked almost everything they did. Between Kross looking like a monster, the Veterans winning, the great closing segment and Grimes rapidly becoming the most entertaining thing in wrestling, I liked a lot more of this than I didn’t. Awesome show this week and they have a lot of different ways to go on the way forward.

Results

Dexter Lumis b. Johnny Gargano – Silence

Io Shirai b. Zoey Stark – Over the Moonsault

Xia Li b. Kacy Catanzaro via referee stoppage

Grizzled Young Veterans b. Killian Dain/Drake Maverick – Ticket to Mayhem to Maverick

Karrion Kross b. Santos Escobar – Running forearm to the back of the head

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

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

AND

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

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

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

Here is Takeover if you need a recap.

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Way vs. Shotzi Blackheart/Ember Moon

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

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

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

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

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

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

Leon Ruff vs. Isaiah Scott

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

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

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

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

Kacy Catanzaro/Kayden Carter vs. Aliyah/Jessi Kamea

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

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

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

Malcolm Bivens thinks Kushida should face Tyler Rust tonight.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Kushida vs. Tyler Rust

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

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

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

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

Video on Zoey Stark.

We look at LA Knight debuting at Takeover.

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

Zoey Stark vs. Valentina Feroz

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Results

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

Leon Ruff b. Isaiah Scott – Crucifix bomb

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

Kushida b. Tyler Rust – Hoverboard Lock

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

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

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

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NXT
Date: February 3, 2021
Location: Capitol Wrestling Center, Winter Park, Florida
Commentators: Wade Barrett, Beth Phoenix, Vic Joseph

It’s still tournament time because that’s what we’re doing around here at the moment. Tonight we have more tournament matches, but we also have an appearance from Edge, who has never been on this show before. I’m not sure what he is going to do, but the star power alone is worth a look. Let’s get to it.

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

Women’s Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic Semifinals: Dakota Kai/Raquel Gonzalez vs. Kayden Carter/Kacy Catanzaro

Catanzaro and Carter say they’re ready to shock the world again. Kacy walks the ropes for an armdrag to Kai to start so it’s quickly off to Gonzalez, meaning everything breaks down. We settle down to Catanzaro being caught in a front facelock but fighting up for a messed up version of Private Party’s Silly String. Carter comes in for a running forearm to Gonzalez in the corner and a low superkick gets two. Gonzalez shoves Carter off the apron and into the announcers’ table though as we take a break.

Back with Carter rolling away from Kai and making it over to Catanzaro for the hot tag. Everything breaks down with Catanzaro cleaning house before handing it back to Carter. Gonzalez is sent to the apron for a kind of hanging Pedigree, setting up Catanzaro’s hurricanrana driver. Catanzaro hits the inverted Black Arrow but Kai is a hair late on the save so Gonzalez has to kick out anyway. Gonzalez powerbombs Catanzaro for the pin at 13:03.

Rating: C. This tournament is starting to feel more and more like Impact’s women’s tournament as there is little drama as to who is winning, which doesn’t exactly make for the best set of matches. There were only so many ways to present the whole thing because there are only so many regular teams. This was only so good because of some of the botches and messiness, but there was enough energy to carry the thing.

Toni Storm is ready for Io Shirai because she is the only one to get to her in months. Mercedes Martinez can’t stop her either.

Edge and William Regal have a chat in the back.

Leon Ruff vs. Austin Theory

Johnny Gargano is here with Theory. Ruff starts fast but his crossbody is countered into a fall away slam….which doesn’t work as Ruff lands on his feet. Theory drop toeholds him face first into the middle buckle and there’s a belly to back suplex. A crossface shot to the face rocks Ruff but he hammers away at the ribs to slow Theory down. The sunset flip doesn’t work so Ruff forearms away and kicks the leg out. Ruff goes to the apron and nails a superkick on Gargano, followed by a missile dropkick to Theory.

An exchange of shoulders put both Theory and Ruff down, with the latter falling out to the floor. Cue Indi Hartwell and Candice LeRae to help Gargano up but Ember Moon and Shotzi Blackheart run out to jump them. Ruff plays the Eddie Guerrero card by dropping to the floor and grabbing his face, causing another referee to eject Gargano. Back in and a middle rope spinning cutter gets two on Theory, who had to put his foot on the rope. That’s enough for Theory, who grabs the ATL for the pin at 6:18.

Rating: C. Theory winning is nice to see as the guy has all the tools in the world to be a star and giving him a win is a good sight to see. I know he’s Gargano’s lackey but at least he beat someone with a bit of a resume. Ruff is still doing well after his fluke title reign, with that spinning cutter looking great again.

Post match Theory hits another ATL and grabs the bell, but here’s Dexter Lumis to rip out part of Theory’s hair. Why? Because for some reason NXT thinks this is interesting. I don’t know who else does, but they certainly seem to.

Video on Legado del Fantasma.

Video on Tian Sha, who seems to be the one behind Boa and Xia Li’s transformations. It’s about an old woman who had two children and met a dragon who agreed to teach the children. The teacher ascended to the throne and survived for generations, where we see Boa and Li standing around her throne. So yeah, the ancient woman is thousands of years old.

Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic Quarterfinals: Lucha House Party vs. Legado del Fantasma

Dorado starts fast with a Lionsault press for two on Mendoza. A double spinebuster puts Dorado down for two though and it’s off to Metalik for a springboard. An enziguri knocks him to the floor though and Wilde adds a big dive off the apron. We take a break and come back with Metalik hitting a sunset bomb on Mendoza and getting over for the hot tag to Dorado.

A dropkick hits Wilde and Dorado’s high crossbody gets two. Wilde is back up with half of a double springboard DDT, as he can’t quite hook Metalik’s head. The half that hits Dorado gets two but House Party is back up with Dorado helping Metalik hit a rope walk hurricanrana to send Wilde into Mendoza. Dorado moonsaults onto both of them but it’s the Russian legsweep/running kick to the face to finish Dorado at 10:17.

Rating: C+. The action was good and all four were working hard but it’s getting harder and harder to care about these tournament matches. The thing feels like it has gone on for months now and it’s going to continue all the way up to Takeover. The action was good (with the understandable botches) but it’s kind of hard to get excited about these matches when there are several every week.

Post match Legado points at the brackets but here’s MSK to say they’re going to win.

Oney Lorcan, Danny Burch and Pete Dunne arrive to go Finn Balor hunting.

Post break here are Lorcan, Burch and Dunne for a chat. Dunne says he wants the title so here’s Finn Balor to interrupt. Balor says Dunne is hiding behind Lorcan and Burch, which Dunne denies. Burch and Lorcan head to the floor so Balor gets in and says the title match is on for Takeover.

Cue Edge, who says this place is about the W rather than the E, because he sees the passion and the hunger in their eyes. This place helped him find his passion, which helped him win the Royal Rumble. That lets him challenge any champion in this company, meaning it’s time to look at the NXT Title. Edge says Balor is on another level so he’ll be watching Takeover and it might influence his decision. He has never had the NXT Title and that is intriguing, so the fight at Takeover might help him make his choice.

I know that the chance of Edge picking the NXT Title is about one in three hundred and eighty two trillion, but just paying lip service to the idea makes the title seem that much more important. Balor is a big star in WWE at the moment, but Edge is that much bigger, meaning this was a nice rub to the title, even if Edge never appears again.

Johnny Gargano is rather pleased with The Way things are going but McKenzie Mitchell brings up Gargano’s North American Title defense against Kushida at Takeover. Gargano says he’s getting her fired and we take a break. Back with Gargano taking Mitchell over to William Regal’s office where he finds Kushida. The brawl is on with Kushida beating him down and kicking him in the arm until referees and agents break it up.

Toni Storm vs. Jessi Kamea

Kamea is officially in the Robert Stone Brand and takes Storm down for an early two. Storm gets in a shot of her own but here’s Mercedes Martinez. Kamea yells at her and gets decked for the DQ at 1:21.

Post match the brawl is on as Io Shirai comes out to sit on the top and watch.

Curt Stallion has worked hard to get here and it’s time to get his chance at the title. Place your bets.

Cameron Grimes is back next week. That’s always good to hear.

Cruiserweight Title: Curt Stallion vs. Santos Escobar

Escobar is defending and has Legado del Fantasma with him. They lock up to start with Escobar hammering him down in a hurry. Stallion’s chops don’t do much good as it’s a cravate into a seated abdominal stretch to put him down. Back up and Escobar hits a dropkick for two as Scarlett is watching from the perch. Something light a dragon sleeper goes on, followed by the armbar as Escobar finally sees Scarlet. A tilt-a-whirl backbreaker cuts off Stallion’s comeback attempt but Scarlett’s presence is quite the distraction.

Stallion clotheslines him out to the floor and we take a break. Back with Escobar cranking on the arm on the mat, which is switched into a half crab and then something like an STF. Stallion fights up and slugs away to put Escobar on the floor, setting up the suicide dive. Back in and Stallion gets suplexed into the corner to give Escobar two. The Phantom Driver into the double underhook knee to the chest retains the title at 13:22.

Rating: C. We waited since November to set up this much of a squash? Stallion barely got in anything outside of a brief flurry and the Scarlett distraction didn’t mean a thing. I’m not surprised at Escobar retaining, but could we have gotten a little more drama here? Escobar vs. Kross could be something, though it isn’t likely to do the title much good.

Post match here’s Karrion Kross to wreck the rest of Legado and have the big staredown with Escobar. Kross gets in the ring and tells Escobar he’s giving him the gift of time. Now run along. Ok so maybe it was a tarot card last week.

Post break Edge runs into Karrion Kross in the parking lot, who says he hopes Edge chooses wisely. No matter who walks out of Takeover as champion, Kross is coming for the title. Edge sees that as motivation to come back here, and Kross might not like that.

Takeover: Vengeance Day rundown.

Men’s Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic Quarterfinals: Undisputed Era vs. Tommaso Ciampa/Timothy Thatcher

Ciampa headlocks Cole down to start but it’s too early to go with the Fairy Tale Ending. Instead Ciampa goes with the headlock again to keep things slow early on. Back up and Ciampa blocks a superkick but can’t hit a running knee as we have a standoff. Thatcher and Strong come in with Thatcher taking him to the mat with an armbar. A punch to the ribs gives Thatcher two but Strong gets up to bring Cole back in.

Thatcher gets caught in the corner so he fights out and brings in Ciampa to take over on Strong again. This time it’s Strong getting caught in the corner for a beating as everything breaks down. The big four way staredown takes us to a break. Back with the bow and arrow keeping Strong in trouble and Thatcher adds a knee to the ribs. The cross armbreaker doesn’t work so Thatcher slaps on the guillotine, sending Strong to the ropes.

Thatcher chokes away in the corner but Strong goes up with him for a top rope superplex. They’re both down for a bit until it’s a double tag to bring in Cole and Ciampa. Cole knocks him down for two and then nails the jumping enziguri. The brainbuster onto the knee connects but Cole can’t get the Figure Four. Everything breaks down and it’s a Figure Four to Thatcher, with Strong not quite being able to get the Stronghold on Ciampa. Instead Ciampa kicks him away and makes the diving save and we settle back down again.

Thatcher’s release German suplex into a running knee to the face hits Strong for two but he blocks the Fairy Tale Ending. The Angle Slam drops Ciampa again and it’s back to Cole. A superkick gets two on Ciampa and Cole is getting frustrated. Strong comes back in and everything breaks down but Thatcher pulls Cole to the floor. A jumping knee from Strong rocks Thatcher on the floor but Strong walks into Willow’s Bell to give Ciampa the pin at 17:04.

Rating: B+. This got time and was built up well. The Undisputed Era has long since established that they can go in the ring with anyone and Ciampa/Thatcher have shown a rather nice chemistry as well. That set up a heck of a tag match here as everyone worked hard and I wasn’t sure who was going to win until the ending. You don’t get a much better feeling than that in wrestling and it was strong here so good stuff all around.

Post match the Grizzled Young Veterans come out to brawl with Ciampa and Thatcher to end the show.

Overall Rating: B-. The main event was easily the best thing on the show with Edge’s appearance a close second. I’m curious as to where some of these things go, but I’m more impressed by the Takeover card being set up almost in one week. There are three title matches set and the two Dusty Classic matches will flesh out the card. I’m still not feeling the huge amount of tournament matches, but it is nice to have a great match to close the show out.

Results

Raquel Gonzalez/Dakota Kai b. Kacy Catanzaro/Kayden Carter – Powerbomb to Catanzaro

Austin Theory b. Leon Ruff – ATL

Legado del Fantasma b. Lucha House Party – Russian legsweep/kick to the face combination to Dorado

Jessi Kamea b. Toni Storm via DQ when Mercedes Martinez interfered

Santos Escobar b. Curt Stallion – Double underhook facebuster

Timothy Thatcher/Tommaso Ciampa b. Undisputed Era – Willow’s Bell to Strong

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

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AND

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

NXT
Date: January 20, 2021
Location: Capitol Wrestling Center, Winter Park, Florida
Commentators: Beth Phoenix, Wade Barrett, Vic Joseph

We less than a month away from the next Takeover and that means it is time to start setting the stage. However, that does not exactly seem to be the case here, as the focus is going to be on both of the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classics. Yes both of them, because we are going to have a women’s edition this year as well. Let’s get to it.

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

We open with a look at last week’s first round Dusty Classic matches, plus at what is coming tonight. In addition to the tournaments, we also have the return of the Fight Pit between Tommaso Ciampa and Timothy Thatcher.

Beth Phoenix is back in person and we even have some streamers.

Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic First Round: Kushida/Leon Ruff vs. The Way

That would be Johnny Gargano/Austin Theory. Theory powers out of Ruff’s headlock but gets staggered by a dropkick. Ruff’s crucifix bomb is broken up but Theory misses his dropkick. Kushida comes in to work on the arm, including tying it around his legs and snapping it back. It’s off to Gargano to change things up though, including taking Kushida down for some knees to the back.

Theory’s rolling dropkick puts Kushida down again and a double back elbow drops him again. Kushida slips out of a suplex though and the hot tag brings in Ruff to clean house. Theory isn’t having that and snaps off a torture rack powerbomb for two as we take a break. Back with Ruff fighting out of a chinlock but getting taken right back down with a neckbreaker. Kushida gets knocked off the apron though and it’s a backbreaker into a neckbreaker for two on Ruff.

Theory sends Ruff into the corner but Ruff comes out with a spinning middle rope cutter. That’s enough for the hot tag off to Kushida so house can really be cleaned, including a tornado DDT on Gargano on the floor. Back in and Gargano hits his rolling kick to the head but Kushida is right back with the cross armbreaker. Theory makes the save and a leg trap brainbuster onto the knee gives him two on Kushida. Another tag brings in Ruff, who dives onto Theory at ringside. Gargano kicks Kushida in the head but gets hiptossed into a basement dropkick. An arm trap northern lights suplexes finishes Gargano at 14:47.

Rating: B. The ending was surprising but the best thing here was that this turned into a heck of a match and never looked back. Kushida vs. Gargano is all but locked in for Takeover and that is going to be a heck of a showdown when we finally get the chance to get there. The Way being out so soon is surprising but it sets up something a little more interesting down the line, which is always good to see.

Pete Dunne talks about how Finn Balor is NXT Champion but Dunne built an entire brand on his back. He is the real threat to Balor’s title and the one who can take away his legacy.

Malcolm Bivens comes out of William Regal’s office and praises Tyler Rust, who comes out of Regal’s office as well. Rust has gotten a match tonight, against Bronson Reed. Bivens really does not seem pleased but says Rust is going straight to the top.

Karrion Kross vs. Ashante Adonis

The Doomsday Saito into a pair of running forearms to the back of the head finish Adonis at 1:18. Total destruction as usual.

Post match the medics and Adonis’ partner Desmond Troy come out to help, with Kross choking Troy out.

Video on MSK, with the two of them talking about how hard they have worked to get here. Did they explain what MSK stands for yet?

Toni Storm and Mercedes Martinez are ready to destroy Kacy Catanzaro and Kayden Carter.

Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic First Round: Imperium vs. Lucha House Party

Barthel takes Dorado down to start and grabs a butterfly suplex. The hammerlock goes on and Dorado is sent throat first into the middle rope. Dorado gets over for Metalik, who comes in with a splash off of Dorado’s shoulders for two. Aichner comes in to take Metalik down with a backbreaker for the save as the power takes over. The reverse Sling Blade gets Metalik out of trouble though and Dorado comes back in, only to have Aichner cut off the suicide dive. Dorado gets slammed on the floor and Metalik gets caught in the Tree of Woe.

That means the double dropkick and we take a break. Back with Dorado fighting out of a cravate and grabbing the Golden Rewind. Barthel puts on his own chinlock before putting Dorado on the top. You don’t do that to Dorado, who takes Barthel down and gets over for the next hot tag to Metalik. A rope walk hurricanrana into a springboard moonsault press gets two on Aichner for a good looking near fall.

Barthel catches Metalik’s dive so Dorado runs in with a dropkick for the save. Metalik slips out of the suplex though and a missile dropkick/sunset bomb combination gets two more on Aichner. It’s back to Dorado, who gets crushed by Aichner. A facebuster drops Aichner and a hurricanrana sends Barthel into him for a big crash. With Aichner out on the floor, Metalik hits a huge top rope moonsault to take him down again. Back in and Dorado’s shooting star finishes Barthel at 14:40.

Rating: B-. They got me with this one as I wouldn’t have bet on Imperium being eliminated n the first round. In addition to the surprise, they had a good match with the technical style meshing well with the lucha stuff. This was quite the impressive surprise as they’re doing some rather nice stuff with the tournament so far tonight.

Post match Alexander Wolfe pops up to stare Imperium down.

We see the official weigh-in for the Fight Pit, with Tommaso Ciampa at 201 and Timothy Thatcher at 225. They nearly got in a fight here as WWE continues to try to tap into interest in the upcoming huge UFC show this coming weekend.

Here’s Beth Phoenix to talk about various women who played a part in the Women’s Revolution. Women’s wrestling has grown a lot because the fans wanted it to become bigger, and tonight it’s time to make history again. Therefore, it’s time for the first women’s Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic.

Women’s Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic First Round: Mercedes Martinez/Toni Storm vs. Kacy Catanzaro/Kayden Carter

Carter and Storm start things off with Carter working on a wristlock. Storm reverses into one of her own so Carter switches over into a headlock. A shoulder puts Carter down and there’s a dropkick for two. Martinez comes in for a side slam and it’s off to Catanzaro, who is taken down in a hurry. The chinlock goes on with a knee in Catanzaro’s back before Martinez blocks a tornado DDT attempt with straight power. A powerslam gets two on Kacy and we take a break.

Back with Martinez sending Kacy flying with a choke suplex and taking her up top. The superplex is countered into a super hurricanrana to drop Martinez but Storm comes back in to cut off the tag. That lasts for all of three seconds as Carter gets the tag to start cleaning house. A running dropkick in the corner hits Martinez and a low superkick drops Storm.

Another kick to the face sets up a basement dropkick for two on Storm as everyone is back in. Cue Io Shirai to pull Martinez to the floor and throw her over the announcers’ table though, leaving Carter to trip Storm down. That lets Catanzaro go up for a REVERSE BLACK ARROW (How do you even do that?????) and the upset pin at 12:51.

Rating: C. I’ve watched a lot of wrestling in my day and it’s hard to make my jaw drop. That crazy finisher (it started like a moonsault but she did a corkscrew in the air and landed back first on Storm) made it work though and I had to watch it a few times. Catanzaro hasn’t had the most success in NXT but if she can polish that up (the landing wasn’t the smoothest), she’ll be fine at least for a little while longer.

Finn Balor comes in to William Regal’s office to demand Pete Dunne. Balor wants to deal with Oney Lorcan and Danny Burch too though, so Regal says find a partner. Regal seems to have an idea.

Isaiah Scott stops Bronson Reed on his way to the ring for some advice we can’t hear.

Ashante Adonis is hurt but a very excited Carter and Catanzaro come in to celebrate.

Bronson Reed vs. Tyler Rust

Rust has Malcolm Bivens with him. During the entrances, we hear what Scott said: don’t ever be in his business again. Rust grabs the wrist so Bronson cranks on the hand to counter with ease. A rather large headlock has Rust in trouble and a big shoulder puts him on the floor. Rust slides back in and is quickly caught in a gorilla press gutbuster. That’s enough to send Rust outside for some advice from Bivens, which seems to be “snap the arm across the top rope”.

Rust cranks on the arm as we cut to a split screen with Io Shirai and Toni Storm being help apart in the back. Reed shrugs it off and hits a running splash in the corner, setting up the chokeslam for another near fall. Rust manages a Samoan drop out of the corner for his own two but Reed shoves him off. The backsplash crushes Rust and the Tsunami REALLY crushes Rust for the pin at 4:49.

Rating: C. The more I see Reed in the ring, the more I like him and the idea of Reed vs. Scott works rather well for me. If nothing else, it is nice to see NXT taking two young, talented wrestlers and giving them the chance to become bigger stars by having a feud. Rust continue to look good, but he needs a win.

Finn Balor needs a partner and seems to have an idea because someone owes him a favor.

Post break, Balor goes in to see the Undisputed Era and looks all of them over. Balor says they’re all grown men and looks at O’Reilly, saying he knows why he’s here. Balor asks if O’Reilly is in and, after a long stare, O’Reilly says he is. They’ll see each other next week, with O’Reilly calling Balor champ as the tension is rather high.

Here is Legado del Fantasma for a chat. Santos Escobar says he is the champion of champions because he doesn’t have to conquer a curse and doesn’t have a glass jaw. Some people try to act like a champion like Karrion Kross but he couldn’t even make it through his first title defense. Escobar has beaten everyone to come after him, including the Lucha House Party.

The rest of the team has won their first round Dusty Classic match, putting them one step closer to the Tag Team Titles. Cue the Lucha House Party, who will face Legado in the second round, for the brawl. Escobar bails but Curt Stallion comes in to take him out. The good guys clear the ring with Stallion knocking Escobar off the apron. Commentary is confused by why Stallion is here, apparently not watching 205 Live enough to know Stallion has been #1 contender for over two months now.

Drake Maverick gives a fired up promo about how he and Killian Dain are going to win the Dusty Classic. Dain: “That was pretty good!” A slap on the back has Maverick in pain and he still doesn’t even have Dain’s number.

Curt Stallion, identified as #1 contender (McKenzie Mitchell pays attention), is ready for Escobar, who comes up to say the title match is next week.

Also next week: Kyle O’Reilly/Finn Balor vs. Oney Lorcan/Danny Burch for the Tag Team Titles.

Timothy Thatcher vs. Tommaso Ciampa

This is inside the Fight Pit, which is a special cage around the ring with a platform around the top of the cage where the wrestlers can walk. There are no ropes in the ring and you win by submission or knockout only, though the fall must take place on the mat rather than on the platform. This looks really cool and it feels like a special match. They start on the platform for some stalking but then start slugging it out.

Ciampa even tries to throw him over the top and out to the concrete but Thatcher drives him face first into the barricade. Thatcher’s front facelock suplex drops Ciampa, who is right back up with a running kick to the face. Some chops against the barricade seem to annoy Thatcher so he forearms Ciampa in the face. Ciampa kicks him down again and catapults Thatcher throat first into the barricade.

Back from a break with the two of them on the mat with Thatcher being sent into the walls. That’s only good for a five and the Fairy Tale Ending is countered with a ram into the steel. Thatcher tries to wedge Ciampa’s hand into the gap between the walls but settles for a suplex into a keylock instead. Now it’s bending the fingers back and slamming them off the mat for some rather evil pain. Ciampa is right back with a shot to the leg and the half crab goes on.

That’s broken up as well and Thatcher kicks him into the wall again. The sleeper goes on so Ciampa kicks him low for the break, setting up Willow’s Bell, using the referee as a rope for a funny/smart moment. They slug it out again with Thatcher going into the steel, setting up the Fairy Tale Ending. The rear naked choke goes on but Thatcher picks him up for a ram into the steel. Thatcher grabs a sleeper but stops to put Ciampa’s leg through the corner gap. A stretch muffler finishes Ciampa at 14:03.

Rating: B+. This is the kind of thing that I can always go for as not only is the match unique, but they beat the heck out of each other the whole time. They built up the idea of going down into the pit feel like an epic battle and Thatcher, now 2-0, has a signature match for whenever he is in a bigger feud. These guys beat each other up and this was every bit as good as I was expecting it to be.

Post match Thatcher is VERY happy with the win but stops to stare at Ciampa in a show of respect to end the show.

Overall Rating: A-. If they had a slightly stronger middle of the show, this would have been an all timer for NXT. The main event felt important and like the kind of epic match that would have fit in very well at something like New Year’s Evil, which is not something you see on television very often. Then you have the tournament matches (and there were a lot of them), all of which were good to very good with some surprise endings. I loved this show quite a bit and it’s nice to be able to say that about NXT, even once in awhile.

Results

Kushida/Leon Ruff b. The Way – Arm trap northern lights suplex to Gargano

Karrion Kross b. Ashante Adonis – Forearm to the back of the head

Lucha House Party b. Imperium

Kacy Catanzaro/Kayden Carter b. Mercedes Martinez – Reverse Black Arrow to Storm

Bronson Reed b. Tyler Rust – Tsunami

Timothy Thatcher b. Tommaso Ciampa – Stretch Muffler

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