NXT
Date: November 19, 2024
Location: Capitol Wrestling Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Vic Joseph, Booker T.

We have some major stakes tonight as Chase U’s future is on the line when Andre Chase faces Ridge Holland. The #1 contendership to the NXT Title is on the line too but that doesn’t seem to be as important. Other than that, we have more Iron Survivor Challenge qualifying matches. Let’s get to it.

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

Axiom and Nathan Frazier still can’t get along over Frazier wanting single success and Axiom wanting to focus on the tag teams.

Men’s Iron Survivor Challenge Qualifying Match: Nathan Frazier vs. Eddy Thorpe

Axiom is here with Frazier, who is wrestled down to the mat but Frazier is up with a leg lariat. Various tag teams pop up to watch as Thorpe kicks away in the corner but misses a charge into the buckle. A reverse Hennig necksnap gives Frazier two and they collide for a double knockdown as we take a break. Back with even more teams coming out to distract Frazier, allowing Thorpe to belly to back superplex him down for two. The teams get in a big brawl on the floor so Frazier dives onto them, followed by a swinging suplex to Thorpe. The Phoenix splash gives Frazier the pin at 10:34.

Rating: C+. This was more about the tag stuff, which still isn’t really going anywhere other than a bunch of wild brawling. Frazier getting a spot is fine way to go as he can fly around the ring and do his stuff, which is rather good. The match itself wasn’t the point here and that’s ok, as Thorpe wasn’t likely getting the Challenge spot anyway.

Andre Chase talks to Chase U and goes over some of their accomplishments and how it’s time to put it all on the line to stop Ridge Holland.

Giulia talks about bringing her Beautiful Madness to NXT and promises to win the Women’s Iron Survivor Challenge.

Robert Stone and Stevie Turner are with Kelani Jordan, who wants Giulia in a qualifying match next week.

Women’s Iron Survivor Challenge Qualifying Match: Jaida Parker vs. Stephanie Vaquer

Parker shoulders her own a few times to start so Vaquer goes after the arm. Some cranking has Parker in trouble until she sends Vaquer into the corner for the sitdown splash as we take a break. Back with Parker hitting a reverse suplex for two and cranking on both arms. Vaquer fights up and hits a running Meteora in the corner, followed by the figure four necklock faceplants onto the mat. Parker is back up with a Falcon Arrow for two but cue Lola Vice to break up the Hipnotic. Vaquer hits a superkick into the package backbreaker for the pin at 10:54.

Rating: C+. This was another match where the result wasn’t quite in question, as Vaquer wasn’t going to lose a singles match so soon into her NXT run. That being said, I’m not wild on having Parker lose again, even with the distraction. Parker is starting to turn into something around here and I could go for having her move up a bit, though she shouldn’t have beaten Vaquer. Put someone else in the spot instead.

Dion Lennox and Brinley Reece fire each other up.

Roxanne Perez is on vacation until after Deadline but Sol Ruca pops up to say she’s coming for the title.

Tony D’Angelo vs. Brooks Jensen

Non-title with Riz and Shawn Spears here as well. D’Angelo forearms him own to start and hammers away in the corner but Jensen gets in a hot shot for a breather. The chinlock goes on with Jensen switching it into a rear naked choke but D’Angelo is back up. D’Angelo bangs up his knee on the ropes and Jensen’s Codebreaker gets two. Back up and the spinebuster finishes Jensen in a hurry at 4:24.

Rating: C. This felt like a way to set up Shawn Spears as the next challenger to D’Angelo, as he can get Jensen to soften D’Angelo up for the title match. D’Angelo as a smashing machine is a little weird but he’s doing well enough. He needs a more interesting challenger than Jensen and Spears though, as I’m not sure how well the latter would go in a big time title match.

Post match Jensen takes out the bad knee again.

Ashante Thee Adonis and Karmen Petrovic are ready for their mixed tag. Flirting is included.

Lexis King is trying to be the best version of himself that he can be and people are starting to take notice. Yoshiki Inamura says he understands and King leaves. Josh Briggs comes in to ask what that was about and Inamura says he doesn’t know because this is a crazy place. We pan over to the tag teams still brawling. Inamura: “My kind of crazy!”

Ashante Thee Adonis/Karmen Petrovic vs. Dion Lennox/Brinley Reece

They come to the ring in Washington State/Oregon State gear for a college football tie-in. The women are set to start but a pair of tags…mean the women are going to start. Or not as more tags mean it’s the men. Or maybe the women. Reece finally rolls Petrovic up for two before Petrovic goes after the arm. Adonis tags himself in and gets hiptossed by Lennox but comes back with some dropkicks. Lennox is sent throat first into the top rope to slow him down again but manages to get over for the tag anyway. Reece cleans house until Adonis offers a flirty distraction, allowing Petrovic to kick her in the face for the pin at 3:54.

Rating: C. This story has been going on for a few months now and I’m still not sure I get the appeal. Petrovic falling for Adonis, who doesn’t seem to have any kind of similar feelings, isn’t making her look bright but it’s giving her something to do. Lennox and Reece still aren’t doing much but they’re good for opponents in a spot like this.

Ridge Holland is ready to end Chase U.

Video on the Iron Survivor Challenge.

Women’s Iron Survivor Challenge Qualifying Match: Wren Sinclair vs. Zaria

Charlie Dempsey is here with Sinclair. Zaria stalks her to start and blocks a rollup without much effort. Some suplexes have Sinclair down and her dropkick attempt goes badly. Sinclair gets two off a rollup but Zaria knocks her to the floor without much effort. Dempsey offers a distraction so Sinclair can get in a dive, followed by a rollup for two back inside. Zaria has had it with this and hits a spear into the F5 for the pin at 4:04.

Rating: C+. Sinclair got in some offense here but Zaria is all about enacting beast mode and running through anyone in front of her. That’s a good role for her as there is always a place for that kind of a powerhouse. The match was a fine way to get another top name into the challenge, as putting these new names into some kind of a competition is the right way to go.

Tony D’Angelo is banged up but ready to fight Shawn Spears on one leg. Ava agrees and then tells Eddy Thorpe that the tag tams getting involved in his match isn’t enough of a reason to reverse the decision. Thorpe doesn’t like the double standard with D’Angelo and leaves.

Fatal Influence still doesn’t like all of the newcomers but want to fight. Fallon Henley is ready for an open challenge for next week…and here is Meta Four to interrupt. They’re ready to accept but a bunch of other women come in for a brawl. Tatum Paxley jumps Henley and lays her out to hold up the title.

Shawn Spears is pleased with Brooks Jensen.

Karmen Petrovic is happy with Ashante Thee Adonis…but Nikkita Lyons comes in to say she’s still waiting on that text back from Adonis. Petrovic isn’t pleased but Adonis says he never texted Lyons.

Ethan Page is ready to win the Iron Survivor Challenge and he’ll qualify next week.

Nathan Frazier isn’t impressed with Page but Axiom is ready to stop him from winning. Frazier isn’t pleased with Axiom being in but if Frazier can do it, why not him too?

Here’s what’s coming next week.

Andre Chase acknowledges being hard on a bunch of his students….but he wouldn’t apologize for a thing. It’s time to become NXT Champion.

Ridge Holland vs. Andre Chase

For the #1 contendership (Trick Williams is on commentary) and Chase U is basically done if Chase loses. Chase sends him into the corner to start but gets run over with a hard shot. Holland goes outside and pulls up the floor mats but takes too long, allowing Chase to hit a flip dive off the apron. We take a break and come back with Holland muscling him up into a spinning DDT for two.

A low blow takes Chase down again but here is Duke Hudson to pull the referee out and brawl with Holland. That’s broken up so Holland goes after Thea Hail, with Riley Osborne making the save this time. Holland gorilla presses Osborne onto the exposed concrete but Chase is back up for the brawl. Chase’s Russian legsweep into the spelling stomps gets two before a powerbomb out of the corner connects for the same. Holland rolls through a high crossbody though and the lifting DDT finishes Chase at 11:57.

Rating: B. Dang they actually did it. Chase U isn’t likely going away but it’s going to be completely changed in some way, whatever that means. Holland getting to be the one to slay the school is certainly a big step, though I wasn’t quite expecting it to come in a clean win. Holland is ready for a title shot now, and based on this, I’d be surprised if he didn’t win the thing.

Chase and the school are devastated to end the show.

Overall Rating: B-. This was all about the main event and it worked well, with most of the rest being about setting up the Iron Survivor Challenges. That makes for a focused show with a theme to it, but stuff liked the mixed tag and the D’Angelo vs. Spears/Jensen parts weren’t so good. Deadline is coming together, but dang tonight’s main event was a punch to the gut.

Results
Nathan Frazier b. Eddy Thorpe – Phoenix splash
Stephanie Vaquer b. Jaida Parker – Package backbreaker
Tony D’Angelo b. Brooks Jensen – Spinebuster
Karmen Petrovic/Ashante Thee Adonis b. Dion Lennox/Brinley Reece – Kick to Reece
Zaria b. Wren Sinclair – F5
Ridge Holland b. Andre Chase – Lifting DDT

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NXT
Date: November 6, 2024
Location: 2300 Arena, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Commentators: Vic Joseph, Booker T.

We’re in the ECW Arena and that is the main focal point of the show. The show is also featuring a bunch of ECW guest stars, which you might want to take or leave. The main event is Bubba Ray Dudley teaming with Trick Williams to face Ethan Page and Ridge Holland. Let’s get to it.

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

The opening sequence is set to the old ECW theme, which works rather well.

Lola Vice vs. Jaida Parker

Hardcore match with Dawn Marie as guest referee. Parker jumps her to start and grabs a chair but Vice knocks it into her face with the spinning backfist. They go to the floor where Vice grabs a table but takes too long, allowing Parker to knock her down. Some chairs are thrown in but Parker’s big swing hits the corner, allowing Vice to get in another knockdown as we take a break.

Back with a bunch of weapons in the ring, including a bunch of ladders. Parker plants her with a spinebuster and puts her on the ladder for the big Tear Drop from the standing ladder for two. More weapons are brought in but Parker takes too much time and gets kendo sticked down.

Vice puts her in a trashcan for the running hip attack and a near fall but Parker throws a trashcan at her. Back in and Vice gets in some more kendo stick shots, only to get sideslammed onto a chair. A running elbow sends Vice into the ladder for two so breaks a BRICK over her head. That’s only good for two (of course) so Parker hits the Hipnotic for the pin at 14:47.

Rating: C. As usual in modern hardcore style matches, there were far too many weapons and it brought the match down. Throw in A BRICK to the head being a near fall and it was more than a bit much to take. Marie didn’t add a thing whatsoever either and the whole thing felt like a match for the live crowd, despite it not being entirely thought out.

Ethan Page and Ridge Holland are ready to take out Trick Williams and Bubba Ray Dudley.

Kelani Jordan is stretching with Rob Van Dam, who gives her a pep talk. Jordan leaves and Wes Lee jumps Van Dam with a chair.

The FBI met the D’Angelo Family and apparently Tony Mamaluke has gotten Rizzo a match with Nikkita Lyons next week. As for tonight, Nunzio gets a North American Title shot.

Apparently referees will be more lenient for the rest of the night.

Je’Von Evans vs. Wes Lee

Evans starts fast but his springboard cutter is countered. A rollup gives Evans two but Lee knocks him to the floor for a 619 around the post. Lee manages a brainbuster onto the steps and we take an early break. Back with Evans snapping off a top rope super hurricanrana and hitting a spinning slam. The top rope spinning splash misses though and Lee scores with the Cardiac Kick for two.

Lee grabs a chair but the referee takes it away, allowing Evans to come back with a running cutter. The top rope cutter connects, with Lee rolling out to the floor. Evans’ dive is sent crashing over the announcers’ table so Lee grabs a chair, only to be cut off by Rob Van Dam. Evans hits a springboard cutter into…what was supposed to be a Five Star frog splash (which was left so short that Evans’ knees hit the mat first) for the pin at 12:27.

Rating: C+. I cannot get into Evans and this wasn’t helping. I’m not sure how many cutters you need to use in a single match but Evans was flirting with the maximum allowed. Lee taking a loss, even with interference, isn’t the most appealing thing either here, especially to such a horrible looking finisher.

Ava doesn’t have time for Eddy Thorpe but promises to make it up.

Here are Ava and her lackeys for a special announcement. That would be the return of Deadline, which will take place on December 7. Robert Stone talks about how much better New York and Boston fans are than Philadelphia fans. Then the lights go out and Rhyno pops in for a Gore.

Kelani Jordan and company exchange pep talks before the ten woman tag. The big announcement here is that Jordan speaks Spanish, but here are Lash Legend and Jakara Jackson to brag about going after the Women’s Tag Team Titles. Giulia and Stephanie Vaquer aren’t impressed.

Ethan Page/Ridge Holland vs. Trick Williams/Bubba Ray Dudley

Williams and Holland start things off but Holland shoves Ray on the apron. Ray comes in and gets shouldered down by Holland, leaving him a bit surprised. A wristlock goes a bit better for Ray and it’s off to Williams for some arm cranking of his own. Page gets in a cheap shot from the apron though and the villains take over, only for Williams to slip out of a double neckbreaker. Ray comes back in to clean house and Page and Holland are knocked to the floor as we take a break.

Back with Ray getting crotched against the post and Holland grabbing an armbar. Ray fights out of trouble and brings Williams back in to pick up the pace, including a flapjack to Holland. A Rock Bottom gives Williams two with Page making the save. The Trick Shot is loaded up but Holland reverses into a rollup for the pin at 10:18.

Rating: B-. The ending is a fine way to go and makes sense over having Dudley take the pin. Holland as the next challenger makes sense and now we get to see a likely title match at Deadline. Odds are this is it for Ray, which I’ll take over having him feud with either Page or Holland.

Post match the beatdown is on but Bubba makes the save. We get the What’s Up and then it’s time to GET THE TABLES. Hold on though because here is D-Von Dudley with the table, with Page going through it.

Dion Lennox comes up to Ashante Thee Adonis and asks about him going from woman to woman. Karmen Petrovic comes in to ask about the other woman Adonis was with last week. Adonis isn’t interested but does remember that last week was her birthday. That’s enough to win Petrovic over. Again, with Lennox looking surprised in the background.

Roxanne Perez and company are ready to beat up the newcomers.

North American Title: Tony D’Angelo vs. Nunzio

D’Angelo, with his family, is defending and Tony Mamaluke is here with Nunzio. D’Angelo starts fast and sends him outside, where a clothesline hits Mamaluke. A belly to belly suplex plants Nunzio and D’Angelo puts him on top but Nunzio dropkicks his way out of trouble. The Sicilian Slice gives Nunzio two but a crow bar shot is caught by the referee. The spinebuster (with Nunzio crossing himself) retains the title at 2:18. That’s what it should have been.

Post match respect is shown.

Shawn Spears tells Brooks Jensen to be ready for next week.

William Regal gives Lexis King a pep talk after last week’s loss. King leaves and the No Quarter Cat Crew comes in. Charlie Dempsey says King couldn’t get the job done, with Regal saying King isn’t his father’s son. Dempsey asks if he’s his father’s son, but Regal suggests the team go after the Tag Team Titles instead.

Nikkita Lyons promises to take out everyone and win gold.

Nathan Frazier and Axiom are told about a meeting with the tag division next week where the new challengers will be determined. Axiom thinks that’s a great way to scout everyone at once but Frazier sees it as a week off.

Fatal Influence/Cora Jade/Roxanne Perez vs. Giulia/Zaria/Kelani Jordan/Jordynne Grace/Stephanie Vaquer

Jordan armdrags and dropkicks Henley to start and it’s off to Vaquer for a springboard crossbody. Nyx comes in and gets caught with a 619, setting up a double elbow to give Giulia two. It’s off to Perez, who gets caught with an overhead belly to belly suplex. A shot from the apron slow Giulia down though and Perez hits a running dropkick against the ropes.

Zaria comes in for the tease of a powerbomb but all ten get in for the shouting and brawling. The villains are sent to the floor and Jordan hits a big moonsault as we take a break. Back with Jordan being sent outside, where Nyx takes out Giulia and Vaquer with a dive. Jordan fights up back inside but Henley breaks up a tag attempt. Not that it matters as it’s a diving tag off to Grace to clean house.

A Vader Bomb hits Jade for two and Zaria and Grace’s double powerbomb gets two more. We hit the parade of knockdowns until everyone is down, as Jakara Jackson and Lash Legend come out. More dives take them out as well and it’s off to Perez. Zaria spears Grace by mistake but pops back up with the F5 to pin Perez at 15:04.

Rating: B-. It was a fairly wild match, though I’m not sure why I was supposed to believe that the villains had any real chance to win. The other team has no weak links and it was them mainly steamrolling Perez and company, save for a few brief spots. Evan Zaria spearing Grace didn’t make much of a difference. That being said, it was a fun spectacle and that’s what it needed to be.

Overall Rating: B-. The big appeal here was ECW and if you weren’t a fan, it isn’t going to work out so well. Most of the stuff was harmless enough and they didn’t get a big focus at the end. D-Von was a nice surprise and the non-ECW stuff was good enough. This wasn’t a great show, but you can see a lot of what is being set up for Deadline in about a month. Things will be back to normal next week, but for now, it could have been worse.

Results
Jaida Parker b. Lola Vice – Hipnotic
Je’Von Evans b. Wes Lee – Frog splash
Ridge Holland/Ethan Page b. Bubba Ray Dudley/Trick Williams – Rollup to Williams
Tony D’Angelo b. Nunzio – Spinebuster
Giulia/Zaria/Kelani Jordan/Jordynne Grace/Stephanie Vaquer b. Fatal Influence/Cora Jade/Roxanne Perez – F5 to Perez

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NXT LVL Up
Date: March 18, 2022
Location: Capitol Wrestling Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Sudu Shah, Nigel McGuinness

We are well on the way to Stand & Deliver and believe it or not, something actually happened here last week. Josh Briggs and Brooks Jensen jumped the Grizzled Young Veterans last week to wrap up the show, which was the first time there was an angle of any kind on this show. Now let’s see how it is not followed up on this week. Let’s get to it.

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

Opening sequence.

Xyon Quinn vs. Damon Kemp

Respect is shown to start and Kemp can’t take Quinn down with a single leg. A test of strength has Quinn down but he bridges on his neck and fights back up. Kemp’s crossbody bounces off Quinn, giving us some quality posing time. The cravate goes on as Quinn has a cut on his nose. Kemp reverses into a chinlock and a running shoulder in the corner, setting up another chinlock. Quinn fights up and strikes away, setting up his running punch for the pin at 5:24.

Rating: C. I’ve liked Quinn for a long time now and it is nice to see him getting a win for a change. That hasn’t been the case for a long time now and while he has a lot of work to do, it is a good sign to see things changing around a bit. Kemp is going to be fine because of his amateur skills, though this is the kind of match that he needs at the moment.

Lash Legend vs. Valentina Feroz

Yulisa Leon is here with Feroz. The fans seem behind Feroz but there are some dueling chants to even it out a bit. Feroz goes right after her to start but gets tossed down hard, setting up a rather delayed vertical suplex. The jumping elbow (which looks awkward as well) gets two on Feroz, who is right back with a guillotine choke. Legend powers out and makes the rope before tossing Feroz down anyway. Feroz is right back up with a high crossbody, which is pulled out of the air but Feroz reverses into a choke with her legs. That’s broken up as well and Legend kicks her in the face for the pin at 4:53.

Rating: D+. It takes something special to make a jumping elbow drop look weird but Legend is making it work. Legend is just not ready for prime time yet and if WWE just has to have her on television, this is the extent of what she can do. She needs a lot more practice and ring time and this is going to help her more than anything else.

Post match Legend grabs the mic and says you knew this was coming. She throws out a threat to Nikkita Lyons too.

Bodie Hayward vs. Dante Chen

Andre Chase is here with Hayward. They trade wrist control to start until Hayward grabs a headlock to take him to the mat. Chen fights back and takes him down into an armbar. That’s broken up as well and Chen charges into a spinebuster for two. A splash to Chen’s back sets up a waistlock as Robert Stone comes out to watch. Chen fights up and strikes away, including a running boot to the face. Hayward hits a clothesline and some running shoulders but a Stone distraction lets Chen grab a rollup for the pin at 6:05.

Rating: C. I don’t know if the Stone interruption means he is working with Chen, but that would be the most interesting thing Chen has done so far. He is completely fine in the ring, but he is another name on a long list of wrestlers with absolutely nothing that makes him stand out. NXT really needs to work on that, because there are a lot of faces in the crowd at the moment and that doesn’t help anyone.

Overall Rating: C-. This was a bit of a step down from last week, but at least they did have a tiny bit of storyline stuff in the end. That can go such a long way in making the show more interesting and it did so here. The wrestling alone isn’t enough to make the show work, so give me a bit of intrigue to make it more interesting. If that’s what we’re going to be getting going forward, this is a much more appealing show, even with fairly weak wrestling.

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NXT
Date: November 2, 2021
Location: Capitol Wrestling Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Vic Joseph, Beth Phoenix, Wade Barrett

We’re done with Halloween Havoc and that means it is time to get ready for…well I have no idea actually as I’m not sure what they’re going to do as far as Takeover goes. There were a bunch of title changes last week and now it is time to see where things go from here. Let’s get to it.

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

Here is Mandy Rose to open things up and Barrett is VERY happy to see her as the new Women’s Champion. She is very proud of her win because she is the best looking champion in the title’s history and she is still the baddest b**** around. Last week was a great night for Toxic Attraction and we see all of them holding up their new titles last week (Mandy: “D*** I’m hot.”).

Her girls aren’t here, so we cut to the back where the rest of Toxic Attraction is beating up Zoey Stark. Mandy is proud of them but wants some competition. Cue Io Shirai to say she’ll fight right now, but Rose says she isn’t scared. Rose wants a referee out here right now so Shirai looks to the entrance and gets hit with the microphone. The beatdown is on until Shirai fights back, which draws out the rest of Toxic Attraction for the real beating. Kacy Catanzaro and Kayden Carter run in for the save, likely setting up the six woman tag.

In the back, Toxic Attraction find Dakota Kai, who says she didn’t help them last week. She just wants to get rid of Raquel Gonzalez.

Cameron Grimes is in Duke’s Poker Room with a bunch of other people, though he doesn’t seem to know the rules. Grimes: “You got 21? I GOT 22!” Hudson looks happy.

Dakota Kai vs. Cora Jade

Kai wastes no time in knocking Jade down and grabbing a chinlock. Back up and Jake fires off the running elbows, setting up the running hurricanrana. Jade gets two off a sunset flip but Kai scorpion kicks her. The running boot in the corner finishes Jade at 2:24.

Post match the beatdown stays on, including another shot to Jade’s head. Kai pulls out a table and lays it on Jade on the floor, but stops before jumping off the apron. Instead, she walks away and leaves Jade down.

Kyle O’Reilly/Von Wagner have been yelling at Legado del Fantasma on Twitter over the weekend.

Robert Stone doesn’t like everyone being happy with Xyon Quinn beating him up last week. The challenge is on.

MSK is depressed by their Tag Team Title loss but they’re getting help from someone. They don’t say who it is, but he invented the legend of MSK and has helped millions and millions. We’re about to hear the legend, but a bus pulls up and we can’t hear the explanation. And they missed their bus, so they’ll just have to walk.

Xyon Quinn vs. Robert Stone

Stone doesn’t like Quinn and promises to win in a hurry. This one is for Frankie Monet though and it’s time to dance to Monet’s theme. Quinn stands in the middle of the ring while Stone dances around him before asking if Quinn can dance better. After Quinn says no, Stone dances around like a chicken so Quinn says play the music and then dances/sings to Shawn Michaels’ theme. He even dances with Stone a bit, including a Dirty Dancing lift. Stone slaps him in the face so Quinn says ring the bell. A Samoan drop and Jackhammer (better than that running elbow) finish Stone at 47 seconds.

Joe Gacy talks about how horrible the world is, including clips of people arguing and talking about how evil social media really is. Harland is called a monster because he’s big and has tattoos. They will change the world together.

Legado del Fantasma, including Elektra Lopez, seems impressed by Xyon Quinn, who says he has a lot of sides to him.

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

Elektra Lopez is here with Legado. O’Reilly headlocks Wilde’s head to start so Mendoza comes in and has his sunset flip blocked. The much bigger Wagner comes in to take Mendoza down as well but Mendoza springboards over him for a breather. That doesn’t go well either as Wagner plants him, allowing O’Reilly to come back in and go after the arm. Wilde comes in so Wagner shoulders them both down, setting up a double suplex as we take a break.

Back with O’Reilly loading up a kick on Wilde but getting distracted by Lopez. Wilde’s kick connects in the corner and it’s Legado taking over for the first time. Mendoza kicks Wagner off the apron and it’s a springboard flip dive to drop O’Reilly for two. O’Reilly comes back and kicks Mendoza down, with Wilde making the save. Wagner comes back in but has some miscommunication with O’Reilly, allowing Wilde to roll him up for the pin at 10:59 (with Wagner’s foot in the rope).

Rating: C+. For the life of me I cannot get into this O’Reilly/Wagner team. O’Reilly was a main event player in NXT and now he seems to be there to mentor a pretty run of the mill big guy. The team isn’t bad or anything, but it’s not something I’m going to be interested in, which is making for some rough sits.

Carmelo Hayes and Trick Williams are ready to move on from the Way but Andre Chase pops up to say he has their back. Chase insists that he was NOT a coward last week and promises to give someone a beating to blow off some steam.

Back to the Poker Room, where Cameron Grimes is on a streak of beginner’s luck despite hitting on the women and not knowing the rules. Duke Hudson takes all of one of the women’s money and Grimes starts losing. More later.

Here’s Andre Chase for the open challenge (required on every show) but his microphone doesn’t work. We get a replacement microphone so Chase can say that people have been calling him a COWARD after last week. That sounds like a teachable moment so the challenge is on.

Andre Chase vs. Bron Breakker

Chase gets knocked outside in a hurry and Breakker blasts him with a clothesline. Back in and Chase chops away a bit but Breakker grabs the gorilla press powerslam for the easy pin at 1:41.

Post match, Breakker says he fell for one trap after another last week. Tommaso Ciampa is the man in NXT but they’re not done, because Breakker is coming after the title. Breakker’s voice in this promo was so Steiner that it might as well have been the University of Michigan fight song.

Imperium is proud of their Tag Team Title win, but they don’t like America. Toxic Attraction comes up to say Imperium should watch their six woman tag next week. Barthel thinks America has its benefits. I’m not sure if you noticed, but Toxic Attraction is a bunch of good looking women, just in case you didn’t get it from how many times we heard about them.

It’s time for Lashing Out With Lash Legend, with Lash talking about last week’s Halloween costumes. She doesn’t like the suggestion that LA Knight and Grayson Waller were the hosts because she is the REAL host around here. This week’s guest is Tony D’Angelo, who talks about allegedly kidnapping Lash’s producer, but here is the producer in person! D’Angelo makes vague threats to the producer’s family before moving on to saying he wants to face bigger NXT stars. This was the dumbest thing on a show with a lot of dumb things and feels like it belongs on a low level territory show from 1989.

Solo Sikoa vs. Jeet Rama

Sikoa sends him into the corner for the running Umaga attack and scores with a kick to the head. The Superfly Splash finishes Rama at 1:29.

Josh Briggs and Brooks Jensen cook steak, play cornhole and pitch horseshoes while talking about loving to fight and compete.

Boa vs. Grayson Waller

LA Knight is on commentary. Waller drives Boa into the corner to start but gets taken down into a crossarm choke. Back up and Waller fires off some clotheslines into a cravate with knees to the head. Knight offers a distraction though and Waller gets kicked off the ropes. Boa scores with a kick to the head to finish Waller at 2:28.

Back to the Poker Room where Cameron Grimes beats Duke Hudson on a big bluff. Grimes hat 2’s, because he’s going TO THE MOON. So a poker game gets three segments, a good fifteen or more years after the poker boom hit its peak. That’s very WWE of them.

Kay Lee Ray is back in a rage next week.

Boa can’t find Mei Ying. I’d call that a positive.

Here is Tommaso Ciampa for a chat. Ciampa talks about how last week was a changing of the guard in NXT and lists off the new champions. Bron Breakker was supposed to be the next NXT Champion but no one told Ciampa about that. With this title comes a target, but he knows that this is usually the time when someone interrupts. Cue Carmelo Hayes and Trick Williams, with the former saying he is that guy. Hayes says he is the A Champion in NXT, but Ciampa can’t hear him over the CIAMPA’S GONNA KILL YOU chants. The brawl is teased and Williams gets dropped, making Hayes think twice as Ciampa leaves.

The Way vs. Carmelo Hayes/Trick Williams

Ciampa is still in the aisle as Johnny Gargano comes out for a tease of the good old days. Lumis and Williams start things off, with a single glare sending Williams over for the tag to Hayes. That’s fine with Lumis, who crawls over to scare Hayes, meaning Williams comes back in to hammer away. Lumis scores with a Thesz press and right hands before it’s off to Gargano to work on the arm.

That should mean a top rope ax handle, but instead Lumis lands on his feet and uppercuts Williams in the face. Hayes comes back in and gets his kick to the ribs caught, meaning Gargano can come back in for some more traditional wrestling. Gargano nails the slingshot spear to cut Hayes down, allowing the Way to clear the ring as we take a break. Back with Hayes cutting off Gargano’s tag attempt and hitting an assisted springboard legdrop for two. Gargano gets over for the tag to Lumis a few moments later though and it’s time to clean some house.

An assisted superplex gets two on Hayes and Gargano superkicks Williams. Gargano loads up his own glove for stereo shots to the face, followed by stereo superkicks. Lumis adds a top rope elbow for two on Williams with Hayes making the save. We settle down to Hayes and Gargano chopping it out until Hayes goes to the throat. A discus lariat turns Hayes inside out and there’s the Silencer to keep Hayes in trouble. The referee gets Gargano out though, allowing Williams to hit Lumis with a shoe. That’s enough to set up the top rope ax kick to give Hayes the pin at 13:32.

Rating: C+. Another perfectly decent if not fairly good match, as Gargano and Lumis have a weird chemistry, but are also an established team. What matters here is they made Hayes and Williams look pretty good, which is exactly the point of something like this. Hayes looks like a possible NXT Title challenger, so it isn’t like he was going to lose here. I’m not sure what is next for the Way, but this father-in-law/son deal could be funny.

Overall Rating: C-. The two longer matched helped this show a lot but my goodness this felt like a circus. There are so many characters and so many gimmicks running around that it felt like a high school improv exercise where you pulled your character out of a hat and figure it out in ten minutes. That’s fine for some low level place that needs something for people to do, but this is national television and I’d expect a bit better.

There are a lot of problems on this show, but there are certainly good parts too. I want to see where some of the new characters go, including Sikoa, Quinn, Breakker and Hayes, which shows that NXT does know how to do some things right. At the same time though, there are a bunch of things that are a bit less than thrilling, including Toxic Attraction, Duke Hudson’s Poker Room, Tony D’Angelo and Lash Legend (egads). Those things are bringing the show down, because they do not exactly offer the greatest hope.

Overall, this show was a microcosm of what NXT is at the moment: a bunch of things happening, with some interesting prospects but a lot of people who are bordering on disaster because it isn’t 1994. Why would I want to see a mobster on a talk show with a loud host when I could see more of the talented athletes getting to do their thing? This was a rough sit, but it did have some bright spots to keep some hope alive.

Results
Dakota Kai b. Cora Jade – Running kick in the corner
Xyon Quinn b. Robert Stone – Jackhammer
Legado del Fantasma b. Kyle O’Reilly/Von Wagner – Rollup to Wagner
Bron Breakker b. Andre Chase – Gorilla press powerslam
Solo Sikoa b. Jeet Rama – Superfly Splash
Boa b. Grayson Waller – Kick to the head
Trick Williams/Carmelo Hayes b. The Way – Top rope ax kick to 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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NXT
Date: August 17, 2021
Location: Capitol Wrestling Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Beth Phoenix, Vic Joseph, Wade Barrett

It’s the go home show for Takeover 36 and the card is completely set. That might not be the best thing though as the show could use a few upgrades. As has been the case for a long time, Takeover has not had the sparkiest of sparks, even if the shows wind up being pretty high qualify. Let’s get to it.

The Diamond Mine (with Tyler Rust missing with no explanation from the team) is in the ring to start things off. Kushida isn’t here tonight (due to not being cleared) to defend the Cruiserweight Title against Roderick Strong, so it’s open challenge time.

Roderick Strong vs. Ilja Dragunov

Strong grabs the arm to start but Dragunov kicks him away without much trouble. Back up and Strong chops him down, only to have Dragunov hit one of his own. Dragunov goes up top but has to bail out, leaving him to run Strong over again. Strong’s leg gets knocked out but he is fine enough to knock Dragunov outside. Dragunov is sent face first into the steps and there’s the Rock Bottom onto the steps as we take a break.

Back with Dragunov busted WAY open but being fine enough to fight out of an abdominal stretch. The German suplexes put Strong in trouble and an enziguri sets up a reverse t-bone suplex. Torpedo Moscow is broken up with a jumping knee but Dragunov pops back up for Torpedo Moscow and the pin at 12:09.

Rating: C+. I’d be curious to know if they went home a little earlier than expected because of the cut. I didn’t see when he got cut but there is something to be said about the added emotion that comes with seeing blood in a match. Dragunov winning here makes sense, though Strong losing is a little weird when he is scheduled for a title match whenever Kushida gets back. Still though, pretty good.

Post match, Dragunov calls out Walter but no one shows up.

It’s time for the Prime Target on Adam Cole vs. Kyle O’Reilly (which I believe we’ve had for another match between them). They have fought before and now it is time for the big Undisputed Finale to blow the whole thing off for good. Now they hate each other and have made it personal, but they have to finish this.

Here is Hit Row for a chat. They aren’t happy with Legado del Fantasma for taking the grill out of Isaiah Scott’s mouth. Santos Escobar pops up on screen with the grill and says he should give it back to him. He would be there in person, but he doesn’t trust Swerve’s crew. Come meet him in the parking lot, where he has no one waiting with him. That’s cool with Swerve, who heads to the back, where the rest of Legado pops up. Top Dolla runs in for the save but gets sent into a metal wall. B Fab makes the real save with a pipe and Legado is left laying.

LA Knight is working out in the gym with Cameron Grimes wiping him down. Knight isn’t happy with him though and brings in Josh Briggs to face Grimes tonight.

Imperium, with Walter, doesn’t like people like MSK and are here to get rid of people like them.

Josh Briggs vs. Cameron Grimes

Ted DiBiase and LA Knight are on commentary as Grimes, in his tuxedo, gets beaten down to start, including a heck of a big boot in the face. DiBiase throws out a $20,000 bet on Grimes winning as Briggs drops him with a release side slam. A splash gets two but Grimes gets a boot up in the corner. There’s a running forearm to drop Briggs and the running belly to belly gives Grimes two. The Cave In finishes Briggs at 2:07.

Post match DiBiase goes to collect on his bet but Knight punches him in the face. Grimes goes for the save and walks into Blunt Force Trauma on the floor.

Indi Hartwell brags to the Way about how much she has been seeing of Dexter Lumis. Candice LeRae: “They have a shirt now!” Indi: “We went hiking.” Gargano: “Ew.” Indi: “We went bicycling.” Gargano. “Ew.” Indi: “We went up in a hot air balloon.” Gargano: “Ok that’s pretty cool.” Dexter pops up and has the same gloves as Indi, which has Gargano and LeRae even more annoyed.

Zoey Stark and Io Shirai talk about trying to be friends but Shirai says just focus on being partners. Stark thinks this might take time.

Jessi Kamea/Robert Stone vs. Dexter Lumis/Indi Hartwell

Frankie Monet is here with Kamea and Stone. Hartwell copies Lumis’ intro and walk to the ring, though she does bump into him at one point. The fans wish Hartwell a happy birthday as Stone dives at Lumis’ leg to start. Everything breaks down in a hurry and Lumis and Hartwell hit stereo stomps in the corner. Monet grabs Lumis’ leg and gets dragged in, which is enough for an ejection as we take a break.

Back with Hartwell fighting out of trouble and bringing Lumis in to clean house. The spinebuster plants Stone for two and Lumis sends him outside. Back in and Kamea grabs a half crab on Hartwell, who makes it over to the ropes. Everything breaks down and Stone misses a slingshot dive, landing in front of a staring Lumis. Stereo Silencers give Hartwell and Lumis the win at 9:17.

Rating: C. Total comedy match here and that is what you have to do in a situation like this. The wrestling wasn’t the point at all here and Lumis/Hartwell are good in their roles. I’m curious to see where it goes from here and that is a nice feeling. I didn’t expect to like this but they have made it work, which you don’t get very often these days.

Post match, Beth Phoenix whispers some advice to Indi Hartwell, who pulls out a ring and proposes to Lumis. That’s good for a quick nod of acceptance.

The Diamond Mine insists that Roderick Strong’s loss to Ilja Dragunov doesn’t count because Dragunov is not a cruiserweight. Therefore, Strong’s title shot against Kushida still counts.

We get a split screen sitdown interview between Dakota Kai and Raquel Gonzalez. Kai talks about how she discovered Gonzalez but Gonzalez says she has become a superstar. How does Kai expect to win on Sunday? By bringing in the next Raquel Gonzalez? Kai says she can play all the roles she wants, but on Sunday, Kai is playing the role of champion. See you at Takeover, sidekick. This was short and to the point but you can feel the intensity.

Breakout Tournament Semifinals: Duke Hudson vs. Carmelo Hayes

The bigger Hudson goes with the headlock to start but Hayes slips out and grabs one of his own. A big shoulder drops Hayes, who is back with a springboard crossbody for two. Hudson tosses him outside in a heap and we take a break. Back with Hudson kneeing him in the face and hitting an overhead belly to belly out of the corner.

Hayes manages a quick scissors kick though and a slingshot DDT sends Hudson face first into the apron (geez that looked rough). Hudson catches him on top but the slam is countered into a small package for two. A Backstabber rocks Hudson again and Hayes goes up for the top rope Fameasser to advance at 8:57.

Rating: C+. Hayes has looked like a complete package since he debuted around here and this was no exception. This was a nice come from behind win as Hayes hung in there just long enough to pull it off, with Hudson getting a bit too cocky and not being able to keep up. The finals could go either way and Hudson has come off like a star, making this a pretty efficient tournament so far.

Post match Hayes said he called his shot to make the finals and that’s what he did. That isn’t enough for him though and now it is time to face the final boss. Hey Odyssey Jones, plot twist: Hayes is the final boss. Cue Jones to say the universe will sound the alarm next week. This was a perfectly fine jawing segment.

Jacy Jayne says a lot of people are just satisfied but that is not good enough for them. You have heard them silenced for too long and now it is time to break free. The plurals were strong with this one.

Ted DiBiase apologizes to Cameron Grimes in the back, with Grimes going into a rant to recap the whole thing. He dropped the ball for DiBiase but after Takeover, the two of them are going to be Million Dollar Champions going TO THE MOON! DiBiase is so impressed that he busts out the laugh. DiBiase: “THAT’S MY CAMERON!” I’m not sure how much DiBiase likes this stuff but he’s the only person who would fit in this role.

Tag Team Titles: MSK vs. Imperium

Imperium is challenging. Lee takes Aichner into the corner for the slingshot dropkick, followed by the running Bronco Buster from Carter. Barthel brings himself in and armdrags Carter into a hammerlock. A hard uppercut rocks Carter but he fights out of the corner, only to get suplexed right back down. The beating doesn’t last as long this time though as Carter gets over for the tag to Lee. Everything breaks down and the champs’ dives are cut off by stereo slams as we take a break.

Back with Lee fighting out of a chinlock but getting pulled into an ankle lock. Lee gets sent hard into the corner and we need a quick breather so the referee can make sure he’s fine. The double dropkick in the corner gets two on Lee but he sends both of them outside. Cue Walter as the hot tag brings in Carter to clean house. The push moonsault gets two on Aichner with Barthel making the save. Walter’s distraction looks to set up the European Bomb but here is Ilja Dragunov to cut Walter off. Lee makes the save and the Blockbuster Hart Attack retains the titles at 11:04.

Rating: C+. Imperium continues to be a problem for me in the tag division. They are technically sound and their gimmick makes perfect sense but I have yet to find myself invested in anything they do. They just aren’t very interesting and it feels like no one can do anything to bring them up. MSK winning is the good move here, though I continue to not be sure who takes the titles off of them.

Post match the beatdown is on, with Walter destroying everyone in sight. Dragunov is taken out as well and Imperium stands tall.

Pete Dunne and Ridge Holland don’t like Timothy Thatcher and Tommaso Ciampa ignoring them. Holland would fight through people just to get to a fight and he’ll be seeing Thatcher next week.

Takeover rundown.

Here is Samoa Joe for the big face to face with Karrion Kross. Joe says it is time to verbally eviscerate Kross in front of the world but what’s the point? He isn’t here to hurt Kross’ feelings because he is here to hurt Kross period. Cue Kross to say that this is about the future of this brand and Joe isn’t coming in to beat him after a year off. Kross calls out security to protect Joe but Joe is ready to fight anyway. The brawl is on, with Joe hitting the big dive to take everyone out. They fight over to the announcers’ table and the big double knockdown ends the show.

Overall Rating: B-. This was a fine enough go home show, but it was far from a home run. There was nothing on here that really made me want to see Takeover, though I’m sure the show will wind up being another hit. Maybe it’s the lack of anything interesting in Kross or Cole vs. O’Reilly AGAIN but I can’t get myself to care about what they’re doing. That being said, Walter vs. Dragunov II is going to be enough to carry a lot of the show and I’m really not worried. Good go home show, though I’m not entirely jazzed for Takeover.

Results
Ilja Dragunov b. Roderick Strong – Torpedo Moscow
Cameron Grimes b. Josh Briggs – Cave In
Dexter Lumis/Indi Hartwell b. Jessi Kamea/Robert Stone – Silencer to Kamea
Carmelo Hayes b. Duke Hudson – Top rope Fameasser
MSK b. Imperium – Blockbuster Hart Attack to Barthel

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 20, 2021
Location: Capitol Wrestling Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Vic Joseph, Beth Phoenix, Wade Barrett

Things are getting interesting around here as Karrion Kross choked out Samoa Joe last week, only to go up to Raw and get pinned in less than two minutes by Jeff Hardy. That would suggest that a title change is afoot, and hopefully they find an interesting way to set it up. Let’s get to it.

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

We open with a look back at Karrion Kross choking out Samoa Joe.

Here is Samoa Joe to get things going and he looks ready to fight. Joe calls him out but gets William Regal instead. Regal says this isn’t what they agreed to and Joe can’t do this but Joe says he was provoked. Did Regal know about Kross’ trip to Raw last week? Of course not, because Regal doesn’t control the man. Regal says Kross is on his way here and things will be settled peacefully. Joe says that due to his respect for Regal, this will end tonight, but he can’t guarantee peace, because someone is going to sleep. Big difference between Raw and NXT: the opening sequence is done five minutes after the show starts.

Xia Li is ready to defeat Raquel Gonzalez and become Women’s Champion because she has been waiting for this chance.

Tyler Rust/Roderick Strong vs. Kushida/Bobby Fish

The rest of the Diamond Mine is here too but Kushida and Fish jump them from behind to start and clear the ring before the bell. We take a break and come back joined in progress with both of Strong’s arms being cranked on, setting up a double armbar from Kushida. That’s broken up and Rust comes in, only to get caught with Fish’s slingshot hilo. Kushida comes back in but has to fight out of the corner.

Strong goes back to basics with the backbreaker to take over and the chops in the corner keep Kushida in trouble. There’s the butterfly suplex for two and the chinlock goes on. That doesn’t last long as Kushida fights up and hits the double handspring elbow. Fish gets the tag and it’s time to clean house (including telling Rust which corner to go to) again. Everything breaks down with the good guys being knocked outside as we take a break.

Back with Fish still in trouble, with Rust hitting an ax kick for two. The arm cranking goes on but Fish manages a spinebuster, setting up the hot tag to Kushida. The hiptoss into the basement dropkick drops Strong and a kick to the head gets two. Rust comes back in and gets enziguried but he switches a half crab into the ankle lock. That’s broken up as well so Kushida pulls him into the Hoverboard Lock for the tap at 15:02.

Rating: C+. This is a feud that is technically fine but it is not exactly a thrilling story. Kushida is rapidly becoming the “I forgot he was champion” champion and that is a bad sign for his title reign. Having the other guy in the team tap to a champion isn’t a bad thing, as the Diamond Mine is more about Strong than anyone else. Just get them a big win soonish.

LA Knight arrived earlier, with Cameron Grimes driving. Knight tells him to get all of the bags (all four of them), so Grimes has a story carrying bags. As Knight freaks out about Grimes having a story for everything, Drake Maverick comes up to give Grimes a hand with the bags. That’s not cool with Knight, so a match with Maverick is set up for later.

The next Takeover is August 22, the day after Summerslam.

Video on Odyssey Jones, who is in the Breakout Tournament tonight.

Frankie Monet vs. Jacy Jane

Jessie Kamea is here with Frankie but Robert Stone joins them, seemingly sans invitation. Monet misses a right hand and gets rolled up, only to get sent into the corner. Jane misses a charge and Monet hits the running knees in the corner. The chinlock goes on and here is Mandy Rose to lay on the commentary table. Jane fights up and hits a pump kick as Barrett tries to give Rose his number. A running neckbreaker gives Jane two but Jane yells at Rose, allowing Monet to hit Road To Valhalla for the pin at 3:20.

Rating: C-. I wasn’t feeling this one and a lot of that was over having a bit too much going on. You had Stone and Rose at ringside, plus a no name like Jane putting up a pretty good fight. Monet has lost a bit of her personality since getting here, but that is often the case with someone who has something that works outside of NXT. It should come back over time, but it makes for a bit of a rough start.

Kyle O’Reilly is arguing with Johnny Gargano when Austin Theory comes in. Theory vs. O’Reilly is set for later, with O’Reilly saying he is putting his dancing shoes on. Gargano dubs himself Papa John.

The next two weeks are on SyFy due to the Olympics.

Bronson Reed had a sitdown interview with Wade Barrett earlier today and talked about how losing the North American Title was a hard thing to take. He has to move forward though, and that includes facing Adam Cole next week. Reed wants to fight the best and he already shut Cole down last week. He’ll do it again in the ring.

Kyle O’Reilly vs. Austin Theory

No one is here with Theory, who loads up the no look high five anyway, only to realize his mistake. Feeling out process to start with O’Reilly taking him down but missing a shot in the corner. That lets Theory headlock takeover him and talk to the camera a bit. That’s broken up and O’Reilly low bridges him to the apron, setting up a running knee to the back. We take a break and come back with O’Reilly striking away but Theory fights back. A slingshot rolling dropkick is countered into a heel hook, sending Theory straight to the rope.

Theory hits a slingshot stomp into an armbar but O’Reilly escapes and grabs an ankle lock. Theory grabs the rope and plants him for but stops to go after the steps. O’Reilly is all ticked off and sends Theory into various things, which commentary thinks is a flashback to the brainbuster onto the steps. Another shot to the head drops Theory and the top rope knee to the knee connect. The heel hook makes Theory tap at 14:09.

Rating: C+. This was a nice, hard hitting fight and that’s what it should have been. I know Theory plays the idiot really well but it is nice to see him getting to do something else every now and then. He has a lot of talent in the ring and getting to showcase it is one of the best things he can do. O’Reilly snapping was pretty awesome though and I could go for more of that kind of personality.

Raquel Gonzalez, with Dakota Kai, is ready to destroy Xia Li and then there will be no one left. That last line gets a look from Kai.

Here is Legado del Fantasma for the MARIACHI MADNESS MUSICAL (complete with a band) but Santos Escobar says these people don’t deserve it. He isn’t here to be like Hit Row because this isn’t a battle of styles. His style is to be the real champion with blood, sweat and tradition…but here is Hit Row to interrupt. Rhyming and Spanish ensue, with Top Dolla talking about how much better they are and Swerve talking about how it took all three of Legado to beat him.

Swerve can’t believe that there were kidnappings in the parking lot but the guys got returned. The challenge is on and Hit Row is ready with the brawl being on. Escobar loads up a guitar but B Fab takes it away. Swerve misses the big swing and Escobar bails, leaving Mendoza alone with the entire Hit Row. The guitar is cracked over Mendoza’s back and Hit Row stands tall. The gimmick is absolutely not my thing but there is absolutely something here with them.

The Way is complaining about the issues they have been having lately, with Indi Hartwell saying Theory can kiss Dexter if he wants to. Candice: “Ok I’m calling the therapist.” Everyone but Theory bickers so he leaves.

Breakout Tournament First Round: Andre Chase vs. Odyssey Jones

Chase strikes away at the much bigger Jones and manages to knock him to the floor. The big dive mostly connects and Chase posts him for a bonus. Back in and a dropkick to the knee sends Jones face first into the buckle and a slingshot flipping Stunner staggers him as well. Chase hits a top rope moonsault press for two and he charges at Jones, only to get caught in kind of a lifting Boss Man Slam for the pin at 3:20.

Rating: D. This really didn’t work and Jones is little more than a guy with size. That is going to work for a bit, but he really didn’t showcase himself well here. Chase could only do so much here and he was pretty limited due to what Jones was doing. Not a good display here for Jones, though Chase looked fine enough.

MSK is ready for anything but McKenzie Mitchell points out we still don’t know what MSK stands for. Wes Lee is about to explain but Imperium interrupts the feed to say they are serious, unlike all of these goofy teams. They are fixing this by any means necessary. Cut back to Lee: “And that’s what MSK stands for.” Yay, Imperium.

Pete Dunne and Oney Lorcan want to have a scrap with Timothy Thatcher and Tommaso Ciampa next week.

LA Knight vs. Drake Maverick

Non-title and Cameron Grimes is here with Knight. Maverick starts fast with a dropkick to the knee but Knight is right back with a knockdown of his own. Hold on though as Knight makes sure that Grimes is holding the title up through the whole match. Maverick snaps off a hurricanrana and nails a high crossbody for one. Knight runs him over again but stops to yell at Grimes, allowing Maverick to grab a rollup pin at 2:28.

Post match Knight beats Maverick down but Grimes pulls him off. Grimes goes to leave but Knight orders him to do it. He has Grimes’ word, so Grimes reluctantly hits Maverick and eventually leaves with Knight.

Video on Xia Li vs. Raquel Gonzalez.

A guy who looks a bit like Karrion Kross arrives so Joe jumps him, only to be told that Kross came in through the front.

Women’s Title: Xia Li vs. Raquel Gonzalez

Gonzalez is defending and has Dakota Kai in her corner. Li goes right at her for a test of strength but gets slammed down. That’s fine with Li, who tries to climb over her for a sunset flip but gets sent into the corner. A big boot puts Li on the floor for a lawn dart into the post to keep her in trouble. Gonzalez misses a big boot though and the leg is wrapped around the post, with Li swinging it into the steel a few times.

We take a break and come back with Li working on the leg again. The half crab is broken up and Gonzalez hits a good looking dropkick for two. Li rolls her up for the same and kicks Gonzalez’s knee out again. There’s a running kick for two more but Gonzalez runs her over again. A Vader Bomb spun into a backsplash gives Gonzalez two and hang on as the medical staff has to check on Li. Things are allowed to continue after a few minutes and it’s the lifting powerbomb to give Gonzalez the pin at 10:50.

Rating: C+. This was a good hoss fight but I’m curious to know what happened on that landing. The match just stopped cold and they went home immediately, so hopefully it was nothing more than Li having the wind knocked out of her. It was a hard hitting match and that’s all you could ask for here, though Gonzalez is starting to run out of readily available challengers.

Post match here is Samoa Joe to demand that the young champion come out here right now and take his beating. Karrion Kross pops up on the screen to say this is his world now. He is the new beginning and the title means that he can go anywhere and do anything he wants. For example….and we cut to a knocked out William Regal. Kross: “Hey Joe, do you still feel like you’re in control?” Kross gets in his car and leaves to end the show, with Joe showing up just too late.

Overall Rating: C+. For a show where no one was going to be watching in the second hour due to the NBA Finals, this worked out pretty well. Things were moved forward towards Takeover and I’m curious to see what we are going to be getting. You can see a good bit of the card from here and as usual, things should work out. Not a great show, but a fine use of two hours, as is the NXT mantra.

Results
Kushida/Bobby Fish b. Tyler Rust/Roderick Strong – Hoverboard Lock to Rust
Frankie Monet b. Jacy Jane – Road To Valhalla
Kyle O’Reilly b. Austin Theory – Heel hook
Odyssey Jones b. Andre Chase – Lifting Boss Man Slam
Drake Maverick b. LA Knight – Rollup
Raquel Gonzalez b. Xia Li – Lifting powerbomb

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

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AND

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

NXT
Date: April 13, 2021
Location: Capitol Wrestling Center, Winter Park, Florida
Commentators: Vic Joseph, Beth Phoenix, Wade Barrett

We’re officially on a new night now and that means things should be getting all the more interesting. This is also coming off of Takeover: Stand & Deliver and we have quite a few changes to deal with tonight. The good thing is Raw left a pretty low bar for this show to clear. Let’s get to it.

Here are both nights of Takeover if you need a recap.

Here are Karrion Kross and Scarlett to interrupt. Kross says time comes for everyone and promised to get the title back. Finn Balor went on a tear as NXT Champion but he couldn’t control Kross and Kross controls everything. He is going to hold this title until he says otherwise because no one is going to out train or out wrestle him. It doesn’t matter what you have done before or how many zeroes are on the end of your check, because everyone pays the toll. They went with the straightforward push here and it worked pretty well.

We get a video on Takeover (which starts with Michael Cole sounding like he is talking about Wrestlemania so we might have seen a bit of a production botch there).

Tag Team Titles: MSK vs. Killian Dain/Drake Maverick

MSK is defending. Dain takes Wes Lee down to start and it’s quickly off to Maverick for a missile dropkick. Lee gets Maverick into the corner without too much trouble though and it’s Carter coming in with a Bronco Buster. Carter is sent outside though and we take a break. Back with Carter German suplexing Maverick but it’s quickly back to Dain, meaning the double teaming begins.

The champs manage to knock Dain down and the Final Flash gives Lee two. Carter comes back in and tries a sunset flip, but Dain picks up Lee and Falcon Arrows him while also sitting on Carter’s chest. Dain tries to powerbomb Maverick onto Nash but only hits the mat, allowing Carter to come back with a springboard twisting cutter. Dain is sent outside, leaving Maverick to take a Hart Attack with a Blockbuster. Carter dives onto Dain (while almost leaving it short and barely clearing the apron) as Lee pins Maverick to retain at 10:25.

Rating: C. Completely fine match here and a good way to check off MSK’s first title defense. It played to the formula of Dain being the (mostly) unstoppable monster so MSK went after Maverick in a smart move. They could hold the titles for a nice reign and have the exciting matches they are capable of, which will work out rather well for a lot of teams.

Post match MSK leaves and here is Imperium (minus Walter) to lay out Dain.

Robert Stone (in his bedazzled gloves) is trying to get a Women’s Tag Team Title shot for Aaliyah and Jessi Kamea but Mercedes Martinez comes in, demanding her money. She grabs Aaliyah by the throat but Kamea comes in to issue the challenge for tonight.

Long video on the ridiculously long Kyle O’Reilly vs. Adam Cole Takeover main event.

We get some post match footage of the two of them being taken away on stretchers, with Cole shouting at O’Reilly as they were wheeled away. William Regal shakes his head as they are taken towards the ambulance.

Mercedes Martinez vs. Jessi Kamea

The rest of the Robert Stone Brand is here with Kamea, who jumps Martinez to start. The forearms to the back and choking on the ropes don’t do much to Martinez, who is right back with a jumping knee to the face. The Air Raid Crash finishes Kamea at 1:52.

Post match Martinez grabs Stone and chokes him against the barricade, where he finally pays her off from a few weeks back. Martinez goes to the announcers’ table and says she’s coming for Raquel Gonzalez. That’s good enough to make my eyebrows go up.

The Way still thinks William Regal have it out for him but they are ready for their eight person tag. Indi Hartwell wants to take care of some, ahem, business with Dexter Lumis. Everyone puts their hands in for THE WAY….and then Austin Theory walks the wrong way.

Isaiah Scott is in his studio and doesn’t think much of Leon Ruff. It is time for him to move on but he can’t do that. Tonight, they are done.

Here is Legado del Fantasma for a chat. Santos Escobar talks about how the team came together a year ago and the cruiserweights have become must see as a result. His father was a champion, he is a champion and his son will be a champion, so tonight it is an open challenge for a title shot.

Cruiserweight Title: Kushida vs. Santos Escobar

Escobar, with Legado del Fantasma, is defending. Kushida, now in trunks instead of jeans, dropkicks Escobar to the floor before the bell. Back in and Kushida knocks him to the floor again but the threat of a dive has Escobar backing up. Instead, Kushida poses as we take a break. Back with Kushida in trouble on the floor and being sent into the steps for his efforts. Escobar gets creative by putting on a Liontamer on the steps, with Kushida almost grabbing the post to hang on.

They get back in with some Kawada kicks giving Escobar two and the armbar goes on. Escobar switches to a double arm crank but Kushida fights up and strikes his way to freedom. The hiptoss into the basement dropkick gets two and Kushida kicks him in the arm. Escobar is sat on top for a running kick to the arm and a butterfly superplex brings him back down.

Another suplex gives Kushida two but Escobar blocks the Hoverboard Lock. They trade kicks to the head and they’re both down again. Back up and Escobar grabs a Backstabber but they go into a pinfall reversal sequence with Kushida getting a rollup for the pin and the title at 11:04.

Rating: B-. They surprised the heck out of me here and it was quite the good match to get us there. I’ve been a big Kushida fan for a good while now but I haven’t been thrilled with how he has done in NXT. At some point he needed to win something and that is what he did here. I’m not sure how much of a future he has as champion, but winning and losing it fast is better than nothing.

Tommaso Ciampa says he and Timothy Thatcher didn’t win every fight in the Dusty Classic but they won every battle. Thatcher likes the new challenges and says they’re coming. Ciampa throws down his chair and leaves.

William Regal congratulates Kushida on his win but here is Jordan Devlin to say that was a nice win over Escobar….but all Escobar did was climb a ladder. Devlin is still the best wrestler around here and would take the title if he wasn’t heading back to the UK. He’ll be back though, and Kushida says anytime.

Here is Dakota Kai to introduce new Women’s Champion Raquel Gonzalez. Raquel talks about how she has been working harder and training more than ever before. Kai noticed that and gave her chance, which is why she debuted in Portland and went on to win the title. Io Shirai was a great champion, but the Raquel Gonzalez has begun.

The lights go out and here is the debuting Franky Monet, complete with dog, to interrupt. She introduces herself as La Reina Loca and says this place is now shinier, bougier and a whole lot better. Gonzalez says if Monet ever interrupts her again, she’s shove the dog up Monet’s something in Spanish (I think you can figure it out). Monet calls her something in Spanish and promises to see Gonzalez every Tuesday.

That’s enough for Monet….and here’s Rhea Ripley for a surprise. She comes to the ring, stares at Gonzalez, and clinks the titles together. We get the big congratulatory hug but now it’s Bianca Belair coming in as well as I feel like I’m writing some fan fiction. They pose together and we see a photo of the three of them in NXT as they all pose with their new titles. This was really, really cool and a special moment.

Pete Dunne says he had a classic at Takeover and if anyone wants to come at him, bring it on. For now though, it is time for him to go get a title.

Video on Sarray, who is coming to the women’s division. She debuts next week.

William Regal is happy Sarray is coming but has to go into his office to talk to Roderick Strong and Strong’s wife Marina Shafir. Strong hands him an envelope, which seems to be his resignation. Strong says he’s done and Regal says he is welcome back anytime.

Leon Ruff vs. Isaiah Scott

Ruff starts fast and sends him to the floor where he snaps Scott’s arm to make it worse. Back in and Scott’s arm is fine enough for a slam and a middle rope elbow to a seated Ruff’s back gets two. Ruff is back up with some running shots to the face and a stomp….mostly misses but it was close enough to be passed off as a running knee.

Scott catches him with a middle rope Russian legsweep though and Ruff heads outside. A kick to the face from the apron drops Ruff and we take a break. Back with Scott chopping away but Ruff fights up and gets to the top for the cutter. Scott bails to the floor but Ruff is right there with the big flip dive (and sticks the landing). They go back to the apron and then up top with Ruff snapping off a heck of a super hurricanrana.

Scott is back up with a fireman’s carry but Ruff turns it into a headscissors into the corner. Another hurricanrana gets a VERY close two on Scott but another super hurricanrana is countered into a face first drop onto the top turnbuckle. A flipping slam (kind of a half nelson flipped forward, kind of like a smaller One Winged Angel) finishes Ruff at 11:07.

Rating: C+. I had a lot of fun with this one and it was really just some of the botches that held it back. The thing that keeps catching my attention here is how much Leon Ruff has gotten out of this run. He basically stumbled into the whole thing and while he is not going to be some big star or a main eventer, he is getting every single thing he can out of this chance. Good for him for going from nothing to something, as not everyone gets to do that. Scott winning is a good sign for his future, and I’m curious to see where he goes next.

Zoey Stark is proud of her win over Toni Storm but Mercedes Martinez comes in and asks why we’re talking about a rookie. Tensions are teased.

Walter narrates a video about Imperium, promising that the group will expand and continue to dominate, because the mat is sacred.

Isaiah Scott implies that it is over with Leon Ruff….who jumps him from behind and sends Scott head first into the lockers. Ruff rolls an anvil case at Scott’s head and says that it isn’t over until he decides it is. Well that was out of nowhere.

Shotzi Blackheart/Ember Moon/Dexter Lumis/Bronson Reed vs. The Way

The Way has some issues figuring out their posing before the bell. Theory drives Lumis into the corner to start but Lumis hits a Thesz press into some right hands. That’s enough for Theory to bring in LeRae so Blackheart joins her. LeRae gets taken down and it’s off to Moon so Gargano comes in….and gets knocked down by the women. Lumis comes in and stares at Hartwell but LeRae breaks that up as we take a break.

Back with Reed running Theory and Gargano over, setting up a double splash in the corner. The double Samoan drop gets two and all four women come in for the brawl. Hartwell spinebusters Moon and LeRae superkicks Blackheart. For some reason, LeRae dives at Reed, who literally brushes her off after she crashes to the mat. Theory dropkicks Reed and the women start hitting some dives onto the men. Blackheart has Reed throw her onto the pile at ringside for the big crash.

Back in and Lumis Silences Gargano, with Hartwell not breaking it up. Instead she drops down next to Lumis, who checks on her, allowing Theory to hit Lumis in the head. Hartwell throws Theory outside and drops down in front of Lumis again, so Lumis carries her off, with Hartwell smiling at the camera and giving a thumbs up.

Reed punches Theory in the face and Moon climbs onto Reed’s shoulders for the Eclipse on Theory. LeRae sends Moon to the floor though and Gargano crotches Reed on top. Reed drops Gargano onto Theory so LeRae goes up and loads up a superplex on Reed. After LeRae winds up hanging out of the air, Blackheart breaks it up, leaving the Tsunami to finish Theory at 11:04.

Rating: C+. This was one of the most against the grain matches in recent memory and I think I liked it. They kept things moving, they did about half a dozen different things throughout, and the action never got that ridiculous. It really wasn’t like most NXT matches but it kept me interested and the Hartwell thing was so over the top that it worked in the end. Certainly not a great match, but it was fun and that is what they were trying for here.

Reed poses with the women while the Way is in shambles to end the show.

Overall Rating: B. I don’t know if it was Raw being so bad or this show being that much better, but I had a blast with this one. It felt like stuff happened and they hit the ground running, but above all else, this show came off like someone (or likely a few people) had a plan and executed it. You do not get that on Raw most of the time and they could absolutely learn a few lessons from NXT. This show was all kinds of fun, and the trio of new champions posing with their titles was a genuine feel good moment. This is how you follow up a big show and it made me want to watch more going forward.

Results

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

Mercedes Martinez b. Jessi Kamea – Air Raid Crash

Kushida b. Santos Escobar – Rollup

Isaiah Scott b. Leon Ruff – Flipping slam

Bronson Reed/Shotzi Blackheart/Ember Moon/Dexter Lumis b. The Way – Tsunami to Theory

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IMG Credit: WWE

NXT
Date: September 8, 2020
Location: Full Sail University, Winter Park, Florida
Commentators: Vic Joseph, Wade Barrett, Beth Phoenix

It’s time for the sequel to last week’s four way Iron Man match with Finn Balor vs. Adam Cole for the NXT Title. This could be a classic if they’re given the time and actually have a finish instead of setting up something for Clash Of Champions. I’ll give NXT the benefit of the doubt not to do that twice in a row though and hope for the best. Let’s get to it.

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

Quick recap of last week’s Iron Man match.

NXT Title: Finn Balor vs. Adam Cole

The title is vacant coming in and they’re not wasting time tonight. After the Big Match Intros, it’s a battle over a headlock to get things going. Cole takes him down into an armbar but Balor reverses into one of his own and slaps on a headscissors on the mat. That’s broken up and Cole hits a basement dropkick, followed by some chops against the ropes. The fireman’s carry backbreaker gets two on Balor and we take a break.

Back with Balor working on a chinlock and then slamming him into an elbow drop for two. Balor knocks him into the corner and hits his own basement dropkick for another near fall. Cole is back with some shots to the face and a pump kick to put Balor down. A Backstabber gives Cole two of his own and a Shining Wizard cuts off Balor’s shotgun dropkick. The Last Shot misses though and Balor hits a double stomp to the ribs to take over again.

Some hard stomping puts Cole on the floor but he’s back up with a superkick for the double knockdown. Back from another break with Cole grabbing a Figure Four to work on the knee. Balor finally escapes and hits the shotgun dropkick. The Coup de Grace connects for a delayed two (because of the bad knee) and commentary LOSES IT at the kickout to really sell the impact.

Cole goes back to the Figure Four but this time Balor makes the rope. A superkick into the Last Shot gives Cole two and there’s the shocked face that Cole does so well. Back up and Balor drives him into the corner for the reverse 1916. Cole crotches him on top and it’s a super 1916 to give Balor the pin and the title at 23:16.

Rating: A-. That’s the right call as we just got done with a year plus Cole reign and Balor has been needing a big win to get himself back on track in NXT. I would have bet on him being the next big challenger to Karrion Kross anyway so this makes a lot of sense. It was also a heck of a match which got some time and had the knee injury working as a story throughout. Nice job here and thank you for not having any kind of a surprise twist.

Rhea Ripley is ready for Mercedes Martinez and grabs the cage.

William Regal congratulates Balor for the win and Cole shakes his hand as well. The face turn continues.

Robert Stone finds Shotzi Blackheart’s tank and is ready to hit it with a pipe. Cue Shotzi to hit him in the face but Aliyah pops up to knock Shotzi through a curtain…and right into Io Shirai. Aliyah panics and the fight heads into the arena where the beatdown is on. Stone tries to come off the top but gets punched out of the air. Shirai hits the moonsault to Aliyah and Shotzi hits the top rope backsplash to Stone….but picks up the Women’s Title, which Shirai doesn’t like.

We go to the Gargano House where Candice LeRae is nervous about dinner with Tegan Nox. Johnny Gargano says it’s cool but the nerves are still there. Nox shows up and Johnny puts on his good face before letting her in. He teases being annoyed at her but says it’s just a joke before bringing Nox inside. LeRae hugs her and Nox is nervous as the two stare at her.

Timothy Thatcher has a film study on Damien Priest, who mistakenly thinks life is a party. It’s time to do some work.

Velveteen Dream vs. Ashante Adonis

Dream doesn’t seem worried to start and strikes away but Adonis pops back up and hits a DDT into a nipup. Adonis hammers away but Dream gets serious and pounds him down. The Dream Valley Driver is good for the pin at 1:35.

Post match Dream grabs the microphone but Kushida, who Dream attacked a few weeks ago, runs in to jump him before Dream can say a word. Referees try to break it up but Kushida manages to pull him shoulder first into the post. A cross armbreaker in the corner makes Dream tap, because that’s what you do in a brawl.

Video on Breezango winning the Tag Team Titles but getting jumped by Imperium last week. Breezango took the only nice accessories they had so Imperium want the titles back next week.

Back at the Gargano House, Johnny realizes he’s making this weird and leaves the two women alone. Candice thinks Nox should admit to her mistakes but Nox isn’t sure what those are. Nox asks what she’s talking about so Candice explains the Gargano Way and thinks Nox is jealous. That’s not what’s going on but Candice offers to show her the way.

Bronson Reed vs. Austin Theory

Reed works on a headlock to start before sending Theory flying with a shoulder. A bottom rope springboard elbow gets two and Reed flips him back in from the apron. We hit the big chinlock until Theory fights up and tries a sunset flip. Reed sits down on his chest for two and sends Theory outside, meaning it’s a cannonball off the apron as we take a break.

Back with Reed fighting out of a chinlock and hitting the Jagged Edge for two. Reed sends him into the corner but Reed hits a forearm into a rolling Blockbuster for two of his own. Theory tries the TKO but collapses under the weight. Reed adds the top rope splash to the back for the pin at 10:49.

Rating: C+. This might have been a bit longer than it needed to be but they both looked good, which shouldn’t be a surprise. Reed has come out of nowhere and turned into something rather good while Theory looks to have all the tools in the world minus experience. I could go for more of both of them and that’s a good sign for the future.

Cole says Balor was the better man and they went through the same Iron Man match. Balor better be ready though because if Cole gets another shot, he’s taking the title. Total face promo from Cole here.

Mercedes Martinez wants to be locked in a cage with Rhea Ripley so she can show who the real animal is.

Roderick Strong vs. Killian Dain

Fallout from Dain saving Drake Maverick from the Undisputed Era and Bobby Fish is in Strong’s corner. Strong goes after Dain to start and the monster doesn’t like that. He knocks Strong around the ring and hammers away in the corner until a leg lariat puts Dain on the apron.

A Rock Bottom from the apron takes Strong down but Fish kicks the ankle out and we take a break. Back with Reed throwing him across the ring and hitting the running crossbody for two. Fish pulls Strong out of the way of the Vader Bomb so Dain drops Fish from the apron. The distraction is enough for Strong to hit a jumping knee to the face for the pin at 7;35.

Rating: C. Dain is someone else who should be an easy layup and they’re finally starting to get the hang of him. It’s better late than never, but it’s weird to see a monster like him getting beaten like this. It’s interesting to see the Undisputed Era showing some differences and that could go in several different directions, which is always a good option.

Post match the beatdown is on until Drake Maverick makes the save with a pipe. Maverick is beaten down as well but Dain gets the pipe to chase the Era off. Maverick slowly gets up and offers a handshake but Dain punches him out.

Back at the dinner, the ladies toast a new beginning until Candice throws a salad at her. Nox eats some lettuce and throws a drink at Candice, so here’s Johnny to interrupt. That earns him a bowl of spaghetti over the head so Candice throws something at Nox, only to hit and break the TV instead. Nox bails and Candice chases after her as Johnny looks at the broken screen.

Damien Priest thinks Timothy Thatcher is ugly and his game plan is pretty easy: hit Thatcher in the face and make him uglier than he already is. Priest promises a sweet Reckoning for Thatcher before the celebration can continue. Of course the interviewer is invited to join in.

Next week: Thatcher vs. Priest for the North American Title, Imperium challenges Breezango for the Tag Team Titles and Io Shirai vs. Shotzi Blackheart in a non-title match.

Mercedes Martinez vs. Rhea Ripley

In a cage with Robert Stone at ringside. Martinez goes for some weapons to start but Rhea is right there to jump her from behind. A table and some chairs go inside the cage with them and Ripley closes the door herself. Martinez sends her into the steel but Ripley does the same and then sends her in again for a bonus. The fisherman’s suplex gets Martinez out of trouble and she powerbomb Rhea out of the corner as we take a break.

Back with Ripley throwing a chair at Martinez’s face to catch her on top. The running dropkick sends Martinez into the cage and her HEAD gets caught between the cage walls. Rhea pulls her out (without ripping off an ear) and hits a top rope superplex for a delayed two. Martinez is back with a spinebuster and they’re both down again.

It’s Rhea up first and she grabs the Prism Trap until Martinez grabs the kendo stick to break it up. Stone tries to interfere but gets caught climbing, allowing Ripley to beat him up on top of the cage. Martinez catches her up top though and grabs a super neckbreaker to put both of them down again. The table is set up in the middle of the ring and Ripley loads up a fisherman’s superplex. That’s countered into a super Riptide (dang) through the table to finish Martinez at 14:21.

Rating: B+. This was a heck of a match and a lot of that has to do with the atmosphere. You had two big, strong women beating the heck out of each other for a good while in a hard hitting fight. That’s what they advertised this as being and Ripley looked like the star that she most often does. The big spots all worked and the ending looked great. I’m not sure what more you could ask for here, aside from maybe no Stone interference as he felt out of place, but other than that, this was a heck of a fight and felt like a main event.

Overall Rating: A-. To coin a phrase, this was NXT. This felt like the old days of the classic shows with the big matches delivering (to put it mildly) and the undercard working as well. What mattered the most about the undercard stuff was not only did they build things for the future, but they built reasons for these people to dislike each other for the future.

You had Thatcher’s film session, the Gargano House dinner, Breezango and Imperium’s dueling promos and the Shirai/Blackheart staredown. Those are different (enough) ways to set up feuds for the future and they made me want to see some of the matches. This was the tightest show NXT has put together in a long time and if this is what they can do unopposed, load up the moving truck and get the directions to every Tuesday night.

Oh and one more thing that helps a bit here: the evolution of Damien Priest. He has turned into this guy who is all about the party and the celebration, but there was no big moment and announcement of the change. Instead, you just saw him starting to act differently and NXT didn’t treat you like a moron who needed every tiny detail explained to you. That’s just who Priest is now and people are going with it because it was an acceptable evolution of where he went. Commentary isn’t beating you over the head with it and he’s rolling along with the change. Little things like that make a show so much easier to watch.

Results

Finn Balor b. Adam Cole – Super 1916

Velveteen Dream b. Ashante Adonis – Dream Valley Driver

Bronson Reed b. Austin Theory – Top rope splash

Roderick Strong b. Killian Dain – Jumping knee

Rhea Ripley b. Mercedes Martinez – Super Riptide through a table

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

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IMG Credit: WWE

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

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

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

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

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

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

Killian Dain vs. Dexter Lumis

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

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

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

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

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

Ever Rise vs. Breezango

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

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

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

Dominik Dijakovic is ready for Karrion Kross.

Aliyah vs. Shotzi Blackheart

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Timothy Thatcher vs. Oney Lorcan

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

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

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

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

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

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

Dominik Dijakovic vs. Karrion Kross

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

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

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

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

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

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

Results

Dexter Lumis b. Killian Dain – Silencer

Breezango b. Ever Rise – Double superkick to Parker

Shotzi Blackheart b. Aliyah – Top rope backsplash

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

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

Karrion Kross b. Dominik Dijakovic – Choke

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

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

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

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

IMG Credit: WWE

NXT
Date: July 15, 2020
Location: WWE Performance Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Tom Phillips, Beth Phoenix, Mauro Ranallo

We’re back to normal this week, though we do have a big main event with Tegan Nox challenging Io Shirai for the Women’s Title. That could be an interesting one, but we also have the first night of Keith Lee’s NXT Title reign. Karrion Kross might have something to say about that though, which could go a few ways. Let’s get to it.

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

We look back at last week’s title change. Lots of wrestlers talk about coming for Keith and the titles, capped off by Karrion Kross.

Here’s Lee for his big debut as champion. The fans sing BASK IN HIS GLORY but Lee needs to hear the introduction one more time. Lee understands that he is at a crossroads in his career because he is understanding the losses, the hurt and the pain. There is something special about being in this ring though and he feels it right now. He feels it when he hears that intro and when he holds these championships.

Lee lays the titles on the mat and says he knows people are coming for them. Opportunity and chances created this moment and he knows he isn’t a self made man. Tim Brooks was more than a trainer for him and acted as a father who believed in him when no one else did. This is about Brooks and a lot of other people, which is why Lee wants Dominik Dijakovic out here right now.

Dijakovic comes out and tells Lee how proud he is of him. Lee talks about how Dijakovic is the one man to pus his limits so maybe he should have the first title shot. William Regal seems to agree and Dijakovic seems to agree as well. Lee wants to do it tonight but Dijakovic isn’t sure. Lee: “Just say yes.” Dijakovic: “Yes.” The Brooks thing was a great touch as I wasn’t sure WWE would let him be mentioned on TV and would keep it on YouTube.

Damian Priest vs. Cameron Grimes

Grimes charges at him before the bell and runs into a boot to the face. We actually start with Priest hitting a running elbow in the corner and adding a running spinning kick to the face. Grimes is back with a dropkick for two and we take a break. Back with Priest kicking away for two of his own, only to be knocked to the floor. The baseball slide doesn’t work for Grimes but he slips out of an apron chokeslam attempt.

The Razor’s Edge onto the apron works just fine and a Flatliner gives Priest two back inside. Grimes gets two of his own off a quick small package and the flipping powerslam gets the same. For some reason Grimes slaps Priest in the face and gets kicked in the back of the head. A hanging Reckoning finishes Grimes at 9:55.

Rating: C+. I was looking forward to this one in a way and despite Priest being built up as a monster, they had done a great job of making me believe that Grimes could pull off the upset. That’s hard to do but they made it work here, which is a hard thing to make work. Grimes is going to be fine based on how well he can talk, though Priest seems primed for a move up the card.

Post match Priest puts his vest back on and says he wants the winner of Lee vs. Dijakovic.

Timothy Thatcher demonstrates how to hurt people a little more after they tap.

Shotzi Blackheart vs. Indi Hartwell

As Tom Phillips tries to explain that Robert Stone was a victim last week (when he was run over by a tank), Shotzi takes her down to start and uses the rope for a headscissors into the corner. A missed charge lets Hartwell dropkick her to the floor and Blackheart is in trouble. Back in and a side slam gives Hartwell two before she cranks on both arms.

Blackheart fights back with a faceplant and a discus forearm. The running reverse Cannonball on the ropes connects but here’s Robert Stone in a walking boot. Blackheart doesn’t seem to mind as she hits a DDT and goes up top, only to have Aliyah sneak up and shove her off. Hartwell hits a big boot for the pin at 4:05.

Rating: C-. This was a storyline match and that’s a fine way to go. Stone is becoming one of the more entertaining parts of the show and I can go for giving Blackheart something to do. Hartwell might not be going anywhere at the moment but they can always use some extra talent in any division.

Tegan Nox is ready to overcome her obstacle and make it her night.

Legado del Fantasma is (presumably) in Santos Escobar’s home where they drink a toast to their first win as a team. They’re happy to be done with Drake Maverick and now it’s time to get rid of Breezango, who made fun of lucha libre culture. The division needed the three of them and they’re going to build an empire, even if it means tearing everything down to start.

We look at Keith Lee winning the title last week and everyone congratulating him for it.

NXT Title/North American Title: Keith Lee vs. Dominik Dijakovic

Lee is defending both titles. Feeling out process to start as they seem to have some time here. A test of strength doesn’t go to either of them so Dijakovic powers him up against the ropes for a clean break. Lee seems to appreciate the power and we even get a fist bump in appreciation. Lee powers him down again and steps on the arm, only to miss an elbow. Dijakovic covers but can’t even get one as it’s another standoff.

Back up and Dijakovic’s shoulders have no effect on Lee, though they do give Dijakovic a sore shoulder. An offer of a handshake lets Dijakovic hit an overhand chop, earning him the Grizzly Magnum from Lee. That lets Lee go up top but Dijakovic pulls him into a torture rack, which Lee slips out of as we take a break. Back with Lee fighting out of a chinlock and Pouncing Dijakovic outside.

Lee loads up another Pounce into the Plexiglas but this time he puts on the brakes, learning from last week. Back in and Dijakovic manages a side slam for two but Lee catches him on the ropes for a hanging spinning Downward Spiral. Lee takes him to the top, where Dijakovic headbutts him right back down. A Blockbuster gives Dijakovic two and there’s the cyclone boot to put the champ down again. Back up and Lee’s big spinebuster plants Dijakovic again, followed by the Big Bang Catastrophe to retain the titles at 15:23.

Rating: B. These two are always good for an entertaining match but there wasn’t a ton of doubt about this one. It made a lot of sense to do this as Lee’s first match though as Dijakovic has been his biggest rival to date. I’m glad they did this as a one off instead of a big Takeover match though as the drama wasn’t going to be there on a bigger stage so doing it here was the right call. Good stuff, though they’ve done better.

Post match Lee helps him up but the lights go off. Scarlett appears on the stage and walks towards the ring with a bag in her hand. She pours out the pieces of a broken hourglass and Lee stares down at her as she leaves.

Post break Dijakovic says Lee is on a different level when Karrion Kross comes up. The brawl is on with Kross suplexing him over a barricade and screaming a lot as the jacket and tie come off. Dijakovic is out and Kross says Tick Tock. Makes sense.

Timothy Thatcher vs. Denzel DeJournette

DeJournette was a college wrestler. Thatcher drives him up to the ropes to start and grabs a front facelock suplex for two. DeJournette takes him down by the leg and the grapple on the mat a bit with DeJournette managing a quick one. Back up and Thatcher gets an armbar to drive him down, only to get reversed into a chinlock. That’s broken up as well and Thatcher gets a half crab for the tap at 1:57. This was a fun change of pace, and that’s what they’re going for with it.

Post match Thatcher puts the hold on again until Oney Lorcan runs out for the save.

Rhea Ripley says she’s going to be watching the Women’s Title match. On Twitter of course, because that’s how you communicate in wrestling these days.

Earlier today, Robert Stone had to try to talk his way out of getting killed by Killian Dain. Aliyah ran up with Dexter Lumis’ drawing of last week’s show. Dain doesn’t like how he is depicted in the drawing and says if Stone wants to make it up to him, get him a match with Lumis.

Next week: Dain vs. Lumis and Dijakovic vs. Kross.

Women’s Title: Io Shirai vs. Tegan Nox

Nox is challenging and they aren’t waiting around on Big Match Intros. They lock up to start with Nox driving her into the corner and taking the lockup to the mat. A headlock has Shirai in more trouble and Nox unloads on her in the corner. Nox misses a charge to the floor though and we take a break.

Back with Shirai offering her jaw for a shot from Nox before slapping her in the face. Nox forearms and uppercuts away before countering Shirai’s crossbody into a tabletop suplex for two. Shirai is right back with a stomp to the hand and an arm trap chinlock, which is reversed into a rollup for two more. Shirai doesn’t like that and wraps her legs around the back of Nox’s neck on the ropes. Some right hands from Nox have Shirai staggered but she’s right back with a flapjack for two as we take a break.

Back with Shirai aggressively stomping away before taking Nox outside. That means a whip into the steps but Shirai’s running knees crash hard into the steps (that looked bad). Back in and Shirai hits a double underhook backbreaker, which hurts her knee all over again. The moonsault is broken up and Shirai gets caught in the Tree of Woe, setting up the Cannonball for two. Some running clotheslines have the champ down again and there’s the reverse Cannonball.

Nox hits the high crossbody for another near fall, followed by the chokeslam for the same. Shirai is back up with a suplex into the corner and the running knees connect. The 619 sets up the missile dropkick for two on Nox and they’re both down again. Nox superkicks the knee and grabs a sitout gordbuster. The Molly Go Round gets two on Shirai but the Shiniest Wizard is cut off with a palm strike. Shirai hits the moonsault to retain at 22:58.

Rating: B. They had me believing that a title change could have happened here as Nox is easy to get behind. Shirai wasn’t likely going to lose on her first title defense though, even with that nasty knee bump into the steps. That played a bit of a factor later in the match, though not as much as it should have. Good stuff here though, with Nox looking great in defeat.

Post match Shirai goes up to the stage and gets her head kicked off by Dakota Kai to end the show.

Overall Rating: B+. They definitely tapped the brakes a bit this week and that’s probably a good thing after going hard on the previous two shows. There was good wrestling mostly throughout here though and they have stuff set up for later. It’s another very good week for the show and I’m wanting to see where they go. Lee is off to a good start as champion and I’m curious to see if he drops the title in his first major defense. That’s some good drama and hopefully they follow up on it, as they have shown the ability to do before.

Results

Damien Priest b. Cameron Grimes – Reckoning

Indi Hartwell b. Shotzi Blackheart – Big boot

Keith Lee b. Dominik Dijakovic – Big Bang Catastrophe

Timothy Thatcher b. Denzel DeJournette – Half crab

Io Shirai vs. Tegan Nox – Moonsault

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

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

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

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