NXT will be headlined tonight by the official contract signing between the NXT Champion Andrade ‘Cien’ Almas and his challenger for the title at NXT Takeover: New Orleans, Aleister Black. Should be great stuff.
The show opens with Sanity (who I like… A LOT) vs Tino Sabatelli and Riddick Moss (who I like not so much) in their first round match of the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic. Eric Young and Alexander Wolfe representing their team in this one, with the monstrous Killian Dain and the psychotic Nikki Cross at ringside. Wolfe and Riddick Moss starting this one, Moss and Sabatelli exchanged tags as they worked on the German, “Tino sucks” chants were indulged by Sabatelli as he responded by reminding them of his abs, Moss got a nearfall after a neckbreaker with a leg sweep, Sabatelli went to get the tag from Moss but he accidentally hit Tino off the apron. This brief miscommunication between the 2 allowed Eric Young to finally enter the match, he unleashed a set of strikes and a tremendous looking dropkick to Sabatelli, he hit a slam, followed by a big Elbow Drop from the Sanity leader but Riddick Moss pulled Young out of the ring to stop the pin count at 2.
Nikki Cross then reacted furiously to Moss’ interference by performing a flying crossbody to take him out (any time she does anything I’m going to like it because she is great), this prompted “Nikki Cross” chants from the Atlanta crowd. Meanwhile in the ring Alexander Wolfe & Eric Young performed their tag team finishing move on (which I’m reliably informed by the NXT lead commentator; the ultra-talented caller Mauro Ranallo, thanks Mauro, that the move was a ‘Belly to Back suplex with a Neckbreaker’). Sanity get the win, something I’m never going to take issue with so all good report from me because they are great.
Next we had Tommaso Ciampa making his way out to a chorus of boos. There were also a large amount of signs bearing the Johhny Gargano face/symbol on them. Ciampa goes in the ring and attempts to talk on the mic, he tries twice to speak but is stopped each time by the volume of boos from the crowd (just like last week). He eventually drops the mic and gives up which prompts the “YES” chants from the fans in attendance, he rolls out the ring, walks slowly around the outisde of the ring whilst looking into the crowd at all the Gargano signs as he does so, chants of “Ciampa sucks” and “we want Johnny” start, Ciampa looks furious and makes his way to the back, briefly pausing on the ramp way to look back as the fans start the “Hey, hey, hey, GOODBYE” song. This again was really well done. The crowd just hate this guy for what he’s done. He’s got so much heat on him, and that means he’s doing his job as a heel really well. And he is because the fans really hate him and they really love Gargano. This story is all being told SO well, I look forward to it continuing to unfold…
Lacey Evans is out next for her match. You will recall last week how she ran down her opponent for tonight in an interview, Dakota Kai, who makes her way to the ring next. She is sporting supportive sports tape in relation to the injury that was handed to her a few weeks ago now by Shayna Baszler (as was referred to by Evans last week, whom basically said she would target the inured arm in their match). And she did just that with strikes and then a submission hold. However this was reversed by Kai into a roll up and Dakota Kai got the win in less than a couple of minutes if that. Evans was shocked and Kai was delighted as her surprise win.
Kai’s celebrations were cut short then by the arrival of Shayna Baszler. Kai looked terrified as Baszler entered the ring and starred her down. But before any attack could take place the NXT Women’s Champion Ember Moon came out (remember the champion has been called out repeatedly by Baszler for a few weeks now). Moon told Baszler that ‘you really wanna do this again? … you started it but I’m gonna finish it at Takeover: New Orleans!’. Moon and Baszler then brawled, Baszler hit Moon with a really strong looking punch (that Ember really sold well), the referees tried to seperate the 2, Moon hit Baszler with a strong kick, she went to the top rope but Shayna got up to hit her down, and then as Shayna had the Champion in some form of hold whilst trapped on the top turnbuckle, Dakota Kai came in and kicked Baszler down, and with The Queen of Spades laying prone in the ring Ember went off the top rope and hit her with a 1 armed Eclipse (a stunner flying from the top rope, its a great looking move).
Moon stood tall over Baszler and unleashed her warrior scream to end the segment. This was all really well done and advances the feud nicely. I look forward to Takeover and these 2 battling again. Who wins? I really don’t know but I wouldn’t rule out Shayna winning the title and then Ember winning the Women’s Battle Royal at Wrestlemania the next night… I’d REALLY love that to happen…
Street Profits (who I feel have potential to get over more than they already are) vs Heavy Machinery (who… well I DON’T GIVE A SHIT about to be honest) in the first round of the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic action next. Match was ok. Crowd was into Street Profits as an act, not really the match or Heavy Machinery. The finish saw Angelo Dawkins hit a DDT then Montez Ford hit a frog splash to give Street Profits the win (thank GOD). My thoughts? I really like Street Profits as an act, Heavy Machinery powerful, babyface act I just don’t care about one bit. Them both as performers just bore the shit out of me.
Next up was ADAM COLE (with Kyle O’Reilly and Bobby Fish by his side) coming to the ring, I quite like Undisputed Era. Collectively and individually excellent. There was a particularly enthusiastic ‘ADAM COLE BAY-BAY’ from the crowd which was cool, as was the huge pop the crowd gave Cole’s opponent in this championship match; the United Kingdom champion Pete Dunne. Now… this is another of those matches where I didn’t take too many notes, because I was sat back watching two of my absolute favourites having a fantastic match. Pete Dunne is just SOOOOOOO good, he’s unlike anyone else in WWE or NXT stylistically, and just as I write that he’s bending Adam Cole’s fingers back. Brilliant! Bobby Fish on the outside acting as Adam Cole’s coach and cheerleader was highly hilarious, Dunne showing off his wide variety of moves to punish Cole throughout, but Cole was responding in kind with some impressive moves of his own. These two just look so good in the ring, such smoothness and crispness with everything they do. Lots of superkicks, lots of strong forearms from both men, it was tremendous stuff. I urge you, even if you don’t watch NXT, watch this match because it was tremendous fun. The finish came when Pete Dunne had Adam Cole in position for his Bitter End finishing move, but Fish & O’Reilly came in and attacked The Bruserweight and the match was called off. RODERICK STRONG then came out to make the save, and Dunne & Strong cleared Undisputed Era out of the ring. Strong coming to save his opponent for the UK title just a few weeks ago was an interesting move, Strong too has had previous with Cole, Fish and O’Reilly and shares a distain for them with Dunne. Both men then face off with eachother in the ring, with Strong offering his hand to Dunne, but Pete Dunne would not shake his former foes hand but did show he held some mutual respect for him. This was all AMAZING stuff! Be good to see how this is played out in the next few weeks. I’ve a feeling this isn’t over…
The show concluded with what turned into a really fun and interesting segment. NXT GM William Regal was in the ring, he introduced Aleister Black to the ring for his contract signing of his NXT Championship challenge at Takeover: New Orleans. He’s really good isn’t he Aleister Black, as good and as well presented as the FRESH suit he was wearing. Next the music of the champion Andrade Almas hits, but it is instead his business associate Zelina Vega who comes to the ring as a confused Black looks on. Vega reveals that Almas isn’t here tonight, but that she is. Black refuses to look at her as Vega tries to get his attention, she says as his business associate it is her duty to make sure he [Almas] saves his beating to you [Black] until Takeover: New Orleans. She goes to speak some more but is stopped by Black putting his hand in her face. Black then moves the table that was in the middle of the ring for the contract signing, he goes and stands closely in front of Vega who is still berating him, before he then sits on the floor in his signature fashion and then says “at least now we’re on the same level” (BRILLIANT)! Vega doesn’t respond to well to this, she signs the contract and throws it over to Black, who then makes more jokes about Vega’s height that she responds to by slapping him. Aleister then signs the contract and hands it over to William Regal, he leaves the ring (Vega is STILL having a go at Black), and Aleister then says to her “I’m happy you came out alone tonight… because I didn’t…” …. AND THEN… CANDICE LERAE (AKA MRS JOHHNY GARGANO) comes running out and attacks and chases down Vega. She really went for her and finished off her attack with a bulldog out of the corner and she then stands tall over Vega in the ring. Candice then stands with Black on the rampway as the NXT episode ends. GIVE ME ZELINA VEGA VS CANDICE LERAE AT TAKEOVER PLEASE I BEG!!!!????!!!
And that was NXT. Great again? What a shocker…!
Key Points to Take Home
. Sanity are the best stable in WWE
. Tomasso Ciampa is the most despised heel in WWE (AKA HE’S DOING HIS JOB RIGHT)
. Ember Moon needs to go to the main roster after Takeover
. Pete Dunne should be the NXT Champion let alone the UK Champion, he’s that good
. Black vs Almas is going to be so good
Conclusion
I feel like a broken record, every week I say NXT was great and it was really well booked. So I’ll spare you the details and just say that of course there are a few acts I care little for but NXT have a pretty good ratio and percentage of making me care about a large majority of the product. And not just care but absolutely love and adore it! If HHH is running NXT then I cannot wait until he runs the entire WWE. Exciting times ahead!!!
Josh.
NobodyisReady.com 