NXT - Post NXT Takeover discussion in progress

[PunkStep]

Here I am to be pedantic! Byron Saxton was on ECW before NXT existed, wasn't he?

 

I thought that, but then thought I was getting mixed up with Abraham Washington, who had his weird talk show thing with Tony Atlas. Did he do commentary with Matt Striker?

[King Pitcos]

Yep. It speaks to both our racisms that I was also unsure of whether I was confusing him with Abraham Washington when I first said it, and had to look it up to make sure before posting.

[Southside crew]

Excuse my ignorance but I'm right in saying NXT isn't on TV anymore ? Is this because of the network ?

[The Dart]

Well, it's most likely because of the Network, but it was announced a year ago it wouldn't be on TV from Jan 2015.

[Your Fight Site]

Buddy Murphy and Wesley Blake kick things off with a NXT Tag Team Championship match against the reigning champions, the Lucha Dragons. Murphy and Blake’s free Adobe Premier Pro template has been updated with a newer one for their entrance video. A great little opener. The win comes when Kalisto hits the Salida del Sol, but it’s on the wrong Dubstep Cowboy! The legal one rushes into the ring and folds up Kalisto to pin him and win. I’m not even going to pretend that I remember which one is which. One of them’s Australian, but you don’t know that until they cut one of their throwback-to-the-nineties promo.

 

Charlotte confronted Bailey backstage, with various of the NXT stars’ t-shirts hung over locker doors. Product placement, innit? Charlotte condemned Bailey for belly-to-Bailey-suplexing her last week. Bailey apologised, and then quickly retracted it. She said she’s perhaps been too nice and has seen Sami Zayn’s spoils since he’s started taking things more seriously. Charlotte warned her if she pulls a stunt like that again, she’s not going to make it to their fatal four-way at the next NXT Takeover show.

 

The number one contender’s tournament rolls on with Adrian Neville vs. Tyson Kidd. The broadcast during Neville’s entrance is interrupted by a Chris Jericho “Save Us”-esque feed interrupt. Some careful pausing reveals the word “SOLOMON”. I’m not going to go full-on conspiracy theorist like folks did with the aforementioned Save Us promos, but I’m guessing this is going to introduce the former Sami Callihan in his new gimmick of Solomon Crowe.

 

Back to the match, Neville starts strong until Tyson Kidd bails to the outside. He utilises the 10-count. He leaps over the top rope, only to slide back out again. A frustrated Neville decides to wait no longer and chases Kidd, who rolls back in the ring to baseball slide back out and execute a sloppy head-scissor to the outside that drives Neville’s face into the steps. A WWE Immortals promo later and Kidd’s controlling the action back in the ring. Neville turns the tide with a twisting splash to Kidd on the outside. A close fall after a falling power bomb, a kick in the corner followed by the Red Arrow secures Neville the victory and permits him to advance in the tournament.

 

A replay package plays out before cutting back to Neville in the ring getting asked some questions in a post-match interview. Hey, this isn’t UFC!

 

The interviews continues when a mysterious off-screen interviewer asks Becky Lynch and Sasha Banks about their upcoming tag match against Charlotte and Bailey, and how that’s going to continue when they’re opponents at Takeover. Sasha gloats Becky will do the right thing and help her win the title, before walking off. Becky scoffs and says she’ll do the right thing alright, and walk out the women’s champion herself.

 

Elsewhere, Buddy Murphy and Wesley Blake are giddy at becoming the new tag team champions.

 

Next up it’s Charlotte and Bailey vs. Sasha Banks and Becky Lynch. Bailey botches within the first minute by running up the turnbuckles from an Irish whip, but looks like a puppy trying to step through flaming tyres. Sasha just smacks Bailey any way as she’s half-way up the turnbuckles. Bailey imitates Sasha’s elbow drop, Sasha returns the favour by imitating Bailey’s entrance inflatable things. Charlotte’s tagged in. She slaps a bridging figure-four leg lock on Sasha but Becky breaks it up. Sasha goes to pin Charlotte when Bailey rushes in to break it up, but ends up hitting Charlotte instead. They start squabbling, Baileys turns all green and angry and shoves Charlotte, who bounces back and the two start rolling around. CAT FIGHT! Becky and Sasha join in making it a mass brawl and the match is called off, with cheers from some of the Floridian guys in the crowd. Sasha and Becky bail, but Charlotte and Sasha keep going at it until they’re separated by a trio of referees.

 

Finn Bàlor interview backstage, as he’ll be facing Hideo Itami in the tournament semi-finals. Finn says he knew the two would eventually face each other on the path to the top at NXT, he just didn’t think it would be so soon. He’s about to say who he thinks will win (I was dying to know who he was going to say) before being interrupted by Hideo in his Poundland knock-off Mortal Kombat Hallowe’en costume. He’s going to take out Finn. Oh, my!

 

Emma’s back in NXT. Things didn’t “work out as planned” according to her. She’ll be facing Carmella at some point to restart things where they all began.

 

The number one contender’s tournament rolls on with Baron Corbin versus Bull “Baby Fingers” Dempsey. Either Bull’s got his singlet on backwards a la Big Daddy, of he has a new design on the back-side. The crowd start counting. The match plods on just like their last one. Corbin wins again with the End of Days within a minute or two. Poor Bull.

 

Post-SmackDown promo, Corbin is interviewed backstage. Corbin says he’s going to take one step closer to becoming NXT champion whilst Adrian Neville is going to take one step closer to being erased. Bull interrupts, saying Corbin got lucky twice and it won’t happy a third, and he’ll knock Corbin’s teeth down his throat. Corbin pushes his face away and walks off, leaving Bull to do his best attempt at a seething look. Poor, poor Bull. This guy’s getting made to look like a chump!

 

Back in-ring, William Regal introduces Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens for their NXT Takeover contract signing. Regal says he’s not going to let this contract signing turn out like ever other WWE contract signing. The crowd loves this. Jokes! Sami signs the contract. Kevin’s become deaf-blind. Regal pushes the contract to Kevin and asks him to sign, but he just keeps staring at Sami. Even when Sami tells him there’s a microphone in front of him. He’s deaf, Sami! Sami does a little spiel about how he’s disappointed in Kevin’s actions since R-Evolution. Kevin fumbles with the pen as though he’s forgotten how to write, before declaring the contract says it’s non-title. Kevin says he likes to fight, but he fights for prizes. Sami’s not a prize. He wants the NXT Championship as (presumably it means you get paid more in kayfabe terms) as he goes on to say it means more money for him, his wife, and two kids. Kevin folds the contract, and pushes it back to Regal, saying he won’t sign it until it’s a title match. Sami implores Regal to make it a title match because he knows Kevin won’t sign it until it is. Regal writes on the top of the page, and Kevin remembers how to hold a pen and signs. So… Regal can amend the terms of legal documents by scribbling on them? That man is awesome. Kevin throws Regal’s fancy Parker pen at Sami’s face and walks off to the quietest end to an episode of NXT, and the first contract signing in WWE history that didn’t end in a brawl and a table break.

[Gordon_The_Gopher]

Regal asked both men to sign/initial, acknowledging the amended terms as well as signing the contract. A standard practice and the kind of subtle little extra -"attention to detail that make nXt awesome!

[WyattSheepMask]

Are Blake & Murphy just together because they look identical? It's The Major Brothers all over again.

 

Also, read somewhere the Kalisto may get called up soon. He can easily replace Mysterio assuming he doesn't fall on his arse in his first match. He's the natural successor and if he gets over he'll get a ton of masks and colourful tshirts at the merch stand.

 

The NXT crowd arn't happy unless they are chanting something/anything at all times are they? It's like their heads are leaking

Edited January 29, 2015 by WyattSheepMask

[Your Fight Site]

Also, read somewhere the Kalisto may get called up soon.

 

Well, he’s been “relieved” of the tag team title, so sounds possible. I’ve been really impressed with him in the Lucha Dragons’ matches, and some of the stuff he pulls off is just magnificent.

[andrew "the ref" coyne]

Regal asked both men to sign/initial, acknowledging the amended terms as well as signing the contract. A standard practice and the kind of subtle little extra -"attention to detail that make nXt awesome!

 

Yes I loved this. Mainly because Owens had a really nice bit of motivation. FINALLY... a bloody heel who wants the title because it means more money! Taken long enough. 

 

The show has caused a slight stir over here as Buddy Murphy has become the first Australian to win a WWE (endorsed) championship. Good on him. I'm working for the promotion he was apart of before he left and his colleagues are all pleased as punch for him. Quite an exciting time to get into Australian wrestling actually. A lot of very promising talent and hopefully this is paving the way for many of them to get a bit more attention. 

[TAFKAC]

Solomon Crowe seems to have been teased, disappeared, teased, disappeared on countless occasions now. Is he not very good or do they keep changing their mind on him?

[The Dart]

He was injured for quite a long time though.

[Linus]

Hey, it's NXT! I love it!

 

The show started with Wesley Blake and Buddy Murphy, who until they get given a proper name will be known as the Dubstep Cowboys, coming down to the ring for their title match with the Lucha Dragons.

 

Blake & Murphy secured an upset victory over the Vaudevillains last week, and immediately challenged the Dragons to a title match. The Dragons, fighting champions, accepted, and it's on!

 

The heels isolated Sin Cara early on until a double armdrag cut that off. They got the heat back on but Sin Cara's amazing one-arm deadlift powerbomb bought the time for the hot tag.

 

Kalisto came in and ran wild and hit the Salina Del Sol on Murphy for the pin. Unbeknownst to him, Blake had blind tagged in, and the ref didn't count. Blake rolled up Kalisto for the 1-2-3, and we have new NXT Tag team champions!

 

This was the first title change on regular TV since September 2013, and even though it had been spoiled for me I still popped a little. There's something old school about Blake & Murphy - despite their dubstep entrance theme - that I can't help but like. This was the least "lucha" Lucha Dragons match ever, though.

 

Backstage, Bayley was getting ready when Charlotte approached her. Bayley started to apologise for her actions last week when she laid Charlotte out after making the save for her, but then says that she's not sorry and that it's time she started being a bit tougher. Charlotte tells her to stay in line or she will destroy her. Bayley was great here.

 

Tyler Breeze sent in a selfie video, telling us that he may have lost last week but that he'd be watching the rest of the tournament with great interest. Good, as always.

 

Hey, its Adrian Neville! He's fighting Tyson Kidd in a quarter-final match-up in the number one contenders' tournament. As Kidd comes out his entrance video glitched, and we saw the word Solomon and a crow, so I'm guessing that's Solomon Crowe coming soon. Sherlock Holmes, me.

 

Well, this was awesome. At one point the crowd were chanting, "this is wrestling", and indeed it was. Albert brought up that the best thing about the WWE Universe is they have the freedom to tell you exactly what they think, which is so funny after the Royal Rumble.

 

After a brief mat session, Kidd heeled it up on the outside and, when Neville joined him, he ran Neville into the ring steps for a near count-out.

 

Back in the ring, they traded moves and Neville hit the most vicious looking powerbomb I've seen in a while, and I've been watching a lot of New Japan.

 

The finish came when Neville kicked Kidd in the corner and hit the Red Arrow for the win. They went twelve minutes and I could have watched double that.

 

After the match, that geek from last week, who looks like someone is cosplaying Jeremy Borash, asked neville some dumb questions. Neville failed at the basic principle of talking into a microphone but said the usual stuff.

 

Backstage, Devin spoke to Sasha Banks and Becky Lynch about the Fatal Fourway at the next Takeover special. Sasha said that Becky knew what she had to do, and that was let Sasha win. Sasha walked off, and Becky told Devin that she knew what she had to do, alright, and that was win the title.

 

After the break, Wesley Blake and Buddy Murphy were pumped to be champions. Good lads.

 

Hey, it's Charlotte! She's teaming with Bayley against Sasha Banks and Becky Lynch, before these four face off in a Fatal Four Way at the next Takeover special. I'm sure nothing will go wrong here.

 

Bayley and Sasha start off, and they go back and forth, including a clumsy segment in the corner which Sasha covers for by being BRUTAL. Charlotte tags in and Sasha runs away from her.

 

They trade moves and tags, until Charlotte is about to be pinned by Becky and Bayley breaks it up. Becky moved a second before, however, so Bayley collided with Charlotte, who was NOT pleased. They scrapped for a while until Sasha & Becky attacked both women, and the ref threw the match out.

 

Afterwards, Bayley and Charlotte chased the heels from the ring and then resumed their fight until some refs broke it up. Oh, it's on.

 

Backstage, Devin interviewed Finn Balor about the prospect of facing his pal, Hideo Itami, in the tournament next week. He said stuff and Hideo interrupted, and it was the man for whom English isn't a first language that was the better promo. But that's why they're in development, right?

 

After a break, Devin then spoke to Emma, who is back in NXT. She said that things didn't work out quite as she had planned (in WWE) and wanted a fresh start, starting with a re-match with Carmella next week. She then stopped Devin dancing, reminding her that she was the Dancing Queen. Please don't. Fresh start, yeah?

 

Hey, it's Baron Corbin! He's fighting Bull Dempsey again because tournament. The more Dempsey loses out in this feud, the more his lack of any kind of look comes to the surface. Right now, he's just a doughy lad in a singlet, with bad hair. Poor Bull.

 

The crowd started counting, but once Bull had survived the first thirty seconds they faded out. After a break to-do, Corbin hit the End of Days for the win in just 100 seconds. Sucks to be Bull.

 

After a break, Devin interviewed Corbin, who wasn't a bad promo. He said he'd beat Neville next week. Dempsey interrupted and said that Corbin got lucky twice. Corbin pushed him away and walked off. Dempsey looked like a seething ball of Play-Doh. Double sucks to be Bull.

 

Its our main event, and it's not a match! It's the contract signing for the main event at the next Takeover special, Sami Zayn versus Kevin Owens.

 

William Regal was in the ring and introduced Sami Zayn. Zayn came out to a huge pop and the always-hilarious sight of people trying to clap in time with his entrance theme. It's not that hard!

 

Owens then came out and regal told them that he didn't want this to end up like every other contract signing, with a brawl all over the ring, and warned them that if they touched each other the fight would be off. Sensible lad, that Regal.

 

Zayn signed the contract straight away but Owens hesitated. He then refused to sign the contract unless it was for a title match. He said that he wasn't fighting against Zayn, he was fighting for the title, and the increased money it would bring his wife, his kids, and himself.

 

Regal refused but Zayn made him change the contract, which regal did in the most correct manner you have ever seen on a wrestling TV show, amending the terms, and getting all parties involved to initial the changes. That's why NXT is the best show on TV.

 

Owens signed and then threw the pen at Zayn, who had to be restrained by Regal. The show ended with Zayn in the ring, staring after Owens as he walked up the ramp...

 

This was a Great Show. The in-ring action was good to great, and the interviews all did their job of fleshing out these characters and furthering these angles. Man, I love this show. So much so that I'm considering watching the Takeover live. On a school night, too. Exciting times.

[PowerButchi]

Put them fingers down, Lynch.

[DCW]

Just started watching NXT (have watched the two most recent episodes) and it really is a perfect little wrestling show. There's a few duds knocking about (Dempsey, that Corbin lad, and I'm not sold on Tyler Breeze either cos he reminds me of Shannon Moore) but everyone else is pretty good. The way Owen's acted during the contract signing was great, proper heel stuff.

 

Bálor's entrance is pretty fucking camp, JBL would rip the piss out of him if he turned up on Raw with it.

[Nick James]

The thing with Balors entrance, for me, is that the entrance is the same whether he has the body paint on or not. I can understand the weird crawling and sitting in the corner when he's done up like a monster, but not when he isn't, because he just looks like a regular pretty boy in pants doing weird shit.