Last week on NXT: DIY agreed that they are better together than apart. Aliyah and Vanessa Borne picked up the win over a very well put together team of Taynara Conti and Xia Li. Keith Lee and Dijakovic had a barn burner of a match, proving that the future of NXT is in great hands. Oh yeah, and the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic is fuckin’ back!!
Cold Open-
A video package about the history of The Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic and how the winners will face the War Raiders at NXT Takeover: New York. The Dusty Rhodes Classic is where the DIY storyline started and it would be fitting to have Johnny turn on Tommaso there. Every team is showcased in this video package. Aleister and Ricochet have to be the heavy favorites because they’ve won all of their main roster matches, and they are the top two talents on NXT:Domestic.
This show is one hour and there are FOUR tag matches. That’s about 12 minutes a match INCLUDING entrances.
Ricochet and Aleister Black vs. Fabian Aichner and Marcel Barthel
- So this match is getting very little time. As I said in the above paragraph. Each match gets a maximum of 12 minutes including entrances. Ricochet and Black get about four minutes for their entrances alone. Right now the timing of the show and how they will fit women’s storylines in this show has my interest.
- Big ups to one of my favorites Marcel Barthel for being the only one to stop and appreciate the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic trophy.
- I liked Aichner better when he wrestled in leather pants and wore weird leather gloves.
- I have yet to hear Marcel cut a true promo on NXT, I hope his English is alright. The reason being, is because WWE main roster creative aka Vince, will never put the world championship on someone who isn’t fluent in English or has a manager who is.
- The match is fast paced but really just here to feature Aleister. Black is flying all around the ring and controlling Marcel.
- Barthel is able to gain the advantage after a European uppercut and we are already in the heat of the match.
- It would be so hard to go on last on this episode. Three tag matches before your tag match. All of the matches are fast paced with little time, meaning the crowd has already seen just about everything.
- Black is able to gain the advantage on Aichner and both Fabian and Aleister make tags. Ricochet’s offense lights up the crowd during his comeback spots. The dude is sooo damn fluid.
- Barthel and Aichner hit their beautiful double team moves. Marcel throws Ricochet vertically and Fabian catches Ric in the suplex position. After the brainbuster, Barthel dives to the outside and Aichner hits a jumping springboard moonsault for two. All the stops are being pulled out and these guys are burning the house down.
- There are multiple near falls where Barthel and Aichner believably had the crowd thinking they would win the match.
- Mauro keeps calling Aichner and Barthel “The European Union” and “The EU”. So that is their name going forward.
- Black finally awoke from his slumber outside of the ring to get some fun offense in, before being slowed down by the EU.
- Ricochet hits a springboard rana on a prone Marcel on the top rope. Barthel lands and makes a William Regal disgusted face during the sell. It was glorious.
- Black and Aichner end up being alone in the ring and after some crazy action, Aleister hits Black Mass for the win and to advance to the next round in the tournament.
And I’m Like… That match was fire. They crammed so much into that match. I’ll be surprised if the crowd isn’t exhausted by the end of this episode. The EU are a tremendous team and way talented. Great pairing with these two teams and I am now salivating for more.
A recap of the outstanding match between Keith Lee and Dijakovic leading to a video of Keith Lee training with Gulak, Burch, Bugenhagen and a few others. Then Dijakovic crashes the training to challenge Lee to another match in two weeks.
The Forgotten Sons vs. Oney Lorcan and Danny Burch
- The top two “heels” for me, meaning who I don’t like as a fan, are The Forgotten Sons and Ronda Rousey. I just don’t want to see good things happen to these characters and want to see them lose constantly.
- Burch and Cutler start off the match and waste no time getting right to it.
- There are attempts at limb damaging moves but ain’t nobody got time for that. So all of the wear down holds are on for thirty seconds tops.
- The match follows the first matches structure. Two dudes start off, the babyface team gets a tag. That partner gets beaten down until a hot tag is made. This time Burch tags Lorcan in and then Lorcan gets the beating to turn crowd sympathy into crowd support.
- Burch gets tagged in and destroys Wesley Blake and Steve Cutler. Burch does the hot tag surprisingly well, which is saying something because Oney is the king at that shit.
- Lorcan is tagged in so Burch and Oney can hit thier tandem finish. Oney is hurt too badly to execute the move. Oney’s back gave out twice. Even though Lorcan fought valiantly, he couldn’t support Cutler’s weight.
- Now Cutler takes advantage and continually works over Lorcan’s back. The crowd is still majorly invested in this match.
- Oney ends up getting a hot tag too, which flipped the match structure on its head. Lorcan proves that he is the hot tag king when he LIGHTS UP everyone with chops and gets the crowd popping.
- Burch and Lorcan are going to attempt another tandem finish but The Forgotten Sons are able to counter it into a gross turnbuckle powerbomb into the knees and a double stomp reverse DDT combo.
And I’m Like… This match was just as good as the last one. Each team could have plausibly won that match. Oney and Danny are fucking legends. I hope they get their just due some day. There was time for two hot tags and a body part sell job, great work by all involved.
Velveteen Dream comes out to soak in the crowd and pose on the commentary table. Then he grabs the mic. Before Dream could say much Matt Riddle showed his high ass up. Riddle wants to challenge for Dream’s North American championship.
Io Shirai and Kairi Sane cut a pre recorded promo about how Io has pinned Shayna and Bianca has not. Belair has a problem with Io because Io earned a shot against Baszler and Bianca is jealous. Kairi says she wants to be champion but she is supporting her friend because Shirai deserves the shot. Next week is Shiarai vs. Belair, winner is the number one contender.
Street Profits vs. Mustache Mountain
- Montez Ford is something special. Dude coming out with a red ski mask over his face and a crown on his head. He comes out with necklaces and a SOLO cup. Angelo Dawkins has two headbands sure, but Montez is where it’s at.
- I’m very disappointed that this won’t be a 20 minute classic, which I’m sure both teams are surely capable of. I’m very interested to see how the match plays out in comparison to the first two matches.
- Tyler Bate is 22 now and is more of a man than I’ll ever be. It’s amazing.
- Montez and Tyler start the match off. NXT is LOADED with some of the most talented wrestlers in the world. We are very spoiled to be living during this era of wrestling.
- The first bit of the match is an impressive bit of wrestling where Bate and Ford keep going back the headlock after some back and forth action. Dawkins gets the blind tag and then Trent Seven gets tagged in and it looks like Dawkins will be the face in peril for this match.
- Then again I’m way wrong because Dawkins tags right after I say that. It’s pretty cool to watch consecutive tag matches. You get to see how each combination of teams works with the match structure to stand out.
- Both teams are well liked by the fans so the dynamic is strange. The crowd kind of cheers for everything.
- A double hot tag builds and Bate and Dawkins immediately go into some back and forth wrestling until Bate gains the upper hand.
- Angelo is able to fight back and hit one of the most realistic spears I’ve seen in years. It’s only because Dawkins couldn’t stand after a punch by Bate and Angelo kind of fell and tackled Bate.
- The Profits seem to have the match won after Ford hits an outstanding frog splash. They go for their blockbuster finish but then Trent hits a half and half on Ford onto the apron. Bate overpowers dead lift German’s Dawkins. Then Mustache Mountain hits their finish and get the win.
And I’m Like… Tag Team F’n WRESTLING! This whole episode just is blowing it’s load continuously. Every match is a bit different, very exciting, creative and evenly matched. This is a very very fun episode. Thank goodness for the Dusty Rhodes Classic!
#DIY vs. Undisputed Era (Bobby Fish and Kyle O’Reilly)
- That’s sad that Bobby Fish went from the “singles guy that isn’t Adam Cole” back to the tag team. I feel like Bobby is so banged up that tag team wrestling is good for him though.
- Johnny Gargano came out and looked at the Dusty trophy like it was Candice.
- Ciampa comes out and shows appreciation as well. That trophy is almost two Ciampa’s tall.
- Ciampa tells Johnny to wait before the enter the ring. Then the theme music changes to #DIY music!!! The crowd is loving it and this is such a great beat in this story. God damn I love me some Gargano/Ciampa NXT storyline.
- “Undisputed/DIY” dueling chants to start the match. Johnny and Bobby take no time to get go at it. Bobby is out wrestled and quickly tags out. Johnny traps Kyle and tags Tommaso in.
- You can’t really expect anything less, because all of the matches tonight have been fast and furious.
- There are so many quick tags, fast attacks and all around chaos in this match. It’s really hard to keep track of everything.
- #DIY are hitting all their old tag moves and seem to be wrestling like a well oiled machine. It’s weird that having Johnny embrace his heeldom and get as evil as Ciampa turned both of them babyface. I have no idea how that really works but it did. The crowd loves them together, no matter how evil they are.
- Between this match and the first match on the show 90% of the wrestlers wear some form of black trunks. There is also a good number of dudes who look very similar. With body build, facial hair and hair color. It’s weird how everyone looks like they came out of some sort of factory and not many wrestlers stand out. I think it’s not a knock on these guys, it’s just something that is noticeable. Which is ironic.
- Gargano built the sympathy needed for the hot tag to work. Ciampa comes in and tears through the Undisputed Era.
- It’ll be confusing for me when Undisputed Era wrestles European Union. The match review will just be a bunch of UE’s and EU’s.
- Ciampa hits a couple big moves, multiple German’s and a blue thunder bomb. They can’t put Kyle away though.
- Gargano tags in and goes for his diving spear but O’Reilly catches Johnny with a choke. Ciampa saves Johnny by kneeing Kyle in the head but O’Reilly kicks out.
- Kyle is the damn anchor in this match. Dude is hella talented. I’m upset that he turned down his weird factor.
- After the final sprint with Kyle and Johnny, when both men are laid out, the crowd gives a standing ovation coupled with a “NXT” chant.
- Bobby hits a top rope Falcon Arrow on Ciampa and O’Reilly follows that up with a knee drop from the top rope. CIAMPA KICKS OUT!! Kyle immediately puts on the armbar. Fish hits a diving headbutt. Gargano gets in the ring and all four men are in the ring and battling to their feet. Then all the men are on the outside. THIS. IS. NUTS!
- Kyle gets caught with a DDT by Ciampa, Gargano hits a float over DDT. KYLE KICKS OUT!!!
- #DIY line up their simultaneous kick/knee to Kyle’s head and that’s all she wrote.
And I’m Like. MY GOD! That match was tremendous. Earlier I was worried the main event would have trouble standing out. Damn was I wrong. That was the best match of the night and it got a standing ovation. Gargano is too good at wrestling. How he is able to make magic during every match he wrestles blows my mind. NXT sure is special.
You can follow me on Twitter here. Make sure to follow us on Twitter @BodySlamNet @BodySlamDotNet and on Instagram @BodySlamDotNet Also check us out on Facebook and give us a like and share by clicking HERE.