Last week on NXT: It was the NXT Takeover:Hangover episode. Keith Lee defeated Kona Reeves in an impressive outing for Lee. Dude is just a damn star. Mia Yim picked up a win over Bianca Belair whose only suffered her second pinfall loss.
NXT is not in Full Sail this week but is emanating from Bel Air, Maryland.
Jessamyn Duke and Marina Shafir vs. Io Shirai and Candice LeRae
- This match is built because Io and Shayna have been feuding due to Shayna beating Io’s friend Kairi Sane all the way to the main roster. Io came out to defend Sane’s honor and has been being bullied by the Horsewomen since then. Io was going at it alone until Candice said she has Io’s back. At Takeover, Io lost to Shayna but then she lost her shit on Shayna and destroyed Baszler with a kendo stick.
- Candice and Marina start off the bout, Candice seem to be angrier than usual and got the advantage over Shafir.
- Jessamyn is able to distract Candice for just a second and that is how Shafir and Duke get the advantage.
- I was at an NXT Live show once and Jessamyn was there. She is wearing the same trunks on this episode as she was wearing at the Live show. Some kid in front of me kept asking his dad why “that girl wrestles in tighty whiteys” and now that’s all I can think of when Jessamyn is in the ring.
- Shayna is standing at the top of the entrance ramp, watching this match intently. Like a hanging cloud ready to bring the storm.
- Candice is really getting worked over and keeps fighting for the tag but just can’t get even halfway across the ring. The crowd can sense the tag is getting close and show their support for an antsy Shirai.
- Io gets tagged in and the crowd is excited, the crowd noise seems sweetened a bit because their are ooh’s, aah’s and claps but the crowd doesn’t seem to be reacting visually.
- Io takes Jessamyn’s arm and does the gross stompy thing to it that Shayna does. Shayna warns Io not to do it. Shirai does it and Shayna sells the move from the ramp. Jessamyn is in trouble and Io goes for her moonsault.
- Shayna pulls Jessamyn out of the ring so Io just jumps onto Shayna. Everyone but Candice is outside of the ring so LeRae runs and dives onto all the women. EVERYONE BE BRAWLIN!
- The ref throws the match out, the pier six brawl keeps going until the camera’s have to cut away.
And I’m Like… I like how much fire this feud is getting. It seems more passionate than most NXT feuds, which are already fueled with passion. I am excited to see where this feud goes and how it evolves. Shayna is the best women’s NXT champion of all time and her feuds get the same treatment. Candice and Io look like stars as well.
Velveteen Dream cuts a promo about how we need to be ready for the next experience.
A recap of two weeks ago where Kushida beat Drew Gulak and Gulak says he wants a rematch, but as a submission match. Since then Gulak has undergone a character change on 205 Live, not sure which Gulak we are getting tonight.
Submission Match
Kushida vs. Drew Gulak
- Drew Gulak comes out with a menacing glare. This makes me wonder, outside of commentary saying there is a character change, I don’t know if there is any visual changes to Drew. My memory is lacking.
- Match starts and Drew goes for a single leg take down. These dudes both have an amazing ground game and seem to have started the bout as pieces to a human chess match.
- Mauro says Kushida is like a human fidget spinner on Gulak. Remember those?! They were selling for like $15 at one time! Humans are crazy.
- Kushida gets the advantage and begins to attack Drew’s right arm. Which is strange to see because in all wrestling except Lucha, they work the left arm. Just that little change makes this match seem different.
- Now Kushida is working on the left arm. Like the Benoit vs. Angle, where they are both able to wrestle but Angle sees himself as better and Benoit out wrestled Angle, infuriating him. Kushida is out submission wrestling Drew to the point where Drew, like Angle, loses his cool and throws a strike in a match that had no strikes. It demonstrates that the babyface is more honorable and can beat the heel at their own game. The heel needs to resort to legal but underhanded tactics to get an advantage. Great wrestling here.
- Gulak is now working over Kushida’s arm. Both men have arm based submissions, which is a positive as much as a negative. The more ones arm is worked over the less apt they are at being able to apply their own finish. So as these men weaken each other, they make it so much harder to apply their respective finishes.
- I would expect the match to finish with Kushida’s Hoverboard Lock or Drew’s Gu-Lock, but we might see something unexpected. Probably not though because Kushida is so new, they still need to demonstrate how devastating the Hoverboard Lock is.
- Counter wrestling up the ass going on, it’s eye for an eye and catch is catch can. These guys are painting a hell of a masterpiece in the ring tonight.
- The game plan of each man is thrown out the window as this match has gotten so heated it’s devolved to just a strike battle. Kushida has been able to one up everything Gulak has done.
- After a flurry of strikes, after Kushida decided to play Gulak’s game. Kushida locks a Hoverboard Lock on out of nowhere and Gulak taps quickly.
And I’m Like… Being from Minnesota and witnessing the AWA, I am a fan of scientific matches. This match was scientific as hell and was all about respect. Gulak taps out and shakes Kushida’s hand later. As much of a dick Gulak is, it really comes down to him wanting to respect his opponents and his respect is hard to come by. Kushida earning Gulak’s respect really raises Kushida to another level in NXT.
Aliyah and Vanessa Borne cut a selfie promo. Vanessa has a “for dummies” book in her hand while Aliyah talks shit about Mia Yim because Mia is supposed to be the next challenger. Vanessa and Aliyah says Mia isn’t championship material and probably can’t read or write. So they got her “The Fashion Book”, “Beginners English” , and “Grammar For Dummies”. Strange promo.
Replay of the amazing Mansoor battle royal win at Super Showdown. The promo after is good shit and you can tell he means every word he says. The home crowd laps it up, as they should. Best moment of the whole special event.
Undisputed Era (Strong and O’Reilly) vs. Oney Lorcan and Danny Burch
- The timing of Undisputed’s entrance is weird. They do the “boom” spot on the apron to coincide with the music, but when the “Adam Cole Bay Bay” spot happens, Adam Cole isn’t there so no one screams it. I wonder why they didn’t change it to “Undisputed Bay Bay” or something. Like why would three dudes be down with only chanting one dudes name? Besides the fact that it makes you think Cole thinks he is better than the other three and just using “friendship” as a guise to keep a crew around him to make his matches and life easier.
- Oney and Danny come down and get in UE’s face right away. Lorcan and O’Reilly start the match with a vicious strike battle. Burch and Strong join the battle. One thing that Oney adds to every match he is in is a sense of urgency to everything he does. Oney is the only dude who I feel is trying to win each match as quickly as possible. It feels exciting and unpredictable at all times.
- The pace these men are going at is full sprint from the get go. After Roderick hits a backbreaker it brings the match pace to a screeching halt.
- Lorcan is the one taking the heat while Burch is begging for a tag. Undisputed Era has cut the ring in half and have decided to work over Oney’s ribs, back and neck. Kyle is so fucking smooth when he wrestles, it’s impressive to just sit and watch him work some holds.
- Lorcan brings the intensity and urgency back so quickly that the pace picks up anytime he is on offense. The hot tag didn’t get much of a reaction from the crowd.
- Burch plays to the crowd ONE time and that was enough for UE to take advantage. O’Reilly taunts ONE time and Burch is back in control. This goes to show you that to win this match you need to make ZERO mistakes.
- Kyle O’Reilly hits the rebound lariat. Now that Ambrose is Moxley. the lariat is open for use. Mauro says “shades of….*thinking Dean Ambrose*… Nigel McGunniess” and Nigel thanks Mauro for the shout out.
- As the crowd starts applauding for the ring work. Jaxson Ryker of Forgotten Sons shows up. Starts destroying the security team. Undisputed Era get distracted by the needless Ryker interference. Burch and Lorcan don’t lose focus and they are able to get the upset victory over UE.
And I’m Like… This show had zero storyline advancement outside of Bourne Boujee and Mia Yim. It was like a Takeover:Hangover but with a crappy crowd. I really enjoyed it though. The NXT hour flys by. This last match was too fast and too furious. Forgotten Sons are trying not to be Forgotten and we have about 6 more weeks of shows until the next Takeover. The feuds just got put on the burner and the rapid boil will follow!
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