Last week on NXT: Velveteen Dream made his decision on what champion he will face after winning the Worlds Collide tournament. He chose Johnny Gargano’s North American Championship. Jaxon Ryker won a match. Eric Bugenhagen became an over night sensation by rocking our socks off with his air band performance. Matt Riddle defeated Drew Gulak who had just beaten Eric Bugenhagen. The Sky Pirates and Bianca Belair took on 3/4th of the Horsewomen of MMA. Io Shirai ended up scoring a pinfall on NXT Woman’s Champion Shayna Baszler.
The show starts with an memorial picture of Pedro Morales.
Dijakovic vs. Shane Thorne
- Poor Dijakovic. He gets the amount of crowd reaction as he has character. Which is none. His theme music leaves much to be desired.
- Shane Thorne has nothing going for him character wise either. That’s why the crowd doesn’t react. Dudes over here with NO motivation. I couldn’t even tell you anything about these men based on what NXT has presented.
- Commentary team is grasping at straws when trying to describe these two too.
- These guys would make a good tag team. They kind of have the same demeanor but have a bit of a difference. They also have the same type of character. Which is “no character”.
- The crowd is pleasantly watching this. Clapping when they should and just enjoying a match. That is different for Full Sail.
- Both Shane and Dijakovic got some offense in, really back and forth though. The story is that Shane is unorthodox and is working over Dijakovic’s arm.
- Dijakovic and Shane Thorne treat this like it’s 205 Live. Fighting on the top rope, Dijakovic back flipping off. Diving over the top rope and hitting Feast Your Eyes for the finsh.
And I’m Like… The best part was the end of the match, Dijakovic flips over the top rope to the outside. The crowd starts chanting “Holy Shit” but then PC’s itself and changes the chant to Dijakovic’s saying “Feast Your Eyes”. Really forgettable match other than that.
Undisputed Era be hanging out in a tractor trailer again just talking about how great they are. I feel like they are the stereotypical high school kids smoking cigs behind the school acting like king shits of fuck mountain. That’s why their gimmick works so well, because THEY ARE THOSE GUYS! Roddy is really tan. Roddy all the way on the left and Kyle is all the way on the right, it’s some weird paint strip color pallet.
A recap of Io pinning Shayna Baszler last week. Io and Kairi were interviewed last week. Io is super serious and says she will be NXT Woman’s champion. Belair interfered, she said before anyone pins Shayna, Belair will. Because she is un-duh-fea-ted. Even though she lost.
Street Profits vs. Humberto Carrillo & Stacey Ervin Jr.
- Before the match Kassius Ohno comes out and says he is leaving NXT. Keith Lee walks out and knocks out Kassius. He starts singing a bit, then cuts an amazing promo. Not what he said, but how he said it. Riddle and Keith Lee are in a race for the next biggest star in WWE.
- Street Profits come out and make fun of Ohno being knocked out. They have all the charisma and everything they do is amazing. I thoroughly enjoy these men.
- The match starts with Carrillo holding a headlock on Ford and really getting the better of Montez until there is a little back and forth. Really entertaining sequence.
- Street Profits are wrestling more aggressively and making quick tags, but that doesn’t really effect Humberto. I don’t know why Humberto even has a tag partner, he is doing well enough on his own.
- Speaking of tag partners, what happened to Raul Mendoza.
- Stacey gets tagged in and has an afro with disco pants and tats. He hits a standing shooting star while showing a lot of tenacity.
- Ervin got dropped on his damn head. Ford hits a suplex and dear lord. The ref shoved Ford out of the way just to check on Stacey. THAT WAS NUTS. Montez killing people.
- Humberto gets the hot tag and is just destroying the Profits. Not enough to get the win, but has no equal right now.
- Stacey Ervin is tagged in and hits a Tsunamisault (which is like a Swanton Moonsault Dive) which is the highest I’ve ever seen anyone jump. Stacey’s hair makes all of his sells look tremendous.
- Street Profits get the win with their Doomsday Blockbuster.
- Street Profits cut a promo about how they want The War Raiders.
And I’m Like… This match was really good. This tag division is lit. Even the weird thrown together jobber teams are tremendous. Matches like these really fuel my love for NXT. Great athleticism, crowd participation and high energy and high impact.
As Street Profits cut their promo, Fabian Aichner and Marcel Barthel show up. I’ve been catching some wXw Ring Kampf stuff and Marcel is so so good. His English is really good too, with very little accent. Dude is going to be a star. Lorcan and Burch come out and just start getting in everyone’s face until the bell of the War Raiders tolls. Rowe and Hanson tell all the teams to “make a move”. Undisputed Era attacks Hanson and Rowe from behind. War Raiders legit clear the ring of everyone. This tag division is so deep and so good. Wow NXT tag division is really flexing hard.
Johnny Gargano vignette about how he now knows what’s best for him is himself. Says he has embraced himself and that’s why he is successful.
Taynara Conti vs. Aliyah
- Taynara Conti has one of the most slept on theme songs. Her entrance is a bit confusing but her wrestling is crazy vicious.
- Aliyah is on her like 15th theme song. She now is a low rent Jinny/Carmella mix. Aliyah says her biggest regret in life is that “she will never be able to see herself wrestle live.”
- Aliyah and Taynara are getting dueling chants from Full Sail.
- Aliyah pulls Conti’s hair and Taynara just turns it into an armbar. Slick stuff.
- I always wonder “what if?” with Taynara and the Undisputed Era. There were like two episodes where she was with them.
- Vanessa Borne comes down to the ring to watch the match. Interesting.
- Taynara is DESTROYING Aliyah. Just working the arm, flipping Aliyah like she’s a burger. Also, landing kicks to Aliyah.
- Everytime Aliyah tries ANYTHING Conti is there with a counter. Vanessa Borne gets involved to distract Conti. Vanessa chose the wrong teammate.
- Taynara is grabbed by Aliyah who just starts hitting Conti with her heel. Repeated kicks to the head leads Conti totap out. Now Borne and Aliyah are on a team.
- Shayna Baszler marches to the ring and Aliyah and Vanessa scram. Taynara is stuck in the corner.
- The horsewomen come out and beat up Vanessa and Aliyah.
- For a second I thought Conti was going to be welcomed into the group because of her Judo background and Ronda leaving after Mania. Then they took out Conti and told people not to piss them off.
And I’m Like… NXT is featuring SO many talents tonight. It’s fast paced and establishing so much and it’s wonderful. Conti has a bright future, Borne and Aliyah are now a thing. Horsewomen are on a damn terror. Every division is running on all cylinders right now.
We get a vignette about Velveteen Dream’s 2019 so far. Winning the World’s Collide tournament, challenging Johnny Gargano. All set to some distant piano and horror background music.
Adam Cole vs. Ricochet
- The only two former North American champions in history. Doing battle.
- Cole comes to the ring alone. Mauro brings up how Cole said 2019 Undisputed Era would be dripping in gold, but they have no championships.
- “Both these guys” chant, but both those guys would have none of that chant and just started going at it.
- EVOLVE wrestling has a poll up right now to pick who Ricochet’s opponent is going to be when he wrestles on their show. If you don’t vote for Orange Cassidy you’re a cop.
- Ricochet gets caught by Adam Cole and gets his leg stuck in the ropes. Now Ricochet is hurt and the story of the match is taking place.
- Adam Cole is attacking Ricochet’s leg like an opossum attacks a dumpster.
- Adam Cole is relentless attacking Ricochet’s knee and the ref has to pull Cole off. The ref and Cole trade a few words and that gives Ricochet a second to breath but it’s not enough time and Adam is back on the attack.
- Ricochet is able to get some offense in but his leg isn’t holding up. So Ricochet is doing some stick and move while using the ropes for assistance. The second Ricochet is in the middle of the ring or goes to pick Adam up, the leg gives out.
- Dueling chants turn into “both these guys” chants. Ricochet is fighting for every movement and Cole is taking his sweet time.
- Ricochet still going for his normal moveset but all the moves involve his legs as a base and the leg keeps giving out. Adam Cole is in complete control.
- Ricochet goes for a springboard flip but does it on one leg and lands right on Cole’s legs. This match is the best kind of sloppy. Both men are going for desperation moves. They are exhausted but Cole has just a bit more energy.
- This match is getting to the point where it’s about time to end or it might over stay it’s welcome. They’ve told almost every beat of their story and the crowd is ready for the finish.
- Ricochet hits a top rope frankensteiner and kick to Adam’s head. Then Ricochet no sells EVERYTHING and hit’s a string of moves for the win.
- Undisputed Era runs down to beat up Ricochet. Aleister Black attempts to make the save but is quickly decimated. Roddy Strong hits his finisher on Black to end the show. Maybe setting up a feud?
And I’m Like… Great match, finished at the right time. Kinda sucks that Ricochet had the “fighting spirit” and just did his normal moves. I was hoping he would pull out something crafty if he was going to win. I’m nitpicking here. Both men did outstanding work on an episode of NXT that was very good all the way through.
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