NXT Rankings & Evaluation
By George Chiverton, PWTorch NXT specialist

Hello everyone, this Brit is sick as a parrot and disappointingly missed a huge match between Zack Sabre, Jr and Prince Devitt in London earlier this month. Luckily a DVD of the event will be out eventually: "Progress Wrestling’s Chapter 13." Super excited for that one. For now let’s get hyped about NXT Takeover.

NXT Network Era Rankings #10

(1) Sami Zayn
(2) Corey Graves
(3) Adrian Neville
(4) Charlotte
(5) Bo Dallas
(6) Emma
(7) Tyler Breeze
(8) The Ascension
(9) Mojo Rawley
(10) Sasha Banks
(11) Colin Cassidy
(12) Aiden English
(13) C.J. Parker

NXT Episode Evaluation 05/15/2014

- After a recap of last week and the credits, The Ascension were out looking great as per. Although they still look the role, these guys are damaged goods having lost to the Usos and Sami Zayn a couple of weeks back. However, at least they now there are some tag teams to work with on the horizon with Kalisto and El Local arguably being the pick of the bunch.

The Ascension were against ‘debutants’ Buddy Murphy and Alias Sampson. I mean. Yeah. So the Ascension won. To mix things up, though, they then they got a mic. Konnor came off a little cheesy in his delivery, but Viktor was a little more on point. They essentially demanded real competition drawing out El Local and Kalisto. Local (Ricardo Rodriguez) had mic in hand accepting the challenge before giving Kalisto a chance to chant ‘lu-cha, lu-cha.’ The crowd responded with the tribal shouts of "The Ascension" showing Full Sail was still with the big guys on this one. Giving the luchadores one match to get over is hardly fair, but a feud with The Ascension should benefit everyone.

- Backstage, Sami Zayn was with a lady named Veronica. He was as natural and cool as ever (how he kept his mask on as El Generico I will never know) and spent the time talking up his opponents before saying he was going to take his chance tonight.

- Next up was the curious Alexa Bliss facing off against the excellent Charlotte. Alexa skipped down to the ring doing her glitter routine on the way. Charlotte did not. She was accompanied by Sasha Banks who, as the announcers were keen to point out, could face Charlotte in the final of the tournament.

Bliss slightly botched a small package which allowed Charlotte to take control. She used her size to (wo)manhandle the smaller Bliss. This included a tree of woe and a painful looking abdominal stretch. Charlotte caught Bliss going for a crossbody and snapped into a backbreaker. She then bent Bliss back-first over her knee in another painful looking resthold. Charlotte hit another backbreaker before her flipping finisher was good for the win.

That was a rightfully one-sided affair with Charlotte looking the favourite going into the finals of the Tournament. There was something not quite right in the timing of this match and I think Charlotte may need to just pause a second to set herself before delivering big moves like backbreakers, etc. It signals the moves are coming and allows better shots and audience reactions as a result. More for less is the name of the game. Still, she’s great. As for Bliss, she’s green in many ways but has talent and a big athletic upside.

- NXT went to the Tyler Breeze Selfie cam, where he ran down Canadians for not having the DNA to be ‘super good-looking’ before saying that Kidd and Zayn were too concerned about respect. He wouldn’t have that problem. This was a nice little promo actually and much better than I was expecting.

- Mojo Rawley was bouncing around everywhere next before they replayed Aiden English attacking the big guy from behind from a couple of weeks past. Aiden then made his entrance, singing and all. He got a reasonable boo at the end of his drawn out journey to the ring but not one that justified the time investment. I’m really not a fan of this gimmick.

Aiden used sneaky rope tactics to jab a kick to Aiden’s gut which allowed the thespian to take control including a cheeky DDT. That was ended by a bodyslam from Mojo, followed by some clotheslines and splashes in the corner, a hip block and hyperdrive for the win. Well. There we go then.

- Backstage with Tyson to finish off the trio. Nothing special but did its purpose.

- Angelo Dawkins was in the ring from the break having a boogie. He was facing off against Big Cass. The seven footer got to brawlin’ in the corner with forearm smashes. Meanwhile C.J. Parker was spotted canvassing in the audience with some hippy slogans. It’s a nice use of the character for sure and something for both Cass and Parker to be doing. Anyway back in the ring, Angelo got a brief opening in-between beatings to hit an impressive dropkick on the big guy, before a big boot from Cass and ‘The East River Crossing,’ a sit-out spinning side slam, was good for the win. I really really like Angelo. Although green, he’s a blue chipper-and-a-half. As for Cass he’s a big brawling guy. That’s about it.

- Bo Dallas and JBL were backstage where Bo presented JBL with letters from his Bolievers demanding he get a shot for the title. JBL said he couldn’t give him that yet but Bo would have a match and if he won he would get a title shot. Bo liked this. JBL then added; if Bo lost he would have to leave NXT for good. The opponent would be Big E. Bo stayed all smiles. This was a pretty funny exchange and Bo is all over his character.

- Main event time with Tyson out first, followed by Tyler. Zayn rounded off proceedings and got the biggest reaction of the three. There was a Yoshi Tatsu chant before the bell which was, odd.

The three squared off with ten minutes left in the whole show. Kidd used quick feet to get the upper hand early, but Breeze picked his spot and tossed out Kidd to pick on Zayn. A calf kick got the better of ‘Prince Pretty’ though leading to everything being even going into the break.

Back from that, Breeze was booting Kidd in the head and getting a one count. Kidd managed to reverse the momentum though and went for a suicide dive on Breeze to the outside. Breeze got a forearm up, but wasn’t ready for Zayn coming right over the top. Zayn then bounded up to the top rope and hit a cross-body on Kidd in the ring for a two. Kidd rolled to the ropes, before Breeze came back in to a Blue Thunder Bomb from Zayn. Again only a two though. Zayn went for his helluva kick into the corner, but Breeze got the boot up. Zayn caught his foot though and went an exploder suplex, but Kidd came in and put him Zayn in a German Suplex for a big three-way suplex.

Kidd and Zayn were the first to rise and started bouncing off each other with forearms. Kidd got the best of the exchange and slapped on the Sharpshooter. Zayn looked on the verge of tapping before Breeze leveled Kidd with a kick which got a really close two count. Breeze clotheslined Kidd over the top before going for Zayn in the corner but got caught with another exploder, this time into the turnbuckle. It was only a close two, though. Zayn grabbed the hand of Breeze and attempted to run up the turnbuckle for a lucha move, but Breeze swept his leg, crotching the Canadian.

Kidd on the apron managed an enziguiri on Breeze before climbing to the top rope. Breeze managed to rally and caught Kidd to sit him on the top. Zayn zoomed into frame with a crunching helluva kick on Breeze, but Kidd managed to get Zayn out the ring and drop the elbow on an all but finished Breeze for the win. Zayn almost broke up the pin, but instead was forced to watch another opportunity elude him. The story seems to be once Zayn gets his shot at the title, he’ll probably win it. For now he’s still having to chase.

This was a dense match full of action and fun. Kidd winning will make for a great match with Neville, but I’d really like to see Kidd turn heel on Neville at "Takeover." There aren’t many heels at the top of the NXT (especially with Bo making his way to Raw) and heel Kidd would make a nice addition. As for Zayn, I’m not sure who he faces off against next, although a quick series of matches with Breeze could tide everyone over, starting with Takeover.

Right that’ll do for now. I’ll see you chaps next week after the big Takeover edition of NXT. I’m very excited my darlings.

We suggest these recent related articles...

10/5 WWE Raw Hits & Misses: Natalya vs. Paige, Owens vs. Cara, Stephanie McMahon, Sasha Banks, Xavier Woods

COLLECTIBLES COLUMN: The History of Foam Hands in Pro Wrestling

9/28 WWE Raw Hits & Misses: Kane's Split Personality, Divas Revolution, Heyman & Big Show, Reigns vs. Wyatt