WWE NXT TV Results
January 4, 2011 - Season 4, Week 5
Taped in Tucson, Ariz.
Aired on WWE's website
By James Caldwell, PWTorch assistant editor

The cast of Season Four of WWE NXT:

-- Rookie: Johnny Curtis. Pro: R-Truth.
-- Rookie: Byron Saxton Pro: Chris Masters.
-- Rookie: Brodus Clay. Pro: Ted DiBiase.
-- Rookie: Jacob Novak. Pro: Dolph Ziggler.
-- Rookie: Derrick Bateman. Pro: Daniel Bryan.
-- Rookie: Conor O'Brian. Pro: Alberto Del Rio.

Immunity Standings coming into this week:

Johnny Curtis: 5 points
Derrick Bateman: 3 points
Jacob Novak: 1 point
Byron Saxton: 1 point
Brodus Clay: 0 points
Conor O'Brian: 0 points

This week's elimination episode of WWE NXT started with a video package on the NXT Rookies struggling to prove their talents and conflicting with their Pros. Tonight, the first elimination is here.

Arena: Todd Grisham introduced the show and said the moment is now for someone to go home. Matt Striker was positioned on-stage along with the six NXT Season 4 Rookies. Striker said the winner of NXT earns a title match...not just any title match, but a Tag Title match. The winning Rookie will team with his Pro to challenge for the Tag Titles. Also tonight, there will be a Pros battle royal. The winner of the battle royal will have the option to switch Rookies. The Pros began walking to the ring, then Del Rio's personal announcer, Ricardo Rodriguez, asked to take Del Rio's spot. Del Rio smirked and obliged. Del Rio told Ricardo to show them. Grisham noted Ricardo looks like a server at Bennigan's. Nice.

1 -- PROS BATTLE ROYAL

Daniel Bryan quickly picked up Rodriguez and spun him around about 35 times while all of the Pros leaned back and watched. Bryan finally had enough and Truth slapped Ricardo over the top rope. Out goes Del Rio via Ricardo. Grisham and Josh Mathews debated their favorite as the other five Pros battled it out in the ring. Bryan and DiBiase resumed their Raw feud trying to eliminate each other before Masters and Truth helped Bryan work over DiBiase.

The first Pro eliminated was Bryan after Ziggler snuck up behind him and dumped him to the floor. Ziggler, getting revenge on those U.S. Title vs. IC Title match losses, told Bryan that felt real good. Suddenly, Truth went flying over the top rope when DiBiase pulled down the top rope. Ziggler rolled out of the ring momentarily, leaving Masters and DiBiase. Ziggler then snuck in the back door and eliminated both of them to pick up the win.

Post-match: Ziggler's Pro, Jacob Novak, stood up and applauded his Pro on the win. Ziggler smirked and took the mic before demanding a round of applause. Ziggler said he never liked Novak at all. "You're terrible. You don't have 'it.' You're not anything. You're a blazer from Express!" he said. Ziggler said he wants a winner. He called for Byron Saxton. Ziggler told him he just won the lottery. Novak started to march to the ring to complain to Ziggler, but Striker cut him off and said Novak gets to prove himself against Saxton tonight. So, Masters apparently gets Novak now.

WINNER: Ziggler at 3:50.

[Break]

2 -- JACOB NOVAK (1-1) (w/Chris Masters) vs. BYRON SAXTON (2-1) (w/Dolph Ziggler)

Masters and Ziggler assumed their positions on the ring apron to cheer on their new Rookies as Novak showed a little fire. "Why didn't you do that when I was with you?!" Ziggler asked Novak. Novak continued to dominate the match as the announcers asked whether this could be the final match for either one due to the elimination tonight. Novak continued to slow down the pace not particularly looking for a victory here. This was worse than Randy Orton's chinlock of doom.

Saxton eventually made a comeback and scored a nearfall. Novak then slowed down the pace again and scored with an impressive sidewalk slam for a nearfall. And back to the chinlock. Novak missed with an elbow drop and staggered to his feet where Saxton catapulted Novak into the corner. Saxton scored a one-arm facebuster before walking into a boot to the face and a clothesline from Novak. And Novak slowed the pace again. Novak wanted a suplex, but Saxton countered into sort of a reverse Stroke/Russian legsweep.

WINNER: Saxton (3-1) at 5:40. The frustrating thing about Novak is he'll look good for a few moves, then seem completely lost moments later. Saxton's finisher needs some polish, but he's a keeper.

Backstage: Johnny Curtis tried to explain to R-Truth that he was upset last week and he wanted to talk. Truth said Curtis has to learn how to work with different people. Curtis said them going after the tag titles will be like...like a two-man wolfpack traveling through the deserts of Arizona trying to survive. Truth shot him a look and they agreed it made no sense, but that's what's up.

[Break]

Raw Rebound: They rolled a great video package on the steel cage #1 contender match between Orton, Barrett, and Sheamus last night. They included some unique overhead and distant camera shots in the arena to enhance the presentation. The video stopped when Punk was shown taking the Nexus armband from Barrett, then Orton escaping through the cage to become #1 contender to the WWE Title.

Announcers: Grisham and Mathews talked about the "two major headlines" coming out of Raw: Orton going to the Rumble vs. Miz and Barrett out of Nexus.

Earlier today: Derrick Bateman was shown trying to force a man to submit before Daniel Bryan walked in. This is so Bryan Danielson and Colt Cabana. Bateman said he could lend Bryan some assistance on the Bella Twins situation. He suggested a double date. Bryan said it's a horrible idea. Bateman said he's buying. Bryan paused and said that's not the point, but it could be fun. Bateman said he's all about two things: chicks and...pause to whip out an American flag...America. Bateman stared off into space proud of himself.

Hallway: Ziggler and Saxton talked about their new Pro & Rookie partnership. Ziggler said he could use some more gold around his other bicep with the Tag Titles. Ziggler wanted to make sure Saxton understood his girlfriend, Vickie, is off limits. Saxton told him no worries. Saxton plugged tonight's Open Mic competition and said he thinks he'll go 2-0 tonight.

Up next: Battle of the Mic.

[Break]

In-ring: All six of the Rookies were in the ring and Striker noted Curtis is leading the Immunity Standings with five points. Bateman has three points. Novak and Saxton have one apiece. Striker said this contest is worth four points.

Curtis stepped up first to battle Brodus Clay on the mic. Brodus had 20 seconds. He said when he looks at him, he sees Curtis squealing like a pig last week when he threw him through a table. In response, Curtis said it's really funny when he punched him right in the mouth. Clay said that never happened. Curtis then popped Brodus in the mouth and the action nearly broke down before everyone was settled down. Curtis won the Mic Battle via fan vote and Clay was sent to the back.

Next were Bateman and Saxton. Bateman said Saxton single-handedly killed ECW with his commentary. He said he's like the love child of Carlton Banks and a shorter, uglier Carlton Banks. It saddens me a Carlton Banks reference went over the head of the audience. Saxton told Bateman that a Carlton Banks version of Byron Saxton is always better. Striker polled the audience and Bateman won. Bateman offered a handshake, but Saxton no-sold and left.

Next were Jacob Novak and Conor O'Brian. Novak made some "cut the cheese" jokes before O'Brian did some nose jokes. "That, my friend, takes the cheese," he said. Novak was booed. O'Brian was cheered. Novak is gone.

So, it's Curtis, Bateman, and O'Brian. Curtis was first to insult Bateman. He said he likes him, but he actually disses himself walking out with his haircut. He complemented Bateman on the "perm" before telling O'Brian he really likes rats. Crowd didn't buy Curtis's talk. Bateman was next. He said Curtis is one moustache away from being featured on "To Catch a Predator." Bateman said there is no cheese for O'Brian at the end of this. O'Brian was last and stepped up to Bateman to do some "Yo momma's so fat" jokes. Curtis took the "You're so stupid" jokes from O'Brian. Striker claimed it was entertaining. He polled the crowd, which actually went for O'Brian. O'Brian picks up four points. Curtis still retains the immunity points lead with five vs. O'Brian's four.

Still to come tonight: Curtis vs. Brodus Clay to follow up on Curtis slapping Clay.

Updated Immunity Standings:

Johnny Curtis: 5 points
Conor O'Brian: 4 points
Derrick Bateman: 3 points
Jacob Novak: 1 point
Byron Saxton: 1 point
Brodus Clay: 0 points

[Break]

3 -- BRODUS CLAY (1-1) (w/Ted DiBiase and Maryse) vs. JOHNNY CURTIS (1-2) (w/R-Truth)

Curtis backed up his punch during the Mic Contest by aggressively punching Brodus completely out of the ring. DiBiase, showing more intensity than he showed the last eight months on Raw, got in Clay's face and told him to get his head straight. Back in the ring, Clay smashed Curtis with a clothesline and dropped an elbow to begin working over Curtis. Clay then applied a nerve hold trying to work on Curtis's shoulder muscles. Curtis made a comeback with a dropkick to the knees before going up top for a missile dropkick resulting in a nearfall. Curtis took his eye off the ball trying to go after DiBiase, which gave Clay an opening for a Tongan death grip into a chokeslam for the pin and the win.

Post-match: DiBiase entered the ring to talk trash to Curtis before Striker entered the ring to ask Clay what motivates his aggression. Clay said he's tired of being pushed over, pushed aside, and being looked over. Clay cut an intense promo that he will go through all of these bums. DiBiase, still selling intensity, raised Clay's hand while Maryse paraded around the ring applauding her men.

WINNER: Clay (2-1) at 3:33. That's the kind of intensity and sense of urgency this show (and DiBiase's career) needed. Excellent from everyone involved. This entire show has been a vast improvement over last week's episode.

[Break]

Ringside: Striker lined up the six NXT Rookies for the elimination. Striker asked Curtis for his thoughts. He said he thinks that "big back of stink," Brodus Clay, should be eliminated tonight. Striker told Clay to tread carefully. Time to find out who's going home. Cue up the drumroll and the video game character selector. As expected...Jacob Novak is gone. Novak took the mic and said this is a crushing blow. He said this was supposed to change his own life. Ziggler interrupted on-stage and sold boredom with his former Rookie. Novak then marched off as Striker plugged the next elimination will happen in two weeks and the immunity points will be reset.

On-stage: Ziggler bragged in Masters's face that his new Rookie is gone. Ziggler saluted himself and said he's a genius. Masters snuck up behind Ziggler looking for the Masterlock, but Ziggler scampered away to the back. Ringside, the Rookies nearly came to blows when Clay and Curtis almost went at it again. Clay just stood his ground to prevent the situation from escalating.

The updated cast of Season Four of WWE NXT:

-- Rookie: Johnny Curtis. Pro: R-Truth.
-- Rookie: Byron Saxton Pro: Dolph Ziggler
-- Rookie: Brodus Clay. Pro: Ted DiBiase.
-- Rookie: Jacob Novak. Pro: Chris Masters
-- Rookie: Derrick Bateman. Pro: Daniel Bryan.
-- Rookie: Conor O'Brian. Pro: Alberto Del Rio.

We welcome your 0-10 score and comments on this show for an "NXT TV Reax" feature in the Torch Feedback section of PWTorch.com. To contribute your thoughts on NXT, email to pwtorch@gmail.com using our Feedback form.

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