WWE NXT Alt. Perspective report
January 18, 2011
Taped in Tulsa, Okla.
Report by Justin James, PWTorch contributor

[Q1]

The show opened with a video package on Conor O'Brian, rehashing Ricardo Rodriguez calling for help to deal with him, and the double date between Bateman, Bryan, and the Bellas, as well as their backstage segment from Monday night's Raw. Next, the video rehashed the last NXT elimination (Jacob Novak), and the rocky relationship between Brodus Clay and Ted DiBiase. It wrapped up with a focus on Clay being a dominant physical force. I noticed that in the updated credits, Novak is with Chris Masters.

Reax: The package was effective to set up the characters still on the show and the dynamics between them all.

After the credits, Matt Striker introduces the Rookies and their Pros from in the ring. Grisham calls Saxton his personal favorite, and Josh Matthews declares Bateman the "coolest" of the rookies. Striker repeats the details of tonight's elimination and the "prize." Bateman has four immunity points. The challenge is "how well do you know your pro?" for another four immunity points. We saw this in NXT 3.

Round 1 - First question: "When I first saw my rookie, I thought he was..."

- Johnny Curtis guesses "impressive," R-Truth had "cool."

- Byron Saxton answers "tan," Ziggler says "Carleton from Fresh Prince of Bel Air."

- Derrick Bateman says "the great city of Tulsa, Oklahoma," and somehow Daniel Bryan had the same answer. Point for Bateman.

- Conor O'Brian: "he thought I looked strange," Alberto Del Rio says "a rat." No point.

- Brodus Clay answers, "large." "Out of shape" is DiBiase's answer.

Bateman with one point, everyone else with none.

Round 2 - The question is: "If your rookie had to pursue one career outside of sports entertainment, what career would it be?"

- Byron Saxton: "singer," Ziggler says "Lifetime network news anchor." That's actually kind of funny.

-Derrick Bateman: "the next Steve Blackman," Daniel Bryan: "Steve Blackman." Wow, this is so rigged.

- Conor O'Brian answers with "working in a circus." Del Rio says "My Employ" [sic]

- Brodus Clay answers "bodyguard" and DiBiase agrees.

- Johnny Curtis says "NXT commentator," R-Truth says "dancing or acting."

Bateman 2, Clay 1

Final question: "In your opinion what is the great area of improvement for your rookie if they want to me the next breakout star?"

Maryse is texting and ignoring everything, reminiscent of Michael Cole "falling asleep" last season.

- Clay says "listening," DiBiase says the same.

- O'Brian also answers with "listening," Del Rio: "looks."

- Bateman comes up with "chicks and America," Bryan has the same answer. Striker and Ziggler suspect that it's rigged.

- Saxton is patronizing with "to be more like Dolph Ziggler." Ziggler says, "more dream journal entries and be more tan."

- Curtis: "getting noticed," R-Truth: "confidence."

Bateman: 3, Clay, 2

Derrick Bateman wins another four immunity points for a total of eight, no one else has any. Josh Matthews says, "it's almost like we make this stuff up as we go." Yeah, no kidding.

Reax: This season is quickly reaching NXT 3 territory where everyone wink-wink acknowledges that the whole this is rigged. That's not healthy, in my opinion. This was an awful segment, and the only people who got over were Daniel Bryan and Derrick Bateman making cutesy kayfabe references.

[Q2] [c] - Royal Rumble ad, WWE Magazine ad.

In the ring is Byron Saxton. Chris Masters comes out to face him. Inset video of "earlier tonight" where Byron Saxton acts like Masters taught him everything he (Masters) knows. Masters says he's got something to teach him tonight.

1 -- CHRIS MASTERS vs. BYRON SAXTON

The match opens with the two jawing at each other. Quick lockup, Masters takes over with a side headlock followed by a shoulder tackle, hip toss, and powerslam. Saxton slaps Masters, who slaps him back out of the ring. Saxton ducks out of the ring, and then takes Masters down when he chases. Saxton with some sort of running jawbreaker and goes to a chinlock.

Masters tries to battle out while Saxton stays in control. Ziggler trash talks from the apron while Saxton settles into a chinlock. Yawn. Masters powers out and hits a Samoan Drop. They trade blows and Masters gets the upper hand, including a spinebuster for a two count. Saxton catches a charges Masters with a boot in the corner and hits a top rope clothesline then mounts Masters. Saxton takes it to Masters in the corner. Masters dodges a charging Saxton and gets the Masterlock on, and the ref calls it a day.

WINNER: Masters. Saxton has some promise, but he needs to make the moves he uses look a lot less like rest holds. Saxton wasn't hurt in the loss - he held his own against an established mid-carder. He has some decent charisma out of the ring, but his character is one-dimensional.

Backstage: Clay whines to DiBiase about how he lost another challenge, and then they get into an argument over recent history. Ted tries to establish his dominance and argues that Clay needs to listen. Maryse is texting the whole time. Clay leaves, verbally agreeing in a tone that shows rebellion.

Reax: I'm really waiting for Clay to breakout by knocking DiBiase silly. After all, everyone else in WWE has beaten him. Clay is truly a star in the making with a dominating presence both in and out of the ring.

[c] - HBK Hall of Fame ad, plugs for the Rumble theme and Rumble-themed toys.

In the ring are DiBiase and Clay, and out come Bateman and Bryan. Yes, Maryse is STILL texting from ringside. Todd Grisham says that neither Bryan nor Bateman have won a match on NXT.

2 -- TED DIBIASE & BRODUS CLAY vs. DERRICK BATEMAN & DANIEL BRYAN

DiBiase and Bateman to start. Powerslam by DiBiase to start, Bateman hits a dropkick then tags Bryan in. Double team with Bryan hitting a dropkick of his own off the ropes. DiBiase with a clothesline and punches to the head, tags in Clay. Clay lands a Big Show like punch that knows Bryan to the floor, powerslam, and a huge elbow drop for two. Clay is so impressive combining speed and power while selling unbridled rage. He picks Bryan up, tags in DiBiase and slams Bryan to the mat. DiBiase gets a two count, tags in Clay again.

Good double team as DiBiase whips Bryan into the turnbuckle, Clays splashes him hard, then settles into the Umaga nerve hold. Ziggler starts talking from the stage on the mic. Bryan gets out, Clay catches one of his kick strikes, and turns in into a suplex. Sweet counter. Clay then clears Bateman from the apron, and goes for his finisher but DiBiase tags in. Clay gets mad at this and drops Bryan on the mat.

DiBiase goes for Dream Street, Bryan counters into a throw, and tags in Bateman. Bateman takes DiBiase down, then his a running dropkick in the corner, then a clothesline for 2. DiBiase gets up and decides to argue with Clay, who drops off the apron. While they argue as Clay walks away, Bateman schoolboys DiBiase for the win. Maryse chuckles to herself, and gives DiBiase dirty looks as she walks out on her own. Bateman gets his first win.

WINNERS: Bateman & Bryan. Ted DiBiase's freefall continues unchecked. Clay showed insane in-ring charisma, it really looked like he was going to rip someone apart, and he worked really well with Daniel Bryan, trading size for speed, and doing some good counters to keep it exciting. Brodus Clay is, by far, the best in-ring wrestler on NXT 4. He has the same billing as Husky Harris, but is bigger, more aggressive, and has oodles more charisma. Unlike other performers his size, he doesn't seem to get winded or look tired. I'm very high on Brodus Clay.

[c] - Ad for the 50 top superstars DVD

[Q3] Backstage, Conor O'Brian finds a trail of cheese on the ground, and starts eating it. It leads to another room. He keeps picking it up and opens the door, where Ricardo Rodriguez sprays him with rat poison. They tussle, and Alberto Del Rio breaks it up. He's mad at both of them for making him look bad, then books them for an in-ring match.

Reax: Why is so much airtime being spent on Ricardo Rodriguez in general, not to mention in the ring comedy segments? While I think he's one of the best parts of Del Rio's gimmick, I don't think he needs to become an on-air personality beyond assisting Del Rio to cheat in matches.

Raw Rebound. The video made the Cena-Punk match look better than I thought it was on Raw. I'm convinced Mason Ryan uses Synthol (a/k/a "Pump 'n Pose") on his shoulders, as they look unnatural.

Backstage, Johnny Curtis and R-Truth talk. Curtis is worried about the elimination, so R-Truth pumps him up a bit. Curtis starts dancing and looks ridiculous. They close with a hug.

[c] - Bobby Heenan DVD ad, Smackdown vs. Raw 2011 ad.

Conor O'Brian comes out to Del Rio's theme, making some tortured faces. Oh, he's trying to sell the rat poison to the face. Next is Rodriguez in a bathrobe, soccer socks, and sneakers. He trips on his way in, gets the microphone, and starts yelling out at the crowd. He then introduces himself, which is actually hilarious. He takes off the robe to reveal William Regal sized trunks.

3 -- RICARDO RODRIGUEZ vs. CONOR O'BRIAN

Ricardo tries to go after O'Brian, who takes him down. He leaves the ring where O'Brien dominates him and rolls him in. He begs for mercy, O'Brian kicks him in the face, and stomps him while Del Rio watches backstage. Rodriguez dodges an elbow drop, then unleashes with punches, only to be taken down with a boot to the face.

O'Brian takes off the turnbuckle cover, gets Rodriguez in the corner, and charges. Rodriguez dodges, O'Brian eats steel and gets knocked out. Rodriguez does the ugliest splash in history and gets the pin, and celebrates like you wouldn't believe. He then falls off the ropes trying to get on the turnbuckle to celebrate.

Reax: O'Brian has to be gone after tonight. They just had him lose clean to a "personal announcer" even after trying to cheat.

[Q4] [c] Spotlight on the Miz from last night's Raw. Nice package making Miz look like a credible threat, including the phrase, "Can Randy Orton overcome the Miz?" Next, a spotlight on Ziggler and the World Heavyweight Title match.

Matthews hypes the elimination, with the Rookies in the traditional ringside position. Strikers hypes that Bateman has immunity, and asks Bateman who's going. Bateman says it's Saxton, "the man with the most punchable face in all of WWE."

After a drumroll...Conor O'Brian is gone, and Matthews points out that he lost to Ricardo Rodriguez. As O'Brian tries to give the traditional "NXT Rookie Departure" speech, Rodriguez comes out and announces that O'Brian is gone. O'Brian chases Rodriguez out, then comes back to the ring. He gets the mic and tells the audience they suck. He then goes under the ring for some reason.

Reax: The elimination was certainly telegraphed by Ricardo Rodriguez beating him. This is an uncomfortable trend in NXT 4 - the Rookies looking awful on the way out. It hurts (albeit, very little giving the viewership levels) the chance of bringing them back down the road.

Overall, I thought it was an awful show, but at least they tried a few times to show the Pros working with their Rookies. The people in this season who who end up in WWE full-time are Brodus Clay and Derrick Bateman. Personally, I like Clay by a mile, but Bateman has a goofy, comedy personality. No mention was made of when the next elimination will be (or I missed it), but if I had a guess, I'd be sending Byron Saxton or Johnny Curtis home next.

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