WWE NXT TV Results
February 15, 2011 - Season 4, Week 11
Taped in San Diego, Calif.
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: Dolph Ziggler
-- Rookie: Brodus Clay. Pro: Alberto Del Rio. (changed 1/25)
-- Rookie: Jacob Novak. Pro: Chris Masters
-- Rookie: Derrick Bateman. Pro: Daniel Bryan.
-- Rookie: Conor O'Brian. Pro: Ted DiBiase.

This week's NXT episode opened with a standard video package and Todd Grisham reminding viewers the NXT season is down to three Rookies after last week's elimination.

In-ring: Matt Striker was in the ring with the remaining three Rookies, Brodus Clay, Derrick Bateman, and Johnny Curtis. Striker announced there will be an elimination next week. And in two weeks, the finale will determine the NXT winner. Tonight's first contest is a piñata smashing contest. The object is to draw money. Well, knock it out from the piñata and take it to his Pro.

Johnny Curtis was up first. He was blindfolded and 60 seconds was placed on the clock. R-Truth had to coach Curtis on this. Typical commentary: "Swing, no! Swing, no! Walk up!" Curtis removed his blindfold 35 seconds in. Confusion ensued. Curtis had no idea what was going on. Curtis reapplied the blindfold, but drew no money.

Up next was Brodus Clay to take a "swing for the fences," prompting a Tony Gwynn reference from Striker. An Adrian Gonzalez reference was booed. Clay took one swing and absolutely smashed the piñata. Ricardo Rodriguez encouraged him to collect all the money in Spanish. Clay dropped and did some push-ups since he had so much time to collect all of the money. Clay left the ring and handed it over to Ricardo. Maryse told Ricardo, "English, idiot!" Ziggler noted the irony of Maryse, the French-speaker, telling Ricardo "English, please."

Derick Bateman was up next. The first of many "Anchorman" references of the night here. Meanwhile, resident referee accountant Charles Robinson counted Clay's draw of $4,800. Bateman was DQ'ed within the first ten seconds for pulling down the piñata after a few swipes at it. So, Clay wins and gets two immunity points.

Announcers: Grisham and Mathews looked over a fake dollar bill that dropped from one of the piñatas. Still to come tonight: Brodus Clay vs. R-Truth. It's next.

[Break]

1 -- R-TRUTH (w/Johnny Curtis) vs. BRODUS CLAY (w/Ricardo Rodriguez)

Truth quickly sidestepped Clay, sending the Rookie flying to the outside. Truth then dropkicked Clay into Ricardo, drawing a reaction. Suddenly, there was some activity on the stage in the background. It appeared a fan tried to get involved? Back in the ring, Clay executed a suplex and the ref checked on Truth to ensure he was okay. Ricardo was recovered at this point and talking 1,000 MPH to the announcers. The crowd tried rallying behind Truth, who is in a #1 contender match to the WWE Title at the PPV this Sunday and couldn't put away Clay. Truth never made that comeback and Clay splashed Truth to score the pin for the win. Truth sold a shoulder injury as Clay celebrated.

WINNER: Clay at 2:48. An NXT Rookie just squashed technically a #1 contender to the WWE Title based on Truth's entry in the Chamber match. They should have put Truth's Chamber slot on the line here if they really want to make a new star out of Clay rather than lowering the prestige of the WWE Title. It's a good thing the announcers drew zero attention to Truth in the Chamber match on Sunday and no one watches this show.

Still to come tonight: Pro vs. Rookie with U.S. champion Daniel Bryan vs. Derrick Bateman.

[Break]

On-stage: Striker was on the stage with the Rookies and three referees. A bucket was hanging above a tub. They had an elaborate set here with a black tarp underneath the buckets, tubs, and stools. It's Save Yourself Trivia. Whichever Rookie answers the most questions saves himself from elimination next week. The categories are: '80s, '90s, Title History, WrestleMania, and Divas.

Clay asked for 80s for $300. Clay picked British Bulldog to correctly answer the first question. Next was 80s for $200. Curtis scored this one guessing the year Smackdown debuted in 1999. Clay noted it was supposed to be an '80s question. Confusion ensued. No one scored the next question.

Next was '90s for $300. Pause. Technical malfunction. Bateman threw out a random Yokozuna answer for a Backlund answer. Divas for $300 was next. Sunny was a correct answer for Bateman. Next was title history. No correct answer. Bateman went for WrestleMania history next. Clay scored the first WrestleMania match ever and that was good for the most points in the contest. Clay wins more immunity points and he has saved himself next week.

The officials then dumped the buckets on Bateman and Curtis, sliming them while someone kept blasted his buzz-in horn. Clay has five points, officially. Bateman started shaking and convulsing to sell having the green goo on him. Bateman and Curtis then hugged it out while Grisham plugged the elimination next week and voting on WWE's website starting Wednesday.

[Break]

Announcers: Grisham said they are in one of America's finest cities and they had one of the finest moments ever on Raw last night. Cue up real-time footage of The Rock's return. They went straight to the footage starting with the dramatic teased intro with the lights going out, then flashing, then If You Smell...

They aired an edited-down version in real-time that clocked in at nine minutes. The focus of the edited version was on Johnson explaining why he returned - not for the money, not to promote a movie, but because of the fans. Then, Rock explaining why he wanted to host WrestleMania. Next was his promo on The Miz, then Rock cutting off the GM's interruption and cutting a promo on pouty-face Cole, then Rock saying he needs to see John Cena face-to-face at WrestleMania before cutting a promo on Cena, then his sign-off vowing to electrify WrestleMania. ... Announcers: Back to Grisham and Mathews, who plugged Rock's Facebook and Twitter pages.

In-ring: U.S. champion Daniel Bryan came to the ring for the main event as Grisham asked Mathews to describe the atmosphere in the building for The Rock last night. Bryan held up his U.S. Title belt for the camera before they cut to break.

[Break - They rolled a video package on Jerry Lawler through the years before asking the question of whether Lawler will finally win the WWE Title at the Chamber PPV. This video was missing from Monday's Raw.]

2 -- U.S. champion DANIEL BRYAN vs. DERRICK BATEMAN -- non-title match

Back from break, Bateman was in the ring still looking a bit slimy from being dumped on during the trivia segment. Bryan and Bateman shook hands before locking up. Ziggler mumbled, "This isn't ROH, you don't need to shake hands." He paused. "Or is it?" Bryan and Bateman felt each other out in the ring while the Pros cracked jokes from the stage. One reference was a joke about the Chargers. Grisham was apparently instructed to explain to the audience who the San Diego Chargers are. Bateman then whipped Bryan through the ropes and the Pro collapsed to the ground. Bateman followed up on the outside selling intensity as the referee told him to get it back in the ring. Cut to break.

[Break - the third 2/21/21 video from last night's Raw aired. The bottom of "Undertaker's" face sure looks like Shawn Michaels's. Two shadows in the window, as well. Nice little twist.]

Back from break, Bryan was blasting Bateman with trademark kicks and strikes. Bateman shouted, "I learned my lesson." Bryan let up a bit and Bateman mounted some offense before Bryan knocked him down with a back elbow smash. Bryan then went up top and went for a flying splash, but Bateman moved when Bryan took too long. Bateman then blasted Bryan with a clothesline for a nearfall. Bryan tried to come back with a sunset flip, but Bateman trapped Bryan's shoulders for a nearfall. Bateman then showed off a big lift-up powerbomb after countering the LeBell Lock for a nearfall that popped the crowd.

Bateman tried to follow up with a kick strike, but Bryan blocked. He then slowly approached Bateman, who tried to catch him off-guard with the LeBell Lock. Bateman couldn't apply it, though, and Bryan countered his own finisher with the LeBell Lock. The announcers noted if anyone knows the counter to the LeBell Lock, it's Bryan. Bryan locked in his finishing hold, stretching Bateman, who tapped out after a few moments. Bryan gets the win.

Post-match: They cut to a shot of Maryse, Ricardo, and Ziggler on-stage selling some interest in the proceedings. Bryan got up and flexed his shoulder to show he was impressed with Bateman's submission work even if he was able to counter it. Bryan then applauded Bateman and raised his arm for the crowd as the announcers concluded the show with a final plug for NXT voting on WWE's website tomorrow.

WINNER: Bryan via submission at 8:50. Nice match. Bateman sold intensity - more so than he has throughout this season - and Bryan found himself in another solid outing winning over a quiet crowd by match end. They're certainly building to a Clay vs. Bateman finale in two weeks.

Immunity Standings:
Clay - 5 points
Bateman - 0 points
Curtis - 0 points

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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