Justin James, PWTorch Contributor

WWE NXT Alt. Perspective report
March 1, 2011 - Week 13
Cleveland, Ohio
Report by Justin James, PWTorch contributor

Pre-show thoughts: The last NXT show of a season is bound to be a mess due to lack of content. Combine the lack of contestants, a number of newsworthy events from Raw and Smackdown recently, and the Road the WrestleMania rolling along, and NXT will surely be filled with... well...filler. Brodus Clay should be winning this unless he's trapped in a locker somewhere and defaults.

Remaining Rookies (and Pros)
Brodus Clay (Ricardo Rodriguez)
Johnny Curtis (R-Truth)

[Q1] The show opens with a video package recapping the season, focusing on Johnny Curtis and Brodus Clay. Credits are rolling. With any luck, Jacob Novak will never appear on a TV screen again. (I spoke too soon.)

Matt Striker introduces the Pros. It looks like there's a full house on the stage. Daniel Bryan is selling Miz's attack from Raw. Maryse is introduced as a Pro. I've noticed that she's been on NXT without Ted DiBiase.

R-Truth introduces Johnny Curtis who gets a mild boo, even R-Truth can't get a pop for him. The crowd is into the "What's Up?" rap, though. Ricardo Rodriguez, who got more heat than R-Truth got a pop, introduces Brodus Clay.

In the ring, Striker reminds the remaining Rookies of the reward for winning, and lets them cut a promo as to why they should win. Johnny Curtis says Clay's been beating him up all season and he's going to get Clay back. He threatens to knock Clay's teeth down his throat. Clay just smiles at him evilly. Clay admits that he beat up Curtis and gives him respect for standing up to him, and says that they could be friends if he weren't in Clay's way. Clay gets massive cheap heat with a LeBron James references. Striker announces that they will wrestle immediately.

1 -- JOHNNY CURTIS (w/R-Truth) vs. BRODUS CLAY (w/Ricardo Rodriguez)

Clay chases Curtis out of the ring in under three seconds. Curtis fights Clay from the apron and forces him into the corner, then gets in the ring. Clay catches him off the ropes, but Curtis gets out. Clay tries the Death Grip but Curtis gets out. Curtis goes into the turnbuckle and kicks Clay as he charges. Curtis goes up top but Clay catches him with a big fist. This is a hot match.

[c - "The True Story of WrestleMania" DVD]

Back from break, Clay has Curtis in his nerve hold. Curtis fights out, but Clay demolishes him when he comes off the ropes. So far, this is a squash match. Clay calls for a stinkface, but Curtis dodges to a big pop. Curtis his a bunch of elbows, then dropkicks Clay's knee. Curtis goes to the top turnbuckle, but Clay meets him there and does a sort of armdrag, flinging Curtis across the ring, then hits a splash off the ropes for the pin.

Post-match: R-Truth gets in Clay's face as Rodriguez antagonizes. R-Truth takes his shirt off, ready for a rumble as Rodriguez announces the winner.

WINNER: Clay in 6:00. I will riot if Clay doesn't win. He looked so incredibly strong in the ring. Yes, it was a squash match, but Clay made it look great. He's a winner in the ring with nearly unmatched intensity. The guy practically sweats evil in the ring and bleeds charisma on the mic.

[Q2] Backstage, Derrick Bateman and Daniel Bryan discuss his elimination last week. Bryan reminds Bateman that he's getting punched in the face. Bryan punches him weakly and tells him to get ready for a tag match and psychs Bateman up.

[c - The Chaperone, WrestleMania]

They recapped Cena's rap from two weeks ago, followed by The Rock's response on Monday. Something noteworthy is that in the NXT live chat, WWE fans overwhelmingly expressed boredom with the replay of Rock's promo, calling it boring. Two weeks ago when they replayed his return, the live chat was very pro-Rock.

[Q3]

2 -- DERRICK BATEMAN & CONOR O'BRIAN vs. JACOB NOVAK & BYRON SAXTON -- "Rookie Reunion" tag team match

The match starts with Bateman beating up on Jacob Novak a bit, then tagging in O'Brian, who takes control, but Saxton gets him in the corner. Novak with a cheap shot and he eventually tags in. This match is quickly reminding me why these guys were sent home. Back and forth with O'Brian and Novak. Saxton tags back in and O'Brian finally gets to Bateman. Bateman is super aggressive, then Novak walks away from Saxton when Saxton wants a tag. Bateman hits more fast-paced offense and gets the pin with some sort of DDT.

WINNERS: Bateman & O'Brian in 5:00. Awful, awful match. Bateman was the only one showing that he belonged in a WWE match.

The Raw Rebound aired, focusing on the cage match between John Cena and Alex Riley. It's somewhat surprising not to see a recap of Triple H's promo, Shawn Michaels's video interview, or Jerry Lawler's interaction with Michael Cole.

Ah, never mind. They replayed the HBK package, too.

[c - Undertaker returning to Smackdown]

[Q4] It's amazing how much filler they can put onto NXT.

Todd Grisham mentions that NXT 5 will indeed start next week and will be "nothing like we've ever seen before." Uh-huh. Striker has the two Rookies in the ring. The dramatic drumroll and... Johnny Curtis wins. WHAT?

Brodus looks near-tears in the corner.

Curtis address Clay, and they shake hands. Curtis thanks everyone in a weak promo. Clay's promo focuses on how WWE fans took his dream away, so he promises to take their heroes away. He says, "I don't need a roster spot, just a parking lot." He stomps off and tells the cameraman to get out of his face. WWE's Corey Clayton in the NXT chat says, "Brodus and Sin Cara ...two free agents in HIGH demand. Ziggler, too!" No kidding.

Final Reax: Brodus Clay should have won this, but perhaps it's best that he didn't. Johnny Curtis is welcome to be stuck in mid-card with R-Truth chasing the tag titles, as Brodus Clay deserves a lot better than that. My hope is that he demolishes R-Truth and Johnny Curtis immediately (as in, "next week on Raw") and starts steamrolling the singles division. Also of note, Fink in the chat says, "Folks..a final comment... Johnny Curtis won tonight ... But you have not heard the last of Brodus Clay......Take it from me!" I get the feeling that Curtis was picked for storyline reasons more than anything else.

Brodus Clay made better use of his time on NXT than any Rookie other than Wade Barrett or Daniel Bryan. He got good heat despite having few in the audience know who he was, put on consistently good matches for a big man, and had amazing intensity both in and out of the ring. Johnny Curtis failed to show any kind of charisma, and the only thing to recommend him was one or two moves off the top rope, nothing special there. Kaitlyn in NXT 3 was a fan favorite, at least, but it's impossible to understand any good reason why Johnny Curtis won NXT 4.

It will be very interesting to see what NXT 5 will be, given that they are so tight-lipped about it. Perhaps an NXT reunion made up of past losers?

[Torch photo (c) PWTorch.com]

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