WWE NXT TV Results
June 28, 2011 - Season 5, Week 17
Taped in Phoenix, Ariz.
Aired on WWE's website
By James Caldwell, PWTorch assistant editor

The cast of Season Five of WWE NXT (Pros):

-- Darren Young (Chavo Guerrero)
-- Conor O'Brian (Kozlov)
-- Titus O'Neil (Hornswoggle)
-- Jacob Novak (JTG) - eliminated Week 11
-- Byron Saxton (Yoshi Tatsu) - eliminated Week 13
-- Lucky Cannon (Tyson Kidd) - eliminated Week 15

This week's WWE NXT episode opened with a video package recapping second chances quickly ending for returning NXT Rookies, with the latest cut coming tonight. Cue up Wild & Young leading to the NXT signature. Chavo Guerrero was still included in the graphics as Darren Young's Pro.

Arena: Live from Phoenix, Todd Grisham introduced elimination night. Grisham brought in William Regal, who beat around the bush on who should be cut tonight. He finally spilled it that Conor should be gone.

In-ring: Darren Young came out to the NXT theme music for an abrupt opening match. Young, angry, took the mic and noted Chavo Guerrero isn't here tonight...because Chavo quit on him because he couldn't take Young being a better "entertainer, athlete, and man" than he is. Young talked himself up and said there is only one Darren Young, "your NXT winner." Boos from the live crowd led to the NXT theme playing again. Out came Conor O'Brian to no reaction. Conor kept walking while trying to find his lines. Conor said once he's done with Young, there will be no more talk about any of Young's pre-NXT5 accomplishments. He vowed to destroy him. The crowd had no idea how to react. "What did any of that mean?" Regal asked after a long pause. So great.

1 -- DARREN YOUNG vs. CONOR O'BRIAN

The match quickly spilled to the floor in front of the announcers. Conor vowed to whip up Young before they re-entered the ring to resume a scrap. Regal tried to suggest Young was in a better position than his Pro, Chavo, because he's here and Chavo's gone. Grisham quipped back they should apparently forget the last 15 years for Chavo. Meanwhile, the scrap moved to the ring apron and a neckbreaker was executed that appeared to hurt both individuals. Both men sold as they cut to break.

[Break. Cage match moments in black & white. They're also coming out with a Best of WWE Magazine special edition.]

Back on NXT, Young was working over Conor, who kicked out of repeated pin attempts. Young had a cut lip that produced blood, which the camera focused on. Grisham noted Kozlov isn't here tonight because he's on the Australian Tour with the Raw brand. Young continued to wear down Conor, drawing boos when he played to the crowd.

The crowd tried a slow clap that inspired Conor to execute a back suplex into a catapult for a nearfall as he started a comeback. Conor then took Young's head off with a big boot and fired himself up. Conor followed with head butts in the corner, but Young came back with the Three Amigos suplexes. Young executed all three, then slapped his chest a la the Guerreros. Young followed with a top-rope frog splash and connected. One, two, three, and it was good for the win.

WINNER: Young at 8:40. There was no reason provided to the live crowd to cheer for Conor, so the crowd was quiet for most of this (other than a customary slow clap), but Young played his part well.

Announcers: Grisham plugged Yoshi vs. Kidd coming up: "Enough with these Rookies, how about the Pros?"

Backstage: Yoshi peacefully placed a cactus next to his Yoshi figure at his locker room shrine. Tyson Kidd then walked up and broke the Yoshi figure in-half. Yoshi snapped and pounded on Kidd until refs intervened. Yoshi cussed out Kidd as they faded to break.

[Break]

In-ring: Yoshi's music played back from break and Yoshi marched to the ring looking very determined. Kidd then came out selling an injured jaw after the scrap backstage. They cut to a close-up of Yoshi selling intensity as he watched Kidd stroll to the ring still selling his jaw. Regal then noted Kidd is missing the front of his hair. He said the story is Kidd was taught a lesson by Bret Hart and he shaved off his crown.

2 -- YOSHI TATSU vs. TYSON KIDD

The bell sounded and Yoshi tackled Kidd to pound on him again, which popped the crowd. Kidd rolled on top, but Yoshi knocked Kidd to the floor. Yoshi shouted down at Kidd to get back in the ring as the crowd chanted, "Yoshi, Yoshi." Yoshi then chased Kidd around the ring, then re-entered the ring and started chopping away on Kidd. Yoshi landed big kicks to the back and scored a nearfall, but lost control moments later. Kidd then slowed down Yoshi in the corner and began working him over. Kidd then knocked Yoshi to the outside and rammed him into the ring steps as they cut to break.

[Break]

Back from break, Kidd was working over Yoshi center-ring as Yoshi tried to rally behind a "Let's Go Yoshi" chant. Yoshi came back with a chop, then another chop, but Kidd cut him off with a blow to his "injured" left shoulder. Kidd continued to work over the shoulder as Regal provided solid commentary on the match strategy for both sides.

At 7:00, Yoshi fired back with combination kicks and slaps that put Kidd on the mat. The crowd got behind Yoshi, who followed with a rolling kick to the chest before selling he expended a lot of energy on the comeback. Yoshi then found a burst of energy for a roundhouse kick, but Kidd kicked out at two. Yoshi tried to follow with a top-rope move, but Kidd jumped to the top turnbuckle, only to be shoved down to the mat, but he crotched Yoshi out of desperation. Kidd then followed up top and snapped off a huracanrana for a close two count. The crowd popped, then rallied behind Yoshi, who came back with a lightning kick to the head moments later. Yoshi with the pin and the win. Big cheer for Yoshi as Regal said that's the type of competition he likes to see in WWE. "This is what we need more of here," he said. They went to a replay of the high points from the match before cutting to a shot of Yoshi bowing for the crowd.

WINNER: Yoshi at 9:21. Excellent "TV" match. Yoshi's intensity at the beginning of the match set a very good tone for this match, following all the way through to the finish. Yoshi could be a valuable part of one of the two main rosters if utilized after a nice run on NXT developing a new side to his character. (**1/2)

Up Next: Titus O'Neil goes one-on-one with JTG... Backstage: They cut to a shot of JTG talking to himself in a mirror. JTG then checked his teeth as Hornswoggle snuck up behind him in a trash can. JTG caught him trying to steal his jewelry, then Titus jumped in trying to defend Hornswoggle's honor. JTG told "Mr. Dog Man" to get it right on his jewelry and he'll see him in the ring.

[Break]

Ringside: Back from break, Maryse was shown coming to ringside for commentary on the next portion of the show. Grisham wanted to know why she was ringside as Hornswoggle's music played to bring out Titus and Swoggle. They cut to a video from NXT last week when Maryse turned down a Ring Pop from Swoggle. Back live, Maryse was quite pleased with her actions as Swoggle just hung his head. Grisham tried to get the dirt on Maryse's relationships and she noted she never dated Lucky Cannon or Yoshi Tatsu.

3 -- TITUS O'NEIL (w/Hornswoggle) vs. JTG

Maryse cut an early promo on Regal, who called her wicked last week. 35 seconds in, Swoggle walked over to the announce table to hand Maryse a note. "Do you like me? Yes or No?" Maryse made a note about not dating average size men, which Regal tried to pause on, but Maryse kept talking about not liking Swoggle. Maryse snapped a picture of Swoggle on her phone as Titus dominated the action in the ring. JTG then slipped out of the ring and bumped into Swoggle, who scampered up the ring steps and posed in JTG's face. Swoggle waved to Maryse as he posed, then Titus yanked JTG back into the ring.

Moments later, Titus hit the sky-high bomb for the win. No tension with Swoggle taking all of the attention away from Titus, who lifted up Swoggle in the air for a victory celebration. Maryse then took off her headset and tore up the note before throwing it in the air. Swoggle just shook his head and left the ring as Titus tried to console him. Regal said he would have laughed at this years ago, but he thinks it's sad. Swoggle and Titus eventually left. Elimination is up next.

WINNER: Titus at 3:23.

[Break]

Raw Rebound: They focused on Raw Roulette before rolling footage of the Tables match main event between Cena and R-Truth. After Cena got got thanks to Punk's interference, the video fed to portions of Punk's promo. They included old-school WWECW clips of Punk with the long hair when he first got to WWE. Regarding Cena kissing McMahon's ass, they included clips of Cena and McMahon in prior segments. The "video was cut off" after Punk was shown saying WWE might be better off with McMahon dead. Back to the announcers, Grisham said rumor has it McMahon will be on Raw this Monday to address Punk's comments.

Announcers: Striker and Maryse were shown ringside standing next to the three remaining Rookies. Striker recapped the Redemption Points deal before a review of the points showed O'Neil with 22, Young with 7, and O'Brian with 3. Striker then cued up the drumroll. And the eliminated Rookie is...Conor O'Brian. Finally.

Titus shook Conor's hand before Conor took the mic. Conor thanked everyone for voting for him before noting he couldn’t think of a better place to go out than right here in Phoenix. Conor addressed "Hunter" that all he's asking for is a chance to play the game. Conor thanked the crowd and walked off as Titus applauded him.

Back to Striker, who noted the winner of NXT5 earns a spot on NXT6 and gets to pick his own Pro. Striker said the winner won't be limited to just Titus and Young, though. Striker said they will be joined by this man...out came NXT4 favorite Derrick Bateman, who was flanked by his former Pro, Daniel Bryan. Quite the development. Bateman was more subdued than his high-energy persona last season. Young complained about this development while Titus confidently stood his ground. They signed off with a slow-mo shot of Conor seeing his name in lights as the next elimination.

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