WWE NXT Report
November 16, 2011
Taped 11/15 in Bridgeport, Conn.
Report by Justin James, PWTorch contributor

The big question on my mind coming into week 37 of "NXT: Redemption" is if Derrick Bateman is turning face or not with Maxine paying some attention to Johnny Curtis. I think Bateman works better as a Zack Ryder-like face than in his current heel role. And, of course, I'd like to see this season wrap up.

NXT Rookies:
Derrick Bateman
Titus O'Neil
Darren Young (returned from suspension)

Regular NXT cast:
Matt Striker ("host," unofficial booker, and occasional wrestler)
William Regal (announcer and occasional wrestler)
Jack Korpela (announcer)
Josh Mathews (occasional announcer)
Tyson Kidd
Yohsi Tatsu
The Usos
Curt Hawkins and Tyler Reks
JTG
Percy Watson
Maxine (Bateman's fiance)
A.J.
Kaitlyn

[Q1] Percy Watson starts the show off with Titus O'Neil and the old MVP Lounge. Also, Josh Matthews at the announce desk. They attempt to get the crowd hyped up. O'Neil mentions that the season is insanely long, and says that the fact that he's still here is motivating him to stick through with it. He says that he's motivated by the desire to do the right thing. Out comes Tyler Reks and Curt Hawkins to interrupt. Reks says that he's back from his three-week suspension for invading NXT (why would he not just be kicked off the show?), says that Titus hasn't done anything to deserve to be here, and cuts on Titus's football history. Hawkins says that Titus is a "Tin Man" with no heart. Reks says that they are embarrassed that a guy like Titus wants to be on the roster with them

Titus fires back with possibly the best promo he's ever delivered, and then Derrick Bateman, sans Maxine, interrupts. Here's where Teddy Long books a tag match. Bateman says that it's time to celebrate his upcoming wedding, but Percy makes a fish comment and asks if Maxine is with "Dirty Curty" right now. Bateman says that they had one date that went nowhere, "just like Curtis's Smackdown career." Ouch. He then says he's sick of the fish comments. Percy makes another comment and Bateman goes at it, backed by Reks and Hawkins.

Matt Striker comes out to book Reks against Titus O'Neil for the main event and Bateman vs. Percy Watson to start off. Bateman goes nuts and tears up the MVP Lounge.

[ c - WWEShop.com ]

1 - PERCY WATSON vs. DERRICK BATEMAN

Titus O'Neil is on guest commentary. Basic back-and-forth and Percy shows off his dropkick skills. On commentary, Titus is given a chance to fill in his personality a bit. Percy dumps Bateman to the outside and Watson goes outside to roll him in. Bateman gets in some offense when Watson tries to come back in, including a sort of running neckbreaker from the side, which looks neat. Derrick takes a moment to taunt Titus, letting Percy to take advantage, including a Showtime Splash for two. Titus asks Regal multiple times to mentor him and Percy eventually hits his Percy-cution finisher for the ring.

WINNER: Percy Watson in 7:00. This match just didn't do it for me. There was nothing really wrong with it; it just felt like it never got out of second gear.

Backstage, Johnny Curtis approaches Maxines. She questions his sudden niceness, and he says that he just wants things to not be awkward like they used to be. He leans in close and touches her face like he's going to kiss him and she plucks his hand off her face. She says that she invented playing seductive mind games and they aren't going to work on her. Curtis tells her that Bateman lost his match and insinuates that their wedding plans are going badly, too. Maxine leans in close and opens his shirt and tells him that she appreciates his offer of help, then tells him that she doesn't need it and slaps him, and storms off. Curtis says that he loves it when "they play hard to get."

[ c - Survivor Series ]

[Q2] Yoshi Tatsu's music hits and he walks out in his Dark Yoshi garb to face JTG who comes out with Tamina.

2 - YOSHI TATSU vs. JTG

Tatsu with early control but JTG turns it around when Yoshi comes back into the ring. Basic JTG offense, as Regal praises JTG for his progress and says that Tatsu has always been very good. Tatsu makes a comeback and picks the pace up. Tatsu whiffs a roundhouse thanks to a distraction by Tamina, letting JTG throw him into a turnbuckle and roll him up for the win.

WINNER: JTG in 5:00. Awful match. No mistakes, just slow and poorly paced, with no reason to invest in the action.

[ c - "The Reunion" DVD ad ]

Raw Rebound, with a full replay of the final segment of Raw.

[Q3] Backstage, JTG and Tamina see The Usos and she tells them to not hassle them. Bateman asks them where Curtis and Maxine are, and Curtis says that he just got done talking to her and that she is into him and got a little touchy-feely. Maxine shows up and Bateman tells her that he was defending her honor against the two-month old joke. She says that she was backstage planning the wedding. Bateman asks how hard that could have been, and says she was getting intimate with Curtis. He prepares to get slapped but she holds back and screams and stomps off. Curtis offers to let Bateman confide in him, and tells Bateman that if he wants to talk, Maxine has his number. Bateman makes a desperate phone call to Teddy Long. Hopefully this means an immediate call up to the main roster for him.

[ c - WWE 12 video game ad ]

Titus O'Neil comes out to new music which sounds like a back imitation of Soulja Boy's "Crank Dat," talk about dated.

3 - TITUS O'NEIL (w/Percy Watson) vs. TYLER REKS (w/Curt Hawkins)

A pair of lock-ups yields neither man an advantage until Reks cheap shots Titus. Titus makes a comeback and shows a bit more aggression than usual. More back-and-forth and O'Neil sends Reks over the rope to the outside. Reks ambushes O'Neil on the way in, and when the ref is distracted, Hawkins his O'Neil with the cane, but forgets about Watson who takes him down with a big right. Hawkins whacks Watson with the cane, and the ref kicks them both to the back.

[ c - Survivor Series ad previewing Mark Henry-Big Show ]

Reks in control back from break. Regal says WWE referees are really on the ball, which is pretty funny since the ref that Regal is praising missed O'Neil getting hit with a cane at ringside. Titus keeps trying to bounce back and Reks keeps cutting him off. Titus finally gets some traction. Reks goes to the second turnbuckle for an axe handle, but Titus clumsily turns it into the Clash of the Titus finisher for the win.

Post-match, Darren Young ambushes Titus O'Neil and hits his finisher and demands a mic. He tells Titus, "You talk about redemption? How about retribution?" Poor Darren Young has to walk out to Reks's music.

WINNER: Titus O'Neil in 10:00. Another slow match. Oddly enough, it started out strong but it seems like they ran out of ideas and put on a house show match after a few minutes.

Final Reax: Other than the backstage segments and Regal's commentary, there was nothing interesting about this show. Johnny Curtis is shining in his new role and Bateman plays the jealous, frustrated boyfriend very well.

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