WWE NXT Results
February 22, 2012
Taped 2/21 in Rockford, Ill.
Report by Justin James, PWTorch contributor

Well, folks, I've finally jumped on the Twitter wagon (@justin_m_james), and thanks to my investigative journalism, I have learned that Derrick Bateman primarily gets his oddball shirts from thrift stores. In other NXT news, the Funkasaurus is still MIA from TV, as it seems like Vince McMahon is disappointed with his in-ring work. Wouldn't it makes sense to make that call before pouring a pile of time into him? Or, before throwing Drew McIntyre to Clay in a PPV throwaway match? I am looking forward to seeing more development of the Johnny Curtis, Kaitlyn, Maxine, and Derrick Bateman situation. I'd also like to see Kaitlyn and Maxine get last names, now that Tamina has one. It feels rather disrespectful that they don't get to have last names. I also hope to see more of William Regal, of course.

[Q1] Matt Striker is in the ring to start things off, to address something, but Tyler Reks and Curt Hawkins immediately interrupt. Hawkins has his "Change" shirt again. They get on Striker's case for the way he runs the show and seem to threaten him. Tyson Kidd's music hits, and goodness, he has a microphone. He demands they apologize for wasting the audience's time. They essentially question his face turn. Kidd admits that WWE has a lot of untapped talent, but he says that the audience wants to see high-flying offense, not Reks and Hawkins. Kidd reminds them that he beat Curt Hawkins and challenges Tyler Reks. Striker makes it official and calls a ref into the ring.

1 - TYSON KIDD vs. TYLER REKS

Quick schoolboy gets one for Kidd and Regal strongly talks up Kidd from the booth. Kidd controls Reks, but Reks punches out. Reks with strong power offense and then mat control. Interesting to see Reks dominating Kidd with holds. Kidd with a springboard arm drag to escape the wristlock. Reks rolls outside and Hawkins menaces Kidd, so the ref ejects Hawkins. Hawkins objects, so Kidd takes them both down with a dive.

False commercial break and Kidd is getting dumped over Reks's head into a turnbuckle. Reks with knee lifts and he dumps Kidd onto the ropes. Reks with a reverse chicken wing and more knee lifts. Reks looks cocky tonight, but a knee drop is only good for two. Kidd finally uses speed and smarts to gain control, and manages to back body drop Reks from the apron to ringside, then lands a knee from the apron to take Reks down. Reks back in the ring and a springboard missile dropkick from Kidd gets a nearfall.

Reks makes a comeback and lands a fallaway slam for a nearfall of his own. Reks goes to the second rope, but Kidd dropkicks his jaw. Kidd meets him up top looking for a superplex. Reks punches him, so Kidd drops to the apron and lands a big leaping enziguri. Kidd comes up the rope but Reks grabs him in a fireman carry, leaps off the turnbuckle and drops Kidd on the turnbuckle in one fluid motion. Reks rolls Kidd into the ring and covers for two.

Reks gets frustrated and lands a series of leg drops, but on the last one, Kidd grabs the leg and transitions into the Sharpshooter. Reks struggles for a bit and eventually taps like mad. The audience cheers big for Kidd and Regal favorably compares Kidd to Bret Hart.

WINNER: Tyson Kidd via submission in 10:00. Good match! Tyler Reks did a great job keeping up with the technical work of Kidd, and Kidd is sliding into the face role quite nicely. Good match all around with a number of well-done sequences. I would not mind seeing more of this.

Backstage, Maxine is berating Derrick Bateman for saying that she freaked out last week. He asks if she's seen the court-mandated therapist. Maxine says she's going to talk to Striker about getting off the sinking NXT ship, and says that he's free to hang around to play with Kaitlyn. She storms off. Bateman sees Kaitlyn and says that it's not going well with Maxine. He says he wants to win the Intercontinental Title. He also says that he isn't here for drama, as he just wants to have fun. They have an awkward moment reaffirming that they are "just friends." Bateman leaves and Johnny Curtis appears from the background saying that Bateman and Kaitlyn are "up in a tree, C-H-E-A-T-I-N-G." Kaitlyn punches him in the gut and stomps off.

[Q2] Matt Striker is playing guitar in his office and Kaitlyn comes to talk to him. She tells him that he's doing a great job, and asks for a re-match with Maxine. Maxine bursts in and demands that Striker get her off NXT. The two women jaw at each other. Striker books Kaitlyn vs. Maxine for next week and tells Maxine that being respectful is a good way to get what she wants. Maxine calls Striker a joke and leaves, but Kaitlyn strokes his ego a bit more. Striker looks harried.

Raw Rebound, looking at the Eve-Ryder-Cena situation. My entire family was laughing at Cena's promo, and not in a good way. It was totally contrived and I hate to hear a role model like John Cena talking to a woman like this, and doing the "winking to the camera" bit like it's all a big joke.

Backstage, Tyson Kidd is wishing someone on the phone (Trent Baretta) a speedy recovery and saying that the tag team opportunity is waiting when he gets better. Mike McGillicutty busts in and complains that he drove through a storm to get to the show and doesn't even have a match. He's also upset about losing his match last week. Kidd tells him to relax, but McGillicutty says that he never liked Kidd because Kidd hung around WWE, but wasn't a kid of a wrestler, it's not in his blood. Kidd challenges McGillicutty to a match next week. This may have been one of McGillicutty's best segments ever in terms of believability, gives his character a bit of meat, and helps bring him closer to wearing the Hennig name like he rightfully should.

[Q3] Josh Matthews intros Darren Young as the guest commentator for the next match.

2 - ALEX RILEY vs. TITUS O'NEIL

O'Neil immediately knocks Riley down and mock cheers for him. More power and mocking from O'Neil, but Riley sends O'Neil to the outside. Regal says that O'Neil's charity work is annoying, and that Riley is taking his mother to the Hall of Fame. Riley with a big clothesline, but O'Neil sends Riley to the outside. Young looks like he wants to get involved, but Percy Watson comes down to cheer on Riley from the outside.

[ c - Raw hype, The Rock will respond to Cena ]

Out of the break, Riley is stuck on the ground. O'Neil continues to dominate Riley, and gets frustrated with the ref for two counts. Riley with a STO to get some space. Regal tells Watson to get more aggressive. Riley with a huge spinebuster for a nearfall. Riley mounts O'Neil in the corner for ten punches, but O'Neil powerbombs on number nine, and covers with feet on the ropes for the pin. Watson complains to the ref, but it's too late.

WINNER: Titus O'Neil in 7:00. This match felt longer than it was. I know that both O'Neil and Riley can deliver in the ring, so I am really not sure why it lacked excitement.

Post-match, Striker gets on the 'Tron and says that at next week's one-year anniversary show, he will have a huge announcement that concerns everyone in the locker room and that it is "no joke" (referring back to Hawkins calling him a "joke").

Final Reax: NXT is often my favorite WWE show, and while this week's episode wasn't so hot, it still blew the Cena misogyny show and the AARP advertisement (Triple H-Undertaker) away. Johnny Curtis heels more in 30 seconds than anyone in the Raw locker room does in a whole show. (Does Raw even have any "heels" on the roster right now, now that Kane is MIA?) I am looking forward to the Kaitlyn-Maxine match next week, too, and who doesn't want to see Tyson Kidd get more ring time?

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