WWE NXT Results
May 30, 2012
Taped 5/29 in Baton Rouge, La.
Report by Justin James, PWTorch contributor

Opening Thoughts: I have been completely demoralized by the last two weeks of NXT, so I'm hoping for something better than "Superstars with yellow ropes" (as a number of folks have been calling it) this week. Of note, WWE's website is pointing visitors to Hulu to view the episodes like they were a while back.

[Q1] No intro from Matt Striker, as Tyler Reks and Curt Hawkins head to the ring wearing "People Power" shirts. That screams "mid-card" to me. It looks like there is still no actual script for NXT. Oh well. Here come The Usos.

1 - THE USOS vs. CURT HAWKINS & TYLER REKS - tag match

William Regal points out that Reks's and Hawkins's new pink and black outfits make them look like they wish they were Harts. Jey makes Reks look foolish, so Reks consults with Hawkins. Reks responds with power. Jey regains control, and The Usos isolate Hawkins. Jey superkicks Hawkins, but Reks pulls Hawkins from the ring. Jey hits a splash onto the pair at ringside then Jimmy does the same.

[ Commercial Break ]

Jey is controlling Hawkins out of the break, and Reks has some blood on his face. Reks is finally able to get a tag and takes Jey down. Hawkins and Reks control Jey for a stretch. Jimmy finally gets a tag and shows fire. Jimmy gets distracted by Hawkins, though, allowing Reks to surprise him. Jey breaks up the tag, and Reks ties up Jimmy in the ropes, but Jey frees him. Hawkins gets involved and the ref is distracted by Jimmy trying to enter, too, allowing Hawkins and Reks to hit a new tag team finisher for the win.

WINNERS: Hawkins & Reks in 11:10. I pity the live audience that had to sit through what amounted to an 11-minute dark match between people they haven't seen on TV in a real role in years, with no build or anything. The match itself was fine, but I've seen these two teams go at it so many times on NXT, it's stale.

[ Commercial Break ]

[Q2] Thankfully, Maxine is on guest commentary, which points to the possibility of at least some plot or direction to this episode.

2 - TAMINA SNUKA vs. KAITLYN

They both try to use power against each other, but Kaitlyn fights out of a corner to take control. Kaitlyn uses her legs to control Snuka, but Snuka's strength keeps her in charge. Maxine gets comfortable on commentary and starts to rip into Kaitlyn. There's a brief exchange of chain wrestling. Kaitlyn with her leg full nelson hold, and Snuka taps.

WINNER: Kaitlyn in 5:00. The commentary was focused on re-igniting a feud between Kaitlyn and Maxine; I consider that a good sign.

[ Commercial Break ]

Raw Rebound.

Justin Gabriel has grown his hair into a near-mullet, and looks like a black-haired version of Keifer Sutherland's character in The Lost Boys. (That was after Pac-Man, but before The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.) Johnny Curtis may have the best entrance in WWE now that Goldust is gone. It simply shows his personality so very well.

3 - JUSTIN GABRIEL & PERCY WATSON & DERRICK BATEMAN vs. JTG & MICHAEL MCGILLICUTTY & JOHNNY CURTIS - six-man tag match

Watson and JTG start the match and go back-and-forth. Justin Gabriel comes in, and does not seem to be showing any ring rust. The action breaks down a bit, but the faces clear the heels from the ring to send it to break.

[ commercial break ]

McGillicutty is controlling Bateman out of the break. Bateman is isolated, until Bateman rolls out from a top-rope knee drop from Curtis. Watson gets the tag and delivers a beating on Curtis, but a ref distraction lets JTG to dump Watson outside then get a tag. JTG taunts Watson while keeping him from making a tag. Watson is isolated as the heel team continues to distract the referee.

Watson with a hip toss to draw a double tag out. Gabriel with quick kicks on JTG, and a big roundhouse sends JTG to the mat. Gabriel with a wild sit-out suplex slam, and the action falls apart. Bateman with a suicide dive to clear the outside, and Gabriel takes the win with a top-rope leaping tornado DDT of sorts.

WINNERS: Justin Gabriel, Percy Watson, and Derrick Bateman in 12:00. Good match. Everyone made good use of their minutes.

Final Reax: It really feels like the NXT Creative team is gone and the show is on autopilot, which is a major disappointment to me. No Tyson Kidd was an even bigger disappointment. I really hope that he's there at next week's taping here in Columbia, S.C.

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