WWE NXT Results
June 27, 2012
Taped at Full Sail University
Report by Justin James, PWTorch contributor

[Q1] Jim Ross introduces Byron Saxton in the booth with him, and Seth Rollins comes out with a high-energy entrance. His opponent is Jiro, already in the ring.

1 - SETH ROLLINS vs. JIRO

Rollins, the former Tyler Black, has speed and technique to dominate Jiro. He wins rather quickly with the "Blackout," which is one-leg foot stomp to the spine of the opponent bending over (like a K2 leg drop).

WINNER: Seth Rollins in 2:00. Rollins has a ton of energy and speed. It's as if C.M. Punk and Tyson Kidd had a baby.

Rollins does an interview at the top of the ramp and says that he's changing the world one heart at a time. Jinder Mahal's music hits and he just walks past Rollins to head to the ring. He'll be facing Jason Jordan, the man who Damien Sandow refused to face last week.

Mahal cuts a typical Mahal promo, and Jason Jordan comes out to the ring.

2 - JASON JORDAN vs. JINDER MAHAL

Mahal quickly dominates with knees to the gut against the ropes. Mahal dominates Jordan for a few minutes. Jordan dodges a kneedrop and starts an offensive flurry, but Mahal counters a dropkick and goes back to the attack. Running high knee and he slaps on the Camel Clutch for the submission win.

WINNER: Jinder Mahal via submission in 3:00. Mahal was fine, as always, but I don't know what it does for him to basically be kicked back to FCW with no change in character, gimmick, or match formula. He's refining and polishing a failed approach.

Video Package on Leo Kruger. He's from South Africa and has kind of a Tarzan gimmick. The video clips show a hard-hitting, tenacious approach, like he's the honey badger of wrestling.

Raw 1,000 Memorable Moments package: Dolph Ziggler praises the first-ever episode of Raw.

Leo Kruger comes out to some music that sounds like a head of state is being presented. He is facing Aiden English.

3 - AIDEN ENGLISH vs. LEO KRUGER

[Q2] Kruger swats away dropkick attempts and launches a quick mugging on the mat. He wraps himself around English and latches on with a sleeper and English taps quick.

WINNER: Leo Kruger via submission in 1:30. Kruger has a unique, intriguing in-ring style where he stays close to his opponent and doesn't allow them any breathing room. For example, after a whip, he immediately landed the splash to follow-up. It really does come off like a predatory animal killing its prey. I like it, and I hope to see more of him in the future.

Video package on Richie Steamboat. He talks about how he can't fill his father's shoes, so he's trying to fill his own. He wants to define himself separately from his father.

William Regal is now in the booth, along with one other person, I believe. The Usos come out, followed by The Ascension. They have the coolest entrance, but the gimmick just doesn't fit in with modern wrestling trends.

4 - THE USOS vs. THE ASCENSION

Jimmy Uso and Cameron to start. Jimmy shows off a bit, but shrugs off headbutts. Jey tags in and they double-team Cameron. Cameron throws Jey right through the ropes and tags in O'Brien. The Ascension isolates Jey for a stretch. Jey gets separation and there's a double tag. Jimmy with traditional Uso hot tag offense, but O'Brien breaks up a pin. The action breaks down and Jey and O'Brien brawl on the outside. The Ascension is able to hit their "Downcast" team finisher (Cameron lands a facebuster and O'Brien follows up with a flapjack) on Jimmy for the win.

WINNERS: The Ascension in 3:30. Too short for a team match. The Ascension is promising, but it depends on how far they try to take a potentially corny gimmick.

Byron Saxton is back on commentary.

5 - RICHIE STEAMBOAT vs. RICK VICTOR

Steamboat shows off some great speed. The camera shows Ricky Steamboat ringside as Steamboat dominates the match. Victor can't get any traction. Victor finally lands a series of European uppercuts, but Steamboat quickly cuts him off. Lots of arm drags from Steamboat in this match. Steamboat lands the "Slingblade" finisher, which consists of him running at the opponent, hooking the opponent's neck, and throwing him to the mat.

WINNER: Richie Steamboat in 4:30. Steamboat has the raw talent, but he really needs to add some signature moves to stand out. His finisher looks very weak. Rick Victor seems to be the NXT version of Heath Slater, but he looks like a shorter version of Mason Ryan with a much less freakish build.

[Q3] Raw Rebound.

Antonio Cesaro has some more serious music, and Aksana has introduced color to her outfits.

6 - DANTE DASH vs. ANTONIA CESARO (w/Aksana)

Cesaro immediately assaults Dash. Saxton and JR keep referencing his short time on Smackdown, but presenting it as "he's here to visit," not as if "he's not on Smackdown any more." Spinebuster from Cesaro sets up the "Neutralizer" - his inverted Glam Slam finisher - for the win.

WINNER: Antonio Cesaro in 1:30. Fun match while it lasted. Cesaro's in-ring skills are impressive, but I wish they had something useful for him.

Video package on Bray Wyatt. For those that haven't heard, this is "Husky Harris" repackaged extremely successfully as a kind of Florida swamp rat plus crazy preacher.

Johnny Curtis rubs his hands on himself like he's made out of velvet, then gives the ring announcer a good ogling. Derrick Bateman plays to the crowd on his way in.

7 - DERRICK BATEMAN vs. JOHNNY CURTIS

Curtis slaps Bateman, then runs away. He tries to ambush Bateman on the way in, but Bateman dodges, slips in the ring, and hits a dropkick. Bateman showing lots of intensity. Curtis slips away from a corner dropkick, then starts to work Bateman's knee. Bateman slaps his way out of a leg lock, but Curtis presses the attack. Bateman rallies, but the knee is an issue. Bateman with the "DDD" (I think it's called), a kind of DDT, for the win.

WINNER: Derrick Bateman in 5:00. Fine match between these two. It really lacked the time to tell a story, though.

Final Reax: Fine show to follow up last week's show in order to establish the wrestlers. The only video package promising a "next week" appearance was Bray Wyatt. From everything I've read and heard, Wyatt is a very successful reboot for Husky Harris, and I look forward to seeing him. Some of the production of New NXT is an issue, like the poorly mic'ed crowd and problems with hearing entrance music. Seth Rollins is a stand-out from this episode, though. Also, I would like to know if The Usos and Antonio Cesaro are here for a cup of coffee or more full-time. Finally, the show badly needs a purpose. For previous NXTs, it was "winning the competition" or "making it to the main roster" combined with tons of backstage intrigue. This one lacks that for the most part.

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