WWE NXT Results
September 26, 2012
Taped at Full Sail University
Report by Justin James, PWTorch contributor

There is good news for NXT fans, which is that NXT is now available on Hulu Plus, including the newest season. Episodes are posted within a day or two of their initial air date. This means no more digging around the Internet hoping that someone put up a semi-legal version of it, and that the quality of the video and sound is very good (it starts off poor and gets very good within a minute or two as your connection speed is determined). The downside is that despite paying $7.99 a month for Hulu Plus, you still have to sit through commercials.

In other NXT news, it looks like Raquel Diaz has left WWE Developmental. I am not sure where they go with Paige from here, and this now puts her squarely at the top of the Divas pile. While she was much better than Diaz, WWE seemed high on Diaz. Diaz kind of fell off the face of the map a few weeks ago on NXT, so it isn't a big loss in terms of storylines.

[Q1] NXT starts with a video package summarizing Kassius Ohno's recent past.

The NXT titles have been updated, to include some recent additions like Seth Rollins as NXT champion.

Michael McGillicutty comes out for the first match; he's facing Bo Dallas after last week's confrontation backstage.

1 - BO DALLAS vs. MICHAEL MCGILLICUTTY

The referee struggles so hard to keep them apart before the bell that he barely gets a chance to call for it. These two are hot to trot. Dallas immediately beats the stuffing out of McGillicutty, who suddenly fights out of the corner. They trade blows but Dallas retains control. Dallas works McGillicutty over in a way that emphasizes how angry he is. the more he hurts McGillicutty, the more visibly confident he becomes. McGillicutty finally abuses a ref break to put Dallas into the ring post shoulder post. The vocal males chant, "One more time."

Commercial break

McGillicutty is pounding Dallas on the mat, much to the delight of the crowd. Dallas can barely even stand on the apron as McGillicutty continues to punish him. Dallas somehow fights off the corner and a sunset flip gets a nearfall, but McGillicutty comes right back with a DDT. Dallas with a full comeback. Dallas measures McGillicutty for the end, but McGillicutty ducks into the ropes. McGillicutty surprises Dallas after a ref break and then follows up with the Turning Heads neckbrecker for the win.

WINNER: Michael McGillicutty in 10:00. Definitely odd booking here. Dallas has always looked more "enthusiastic" than "competitive," and tonight he took the presumed #1 contender for the NXT Title to a ten-minute match. Dallas's offense is still very, very basic, but what is there is well-executed. He does a great job playing the babyface in peril. The FSU crowd was into the match, but more to show off how clever they are; there are some heels that are fun to cheer because they entertain you all the same. McGillicutty is a true, classic heel, in that while his matches deliver good action, there is nothing cool about him to cheer.

[Q2] Video package on Paige. I think this may be the first time I have every actually heard her voice. She tells us that she's been trained since she was 13, so she isn't here to be a Diva, but a fighter. She says that there is so much that the NXT Universe wants to know about her, but the less they know, the better. Short, to the point, and effective. She's still likable, but in a totally bad attitude way.

[Commercial Break]

Raw Rebound... Jake Carter hits the ring after a lengthy absence. He's facing the re-packaged Leo Kruger.

2 - JAKE CARTER vs. LEO KRUGER

Kruger sits in the corner, then suddenly jumps out of it to attack Carter. Kruger with rapid-fire kicks. Carter fights out of the corner but Kruger dumps him out of the ring. Kruger is very aggressive, very fast paced. Kruger with an odd submission where he wraps the forelegs up and grabs an ear. Second rope shoulder tackle gets two for Kruger. Kruger dodges a corner charge, pounds his own head, and lands a neckbreaker for the win.

WINNER: Leo Kruger in 4:00. Kruger's offense isn't showy, but what sets him apart is that he executes it with the speed of someone like Tyson Kidd. Some may think that this is a mistake, but I think it fits his character well and it is unique.

[Commercial Break]

3 - RYBACK vs. FRANCIS DORIAN & AIDEN ENGLISH - Handicap match

A coordinated attack rips Ryback's singlet, but they can't keep Ryback down for more than a moment. Ryback extracts revenge. English cowers to avoid the giant clothesline, but eats and powerbomb. Ryback with the marching slam on both wrestlers for the win.

WINNER: Ryback in 1:50. Fun match, though nothing we haven't seen before. I thought we had seen Aiden English in the past.

[Commercial Break]

4 - RICHIE STEAMBOAT vs. KASSIUS OHNO

Steamboat takes some time to get Ohno into the corner after a lock-up. Ohno seems wary of Steamboat, but tries to surprise him. Steamboat catches him and continues the attack. Ohno begs for mercy, but Steamboat doesn't fall for it.

Steamboat tries to get fancy on the ropes and apron, and Ohno uses it as an opportunity to turn things around. Ohno is ringside lying down and Ohno is recovering in the ring going to break.

[Commercial Break]

Ohno with a resthold out of the break, which lasts quite a while. Steamboat finally gets out of the hold, but it does him no good. Very funny commentary, as William Regal says that he doesn't want to compare Richie Steamboat to his father because it's not fair to Richie. Jim Ross says, "I would compare him to his mother, but I don't know her." Best announcing team in the WWE right now.

They trade chops, then Ohno gets frustrated, so he clocks Steamboat with a first to the temple. Ohno runs into a few clotheslines, and Steamboat with a turnaround cross-body. Test of strength for a backslide, Steamboat gets a two count. Steamboat lands a missile dropkick for two. Big boot from Ohno for two. The ref repeatedly warns Ohno about gives Steamboat room in the corner. Steamboat busts out a superkick for a close nearfall, but Ohno dodges a followup moonsault and covers for two and seventh eights. Steamboat ducks the Shining Elbow and counters with an inside cradle for the win.

WINNER: Richie Steamboat in 11:15. The match didn't get out of first gear (if not neutral) until the last minute or two, and then it ends with an inside cradle? That can't be the end of the feud, but quite honestly, I do not want to see the re-match. Kassius Ohno didn't come off as "dangerous" he came off as a coward. Neither man was particularly inspired on offense until the very end. They certainly weren't fighting like they had a personal issue for most of it. Bo Dallas and Michael McGillicutty showed how to do it right. The best I can say about this match is that I don't think Steamboat hit a single armdrag.

Post-match, Ohno nails the Shining Elbow from behind, then puts on his cravat submission finisher as the refs flood the ring. It looks like this feud is definitely not over.

Final Reax: This was the worst episode of NXT in a long time. I get that they don't necessarily need to have Seth Rollins wrestle on every episode, and the champion probably shouldn't. And, I get that The Ascension and The Usos don't need to face each other every week, but there was zero follow-up on the Rollins-Victor situation or Usos vs. The Ascension feud! The lead match was quite solid and furthered that story, and the Paige video package was much needed to give some depth to her otherwise non-existent character. But, the idea of another Steamboat-Ohno match is not something I am anticipating kindly. Overall, the ads from Hulu were annoying and distracting, especially after becoming accustomed to commercial-free NXT (except for WWE's own ads) for a few years now.

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