WWE NXT Report
October 24, 2012
Taped at Full Sail University
Report by Justin James, PWTorch Contributor

[Q1] Pre-titles, NXT starts off with Heath Slater talking to Dusty Rhodes. He's asking for a match against Seth Rollins for the NXT Title. Just as Rhodes tells Slater that in NXT title shots must be earned, Vickie Guerrero comes in and says that she is there to recruit the future of WWE. Rhodes thinks she means him, but she says she means Slater. Rhodes books Slater against Rollins, and if Slater wins, he will get a title match. I saw a boom mic for a moment in the shot.

After the titles, Brodus Clay comes out for a match. Someone new is at the announcer booth, Tony Luftman, to replace Byron Saxton. I don't know why Saxton's not here, but I already miss him. Clay is facing Camacho, who has not been seen in some time. No sign of Hunico.

1 - BRODUS CLAY vs. HUNICO

Clay shows off his strength and dance moves early on. Clay showboats during a ten punches in the corner spot, letting Camacho take him down. That's a new spin on the "take the big man down at the knees" formula. Camacho somehow lands a Samoan Drop on Clay, but sells a back injury from it. Clay aggressively presses out of a cover to send Camacho outside. Camacho flirts with the Funkydactyls, so they dance to let Clay sneak up on Camacho. Suplex sets up the big splash for the win.

WINNER: Brodus Clay in 3:30. Not a good match. The pacing was poor and it was mostly comedy. I much prefer Clay as a monster heel from his NXT run. The new announcer is feeling too sedate.

Replay of the awesome video package on Paige. She's advertised for later tonight.

On the stage, Byron Saxton is interviewing Richie Steamboat. He says that he understands that Steamboat is not medically cleared. Steamboat says that he's ready to fight if he could. Kassius Ohno's music hits, and he corrects Steamboat's pronunciation of his name. He claims that Steamboat is finished and he can't even reminisce because he never had any "good old days." He brought a towel for Steamboat to throw in. He needs to be excused to he can go end someone else's career. Ohno's promos just get better and better.

Pre-match, the ref insists on checking Ohno's elbow for a weight or metal. He's facing Trent Barreta.

2 - TRENT BARRETA vs. KASSIUS OHNO

There's some fun back-and-forth early on. Ohno is then able to take control. He screams, "Where's Trent?" at the audience. Barreta transitions from a back body drop to a huracarana to send Ohno outside, and he lands a sick flip dive to the outside. It's shot lived as Ohno gets the upper hand on the outside. Ohno starts to dissect Barreta inside the ring. Ohno blocks the Dudebuster DDT then blocks a followup sunset flip attempt.

[Q2] Barreta rallies and both men look battered. Barreta with his springboard back elbow, prompting Ohno to unleash on him. Steamboat comes out of nowhere and throws a towel at Ohno, letting Barreta hit the Gobstopper Knee for the win.

WINNER: Trent Barreta in 6:50. Ohno's best match to date. He's really improved his pacing, and Barreta is a human pinball. Too bad it not only ended early, but involved a silly finish. I really dislike seeing babyface wrestlers distract their heel enemies, they should be above petty tit-for-tat games, and it makes Barreta look weak for needing a distraction to win. The crowd reaction for Barreta is outstanding.

3 - PAIGE & AUDREY MARIE vs. LAYLA & ALICIA FOX - Tag Team match

Pre-match crowd enthusiasm for Paige is noticeable. Paige and Fox start off with an extended lockup. Double tag brings in Layla against Marie. They trade a series of takedowns. Extended back-and-forth. The ref is Brad Maddox, so who is getting low-blowed here? Fox gets aggressive and Marie is looking hungry for a tag. Paige is in, but eats offense from Layla, including a turnaround springboard cross-body. Layla accidentally kicks Fox, and Paige capitalizes. Paige sets up her DDT finisher, but Layla is fighting it and Marie blind tags in. Paige argues with Marie. Marie leisurely covers Layla who turns it around for the win.

WINNERS: Layla and Alicia Fox in 5:00. Decent match. Paige is like the cowbell of NXT. No matter how much of her I get, the response is, "not enough Paige."

Post-match, Paige gives Marie grief, who plays innocent.

Backstage, Briley Pearce interviews Seth Rollins. Rollins says that he respects his elders, but he doesn't respect Vickie and she won't affect the match. He quotes Andy Warhol's "15 minutes of fame" and says that Slater's 15 minutes are up.

Video package on a new wrestler, "Bronson." Quote: "it's time for some non-consensual brutality." That's moderately creepy.

Bronson hits the ring, to face Lincoln Broderick. Bronson is built like Luke Gallows and Roderick looks like a bodybuilder. Luftman praises Broderick and says he looks like "a Greek god," so Regal retorts, "I look like a Greek urn."

[Q3] 4 - LINCOLN BRODERICK vs. BRONSON

Bronson immediate sends Broderick to the mat and gator-rolls him to the ropes. Bronson destroys Broderick in the corner while trash talking. More rolling on the mat. Broderick wants to fight back, but he can't. Bronson takes him down again and cinches in a leg-based submission hold for an instant tapout.

WINNER: Bronson in 1:00. Bronson just shot to the NXT Top 5 in under a minute. He looks positively brutal in the ring. He's large, but moves with the speed of a cruiserweight, his offense is hard hitting, and he has a submission finisher. His in-match smacktalk and pre-match disdain for the audience makes him an instant heat magnet.

Post-match, Bronson shouts at the camera that nothing can stop him.

Backstage, Ohno goes nuts tearing up the back area.

Antonio Cesaro comes out in street clothes. He's got a murse on. He tells us that he is the champion of each and every one of us. He is so wonderful that he takes the U.S. Championship to a level that no American can take it. Then he mangles JFK's "ask not" speech, and demands that everyone stand up for the National Anthem. The crowd refuses. Some woman in the background is pretending to be Tie Dye Guy. He finally convinces them to stand up. He then tells them to play the National Anthem of Switzerland, causing the audience to sit back down. Instead of the Swiss National Anthem, Tyson Kidd's theme music plays.

Kidd offers a fashion tip about the murse. (He's one to talk about fashion, given the haircut he had for so long.) Kidd stands up to Cesaro and demands a shot at the title, right here. Cesaro responds in a language I don't know. Kidd has a universal retort, a kick to the face. He sends Cesaro out of the ring. The crowd chants "USA" for the Canadian Kidd. Cesaro backs away saying that he picks the time and place.

Raw Rebound.

Vickie Guerrero gives Heath Slater a big welcome to the ring. Slater really doesn't need Vickie, he gets plenty of hate poured on him all by himself. He's a fairly unique individual in WWE in that regard. Seth Rollins comes out and the the crowd is happy.

[Q4] 5 - NXT champion SETH ROLLINS vs. HEATH SLATER - non-title match

Slater plays the air guitar after every arm drag. Rollins controls Slater and mocks his air guitar routine. Vickie is not happen with Slater's performance as Slater gets knocked halfway up the ramp.

[Commercial Break]

Rollins sinks into a half Boston crab out of the break. Slater sells it like his leg is able to fall off. Slater finally gets to the ropes. Slater turns it around. Jim Ross on commentary announces Tyson Kidd against Antonio Cesaro for the U.S. Championship. They trade big rights, and Rollins takes Slater down to build momentum. Rollins with a great sequence from the apron. Suicide dive sends Slater sprawling. Huge springboard knee to Slater's head for a nearfall. Vickie distracts Rollins letting Slater recover. Nearfall for Slater. Rollins hooks Slater's head and backflips over him, sending Slater to the mat for the win. JR says they need a name for that move.

WINNER: Seth Rollins in 12:30. Very intense, very good match. Rollins is amazing and Slater has come so far in such a short period of time.

Final Reax: NXT is back on track. They use Seth Rollins very well - instead of wasting his mystique on short matches, they save him for long matches where he excels. Also, it was interesting to see a break-up in the "strange bedfellows" team of Paige and Audrey Marie, but I'm not crying; I think they can do some good matches with each other. I find it notable that Paige gets more in-episode (and even "next week's episode") hype than any other WWE Diva, and probably more than anyone else in NXT. Finally, Bronson is a monster. NXT has a bumper crop of outstanding big men, and Bronson may be the best. I want to see Bronson and Big E. Langston team up.

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