WWE NXT Results
July 22, 2015
Taped at Full Sail University
Report by Justin James, PWTorch contributor

[Q1] Short pre-credits package telling us that Finn Balor returns to the NXT Arena as NXT champion. And he is out first to start the show, holding the NXT Championship and dressed in street clothes. The crowd is nuts for Balor and he just soaks it up appreciatively.

Greg Hamilton tries to interview Balor mid-ring over a "You deserve it!" chant. Balor says he's being wrestling for 15 years, all over the world. His career had a lot of hard choices and sacrifices. One of the hard decisions was if he should go to NXT, but when he won the title, he knew it was all worth it. Hamilton brings up the re-match against Kevin Owens at NXT Takeover: Brooklyn. There will be a contract signing tonight. Balor looks a touch nervous.

Balor acknowledges the impact that Owens has had on NXT and the health of the various rosters. But despite that, Owens didn't beat Balor in Tokyo, and Balor will make history by winning at Brooklyn.

[ J.J.'s Reax: I can't believe they have a month more to build what is already a white-hot feud despite neither Balor nor Owens being on NXT in two weeks. ]

Backstage interview with Eva Marie. Devin Taylor wants to know what we can expect. Marie thanks William Regal for the opportunity. She thinks that the WWE Universe is wrong about her and she looks forwards to showing her stuff. A bit of a nervousness in the promo, but a real improvement from the past.

Marie is out for her match. Dramatic change in her presentation with a new robe and ring gear. She is facing Cassie.

1 - CASSIE vs. EVA MARIE

Cassie with a wristlock out of the tie-up, but Marie cartwheels to reverse it. Cassie slips out, but takes a knee to the middle. Big roundhouse in the corner from Cassie. Cassie to the top, but Marie knocks her off. Suplex gets a two count for Marie. Eva Marie is getting the "John Cena" chants. Marie on a bit of a roll. Big boot followed by a running senton for two. The announcers discuss how Marie has heard the criticisms of her and has been training hard to improve.

Extended hold has the crowd rallying behind Cassie. Jawbreaker gets separation. Roundhouse after roundhouse to Marie gets a nearfall. Marie then dumps Cassie into the ropes and does something that looks like Seth Rollins's original (in NXT) "Skywalker" finisher, but off the ropes instead of standing.

WINNER: Eva Marie in 3:52. Eva Marie has improved quite a bit, but she still has work to do. Not quite sure if she is supposed to be a face or a heel with the confused presentation from the announcers.

[Q2] Backstage, William Regal is on his phone and is surprised by Tyler Breeze in his office. Breeze wants to know what Regal has for him in Brooklyn. Regal says he is working on it, and Breeze says it had better be good.

Baron Corbin is out to face an unnamed jobber.

2 - BARON CORBIN vs. JOBBER

End of Days in five seconds. Then the pin. Post-match, Corbin is dismissive to the audience's boos, waving them away.

WINNER: Baron Corbin in 0:10.

Samoa Joe has new, less upbeat music. He is facing Mike Wallace.

3 - SAMOA JOE vs. MIKE WALLACE

Joe with an immediate barrage in the corner. Wallace tries to get some traction, but he runs into a back elbow. Splash in the corner followed by an enziguiri. Meanwhile, Joe is advertised to face Rhyno in two weeks. Wallace pops off the floor with a clothesline and backs Joe into a corner. He tries a splash, but Joe catches him with a uranage to set up the Musclebuster.

WINNER: Samoa Joe in 2:00. Joe continues to impress. I like the revised music, as Joe needs to be a beast, not a beach bum.

Backstage, Devin Taylor interviews Emma and Dana Brooke. Taylor brings up Bayley's promise to "do more than hug" Emma. Emma calls that creepy. Emma says she broke Bayley's hand, and now she will break Bayley's childish spirit. Brooke offers her a hug, then returns to pat Taylor on the head.

In-ring: I feel like Emma's recently-revised music just got another small tweak. Also, the crowd is popping for Brooke it seems like. Bayley seems to be wearing some protection on her hand, which is a reminder that she has had a lot of injuries in the last year.

4 - BAYLEY vs. EMMA (w/Dana Brooke)

Emma whacks Bayley's hurt hand with a slap bracelet. Bayley takes it and chases Emma to the ropes. Emma jumps Bayley and goes on heelish offense. Emma slams Bayley's face into the turnbuckles, but Bayley hulks up, no-sells, the goes on the offensive. Emma sneaks out, then uses a distraction from Brooke and slams Bayley's hand into the ringpost. Emma starts to work the hand. Armbar and Emma yanks Bayley's hand back.

[Q3] The crowd is so hot for Bayley as Emma slides into a cover for two. Orton Stomps to the hand. Straitjacket from Emma, but Bayley escapes and goes on her traditional offense. Flying elbow gets Bayley a two count. Double clothesline takes both women down. Brooke yanks Bayley's hand through the ropes. But, instead of DQ'ing Emma, the ref ejects Brooke. Bayley and Emma trade roll-ups for nearfalls, then a Bayley-to-Belly gets the win.

WINNER: Bayley in 5:38. Really good ring psychology from Emma, who stepped up her heel character. The only problem was that Bayley should have won via DQ on Brooke's interference.

Bayley with a post-match promo in-ring. She tries to talk over a "welcome back" chant, saying that her plan is to be the next NXT Women's champion. To do that, she needs to beat the best. So, she wants a match with Charlotte.

[ J.J.'s Reax: I like the booking here. Instead of demanding a title match, she recognizes that she needs to earn a #1 contender spot, and that beating Charlotte is the way to do it.

Clips air from Charlotte's win at Battleground and then on Raw.

Backstage interview with Charlotte. Taylor asks about Bayley's challenge. Charlotte says that what's happening on Raw isn't just a revolution, but a statement. Charlotte struggles to not cry as she says no one deserves a match against her more than Bayley, but she wants to take the NXT Women's Championship to Raw.

Dana Brooke says that Charlotte has had plenty of title shots, and will probably mess up her chance on Raw, too. Brooke says she hasn't had Charlotte's chances. People boo her, maybe because she doesn't have a famous last name. Brooke wants a shot at Charlotte, who responds that Bayley can wait a week, so she'll take on Brooke next week. Brooke teases patting Taylor on the head.

4 - THE VAUDEVILLAINS (AIDEN ENGLISH & SIMON GOTCH) vs. ANGELO DAWKINS and SAWYER FULTON

Gotch with some fast offense, including showing off some new, flashy moves. Blind tag lets Fulton destroy Gotch. Fulton with a bit less amateur style and a bit more professional wrestling style. Fulton slows the pace as English wants a tag. Atomic drop from Fulton into a sweet dropkick from Dawkins. Gotch makes it to English who delivers his sharp offense to Dawkins. Again, new moves from English. The Whirling Dervish finishes Dawkins.

WINNERS: The Vaudevillains in 2:50. Good match. I really like the new moves from Gotch and English, though there was a touch of comedy to some of Gotch's work. The Vaudevillains need to be the faces in the title match against Blake and Murphy.

[Q4] Backstage, Murphy, Blake, and Bliss are laughing about something. Murphy mocks The Vaudevillain's retro style, but Bliss shuts the men up and gets serious. She says that her boys will win, and she will make sure of it. It looks like the title match is scheduled for next week.

[ J.J.'s Reax: The continued evolution of the Bliss, Murphy, and Blake dynamic is a real treat. I like the presentation of the men being clowns and her running the show. ]

William Regal is in the ring for the contract signing. He says that NXT continues to raise the bar. The crowd boos because NXT: Takeover is in Brooklyn and not Florida. Kevin Owens interrupts, and he is all business. Owens glares at a fan done up in Balor gear and holding an NXT Championship replica. Owens wants to see Balor out in the ring. Regal invites Balor, who re-makes his entrance. Balor poses with the fan that Owens stared down.

Balor is about to sign the contract, but Owens gets on the mic. Owens asks how it feels to be the NXT Champion. Balor says "good" off mic. How does it feel that he will defend it in the biggest main event of NXT which will take place (to the crowd) in BROOKLYN? Boos. How does it feel to go in as champion, but still as the underdog? Balor is all smiles. Owens says Balor was right - he did all the things Balor says he did. He won the title two months after he debuted - where was Balor? He did cripple Sami Zayn multiple times, he sent Neville packing, he beat Cesaro, he dropped Rusev on his head, and he beat John Cena. All of that was in his first six months. In Brooklyn he will show Balor and "all these idiots" that Japan was a fluke when he becomes the first ever two-time NXT Champion. He says he will put Balor on the shelf for good.

Balor says that Japan wasn't a fluke, Owens likes to talk, and he will shove Owens's words down his throat. Balor signs and so does Regal. Owens takes a moment, then signs. Regal says the match is official. Owens throws the contact at Balor, flips the desk, decks Regal, and demolishes Balor. But, Balor recovers and bounces off the ropes with a clothesline to send Owens packing. Balor checks on Regal, then nails Owens with a dropkick when he tries to come back into the ring.

[ J.J.'s Reax: Where do they go from here? How do you turn the heat up any higher on this? ]

Final Reax: Hot, hot set up between Owens and Balor. Also, the Women's division is really clicking right now with multiple interactions. Bayley looks like the right one to take the belt in Brooklyn. And, they need to add one-to-two more strong characters to the women's division to flesh it out after Lynch, Charlotte, and Banks go to the main roster. The tag team division also has a lot of players, but few characters. Fulton and Sawyer need some promo time.

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