SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
WWE NXT Results
January 27, 2016
Taped at Full Sail University
Aired on WWE Network
Report by Justin James, PWTorch contributor
The big news from the week is that it looks like A.J. Styles will be skipping NXT, and Sami Zayn has a brief but fun moment in the Royal Rumble.
[Q1] No pre-match credits. Advertised for tonight is the #1 contender triple threat match. American Alpha comes out, with a new ‘Tron reflecting their new name, and Greg Hamilton calling them the same.
1 – AMERICAN ALPHA (JASON JORDAN & CHAD GABLE) vs. WESLEY BLAKE & BUDDY MURPHY (w/Alexa Bliss)
Murphy and Jordan tussle. The crowd tries an “American Alpha” chant, which is super clumsy. Jordan’s mat skills put him in control. Gable continues the mat work. On commentary, Corey Graves hammers home over and over that the tag team division is competitive and that every win and loss matters. Shouldn’t they always? Blake and Murphy try to double-team Gable, Gable remains in control of Blake. Blake with a blitz of offense, and Gable mixes some mat work and lucha-like moves. Crucifix for two.
Gable runs the ropes, Murphy leapfrogs, and Murphy suddenly sells a knee injury. It’s a ruse to let Blake ambush Gable, who ends up in the Tree of Woe taking a beating as Bliss jaws. Graves: “Gable’s in the wrong part of town, with a man with a manbun trying to break your leg.” Gable sends Blake to the ramp, and finally tags Jordan.
Jordan throws Murphy and Blake around. Spear in the corner, and American Alpha hits their finisher. Phillips reinforces that this is the third former tag team champion pair that American Alpha has conquered.
WINNERS: American Alpha in 7:22. American Alpha are just so good in the ring.
Backstage: Alex Rayex interviews Emma and Dana Brooke. Brooke calls him “Adam” and says that Bayley did all the work last week, and Carmella is useless and can’t beat Emma, nevermind Bayley. Emma reminds us that Carmella lost to Blue Pants. Emma says that Carmella will lose to her next week. Brooke gives Alex the head pat.
Quick reminder of Sami Zayn’s participation in the Royal Rumble.
[Q2] Short recap of Asuka’s success in NXT.
Nia Jax is out with Eva Marie. She must not watch NXT. She is facing the very promising Liv Morgan.
2 – LIV MORGAN vs. NIA JAX (w/Eva Marie)
Jax immediately corners Morgan. Morgan jumps on Jax’s back and tries a Sunset Flip – bad idea. Jax tosses Morgan, then Jax tries to pop Morgan’s head off with a hold. Jawbreaker breaks Morgan free, then she hits dropkicks. Morgan wants a Dagon Sleeper, but it doesn’t work as well for her as it did for Bayley. Sidewalk slam plants Morgan for a leg drop to finish it.
WINNER: Nia Jax in 2:15. Good squash.
Carmella is fired up backstage with Enzo Amore & Big Cass. She heard Emma and Brooke, and she isn’t happy. Cassady rips up Dash & Dawson. Amore butts in and says that the titles are the only credibility that Dash and Dawson have. Amore is super hot.
[ J.J.’s Reax: Angry Amore is definitely the best Amore. The recent change of presentation has just been outstanding. I enjoyed them before, but they were comedy. Now they are the real deal. ]
Vignette on Baron Corbin.
Replay of the mean-mugging Vaudevillains video.
Bull Dempsey is out for a match. He is facing Alex Riley, who gets a pretty good reaction. Good thing Kevin Owens is out of NXT. Pleasant surprise to see Riley, as he was impressive before his injury. “Riley” chant kicks things off.
3 – BULL DEMPSEY vs. ALEX RILEY
Dempsey does jumping jacks, and Riley smashes him with a kick to the middle. Riley looks fierce. “This is what NXT has come to?” from Riley as he beats Dempsey silly. Neckbreaker and Dempsey barely kicks out. Riley looks like a monster, adding significant musculature since his last appearance. Dempsey finally showing some life, but runs into a spinebuster. Knee to the chin wins it for Riley.
WINNER: Alex Riley in 2:07. I really liked the returning Riley here. With his current physique and some of his moveset, and new attitude, I feel like he has been studying Triple H pretty hard.
[Q3] Backstage, Riley asks if folks are surprised to see him. He’s been working hard to let “Stamford” know his status, with no response. He’s been watching a lot of WWE Network. Zayn’s return was announced well in advance, what Crews had for breakfast. But nothing on him despite his long time in WWE. So that answers his question, folks are surprised to see him.
[ J.J.’s Reax: Riley picked up where he left off with an intese promo, explaining his heel turn perfectly. ]
Elias Samson is out.
4 – ELIAS SAMSON vs. JOHN SKYLAR
Samson wraps this up quickly.
WINNER: Elias Samson in 1:50. Another effective squash for Samson. his character is a bit too much like Baron Carbin, though.
Backstage, the Hype Bros. try to understand the new Vaudevillains videos. Ryder is annoyed at how many women Rawley meets. They are facing the Vaudevillains next week.
Samoa Joe video.
Recap of Balor-Crews for the NXT Championship match two months ago. That feels like forever ago. Crews is booked for a non-title match against Balor next week.
5 – SAMI ZAYN vs. BARON CORBIN vs. SAMOA JOE – #1 Contender Triple Threat match
Tension and Zayn gets cornered, then Corbin clocks Joe. Corbin and Zayn go at it as Joe lounges outside. Zayn tricks Corbin into sending himself over the ropes. Joe trips Zayn from the outside, then drags him to the outside.
[Q4] Running kick from Joe keeps Corbin down. Joe keeps breaking a ref count that doesn’t happen in a triple threat. Corner blows put Zayn on the mat, then Joe taunts him. It’s now Corbin and Zayn going to break.
[ Break ]
Corbin is controlling Zayn until Joe mugs him. Zayn suddenly takes Joe down with a clothesline, sends Corbin over the top and hits a flip dive. Zayn rolls through on landing. The crowd goes nuts as Zayn sells the emotion and a wrist injury.
Joe then boots Corbin, rips Zayn on top, and hits a senton to both. Powerslam to Zayn gets Joe two. Joe slams Zayn’s face into the turnbuckle, then beats him senseless. Musclebuster set-up, but Zayn with elbows. Enziguiri, then Joe tries again, but Corbin stops it. Corbin looks for a superplex, but Zayn fights him off. Blue Thunderbomb on Corbin for a nearfall, which was incredible to see. Joe with the Coquina Clutch through the ropes, and he drags Zayn outside like an anaconda. Joe chokes Zayn out on the outside, then enters the ring.
Joe takes it to Corbin, but runs into End of Days and Zayn breaks up the cover. Corbin is insanely angry. Corbin just demolishes Zayn in the corner, showing more emotion than he ever has, but he runs into the exploder suplex to the corner. Helluva Kick, Corbin is down, but Joe yanks Zayn off from the outside.
Zayn challenges Joe on the outside, takes a chop, but puts Joe into the steps. Corbin is still dazed, so Zayn looks for a Sharpshooter and locks it in mid-ring. Zayn reapplies it mid-ring, and there is Joe. Joe applies a crossface while Zayn holds the Sharpshooter, and Corbin taps out. The bell rings with no obvious winner.
WINNER: No winner at 12:38. Really intense match. This is how we get to the eagerly awaited Zayn-Joe one-on-one match.
Post-match: Zayn and Joe argue with the ref. William Regal comes out to confer with the ref. Regal says he will need to review the tape.
Final Reax: Another quality triple threat to top off a good episode that sticks to NXT’s best formula: four short matches and one long main event.
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