SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
WWE NXT Results
June 15, 2016
Taped 6/9 at Full Sail University
Aired on WWE Network
Report by Justin James, PWTorch NXT contributor
[Q1] Video package recapping “NXT Takeover: The End” last Wednesday. …
Triple H’s post-Takeover Facebook Live event pointed towards a third match between American Alpha and The Revival, and that “The End…” referred in large part to the end of NXT as a developmental brand, and the beginning of it as a third brand (a mistake in my opinion).
Tom Phillips promises interviews with Samoa Joe and Finn Balor tonight.
Paul Ellering brings his new team, “Authors of Pain,” to the ring. They are dressed in Roman Reign’s leftover outfits. Lots of boos here.
1 – AUTHORS OF PAIN (w/Paul Ellering) vs. ???
Both Authors of Pain rush their unnamed opponents out of the bell. One goes back to the corner so they can legally have a match. Philips and Graves don’t seem to know the names of anyone in this match, calling them “the tattooed one” and “the other author of pain.” Violent, hard-hitting, nasty offense from the AOP. Combination clothesline and side Russian legsweep ends it.
WINNERS: Authors of Pain in 1:40.
Andrea Demarco (who I struggle to differentiate from Cathy Kelley) interviews Andrade “Cien” Almas. Tye Dillinger interrupts and says that his loss at Takeover was a fluke. No one will make his name on his back. Almas accepts a re-match.
Blake and Murphy are billed as facing TM61. But, Carmella is next.
The Authors of Pain won’t talk; Ellering says “in due time” he will say why he is there.
Tessa Blanchard is out to face Carmella. Blanchard gets a nice pop and carries herself with a nice swagger. I like that she wipes her boots on the mat on her way in. Old-school. I also like that she has a first and a last name.
2 – CARMELLA vs. TESSA BLANCHARD
[Q2] Headlocks abound. Carmella jumps over Blanchard in the corner and rolls into a schoolgirl for one, nice move. Blanchard takes a moment to heel it up, letting Carmella recover. A yank of the hair sends Carmella down. Elbows break Carmella free of an abdominal stretch. Superkick sets up Carmella’s bronco buster. Facebuster into the “cone of silence” inverted triangle for the win.
WINNER: Carmella in 2:49. I like Blanchard’s work and would like to see her made into a regular wrestler on NXT.
Post-Takeover interview with Samoa Joe. He says he attacked his brother and hunted the Demon around the world to become the champion. Tonight is the end of the questioning and the beginning of his era. No one has enough to sacrifice to take the championship from him.
Cathy Kelley asks Blake and Murphy if they resolved their issues. Murphy says there was no issue until Blake turned his back… Murphy stops him and lays it all on Alexa Bliss. Murphy agrees and says they are back on the title hunt and TM61 will be their first victims.
3 – TM61 (NICK MILLER & SHANE THORN) vs. WESLEY BLAKE & BUDDY MURPHY – Tage Team match
Of course, the crowd is chanting “Where’s Alexa?” Graves claims that Murphy’s great-great-grandfather beat Thorn’s great-great-grandfather in “the Thunderdome” and Phillips calls him out on it and asks if the Thunderdome is near the Bullet Farm. Blake and Thorn to start. Thorn’s agility impresses, and he fends off an illegal entry from Murphy. Miller tags in and they work Blake over. Suplex into a senton from Thorn gets two.
Blind tag brings Murphy in, but Miller breaks the double team. Thorn tags and a double team gets one on Murphy. Blake takes out Miller off the apron and Murphy turns it around. Blake and Murphy isolate Thorn. Miscommunication lets TM61 regain control. Miller with a spinebuster to Blake, spinebuster, the “Thunder Valley” finisher (double gorilla press into a slam to the mat) gets them the win.
WINNERS: TM61 in 5:30. Good match to get TM61 over and push the Blake/Murphy melt down.
[Q3] Post-match interview with The Revival. Wilder says they did what they said they would do. Dawson says they came from the baddest part of the planet and no one else could survive there. They talk heavy and hit hard. Dawson is so good in these promos.
Bobby Roode made a surprise appearance at the Download festival that NXT was part of last weekend. More hype for Roode.
Recap of Nia Jax injuring Bayley last month.
Demarco asks Bayley about her injury. She will have a doctor’s visit next week and she hopes for good news.
4 – ANDRADE “CIEN” ALMAS vs. TYE DILLINGER
This was a match that did not wear out its welcome last week and I am eager to see more from these two.
Dillinger with a quick wristlock, Andrade fights out, then bounces backwards off the ropes to hit a back elbow. Great work from Almas. Springboard cross-body sends Dillinger outside to recover. They trade attacks on the outside.
Dillinger fights out of the corner and throws Almas out of the ring. Back in the ring, Almas reverses a whip, dropkick, then another and Dillenger is out of the ring. Dillinger fumes on the outside at Almas shows off. Almas wants to fly outside, then Dillinger dodges, so Almas hangs himself in the ropes and takes a nap.
[ Break ]
Dillinger has Almas in the corner. Dillinger telegraphs a back body drop, then Almas slides down the back and into a cover for two. Dropkick from Almas, but Dillinger slams his head down to the mat. Backbreaker gets Dillinger one. Then, a spinning heel kick puts Dillinger outside again. Corkscrew plancha plants him on the ramp. Wheelbarrlow DDT sets up Almas to hit running double knees in the corner for the win.
WINNER: Andrade “Cien” Almas in 8:49. Very nice match. These two work well together. Dillinger has proved himself and Almas looks great.
Main Event Promo
[Q4] Finn Balor is out to the ring to a standing ovation. He’s wearing a polo shirt and slacks. He looks amazed and humble at the reception. Now he is grinning after spending a few moments with the fans at ringside. “Thank you Finn!” followed by “Please don’t go!” from the crowds.
Balor doesn’t know where to start. When he first saw NXT he was in Ireland, he turned on TV, and he saw Enzo Amore and Colin Cassady. “How you doin?” from the crowd. He wanted to be a part of it. Then he got to NXT, he became part of NXT, and NXT became part of him. He was NXT champion for 292 days. “You deserve it!”
Balor went to wars with Neville, Tyler Breeze, Kevin Owens, and Samoa Joe. But, here he is, not the champion. Everyone wants to know what is next for Finn Balor. “Balor Club!” breaks out. Balor grins at that, then throws up a Too Sweet.
Lights go out… and Shinsuke Nakamura’s music hits. Balor with a slight smile on his face as Nakamura makes his way to the ring. Now a full smile. They slap hands. “This is awesome!” for the obvious set-up.
Nakamura watched Balor become the icon of NXT when he was still in Japan. Nakamura knows that Balor is not champion anymore, but he is still an icon. Balor blushes. If he wants to be the champion, Nakamura has to beat the icon. Nakamura repeats it slowly and forcefully. He has to beat Balor. Balor looks a little more serious now. “Match of the year!” for a match that hasn’t happened yet. Balor says that Nakamura has answered his question, and books the match. They shake hands.
Final Reax: NXT is back to their post-Takeover formula of short matches to re-establish the pecking order. Balor-Nakamura sounds awesome on paper. Almas is looking good in the ring. Is Carmella gearing up for a shot at the Women’s Championship, or just keeping the gatekeeper looking strong?
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