5/17 NXT TV REPORT: Final Takeover hype, Roode points out Itami is injury prone in hyping their match, McIntyre in action

NXT TV REVIEW
MAY 17, 2017
TAPED AT FULL SAIL UNIVERSITY
AIRED ON WWE NETWORK
REPORT BY JUSTIN JAMES, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR

[Q1] “Earlier today”, Bobby Roode is walking around and yelling at the person he has to pull his suitcase to hurry up.

Drew McIntyre is starting the in-ring action. He is facing Sean Maluta.

(1) DREW MCINTYRE vs. SEAN MAULTA

McIntyre calmly puts Maluta in the corner off the lockup, then invites him back into the middle of the ring. Back to the corner. Maluta pushes McIntyre when McIntre invites him to the middle again. McIntyre shrugs up chops, then his knock Maluta down. McIntyre just throws Maluta like a piece of trash, then again. Codebreaker off the top catches McIntyre for only one. Watson brings back the “Chosen One” nickname. McIntyre reverses a whip, catches up and Pele Kicks Maulta in the middle off the corber bounce. McIntyre’s face looks worse for wear, with a cut under his eye. Headbutt sends Maulta to the mat. McIntyre calls for the end. Single leg dropkick wins it for McIntyre.

WINNER: Drew McIntyre in 3:22. Something that is really different about McIntyre in NXT compared to his original run on Smackdown, is that he looks so much bigger. This is an effect of the NXT roster not being filled with tall, muscular wrestlers. Having a larger variety of body sizes and shapes on the roster lets the monsters look much more monstrous.

Interview with McIntyre on the ramp. He’s not worried about Wesley Blake. He would be concerned if he did not have everyone’s attention including Wesley Blake. McIntyre challenges Blake to a match next week.

Recap of the #1 Contender match. Apparently after the show ended, Roderick Strong was attacked by Sanity. After the attack, William Regal checks on Strong, he wants to take Sanity on.

Sanity records a video in some industrial area. Eric Young is happy to take away what Strong has at Takeover: Chicago.

[ J.J.’s Reax: Didn’t we just go through this? Weren’t we all sick of this feud? ]

[Q2] Video package on the introduction of Hideo Itami.

Video package showing the history of the UK Championship. Interview clips from Tyler Bate and Pete Dunne. This may be the match I am most eager to see on Saturday.

Velveteen Dream vignette. No date yet.

Video package on Itami’s fight against Tyler Breeze in March 27, 2015.

Thne announcers confirm that Roderick Strong will face Eric Young at Takeover: Chicago.

Interview with Asuka “earlier today”. She seems annoyed by the questions and won’t answer them. But she is all smiles for fans outside FSU. And grumpy again as soon as she is away from them.

Daria Berenato has been renamed to Sonya Deville. The announcers act like this is her first match in NXT.

(2) LACEY EVANS vs. SONYA DEVILLE

Kicks get Deville a two count. Single leg takedown and a punch to the middle earn two for Evans. Body scissors from Deville slow the match down. Deville takes her gloves off then punches Evans all over in the corner. Right from Evans puts Deville on the mat. Running knee to the head wins it for Deville.

WINNER: Sonya Deville in 3:02. I like the potential I see in both Evans and Deville. Deville seems to be more polished than the last time we saw her.

[Q3] Recap of Itami’s return to NXT to challenge Bobby Roode.

(3) KASSIUS OHNO vs. ANDRADE “CIEN” ALMAS

Ohno gets Almas to the match, but Almas acts like he is taking a nap. Rapid takedown from Ohno, then they show off some rolles and leaps over each other. Almas teachesw a test of strength but lands a boot. Ohno with a big right. Almas goes outside to avoid the rolling albow. Ohno dives outside but turns it into a graceful movement when Almas moves. Big boot ont he outside, chops on the inside. Almas kicks Ohno off the apron.

[Break]

Almas is on the attack after the break. Almas locks in an armbar through the ropes. Missile dropkick into a cover for two, then into an armbar. Ohno rolls around to break the hold but Almas keeps it on. Almas tries he fake knees into the slap but Ohno has a kick for him, then he rallies. Running neckbreaker and Ohno kips up afterwards. Spinning heel kick but Almas kicks out. Almas dodges a moonsault, hammerlock DDT but Ohno kicks out at the last moment. They tussle up top, Ohno hits the mat, but he kicks Almas out of the air.

[Q4] Almas comes back with a flipping kick to the head. Almas hits running double knees in the corner, Ohno shoves Almas in the corner to fend off the hammerlock DDT. Tornado DDT but Ohno kicks out at one. Almas eats a brogue kick, then the rolling elbow, then another.

WINNER: Kassius Ohno in 10:22. Good match, but how does it help Ohno to take 10 minutes to beat a guy who is portrayed as caring more about hanging out at clubs with women then training or even winning matches? Everyone beats Almas, and they usually do it a lot faster than ten minutes.

Clips of Itami beating Strong in last week’s #1 Contender match.

Bobby Roode makes his way to the ring to cut a promo. He hears about Itami everywhere he goes. He’s tired of it. Roode acknowledges that Itami knocked him out with a GTS a few weeks ago. Roode promises that Itami will never land another GTS on him again. In Chicago he won’t be standing in the ring in a suit, he’ll be ready to wrestle. Roode reminds us of Itami’s long and spotty history of injuries and long periods of time off. Then he talks about how quickly he rose in NXT.

Itami comes out to respond to Roode. Roode says that now isn’t the time. Regal runs out to tell Itami the same, and brings security with him. Roode starts taking off his jacket and rolling up his sleeves. Itami runs between security, into the ring, and takes down Roode. Itami beats up the security guards. Roode watches as Itami takes out security guards, then makes the save on the third guard. Itami is ready, and hits a GTS on Roode.

Final Reax: Itami is being presented very strongly heading into Takeover. I like that they are developing Asuka’s character in a unique way. Takeover: Chicago is shaping us nicely with some good “on paper” matches. I am disappointed to see Sanity barely moving past Tye Dillinger, making Roderick Strong their next target after he was already involved with this feud.

NOW CHECK OUT LAST WEEK’S REPORT: 5/10 NXT TV REVIEW: Itami vs. Strong, Moss & Sabbatelli vs. DIY, Aleister Black, Tyler Bate