SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
NXT TV REPORT
AUGUST 2, 2017
TAPED AT FULL SAIL UNIVERSITY
AIRED ON WWE NETWORK
REPORT BY JUSTIN JAMES, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR
[Q1] No pre-credits video. Johnny Gargano’s music hits, he emerges… then his music stops. He looks around, and new music comes on, to signify that his #DIY days are definitely over. Raul Mendoza comes out doing a bit of a face entrance, and Mauro Renallo talks him up as a high flying luchadore.
(1) JOHNNY GARGANO vs. RAUL MENDOZA
Gargano and Mendoza go through a variety of holds, gator roll gets Gargano only one. Clothesline, Mendoza kips up. Crucifix from Gargano for one. Running dropkick earns Mendoza two. The action picks up the pace, but a spear through the ropes puts Mendoza on the ground. Gargano gets a submission win with a crossface.
WINNER: Johnny Gargano in 4:16. Good debut for Mendoza, who seemed silky smooth in the ring. Glad to see Gargano back, but eager to see more of Mendoza.
-The Authors of Pain are booked to face Sanity at Takeover: Brooklyn for the NXT Tag Team Championships.
-Dark hallway promo from AOP and Paul Ellering. Ellering says that Sanity showed they were sane by ambushing AOP. Ellering tells Sanity to be prepared.
[ J.J.’s Reax: this makes no sense. Sanity has a lousy win record, and last night AOP beat the brakes off Sanity *after Sanity ambushed them*. Why are Sanity being considered contenders again, other than the fact that there are like 3 tag teams in NXT right now? ]
-Asuka comes out in street clothes to a good reaction despite her recently heelish mannerisms. The announcers tell is that Ember Moon will have a Championship shot at Takeover: Brooklyn.
[Q2] Asuka says she will fight Ember Moon at Takeover for the championship. She reminds us that she has beated Ember Moon before, and will beat her again. Moon is not ready for Asuka. Moon’s music hits. Moon marches out to the ring. Moon says she has been working since Orlando to get another title shot. She is ready, no matter what Asuka says. Asuka just smiles at her. Moon says that Asuka knows the truth and is afraid of it, and the truth is that ASuka isn’t ready for Ember Moon. Moon steps back, and offers a handshake. Moon is slow to decide to take it, Asuka yanks the hand away and slaps Moon. Moon is fired up, and clobbers Asuka with a punch, then gets all over her. Asuka gets back to her feet, and knocks Moon down with a single kick, then throws her out of the ring. Asuka stands victorious in the ring, but Moon has slipped up top and hits an Eclipse. Moon wants to touch the championship, but she refuses to until she earns it.
[ J.J.’s Reax: Good package. Even though Asuka was the one ending up on the mat, Moon was the one who looked more likely to lose the match based on that interaction. Despite having the big punch to start the brawl, Asuka ended up sending her packing. ]
Backstage with Bobby Roode. He’s asked about Roderick Strong. Roode returns to his lottery analogy. He says that trailer park people like Strong play the lottery. Roode beat Strong and proved that he was the better man. Strong doesn’t belong in NXT. Now on to Drew McIntyre. Roode says maybe McIntyre is a new man, maybe he isn’t. Roode offers some breaking news: he will have an in-ring meeting with McIntyre next week. As he’s getting up to leave, Strong comes in full of anger. A few members of the undercard hold him off and Roode goes running. Regal runs in and tells him to simmer down and be a professional. Strong says he will do anything for that title shot. Regal tells Strong that his hands are tied, the match is booked.
Steet Profits vignette.
Sonya Deville is out next. She’s looking angry tonight. Scattered cheers for her. She is facing Jenna Van Bemel.
(2) SONYA DEVILLE vs. JENNA VAN BEMEL
Deville taunts the larger Bemel by showing she is faster and more agile. Running clothesline takes Bemel down. Bemel with a clumsy hotshot on the ropes, but Deville has knees for Bemel’s midsection as she returns through the ropes. Deville runs into a back elbow in the corner, recover, but Bemel reverses a whip. Deville with a runing, jumping triangle armbar. Bemel taps.
WINNER: Sonya Deville in 2:04. Bemel is super super green int he ring. Deville tried her best to work with it though.
Backstage with Hideo Itami. Itami says that nobody, including Kassius Ohno, has been giving him the respect he deserves. So why should he show anyone respect? Itami starts talking in Japanese. Then he just grabs the mic and goes to the ring, still talking Japanese. The ref tries kicking him out to make way for a match. Itami tells the crowd that they need to show him respect. The crowd boos, which angers Itami. Itami doesn’t care who is next. If I spoke Japanese, I think he would be saying that he won’t leave the ring until his demands are met. Aleister Black’s music hits.
[Q3] Black slowly makes his way to the ring. Instead of slingshotting himself in, he climbs through the ropes, then goes face to face with Itami. Itami looks him up and down, then leaves. Itami stops at the ropes, suddenly runs at Black’s back, Black sees it and nails Black Mass and sitsdown mid ring as soon as Itami hits the mat knocked out.
[ J.J.’s Reax: Good segment. Itami is obviously a heel and we understand why. Black came off as a total killer. ]
-No Way Jose is facing Andrade “Cien” Almas next week.
-Recap of Black putting Itami down. I smell a Takeover match in the making. Black is inthe ring for his scheduled match. It is Kyle O’Reilly. Nice to see that they got O’Reilly as well as Bobby Fish, who had a great debut against Black a few weeks ago. O’Reilly looks game.
(3) ALEISTER BLACK vs. KYLE O’REILLY
Slow feeling out process, looks more like an MMA fight than a wrestling match for a moment. Break on the ropes. A series of light strikes leads to mat wrestling. O’Reilly with a triangle, but Black puts him into a cover to break it. More submission work. O’Reilly grabs the ropes to break Black free, lands strikes, but a legsweep puts O’Rielly on the ground, and Black sits down and eyes him. Black ducks a kick from the seated position, kips up, and hits a knee to put O’Reilly down grabbing his middle.
[ Break ]
Black is on the top, jumping over O’Reilly out of the break, kicks O’Reilly for a two count. Aren’t the contractually obligated to end all breaks on a rest hold? O’reilly blocks a suplex, then again, so Black kicks him to the corner, O’Reilly gets a boot up. Lightning quick strikes from O’Reilly, leg sweep takes Black down. O’Reilly takes Black down with a belly-to-back, they wrangle on the ground, Black kicks his way free of a leg lock. More MMA-style action on the mat.
[Q4] Black blocks an armbar, rolls O’Reilly into a cover. O’Reilly locks in a body scissors and bludgeons Black. They trade kicks. Hammerlock takes Black to the mat where O’Reilly controls him.
[ Break ]
O’Reilly with a hold out of the break, Black begs to be hit and O’Reilly delivers. Black comes off the mat with strikes to drive O’Reilly in the corner. Running knee drop, cover for two. O’Reilly yanks the arm over the top rope, then returns to arm control. Black finally fights out, then lands kicks to turn the tide. Springboard backflip onto O’Reilly for a nearfall. Black picks up O’Reilly with his foot to set up Black Mass, O’Reilly fights out. O’Reilly with a big axe kick into an elbow strike for a believable nearfall. O’Reilly wants a suplex but Black blocks. Black dodges another axe kick, they trade big boots. Wicked flurry from Black, jumping knee to Black’s face, axe kick, Black Mass in return.
WINNER: Aleister Black in 14:53. Crazy good match. I really liked seeing Black face Bobby Fish. Now Kyle O’Reilly had a great match with Black too. Black has all of the cool factor that Finn Balor did, but with a style that feels much more like a legit tough guy.
FINAL THOUGHTS: Top flight main event and a fun return of Johnny Gargano made this an episode worth watching. I want to see Raul Mendoza and Kyle O’Reilly get some more screen time, and Sonya Deville face someone with more experience, like Ruby Riot or Nikki Cross.
NOW CHECK OUT LAST WEEK’S REPORT: 7/26 NXT TV REPORT: Kassius Ohno vs. Hideo Itami, Ember Moon vs. Lei’d Tapa, Velveteen Dream vs. Cesar Bononi
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