SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
NXT TV REPORT
APRIL 25, 2018
TAPED AT FULL SAIL UNIVERSITY
AIRED ON WWE NETWORK
REPORT BY JUSTIN JAMES, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR
[Q1] Undisputed Era comes out, without Roderick Strong, then Strong finally comes out. Bobby Fish makes sense bizarre faces. I’ve realized that the most heelish thing about Fish and Kyle O’Reilly is that they are dorks.
Adam Cole says that all of their championships are the results of backing them into a corner. Cole presents them as rebels against an oppressive regime. Fish talks up their success a bit. Strong says everyone wants to know why he made his choices. He doesn’t pat himself on the back, that’s what the rest of the gorup is for (and then Cole and Fish pat him on the back). Strong says he put himself first, and yes he could have been champion with Pete Dunne, but Dunne would have turned on him because all Dunne cares about is himself, but he has seen Undisputed Era stick together through thick and thin. It was always “Roddy versus the world” but why be a loner when he doesn’t have to? O’Reilly does some more talking. Cole says he will defend the North American Championship by himself. Cole says he doesn’t need any help beating Oney Lorcan.
[ J.J.’s Reax: Refreshingly logical explanation from Strong, not just that he wanted to be in a group, but that Dunne would turn on him, only cares about the UK Championship, and that Undisputed Era is a solid team. ]
(1) NXT North American Champion ADAM COLE vs. ONEY LORCAN – NXT North American Championship Match
Cole is right about one thing, Lorcan should be a walk in the park. Cole’s ribs are taped, making them an obvious target for the hard-hitting Lorcan. They start with an extended tie-up. Cole uses a rope break to get a cheap shot, but is clutching his ribs after a shoulder tackle. Cole continues to sell the ribs. Lorcan continues to hit the ribs. Enziguri over the ropes gets Lorcan off of Cole. Cole starts to pick Lorcan apart, but his ribs are still hurting. Lorcan fights off the mat with chops, then a knee to the midsection.
[Q2] Lorcan with a running uppercut, then a running blockbuster, cover for two. Big boo cuts off the offense, but Lorcan front suplexes Cole onto the ropes. A trainer comes out from the back, hustled out by Undisputed Era to check on Cole. Strong ambushes Lorcan on the outside, then sends Cole into the ring to take advantage. The Last Shot from behind wins it for Cole. Percy Watson rightfully shows outrage.
WINNER: Adam Cole in 5:52. Really good in-ring action, Cole selling the ribs, and Lorcan’s beleivable offense added up to Lorcan looking like he could win if Undisputed Era stayed out of the match.
Post-match, Strong and O’Reilly put boots to Lorcan, but Danny Burch makes the save. A superkick from Cole stops Burch. I feel Lorcan and Burch challenging Strong and O’Reilly for the title soon.
Video package on Shayna Baszler as the new NXT Women’s Champion.
Recap of the Candice LaRae – Zelina Vega match. LaRae is billed to face Bianca Belair next week.
Video package on Belair, a favorite on the PWT Talks NXT Podcast (which is free for all PWTorch readers to listen to every Wednesday, recorded immediately after NXT ends).
Heavy Machiner is out to face Riddick Moss and Tino Sabbatelli. Moss and Sabbatelli seem to have forgotten their issues.
(2) HEAVY MACHINERY (TUCKER KNIGHT & OTIS DOZOVIC) vs. RIDDICK MOSS & TINO SABBATELLI – Tag Team Match
Knight with a tight headlock. Sabbatelli comes into the ring to interfere, but Dozovic cuts him off. The action breaks down and Heavy Machinery clear the ring. Moss gets caught by Knight, Dozovic thinks Compactor, Sabbatellui tries a crossbody, gets caught by Dozovic. It’s down to Moss and Dozovic. Distraction from Sabbatelli lets Moss manage a suplex on Dozovic. Moss manages to isolate Dozovic. Is Knight the “small guy” in the team of Dozovic to always get isolated? Knight is taller, Dozovic is wider. Dozovic fights off a double team, tags Knight. Knight clobbers Moss with rights then a dropkick. Moss gets a boot up in the corner. Sabbatelli drops off the apron and waves away a tag. Moss looks heartbroken, then takes a stinger splash and a belly to belly from Knight. The Compactor ends the match.
WINNERS: Heavy Machinery at 4:01. Heavy Machinery gts a win, Moss and Sabbatelli finally break up (with the right person being the heel), good way to kill two birds with one stone.
[Q3] Knight has a mic and calls out the War Raiders. Knight threatens to take their steaks. Dozovic will lift all the weights. Knight wants to know if War Raiders are man enough to face them in the ring, face-to-face. Dozovic and Knight look psyched.
Quick package on Nikki Cross, Aliyah, Kairi Sane, all saying they are coming for Sayna Baszler.
“Earlier today” with Dakota Kai. Kai looks upset. Kai says she doesn’t want to talk about what happened in the women’s locker room last week and would prefer to not talk about it. Baszler comes in and demands that Kai look at her. Kai looks like she might pee on the carpet in fear. Baszler asks Kai how it feels to have left her home, come across the world to chase a dream, and now her dream has become a nightmare.
Another Kona Reeves package. He claims to be “The Finest”.
Video on Lacey Evans, Vanessa Borne, and Candice LaRae, all saying why they are going to beat Baszler.
Next week, TM61 is booked against Street Profits. That feels like no-win booking to me.
Pete Dunne will be facing Roderick Strong as well.
Speaking of “no-win booking”, Johnny Gargano is out first to face Aleister Black for the NXT Championship. But he gets ambushed by Tommaso Ciamp, wearing a Gargano shirt, and sporting a bunch of tape around his eyes. Ciampa says he isn’t done, and Gargano will never get rid of him. They brawl on top of the announcer booth. Gargano superkicks Ciampa off the booth, then dives on him and continues the attack. Low blow from Ciampa on the stage put Gargano down. Ciampa then lands a running knee to Gargano’s head. Referees come out to get Ciampa away, he starts to walk off, then grabs Gargano up on his back and jumps throw a table next to the stage with Gargano on his back. Gargano is bleeding from the head. LaRae runs out and is begging for medical help. A stretcher and backboard is brought out. Gargano is moaning in pain and seems to be able to move his arms and hands. They get Gargano on the stretcher and take him out from the side of the ramp, the cameras follow them outside. Kassius Ohno meets them outside. Aleister Black sees them as they load Gargano in the ambulance and looks furious.
[Q4] Ciampa waves goodbye from on top of the production truck. Aleister Black stomps his way to the ring, and gets a mic. He starts to call out Ciampa. Then Sanity make their way to the ring. Eric Young has a mix, so they are there to talk, not fight, at least at first. Young says that Gargano provided hope, but chaos took it away. Out of the chaos, they will find greatness and sanity. Black cuts him off and says “are you looking for this?” holding up the NXT title belt. Young nods. “Then let’s do this!” from Black. The match is on.
(3) NXT Champion ALEISTER BLACK vs. ERIC YOUNG (w/Killian Dain & Alexander Wolfe)
It is unsure if this is a title match or not, but I will assume it is. Young with early offense, then wears Black down. Elbow drop from behind gets two for Young. Black with a surprise sleeper, but Young fights out only to take a knee to the middle and head outside. Black does his springboard into a sit routine. Young grins from the outside, appreciating Black’s style. Young re-enters the ring as Black sits. Young tries a sudden knee, Black ducks, kips up, and locks in an armbar. Black starts a sequence of strikes to Young. Wolfe interferes after Dain distracts the ref, letting Young lock in a headlock on the ropes to the five count. Axe handles from Young get two. Young hits a neckbreaker for another two count, and gets frustrated. Big back drop from Young results in another two count. Palm strike from Young, leaping knee from Black, and they are both down for a double count. They get to their feet at five and try to trade blows, Black gets the better of it. Black is all over the place with knees, fists, and feet. Springboard moonsault for two, but Dain and Wolfe were ready to break it up. Young puts Black into the corner, but Black leaps over. Black with an octopus hold mid-ring. Young transitions into a death valley driver for a nearfall. Young calls for his top rope elbow drop, but Black meets him at the turnbuckle. Young fights Black off, Black runs under a leap. Young slips into the ring under Black and immediately takes Black Mass.
WINNER: Aleister Black at 8:51. Good match to send Sanity to the main roster. Black is well established as a fighting champion who doesn’t care who he fights or whether they earned a match.
Post-match, Wolfe and Dain charge the ring, and they both also take Black Mass.
FINAL THOUGHTS: HOT episode tonight. Baszler got a lot of attention throughout the night, and Kai looks like she is building to crack and become a brutal angel of death. I am liking where the Undisputed Era angle is heading from all directions. Good to see the tag team division getting a lot of attention as well. And… while I had hoped Gargano – Ciampa were done at Takeover, this was a great way to re-ignite the feud.
NOW CHECK OUT LAST WEEK’S REPORT: 4/18 NXT TV Report: Ricochet vs. Aichner, War Machine debuts with new name, Candice vs. Zelina, Lars vs. Killian Dane
I also think sweet little kai is poised to become Shayna’s evil right hand…notice she was sporting a different look too…..