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NXT TV REPORT
MAY 2, 2018
TAPED AT FULL SAIL UNIVERSITY
AIRED ON WWE NETWORK
REPORT BY JUSTIN JAMES, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR
Pre-credit video package with Undisputed Era. Adam Cole says they are not just winners and champions, but givers. Cole gave Oney Lorcan a spot in the history books as Cole’s first defense. Kyle O’Reilly tells Danny Burch to stay away. Bobby Fish promises to let the folks at rehab know to expect more business. Roderick Strong smugly says he will beat Pete Dunne tonight.
More hype from Mauro Ranallo and Percy Watson for Dunne facing Strong. I have got to assume that this will continue to go somewhere like a steel cage match or a 6 – 8 man tag matc after the rest of Undisputed Era get involved.
Kairi Sane comes out for the first match of the night. Her opponent is the debuted Shazza McKenzie, who looks like she raided Alexa Bliss’ original outfit bin.
(1) KAIRI SANE vs. SHAZZA McKENZIE
Show of respect at first, then the action heats up. Sane with her fast offense, but a forarm from McKenzie turns it to a striking game. The Interceptor from Sane, then she calls for the sliding elbow. Elbow off the top, Tokyo Slam, Insane Elbow.
WINNER: Kairi Sane at 1:48. Quick match to remind us what Sane’s moveset is and keep her strong.
As Sane celebrates, Lacey Evans comes out with a mic. Evans says that a classy lady can admit when she is wrong. She apolgizes to Sane. From the Mae Young Classic to the match that just happened, Sane belongs in NXT. “From one legitimate lady to another, I just hope that you can accept my apologies” and offers a handshake. Sane backs away and declines. Evans cold clocks her and knocks her out with a single punch.
Replay of last week when Tommaso Ciampa beat up Johnny Gargano before his match with Aleister Black.
Backstage with Cathy Kelley asking Candice LaRae about Gargano. LaRae sounds emotional talking about what a touch year it has been. She talks about how Ciampa was family and is trying to destroy them and they don’t know why. LaRae just breaks down in tears and says she needs to get ready for a match. Ranallo says that she needs to channel those emotions because she is facing Bianca Belair tonight.
[Q2] Video package on Lars Sullivan. He touched the belt at Takeover: New Orleans, and says that those with gold should consider themselves targets.
Street Profits are out to face TM61. This is no-win booking unless TM61 turn heel or War Raiders ruin the match.
(2) STREET PROFITS (ANGELO DAWKINS & MONTEZ FORD) vs. TM61 (NICK MILLER & SHANE THORNE) – Tag Team Match
Miller and Ford start with chain wrestling, then Ford turns to a more athletic game. Dawkins tags in and assets himself with a shoulder tackle. Dawkins send Ford flying to hit a double dropkick on Thorne and Miller. Miller dodges a splash, Thorne tags in. Dawkins is isolated by Thorne and Miller, who incidentally are in the “heel corner”. Miller telegraphs a back drop, they both clothesline each other and crawl to corners for tags. Ford is on the hot tag offense against Thorne. Miller tries to interfere from the outside but Ford kicks him. Thorne covers and puts his feet on the ropes with Miller helping that happen for the win. Both Ranallo and Watson express dismay at the way the cover happened.
WINNERS: TM61 at 3:15. Good match to give TM61 a new edge to their characters.
“Tale of the tape” on Heavy Machinery vs. War Raiders.
Video package on how the War Raiders came to feud with Heavy Machinery. The match is booked for next week.
[ J.J.’s Reax: We have noted on the PWT Talks NXT Podcast – free to all listeners – that Heavy Machiner feels like a 1980’s team, if only they were named “Scoop” and “Dozer”. I have to say that is true for War Raiders too. ]
Video package on Kona Reeves, “The Finest”. He is up next.
Backstage, Kelley asks Kassius Ohno about the attack by Ciampa on Gargano. Ohno calls Ciampa a coward, and says that Ciampa needs to feel as helpless as Gargano looked last week, and he is the one to do it.
Patrick Scott is in the ring, but has entrance music playing. He looks an awful lot like Tyson Kidd’s taller older brother. Watson tells us that Reeves has been inspired by Bobby Roode.
(3) PATRICK SCOTT vs. KONA REEVES
The crowd is cheering for Scott. Reeves backs Scott into the corner, then mocks Scott. Knee to the middle then a big slap from Reeves. Reeves backs Scott tot he corner again and yells at him. Scott with a quick rally but Reeves shoves out of the armbar.
[Q3] Reeves unloads int he corner. Reverse elbow from the second rope, Samoan Drop (the “Hawaiian Drop”) for the win.
WINNER: Kona Reeves at 2:05. I feel like the issue with Reeves isn’t the package by the contents of it. This match didn’t blow me away even for a squash.
Outside the Performance Center, Dakota Kai talks about the departure of the Iconic Duo making room for her. They ask her about Shayna Baszler. Kai gets testy with the question. Vanessa Borne comes in and says she isn’t scared of Baszler. Kai says she has issues with Borne, Borne gets mad about it. Borne leaves. Kai says she isn’t afraid of Borne.
Bianca Belair gets a fairly decent pop, considering that she is facing the super popular Candice LaRae. Belair has that “it factor” charisma that makes it hard to boo her.
(4) CANDICE LaRAE vs. BIANCA BELAIR
Belair easily throws LaRae, as a 50/50 chant starts. Belair with a headlock, LaRae shoves out so Belair hits the ropes and runs LaRae down. Head scissors take down from LaRae, then a crucifix cover for two. LaRae to the second rope, crossbody but Belair catches it and hits a body slam for two. Belair does a deadlift of LaRae into an overhead press and walks around the ring, then lands Snake Eyes from the overhead press position. LaRae is stunned. Belair picks LaRae up, torture rack. LaRae finally escapes and fires up in the corner. LaRae to the top, missle dropkick. Tonado DDT but Belair tosses her off, ally-oop for the win.
WINNER: Bianca Belair at 3:32. Belair is so impressive in the ring. At Wrestlemania, Nia Jax (much larger than Belair) got a big pop for pressing Alexa Bliss (smaller than LaRae) overhead. Belair made it look effortless. After the match she isn’t sweaty or breathing hard at all. Belair has an unlimited future.
Post-match, LaRae looks sad sack.
Raul Mendoza is billed to face EC3 next week. Ohno will be meeting Ciampa as well.
Pete Dunne hits the ramp to big applause, but looking all business. Watson brilliantly points out that Dunne never trusts anyone, but he trusted Strong and it backfired. Strong comes out to his music, but has an Undisputed Era themed varsity jacket now. His music stops, and Undisputed Era’s music kicks up. Cole and O’Reilly are with him. Strong shows off his title on his entrance.
[Q4]
(5) UK Champion PETE DUNNE vs. NXT Tag Team Champion RODERICK STRONG (w/NXT North American Champion Adam Cole, NXT Tage Team Champion Kyle O’Reilly)
Hot opening from Dunne, then Strong tries to wrestle Dunne onthe mat. Dunne slips out and delivers a huge kick. Strong to the outside. Dunne lands a diving elbow from the apron and throws Strong intot he ring, where he eats a backbreaker. Dunne comes off the apron at Strong but meets a dropkick. Strong drops Dunne ont he apron. Strong slows it with an abdominal stretch. Strong mocks Dunne’s mannerisms. Dunne blocks backbreaker attempts, then counters with an X-Plex. Dunne makes a comeback, but Strong yanks Dunne and sends him out of the ring. The referee is keeping a close eye on Cole and O’Reilly. Dunne escapes an Olympic Slam attempt, hits an enziguri. Dunne reverses a backbreaker and transitions to a sleeper, Strong escapes but Dunne transitions to an armbar, Strong rolls over, cover for one, then rolls to the ropes. Dunne to the top, Strong meets him, enzigury stuns Dunne, Strong with an Olympic Slam off the top for a very close nearfall.
Dunne holds his arm behind his back and lets Strong hit him repeatedly, then he catches the arm and tries to break Strong’s fingers off. Release German suplex, nasty kick to the back of the head, Bitter End. Cole and O’Reilly break up the cover at the last possible moment.
WINNER: Pete Dunne via DQ in 9:06. Hot match as it should have been. Dunne is such a charismatic force of nature and knows how to carry his character in the ring perfectily.
Post-match, Oney Lorcan and Danny Burch make the save. Dunne throws one of O’Reilly’s shoes at Cole in anger. Strong holds up his title as Cole half-carries him up the ramp.
FINAL THOUGHTS: As expected, nothing was settled with the Dunne – Strong match tonight, though it was a really good match. Belair was a standout tonight as well, as she always has been. I am very much enjoying the Dakota Kai meltdown.
NOW CHECK OUT LAST WEEK’S REPORT: 4/25 NXT TV Report: Hot show including Aleister Black vs. Eric Young, Adam Cole vs. Lorcan, plus Baszler, Heavy Machinery, more
When did Rock get hair transplant surgery?
Oh, wait… that’s Kona Reeves… I didn’t recognize him in the Rock’s gimmick.
Someone with yellow teeth shouldn’t say they have the “finest smile”.