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NXT TV REPORT
MAY 9, 2018
TAPED AT FULL SAIL UNIVERSITY
AIRED ON WWE NETWORK
REPORT BY JUSTIN JAMES, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR
[Q1] NXT starts with Ricochet coming out in a nice suit with a few unique style touches. Nice crowd reaction. He talks about how he always has wanted people to remember him. And at WrestleMania weekend, he wanted to make sure that everyone talked about him. NXT is about “taking over” and he is here to do just that, and redefine NXT. He acknowledges it may be cocky but he is a unique entity, and announces that he is on the hunt for the NXT Championship. Velveteen Dream’s music hits. Apparently they have had a Twitter feud. Huge positive reaction for Dream. He says “no” over and over again. Dream wants to know who let Ricochet to come to the ring and declare himself a contender.
Dream asks Ricochet about being the “one and only.” Dream agrees. “You do make this look good.” But there is one “man,” one “experience,” and he is it. Dream says Ricochet can “flip” or “flop” but he is at the back of the line behind Dream. Ricochet laughs at Dream. Ricochet gives Dream some backhanded compliments. Dream pledges to shut Ricochet up. Ricochet says he is the better man. Ricochet says that he knows Dream likes to think the spotlight is his, but Ricochet will show him up. Dream says that Ricochet can’t steal his spotlight and makes a “My Fair Lady” references. Ricochet says “prove it.” Ricochet drops the mic, Dream removes a necklace, then pretends to attack Ricochet, drops to the floor to do his creepy slinking, and Ricochet winks at him.
[ J.J.’s Reax: The off-the-charts charisma of Dream and Ricochet just did battle and it was beautiful. ]
Percy Watson and Mauro Ranallo hype Raul Mendoza facing EC3 next, and Kassius Ohno against Tommaso Ciampa, presumably as the main event.
It is a testament to the trust they place in Dream and Ricochet on the mic that they got a full 10 minutes, and Raul Mendoza is coming out at the end of the first quarter. EC3 gets a big babyface reaction despite his heelish persona. He has the Adam Cole problem, of being someone that built a fanbase in another promotion, and having a high “cool” charisma.
[Q2]
(1) RAUL MENDOZA vs. EC3
Huracarana on EC3, but EC3 turns it around. Missle dropkick and Mendoza covers for barely one. EC3 kicks a hole through Medoza in the corner then grins at the camera. Snapmare into a blockbuster from EC3. Mendoza turns the tide with a jawbreaker. Enziguri sends EC3 into the ropes and Medoza fires up, but EC3 flapjacks him into the turnbuckle, then hits the One Percenter for the win.
WINNER: EC3 in 2:44. Good squash to put over EC3 and his moveset.
Post-match, Cathy Kelley asks him about the loss at Takeover. EC3 talks about how he will only be winning going forwards until NXT becomes “NX3”. He is the best everywhere because he is in the top 1%.
Danny Burch and Oney Lorcan are walkng around backstage. They catch up to Pete Dunne. They tell him they saved him but don’t like him. They get him to acknowledge that he is a piece of garbage. But they ask him if he will help them stand up to Undisputed Era and he agrees. Dunne managed the whole thing without saying a word.
(2) DAKOTA KAI vs. VANESSA BORNE
Kai and Borne lockup, break, dropkick from Kai, but Borne dodges a Heluva Kick and Kai gets hung up in the ropes. Cover from Borne for one. Spinning neckbreaker yields a two count for Borne. Kai makes a comeback with kicks. Kai fires up, hits the Heluva Kick, then a running knee in the corner. New finisher for Kai, she flips over and hits a kind of reverse backstabber.
WINNER: Dakota Kai in 2:35.
Post-match, Shayna Baszler comes out in street clothes. Kai looks petrified and slowly backs into the corner. Baszler gets in Kai’s face and Kai wilts. The referee warks Baszler to backoff. Kai wraps Borne inher clutch instead while staring Kai down. Borne is tapping wildly but Baszler won’t release the hold. Kai backs away and can’t even walk straight. Baszler stands up and Kai runs away.
[ J.J.’s Reax: I cannot overstate how much I enjoy the Baszler – Kai confrontations. ]
[Q3] Kelley is talking backstage, and Kai comes out scared. Kai is still rattled. Kai is talking, then Baszler comes from behind her and challenges Kai to do something. “Captain of Team Kick, kick me!” Kai is unable to do anything. Baszler walks away. Creepy laughing, and the camera pans to show Nikki Cross.
For the battle of “teams that would look normal in 1985 WWF”, it’s Heavy Machinery facing War Raiders.
(3) HEAVY MACHINERY (TUCKER KNIGHT & OTIS DOZOVIC) vs. WAR RAIDERS (HANSON & ROWE) – Tag Team Match
Dozovic and Rowe start, they come to blows, then Knight and Hanson come in. It ends up being fairly even for a bit. Dozovic gets isolated. Hanson picks up Rowe and dumps him on Dozovic in the corner. War Raiders have the face corner for some reason. Dozovic with a suplex to Rowe. That’s a lot of mass in that ring. Double tag. Knight with hot tag offense, including a drop kick and a hit toss. Hanson with a suicide dive to Dozovic just as Rowe gets momentum against Knight. War Raiders hit their team finisher on Knight.
WINNER: War Raiders in 2:50. Fine match to push the War Raiders.
Street Profits shown outside talking themselves up and beating up a fence.
(4) KASSIUS OHNO vs. TOMMASO CIAMPA
Ohno starts out hot and sends Ciampa to the outside. Ohno sends Ciampa back to the ring, then inside the ring again. Ciampa finally fights out of the corner.
[Q4] Ohno puts Ciampa back into the corner hard, then lands a suplex. Leaping senton and Ohno rolls onto the apron. Ciampa yanks Ohno’s leg out, then lands a hard knee to the side of the head, then kicks Ohno’s head through the ropes. Ranallo says it is hard to remain neutral and calls Ciampa a sick individual. Ciampa with a very tight chinlock and Ohno is fading. Ohno comes back and kits a big big boot in the corner. Ohno comes back to the injured eye of Ciampa. Ohno drops the knee pad, and lands a knee drop to the eye. Ciampa on the top turnbuckle, and a huge slap to the face. A distraction to the ref lets Ciampa claw at Ohno’s eye. The pump kick from Ohno stuns Ciampa, but Ciampa knees Ohno in the back of the head for a nearfall. Ohno with elbows, Ciampa with a clothesline and a neckbreaker, cover for the win. Ranallo yells “damnit!” at the finish.
WINNER: Tommaso Ciampa in 9:26. Brutal, hard hitting match here. Ranallo added so much to this match with his slow erosion of neutrality as the match progressed and his disgust with Ciampa increased. Ohno was the right opponent here, with him and Ciampa holding nothing back.
Post-match, Ciampa removes his knee brace and bashes Ohno in the back of the head with it, then chokes Ohno with it.
FINAL THOUGHTS: Solid episode here, starting with the good mix exchange between Dream and Ricochet, culminating with the intense Ohno – Ciampa main event, and with the Kai – Baszler stuff in the middle, squash matches filling out the package.
NOW CHECK OUT LAST WEEK’S REPORT: 5/2 NXT TV Report: Dunne vs. Strong, Street Profits vs. TM61, plus Kairi Sane, Candice LaRae, Patrick Scott
How is it that NXT consistently gets pretty much EVERYthing right? Great ep, although the crowd was unusually placid…
Maybe they were just tired.