SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
The following report was published five years ago this week on PWTorch.com…
WWE NXT Results
May 8, 2013
Taped at Full Sail University
Report by Justin James, PWTorch contributor
[Q1] Tony Dawson has the voice-over for the pre-credits package advertising the Tag Team championship match between Bo Dallas and Adrian Neville and the Wyatt Family. And the strings of “Ode to Joy” introduce Damien Sandow, who surprisingly does not have a microphone. When was the last time he came to the ring without something to say? He’s facing Baron Corbin, who must is making his debut.
(1) BARON CORBIN vs. DAMIEN SANDOW
Strong crowd support for Sandow, who embarasses Corbin, then graciously holds the ropes open so Corbin can help himself out. Corbin declines, and Sandow makes him pay. Apparently, Corbin played offensive line for a few NFL teams. Right now he’s playing punching bag for Sandow. Corbin rallies with a few shoulder tackles but Sandow immediately comes back. Side Russian Legsweep and the Elbow of Disdain, then The Silencer for the win.
WINNER: Damien Sandow in 3:30. I’m not sure what good it is to have someone debut on NXT by being squashed by Damien Sandow, who has had competitive, long matches with the likes of Sheamus. Baron had a total of three offensive moves, there simply was not anything to judge him by.
Post-match, Sandow obtains a microphone. He issues a challenge to Big E. Langston for the NXT Championship.
Backstage, Adrian Neville is getting ready for his match in the middle of a hallway. Bo Dallas says he’s ready to help defend the titles. He promises to give 80 percent, and when Neville gets curious, he says that his 90 percent is like 110 percent from anyone else. Neville freaks out and Dallas says he’s kidding and he’s ready to give his all.
Paige is hitting the ring out of a break, to face the “already in the ring” Bayley. Paige is looking a bit more smiley than usual.
(2) PAIGE vs. BAYLEY
Bayley forces Paige into the corner, which angers Paige. Single strike to the face sends Bayley to the mat. They trade wristlocks and Paige headbutts Bayley and calls to the crowd for support. Paige controls Bayley easily. Bayley with a pair back body drop in the corner and a counter on the apron to send Paige to the mat. Bayley shows she can be as aggressive and mean as Paige.
Bayley with a second-rope European Uppercut, then an exploder suplex, which pops Regal. Paige elbows out of a suplex attempt and counters with a fisherman suplex, but is too wounded to follow up with a cover. The action resets and Paige is on the attack. Paige pulls Bayley halfway through the ropes and lands a nasty series of knees to Bayley’s head. Paige is on fire and Bayley can’t catch up. Paige Turner for the win.
WINNER: Paige in 6:00. The aggression in this match was fantastic. Bayley kept up with Paige and didn’t look like a dainty waif getting creamed, but an equally vicious competitor who was eager to win. The Divas matches on NXT have been consistently superior to the main roster offerings, and this is another example of that.
[Q2] Post-match, Summer Rae executes a post-match ambush to continue her feud with Paige as hoped for and expected.
Backstage, Tom Philips is interviewing Big E. Langston. Langston plays Jokey Smurf and then Damien Sandow asks for a pardon as he interrupts Langston’s dissertation on ignorance. He formally challenges Langston, who says he will grant the request if Sandow can answer a question. He leads Sandow through a series of calculations and the end number is “five.” He tricks Sandow into saying it multiple times. They shout “five” at each other until Langston goes nuts shouting “five.” I guess that means that the challenge is accepted.
Briley Pearce is making his in-ring debut on NXT (he previously was a backstage interviewer). Tony Dawson tells us that he is Dolph Ziggler’s younger brother. They do look a lot alike, once you know to look for it. Regal asks why his last name is “Pearce,” then. He’s facing Sakamoto.
(3) BRILEY PEARCE vs. SAKAMOTO
Pearce with some amateur style to keep Sakamoto grounded. Taking a page from Dolph, he does a handstand into a bridge with an armbar locked in. Sakamoto with an armdrag, but Pearce has one of his own.
Two minutes into the match, Conor O’Brian makes his return to storm into the ring and demolish both of them at the same time.
WINNER: No Contest at 2:00. What a shame to ruin Pearce’s debut like this, he showed some real promise, as does Sakamoto. Perhaps they will team up to take revenge and then chase the Tag Titles?
Post-match, O’Brien “Rybacks” them in the double squash before leaving. O’Brian disappeared since his loss to Big E. Langston a few months ago. With any luck, Corey Graves will re-emerge soon as well.
Backstage, Renee Young has Natalya. She wants to know about “Total Divas” on E!, but Summer Rae comes out of a room and interrupts to explain her attack on Paige. Natalya was wondering if they could have a match next week. Rae thanks Khali and Hornswoggle for letting Natalya out of the circus and says she will expose Natalya as not being a “total Diva,” but a total freak.
Backstage, Renee Young is interviewing Sakamoto and Briley Pearce. She asks for their comments. Pearce goes hyper-active and throws it to Sakamoto who is very intense and vows revenge. Pearce seems to agree and they seem to be friends now.
Kassius Ohno out for his in-ring return since the tough loss to William Regal. He’s facing Camacho. Regal smirks at Ohno’s presence. Who am I supposed to cheer here?
(4) CAMACHO vs. KASSIUS OHNO
Ohno immediately controls Camacho, who comes back with a bodyslam. Dawson paints him as a bit more of a sympathetic figure. Ohno with a pair of dropkicks and strikes to regain control. Camacho rallies as Dawson praises Camacho’s Dickies and tank top as being “humble” and Regal points out that he has $200 shoes, which isn’t humble. More back-and-forth action. Camacho with extended offense, and the crowd tries to rally Ohno out of a nerve hold, in contrast to the presentation of Camacho that Dawson has been attempting.
[Q3] Ohno with strikes, then a spinning headbutt and the Kassius Klutch for a submission victory.
WINNER: Kassius Ohno via submission in 6:00. The match was good at a technical level, but a trainwreck at the story telling level. Ohno was acting like a heel as usual, but in the match he played “babyface in distress.” Tony Dawson attempted to tell a narrative that paints Camacho as sympathetic. Meanwhile, the audience wanted to cheer for “Kassius Ohno the performer” but they still wanted to boo him as “Kassius Ohno the character.” I feel like a turn is coming for Ohno, but I’m not sure.
Post-match, Ohno rolls out of the ring and gets a mic and asks for his music to be cut. He apologizes for taking the time unscheduled. He says the last few months have been a wreck, and he doesn’t even know who he is anymore. He tells William Regal that he’s sorry, and acknowledges that Regal has reason to doubt it. Bray Wyatt’s music suddenly interrupts, and Eric Rowan and Luke Harper give him the stink eye as they walk by, then he has a stare down with Bray Wyatt, who backs away and smiles and lets Ohno by. Harper and Rowan return to ambush Ohno. Wyatt delivers Sister Abigail on the top of the stage to Ohno.
[ J.J.’s Reax: If you’re going to turn a top heel like Kassius Ohno because the audience has been asking for it, that’s how you do it. This explains the strangeness of the match previously. ]
Past-commercial voiceover confirms Damien Sandow challenging for the NXT Title next week.
According to the intro graphics for Bo Dallas, he is actually a “tag team champion” even though it seemed like he was just helping to defend them. Big “no more Bo” chants pre-match. We’ve heard these before.
(5) NXT tag champions ADRIAN NEVILLE & BO DALLAS vs. THE WYATT FAMILY – NXT Tag Team Title match
Rowan and Dallas start off. Dallas is able to control Rowan and bring Neville in to isolate Rowan. Running crossbody gets two for Neville. Elbow from Rowan lets him put Neville in the corner and bring in Harper. Neville with a rapid response. Standing Shooting Star Press for a nearfall and Harper is getting double-teamed. Harper with a sudden backbreaker to Dallas to turn it around right before a break.
[ Commercial break ]
Dallas is still suffering.
[Q4] Dallas slips away and tags in Neville, who has high-speed offense for Harper. Neville with a corkscrew flip dive over the top rope to take Rowan out, then a roundhouse to Harper from the apron to put him down, and the corkscrew Shooting Star Press. Rowan breaks up the pin at the last minute and Dallas is still recovering on the apron. Rowan tags in and goes on the attack as Dallas slowly recovers. Neville barely is able to kick out as Dallas asks for a tag. Neville with a desperation sunset flip, but Rowan blocks, tries to sit down and Neville counters with an inside cradle for a nearfall.
Neville crawls to the corner, but Rowan keeps him from making the tag. Neville takes abuse in the corner as Wyatt cackles from his rocker. Neville blocks a suplex and counters with an inside cradle for two, but Harper goes right back to the attack. Neville ducks a running boot in the corner which sends Harper flying out of the ring.
Neville makes the tag and so does Harper. Dallas runs Rowan over and clears Harper from the apron. Dallas wants ten punches in the corner, but Rowan picks him up. Dallas slides down the back and wants a roll-up, but Rowan blocks. Dallas scrambles through the legs, but Rowan grabs the ropes to avoid a powerslam. Rowan with a big powerslam of his own for two. Rowan wants another slam, but Dallas slips out and hits a spear for a nearfall. Dallas sends Harper to the ringside again, but Rowan sends him into the corner knocking Neville off the apron. Big boot and a tag to Harper, and Harper finishes it with the spinning lariat.
WINNERS: The Wyatt Family in 13:00 to capture the Tag Titles. Very good match, with Neville taking the brunt of the beating to change the formula a bit. Neville and Dallas got in lots of offense to look credible against the much larger Harper and Rowan. Honestly, I truly expected a heel turn from Bo Dallas, either that he was a ringing from The Family, or that Wyatt had used some snake charmer mojo on him or something.
Final Reax: This show felt like someone took a very good two-hour Raw, cut out all of the replays and video packages and fluff, and left the concentrated best parts. Tons of in-ring action, storyline progress around the board, new debuts, the return of old stars, and physical Divas match (including a headbutt!), the possibility of a new team, the unexpected but very welcome face turn from Kassius Ohno, and William Regal’s constant demolition of Tony Dawson. What isn’t to like? A few more weeks like this and I will feel that NXT is solidly back on track.
NOW CHECK OUT THE PREVIOUS NXT FLASHBACK: 5 YRS AGO – NXT TV REPORT (5-1-13): Primo & Epico vs. Wyatt Family vs. Neville & Bo Dallas, Paige vs. Summer Rae, Chris Jericho vs. Bray
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