7/4 NXT TV REPORT: EC3 vs. Johnny Gargano, Velveteen Dream vs. Chris Dijak, Dakota Kai vs. Santana Garrett

NXT TV REPORT
JULY 4, 2018
TAPED IN ORLANDO, FLA. AT FULL SAIL UNIVERSITY
AIRED ON WWE NETWORK
REPORT BY JUSTIN JAMES, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR

[Q1] NXT starts with Dakota Kai making her way to the ring. She is facing Santana Garrett, which has appeared off and on in NXT over the last few years.

(1) DAKOTA KAI vs. SANTANA GARRETT

Quick show of respect, then right into the clinch. Kai works hard to escape a wristlock and reverse it, but Garrett re-applies, then hits a shoulder tackle. Kai’s agility keeps her away from Garrett, then she hits a dropkick. Arm drag from Garrett, then another, followed by an abdominal stretch variation. Side Russian Legsweep ito a two count for Garrett, then a bridging hold. Kai drags herself to the rope for a break. Kai rallies, and nails a big boot then a running kick in the corner. A running sunset flip into a backstabber from Kai ends it (Nigel McGuinness calls it the “Kai De Grace” post-match).

WINNER: Dakota Kai in 3:38. I am always happy when I see Garrett in NXT, and it was good to see Kai pick up a win.

EC3 is shown acting like a babyface outside of Full Sail Arena, then Johnny Gargano is looking mean and focused on his way in.

“Earlier today” Heavy Machinery are in the Performance Center working out. Otis Dozovic goes on a rant about how he likes his steak. Then we hear a crash and Tucker Knight in howling in pain. Dozovic runs over to check on him, he has been assaulted, and The Mighty are running away.

Baszler says that people have been asking how to deal with a crazy person. She claims she answered the question. It doesn’t matter how many ways you ask the question, the answer will be the same. Baszler brings up Biana Belair, Kairi Sane, then Candice LaRae (very disparagingly). Baszler says the answer will always be the same, she is the reason they need a second Mae Young Classic, WWE needs to scour the world to find another challenger for her. It doesn’t matter who challenges her, she will always win.

[ J.J.’s Reax: Baszler is starting to hit her stride in these promos and find a voice and stance that works for her. Kudos to Baszler and the team at NXT for getting to this point. ]

[Q2] Oney Lorcan is shown to be badly injured, looked like a problem with his eye socket. Backstage with Danny Burch. He says that they barely missed it, but after about three months Lorcan will be OK. Undisputed Era come out and shoo Cathy Kelley away. They say that Lorcan and Burch are at the back of the line, and they are at the front of the line and will take the titles next week. Burch mocks them for losing the Tag Team Titles. Cole asks where the ego and attitude from Burch is coming from. Burch challenges Cole to a match next weel. Cole laughs and agrees.

Velveteen Dream is booked to face Chris Dijak tonight. I’m excited to see that.

War Raiders vignette.

Recap of Tommaso Ciampa stepping up to NXT Champion Aleister Black last week.

The match is booked for three weeks from now.

The Mighty are out for their match. Dozovic comes out by himself, it looks like a handicap match.

(2) OTIS DOZOVIC vs. THE MIGHTY (SHANE THORNE & NICK MILLER) – Handicap Match

Dozovic takes out Thorne in the ring, then brings Miller in too to beat him up as well. He dumps Thorne on the floor then throws Miller on top of him. The ref starts a count. McGuinness says he can’t understand Dozovic because he doesn’t speak meathead. Dozovic sends Thorne to the corner, Miller tags in, smashes Dozovic’s head in the turnbuckle but he shakes it off. Miller uses a distraction from Thorne to send Dozovic outside. Dozovic is in trouble, gets rolled into the ring for two. Miller tags in and mounts Dozovic. Double team suplex grants Thorne two. Thorne with a neck crank. He missed the memo that only super heavyweight heels are allowed to use that move. Rapid tags keep Dozovic on his heels. Dozovic blocks a double suplex then hits one of his own to draw a big “steaks and weights” chant. Dozovic wrecks The Mighty with shoulder blocks all around. He throws Miller onto Thorne into the corner then splashes them both. Thorne jumps into his arms and gets dumps on the mat. Dozovic does the worm into an elbow drop on Miller, then another elbow to Thorne. Dozovic wants a Vader Bomb, but Miller yanks Thorne out of the way. Knee from Thorne to stun Dozovic, team move knocks Dozovic out.

WINNER: The Mighty in 5:54. Dozovic came out looking like a million bucks in this match, he was game, powerful, and more than happy to do most of the match with both Thorne and Miller in the ring at the same time, lasting through many heel team tricks. The Mighty got themselves over as heels that will use every trick in the book to win, against the popular Dozovic.

[Q3] A video from Bianca Belair while on her honeymoon to Montez Ford. She is annoyed that all of the other women think they should be the #1 contender. She mocks Sane, Nikki Cross, Kai, and LaRae calling each one of them out for their shortcomings, then says that she is obviously the #1 contender.

[ J.J.’s Reax: Belair is so great on the mic. She feels so natural and smooth. ]

“Earlier today” with Kairi Sane responding to Vanessa Bourne. She says that Bourne should focus more on fighting, then challenges her to a match. Sane vows to beat Bourne then move on to the NXT Women’s Championship.

[ J.J.’s Reax: Why do they not put Sane on the mic more? She showed a totally fun charisma here. ]

Tweet from William Regal is shown, booking Adam Cole to face Danny Burch next week. It is not being announced as a match for the North American Championship.

Velveteen Dream is out to face Chris Dijack. He just checks his fingernails as Dijak makes his totally generic entrance to totally generic music. Dijak needs to step it up here.

(3) VELVETEEN DREAM vs. CHRIS DIJAK

Lockup puts Dream in the corner. Dijak starts to say “feast your…” and Dream puts his finger on Dijak’s lips to shut him up, then poses. Dijack jaws at Dream, then Dream turns him into the corner and demands the ref give him the break. They trade big boots. Dijak shouts “time to fly” and throws Dream into the corner. Dream is in full underdog babyface mode here. Dream fights Dijak away in the corner, goes to the top and Dijack slaps him. Dijak picks Dream up and beats him up. Dijak wants to suplex Dream into the ring, but Dream fights him off and goes on the attack with rapid blows. A dueling chant heavily favors Dream. Dream hits a neckbreaker on the much taller Dijak, then a leg drop for only one. Dream goes right into a sleeper on the mat. Dream is looking far more aggressive than usual. Dream tries to trade strikes with Dijak and comes up short. Running cyclone kick gives Dijak a two count and Dream rolls out of the ring. Dijak follows, but Dream trips Dijak on the apron and Dijak hits his head on the ring steps. Dream runs into the ring as the ref starts counting. Dijak gets back in at two, spinning DDT from Dream ends it.

WINNER: Velveteen Dream in 5:01. Dream worked face here and it was delicious. Dijak made a great heel foil for Dream to embrace this role. Dijak looked brutal, and Dream looked great for getting the win. Dijak is a ton of fun in the ring, with his heelish running commentary like the bad guy in an 80’s action film.

Dream is still in the ring when EC3’s music hits. When the lights come back on, Dream is furious. The announcers tell us that Dream apparently had an issue with EC3 at the UK Championship Tournament. Dream makes tracks and EC3 makes sure to stare Dream down during his posing. Big crowd response for EC3.

[Q4] “Moments ago”, NXT Tag Team Champions Moustache Mountain respond to Undisputed Era’s comments about them last week. Trent Seven and Tyler Bate are offending and can’t wait to prove that their victory was no fluke.

Aleister Black is billed to be “live” next week.

Back to the ring, where EC3 is still singing and dancing to his song along with the audience. Johnny Gargano is all business on his way to the ring.

(4) JOHNNY GARGANO vs. EC3

Gargano skips the lockup to go right into a brawl, beating EC3 out of the ring, then he chasing EC3 out of the ring for more. EC3 tries to hold onto Gargano in the ring telling him to “settle down”. Thesz Press from Gargano then chops. Gargano is out for blood. The crowd is cheering EC3 over Gargano which is rather surprising. EC3 slows the pace down a bit. Running neckbreaker from EC3 gets one. EC3 with a nerve hold, another move usually reserved for superheavyweight heels. EC3 sends Gargano to the corner, then follows with a big splash. Snapmare into another nerve hold. EC3 tells Gargano that he isn’t Ciampa. Gargano stands up in the hold so EC3 hits a body slam. EC3 tells the crowd to say his name, then lands a big elbow drop. Kick from the apron stuns EC3, then a spear through the ropes from Gargano. Gargano dives onto EC3 outside, but EC3 dodges in the corner and then hits a clothesline for two-and-a-half. EC3 is thinking powerbomb maybe, but Gargano isn’t playing ball. They trade strikes, then EC3 looks for the powerbomb again, but Gargano gets out and hits an enziguiri. Gargano looks for a crossbody, gets caught, EC3 wants a fireman’s carry, Gargano slips out, wants a Gargano Escape, EC3 escapes and transitions to a one arm deadlift sitout powerbomb for a nearfall and they reset. They look at each other, Gargano looks furious, he jumps on EC3 with punches, then a pair of superkicks. Gargano is beserk, and drops a knee pad like Ciampa. EC3 catches the kneestrike into a fireman’s carry, but Gargano drags him down and gets the Gargano Escape on. EC3 gets to the ropes. Gargano almost efuses to break the hold, then stares down the ref. Gargano with the Escape again right next to the ropes, EC3 immediately grabs the ropes and risks DQ again. Gargano with a big knee strike through the ropes, then a Randy Orton elevated DDT for the win, the same move Ciampa used at Takeover: Chicago to beat him.

WINNER: Johnny Gargano in 10:06. Really strong match here. Easily the best work I have ever seen from EC3 in his current or his previous NXT run. A great story was told here, with Gargano having lost sight of who he is and becoming more and more like Ciampa.

FINAL THOUGHTS: This was a very strong episode with no bad matches and two very good matches. Outstanding promo work from everyone who had a mic tonight. Heavy Machinery and The Mighty feel like they are rather stuck in a rut, but with Montez Ford on honeymoon there isn’t much else for The Mighty to do right now. The upcoming matches in the next few weeks look very exciting on paper: Cole – Burch, Black – Ciampa. The continued mentions of Nikki Cross signal that he isn’t getting sent to the main roster quite yet, despite being a bit past her expiration date on NXT.

NOW CHECK OUT LAST WEEK’S REPORT: 6/27 NXT TV REPORT: James’s report on Moustache Mountain vs. Undisputed Era, Gargano isn’t ready to move on, Road to NXT Takeover Brooklyn begins