8/15 NXT TV REPORT: Final Takeover Hype, Kairi Sane vs. Aliyah, Street Profits vs. The Mighty, Strong vs. Tyler Bate

NXT TV REPORT
AUGUST 15, 2018
TAPED IN ORLANDO, FLA. AT FULL SAIL UNIVERSITY
REPORT BY JUSTIN JAMES, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR

[Q1] Pre-credits silent tribute to Jim “The Anvil” Neidhart followed by a video package showing the announcement of the triple threat match for the NXT Championship, then William Regal being led to Aleister Black knocked out in the parking lot. Mauro Ranallo tells us that the NXT Championship match is now a one-on-one Last Man Standing match between Johnny Gargano and NXT Champion Tommaso Ciampa.

Street Profits hit the ring.

(1) STREET PROFITS (ANGELO DAWKINS & MONTEZ FORD) vs. THE MIGHTY (NICK MILLER & SHANE THORNE)

Ford and Miller pace the ring a bit before moving to lock up, but Miller places a knee to the middle and drives Ford to the corner. Thorne uses a headbutt, but Ford slips out of a suplex to tag Dawkins. Dawkins suplexes Ford onto Thorne, then a unique double team spot sends Miller outside. Dawkins’ power drives Miller into the corner, but he whiffs a spinning splash, then Miller beats the headbands off Dawkins. Double suplex but Dawkins kicks out. Miller grinds away with a chinlock. Ford finally gets a tag and delivers hot tag offense. Ford rolls up Thorne and uses a handful of tights to capture the win, a turnaround from when The Mighty have cheated to win.

WINNERS: Street Profits in 6:21. OK match, so much of it was forgettable, and the tag team division just kind of treads water on the lower card.

[Q2] Backstage, NXT Women’s Champion Shayne Baszler is giving aliyah a pep talk and some tips, Aliyah will be facing Kairi Sane next. Obviously Baszler hopes that aliyah cripples Sane before their match at Takeover: Brooklyn 4 on Saturday.

Backstage, Undisputed Era have one of their uniue promo packages. they mock Mustache Mountains. “If Trent Seven is 100 percent then we are what, 500, 600 percent?” That’s funny. Then they mock War Raiders. Adam Cole points out that Undisputed Era debuted in Brooklyn a year ago, and says that they are not hiding. Poor Booby Fish has to just glare instead of giving the gang signs because his hands are filled with their Slammy Award. Again.

[ J.J.’s Reax: Fish & O’Reilly have these trademark things which are borderline corny but they are so funny. ]

Aliyah has a new outfit with a floral print, and still no cat ears. Just as the match is about to start, shayne Baszler hits the ramp, and has some hand motions for Sane. she decides to join the announcer booth. She thanks them for standing, and thanks Nigel McGuinness for telling them to stand.

(2) KAIRI SANE vs. ALIYAH

As they lock up, Baszler says she can’t believe how disrespectful Percy Watson was to her (for not immediately standing up). Aliyah hides in the ropes as Baszler rips the announcers. Rollup, then a Stretch Muffler by Sane. Aliyah gets to the ropes. Aliyah tries to rally and knocks Sane down. Aliyah gets caught with a dragon screw leg whip, then a blockbuster. The Interceptor from Sane. Sane stomps over to the corner, stares at Baszler and lands the sliding knee, then goes up and nails the Inane Elbow. Sane looks at Baszler instead of covering, returns to the top, and another Insane Elbow. Baszler is super unimpressed. No cover. Sane lands a third elbow, covers, but pulls the cover off at 2. Sane puts Aliyah into the Anchor, staring and pointing at Baszler until Aliyah taps.

WINNER: Kairi Sane at 3:56. Great match to show a serious side of Sane, and that she can be brutal when needed.

Video package on Adam Cole’s stellar year. Ricochet talks himself up. Cole calls Ricochet good, maybe even great, but not special. Ricochet says it is about being better. Cole says he makes the championship. Ricochet says the NXT North American Championship needs a fighting champion.

Velveteen Dream is “up next” “live”. Promo or match?

[Q3] Dream has yet another new outfit, jeans, denim vest, no shirt, and a black leather fanny pack. Dream is going to cut a promo.

He laughs. He is laughing because the crowd cheers for him. He says EC3 is funny too. EC3 is so smart, clever, charming… he gets cut off by more chants for him. Dream says that just like the crowd, EC3 had the Dream’s curiosity, but now EC3 has something he couldn’t buy if he tried, something nobody wants… the Dream’s attention. He has made an enemy of the Dream. On Saturday it will be Dream Over. EC3’s music interrupts. EC3 comes out in a suit. EC3 asks if this is what it sounds like when doves cry. Dream takes off his sunglasses as EC3 makes fun of the fanny pack. The crowd is cheering for the fanny pack. EC3 says that Dream is trying to get in his head, but he is a master of that game. The time for talking is over, and EC3 will win. Dream vuts EC3 off and says there is no “after victory” and the crowd chants “yes!” Dream says EC3 won’t get his hands raised, and the only thing on EC3’s mind will be “Dream Over”. EC3 takes his suit jacket off and says they don’t need to wait for Brooklyn as he slowly undresses. Dream starts to disrobe as well, then throws his jacket on EC3’s face and starts wailing away. EC3 fights back, hit’s the One Percenter.

Cathy Kelley is shown outsiude examining the footage of the video from Black’s attack. It’s a real whodunnit! Basically the entire roster was around.

Video package summarizing the NXT Championship match.

[Q4] Bianca Belair is shown rehabbing her unspecified injury. Next week, NXT UK Champion Pete Dunne is booked to defend against Zack Gibson.

(3) TYLER BATE (w/Trent Seven) vs. NXT Tag Team Champion RODERICK STRONG (w/Kyle O’Reilly)

Hot start to match with Bate beating Strong around the ring. A distraction from O’Reilly lets Strong hits a backbreaker and turn the match around. Strong slows the match down, thengets two off a backbreaker. Bate and Strong tussle on the turnbuckle. Bate throws Strong off with a front suplex, then follows with a flying European Uppercut. Bate has strikes all around the ring. Exploder suplex, Bate kips up, running Shooting Star Press for two. Bate puts Strong in the airplane spin but his nback is sore, suplex from Bate gets two though. Bate wants the Tyler Driver ’97, Strong fights out. Stronghold attempt, Bate reverses into a cover for two. Running high knee int he corner then a big slam gets two for Strong. A very quick sequence of hot moves ensues. Big dive over the top rope wipes Strong out. Bate again wants Tyler Driver ’97, O’Reilly wants to distract but Trent Seven stops him. Roling kick from Bate, Tyler Driver ’97 to give Bate the win.

WINNER: Tyler Bate in 8:04. Really great match as you expect from these two, with the expected result to give Mustache Mountain “momentum” heading into Brooklyn.

FINAL REAX: Light on the wrestling action to focus on promos and video packages hyping Takeover: Brooklyn. I really did not care for the Dream/EC3 bit at all. This is easily Dream’s worst work in NXT and I feel that the EC3 character, as well as the creative efforts, are to blame.

NOW CHECK OUT LAST WEEK’S REPORT: 8/8 NXT TV REPORT: Aleister Black vs. Johnny Gargano, Kassius Ohno vs. Adrian Jade, Nikki Cross vs. Amber Mova, Keith Lee vs. Marcel Barthel