SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
The following report was originally published on PWTorch.com five years ago this week…
WWE NXT Results
September 11, 2013
Taped at Full Sail University
Report by Justin James, PWTorch contributor
[Q1] No pre-credits video this week. I really look forward to the video, and am disappointed when WWE does not have it.
Enzo Amore is out with a full-on leopard print look, with Colin Cassidy for a tag team match. Amore vows revenge for the attack last week from Rusev and Dawson. Sylvester LaFort comes out to continue the battle of bad outfits. He says that everyone is afraid of his money making legionnaires, and intros Scott Dawson and Alexander Rusev. Rusev’s board has “Enzo” written on it. Regal on Rusev: “He could scare a police horse.”
1 – ENZO AMORE & COLIN CASSIDY vs. SCOTT DAWSON & ALEXANDER RUSEV – Tag Team match
Amore and Dawson start. Dawson easily controls the lock-up, but a pair of rabbit punches lets Cassidy come in. Cassidy catches a boot and takes Dawson apart. Dawson is selling to the nosebleed seats. Dawson plants his feet on a whip to take control of Amore, and Amore gets isolated. Rusev impresses with power. Dawson holds Amore up so Rusev can hit a running spinning heel kick, and Dawson jackknifes into a cover, but Rusev is the legal man. The ref calls for the bell for Dawson and Rusev sharing the ring too long, just as Rusev settles into the cover.
WINNERS: Enzo Amore & Colin Cassidy in 3:45. Totally overbooked ending. It has been years since I saw a tag match end because both members of the team were in the ring at the same time for the five count. Other than that, Rusev continues to show plenty of talent, and Amore has a real sense of humor to his in-ring mannerism.
Post-match, Dawson, Rusev, and LaFort are baffled how they lost, and Amore and Cassidy celebrate like they did something amazing.
NXT champion Bo Dallas is out to speak. He has added a giant graphic of the NXT Title belt to his Titantron to emphasize his character. He thanks the Bo-Leivers over heavy boos. He’s getting Vickie levels of heat. He says their cheers “make me believe I can fly.” He claims to be friends with Sami Zayn, and says that he is Zayn’s mentor. He says he’ll give Zayn a non-title match when he gets better, but he can’t book a match because he isn’t the Commissioner. The crowd literally did not give him a second of silence to speak.
Backstage, Renee Young is interviewing C.J. Parker, who looks like he mixed the wardrobes from “Pirate of the Caribbean” and “The Doors.” Young asks what is going on between him and Tyler Breeze. Breeze is in love with his outer self, Parker is in touch with his inner self. Breeze wants to horde his love, while Parker wants to spread his love. Breeze gets even more tired of the promo than I was, and ambushes Parker, then takes selfies of himself lying down on Parker.
[Q2] Sasha Banks comes out to nearly no reception for her title match, which no one has explained how she earned. Paige is out for her usual reception. Regal imagines being married to Paige and coming home $5 short in the paycheck. Scary thought.
2 – PAIGE vs. SASHA BANKS – NXT Women’s Championship match
“Happy Birthday” chants to Paige. She catches Banks’s arm and hits a headbutt. Paige phsyically and verbally humiliates Banks. Paige sweeps Banks with an arm. A number of covers from Paige. A surprise cover from Banks angers Paige. Paige banks Banks into the corner on a waistlock, back elbows her to the ground, then stomps mud. Banks schoolgirls Paige into the turnbuckle.
[Commercial Break]
Paige is stuck in a really loose Camel Clutch out of the break. Banks with a number of different holds. The crowd finally wills Paige out of the holds, but a dropkick puts Paige back down and Banks returns to the holds. Not even William Regal’s commentary can make this interesting.
Paige blocks a suplex and returns with one of her own to get some separation. The crowd breaks into their own rendition of “We Will Rock You.” Paige with ten knees through the ropes. Banks with another surprise cover. Paige wants to hit a drop kick as Banks hits the ropes, but Banks holds on so Paige eats canvas. Paige rolls through on the followup cross-body for a three count.
WINNER: Paige in 8:00. Fine match until Banks spent half the match in boring holds. Paige looks weak for taking eight minutes to put away a relatively unknown in Banks, and then needing to roll through on a cross-body to do it. Even the FSU crowd, who is usually hot for Paige, got bored, and so did I.
Post-match, Banks can’t believe that four minutes of leg scissor holds couldn’t win her the NXT Championship. Paige decides to show some sportsmanship, but Banks shoves her hand away. Paige tries two more times, then gives him. Banks ambushes her from behind and eventually hits a neckbreaker to lay out Paige.
[ J.J.’s Reax: Since when has Paige ever felt sympathy or good sportsmanship? This match and aftermath totally defined Paige down. And for what? To use Banks as a catspaw in the Paige vs. Summer Rae feud? ]
Backstage, Summer Rae congratulates Sasha Banks and says, “I knew you had it in you.” Banks says it felt awesome. Banks thanks Rae for bringing out the rage inside of her. Banks hugs Rae, he doesn’t seem too thrilled to be buddy buddy with Banks.
[ J.J.’s Reax: What a silly segment. You know what should feel good? Winning a title match, not losing in one. ]
[Q3] Leo Kruger is somehow getting some fan support in the ring. Xavier Woods gets some crowd love.
3 – XAVIER WOODS vs. LEO KRUGER
Kruger quickly hides in the corner multiple times. Kruger continues to play mindgames with Woods by running away. He makes the mistake of walking too close to the ring and Woods grabs him by the hair until Kruger pulls Woods into the ropes. Kruger works the left arm. Well-deserved “boring” from the crowd as Kruger continues a long-running armbar. Woods builds momentum in the ropes and sends Kruger ringside, but whiffs a jump over the ropes.
[Commercial Break]
Kruger is still keeping Woods grounded. Woods with a short flurry until he Kruger regains control. Kruger with a really nice suplex. Kruger misses a second rope double axe handle. Woods is firing up while selling that his left arm is bad. Honor Roll, but Kruger catches him mid-air with a spinebuster for a nearfall. Woods ducks the Slice. Honor Roll again, then Eat Defeat for the win.
WINNER: Xavier Woods in 12:00. That match stunk, and there isn’t any other way to say it. Kruger returned to so many of his bad habits, notably many minutes of armbars.
FINAL THOUGHTS: Bad week for NXT. By my informal count, 50 percent of in-ring time was spent in various holds, not even chain wrestling… just holds. Boring.
NOW CHECK OUT THIS RELATED ARTICLE: 5 YRS AGO – NXT TV REPORT (9-4-03): Bayley, Charlotte, Alicia Fox, Graves, Rusev, Sami Zayn, Swagger
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.