SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
NXT TV REPORT
OCTOBER 3, 2018
TAPED IN ORLANDO, FLA. AT FULL SAIL UNIVERSITY
REPORT BY JUSTIN JAMES, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR
[Q1] Pre-credits, Nikki Cross is backstage messing with her hair and musing that “games are fun” and whe will get to play another game tonight, and asks if Biana is too afraid. Post-credits, Mauro Ranallo promises us Lars Sullivan against EC3. Candice LaRae is all smiles, with a bit of new ring gear. She is facing Lacey Evans.
(1) CANDICE LaRAE vs. LACEY EVANS
They start by shoving each other, then lockup, Evans takes LaRae down to the mat, LaRae regains her feet, all while retaining the tie up. Outstanding little sequence there. LaRae gets the edge and slams Evans’ face into turnbuckles. Evans thorws LaRae to the apron, who jumps through with a bulldog of sorts into a cover for one. LaRae to the top, Evans runs under and hits a shoulder block to stun LaRae. Bronco Buster from Evans for two. Evans removes a tissue from her bra, pats the sweat off her face, then slaps LaRae with the tissue. Evans puts LaRae in a head scissors on the mat while doing pushups, unique taunt there. Kick to LaRae earns Evans two more. Evans with a Cobra Clutch and grabs LaRae’s hair where the ref can’t see, and taunts LaRae. LaRae breaks free, then gets a knee up in the corner, flips Evans over to the apron, Evans with a leg sweep, tries a slingshot elbow drop but LaRae moves. Step-up enziguiri from LRae, then a barrage of forearms. Kicks lefts and right send Evans to the corner, running back elbow, snapmare, and LaRae to the second rope for a leaping DDT, Evans kicks out at the last moment. Evans mouths off to LaRae, which causes LaRae to go nuts. The ref has to pry LaRae off Evans in the corner, and she risks disqualification twice. She wants into the corner again to attack Evans, and eats the Women’s Right.
WINNER: Lacey Evans in 6:18. Evans continues to be pushed, while earning it. I liked that Evans dominated much of the much, but once LaRae came within striking distance of the win, Evans used a mind trick to squeeze out a win.
Video package on Adam Cole, NXT North American Champion Ricochet, and NXT UK Champion Pete Dunne and their triple threat for the NXT North American Championship. Ricochet says that he and Dunne respect each other because they are trying to elevate their titles. Cole says that no one would care about the North American Championship if not for him, Ricochet says that the title was just a prop for Cole. Dunne talks about being the champion of two continents, Cole wants to be the first two-time North American Champion. The match is next week.
[Q2] Forgotten Sons vignette. They are next.
Backstage cell phone selfie video with NXT Champion Tommaso Ciampa. He talks about how other will do anything to get the spotlight and to place the blame for the Aleister Black attack on him. He calls out Velveteen Dream, and suggests that Black was attacked by Dream. Ciampa tells Dream to keep his mouth shut and not try to take Ciampa’s spotlight. Ciampa threatens to turn “the Dream into a nightmare.”
(2) FORGOTTEN SONS (JAXSON RYKER & WESLEY BLAKE & STEVE CUTLER) vs. VINNY MIXON & CESAR RISE & TORRY KIRSH – Six-man Tag Team Match
Cutler is wearing a mask for some reason. Ryker with quick, hard offense. Blake uses an armbar to drag his opponent to the corner. The third jobber tags in, but Blake no-sells a clothesline. Cutler tags in. Cutler and Blake clear the apron of jobbers, then feed the third to Ryker for a slingshot powerbomb.
WINNERS: Forgotten Sons in 2:30. When Blake was a good heel, he had a goofiness that this package doesn’t let him show. Ryker is the standout of the group, but this squash didn’t do much for me.
Video package on Shayna Baszler getting her rematch for the NXT Women’s Championship at WWE Evolution.
Interview with Tony Nese. He talks about how he proved on 205 Live that he is a premier athlete and shows off his abs, to Cathy Kelley’s apparent delight.
[Q3] Biana Belair gets upset at being called “Bianca” instead of “Miss Belair” (isn’t she married now?). Belair says she doesn’t care what Nikki Cross wants, she is still un-duh-feat-ed, and now she won’t just beat Cross, she will embarass Cross and stay Un-duh-feat-ed.
(3) JOHNNY GARGANO vs. TONY NESE
There is a 80/20 Johnny Wrestling/Johnny Failure chant. Should block takes Gargano down, then gets caught leapfrogging, then the “gotcha” head scissors takedown, Nese bounces back in the ring to knock Gargao down. Rapid sequence sees Nese sent to the outside, where Gargano hits a suicide dive. Gargano is in a good mood. He heads to the top, but Nese knocks him down, then hits a fireman’s carry into a gutbuster for two. Nese slows things down with a body scissors. Gargano leans back to cover for two, Nese retains the hold until Gargano reverses to punch Nese. Nese trips Gargo up, slingshot springboard moonsault, Gargano dodges and hits his slingshot DDT. Gargano with strikes and kicks, gets put on the apron, slingshot spear picks up two for Gargano. Nese limbos under a clothesline, they trade attacks, Gargano wants the lower superkick, Nese transitions to a powerbomb attempt, Gargano slips out, tries the Gargano Escape, Nese slips out, one-arm powerbomb slams Gargano’s head into the ropes or turnbuckle. Gargano sells severe pain in his arm. Gargano with offense outside, he tries the slingshot DDT, Nese stands up, dumps him outside, then nails a crazy corkscrew dive over the top, 450 splash gets Nese a nearfall. Nese with facewash kicks in the corner, but Gargano slips away enziguiri, but Nese hits a German Suplex into the turnbuckle. Nese charges, takes a superkick then a clothesline. Gargano looks fired up, Gargano Escape, Nese taps.
WINNER: Johnny Gargano in 9:44. Really good match here. Gargano looks good to get a hard-fought win and did not slip into his dark side to do it. This was a good ad for 205 Live, and made the case that 205 Live will be a great place for Gargano to end up.
Post-match, Gargano gets a fans’s sign for him, brings it into the ring and holds it up.
Vignette on how Oney Lorcan and Danny Burch became a team, earned a title match, and then lost it. Lorcan points out that the crowd didn’t like them at the beginning of the match, but were won over by the end. Burch talks about how good it felt to get the crowd behind them. Lorcan discusses the injury he sustained in that match.
[ J.J.’s Reax: hearing them talk about being “average blokes” and considering their style makes me hungry to see Lorcan and Burch face The Revival in the future. ]
Bianca Belair is booked to fight Bianca Belair in two weeks, Keith Lee faces Kona Reeves next week, and the North American Champion Triple Threat is next week as well (that should be a 20 minute match, and be half the show including entrances and post-match).
EC3 decides to bum rush Sullivan instead of completing his entrance. The referee calls for the bell.
[Q4] 4. EC3 vs. LARS SULLIVAN
Sullivan gets sent outside quick, tries choking EC3 who slams Sullivan into the steps, repeat two more times until Sullivan is finally down. EC3 rolls into the ring to gloat and soak up an NX3 chant. Sullivan is bleeding from the back. EC3 chops Sullivan around the ring, wants a powerslam but Sullivan knees out, then spears the ring post. EC3 hits a body slam and EC3 poses. Leaping elbow drop, cover for two. EC3 with a front facelock. Sullivan picks him up and plants him in the corner to regain the edge. Sullivan throws EC3 cross-ring, then hits a running charge. EC3 to the second rop for a dropkick, then a legsweep for two. EC3 grabs the face but that just angers Sullivan. Monster clothesline sends EC3 to the mat. Sullivan throws EC3 agross the ring again, then lands crossface forearms to knock EC3 down. Cover for one. Sullivan with a neck crank. EC3 tries to get out and takes a knee. Sullivan wants a slam, EC3 escapes and tries a waistlock or a German Suplex. Sullivan gets out. EC3 with a German Suplex, then a Stinger Splash, followed by a crossbody from the top for two. Sullivan’s bell is rung. EC3 is bleeding from the face. He looks for a fireman’s cary, Sullivan elbows out and lands a lariat. Sullivan thinks Freak Accident, EC3 elbows out then clotheslines them both out of the ring. EC3 fires up, his mouth is filled with blood, but Sullivan slams him ont he apron, then goes to the top for a diving headbutt and the win.
WINNER: Lars Sullivan in 6:44. EC3 took a legit beating there, bleeding from multiple places, as did Sullivan. A lot of color for a short match. The in-ring action was decent and hard-hitting, but the lack of emotional investment damaged the match unfortunately. If this had a real build and 2 – 3 more minutes, it would make a good Takeover opening match.
FINAL THOUGHTS: Not much happened tonight (Lars Sullivan facing EC3 was the main event, says it all) but lots of build for the next few weeks of TV.
NOW CHECK OUT LAST WEEK’S REPORT: 9/26 NXT TV REPORT: Ciampa vs. Dozovic, The Mighty vs. Street Profits, plus Lars Sullivan, Baszler, Keith Lee, Regal mystery update
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