SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
The following article was originally published on PWTorch.com five years ago this week…
WWE NXT Results
October 9, 2013
Taped at Full Sail University
Report by Justin James, PWTorch contributor
[Q1] The pre-credits video was the standard Rob Van Dam hype video.
Leo Kruger is out to start the show off. Slightly different presentation, when a darkened arena slowly lighting to reveal him crouching on the stage. Tom Philips and Alex Riley recap last week’s Bo Dallas Invitational. Antonio Cesaro is out to face Kruger after they brawled last week to continue their feud.
1 – LEO KRUGER vs. ANTONIO CESARO
Hot start with Cesaro demolishing Kruger with a running dropkick, then ripping his shirt off. Kruger chops Cesaro across the ring, then clears him over the ropes. Back-and-forth fighting ringside, but Kruger gets the upper hand back in the ring. Cesaro on a roll. Kruger blocks suplexes and responds in kind to start a comeback. Side Russian Legsweep gets two for Kruger. Cesaro reverses a whip and hits a running uppercut in the corner. Cesaro to the top, but he gets crotched. Battle on the turnbuckle, and Kruger hits a superplex.
[ Commercial Break ]
Kruger and Cesaro are both on the ramp. Kruger rolls Cesaro into the ring, then sends him into the ropes and lands the spinebuster. Kruger psyches up in the corner, but Cesaro ducks outside. Cesaro baits Kruger into the steps, then picks Kruger apart. Gutwrech suplex halfway up the ramp gives Cesaro a near count-out victory. Kruger playing the babyface with heart as Cesaro pummels him. Ten uppercuts mid-ring and a big slam for a nearfall.
Cesaro cracks the neck and sets up the Neutralizer, but Kruger counters with a back body drop. Cesaro charges for another corner uppercut and walks into an elbow, but goes right back for a mid-ring press into uppercut for a close nearfall. Cesaro locks in the chinlock to wear out Kruger.
[Q2] Spittle drips from Kruger’s mouth as he fades. He gets up, but eats a short arm clothesline then the Neutralizer.
WINNER: Antonio Cesaro in 13:00. Another great showing from Cesaro, and Kruger did his end just fine. A number of innovative sequences here. Good match to get some babyface juice behind Kruger, especially with Riley and Philips reinforcing that story all match long.
Post-match: As the ref checks on Kruger, Cesaro nudges Kruger with his toe like I’d nudge a snake to see if it were dead. Cesaro to the turnbuckle, then leaps over the ref and more than halfway across the ring to drop a knee on Kruger. They have a trainer and four refs checking on Kruger.
Rob Van Dam is advertised as facing Aiden English. Not the person I’d be spending RVD on, but hey, let’s see where it goes.
2. CHARLOTTE (w/Bayley) vs. SANTANA GARRETT
Following the recent trend, Renee Young joins the announcing team for the Divas match.
Chain wrestling to start, with Santana and Charlotte both showing off acrobatics and escapes. Santana gets an advantage in the corner and follows through. Side Russian Legsweep into an armbar. Summer Rae and Sasha Banks show up. Bayley tried to will Charlotte out of the hold. Charlotte flips Santana over to escape, then on the attack. Charlotte shows off her amazing athleticism. Distraction from Bank lets Santana get a schoolgirl for two. Charlotte with blockbuster into a cover for the win.
WINNER: Charlotte in 2:30. More of an enhancement for Charlotte than a debut for Santana.
Post-match, Summer Rae gets on the mic, and reminds the locker room who the “first lady” (herself) and who the “boss” (Banks) of NXT are. She says that Paige is “officially out” thanks to Banks. That’s news. As they gloat, Paige runs in and takes them both on. Paige demolishes Banks, but the numbers game catches up. The crowd demands Emma, and she makes the save.
[ J.J.’s Reax: Something didn’t work here. Charlotte and Bayley left the ring quickly, even though Summer Rae and Sasha Banks got involved in her match. It just stuck out like a sore thumb that they were nowhere to be found and Emma had to make the save. And why is Emma helping Paige when they were going to have a title match not too long ago? ]
Backstage, Tony Dawson (who has since parted ways with WWE, unfortunately) has Rae and Banks for an interview. They deny being embarrassed by Paige and Emma, and vow to get even. They challenge the two to a tag match, and then challenges Dawson to fix his tie.
Danny Burch is out for his second or third match, facing Mojo Rawley in his debut match. Rawley out with so much energy, he is like Xavier Woods and Kofi Kingston put together. He’s touted as a former football player.
3 – MOJO RAWLEY vs. DANNY BURCH
The smaller Burch puts Rawley in the corner. Burch grounds Rawley and settles into a chinlock. Rawley is deceptively huge.
[Q3] Rawley with shoulder tackles and a pair of huge Stinger Splashes, then a Rear View followed by a senton onto Burch’s face for the win.
WINNER: Mojo Rawley in 2:00. Rawley reminds me a lot of Percy Watson, a bigger man with lightning quick speed and fantastic cardio conditioning, and jumping ability to boot. Rawley is at least as big as Jack Swagger or Sheamus, making his athleticism even more impressive. Rawley looked like he was parasailing as he landed the Stinger Splashes from what looked like the center of the ring. I’m looking forwards to seeing more of Rawley. He’s got the crowd on his side instantly.
Backstage, Paige tells Emma she didn’t need any help. Tony Dawson interrupts to tell them about the challenge. They accept, but Paige says she’ll win because she’s the champ. Emma dances, to Paige’s dismay.
Sylvester Lefort introduces the Fighting Legionnaires (they have a new team entrance music and video) to the ring. Rusev has an “Enzo” board tonight. Here come the Realest Guys in the Room. Cassady calls the Legionnaires “Sloppy Jalopies” and they call them SAWFT.
4 – ENZO AMORE & COLIN CASSADY vs. THE FIGHTING LEGIONNAIRES (SCOTT DAWSON & ALEXS RUSEV w/Sylvester Lefort) – Tag Team match
Cassady and Rusev start it off. It’s height versus width here, and Amore tags in. Rusev catches a crossbody and lands a series of knees while holding Amore in the ropes. Dawson in with his snappy brawling style. The crowd is chanting “sloppy jalopies” in a rather awkward chant. Cassady breaks up a pin after a suplex, then Rusev clears Cassady as he exits. Rusev with a butt splash, then a Camel Clutch (he calls it “the Accolade”) for the win.
WINNERS: The Fighting Legionnaires in 3:30. Fine match to put over the Legionnaires and put sympathy on Amore and Cassady.
Post-match, Cassady takes a beating, too.
Renee Young has Sami Zayn backstage for another flirty interview. Zayn says that the hard work is done, getting the #1 contender spot. Bo Dallas comes in to say that his mask trick wasn’t cool, and says that his feelings are hurt. Zayn apologies for hurting his feelings, and says that he has no issue with Dallas even though others do, but he wants the title. Dallas sounds like he’s nearly in tears, and offers to tag up with Zayn to chase the tag titles, “as friends.” Zayn thinks that may be a good idea, and shakes on it, right after he beats Dallas for the championship.
[ J.J.’s Reax: Sami Zayn as this unbelievably, yet believable nice guy works really well. It makes him feel like the only grown adult in the room. It is such a different, refreshing take on things. Dallas really came off as scared for his title and desperate to hang onto it. ]
The Zayn against Dallas title match is advertised for next week.
[Q4] Aiden English is introduced for his match. He has a bit of singing. This is so well done, how he has a different song every week (though he always slips in a dramatic “WWE” into the song), and he just runs with this. It’s fun, and entertaining. Ricardo Rodriguez is out to intro Rob Van Dam.
5 – ROB VAN DAM (w/Ricardo Rodriguez) vs. AIDEN ENGLISH
English wins a test of strength, angering Van Dam. English says that RVD is not allowed to shove him. Van Dam with some quick offense to surprise English, then reminds us that he’s Rob Van Dam. English gets sent over the top rope, and Van Dam follows with a moonsault off the apron. English begs off, then kicks Van Dam, but Van Dam puts him down again.
English kicks the ropes as Van Dam returns to the ring to trip him up, then goes on the attack. English grounds RVD with a chinlock. Van Dam blocks a suplex and counters with a small package for two. Rolling Thunder and Van Dam goes to the top and hits the Five Star Frogsplash for the win.
WINNER: Rob Van Dam in 5:00. Basic match to send the crowd home happy after seeing Van Dam in a quick match and see English get a beating. English did what he needed to do to look fine in a short match.
Final Thoughts: One odd thing about NXT is that they rarely follow a title change the next week; they usually wait until the next week, if at all. It would have been nice to hear something from Graves and Neville after losing the Tag Titles, or see The Ascension debut as champs. Mojo Rawley looks like he may be a winner as a bigger man with a ton of athleticism. The Divas story is progressing nicely and is a model that WWE should be following on the main roster. The mid-card is filled with really fun, entertaining characters, and it is nice to see some more tag teams being made.
NOW CHECK OUT THIS FLASHBACK: 5 YRS AGO – NXT TV REPROT (10-2-13): Santino & Emma vs. Fandango & Summer Rae, Ascension vs. Corey Graves & Neville, plus Enzo & Cass, Harper, Bo Dallas
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