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The following report was originally published on PWTorch.com five years ago this week…
WWE NXT Results
February 12, 2014
Taped at Full Sail University
Report by Justin James, PWTorch contributor
[Q1] I am really starting to miss the pre-credits videos, as they set the stage for the episode and made things feel important and dramatic.
Natalya, Bayley, and Emma are out first for a six-Divas tag match. They are facing Alicia Fox, Summer Rae, and Sasha Banks, with Charlotte. And, William Regal, Tom Phillips, Alex Riley, and Renee Young are all in the booth. Apparently, Fox is being evaluated for a slot in the BFFs; Young appropriately wonders why someone with her resume would want to do that.
1 – NATALYA & EMMA & BAYLEY vs. ALICIA FOX & SUMMER RAE & SASHA BANKS (w/Charlotte)
Emma wins a round of rock paper scissors to have first crack at Summer Rae. The announcers let us know that Emma is facing Paige on the Live Debut of NXT on February 27 for the Women’s Championship. Emma looks for a quick roll-up, but Rae kicks out. Natalya is in and Rae runs to her corner to tag in Banks. The Boss irritates Natalya but hides in the ropes. Some nice back-and-forth between Banks and Natalya. Riley is sounding much less heelish, saying he has a crush on Emma.
[ Commercial Break ]
Rae has the advantage on Bayley out of the break. Bayley is hungry to tag out. Regal, in a moment of insanity, says that Fox is his favorite Diva in terms of wrestling ability. Rae is at her heelish best tonight. The crowd is really hot for the tag and it is Emma and Fox in there. The BFFs decide to ditch Fox and head to the back. Fox taps out to the Emma-Lock.
WINNERS: Natalya & Emma & Bayley in 8:00. It’s rare to see a well done women’s tag match in WWE. The crowd is obviously hot for Emma, and the beat down on Bayley never got boring.
The Wyatt Family is advertised for later tonight.
Aiden English gets a smattering of boos as he sings his way to the ring. He is back to working “WWE” into his song. He’s facing Colin Cassady.
[Q2]
2 – COLIN CASSADY vs. AIDEN ENGLISH
Cassady dominates early on with his long limbs. Regal says that the quite pale English is “carved out of onyx.” Back to geology class for Regal. English turns it around. English gets taunted with “SAWFT” from the crowd, then whiffs a leg drop. Cassady wrecks English with rights. English ducks a big boot but gets caught on a cross-body. English hits the knee and lands The Director’s Cut for the win.
WINNER: Aiden English in 2:45. There’s something missing both to this feud and in the ring, but I can’t put my finger on it. Something isn’t clicking here.
Sami Zayn is out to a big reaction to call out Antonio Cesaro yet again. Zayn gives his now-tired speech about wanting to beat Cesaro. Cesaro comes out and tells Zayn to get over the fact that Cesaro is better and to move on. Cesaro says that he can beat anyone at NXT, but not him. Zayn alludes to his years of experience with Cesaro, and says that he respects Cesaro. He puts over Cesaro’s work ethic. Zayn wants to know why Cesaro will fight anyone anywhere, but he won’t fight Zayn again. Cesaro stands on the fact that he has already proven that he is better than Zayn.
Zayn says that if Cesaro is really better, one more victory over Zayn should not be a problem. Cesaro asks Zayn how his knee is doing, and Zayn says the knee is fine. Cesaro asks if he is medically cleared, and Zayn doesn’t quite say “yes.” Cesaro asks if he wins again, there will be no excuses. Zayn offers his word and a handshake. Cesaro thinks on it. Zayn offers a pinky instead, and Cesaro contemplates a pinky swear. He then declines, and kicks Zayns knee out.
Zayn is hobbling, and Triple H hits the ramp. Triple H says that the crowd obviously wants the match, and he does too. He says that he has been told that Zayn’s knee will be fine by February 27, then books the match because it is “best for business.”
[ J.J.’s Reax: On the main roster, “best for business” means “not what the audience wants.” On NXT, it means the opposite. When did JBL die and make Triple H NXT commissioner? ]
[Q3]
Tye Dillinger gets an “already in the ring” introduction (though he does have music) to face C.J. Parker.
3 – C.J. PARKER vs. TYE DILLINGER
Big “Let’s Go Tye” chant in reaction to seeing Parker. Dillinger grounds Parker. Parker quickly wins with the Third Eye.
WINNER: C.J. Parker in 2:00.
Parker with a post-match promo asking why the crowd doesn’t love him. He talks up his environmentally sensitive activities, and cuts on the crowd for being environmentally uncaring.
[ J.J.’s Reax: This is a rehash of the Straight Edge Society, where a normally positive thing (not doing drugs, recycling) is turned into a negative because of the elitist attitude of the person doing it. Good evolution of the Parker character who was DOA on his re-debut. ]
The Wyatt Family comes down the ramp in darkness.
4 – THE WYATTS (LUKE HARPER & ERICK ROWAN w/Bray Wyatt) vs. JASON JORDAN & MARCUS LOUIE
Harper immediately corners Louie. Big clothesline from Harper ends it.
WINNERS: The Wyatt Family in 1:00. That was short and pointless.
Post-match, Wyatt comes into the ring to give Sister Abigail to Jordan. He gets the mic and cuts a typical promo. They have conquered NXT, but have not forgotten it.
FINAL THOUGHTS: There is a logic to the match and story pacing to NXT, which is dictated by their taping schedule. But, taping schedule or not, it is hard to forgive episodes like this. Sure, the six-woman match was good. But this was pure filler other than (finally) arriving at the Zayn-Cesaro match. Hopefully the schedule will change a bit with the WWE Network to allow them to have longer matches and some better pacing. February 27 is turning out to be a stacked show with Emma vs. Paige for the Women’s Championship, Adrian Neville vs. Bo Dallas in a ladder match for the Heavyweight Championship, and Zayn vs. Cesaro. If those are the only three matches on that night, with 7 – 15 minutes per match, it will be perfect.
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