5/8 NXT TV REPORT: Riddle vs. Cole, Belair vs. Yim, Riddick Moss’ return vs. Mendoza

NXT TV REPORT
MAY 9, 2019
TAPED IN WINTER PARK, FLA. AT FULL SAIL UNIVERSITY
STREAMED ON WWE NETWORK
REPORT BY JUSTIN JAMES, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR

Announcers: Mauro Ranallo, Nigel McGuinness, Percy Watson

Pre-credits reminder that Adam Cole faces Matt Riddle tonight.

1. MIA YIM vs. BIANCA BELAIR

Belair looks rather bored, then gloats in her fan support. Lockup moves to a headlock takeover by Yim, then one for Belair. They trade arm drags, then both block arm drags, and they both his dropkicks. They jaw a bit, then Belair kicks Yim down. Yim kicks Belair down from the mat. Yim gets fired up with a variety of kicks, but Belair dodges a rolling kick which gives her the momentum in the match. Belair stays on the attack, managing a number of two counts, which only frustrates her. Belair cranks up the aggression. Belair taunts Yim who keeps swinging and missing from the mat. Yim gets mad when Belair wags her rear at her, fires up, and goes on the attack. Yim locks in a guillotine but Belair suplexes out and covers for two. Belair with a very tight and aggressive cravat. Yim gets knees up on a running splash. Dropkick into a cannonball to the corner from Yim. Belair dodges in the corner, but Yim still is able to lock in an tarantula through the ropes, then a sunset flip, but Belair blocks, covers, and gets chastised for grabbing the ropes. Another sequence, Belair covers, and wraps her hair around the ropes to help her maintain the cover and get the win.

WINNER: Bianca Belair at 7:37.

Security camera footage, the “Viking Raiders” are leaving the Performance Center when Jaxson Ryker blocks them with his truck, then Wesley Blake and Steve Cutler beat them up and escape. They will appear next week.

Performance Center footage of Shayna Baszler coaching Jessamyn Duke and Marina Shafir sparring. Io Shirai runs in and beats on Baszler, then Duke and Shafir jump in, and various trainers show up to break it up.

(Justin’s Analysis: If you want to have Shirai look dumb, jumping Baszler in front of Duke and Shafir is how you do it.)

Raul Mendoza has some new ring gear, including a jacket and a ball cap, and I believe some new music. He’s facing the returning Riddick Moss, who has cut his hair and has a new workout focused gimmick.

(2) RAUL MENDOZA vs. RIDDICK MOSS

Moss gets upset at a five count in the corner. Mendoza embarasses Moss with some chain wrestling then mocks Moss’ posing. Moss takes a moment to use a Theragun on his shoulders. Mendoza maximizing his minutes as usual here, one of the most charismatic in-ring performers in WWE. Running shooting star press gets two. Moss catches a springboard crossbody then curcls him a few times, then hits a fallaway slam. Moss does pushups then drives a shoulder into Mendoza in the corner. Moss pressslams Mendoza for two then he yells at the referee. A water break for Moss lets Mendoza recover and make a comeback. Head scissors sends Moss into the corner, followed by an enziguri. Mendoza to the top, Moss tries to meet him there but Mendoza dodges, hits a springboard corkscrew splash for the win.

WINNER: Raul Mendoza in 4:42. Frequent readers will know I am a huge fan of Mendoza, it’s great to see him get his first NXT win. Also good to see Moss healthy, though I am not sold on his new gimmick yet.

Recap of KUSHIDA’s debut last week. He will be in action next week.

(3) MATT RIDDLE vs. ADAM COLE

There is an awful lot of time in this episode when the main event starts, giving the impression that this will likely have something substantial after the match. Riddle with waistlock takedowns that he doesn’t release. Riddle wants the Bromission but Cole rolls outside to escape. Another lockup, Cole elbows out of a waistlock. Riddle reverses a headlock. Getwrench suplex trio from Riddle. Cole dodges a charge in the corner, yanks Riddle off the ropes, and hits a big kick to the face. Cole starts to grind Riddle down. Cole yells at Riddle, who makes a sudden comeback, culminating in a released German suplex. Cole gets the short stick in an exchange of strikes. Riddle with splashes in the corner, exploder suplex, more ande more offence, a running kick gets Riddle two. Bridging German suplex earns Riddle two again. Cole picks Riddle up but Riddle escapes, only to take a boot then the flip from the fireman’s carry into the knee. Cole thinks suplex, Riddle escapes and hits a knee to the face. Riddle has a fireman’s carry of his own, Cole jumps out, backstabber on the way down gets a very close nearfall. Riddle is spasming on the mat. They trade strikes from their knees. They get to their feet. Riddle grabs Cole’s face, then Cole stomps Riddle’s foot. Riddle catches a boot, transitions to an ankle lock, then transitions to Bromission, Cole transitions to a cradle for two. Riddle with another trio of suplexes, but Cole turns the third into a shoulderbreaker for two. Cole is losing his mind. Riddle lands stiff chops, Cole hits a kick to the knee. Anothe rapidfire sequence of kicks and strikes. Last Shot from Cole, but Riddle kicks out at the very last moment. Cole sells doubt and confusion. Cole drops a kneepad, but Riddle stops Cole, they trade knees. Riddle hits Go To Sleep, powerbomb, and a brutal knee to the face. Cole rolls out of the ring. Roderick Strong appears to help Cole up, but Riddle kicks Strong. The referee is distracted by Strong, Cole hits a superkick to Riddle, slow cover, Riddle reverses into the Bromission and Cole taps out.

WINNER: Matt Riddle at 13:57. Really, really solid match here. Riddle got so much offense I assumed he was being protected for a loss.

Post-match, Bobby Fish and Kyle O’Reilly appear and come into the ring but Riddle slips out. After replays, Cole slaps Strong’s hand away. Fish and O’Reilly separate them. Fish and O’Reilly seem to take Strong’s side, but want to calm things down. Cole leaves the ring on one side with O’Reilly, Fish and Strong go out the other side. Cole seems to blame Strong on his way out for all his big losses lately.

(Justin’s Analysis: Really strong episode here setting up quite a good bit of TV down the road. I do not want to see Forgotten Sons anywhere near the NXT Tag Team Championship but I don’t think NXT cares what I think on that one.)

NOW CHECK OUT LAST WEEK’S REPORT: 5/1 NXT TV REPORT: Kushida debuts against Kassius Ohno, Undisputed Era meltdown continues, six-man tag, Dijakovic, Dream on a Couch