SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
NXT TV REPORT
MAY 29, 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, Beth Phoenix
1. MIA YIM vs. BIANCA BELAIR
Belair starts to jaw, takes a dropkick, but hot shots Yim over the ropes. They get back in the ring and a quick cover gets Belair one. Then move to mounts and punches and trade places. Yim takes out a leg then hits a running kick to the face, then a cannonball in the corner and a two count. Yim delivers slow Yes! kicks and Belair catches the third and takes Belair down for two. Belair keeps Yim on the mat with a chickenwing hold then a full nelson. That’s a hold that I wish would be used more often. They trade two counts. Belair hits a delayed, squatting suplex. Yim surprises Belair with a tarantula through the ropes, then another surprise two count. Belair hits double axe handles and follows by shoving Yim’s face in the ropes then delivers a corner beating. Disrespectful foot-on-the-chest cover for one. Belair looks for a Glam Slam perhaps, Yim escapes and covers for two, rollup for two, backslide for two. Belair tries to flip Yim over on a backslide, Yim lands on her feet and takes a forearm to the face for two. Belair gets another one count. Yim sends Belair out the ring, dodges a charge when Belair returns to the ring and hits an overhead throw. Yim gets in a Code Red for two. Belair puts Yim in the corner with her shoulder, goes to the other shoulder, spear, Yim dodges and returns fire with Eat Defeat, but Belair rolls outside and to the ramp. Belair is heading to the back, Yim beats her back to the ring. Belair blocks ring side, hits a Glam Slam right into the apron. Belair rolls into the ring. Yim barely beats the ten count. Belair wails away on Yim, then throws her across the ring, then again. Back drop and Yim lands sideways. Belair sets up a powerbomb, Yim slips out, hits Protect Ya Neck while grabbing Belair’s hair for the win.
Winner: Mia Yim at 10:10. This was a pretty weak match for what is supposed to be a heated feud. They also burned Belair’s first time being pinned on Mia Yim who hasn’t done much to be a compelling character. This match proved to me that Yim just doesn’t have good matches, and for someone with her career that’s an issue.
Package on Velveteen Dream and Tyler Breeze. Dream just rips Breeze and how his career has fallen apart since he left NXT, while using a selfie stick.
“Earlier today”, Shayna Baszler, Marina Shafir, and Jessamyn Duke are posing for pictures. The interviewer asks Baszler about Io Shirai challenging her at Takeover XXV. Baszler says there won’t be weapons at Takeover and Shirai has no more friends and hers are still there.
2. KUSHIDA vs. DREW GULAK
They start with some initial mat work. They break, then most to wrist control. From the booth, McGuinness seems to indicate that Gulak is part of NXT and not just a visitor. KUSHIDA escapes Gulak finally. Test of strength muscles KISHIDA to the mat, then he gets out. Gulak locks in a single leg crab, but KUSHIDA rolls under, locks Gulak up with a triangle but Gulak escapes. This is paced like a 20 minute match. KUSHIDA with a backslide attempt, Gulak rolls under, KUSHIDA with a crossface then a side headlock. Gulak suddenly rolls under to put KUSHIDA’s shoulders down but KUSHIDA shifts weight and retains the headlock before a count starts. They suddenly wrangle and KUSHIDA gets in an octopus, Gulak muscles out, rolls into a leg hold. KUSHIDA gets tot he ropes for a break. Body slam from Gulak, KUSHIDA kicks him away, they block hip tosses. KUSHIDA yanks Gulak’s arm over the ropes, Gulak with a gutbuster then tugs on KUSHIDA’s fingers, KUSHIDA reverses into a hold of his own, Gulak escapes. More chain wrestling for a moment, then Gulak tries to speed it up, KUSHIDA takes him down into an armbar, Gulak reverses into an anklelock. KUSHIDA back to the armbar, Gulak back to the ankle lock. KUSHIDA can’t get to the ropes, rolls through to escape, dodges in the corner and hits an enziguri. They trade suplex attempts and blocks, KUSHIDA tries to Hoverboard Lock, but Gulak blocks and gets to his feet, elbows out. Flatliner from KUSHIDA then he rolls through, leverages Gulak for the win.
Winner: KUSHIDA at 8:16. Good showcase for KUSHIDA. Gulak is someone who puts on really good matches so consistently, but like Roderick Strong a few years ago is missing that special something to get me to buy into them. He needs just a tweak, like Strong did, to become a really great contributor. I am liking KUSHIDA’s work a lot.
Post-match, Gulak gets in KUSHIDA’s face and they go face-to-face. This feels like a bonus Takeover match in the making.
Cathy Kelley interviews Shirai backstage. Shirai says she is not afraid of Baszler or her friends, and invites all three of them. Candice LaRae comes from the back and apologizes for interupting. She thanks Shirai for the save last week and promises to watch Shirai’s back at Takeover.
A babyface thanking another for a save is something that should happen more often. It’s basic, common courtesy, and babefaces should tend to be courteous and polite.
Video package on Johnny Gargano capturing the NXT Championship, and lots of footage of him in his hometown of Cleveland with fans.
3. ONEY LORCAN & DANNY BURCH vs. FORGOTTEN SONS (WESLEY BLAKE & STEVE CUTLER w/Jaxson Ryker) – Tag Team Match
Burch and Blake start. Burch gets the upper hand with a hot start. Burch wrangles Blake to the mat, then Blake gets to his feet and tags in Cutler. Cutler puts the boots to Burch in the corner and then tags Blake back in. Double team only gets one. Burch avoids a double team and tags in Lorcan who goes on his usual offence. Ryker grabs Lorcan’s foot, the referree sees, and instead of DQ-ing the Forgotten Sons, he ejects Ryker. The Street Profits clobber Ryker on the mat, then charge the ring to beat up the Forgotten Sons.
No Contest at 2:13.
Post-match a full brawl breaks out with Blake and Cutler swinging chairs. Ryker recovers, only to get beat up by Adam Cole and Roderick Strong, who invite the Sons to the ramp, but it’s a ruse for Bobby Fish and Kyle O’Reilly to ambush them. Undisputed Era turn themselves into the ultimate babyfaces by beating up the Forgotten Sons. Cole finds a ladder under the ring, the Undisputed Era use it to smash Ryker’s face in. Cole sets the ladder up over Ryker’s body, climbs to the top with a microphone, then vows to have gold for the whole team.
Fine episode to lead to Takeover. As usual, Dream was able to turn a one week build into a much-anticipated match with his unique promo skills. Baszler – Shirai looks good, though my suspicion is that with Yim being positioned as next in line, Shirai loses here. The real question for Takeover will be how much gold does Undisputed Era capture, and it they do not all win their matches, do they have a total meltdown?
NOW CHECK OUT LAST WEEK’S REPORT: 5/22 NXT TV REPORT: Undisputed Era vs. Riddle & Gargano, LaRae In Action, Dream and Breeze Confront Each Other
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.