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NXT TV REPORT
SEPTEMBER 4, 2019
TAPED IN ORLANDO, FL AT FULL SAIL UNIVERSITY
STREAMED ON WWE NETWORK
REPORT BY KELLY WELLS, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR
-Opening theme.
-Breezango’s music brings them out to a nice pop. They entered in the hot cop gear and have new music. There’s a siren in it, so the cop thing will probably be the norm.
(1) BREEZANGO vs. CHASE PARKER and MATT MARTEL
Parker and Martel have teamed for fifteen years and have been friends since third grade. They have matching gear with Fleur-de-lis on them. They’re…friendly with one another. Previously, they were known as 3.0 (and 2.0 before that) on the indies. They’re signed to WWE so this isn’t just a one-off.
Fandango and Martel started. Martel took Breezango to a neutral corner, kicked him and Parker tagged in. Parker attempted a sunset flip and Fandango turned it into a hip sway and dropped a leg. Breeze was tagged in. Snap suplex for one. Flying forearm in the corner and Breeze lounged on the ropes as Chase asked if he thought he was funny. Chase fought back with a hard right. Martel tagged in but walked into a dropkick and armdrag. Breeze locked an arm but Martel tagged Chase, who hit a hard knee and some punches for a one count. Wristlock by Chase, but Breeze stepped up with an enzuigiri. Breeze went for the tag but Chase dragged him by his leg, and Martel grabbed Chase’s leg to stop it. The ref got involved and Fandango tagged in. Powerslams for both guys. Falcon Arrow on Chase and Breeze tagged in and quickly tagged Fandango again as they hit the Fashion Faux Pas for the win.
WINNERS: Breezango at 4:08.
Kelly’s Analysis: The former 3.0 looked pretty good in defeat, which made for a nice enhancement match with some attitude. Breezango looked polished again already. No future storyline was set up but I’m sure they’ll be in line to face Undisputed Era sometime soon.
-Jordan Myles was outside with Keith Lee. Cathy Kelley stopped Myles and asked him about his championship match tonight. Myles said he’d give it his all. Lee said a guy like Myles who just got here and is already getting this opportunity should have all the confidence in the world.
Kelly’s Analysis: There it is. Lee is going heel before long. Maybe tonight.
-The announcers were starting to hype the Velveteen Dream-Kona Reeves match later tonight when they were interrupted by a parking lot brawl. Io Shirai was bashing Candice Lerae with a kendo stick until she was held back by officials.
-Earlier today, Cameron Grimes complained about not winning. He threw a tantrum and said he was at the bottom now. He said his goal was to get to the top and be the champion. He repeated “to be the champion” over and over. He put on a Rob Zombie-style top hat after his promo and walked away.
Kelly’s Analysis: a bit overdone, but too much is better than too little. Grimes has a defining characteristic here and it’ll be interesting to see how far they go with his obsessive-compulsiveness.
(2) VELVETEEN DREAM vs. KONA REEVES
Non-title. Dream entered first to a good pop, though not as big as the one for Breezango’s in-ring return to Full Sail. Kona had new gear and a new pair of shades. His confidence continues to shine and he got a big reaction (mostly positive) upon his entrance.
Dream grabbed a side headlock and Kona broke it by walking to the corner. The two wrestled their way to another corner. Kona broke it clean but Dream shoved him, then kicked him. Dream ran the ropes and hit a dropkick. Irish Whip and Kona walked into an elbow, but hit Dream with a hard kick, then some strikes, and a leaping kick that took Dream down. Kona taunted Dream until Dream slapped him. Kona came back with a hard right to take Dream down again. As Dream was draped over the second rope, Kona hit a hard knee to his face. Kona taunted Dream again and toyed with Dream, but Dream got up and the two traded blows. Dream kicked and then shoulderblocked Kona. Flying double-axhandle. Sunset flip by Dream but Kona grabbed the ropes (sort of…the move wasn’t perfect). Dream blew Kona a kiss and hit him with a Dream Valley Driver for three.
WINNER: Velveteen Dream at 4:01.
-Roderick Strong appeared on the TitanTron (or whatever) and said he was ready for him. The camera panned as Strong went off on Dream to show him burning up Dream’s couch, which Dream sold as a big deal.
Kelly’s Analysis: I continue to think Kona would do very well on Raw or SmackDown where his huge personality makes sense. The same holds for Dream, but I think we’re all worried about how he’ll be used there. The bit with Strong burning the couch came off as the kind of silliness you expect on the main roster, except it wasn’t dragged out to an excruciating length of time. If NXT wants to do larger-than-life feuds, Dream is the right guy to have them.
-Rhea Ripley hype. Her short history in wrestling was recapped and the match was announced for next week(!). There was no Championship graphic so I assume it’s non-title.
(3) TAYNARA vs. BIANCA BELAIR
Yes, Taynara Conti lost her last name, it seems. Her makeup and hair were different but it’s been so long since I saw her, I don’t know how they were different.
Bianca backed Taynara into a corner and blew her a kiss. Another lockup and Bianca backed Taynara into the opposite corner. Taynara tossed Belair into the corner, then monkeyflipped her and covered for one. Taynara went for an armbar then rolled Belair up for a quick two. Belair shoulderblocked Taynara for two. Irish Whip reversed and Belair hit a dropkick. Taynara did another monkey flip; Belair rolled through this time but got dropkicked. Taynara ran Belair’s face across a rope and kicked her hands as she attempted to hold on to a rope. Taynara hit a judo toss but got rolled up for two. Bicycle kick by Taynara for two. Taynara mounted Belair and went at her with fists. High knees by Taynara in the corner, then a rope-aided headscissors. Belair fell out of the ring. Taynara went for a cross body but got caught and slammed. Referee Drake Wuertz counted both to nine but they made it. Belair went hard at Taynara, took her down and hit a handspring moonsault to Taynara’s back. Hard forearm by Belair set up the torture rack and the KOD.
WINNER: Belair in 5:38.
Kelly’s Analysis: Taynara continues to have one of the more impressive improvement stories in NXT. She got a lot of offense here and it looked pretty good. Taynara is a fun character overall – a diminutive looker who happens to be a cruel badass.
-Backstage, Adam Cole paced.
-Connor’s Cure spot.
-Next week, Johnny Gargano addresses his future.
-William Regal announced a Triple Threat match coming for a shot at the Women’s Championship: Mia Yim vs. Bianca Belair vs. Io Shirai. Well, that explains Belair getting these wins on TV without ever setting her up for a feud.
(4) JORDAN MYLES vs. ADAM COLE (c) – NXT Championship Match
Challenger entered first to a decent response, followed by Cole with the usual mixed reaction. Myles, known for his whimsy on the indies, wore a shirt that said “I am Super.”
“Jordan” chant. The two sized each other up. Cool gear on Myles. Cole took Myles to a corner. Clean break. Hip-toss by Cole into a headlock. He jawed at him while he held it. Shoulderblock by Cole and another takedown into a headlock. And another after an Irish Whip. The crowd did the hype-up clap as Myles got to his feet. Cole ran the ropes and hip-tossed Cole and grabbed an armlock. Myles drove a knee into Cole’s back and splashed his arm. Cole took Myles to a corner and this time kicked him in the breadbasket. Dropkick by Myles and Cole bailed. Myles flew but missed.
Cole smashed Myles into a ringpost and reentered the ring to break the count, then tossed Myles into the ring, surprisingly. He went at Myles in the corner with forearms, then ran Myles into a turnbuckle. Myles fought to his feet but Cole reversed an Irish whip and whipped Myles’s face into the ropes. Cole mounted Myles and hit fists on Myles’s face. Cole locked Myles up with his legs but Myles reached the ropes. Myles fought to his feet again as Cole said he didn’t deserve to share the ring with him. He told Myles to give him his best as he went at him with forearms.
Myles got up and the two traded forearms. Myles ducked a couple and hit a few in a row, then hit a dropkick. Cole bailed but Myles hit a pescado. Back in, diving cross-body and Myles got a long two. Cole missed a spinning heel kick and Myles took him down with a German suplex for two. Cole bailed again, but charged back in and hit a big boot to a charging Myles for two. Cole hit Myles with a backstabber for two. Myles fought back but Cole hit a figure four as the match eclipsed ten minutes. Myles rolled over and reached the ropes. Cole set up Myles on the top turnbuckle and went up himself. Myles fought him off and came flying down into a big boot. Beautiful, high Ushigoroshi for a long two.
Cole charged Myles, who tossed him to the apron. Penalty Kick. Myles rolled Cole in but he bailed yet again. Tope suicida takes Cole out. Myles rolled Cole in. Frog Splash for a long two. Myles dragged Cole into position again and slowly went up. 450 missed but he rolled through. Superkick took Cole down. Midnight Star, but Cole got the knees up. Cole rolled down his knee pad, missed a knee. Myles with an Okana roll for two. Cole hit two superkicks and the Last Shot for three as Beth Phoenix yelled “No!”
WINNER AND STILL CHAMPION: Adam Cole at 14:36.
Cole kissed his title on the ramp as he exited. Nice ovation and “Jordan” chant as Myles sold his knee as he walked out.
Kelly’s Analysis: No extracurriculars – just a very good championship match. I think Keith Lee will be turning on Myles at some point, but as always, I’m predicting a Lee heel turn that never happens. The Breakout Tournament did some nice things for Myles but this match made him an NXT star. The fans bought him in the match, and he got a strong percentage of the face reaction which is always impressive against Cole. I don’t know where Myles goes next, but I was worried about him being tossed into this match and it appears those fears were unfounded. Very strong TV match for both.
FINAL THOUGHTS: NXT keeps putting on good shows leading to their USA debut in two weeks. The segment with Roderick Strong burning Velveteen Dream’s couch isn’t for everyone, but I don’t think it crossed the line too far yet (though what we’ll get on USA is a fair question). Taynara looked good in her TV return and I think Parker and Martel will be a nice addition to the thin tag ranks. Follow me all over social media @spookymilk and pick up my board game, Fundead: The Gravest Show on Earth, at thegamecrafter.com.
Great ep as we head towards the live two hour show. Bianca’s mannerisms were noticeably less heelish.