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MCLENDON’S NXT ALT-PERSPECTIVE REPORT
FEBRUARY 5, 2020
ORLANOD, FLA. AT FULL SAIL
AIRED LIVE ON USA NETWORK
Announcers: Mauro Ranallo, Nigel McGuines, Beth Phoenix
[HOUR ONE]
-Highlights aired from last week’s NXT. And Ripley’s appearance on Raw from Monday.
-Broserweights Promo: Dunne and Riddle come out with the Dusty Classic trophy on the back of a golf cart. The two are interrupted by the Undisputed Era. They said they refuse to take them seriously as a tag team and all they have done was disrespect the legacy of the Dusty cup. Riddle made fun of Bobby Fish saying fish. He mocks him saying “How much Fish could Bobby Fish fry if Bobby Fish could fry fish? And gets it over with the crowd. Strong runs out and whispers something to Fish and they retreat to the back. Dunne says they will smoke the Undisputed Era at Takeover.
(McLendon Analysis: A little cheesy with the golf cart, but I appreciate the commitment to building the characters of these two within this team. Dunne’s no-selling of Riddle is perfect and truly makes this thing work. I am still enjoying it.)
(1) ANGEL GARZA vs. ISIAH “SWERVE” SCOTT
The two men trade counters. Scott hit a hurricanrana from the second rope. Garza rolled to the outside to recover as Scott went for a tope. He flipped over the top rope, but was caught by a superkick from Garza.
Garza tore his tights off and threw them at Scott followed by a superkick for the two count. Scott followed up with a flatliner for a near fall. Swerve chopped and kicked Garza as he tried to get back to his feet. Scott hit an Enziguri, but Garza countered with a superkick. Garza hit Scott with multiple headbutts. Scott countered with headbutt. Swerve went to the top, but was cut off by Garza. Scott jumped off the top but Garza threw his pants at him. It seemed to be an awkwardly long distraction that didn’t faze Scott at all. Garza hit the Wing Clipper for the win.
WINNER: Angel Garza at 10:36
-Garza listed all the people he’s beaten in the last week and claims he wants his title back. He said he knows Jordan Devlin is in the building and he’s watching him because he wants his Cruiserweight Championship back.
-The Undisputed Era is in the back looking for Ciampa. They throw around some backstage security. Roddy Strong takes the hair clippers and shaves a bald spot in the head of the person sitting in the barber chair.
(McLendon analysis: Not much to say here about this match. Solid as all the cruiserweight matches are. I have to say on Monday when he showed up, I assumed WWE was just replacing one Hispanic wrestler with another, but his showing and the follow up tonight makes it appear as if he will be making his way to Raw shortly.)
-Mercedes Martinez Vignette
(2) DOMINIK DIJAKOVIC vs. KILLIAN DAIN
A video played from earlier in the day. Dain drives Dijakovic into the corner and controlled he action early on and clotheslined him to the outside. Dijakovic threw Dain into the steps. Back in the ring, Dain stops the momentum with a crossbody. Dain went for a clothesline, but Diajkovic reversed it with a suplex and nailed Dain with a chokeslam bomb for a two count. Dijakovic went to the tope rope, but Dain countered with a superplex off the tope rope.
The two men trade big, stiff kicks to the face. Dijakovic went for the pin and Dain kicked out at two. Dijakovic missed a monnsault and Dain kept him down with a drop kick. Dain went for the Vader Bomb but Dijakovic cut him off and nailed the prelude to Feast Your Eyes for the three count and win.
-They announced Keith Lee and Dijakovic will face each other for the North American Title at Takeover. Lee and Dijakovic come face to face at the top of the ramp and shake hands.
– Undisputed Era continued looking for Ciampa. The pass Kushida and tried to fight them off. Bronson Reed walked by and they attack him as well.
(McLendon Analysis: It appears to always be random when Killian Dain shows up nowadays. He’s obviously great, but he seems to not have a place in NXT’s future other than putting over those they want to build up which is crazy seeing how he was put in multiple Wrestlemania battle royals as one of the few NXT representatives. Dijakovic continues his march towards the North American Championship. I am very curious to see how they will make this match different than all the rest of their matches from earlier this fall.)
-Finn Balor-Johnny Gargano Interview: Finn cuts off Mauro and said “This match was supposed to happen, but the doctors haven’t cleared him since he dropped him on his head.” Johnny says he’s been waiting for the match for four months, Finn says he’s been waiting for four years. Johnny said he hopes he gets the NXT Finn and not the Raw/Smackdown Finn who lost to Bobby Lashley 17 weeks in a row. Johnny said “he’s going to take the NXT flag that Finn left and stab him right in the heart and he doesn’t miss”. Finn said he doesn’t have a heart.
(3) MERCEDES MARTINEZ vs. KACEY CATANZARO
Martinez displayed her power and experience in the early stages. Catanzaro briefly takes the advantage but Martinez catches her after she went for a head scissors. Martinez went for a powerbomb but Kacey counters with a hurricanranna. Martinez throws Catanzaro into the barricade and the ring apron. Martinez rolled her back into the ring and nailed a Fisherman Buster for the three count.
WINNER: Mercedz Martinez at 3:00
– Cathy Kelley backstage interview with Rhea Ripley
(McLendon Analysis: Martinez appears to be a priority. NXT is always effective with their squash matches. I felt this didn’t make Kacey look weak at all while really highlighting that Martinez has experience and will be an important piece of the women’s divisions as it seems they will be losing some of them soon.)
[HOUR TWO]
– UE was still looking for Ciampa. He attacked them from behind again taking out all of the members except Cole. The two men brawled into the NXT arena. Ciampa slammed Cole’s head continually on the announce table. The rest of the UE came back and attack him. Ciampa is saved by the Broserweights. Referees and security break the men up and try to restore order. Regal makes a match for all seven men. The men continued to brawl after Regal left.
(4) JORDAN DEVLIN vs. TYLER BREEZE
Devlin hit Breeze with a baseball slide to Breeze’s back while he did his entrance. On the other end of the break, Devlin was controlling Breeze with elbows and kicks in the corner. Breeze cut him off with a kick to the face. The commentary team spent a lot of time hyping NXT UK during this match. Breeze took control of Devlin with several elbows to the knees. Then he pulled Devlin into the corner and swung his knee into the ring post. Breeze continued to work the knee of Devlin in the center of the ring, but Devlin got to the rope.
Devlin kicked and slapped Breeze as he regained control. Breeze fought back with chops and a picture perfect dropkick. He went for the pin but Devlin kicked out at two. Breeze clotheslines Devlin to the outside. Breeze went to bring him back in but is brought to the outside. Devlin nailed him with a PK and followed up with a moonsault. Commentary continues to highlight Devlin’s history in Japan and make his first time in the NXT arena feel important.
Devlin stands on the face and sternum of Breeze. Breeze fired back with a flurry of kicks and corner splashes. He hit Devlin with a clothesline and went for the pin. Devlin kicked out at two. Devlin hit Breeze with a big air crossbody off the top rope, but Breeze kicks out. Devlin hit a standing Spanish Fly and Breeze kicked out again. Breeze got Devlin in a single leg crab. Devlin got to the rope and Breeze hit a superkick for another near fall. Devlin reversed an unprettier and hit Breeze with a cutter from the apron. Devlin responded to an Enziguri from Breeze with a huge headbutt. Devlin pulled Breeze into the Devlin Side Suplex for the win.
WINNER: Jordan Devlin at 17:00
-Charlotte Flair arrives to the building
(McLendon’s Analysis: Devlin reminds me a lot of Daniel Bryan when he started in WWE, specifically look, style, and mannerisms. The commentary team really put Devlin over on commentary building his credibility with the American NXT audience who are seeing him for the second time since Worlds Collide most likely. I am really looking forward to him getting integrated with the rest of the roster.)
-Bianca Belair said that Rhea must have forgot about their match at Takeover because she’s gone to Raw and gotten in Charlotte’s business. As she was calling Rhea out, Charlotte interrupts. She gets chants of “welcome back”. Charlotte said she has a lot of respect for Bianca but she is not me. She told Bianca that Rhea overlooked her. Rhea came to the ring. Bianca get pie – faced out of the way by Charlotte. Bianca is beside herself and interrupted Rhea addressing Charlotte. Bianca tells Charlotte that “You don’t even go here” Rhea said we have a saying around here “We are NXT” The two attack Charlotte and leave her laying.
(McLendon’s Analysis: I’m not totally convinced that Ripley will win at Takeover, is that weird? Bianca’s showing in the Rumble and this segment have me hoping she actually wins the title. It wouldn’t be a terrible approach to take. It may be a little soon to use a Rhea/Charlotte match, so here is your way to get out of it without one of those women having to lose to each other. I think Bianca has definitely worked her way into that situation opposed to just being decided as the way out. Also, whomever mandates that Charlotte wears her robe to the ring every week even though she has no intention of wrestling, clearly doesn’t work for NXT and I am thankful for that. I felt this was a great promo for her, she didn’t sound as robotic for once. I guess NXT just does that to people)
(5) MATT RIDDLE & PETE DUNNE & TOMMASO CIAMPA vs. THE UNDISPUTED ERA (Bobby Fish, Kyle O’Reilly, Adam Cole)
Dunne, Riddle, and Ciampa attacked the UE during the entrance. O’Reilly and Ciampa started the match. Ciampa was noticeably limping. O’Reilly went back and forth with Ciampa. Ciampa tagged in Riddle. Roddy Strong grabs Dunne and slams him on the apron.
The UE has Dunne stuck in the corner. Dunne is able to escape and tag in Riddle. Riddle picks the pace up with exploder suplexes, flying forearms, and kicks. The UE retreated to the outside as they went to commercial break. Riddle and Fish exchanged punches and Fish tagged in Cole. The UE went to work and cutting off the ring by keeping Riddle in their corner. O’Reilly gets Riddle into a few submission holds. Riddle and O’Reilly exchanged knees and forearms. Dunne got the tag and had his opportunity to take on the UE. The UE slow down the action but Dunne escaped to tag in Ciampa.
Ciampa cleared the ring. Strong tried to get involved and Ciampa took him out with a knee also. Riddle came in and hit a spear on Bobby Fish. O’Reilly went to tag Cole while Ciampa had his leg. When he realized he was going to Cole, he let go of his leg so he could tag Cole in. Ciampa and Cole went back and forth before the rest of the men came back into the ring. Strong ran in and hit Ciampa with a knee for the DQ.
WINNERS: Ciampa & Broserweights at 13:39
UE continued to attack the opposition. They get Ciampa in the ring and spray a yellow X on his back. Referring the Ciampa’s X marks the spot comment from next week. Cole taunted Ciampa as the lights went out and the 2-5-20 graphic showed up on the big screen. The circles moved to form the three – eyed sunglasses of the Velveteen Dream. He appeared on the top rope and cleared out the undisputed era. Dream’s tights had a picture of Roddy, his wife, and his son on them.
(McLendon’s Analysis: This match was full of action from the start. Very chaotic. I am truly hoping that Ciampa is such a great salesman that he was selling something I missed with the knee. He seemed to be limping pretty bad early on in the match. I had actually totally forgotten about the 2-5-20 graphic from last week. I assumed it was Dream, but was still pleasantly surprised for the return. Outside of UE he was their top star going into the jump to live TV. But, they have built several stars in the time he has been gone. I am interested to see how he fits into NXT TV outside of getting his revenge on Strong.)
FINAL THOUGHTS: It appears this show was the finishing touches for the Takeover show. I assume next week will be full of video packages and matches with the underneath talent. The card for this show is going to be pretty stacked. They will have the opportunity to do this in front of a larger audience with the primetime Sunday slot in a few weeks.
I really enjoyed following the story to the main event throughout the night. It really gives you a reason to stay locked in and it furthered the story for two of the major matches for the next show. Even with Dream’s return and the chaotic main event, the highlights of this show were the two promos (Women and Balor-Gargano). NXT does promos better than all of the other wrestling shows on TV. They are simple, to the point, and they feel real. I wish they did more of them sometime, but I think that is why they are always so good. They only have them when necessary.
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