8/26 NXT ON USA REPORT: Wells’s report on Tommaso Ciampa’s return, Karrion Kross’s first show as champ, Swerve vs. Escobar

NXT ON USA
AUGUST 26, 2020, 8PM EST
ORLANDO, FLA., AT FULL SAIL LIVE
AIRED ON USA NETWORK
REPORT BY KELLY WELLS, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR

Commentary: Vic Joseph, Beth Phoenix, Wade Barrett

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[HOUR ONE]

-After a lengthy family emergency, it’s a relief for everything to have passed and to be back doing something as trivial as pro wrestling. Thanks to those who reached out.

-Recap of TakeOver XXX, ending with Karrion Kross’s championship win in the main event. With Keith Lee now on the main roster, complete with much-debated character tweaks, it’ll be interesting to see if they even make much mention of him.

-Karrion Kross and Scarlett made their entrance. It’s still great, but it wouldn’t bother me if Scarlett gave up the lip-sync bit. Kross was looking dapper in a suit. His arm was also in a sling. There were some scattered cheers before some foot-stomping and then sustained boos. “I told you,” Kross spoke into the camera. He said he made good on his word when he ripped the title off of Keith Lee’s carcass like flesh from bone. He said he was in pain, but he liked it. His arm was separated. He said there was no way they were going to let him defend the championship in this condition, so…on the path, there are obstacles, but for him, the obstacles are the path. He laid the belt down in the middle of the ring, lit by a pin spot, and Scarlett set up the hourglass behind it. Kross said this changes nothing, and god help the obstacles that end up in his path.

(Wells’s Analysis: Oh boy, has the title gone through some turmoil of late. Keith Lee’s clearly audible title reign of just over a month now was already questionable, but now there’s no continuity to the title at all and we’ll have to see how the company handles yet another vacation of a major championship.)

-The rumors were true: Wade Barrett joined the broadcast team, introduced by Vic. I was covering NWA Power before the lengthy layoff, so I’ll do my best not to accidentally call him Stu Bennett. Word is that he’s not signed on a full-time basis, and this may be a one-off.

(1) BREEZANGO (Tyler Breeze & Fandango) vs. IMPERIUM (Fabian Aichner & Marcel Barthel) – NXT Tag Team Championship match

Breezango had a straightforward entrance this week for their championship match. They went right at Imperium before the bell as Wade Barrett mentioned it was great to call a match for Fandango, one of his oldest friends. Fandango and Barthel opened. Rope run and Fandango hit a good-looking dropkick heading into a quick commercial.

Barthel had Fandango in a headlock, and he fought off a flurry of shots with a big right and tagged Aichner. Barthel hit an uppercut on Fandango’s backside to send him into a shot by Aichner and a cover for two. Aichner put Fandango’s head to the post and tagged, but Breeze dumped Aichner and was able to make the tag. Breeze cleared out Aichner again and ran coast-to-coast to hit Barthel with an uppercut. Breeze got hung up in a corner and Barthel hit him with a snap suplex. Barthel went up top but Breeze hit him with a spinning heel kick for two. Breeze wanted the Unprettier but Barthel backed him into a corner and hit some back elbows. Step-up kick by Barthel. Single-leg takedown by Breeze, but Barthel snuck out and tagged Aichner. The two collided in the ring and sold for a moment.

Fandango tagged in and hit a flying legdrop as Breeze held Aichner, and Aichner bailed. Fandango flipped to the outside to take out Aichner and all four men fought outside as the match went to a second relatively quick commercial.

Aichner had Fandango grounded with a headlock, but Fandango fought his way out. Aichner caught a flying Fandango and hit a DVD and then hit a moonsault for two, broken up by Breeze. Breeze and Barthel fought outside, and Barthel laid out Breeze. The crowd tried to get Breezango into it. Breezango blocked a suplex and took down Aichner, who fell into a tag. Fandango wanted a tag but Breeze was still laid out. Barthel and Aichner hit a tandem move and Barthel covered for two, then sold frustration. Barthel and Aichner made a tag and set up a corner dropkick from the outside, but Fandango moved. Hot tag by Breeze but Aichner took him down with a spinning heel kick. Breeze wriggled out of the European Bomb and took down both guys. He tagged Fandango, who hit a flying legdrop on both guys and covered Aichner for the win and the titles.

WINNERS: Breezango at 15:19.

(Wells’s Analysis: This is the first championship of any kind in any WWE brand for both men, making for a nice moment. That’s technically two title changes in the first half hour of the show. The match seemed decent, but with six or eight minutes of commercials, it was hard to get into the flow)

-McKenzie Mitchell tried to interview Damian Priest, who said the party continued on. Timothy Thatcher popped into frame and said Priest was acting embarrassingly as a champion, and wasn’t equipped to take him on. Priest took a swig from a bottle of champagne and said it looked like he was very well-equipped as he slapped his North American championship belt. Priest walked off and Thatcher sneered.

(2) JAKE ATLAS vs. TOMMASO CIAMPA

I don’t think I expected a match to be Ciampa’s return. Ciampa wore a black leather hoodie over a metal mask as he headed to the ring. I’m not one to always remember ring gear, but I’m always positive it was new. He glared into an intense Jake Atlas.

Ciampa backed Atlas into a corner, made a clean break and then took shots. Atlas shoved Ciampa, who hit a quick no-arm headbutt and stomped a mudhole. Willow’s Bell draping DDT was good to finish.

WINNER: Tommaso Ciampa at 0:50.

After the match, Ciampa battered Atlas around the ring and laid him out on the NXT logo at the foot of the ramp. He looked a little surprised at himself as refs tried to back him up, but then went back to it and took Atlas underneath the ring and hit him with a monkey flip into the underside of the ring. The refs got a stretcher for Atlas and Drake Wuertz asked “What the hell is wrong with you? He has nothing to do with you!” Ciampa, like old heel Ciampa, sat on the apron, detached emotionally. Once Atlas was safe on the stretcher, Ciampa snapped and attacked again, laying Atlas on the floor again. He laid next to him and smiled, then finally took off up the ramp. The PC crowd booed throughout the segment.

(Wells’s Analysis: That’s two title changes and a major heel turn so far. It doesn’t seem like it was that long ago that we got the long-awaited redemption of Tommaso Ciampa, but apparently it’s not to be. This show is suddenly rather light on babyfaces, though I suspect it’s going to be Undisputed Era filling that role as they finally cement the group on that side of the roster)

-Candice LeRae spoke in a backstage segment about Tegan Nox. She said when Nox signed, she reminded her of herself. She said they were friends, but Tegan doesn’t get her anymore. Where was she when she needed someone? LeRae said she was on the right path now, and Tegan could be too. If she doesn’t want to follow that path, she might as well stay out of LeRae’s way. And if not, c’est la vie. LeRae continues to shine on the mic in this role.

-Bronson Reed was being interviewed, and Austin Theory stepped in and called out Reed for his long climb up the ladder while he took a short climb to WrestleMania. He said with hard work maybe Reed can make it by the time he’s 55. Reed said “55? 55?” and threw one of the loudest slaps you’ll ever hear. I legit yelled out “holy sh*t.” Theory held his face, then smiled and nodded.

-Robert Stone pontificated on the way to the ring with Aliyah at his side, but Shotzi Blackheart of course drove up on his rear side and ran over his leg again. Aliyah was meant to be Mia Yim’s opponent, but Shotzi took her place.

(3) SHOTZI BLACKHEART vs. MIA YIM

Shotzi hit a double legdrop on Yim. Rope run and Yim hit a huracanrana. Yim blocked a move but Shotzi hit a rana for two. Both went for a kick and caught the other’s leg. THey set them down and reset with a fist bump. Shotzi howled and Mia threw a quick right. Shotzi blocked a charge in the corner but Yim slammed her for two. Yim rolled Shotzi to a seated position and kicked her in the back, then wrenched Shotzi’s back with her knees, looking for a submission. Shotzi covered to break. Yim charged the corner right into a boot. Shotzi charged and hit Mia in the corner, then laid her out with a bulldog. Discus punch and question mark kick by Shotzi. Suplex for two. Yim hit a suplex and then a face wash in the corner. Yim missed a senton and Shotzi superkicked her, then hit a top-rope senton for the win. The announcers framed this as a huge win for Shotzi.

WINNER: Shotzi Blackheart at 4:29.

(Wells’s Analysis: Though Yim loses as often as she wins, this does indeed come off as a big win for Shotzi, given that Yim has had a high profile alongside Keith Lee of late. Both of these women have kind of rode along right in the middle of the card, so we’ll see if this is part of a sustained push for Shotzi)

-William Regal said a decision had been made regarding the future of the NXT Championship, and that’s up next.

[HOUR TWO]

-McKenzie talked to Dakota Kai and Raquel Gonzalez about tonight’s tag match. Kai said Rhea Ripley should mind her own business, but that said, she wasn’t worried. They’re a team, and Rhea and Io don’t get along. She said she’ll prove she should be the Women’s Champion tonight. Raquel said Rhea would regret getting in her face.

-William Regal stood in the ring for the first time in a while next to the NXT Championship. He said it was his duty to wish Karrion Kross best wishes on his “long recovery.” He said NXT had come up with a solution: next week, on a special Tuesday episode of NXT, four former NXT champions would compete in a four-way match to decide the new NXT Champion. Order of announcement: Johnny Gargano, Tommaso Ciampa, Finn Balor, Adam Cole. He called next week “Super Tuesday” and said one would walk out as Champion, and the match would be the first ever four-way 60-minute Ironman Match. Wade Barrett said this means he has to come back next week because he’s not missing this one.

(Wells’s Analysis: Wow. I figured the match would be long, but that sounds exciting…and tough to recap. Whatever Mauro Ranallo has going on with family must still be in an uncertain state given that Bennett will indeed be back again)

(4) ISAIAH “SWERVE” SCOTT vs. SANTOS ESCOBAR (c) – Cruiserweight championship match

Suddenly Escobar is the longest-tenured champion in NXT. Formal intros in low light.

Swerve held Escobar’s wrist and flipped from the apron into the ring to take Escobar down. Escobar bailed heading into a commercial.

Escobar held Swerve in a headlock. Swerve tried to run the ropes but Escobar put on the brakes. Swerve tried to suplex his way out of it but Escobar held on. Rope run and Swerve transitioned into a suplex for a one-count. Barrett said in his entire career he always struggled most against the cruiserweights who could strike you three times in the air before they landed. Backslide by Swerve got two. Back kick by Escobar allowed him to take control, but Swerve worked Escobar into a brief armbar before he bailed again. Swerve followed to the apron but Escobar bealed him into the Plexiglass. Escobar dropped Swerve face-first on the steps. Escobar broke the count for some reason, then brought Swerve back into the ring and covered for two. Palm strike by Escobar. Escobar stomped down on Swerve to boos, then backed him into a corner and charged with double knees. Cover for two.Escobar backed Swerve to a corner but Swerve held his wrists. From the top rope, with the two men standing on ropes in the corner, Swerve went for a rana but Escobar redirected into a powerslam in a great spot for a convincing near-fall, leading to another commercial.

Escobar hit a big palm strike upon return from commercial. Inverted atomic drop by Escobar and the crowd booed. Escobar jawed down at Swerve and then spit on him, waking him up. Scott hit his feet and went wild with rights in the corner. Swerve laid out Escobar and hit a flying back elbow. Escobar bailed. Swerve hit a superkick and then hit a plancha to lay out Escobar. Flatliner in the ring for a long two. Joaquin Wilde ran to the ring and distracted the ref and Raul Mendoza caused a distraction that allowed Escobar to lay out Swerve for a very close near-fall. Breezango hit ringside and beat down the cronies. In the ring, Swerve hit a German with a bridge for two as the crowd chanted his name. Swerve hit a running kick for another close near-fall. To the corner, Swerve laid out Escobar with a powerslam and Escobar grabbed the bottom rope to break. Escobar bailed and grabbed a lucha mask he had at ringside and put it on. He headbutted Swerve and it essentially knocked him out to finish. They didn’t over-explain the loaded mask, which was a surprising touch, though I’m sure they will eventually.

WINNER: Santos Escobar at 16:41.

(Wells’s Analysis: Escobar has sneered and been somewhat jerky throughout this run, but he’s largely held some babyface beliefs. It was refreshing to see a genuine heel move in this setting, allowing Swerve to have an out after a match that just kept getting better as it went on. I’d love to see Swerve with a Cruiserweight championship run at some point, but the way Escobar’s reign is going, he can hold the title until he dies for my money)

-Johnny Gargano promoted next week’s Ironman match.

-Finn Balor, after a commercial break, did the same. He referred to the four in next week’s match as the cornerstones, and said he wasn’t as much a cornerstone as a centerpiece.

(5) DRAKE MAVERICK vs. KYLE O’REILLY (w/Bobby Fish & Roderick Strong)

This match was set up on social media, where Maverick challenged any member of Undisputed Era. For what it’s worth, this week, UE was booed on their way to the ring.

Maverick went in with shots immediately, then ducked a lariat and threw some more. Rope run and Maverick tripped O’Reilly, who fell to the outside. Maverick went up top and flipped out of the ring to take out Fish and Strong while Kyle ran out of the way. Back to the ring, O’Reilly threw a stiff kick to Drake and grounded him and threw a big right. The crowd stomped to fire up Drake while Kyle hit a couple of knees. Kyle posed as Maverick popped right up and threw shots. Big bulldog out of the corner by Drake. Senton. Maverick charged Kyle in the corner, who put up a leg. The two exchanged shots in the center o the ring and O’Reilly got the better of it and took out Drake with a kick to the knee. Kyle grabbed a leg and Drake hit an enzuigiri. Kyle blocked Sliced Bread and Kyle hit an Achilles Lock. Drake threw rights to try to break from it, but had to tap. After the match, UE beat down Drake to boos. Fish grabbed a steel chair, but Killian Dain hit the ring and cleared out UE, paying off his issue with them from a couple of weeks ago when his match with Drake was wiped out. Dain and Drake stared at one another. Drake thanked Dain and hobbled toward him, but Dain laid him out with a right, so I guess this isn’t where we get another needed babyface.

WINNER: Kyle O’Reilly at 3:26.

(Wells’s Analysis: I continue to be amazed at how heel-heavy things seem right now. It’s been a big question of whether the rest of UE would join Adam Cole in his assumed face turn, and I half-expected him to show up here. This match was very strong for its brief slot)

-McKenzie spoke with Rhea Ripley and asked why she was teaming with Io Shirai. She intimated that it was a marriage of convenience. She said if Raquel Gonzalez wants her to get out of the way, she’ll have to make her.

-Adam Cole paced in the back and said the Mount Rushmore of NXT would face off in an Ironman match. He said he was the Ironman of NXT due to his lengthy reign.

(6) IO SHIRAI & RHEA RIPLEY vs. DAKOTA KAI & RAQUEL GONZALEZ

Io was introduced first to the usual strong reaction from the PC. Rhea rolled with the black lipstick and eye shadow again this week. The heels entered together with just ten minutes left in the show, barring a return to the overrun.

Rhea and Kai started. Rhea controlled with power and Dakota crumbled to her corner and tagged. The Amazonians, as called by Beth, exchanged shots. Raquel backed Rhea to her own corner and Io tagged in, to which Rhea took exception. Dakota Kai tried to interfere from the apron, but Shirai kicked the ring to send Kai falling – right into the waiting arms of Raquel Gonzalez. The show went to its last commercial.

Shirai and Kai were in the ring. Double stomp by Shirai, who tagged in Rhea. After a quick reversal, Rhea hit some knees and then put up Kai in a fireman’s carry. They were close to the ropes and Raquel pulled Kai to safety and dumped Rhea. Gonzalez tagged in, rolled in Rhea and covered for two. A corner chyron promoted that next week there will be a six-man street fight pitting Legado del Fantasma against Breezango and Swerve. Raquel backed to her own corner and tagged Kai, who rolled up Rhea for two and then leaned on her with an armbar. When Rhea didn’t tap, Kai got up, stomped her and tagged in Raquel. Irish whip by Raquel, who charged in, but Rhea pushed her off. Rhea kicked Raquel to make the hot tag as Kai also entered. Gonzalez looked to interfere but Shirai used the heels against each other, shoving Kai’s foot into Raquel’s face. Springboard dropkick by Shirai got two. Double-underhook, but Kai blocked and hit a Scorpion Kick. Shirai hit a knee strike on Kai and then hit a German with a bridge for two, broken up by Raquel.

The heels double-teamed Shirai again. Raquel hit a lariat, then dragged Kai to the heel corner and tagged. Raquel held Kai for a running kick and then covered for two. Rhea fought up the apron to her corner and Shirai made the tag, but the ref was hung up with Kai and didn’t allow it. On the outside, Mercedes Martinez showed up in the face corner and laid out Rhea on the steps. Big slam by Raquel on Shirai got two; I was fooled by that near-fall. Kai tagged in and went for a face wash, but Rhea pushed Shirai out of the way. Rhea tagged herself in but Raquel hit the hobbling Ripley with a powerbomb to finish. That’s a rare pinfall loss for Rhea.

WINNERS: Dakota Kai & Raquel Gonzalez at 10:08.

(Wells’s Analysis: On a show as noteworthy as this one, it’s surprising that this simple tag affair got the main event slot. I’m not against it, but I’m surprised. The match was booked pretty heavily and was too chaotic to be much of anything, but it was exciting at times and definitely moved forward two separate feuds for Rhea Ripley. Shirai, the champion, was kind of an afterthought in the match, though with all the titles moving around, it’s probably best to have a low profile)

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FINAL THOUGHTS: There was no split-screen tonight. It seemed both at the beginning and the end that they were throwing to split-screen, but it didn’t happen. With AEW preempted, maybe they didn’t shell out the necessary money?

Breezango have won the tag team championships, and while it was a good moment to see them do so, it’s likely that they’re going to be transitional champions as I think we’re headed to all members of Legado del Fantasma holding gold. Next week’s Ironman Match will likely be the entirety of the second half of the show (and the introductions will probably start at around ten to the hour) and I’m anxious to see how many falls are actually scored, and what would be done in a tie situation – would all competitors move forward, or could it be that two tie at the top and they move on to a singles match the next week?

Tommaso Ciampa being heel isn’t going to make me complain any, but the question is whether NXT can afford for this to be the case. Meanwhile, what a drag for Karrion Kross to have an injury at this massive step in his career. On the upside, he’ll have an easy built-in story for whenever he’s able to return.

It’s great to be back, and it was surprising to come back on a week that seemed integral to ongoing storylines all over the company. Follow me all over social media @spookymilk and check out PWT Talks NXT live tonight or stream it tomorrow.

Oh, and check out the slap that Bronson Reed gave Austin Theory. Good Lord.