SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
NXT ON USA
OCTOBER 14, 2020, 8PM EST
LIVE IN ORLANDO, FLA., AT CAPITOL WRESTLING CENTER
AIRED ON USA NETWORK
REPORT BY KELLY WELLS, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR
Commentary: Vic Joseph, Wade Barrett, Beth Phoenix
Join the “PWT Talks NXT” Dailycast with Nate Lindberg & Tom Stoup to break down the episode:
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[HOUR ONE]
-Recaps covered last week’s busy episode, including Ridge Holland’s nasty injury and the women’s tag team main event.
(1) DANNY BURCH & ONEY LORCAN vs. RODERICK STRONG & BOBBY FISH (w/Kyle O’Reilly) – #1 Contender’s match
Kyle got on the mic and said a lot of people said the Undisputed Era was over. He said they would’ve put Ridge Holland in the same hospital bed where they are right now, and they’ll find out who compensated Ridge Holland for the attack last week.
Lorcan and Strong opened. Headlock takedown by Strong. Oney powered his way into a headscissors. Strong escapd. Rope run and a couple of shoulder tackles by Strong, who ran into another headscissors. Burch tagged in and the two hit tandem chops on Strong. Burch kept working the left arm. Fish tagged in and hit a snap mare, then missed a springboard senton. Uppercuts by Burch took Fish down. Burch worked Fish’s left arm and tagged Lorcan. Tandem Russian leg sweep. Strong looked to interfere and he got suplexed on Fish. Lorcan covered for two. Fish tried a couple of palm strikes but couldn’t break free. Lorcan worked an armbar. Fish broke free and the two exchanged shots, which Lorcan controlled. Lorcan won another shot exchange but Fish made a blind tag. Lorcan chopped both for a moment but they hit a back body drop. Breezango was shown with their belts watching from the ramp as the match went to split-screen commercial.
The show returned to another shot of Breezango. UE was controlling Lorcan but Lorcan hit some shots on Strong. Roddy went for the Stronghold but Lorcan wriggled free. Fish went for and missed a splash. Burch tagged in and took it to both. He hit a dropkick on both from the buckle and tagged Lorcan, who retained control. All four got involved and the faces worked submission moves. Strong rolled up Burch to break. Burch hit a big lariat and tagged Lorcan. The two teamed up for a big DDT but Fish dragged Lorcan off of the cover. UE briefly teamed up on Lorcan and Strong hit a rising knee to finish.
WINNERS: Roderick Strong & Bobby Fish at 13:25.
(Wells’s Analysis: The recent intrigue with Undisputed Era is helping, but I guess I’m not clamoring for them to return to the tag team championship scene that they dominated for so long. Of course, there aren’t exactly a lot of options right now. The match was a decent formula tag that didn’t come close to their best encounter. The bigger issue is how these #1 contender’s matches are coming about, as the show isn’t doing a lot to set them up or explain why certain teams were chosen; Burch and Lorcan win on a pretty rare occasion)
-Finn Balor health update. His jaw was destroyed and he underwent surgery. In a few weeks, he’ll be reassessed so they can make a decision on what happens with the NXT Championship. I’m sure it would have been stripped already if it hadn’t happened to Karrion Kross so recently, and it would be a real shame given that there has to be another Balor-O’Reilly match planned.
-Ember Moon vignette. She talked about being away and finding out who Ember Moon needed to be. She said she took herself out of the equation to be drafted to Raw or SmackDown and went home to the best women’s division in all of wrestling. She said when she left, she left on top, but now it’s a whole different game. She said you only get a title shot based on what you’ve done lately (awkward timing there) and she ran through the names she wanted to face in NXT. She said Ember’s Law will lead her back to her title.
(Wells’s Analysis: This vignette placed Ember near or at the top of the division. Who gets displaced?)
(2) ASHANTE “THEE” ADONIS vs. JAKE ATLAS
Collar and elbow. Rope run and the two reversed some quick moves and reset. Adonis showboated and Atlas dropkicked him. To the corner, Adonis missed a top-rope move but hit a dropkick for two. Adonis jawed at Atlas and Atlas shoved his face. The two got chippy and exchanged forearms. On the ramp, Joaquin Wilde and Raul Mendoza distracted Adonis. Atlas rolled him up for three.
WINNER: Jake Atlas at 1:52.
After the bell, Mendoza and Wilde attempted to beat down Adonis, but Atlas got involved for the save. Santos Escobar hit the ramp in a flashy emerald suit and threatened to charge the ring. Isaiah “Swerve” Scott showed up to even the odds, and Legado del Fantasma took off up the ramp.
(Wells’s Analysis: For a while I expected Drake Maverick to involve himself with Escobar again before long, but I don’t think I’m supposed to be thinking about it anymore. This should set up a spirited six-man for the near future. With Scott taking two losses to Escobar already, the question is whether he gets yet another pinfall to set up a third encounter for the championship or we transition to Adonis)
-Backstage, Johnny Gargano and Candice LeRae were interviewed. Gargano said their destiny was to be champions at the same time. Tonight he faces Austin Theory and his big mouth, and Theory will get the wrestling lesson of a lifetime.
(3) AUSTIN THEORY vs. JOHNNY GARGANO
With both of these two working as dirty heels, it’ll be interesting to see what dynamic develops. Gargano entered without LeRae. Theory mocked Gargano’s lack of a belt as he walked down the ramp.
The announcers said Theory asked for this match. Gargano took down Theory and hit a front chancery and rolled with Theory to keep it applied. Theory wriggled free and worked a headlock. Rope run and Theory hit a tackle, but Gargano quickly threw some shots and a dropkick, then hit Theory with a chop. Arm drag by Johnny, who held on and held a knee down on Theory’s head. Theory powered out but Gargano nearly caught him in GargaNo Escape but Theory reached a rope.
Gargano landed on his feet on a suplex attempt but Theory hit a clothesline and standing moonsault for two. Wade Barrett talked about Theory’s losing streak and said he’d learn more by losing to high-caliber opponents than by beating lower-caliber opponents. Theory hit a dropkick and picked up Gargano for a forearm. Gargano threw one but Theory hit a few more. Theory went for ATL but Gargano hit the apron to escape. Gargano hit a slingshot spear heading into commercial.
Gargano had Theory in an abdominal stretch. Theory powered out but Gargano hit a back elbow, then draped Theory on a rope and hit a running knee. Gargano ran the ropes and Theory caught him and planted him on the ring. Springboard stomp by Theory, followed by a suplex. Theory caught a superkick attempt and hit one of his own. Modified ushigoroshi got two. Theory taunted Gargano, who fought from his knees and hit a forearm before a big kick by Theory. Gargano elbowed out of the ATL and went up the ropes and hit a cross-body, but Theory rolled through and once again went for the ATL. Gargano slipped out but Theory trapped him for a convincing near-fall.
Theory chopped Gargano in one corner and another. The audience chanted “Johnny Wrestling.” The two exchanged forearms and Gargano hit a superkick. Gargano darted Theory into the second turnbuckle and ran the ropes and hit a forearm to the back of the head to lay out Theory. Gargano set up One Final Beat and hit it to finish.
After the match, Gargano rubbed his chin and considered Theory. Is a stable in the works?
WINNER: Johnny Gargano at 14:14.
(Wells’s Analysis: It’s ridiculous how good Theory is at his age. Very good TV match, but WWE is asking a lot of the live crowd with a heel-heel match after a face-face match and an opener with a popular heel(?) act.)
[HOUR TWO]
-Quick recap of the Dream-Ciampa business from last week, which Ciampa watched on the monitor. Ciampa said “He’s dead” after seeing it, apparently still angry at Dream for some reason, despite him not being the target.
(4) SHOTZI BLACKHEART vs. CANDICE LERAE – #1 Contender’s match for Women’s Championship
Candice tossed Shotzi’s helmet from the turnbuckle post as she posed. Candice worked a wristlock, then a waistlock, and Shotzi tossed LeRae to break. Shotzi blocked a neckbreaker and then hit a tope on LeRae, then howled. She rolled in LeRae for two. Jawbreaker by LeRae, but Shotzi got up LeRae for a cutter against her thighbone. Candice hit a charge in the corner and rolled Shotzi up for two. LeRae worked a double armbar and then a chinlock. The audience stomped to get Shotzi into it. LeRae hit a suplex for two.Shotzi tried to fend off LeRae, who hit a hair mare and then leaned on Shotzi in a corner. LeRae covered for two and LeRae sold some frustration.
Shotzi blocked two suplexes and hit one of her own. She charged into a boot in the corner. Both hit the apron and Shotzi hit a thrustkick. Shotzi wanted a bulldog but LeRae slipped out and put Shotzi into the turnbuckle, then dropped her face-first on the apron as Vic asked which would be headed to Halloween Havoc as the match went to a commercial.
The show returned to a big “NXT” chant so we may have missed a spot that was meant for TV. Shotzi hit a charge in the corner and a bulldog, then threw some forearms and a question mark kick, then a senton as LeRae was draped on the ropes for two. Shotzi went up and a senton ended up landing on LeRae’s raised knees. Candice rolled her up for two. LeRae went up the buckle and Shotzi recovered and followed. LeRae slipped through and hit a German suplex and a superkick for two. Candice went for a leg hold but Shotzi fought her off and hit a double-underhook suplex with a bridge for two; the two had to reposition as it landed awkwardly. Backstabber by Candice and an Asai moonsault for two. I think I heard Vic call it an “Essay moonsault” or some such.
Shotzi tried a couple of rollups and got two. She floated over Candice for a submission move, trapping LeRae’s head – Barrett said he too hadn’t seen it before – and LeRae broke the plane to break the hold. Thrustkick by Shotzi. The two went up a corner and jockeyed for position. LeRae got tossed down and Shotzi hit a Lou Thesz press from the top. She went up for her flying senton but LeRae rolled out of the ring. Shotzi charged for a tope but Candice had moved over near the Plexiglass. From within the glass, Indi Hartwell handed LeRae a pair of brass knuckles. When Shotzi got near the ropes, LeRae brained her with the knucks and finished.
WINNER: Candice LeRae at 15:38.
(Wells’s Analysis: Excellent TV match. Shotzi was good upon arrival to NXT but she’s put together a wonderful string of matches of late. If one thought too hard about the fact that Shotzi is the host of Halloween Havoc, they would know she probably wasn’t winning this match to feature in a championship match there, but that’s a nitpick I can ignore as a great match now leads to a third meeting between Candice and Io Shirai)
-Earlier today, Drake Maverick and Killian Dain met in the back. The very amped Maverick suggested some branding and gear. He suggested the name “The Furry and the Fury” and Dain listened with disgust. Drake offhandedly mentioned that they had a match with Imperium tonight, and Dain said Drake better hope they win before storming off.
-Robert Stone and Aliyah were in the ring. Stone said too many women weren’t interested in joining the Robert Stone Brand, but their loss would be someone else’s gain.
(5) TONI STORM vs. ALIYAH (w/Robert Stone)
It’s been a while so I don’t know if Storm’s music was the same, but she had the same rocker persona and similar gear as before. Rope run and Toni changed course for a basement dropkick for a one count. Toni got into a “Toni Storm” chant and missed a charge. Hip attack by Aliyah, who rolled up Storm for one. Aliyah threw some forearms in the corner and hit a neckbreaker for two. Storm hit an armdrag and rolled up Aliyah for two. Back kick by Aliyah, who ran into an inverted atomic drop, a chop, and another atomic drop. German suplex by Storm. Aliyah crawled to the corner and Storm hit her with a hip attack. Running clothesline. Toni hit Storm Zero to win.
WINNER: Toni Storm at 2:30.
(Wells’s Analysis: Oh boy – it looked like Aliyah wasn’t going to get in position to take Storm Zero and her neck looked like it was going to be in serious trouble. Given Storm’s music and demeanor, it looks like her pre-injury heel turn has been forgotten)
-Backstage, William Regal told McKenzie Mitchell he wasn’t happy with the women’s match but the referee’s decision is final. He also booked Rhea Ripley vs. Raquel Gonzalez for Halloween Havoc. Xia Li, with Boa in tow, appeared in the shot. Xia had tight braids in her hair. She said she needed a match next week and it was very important to her. Boa spoke to her in Mandarin and she nodded. Regal said he’d take it under consideration.
(6) DRAKE MAVERICK & KILLIAN DAIN vs. IMPERIUM (Fabian Aichner & Marcel Barthel)
Imperium’s music just doesn’t sound right without a throng of fans singing along. Dain called for his team’s music to stop and Drake bemoaned the fact that they didn’t do any dancing. Drake wanted to start but Dain started the match with Aichner. Dain hit a body slam and tagged Drake, then slammed him onto Aichner. Tandem block for two. Aichner hit a clothesline and a body slam in the heel corner, then tagged Barthel. Big palm strike by Barthel, who dropped an elbow on Maverick. Barthel threw nasty forearms on a kneeling Maverick. Aichner tagged in and jawed at Dain before charging Drake, and he ate Drake’s boots. Drake crawled over for the tag and made it. Dain took down both of Imperium repeatedly, but they fought out of a tandem suplex and double-teamed him. Dain hit a suplex on Barthel. Drake begged for teh tag and got it. He tripped Aichner into the buckle with a dropkick. On the outside, Dain got tossed into the steps. Aichner hit Drake with a brainbuster and made the tag. Imperium hit their finisher to win.
WINNERS: Imperium at 3:50.
After the match, Ever-Rise came out and shoved Drake around, asking where the big man was. Dain destroyed Ever-Rise with some lariats, then got in Drake’s face and yelled “NOBODY hits you but me!”
(Wells’s Analysis: I thought it was a little much for Imperium to take a loss here, so thankfully, it was just another step forward for Maverick and Dain as a team. The crowd seemed to eat up the dynamic, though it’s hard to tell how much is piped in. These two could be in position to actually be a big force in the division, given how threadbare it is)
-A graphic promoted Rhea Ripley vs. Raquel Gonzalez and Io Shirai vs. Candice LeRae at Halloween Havoc. The tag team championship match pitting Breezango against Undisputed Era, however, will take place next week.
(7) DAMIAN PRIEST (c) vs. DEXTER LUMIS – NXT North American Championship
Much like the Kushida-Tommaso Ciampa match last week, it doesn’t seem like a great time for either of these two to lose, so I’m wondering if we’ll see a screwy finish. The champ entered first and stared out at Lumis during his unsettling entrance. Entrances ended with just twelve minutes left of TV time.
Collar and elbow. It went to the corner, then the ropes, then another corner as the two jockeyed for position. They tied up in the ropes and broke the hold a minute into the match. Headlock by Lumis. Rope run and Priest hit Lumis with a block. Lumis kipped up and Priest smiled. Headlock by Priest. Rope run and Priest hit an armdrag and worked Lumis’s arm. Lmuis took Priest to a corner. Irish whip, reverse, and Priest went up and walked old school and hit a cross-body. Arm drag and another armbar by Priest. Priest hit a knee and a back elbow and begged Lumis to charge. Rope run and Lumis hit a Thesz press. Ground and pound by Lumis. Lumis threw forearms in a corner and Priest went at Lumis’s injured ankle to hobble him. Lumis looked ticked off (by his standards). Thrustkick by Priest, and a flying back elbow in the corner. Broken Arrow got two. The match went to commercial at just seven to the hour.
Lumis threw forearms and uppercuts. Lumis rolled in toward the corner and Priest caught him. Lumis blocked South of Heaven and hit a spinebuster. Lumis wanted his finisher and Priest furiously broke it with back elbows. Roundhouse kick and a flatliner by Priest for two. Priest worked an anklelock and Lumis wailed. Priest dragged Lumis into the ring and the audio cut while Lumis yelled out an expletive in full view. Lumis broke free of a suplex and hit a belly-to-back and a legdrop for a very long two. Lumis went to the top and missed a rolling senton. Lariat by Priest, who missed a roundhouse kick. Lumis pit on the Silencer but Priest wriggled to the rope to break. Priest rolled outside of the ring and Lumis followed. He rolled Priest into the ring and Cameron Grimes showed up and hit the Cave In on Lumis. Lumis wandered into the ring and Priest hit South of Heaven to finish.
Priest started to leave the ring and Grimes stalked Lumis. Priest reentered when he saw Grimes and hit him with The Reckoning. He told Grimes to stay out of his business. Priest went up the ramp and was going to do his arrow spot on the Tron, but Johnny Gargano hit Priest with a chair. William Regal showed up and said they must be very proud. He said that they’d both be getting championship matches at Halloween Havoc, but…just take it from the host of Halloween Havoc herself.
Shotzi Blackheart was raised from a hidden platform at the rear of the arena, and she announced that both of their match stipulations would be determined by “Spin the Wheel, Make a Deal.” (It was make “the” deal, not “a” in WCW, but close enough)
WINNER: Damian Priest at 12:08.
(Wells’s Analysis: Given the issue between Grimes and Lumis, this wasn’t an altogether shocking finish. This was more about getting to the announcements for Halloween Havoc in two weeks. It would seem like TakeOver 31 was superfluous if these were simple one-on-one rematches, but with “Spin the Wheel, Make the Deal” in play, that should add a lot of intrigue as well as be extremely pleasing to those who were really hoping to see the return of the Wheel ever since Halloween Havoc was announced. The match itself was just fine, though it almost looked like Lumis was legit angry about some of the shots to his recently injured ankle)
FINAL THOUGHTS: Shotzi is really not good on the mic; the last bit was as cheesy as you please. However, she’s pure gold in the ring, particularly lately, and I remain optimistic that with some coaching, Halloween Havoc can finally put her over as a huge star even in a non-wrestling role. Tonight’s show was a pretty big step up from last week’s ultra-busy sports entertainment episode. It wasn’t as grounded as it’s been in the past, but it didn’t feel as…I’ll say false…as last week’s show either. There were four matches over ten minutes on the show, and both matches featuring Garganos were must-see TV matches. Meanwhile, Toni Storm had a nice no-frills return and a couple more issues started burning a little hotter. It seems like we just had a go-home show, but next week we’ll get one again that should largely fill out the Halloween Havoc card. See you in seven, gang. Tonight I won’t be on PWT Talks NXT, but join Tom Stoup, Nate Lindberg and guest Kevin Cattani as they break this one down.
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