SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
NXT ON USA
JANUARY 6, 2021, 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 me, Nate Lindberg & Tom Stoup to break down the episode:
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[HOUR ONE]
-Anyone up for some escapist content?
-Tonight, I’ll be off of PWT Talks NXT but have no reason to expect I’ll be off next week.
-New Year’s Evil host Dexter Lumis stood and surveyed the CWC. He silently stepped up to the control area and pressed some buttons to turn lights on and off. He pulled a lever and in the next shot, he was wearing a red smoking jacket and the crowd was now assembled and Damian Priest’s music hit as it went live. Vic welcomed everyone to New Year’s Evil.
(1) DAMIAN PRIEST vs. KARRION KROSS (w/Scarlett)
Priest was introduced first in a continuation of the Lumis bit. It went to black and white for Karrion Kross’s mostly awesome entrance. Regrettably, they haven’t lost Scarlett’s lip-synching.
Priest’s hair was up in a top knot with some thing strands hanging over the side. It was…different. The announcers stated this match wouldn’t go to commercial as the two brawled briefly to the outside, then reset in the ring. Kross blocked some kicks but Priest connected with one to the head that just seemed to tick off Kross. Kross caught a shot and hit a release spinebuster, then took Priest to a corner for some shots, then another. Irish whip and a corner lariat for Priest. Repeat in the opposite corner. Saito suplex by Priest, who briefly covered and then transitioned his knee to Priest’s back and wrenched both arms. “Let’s go Priest” chant.
Kross clotheslined Priest to the floor and followed him out, then put him into the steps. Kross removed the top step section and Priest kicked him in the gut to slow that down. Kross returned fire and tossed Priest back into the ring and followed. He threw a few body shots and Priest tried to fire himself up and asked if that was all Kross had. Rope run and Priest hit a kick, then a big forearm with the camera on the wrong side, catching Priest’s leg slap pretty clearly. The two exchanged shots and Priest hit a bell clap and a flatliner. Big corner elbow by Priest. Kross blocked a suplex as Priest’s ribs were hurt. Big clothesline by Priest, followed by a bit of a messy Broken Arrow. There are some communication issues here, it seems.
Kross tried to tackle Priest into a buckle and missed. Priest hit some knees and took down Kross with a leg scissors. Kross tried to roll up Priest to break, and finally managed it and then put repeated elbows to the ribs of Priest’s ribs. Priest hit his feet for a big forearm. The two exchanged forearms and kicks, then combinations. Priest hit a springboard senton from the corner, then missed a charge. Kross hit a running clothesline and covered for two. Kross stomped on Priest’s hand, then his leg. He picked up Priest and set him up in the tree of woe, then put the boots to him. Kross lowered his right knee pad and hit a running knee from the opposite corner. The audience, for a second time, did a brief “You still suck” chant.
Kross set Priest up on the top for a Saito suplex from there, which is how he won the NXT Championship, but Priest fought him off and hit some kicks and slipped out. He wanted Razor’s Edge and hit it, but couldn’t cover immediately. He crawled over and pulled the far leg from the ropes, but Kross kicked out after a near-fall. Kross went to the apron and the two exchanged forearms over the ropes. Priest wanted a chokeslam but Kross blocked it. Priest put Kross on the floor with a roundhouse and hit his step-over splash to the outside. Priest hit a spinning heel kick from the top and then South of Heaven. Kross kicked out of this as well.
Priest fired up and went for The Reckoning, but Kross blocked and threw Priest overhead, then hit a powerbomb for a long two count. Priest bailed to the outside and Kross followed, right into a roundhouse kick by Priest, then another. Priest wanted a third one but Kross caught him and threw him into the steel structure by the announcers, then slammed Priest on the steps that were exposed earlier in the match. Kross put Priest back into the ring and smirked as he waited for Priest to recover. He hit a big kick and another Saito suplex. Priest got up quickly out of instinct but was clearly out of it. Kross hit a roundhouse to the back of Priest’s neck and covered for the win.
WINNER: Karrion Kross at 15:27.
(Wells’s Analysis: When they announced this would be presented without commercials, I thought it was further proof that this might be a quick squash in the vein of Kross’s win against Tommaso Ciampa so many months ago to position him right on top. Priest ended up getting quite a bit of offense here, but Kross went over and we’ll see how long he lingers in the middle before he’s moved to the top again. The match was good from a psychology standpoint, but there were quite a few weirdly-timed moments)
-The Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic starts next week!
-McKenzie Mitchell is with Adam Cole and Roderick Strong, who face Breezango in the first round of the Classic next week. The two put over Breezango as vets who get the job while staying confident that they would move on in the tournament. Cole also put over Kyle O’Reilly ahead of tonight’s main event NXT Championship match.
(2) GRAN METALIK (w/Lince Dorado) vs. SANTOS ESCOBAR (c) (w/Joaquin Wilde & Raul Mendoza) – Cruiserweight Championship match
Escobar’s cronies were in sharp all-black suits. All three of the riffraff stayed at ringside, at least to start. Escobar carried his previously-used mask and dropped it in the corner.
The two tied up and Metalik made a clean break at the ropes. Escobar took Metalik to the corner and missed a cheap shot. Metalik wagged a finger and hit a headscissor takedown. Some quick lucha covers ensued and Metalik hit a rana, then posed in the ring as one single fan booed with as much force as he could muster. Metalik hit a top-rope rana, then charged but was put on the apron. Escobar charged but Metalik hopped over him as he slid outside, then hit a springboard moonsault. Metalik put Escobar in the ring and covered for two and Vic mentioned that Jordan Devlin was watching closely in the first acknowledgement of the Cruiserweight Championship fiasco in months.
Metalik went for a rana on Escobar, who was on the apron, and Escobar caught him but the two almost fell off the apron in a potentially dangerous moment. Escobar was able to get to the floor, still holding up Metalik, and he swung him into the Plexiglass as the match went to split-screen commercial.
It was a brief commercial break before returning to full screen, with Escobar dropping Metalik on his ribs on the top buckle. He covered for two. Vic put over Escobar for being the first Cruiserweight champion to take the title to a TakeOver match. Escobar hit a surfboard and held on and pushed back Metalik into a bizarre-looking cover for two. Metalik rolled through a slam attempt and covered for two. Escobar hit a lariat and covered for two. Metalik blocked a few moves and hit a sling blade, then dropkicked Escobar to the outside. Metalik hit a step-over senton to the outside and Dorado waved his towel as if to cool down Metalik. Metalik put Escobar inside and hit a springboard splash for two. Metalik brought Escobar to his feet and hit a chop. Metalik wanted a springboard ax-handle but Escobar got a boot up. Metalik bailed and Escobar hit a tope to boos.
Escobar put Metalik into the ring and covered for two. Escobar went for a double-underhook for his finisher but Metalik fought it off. Escobar put Metalik on the top buckle and hit a chop, then followed him up. Metalik’s mask almost came off accidentally, slowing things down for a moment, and Escobar elbowed him to the apron. Lince Dorado splashed the Legado cronies to keep them from interfering and Metalik hit a top rope elbow for two. Metalik went for something but Escobar caught him for Legado while Metalik again had to make sure his mask didn’t fall off. Escobar hit the Phantom Driver to finish.
WINNER: Santos Escobar at 12:27.
(Wells’s Analysis: Another match with no doubt as to who would be going over, but it was nice to get Escobar on TV in a championship match with a small issue again, no matter how small. Lucha House Party could easily transition to a tag match with Mendoza and Wilde for next week’s Dusty Classic, so they might get something further out of the issue. The match was okay, with a few spots that nearly went wrong but worked out in the end, with the additional bad luck of Metalik’s mask coming loose near the end)
-Rhea Ripley did some pushups and lifted weights ahead of tonight’s match with Raquel Gonzalez. Gonzalez pumped iron as well.
-Hype segment for Xia Li, up next.
-Mercedes Martinez said it was real good to be back. She said Io Shirai was the overall competitor of the year, but she didn’t look like it when Mercedes laid her out. She said the title of best overall competitor didn’t matter – it was the Women’s title she cared about. She said she’d be waiting on Shirai.
(3) KATRINA CORTEZ vs. XIA LI (w/Boa)
It was a new, very cinematic entrance for Xia Li, with the still unidentified cloaked woman sitting on a throne at the top of the ramp. Li and Boa walked the ramp. Boa stood still as Li showed off some martial arts moves and went to the ring, focused and serious.
Cortez, already in the ring, ran the ropes and ducked a strike but got hit with two more. Li turned to the ramp and bowed to the cloaked figure. She put the knees to Cortez and kicked her to the mat, then did a pose. She set up a kick but Cortez threw a shot that Li no-sold. Li hit some jumping knees and a roundhouse to finish.
After the match, Li and Boa flanked the cloaked figure again as Barrett opined on the woman’s identity.
WINNER: Xia Li at 1:26.
(Wells’s Analysis: Cortez came off as very, very green here. While she can easily eat a pin here, she’s questionable even to be ready for a TV match. The new Li act, though, looked pretty good)
-The announcers covered Timothy Thatcher’s minor injury that will keep him from the Fight Pit match this week. William Regal said he’d be back soon.
-McKenzie interviewed Bronson Reed near the ring. It was more a reason to keep him front of mind than anything. He said it would be a big year for him, and he predicted Rhea Ripley would win the next match.
(4) RHEA RIPLEY vs. RAQUEL GONZALEZ – Last Woman Standing match
Ripley’s music hit as Reed finished saying her name to predict her victory. Ripley stood against the ropes and begged Gonzalez to come for her. Gonzalez entered without Dakota Kai.
Ripley came out firing with a right, then put Gonzalez in a corner for some shots. Thesz press by Ripley. Gonzalez reversed for some ground and pound, and the two reversed twice more. Gonzalez hit a running clothesline to slow it down. Fall-away slam by Gonzalez. Another. A third. Gonzalez sneered and the referee counted four and Ripley got to her feet.
[HOUR TWO]
Ripley got to her feet and hit a big palm strike. Ripley ducked a lariat and kicked Gonzalez to the mat, then hit a running basement dropkick. Gonzalez bailed and Ripley followed and tackled her into the apron. Ripley went under the ring and grabbed a kendo stick and battered Gonzalez. Gonzalez caught a shot and tossed Ripley away. Ripley went for a running dropkick from the steel steps, but Gonzalez swung a chair. Gonzalez was a bit too far away for it to look too impactful. Gonzalez put Ripley into the Plexiglass but Ripley countered a shot and put a pair of handcuffs on Gonzalez and hooked her to the Plexiglass, then threw repeated chops and palm strikes. Ripley looked to swing the kendo stick but Gonzalez kicked her away, then yanked herself free of the “reinforced steel.” Gonzalez used the broken piece of fencing to take some shots at Ripley, but Ripley fought her off. Ripley found the timekeeper’s hammer for the bell and swung and missed, and Gonzalez put Ripley’s head into the bell. Gonzalez slammed Ripley onto the announce table and broke her through it, then buried her with chairs and plunder as the ref started to count. Ripley got up at the eight count and Gonzalez put her into the ring as the match went to split-screen.
Back to full-screen, Gonzalez booted Ripley from the top of the ramp. She followed her down and through to the back area behind the curtain. She battered Ripley into some lockers and booted Ripley down, then tried to hit a belly-to-back through a door. Ripley elbowed out of trouble and speared Gonzalez through the tempered glass. “This is awesome” chant. Ripley beat Gonzalez into the same lockers as before and moved over a catering table and set Gonzalez atop it. Ripley threw a few shots to keep Gonzalez in place, then hopped up some platforms and hit a rolling senton through the catering table. Ripley sold the pain as Gonzalez lay motionless. The ref counted to eight and the two hit their feet. Dakota Kai charged out of nowhere and took some stiff kendo shots on Ripley to boos. Kai tried to fire up Gonzalez and Ripley took some shots on Kai, then battered Kai with the locker doors, then stuffed Kai in a locker and then blocked it with a rolling cart in a spot that made me claustrophobic just to see it. Ripley mocked Kai and started beating Gonzalez back ou to the ramp.
Ripley hit her inverted cloverleaf, which at this point has apparently completely lost the name “Prism Trap.” Ripley used a chair on Gonzalez’s neck for more torque but Gonzalez broke from it. Gonzalez charged Ripley near the giant LED “X” for the event and Ripley whipped Gonzalez into it. Ripley used some removed steel steps to try something on Gonzalez but Gonzalez tripped Ripley onto it, then hit a chokeslam from the steps through a gimmicked floor segment in the stage. Gonzalez got up at eight and Ripley couldn’t beat the count. Vic put Gonzalez over as the baddest woman in NXT.
WINNER: Raquel Gonzalez at 17:27.
(Wells’s Analysis: While I didn’t rule out an annoying no contest finish, the finish many expected came to pass as Ripley is assumed to be heading to the main roster sooner rather than later and could be a factor in the Royal Rumble match. The match was the messy combination of brawling and destruction that always pleases the crowd, and I don’t think Ripley lost much here while Gonzalez gained a lot.)
-The Way were slowly driving to the arena with a police caravan escorting them. This actually went to split-screen, even though nothing special happened during the break.
-Vic welcomed South Korea to NXT, as they now have a TV deal there.
-The Way arrived in their vehicle and their music played as they walked through the curtain and into the arena to boos. Johnny Gargano held up his North American Championship and hit the ring first. There was an easel set up in the ring, covered with some draping. Gargano talked about some curses and said that they all paled in comparison to the Gargano championship defense curse. He said that, like his hometown hero Baker Mayfield, he reversed the curse. Candice LeRae said she did something for Gargano since she was so proud of him. She gave Johnny a plaque commemorating his win over Leon Ruff. Austin Theory said Gargano was a real-life superhero. He and Indi Hartwell revealed what was under the drape on the count of four – it was a comic book-style picture of the four members of The Way as superheroes. Gargano said he had another surprise as well – he and his boy Austin Theory are entering the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic.
Shotzi Blackheart’s music played. She drove her new tank to the ramp. Austin Theory warned “Mike Wazowski” not to ruin this celebration. He walked up the ramp and Shotzi fired a salvo from her cannon. On a night with some iffy timing and spots, the “cannon” hit Theory square in the nuts, dropping him to the ground. Kushida also showed up to even the odds and Dexter Lumis rang the bell and made a mixed tag match official. One of his drawings appeared on the tron to promote the match and Barrett quipped “How did he draw that so fast?” The bell rang again to start the match just as the split-screen commercial began. Theory continued to sell the pain to his nether region.
(5) SHOTZI BLACKHEART & KUSHIDA vs. CANDICE LERAE & JOHNNY GARGANO (w/Austin Theory & Indi Hartwell)
The match briefly went to split-screen but went to full-screen commercials shortly after. The women were in the ring upon return. The heels were in street clothes, selling the impromptu nature of the match in a nice touch. Dexter Lumis had joined the announce team and was wearing a headset, which made me laugh out loud in spite of myself. Blackheart dominated for a while and the men were tagged in. Kushida dominated Gargano with some fast-paced offense and the two exchanged attempts at their finishers. Kushida slapped on the Hoverboard Lock but Gargano got to the rope. Kushida slammed onto Gargano’s left arm to set up another future attempt at his finisher. Kushida threw some stiff kicks and rights and Gargano staggered around. Kushida charged Gargano but LeRae got in the way to stop him. LeRae tried to create a distraction but Gargano almost nailed LeRae. Kushida called in Blackheart so they could beat down Gargano and LeRae respectively. They hit some stereo spots and Blackheart hit a tope on LeRae through Kushida’s legs at the ropes. “NXT” chant.
Kushida went up in the corner but Austin Theory tossed him from the corner. Kushida slammed Theory into the ring, then hit a drop toe-hold on Gargano into Theory’s sack again, causing him to sell agony yet again. Kushida rolled up Gargano for a flash pin.
WINNERS: Kushida & Shotzi Blackheart at 8:58.
(Wells’s Analysis: On a night where no babyfaces have won, this was a necessary bit of tomfoolery that also set up Gargano’s likely next challenger for the North American Championship. I don’t want to see Kushida’s momentum stopped here, but Gargano carrying the belt around is also working very well for the snotty dynamic of The Way. The match, despite being the only attraction not previously promoted, was the cleanest-worked match of the night by far, silly distraction though it was)
-TakeOver was announced for Valentine’s Day. Barrett said he had a date, but now it had been upgraded.
-Finn Balor and Kyle O’Reilly got ready for their match. An significant overrun is possible as it was 20 minutes to the hour when the commercial started.
-Next week, in addition to Breezango vs. Undisputed Era, Ever-Rise will face Grizzled Young Veterans in the first round of the Dusty Classic. William Regal also announced that we would get the first ever Women’s Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic as Dexter Lumis held up a drawing of the logo for the event and the crowd gave a very positive reaction.
(Wells’s Analysis: Wonderful news. This division is very clearly deep enough to warrant such a tournament)
(6) FINN BALOR (c) vs. KYLE O’REILLY – NXT Championship match
Alicia Taylor was on hand for formal intros. Both men got strong babyface reactions, with Balor getting the bigger of the two. The bell sounded at just twelve minutes to the hour.
Vic announced there would be no commercial breaks, which was different from the iffy “uninterrupted” wording previously in a match that still went to split-screen twice. The two started with a feeling-out process and O’Reilly grounded Balor with a head scissors. Balor escaped and partially blocked a quick thrust kick. Balor took down O’Reilly and worked a headlock, and took over O’Reilly again when he looked to reverse. O’Reilly finally reversed to a head scissors of his own and the two grappled and hit their feet briefly before O’Reilly grounded Balor with an arm lock. O’Reilly wrenched Balor’s arm and put him on the mat again, and wrenched Balor’s arm over his shoulder. He went for the spot again but Balor turned it into an abdominal stretch, but O’Reilly tripped Balor and put him down and tied up his left arm. Balor broke free and hit an abdominal stretch, and O’Reilly broke the hold by biting the middle rope, since his arms weren’t free.
Balor immediately kicked O’Reilly to the mat after he broke free. A trainer (kayfabe, given close framing) checked on O’Reilly’s mouth. Balor put O’Reilly in a headlock but O’Reilly broke and hit a big kick to Balor’s arm and checked on his jaw again. He took Balor down and again sold the jaw. O’Reilly hit a knee to the back and then a running knee to the elbow, sending Balor to the outside. More selling of the jaw. O’Reilly screwed Balor’s arm over the top rope, then the second. He closed in but Balor tied up O’Reilly in the ropes and wrenched him until the count of four, then did so again. It’s a pretty obvious face-heel dynamic here, despite both being faces. Dropkick and a cover for two by Balor.
Belly to back by Balor, transitioned into a crossface. O’Reilly reached the rope with a boot and Balor held on for three before releasing. Balor chopped O’Reilly in a corner and scraped his elbow against O’Reilly’s jaw. Balor took down O’Reilly and covered for two, then went for the jaw again. O’Reilly hit a knee. Rope run and a knee to the midsection by O’Reilly, who sold his jaw again and hit some knee strikes and then tripped Balor. He worked Balor’s left arm and slammed it, then rolled him up for two. O’Reilly held on for a double wristlock but Balor kicked himself free. Balor chopped O’Reilly and went for an Irish whip. O’Reilly blocked and the two hit some kicks. O’Reilly hit a PK (Americanized as a “PAT Kick” by Vic in a silly moment) but his momentum took him spilling from the ring. The ref counted nine and O’Reilly got to the ring.
[OVERRUN]
The two again exchanged quick reversals. Guillotine by O’Reilly. Balor attempted to free himself with some Mongolian chops but O’Reilly held on and transitioned to a leg lock. Balor kicked O’Reilly hard in the jaw to break. Balor dropped forearms on a grounded O’Reilly’s head and hit an inverted suplex, then worked a brief crossface but O’Reilly pounded Balor’s wrist until he had to break.
Kicks by O’Reilly. Rope run and a sling blade by Balor. Stomp and a corner dropkick by Balor to set up Coup de Grace. Balor went up but O’Reilly popped up to crotch Balor in the corner. O’Reilly hit a superplex and rolled up Balor for two. He held on for a brainbuster for another two. O’Reilly went for an armbar and locked it in, but Balor rolled to the ropes to break. O’Reilly continued to sell the pain in his jaw and he charged the corner, but Balor got a boot up. O’Reilly tried to grab a leg but Balor hopped around for an abdominal stretch. Balor put on another crossface right across the jaw and O’Reilly tapped so quickly I wasn’t quite ready for it to end. Balor was bleeding from somewhere around the temple; after the match the blood started to flow a little more freely.
As Balor’s music played, UE checked on O’Reilly in the corner. O’Reilly sold dejection as Balor stood near the corner. The ref held Balor at bay but he was clearly showing respect to O’Reilly in his own intense manner.
WINNER: Finn Balor at 17:25.
(Wells’s Analysis: Again, these two are a dream of a matchup. It’s rare a 17 minute match can feel like it still left a lot on the table for the future and felt brief, but that’s what we got. Balor is reestablished on top after a lengthy layoff (for a championship holder, anyway) and will likely have to face the threat of Karrion Kross before long in a match that would’ve seemed like a foregone conclusion at one point, but Balor’s act is so strong right now I’m not sure if they should race to get that match going)
FINAL THOUGHTS: An extremely strong show despite some timing issues in the early matches. None of the matches suffered too much and the main event in particular was excellent. Kushida looks poised to be the next big challenger for Johnny Gargano, though with the pacing of NXT TV right now it’s hard to say whether this will be held at TakeOver or if six weeks is just way too long for a feud to burn. It was also nice to see Candice LeRae in the ring, as her injury was mild enough to at least allow her to work a tag match that was as reliant on comedy spots as it was on wrestling.
While the other matches were predictable enough not to warrant further mention here, weekly TV is going to be fun in the coming weeks with two separate Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic tournaments running. Many of the men have already been named for the tournament, but learning which women will come together either obviously (like Gonzalez & Kai) or in a marriage of convenience should allow for some intrigue. Thumbs way up for this episode.
Check out PWT Talks NXT tonight live or tomorrow streaming at the Torch. Next week, I’ll be back as the tag tournaments get rolling. Cheers.
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