5/18 NXT ON USA REPORT: Wells’s report on Bronson Reed vs. Johnny Gargano in a cage, Toni Storm vs. Zoey Stark, Million Dollar Man, more

NXT ON USA
MAY 18, 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

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[HOUR ONE]

-Hype package for tonight’s matches. There was a voice-over this week that helped sell the matches. There was a comic book-style graphic for the steel cage main event.

(1) ZOEY STARK vs. TONI STORM

Storm wandered around the room with a dismissive look on her face. She slapped Stark, who returned fire with a lot of shots in the corner. Dropkick by Stark and Storm bailed. Plancha by Stark. She rolled Storm back into the ring for a wonderful missile dropkick. Storm bailed and Stark went for a PK, but Storm caught it and yanked her to the apron, then put her into the steps and hit a hip attack against them. The referee made it to eight before Stark got into the ring. Storm stomped a mudhole in the corner, then hit a snap suplex and covered for two. Rope run and Storm hit a big boot for two.

Storm lifted Stark, who hit some elbows to the midsection. Storm put Stark into the buckle and then tossed her with a hair mare. Storm hit a backbreaker and held Stark in place there for a moment, then covered for two. Storm hit some uppercuts, but Stark caught her and rolled her up for two. Stark hit an enzuigiri heading into split-screen commercial.

Back to full-screen, Stark hit a superkick in the corner and a basement lariat. Cover for two. Storm wanted Storm Driver but Stark caught her for a headscissor reversal. Half-and-half by Stark for two. Stark threw knees on a grounded Storm. Storm hit a German suplex and then Storm Zero for two. Whoa. Storm hit an impressive new finisher for the win.

Franky Monet’s music played and the tron promoted her in-ring debut next week. Neither of the women in this match were happy about it.

WINNER: Toni Storm at 11:21.

(Wells’s Analysis: Storm has been ordinary (at best) in the ring for quite a while, but this was a very good outing. Stark’s got a real interesting path going right now, where she’s mostly overwhelming opponents in the ring but has lost most of her matches. I figured Storm to get a win back here, but Stark can’t lose too many more matches to midcarders and maintain much of a threat level)

-Legado del Fantasma (without Escobar) told McKenzie Mitchell that they were demanding a championship match with MSK. Tommaso Ciampa and Timothy Thatcher showed up and said they deserved a shot at the team that never beat them.

-Cameron Grimes drove up to the arena outside and told someone to park his vehicle in the front. Jake Atlas was in the group of guys and tossed Grimes’s keys back to him and said the front spot was occupied by Ted DiBiase. The PC guys in the background laughed and Grimes said he’d teach Atlas a lesson in the ring tonight.

-Candice LeRae and Indi Hartwell were having a spa day, getting massages, complete with cucumber masks. They started joking about Dexter Lumis being a loser, and the camera zoomed out to show that Lumis was the one giving Hartwell a temple massage.

-PRIME TARGET: Finn Balor vs. Karrion Kross. The two separately watched footage of their first match and talked about the damage it did. This particular Prime Target was entirely done in kayfabe, in a departure from the hybrid usual. With Kross in the mix here, I’m not surprised by that, and I’m in favor of the decision if he’s to maintain his protected mystique. Jimmy Smith, Pat McAfee and Paul Heyman weighed in. Heyman said he’s known not for giving predictions, but spoilers – but this one is too close to call.

(2) JAKE ATLAS vs. CAMERON GRIMES

Atlas was introduced first. Grimes had a mic and he threw to the tron for some highlights of Ted DiBiase getting beaten up, eliminated from the end of the 1989 Royal Rumble, and losing to Virgil. One of WWE’s shameless piped-in chants (can’t they make them sound better?) started a “DiBiase” chant. Atlas dropkicked Grimes from the ring. The show went to commercial and there was no bell, so match time is going to be inexact.

Grimes was in control upon return with some kicks in the corner. Atlas fought back into it with a kick after a rope run. Atlas hit an armdrag off of the top rope and hit a dropkick for two. “Let’s go Atlas/To the moon” dueling chant. Atlas closed in and Grimes took a shot at him. Grimes put Atlas on the apron. Atlas flipped in but ran into a hard knee for two. Grimes leaned on Atlas with a fist to the neck. Grimes took Atlas to a corner and leaned in with an elbow. Irish whip by Grimes, who took a second to do his “to the moon” finger to the sky. Both guys got up and exchanged shots. Atlas caught a high kick and whipped Grimes, once and then again. After a few reversals, Atlas hit a belly-to-back. The tron showed Ted DiBiase arriving.

Atlas hit a big lariat for two. Atlas went up and Grimes attempted to follow. Atlas hit the floor and then ran into Grimes’s twisting cross-body. Grimes attempted to set up the Cave In, but Ted DiBiase’s music played to bring him to the ramp. Rainbow DDT and a rollup by Atlas to win.

WINNER: Jake Atlas at about 8:10, assuming the bell sounded early in the break.

Grimes chased DiBiase out to a limo outside. DiBiase rolled down a window and said “Not bad, kid, but you’re no Million Dollar Man.” He laughed and told the driver to hit it. Grimes went ballistic as the show went to commercial.

(Wells’s Analysis: It’s stunning that this has gotten so much airtime. Assuming DiBiase can’t work a match, what’s the endgame? The match was okay, but these two could do better in a situation where it isn’t a relative quickie, with half the match unaired, that isn’t just an angle)

-Bronson Reed gave a promo (taped earlier) inside a cage. He talked about the road to get to this match, from Australia and through his NXT journey. He said Johnny Gargano wouldn’t stop him from fulfilling his destiny. He said he’d look his wife in the face and say “We did it.”

-Pete Dunne was sitting down with Arash Markazi. Markazi asked who Dunne wanted next. Dunne said there were reasons for Kushida, Walter, and Karrion Kross. He said it’s not about wins and losses sometimes – his opponents are different when they leave the ring. Markazi asked where Dunne’s style comes from. He said it started with traditional British and he took inspiration from everywhere he went. Markazi asked about goals. Dunne said he used to set goals but now he just takes opportunities as they come. He said he was obviously thinking about being NXT Champion one day.

(Wells’s Analysis: I’m not sure where this is headed, but this was a good enough segment and seems to keep Dunne positioned near the top)

(3) KILLIAN DAIN (w/Drake Maverick) vs. ALEXANDER WOLFE (w/Fabian Aichner & Marcel Barthel)

Quick lockup and break to start. Dunne threw a couple of rights. Knee and a boot from Wolfe. European uppercut and another few from Wolfe. Dain no-sold one and hit a few of his own. Body shots in the corner by Dain. Irish whip and and a splash, then a lariat from Dain. Fabian Aichner and Drake Maverick fought on the apron. Though audio continued, the video froze and went to the color test. It came back just in time for the cover and pin. A replay showed Dain ducked a chairshot and speared Wolfe to finish.

WINNER: Killian Dain at 1:48.

Imperium seemed to tell Wolfe it was okay, but then they attacked him after the match and hit the Imperium Bomb.

(Wells’s Analysis: The newest member of Imperium is now the first out. So does he join old Sanity buddy Killian Dain with Drake Maverick the odd man out? Or is it a new faction?)

-McKenzie Mitchell was with Raquel Gonzalez and Dakota Kai. She asked about their disagreement in the locker room last week. Both of them downplayed it and Kai talked about them going for the tag team championship. Ever-Rise showed up with their coffee mugs and tried to start crap between Kai and Gonzalez. Matt Martel goaded Gonzalez into taking a swing at him. She put him down with a palm strike. He asked his partner if the coffee mug was okay.

[HOUR TWO]

(4) TOMMASO CIAMPA & TIMOTHY THATCHER vs. LEGADO DEL FANTASMA (Raul Mendoza & Joaquin Wilde)

Wilde charged but Ciampa evaded it. Wilde taunted with his dance and then ran outside and Ciampa gave chase. Ciampa put Wilde hard into the Plexiglass and then did his clap and back-pat. Back inside for a lariat and a cover for one by Ciampa. Front chancery into a headlock by Ciampa. Tag to Thatcher. Thatcher hit a front chancery but Wilde drove him to the heel corner to tag. Thatcher grounded Mendoza with an armbar. Mendoza fought desperately to a rope to break. Ciampa tagged in and took down Mendoza with a chop. He worked a brief headscissors and covered for one.

Ciampa whipped Mendoza and charged in with an elbow. Another whip but Mendoza got a boot up, then grounded Ciampa for a series of rights. Ciampa kicked Mendoza when he closed in and tagged Thatcher. Cravat by Thatcher, into an armbar. Mendoza raked the face to get an opening. Mendoza’s face was pretty bloody. I think it was a shot to the nose. Mendoza grounded Thatcher and threw some Yes Kicks and Thatcher quickly reversed to an anklelock. All four guys got involved and the faces hit anklelocks. The heels reversed to pinning rollups but the ref wouldn’t count it with all of them in the ring. The faces got the upper hand leading to a commercial.

Back to action, Ciampa had both members of LdF dominated with corner lariats to one, then the other, and repeatedly back again. He hit a double clothesline and fired up. The crowd, somewhat quiet for much of the night, was amped. Mendoza and Wilde made a couple of quick tags to get some shots in. They hit a tandem slam and split Ciampa’s legs. A replay showed the corner elbow where Mendoza’s nose was busted open, and apparently some of the break was used to clean Mendoza’s face. Mendoza put Ciampa into a corner and charged and missed a spear, and went sailing out of the ring. Thatcher tagged in and hit a belly to belly on Mendoza, then an interfering Wilde. Double-underhook suplex by Thatcher for two.

Tag to Ciampa, who hit some combo shots in the corner. Thatcher tagged in and put Mendoza down with forearms. Ciampa tagged in and the two dominated Mendoza. Running knee by Ciampa for two. Mendoza slipped out on an Irish whip attempt and the two traded shots. Fairytale Ending blocked and Mendoza hit a knee. Wade Barrett put over Mendoza’s performance tonight, rightfully. Quick pair of tags by LdF to get an advantage and hit some shots. Thatcher broke up a pin attempt, then got dumped. LdF set up their finisher but Thatcher tripped Mendoza and yanked him out. Ciampa hit Willow’s Bell on Wilde for an extremely near-fall as Mendoza broke it up. Grizzled Young Veterans showed up and attacked Ciampa outside, then tossed him in. LdF hit their finisher on him.

WINNERS: Legado del Fantasma at 15:38.

(Wells’s Analysis: Strong, fiery tag match that essentially positions Legado as the top contenders, while also continuing the GYV issue for Thatcher and Ciampa. Again, Ciampa eats a pin. This team is really sharing the wins and losses rather than protecting Ciampa. It’ll be interesting to see how the MSK-LdF match is handled, since the CWC crowd is extremely pro-Legado for the most part)

-McKenzie Mitchell talked with Bobby Fish. She asked about him helping Kyle O’Reilly, but he said it was more about Pete Dunne and his cronies. He said he was back and there’s a debt to be paid. He said he’d start with Pete Dunne. He threw to a very graphic shot of the injury he sustained and said he’d finish the business between the two.

-Back to the spa. Candice LeRae’s credit card was declined. Apparently there was an unpaid florist bill. Indi figured out that LeRae sent the flowers to pretend Dexter Lumis had other love interests, and then freaked out with joy that Dexter still “loved her.”

-Johnny Gargano and Austin Theory gave a promo into the camera. Theory pumped up Gargano as he promoted himself for the main event.

(5) SARRAY vs. ALIYAH (w/Robert Stone & Jessie Kamea)

Stone was in a pimp outfit. Okay! Sarray got something of a pop but there’s work to be done.

Sarray wanted a handshake but Aliyah kicked her. Sarray ducked a lariat and hit an armdrag from the top rope. Basement dropkick by Sarray. Kamea tripped Sarray on a rope run to allow some shots from Aliyah. Back elbow by Aliyah off a rope run for two. Aliyah yanked down Sarray by her hair. Snap mare by Aliyah and a corner knee. Aliyah covered for two. The two exchanged shots and Sarray hit a spinning heel kick for two. Bridging German suplex by Sarray. Sarray went up and hit a missile dropkick. Dropkick against the ropes. Sarray hit a Saito suplex for the win.

WINNER: Sarray at 2:24.

(Wells’s Analysis: Aliyah cheated to get some offense in, but thankfully Sarray put her down quickly. Still no hint of Sarray getting into a feud yet)

-Shotzi Blackheart and Ember Moon cut a promo from Shotzi’s garage. They essentially heeled on the heels in the women’s division. Shotzi howled and Ember said “And that’s what she said.”

(6) TONY NESE & ARIYA DAIVARI vs. HIT ROW (Ashante Thee Adonis & Top Dolla)

Adonis got the better of Nese and tagged Dolla, who blocked Nese to toss him across the ring. Daivari tagged in and Dolla hit a combo splash on the two of them. He dragged a lifeless Daivari to his corcer and tagged Adonis. Daivari got in a few shots until Adonis hit a sweet dropkick. Adonis dominated Dolla in the corner and Adonis started getting too fired up and Dolla had to calm him down. Powerslam by Dolla for the win.

Hit Row did a little mic time after the match and Swerve said he’d be waiting for whoever won the main event tonight.

WINNERS: Hit Row at 2:14.

(Wells’s Analysis: I like the touch of Adonis being a wild hothead. Good enhancement match.)

-William Regal told McKenzie Mitchell we’d see MSK vs. Legado del Fantasma in two weeks, as well as Ember Moon & Shotzi Blackheart vs. Raquel Gonzalez & Dakota Kai next week.

-The cage started to lower for the main event.

-Franky Monet hype. I hope the match goes well with all this promotion.

-Also next week: A “Million Dollar Face-Off” between Cameron Grimes and Ted DiBiase, as well as the Karrion Kross-Finn Balor rematch.

(7) BRONSON REED vs. JOHNNY GARGANO (c) (w/Austin Theory) – Steel Cage match for the North American Championship

Formal intros by Alicia Taylor. Reed had gear that very clearly evoked Earthquake from the Natural Disasters era. The bell rang at ten to the hour and Gargano charged for the door. Reed caught his leg. Gargano tried to climb but got caught, and again. Gargano tried to put Reed into the chain link and Reed cut it off. Gargano ran the ropes into a big block by Reed. Reed chucked Gargano up against the chain link and then did the same on the opposite side. Reed lifted Gargano and darted him into the steel. A corner graphic promoted Bobby Fish against Pete Dunne next week.

Reed put Gargano up against the fence and backed him up into it and Gargano was bursting through every opening. Reed missed a charge but dropped Gargano with, essentially, One Final Beat. Gargano chop-blocked the back of Reed’s leg and then went up and hit a moonsault from the top rope for a very quick cover and kickout. Gargano went up to the same spot but Reed caught him with a Death Valley Driver for two. Reed went up a corner but Austin Theory went up to try to stymie him. Gargano used the opening to crotch Reed on the rope heading to split-screen commercial.

Gargano controlled the break. He hit a dropkick back to full-screen for two. Powerslam by Reed. Monkey flip by Reed sent Gargano into the fence. Reed hit a Samoan Drop from the second buckle for a near-fall. Both guys sold for a moment. Reed went up to the rope and Gargano stopped him. Gargano went up to the rope and put Reed into the fence, then hit a powerbomb from the top rope for an NXT chant. Gargano covered for two. Gargano crawled toward the door, which Austin Theory had opened. Theory tried to pull Gargano out, but Reed yanked him away and Theory went flying. Reed splashed Gargano and went for the door. Theory blocked but Reed crushed him with the door. Gargano hit a poison rana in the ring. Both guys sold on the mat. “This is awesome” chant.

Gargano climbed the fence and then thought better of it and went for One Final Beat. Reed caught and tossed him. Reed went for the door and Theory slammed it on him. In the ring, Gargano hit a big DDT in the ring for two. Gargano went up the cage and Reed followed. Gargano tried to climb over Reed, who of course hit a spinebuster from the top. Both guys sold for a bit. Reed went up but both heels went up to fight him. Reed headbutted Gargano to the mat and Reed climbed. Theory quickly opened the door, so Reed redirected and splashed Gargano’s back. Reed hit Tsunami to finish and win the title.

WINNER: Bronson Reed at 15:26.

During the replays, the cage was raised. Pyro played as the tron promoted Reed as the new champion. Reed was overcome with genuine emotion as the show went off the air at eight past the hour.

(Wells’s Analysis: Rather than do a TakeOver style clean match where Gargano inexplicably fights with honor for the sake of one night, Reed instead won a match where he had to fight off a lot of cheating to overcome the odds for his first huge win in NXT. It worked well that he was turned back in the singles match leading to this. A good, if familiar, cage match that led to a finish that warmed the heart but may have been a tad predictable, particularly after Reed’s babyface promo earlier tonight)

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FINAL THOUGHTS: A lot going on tonight, with seven matches and plenty of extracurriculars along the way. We still have no matches announced for the rapidly approaching TakeOver show, and indeed, we didn’t even hear anything about the show existing tonight. We did instead get a show that moved quickly but not annoyingly so as the show moved stories forward for a large number of wrestlers. Dakota Kai turning on Raquel Gonzalez (and completing Gonzalez’s babyface turn) feels inevitable, and we have Bobby Fish back in the mix and he gave a pretty decent singles promo as he looks to join a crowded field. What we didn’t get was any Kyle O’Reilly or Adam Cole, both of whom seem to live in their own world that hovers separately from the rest of NXT. A mild thumbs up for tonight. Join me and Tom Stoup on PWT Talks NXT at half past the hour or stream tomorrow. Cheers.