SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
NXT ON USA
AUGUST 10, 2021
LIVE IN ORLANDO, FLA., AT CAPITOL WRESTLING CENTER
AIRED ON USA NETWORK
REPORT BY NATE LINDBERG, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR
Commentary: Vic Joseph, Wade Barrett
[HOUR ONE]
-NXT started with a video package looking at Samoa Joe and Karrion Kross’ feud, a Ilja Dragunov teaser and an announcement that Raquel Gonzalez will address Dakota Kai’s betrayal.
-Vic Joseph announced Ember Moon cannot compete and was replaced with Dakota Kai in the following match.
-Kai made her way to the ring and grabbed a mic. She called out Gonzalez and said to watch, she was about to defeat the undefeated Sarray.
(1) DAKOTA KAI vs. SARRAY
Sarray went for a handshake and Kai slapped her hand away. The two locked up and traded wrist locks, waist locks and arm wrenches for the first minute or so. Kai whipped Sarray to the mat by her hair and whipped her into the corner. Sarray springboarded over Kai and stomped Kai in the corner. Kai reversed, but Sarray reversed with a springboard armdrag. She gave Kai a massive body slam and then put her into a submission finisher. Kai pulled Sarray’s hair to escape.
Kai covered Sarray for two, and then used the bottom rope to choke Sarray. Snapmare and a kick to Sarray’s back, and Kai covered once again for two. Kai hit a suplex and float over into a pin, for two. Sarray escaped and locked in a modified single leg crab. Kai escaped as they cut to commercial. (c)
In a picture-in-picture break, Kai spent the entirety of it on offense.
Sarray planted Kai with a suplex and double stomp for a two count. Sarray hit another bridging German Suplex for two, really amping herself up after Kai kicked out once again. Kai reversed and stomped Sarray’s face in the corner, covered for two. Sarray hit a scorpion kick and then a dropkick to a sitting Kai. She went for a second dropkick, but Kai moved sending Sarray into the ropes and both women laying.
Raquel Gonzalez was shown arriving at the arena.
The two women traded pin attempts, Kai hit big boot to Sarray in the corner and covered for the win.
WINNER: Dakota Kai in 13:50
-After the match Raquel ran in and chased Kai out of the ringside area. She grabbed a mic and told Kai that she would never be the NXT Women’s champion. If she wanted a chance at the belt, all she needed to do was ask. At Takeover, she promised to tear Kai apart.
(Lindberg’s Analysis: Sarray looked relatively strong against Kai, ultimately losing to the number one contender. One wonders if Ember was cleared if Sarray would have taken the loss or not. However, this kept Kai looking strong coming into Takeover and her match against Gonzalez. My question though, why did Gonzalez rush to the ring and chase Kai off rather than just beat her senseless if she was that angry?)
-Dexter Lumis and Indi Hartwell were on their first Date. Indi was shown at the Gargano house getting ready, with Candice LaRae and Johnny Gargano sitting at their kitchen table upset that they needed to try and make this work. Lumis showed up with flowers and rang the doorbell. Gargano let him inside, and he stoically entered Gargano stared at Lumis and asked him what his intentions were. Lumis said nothing. Gargano told Lumis to have her home by 10pm and no funny business. Lumis and Indi then left for their date. Gargano and LaRae got in their car and followed.
-Hit Row were shown in the back of a U-Haul with a barrel of fire inside. They told Legado that stealing his grill was like disrespecting their culture. They then threw a Luchador mask into the fire and laughed.
-Ilja Dragunov made his first NXT appearance to promote his match against Walter for the NXT UK Title at Takeover. He cut an impassioned promo saying that his strength has been put into his fists, and he will do the unthinkable. Dethrone Walter from his NXT UK Throne. Pete Dunne confronted Dragunov and said that he owed Dunne a big thank you for putting the NXT UK brand on the map and carrying Europe on his back. Dragunov said that he was here because he gave everything he had and said that he was going to do something never did and defeat Walter. He then challenged Dunne tonight, which Dunne accepted.
-LA Knight and Cameron Grimes were backstage. Knight was asked why he left Grimes hanging last week. He said it was an opportunity for Grimes to redeem himself from what happened on the Golf Course. He kept calling Grimes a butler and said that he was the only Million Dollar Megastar before having Grimes drape the Million Dollar Championship over Knight’s shoulder.
(2) L.A. KNIGHT vs. ANDRE CHASE
The two locked up, chase whipped Knight off the ropes with Knight body blocking. Chase arm dragged Knight before Knight planted Chase’s head into the mat for the quick three count.
WINNER: LA Knight in 20 seconds
-Knight made Grimes towel his forehead and then bow to Knight in the center of the ring. Ted DiBiase came to the ring and told Grimes he was better than this. Knight tried cutting Grimes down and DiBiase told Knight to shut his mouth. He told Grimes to follow his heart and become a champion. DiBiase asked Knight to put the belt on the line and he said he’d only do it if DiBiase agreed to be Knight’s butler as well if Grimes loses. DiBiase agreed to the stipulation.
(3) GIGI DOLAN (w/Jacy Jane) vs. AMARI MILLER
The two women locked up with Dolan giving Miller a Snapmare. She taunted Miller and Miller locked her around the waist. She elbowed Miller in the face, and Miller gave her a body slam for two.
Dolan hyperextended the arm of Miller over the bottom rope and then they traded strikes in the ring. Dolan gave her two massive forearms and then some sort of a abdominal stretch bomb finisher for the win.
WINNER: GIGI DOLAN in 1:57
-Indi Hartwell and Dexter Lumis were shown at an Italian restaurant where she ordered every appetizer on the menu. Johnny Gargano could then be heard on a radio, and you could see LaRae hiding behind a menu at a nearby table. Indi radioed back to Gargano to leave her alone and walked away. LaRae aborted mission and Indi went back to Lumis.
[HOUR TWO]
-Regal was joined in the ring by a handful of security members as he invited Kyle O’Reilly and Adam Cole to the ring. Cole made his way out first followed by KOR. Their match at Takeover will be a 2 out of 3 falls match, each match with a different stipulation similar to HHH vs. Austin’s Three Stages of Hell match. KOR chose the first stipulation to be a normal match, because a loss to KOR would shatter Cole’s ego. Cole said he has been better than KOR at their job for years. He then declared the 2nd fall will be contested under Street Fight rules. Cole and KOR jawed off back and forth before KOR started taking his jacket off. Cole dared KOR to hit him and then he shoved KOR. Security broke them up and then William Regal then chose the final stipulation – a steel cage match.
-Timothy Thatcher and Tommaso Ciampa cut a promo on Ridge Holland, Pete Dunne and Oney Lorcan. They said that Ridge Holland isn’t as savage as either of them and that Ciampa and Thatcher define everything wrestling stands for. Thatcher cut Ciampa off with due respect and challenged Holland to a one on one match.
-Imperium was shown in a video package, with MSK “hacking” the segment and cutting a promo on Imperium.
(4) ODYSSEY JONES vs. TREY BAXTER
The crowd was solidly behind Jones as he swatted Baxter to the mat. Baxter was less than half the size of Jones, needing to use his speed to his advantage. Baxter hit Jones with a series of quick strikes but was caught by Jones and thrown high into the air. Baxter got to his feet and tried jumping from the top, but Jones caught him and Military Press Slammed him to the mat. Baxter locked in a headlock and was snapmared by the larger Jones.
Baxter went for the knees of Jones to take him off balance and went to the top. Jones dodged and sidewalk slammed him to the mat for the win.
WINNER: Odyssey Jones in 3:00
-After the match, Odyssey Jones hyped up the crowd and shouted out to his momma saying “I did it, baby!”
-A Tien Sha vignette aired for Boa, in action next.
-Kushida and Malcolm Bivens were shown leaving Regal’s office. Regal came out and talked to McKenzie Mitchell and said that next week would be a big week. MSK vs. Imperium for the Tag Championships and Kushida vs. Roderick Strong for the Cruiserweight title.
(5) BOA (w/Mai Ying) vs. Drake Maverick
Maverick got the advantage at the beginning before Boa landed a kick to the throat. Maverick retaliated and chopped Boa’s knee. Maverick went for a clothesline but was flattened with a palm strike. Boa stomped Mavericks fingers and then locked in a finger lock. He kicked Maverick in the back and then slammed him to the mat, all while keeping the finger lock held. Maverick went for a head scissors takedown and then dropkicked Boa in the head. Maverick went to the top and senton bomb’d Boa on the outside.
Mai Ying spit mist into Maverick’s face before he got back in the ring. Boa kicked Maverick in the head for the pin.
WINNER: BOA in 3:00
-Hartwell and Lumis were at the restaurant with Indi talking constantly and Lumis just sitting there stoically. Gargano came to the table dressed in a disguise as a waiter bringing them a cake. Gargano tried to take the cake back and wound up throwing it in Lumis’ face. Indi said she had room for dessert and the two kissed.
-A video package for Kross vs. Joe at Takeover played.
(6) ILJA DRAGUNOV vs. PETE DUNNE
The two locked up with Dunne brutally putting a wristlock on Dragunov. He continued applying different arm holds before Dragonuv flipped Dunne over and locked in an arm bar of his own. The two traded arm and finger submissions for the first few minutes, impressively showcasing their technical abilities.
Each time one would lock in a submission, the other would reverse it and then apply the same or a similar hold. Dunne finally whipped Dragunov off the ropes and kicked him to the mat. Dragunov clotheslined Dunne and then tried a German Suplex but Dunne landed on his feet.
Dragunov went to the top, but Dunne met him up there and locked in a finger lock. Dragunov kicked Dunne off and went for an axe handle, but Dunne superkicked him before commercial. (c)
During the picture in picture break, Dunne stayed solidly in control over Dragunov continuing to lock in hold after hold. Dragunov’s arms were worked over time and time again.
After the break, Dragunov started no selling strikes and wound up strong arming Dunne a half dozen times to the mat. Dunne got up and was met with a flying lariat for his troubles. He locked Dunne’s fingers and wrist before elbowing the back of Dunne’s head and covered for two.
Elbows, armbars, roll ups, and knee strikes – oh my! The two traded these four moves in impressive fashion before Dunne locked a triangle choke on Dragunov. He picked Dunne up and powerbombed him for two. He then delivered a forearm to Dunne’s face. Dunne looked to be KO’d, but kicked out at the count of 2.5.
Dragunov reversed the Bitter End, but Dunne rolled him into an armbar. Just as it looked like he’d tap, Dragunov rolled through and bridged a German suplex for two.
Walter’s music hit, and the NXT UK Champion emerged from backstage. Dragunov kicked Dunne out of the ring and almost let the distraction allow him to lose to the Bitter end. He reversed it, but ultimately Dunne was able to hit the Bitter End after a 2nd attempt for the win.
WINNER: Pete Dunne in 13:00
-Walter tried to attack Dragunov after the match, but Dragunov hit him with his finisher and held the NXT UK Championship high overhead to end the show.
Just one single comment made during the review?
My question though, why did Gonzalez rush to the ring and chase Kai off rather than just beat her senseless if she was that angry?
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She WAS wanting to beat Kai senseless but Kai got away. Gonzalez gave up chasing her because she realized she wouldn’t be able to catch her.