SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
The following report originally published 10 years ago this week here at PWTorch.com…
WWE NXT Results
December 18, 2013
Taped at Full Sail University
Report by Justin James, PWTorch contributor
[Q1] So, tonight is the 200th episode of NXT. I assume that they are counting since NXT 1 (Wade Barrett, Daniel Bryan, et al) and not since the move to FSU.
No pre-match credits or credits, as Motorhead plays to bring out Triple H. Big reception for him and he shakes the hand of a little kid on the front row. He says he appreciates that “Triple H” chant, but he asks for an NXT chant instead, and gets it. He plays up NXT and FSU. He name-drops Damien Sandow, Antonio Cesaro, The Shield, and The Wyatts as being products of NXT. A “five! five!” chant reminds Hunter of Big E. Langston. He promises continued improvement thanks to the Performance Center. He closes with thanks to FSU and the roster, but especially the fans. Total babyface promo, completely out of character with his current The Authority storyline. He psychs the crowd with an “Are you ready?” and the credits hit.
Sami Zayn out to a big reaction for a match. He’s teaming with Tyson Kidd and they are facing Leo Kruger and Antonio Cesaro. Hmm, this has “awesome match” written all over it. I wonder if William Regal will get involved? The booth is Tensai, Tom Philips, and Byron Saxton.
1 – TYSON KIDD & SAMI ZAYN vs. ANTONIO CESARO & LEO KRUGER – Tag Team match
There’s a “We Want Regal… Sami Zayn!” chant as Kidd takes a boot from Kruger. Kidd gets Zayn in, but Kruger scampers to the corner to bring in Cesaro. “Match of the year!” chant. Cesaro and Zayn scramble for contact, as Cesaro’s strength lets him drive Zayn to the mat. Cesaro and Zayn trade control in the corner until the ref breaks them. Zayn gets shoved off four punches into ten and Kidd comes back in. Kidd wants to leap frog Cesaro, but he gets plucked out of the air and sent into a backbreaker. Nice to see a leap frog get countered, as it’s one of those “suspension of disbelief” moments like sitting around to be hit with the People’s Elbow.
[ Commercial Break ]
Kidd is get broken down in the corner. Spinebuster from Kruger gets two and Zayn is getting concerned. Cesaro plants Kidd and clears Zayn off the apron with a big boot. Kidd sends Kruger over the ropes and dodges a corner elbow from Cesaro, and manages to tag in Zayn.
[Q2] Zayn picks Kruger apart with speed. Cross-body from the top gets two for Zayn. Kruger gets a knee up in the corner, but eats a spinning Doctor Bomb. Cesaro breaks up a pin and Kidd comes to the rescue. Crazy somersault through the ropes and Zayn’s corner kick picks up the win.
WINNERS: Zayn & Kidd in 8:15. Nice match, but they made the mistake of sticking to the WWE tag match formula instead of letting these guys do what they do best. If giving free reign, this could have been a three-to-four-star match instead of the two-and-a-half-stars that it was.
Backstage, Natalya watches the monitor with concern as Emma dances behind her. Natalya is upset that Emma almost pokes her eye out, but Emma blows it off. Emma says that Natalya has gotten uppity and doesn’t care about NXT since she got on TV, except when she gets a title match. Natalya calls her out for getting a title match in a dance-off. Emma defends her dancing. They out-catty each other and agree on a match, and it seems like they decide it will be a #1 contender match, but it isn’t clear.
Video flashback to episode 1 of NXT 1. Clips of Daniel Bryan’s introductory promo, complete with no beard. Selections of his match with Chris Jericho, including the insane dive into the announcer booth.
“Earlier today” clips of a meet and greet at FSU, including Eva Marie and Jo Jo from Total Divas.
Sasha Banks and Summer Rae hit the ramp. Banks has a greatly upgraded ring attire. She’s facing Paige, who has a rather devilish look on her face as she comes down the ramp. They drop 150 days as the length of Paige’s title reign.
2 – NXT Divas champion PAIGE vs. SASHA BANKS (w/Summer Rae)
Slaps from Sasha drive Paige into the corner. Distraction from Rae lets Banks take Paige down. Banks emulates Paige’s corner stops and howl. Banks drags Paige to the mat with a hold. Tensai asks why Philips and Saxton talk so much about people who aren’t the champion. Banks wants Old School, but Paige reverses and sends Banks flying across the ring. Paige crushes Banks with clotheslines, but Rae grabs her foot. Banks tries to follow up, but baseball-slides into Rae by mistake. Paige with the Paige Turner from behind for the win.
WINNER: Paige in 3:45. Isn’t The Authority supposed to book Paige against the BFF’s in a handicap match right now?
Backstage, Enzo Amore, freshly shaved with with died/shaved cheetah spots in his hair, sits in a cheetah-print wheelchair complaining about some place not being handicapped accessible. He and Colin Cassady have “SAWFT” shirts. I want one. Some noise distracts them. It is Aiden English warming up his vocal chords. He brags that he will be on Broadway while Amore and Cassady will be doing coat check. Amore talks Cassady into a singing context with English.
[ J.J.’s Reax: That segment made my night, other than resulting in a singing competition. ]
Flashback to the first episode of NXT at FSU. Jim Ross shown on WWE TV. Focus on Bo Dallas.
[Q3] The Ascension is mostly through their entrance after the video package. Talk about a downgrade in status. They have an open challenge, and it is the “American Pitbulls” to take it up. The Pitbulls are really Davey Richards and Eddie Edwards (The American Wolves). Tensai puts them over as they come out to the ring.
3 – NXT tag champions THE ASCENSION (CONOR O’BRIAN & RICK VICTOR) vs. THE AMERICAN PITBULLS (JOHN CAHILL & DEREK BILLINGTON) – N10on-title Tag Team match
Victor and Billington (Davey Richards) start it off. Billington escapes offense and is able to bring in Cahill (Eddie Edwards). Cahill gets cornered. Blind tag lets the Pitbulls turn the tide, but Billington takes a flapjack from O’Brien. Billington escapes from a suplex attempt, but lands on his head.
Billington is finally able to get to Cahill, who tees off on Victor. Running knee forces O’Brien to break up a tag. The Pitbulls hit stereo dives to the Ascension at ringside. Cahill into a cover for two, and a diving headbutt from Billington gets another two count. Flying knee puts Billington down, and the Fall of Man wraps it up.
WINNERS: The Ascension in 5:00. I like what I saw from the American Pitbulls, and it was nice to not see The Ascension dominate a match.
Post-match, Hunico and Camacho come out to pose a bit, so The Ascension put more punishment on Cahill to make their point.
Backstage, Devin Taylor interviews Kofi Kingston. He’s delighted to be at NXT for the first time (not including his stint as a Pro, I assume). Lana talks in an Eastern European language, then tries English. Rusev wants to face Kingston, who accepts.
Scott Stanford tells us that next week will be a year recap episode, as well as William Regal facing Antonio Cesaro. Well, I guess that will be the best Christmas present I will get this year!
Howard Finkel is here to introduce the NXT Championship match between Adrian Neville and Bo Dallas in a lumberjack match. Other than Tyler Breeze, I do not recognize any of the lumberjacks.
4 – NXT champion BO DALLAS vs. ADRIAN NEVILLE – NXT Championship match – Lumberjack match
They struggle for control out of the lock-up and Dallas ends up in the corner. Strong support for Neville and Tyler Breeze. Neville’s moves give him an edge. Dallas wants a breather but the lumberjacks gently roll him back in. Breeze is calmly taking pictures him himself. He tries to roll Neville in, so Neville slaps him. Breeze is in tears.
[ Commercial Break ]
[Q4] After the break, Seth Rollins talks about what it meant for him to be the first NXT Champion.
Neville is gaining control over Dallas, who looks like he wants to cry. He begs for mercy and the crowd wants him punished more. Neville gets sent outside and gently rolled back in. Dallas looks evil, and Breeze is fuming on the floor. Dallas keeps Neville down to the crowd’s displeasure. Dallas is in full-on heel mode in the ring. Neville blocks the bulldog in the corner and goes on the attack. Enziguri and a standing Shooting Star Press get a nearfall for Neville. The crowd threatens to riot if Dallas wins.
Powerslam, then Neville goes to the top for the Red Arrow. Dallas rolls out of the ring, so the lumberjacks hold him in place for a huge dive from Neville. Breeze is still fuming. Neville to the top again, a lumberjack starts talking to the ref, which lets Breeze yank Dallas clear of the Red Arrow. Dallas slides in for the cover and the win.
WINNER: Bo Dallas in 9:45. Not enough of Neville’s athleticism was on display here, and Dallas’s weaknesses were fully exposed. Between the lumberjacks and the obvious interference with Breeze coming, and the fact that Neville just had a title shot and this one had no build-up all added up to a lacking match.
Final Thoughts: Other than the dull in-ring action in the title match, this was an okay episode. I may note, it still built some interesting story developments, just didn’t have the quality of main event action that I would have liked to see. The handling of the tag match was disappointing to say the least.
RECOMMENDED NEXT: 10 YRS AGO – WWE Raw Report (12/16/2013): The Shield vs. CM Punk & The Usos, plus Cena, Daniel Bryant, Orton, Triple H, Stephanie, Big E, Rey, Ryback, Cody Rhodes
OR CHECK THIS OUT AT PROWRESTLING.NET: McGuire’s Mondays: Five things that dominated the year in pro wrestling
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