10 YRS AGO – NXT TV REPORT (1/8/2014): Corbin vs. Tyson Kidd, Bayley vs. Summer Rae, Rusev vs. Xavier Woods, Aiden vs. Big Cass (Big Bill)

The following report originally published 10 years ago this week here at PWTorch.com…

WWE NXT Results
January 8, 2014
Taped at Full Sail University
Report by Justin James, PWTorch contributor

Some NXT news: Kaitlyn has announced that she has departed WWE at her request, and the WWE Network will be carrying NXT (no news of where it will stand on Hulu, as far as I can tell).

[Q1] No video package, and Summer Rae is out with Sasha Banks for a singles match. Alex Riley, Byron Saxton, and Tom Phillips have the call. There’s a new person doing the ring announcing, and she does it with the enthusiasm of someone who just found out that their pet died.

1 – BAYLEY (w/Natalya) vs. SUMMER RAE (w/Sasha Banks)

Summer Rae is wearing a headband, and offers a hug to lure Bayley in, but the crowd tells her “No!” Bayley acts like she will take the hug, then rips off the headband and tries a quick sunset flip for two. Rae with a cheap shot to get in signature offense. Bayley finally fights out of a hold, and goes on the attack. A pair of back elbows get a pair of two counts for Bayley. Rae misses a roundhouse and eats a belly to belly (“the hugplex”) for the loss.

WINNER: Bayley in 4:00. This match was a bit dry, though at least it broke for formula and barely had any outside interference.

Devin Taylor introduces Xavier Woods, who thinks it is still at episode 200. Taylor says that Kane has something to say to Woods, who doesn’t seem worried.

Colin Cassady comes out to face Aiden English, and he is all business after English beat him up last week. English is finally drawing some heat, which proves that NXT’s booking is working.

2 – COLIN CASSADY vs. AIDEN ENGLISH

Cassady comes out of the bell with crazy aggression. Knees and elbows destroy English in the corner. Forearm to the back gets two for Cassady. English dodges a corner splash and executes his crisp elbows. English complains about Cassady stealing his spotlight while keeping him grounded. Back body drop sends English flying, followed by a high knee. Leaping elbow gets two for Cassady. Cassady risks DQ in the ropes. A knee to the thigh cripples Cassady to let English get the Director’s Cut.

WINNER: Aiden English in 2:30. Loved seeing the aggression from Cassady. While the match wasn’t great, Cassady and English both did exactly what they needed to do to get the appropriate crowd reactions and further the feud.

[Q2] Backstage, Devin Taylor talks to Adrian Neville. His phone interrupts their interview, and he answers it. It turns off that Tyler Breeze is calling him from three feet away. Breeze says it is so he doesn’t need to look at Neville’s “uggo face” while taking to him, and he fake apologizes for Neville’s loss to Bo Dallas that he caused. Breeze is delightful in this segment. He says that the WWE Universe deserves a “gorgeous” NXT champion. Neville says he has a game of his own, “the waiting game” where he waits until next week to beat up Breeze.

Xavier Woods comes out for his match. Smiling, suited Kane enters, too, to address Woods. Kane puts Woods over in terms of in-ring work. But he says that Woods is to blame for Big Show coming back to WWE. The Authority has not forgotten that Wood put together the petition to get Big Show back. Kane says that now Woods pays the price, and introduces Alexander Rusev. No introduction from Lana, who comes out in silence.

3 – XAVIER WOODS vs. ALEXANDER RUSEV (w/Lana)

Early offense from Woods, but Rusev hits a Samoan Drop on the running Woods for one. That was so quick. Elbow drops for another one count. Woods fights out of a nerve hold. Honor Roll, but Rusev blocks Lost in the Woods, stuns Woods, then locks in The Accolade for a quick submission.

WINNER: Alexander Rusev in 2:00. If there could be such a thing as “being pushed to the moon” in NXT, Rusev is getting it. I love how fast Rusev moves in the ring, something he has in common with other NXT big men like Big E. Langston.

WWE Exclusive with Kofi Kingston from last week. He says he underestimated Rusev. He challenges Rusev to a re-match.

Tyson Kidd out to face “already in the ring” Baron Corbin, who has not been seen for a very, very long time. Alex Riley somehow compares Kidd to Eddie Guerrero due to his haircut and swagger.

4 – TYSON KIDD vs. BARON CORBIN

Corbin with a shoulder block to put Kidd down. Apparently Corbin is a former professional football player. Lots of shoulder blocks from Corbin.

[Q3] Drop toehold in the corner sends Corbin’s face into the turnbuckle. Kidd does what he does and Corbin is reeling. Slingshot guillotine leg drop, followed by a top rope blockbuster or neckbreaker for a win. They decide to call this “Tyson’s Twisting Neck Destroyer” for some reason.

WINNER: Tyson Kidd in 2:30. Corbin did not show anything to make me want to see more of him, and Kidd spent too much of the match selling to enjoy his side of it.

Hunico and Camacho have matching custom bicycles for their No DQ, No Count-out, Tornado Tag Team non-title match against The Ascension, in the “rematch no one wanted to see and certainly does not need to happen.”

5 – NXT tag champs THE ASCENSION (CONOR O’BRIAN & RICK VICTOR) vs. HUNICO & CAMACHO – Tornado Tag Team match – Non-title

O’Brian and Camacho go to one corner and Victor and Hunico to another. The match feels like the dead period of the Royal Rumble when the mid-card waits for a main-eventer to enter. Things start to pick up as Hunico powerbombs Victor and Camacho follows with a leg drop, causing O’Brian to break up a cover.

[ Commercial Break ]

Hunico and Camacho are retaining control outside the ring, then both get back to work in the ring with simultaneous ten punches in the corner, which both get countered by powerbombs. Flapjack on Camacho gets two for O’Brian. O’Brian looks a bit winded. Hunico and Camacho fight out of the corner. Springboard moonsault from Hunico leads to a two count on both. Samoan Drop from Camacho and a Swanton Bomb from Hunico need Victor to break up the pin.

Hunico keeps Victor out of the ring, then holds the ropes open for Camacho to land a suicide dive onto Victor, but Victor slams him with an uppercut as he comes through the ropes. O’Brian recovers enough to surprise Hunico with a slam, then Hunico takes Fall of Man for the loss.

WINNERS: The Ascension in 8:45. Boring, plodding, sloppy match. I guess this is an attempt to put over The Ascension, but no really cares if they beat a team with zero support from the crowd?

FINAL THOUGHTS: Other than the interaction between Tyler Breeze and Adrian Neville, there was not much to recommend this episode. Where has Charlotte been after joining the BFFs? I don’t even think her name has been mentioned since then. Alexander Rusev seems to be getting a final checking out before heading to the main roster.