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 4, 2014
Taped at Full Sail University
Report by Justin James, PWTorch contributor
[Q1] NXT opens on the right note with Charlotte hitting the ramp. She’s wearing some fancy earrings which is out of character for her. She’s facing an unknown competitor in NXT, Mia Yim, whose trunks say “Yim” on them.
Announcers are Jason Albert, Alex Riley, and Rich Brennan, with Jojo doing the ring work.
1 – CHARLOTTE vs. MIA YIM
Charlotte immediately takes over the match. Yim tries to stop the attack, but “Natural Selection” ends it quick.
WINNER: Charlotte in 0:48.
Post-match, Sasha Banks comes out. She’s wearing a Charlotte shirt, congratulates Charlotte, and then says Charlotte should just hand it over now. Charlotte invites Banks into the ring, who gives the “on my time” speech. Charlotte wipes her boots on the mat and gets a “ratchet” chant going, forcing a trip to Urban Dictionary to find out what that means. Banks says Charlotte rides on her daddy’s coattails.
Bayley comes out on crutches and says that Charlotte won’t say it, but Banks needs to shut her “ratchet mouth” up. Banks kicks away Bayley’s crutch, then her knee. Charlotte charges the ramp and Banks goes running. Banks tries to ambush Charlotte but Charlotte catches her and carries her to the ring, then fends off an attack from behind from Lynch, letting Banks hit a Backbreaker.
[ J.J.’s Reax: good work playing up Charlotte as the cold, quiet champ. ]
Another Vaudevillains silent film casting little people as the Lucha Dragons. The Vaudevillains defeat the fake Lucha Dragons by tying their shoelaces to an anvil and dropping it off the side of the building that the FLD’s were standing on. This is so depressing and insulting.
The promising Buddy Murphy and Wesley Blake come out for a tag team match to clean that garbage skit from my mind. They are facing the Vaudevillains in a “who’s the face team?” match that NXT has struggled with lately.
2. THE VAUDEVILLAINS (AIDEN ENGLISH & SIMON GOTCH) vs. BUDDY MURPHY & WESLEY BLAKE
Blake runs the ropes and English keeps dodging him until Blake catches English on the leapfrog and powerslams into a cover for almost two. Suplex, but English floats over and snapmares Blake into the ropes, then again. Gotch in and he works the leg. English works his customary crisp, sharp offense. Small package from Blake surprises Gotch, who kicks out, then returns to the leg.
[Q2] English tries to clear Murphy from the apron, but Murphy ducks, Blake back body drops English near seven feet in the air and tags out. Murphy plays a babyface hot tag, clears Gotch off the apron, scissors kick to English then kips up like a cruiserweight. Running double knees forces Gotch to break up the pin. Gotch sends Blake to the ramp, Murphy dodges Gotch and English, but Gotch blind tags in. Hot action in the ring, but Gotch with an ambush. Uppercut from Gotch, then a running neckbreaker from English, “The Whirling Dervish,” ends it.
WINNERS: The Vaudevillains in 3:30. The Vaudevillains are good enough in the ring to overcome this lame gimmick. Blake and Murphy are ones to watch long term, both have impressed me with their agility, speed, and in-ring talent despite having the “bodybuilder physique.”
Backstage, William Regal talks to a smug Tyler Breeze saying he can’t find Marcus Lois. Breeze doesn’t care. Tyson Kidd comes in looking for Finn Balor. Regal books Kidd and Breeze against Hideo Itami and Finn Balor in another give-away NXT money match with no build. Breeze is unhappy that he won’t have the night off.
Video package hyping Takeover, including the debut of Kevin Owens (Kevin Steen).
3 – BULL DEMPSEY vs. ELIAS SAMPSON
The preternaturally quick Dempsey is on his opponent as the bell is still echoing in the arena. Top rope headbutt wraps it up in a moment.
WINNER: Bull Dempsey in 0:25. More excellent presentation of Dempsey. Where is Baron Corbin to show him up?
Post-match: there’s Baron Corbin making his way to the ring. Dempsey, halfway up the ramp, has a look for Corbin. Corbin completely ignored Dempsey as he heads to the ring. These two are either going to make a good team or a good rivalry. Love the mystery here.
Brennan tells us that on the NXT Takeover pre-show there will be an announcement regarding the future of Corey Graves. That’s pretty exciting. Also, this Takeover is named “R-Evolution.”
Check out the latest episode of “PWT Talks NXT” with Kelly Wells and Nate Lindberg, part of the PWTorch Dailycast line-up: CLICK HERE to stream (or search “pwtorch” on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or any other iOS or Android app to subscribe free)
4 – BARON CORBIN vs. JOBBER
Corbin ends it in under ten seconds with the End of Days. In fairness, Dempsey has to climb his 300+ lb. body to the top rope to hit his finisher.
WINNER: Baron Corbin in 0:08.
Outstanding video package on Kevin Owens (Kevin Steen) talking up his history with Seth Rollins, Daniel Bryan, Adrian Neville, and Sami Zayn. He talks about he he was friends and opponents with them, but “they called him first,” and while he was happy for them it fueled him to do better. Really great package making good use of current and past NXT wrestlers and their history in the indies.
Breeze comes out for his tag match with roughly 20 minutes left in the show. That’s an omen pointing to a great match. Breeze lounges on the ropes as Kidd comes out to a “Nattie” chant. Right before the bell, Breeze takes his selfies, but gets Natalya into the picture, too. Kidd is not too happy about this and they argue. First Adam Rose and now Tyler Breeze, who won’t Natalya get friendly with?
5 – HIDEO ITAMI & FINN BALOR vs. TYSON KIDD & TYLER BREEZE (w/Natalya) – Tag Team match
[Q3] Itami and Kidd start with chain mat wrestling. Shoulder block has Kidd asking for a tag, and Breeze makes him wait a bit before tagging. Breeze locks up with Itami and they chain wrestle. Itami works Breeze’s arm and brings in Balor. Springboard single foot stomp doesn’t even get one. Blind tag and Kidd clobbers Balor from behind.
[ Break ]
Kidd is working Balor over in the ropes out of the break. Boot in the corner lets Balor break free for a moment but Kidd contains him and gets Breeze in. Breeze mugs Balor in the corner, then yells at the ref for touching him. Suplex gets two for Breeze. Balor tries to rally, but Kidd hangs onto the ropes causing Balor to whiff a dropkick. Balor can’t catch a break here. Guillotine leg drop on Balor through the ropes gets two for Kidd.
Pele Kick puts Kidd down, then they reset with a double tag and it’s Itami and Breze. Itami destroys Breeze with kicks. Itami easily fends off Kidd, hesitation drop kick forces Kidd to break up a pin. Itami boots him from the ring, so Kidd yanks Itami from the ring. Balor with a massive double foot stomp to the back of Breeze’s head behind the ref’s back, an uncensored “holy s—” chant breaks out on NXT and Itami and Itami covers for the win.
WINNERS: Hideo Itami and Finn Balor in 7:56. The end was awesome, especially Balor’s foot stomp. I really wish this match had built into a real feud instead of being a stepping stone to a blow-off match with The Ascension.
Post-match, Balor puts The Ascension on notice.
Adrian Neville and Sami Zayn are announced to be on Chris Jericho’s podcast tomorrow.
Andrian Neville is in the ring to cut a promo. He says that there’s nothing to be conflicted about, his job is to defend the NXT Title and to win “at any cost.” He says he was not proud to have won with a quick pin against Zayn, but he hurt his knee. He says that he will do whatever it takes, but Zayn lacks edge or killer instinct, which is why Zayn won’t ever be NXT champion. He says Zayn is too nice.
[ J.J.’s Reax: Great presentation of Neville here. He is still a face, but with a streak of heelishness. ]
Zayn comes out. Neville reminds us about Zayn’s vow to quit if he loses, and says that he won’t feel guilty about Zayn’s decision. Zayn says he’s been listening and it’s really pissing him off. Neville has no right to call Zayn “too nice” and Zayn has done well for himself and Neville doesn’t run his life. Neville says he meant no disrespect.
[Q4] Neville says this will be the match of their careers and offers a handshake. The crowd says “no,” and Zayn says that doing the right thing and showing the respect is where he messes up every time. “This isn’t about respect don’t you understand that?” Neville says nothing. Zayn slaps him and says “understand that!” Zayn sells conflict then says that Neville doesn’t get to end him, he will end Neville and take the title. Zayn has flipped but he’s still conflicted and leaves the ring. Neville just stares at him as Zayn can’t believe what he did from the ramp.
[ J.J.’s Reax: Maybe the best mic work I’ve seen from Zayn in NXT and the best writing since the Hero – Regal feud. There are layers and “shades of gray” while still leaving me with someone to cheer — and someone to boo — in a match that is going to close out what has amounted to a TWO-YEAR STORYLINE for Sami Zayn. ]
Overall Reax: Excellent episode leading into Takeover R-Evolution. My only complaint is the hot-shot booking around Itami and Balor in terms of matches that could be highly enjoyable full-blown feuds. The final promo for Neville-Zayn was top notch. And since when are there unnamed jobbers in the women’s divisions? Just goes to show the difference between the NXT women’s division and the main roster “Divas.” Another big item for me is the Corey Graves announcement next week. He’s been one of my favorites on NXT and I truly hope that his health allows him to come back, and if not, to see him in a non-wrestling role. His quick wit and quality presentation will make him an asset no matter what he is doing on-camera.
RECOMMENDED NEXT: 5 YRS AGO – NXT TV Report (11-27-2019): O’Reilly & Fish vs. Keith Lee & Dijakovic, Balor vs. Ciampa, plus Candice LeRae, Lio Rush, Dakota Kai
OR CHECK THIS OUT AT PROWRESTLING.NET: Powell’s NXT Hit List: Iron Survivor Challenge last chance qualifiers, Eric Bischoff and Sean “X-Pac” Waltman appearances, Battle Royal for a shot at the NXT Tag Titles at Deadline
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