SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
The following report originally published 10 years ago this week here at PWTorch.com…
KELLER’S NXT TV REPORT
MARCH 4, 2015
TAPED AT FULL SAIL UNIVERSITY
AIRED ON WWE NETWORK
-A video recap of last week’s setting up of the Kevin Owens-Finn Balor title match.
-Backstage Alex Riley told G.M. William Regal he wants a match with Owens after what happened last week. Regal said you have to choose between announcing and wrestling. Riley said Regal did both. Regal said he paid a heavy price against Cesaro and hasn’t wrestled since. Riley said he is still in his prime and has a lot left to contribute in the ring. Regal insisted he choose one or the other.
-The NXT opening aired. Rich Brennan, Alex Riley, and Jason Albert introduced the show.
(1) ADAM ROSE (w/the Rosebuds) vs. TYLER BREEZE
Breeze used his selfie stick to part his way through the Rosebuds at ringside. Some fans began chanting “Breeze is Gorgeous!” Early in the match Rose did some somersaults and then played to the crowd as part of his “mind games” and stalling tactics. Rose gave Breeze an inverted atomic drop and a head smash into the corner turnbuckle. Breeze fired back with a Beauty Shot kick for the sudden win. Breeze fended off the Rosebuds with his selfie stick afterward.
WINNER: Breeze in 3:00.
(WK Reax: Mainly just stalling tactics followed by a few Rose spots and a single countermove by Breeze. So not much to this at all.)
-The announcers hyped the Sasha Banks vs. Charlotte main event.
-Backstage an interviewer off camera talked with Enzo Amore, Colin Cassady, and Carmella about what Wesley Blake & Buddy Murphy said to them last week, especially Carmella. Amore said: “Every time they speak, I have bowel movements. They need to wipe the crap off their lips.” I’m not sure he said that right. Carmella said they make her throw up in her mouth. She told her men to beat them. Cassady said they’re going to be “beat the bacon off their backs.” [c]
-Backstage Alexa Bliss told a roving reporter that she is back from her nose injury and ready to show Sasha Banks who is really in charge.
(2) WESLEY BLAKE & BUDDY MURPHY vs. ANGELO DAWKINS & SAWYER FULTON
Riley said Blake & Murphy are quickly becoming his favorite wrestlers in NXT. Dawkins & Fulton were dressed up as amateur wrestlers with singlets and ear gear. Riley talked up Dawkins as someone who caught his eye at the Performance Center. Murphy won with a top rope frog splash. Riley said Murphy’s finishing move reminded him of Michael Jordan in “the old slam dunk contest.”
WINNERS: Blake & Murphy in 2:00.
-Bayley wished Charlotte luck tonight despite their not being best friends lately. Charlotte said Sasha is going to need the luck. Emma walked in. Bayley asked if she wanted to watch the Charlotte-Banks match together. Bayley laughed at her and asked if she meant the match she could have been in had she won the four-way match at Takeover instead. She laughed and said she reminds her of her. She said she acted all nice at Raw, but look where it got her, “right back here at NXT.” She told her to think about that.
(WK Reax: So Emma is planting the seed with Bayley that being nice isn’t going to get her anywhere.) [c]
-A video package aired on Rhino’s NXT match last week. In a voiceover, Rhino said everywhere he goes, he hears about NXT, so he showed up to make a statement and climb to the top.
ARTICLE CONTINUED BELOW…
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(3) BARON CORBIN vs. TONY BRIGGS
Owens showed up behind Riley during commentary on the match. Brennan and Albert told Riley to concentrate on the match. He didn’t have to concentrate long as Corbin won with his End of Days finisher quickly.
WINNER: Corbin in 1:00.
-Afterward Owens continued to stare down Riley from behind. Owens then reached over and grabbed Riley’s water bottle out from in front of him and took a swig. Albert continued to counsel him to stay calm and think of his career and providing for his family. Owens then poured the water over Riley’s head. Riley leaped up and got in Owens’ face. Albert held him back. Owens turned his back to him and arrogantly and casually walked away.
(WK Reax: Everyone played their parts well here. Owens is really convincing with his character, and in a refreshingly low key way. No yelling or over-the-top dramatics.) [c]
-A video aired of Sami Zayn saying his tour of Abu Dhabi went great. He said it seems the landscape of NXT has changed dramatically since he was last there a few weeks ago. He listed the arrivals of Rhino, Brian Kendrick, and Solomon Crowe as recent changes, plus the rise of Owens, Banks, and Finn Balor. He said he’s sorry he’s not there, but he’s recording that on March 1st, his 13th anniversary in pro wrestling. He said he’s walking the streets of Montreal at two in the morning to get some perspective. He said he still hasn’t watched back his title match with Owens, and maybe when he does, he’ll be able to put into words what he plans to do to Owens when he gets back.
-Riley barged in on Regal talking with C.J. Parker about Crowe beating him up. Riley barged in and yelled – over-modulating the mic badly – that he was quitting as commentator and he wanted a match with Owens. Regal said he won’t book that match until he feels he is ready. Parker laughed and said the only person to do anything to Owens is him so far. Riley challenged Parker to a match next week and he vowed to kick his ass.
(WK Reax: Other than the over-modulation of the mic, this was a believable reaction by Riley wanting to shift from commentary to wrestling to get revenge on Owens. I have a feeling he’s going to be fodder for Owens, but perhaps it’ll be more than that.)
(4) SOLOMON CROWE vs. BULL DEMPSEY
Dempsey got in early offense. Albert talked about Dempsey needing a win desperately. Eventually Crowe avoided a top rope flying headbutt to take over. Crowe then landed his own headbutt for the win.
WINNER: Crowe in 3:00.
(WK Reax: Dempsey continues to basically get jobbed out.)
(5) SASHA BANKS vs. CHARLOTTE – NXT Women’s Title match
When Banks avoided a few initial lockups, Charlotte shouted at her, “Are you going to fight me tonight or what, sweetheart?” At 2:00 Charlotte applied a figure-four. Sasha reached the bottom rope to force a break. [c]
Back from the break Banks was in control. She took Charlotte down into a crossface. She leveraged her into crucifix for a two count. Charlotte stood and then did a running dropdown to knock Banks off of her. Charlotte went for a top rope moonsault. Banks moved, but Charlotte landed on her feet. When Charlotte backflipped toward Banks, Banks lifted her knees and then took over control with stomps. She locked Charlotte in a nasty looking back arch submission with Charlotte’s arms crossed as she yanked back on her. Charlotte stood and powered out, then schoolgirled Banks for a two count. Banks hit a back cracker and then flipped over into her Bank Statement finisher. When Charlotte tried to roll out of it, Banks rolled through again and kept it on. Charlotte reached the bottom rope to force a break, though. Albert said, “How unrelentless has Sasha been this entire match?” He should’ve left off the “un.”
Charlotte came back with a spear and a near fall at 10:00. Banks came right back with a face plant and then set up a figure-four. Charlotte kicked her away and charged. Banks caught her with an elbow to the chin. Charlotte followed with a clip to Banks’s legs, then she put the figure-four on around the ringpost at ringside. The ref began his five count, so Charlotte had to break quickly. Charlotte climbed to the top, but Banks held onto the ropes to block Charlotte’s Natural Selection. Banks then covered Charlotte with her feet on the middle rope for a ton of illegal extra leverage for the three count.
WINNER: Sasha in 11:00 to retain the NXT Women’s Title.
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