SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
WWE NXT Results
February 10, 2016
Taped at UCF in Orlando, Fla.
Aired on WWE Network
Report by Justin James, PWTorch NXT contributor
[Q1] Pre-credits video package offers a reminder that Bayley defends her championship against Carmella. NXT is from the University of Florida tonight, in a much larger venue. It isn’t Raw-big or Smackdown-big, but any other promotion would be thrilled to pack a house this size (and it is packed).
Baron Corbin is out first to face Johnny Gargano. Let’s see if Johnny Wrestling can pick up his first NXT win tonight, or if he gets fed to Corbin as enhancement talent.
1 – JOHNNY GARGANO va. BARON CORBIN
Gargano swats at Corbin like an annoying pest, and Corbin looks annoyed and pestered. Gargano wants a sunset flip near the ropes, which Corbin easily blocks. Ten punches in the corner, but Corbin shoves him off at eight, then starts to tear Gargano apart. Corbin stares down a “Corbin sucks” chant (to the New Day Rocks cadence). Carbin gloats and Gargano tries to rally, but Corbin cuts it off. Corbin argues with the ref, and the ref chastises Corbin for touching him. Corbin is showing a lot more in-ring personality than in the past, like he has been watching Kevin Owens matches on repeat.
Gargano with a surprise sleeperhold, emphasizing Corbin’s height. Spear through the ropes barely gets Gargano one. Gargano runs into Deep Six, then Corbin fires himself up andjaws at Gargano. End of Days set-up, but a superkick from Gargano gets a super tight nearfall.
Corbin is forced to roll under the ropes. Gargano brawls with Corbin on the outside, then Corbin runs into the ring. He surprises Gargano with End of Days for the win.
WINNER: Baron Corbin in 5:56. Corbin continues to grow in the ring. Gargano did a good job making Corbin look good, but Corbin has stepped his game up and deserves credit for that.
Recap of the controversial finish to the #1 contender Triple Threat match two weeks ago.
Backstage, Alex Rayex asks Sami Zayn about the new #1 contender match against Samoa Joe. Zayn says he was originally disappointed, but he understands it now, and it was just another obstacle. The title wasn’t handed to him a year ago, so he expects to have to earn it again. This is his first one-on-one match with Joe and he won’t let Joe stand in his way.
Replay of The Vaudevillains’s “get mean” video. This feels like a fairly ineffective heel turn so far.
The Hype Bros. come out to pump the crowd up.
2 – THE HYPE BROS. (ZACK RYDER & MOJO RAWLEY) vs. CORY HOLLIS & JOHN SKYLAR
Tom Phillips reminds us of Ryder’s “Internet Championship.” Ryder lands a dropkick as Graves and Phillips find ways to talk up the Hype Bros. Graves says “I turned on him” in reference to Neville. Dog whistle there. Rawley clears the ring, then helps Ryder fly through the ropes to take both opponents out. Ryder is isolated for about a minute, then tags in Rawley.
[Q2] Rawley with a bowling-ball-like shoulder tackle. Hyper Drive followed by the Broski Boot. Hype Ryder ends it.
WINNERS: The Hype Bros in 3:26. NXT is continuing to build the tag division.
Backstage, Alex Rayez interviews Bayley and Carmella. Bayley says that keeping the NXT Women’s Championship has been even harder than earning it. She talks up her past opponents, and says that Carmella has earned the match, but it isn’t her time. Carmella says this is her first title match and tonight is her night. Bayley is her friend. Bayley says “may the best woman win.”
Next is a women’s match of Alexa Bliss vs. Cameron. I think it is so great that Alexa Bliss is accompanied by Blake and Murphy to the ring. Total inversion of the wrestling formula. Are they trying to make Bliss a babyface against Cameron? Bliss just smirks at her opponent.
3 – ALEXA BLISS (w/Wesley Blake and Buddy Murphy) vs. CAMERON
Collar-and-elbow followed by a quick break. Bliss armdrags through a second tie-up, then taunts. Cameron gets angry and puts Bliss into the corner. Cameron with some bizarre offense. Double knees to the back as Bliss is stuck in the ropes. I truly do not know what to call some of Cameron’s moves.
Bliss takes a breather, then hot-shots Cameron on the ropes. Bliss unloads to Cameron to cheers. Bliss just stomps all over Cameron to cheers. Cameron stomps on Bliss in the corner, but a small package gets two for Bliss. Neckbreaker earns Cameron a two count. Bliss Flip, then the Sparkle Splash.
WINNER: Alexa Bliss in 4:16. This feels like the transformation of Bliss into a Sasha Banks-like package. If someone on the roster can to it, it is Bliss. She has the personality and in-ring attitude to make it work, the question is if she can bring the same wrestling talent that Banks developed.
Backstage promo from Enzo Amore and Colin Cassady. It’s a bit less serious presentation. American Alpha comes in and argue about music. Amore just cuts Chad Gable with attitude. It looks like the four of them will be facing Dash & Dawson and Blake & Murphy next week. That promises to be a fun match.
[Q3] Elias Samson strolls out. He is facing Jesse Sorenson. This is the second or third time Sorensen has shown up at NXT.
4 – ELIAS SAMSON vs, JESSE SORENSON
Graves claims he went back to Pittsburgh and asked “real drifters, real panhandlers” and none of them know Samson, but a man matching his description was spotted playing Nickelback. Samson beats on Sorenson, then stops to absorb a “drift away” chant. Standing leaping elbow to Sorenson. the ref gets pretty vocal with Samson. Spinning neckbreak to finish.
WINNER: Elias Samson in 2:39. Quick squash to continue building Samson.
Recap of last week’s pride match between Finn Balor and Apollo Crews. It was good to see the pure babyface treatment for both, but I agree with Tony Donofrio in his Hits & Misses column that Finn Balor’s face run has gotten stale and he shows some heel mannerisms.
Backstage, Rayez asks Crews about his loss. Crews has no regrets, and he is glad to have resolution. He lost, but he lasted. He knows now what it means to face the best. He won’t waste time talking, he is all action. Next time he wrestles, we will see a new Apollo Crews.
Carmella gets a mild reaction for the main event. Bayley gets a big one, of course. Carmella looks super nervous and close to tears during the introductions. There is nearly 20 minutes left in the episode. Carmella in the ring spells “post-match shenanigans.” Or, a 20-minute match with Carmella.
5 – NXT Women’s champion BAYLEY vs. CARMELLA – NXT Women’s Championship match
Hug and a handshake before the lock-up. Bayley controls with a headlock, the Carmella does the same. Graves insists that Carmella will need a shortcut to win. Some back and forth. They both whiff dropkicks at the same time. Quick hand slap to restore sportsmanship. Schoolgirl gets Bayley two. Bayley is not taking Carmella lightly.
[ Break. That may have been the longest mid-match break in NXT history, it lasted something like two minutes if not longer.]
Bayley is trying to break Carmella’s arm out of the break. Carmella comes to life. Head scissors take down, but Bayley pops out of the corner with a leaping clothesline. Bayley gets up first, but is lured into a pinning combination. Bayley with back elbows in the corner, then a spinning powerslam for two. Bayley to the second rope, where Carmella dumps her off and over the top to the ramp.
Carmella catches her breath inside the ring. Suicide dive from Carmella, which earns her the respect of the crowd. Back in the ring, Carmella decides for another dive and hits it. Carmella sends Bayley to the inside and she has the crowd behind her for a set of two counts.
Bayley sells intense mid-section pain as she recovers in the corner, where she eats a Bronco Buster. Bayley slips out of a submission, though. Jackknife for two, reversal, and repeated two counts until Bayley wins it.
Post-match, there are hugs and mutual respect. Carmella leaves and gets congratulated by the crowd.
WINNER: Bayley in 10:46. Intriguing ending to the match. Okay match, but the story told was Carmella growing the confidence to let it all out and hit the pair of dives.
As Carmella leaves, Eva Maria and Nia Jax jump Carmella. Bayley tries to make the save, but Jax takes her out with a headbutt. They take Carmella into the ring to dish out more punishment. Monster heat. Asuka comes out to no music, then Eva Marie hides behind Jax as Asuka slowly walks into the ring. Asuka looks so fierce and Marie begs off, while Jax backs away.
Jax calmly leaves the ring. Bayley rolls in to check on Carmella. Asuka then turns to look at Bayley with her grin. “Yes!” chants. Asuka brushes the championship with her hand and walks away. Bayley looks pretty scared.
[ J.J.’s Reax: Big matches abound here. Jax or Marie vs. Carmella, Asuka vs. Bayley, Bayley/Carmella vs. Jax/Marie. Endless combinations. ]
Backstage with Samoa Joe. He says he never considered Sami Zayn ungrateful, but now he does. After he saved Zayn’s career, Zayn stands in his way. Joe vows to beat Zayn next week.
Final Reax: The two thumbs up tonight doesn’t come from any one thing, other than the interactions with Asuka at the end. It is nice that NXT figured out a winning formula for her and is sticking with it. The silent assassin fits her perfectly and she is knocking it out of the park… All title scenes are now fully three-deep in contenders. NXT could truly suffer eight severe injuries to the top of the card and still have legit contenders through at least one Takeover… Seeing NXT in a bigger arena was a nice treat.
Great episode. Just overall better everything than RAW all the way down to the announcing.