SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
WWE NXT Results
June 1, 2016
Taped at Full Sail University
Report by Justin James, PWTorch NXT contributor
[Q1] Of note, NXT is offering their “All Access” package again for July 25. It looks like an excellent experience.
Also, next week’s Takeover special is officially being named “The End.” Is there a chance the Takeover series will have a significant change or rebranding after next Wednesday? Or it could just be a reference to the end of the Joe-Balor feud?
No pre-credits package. The Revival is starting the show off, dressed in street clothes. Dash & Dawson have mics and head mid-ring to cut a promo vowing to win back the Tag Titles. They admit that American Alpha are great “amateur” wrestlers, but this is the big leagues. Dawson continues to jaw until Johnny Gargano and Tommasa Ciampa decide to interrupt. It is like they read my mind that these two need something to chew on to give them personality.
Wilder questions their presence. Ciampa says that The Revival’s time has passed, and everyone knows that American Alpha is on top, and they can beat The Revival, too. Dawson calls them generic, undersized, bearded guys. Wilder says they are nothing more than “good hands.” Dawson tells them to go back to their “bingo halls,” drawing some oohs from the audience.
Ciampa reminds them of Dallas. Now Wilder is angry, and calls them jokes. The Revival decides to leave. After more taunts, The Revival decide to come back, but Gargano and Ciampa send them packing. The Revival book themselves for a match tonight.
[ J.J.’s Reax: Nice to see Ciampa and Gargano being given an opportunity to stand out. That said, a few too many dog whistles here. ]
Cathy Kelley interviews Shinsuke Nakamura about his match with Austin Aries at Takeover. He says that Aries will bow down to the King of Strong Style, then he shambles off.
Tye Dillinger gets a pop on the way out. He manages to get heat, but he never manages to keep it beyond a week. The crowd just likes supporting him, as his gimmick is too fun to get booed at FSU. He’s facing Buddy Murphy, who comes out alone.
1 – TYE DILLINGER vs. BUDDY MURPHY
Murphy ducks into the ropes early on to frustrate Dillinger. Snapmare lets Dillinger flash 10’s at Murphy to annoy him. Deep armdrag into an armbar grounds Murphy. Murphy sells the hold like a champ, screaming bloody murder. Murphy suddenly turns things around. Diving punch in the corner draws a two count. Dillinger finally breaks free of a hold, then gets a surprise roll-up for two.
[Q2] Chops send Murphy reeling, then a Thesz Press. Huge back body drop. Ten punches in the corner, Murphy shoves him off, superkick in response and the tenth punch in the corner. Dillinger drops the knee pad. Fireman’s carry into a backbreaker for the win.
WINNER: Tye Dillinger in 5:09. It looks like Dillinger is going to be sliding into an upper mid-card spot as a babyface. His character may be arrogant, but the FSU crowd wants to cheer him too much.
Joe-Balor Sit-Down
“Earlier today” Corey Graves interviews Samoa Joe and Finn Balor in the same room. He asks Balor about how it felt to lose the NXT Title in April in Lowell, Mass. Joe just kinds of rolls his eyes as Balor talks about how he never imagined that happening; it was not the fairy tale ending he expected. “Definitely not in Lowell, Massachusetts at a house show” Did he just say that? As champion it is his job to defend the title every night, and that one day he lost.
Graves asks Joe how he felt in Lowell. Joe says this is what he set out to do and this is what he deserved. Balor made him jump through so many hoops to get in his way. Joe says that Balor didn’t always defend the title. Balor says that Joe has a sense of entitlement, there are a 100 guys in the Performance Center who deserve it more than Joe. Balor says they weren’t whining for title shots.
Joe says that Balor never wanted to face Joe. Joe helped Balor when Balor in the Dusty Rhodes classic, but Balor didn’t fight for Joe to get the title opportunity when William Regal didn’t give him the title shot. They argue over their past. Joe insinuates that someone else handed Balor his success in Japan.
Graves turns to London and Dallas. Balor says he survived… and won. He’s never been in a cage match, but Takeover against Kevin Owens was his first ladder watch and he was okay. Joe has been in cages. In Dallas, Joe was busted open, he didn’t slow down, and Balor was the one on the ground as Joe was bleeding.
Graves says that it is likely that Balor will headline WrestleMania, so he is putting his future on the line. Balor says that the NXT Championship is the present and that is what he needs to focus on. Joe says that this is an opportunity to show people their place. They bicker over Joe’s trustworthiness. Suddenly they are face-to-face with each other.
[ J.J.’s Reax: Good segment on the whole, but a number of pieces got too cute. More dog whistling to the fans which doesn’t enhance the product at all. ]
2 – AUSTIN ARIES vs. ELIAS SAMSON
Samson with early holds, until an armbar lets Aries force him to the mat. Aries struggles to get momentum against Samson.
[Q3] Samson looks absolutely evil in this match. Massive heat on Samson. Aries finally breaks free to deliver offense. Snapmare followed by a flying elbow from the second rope then a suicide dive. Aries loses an elbow pad, rolling elbow, big drop kick. Neckbreaker, then Last Chancery for the win.
WINNER: Austin Aries in 4:33. In the last minute Aries looked great and introduced new fans to his signature moves… but Samson looked like a million bucks in the early part of the match with vicious offense. I think Aries should have had a quick squash against a jobber a week before Takeover.
Post-match, Aries starts to cut a promo about what he’s done, but he has to shout over a “Nakamura” chant. He will shine the spotlight on himself where it belongs. That finally drew some boos.
A contract signing between Asuka and Nia Jax is booked, but The Reival will face Ciampa and Gargano next.
Vignette for Andrade “Cien” Almas. He is debuting at Takeover.
3 – TOMMASO CIAMPA & JOHNNY GARGANO vs. THE REVIVAL (SCOTT DAWSON & DASH WILDER)
Graves sells this match as a potential career-ender for Ciampa and Gargano. Gargano locks up with the larger Dawson and Dawson gets him in a headlock. Shoulder blocks from Dawson to assert his size, but armdrags and a dropkick draw Wilder in to make a save. Wilder can’t get the job done, letting Dawson get double teamed. Combination from Ciampa and Gargano but Dawson kicks out at two. Dawson forces Ciampa to the corner, then they trade shots with each other. Dawson lures Ciampa to the ropes then dumps him, gets the ref distracted so Wilder can cream Ciampa on the outside.
[ Break ]
Wilder is trying to tear Ciampa’s foot off. Ciampa with a surprise cover for a nearfall, then he tries to break free but he can’t. Ciampa manages to send Dawson into a ringpost, but Dawson intercepts his attempt to get to the corner. Ciampa is isolated again. Ciampa still can’t make it to the corner, then he gets the hot tag to Gargano.
Gargano unloads on Dawson, looking like a total winner. Spear through the ropes but Wilder breaks it up. They duck each other’s punches, Gargano walks into a DDT, Ciampa breaks it up, Wilder clears Ciampa and they brawl outside. Dawson menaces Dawson. Dawson sets up a superplex, Gargano knocks him down, and Dawson clocks him. Superplex, but Gargano doesn’t let go. He rolls over Dawson and manages to pin Dawson.
WINNERS: Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa in 7:27. Really outstanding match here and I loved the finished, The Revival looked strong throughout the whole match.
[Q4] Post-match, The Revival wreck Ciampa and Gargano. Shatter Machine to Ciampa. The set up to break Ciampa’s knee like they did to Big Cass, but American Alpha make the save. Sick brawl here. Stereo suplexes from American Alpha take out The Revival.
After a breather…
Wiliam Regal is in the ring for the Women’s Title contract signing. Nia Jax is out first wearing street clothes. She seems almost annoyed to be there. Asuka was out in street clothes as well. Total confidence from the champion. Regal reminds us that Asuka’s had a quick rise to the top. Jax yanks the mic from Regal to boos. She asks why people are scared of Asuka. She’s kicked a few girls in the head. “You beat Bayley? I broke Bayley. The broke the heart and soul of NXT.” No, Kevin Owens did that. “Just like I’m gonna break you.”
Jax says that she is unique in NXT and not afraid of Asuka, then signs her name. Asuka with the mix. “You. Talk. Too. Much.” She signs. Then, unloads in Japanese. “If you are not scared of me, you should be!” Face-to-face, Jax with a shove, then Asuma goes nuts. Jax ducks the roundhouse, grabs the leg, and turns it into a jackknife powerbomb. Asuka is on the floor while Regal asks Jax to leave, and she does.
[ J.J.’s Reax: So, so, so hot. Just perfectly handled. No one has ever handled Asuka like that before and Jax looked so confident, and Asuka’s promo was perfect. ]
Final Reax: It looks like Andrade Almas will be the fifth match at Takeover: The End, but who will he be facing? Tye Dillinger? A jobber? Someone on the undercard? Takeover is looking great with four very well-built matches that promise amazing action.
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