Leave it to NXT to get the most entertainment value for your hour of attention. Let's Do This!
NXT Thoughts
- BRO! We start the show with a Matt Riddle match! He's facing PUNISHMENT MARTINEZ! OH MY GOD! The former ROH TV Champion is making his debut on NXT. I'm anxious to see what he's going to do on NXT. I guess these two are fomer tag team partners on the Indys. Dueling chants for Riddle and Punishment. Punishment is so agile for a big man that he should catch Vince McMahon's eye before too long. Riddle does a lot of selling here in his 3rd match on NXT, which is a great sign for Punishment. Even though Punishment loses, he looks great even in the loss. Punishment gets caught in the Bromission by Riddle and almost powers out. But Riddle locks it in to get the submission victory.
After the match, Riddle celebrates his victory, but he gets sucker-forearmed by Kassius Ohno. Riddle gets knocked off the ramp onto the concrete floor. This was a great opening for the show. Riddle still is undefeated. Punishment only loses a very competitive match to a legit MMA fighter/wrestler. And Ohno gets some heat back after the match and sets up a future match with Riddle.
Ricochet gets interviewed after the match saying that he wants to keep his momentum going. Ricochet wants to defend his title in an Open Challenge next week on NXT.
A promo for Heavy Machinery is shown where they are interviewed. They put over journey over the last year and their desire to challenge for the NXT Tag Team Championships.
- Regal sent out a tweet this week about a Fatal 4 Way match for the #1 Contendership for the Women's Championship. The first competitor is Bianca Belair.
- After that, we get Humberto Carrillo and Raul Mendoza taking on The Forgotten Sons' Blake and Cutler (with Ryker at ringside). Mendoza and Carrillo have some fun innovative offense throughout the match including a Code Red-like splash during the match. Carrillo and Mendoza could be a fun tag team in a stacked division if the powers that be decided to put any momentum behind them. (Again, like all NXT Tag Teams, their push would die when they get called up to Raw or SmackDown.) However, it is The Forgotten Sons who get the win after a Double Stomp/Scorpion Death Drop combination. Fun match while it lasted.
- Velveteen Dream is interviewed in the backstage area and is disgusted when the purple haze isn't going on. He snaps his fingers and purple lights come on. Plus his music starts playing. He doesn't mind losing as everyone is actually talking about the Velveteen Dream. Therefore, he considers himself the winner. Dream Over.
- The Undisputed Era gets interviewed backstage. Bobby Fish gets a good bit of time to talk about his match against EC3 coming up.
- War Raiders' Hanson is announced as having suffered several injuries including torn ligaments, a ruptured spleen, and some broken ribs. He's going to be out for a while supposedly.
- Dakota Kai vs. Shayna Baszler is next. Baszler brings out her fellow Horsewomen to ringside. Kai gets in a few strikes early on, but Baszler catches her on the apron and rams her into the ring post. Baszler goes after the triceps of Kai's right arm and snaps it back. Kai makes a comeback, but Baszler quickly puts an end to that with a knee to the jaw. Kai again gets some momentum and nails a double stomp for a 2 count. Both women end up on the corner. Kai headbutts Baszler off of it, but a step up enziguri stops that. GUTWRENCH SUPERPLEX OFF THE TOP ROPE BY BASZLER! After a brief back and forth exchange, Baszler gets in the clutch for the win. A fantastic match for Dakota Kai here as she is made to look in Baszler's league. Baszler needs and deserves more credit for what she's been able to do in the past year on the NXT roster. Excellent match here and hats off to both women.
After the match, the Horsewomen triple team on Kai. But Io Shirai comes out to fend them off. Baszler gets pulled out of the ring before she gets double teamed by Shirai and Kai. Very good segment here. I'm guessing Sane's illness (foot and mouth disease from what I understand) kept her off the tapings.
- Tommaso Ciampa closes out the show to cut another promo about being amazing. He goes after the people in the audience and even Mauro Ranallo for not believing in him. BUT MAMA MIA, HERE HE STANDS! He will be studied and remembered in history. He says he's going to be 2018 and 2019's Sports Entertainer of the Year. But here comes Aleister Black. He absolved Gargano of his sins at NXT Takeover, sins that Ciampa started. He calls Ciampa the original sinner and invokes his NXT Championship rematch at NXT TakeOver Phoenix.
Johnny Gargano comes out. Gargano says that he and Black aren't done yet. Ciampa loves seeing Johnny Badass instead of Johnny Wrestling. Ciampa tells Black that Gargano will not let this go, take it from him. Ciampa tells Black and Gargano that those two needed to be inside a steel structure at WarGames. He puts the birdie in their ear that they should wrestle in a Steel Cage Match to resolve this once and for all. He milks the crowd into chanting for the match and both the other wrestlers to have the match. Gargano tells Black that they should do it. Black will fight him anywhere, including the parking lot. Gargano says "How well did that well for you the last time?!" Black Mass kick by Black misses to Gargano... BUT IT NAILS CIAMPA ON THE APRON!!!!
WHAT A HOT ENDING TO THIS SHOW! Overall this was a great edition of NXT. So many things were done on this show to continue to build up this great brand and put it on course for another excellent few weeks. CHECK OUT THIS SHOW! From start to bottom, it is truly excellent.
Until next time, take care of yourselves. Spread some awesomeness!
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