There's nothing like a surprise appearance from two NXT legends to make a show even better.
NXT Thoughts
- We start the show with FORMER NXT North American Champion Johnny Gargano. He talks about the year that he's had so far, and the failure of last week to win in his first title defense. He realizes that all the success that he's had is due.... Cue Tommaso Ciampa's music. Ciampa mentions that Gargano is at his best when Ciampa is by his side. Last week, he had his opportunity to have Ciampa by his side, and he failed because he left him aside. Ciampa tells Gargano that they do not have to be adversaries. Ciampa mentions the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic starting. Ciampa offers Gargano the opportunity to team up with him to win the Classic and go to NXT TakeOver New York to win the NXT Tag Team Championships. He extends his hand to Gargano, and Gargano takes it.
(Good opening to the show here with Gargano's path being set with Ciampa's. They are in the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic, but you have the feeling that Gargano was about to say something else before Ciampa interrupted him.)
- Ricochet is interviewed backstage about facing The Undisputed Era with Aleister Black by his side.
- We are shown backstage to Ciampa and Gargano walking by Candice LaRae. She tells Gargano that she hope he knows what he's doing.
- Vanessa Borne and Aliyah take on Taynara Conti and Xia Li. Conti gets a big strike on Borne and takes the early advantage. Conti gets a legbar on Borne using the ropes to hang upside down while doing so. Aliyah helps distract Conti allowing Borne to take the advantage in the ring. Bronco Buster by Borne to the back of Conti's head against the middle turnbuckle. (Ouch!) Tag to Aliyah to a noticeable boo-vation from the crowd. Double Northern Lights Suplex by Borne and Aliyah. Aliyah beats down on Conti for a few moments until Xia Li gets the tag. Li gets a lot of kicks and offense on Aliyah. Borne gets the blind tag, and Aliyah and Borne double team Li (Neckbreaker into a Backbreaker) to get the win.
(An ok tag team match, but they still have some room to improve. So, you can't hate a match like this too much.)
- Velveteen Dream is interviewed in the parking lot. But he's interrupted by The Undisputed Era. Cole mouths off about The Undisputed Era winning The Dusty Rhodes Classic and taking the North American Championship. The Dream tells them that he doesn't have time for the boys.
- Backstage, while a promo is done for the Dusty Rhodes classic, we see Bianca Belair and Io Shirai arguing with each other and having to be pulled apart.
- Dominik Dijakovic takes on Keith Lee in our next match. (Lee debuts new music on this show, and I'm not digging it so far. It sounds like something I would expect from a cheap video game or Impact Wrestling. The hook of the song needs some definite improvement.) The two big men both impress the crowd with their athleticism early on. Dijakovic pushes Lee away from a handshake. LEE GETS MONKEY-FLIPPED AND LANDS ON HIS FEET!!!! (WOW!) Dijakovic sells the shock of that. The fight is on as Dijakovic starts smacking Lee with some hard forearms and strikes to the back. A thunderous forearm by Lee to Dijakovic. Now, LEE POUNCES DIJAKOVIC DOWN! Dijakovic and Lee trade blows. CHOKESLAM BY DIJAKOVIC! 2 count. (This is awesome! Both of these guys are impressing here.) A HUGE SPIKE SPINEBUSTER BY LEE! 2 count only! Lee ends up on the apron, and Dijakovic hits a big boot to send Lee to the floor. DIJAKOVIC HITS AN ASAI MOONSAULT TO LEE ON THE FLOOR! Both men can not get back in the ring, and they are counted out. The fans chant "LET THEM FIGHT!"
(Great match here for both guys, and a perfect booking for the ending. You don't want Lee to lose a match again after so many losses already in recent weeks. As for Dijakovic, this only helps add to his character as he's gone toe-to-toe with a great superheavyweight athlete in Keith Lee. Well done by everyone involved.)
- Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic Brackets are announced. Here they are.
Round 1
- Mustache Mountain vs. Street Profits
The winner will face the winner of...
- Oney Lorcan and Danny Burch vs. Forgotten Sons
- #DIY vs The Undisputed Era
The winner will face the winner of...
- Aleister Black and Ricochet vs. Fabian Aichner and Marcel Barthel
- William Regal sends out a tweet stating that if Io Shirai and Bianca Belair want to fight, he's going to let them. The winner of that match, in two weeks, will face Shayna Baszler at TakeOver: New York.
- SASHA BANKS AND BAYLEY come out next with their newly won WWE Women's Tag Team Championships. (The Bayley superfan is there!!!! Lol! Awesome!) Loud "Welcome Back" chants. Sasha says "It feels good to be home." The crowd gives the customary "You Deserve It!" chants. Bayley puts over the fact that the last time they were in the NXT ring, they were wrestling in the first ever Women's Iron Woman Match. Both Bayley and Sasha point to the superfan (who Sasha ripped the headband off of during that match) saying "She remembers." Bayley tells her "She's different. We're sisters." Lol. They want to make the championships the most sought-out titles in all of WWE. They will be defending the title on Raw, SmackDown, and NXT.
(A really cool segment to see two NXT Legends come home to celebrate their big accomplishment and put over the fact that they will be defending the titles anywhere in the WWE. Whether that will happen or not remains to be seen though. Even if it does, I doubt Vince McMahon is going to have Bayley and Sasha drop the belts on his C brand/developmental program. I can't imagine Vince saying "Paul, we're going to have Bayley and Sasha drop the belts to two of your talents down there, pal." He may let them wrestle a competitive match for an NXT TakeOver or TV taping, but they likely aren't dropping the belts anywhere but on his main shows.)
- The main event is Mia Yim taking on NXT Women's Champion Shayna Baszler in a non-title match. Baszler takes down Yim several times easily with some strikes, but Baszler hurts herself allowing Yim to take advantage. Suicide Dive by Yim to Baszler on the floor. Baszler has been rocked on the floor with the dive, a big boot, and a throw into the steel steps. Baszler's hand gets sandwiched between the stairs, but Yim smashes her own leg against those stairs (injuring herself). Baszler drags Yim into the ring and goes to work on the leg of Yim. Yim SCREAMS in pain as Baszler twists the knee of that bad leg. A stomp to the ankle of Yim now by Baszler. Baszler now taunts Yim who struggles to get to her feet. Clutch is on by Baszler. Yim goes for the injured hand of Baszler to get out of it. Baszler transitions to a Single Leg Lock. Yim gets to the ropes.
Yim gets on the apron and gets a Tornado DDT on Baszler in the ring. But she's too hurt to get the pin. She goes to hit Baszler in the corner, but she crumbles in the middle of the ring. Baszler gets rolled up going after Yim. Eat Defeat by Yim with the bad leg only gets a 2 count, and she's still badly hurt on that leg. Gutwrench Faceplant by Baszler gets a 2 count. Yim powers up Baszler into a Sit-Down Powerbomb. 2 count only though. Baszler gets a big kick on Yim, and she reapplies the Clutch. She wraps up Yim's bad leg to apply more pressure, and Yim has no choice but to tap out.
(An excellent match here that could have been on an NXT TakeOver if given 5-10 more minutes of time. Great selling of the leg by Yim throughout this match, and Baszler did a good job selling the injured hand as well. Respect Shayna Baszler as she has grown into a great performer in the ring. In fact, in my honest opinion, she's developed better in the ring than Ronda Rousey has. Then again, she's had the benefit of NXT and not being pushed out into the limelight so early.)
Overall, this was an excellent edition of NXT and shows everything that is good about this show: Compelling storylines, great matches, young talent developing their skills, and some good old foreshadowing. We also got a great return from 2 of NXT's (original) Horsewomen in Bayley and Sasha Banks. Check out this show.
Until next time, take care of yourselves. Spread some awesomeness.
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