Playing a bit of catch-up with NXT here as Round 1 of the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic begins. I'm not going to lie: This hasn't been a show I've been wanting to go out of my way to watch. While I appreciate the Dusty Rhodes Classic for what it is, throwing an entire hour (plus) of a show to a Tag Team Tournament has never really appealed to me. It diminishes even more when the show is not live. Despite that, I'm ready to hopefully have a good time watching some NXT action.
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#DIY vs. Undisputed Era
NXT, 3/6/19
WWE Network; WWE
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And since this is for the American Dream, let's play that Dusty Rhodes Classic remix of "Common Man Boogie," shall we?
NXT Thoughts (3/6/19)
1) Aleister Black and Ricochet defeat Fabian Aichner and Marcel Barthel
Barthel and Aichner dominate early on double teaming on Aleister Black for the opening moments of the match. Aichner gets distracted going after Ricochet on the apron, which allows Black to legsweep him and tag in Ricochet. Ricochet is able to fight off both members of what is being dubbed as the "European Union." Barthel is able to fight off Ricochet and get Ricochet into his corner to tag in Aichner. Aichner and Barthel gets some great offense in including a double Springboard Moonsault by Aichner no Ricochet. Barthel catches Ricochet bouncing off the ropes, which allows Aichner to hit a Leaping Tornado DDT off the corner for a 2 count. Black is tagged in and goes after the opponents, but surprisingly, Barthel and Aichner are able to easily take advantage seconds later. Black and Ricochet take back the advantage though. Ricochet dives all over the place, including with a Springboard Frankensteiner off the top rope on Aichner. Black Mass seconds later ends this match.
Black and Ricochet advance.
(Very good match to start off the tournament here. Barthel and Aichner looked really good in this match, but you just knew what the result was going to be which took the drama out of the match. Still, Aichner and Barthel were booked very well here and can develop into a top act for NXT by this time next year with luck.)
- We get a recap of the Dijakovic and Keith Lee match last week. And we get a look at a confrontation between the two at the WWE Performance Center. They will be meeting in two weeks.
2) The Forgotten Sons (Blake and Cutler) defeat Oney Lorcan and Danny Burch.
Back and forth action in the first two minutes with both teams getting moments to have the advantage in the match. Lorcan ends up taking the brunt of the attack from the Forgotten Sons, who split the ring effectively in half attacking Lorcan. Lorcan gets the tag to Burch who goes on the attack. Blake gets beaten down by Burch, but he gets the tag to Cutler. Cutler gets taken down by Burch as well. Lorcan is tagged back in by Burch. Lorcan sells the attack from earlier and cannot help with the double team. Blake throws Burch to the floor. Cutler starts fighting back into the match. But he gets turned upside down by Cutler. Cutler hits a backbreaker for a 2 count and then executes a Boston Crab. Cutler drags him away from the ropes, but Burch hits a headbutt to Cutler to break it up. Lorcan tags Burch back into the match. Flatliner with a Dropkick to the back by The Forgotten Sons gets a 2 count only. Burch gets the tag back to Lorcan. Lorcan goes on the offense attacking both The Forgotten Sons. Double Running Blockbuster by Lorcan.
Lorcan tags in Burch again. Burch and Lorcan get a Elevated DDT in, but the pin is broken up. Burch gets caught coming off the ropes and gets hit with a combination Double Stomp/Reverse DDT. 1-2-3. The Forgotten Sons get the win and advance to the next round.
(Another quality match that at least had some intrigue in it. At this point in both teams' careers, you can believe either one would have gotten the win over the other. I enjoyed the fact that Lorcan sold the injuries during the match instead of just hulking up to hulk up like so many have done before.)
- Velveteen Dream comes out and joins commentary. And by join, I mean he stands on their table. He reminds everyone that he is the NEW NXT North American Champion. BROOOOOO!!!! Here comes Matt Riddle. He just came out to say "Hi" and congratulate Dream on his title victory. Riddle wanted a closer look at the NXT North American Championship, and he can't help but wonder what it would look like on him. Dream tells Riddle that he must be on "Cloud Nine." The spotlight is (snap of the fingers) on the Dream. And literally, Riddle is in the darkness as the spotlight remains on The Velveteen Dream.
(Riddle vs. Dream. Yes, please.)
- Io Shirai and Kairi Sane are interviewed about Shayna Baszler. Io Shirai... Ichiban. It's announced that Bianca Belair will face Io Shirai for the #1 Contendership for the NXT Women's Championship
3) Moustache Mountain defeats Street Profits
NXT UK vs. NXT. Ford and Bate start the match. Dawkins gets a blind tag and mows over Bate. Bate fights off Dawkins and tags in Seven. Seven and Bate double team Dawkins to only get a 1 count on the pin attempt. Dawkins uses his size to get Seven into the Profits' corner. Ford is tagged in and continues to attack Seven. Ford and Seven start yelling "AHHHHH" during a Ford necklock on Seven. The crowd catches on, and they start yelling as well. Seven knocks Ford down and tags in Bate. Bate attacks the Profits and hits a few uppercuts. Exploder Suplex by Bate. Stading Shooting Star Press only gets a 2 as Ford gets in to break up the pin. Dawkins and Bate nail some big hits on each other. Dawkins gets a spear in for a 2 count. Ford flies over the top onto Seven on the floor. Ford is tagged in. Spinebuster/Frog Splash by The Street Profits ONLY gets a 2.5 count. Dawkins gets tagged in again. DRAGON SUPLEX BY SEVEN ON FORD ON THE APRON! DEADLIFT GERMAN by Bate to Dawkins. Torture Rack/Double Stomp by Moustache Mountain gets the 3 count. Moustache Mountain advances. They will face The Forgotten Sons in the next round.
(Good match overall here. I'm still amazed by how awesome Tyler Bate is at such a young age. The Street Profits continue to have a buffer zone above them that keeps them from emerging past mid-card status on the NXT Tag Team roster.)
4) #DIY defeats The Undisputed Era (Bobby Fish and Kyle O'Reilly)
Ciampa and Gargano come out separately to their themes and then enter the ring to their #DIY theme. Frequent tags by both teams in the early going as both teams are unable to maintain an advantage for any measurable length of time. The Undisputed Era gets knocked to the floor by #DIY. Suicide Dive on O'Reilly by Gargano followed by a Hangman's Neckbreaker by Ciampa in the ring. Gargano gets knocked down by a leg sweep on the apron by Fish. Now, Undisputed Era have the advantage and start beating up Johnny Gargano. Both men maintain the attack on Gargano in their corner of the ring, effectively keeping the ring split. Wheelbarrow DDT followed by a Wheelbarrow Suplex gets a 2 for the Undisputed Era. Fish abandons the ring split and applies a variation of submission holds on Gargano. He even starts doing the "Fish Hook" to the mouth of Gargano. Gargano takes down both members of The Undisputed Era.
Tag to Ciampa. Ciampa goes right after O'Reilly and starts hitting boots and shoulder tackles on O'Reilly. Knee to the back of the neck and to the face of O'Reilly. Tower of London by Ciampa to O'Reilly. 2 count. Rolling Germans by Ciampa. Gargano nails Fish with a Blockbuster off the apron on the floor. Blue Thunder Bomb by Ciampa in the ring. 2 count. Gargano is legal again. Slingshot Spear is countered into a Guillotine by O'Reilly in the ring. Gargano powers up O'Reilly in position for a Running Knee by Ciampa. 2 count. A great exchange of elbows, chops, forearms, and clotheslines by Gargano and O'Reilly pop Full Sail University.
Fish and Ciampa tag in. Ciampa kicks Fish in the face. Fish and Ciampa fight on the apron. Fish gets in the ring. Ciampa is caught going up the corner. Fish climbs up. O'Reilly tags in. AVALANCHE MICHINOKU DRIVER OFF THE TOP BY FISH! DIVING KNEE BY O'REILLY! 2 count only!!!!
Cross Armbreaker by O'Reilly. Diving Headbutt by Fish! Gargano sends Fish into the move to break it up. All four men are outside the ring. O'Reilly hits a running knee off the apron on Ciampa, but Ciampa catches O'Reilly coming into the ring with a Hanging DDT. Slingshot DDT by Gargano! 1-2-KICKOUT! #DIY hits their finisher (colliding superkicks). 1-2-3! #DIY advances to the next round to face Aleister Black and Ricochet.
(Excellent match here with all four men just going all out with their best offense. Gargano and Ciampa were tag teaming as if they hadn't missed a step. As for the former reDRagon, they were their usual awesome selves. Great finish here.)
The War Raiders come out with their NXT Tag Team Championships and hold them up.
Overall, this was better than I was anticipating. However, I still don't like having all four matches on one show back-to-back. In addition, I didn't like some of the combinations in these matches, especially Aleister Black and Ricochet vs. Barthel and Aichner. I didn't get any hopes up for an upset in that match, despite how well Barthel and Aichner did. Still, I was thankful that NXT did sneak in some references for the other stories they are telling on their brand. It did help break up the monotony of tag match after tag match.
NXT threw all their Round 1 matches at us at once, for better and for worse. And now, we have Round 2 to look forward to.
(Well, I have only a couple moments to look forward to it as I'm watching Round 2 after posting this.)
Round 2
Moustache Mountain vs. The Forgotten Sons
Aleister Black and Ricochet vs. #DIY
Until next time, take care of yourselves. Spread some awesomeness.
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