I'm getting caught up on NXT shows here in anticipation of Friday (4/5/19)'s NXT TakeOver: New York. This episode has the finals of the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic along with a confrontation between Adam Cole and Johnny Gargano before their 2/3 Fall NXT Championship Match.
NXT Thoughts (3/27/19)
- We start off with Adam Cole and Johnny Gargano having an in-ring confrontation about their match at NXT TakeOver for the vacant NXT Championship. Cole calls out Gargano to get this faceoff going. Split crowd chants for about 90 seconds. Adam Cole tells the crowd to shut up and that he doesn't need their support. Johnny Gargano loves the chants himself. The chants kick back in again! Gargano mocks Cole for being at a loss for words. They go back and forth cutting each other down. Cole calls Gargano a failure that doesn't deserve this spot. Gargano counters by saying that he had to scratch and claw for what he has earned whereas Cole was given it once he came into NXT. NXT is his life. Gargano cuts a hell of a promo on Cole talking about all the trials and tribulations that he had to face to get to the title match. Cole walks off, but he stops on the ramp. He compares Gargano's life to a Lifetime Movie. Adam Cole says regardless of Gargano's story, Cole is going to leave as NXT Champion. Here's why: The Undisputed Era comes out. "This NXT Championship Match will be UNDISPUTED."
- A replay is shown from last week of The Forgotten Sons attacking Black and Ricochet "after NXT last week."
- Vanessa Borne and Aliyah vs. Lacey Lane and Kacy Catanzaro. (I remember Catanzaro from the Women's Royal Rumble.)- Borne and Aliyah are impressive with frequent tags back and forth. The Horsewomen come out, and Aliyah and Borne take the smart route of leaving. Kacy and Lacey get dumped to the floor by Baszler. Catanzaro starts fighting back against The Horsewomen, but Baszler gets the Clutch on her to send her to unconsciousness. Baszler tells the announce team that this will continue while the champion is disrespected. She poses on the announce table.
(Borne and Aliyah were much more impressive to me than anything I saw Lacey and Kacy do. Then again, Kacy really didn't much of a chance to do much in an actual match. As for Baszler, I can't wait for her to go to the main roster. Baszler, with or without Rousey, wrecking up the Women's Division will be something to behold.)
- Kona Reeves takes on Matt Riddle next. BROOOOOOOO! During the match, Velveteen Dream came out and distracted Riddle. Reeves takes advantage and gets a momentary advantage on Riddle. Dream is literally laying on the stage watching Riddle. Bromission puts Reeves away though.
Velveteen Dream does the announcement for Riddle's win. Riddle takes Dream's cup, drinks from it, and throws it away. He'll see him at TakeOver, Bro!
(Reeves had no chance of winning this match. He was a plot device to help give Dream and Riddle more time to promote their match. Mission accomplished. I really don't know who I am going to pick to win this match at TakeOver.)
- Sane vs. Belair is next week.
- The Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic Finals is next as The Forgotten Sons take on Aleister Black and Ricochet. The winner of this match will face The War Raiders at TakeOver for the NXT Tag Team Championships. Black and Ricochet take the early advantage with Ricochet hitting a nice dive to the outside around the 49:00 mark of the show. Jaxson Ryker makes his presence known about a minute or two later and hits Ricochet behind the referee's back. Ricochet then spends the next few minutes being worked over by The Forgotten Sons. When Ricochet almost gets the tag, Blake pulls Black off the corner to stop the tag. The Sons make a boneheaded decision in slingshotting Ricochet into Black in the corner, causing Black to become the legal man.
As you would expect, Black takes advantage and starts getting in some of his signature moves. But Cutler gets a Double Underhook Backbreaker on Black to stop the offense. Ricochet and Black start fighting back against The Sons. Black hits a nice Springboard Meteora. Ricochet misses a Phoenix Splash. Reverse Frankensteiner by Blake gets nothing as Ricochet lands on his feet. Black gets a blind tag on Ricochet. Tandem offense on Blake only gets a 2 as Cutler breaks it up. A Backstabber/Top Rope Elbow Drop Combo by The Sons only gets a 2 as Ricochet kicks out. Black fights off The Sons. Black Mass to Cutler. But Blake catches Black with a move. Ryker gets caught interfering and gets kicked out. Black Mass to Cutler. 630 by Ricochet while Black hits a Slingshot Moonsault on the floor to Blake. 1-2-3.
(A fine main event match here, but there was no time in this that I bought that The Forgotten Sons had a chance to win. Ricochet and Black have been so (over)exposed on WWE TV that I couldn't see them losing this match. The match with The War Raiders should be a fun one, though again I think that's a fairly predictable match given where Ricochet and Black are at in their careers.)
The War Raiders come out and face off with Ricochet and Aleister Black to finish the show.
Overall, this was a fine edition of NXT. The opening promo was probably the highlight of the show for me. The energy of the crowd and the passion of Johnny Gargano helped elevate that promo in my opinion. Shayna Baszler was ruthless, and I love that about her. Riddle and Dream continue being awesome and pushing their match for TakeOver. And while I wasn't blown away by the main event, it does set up the final NXT match for both Aleister Black and Ricochet at TakeOver. While this wasn't the best episode of NXT, this was a very solid step to build towards another awesome TakeOver.
Until next time, take care of yourselves. Spread some awesomeness.
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