Hey it's Ruth here. You may know me from such blogs as The Rolling Twenties. Don't worry I am still writing on that blog, but I am also working with "The Boss" aka Chris on this immense wrestling blog. This post is going to look at NXT.
WARNING! This blog will mention beards a lot. Everyone has beards on this show!
NXT started off strong in 2020. but I feel even before this zombie apocalypse the shows had started to get a bit dull. I have been watching NXT every week on the Network, and I am hoping this show is going to be exciting. I want NXT to allow me to escape into the wrestling world for a bit.
NXT opened up with the announcement that Ciampa and Gargano would be face to face, although I do feel with social distancing in place they should be 2 metres apart. Anyways they will be meeting in the ring tonight. A very cool observation made by The Boss "if you cross Ciampa and Gargano you get Triple H". I laughed my head off at this observation.
- Austin Theory vs Tyler Breeze
Tyler Breeze has been at NXT for ageeeessss. His gimmick is coming out and taking selfies. this gimmick was used by AEW, but didn't go down well with fans. It seems to work with Tyler Breeze as he comes across as a bit self obsessed. He has a look of John Morrison going on! Theory and Breeze talked smack to each other to cover up the obvious fact there was no fans there because of the zombie apolcalypse. It worked. I enjoyed hearing the swapping of insults. You can hear Theory say "I'm the future and guess what man you're the past".
The match for me lacks pace, and I know that both these wrestlers have pace in them and it could have been more high octane. Theory grabs Breeze' phone to take a selfie with Breeze on the floor, however, this backfires when Breeze takes a major advantage and uses the beauty shot on Theory.
Breeze wins! A solid match but nothing special.
Favourite move: Theory's brain buster onto the shoulder. Breeze looked dazed!
A tasteless video flashes up of people being terrorised and encircled by police. It's really not a great promo video to show during these times. This video was for the Killian Dane entrance.
- Killian Dane vs Tehuti Miles
Killian Dane has a beard like most the wrestlers at WWE, for example other wrestlers such as Ciampa, Viking Warrior and Strauman all have beards! I think WWE must be hiring from The Hobbit set! This is going to be a squash match. Miles gets some offense in and both men show agility. I was impressed at the agility if Killian Dane as he is a big dude! The commentary was too gloomy as they mentioned dark memories. Come on guys! Lighten up! I thought Miles had an opening when Dane went shoulder first into the ring post but I was wrong as Dane was back onto his feet. He used the Vader bomb on Miles and got the win! Again another solid match but nothing special. NXT you need to up your game!
Favourite move: The Vader Bomb obviously! Classic old school move!
- Cameron Grimes vs Tony Nese
Grimes is a circus master, but looks like he has come out of a garden shed and popped onto the set of Oliver Twist. Again beard!!Oh dear Tony Nese comes out looking like a 90's porn star...I hope these guys surprise me.
Wow! Both wrestlers are great technically on the mat. I really didn't expect that. I thought they could perhaps be high flyers, however, I am loving the ground work. There is no smack talking between these two which I liked as I was so hypnotised by the mat wrestling and submission holds. Nese upped the pace and you can see he is a potential high flyer. Nese' springs into action with a springboard moonsault. Out of no where Grimes double stomps Nese' chest! Grimes takes the win!
Favourite move Nese' springboard moonsault on to Grimes.
The next segment led to some confusion as I thought we were getting a match between four women to become the #1 contender in a ladder match, but we didn't get that...
Instead we got a match between Aliyah and Xia Li or did we? A few months back Aliyah had her nose broken by Xia Li....
Aliyah comes out and waits for her opponent, we then get a video of backstage where Xia Li is bawling her eyes out because of an injury. The Boss felt there was too much crying, and I felt it was a bit dramatic, however, some drama was needed on this show. The ring announcer informs us Xia Li won't be coming out but Aliyah will face someone.... and that someone is IO SHARAI!
- Aliyah vs Io Sharai
This was a squash match from the moment the bell rang. Io Sharai is on the offense with knees to the chest of Aliyah and a moonsault. Aliyah really didn't stand a chance. Sharai gets the win!
Sharai is one of my favourite women in the female wrestling division. She really is a superstar and has so much talent. She is high octane and fast paced. Plus the amount of moves she has under her belt. A devastating wrestling machine!
Favourite move: Sharai' knees to Aliyah's back. Owwwww!
There is a promo of a man's face flashing on the screen. Who is he? I am very intrigued.
Keith Lee the North American Champion is interviewed. We get a long story about the story building between Dijakovic, Priest and Lee. Pointless.
We next get a promo video of Adam Cole and the NXT belt. He is stood by the pool grandstanding. Adam Cole does not do great promo's. Instead his fiancée on AEW Brit Baker shows most weeks how a promo should be done. Adam Cole take some lessons off Baker!
- Oney Lorcan Danny Burch vs Shane Thorne and Brendan Walker
Oh my goodness such a dull match. The match was so slow. It was more like zombies stumbling around a ring. Lorcan and Burch put Thorne and Walker in a crossface to get the win.
Favourite move: The crossface-not the best I have seen.
- Candice Lerae vs Kayden Carter
Now Kayden Carter looks like a badass. She has the right entrance and the right look, but in the ring she is just a good wrestler not the badass she should be. Both women are great technically on the mat. There are multiple pinfall attempts which I feel slow the pace down, and I know these women are fast and hard workers! They can do so much more. The pace slows down with Lerae and then picks up with Carter. Both have so much potential but its not really shown in this match. Lerae put Carter in the Gargano Escape and gets the win by submission.
Favourite move: The Gargano Escape
IT'S TIME FOR YOUR MAIN EVENT
- Matt Riddle vs Roderick Strong
Broooo- when that music hits I end up shouting BROOOOOO at the TV! Riddle pretends to fist pump the non-existent audience, but you do feel a kind of connection as if he is reaching of the TV and fist pumping you. I really feel Matt Riddle has such a bright future ahead of him. Riddle is amazing in the tag team partnership he has with Pete Dunn.The Boss made an observation I agree with, and that is Matt Riddle is a cross between Stevie Richards and Edge.
Roderick Strong from the Undisputed Era comes out. He lacks charisma, and frankly I AM BORED OF THE UNDISPUTED ERA....DELETE! I feel on NXT Matt Riddle is the best mat specialist and mixed martial artist. He covers all grounds in wrestling. There is a fight for control between Riddle and Strong. It can be said the pace is slow, however, I feel with them both being strong technicians we can allow for slowness. There is hold after hold from both men, a Boston crab from Strong and a German suplex from Riddle. Astounding! It's just move after move after move. The pace really picks up but none of the technicality is lost. Riddle beats Strong with what looks like to me a tombstone slam. A strong, fast paced match.
Favourite move: The high kicks from Riddle.
Two men in what I assume is Samoan wear attack Riddle. Who are they? The commentators do not know, and go on to ask "Why are they here?" For real!? It's so damn obvious Riddle is one half of the Tag Team champions. These big giants want the Tag Team championships! Riddle manages to get a bit of an offense in but ultimately ends up on the mat. The promo guy explains why they are there, as if the audience watching are idiots. The promo guy just does not fit into what the new tag team looks like, and the characters they are portraying. It's good to see some new talent, but NXT tell us who they are!!
- Triple H, the Chief Beard comes into the ring. Triple H talks to the camera about sorting out the long feud between Ciampa and Gargano and calls them out. Ciampa looks like a toy wrestler. As The Boss points out there is a Headteacher and naughty pupils feel going on. Triple H bans them from being physical, I think they are practising social distancing. It's made clear that Ciampa and Gargano only still have jobs because of Triple H. Triple H compares the relationship between Ciampa and Gargano to his relationship with Shawn Michaels. Good comparison. It's announced the men will fight in two weeks. Triple H the secret agent will message them both where they will be fighting. After that if they carry on acting like chumps they are fired!
A video package flashes up of an apocalyptic world and a mysterious wrestler hidden amongst it. There is too much darkness already. The show ends.
The 3 Count (3points of recommendation)
1. Cameron Grimes vs Tony Nese
2. Matt Riddle vs Roderick Strong
3. Triple H promo of Ciampa and Gargano match
Ring the Bell-Show Recommendation?
The show was weak but the last forty minutes was strong. Again the show was pretty dull, and it's a shame because there is so much talent. I feel the talent isn't being used in a great way so we will never get a great show. If you love NXT watch it. Otherwise keep binge watching Netflix!
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