By Zack Zimmerman
ATTENTION APP USERS: If you are reading this on the Prowrestling.net app, our mobile website will refresh more frequently than the latest updates than the app will. CLICK HERE to see the very latest updates to this article throughout the show.
NXT on WWE Network
Taped August 25 in Winter Park, Florida at Full Sail University
Backstage, Samoa Joe was sitting with NXT GM William Regal and a WWE doctor. The doctor informed Regal that in addition to the jaw injury at Takeover, Joe had several other injuries and therefore isn’t cleared to compete anytime in the near-future… The opening video played… New NXT Champion Shinsuke Nakamura was hyped to be appearing later in the show…
Inside the arena, Tom Phillips and Corey Graves checked in on commentary before Tye Dillinger made his entrance to a bevy of “10” chants from the Full Sail crowd. Buddy Murphy was out next. The crowd gave him a “1”.
1. Tye Dillinger vs. Buddy Murphy. After the bell, the crowd downgraded Murphy by chanting “you’re a zero.” Murphy got the better of Dillinger at the minute-mark and flashed his own “10”. The commentators noted that Dillinger has the tools to be a main event player in NXT but he can’t seem to pick up the momentum. Dillinger got the better of Murphy and did a cartwheel to a big pop and “10” chant.
Dillinger began to go to work on Murphy, but Murphy grabbed a handful of hair from the apron and yanked Dillinger to the mat to take control. Murphy sent Dillinger crashing to ringside and when action returned to the ring, Murphy hit a big Meteora off the top rope for a near-fall. [C]
Murphy sank in a headlock and worked the hold until Dillinger managed to create some separation. Dillinger fired up and began to roll with shots and a back body drop. Dillinger stomped a mudhole in Murphy in the corner and then turned him inside-out with a hard clothesline. Dillinger dropped the kneepad and connected with the Tye Breaker for the win.
Tye Dillinger over Buddy Murphy in about 6:15.
The commentators turned focus to the NXT Tag Team Championship match from Takeover Brooklyn. The finishing sequence was shown, and following that, Gargano’s submission loss in the CWC to TJ Perkins was shown, all stemming from the knee injury… Backstage, Tommaso Ciampa was standing by with an interviewer for an update on Gargano. Ciampa said Gargano is all heart. He said Johnny’s leg will be alright, and just then, The Revival walked up on Ciampa.
Ciampa knew what was coming, so he popped off first and put up a bit of a fight before he was overwhelmed and beaten down by the tag champs. They continued the assault and brought him out into the arena, where they continued the beating in the ring. Dawson took a mic and said that everybody thinks they’re tough until they get hit by reality. He said The Revival is reality. He said that Gargano and Ciampa got hit by reality when they challenged for the tag titles.
The crowd began to chant “Psycho Killer” for Ciampa who was struggling back to his feet, not backing down. He smiled at The Revival when he made it to a kneeling position, and went after them again before they promptly put him back down with the Shatter Machine. The champs slowly left as referees tended to Ciampa who was selling the effects of the beating. [C]
Zim Says: I’m loving this program between Gargano & Ciampa and The Revival on a week-to-week level, and also as a big picture piece-by-piece build to the eventual turn and feud. The opening match was fine while it lasted but it was forgettable and it felt pretty meaningless considering how both guys are kind of just floating around the undercard with no traction. Dillinger is over and the commentators are talking about his potential, god dammit crap or get off the pot with the guy!
Back from break, replays of the previous segment aired narrated by Tom Phillips… Steve Cutler made his entrance. He wore a sleeveless jean vest and looked pretty generic. A brief pre-match promo with him had him vowing that everyone would respect Steve Cutler. His opponent, Kenneth Crawford, was out next. The commentators said he’s highly regarded at the WWEPC.
2. Steve Cutler vs. Kenneth Crawford. The crowd chanted “sideburn city” at Cutler’s attempt at mutton chops while the commentators told the story that he’s bitter he didn’t get his chance before other people in NXT. Nothing at all happened for the opening couple of minutes until Crawford hit a sequence into a spinning Superman Punch. He followed up with a high dropkick and an impressive running SSP. Cutler caught Crawford with a stomp and then planted him with a fisherman’s Falcon Arrow for the win.
Steve Cutler beat Kenneth Crawford in about 3:30.
Backstage, Hideo Itami was asked to explain his actions against Austin Aries at Takeover Brooklyn. Itami explained that he kicked Aries in the head with his sockless loafers. He said it was a huge moment, but Aries disappointed him. Itami called Aries a baby for complaining about a ruptured eardrum, and said if Aries doesn’t want to feel pain then get out of Itami’s ring. Itami threatened to make Aries Go To Sleep again before taking off…
A brief recap aired of Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Sami Zayn from Takeover Dallas… Nakamura was hyped to be making his first appearance as champion later in the show… [C]
Zim Says: I cracked up at Itami’s sickles loafer line, but other than that it actually came across a little heelish. Big-picture though, Itami’s English is vastly improved. That’s going to help him out for sure. As for the match, Crawford stood out a bit despite losing, but the match felt like it belonged in the pre-taping dark match rather than on this show. At least from what I’ve seen, Cutler is the most generic guy that they’ve pushed, if indeed this is a push. Maybe he can prove me wrong.
Back in the arena, No Way Jose made his entrance. The commentators tried to put over his fighting spirit despite losing against Aries in Brooklyn. Angelo Dawkins was out next being the same character-ambiguous jobber he’s been for what seems like years.
3. No Way Jose vs. Angelo Dawkins. Jose did some dancing headlocks and stuff early before Dawkins briefly got the heat on him. I just remembered that there was a TM61 vignette that aired sometime in the past few minutes and I didn’t note it. Anyways, Jose made his comeback with clotheslines and then hit the baseball punch. Jose used the Cobra Clutch Slam and pinned Dawkins.
No Way Jose squashed Angelo Dawkins in about 2:45.
Jose went out into the crowd to dance and celebrate his win. Over Angelo Dawkins. In Full Sail. After losing to Austin Aries in front of 10,000+ people… Backstage, Andrade Almas was asked how he’ll rebound from his first defeat. Alma began to say that he’s not happy but he was very quickly interrupted by Austin Aries. Aries complained about everyone stealing his spotlight, including Hideo Itami. He complained about his ruptured eardrum before Almas spoke in Spanish and then said that he wants Aries in the ring next week. Aries pretended he couldn’t hear because of the bad ear and then walked off set…
A recap was shown of Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Finn Bálor from NXT on July 13… Nakamura was advertised to be making his first Full Sail appearance as champion later in the show… An ad aired for the NXT tour of Australia and New Zealand in December…
Back in the arena, Liv Morgan made her entrance. Aliyah was out next to new music.
4. Liv Morgan vs. Aliyah. Liv used a headscissors out of the corner and tried an Oklahoma roll for an early pin attempt. Around the minute-mark, Aliyah cut her off with a knee to the gut. Aliyah tried to make a pin, but Liv was under the ropes, so Aliyah awkwardly rubbed Liv against the mat and then tried again. In a redeeming moment, Aliyah applied a really nice looking kimura and headscissors combination.
Liv made her comeback a short time later and planted Aliyah with a running bulldog. Liv hit an absolutely abysmal back spinning heel kick and pinned Aliyah.
Liv Morgan pinned Aliyah in about 3:15.
Backstage, No Way Jose was dancing around when he was approached by the young interviewer lady. Jose said he lost at Takeover but he showed everyone that he had the heart of a lion to match his hair. He said that the fiesta is still going to the top. Just then, Bobby Roode walked up. “Nice head,” he offered before strolling off…
A recap showed Shinsuke Nakamura winning the NXT Championship from Samoa Joe in Brooklyn last weekend… Nakamura’s homecoming as NXT Champion was hyped up next… [C]
Zim Says: This show suuucks. Bad match after bad match, but that ladies match really takes the cake. That was something truly belonging on the Florida loop NXT house shows for the next 3 months before it makes its way to TV. The Jose match was just another Jose match, and it seems like whatever luster there may have been is already wearing off.
Tom Phillips hyped a sit-down interview with reigning NXT Women’s Champion Asuka next week coming off her most recent defense against Bayley…
Back in the arena, new NXT Champion Shinsuke Nakamura made his entrance to a big reaction from the crowd. Once in the ring, he soaked in a lengthy “Nakamura” chant, which morphed into a “you deserve it” chant, before he spoke. Nakamura said that he accomplished everything he dreamed of in Japan.
He said that he wanted to find and face the best competition in the world, and the one place he knew he had to go was NXT. He said that he wanted to challenge himself, and he did so against Sami Zayn, Finn Bálor, and Samoa Joe, and in doing so he proved that he was the best and became champion. He said he’s held other championships but this one means the most. Nakamura said that he respects Joe, but his era is over; now is the time for the era of Strong Style. “Yeaoh!” He closed. Nakamura took a bow and left the arena to close the show…
Zim Says: Well that was a little neat, but there was absolutely not a newsworthy thing on this show, nor was there a match or segment worth tuning into this show to see. Dud show that doesn’t really warrant anything else. Here’s hoping things pick back up as quickly as possible. CWC time, so head back over to the main page and tune into my live coverage of the beginning of the quarterfinal round!
Members can check back tomorrow for the DotNet NXT Audio Recap, and Darren Gutteridge’s NXT Hitlist will be available to everyone.
Throw comments, questions, criticisms, or corrections @DotNetZim or DotNetZim@gmail.com; always happy to discuss.
Be the first to comment