By John Moore
NXT TV on the WWE Network
Taped April 1, 2017 in Orlando, Florida at Amway Center
This week’s NXT intro video was a highlight package from NXT Takeover: Orlando. The video package ended with Bobby Roode saying “This is my NXT”.. Tom Phillips, Nigel McGuinness, and Percy Watson checked in on commentary. Watson hyped Heavy Machinery vs. The Bollywood Boys. Nigel hyped Oney Lorcan facing an unnamed wrestler in the main event…
1. Peyton Royce (w/Billie Kay) vs. Aliyah. Phillips pointed out how Aliyah was one of the many victims of Royce and Kay’s bullying. Aliyah tried to go for the quick pin. She hit a blockbuster for another pin attempt. Billie Kay pulled Royce to her corner to keep her near the ropes. Royce took advantage of a Kay distraction by hitting Aliyah with a spinning back kick. Aliyah had her back stretched against the ropes by Royce. Royce went for another spinning back kick but Aliyah had a small rally with a few hip tosses. Aliyah hit a seated senton on Royce for another pin attempt. Peyton Royce hit her fisherman buster to pick up the victory.
Peyton Royce defeated Billie Kay in 2:53.
Royce celebrated after the match. Tom Phillips hyped “Exclusive footage” from the Bobby Roode vs. Shinsuke Nakamura match… [C]
John’s Thoughts: These two women are still in the developmental stages with Aliyah being very green and Royce trying to establish herself. Both were improved in their limited showing. Royce, in particular, is my pick for breakout star in the women’s division because by volumizing her hair as well as developing a smart in ring moveset, I’m actually starting to pay attention to her as being unique.
The commentators went over more quick highlight packages from Takeover:Orlando. Sanity vs. Tye Dillinger’s team was spotlighted followed by the Asuka vs. Ember Moon. Asuka was interviewed after the match. The interviewer asked Asuka who’s next for Asuka. Asuka mad a cocky laugh and asked the interviewer “who’s left, I’m still champion. Ha!”… [C]
Back from the break, highlights from Andrade Cien Almas vs. Alistair Black aired. Nigel McGuinness called this a good first chapter for Black. They showed instagram photos from Andrade Almas out partying in the club. Tom Phillips wondered if Andrade’s losses were correlated with his lack of focus in the ring…
John’s Thoughts: I like them trying to protect Almas with the comment about lack of focus, plus points to Almas too for utilizing Social Media to develop the gimmick…
2. Heavy Machinery (Tucker Knight and Otis Dozovic) vs. The Bollywood Boys (Herv and Gerv Shira). Tucker Knight started off against Harv. Harv tried to dance but Knight just ran through him. Harv was caught mid-air into a bear hug. Otis tagged in where Knight passed Harv into Otis’s bear hug. Dozovic gave Harv a German Suplex.
Gerv tagged in and did some dancing. Heavy Machinery came together in the ring and did a double body ram. They followed up with a jumping chest bump for each other. Harv ran in to save his brother. Nigel pointed out that the only way they can win is by quick tags against the larger opponents. Dozovic managed to double suplex both boys. Tucker Knight ran in for the hot tag and hit them with dropkicks and a hip toss.
Knight made a choo choo noise and ran into the Bollywood boys. Heavy Machinery hit an assisted power slam on the Bollywood Boy to give Otis Dozovic the pinfall victory.
Heavy Machinery defeated The Bollywood Boys via pinfall in 3:22.
The Bollywood boys acted satisfied for getting a few shots in as Heavy Machinery celebrated in the ring. Oney Lorcan was interviewed. He said he was in NXT to compete, do his job, and win… [C]
John’s Thoughts: Not as good a match as Heavy Machinery’s debut, but I still think they are a fun big man tag team. Like I said before, Otis Dozovic, in particular, has this charm to him that resonates with the audience with Tucker Knight having some athleticism for his large size. They are not clean move-wise though. The Bollywood Boys might need a gimmick change or something because this cornball Bollywood gimmick isn’t doing much for them.
Phillips narrated the highlight package of the Tag Team Elimination match from Takeover:Orlando. Nigel pointed out how the AOP took away the Revival’s chance to become three time tag champs. Tom transitioned to an AOP interview. Paul Ellering said this was both vindication and a confirmation of the evolution of the Authors of Pain. Ellering said the Authors proved they were a team of destiny. Ellering claimed that the higher ups at WWE were trying to slow down the AOP by putting them in things like triple threat matches. Ellering said you can’t stoop Destiny and the Authors are going to be a dynasty…
Phillips cut to a Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Bobby Roode match. Roode talked about shaping NXT in his image and said the fans will have to just buy in. Nakamura talked about fate bringing Roode and him together and will decide the future of NXT. They showed Nakamura’s entrance from new camera angles including from the Gorilla Position and from the crowd. They gave post production camera angles to Roode’s entrance and the match as well including a few slow mo shots with background music. The post-match part of the package focused on the NXT crowd chanting Nakamura’s name after his loss. They then did a chronicle video package on Nakamura’s career in NXT…
Roode was interviewed. He said he told everyone he was going to beat Nakamura for the second straight time and that’s exactly what he did. Roode said this was the biggest NXT Takeover right in NXT’s home of Orlando. Roode talked about taking NXT to new heights and this will continue for weeks and months to come. Roode said this was the beginning and wondered if you were excited to see Bobby Roode’s NXT… [C]
McGuinness talked about Drew McIntyre (a/k/a Drew Galloway) appearing at NXT. Phillips referenced an ESPN article noting that Drew signed an NXT exclusive deal. Galloway was interviewed and he said he doesn’t know if people have been following him the past few years, but he’s been traveling around the world and won championships everywhere. He said he’s grown brands and become a franchise player (in reference to being TNA’s flagbearer, I assume). Galloway said the next logical step is to wrestle the best superstars in the world for the top prize, the NXT Championship. Drew confirmed that he has signed with NXT. Phillips hyped McIntyre debuting next week from Full Sail University…
Oney Lorcan made his entrance to face his mystery opponent. Nigel said Oney reminds him of Fit Finlay and William Regal. El Vagabundo made his entrance to generic guitar luchador music. He looks like Damien Mysteridow (since I always thought Elias Samson looked like Damien Sandow and Seth Rollins’s fusion dance result). Nigel did the heel thing of hyping up this guy’s accolades from Mexico.
El Vagamundo introduced himself and wondered who wants to walk with El Vagabundo. The crowd gave him “Si” chants. Vagabundo said he wrote a song for everyone. He sung to everyone and told them to shut their mouth in the song. Oney Lorcan stopped the song midway and said he knows Vagabundo is the drifter, he knows he’s the drifter, and Orlando knows he’s the drifter. Oney told the Drifter to drift away which drew boos from the crowd because they were digging him…
3. El Vagabundo vs. Oney Lorcan. Vagabundo started off hot off the gate with body slams and sending Lorcan outside. They quickly cut to commercial with Vagabundo receiving a hot reaction… [C]
John’s Thoughts: Hot Damn! Who would have thought that Elias Freakin’ Samson will ever get a monster pop from a wrestling audience?
Vagabundo dominated back from the break. Nigel and Tom Phillips joked around tongue in cheek about luchador masks and El Vagabundo. Lorcan escaped the corner and managed to hit Vagabundo with corner hip attacks. This was drawing boos from the crowd since they like The Bundo at this point. Bundo gave Lorcan a clothesline to the back of the head. Lorcan escaped a suplex from Bundo and revealed that it was Elias Samson. Lorcan hit Samson with a running blockbuster to pick up the win…
Oney Lorcan defeated Elias Samson (?) via pinfall in 2:50.
McGuinness comically joked about knowing that it was Elias Samson the whole time. A female security guard ran out to escort Samson from the arena. Samson refused and the woman gave him a hammerlock to send him out…
John’s Thoughts: I’m not sure if this was an outlier due to the WrestleMania crowd, or if he was legitimately getting over as the Vagabundo, but I have to say that I got a little kick out of it at least. Oney Lorcan was booed the entire time which was odd too, but it was because he was destroying their new temporary hero. The Bundo reminds me of Lucha Underground’s El Mariachi Loco who has a similar musical jobber gimmick. This is a good one or maybe two week thing at least, but I don’t see staying power with the Vagabundo gimmick. I thought he would call himself “The Midnight Drifter” but this worked.
Interesting note, 205 Live replays after NXT and I just noticed that Tom Phillips is the lead commentator on that show too. Is he the most prolific lead play-by-play commentator in WWE surpassing Michael Cole? Anyways, this was a filler episode of NXT. A house show if you will. I did feel that Lorcan should have faced Andrade Almas instead, but I guess they wanted to use him here. Next week’s episode should be interesting with the former Drew Galloway making his in-studio debut. I’ll have a few more things to say in my Member’s Exclusive Audio Review available tomorrow…
Feedback is always appreciated and feel free to contact me via twitter @liljohnm to tweet and discuss NXT. You can also comment and discuss WWE topics directly with me via email: jmoore3.net@gmail.com.
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