By John Moore, Prowrestling.net Staffer (@liljohnm)
NXT TV
Aired August 15, 2018 on WWE Network
Taped July 18 in Winter Park, Florida at Full Sail University
Right after the WWE signature, WWE aired an “in memory of…” graphic for Jim “The Anvil” Neidhart…
The NXT teaser was edited to include the YouTube footage of Aleister Black being attacked in the parking lot. For those who haven’t seen it, Regal passed by Undisputed Era (who were listening to their own theme music on their car radio) and Johnny Gargano…
Mauro Ranallo announced that Tommaso Ciampa will face Johnny Gargano in a last man standing match with Ciampa’s title on the line. Mauro Ranallo, Nigel McGuinness, and Percy Watson were on commentary…
1. “The Street Profits” Angelo Dawkins and Montez Ford vs. “The Mighty” Shane Thorne and Nick Miller. A “Mighty Jobbers” chant ensued (I think). Miller and Ford started off the match. Ford was stuck in the heel corner and isolated away from his partner. Thorne told Ford that Ford belongs in the crowd instead of the ring. Dawkins managed to get a blind tag. Street Profits yelled “Wakanda!!!” and did a tandem splash on their opponent. Dawkins pummeled Thorne with stiff punches. Thorne fought out and dodged a 360 splash into the Northern Lariat. Miller tagged in and worked ground and pound on Dawkins. The Mighty isolated Dawkins in their corner with offense and cheap shots.
The Mighty hit Dawkins with a double suplex for a nearfall. Dawkins escaped and hit a front kick on Miller but Miller reversed Dawkins with a spinebuster. The isolation game continued from the Mighty. Dawkins outsmarted the Mighty and tagged in Ford for the hot tag. Ford hit a series of athletic lariats on The Mighty. Ford caught Thorne with an elbow and a PK on Miller. Thorne tried to steal a pin by holding the tights of Ford but Ford returned the favor by holding Thorne’s tights to pick up the cheap (but fair) win…
The Street Profits defeated The Mighty via pinfall in 6:23.
Montez Ford demanded his drank and the Profits celebrated in the crowd. Ford even messed up a fan’s hair in a fun way. Shayna Baszler was shown coaching Aliyah in the back for Aliyah’s match against Kairi Sane… [c]
John’s Thoughts: A fun TV match with Montez Ford showing more offense than usual. With developmental prospects like Montez Ford or Otis Dozovic, we’re seeing NXT pull back the limiters on them and allowing them to grow in the ring, so that’s good. Bonus points for “Wakanda Forever!!!”. I’m allowed to Wakanda Forever, haha. Anyway, what’s a bit odd is The Mighty being in the same holding pattern they were in as babyfaces. They always seems to be in the wrong place, at the wrong time, with the wrong tag team landscape where they get lost in the shuffle.
Mauro Ranallo thanked the band Grandson for providing the song “Blood//Water”…
It was time for an Undisputed Era NWO-style promo. Strong couldn’t believe that they had to face Moustache Mountain again. O’Reilly bragged about almost breaking the leg of Trent Seven and said that Trent Seven has never been 100% a day in their life which if he was 100% the Era would be 1000% Plus. Strong underplayed the War Raiders’ threat. Bobby Fish laughed off all the tag teams while holding his mini-trophy. Adam Cole said the Undisputed Era began in Brooklyn and continue to prove dominance over the NXT Roster. Cole said he proved to Ricochet that he doesn’t hide from anything. Cole said this is their era and that was Undisputed (do hand signs)…
Kairi Sane made her entrance to Full Sail…
2. Kairi Sane vs. Aliyah. Aliyah had a new look and kinda looked like the Fusion Dance result of Carmella and Peyton Royce (which isn’t a bad thing). Shayna Baszler made her entrance to the stage to hold up her title and watch the match from commentary. Baszler mocked Percy Watson for being disrespectful to her. Sane won the initial collar and elbow. Sane gave Aliyah a stiff chop to the chest of Aliyah. Aliyah pointed out that Sane might be distracted. Sane rolled up Aliyah and locked in a Stretch Muffler on Aliyah. Aliyah made it to the ropes for the break.
Aliyah slowed things down with a boot to Sane. Aliyah hit a series of right hands on Sane. Sane got a single leg takedown on Aliyah and two blockbusters. Sane hit Aliyah with her signature spear. Sane hit her basement forearm while also glaring at Baszler before the move. Sane hit the InSane Elbow on Aliyah. Instead of covering Sane glared at Baszler again. Sane hit Aliyah with another InSane Elbow. Sane didn’t pin though and hit a third InSane Elbow. Sane held up Aliyah before the three count. Instead Sane locked Aliyah in The Anchor submission for the win.
Kairi Sane defeated Aliyah via submission in 3:57.
Sane celebrated her win while also continuing to glare at Baszler…
John’s Thoughts: A good enhancement win to tune up Sane before her title match. Baszler was very rough on the commentary and this was her worst microphone work in NXT. She’s usually really good on the mic. Aliyah has been taking a lot of losses and I’m wondering when they are finally going to get behind her with her being in NXT for a long long time…
An Adam Cole and Ricochet vignette aired. The background music was the royalty free music that Impact Wrestling used as their theme for the 2018 Slammiversary. Cole said his usual lines hyping himself up. Ricochet talked about doing things other people can’t do. Ricochet said there is one Ricochet and he makes it look good. Ricochet noted that Cole stole the North American Championship from him in the ladder match. Adam Cole said Ricochet is good and maybe great, but not special like Cole. Ricochet said it’s not about being special and that Cole is hiding behind the championship. Cole talked about the man defining the championship. Ricochet talked about NXT needing a NA champion that’s going to defend the title week after week. Both men stated their claim to win the match at Takeover… [c]
Velveteen Dream made his entrance wearing street clothes and a fanny pack. Mauro hyped up EC3 vs. Dream at Takeover: Brooklyn and how the feud was related to the tag team match at the WWE UK Championship special. Dream received a huge reaction from the crowd. Dream laughed the crowed off and said they were funny like EC3. Dream said EC3 is so smart, clever, and charming in a sarcastic tone. An “NX3” chant ensued. Dream said just like the crowd, EC3 has the Dream’s curiosity. Dream said that EC3 has something you can’t buy, the Dream’s attention.
Dream said EC3 made an enemy out of the Dream and this Saturday at Takeover: Brooklyn it will be “Dream Over”. EC3’s entrance roughly interrupted Dream’s promo. EC3 came out wearing one of his signature suits. EC3 said this promo is what it sounds like “When Doves Cry” (Prince reference). EC3 pointed out that Dream has a sick Fanny Pack. A “fanny pack” chant ensued. EC3 said he knows that Dream is trying to get in EC3’s head. EC3 said he builds houses, condos, and even family restaurants in peoples heads. EC3 said the time for talking is ended and the time for fighting has come. EC3 was about to say his catchphrases but Dream aggressively stopped EC3’s promo. Dream calmed down and said that EC3’s hand won’t be raised and the only thing on everyone else’s mind will be “Dream Over”. EC3 took off his jacket and dress shirt and said they didn’t have to wait for Brooklyn.
Dream took off his fanny pack and Jacket. Dream threw his vest at EC3 and pummeled EC3 with punches. EC3 reversed a Death Valley Driver and hit Dream with a series of punches. EC3 hit Velveteen Dream with a TK3 and then stood tall over Dream…
John’s Thoughts: This has been a pretty basic pro wrestling feud and not the most intriguing thing ever. Part of the disappointment is I know from EC3’s Impact work that he’s capable of much more. That said, everything Dream has been doing has been fun so in that end this feud has been as fun as usual and seeing the range of Dream’s acting ability is great.
Nigel McGuinness introduced Cathy Kelley hosting “WWE Now” who was breaking down and naming suspects as to who beat up Aleister Black. Kelley replayed the footage and pointed out Johnny Gargano and Undisputed Era were the first seen. In a cameo, Lars Sullivan was a little figure in the background. Kelley also named people like former Impact wrestler Gunner and even Wesley Blake. Kelley then named a bunch of NXT roster members (almost the entire roster)… [c]
Mauro Ranallo thanked The Fever 333 for providing the song “Made in America” for NXT Takeover: Brooklyn…
A Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa vignette aired. Solid mic work of both men continuing to chronicle their story. More good heel mic work from Ciampa… [c]
Percy Watson talked about Bianca Belair training for a return to NXT from injury. Clips of Belair were shown as she was training in the PC. Nigel McGuinness advertised Pete Dunne vs. Zack Gibson for the WWE UK Championship for next week’s NXT taped at Brooklyn…
The main event wrestlers made their entrance…
John’s Thoughts: Random thought, Tyler Bate’s Moustache Mountain theme is way better than his singles theme. He should keep this one.
3. Tyler Bate (w/ Trent Seven) vs. Roderick Strong (w/Kyle O’Reilly). Both men slugged at each other with punches to start off the match. Bate continued to slug Strong with rights after a backdrop. O’Reilly ate a punch but the distraction allowed Strong to hit Bate with a backbreaker. Strong went into his methodical offense on Bate. Bate tried to fight back with rights but Strong grounded Bate and initiated the ground and pound from the reverse guard position. Strong ended another Bate rally with a backbreaker. After a strike exchange, Strong hit a loud chop on the chest of Bate.
Both men fought to the top rope. Bate pushed Strong off the top rope and hit a flying shoryuken on him from the top rope. Bate hit Strong with “Bop and Bang”. Bate hit Strong with a few southpaw punches followed by a running European Uppercut. Bate did a delayed kip up and running shooting star for the nearfall. Strong escaped the helicopter spin. Bate reversed and hit a deadlift Saito Suplex on Strong. Strong blocked the Tyler Driver. Strong blocked the Liger Kick into the Stronghold. Bate rolled up Strong for a nearfall. Strong caught Bate with a high knee and flapjack. Bate escaped two End of Heartache attempts. Bate reversed a Celtic Cross into a rollup.
Bate hit Strong with a running lariat. Tyler Bate hit Roderick Strong with a top rope Suicide Dive. Roderick Strong ran for the distraction to prevent the Tyler Driver. Strong kicked Trent Seven. Both men traded punches. Bate hit Strong with Superman Punch. Bate hit Strong with a Koppu Kick and picked up the clean pin after the Tyler Driver 97′.
Tyler Bate defeated Roderick Strong via pinfall in 8:01.
Mauro closed out NXT hyping up the tag team title match for Takeover…
John’s Thoughts: A fine TV main event that was solid, yet didn’t give away too much in terms of match quality. They should save their best for Takeover. Paul Levesque pointed out on the conference call today that it’s a logical guarantee that this match is going to be a show-stealer given how we already saw a PPV/Takeover-worthy main event on Television a few weeks ago. All four men are proven to be very reliable in the ring to pull a gem out of nowhere. Even Trent Seven, who had the match of his life a few weeks ago, has proven to be a good in-ring storyteller. Of all the matches on Takeover, this one is almost guaranteed not to be underwhelming and these preview matches have done a good job building towards the match while also building up the fairly unknown (To US viewers) Moustache Mountain tag team.
This was a decent episode of NXT that didn’t feel quite like a go-home show. I’m guessing they had to do a bit of scrambling to write Aleister Black out of the Takeover main event and even dedicated a good portion of this show to starting the whodunit of the Black assailant. It was a bit comical that Cathy Kelley essentially analyzed the footage to implicate almost the entire NXT roster including some of the women. TNA’s Gunner (formerly) is even a suspect. So in terms of scrambling, they did an okay job. I’ll be by tomorrow with my NXT Hit List and members exclusive audio review…
Let me get my prediction in early to look smart if I turn out to be correct – Kassius Ohno attacked Black.