By John Moore, ProWrestling.net Staffer (@liljohnm)
NXT TV Live Review
Taped June 12, 2019 in Winter Park, Florida at Full Sail University
Streamed June 26, 2019 on WWE Network
Highlights of Shayna Baszler vs. Io Shirai from Takeover Bridgeport were shown…
The NXT Slipknot theme aired…
Mauro Ranallo, Nigel McGuinness, and Beth Phoenix were on commentary. The commentators hyped up the NXT Breakout Tournament with the brackets. Joaquin Wilde (the artist formerly known as DJZ) made his entrance. He did his dumbass ba ba ba bah thing much to my chagrin. A intro promo aired where Wilde addressed his near-career-ending injury from back in 2017 that he got in Mexico while working with TNA. His opponent is Angel Garza, who is Humberto Carrillo’s cousin and also known as Garza Jr. Garza got a promo too. He said he’s named Angel because he looks like an Angel…
1. Joaquin Wilde vs. Angel Garza in a first round NXT Breakout Tournament Match. Garza toyed with Joaquin a little bit during the chain wrestling. Both men then showed off counters. Joaquin and Garza then had a lucha libre stalemate. Garza got Joaquin in the corner and laid in some chops. Garza escaped the corner and hit a sitout springboard armdrag on Garza. Joaquin went for La Mistica but Garza countered into a facebuster. Garza hit Joaquin with a popup PK. While Joaquin was knocked out, Garza ripped off his pants. Nigel yelled “cover your eyes!”.
Garza hit Joaquin with a facebuster for a nearfall. Garza and Joaquin traded loud chops. Garza took down Joaquin with a dropkick and got a nearfall. Beth Phoenix has been pointing out the arrogance of Garza throughout the match. Garza trapped Joaquin in a straitjacket headlock. Joaquin turned the tables on Garza with his own straitjacket submission. After the separation, Joaquin hit Garza with a crossbody. Joaquin hit a few double boots on Garza for a nearfall. Garza tried to hide at ringside for a moment of respite but Joaquin ran the apron and did a tope through the buckle area. Joaquin did his dumbass bro man chant, which allowed Garza to stagger him with a enzuigiri.
Garza and Joaquin fought to the top rope. Garza hit Joaquin with an impressive Super Spanish Fly. Wilde kicked out. Garza kicked out of a crucifix pin attempt. Garza fired up, roared, and hit a sitout butterfly stunner on Joaquin for the win.
Angel Garza defeated Joaquin Wilde via pinfall in 7:23.
The bracket showed to show Garza advancing…
Beth Phoenix hyped Baszler vs. Shirai as the main event…
John’s Thoughts: A great match featuring two former Impact Wrestling standouts. The only thing that bothered me personally was Zema/Wilde’s dumb ass “ba ba ba bah” broman thing that he continues to do as a babyface (not a huge deal for most, I’ve just seen him be stubborn with this for years). Garza at least found a way to do his weird pant rip spot without making the babyface look dumb, so that’s an improvement over how he used to do it. I talk about the side things because I’ve covered these guys for years in my other reviews. The match quality was great especially the fire both men showed at the end of the match. Welcome to NXTNA? I kid…
A Kushida promo aired, complete with subtitles. Kushida was wearing a fedora. Kushida talked about being in an interesting position in NXT. He talked about being potentially on Raw, Smackdown, or 205 Live. He wonders who his next opponent will be and that excites him. Kushida said, in english, that the best in the world are here in WWE and that’s why he’s here. Kushida said he wants to face everybody and every superstar.
John’s Thoughts: Simple, effective, and Kushida came off well there. We need to see this from more NXT stars (like the Forgotten Sons?). It’s similar to how Mia Yim really started to develop an identity last week.
Damien Priest was interviewed after his match last week. Priest cut off the interviewer and said that nobody has seen everything from him yet. Priest said the name “Damien Priest” will live forever…
Before the non-title match, Ford and Dawkins took microphones. They laughed off the Sons thinking they could step up to the Street Profits. They also laughed off the Sons thinking they can get the titles if this were a title match. The profits proposed making this a title match…
2. “The Street Profits” Montez Ford and Angelo Dawkins vs. “The Forgotten Sons” Wesley Blake and Steve Cutler (w/Jaxson Ryker) in a non-title match? The commentators were confused as to if this were a title match. Beth assumed it wasn’t official but Nigel said the word of the Profits should be as good as a contract. The Sons isolated Ford in their corner with quick tags and tandem offense. Dawkins tagged in and cleaned house. he hit both opponents with consecutive exploder suplexes. Ford hit the Five Star Frog Splash on Cutler and had the visual pinfall over Cutler, but Ryker pulled Ford away and gave him an axe handle for the DQ.
The Street Profits defeated The Forgotten Sons via an apparent DQ in 2:21.
Ryker also took down Dawkins in the ring with a double axe handle lariat. Lorcan and Burch ran out for the save and cleared the Sons from the ring. Dawkins flew in wiht a spear on Ryker. Ryker pulled Cutler and Blake by the hair to the back as the Sons retreated. Lorcan and Burch picked up the titles and kept them away from the profits for a bit. Burch said “these are your’s” as he and Lorcan respectfully handed the titles over. Mauro noted that this might lead to a future title encounter between Lorcan and Burch vs. the Profits…
Shayna Baszler was shown backstage getting ready for her title match with Shafir and Duke. Io Shirai was also shown getting ready doing high knees… [c]
John’s Thoughts: Not much of a match. The Sons continue to need to either reboot or get a new member. Why are they wrestling anyway from a logic perspective when Ryker is their strongest member?
A Vignette aired for some bearded man watching videos of riots. It looked like Killian Dain is returning to NXT…
Vanessa Borne and Aliyah cut a selfie promo mocking Mia Yim as a continuation from their last diss promo. They called Mia a “lower” while they are “highers”…
3. Keith Lee vs. Nicos Ricos. I mean Lee’s a big dude and Nico looks like he’s here to do his job, so what should we expect? Lee was like a statue to Nico, no selling everything. Nicos ate double chest chops. Lee hit Ricos with a pounce and Ricos few into the ropes like a flying missile. Keith Lee hit Nicos with the Limit Break for the victory.
Keith Lee defeated Nicos Ricos via pinfall in 1:03.
Mauro continued to hype Baszler vs. Shirai… [c]
An ad aired for NXT UK Takeover: Cardiff…
An Adam Cole travel promo aired where he bragged about taking a private jet to the Download Festival. Cole was shown hanging out with Slipknot. Cole was also shown in the ring in the UK. Dave Mastiff was in the ring. In think cole won. Cole was then shown on his car chatting with presumably Kyle O’Reilly. Cole then told the taxi to take him to some sandwich shop called “Gargano’s” (okay?)…
Beth Phoenix advertised Isaiah Scott (Killshot) vs. Cameron Grimes (Trevor Lee) for next week…
Formal ring introductions ensued for the NXT Women’s Championshp match…
4. Shayna Baszler vs. Io Shirai in a steel cage match for the NXT Women’s Championship. Mauro talked about calling Shayna Baszler MMA matches (in Strikeforce?) and that Baszler is at home in a Cage. Baszler fended off Shirai with strike combos. Shirai got control after pulling in Baszler close with an armbar. Baszler converted the guard and had Shirai in position for the Kirafuda Clutch. Shirai converted it into a high guard. Shirai got to her feet and locked Shirai in a modified liontamer/half crab. Baszler followed up with a stomp to the head of Shirai.
Shirai did a flip and hit Baszler with a shotgun dropkick. Shirai hit Baszler with a palm strike. Baszler pulled Shirai down from escaping the cage. Baszler then slammed Shirai into the steel cage several times. Baszler trapped Shirai’s legs and then locked Shirai’s head in a cravate. Baszler released the cravate and continued to slam Shirai into the cage. Shirai snuck in a small package for a two count but Baszler quickly came back with a lariat and more tossing of Shirai into the cage. Baszler sandwiched Shirai between her head and the cage while also giving Shirai gut punches.
Shirai kicked out of the subsequent pin attempt at two. Baszler went back to the leg trap cravate. Baszler tried to slam Shirai in the cage again but Shirai sidestepped Baszler and slammed Baszler ino the cage with two dropkicks. Shirai followed up with a meteora and German Suplex with a bridge for a two count. Shirai hit Baszler with double knees in the corner. Shirai went to the top of the cage for a presumed moonsault but Baszler caught up with Shirai. Baszler had the Kirafuda half locked in at the top rope. Shirai slipped to the ground and hit Baszler with a Super German Suplex.
Baszler kicked out at two after a fatigued pin attempt by Io. Io then tried to crawl to the cage but Marina Shafir and Jessamyn Duke ran out to yell at the referee and prevent her from opening the door. Shirai kicked the cage door and it hit the referee. REF BUMP!!! to the outside referee. Shafir locked the cage. Io managed to knock out Baszler and climb to the top. Shafir and Duke blocked Io at the pass but Candice LeRae pulled both women off the cage. Duke tried to open the door for Baszler but was hit by Candice LeRae hitting Duke with a crossbody from the top of the cage.
Io Shirai hit Baszler with a beautiful moonsault from the top of the Cage. An NXT chant ensued. Baszler pulled at Io’s feet to prevent her from escaping. Shirai did the same and both women traded position. Shirai kicked Baszler and almost made it to the floor. Baszler caught Shirai into a rope assisted Kirafuda Clutch. Shirai escaped by slamming Baszler’s head into the second turnbuckle initially. Baszler then rehooked the hold. Shirai escaped by slamming the cage door into Baszler’s head. Baszler collapsed, but collapsed over the back of Shirai and fell to the floor for the win.
Shayna Baszler defeated Io Shirai via escaping the cage in 13:31 to retain the NXT Women’s Championship.
Highlight from the championship match aired. Beth Phoenix noted that Baszler currently looks surprised that she won. Shafir and Duke consoled Baszler and carried her to the back. LeRae went in the ring to console Shirai. Shirai quickly clocked LeRae with a right hand. Shirai acted shocked at what she did in attacking LeRae and exited the ring. Shirai then turned around and brought a chair in the ring . Shirai then beat up on LeRae’s back with a steel chair.
Shirai yelled in Japanese in the face of LeRae. LeRae then suplexed LeRae over a opened steel chair. The crowd mostly booed Shirai with a few people tossing in golf claps. Shirai walked up the ramp ranting in Japanese about championships. She also yelled at the crowd and said she doesn’t care about what they think. NXT closed with the referees checking on LeRae in the ring.
John’s Thoughts: Lots of really good stuff there. If presented correctly, that could have ended a Takeover show. As for the match, Shayna Baszler deserves a lot of credit for being an amazing in-ring storyteller. Baszler made full use of the steel cage as a weapon. They even found a way to make the cheap interference work in the right ways for heat and swerves. I didn’t feel like I was watching a pro wrestling cliche by the way the interference was implemented. Shirai is always good, and we haven’t seen her best yet.
I like the Io Shirai heel turn. Her promos are very awkward even when you look past the broken English so it might work easier if she plays heel so she could speak in Japanese more and in turn tune up her English along the way. It surprised me a bit because I went in thinking that LeRae would turn on Shirai but this makes sense especially with how petty Shirai came off in her post match attack at Takeover. Looking forward to a Shirai vs. LeRae grudge feud. Might we get six matches at the Summerslam Takeover? Shirai and LeRae could definitely deliver if that’s the case. It will also get LeRae into a program finally that doesn’t involve crying for Johnny Gargano. Great show and looking forward to next week featuring a former Impact and former Lucha Underground star that I have a lot of experience reviewing. I’ll be by tomorrow with a hit list and member’s exclusive audio.
I know it is not entirely NXT’s fault and circumstances have played a part, but it’s a shame that all we are seeing from Keith Lee still are random squashes every now and then. Since joining NXT, he has spent more time pointing at himself than having meaningful encounters. They really need to get him into a program.