By John Moore, Prowrestling.net Staffer (@liljohnm)
NXT TV
Aired June 6, 2018 on WWE Network
Taped May 10 in Winter Park, Florida at Full Sail University
Mauro Ranallo, Nigel McGuinness, and Percy Watson were on commentary. Shayna Baszler made her entrance to open the show. Baszler wore her casual clothing and had her Championship Belt back in her possession. Baszler talked about making an example out of Dakota Kai last week. She talked about being tougher, stronger, and better than everyone. Baszler said the strong will always beat the weak. Baszler said there is always “one” person who thinks the laws don’t apply to them and in this case it’s Nikki Cross. Baszler said if Cross gets in her face again it will be the last thing she does. Nikki Cross interrupted Baszler’s promo and made her entrance.
Cross was focused on Baszler and had that crazed look in her face. Baszler reiterated her threat and called Cross’ last stunt a joke. Baszler said the’s the NXT Women’s champion and Cross is only better than Baszler in that whacked out corner of her brain. Baszler asked Cross if she was crazy for not reacting. Baszler treatened to put Cross to slep in a heartbeat. Baszler threw the mic at Cross. Cross grabbed the mic and said “Do it Shayna!”. Baszler kept asking to “do it” and acted like she was about to receive a gift. Cross managed to psych out Shayna. Baszler responded and Cross dominated Baszler with ground and pound. Cross put the boots and clubbing blows to Baszler. Baszler managed to dispose of Cross with a right hand. Cross reentered the ring and caught Baszler with a right arm and crossbody. Nigel said he’s never seen Baszler rocked like this… [C]
John’s Thoughts: A good exchange and nice change of pace for Baszler going against someone who doesn’t sell her bullying. Baszler continues to show solid mic skills. Her mic skills also get enhanced by her association to Ronda Rousey, who is terrible by comparison on the microphone.
Mauro Ranallo thanked Halestorm for providing the song “Uncomfortable” for the next NXT show. Nigel talked about how Shayna Baszler vs. Nikki Cross for the championship was official for next week’s Takeover Show…
1. “TM-61” Nick Miller and Shane Thorne vs. Mike Hughley and Robbie Grand. Thorne easily dispatched of one of the guys and hit the other with a nice dropkick. Miller tagged in and had control over the job guy. The guy was named Robbie Grand. Thorne hit an assisted lariat to Grand which led to TM’s victory.
TM-61 defeated Mike Hughley and Robbie Grand via pinfall in 2:13.
Nick Miller said they have proven they are the best team in NXT. Miller ran through beating Street Profits and Heavy Machinery. He said they can also beat the other tag teams in the division. Shane Thorne said the other tag teams should kneel down before them and call them “The Mighty”… [C]
Nigel McGuinness recapped Lars Sullivan beating up Aleister Black last week. They showed footage of Lars Sullivan wrestling in a t-shirt against the international prospects in the Performance Center and beating them up. TM-61 could be seen in the background shaking their head because they didn’t want any of Sullivan…
2. Roderick Strong vs. Danny Burch. Percy Watson said he lost all respect for Strong for betraying Pete Dunne. Danny Burch uses Oney Lorcan’s music now. Strong had the initial takedown off the collar and elbow. Burch reversed with a hammerlock. Burch maintained control over Strong with the hammerlock. Strong yelled that Burch got lucky. Burch won the test of strength and kicked Strong in the shin. Burch went back to the hammerlock. Watson talked about knowing Burch for a long time (due to Watson being in NXT/FCW around 2012). Strong managed to gain control and lay in some chops on Burch.
Strong grounded Burch with one of his signature backbreakers. Burch made it to a vertical base but Strong took Burch down with a dropkick. Burch sent Strong out of the ring from a body stretch. Strong missed with a knee strike and ate a headbutt from Burch. Burch won the punch exchange. Nigel noted that Burch has a boxing background. Burch hit Strong with a missile dropkick. Burch planted Strong with a German Suplex and lariat. Adam Cole and Kyle O’Reilly ran out to try to distract the ref. Pete Dunne and Oney Lorcan ran out for the save. Danny Burch locked in a crossface. Adam Cole managed to make it to the apron which allowed Roderick Strong to hit a backbreaker for the victory.
Roderick Strong defeated Danny Burch via pinfall in 5:44.
Pete Dunne was seething behind Strong and he went on to beat up Strong. Kyle O’Reilly chop blocked Dunne to prevent the Bitter End on Strong. Strong hit Dunne with End of Heartache to leave the babyfaces lying in the ring. Undisputed Era celebrated up the ramp…
Kassius Ohno was having a photoshoot. EC3 walked in and was joking around. EC3 started saying his catchphrases. Ohno called EC3 narcissistic and a blowhard. Ohno challenged EC3 to a match next week. EC3 said he can see the challenge written in the lights and he accepted…
John’s Thoughts: Burch looked a bit idiotic at the end of that match by giving up the win to yell at Cole, but the rest of the match was good. Burch doesn’t lose much because he didn’t have much credibility to begin with so anything is beneficial to him. The stuff after was standard but solid in pushing forward the grudge between both trios. As for EC3 and Ohno, it looks like it’s EC3’s turn to beat up the “gatekeeper” of NXT and it’s Ohno taking his regularly scheduled loss to the “new ” guy.
A Lars Sullivan and Alesiter Black video package aired. Mauro Ranallo ran through some of the advertised matches for the next Takeover show. They cut to a Ricochet video package. Ricochet talked about how his name is usually associated with a kid who can do flips. He talked about fighting all his life and clawing to the top in all the companies he’s been in. Velveteen talked about how “one and only” sounds blessed. Dream said he’s blessed too. Dream talked about how you don’t have to struggle if you are blessed. He said you have “it” if you’re blessed. Dream said Ricochet can impress people athletically, but can he make them “feel it”? The Video package showed clips of Patrick Clark in Tough Enough. Dream said he has no recollection of being eliminated from that reality show. Ricochet talked about Clark being handed an opportunity. Dream said Ricochet chooses to be a King but Dream chooses to be a “prince”. Dream said that the King “was” good, but the Prince knows there is a bigger crown. Dream said the King will fall and the monarchy will die. Ricochet said Dream will see defeat at the hands of King Ricochet…
3. Lacey Evans vs. Kairi Sane. Evans wore the nautical themed gear this week. Sane had more casual looking gear this week. Nigel noted that Sane is wearing gloves and may want to do punches too. Sane took down Evans with a huracanrana. Sane hit Evans with a shiranui Evans gained control and hit a slingshot elbow on her. Evans worked on Sane with some rest holds and turned a Cobra Clutch into a Giant Swing. Evans hit Sane with a heavy Bronco Buster. Evans telegraphed a backfist and Sane turned the tables. Evans came back with a knee. Evans body slammed Sane. Sane kicked out of a pin attempt while Evans did pushups on her. Evans took her time and crashed off a moonsault attempt. Sane hit a few of her signature spears.
Sane managed to hit three spears in a row on Evans. Sane hit her running forearm. Sane then hit the Kabuki Elbow on Evans. Evans kicked out of a pin attempt but Sane turned it into a cross armbreaker. Evans broke up the submission with a pin attempt. Mauro noted that the arm breaker might hinder the Women’s Right. Sane hit Evans with an Alabama Slam. Sane hit the InSane Elbow for the victory.
Kairi Sane defeated Lacey Evans via pinfall in 6:28.
Sane celebrated her win after the match… [C]
John’s Thoughts: The in-ring inexperience showed here a bit on the side of Evans but Sane did carry her to a pretty good match that was a bit short for the story they were trying to tell. I do commend Lacy Evans for making huge improvements to her look and in-ring over the past few months. Evans is not ready for a Takeover main event yet, but the next step for her is to win a feud against a lesser opponent to use as a stepping stone.
The commentators advertised an Aleister Black promo for next week. Tommaso Ciampa made his entrance to no music, boos, and “you suck” chants which is par for the course with him. Full Sail started dueling chants for “Johnny Wrestling” and “Psycho Killer”. Ciampa sat on the top rope trying to get a word in but the crowd overwhelmed him. Ciampa yelled that the crowd gave up on him before he gave up on them. Ciampa said the “you tapped out” chants disgust him. “Asshole” chants ensued. Ciampa said they can listen or chant because he doesn’t care. The crowd kept chanting over him.
Ciampa called the favorable “psycho killer” chants “bullcrap”. Ciampa went back to complaining about Johnny Gargano. Ciampa talked about how Gargano had to announce his big match and thinks he is “Johnny Badass” now. Ciampa said it was adorable. Ciampa said Gargano almost crippled his wife a week ago. Ciampa said it was Gargano’s fault because Gargano dragged everyone out. Ciampa talked about how he was only defending himself. Ciampa said Gargano should have listened to his wife. Ciampa asked Gargano not to show up at Takeover because this Gargano fairy tale is coming to an end without a happy ending. Ciampa said Gargano and his wife will be broken.
Gargano tried to run out but was held back by “security”. Gargano broke free and got his hands on Ciampa. Drake Younger and the other ref couldn’t contain him too. Ciampa and Gargano traded control when the officials tried to interfere. They brawled all over ringside. Ciampa caught Gargano with a lariat as Gargano was fighting off security. Ciampa locked in the GargaNo Escape on Gargano. The referees broke things up as Mauro noted that Gargano had an injured neck. Ciampa walked up the ramp to boos and “asshole” chants. The signature flashed on the screen but the show didn’t finish as Gargano ran up the ramp and tossed Ciampa into the LEDs. Ciampa bladed? he was a bloody mess. Gargano locked in the GargaNo Escape on Ciampa to close out NXT…
John’s Thoughts: I’ve been critical of this feud the past few months, but that’s no fault to Ciampa who has been great in all of his segments. This is what this feud needed and they added some steam back to a feud that was starting to get stale. Ciampa not only was solid on the microphone, but he was good in countering some of the fans that were cheering him. Gargano was better this week when you take the odd factor of LeRae’s random interjection. Breakup brawls usually do the job and the blood in the end enhanced things. Overall, this was a solid edition of NXT and I’ll have more thoughts in my Hit List and then the member’s exclusive Audio Review.
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