By John Moore, ProWrestling.net Staffer (@liljohnm)
NXT TV Live Review
Taped May 1, 2019 in Winter Park, Florida at Full Sail University
Streamed May 22, 2019 on WWE Network
Highlights from last week’s NXT aired, featuring The Viking Raiders defending their Tag Team Championships against Street Profits…
NXT started off with William Regal in his office for an announcement. Regal noted that the Viking Raiders relinquished the Tag Team Championships thus leaving NXT without Tag Team Champions. Regal noted that even though the Street Profits got a moral victory with the fake pinfall, there are many deserving tag teams in the tag team division. Regal booked Street Profits vs. Lorcan and Burch vs. Forgotten Sons vs. Undisputed Era in a ladder match at NXT Takeover 25 for the NXT Tag Team Championships…
The NXT Slipknot theme aired…
Mauro Ranallo, Nigel McGuinness, and Beth Phoenix were on commentary. The Undisputed Era quartet of Adam Cole, Kyle O’Reilly, Bobby Fish, and Roderick Strong made their entrance. Nigel and Mauro noted that Roderick Strong was back on board and the four Era guys were united again. Cole said they’ve heard the whispers and the morons (the fans) are wondering if the rumors are true. Cole said the rumors are false and the Undisputed Era is more united than before. Cole said that the wrestlers in the locker room my have NXT on their contracts, but the Undisputed Era owns them. Cole said the Era will take what they want when they want. Cole reiterated his goal from the beginning of the year of Undisputed Era getting all of the NXT gold.
Cole laid out the onset of the plan by saying that O’Reilly and Fish will take the Tag Team belts while Cole will beat Johnny Gargano. Adam Cole’s promo was interrupted by Johnny Gargano. Gargano said that the title match for the belt was already made. Gargano said he wants Cole to say the truth for the first time, that Cole cannot beat Gargano by himself. Cole said that Gargano is an idiot because he forgot that Cole won the first fall by himself. Gargano said that Cole doesn’t get how match works and that Cold didn’t shock the school system (good cheesy line). Gargano patronized Cole in a slow cadance by laying out the rules of a two of three falls match like he was talking to a kid.
Cole told Gargano to shut up. Cole said Gargano can be as condescending as he wants but it must eat Gargano up inside that Cole pinned Gargano in New York. Cole said he’ll do it again in a few weeks. Suddenly Matt Riddle attacked the Undisputed Era from behind. Gargano helped out Riddle. Riddle and Gargano managed to clear the ring. The referee brigade ran out to keep an enraged Matt Riddle at bay. The referees also dragged Undisputed Era up the ramp as Johnny Gargano’s entrance theme played to close the segment… [c]
John’s Thoughts: Solid stuff all around to forward the Riddle and Gargano vs. Undisputed Era feud. Cole is gold every time he gets a mic in his hand. Gargano hasn’t gotten a lot of mic time recently, but he has developed a bit of a cocky and snarky edge to him that works. He’s throwing in some cheesy lines, but they aren’t cringeworthy.
Sean Maluta made his entrance followed by the artist formerly known as Manny Faberino, Mansoor. The commentators pointed out that these two put up good fights against Jaxson Ryker and Dominik Dijakovic (but both got destroyed by the larger opponents).
1. Sean Maluta vs. Mansoor. Maluta managed to get the early nearfall attempt on Mansoor after a top rope Paydirt. Mansoor managed to escape Maluta’s methodical offense and planted Maluta with a twisting neckbreaker. Mansoor hit Sean Maluta with the Final Cut Suplex to pick up the win.
Mansoor defeated Sean Maluta via pinfall in 2:50.
Mansor’s generic, but pretty decent, entrance theme played…
Cathy Kelley was outside of Regal’s office where arguing could be heard. Kelley said the arguing was coming from Undisputed Era. The Era left the office followed by Regal. Cathy asked Regal for an update. Regal said he told the Undisputed Era that the Era didn’t represent themselves well as NXT stars. William Regal announced Matt Riddle vs. Roderick Strong at Takeover as well as Riddle and Gargano vs. Strong and Cole for the main event of this show….
Nigel McGuinness announced the Velveteen Dream Experience for after the break…
John’s Thoughts: Good seeing NXT put some steam behind Mansoor. The guy’s really good and I got to see a bunch of his work locally. Mansoor’s from the SF Bay Area. Of course, don’t be surprised if we see Mansoor get featured in a few weeks at WWE’s Super Show-down due to Mansoor’s Saudi heritage.
Velveteen Dream made his entrance with his championship belt as well as a nice suit (which the late Charlie Murphy would call a nice blouse). Dream talked about how the Dream is in high demand these days. Dream said people want to feel, touch, and hold “The Dream”. Dream said he’s NXT North American Champion. Dream said you can’t just feel or hold the dream because quite frankly he’s too big to hold. Dream said when the Dream’s name comes out of your mouth you better say his name correctly.
All of a sudden, Tyler Breeze made his entrance for a Full Sail homecoming. Mauro called Tyler a “NXT Original”. Breeze is now clean shaven, no longer rocking the WWE Superstars beard of sorrow. Full Sail gave Breeze a “Breeze is gorgeous” chant followed by a “Welcome Home” chant. Tyler took the mic and said Prince Pretty is home. The welcome home chants continued. Breeze said like Dream when Breeze was in NXT people were talking about him. Breeze said when he left NXT things got dull around here with posers and cheap knockoffs. Breeze said there can be one Prince Pretty, Tyler Breeze.
Dream said he’s here to welcome Tyler Breeze to the Dream’s NXT. Dream said things are different now because the spotlight wants a “real man” and not a boy, especially not a boy who plays cops and robbers. Dream said just because you can’t make it on Monday and Tuesday, you can just steal the spotlight. Breeze said rather Dream inspires Breeze as well as the North American Championship. Breeze said an inspired Tyler Breeze is too big for Dream to handle. Dream called Breeze a dollar store detective and mocked Raw and Smackdown again. Dream said the line for the title starts outside and that’s where Breeze has to go. Dream did say he’ll give Breeze one, a selfie with the champ. Breeze milked the offer with the crowd for a bit.
Breeze summoned his Titantron selfie and told Dream a few words. Breeze said when you write your phone number on your trunks and nobody “calls you up” it means nobody’s interested. This pissed of Dream. Breeze then clocked Dream leaving him rolling on the ground. Breeze’s entrance theme played as he stood tall walking up the ramp…
John’s Thoughts: A really fun homecoming for Tyler Breeze. To look at things at a micro level, that might have been Breeze’s best babyface promo ever. He didn’t include any of his campy tones and cadence from the fashion cops days. I also think that Breeze’s promo game also grew a bit in his interactions with Xavier Woods on the UpUpDownDown channel which showed up here. I have a feeling Breeze is just here to put Dream over at takeover, but it’ll be good to have Breeze stick around, maybe as a gatekeeper again. Sure beats WWE Superstars and a beard of sorrow…
Cathy Kelly caught up with Tyler Breeze outside of Full Sail. Breeze said he’s an NXT OG which means original guy. Breeze said he wanted to introduce Velveteen Dream to the “inspired” Tyler Breeze…
Candice LeRae made her entrance. Her opponent was Reina Gonzalez who made her entrance with a cowbell and chaps. This caused Mauro to make Stan Hansen references…
2. Candice LeRae vs. Reina Gonzalez. Gonzalez was much larger than LeRae and dominated her. Mauro noted Reina’s basketball background. LeRae managed to land a double knee to Reina’s arm. Reina went for the 8 second ride on LeRae but LeRae sent Gonzalez outside. Gonzalez caught a flying LeRae but Candice sent Reina into the ring steps. Back in the ring, Candice hit Reina with a huracanrana followed by her signature chop flurry. After a dropkick, LeRae put Gonzalez away with a lionsault.
Candice Lerae defeated Reina Gonzalez via pinfall in 3:14.
After the match, Shayna Baszler, Marina Shafir, and Jessamyn Duke ran to the ring and triple teamed LeRae. Io Shirai came out cosplaying as Becky Lynch with a leather jacket and kendo stick. I joke about it, but it worked. Io Shirai went madwoman on the heels and whacked them out of the ring with her kendo stick. Shirai also broke the kendo stick by bashing it against the ring ropes in anger. Shirai calmed down and helped LeRae to her feet.
John’s Thoughts: A solid match. Io Shirai did her best “The Man” impersonation, and I think she looked great doing so. Shirai looked really badass here. This reminds me of some of the stuff I saw from her in Japan, where she was simply… badass. On the other side, I like that LeRae is picking up wins, but I feel like her wins never go anywhere. She’s really talented and should be in the main event but I feel like she’s been stuck in creative purgatory since removing herself from Johnny Gargano’s storylines.
The commentators announced Mia Yim vs. Bianca Belair as well as Kushida vs. Drew Gulak for next week’s show…
Broooooooooooo…
3. Matt Riddle and Johnny Gargano vs. “The Undisputed Era” Kyle O’Reilly and Bobby Fish. Beth Phoenix noted how Fish and O’Reilly are tag team specialists. Gargano and O’Reilly started off the match. Nigel noted that it was smart to have Gargano start since Riddle has his ribs taped. O’Reilly showed off his sleek BJJ mat wrestling on Gargano. Gargano backtracked for a respectful reset. O’Reilly used a body scissors to drag a Test of Strength to the ground. O’Reilly turned the Test into a Triangle. Gargano countered into a GargaNo Escape which O’Reilly quickly rolled away from. Mauro called it a game of chess.
Fish tagged in and dragged Gargano down into a headlock. Riddle avoided cheap shots from Fish and O’Reilly. Fish managed to take down Riddle from Riddle’s blindside. Gargano caught Fish blind with a PK from the apron. Gargano tagged in Matt Riddle who gave Fish chest palm strikes while Gargano held him in place. Riddle gave Fish shoot kicks in the corner, corner forearms, and an exploder. Fish and Riddle traded some Muay Thai clinches. Riddle countered with the Three Amigo gutwrenches. O’Reilly broke up the suplexes, but landed in a series of Gutwrenches himself. Riddle couldn’t lift O’Reilly, selling lower back and rib injuries.
O’Reilly gave Riddle gut punches and knees in his corner. Quick tags and isolation ensued. O’Reilly used the tape on Riddle’s gut as bulls-eyes for his offense. Fish followed suit. Fish also hit Riddle with a slingshot Swanton. O’Reilly went back into the quick tags and Muay Thai on Riddle. Riddle got to a vertical base and hit rapid fire palms on O’Reilly. O’Reilly managed to fend off a lot of Riddle’s counters until he nailed O’Reilly with a V Trigger. A fresh Gargano cleaned house off the hot tag. Gargano kicked off of O’Reilly for a Tornado DDT on Fish, leading to a two count. O’Reilly and Fish isolated Gargano and hit him with Chasing the Dragon for a good nearfall.
Gargano escaped a UE Total Elimination attempt. Riddle stood on his feetafter a German Suplex. O’Reilly and Riddle took each other out with kicks. Gargano use agility to land tandem offense on Fish. Riddle hit Fish with a corkscrew moonsault on Fish for a nearfall. Gargano and Riddle hit O’Reilly with a nice double team knee Snake Eyes. Riddle hit Fish with a Final Flash knee. O’Reilly broke up the subsequent pin. On cue, Adam Cole walked down the ramp and drew a suicide dive from Gargano. The referee got distracted which allowed Roderick Strong to run in and give Matt Riddle a backbreaker suplex on the apron. This allowed O’Reilly and Fish to hit Riddle with Total Elimination to lead to the pinfall win.
Kyle O’Reilly and Bobby Fish defeated Matt Riddle and Johnny Gargano via pinfall in 13:26.
The Undisputed Era dominated afterward with the numbers advantage. Riddle was cleared from the ring. O’Reilly and Fish held Gargano on his knees so Adam Cole could nail Gargano with a Last Shot Shining Wizard. The Undisputed Era stood tall to close the show…
John’s Thoughts: Good stuff all around here. The tag team match was really fun. I talk about how fun it is to see Matt Riddle go against traditional pro wrestlers due to the style clash; but it’s also cool seeing Riddle mix it up in there with shootfighters like him who can bring a different type of match to WWE television. Gargano also looked good when having martial arts exchanges with O’Reilly. Here’s hoping we see O’Reilly and Fish featured at the top of the NXT Tag Division very soon since they would be the perfect team to revive the decimated division. Maybe bring Moustashe Mountain over too? Just saying? As for the post match interference, I like how the era walks the fine line between predictable and calculated attack. They come off as tactical as opposed to providing an obligatory segment.
This was a really good NXT that you can go out of you way to watch. The three match formula was in play here and the matches were all solid in also making sure to forward storylines. The main event was fire. What also made this episode stand out was the very strong promo segments in the opening promo as well as the Tyler Breeze return. I’ll be by tomorrow with a NXT hit list and member’s exclusive audio review.
Be the first to comment