I like to think that the "NXT!" chants start about an hour before the camera starts rolling, and every single fan just monotonously shouts it without any breaks until the music of the first guy in the first match hits. Just a thought. It's a shame that in the "bigger picture" (or perhaps the narrower picture, given your taste) the fans that pack out NXT Arena are simply known as a big bunch of smart marks. That's not the case. Well, it is kinda, but that's not the point. They're actually passionate about the product they see, and that's because the product they see is the best on the fucking planet. All respect to ICW and that, they're heading in that direction, but the pool of talent in NXT is the absolute cream of the crop. Every week they deliver and make people want to tune in the following show. Each and every fan that goes to Full Sail University to see NXT are emotionally invested in the wrestling matches they're paying to witness, and that's quite lovely, considering you can hear a pin drop for 80% of the main shows. This didn't fill the weekly one hour time allotment, had only 5 matches and was still better than RAW on Monday, which is pretty tragic. I live in hope that Vince will one day watch NXT properly and come to the realization that "maybe it IS me that's out of touch." Pigs will fly when that day comes, so for now let's review some cracking wrestling. Yes, let's.
Hideo Itami vs Bull Dempsey
When the crowd finally decided they had exhausted the use of the letter's "N", "X" and "T" to shout, it was time to switch gears to the admittedly catchy "HI-DE-O!" and they repeated until further notice. Itami is a guy who likes a good scrap, and he got one here in the shape of BULL. Dempsey. The big man takes the match by the scruff of the neck, when Itami ducked a couple of clotheslines, and Bull caught him flush with a solid elbow on the third run of the ropes. He tried to assert his dominance but Hideo is a scrappy bugger, throwing some kicks before running the ropes again. Splat. Dempsey runs over him like a... bull... dozer. I'm so sorry. He could enjoy getting in some offence for
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They're making Itami look strong, as his feud with Tyler Breeze continues. Itami celebrates on the ramp, but from the side of the picture he gets superkicked off Breeze, who tries to take a selfie with the down Itami. As he gets the focus though, he notices Hideo had stood back up, and got booted a couple of times before scattering and narrowly avoiding a slaughter. The match was good, I still think Bull Dempsey is a bit underused but he controlled a lot of this match and with his rivalry with Baron Corbin seemingly over, he may now move on to better things (Rhyno pls pls pls).
The Lucha Dragons vs Dillinger & Jordan
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There was only really a single motive behind this match, and it wasn't to make either team look necessarily strong. The Lucha Dragons won, with Kalisto's Salida Del Sol followed by a senton from Sin Cara being enough to seal the victory, but it was the circumstances behind how Tye Dillinger was pinned that made the match. Jason Jordan dominated most of the early going, before Dillinger was tagged in. He immediately put his team on the back foot, and when he got enough space betweem himself and The Lucha Dragons, he simply shrugged off the chance of tagging Jordan back in and saying he could handle it. That happened one too many times for Jordan's liking, and when Dillinger eventually decided he fancied tagging his partner in, Jordan jumped off the apron and left him high 'n'
dry. That ended Dillinger's hopes, and his tag team.
They're obviously building a match between the now former partners, but not really elaborating who the "heel" is in the situation. Jordan was the one that walked out, but Dillinger got on the mic afterwards and told everyone that he wasn't leaving until Jordan came back out and explained himself. He didn't care who's match was next and that he'd, quote on quote, "whoop them". Aye.
Baron Corbin vs Tye Dillinger
End of Days.
End of match.
I understand that having Corbin squash everyone is good fun, but not every week please. He proved he could do a lengthy match by having easily his best to date against Adrian Neville a few weeks ago, and it wasn't even necessarily because it was Neville he was facing. His rivalry with Bull Dempsey, no matter how one-sided it may have been, could have made for some excllent matches, yet they chose to have them end in as little time as could have been gotten away with. The guy can go, give him some matches to actually prove himself or he will just get lost in the shuffle. It hurts to say that, because I like Corbin, but this madness must end.
Bayley vs Becky Lynch
I'm very sorry, but if it takes a hashtag to make the higher-ups in WWE actually want to give the women wrestlers in the company more screen time and longer matches, I don't want to know about it. They do deserve a chance, and to give them that chance, they're seemingly building for someone who hasn't been in a WWE ring in months to face a non-wrestler at Wrestlemania. Sound. Don't get me wrong, if it happens, AJ vs Steph will be wonderful, but it's just hypocrisy at it's finest. "We'll give the Divas more of the spotlight... by giving them LESS of the spotlight!"
Know where that's a non-issue? NXT. The fatal 4 way at Takeover: Rival was one of my favorite ever matches, and this match here proved that even short women's matches can actually tell a story and be fucking GOOD. We kick off with a Becky Lynch armbar, which Bayley reverses with a snapmare into a pin, but Becky slid up to her feet matrix style to escape the predicament. They trade some hard shoulder blocks, and Bayley gives us some springboard armdrag action before being caught in a pumphandle suplex, which only brings Lynch a one count. A flurry of legdrops follow from Becky, but this time gets a two. Outside the ring, Bayley gets some momentum back with a baseball slide across the mat to Lynch at the other side, and continues her aggression inside the ring.
A few hammer strikes are followed by Bayley going apeshit with some head punches, and she looked to be in control. Shoulder to the midsection in the corner, she back rolls and hits the trio of back elbows for good measure, before sitting Becky on the top rope. Up she goes looking for a Bayley-canrana, but Lynch knocks her off, hanging her shoulder up on the top rope. Lynch smells blood and goes after the injured shoulder, locking in a regular armbar, then hyper-extending the arm using her legs to force the submission from Bayley.Excellent match. In a world where women wrestlers in the biggest wrestling company in the world are having to use social media to get somewhere, the women in NXT are taking what's in front of them and knocking it out the park every single time. It's a shame Bayls keeps getting injured though, first her knee now her shoulder. I just can't wait until she goes chasing Sasha Banks and the Women's title and we get the most riveting women's matches ever, not that we haven't had some already. Becky Lynch will also be champ this year. I can't choose who first. So many great folk I want to hold the belt, so little time. But yes, if it wasn't for the main event being what it was, I would have went to my bed happy with this closing the show. Speaking of the main event...
FINN BALOR VS THE BRIAN KENDRICK
The capitals still don't do it justice though, do they? Spanky was BACK in WWE. He was HERE in NXT. Most importantly, there was a guy in the crowd who absolutely MADE the entire show by dancing to Spanky's music. Seriously man, I wish I could find a gif of that guy. As entertaining as the guy was, there was some serious business to attend to, because it was FINN BALOR VS THE BRIAN KENDRICK. It still doesn't do it justice. We're not worthy.
Collar and elbow tie-up to kick us off, with both Spanky and Balor getting in some lovely arm wrenches and side headlock takedowns, jockeying for an early advantage. Balor is the one who draws first blood with a lovely snap dropkick to the seated Kendrick. Kevin Owens is on commentary, and
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After the break, Balor has taken control with a brace of clotheslines followed by numerous chops in the corners, but can only score a near fall. He sends Kendrick into the corner, but finds himself getting tornado DDT'd for his troubles. Two count for Kendrick! He gets some momentum and goes to the top rope, connecting with a flying dropkick. Wasting no motions, Kendrick immediately gets Balor in position and hits a beautiful tiger suplex for another near fall. Frustrated, he goes for the Sliced Bread, but Balor manages to stand his ground, and hits a lovely clothesline. Swingblade follows, as Balor rolls to the corner and stalks Spanky, running at him with that devastating dropkick, sending Kendrick head first into the turnbuckles. Game over. The exclamation point as Balor puts Kendrick away with the Coop De Grace.
Wrestling at it's finest here, these two worked so well together and here's hoping they get a chance to do it again. I hope Spanky sticks around, he's easily one of the most entertaining guys in the business and doesn't put a step wrong in the ring. I've exhausted the dictionary of superlatives for Finn Balor. He's the best wrestler in the world, bar none. Kevin Owens returns and stares down Balor, before making for Alex Riley and launching him over the announce table as the show closes. It'll be Owens vs Balor somewhere down the line and it'll be lovely. Also, this means that A-Ry may be back in action, and I like that. Poor guy never got a chance, despite being over like rover for ages after he turned on Miz.
In Conclusion
Another great episode of NXT. They don't do disappointment. Ever. The opener a solid, hard-hitting contest, a nice build to an ex-tag partners feud, and two excellent matches to see out the second half of the show. It was a pleasure as always. NXT for this week gets a solid 7/10.
Credit for all photos used above: WWE.com