The NXT Thread

[Craig H]

I hate to ask because it's probably been asked a bunch, but what's a good starting point for watching NXT?

[Greggulator]

I hate to ask because it's probably been asked a bunch, but what's a good starting point for watching NXT?

 

The start of the year. There are so many great things -- Big E. versus Rollins, Regal vs. Ohno, all of The Wyatt stuff, the divas tournament, Sami vs. Cesaro, etc.

[Craig H]

Ok cool. That's pretty much where I started, with the Rollins vs Big E title match.

[The Z]

You can start whenever. They have storylines, but it's not hard to get into at all.

Or you could just start with the last episode of 2013, which was basically a year recap episode and had the Cesaro vs. Regal match everyone is talking about.

[Peck]

I started maybe end of October-early November and like Z says, it's very easy to pick up.

[caley]

You can start whenever. They have storylines, but it's not hard to get into at all.

Or you could just start with the last episode of 2013, which was basically a year recap episode and had the Cesaro vs. Regal match everyone is talking about.

Yeah, I agree.  You can just jump in any old week and get into it.  That's what I did, still haven't gone back and watched much stuff (Save Big E.-Rollins) from before last June when I got heavily into this show.

[Greggulator]

BAILEY VS. SUMMER RAE -- Summer Rae comes down to the ring w/ fellow BFF and NXT Boss Sasha Banks. Bailey comes with Nattie to even the odds and playing off of Nattie's recent role in NXT. Hey, guess what? This match is really fun! Summer has started incorporating dance moves into her moveset and it's great. She does this great apron choke using her leg while stretching. She also does this really great, arrogant thing where she rams her butt into Bailey's face while Bailey's in the ropes. Bailey shows a lot of spitfire and gets back into things. She hits a dope spinning elbow off the middle rope and started it by giving a little recognition to Nattie, as if Nattie gave her the move. (Did she? I can't remember Nattie using it. Unless it's a Bret move I'm forgetting?) Bailey gets the win with the HUG PLEX belly-to-belly. So good and silly!

XAVIER WOODS is in the back with that lady who stinks at interviews! This is pretty funny. Xavier talks about being on NXT 300 until he's reminded we're now on episode 303. He's got great timing to that reaction. He leaves by referencing his T-shirt that I don't know what it is but it's funny.

BIG KASS VS. AIDEN ENGLISH -- This is set up from the sing-off from last week. Aiden has some really great subtleties in the entrance. He says "SPOTLIGHT NOW!" as opposed to "SPOTLIGHT PLEASE!" He just seems a little more dickish and getting over that he's the bad guy in this match. These guys are still pretty green and it shows. But they definitely made this fun. Aiden has on some arm clutch thing and really twists and turns with it while screaming "THIS IS MY SPOTLIGHT!" Kass plays to the crowd with his SAWFT! thing. Alex Riley says Kass' two heroes growing up were Frank Sinatra and Patrick Ewing (!) and that he even sweats like Ewing(!)!!! Kass largely has the advantage in this but Aiden hits a cheapshot kick to his knee to neutralize Kass's size advantage and then hits the Director's Cut for the win. This was fun and told a story although I think combined both guys had like three actual moves.

BACKSTAGE w/ that lady who stinks and Adrian Neville, who is wearing a pretty nice looking Fred Perry sweater in West Ham colors. His phone rings right before it starts. He says hello. Then we here "wrong number" on both his phone AND live. The camera pans a bit and there is TYLER BREEZE, whom you may recall cost Neville his shot at the NXT Title a few weeks back. Breeze is terrific in this. His reactions are priceless. His dialogue is legitimately funny and not wrestling funny. This guy is great. Anyways, Neville doesn't beat him up because he likes "the waiting game" which, according to Breeze, is the worst game. They set up a match for next week. "The Man That Gravity Forgot? More like The Man Mother Nature Forgot To Make Good Looking." This is awesome. Kudos to Neville, too, for being a good straight man and letting Breeze's ridiculousness carry the scene. A+.

XAVIER WOODS comes out to a warm hero's welcome. I'm not a big fan of Xavier but he is oozing charisma and confidence in this. Korporate Kane comes out in a suit -- with red tie -- and into the ring. Kane is SO good talking like some corporate toolbag. I've had to listen to a lot of corporate earnings calls for my career over the years. Kane sounds exactly like the senior vice-president who "follows up" on what the CEO is saying with some kiss-ass bs. Anyways, Kane reminds us that Xavier Woods played a large role in the petition that helped get The Big Show back in the WWE after he was terminated. And The Authority hasn't forgotten that but have been biding their time for revenge. Well, that may be coming now as his opponent comes out... ALEXANDER RUSEV! That was SO awesome, tying in I completely forgot about back into this episode of NXT. So maybe this wasn't "long-term planned" for this exact moment. But they planted the seed of Xavier Woods having something with The Authority a few months ago and figured out a way to tie that together. Good stuff.

Rusev comes out with Lana who is so ridiculously attractive. She's more attractive than any diva ever. She's a Russian SMW-era Tammy. Rusev dominates most of this. Xavier gets a nice comeback when he screams "Over 9000" which I assume is some game or cartoon or something. He hits The Honor Roll, his set-up for his finisher. But Rusev reverses and hits a nasty rope splash thing and then wins it with The Accolade. Lana makes him break the hold as Kane smarmily golf claps in the background.

Now we go to Kofi Kingston giving some comments about him losing to Rusev the week before. Nice and simple stuff. Kofi admits he underestimated his opponent. He also said he was distracted by Lana when she was on the apron yelling at him in another language. He took his eye off his opponent and paid the price. And he won't do it again in a rematch. It makes sense -- Kofi lost and his rationale for why he lost is completely rational. He now wants to correct that mistake. Good stuff.

TYSON KIDD comes out and has what's possibly the worst theme music in wrestling history. He's taking on Baron Corbin, some tatted up dude I don't remember seeing. Anyways, Barren has control of this while they fill in his backstory. He was a NFL player who was a dick and got kicked out of a bunch of practices. He definitely gave off that vibe -- good asshole jock stuff with yelling at the ref, facial expressions. His shoulder tackle was also really nice looking. Tyson got his comeback in and ended it with a top rope sommersault neckbreaker thing. A-Ry talks about how Tyson has plans on being known as the best technical wrestler in the WWE. This served its purpose well. Tyson gets some time in. And we get introduced to a new character that might have some legs.

HUNICO/CAMACHO VS. THE ASCENSION -- This is a Texas Tornado match. I didn't think this was going to be anything but, uhm, am I nuts or did this sort of rule? The first part of this match were just these dudes clubbing each other. The announcers did a good job putting over the idea that getting isolation was the key to the match. Both teams fought for that. The end segment got really good when it became time for double team stuff. I loved how the final few minute -- Hunico and Camacho had the champs beat after a senton from Hunico onto Conor, but Camacho forgot to keep his eye on Viktor who broke up the pin. He then tossed Viktor to the floor. Hunico feinted like a splash was coming, then used that for a baseball slide takeout. He then held the top and middle rope open for Camacho to do a dive but Viktor hit Camacho with a rad looking uppercut. Conor then his a full-nelson slam and yelled for VIktor to come in. He slithered in, they hit the Fall of Man, ballgame.

I'm coming around to these guys quickly. They're really becoming a good team. They won the match by outsmarting their foes and always looking out for the other one. Good stuff.

NXT, thank you.

[nofuture]

Alex Riley calling Bayley the "Doctor of Huganomics" maybe be his greatest contribution to the WWE.

[TimLivingston]

[Goodear]

I just got through to the Tyler Breeze thing and it is the best.  BEST.  Tyler needs to lose a slap bet so hard.

[Greggulator]

I just got through to the Tyler Breeze thing and it is the best.  BEST.  Tyler needhttp://deathvalleydriver.com/forum/index.php?/topic/150-the-nxt-thread/page-39s to lose a slap bet so hard.

They've been on fire with promos/segments. There was the Regal classic to set up the Cesaro match. There was the set-up to the sing-off and then the sing-off itself. And then the Breeze segment.

Regal cutting an interview that's amazing makes sense. But the other great things they have require a lot of timing. Did I read they have some improv people or something along those lines teaching promo work? If so, it really shows. They really understand beats and limitations. Adrian Neville just being restrained and normal and not having to get in a diss line was really perfect.  Writing and executing a good straight-man is one of the hardest parts of comedic performance, which wrestling essentially is. Neville was really good in delivering this. That's impressive because any narrative he's been involved with has been so friggin' terrible until last night.

Tyler Breeze is going to be great once he gets some more match time in. His floor is a 3MB-level stooge. That's not a bad floor.

[Bustronaut]

HHH announced at the NXT trappings that the next trappings (2/27) Will air LIVE on the network!

[scraylo187]

I was thinking a full nelson slam for MOJO, but maybe spinning the guy around a few times like Bob Holly's 'bama slam. 

 

Or hell, an airplane spin into a fallaway slam.

 

My main point here is spinning. 

 

And Rusev is never going to get over until they make his hair crazier and give him a Bane mask. 

[Goodear]

I was trying to push for Mojo to break out the Hacksaw Duggan three point stance clothesline.  He can pull off the Nikita Kollof 'no selling the Ric Flair chops in a corner deal' pretty well if his match with... Ty Dillinger I think ... was any indication.

 

More from the latest episode of NXT...

 

Summer Rae is the best Diva on either roster I don't care what you say.  The ballet choke on the ropes is perfect for her and the hip bump right after was just the icing on the cake.  You just get the feeling she cares about everything she is doing in there and this was just the a great example of a heel getting hers after tormenting Bayley for weeks.  Its all so efficient too.  No need for a 20 minutes epic when a 6 minutes match is just as satisfying.  I think they could have played it up as more of an upset though.

 

BELLY-TO-BAYLEY!

 

Aiden English moves like Rick Rude in case you were trying to place it.  I think he's done a good job using this thing with Cass to get a heel reaction after weeks of getting cheers.  Cass is also pretty good at getting simple stuff over but he needs to have something in his SWAFT stuff better than a elbow drop.  The high knee was pretty boss though and his clobber forearm was on point.  His tights are too high I think as they make him look skinny fat.  I think his height works against him because he is so big that you expect him to work big but his character doesn't lend itself to big man stuff.

 

Neville being actually flipping ugly helps his segment with Breeze.  I am totally glad Tyler's eyes didn't melt out of his skull like a Nazi in Indiana Jones.  Tyler is really good in these short segments as evidenced by asking to be cloned so he could be in the tag match gauntlet.

 

Rusev is bothering me.  He's not physically imposing enough unless he is doing a shoulder flex in my opinion.  The reason I got on his train was because he was so explosive with stuff like the spin heel kick which he worked out of the arsenal.  Now he is working more like a big guy, but he isn't big enough to really do that and nothing else.  I don't know that Lana is really adding anything to the act despite her attractiveness.

 

Baron Corban looked okay if unspectacular which is understandable considering his role on the show.  The tie up rib punches in the corner was good as was the already mentioned tackle if only Tyson was a little taller it would have probably looked better.

 

I will now say something positive about Viktor!  He is explosive.  Seriously.  He can go zero to 35 pretty quick which he's shown off with his knee that never beat John Cena and the uppercut from the floor here.  The commentators were right to point out the issues with Camacho and Hunico's strategy at the end of the match and I don't care what kind of arguments you might have about Gorilla Monsoon.  I want analysts to analyze stuff!  I would have liked them to not lay on Hunico for a year after the fall but I guess if you are 'unconscious' its okay. 

[Tim Evans]

Tonight's NXT tapings were basically just to build up the Febuary 27th live show.. Also Sami Zayn and Paige didn't wrestle cause they are injured although Sami will be back on the 27th when Cesaro vs Sami 3 happens. Main event will be Bo Dallas vs Neville in a ladder match for the title.

 

  Neville wrestled three times. His first match was a squash match against some cowboy named Wesley. Not a bad match actually. The second match was a beat the clock challenges vs Bo who was in dressed clothes. Bo said he could be Neville in 4:45 so HHH made the match in one of his many appearances on the show. I guess JBL is no longer the GM on NXT? Third match was a blow off match vs Corey Graves which was awful live. Corey is so boring and would be the worst guy on the roster if CJ Parker wasn't there. Bo Dallas came out after this and then HHH made the ladder match.

 

Speaking of CJ Parker, he finally turned heel and is doing a global warming hippie gimmick blaming the NXT universe for the world's problems. He's so hated in the NXT arena he's on Bo's level. Three CJ Parker matches tonight including one vs The Miz. It was as bad as imagined but it was only 5 minutes.

 

The BFFs and Natalya/Bayley had a series of matches all won by the babyfaces. Charlotte was back with Summer and Sasha as a manager. Bayley beat Sasha and Natalya beat Summer.  Emma beat Alicia Fox but the BFF's ran in and that lead to a 6 diva tag match won by Emma. The BFF's should have at least 1 match as this makes it 2 tapings in a row where they haven't won.

 

Rusev only had 2 matches. He beat both Woods and Sin Cara. The Sin Cara match was awful and Rusev looked really bad in both. He's kinda regressed as he looks lost. The good thing is he's dropped the Joe shorts and has tights now.

 

Sami Zayn came out on crutches after Cesaro beat CJ Parker. He wanted a rematch vs Cesaro but Cesaro said no. A couple tapings later, Zayn came out with no crutches and challenge Cesaro again. This was a great segment where the crowd was going nuts. It even involved a pinky swear. HHH made the match from the 27th. I'm guessing Sami will win and go to the main roster cause that's what it sounded like.

 

The best match of the night wasn't even really a match. Tyler Breeze vs Big Cas. Some Larry Z level stalling in this with selfies and chants. Breeze won after Aiden English attacked Enzo in the locker room distracting Big Cas. Big cas distracted English later in the night in his match vs Tyson Kidd.

 

[Greggulator]

CJ Parker, Evil Greenpeace Petitioner is golden.

[Matt D]

-I really hope they sell hairbands to little girls when Bailey hits the main roster. She also needs a Dr. of Hugganmomics shirt.

-I was wildly disappointed by Aiden English's repeat of his initial song. He's run out of material. It's a tragedy. I do think this was a bit shifted from the initial appearance in the gimmick though. 

-Breeze is great but he's so much better when he has a straight man to react to him. I wish we had more of he and Renee before she got upped to the main roster.

-It was strangely surreal to hear Kofi call the accolade the Camel Clutch. it actually made things feel more organic though.

-Why did I always get so excited for Tornado Tags as a kid? I see it as a sign of lack of maturity.

[odessasteps]

Dave said the live NXT on the network will have a 2/3 falls match between claudio and generico

[Greggulator]

We kick things off with HHH making an announcement of some sort. I haven't heard a thing about it before this.

TYLER BREEZE/ADRIAN NEVILLE -- This is a grudge match. Man, Breeze is SO GOOD at his shtick. He's such a wuss and priss. Neville gets in a cool flying headscissors to start. They go back and forth and it's largely punches and chops. Breeze gets control and sends Neville to the floor with the Jericho second rope dropkick to the apron thing. The post-commercial section was really good. Sweet T describes it best -- both guys had each other scouted really well. Breeze whiffed on one Beauty Shot and then had another reversed into a powerbomb. The end came when Neville was up on the top and Breeze, out of desperation, did whatever he could to keep him from flying. He ended up going for a Frankensteiner from the top. Neville holds on, though, and finally gets the Red Arrow. Man, I really liked this match. Breeze also has this great little touch of getting SUPER mad anytime he gets hit in the face. His taking selfies bit mid-match is great, too.

I really think Breeze is something special. He'd be a really good partner for Fandango right now. I actually look at him as something like a poor man's, right-after-the-Barbershop-Window Shawn Michaels. He can bump pretty well, has good facial expressions and looks the part. He's not quite there as a finished product ready for the big show yet. But he's a lot more than just a comedy heel.

I'm not sure how I feel about Adrian Neville's future. The guy can definitely work and his spots are great. But his facial expressions and fighting spirit stuff are pretty lame. He just looks like a guy who has to think through that part of wrestling too much. Dude needs to watch a lot of Rey Mysterio -- and not young Rey, which he clearly has, but veteran Rey who manages to get over emotion and pathos and fighting spirit so ridiculously well while wearing a mask.

CJ PARKER/JASON JORDAN -- The Moonchild comes out with his dumb dances and no reaction. Jason Jordan just looks like a future star. I know he's been on the show before but damn if I can remember it. Parker does this great "whatever" face at him, and I believe we're now seeing the early heel turn. Jordan gets control early with his amateur stuff. He gets control off of a weird rope counter, then hits Jordan with a BRUTAL kick and then the Third Eye palm strike. He gloats a little afterwards with a peace sign. This character as a doof heel will work really well. It's super aggravating.

MOJO RAWLEY/BO DALLAS -- Interesting match-up. Mojo's only been in really limited squash matches that require him to just showcase his energy and essentially drop his ass on someone. Bo's become fantastic in these epic matches where he does all these great little subtleties to escape with wins. But he's done this against really talented guys -- Big E., Sami, Neville. Against someone who is greener than a metaphor?

Opening stuff is perfect. Mojo's super hyperactive and screaming his football captain stuff. He throws Bo to the mat really rough a few times. Bo gives this great little smirk like "Oh, okay." It looks like Bo is about to get control but eats a shoulderblock off of a whip that sends him 2/3rds across the ring and through the ropes to the floor. And it's GREAT. He friggin' makes Mojo look like the strongest man alive with that bump. And then his smirk turns into a look of pure worry.

Bo gets back in the ring and Mojo meets him in a three-point stance. Bo has no idea what to do. Mojo rolls like they do in football drills and Bo still has no clue, so he goes to the apron for a bit of a stall. Bo gets control out of this with a cheapshot kick. He slows it down a bit... but Mojo gets right back into it with a shoulder block and a couple of Stinger Splashes. Bo again goes to the apron, but now Mojo tosses him over the ropes super strong. Mojo throws Bo into the corner and goes for a third Stinger Splash. Bo dodges and rolls Mojo up with a handful of tights to escape again.

MAN. This was a really good little match. It had a bit of a Flair/Sting from Clash 1 template. OBVIOUSLY IT IS NOWHERE NEAR AS GREAT AS THAT. But it had the overwhelming force-of-nature rookie against the crafty heel down pat. I really was hoping this was going to go on for a bit, with Mojo getting some near falls and Bo constantly getting out of dodge. I don't know if whoever put this match together knew how good both of these guys would be together. I want a rematch in four months after Mojo gets some more footing.

I have no idea how Bo will get over in the big league. But on NXT he has become legitimately great. He figured out a great character and knows how to work the crowd perfectly. He's a joy to watch right now.

RUSEV/KOFI PART 2 -- I am not looking forward to this. Lana comes out in a smoking hot power suit to do her introduction. She's the best. This actually starts off fairly decently. Kofi's definitely more focused than he was in their first match. Sweet T talks about how they had a "coach" session about this. Rusev shows his power at first. Kofi counters with his quickness and does cool little drop down scoot back first. But Rusev gets the upper hand in every exchange. Rusev slows the pace down and controls with stomps and kicks and a neck clutch thing. Kofi sends Rusev to the floor, who takes a really good bump to get there. Kofi follows with a sliding dropkick. Rusev AGAIN gets control, though, with a few blows. He whips Kofi to the steps. Kofi hops over and then up to the steps and apron with a flying punch/clothesline.

We come back with Kofi in control. Kofi goes to the ropes for the 10 punch but Rusev comes out with a powerbomb that I think nearly made Kofi unable to properly hold a fork ever again. Rusev again slows it down -- stomps, kicks, some nasty European uppercuts with Kofi in the ropes. Lana shows this weird sadistic pleasure while Rusev dishes out the pain.

The crowd starts to do the wave. HAHAHAHA

 

More slow-paced clubbing from Rusev. Kofi gets a comeback -- getting a crucifix out of a Samoan Drop attempt -- but Rusev AGAIN gets control. And he hits the just teased Samoan Drop for a good near fall. Rusev goes for a corner charge, Kofi ducks, SOS -- AND RUSEV KICKS OUT! Rusev just kicked out of a move that pinned Randy Orton on Raw. Kofi now hits some kicks off the ropes -- really nasty ones. He then points to the crowd saying "one more!" and goes but Rusev ducks and follows Kofi into the ropes with a charging blow. Rusev gets another near fall and starts to lose his cool. He tries to get on the Accolade, but Kofi gets out. He hits the really dumb Boom Drop (I hate that move) and then sets up for Trouble In Paradise. Lana distracts Kofi -- his downfall last match -- and Rusev charges again. But Kofi ducks and hits the TIP for the win.

Man, I really liked that last match. Kofi bores me to tears and their first match was terrible and lazy. But this told a really good story -- Rusev still nearly beat Kofi even when the veteran came in prepared and knowing he could lose. Rusev came out of this looking really friggin' great.

There's nothing on this show that was Zayn/Cesaro/Regal but it was really good.

[TimLivingston]

The main really dragged for a while because they didn't do a good enough job of making Rusev's offense really look like it was wearing Kofi down. Kofi's comeback was good, and I liked the couple near falls he got, but it wasn't much until the home stretch.

 

Mojo needs some refinement at this point still, but a dude that active and that big has a shot at becoming something big.

 

Breeze got a chance to show off a bit and I liked it. He really does a great job with the gimmick, but I'm not sure how it's going to come off down the road. Annoying gnat with a knockout move is a good start, though.

[Matt D]

That Breeze/Neville dropkick counter was probably the best I've ever seen that spot done by anyone. Breeze's dropkick was amazing. The angle he got on it was nuts. I can't make animated gifs on this thing but here's some hastily put together idea of it.

 

 

I liked the back half of the match a lot, especially the finishing stretch and the battle for the Red Arrow. Breeze definitely has potential and I think Neville's shown a good deal of improvement even in the last year.

[scraylo187]

I'm not sure how I feel about Adrian Neville's future. The guy can definitely work and his spots are great. But his facial expressions and fighting spirit stuff are pretty lame. He just looks like a guy who has to think through that part of wrestling too much. Dude needs to watch a lot of Rey Mysterio -- and not young Rey, which he clearly has, but veteran Rey who manages to get over emotion and pathos and fighting spirit so ridiculously well while wearing a mask.

 

 

I really wish they'd just put Neville in a Union Jack mask and call him The Man Gravity Forgot. Just let the cool mask be the character and he can concentrate on doing flips.

 

Bo's 'what the fuck just happened' face at the end of his Mojo match was pretty glorious.  

 

Kofi is terrible. Future endeavors, please.

[Matt D]

He's british.

 

They should go with The Chap Gravity Midplaced instead. 

 

Michael Cole: "London Bridge is Falling Down onto the chest of Heath Slater!"

 

I think a Neville/Bourne team could work fine. Even a trio with Justin Gabriel. Hell if I know what they'd do with them, mind you.

[scraylo187]

He's british.

 

They should go with The Chap Gravity Midplaced instead. 

 

Michael Cole: "London Bridge is Falling Down onto the chest of Heath Slater!"

 

I think a Neville/Bourne team could work fine. Even a trio with Justin Gabriel. Hell if I know what they'd do with them, mind you.

 

Go current events with Mandela's passing and the movie out. Neville and Justin Gabriel start enforcing backstage apartheid. 

[Patrick B.]

When 3MB were goofing around with different gimmicks, I fantasy-booked Drew breaking off into his own "Union Jacks" band with Neville and some other UK guy(Oliver Grey if/when he's healthy?).