‘WWE NXT’ Results and Review (03.10.13)
Welcome back to the NXT reviews, this week’s show starts with a promo video hyping Fandango appearing at tonight’s NXT taping. Faaaaaan-daaaaaan-goooooo.
We head to ringside as the ring announcer introduces Summer Rae and Fandango for a mixed tag team match. Johnny Curtis is back in NXT, a fact I’m sure he isn’t exactly giddy about. Emma makes her way out, in new ring attire, with her chosen partner for the night, Santino Marella. Oh dear. The fans, for some reason I can’t put my finger on anymore, pop loud for Santino. Santino speed walks and Emma does it too. The fans, before anything has really happened, chant “this is awesome”. Proof that there’s still some steam in the Santino train yet. Santino poses for the crowd and Fandango retorts with a dance move of two. The match from then on is merely a comedy match that the crowd are into. Emma and Santino dance, the announcers talk in length about Santino’s “cobra” (that isn’t as vulgar as it sounds) and Summer Rae and Fandango heel it up. Emma’s exchanges with Summer are fun, and Emma shows off why she is one of the best and most-over “divas” in WWE today with her signature moves and character detail. Santino drills Fandango with his snake for the victory. The fans liked the match and it allowed Emma to show more of the comedy she is so adept at.
Renee Young is on commentary for the night with Alex Riley and Tony Dawson. I must say, Renee Young is really good behind the desk and adds a fresh feel to the product. I hope she continues to improve and we finally see a female announcer on RAW someday.
Next, after a hype video for The Ascension, we head to the ring to see Kassius Ohno making his way down the aisle. Ohno looks to be in good shape. Luke Harper comes out as Ohno’s opponent for the night. Its good to see the former Chris Hero back on NXT television, he’s a veteran who is more than capable of having top notch matches with most of the guys in the development system. It’s a back and forth match, Harper uses his brawly style and rugged holds and moves on Ohno, while Ohno fights back with his more technical skills and mat wrestling. The fans chant “Ohno”. Harper nails Ohno with a spinning lariat clothesline for the pin. A shame that Ohno didn’t get to show more in this match, but hopefully he will be able to progress now that the Wyatt Family feud seems to be done with.
Enzo Amore and Colin Cassidy are backstage and Enzo talks about how they should be the number one contenders for the NXT tag team titles. These two are funny, I like their chemistry a lot.
The Ascension are out next. Their entrance is the most exciting part of their act as far as I’m concerned. I don’t think they are deserving of the push they are getting here, but it’s obvious why it’s happening. They’re big guys with muscular frames. Adrian Neville and Corey Graves, the tag champs, make their way out to defend their tag team titles to a decent reaction from the fans. I see so many little glimpses of greats from the past when Neville is in the ring, guys like Dynamite Kid, Chris Benoit, Rey Mysterio and even Daniel Bryan. He’s so exciting when he is allowed to show his abilities, which he hasn’t really been given a full opportunity to, yet. The match begins with Victor and Neville throwing some decent exchanges at each other. O’Brian tags in and flattens Neville with shoulder barges and some punches. He’s slow and not too interesting in the ring. Neville tags Graves who hits a spinning kick before being dropped with a flapjack by O’Brian. Each team gets a chance to take charge. Victor has proven to be the better of The Ascension, and his interactions with the champions are fairly entertaining. It is slow and a little boring at times, but once Neville gets back in there, the crowd get more into things and the match becomes a more exciting monster. Neville hits a fantastic corkscrew dive onto The Ascension at one point, followed by a springboard dropkick. Great stuff. Neville misses the corkscrew shooting star press, Graves tags in but eats a kick from Victor. O’Brian tags in and Graves gets laid out by their double team finisher. The Ascension pin Graves and win the NXT Tag Team Titles. New champions. Not many people seem to care too much.
The NXT Champion and ever-popular NXT star, Bo Dallas, is out next and he introduces us to the “Bo Dallas Invitational”. He is going to give an up and coming superstar a chance tonight, and if they pin him then they will get a chance to challenge for the NXT Title in a couple of weeks. His opponent for tonight is revealed to be an unknown dude in blue trunks. The fans chant “let’s go this guy”. Funny. The announcers don’t even acknowledge who this guy is, but the fans chant “this guy” and he is more over than most people have been tonight. So weird. Bo gets booed out of the building during the match, a short match that is won by the champion. Dallas smiles and celebrates his victory. He invites more people to challenge him and Leo Kruger comes out, followed by Antonio Cesaro, who easily gets the reaction of the night at that point. Cesaro and Kruger argue over who will fight Bo as fans chant “triple threat”. We also get a “we the people” chant. Cesaro and Kruger begin to brawl and Bo Dallas knocks Cesaro out of the ring when his back is turns. A masked man comes out and the match begins. He nails Bo with a big boot and quickly pins Bo. He then pulls off his mask and reveals himself to be Sami Zayn. Zayn gets a great pop.
A decent show then, but not as good as it has been and there were some slow parts.
Show MVP: Adrian Neville
Show Dud: None
Best Match: Tag Team Title Match
Best Crowd Chant: “Let’s go, this guy” (towards unnamed wrestler)
