‘WWE: NXT’ Results & Review (10.10.13)
Welcome, one and all, to this weeks review and results for the latest episode of WWE NXT.
The show begins with Leo Kruger making his way down the aisle to his guitar heavy theme music, Kruger gets a babyface like reaction though I’m not sure whether he is a heel or a face at the moment, they seem to be trying both so often that it can be hard to keep track. His opponent, and one of the best wrestlers in WWE today, is Antonio Cesaro, clad in a “We the People” flag. The match begins with Cesaro nailing Leo with a flying dropkick. We have duelling chants of “we the people” and “let’s go Kruger”. Both men are over because of their skills in the ring and the fact that they have reputations that precede their WWE careers. Kruger and Cesaro trade holds and moves and their on-point ring work shows both men as under-utilised talents who should be being promoted much more than they are, especially Cesaro. Cesaro nails Kruger with a big uppercut for a near fall and a big spine buster slam for a two count. Kruger fights back with a super-plex on Antonio. It’s a longer match than we usually get in the opening of NXT, and it’s a good one. Kruger eats a flapjack into another uppercut but kicks out at two again. Cesaro clutches Kruger in a sleeper and body scissors and then hits him with “The Neutralizer” for the three-count and the victory. Top notch match by two veterans of the squared circle. Cesaro hits a top rope knee-drop on Kruger after the bell. This guy needs to be pushed into the main event of the main roster immediately.
Charlotte comes to the ring, with Bayley in her corner, to face Santana Garrett, who doesn’t even get a graphic telling us who she is. Charlotte is still very green in the ring and needs to work more on her character and her charisma, especially considering who she’s the daughter of. WOOO! Charlotte is gifted athletically though. Garrett hits a leg sweep and some rest holds before Sasha Banks and Summer Rae come down to ringside, heeling it up beside the ring. Garrett locks Charlotte in a submission arm lock which Charlotte rolls out of and hits some weak chops of Santana. Charlotte hits some sort of face drop, but the match is messy. Charlotte wins after a messed up finish, and celebrates with Bayley in the ring. This wouldn’t have been as bad had there been a more experiences “diva” in the ring with one of these two young ladies. Sasha and Summer cut a silly “mean girls” promo after the match that seems to be a lot like the whole “Lay-cool” thing from a few years back. Paige runs in and beats Summer and Sasha up, then they beat her up, and then Emma runs in. Emma appears to be have over-taken Paige in the popularity stakes at the moment. This wasn’t a very good segment, sadly.
Mojo Rawley, who has been getting a lot of wrestling coverage lately, makes his way out next for his debut. Danny Burch is his opponent. Mojo is a former NFL football player but doesn’t really look like a “superstar” to me. Still, he does get a “Mojo” chant, so maybe there’s something there. Burch is doing the whole “British football hooligan” thing, though he doesn’t seem aggressive enough to make it work in my view. Burch carries most of the match before Mojo does some football tackles and some corner splashes, followed by some sort of “Earthquake” style butt-splash for the win. Boring match that didn’t show me any reason to think that Mojo Rawley has “it”. Time will tell.
Scott Dawson and Rusev are out next, with their manager, Sylvester LaFort. Rusev is carrying his signature wooden plank, this week it says “Enzo” on it. Enzo and Colin Cassady are out next and they cut their usual comical promo, sing the theme song to “Cheers” and call Rusev and Dawson “SAWFT”. They’re probably the most over guys in NXT, other than Sami Zayn, right now. “Big Cass” and Rusev start of the match with power displays by both. Enzo tags in and gets beaten down by the powerful Rusev. Dawson gets in and the two men wrestle a little. Dawson reminds me a lot of Jamie Noble in the ring and as a character, and that’s not a bad thing. Rusev gets “The Accolade” clutch on Enzo for the submission victory for his team. Rusev and Dawson attack Cassady after the match, leaving “Big Cass” and “Little Enzo” lying.
Renee Young talks with Sami Zayn backstage. Sami talks about being number one contender to the NXT Championship. Bo Dallas approaches Sami and says that Zayn “hurt his feelings” last week. Sami says it isn’t personal and that he “wants” the NXT Championship. Bo pleads with Sami, saying they should team together and be “friends”. Sami Zayn says he’ll team with Bo, but not until after he beats Dallas for his NXT Championship, next week. Bo looks upset.
Aiden English is up next, singing his way to the ring under a spotlight. It’s like someone threw Lanny Poffo and a cast-off from a second-rate Lloyd-Webber show into a blender and out popped this goofball. Still, the NXT fans seem to like the character and English does give it his “all”. Rob Van Dam is out to a decent pop from the NXT fans next, as Aiden’s opponent. Ricardo accompanies RVD to ringside. Aiden English seems to be channelling Damien Sandow with his complaints during the match when RVD is getting the upper-hand. RVD lands most of his signature moves on English, and English sells each one like he’s being shot with a missile. There are “ECW” chants during the match. English gains control and wears Van Dam down with a chin-lock. RVD hits a side-kick on English followed by “rolling thunder”. Van Dam hits the frog splash for the easy victory. English didn’t really do anything of note here but hey, he was in the show’s main event. RVD celebrates with Ricardo as the show goes off the air.
This week’s show was okay. The opening match with Cesaro and Kruger was a very good wrestling match between two excellent workers, the women’s match was very poor and the rest of the show was just “okay”. Not bad, but not the best either.
Show MVP: Antonio Cesaro
Show Dud: Women’s Match
Best Match: Cesaro vs. Kruger
