WWE NXT Review (12.09.13)
We’re back again for another NXT review and results type-thing.
This week’s show opens with Enzo Amore and Colin Cassidy making their way to the ring with Amore doing his shtick on the microphone about “Sawft” and stuff. He’s over, and goofy. Sylvester LaFort is out next, introducing his associates Alexander Rusev and Scott Dawson. So, we have a tag team match to kick things off. The fans shout “sawft” at Dawson and Rusev as they make their way to the ring. Rusev has another plank of wood to snap over his knee, this guy must be popular at B&Q Warehouse. The match itself is one of two halves, it’s a way for Amore and Cassidy to show their comedic sides and goof around, and for Dawson and Rusev to destroy their opponents. Rusev is impressive again with his power moves and believable offense. I can see him getting a pretty big push when he gets to the main roster, he’s big and he can go. The match ends in a confusing way that makes me think that the referee or one of the wrestlers messed up. Cassidy and Amore win by disqualification.
We come back from commercial break and we have Bo Dallas, dressed in a snazzy suit, making his way to the ring with his NXT Title around his arrogant waist. Yeah, even this guy’s waist is arrogant. I went there. Dallas does his faux-babyface sucking up to the crowd which gets him great heat from the fans. Bo talks about giving Zayn a match when he’s feeling better, the crowd are all over Dallas with chants and plenty of boos. This character suits Bo. There’s even a “Pocahontas” chant. Funny.
Renee Young is backstage with CJ “The Hippy” Parker, who looks like Carlito in a Blackpool wig. Parker does a hippy-centric promo about spreading love or something. This is merely here to help continue the feud with Tyler Breeze, who attacks CJ and then takes a “selfie” on his cell phone. Yeah.
Now, we go to the ring for a women’s match between the NXT Women’s Champion, Paige, and Sasha Banks. Paige is ready for the main roster now, and I hope she debuts soon for a feud with AJ Lee, that would be very interesting and could result in some of the best women’s matches on WWE television in years. The fans chant “happy birthday” to Paige who tries not to smile. The match is expectedly solid and Paige gets a lively reaction from the fans. There’s a nice looking cradle roll-up from Banks and a Steve Austin style mudhole stomping from the Norwich native, Paige. There are a few too many unnecessary rest-holds in the match which cause it to become a little tedious for a while, but overall it’s a good match between two very good female performers. Paige gets the victory with a quick reverse pin. Sasha turns heel after the match with a vicious little attack on Paige. She leaves Paige lying after a neckbreaker. Interesting stuff.
Summer Rae and Sasha Banks hug backstage before we head back to the ring for a one-on-one match between Leo Kruger and the ultra-charismatic Xavier Woods. Woods has been in developmental for about three years now and has the character, the ring skills and the mic work to be able to make it on the main roster. Promote the dude already. Kruger plays the unhinged heel throughout the match, which is back and forth and allows Woods to show off his ring abilities more than he has previously been allowed in the past. Some good mat wrestling and brawling here and though the match is nothing special it is still entertaining and the crowd seem into it for the most-part. Woods hits his finishing sequence for the pinfall win. Decent, long match and a nice showing from Xavier and Kruger.
Show MVP: Xavier Woods
Show Dud: None
Best Match: Woods/Kruger
Best Crowd Chant: “Pocahontas” (Aimed at Bo Dallas)
