‘WWE NXT’ Results & Review (05.12.13)

Welcome, one and all, to this week’s results and review write up on NXT.

This week we start things off with the NXT Women’s Champion, Paige, defending her title against the veteran main roster talent of Natalya. The fans seem pumped up for this match, and I am too, these two women are two of the most talented female wrestlers on the WWE roster today. The match itself is one that allows both women to show their abilities and the technical side of their repertoire. Paige and Nattie mix it up with chain wrestling and holds, with some nice pin attempts and counters which are always a sight for sore eyes for any wrestling fan in today’s product. Even though both women are baby-face workers, they use the competitive nature of their wrestling backgrounds as a way to use aggressive submission holds and moves against each other without one of them being required to play the “heel” for the night, which is good to see. It’s a good match and, given more time, a feud, a storyline and a main roster stage, this could be something special in the future. Nattie hooked on the sharpshooter late in the match and Paige sold it like a trooper before countering it and knocking Nattie into the corner turnbuckles. The match ends when Paige hit the “Paige Turner” out of nowhere on Natalya for the three-count and the victory, retaining her NXT Women’s Title and selling the effects of the match after the bell rings, another good thing to see in an age where “selling” is becoming harder and harder to find. The two hug as we go to a commercial break.

We see Antonio Cesaro talking about William Regal and then talking with Leo Kruger, who thanks Cesaro for their match recently. Kruger then says that he wants to become a “real American”

We head back to the ring for the Aiden English segment of the night. English makes his way to the ring, singing his stage-musical style lyrics in new attire. The fans chant “Aiden English” throughout this match, which is merely a squash exhibition match to show off English and allow him to sing on the show. His opponent isn’t given a graphic or an entrance, so it’s fairly obvious who will win, and he does. English wins with his finisher within a couple of minutes before singing an encore for his “adoring public”.

Antonio Cesaro comes out and apologises to Byron Saxton on commentary for losing his temper last week, he asks Byron to come to the stage so he can apologise to his face. Saxton makes his way to the stage as requested by Antonio, Cesaro proceeds to apologise to Saxton in five different languages which earns him applause from the NXT fans. Cesaro then asks Saxton to do the “we the people” salute along with him. Saxton looks upset about doing this and Cesaro gets upset and begins to attack Saxton, pulling his shirt off and gouging at his face before slapping him and knocking him to the ground. The fans chant “yes”, which I don’t think WWE writers wanted to happen. Cesaro is just too good.

Sami Zayn talks in a backstage interview about losing to Adrian Neville in the number one contenders match last week, and is attacked by Leo Kruger.

Tyson Kidd, freshly back in WWE after a lengthy knee injury, makes his way to the ring for action. Alex Riley compared Kidd to Eddie Guerrero on commentary. Leo Kruger is out for the match, a one on one contest between two very talented veterans. Kidd gets the upper hand in the opening moments before the two exchange momentum with a variety of spots and holds including suplexes, throws and submission holds. Kruger works on the knee, that had kept Kidd out of action for months, for some of the match and the announcers acknowledge it, telling a story about the sadistic heel and the fighting baby-face who pushed through injury to return to live his dream, it works well for the short time that it lasts, with Kidd winning after Sami Zayn causes Kruger to be distracted.

The main event of tonight’s show is the anticipated NXT Championship match between the champion, Bo Dallas and the challenger, Adrian Neville. The Newcastle born high flyer gained his chance at the title after winning a match against Sami Zayn on last week’s NXT show. Neville, who hasn’t even begun to show WWE fans what he is capable of in the ring, looks very good here, and it’s nice to see him back in singles action, rather than tag matches like he’s been lumbered with this year. Dallas is a hoot in this role of socially inept heel, and he has improved in the ring as well. Neville sells well, by the way, much like Seth Rollins does, and I hope to see this continue as he eventually makes it to the main roster. There are a few talents, such as Daniel Bryan, Rollins, Ziggler and Neville, who still seem to see the importance in the art of selling the effects of the matches they are involved in. Neville’s kicks and high flying, fast offence is on point and makes me want to see more of what he can do with the talented possible opponents that lurk in developmental and the main roster. This great little match ends when Bo Dallas gets counted out, allowing Neville to gain the victory but, due to the rules of the game, Dallas retained the NXT Championship. I hope this leads to an eventual three-way between Neville, Zayn and Dallas in the future. Fans chant “bullshit” at the result as we go off the air.

Show MVP: Adrian Neville/Paige/Nattie

Best Match: (tie) Women’s Match/Main Event

Worst Match: Aiden English Squash Match

Honourable Mentions: Tyson Kidd