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April 12th, 2017 On commentary tonight, at Full Sail University, are Tom Phillips, “Showtime” Percy Watson, and Nigel McGuinness Opening Segment Singles Match: Aleister Black vs. Corey Hollis This is Black’s first match at FSU and second in nXt. The bell rings and Black is motionless, surveying his opponent, Hollis, who is bouncing from side to side. A few moments later, Hollis charges and Black connects with the Black Mass (spin kick) to the head. 1-2-3. Winner: Aleister Black via pinfall in 30 seconds Post-match, McGuinness compares Black to a Black Widow spider pouncing on his prey. Black sits in the centre of the ring, cross-legged, meditating. One cool point for the speed and precision of Black’s victory. Not too often that we see such a short match so the build has begun for Black. I expect he’ll rise quickly in the singles rankings but will he get a shot against Roode? Maybe a match on TV… Recap: We see highlights from last week’s Smackdown Live where “The Perfect 10” Tye Dillinger made his SL debut against Curt Hawkins. Backstage, Dillinger is congratulated for his success. He isn’t finished with Sanity though because he will wrestle Eric Young, one more time, next week. This time, the numbers advantage won’t matter because the match is happening inside a steel cage! Coming Up:Oney Lorcan vs. the newest nXt signee, the returning Drew McIntyre and Farewell to Shinsuke Nakamura Up Next: #DIY will be in action Second Segment Tag Team Match: #DIY vs. Dylan Miley & Michael Blais Word to the wise, Miley is a humongous looking 325 pound man but he looks like he’s a part of a mixed tag team, thanks to Blais’ hair. Ciampa and Miley begin. Miley impresses Ciampa with his strength while they shake hands to begin the match. Side headlock by Ciampa stops Miley for a moment but Miley lifts Ciampa up off of his feet and tosses him across the ring. Off the ropes, Ciampa clubs Miley to no effect but Miley returns and tackles him. Miley holds up Ciampa for a Gorilla press slam but Ciampa gets loose and tags in Gargano. Miley gets Gargano up in a vertical suplex and just holds him there for 20 seconds before slamming him down to the mat. Wow. Miley tags in Blais. Blais pummels Gargano in the corner. He whips him across to the opposite corner, charges but Gargano lifts his legs almost to a seated position on the top rope. Gargano catches Blais off guard with a kick, then leaps behind him for a jumping neckbreaker! Running chop to the chest of Blais and Gargano tags in Ciampa. They connect with double leaping knees to the head in their own corner. Ciampa knees Miley in the head just as he begins to enter, sending him crashing to the outside. Blais is on his knees in the centre of the ring and it’s time for double knees! Gargano pins Blais for a 3 count as Miley stares down Ciampa. Winners: #DIY via pinfall in 3 minutes Post-match, Miley is upset and he takes out his anger on his tag partner. He clubs Blais alongside the head a few times. Miley picks Blais up by the neck from a laying down position and chokeslams him. He delivers a nasty powerslam too before exiting the ring. One cool point for #DIY who overcame their championship loss by defeating a giant man and his little friend. Not a tough match but Miley is a force and could pose a threat in future weeks. Recap: Highlights from the nXt Women’s Championship match at Takeover: Orlando are shown. Ember Moon is seen retracing her steps from backstage to the ramp, remembering the loss to Asuka. She said it was supposed to be her moment but it wasn’t. It was her destiny Coming Up: Ruby Riot will be in action. Third Segment Singles Match: Ruby Riot vs. Kimberly Frankele Pre-match, we get the picture in picture treatment for Riot’s promo. The ladies lock up. They take turns flipping one another to the mat. Frankele grabs Riot by the head and rams it into the turnbuckle. Frankele charges. Boot to the face and a hurricanrana from Riot. Suddenly, the barricade is being slammed up and down, and it’s Nikki Cross from SAnitY, sauntering into the ringside area. Frankele drives Riot’s head into the turnbuckle pad. Riot fights her way out from the corner with chops to the chest. Multiple takedowns and a dropkick have Riot fired up . Tilt-a-whirl backbreaker by Frankele on Riot for a 2 count. She can’t sustain the offensive attack though and Riot perseveres. Side kick to Frankele. Riot takes her by the hand to the centre of the ring, and connects with a windup Pele kick to the face. This one’s over. 1-2-3. Winner: Ruby Riot via pinfall in 2 minutes Post-match, Cross smiles as she looks on at Riot talking trash to her. Cross grins all the way up the ramp, laughing at what she has witnessed. One cool point for Riot’s first singles win on nXt TV. She’s clearly a talented woman but we’ve only seen glimpses so far. Perhaps a match against Cross, in the coming weeks, will allow for more support to build for her. Up Next: Oney Lorcan vs. Drew McIntyre Fourth Segment Earlier today, at the WWE Performance Center, Billie Kay is walking through the training room, saying everything’s awful. Sounds like Peyton Royce is behind the camera. She catches Aliyah and Liv Morgan talking to a trainer. Kay enters the room and calls them nXt’s resident losers. Morgan charges towards the camera and pushes Kay into an ice bath. Royce keeps the camera on as Kay struggles to get herself out. She needs the help of a trainer to do so. She’s quite upset, obviously. Singles Match: Oney Lorcan vs. Drew McIntyre Warm reception for the return of McIntyre to a WWE ring and he gets a “welcome back” chant, too. Size advantage for McIntyre is obvious as the two wrestlers lock up. Lorcan runs the ropes and receives a quick belly to belly suplex slam from McIntyre. The referee begins a 10 count because Lorcan takes his time returning to the ring. When he does, he’s ready! Running European uppercut stumbles McIntyre towards the ropes. A second one sends him outside and Lorcan keeps the momentum going, diving over the ropes with a front flip splash! Lorcan mounts the turnbuckle and tries for another splash but McIntyre catches him, cross-body, and slams his spine into the ring apron! We go to commercial break. On the return, McIntyre’s slapping the chest of Lorcan before launching him via overhead belly to back suplex. 1-2- kickout by Lorcan. More chops to the chest. Irish whip to the opposite corner. Lorcan catches McIntyre with a kick to the side of the face. Rolling blockbuster! 1-2- kickout by McIntyre! High impact there. Lorcan ascends to the top rope but McIntyre throws his head into Lorcan’s to slow him down! Ouch. McIntyre’s up on the top but he can’t get the superplex and falls into the tree of woe. Lorcan prepares for something but McIntyre suddenly lifts himself up and throws Lorcan to the mat over his shoulders. Lorcan must be feeling embarrassed by that because he absolutely lets loose with hard chops and slaps to McIntyre’s upper body and face. Off the ropes, Lorcan wraps his arms around the top and lifts himself up…right into McIntyre’s grasp. Lorcan hangs upside down on McIntyre’s back until he is slammed to the mat, face first. McIntyre gets the stomp going in the corner and the crowd starts clapping along. He charges Lorcan and connects with a front dropkick to the face of Lorcan. Lorcan’s done. Winner: Drew McIntyre via pinfall in 7 minutes Post-match, McIntyre’s interviewed on the ramp. He says this is exactly where he needs to be. He’s built up a reputation where he could have signed anywhere but nXt is where he wants to be the most. One cool point for Oney Lorcan who continues to impress me with his strong wrestling style. He didn’t back down from McIntyre at any point in this match and kept up the barrage of chops, punches and kicks to the end. Unfortunately, McIntyre’s just a little better and gets the win in his nXt debut. Perhaps someone can get the stat on debuting wrestlers in nXt winning…must be about 95%. Up Next: Farewell to Shinsuke Nakamura Final Segment Nakamura’s music hits and the fans sing along as Nakamura, wearing all black, instead of red, walks to the ring. They chant his name as he picks up the mic. He talks about coming to nXt 1 year ago, with experience, as a champion. He wanted to compete against the best in the world. He has learned a lot from his time here, from the wrestlers, the coaches and the fans. nXt is its own brand. It has its own energy and life. The nXt universe is CRAZY! Nakamura loves the innovation and the passion here; it is truly their style. He says he will always be nXt. Nakamura plays to the crowd as the fans chant his theme song. The nXt roster walks out to the stage and they, too, salute Nakamura by clapping and singing the melody of his song. He is visibly moved by the tribute and says thank you, bowing to all sides of the audience. He walks up the ramp and is surprisingly joined by his friend, Finn Balor, as he is flanked by the nXt roster… and that’s how the show ends. Two cool points for the classy departure by one Shinsuke Nakamura. That was such a feel-good ending to the show and a well deserved one for a man who has left such a notable legacy in a short period of time. Great promo, too. He’s going to do so well on Smackdown Live. There are some big spots to fill on nXt. I’m excited to see who steps up in the coming months. Looking forward to your thoughts and cool point suggestions for tonight’s show. Peace!
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