Posted in: nXt
WWE nXt Results- December 23, 2015 (The Return of Sami Zayn!)
By JCool
Dec 24, 2015 - 1:54:56 AM

WWE nXt Results
December 23rd, 2015


On commentary tonight, at Wembley Arena, are Rich Brennan, Byron Saxton, and Corey Graves.

Promo: A video package is shown, reviewing the matches from nXt Takeover: London.

Opening Segment

Fatal Four Way Tag Team Match: The Vaudevillains vs. The Hype Bros.vs. Blake & Murphy w. Alexa Bliss vs. Jason Jordan & Chad Gable

The Vaudevillains dressed as detectives to come down to the ring. Jordan & Gable got the biggest pop from the crowd.

To kick off this chaotic confrontation, Aiden English and Chad Gable lock horns. They take turns arm twisting until English tags in Simon Gotch. An amazing bridge by Gotch gets him out of a pinfall attempt. Gable shows off his tumbling, bridging and dance moves to put Gotch into an armbar. Rawley tags himself in, kicking Gable out, and proceeds to smash Gotch to the ground. He tags in Ryder and the two execute a dropkick into suplex double team move for a 2 count. This prompts wrestlers to, one by one, throw one another out of the ring, which leads to everyone rushing in at once, with the referee trying to break them up.

We go to commercial.

Back in the ring, Zack Ryder is on the offensive against English. He suplexes him and pins him for a 1 count. Gable slaps Ryder’s back and re-enters the match. He and English execute some impressive chain wrestling for a few moments. Blake tags in to run the ropes against Gable, ducking and leaping over him until Gable executes a spinning arm takedown and dropkick. Murphy tags in and he gets dropkicked, too! Gable on the top rope executes an armbar over the top rope on Murphy until Blake jumps on Gable. After throwing Gable back into the ring, Blake & Murphy get a 2 count. Now it’s Gable lying on the mat in a leg submission from Blake. Small package reversal by Gable! 2 count. Now it’s English tagged in again who brings the knees to Gable and attempts another pinfall. He poses for the crowd and tags in Gotch.

Gotch tries to twist Gable’s leg and ankle, working the left leg. Gable kicks him off into his partner for a tag. English doesn’t do much better and Murphy tags in. He gets chucked out by Gable too, but before he can tag in Jordan, Murphy pulls Jordan off the ring apron. He enters the ring and drags Gable back to his partner. Blake gets distracted by the Hype Bros and he and Murphy knock them off the ring apron. They start a double team move on Gable but he flips over them and tags in Jordan! It’s the hot tag! Jordan cleans up with right hands, dropkicks, throws, and overhead belly to belly suplexes. He took out B&M and the Vaudevillains. Blake comes back for more and he gets back suplexed. Pinning attempt is broken up by English.

Mojo is back in and he executes a fireman’s carry slam. Ryder returns to clothesline Gotch out of the ring. Mojo waits at the rope and Ryder runs off the opposite one, gets a lift from Mojo and soars to the outside, splashing the Vaudevillains! Murphy tosses Mojo over the top rope. Jordan is waiting for him and he overhead suplexes him OVER THE TOP ROPE on to the other opponents. He turns around and spears Blake in the corner. Gable is up again, tags in and they execute their double team finisher! 1-2-3.

Winner: Jason Jordan & Chad Gable via pinfall in 9 minutes and 18 seconds

Corey Graves said the finish was elementary, my dear Watson. Oh brother. Crowd was hyped for their win!

One cool point for getting all 4 of these teams a match in front of a very hot London crowd. One cool point for Jordan & Gable being the standout team here, which wouldn’t have been possible if it weren’t for how well the other teams took a beating. A very entertaining match.



Promo: A video package is shown, reviewing the match between Asuka and Emma, including Dana Brooke’s attempted interference. We cut to backstage, last week, where Emma is being tended to by the medical team. Dana Brooke is ranting about the failure of their plan when Asuka arrives, smiling at Brooke. She sasses Emma with her own dance move and leaves. Brooke won’t look at her. She’s playing nice but after the injuries, they aren’t resting. They’re gonna get serious and playtime is over. Wait, is this TNA and the Dollhouse?

Promo: A video package documents highlights of Sami Zayn’s nXt career so far and states his return is TONIGHT!


Second Segment

Promo: The video package reviews nXt’s visit to England, mixing clips of their in-ring activities, fan impressions, and the Struts’ music video of their Takeover theme song “Could Have Been Me”.

Promo: The next video package reviews the highlights of the nXt Championship match between Samoa Joe and Finn Balor in which the champ successfully defended the title.

Backstage, it’s “The Perfect 10” Tye Dillinger, whining about everyone’s attention being on Sami Zayn. He’ll be fighting him tonight and he’s a perfect ten.

Promo: It’s a new Elias Samson promo. He’s talking about his career in between guitar riffs. And he’s coming up NEXT!


Third Segment

Promo: The next video package reviews the highlights of the match between Baron Corbin and Apollo Crews. After the match, Corbin calls himself the new #1 contender and the uncrowned nXt champion. He’s coming for Balor!


Singles Match: Bull Dempsey vs. Elias Samson

Dempsey has one yellow polka dot on his wrestling gear. I wonder if it’s a Dusty Rhodes tribute? Pretty classy. Samson is introduced as “The Drifter” and comes out to the ring, carrying a real acoustic guitar, probably not going to be smashed over anyone’s head either. He stares down Dempsey, sitting on the top rope.

When the match begins, Samson takes the advantage due to his speed and energy, pounding on Dempsey in the corner. Dempsey fights back with his own punches, getting the crowd into it. He runs the ropes, knocking down Samson twice until Samson retorts with a flying knee to the face. Sampson asks for silence, mounts the top rope and hits the diving elbow drop for the win! That was quick.

After the match, he strums his guitar in the middle of the ring, poses and then walks away with the guitar over his shoulder.

Winner: Elias Samson via pinfall in 1 minute and 36 seconds

No cool points to be awarded for this match. I think the debut for Samson fell kinda flat. It was too quick of a match and he’s going to need a little more promo and match time to get fans invested in him. On the contrary, Dempsey’s got a bit of a following, but, in his comedic role, he isn’t given much time to thrive either.


Promo: The next video package reviews the highlights of the nXt Tag Team Championship match between Dash & Dawson (c) and Enzo & Big Cass. The champs retained and are met backstage by an nXt cameraman. Dash & Dawson give their opponents their due but they were no match for the best tag team on the planet.

Promo: A video package documents highlights of Sami Zayn’s nXt career so far and states his return is NEXT!


Closing Segment

Promo: The next video package reviews the highlights of the nXt Womens Championship match between Bayley and Nia Jax. Bayley barely survived but walks out of London as champion.

Singles Match: “The Perfect Ten” Tye Dillinger vs. Sami Zayn

Zayn gets a very hearty welcome back ovation from the London crowd. So much so that they are singing his theme music after the actual recording cuts out. Zayn’s got a great red beard, by the way.

The match begins as most nXt matches do, with the wrestlers fighting for arm twists and the early advantage. Snapmare from Dillinger, followed by a cartwheel and a flashing of the “10” in Zayn’s face. The two pause for a few moments before grappling again. Side headlock by Dillinger, off the ropes, Zayn executes three single arm takedowns in a row with impressive speed and accuracy. He follows it up with a fake dive, springboarding off the ropes, back rolling and landing on a knee. Wow! Zayn’s in great shape. The “Ole” chants take off now as the crowd awaits Dillinger’s return to the ring. Instead, Dillinger pulls Zayn out, only to receive slaps at ringside. Dillinger sends Zayn into the ringpost and he clutches his shoulder as...

We go to commercial.

Upon the return, Dillinger is working that same shoulder, twisting and yanking it. Pinfall attempt for 2. Dillinger firmly in control re-applies a shoulder submission. He keeps it locked in for about a minute until Zayn recharges enough to stand up...and receive a clothesline back to the mat. Dillinger holds Zayn’s hand and grins at the crowd. He took too long and Zayn answers with clotheslines, head slams into the turnbuckle, and a beautiful fisherman’s suplex. Grimacing at the pain stemming from his shoulder, he runs the ropes, dives over the top and does a somersault plancha on Dillinger!

Back in the ring, Zayn jumps off the top rope over Dillinger, rolls, ascends and proceeds to hit the Thunder Bomb on Dillinger. Almost gets the win but Dillinger powers out. Both men, back up on their feet, and Zayn almost runs into the referee but he stops. Dillinger rolls him up for a 2 count. Then, it’s Dillinger with the superkick and another 2 count! Graves isn’t sure this is the same old Sami Zayn. Dillinger mocks Zayn, runs at him in the corner, gets stopped by Zayn who delivers an exploder suplex into the turnbuckle. Zayn rushes him with a helluva kick in the corner. Ouch! 1-2-3. Zayn gets the win in his return!

Winner: Sami Zayn via pinfall in 9 minutes and 47 seconds

Post-match, Zayn gets a microphone and the fans cheer. He’s been waiting for 7 months to say, “HE’S BACK!” He gets emotional in the ring as the crowd shares another “Ole!” chant. Zayn says every time a dream comes true, it turns into a nightmare for him. Tonight was a dream and that nightmare trend is broken! He thanks the crowd for the support and for selling out Wembley. Zayn promises more great things will happen, like this event, in 2016 for nXt and for himself personally. He yells, “We are NXT” to close out the night.


That was a much better match than I expected. One cool point to Dillinger for making it competitive, with a good mix of working the shoulder and effective strikes. One cool point for Sami Zayn, showing off his acrobatics and a few of the moves that have made him so popular with the nXt audience. Another cool point for his promo work to end the night. How could you not feel good after watching that match and seeing Zayn’s pure joy as he enjoyed a successful return from injury?

Anyways, that wraps up the matches from London. Feel free to share your thoughts and cool point suggestions on tonight’s episode. I’ll be away next week on holidays, but I’ll rejoin you for the first episode of nXt in 2016.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays, folks.
Peace!