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March 16th, 2016 On commentary tonight, at Full Sail University, are Tom Phillips and Corey Graves. Opening Segment Sami Zayn’s music hits and he’s en route to the ring for a promo. He says he went to war with Samoa Joe last week. It wasn’t fun, but he’s not embarrassed by losing because they went toe to toe for almost an hour. If his fingertips were 2 inches longer, we might be sharing a different story. Zayn’s goal remains the same: to become the first ever 2-time nXt champion. The only thing nagging at him is that Takeover: Dallas is going to be huge and you know nXt is going to steal the show. Cue the nXt chant from the fans. On the biggest stage of the year... GM William Regal’s music starts up and Regal interrupts Zayn to say he deserves something special at nXt Takeover: Dallas. He deserves to face one of the best in the world. So, his opponent on April 1st will be nXt’s newest signee: The video feed shows static and then reveals the king of strong style: Shinsuke Nakamura, formerly of New Japan. The crowd loses it and the commentary team immediately introduces what a big deal this match will be, and how talented Nakamura is. One cool point for an exciting reveal of the latest international wrestling superstar to sign on with nXt. This is clearly the place where all the cool kids are coming to hang out. Coming Up: nXt Tag Team Championship #1 Contender’s Match: American Alpha vs. The Vaudevillains and Bayley/Asuka vs. Eva Marie/Nia Jax Tag Team Match: Hype Bros. vs. Angelo Dawkins & Kenneth Crawford It’s Mojo Rawley and Crawford who start this one. Rawley shows off his strength, throwing Crawford to his corner a few times. So Dawkins tags in and we’ll see if this is a better match. Rawley with the crossbody off the ropes and a few fake tackles before knocking Dawkins off of his feet and leading the crowd in a “He ain’t hype!” chant. Ryder gets tagged in and he mocks Dawkins. Huge dropkick from the top rope, followed by a jumping forearm in the corner. Crawford helps Dawkins out of the ring and Ryder nails both men with his front foot dropkick. He rolls Dawkins in but Dawkins rolls out again and catches Ryder off guard outside the ring. Inside and off the ropes, Ryder delivers a face smash to Dawkins. He tags in Rawley who runs over Crawford three times in a row, followed by a big splash in the corner. Discus punch. He tags in Ryder who climbs to the top rope as Rawley holds Crawford high in the air...Hype Ryder! This one’s over. Winner: Hype Bros. via pinfall in 3 minutes One cool point for the Hype Bros. who were over with the crowd and packed a fair bit of action into those 3 minutes. They’re energetic and strong and, in a short match, those two qualities trump all else. In a longer match, their style may prevent them from success. Recap: nXt’s show in Columbus at Arnold Schwartzenegger’s Multi-Sport Festival is reviewed. Second Segment Backstage, it’s Emma and Dana Brooke chatting and walking, until they stop where Deonna Purrazzo is standing. Emma says Purrazzo didn’t listen last time and paid for it. The Emma-lution can’t stop. Purrazzo says she’ll be the one to do it. Emma and Dana laugh at the threat. Dana says since you’re taking it seriously, we’ll take it seriously too. Singles Match: Emma w. Dana Brooke vs. Deonna Purrazzo Emma half-heartedly pushes Purrazzo to begin. Purrazzo doesn’t back down so Emma amps up the intensity, punching Purrazzo in the corner rapidly. Snapmare and then the patented step-on-hair pull. More hair pulling in the ropes but the referee breaks that up. Purrazzo tries to get something going but it’s Emma with stomps in the corner. Then, she puts Purrazzo in the tree of woe, lifts her head and kicks her repeatedly in the lower back. Emma’s massive running crossbody to a seated Purrazzo in the corner leads to a pinning attempt where Emma places her foot on Purrazzo’s chest. Obviously, a kickout. Emma locks Purrazzo in a side headlock which Purrazzo breaks free from. She begins to take Emma down with clotheslines, kicks and knees. Running into the corner, Emma counters it into a spider submission using the ropes (like what Tajiri used to do). It’s all about Emma as she captures Purrazzo in the Emma Lock and Purrazzo wastes no time giving up. Winner: Emma via submission in 4 minutes One cool point for Emma who continues to dominate in her matches, as of late. While she may not be getting the title shot in two weeks, she remains a top star in the division and a shoe-in for #1 contender in the near future. Recap: The nXt Tag Team Championship match from WWE Roadblock was reviewed...The Revival successfully defended over Enzo Amore & Big Cass Third Segment Backstage, the Vaudevillains are stretching and preparing for their #1 Contender’s match. Singles Match: Tommaso Ciampa vs. Jesse Sorensen Ciampa’s all business, Phillips says, as he begins with a dropkick on Sorensen. Off the ropes, a running knee to the head and Ciampa follows that with a powerbomb attempt. Sorensen’s agility prevents that move but, off the ropes, Ciampa lands a big clothesline. He follows this up with a side headlock, which brings Sorensen almost on to his back as he fights to get loose. Both men get back to their feet. Off the ropes again, Sorensen bends down and gets surprised with a kick. Then it’s Ciampa’s turn to be surprised as Sorensen lands a dropkick off the ropes. In the corner, Sorensen mounts Ciampa for punches but Ciampa quickly escapes, backs up and swiftly knees Sorensen from behind. Elbows to the head, followed by a vicious armbar and this match is over. Winner: Tommaso Ciampa via submission in 3 minutes One cool point for Ciampa who’s building a winning streak for himself. I appreciate seeing more wrestlers utilizing submission moves to win matches. It`s more realistic than some of the slams or top rope jumps we see, which allow an opponent time to avoid or reverse the move. Backstage, Chad Gable & Jason Jordan pace and get loose before the #1 Contender’s match later. Coming Up: Austin Aries interview and Bayley/Asuka vs. Eva Marie/Nia Jax Fourth Segment Recap: Bayley’s victory over Carmella last month, followed by the unexpected attack by Eva Marie & Nia Jax, and Asuka’s crystal clear message that she’s interested in the Women’s Championship. Tag Team Match: Bayley (c) & Asuka vs. Eva Marie & Nia Jax Once again, Graves tells Phillips to shut up during Eva Marie`s entrance and just appreciate the work of art that is Eva Marie. Bayley gets a huge pop from the crowd who are happy to see the champ return to Full Sail. Bayley and Nia Jax tie up to begin the match. Jax immediately tags in Eva Marie who gets knocked down by Bayley. The tag is made and it’s Asuka stopping Eva from crawling back to her corner. Eva lands a right hand and Asuka smiles before delivering knees to the mid-section and, then, to the head. Off the ropes, Asuka does a 180 hip splash into Eva. She tags in Bayley. They run the ropes. Bayley misses the tag made by Jax who comes up from behind and lands a Samoan Drop on Bayley. Now it’s Bayley’s turn to be overwhelmed by Eva who begins stretching Bayley’s arms back. Bayley reverses it into a few pinning attempts which Eva evades. She celebrates by provoking Asuka, “the crocodile”, which allows Bayley to take down Eva. Jax goes for the leg drop but Bayley rolls out and she lands on Eva’s head. Bayley runs the ropes and kicks Jax out of the ring. While the referee is talking to Bayley, Asuka kicks Eva in the back of the neck, forcing her to stumble into a Bayley to Belly Suplex and pinfall. Winner: Bayley & Asuka via pinfall in 4 minutes One cool point for Bayley & Asuka who speedily take care of their opponents’ mistakes. Bayley looked a little stronger against Jax this time, quite the opposite from their singles match last year. Great bit where Jax leg drops Eva by accident. Crowd loved seeing that happen and hard to complain when the good girls win. Post-match, Bayley and Asuka stand tall as GM William Regal hits the stage to announce the new #1 Contender for the Women’s Championship. It’ll be Asuka. She’ll face Bayley at nXt Takeover: Dallas and she is very happy about it. Bayley, as usual, looks concerned. The commentary team remind us of Austin Aries’ debut 2 weeks ago and Baron Corbin’s attack. We see the picture in picture of Phillips and Graves, asking Aries about his match at Takeover: Dallas against Corbin. Aries says thanks for the interview. He had a lot of contract offers but he wanted to be in nXt. Regal apologized for what happened to Aries but Aries said don’t be sorry for him, be sorry for Corbin. He’s dealt with guys like him his whole life. He calls Corbin insecure and that he’s earned plenty of titles and success during his career. Aries will teach Corbin why he’s the greatest man that ever lived. April 1st: it’s going to be a great day to be great but a bad day to be you. Next Week: Asuka vs. Emma Final Segment nXt Tag Team Championship #1 Contender’s Match: American Alpha vs. The Vaudevillains Simon Gotch and Chad Gable lead off with some chain wrestling. Gable seizes Gotch’s left leg while Gotch grabs Gable’s hands only to be pinned to the mat briefly. Gable shows off his core strength during that combination. Gotch breaks free during the next segment with a low enziguri and he tags in Aidan English. English receives a giant hip toss. Jordan is tagged in. He and Gable blast Gotch on the apron. Double dropkick on English and double clothesline to the outside on Gotch. Great teamwork. We go to commercial. Back from the break, Gotch has Gable in a headlock. He tags in English and the two wrench Gable’s arms and slap him down. Pinfall attempt by English for 2. Back into a side headlock on the mat. Gable gets back to his feet and pushes English towards the AA corner but English denies him the tag, following that up with a pinfall attempt. He tags in Gotch who continues the side headlock tactic, slowing the pace of the match right down. Gotch breaks the hold and pins Gable for 2. Another tag to English who kicks Gable in the mid-section. Snapmare and flying knee attempt but Gable avoids it. He can’t tag in Jordan though because English tags in Gotch who tries to slam him. Gable reverses it and throws Gotch against the ropes, his head landing awkwardly on the bottom one. That allows Jordan in for the hot tag and he begins chucking Vaudevillains all over the ring, including two beautiful suplexes on Gotch and English. Then we have a running spear on English in the corner but AA can’t execute the finisher due to Gotch’s interference from the outside, tripping Jordan. Gable enters the ring. English misses a senton from the top. Gable rolls up English and then delivers a crazy high-angle German suplex, bridging pin attempt but no victory! Gotch breaks the pin. Jordan throws Gotch to the apron. Jordan misses him but Gable kicks Gotch into Jordan’s arms and it’s a belly to belly suplex on the arena floor! Meanwhile, in the ring, English is laid out and Gable goes for him but gets trapped in an inside cradle for a 2 count. Sneaky! Gable goes for a kick, which English catches and turns into a powerbomb for another 2 count. English is pissed, beating the mat with his fist. Gable in the corner, avoids English’s spear. Jordan connects with his own! The tag is made. Jordan and Gable connect with their double team slam finisher and get the 3 count! Winner: American Alpha to become the new #1 Contenders for the nXt Tag Team Championship via pinfall in 8 minutes Two cool points for American Alpha seizing the momentum they’ve carried over the past few months into acquiring a title shot much sooner than I expected. Getting the win over the Vaudevillains was meaningful, too, since they are former champions. Loved seeing the AA finisher not work out the first time as that had become quite a predictable conclusion to their matches. Gable getting a few more spots in which to shine gave us a highlight of the match...that high-angle German suplex. Jordan’s suplex on Gotch on the outside was intense, too. Seriously, Suplex City may have a few new residents come Takeover...American Alpha deserve that Lesnar-created compliment, too. That’s all for tonight, folks. Feel free to share your thoughts and cool point suggestions on tonight’s episode. Peace!
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