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Our preview for tonight's WWE NXT on USA, where Chase U will defend the NXT Tag Team Titles against former champs Tony D'Angelo and Stacks.
Posted in: Sports, TV, USA Network, WWE | Tagged: Bron Breakker, NXT, NXT 2.0, NXT Cruiserweight Championship, NXT Recaps, NXT Women's Championship, NXT Women's Tag Team Championship, recaps, Toxic Attraction, Von Wagner, wrestling, wwe
NXT 2.0 Recap For 9/28: After Three Title Matches, Who Has Retained?
Hey gang! Going into the third week now of NXT 2.0, NXT set the stage for a big show this week with three different title matches. That's an almost Pay Per View-worthy lineup, but on free TV. Hey, we'll take it! Along with those bouts, we'll also see a No Disqualification Match and lots more from the newest superstars who have really created some buzz since the launch of NXT 2.0. Let's get to it!
We kick things off tonight with Hit Row strutting to the ring, all in support of B-Fab ahead of her No-DQ match against Elektra Lopez. They grab mics and cut a promo celebrating women and their prominent place on the card tonight. That's very progressive of them!
I have to point out how far this faction has come in a relatively short amount of time. The crowd loves them, they're all great on the mic, and there's just a natural chemistry there between all of the members, both in the ring and in promos, that we maybe haven't seen in a large faction since D-Generation X. Great work by them!
B-Fab vs Elektra Lopez – No Disqualification Match
B-Fab confronts Lopez on the stage during her entrance and they immediately start brawling! And brawling is the name of the game, as that's primarily what they do the entire match. Even their faction mates get into the spirit after Mendoza tries hitting Top Dolla with a trash can and the big man just smashes it out of his hands.
Once the refs get the donnybrook under control and send all the guys to the back, the attention is back on the women. They fight on the outside and B-Fab snaps Lopez's leg over the table.
Lopez fills the ring with all kinds of weapons, including Kendo Sticks and steel chairs. Lopez Scoop Slams B-Fab onto the chairs, while B-Fab Drop Toe Holds Lopez onto an open chair and beats her with a Kendo Stick.
Lopez responds by tackling B-Fab through an open chair and then Military Pressing her onto another. Lopez then plants B-Fab with a Side Sitdown Powerbomb for the pinfall.
Winner: Elektra Lopez
A fun enough, albeit short hardcore match to open the show that gave both young stars moments to shine and show off an edge to themselves.
We now go to a video package of Dexter Lumis and Indi Hartwell's honeymoon, where they're spied on at the beach by Johnny Gargano and Candice LeRae. Gargano does the ol' shark fin gag in the water to scare them off for the chuckles. This would not have worked if not for Gargano's terrific comedic timing.
We now head back to the ring, where Joe Gacy is sitting in a chair with a mic. It's surprising to see Gacy here tonight, still going forward with this character after it appeared WWE got cold feet with it after getting unwanted attention from Fox News, The New York Post, and other right-wing media championing WWE and NXT for sticking it to the libs with this new character. Nonetheless, Gacy is indeed back and ready to speak.
Gacy claims he's made a bigger impact than other superstars by only using his words and he is the voice of the enlightened generation. He continues on, using lots of buzz words and passive-aggressively criticizing others. Great work again by Gacy here, who sells every bit of this character with his tone and facial expressions (much of this is shot in an extreme close-up on his face cause they know his eyes are really telling the story here).
While WWE and NXT may have called an audible on us who reported on the seeming demise of the "inclusive" Joe Gacy character (they did in fact remove all video and mention of him from their official YouTube and social media pages last week after the news reports), personally, I'm glad they're going ahead with this, as Gacy is a great performer and I think he'll really make something out of this.
Xyon Quinn vs Oney Lorcan
This is a fun, solid match, but man, WAY too many camera cuts here throughout. Can someone take Kevin Dunn's coffee away, please?
Quinn looks like a legit budding star, though still a work in progress. He definitely has the look and the size and who doesn't love that he wears The Rock's boots?
Quinn is able to fight through Lorcan's onslaught and hits him with a running forearm for the pinfall.
Winner: Xyon Quinn
We now get a video package on Grayson Waller ahead of his NXT Cruiserweight title match tonight. Waller sells himself as an adrenaline junkie who jumps out of planes, surfs, and snowboards. Waller is a really good promo and has good charisma.
The NXT Tag Team Champions, MSK hit the ring now for an interview. They say that they'll keep dominating the tag team division and will continue to be fighting champions. They're then interrupted by Grizzled Young Veterans, who want a shot at the NXT tag titles.
That brings out Carmelo Hayes and Trick Williams, who say they're the next NXT Tag Team Champions. MSK shut them all down, which brings out Josh Briggs and Brooks Jensen, who just want to fight someone and all four teams start throwing down!
We now head backstage, as McKenzie Mitchell is interviewing NXT Women's Champion Raquel Gonzalez ahead of her title defense against Franky Monet tonight. Gonzalez is saying how she'll definitely beat Monet when Toxic Attraction interrupts and wander through taunting her. Mandy Rose tells Gonzalez that her title belt would look a lot better on her.
Toxic Attraction vs Zoey Stark & Io Shirai – NXT Women's Tag Team Championship
This is a good one with lots of fast-paced action here. There's a great sequence of pin reversals in the middle between Stark and Jayne and everyone seems really locked in with each other.
Again with the goddamn camera cuts though, as they cut to a close-up of Mandy Rose on the outside (she isn't even in the match), and almost totally miss a really nice and innovative springboard move from Stark off of the side ropes. Less is more guys! Focus on the match!
The second half of the match gets high-flying, as each woman takes some chances and goes diving to the outside from the top rope, including Shirai doing a beautiful Moonsault from the top rope to both of her standing opponents at ringside.
Some order gets restored and everyone gets back into the ring and the match transitions to a series of suplexes and big moves. Shirai gets both Jayne and Dolin in the Crossface at the same time, but Rose puts Dolin's foot on the ropes for the ref to break the hold.
Dolin hits a Chickenwing Suplex on Stark for a very near fall, but soon after, Shirai hits a top rope Moonsault on Jayne for the pinfall to retain.
Winners and still Champions: Zoey Stark & Io Shirai
Really good match here with lots of exciting moments and great action throughout.
We now go to a video package of Bron Breakker, who has become one of the most talked-about wrestlers in the world since making his TV debut only two weeks ago. Breakker is all intensity here and he even says "shit" unedited in his promo (I guess they really are getting back to a more Attitude Era-like program with NXT). It even caught the attention of a certain perpetually condescending and displeased SmackDown superstar.
Breakker wraps things up by making it clear that he's after the NXT Championship and won't wait long for it.
NXT Champion Tommaso Ciampa FaceTimes into the show to address Bron Breakker's challenge and while he acknowledges that they will face each other for that title sooner or later, they're not there yet.
Boa, with Mei Ying vs Andre Chase
Kind of a nothing filler match here, as they trade basic holds and strikes with one another. Eventually, Chase gets knocked out of the ring, where he proceeds to curse out Boa and Mei Ying at ringside, who then spits smoke in his face, allowing Boa to hit a falling reverse DDT for the pinfall.
Winner: Boa
We head back to the honeymoon footage now, where Johnny Gargano decides he needs to barge into Lumis and Hartwell's hotel room to give them some "protection". While there, he finds a long sleeve of condoms in their luggage. Shenanigans ensue when Gargano hides in their closet and again, while this is all goofy comedy schtick, it works because of Gargano's comedic abilities and Dexter Lumis's deadpan gestures.
Roderick Strong vs Grayson Waller – NXT Cruiserweight Championship
Waller jumps Strong from behind in the ring to get this one started and takes it right to the champ, knocking him out of the ring and hitting him with a flying forearm through the ropes.
They get back inside and Waller keeps it up until Strong knocks him from the top rope to the outside. Strong takes over and hammers Waller with chops, knees, and backbreakers. Waller has moments of punching back, but Strong is firmly in control.
Waller rallies with a top rope dropkick and a middle rope elbow drop. He then hits a running Swanton Bomb to the outside on Strong, followed by a Stunner in the ring (please god stop using the best finisher of all time as just another move WWE…) for a near-fall.
Waller appears to go for a Rocker Dropper (or Famasser, depending on your mileage) but Strong dodges it and hits a big jumping knee to the jaw of Waller for the pinfall.
Winner and still Champion: Roderick Strong
Ok match here, but Waller needs to do more than just imitation finisher moves over and over. He looks like a video game "create a wrestler" and people will get sick of that really quick.
We now head backstage for an interview with LA Knight where he addresses why he has challenged Odyssey Jones to a match next week. Knight says he's showing the new guy how things work around here, but he's then interrupted by the gigantic and jovial Jones, who promises him that he's never seen anything like him.
Both men are startled then by Andre Chase, who throws a tantrum (and says "bullshit" uncensored, yay curse words are back in WWE!) about how his match ended. This gives Knight an opening to start beating on Jones, which he does (while Chase continues ranting in the background). A nice short and effective segment here.
I really hope they get LA Knight up to SmackDown soon and do something big with him cause this guy is easily the best talker in all of WWE right now. He's a great promo, has the size/look, and is very good in the ring. WWE, a polished star is waiting for you right here!
Next, we get a backstage interview with Trey Baxter and Cora Jade where they announce that Jade's NXT debut match will be next week.
This one was…odd.
And now it's time to meet Lash Legend with the debut of her talk show, Lashing Out with Lash Legend on NXT. Piper's Pit this is not, as Legend just obnoxiously goes on about her basketball past and makes lame jokes about other NXT stars. Legend has charisma and can talk, but this package is just awful and clunky.
Ridge Holland vs Kyle O'Reilly
Grudge match time as these two have been at each other's throats for weeks now. O'Reilly jumps Holland from behind on the stage and they immediately start beating on each other. They eventually get into the ring and start trying to wrestle a bit.
Holland focuses on O'Reilly's injured ribs, while O'Reilly focuses on Holland's problematic knees. Holland almost gets the win with a big Tilt-a-Whirl Slam for two. Pete Dunne gets involved and tries to distract O'Reilly, but it backfires when he ducks a clothesline from Holland, who knocks Dunne off of the apron and allows O'Reilly to roll him up for the pinfall.
Winner: Kyle O'Reilly
Immediately after the bell, Holland and Dunne pounce on O'Reilly and pound him into the mat. This brings out Von Wagner to again get O'Reilly's back against the duo. O'Reilly and Von Wagner clear the ring and stand triumphant after fending off Dunne and Holland.
We now go to some nighttime docks to again meet up with Tony D'Angelo, who tells us about his roughing up of thieving wiseguys and informs us that he'll be making his NXT debut next week.
Raquel Gonzalez vs Franky Monet – NXT Women's Championship
Not a bad slugfest kind of match between probably the two largest physical threats the NXT Women's Division has to offer. Lots of back and forth action here and a good spot on the outside where Monet dumps Gonzalez off of the ring steps.
Eventually, Gonzalez hits the big Chingona Bomb for the pinfall to retain.
Winner and still Champion: Raquel Gonzalez
After the match, Toxic Attraction storms out and first taunts and jumps Monet, Jessi Kamea, and Robert Stone, before heading to the ring to confront Gonzalez. The trio dogpiles on the NXT Women's Champion and beat her down. The show ends with Mandy Rose standing over Gonzalez holding up the title belt.
A fun enough show where it feels like everyone is starting to really settle into the revamp and find their roles going forward. That is of course until the WWE Draft this week will inevitably shake things up.
Till next time friends!
9/28 NXT 2.0
6/10
A fun two hours with a great tag team match for the NXT Women's Tag titles and some good segments. There was some useless filler here, but it didn't wreck the whole show.
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