WWE NXT Spotlight: 8/16/17 by Kurt Zamora
Welcome one and all to the last installment of the NXT Spotlight before Takeover: Brooklyn this weekend. The WrestleMania of NXT is just a couple days away and we have a fairly loaded card set up. Before we get there though, we have a huge main event tonight where Drew McIntyre takes on Roderick Strong and if Strong wins, he gets a shot at Roode after Takeover. Let’s get to the action!
The Women’s Title Contract Signing
William Regal is in the ring and sets the stage for our NXT Women’s Title match at Takeover and then welcomes out the competitors. Ember is first, followed by Asuka. Once all in the ring, Ember starts the festivities. She praises Asuka for everything she’s done and everyone she’s beaten in her undefeated streak. She brings up the fact that her streak has surpassed Goldberg now. One thing sticks out for Ember though and that’s the fact that Asuka has only taken a shortcut with one person, Ember. In Orlando, she shoved a ref. Before Chicago, she injured Ember from behind. Asuka made one big mistake though. She has become a much better person and wrestler since then and it’s because of all of Asuka’s shortcuts. In Brooklyn, she is going to end Asuka’s undefeated streak. She is going to become the next NXT Women’s champion. With that, Ember signs the contract.
Asuka wastes no time in signing it herself, followed by Regal. Asuka grabs a mic and yells in Japanese. Pretty sure she said the Carolina Panthers will win the Super Bowl but I’m a little hazy on my Japanese. Asuka holds the title high as they face off.
K-Tank’s Take: The crowd was far more behind Asuka than Ember even though Asuka is more the heel in this scenario. This is going to be quite the interesting match on Saturday.
We’re now going to “earlier today” in William Regal’s office where Lars Sullivan shows up and says he knows he’s been bad with tag partners, but he wants one more tag match. Regal says he can’t take someone else getting beat up if they lose a match. Sullivan promises that won’t happen and just wants one more tag match. Regal grants him his match.
The Street Profits vs. Lars Sullivan & Chris Silvio
Good to see the Profits back on TV already so quickly. Lars is quite stern with Silvio that he will start the match. But the bell rings and Silvio makes a break for it to try and go after the Profits and that backfires immediately. Dawkins lays him out and Montez Ford goes into the crowd celebrating what he just saw. He gets back on the apron and tags in where they double team Silvio. Ford knocks down Silvio and then tries to knock down Sullivan but of course Sullivan doesn’t flinch. Sullivan yells something at Ford and Ford just points at him and says “no!” It was funny if you saw it. Dawkins comes in and hits a 360 avalanche splash, followed by the Sky High/Frog Splash combo for the win.
Winners: The Street Profits
Post match, The Street Profits run away cause they know what’s coming as Sullivan is not happy with Silvio. “Lars is gonna kill you” chants start. Lars decides to carry Silivo to the back so it looks like Silvio might be ok… but of course he’s not. We go backstage now and Sullivan has taken Silvio outside the arena and beats Silvio up. He then does a urinagi of sorts into a trash can on Silvio and leaves him there.
K-Tank’s Take: The Street Profits are quickly growing on me. Montez Ford especially. My writing doesn’t do his mannerisms justice. He oozes charisma in my opinion. I like Lars’ look and there’s definitely something there with him.
Ruby Riot vs. Billie Kay (w/Peyton Royce)
I haven’t gotten to say it recently, but I love Peyton Royce. Glad we got that out of the way. Billie avoids a couple tie ups and is quite proud with herself. She then tries to charge Ruby but Ruby moves and turns it into a couple pin attempts. Billie kicks out but Ruby mocks Billie and Billie is not happy. Ruby goes for a sunset flip and Billie kicks out at one and gets up quickly to deliver a kick to the back of the head. She follows that up with a discus clothesline. Repeated kicks in the corner on Ruby. Ruby fights back with some headbutts but Billie lands Eat Defeat. Ruby manages to kick out. Billie connects on a modified Northern Lights suplex and then goes after the arms and shoulders of Ruby. Ruby fights back with some kicks and then a front dropkick off the ropes. She clotheslines Billie in the corner and then tries again but Billie moves. Ruby manages to headscissor Billie and sends her head first into the turnbuckle. Ruby knocks Peyton off the apron and Billie tries to capitalize on the distraction, but Ruby hits a Pele kick of sorts and that gets the win.
Winner: Ruby Riot
Post match, Peyton demands the music be stopped. She said all Ruby has proven is that lightning can strike once. Even for a dirty, tatted loser like Ruby. Ruby will never be Iconic.
K-Tank’s Take: #GivePeytonAChance. That’s all I got. I like the women’s division getting reestablished though.
We get a video package hyping up the Tag Title match between Authors of Pain and Sanity, which includes Paul Ellering reading from the book of destruction.
Roderick Strong vs. Drew McIntyre
14 minutes left in the show as the bell rings. They tie up and Drew instantly gets Roddy in the corner but there’s a clean break. Roddy gets a side headlock, which Drew gets out of quickly. Roddy leapfrogs Drew and then comes back with a leg lariat. Drew kicks out quickly of a pin. Roddy tries to leap over a charging Drew in the corner but Drew catches him in mid air with a kick. Drew hooks a suplex and just tosses Roddy across the ring. Roddy avoids another Drew attack and dropkicks Drew and then sends him to the floor. Roddy follows him out there and they trade blows unti Roddy sends Drew back first into the LED board apron. Roddy goes to charge Drew but Drew tosses him over his head and Roddy hits the turnpost hard. Drew now stalks Roddy but they get on the apron and Roddy hits an enziguri, followed by a backbreaker on the apron. Drew is down and out on the floor as we go to commercial.
We return to Strong in advantage in the corner. Roddy with a kick to the ribs and then a traditional backbreaker. Drew kicks out of a pin. Roddy goes back to working over the ribs with a seated abdominal stretch. Strong repeatedly kicks Drew in the corner and then a knee to the ribs. Roddy then curb stomps the chest and then locks on a Steiner Recliner. Drew fights out and lays out Roddy with a lariat. Roddy comes off the ropes and is caught in an overhead belly to belly throw by Drew. Drew finally gets to fight back and hits a running elbow in the corner and then comes off the top rope with an ax handle smash. He drills Roddy with a big boot and then nails Roddy with a reverse Alabama Slam. Roddy manages to kick out of a pin. Drew sets up for the Claymore but it’s Roddy who lands a jumping knee strike. Then he hits one of his backbreakers but Drew is able to kick out. Roddy hits another knee strike on the apron and tries to go to the top rope but Drew unloads with a headbutt. Both men on the ropes now and Drew tries a top rope superplex but Roddy crotches him. Drew ends up in the tree of woe and here comes Bobby Roode! Roode sends Roddy off the top rope and attacks a prone Drew as the bell rings.
Winner: No contest
Roode continues the onslaught on both men. He sends Roddy into the steel steps. He grabs his title and stands over a struggling to get up Drew McIntyre. Roode grabs him and lands his GLORIOUS DDT. Roode blows a kiss to Roddy and declares this his NXT as he holds the title high. He declares this moment GLORIOUS as he stands over Drew once more.
K-Tank’s Take: That was a little disappointing. We don’t get a clean finish but we also don’t get Roddy added to the title match on Saturday. It really should be a triple threat match, but I can’t imagine they’ll make the change at the show.
I will be writing a preview piece with my good friend Hank McAllen, who will be attending Takeover live. We’ll discuss all the matches and what he’s most looking forward to from a live perspective. So that should be up Friday. Then I’ll have the live coverage of Takeover: Brooklyn here on the site. Join me for all of it if you don’t mind and until next time, don’t do anything I wouldn’t do… but if you do, name it after me!