Review Of WWE Network Table For 3 With Bo Dallas, Neville & Samoa Joe

Last week’s episode of the WWE Network original series “Table for 3” is titled “NXT Life.” It focuses on the two longest reigning NXT champions Neville and Bo Dallas along with longtime veteran Samoa Joe. They sat down for dinner in an empty restaurant and discussed their respective careers, focusing mostly on NXT.

Let’s begin with a recap of their discussion, which lasted just under 24 minutes:

– The show opened with Neville eating an apple he had brought with him. Bo and Joe proceeded to make fun of Neville for bringing an appetizer with him. Neville made it known that it was a good apple.

– Bo steered the conversation toward how they all made it to NXT. Joe decided Neville should start with his story because he’s had the longest journey and also because he has the apple.

– Neville says that he was so obsessed with wrestling growing up that he enrolled in a wrestling school as soon as he was old enough. He said that early on he started making a name for himself with his high flying.

– Joe mentions that when he was over in Japan, other wrestler’s would talk about how amazing Neville was, back when he was known as Pac. Joe and Neville say they first met, briefly, in 2006.

– Neville talks about how green he was in the business and how he had to use his acrobatic style to set himself apart. He believe doing things no one else was doing is why WWE was willing to give him a chance.

– Joe starts his story by saying that he has “done a little wrestling here and there”, prompting a laugh from Bo and Neville.

– Samoa Joe says he started in California with UPW, an affiliate of WWE. He worked with Cena before he was signed with WWE. He said Cena was incredibly dedicated to the profession, even back then.

– At this time he met Jim Ross, who said Joe wasn’t what they were looking for. Cena went on to WWE while Joe made his way to Japan for a few years before coming back to the U.S. to work for Ring of Honor.

– Joe and Neville (still eating his apple) transition to Bo Dallas.

– Bo says that wrestling was all he ever wanted to do. He said that since his father and grandfather both wrestled, he wasn’t going to be allowed to wrestle until he had a college degree.

– Earning a football scholarship, Bo says he was supposed to attend college, but, “A bunch of debauchery happened.” His use of the word debauchery really popped Joe and Neville.

– Despite repeating debauchery a few times, Bo never went into any detail, leaving us to wonder what exactly he had done. Whatever it was, the issue cost him is scholarship. When Neville says it was due to “debauchery problems” Bo says he was in a bit of a pickle, which made the table laugh even harder. I can only assume why he chose the word pickle.

– Bo went on to say he never wanted to go to college, that he literally wanted to go just so he could get it over with and start wrestling. After his “pickle”, Bo said his father gave him his blessing to get into the business and he jumped at the chance.

– The conversation shifts again, this time toward their time in developmental. Bo says he started in FCW in 2008 at just 18 years of age.

– Bo said that the transition from FCW to NXT was ridiculous, how it isn’t even the same developmental anymore. Neville chimed in that he doesn’t consider NXT developmental at all anymore.

– Neville says he started just as FCW was about to make the transition to NXT and that it’s mind blowing what NXT has become.

– Bo asks the other two what was the biggest shock they experienced in NXT after where they came from. Joe says it was how refined everything was. He mentions that he had worked in many dojos that he thought were great at the time, but were nothing compared to the Performance Center.

– Joe talks about the Performance Center and how the facility and staff are incredible and that it’s the place that will teach you be the very best in the world.

– Neville echoes Joe’s sentiments, leading Joe to say they sound like a commercial for the Performance Center. He says that everything they are saying is the truth.

– Joe says the Performance Center is truly next-level which is why NXT is producing such great talents. He then backtracks to say that NXT has already produced great talents, tapping them both on the shoulder, letting them know he includes them in the achievements of NXT.

– Neville, again still eating the apple, said that everything kicked up a notch once NXT and the Performance Center started. Joe points out that there are so many resources as compared to the FCW days.

– Bo says that NXT and the Performance Center did so much to develop his character. He asks Neville if he felt the same. Neville and Joe agree that coming from Japan, talent is solely focused on the in-ring ability and very little effort is put into being a character.

– Joe and Neville joke that in Japan you can pretty much say or do whatever you want in a promo. They agree it’s a good place to start your career. Neville says it’s light years away from the way WWE’s sports entertainment is produced.

– Neville says the hardest part of transitioning to NXT was creating a character and developing his mic skills. The three of them put over Dusty Rhodes and the importance of his promo class.

– Bo says he wouldn’t even be able to hold a mic without Dusty. Neville says Dusty’s best attribute is being able to identify exactly what each individual needs. Bo added that Dusty could find something in someone that nobody else could see and he made magic.

– As Neville takes a giant bite out of his apple (I honestly don’t know how he still has enough apple left to take such a big bite at this point) they begin to discuss their NXT championship reigns.

– Neville points out that he held the title for seven days longer than Bo. He says he had his wife look it up to verify the facts.

– After Neville and Joe rib Bo about the length of his title reign Neville says he was very proud of his time holding the belt. He felt he held the title during a very significant time in NXT’s growth and he appreciated the faith that was put in him.

– Bo says that in his case, he had debuted in WWE at the Royal Rumble a few months prior to winning the title. He felt he was ready to be on the main roster and had nothing left to learn. During his year as champion Bo said he and his character changed so much and he came such a long way as a performer during his reign. He says the extra time at the Performance Center changed his career.

– They then discussed the responsibility that comes with being champion. Neville says it means a lot for a company to put so much stock into you. Joe says that becoming champion makes you more accountable, that selling tickets and drawing money is on you.

– Bo and Joe both agree they wrongly thought they knew all there was to know about the business by 22 or 23. Joe says his first talk with William Regal made him feel like he knew nothing about the business yet.

– Neville then compared being champion to having a baby. He explained that you never feel you’re ready for it but you roll with the punches and work your ass off and it tends to work out.

– When Bo asks if anyone had any stories about the road, Neville shares that Bo does an impression of him. Bo said that everything that comes out of Neville’s mouth sounds like “Bippity Bop” in a bad English accent, which was hilarious.

– Joe chimes in and says he heard they were both good rappers. He heard they were even better than Cena, which drew another laugh from the table and from me at home. He said his “sources” told him they had a good crew.

– In another really funny exchange Neville says they had some “dope rhymes” and Bo added that they were “lyrically tight.” Their crew consisted of Neville, Bo, Sami Zayn and Xavier Woods.

– They said Xavier was the DJ and more of the Diddy of the crew. He was responsible for the beats and his name was “Articulate DJ PJ.” The revelation of Xavier’s persona got another huge laugh.

– They continued to laugh as they discussed how consumed they became with their rap group due to boredom before shows. Still working on his apple, Neville got a little careless and managed to spray apple all over Bo.

– Maybe the funniest moment of the conversation to this point was when, out of the silence after the apple fiasco, Neville uttered the phrase, “Anyway, yeah, so road trips we’d be busting’ rhymes and droppin’ hooks.” This got a huge laugh from Bo and Joe and again, I couldn’t help but join in. Neville’s accent truly made that sound ridiculous.

– Neville continued that Xavier took it so seriously, at one point he had a music production app on his phone. They recorded an entire track, but it was too racy to perform on the show.

– Bo and Joe continue ribbing Neville for having his top button buttoned. Neville says regularly in America he gets tortured over his top button. They tell Neville it actually makes them uncomfortable to even look at.

– Joe and Bo jokingly convinced Neville to take his first taste of the food in front of him. Everyone laughed again as Neville mistook a carrot for a beet, at which point he gave his compliments to the chef.

– Neville asked Joe what his future in NXT holds. Joe says Bo and Neville helped turn NXT into something very different and that he was brought in to help continue the momentum. They marvel at NXT drawing 15,000 fans in Brooklyn.

– Bo continues that NXT has become such a cool thing and it started with the first TakeOver, Arrival. He says it’s come such a long way since then.

– Neville said that when he got the call to come up to the main roster it was actually bittersweet. He felt he had played such a big part in how far NXT has come and now he’s not involved in where it’s going. He says his dream was always to be on the main roster and it’s incredible to be there, but sometimes he feels left out since leaving NXT.

– Joe brings up that he’s been part of a few different companies exploding onto the scene, two or three times before coming to NXT. He says he sees those same hallmarks in NXT now.

– Bo and Neville talk about how NXT has become its own entity. How it’s different from WWE and in a lot of ways it’s fresher and special. They are glad it’s promoted as it’s own brand. Neville says he keeps up with it on the road and feels left out. Joe says they’ll do their best to keep it good.

– Joe says it’s cool that they still dig NXT but he wants to get into their NXT feud. Neville and Bo say they are polar opposites, but they have wrestled over 50 times and share a special chemistry.

– Bo says that as huge as NXT has gotten, they headlined the first TakeOver and kind of helped create what it is now. They agree that it’s something that can always take with them.

– Neville brings up a story from Malaysia that Bo seems hesitant to talk about. Neville says he always tries to be safe doing the Red Arrow but this particular time he crushed Bo. He says Bo cursed him out from the time the ref started the 1-2-3 count until Bo made his way backstage.

– Neville says one of his goals is to make Bo shit himself in his white trunks on a Red Arrow. Bo tells Neville that his white trunks are whiter than ever. Neville gets him to admit it’s been close a few times.

– Neville and Bo agree that their NXT program was the most important in each other’s career. They lament that they haven’t had a chance to try to replicate it on the main roster but they hope to change that.

– Joe says that as a guy with a long career, he can assure them there will always be time to rekindle their feud in the future.

– Bo says what a great time he’s had with the two of them. Neville says what a great apple he’s had. Bo steals Neville’s cornbread because he hasn’t eaten it.

– Joe explains to Neville that cornbread is a big deal in America and you never let another man steal your cornbread. As Neville reaches for his cornbread, Bo slaps his hand and walks off.

– Joe tells Neville, “That was your cornbread.” Joe exits the table and the show ends with Neville staring incredulously at the camera.

MY THOUGHTS:

I mentioned in my last review how highly I think of this show and this was one of my favorite episodes. It was just an interesting mix of guys and with my love of NXT it was just a really fun episode.

It was really cool to hear Bo Dallas and Neville talk about their feud over the title as well as their stories that have ultimately brought them to the main roster. I still view them as young up and comers, but they have both accomplished quite a bit already.

Another interesting point is that, as young as they are, Samoa Joe has been around forever and accomplished so much in the business. The fact that he could come in basically after Bo and Neville’s time in NXT was done and he could continue to help it grow and enjoy his time there is really telling.

That a guy with his experience and credentials can look at NXT as a place where he can continue to grow and shine shows just what NXT has become. It is truly something so much more than developmental now. It is it’s own brand that has it’s own fans and it’s own life.

Neville and Bo have a clear friendship and it beamed through the screen. They crack each other up and they were a lot of fun to watch together. Joe was really interesting as well because he has seen just about everything there is to see and he definitely carried himself as the elder statesman of the group.

I know Bo has sort of faded from the main roster, but this show reminds you how much charisma he has. It’s a shame he got to show more of himself on this one show than he has on either Raw or SmackDown!.

Hearing Bo and Neville talk about their roots at NXT and the Performance Center gives me a lot of hope for their future and the future of WWE. These young talents truly are taught every tool needed to succeed. All it will take is the right story for them to take off. It almost makes me think WWE needs a Performance Center for creative.

This was another great episode of “Table for 3” to add to the list. I will say again, if you aren’t watching this show yet, you really do need to check it out. It is easy to watch, it breezes by and it will definitely entertain you and give you some insight into the people behind the characters.