The NXT Spotlight: 7/26/17 (Ohno vs. Itami) by Kurt Zamora
Welcome one and all to another installment of the NXT Spotlight here at TJRWrestling. As we reach the last NXT of July and get ever closer to Takeover: Brooklyn, we are starting to see the card take shape. This week we see the next chapter in the Kassius Ohno and Hideo Itami situation. Let’s see what else the Yellow and Black have in store for us this week.
Ember Moon vs. Lei’d Tapa
Tapa was in Impact Wrestling a while back. Unique look and size. I’m not sure if Tapa was brought in for the Mae Young Classic, but it wouldn’t surprise me. (I’m avoiding spoilers so don’t want to look it up) She starts immediately a massive lariat that sends Ember flying. Tapa with a big headbutt to follow. Ember managers to land a big boot in the corner as Tapa charged her. She then sets up for a Tornado DDT but it’s actually a Tornado snap suplex. A nice dropkick after that and then a series of kicks to chop Tapa down. Ember goes to the top rope and Tapa feels The Eclipse just like that.
Winner: Ember Moon
Post match, Ember grabs a mic and says that she wants Asuka at Takeover: Brooklyn. Asuka wants a worthy challenge but she is standing right here and she will give Asuka all she wants. They’ve been on this journey before and she is not afraid to do it again. She’s ready to defeat the undefeated Emperess of Tomorrow. The question Asuka needs to ask is if she’s ready for Ember Moon.
K-Tank’s Take: No surprise there. That was the match everyone expected. The question will be whether they decide to have Asuka lose or not. It’s an interesting debate and I’m sure I’ll have more to say on it ask we get closer to Brooklyn.
We see a vignette hyping Aleister Black.
The Authors of Pain (w/Paul Ellering) vs. David Ramos & Timothy Bumpers
Before AOP can get in the ring, Nikki Cross shows up and gets in their way. Meanwhile, Alexander Wolfe and Killian Dain show up and take out Ramos and Bumpers. AOP walk past Nikki and get in the ring to get face to face with Sanity. All four men charge and the brawl is on! Akam takes out Wolfe, Dain takes out Rezar. Akam gives Snake Eyes to Wolfe and then AOP focus on Dain. Big boot in the corner and a lariat by Akam and Sanity is forced to regroup on the rampway as AOP stands tall.
Winners: No Contest
K-Tank’s Take: YES PLEASE!! It’s about time Sanity is in a title program and with the styles of these two teams, this should be A LOT of fun. The interesting thing to note here is Sanity got quite the positive reaction while AOP got booed. The way this was shot, AOP was made to look like babyfaces, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they’re turning. But just something to look out for moving forward in how they book both teams. I can’t wait for more.
We get a vignette for The Street Profits who are coming soon.
We get a recap of when Cezar Bononi defeated Andrade Almas and then when Almas along with the newly named Zelina Vega attacked Bononi last week and acted like they were going after No Way Jose. We now go to footage from “earlier today” where Vega confronts Jose in the parking lot and tells him that he interfered in Almas’ business and has lit a fire under Almas that Jose cannot dance around.
The Velveteen Dream vs. Cezar Bononi
TVD starts with a knee and then a European uppercut. He beats down Bononi in the corner until the ref pulls him off. It gives Bononi an opening and lands a big forearm. He follows with a atomic drop and nice looking dropkick. Bononi connects with a sitout powerslam but TVD kicks out of a pin. Bononi goes for a slam but TVD slides out and turns it into his cartwheel DVD. TVD goes to the top rope and lands The Purple Rainmaker and that’s it.
Winner: The Velveteen Dream
Post match, TVD is asked on the ramp what his goals are in NXT. He says in front of the ugliness of the NXT crowd, the Velveteen experience will have to wait.
K-Tank’s Take: There’s nothing else to say except the elbow drop looks awful and that cartwheel DVD needs to be the finisher.
Backstage in William Regal’s office and he is asked about Ember Moon’s challenge earlier tonight. He confirms that it will be Ember Moon vs. Asuka for the Women’s Title at Takeover: Brooklyn.
Whose NXT is it?
Drew McIntyre comes to the ring to speak about his title shot against Bobby Roode. He wants to say thank you to everyone that has joined him on this ride. This is the part where people reflect on how they got here. He doesn’t look in the past though, it’s only about going forward. When he got to WWE, he was known as The Chosen One. He was blinded and felt entitled at that time. When he wasn’t the hardest worker, that’s when he knew he had failed. If he was going to succeed, he was going to have to work at it and become the hardest worker. He didn’t become just the hardest worker in the room, he became the hardest worker in the world. It wasn’t just because of him, it was because of everyone else that pushed each other to be better and that’s why he came to NXT. They walk side by side as equals in NXT. All except one man, Bobby Roode. You can tell a lot by looking in a man’s eyes and he’s looked in Roode’s eyes and all he sees is entitlement. Roode isn’t entitled to anything. This isn’t Roode’s NXT, this is all of our NXT. Roode is not NXT, WE are NXT!
K-Tank’s Take: Strong promo by McIntyre. I don’t think this is going to end up a 1 on 1 match though as earlier in the show they showed a tweet that Roderick Strong put out there that said Roode hasn’t seen the last of him.
Another vignette is shown for Aleister Black. Both were awesome.
We get an interview with Raul Mendoza who will take on Johnny Gargano in his return to NXT next week. Mendoza says that Gargano has been training hard, but Mendoza has been as well. Maybe next week isn’t about Johnny Gargano, maybe it’s about Raul Mendoza.
Hideo Itami vs. Kassius Ohno
11 minutes left in the show as the bell rings. Both men work on holds and counters to start off with and eventually end up in a stalemate. Itami comes with a boot to the gut but Ohno fires back with a chop that sounds like a gunshot. Itami comes back with kicks to the chest but Ohno catches on and ends up faceplanting Itami. He lands a basement dropkick to the side of the head of Itami and goes for a pin but Itami kicks out. Ohno tries to shoot Itami off, but Itami hooks the top rope so Ohno just gives him a huge kick to the head instead. Ohno does his flip over the top rope on the opposite side but ends up getting tied up in the ropes and Itami kicks him a few times and then hits a legdrop off the second rope that sends Ohno to the floor as we go to commercial.
We come back to Ohno getting caught with a kick to the sternum while coming off the ropes. Itami with a pin but Ohno kicks out. Itami follows up with a stiff kick to the spine. A series of kicks while Ohno is on his knees comes next. Itami with a neckbreaker and another pin but Ohno kicks out. Itami with knees to the spine after wearing Ohno down a bit with a rear chin lock. More kicks to Ohno and Ohno kicks out of another pin. Itami back to the rear chin lock. Ohno gets out and lands more chops but walks into a boot in the corner. Itami then lands his tornado DDT over the top rope. Itami comes off the second rope but Ohno catches him with a chop. Ohno comes off the ropes, runs right through an Itami kick and hits a couple clotheslines followed by a shining wizard. Spinning big boot by Ohno but Itami kicks out. Running senton splash by Ohno and yet again Itami kicks out. Ohno goes for a splash in the corner but Itami moves and then nails a fisherman’s suplex. Itami with the skateboard dropkick in the corner and wants the GTS now. Ohno slides out and drills Itami with a big boot and then goes for the Roaring Elbow but Itami kicks him straight in the “oh no’s” and the ref calls for the bell. Itami has been disqualified but doesn’t care and proceeds to beat the hell out of Ohno. He gets Ohno up for the GTS again but this time he connects. He doesn’t let Ohno fall and catches him to pick him up for a second GTS. Ohno is out cold as Itami leaves satisfied with his work. Well maybe not, he comes back to the ring and drags Ohno out and delivers a 3rd GTS, except this time Ohno’s face connects with the steel steps. This time Itami leaves for good as Ohno is done for.
Winner: Kassius Ohno by DQ
K-Tank’s Take: I’d have to think after that sort of attack, that’s going to lead to a No DQ type match for Brooklyn, which would be a lot of fun. Too many kicks and chops in this match for me, but obviously there’s going to be a sequel where they can do more, so I won’t complain about it. Good to see Itami turn fully as I think it will be a shot in the arm to his career.
That’s it for this week. I’ll be back next week for Johnny Wrestling’s return and also we’ll hear from both the NXT Champ and the Women’s Champ. Until next time, don’t do anything I wouldn’t do… but if you do, name it after me!