WWE NXT Spotlight 09/02/15 by Kurt Zamora
Welcome one and all to the NXT Spotlight right here at TJRWrestling! Now that we’re back in Full Sail, we begin the quest for the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic. Hopefully we’ll learn some ground rules and see how one team will end up winning the whole thing. The Ascension make their return to NXT today, and with that said, let’s see what else we have in store!
We start with a video package hyping the Tag Team Classic and remembering all that Dusty did for NXT.
Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic Match
The Ascension vs. Baron Corbin and Rhyno
Huge ovation for The Ascension as they come out first. Corey Graves says, “They’re back where they belong.” Can’t argue that with how bad the main roster fumbled their arrival. This should be quite the slugfest. The graphic on the screen for this match says it’s Round 1. Ryhno and Viktor start out. Rhyno gets sent to the ropes and Viktor hits a nice front somersault shoulderblock and then tags in Konnor. But Rhyno has time to tag in Corbin as well. Konnor sends him to the mat with a hard shoulder tackle, and then Viktor comes in and they hit a double shoulder tackle. Quick tags by The Ascension as they work Corbin over in their corner. Konnor stomps a mudhole in Corbin, Corbin tries to escape to the outside to get a breather, but it doesn’t work. Viktor gets back in the ring and hits a high knee. Rhyno distracts him just enough as he gets on the apron, that it allows Corbin to send him hard into the turnpost.
Viktor gets back in the ring and fires up on Rhyno who tagged in. But Rhyno charges him in the corner and hits a shoulder to the gut and now works him over. Corbin tags in and after a few shots, hits a huge modified Black Hole Slam. He then goes to follow up, but Viktor counters with the STO and gets the tag into Konnor as Rhyno gets the tag from Corbin. Konnor fires up and lays out Rhyno with a few shots and then gets a couple in on Corbin too for good measure. Rhyno goes for a Gore it looks like, but Konnor side steps and then hits a flapjack. The Ascension line up for Fall of Man, but Corbin pulls Viktor out of the way, which allows Rhyno the opening to hit Konnor with the Gore and Rhyno gets the win for him and Corbin
Winners: Rhyno and Baron Corbin
Devin is now backstage with Neville and Solomon Crowe. She asks him about how much it means to Neville to be here. Neville says some nice thing about Dusty and says it’s an honor to be here tonight and participate. Crowe says teaming with possibly the greatest NXT Champ of all time is fun for him. He’s calling his shot like Babe Ruth and saying that they will win the whole thing. He walks off and Neville tells Devin, “I agree with him. But that was weird.”
UK fans, NXT is coming in December
A new vignette for Nia Jax is shown. If you haven’t seen her, go look her up. She looks formidable to say the least.
Alexa Bliss vs. Blue Pants
I’m learning more and more each week that Alexa is yummy. Another big ovation for Blue Pants. Alexa charges Blue Pants immediately after the bell and attacks her. She hooks an armbar as she taunts Blue Pants. Blue Pants fights back, but Alexa pulls her down by the hair and then gets a two count on a pin. Now Alexa showboating while she shoves her foot in Blue Pants’ face. Alexa sends her into the corner and really lays in some shoulder tackles into the stomach. Snapmare to the middle of the ring and a kick to the spine by Alexa and now she’s back to the armbar. Big “Let’s go Blue Pants!” starts up. Alexa goes for a couple covers and gets two counts. Now Blue Pants able to fire up and send Alexa down with a couple kicks and then hits a great bridging Northern Lights. She gets a two count, but cant keep Alexa down. She tries to follow up in the corner, but Alexa trips her down and hits a very nice back handspring into a double knees to the gut. She goes to the top rope and hits her Sparkle Splash and gets the 1-2-3.
Winner: Alexa Bliss
Holy Shit it’s Johnny Gargano & Tomasso Ciampa!! They’re backstage with William Regal who welcomes them and tells them they’re here for the Tag Team Classic. Before he can continue, Tyler Breeze comes in and cuts them off. Tyler says he doesn’t want to just be in the Tag Team Classic, he needs to win it. He says that Regal actually did come through in finding him an opponent for Takeover, so now he’s telling Regal to find him a partner that can help him win. Regal says let him think about that. Regal then builds up Gargano and Ciampa (by thier known names) and says they are the hottest free agents in pro wrestling. So now Breeze and his partner will face them next week in the Tag Team Classic. Regal says he knows who Breeze’s partner is now, and it’ll be Bull Dempsey. Breeze isn’t happy, but says it doesn’t matter. Gargano and Ciampa stare down Breeze as he leaves and tell Regal thanks for the opportunity.
We get a recap of the botched finish in last week’s Divas Fatal Four Way and then go to Emma for her thoughts on the win. Emma says people forget that the Revolution started with her and Paige at Takeover: Arrival and that there is no Revolution without Emma.
Apollo Crews vs. Martin Stone
Luckily Corey Graves said Stone’s name, because the Ring Announcer was clearly muted when she announced him. Apollo “Don’t call me Terry Creed” Crews bounces around Stone for a little bit and showcases his athleticism with a humongous dropkick. Apollo locks on an armbar and then goes to send Stone into the corner, but gets hit with a clothesline. Stone works Apollo over in the corner and then mocks Apollo before hooking on a variation of the Cobra Clutch. Apollo fights him off though and hits a standing Enziguri. Then hits a big splash in the corner and then a jumping clothesline as he gets the crowd hyped up. He then hits his combo of the Gorilla Press into the standing Moonsault and picks up the win.
Winner: Apollo Crews
Devin is with Jason Jordan and Chad Gable. They’ll be facing Neville and Crowe later tonight. Jordan says they’ll be making history when they win tonight. Gable says that the winners get to write history, and that’s what they’ll do. Gable says that Neville will fly a little too close to the sun and he will fail and fall hard. He says they’re going to run into the team that’s Ready, Willing, & Gable. Jordan says the Gable part reluctantly. Gable says its on camera now as they walk off.
After the “what’s coming on WWE Network” video, Devin is now with the NXT Champion Finn Balor. She congratulates him on his win at WWE Network, but tells him he will have to defend the title again at the live events coming up in Texas this month. Balor says he looks forward to putting NXT’s flag into the state of Texas. Devin says he also will be participating in the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic and she brings out his partner who is Samoa Joe. Joe also congratulates him on retaining the title. He says what’s important just like the NXT Title is the Tag Team Classic, and Joe wants to win it all. So he asks Balor if he’s ready? Balor says he’s ready as both men shake hands and smile.
Eva Marie vs. Billie Kay
A second straight week of an Eva Marie match for me! I’m telling you guys, she’s got the confidence and swagger now. Watch out for her. Plus she looks incredible. There’s actually an Eva chant started! It was mostly the females chanting it, but hey that’s more than she’s ever gotten. They tie up and Eva gets a headlock, but is pushed into the corner, but jumps back off the bottom rope and sidesteps Billie. She blows a kiss to Billie, but gets a boot to the face for it. Now Billie works over the neck of Eva, but Eva forces her into the corner and hits shoulders into the stomach and then pulls Billie out for a snap suplex. She goes for a pin but Billie kicks out. Eva now hooks on a sitting Abdominal Stretch, which Billie reverses into a pin, but Eva kicks out. A dueling “Let’s Go Eva/Eva Sucks” chant breaks out. Eva hits a couple hard forearms to Billie and then hits a running senton for a two count. Eva goes for an immediate follow up pin, Billie kicks out, but gets hooked in the Abdominal Stretch again. Billie manages a hip toss to get out and then hits a couple clotheslines followed by a suplex. Billie goes for the pin and uh-oh, I may have spoken too soon on Eva as she doesn’t kick out at 2 and the ref has to hold off on the three count while the shot is clearly edited to make it look like she did. To which the crowd realizes instantly and goes into nuclear heat mode. That did not look good. Corey Graves being the great color guy he is, tries to cover for Eva and talks about how the crowd is booing her just for kicking out. Billie is distracted by the fact she didn’t get the three count, which allows Eva the time to hit her with a couple elbows and then hooks on Sliced Bread #2 and picks up the win as the crowd sounds like it wants to riot.
Winner: Eva Marie
We get a backstage interview from last week with Enzo/Cass and The Hype Bros. They talk about how great the win was in New York and then start to argue about where they’re going to celebrate and who’s going with whom.
Next week will be Finn Balor and Samoa Joe vs. The Lucha Dragons in a Tag Team Classic match.
Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic Match
Jason Jordan and Chad Gable vs. Solomon Crowe and Neville
Another huge welcome back ovation for Neville, easily the loudest of the night. Unfortunately only 10 minutes left in the show, but this should still be a fun match. Gable and Crowe start off and Gable shows off his wrestling skills early not allowing Crowe to get the advantage. They trade headlocks and counters as the crowd chants “We want Neville!” Crowe hits a flapjack on Gable as Gable bounces off the ropes, and then he gets a hold of Gable and tags in Neville. Gable forces Neville into his corner and tags in Jordan. Jordan shows off his strength and amateur wrestling background on Neville, and goes for a German Suplex, but Neville lands on his feet and hits two dropkicks and an armdrag. Jordan to the outside and then Crowe comes into the ring and sends Gable to the outside as well.
After a commercial for NXT in Texas, we return to Neville and Jordan in the ring. Neville then tags back in Crowe, who gets taken down by Jordan. Jordan tags in Gable. Gable with a go behind bear hug on Crowe, which Crowe gets out of, but Gable tags in Jordan again and he hits a fantastic overhead Belly to Belly. Now Gable and Jordan do quick tags in the corner as they work over Crowe. Including a funny moment when Gable drapes his red towel over Crowe’s face and treats Jordan like a bull. I like this team a lot. Crowe falls to the outside and almost gets counted out, but gets back in. Gable hits a knee to the gut and goes for a pin, but only a two. Jordan now tags back in. He taunts Crowe as he wants to go for a tag and then pulls back on the head and neck of Crowe. Crowe gets to the ropes to break the hold and then Gable tags back in. He now hooks on a bow and arrow, Crowe finally breaks free and gets the hot tag to Neville. Neville hits Jordan with rapid kicks. He sends Gable to the outside with another kick and then sets up Jordan for the Red Arrow. Gable pulls Jordan out of the ring, but Neville won’t be detoured as he hits a beautiful moonsault onto Jordan on the outside and Crowe follows up with a suicide dive onto Gable. Neville and Jordan back in the ring now and Neville looks for a springboard move but Jordan catches him in midair and then throws him high in the air and Neville crashes down. Neville hits a superkick before Jordan can follow up and then tags in Crowe. Crowe tries to hit a move, but Jordan hits a great counter into another big Belly to Belly. Jordan kicks Neville off the apron and then tags in Gable and they hit their double team back suplex and pick up the win!
Winners: Jason Jordan and Chad Gable
We see who’s advanced tonight and Jordan and Gable celebrate as our show ends.
K-Tank’s Final Takes
– Both Tag Team Classic matches were fun matches. I really expect this to be a huge success for NXT and a nice way to pay tribute to The Dream.
– The Brackets are as follows:
Bracket A
Finn Balor and Samoa Joe vs. Lucha Dragons (Next week’s match)
Enzo Amore and Colin Cassady vs. Angelo Dawkins and Sawyer Fulton
Bracket B
Scott Dawson and Dash Wilder vs. Tucker Knight and Elias Samson
Blake and Murphy vs. Vaudevillains
Bracket C
Hype Bros vs. Marcus Louis and Alexander Wolfe
Jason Jordan and Chad Gable (Already advanced)
Bracket D
Rhyno and Baron Corbin (Already advanced)
Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa vs. Tyler Breeze and Bull Dempsey (Next week’s match)
The winners of the first round matches in the brackets will meet to advance to the semi-finals.
The winner of Bracket A will face the winner of Bracket B. The winner of Bracket C will face the winner of Bracket D.
– I’m a huge fan of Gable and Jordan as I stated last week. They’re WGTT 2.0 and I mean that as the utmost complement. Jordan is just naturally gifted in the ring. Those Belly to Belly throws tonight were damn impressive.
– Speaking of being a huge fan of someone, I am a HUGE Tomasso Ciampa fan! That is fantastic to see him and Gargano in NXT. Is it too much to ask for a Gargano/Ciampa vs. Balor/Joe finals already??
– I obviously can’t help but assume Balor and Joe as a team will ultimately lead them to a feud against each other for the title. That should be a fun progression to watch.
– I will continue to defend Eva Marie, but any more of those miscues like tonight and I won’t be able to. That was not good at all with the missed kick out. But she looked good in the ring besides that. Just keep giving her matches and let her work on everything. She doesn’t need to be rushed into anything. Although, imagine the heat she’ll have if she ever gets to the point where she gets a title shot against Bayley. That would be something to see.
I’ll be back next week for the continuation of the Tag Team Classic, so until then, look in the camera and say Breeze.