WWE NXT Spotlight: 11/9/2016 by Kurt Zamora

Welcome one and all to another installment of the NXT Spotlight here at TJRWrestling. After last week’s action, we are now down to the semifinals of the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic. The finals will take place next Saturday at Takeover: Toronto. And with only one more show after tonight before Takeover, a lot can happen to help finish setting up that huge event. Let’s get to the action.

Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic – Semifinal Match
#DIY vs. The Authors of Pain (w/Paul Ellering)

This match took place in Los Angeles during their trip through California last week. Really cool set up in this venue. Akam and Ciampa start the match. The crowd is obviously 100% behind #DIY. Akam overpowers Ciampa in the corner to start. Ciampa manages to get a blind tag to Gargano and they hit a series of dropkicks but Akam doesn’t fall. Now all four men get in the ring and start brawling. Both teams get the upper hand for a moment and then #DIY hit knee strikes to their opponents, which sends both to the floor but not off their feet. Gargano goes for a dive to the outside but gets caught in mid air. Ciampa decides to try and help but AOP throws Gargano into him as he comes running towards the ropes. We go to commercial.

We come back to Rezar on the attack on Gargano. I think it’s funny that during these matches they’ve been showing from California, they’re sure to tell you in the upper left hand corner that the matches are previously recorded… but they don’t do the same for matches in Full Sail. KAYFABE BROTHER. Back to the match, Ellering chokes Gargano on the apron with the ref not looking and then AOP does a double team sidewalk slam but Gargano kicks out. Gargano is trapped in the wrong corner as Akam goes to town on him. Akam gets Gargano up in a Dominator position but holds him there for a backbreaker submission. Gargano finally counters the hold and gets Akam off his feet long enough to tag in Ciampa. Ciampa knocks Rezar off the apron and then attacks Akam with a couple big boots. Rezar cuts him off though and gets him in a Fireman’s Carry. Ciampa escapes and starts chopping the hell out of Rezar. He goes for a German suplex but Rezar blocks it. He can’t block it a second time though as Ciampa gets him high in the air, much to the crowd’s admiration. Gargano is now tagged in. He charges Rezar but gets cut off. Ciampa jumps on Rezar’s back but gets caught in a Samoan Drop position. Gargano comes off the ropes to help but he gets caught! Rezar then does a Samoan Drop/Fallaway Slam combo both #DIY that was incredible. Very cool spot. Gargano kicks out of a pin attempt though. Akam tagged in now and AOP set up for their double powerbomb, but #DIY does a double hurricanrana instead. AOP knock heads and #DIY roll them up but both kick out. AOP go to the floor and #DIY do dueling dives off the apron to take out AOP. Akam gets in the ring and #DIY Meet In The Middle on him, but before they can go for a pin, Ellering gets on the apron and districts the ref. The ref and Ciampa go to Ellering and all of the sudden, The Revival come from under the ring! They grab Gargano and Dawson DDT’s him on the outside. Ciampa comes in the ring but gets caught in The Last Chapter and Authors of Pain advance to the finals. What a wild finish that was.

Winners: Authors of Pain

Quick Plug: Be sure to check out this week’s episode of The Match Beyond podcast. Hank and Mark McAllen are back for Three Things on My Mind. This episode we discuss the recent court ruling for TNA Wrestling and what’s next for the company. We talk about the fallout from Hell in a Cell, especially the Charlotte/Sasha match and what it means for the rest of the Women’s Division. Finally we discuss the growing problem of WWE making all of their programming too long and oversaturating things. It’s a great discussion so don’t miss it.

Another vignette is shown for “The Return” which will be next week. I’m not sure what is is, but I’m intrigued.

We go to a pre-recorded interview with Tye Dillinger. He says that Roode gave him his word but then broke those words not only to him but to Dusty. That’s classic Roode though. It mounted up with cheapshots and lies. At Takeover, there is no more lies, cheapshots or backtracking. He will kicking Roode’s ass all over Toronto. It won’t be known as Roode’s hometown anymore, it’ll be known as The Perfect 10 City.

TM61 vs. Sanity (w/Eric Young & Nicki Cross)

This too was filmed in Los Angeles. A better reaction for TM61 that last week. The bell doesn’t even ring before Sanity attacks TM61 and knocks them off the turnbuckles to the floor below. Eric Young sends Nick Miller into the steel steps and Fulton and Cross beat up Thorne. We go to commercial.

We come back to the ref asking Thorne if he can continue and he says yes. He’s going 2 on 1 against Wolfe and Fulton. Sanity hits a modified Hart Attack on Thorne but he kicks out at two. Fulton then goes to a nerve hold on Thorne to continue working him over. Thorne gets out but then gets destroyed in the corner by Fulton. Wolfe now tags in and they double team Thorne in their corner. Wolfe goes to the nerve hold himself, and Nick Miller just now returns to his corner. He is promptly knocked back down though by Wolfe. Fulton tags in and they go for the Hart Attack type move again but Thorne escapes and Wolfe ends up hitting Fulton. Miller is back on the apron and Wolfe goes to knock him off again but he blocks it. Thorne is able to make the tag and Miller comes in and takes out both of Sanity. He’s basically working 2 on 1 now as Thorne is hurting on the outside. Wolfe is the legal man now and Sanity goes for their finisher but Thorn comes in and dropkicks Wolfe. Miller then manages to roll up Fulton while he’s distracted and he’s able to hold him down for the three count.

Winners: TM61

So the finals at Takeover: Toronto will be TM61 vs. The Authors of Pain.

We go to William Regal who discusses the interference of The Revival during the first semifinal match tonight. Due to their actions, they will now defend their tag team titles against #DIY in a Two out of Three Falls match!

We now go to Bobby Roode in a pre recorded interview. Roode says Dillinger wants to blame him for everything, but its not his fault. He didn’t embarrass Dusty Rhodes, Dillinger did. Dillinger calls himself the Perfect 10 but he’s not even close. Everyone after Toronto will see that he’s a Perfect Failure and a Perfect Loser. He will make Takeover: Toronto GLORIOUS!

Raechel Evers vs. Ember Moon

Great to see Ember back on TV, feels like it’s been a while. We are back in Full Sail for this one. Moon goes for a modified roll up pin early, but Evers kicks out easily. Now both women counter pins before going to a stalemate. Moon catches her in a hurricanrana and then bounces off the second rope with a cross body but Evers moves. Evers hits a gutwrench suplex and then drives knees to the spine before going for a chinlock. Evers starts pie-facing Moon and Moon just starts unloading on Evers. Two huge kicks, including one straight to the jaw sends Evers to the corner. Moon follows with a front handspring elbow. Moon goes to the top rope and here comes the Total Ecllipse.

Winner: Ember Moon

NXT Title Contract Signing

William Regal is in the ring with six security guards to oversee the contract signing between Nakamura and Samoa Joe for the NXT Title at Takeover: Toronto. When it’s Joe’s turn to come out, he comes out for a second and then walks back to the back. He now comes back out with his own table and chair that he places at the top of the stage. He says as much as he’d like to join the circus in the ring, he knows that Regal will ensure Nakamura’s safety, but he doesn’t feel the same about his own. So he’s going to conduct his business up there. Joe says he understands why Nakamura is mad. He’s Japan’s biggest ace and came to NXT and got beat down and embarrassed by Joe. Joe says he will give Nakamura his opportunity for revenge, but it just won’t be tonight. It’ll be in Toronto. He asks Regal to make himself usefull and bring him the contract. Regal goes to say something but Joe cuts him off and tells him to bring the contract and his ridiculous accent up to where he is. Regal is not happy but decides better of it and brings the contract to Joe. Joe signs it and then drops it instead of handing it to Regal. Nakamura now has the contract and stares down Joe as security circle around him. Nakamura drops the contract and then destroys all the security guards in the ring. Regal is looking on from the apron in disgust as Nakamura powerbombs one of the guards through the table. Nakamura now grabs the contract back and now signs it. He drops it on the fallen guard as both men stare a hole through each other. That ends our show.

K-Tank’s Final Takes

• This was a really good show. Definitely one of the better ones in a few weeks. I really enjoyed the first semifinal match. Authors of Pain continue to improve and there was a lot going on at the end. Fun match.
• The contract signing was really well done. Nakamura wants Joe in the worst way and Joe is playing the savvy heel that’s staying away for the time being. This match should be incredible.
• With the addition of the Tag Title match, this Takeover card looks fantastic. I fully expect that to be match of the night.

Next week they announced Cedric Alexander vs. Andrade Almas. I’m not sure if that’s the only match and the rest is promo material for Takeover. If that’s the case, I’ll just have a preview piece up for Takeover instead next week and just let all of you know who won that match. So until next time, don’t do anything I wouldn’t do. If you do though, name it after me.