WWE: NXT Spotlight 12/02/15 by Kurt Zamora

Welcome one and all to the month of December and another installment of the NXT Spotlight right here at TJRWrestling.net. Believe it or not, we are just two weeks away from our next Takeover special from London, England. Seems like it came up on us from out of nowhere, but it’s going to have a loaded card and we’ve got some big action tonight as we prepare for it. Samoa Joe and Tommaso Ciampa are facing off in the main event. I can’t wait to watch that. And my favorite NXT star not named Finn Balor, James Storm, makes his return to Full Sail tonight. Let’s get to the action!

Baron Corbin vs. “The Perfect 10” Tye Dillinger

I don’t know if Baron is ready for the main roster yet, but I do know that after seeing him in Breaking Ground, I like him even more. He faces off against Apollo Crews in London. The crowd legit goes nuts for Dillinger as he comes to the ring. I don’t think they’ve figured out how to use him properly yet, but he’s awesome and I think he’s right on the verge of fully breaking out. Matches like this don’t help him much, but oh well. Tye chops Baron to start off but he bounces off the ropes and Corbin catches him in a modified black hole slam that looked really good. A couple of elbows in the corner to Tye and then throws him to the middle of the ring. Hits a knee to the ribs and then just tosses Tye around. Corbin plants a knee to the back of the head and poses to the crowd. Both men get in the corner again and Tye tries fighting back and hits a Lou Thesz press. He goes for a Superkick, it’s blocked, but he goes for it again and connects. Didn’t get all of it and Corbin kicks out. Tye to the second rope but he’s caught in mid-air, right into the End of Days, and that’s the match.

Winner: Baron Corbin

Kyle Edwards is backstage with Apollo Crews. He talks to Apollo about how next week on NXT, the main event is him and Finn Balor vs. Samoa Joe and Baron Corbin. Kyle asks him if he’s concerned about his partner being hurt last week by Joe. Apollo says he is concerned, but not about his partner. He’s concerned if he can be kept off of Baron Corbin and not tearing him apart.

Takeover: London will have a special start time of 3pm Eastern, so they’ll be showing it live. I can tell you right now, my recap will be on tape delay.

Rich Brennan has a twin apparently because who I thought was him is actually a new backstage reporter Alex Reyes and he is backstage with Tommaso Ciampa. Ciampa is asked about Joe’s change of attitude recently. Ciampa says Joe has always been a loner but something is different in Joe’s eyes lately. But if there’s one thing more dangerous than a dangerous man, it’s someone with nothing to lose. He doesn’t have a NXT Title match over his shoulder. And he knows people doesn’t think he can beat Joe tonight, but when he does, everything changes.

Nia Jax vs. Blue Pants

Really loved the Instagram post The Rock posted about Nia this week. He clearly believes in her. Let the conspiracy theorists come out to talk about how Blue Pants apparently had heat in NXT and she’s only brought back to be squashed by Nia. She gets a monster ovation nonetheless. Her theme song is not Enzo and Cass singing the Price is Right anymore, so that’s a bummer. Blue Pants rolls out of the way of a Nia attack, but then celebrates and gets laid out with a clothesline. Nia stomps on her hand after that and then tosses her around the ring by her head. Nia picks her up for a bodyslam but Blue Pants gets out and tries to fight back but Nia pushes her away and then catches her in a shoulder breaker. She drops a couple of huge elbows after that. Blue Pants squashed in the corner and then hit with a massive Samoan Drop. Nia hits the legdrop and then steps on Blue Pants for the pin. That was a complete squash.

Winner: Nia Jax

Tom Phillips is with the NXT Tag Team Champions Dash and Dawson for a sit down interview. Tom congratulates them on their tag title defense last week. Dawson says thanks, but they’re only looking forward, not in the past. Tom asks if they worry about the consequences for their tactics they take. They say they worry about the tag titles, if those are the consequences then so be it. Tom asks them about Enzo and Cass and the champs blow them off. Tom then announces that at Takeover: London, Enzo and Cass get the tag title shot. Dash wants to know why because they haven’t done anything to earn the #1 contendership. Dawson says he has a warning for Enzo and Cass, it’s going to be a long flight back home when Cass has a broken leg. Dash says they’re going to walk out tag team champions and Enzo and Cass will be lucky to just walk out.

“The Cowboy” James Storm vs. Adam Rose

I know this was taped prior to Raw, but I hope Storm beats Rose up for that stupid Rose Bush segment. Rose comes out to the opening of his party music but cuts it off and walks to no music. The crowd does the theme song themselves. Another great ovation for Storm this week. They tie up and Storm gets a clean break but Rose shoves him so Storm slaps him in the face, sending him to the mat. Storm counters a hiptoss with one of his own. Rose gets in the rope to get some separation and as the ref moves back Storm, Rose hits a cheap shot and gets the advantage. Rose locks on the Million Dollar Dream but Storm manages to punch out of it, but then Rose drops him with a shoulder tackle. Rose tries to send Storm over the top rope but Storm skins the cat and then hits a clothesline and an atomic drop. Rose gets backed into the corner and Storm hits an enziguri from the apron. He runs off the ropes and hits a leaping neckbreaker and then its Last Call time and Storm hits the Superkick for the victory.

Winner: James Storm

Newbie Alex is backstage again with The Vaudevillians who are taking on Gable and Jordan tonight. Rich brings up the disappointment of losing last week. Simon says Jordan and Gable are really good but The Vaudevillians are former NXT Tag Champs and they will win tonight. Jordan and Gable shows up and question them on that statement. Jordan says they’re going to become what the Vaudevillians were once before, NXT Tag Champs. Gable cuts in and says what’s really important is that we have two great tag teams and the real winners tonight are the Full Sail fans. Everytime they come back here, it gets harder to leave. They must put something in the water. Jason Jordan doesn’t get it, but i’m laughing hysterically. That’s a Happy Gilmore reference by Gable for those keeping score at home. They’re gonna be ready, willing, and Gable. And Manly says The Vaudevillians. Both teams shake hands.

We get a new vignette hyping the return of Sami Zayn as we look back at one year’s time when Zayn faced off against Neville for the NXT Title and won.

The Vaudevillians vs. Chad Gable and Jason Jordan

Huge ovation for the best tag team in NXT. I cannot say enough how great that promo was in the last segment. Gable and Gotch start the match. Gable shows off his amateur wrestling skills to start but Gotch counters and gets an armbreaker on Gable. Gable recovers quick and takes down Gotch twice by his left leg and then works over the knee. Gable hooks Gotch and tags in his partner. Jordan comes in and goes for a suplex but Gotch escapes and gets to tag in English. Jordan tosess English to the mat and then gets a go behind. He goes for a back suplex but English blocks it so Jordan just slams him down on his stomach. Jordan hooks a headlock and English throws him to the ropes and goes for two leapfrogs which is one too many. Jordan catches him and goes to slam him into the corner but English turns it into a sunset flip. Then a couple of Japanese arm drags by English. English celebrates on the second rope, which gives Jordan a chance to grab English by the right leg and he starts to work over that knee. Gable gets tagged in and stays on the advantage on that knee until he charges English in the corner and English dumps him over the top rope to the outside.

Gable manages to get back in and English goes for a pin but gets two. Gotch tags in and after a couple double team moves, he works over the arm and neck of Gable. English tags back in and continues on the neck. Gable comes close to making the tag, bu has to Judo throw English to make it happen. Jordan comes in the ring and cleans house. Gotch tags in and he’s dropped. Both Vaudevillians hit with dropkicks. English is thrown in the air and comes crashing down. Gotch is hit with a head and leg suplex. The straps come down for Jordan, he tags in Gable and they hit their double team back suplex with the bridge and pick up another big win.

Winners: Chad Gable & Jason Jordan

Post match, Gable and Jordan go to shake The Vaudevillians hands again but The Vaudevillians decide to just walk off instead in frustration.

Alex is getting his money’s worth tonight on his debut as he is backstage again and he has Emma and Dana Brooke this time. He asks them to explain what happened last week with their attack on Asuka. Dana plays up how she was going to do more damage to Asuka if Emma hadn’t let go of Asuka. Emma tells Dana to calm down but it’s clear that Asuka has messed with the wrong two women. She has a match to get ready for and it’s probably best if Dana stays back to continue to calm down. Dana pats Rich on the head and says she feels much better.

Another vignette for “The Drifter” Elias Samson is shown as he sings another drifter tune on his guitar.

Emma vs. Liv Morgan

I already loved Emma’s work as of late on NXT, then I find out she’s dating my boy Zack Ryder. She may take over Eva Marie’s spot as my favorite NXT Diva. I know nothing about Liv Morgan except I can tell you she looks like Ashley Massaro 2015. The ladies tie up twice and Liv gets the better of both of them to Emma’s frustration. Emma grabs Liv by the arm and then rams her into the top turnbuckle a few times. Then she locks on the Tarantula in the corner until the ref makes her break it up. Emma then hits her Emma Sandwich. She snapmakes Liv and then kicks her hard in the spine. Then she stands on Liv’s hair and pulls up. Emma then repeatedly punches and kicks Liv in the corner. She gets a front face lock on but Liv counters and starts to fight back. She hits a dropkick on Emma. They go to the corner and Liv gets both feet up on Emma and then goes for a pin but Emma bridges up and gets out of it. She then hits a double arm suplex and then curb stomps Liv’s face into the mat. Now the Emma Lock is on and Liv has to tap out.

Winner: Emma

Emma celebrates her win but the Titontron comes on and we see Asuka kicking a workout bag and then Asuka tells Emma, “see you in London.” The crowd chants “Asuka’s gonna kill you” as Emma looks concerned now.

Alex one more time making the most of his opportunity as he’s now with the NXT Women’s Champion Bayley. He recaps the title defenses that Bayley has had lately and then brings up Nia Jax being the next challenge. Bayley says if Nia wants a title match, she can have one because Bayley has fought, scratched, and clawed for everything she’s gotten. She’s going to take on Nia head on. Nia shows up and stares at Bayley and the title and smiles. Nia walks off and Alex says it looks like Nia just asked for a shot. Bayley says she’ll accept any challenge but Nia comes back from behind and attacks Bayley and then sends her through a locker room door. Bayley is left laying.

Samoa Joe vs. Tommaso Ciampa

Great to see Ciampa in the main event role, I’m such a fan of his work. Both men feel each other out as the bell rings. Joe goes for a kick but Ciampa ducks. They tie up now and get in the corner and Joe doesn’t give a clean break so Ciampa pie faces him. They tie up again and end up in the opposite corner and Joe grabs the left arm of Ciampa and goes to work on it. Ciampa chops Joe with his other arm but Joe isn’t phased and chops Ciampa even harder. Joe snapmares Ciampa and goes back to the arm. Ciampa with some stiff forearm shots but Joe counters with an even stiffer shot. Right back to the arm again. Joe hits an overhead throw on Ciampa with the arm hooked. Very impressive. Ciampa gets up and starts trading shots with Joe. They are going hard at each other but Joe gets the advantage again. Joe runs to the other rope but Ciampa moves out of the way and rolls up Joe for a pin but only a two count. Ciampa continues to fire up and hits a jumping arm breaker on Joe for again a two count. Joe gets up and both men again just beat the hell out of each other. Ciampa hits an enziguri but gets caught in mid air after he comes off the ropes. Ciampa turns it into a front choke and then tries to hook in a Kimura Lock. Joe forces him to the corner and hits a brutal kick to the back of the head. Ciampa sent to the other side and comes back and runs into a snap powerslam. Joe gets him in a corner again and lays in the punches and kicks again before face washing him. Ciampa moves out of the running face wash, but Joe catches him in the urinagi out of the corner. Joe gets Ciampa up for the Muscle Buster and drops him and goes straight for the Kokina Clutch to pick up the hard fought win as Ciampa taps out.

Winner: Samoa Joe

That’s our show.

K-Tank’s Final Takes

– I would’ve loved to seen that main event get 5-7 more minutes but I understand that Joe is getting showcased. Ciampa looked good for what they gave him as that was a really hard hitting match.

– Really hope to see James Storm get something more of substance soon on NXT. Would love to maybe see him be Baron Corbin’s next opponent. Great to see him again though.

– There’s a phase that Jim Ross especially likes to use called “maximizing your minutes”, and Chad Gable and Jason Jordan did just that tonight. They were fantastic.

– I’m not the biggest fan of already teasing a Vaudevillians heel turn that quickly after losing the titles. The crowd loves them and their reaction certainly didn’t dictate a heel turn.

– It looks like our Takeover: London final card is Balor vs. Joe for the NXT title, Bayley vs. Nia for the Women’s title, Dash and Dawson vs. Enzo and Cass for the tag titles, Asuka vs. Emma, and Apollo vs. Baron. Typically these shows only have about 5 or 6 matches so I don’t think we’ll see anything added. I’ll save my predictions for next week but it should be a solid show yet again.

Until next time, advice to Emma… Don’t be a hoeski, take care of the Broski.