WWE: NXT Spotlight 12/09/15 Plus Takeover London Preview by Kurt Zamora

Welcome one and all to the last NXT Spotlight before we get to Takeover: London! I am your host as always and you are at TJRWrestling.net as you should be. Yes, we are just seven days from what should be another monumental Takeover event, the first one to leave stateside. I’m sure the London crowd is ramped up for their event, but before we get there, we have some business to take care of tonight. We have a huge tag team main event as foes in London will pair up against each other. The NXT Champion Finn Balor teams with Apollo “Don’t call me Terry Creed” Crews (haven’t been able to drop that in in awhile) to take on the former rivals of Samoa Joe and Baron Corbin. I’ll have my predictions in my Final Takes but for now, let’s get to the action.

Enzo Amore and Colin Cassady (w/Carmella) vs. Corey Hollis and John Skylar

Uh… no pre-match ritual from Enzo and Cass. I don’t know how I feel about this. Even Carmella is all business tonight. They’re playing up how focused they are for the tag title match they’re receiving in London. Skylar and Big Cass start the match and Cass destroys Skylar in the corner as soon as the bell rings. Clubbing blows and screaming “How you doin’?!” in his face. Cass tosses him out with ease and then Skylar ends up end on the other side and Cass follows him in with an avalanche splash. Cass picks him up in a bodyslam and tags in Enzo, but Skylar slips out and tags in Hollis. Enzo just steamrolls Hollis though. That was literally the hardest hit I’ve seen Enzo give someone. Cass tags back in and Enzo hits Hollis in the corner and then Cass gives Skylar the big boot off the apron. Cass goes back to Hollis and hits the East River Crossing and then tells Enzo to go up top. Enzo is propelled off the top and picks up the pinfall.

Winners: Colin Cassady and Enzo Amore

The winners have mics in their hands after the match. Enzo says that is how they put food on the table. He’ll be damned if Dawson and Dash interfere with him putting food on his family’s table. Him and Cass have been doing this longer than any team in NXT. They tried to jeopardize Cass’ future and they tried to jeopardize his future. The only people that determine their future is the people already in the ring. Enzo says they can walk it just like they talk it, even blindfolded because they know exactly where they’re going. Cass jumps in and says Dash and Dawson tried to take everything away. They’ve worked too hard for the champs to stop them from getting what they want. At Takeover, him and Enzo will get retribution and will leave the champs laying. And they will leave London the NXT Tag Team Champions. How you doin’?

Tom Phillips is backstage with Dana Brooke and Emma. Tom says he hopes Dana has calmed down from last week. Dana says she’s good but Asuka shouldn’t be. Emma faces Asuka next week in London and Tom asks her if she’s ready for that match. Emma says she’s ready but Asuka is the one that needs to be ready. She has a reputation in Japan, but in NXT, Emma started the revolution before any other woman did. At Takeover, the Emmalution will be the Solution. Dana says they’re in control. She tells Tom to scrunch down so she can pat him on the head.

A short vignette is shown for “The Perfect 10” Tye Dillinger.

Asuka vs. Deonna Purrazzo

I know nothing about Deonna and judging by the crickets in the crowd when she came out, I’m not the only one I’m assuming. The ladies tie up and Asuka rolls her over and throws her off. They tie up again and Asuka grabs an armbar. Deonna reverses it but Asuka reserves it right back. Asuka then turns it into a headlock and sends her to the mat. Deonna escapes but Asuka gets a front face lock and then another headlock that gets a quick pin but Deonna kicks out, only to end up in the cross armbreaker. Deonna manages to get to the ropes but then Asuka gives her repeated kicks. Asuka then hits her with the Rear-View and at that point Emma’s music hits and here she comes with Dana. Emma is looking damn good tonight. Zack Ryder is a lucky man, but we already knew that. Deonna tries to come from behind as Asuka is distracted, but Asuka lays her out with a kick from out of nowhere and Deonna is out cold. The ref calls for the bell as Deonna is knocked out. Emma and Dana look concerned all over again and leave the entrance way as Asuka stares them down.

Winner: Asuka by Knockout

Speaking of that lucky man, here’s Zack Ryder and Mojo Rawley backstage. They are going two on two with Blake and Murphy. Mojo says speaking of two, Blake and Murphy are probably those guys that take #2 in the club. Mojo guarantees it. Mojo says Blake looks like “Mrs. Doubtfire” with his pigtails and earrings in. Ryder corrects him and says it’s Mrs. Doubtfire. Mojo doesn’t care cause they’re taking them on a ride tonight. Ryder says they’ve got two fast pass tickets to the Hype Ryder. Cause they don’t get hyped, they stay hyped. You know it.

Now we go to their opponents who are joined by Alexa Bliss. They apparently just came from the Freddy Krueger convention and got mugged there. Alexa says the Hype Bros got one over on her boys a couple weeks ago, but while she was trying to take care of Bayley, her men embarrassed her by losing to The Hype Bros. She blames them for her loss to Bayley. The guys aren’t happy about it but Blake says they’re former NXT Tag Team Champions and they have what it takes. So they Hype Bros will be broken tonight. Alexa is happy to hear that and says the Blake and Murphy Factor is back.

Another vignette for “The Drifter” Elias Samson is shown with him singing a new drifter song.

The Hype Bros vs. BAMF

Really was happy to see The Hype Bros get some matches and wins on some of the WWE Live Events last weekend. They’re really starting to gel together. Good ovation for them as well tonight. Mojo and Blake start the match. Blake gets the armbar to start and slaps Mojo in the face. Mojo drops Blake immediately and then gets a headlock. Murphy gets a blind tag and gets in the ring but both of them are dropped by a double shoulder tackle. Both men to the outside and Mojo tags in Ryder who dives with a dropkick through the middle and bottom ropes to both men. Murphy gets thrown back in the ring and Ryder hits a missile dropkick from the second rope. Ryder then wants to go for the Broski Boot but Blake tries to cut him off. He gets a clothesline for his troubles. Murphy is then sent over the top rope. Ryder hits Blake with a flapjack and it’s then Blake who gets hit with the Broski Boot. Murphy comes back in though and cuts Ryder off. Murphy is all over Ryder as he chokes him over the second rope. Murphy pulls the ref away as Blake picks up Alexa and she kicks Ryder in the head. Now BAMF work over Ryder in their corner. Blake gets Ryder in a headlock as the crowd tries to get behind Ryder. Ryder is forced back in the corner though and Murphy gets the tag. He goes back to the headlock himself. Murphy knocks Mojo off the apron and as the ref gets Mojo back, BAMF continue to work over Ryder. They have him in their corner and Blake gets the tag and whips Murphy into Ryder but he gets the double knees up and kicks Murphy into Blake. Ryder gets the chance to make the hot tag to Mojo and he comes in and tags out BAMF. He hits a big splash on Blake and then a big discus punch. Murphy distracts Mojo before he can make a pin though. Ryder comes in and tries to throw Murphy out but the ref pulls back Ryder to his corner. Mojo gets Blake up on his shoulders but Blake rakes the eyes and then Murphy comes back in and hits Mojo with a Superkick. Blake goes for the pin and Ryder breaks it up. Murphy charges Ryder but he gets dumped to the outside. Mojo spears Blake into the corner and Ryder makes the tag so the Hype Bros can set up for the Hype Ryder and they pick up the win!

Winners: The Hype Bros

Samoa Joe and Baron Corbin are backstage. Joe says he’s not gonna lie and act like they’ve ever looked eye to eye, but tonight is about the men they face. Baron says that he doesn’t like Apollo. He’s a nobody rookie and he deserves nothing in NXT. Joe says that Balor blames him for the end of their friendship, but was it really him? Joe had his back for everything, but then when Joe asked for one thing, a NXT Title match, Balor couldn’t give it to him. Baron says so tonight, those two will be lucky to even make it to London.

Bayley vs. Peyton Royce

Peyton’s new entrance is well…. interesting. Yeah, that’s what I’ll go with. They tie up and Peyton grabs the headlock. Bayley drops down and both women counter each other until Peyton hits an arm drag. Bayley tries a go behind but gets hit with an elbow. Peyton sends her to the corner but Bayley jumps up and comes down with an arm drag of her own. Then hits a clothesline in the corner. Bayley goes for a bodyslam but Peyton gets out and hits a clubbing blow to the back of her head and then a running knee to the side of her head. Peyton works over Bayley in the corner, choking her with her boot. After a two count on a pinfall, Peyton starts dropping some elbows to the shoulder blades of Bayley and then hooks a headlock. Bayley gets out and hits a drop top hold. She tries to gain the momentum but is cut off by a spinning kick. Both women trade blows and then Bayley gets on the second rope and hits a back elbow. She follows that up with a running bulldog that gets a two count. Now she hits a vertical suplex but Peyton then hits a jaw jacker. Peyton gets a two count. She picks up Bayley who grabs Peyton and drops her with a Bayley to Bayley!

Winner: Bayley

Bayley has no time to celebrate as Nia Jax’s music hits and she comes out with the Red Queen of NXT, Eva Marie. Nuclear Heat has returned to Full Sail. Eva says somehow Bayley escaped with the title two weeks ago. Nia cuts her off and says she doesn’t need Eva to talk for her. Bayley has been lucky. Lucky that Nia wasn’t here earlier because Bayley would’ve never been champ then. She’s becoming the next NXT Women’s Champion. See you in London.

Finn Balor is warming up backstage where Apollo Crews finds him. Apollo wants to make sure Finn is ready for tonight. He’s tried to call Finn all week with no answer. Finn says don’t worry about him. They’re good. All they have to do is give Joe and Corbin a little taste of what’s happening in London. Apollo likes the sound of that. But he doesn’t want Finn to forget that they have unfinished business and when he gets done with Baron, he’s coming for the NXT Title again. Apollo walks away as Finn looks in disbelief.

A Sami Zayn vignette is shown of his appearance in Montreal against John Cena on Monday Night Raw and where he ultimately hurt his shoulder.

Apollo Crews and Finn Balor vs. Baron Corbin and Samoa Joe

Finn wants him and Joe to start the match but Joe instantly tags in Baron. Finn attacks Baron and then goes to punch Joe but he jumps off the apron. Baron then attacks Finn but Finn hits a dropkick and then tags in Apollo. Apollo is ready to take on Baron but Baron repays the favor and tags in Joe. They tie up and Apollo works over the arm of Joe. Joe breaks out and hits right hands on Apollo but then gets caught in the down and up dropkick combo by Apollo. It’s on par with AJ Styles on how smoothly he pulls that off. We go to a commercial.

We come back to Joe having the upper hand and then tags in Baron. Baron beats on Apollo in the corner and then takes the ref over with him to Finn as Joe chokes Apollo. Baron comes back and hits a flip slam of sorts on Apollo and gets a two count. Joe gets tagged in and works over the right arm of Apollo. Apollo manages to work out of it but as he comes off the ropes, he is met full force by a Joe elbow. Joe then tags back in Baron. Baron chokes him over the bottom rope. Baron taunts Apollo as he kicks him while he’s down. He gets Apollo in the corner and charges him but Apollo moves and Baron gets a shoulder full of ringpost. Apollo manages to get the hot tag to Finn and Joe too gets tagged in. Finn is all over Joe and drops him with a forearm and clothesline. Finn is fired up and hits a running chop in the corner, sends Joe to the opposite side and does another one. Finn goes for the 10 count punches but gets to 8 only before Joe reverses it and goes for the Muscle Buster. Finn slides out into a sunset flip but Baron breaks up the pin. Apollo back in and he takes Baron to the outside with a clothesline. Joe and Finn battle it out on the inside. Finn comes at Joe and hits a Sling Blade followed by the shotgun dropkick. Finn goes for the Coup De Grace but Baron pushes him off right into a Death Valley Driver by Joe. Joe now goes for the Kokina Clutch as Baron and Apollo fight to the back. Finn is out cold and can’t tap out but the ref calls for the bell anyways.

Winners: Samoa Joe and Baron Corbin

Joe stands over the champ, quite confident in himself. He grabs the NXT Title and holds it up while stepping on Finn. That’s our show.

K-Tank’s Final Takes/Takeover: London Predictions

Apollo Crews vs. Baron Corbin

I’m going to go out on a limb here and say that even though Apollo is being built up as the man to take over for Finn when the time comes, something tells me that in London, Baron Corbin will pick up the win. I may be swayed by the intensity Baron has shown in this angle and his explanations for why he hates Apollo. I think this will be a fun match and I think there will be more to this rivalry after London.

Asuka vs. Emma

I hope this is a competitive match that gives Emma the chance to show her new mean streak. Her work has improved dramatically. I’m afraid though that this will just be another Asuka showcase. I had a good conversation with a reader about Asuka and I’ll tell you what I told him. I’m not sold on Asuka. Thankfully she’s pulled back on the creepy smile thing and is now being presented as more of a badass that can destroy you from anywhere at any time. THAT I can get behind. If that continues, that’s something that will be fun to see go against Bayley, even in a face vs face capacity. I hope that’s the angle they continue to go with.

Enzo and Cass vs. Dash and Dawson for the NXT Tag Titles

I can’t imagine that The Vaudevillians were just place holders for Dash and Dawson to just be place holders for Enzo and Cass. Although if Enzo and Cass don’t win the titles here, will they ever? I don’t know that they NEED the titles, but it would sure be nice if they had a reign. After getting over the initial shock of it, I was really impressed with the fire shown by Enzo and Cass tonight. It’s good to see them show a mean streak and prove they’re not just a comedy act. They need that for when they get to the main roster. This is really a tough match to gauge, definitely the hardest match to pick on the card. I’m going to go with a title change here because if not now, then when?

Bayley vs. Nia Jax for the NXT Women’s Title

This will be a really interesting match to watch as Bayley is obviously where she is due to her outstanding series of matches with the other three horsewomen who are now on the main roster. But she can’t have that type of match with Nia. That’s not Nia’s style. So how will Bayley’s style play off of that? It’s an interesting story to follow during the match. I can’t see this match going very long with how green Nia is still. I would expect lots of interference by Eva Marie until she’s probably kicked out from ringside and then it’ll be at that point Bayley makes her big comeback and gets the victory.

Finn Balor vs. Samoa Joe for the NXT Championship

I fully expected Finn to pull out The Demon for this match. And maybe he still will, but with no mention of it, this may just be a straight up match. Give these guys a half hour (not hard to do with the rest of the card being what it is) and let them put on a clinic. The London crowd will absolutely eat it up. Joe needs that match to really stamp his name under the WWE/NXT Banner. I think this will be fantastic and hard hitting, but ultimately I think Finn will retain.

So there you have it folks. The next time we talk, I will be on tape delay giving you the play by play for Takeover: London. In the meantime, leave me a comment below and let me know how you think the show will play out and what your predictions are. Until next time, remember not to be the guy who takes a #2 in the club.