WWE NXT Spotlight: 7/24/19 By Kurt Zamora

Welcome one and all to another installment of the NXT Spotlight here at TJRWrestling. We’re getting closer to Takeover: Toronto and we found out over the last week that we have our main event set with a Two out of Three Falls match for the NXT Title. This week we have a huge main event with two guys trying to get on their first Takeover between Keith Lee and Damian Priest. Let’s see what else we find out for Takeover!

We start this week with a recap of the Adam Cole and Johnny Gargano confrontation that ended last week’s show. Tonight we will find out what stipulations they picked for their Takeover battle.

NXT Breakout Tournament – Semifinals
Jordan Myles vs. Angel Garza

These were the two arguably most impressive breakout stars of the tournament, so this should be special. Garza rejected a show of sportsmanship from Myles. Quick stalemate at the start, both men showing off their quickness. Both men trading wristlocks. I find it funny and ironic that they’re doing this “smiles for Myles”, yet his huge profile pic on the stage has him with a serious face. Myles lands a dropkick that forces Garza to the apron. He follows that up with a wrecking ball dropkick. Myles goes to follow him to the floor but Garza sweeps the leg and Myles takes a bad fall. Garza then slams Myles into the steel steps and guardrail before coming into the ring and ripping off his pants ala Taichi if you’re a NJPW fan.

Back in the ring and Garza with a double underhook backbreaker for a two count. Garza now working over the back and locks on a Camel Clutch. Myles gets out but walks into a superkick for another two count. Myles blocks an attack in the corner and lights Garza up with quick kicks. Running forearms by Myles, followed by a basement dropkick. Garza in the corner and Myles with a discus clothesline. Myles up top but Garza rolls out of the way. Myles decides to springboard instead, but Garza catches him in mid-air with a dropkick that gets a near fall.

Garza tries a Lionsault but Myles moves. Garza lands on his feet but Myles trips him down. Clothesline in the corner by Myles and then a deadlift German suplex with a bridge and that gets the surprise three count.

Winner: Jordan Myles

Myles is now headed to Takeover for the finals of the Breakout Tournament. Shane Thorne shows up at the announce table and knocks Mauro’s headset and glasses off. He asks why they’re debuting eight new stars when they have a star in him already. He doesn’t need a tournament to break out, he’s going to break out on his own.

K-Tank’s Take: That ending came out of nowhere and honestly fell flat. They hadn’t even hit the next gear yet before that happened. A little disappointing and not so sure the right guy won. Garza oozes charisma as an arrogant heel and I think they have something with him. Myles just seems destined for 205 Live and they’ve already got a babyface his size getting pushed in KUSHIDA.

We go to a video with Johnny Gargano. He talks about how he had his moment to finally win the NXT title, but this isn’t about that anymore with Cole. It’s now all about beating the hell out of Cole. So he can bring weapons and his boys with him, because Gargano’s stipulation is something he’s quite familiar with now and one he quite enjoys…a street fight.

Xia Li vs. Bianca Belair

Bianca charges Xia immediately and drives her into the turnbuckles. She stomps a mudhole and then just ragdolls Xia across the ring. She hits the Glam Slam on Xia, followed by a handspring moonsault across the back of Xia. Big hiptoss over the ropes and then a fallaway throw. Bianca with a delayed vertical suplex, but she toys with Xia too much and Xia slides out and starts with kicks on Bianca. Xia goes to the top rope and misses Bianca, who then drops her with a splash. Bianca with the KOD for the win.

Winner: Bianca Belair

K-Tank’s Take: Good to see Bianca get a strong win again, it’s been a while. I don’t know what happened to her push, but hopefully, she can be re-established because she’s a great character.

We get another Killian Dain vignette, this time explaining his attack on Matt Riddle. He says that Riddle may be the toughest in his world, but Riddle is nothing in Dain’s world. He showed him just a little taste by dropping him through the stage and he can’t wait to show him more.

We see new footage from the Performance Center and after Mia Yim took out Marina Shafir last week, she’s now taken out Jessamyn Duke after a workout in the ring. I’m digging this side of Mia taking out Shayna’s allies.

The Dream wants a Challenger

The North American Champion comes down to the ring with a badass leather jacket that has a mural of him in his Hollywood Hogan garb on the back. He grabs a mic and says the only way he’ll step down as champion is the day the Experience dies. And when that day happens, he wants to go straight to hell. That’s what it’ll feel like without his title. That’s what it felt like when Roderick Strong sold his sold and claimed victory over the Dream. Strong may be a hell of a man and go all night like The Dream, but if he gets the Experience he’s asking for, it’ll be the same result as everyone else and he’ll know he wasn’t big enough to ride this ride. Maybe there is someone big enough though, so if you can hear Dream’s voice, he wants to experience them.

The Undisputed Era’s music cues up and here comes Roddy. He doesn’t think Dream believes anything he just said. He knows why Dream has been ducking him and it’s because Dream is scared. Dream knows Roddy is the most deserving contender and he’s the real deal that can take his title just like that. He wants Dream to give him what he wants, a match at Takeover. The Experience dies and that is Undisputed.

Before Dream can respond, Pete Dunne’s music and he gets one hell of a pop as he’s returned to Full Sail! The crowd just loses their mind for The Bruiserweight. Roddy tries getting in Dunne’s face but Dunne just snaps Roddy’s fingers and disposes of him. Dunne gets face to face with Dream and smiles as he looks at Dream’s title. Dream decides it’s time to go.

We go to William Regal’s office after a commercial, where Roddy has already shown up and is complaining about Dunne showing up and trying to take his title shot. Regal says he was talking to Johnny Saint, the NXT UK GM, and Dunne is going to be a part of the NXT roster for a while now. So while it was supposed to be Roddy vs. Dream for the North American Title, Regal saw an opportunity, so now it’s a Triple Threat match with Pete Dunne. Roddy says he wants a match with Dunne next week now so that he can make sure Dunne doesn’t get to Takeover. Regal says he will consider it.

K-Tank’s Take: OH HELL YEAH. I love me some Pete Dunne. It’s so great to see him back in NXT. NXT loves Fatal 4 Way matches, but they don’t do triple threats that often. This match should be absolutely insane at Takeover.

Kacy Catanzaro vs. Io Sharai

Io has the all new entrance with all black and strobe lights with new music. Io immediately drops Kacy with a strong running dropkick and then double running knees in the corner. Double underhook backbreaker by Io that sends Kacy rolling to the floor, but meanwhile, Candice LaRae rushes the ring and attacks Io, causing the bell to ring.

Winner: Io Sharai by DQ

Candice with a suicide dive through the ropes onto Io. She grabs a steel chair and goes after Io, who runs away to safety.

K-Tank’s Take: It’s a little weird that this storyline has gotten more TV time than Shayna and Mia Yim, but we’ve still got a few weeks I suppose. I do like this angle and I think it’s good for the division to have a strong second storyline going on.

Now it’s time for Adam Cole’s decision on a stipulation. He talks about how Regal constantly tries to screw over the Undisputed Era. No matter what he tries to do to them, they’re going to fulfill their prophecy and be draped in NXT Gold. Gargano may want a street fight, but there’s nothing more definitive than a classic wrestling match. Which he’s beaten Gargano in twice. Johnny won’t be able to call himself Johnny Wrestling after Takeover and that is Undisputed.

Next week is Tyler Breeze vs. Jaxson Ryker and Pete Dunne vs. Roderick Strong.

Keith Lee vs. Damian Priest

11 minutes left in the show as we start our main event. Priest opens things up with a side headlock, which Keith shoots him off and hits a shoulder tackle but Priest doesn’t go down. Priest with a couple quick kicks that catch Keith off guard. They now trade punches and spin kicks that both men are able to avoid. Good sequence that gets a good reaction from the crowd. Keith drops Priest with a shoulder tackle this time and then gets a knuckle lock, which he’s able to lift Priest high up in the air with. Priest with a forearm once he gets back on his feet. Lee misses a splash in the corner and Priest follows up with punches and kicks to the back.

Priest kicks Keith’s head into the turnbuckle. He tries to suplex Keith, but Keith blocks it. Priest blocks a couple of clotheslines from Keith and drops him with a lariat of his own. Priest tries another suplex but fails again. Keith sends him into the turnbuckles and Priest ends up on the apron, grabs Keith in Old School and comes off the top rope with a cross body for a two count. Priest trying to finish off Keith, but Keith gets wrist control and won’t let go. He drops Priest with right hands and then a roaring elbow in the corner. He follows that up with a lariat that gets a two count.

Priest escapes a powerbomb. Both men trade blows and then Priest finally gets Keith up and hits a Falcon Arrow for a near fall. That was impressive. Keith gets back up and both men trading their hardest shots. Keith with a massive Pounce that sends Priest spinning across the ring. Priest rolls to the outside but Keith brings him right back in. Priest catches him with a knee on the apron. Priest tries a somersault dive over the top rope and KEITH LEE CATCHES HIM IN MIDAIR! Priest somehow jumps out of the powerbomb attempt and then hits a bicycle kick that sends Lee into the stairs. That was INSANE.

Lee is getting angry now after being sent into the stairs and Priest is having to retreat. Priest uses the ref as a shield and that leads to enough of a distraction to be able to hit his cyclone kick that stuns Keith and then Priest sets up for The Reckoning and that gets the win.

Winner: Damian Priest

K-Tank’s Take: That powerbomb spot on the floor got a MASSIVE reaction from the crowd. Keith can just do things others can’t. I just don’t know what they’re doing with him. His promos as of late, to me, came across as if he may turn heel soon. The ending of this match, Keith getting screwed again, lends to that still being a possibility, but the crowd was strongly behind him and Damian was acting as a heel, which he had been neutral thus far, so perhaps they want this match to lead to more between the two. I just want more for Keith and I hope he gets it. Damian was definitely impressive in this match as well though.

That’s it for this week. Until next time, don’t do anything I wouldn’t do… but if you do, name it after me.