WWE NXT Spotlight: 9/12/18 By Kurt Zamora

Welcome one and all to another installment of the NXT Spotlight here at TJRWrestling. As WWE main roster focuses on Hell in a Cell weekend, the NXT Brand are still winding down from Brooklyn as they wait for the next Takeover event in November. We’ve got a lot of great talent and a lot of great storylines all going around at the same time, so let’s see what this week has in store for us.

We start with Tommaso Ciampa entering Full Sail with a scowl on his face and no comments for the cameraman following him.

Danny Burch and Oney Lorcan vs. Cezar Bononi & Adrian Jaoude

Burch and Bononi start things off. Hammerlock by Burch and then a couple European uppercuts, followed by a headbutt right to the sternum. Bononi to the corner where Burch lands a step up enziguri and then goes to the second rope with a dropkick. Lorcan tags in and they hit a double suplex on Bononi. Bononi gets worked over in his opponents corner until he is able to bring Burch over to his corner and tag in Jaoude. Jaoude uses some of his Brazilian Ju-Jitsu expertise and then tags in Bononi, where they land a double team backbreaker/kick to side of head. Burch ducks under Jaoude rushing him in the corner and tags in Lorcan. Lorcan takes out both opponents with running European uppercuts and then a running double blockbuster. Burch tags in and they set up Jaoude like a Magic Killer, but Burch just drives Jaoude straight down in a high angle DDT for the win.

Winners: Danny Burch & Oney Lorcan

K-Tank’s Take: Great to see Lorcan back in action. His injury was so untimely considering the roll they were on. Obviously Undisputed Era has a lot going on right now, but hopefully these two can find their way back into that action.

Ciampa Addresses His NXT

Well… Ciampa has a special entrance and music now, so they’ve taken that away from him as well. Starts out with a flatline beep and the theme is an actual song with lyrics. Ciampa says the music is a personal message from him to the fans, which in the most polite way he can, is SHUT UP. For the last month he’s heard the whispers and finger pointing, saying that Ciampa took out Aleister Black. He doesn’t live in make believe, he lives in reality and in fact. When he wants to attack someone, he does it on the biggest stage possible with all eyes on him so all can worship him at work. He’s not going to lie to the fans because the champ never lies. He had all the intentions to take out Black before Takeover, but someone beat him to the punch. So he wants to know who that is, just like everyone else. He will be happy to pat that person on the back and tell them job well done. Don’t confuse anything though, if Black was able to make it to Brooklyn, it would’ve been the same result. Gargano loses, Black Loses, he wins. He talks to his title and he says the title thanked him because it felt good to be back in the main event of Takeover. When he says he’s going to do something, he does it. That’s why Tommaso Ciampa is the greatest success story in NXT history and makes him your NXT Champion. His final thing he’d like to address is for everyone watching, and backstage on the roster. If you want to be a success, winner, or champion, then follow the lead of Tommaso Ciampa.

K-Tank’s Take: At least Ciampa has logic behind why he has music, but I still hate it. They’ve taken away so much of what made him a unique heel. This was another great promo by him nonetheless. Since last week’s sound off went so well, let’s do it again this week. What do you think of Ciampa having merch and a full entrance? Sound off in the comments below.

Be sure to join us at TJR on Patreon! Friday, we posted our audio recap of Fully Loaded 2000. Our next episode dropping will be covering WCW Starrcade 1998, when Goldberg lost for the first time. I know a lot of you have been wanting WCW content, so here it comes. John has some great Raw and Smackdown content going up, both current and retro, so it’s an investment you won’t regret.

Shayna Baszler vs. Violet Payne

Shayna immediately with a double leg takedown and then the ground and pound. Baszler sets up Payne for a massive knee to the face as she is on her knees. Baszler contorts Payne’s right arm in all the wrong ways. Baszler with the stomp to the elbow like she did to Dakota Kai, and then she locks in her choke, to which Payne taps out immediately.

Winner: Shayna Baszler

Baszler leaves the choke on until Payne passes out. Baszler taunts Payne by kicking and slapping her to try and wake her up, but Payne is still out. After a replay, Baszler comes back to the ring and locks on the choke again. Payne passes out yet again. That doesn’t stop Baszler though, as she locks it on a third time. After the third time, Baszler dumps her to the floor and then finally makes her way to the back.

K-Tank’s Take: Good way to show how Shayna is dealing poorly with losing her title. Not much else to say here.

We now go to new footage from Heavy Machinery, who are saying that Ciampa is still their guy that attacked Black. Ciampa comes from behind and says if they say the champ’s name, say it with respect. Otis challenges him to a fight, but William Regal shows up and says it’s not happening now. Ciampa has been ducking Regal for weeks now, so it’s about time he shows up. He wants Ciampa in his office now, and if he and Otis want to fight, he’ll make it happen down the road.

Now we go to the Undisputed Era. Roddy says that the War Raiders have been bothering him as of late. They think the Era is hiding, but they’re too popular to hide. O’Reilly calls them the Sneak Attack Raiders. The viking gear is such a joke too. Cole says we can talk about the War Raiders all week, but next week we need to talk about the champion vs champion match. Or as he calls it, the Adam Cole invitational. Because it doesn’t matter who wins, they’re facing Adam Cole when he gets the rematch he deserves, and he’s taking back his title. The result is the same because they aren’t on his level and that is Undisputed.

Raul Mendoza vs. Lars Sullivan

Lars laughs as Mendoza as the match begins. Mendoza tries to outpace Lars with a dropkick and multiple kicks to the thigh. Springboard dropkick off the second rope, but as he tries something again from the apron, Lars finally catches him and tosses him across the ring. Lars continues to ragdoll Mendoza all across the ring and then hits a massive splash in the corner. He gets Mendoza up in a back suplex and then just tosses him once more. Mendoza with a desperation chop, so Lars just turns him inside out with a crossface shot. Lars grinds on the neck and face with a neck vise. Mendoza somehow fights back to land a jawjacker to get out of it. Lars charges him in the corner and Mendoza moves, so Lars catches the ringpost. Mendoza with more kicks. Mendoza with an enziguri from the apron and then a dropkick off the top rope. Mendoza off the ropes but Lars catches him in a popup powerslam. Lars with big crossface shots and then it’s time for the Freak Accident.

Winner: Lars Sullivan

K-Tank’s Take: Just like Lorcan earlier, good to see Lars back in action. He started something with EC3 a couple weeks ago, so perhaps that’s something being set up for the next Takeover.

We go to two weeks ago where Ricochet and Pete Dunne had their miscommunication in a tag match that has now led to the champion vs. champion match next week. That leads to Pete Dunne comments for that match. Dunne says what happened two weeks ago is completely Ricochet’s fault. Dunne admits he got involved in Undisputed Era’s business, but now Ricochet has a title he wants. Ricochet has been champion for 5 minutes, he’s the longest reigning champion in WWE. So all he has to do is figure out how to fit two titles in his mouth.

That leads to Ricochet’s comments where he’s told what Dunne said. Dunne knows as well as anyone, Ricochet was put in high pressure situations well before NXT. Dunne is no different than anyone else. He’s just a hurdle to leap over. It doesn’t matter how long someone is champion, and Dunne will figure that out when Ricochet becomes NXT’s One & Only double champion.

We get a vignette to hype up The Forgotten Sons. Very well done.

Now we go to footage from last week where Dakota Kai, Lacey Evans, Deonna Purrazzo, & Aliyah are all arguing with one another. That’s going to lead to a tag match next week.

We’re in Regal’s office next, who finishes talking to Kairi Sane, and here comes Kassius Ohno. He’s wearing an old Cesaro/Kidd tag team shirt, which is awesome. Ohno says he’s here to talk about his perspective on the Black situation. Regal says he doesn’t actually need to talk to Ohno. Ohno asks if he’s really that invisable? He was there just like everyone else. Regal says Kairi just gave him an alibi and he didn’t do anything wrong. Regal does wonder why Ohno looks so perturbed in the footage though. Ohno says you’d be perturbed too if you saw all these free agents leapfrog him. Does he need to buy a suit and sit front row at Takeover to get noticed again? Regal says he’s always on his radar. Ohno tells him to let him know when his new shiny toy gets here. Because when he does, Ohno will take good care of him… Bro. (That’s a Matt Riddle reference for anyone that isn’t watching along, or isn’t familiar with Riddle.)

Bianca Belair vs. Nikki Cross

Nikki is still the most popular woman in NXT. Bianca has some supporters as well though. Bianca yells at Nikki to fight her as Nikki bounces around in the corner. Nikki charges her and gets shoved down, which she enjoys. Nikki ducks multiple shots from Bianca and then comes from behind and screams at her, which startles Bianca. That was funny. Bianca regroups and drops Nikki with a shoulder tackle. Nikki continues to play mind games and then after a headscissors takedown, Nikki tries a sleeper hold, but Bianca shifts her weight into a sidewalk slam for a two count. Bianca drives her shoulder into Nikki’s midsection in the corner, and then picks her up to bring her to the middle of the ring in a bearhug. Nikki escapes but runs into the power of Bianca as she gorilla press slams Nikki, holds her high for a few seconds and then drops Nikki behind her. Bianca comes off the ropes with a full split into a body splash but Nikki rolls out of the way. Nikki with her offense now. Thesz press and then stomping a mudhole in the corner. Big splash in the corner and Nikki goes to the top rope, but Bianca goes to the apron to try and avoid anything. Nikki jumps off and pulls Bianca down into the ringskirt and pounds away at her. Bianca ends up driving Nikki into the steel steps. Bianca brings her hair into play and whips Nikki in the midsection. Bianca tries to get back in the ring, but Nikki mounts her again for a sleeper hold. Bianca ends up falling backwards on the ramp and Nikki lands between Bianca and a hard spot. The ref is counting this entire time and gets to 10 before either woman gets up.

Winner: Double Count Out

Both women finally get up and go right back to brawling with each other. Multiple refs come out to break it up as the crowd chants to let them fight. Both women over by the announcer’s table now. Bianca tosses Nikki over the table, but Nikki gets right back up and she leaps off the table and tables out Bianca and all of the refs. Nikki is smiling as the show goes off the air.

K-Tank’s Take: Great to see a secondary women’s feud set up like this. There will be more, and I can’t wait. Both women played their roles perfectly here, and the complete difference in styles really brought something unique to all of this. I really enjoyed everything about this match, breif as it was, and can’t wait to see where they go next.

That’s it for this week. Obviously next week has one of the biggest NXT TV matches of all time, with the first ever champion vs. champion match with Ricochet facing Pete Dunne. If given a good amount of time, that should be really special. Until next time, don’t do anything I wouldn’t do, but if you do… name it after me!