WWE NXT Spotlight: 9/13/17 by Kurt Zamora
Welcome one and all to the latest installment of the NXT Spotlight here at TJRWrestling. Before we get started, obviously big congratulations are in order for Kairi Sane for winning the Mae Young Classic this week. She was my prediction to win it all and it was a tremendous finale. Our next Takeover was confirmed by Triple H after the finale, November 18th in Houston, the night before Survivor Series. Sane will get a shot at the vacant NXT Women’s Title that night. There’s a lot of moving part in the NXT brand right now, so let’s see what this week’s episode has in store!
Billie Kay & Peyton Royce vs. Ruby Riot & ??
The amount of Peyton Royce I’m getting as of late has been tremendous. I appreciate NXT looking out for me like that. Ruby doesn’t have a partner as the bell rings and Ruby takes down both of her opponents to start. She disposes of Peyton but then walks right into a forearm shot by Billie. Peyton now tags in officially and continues the attack. Billie comes back in and hits a gutwrench suplex as we see Nikki Cross making her way around ringside as only she can. Peyton is back in the ring and lands a knee and then ties Ruby up in the ropes with a submission before the ref makes her break it. Billie tags in and they drop Ruby with a double team front suplex but Ruby is able to kick out of a pin. Quick tags from the Iconic Duo but then Peyton accidentially hits Billie with a forearm and while Ruby finally gets some separation, Nikki hops on the apron and tags herself into the match. She is all over Billie with her unique offense and then a cross body on Peyton. Nikki nails her swinging fisherman’s neckbreaker on Billie and then tags back in Ruby. Nikki leaves the ringside area, content with her work, while Ruby goes up top and lands a senton splash on Billie for the win.
Winners: Ruby Riot & Nikki Cross
K-Tank’s Take: The more Nikki Cross, the beter. Obviously with Sanity turning babyface recently, that means Nikki turns as well. They didn’t do anything different with her character and just stuck with what works. We’ll see where this goes from here.
We go to last week inside the Performance Center where Johnny Gargano is talking to some media until Riddick Moss and Tino Sabbatelli show up to break it. They talk some trash to Johnny abou DIY breaking up and his loss at Brooklyn. Gargano says they can take care of this real easy as he challenges one of them to a match for this week’s show. It’s announced that Moss has accepted the match.
We now go to No Way Jose backstage who is asked about his issues with Lars Sullivan. He says that Lars is a freak but maybe that’s a compliment to Lars. He says Lars has a screw loose and what he’s been doing of late, that’s not how we do things in NXT. So he is challenging Lars to a match next week.
Johnny Gargano vs. Riddick Moss (w/Tino Sabbatelli)
Moss starts with the advantage, working over the left arm. Gargano turns it into a side headlock but Moss shoots him off and drills him with a shoulder tackle. A bodyslam follows, along with a toss across the ring. Gargano avoids an attack in the corner and goes for a hurricanrana but Moss blocks it. Gargano manages to excapes and comes off the ropes but Moss lands a back elbow. Knee strikes by Moss followed by an elbow smash and then he tosses Gargano upside down into the turnbuckles as we go to commercial.
We return with Moss hooking Gargano in the abdominal stretch. Gargano with some palm strikes to get out of it but Moss rams him into the turnbuckles again. Moss is relentless with his attack in the corner as the ref has to pull him off twice when he doesn’t mind the 5 count. Gargano finally fires back with some clotheslines and forearms. Gargano hits his seated roundhouse kick and then clotheslines Moss to the floor. Gargano gets on the apron and jumps off with a cannonball senton splash. Sabbatelli tries to distract Gargano as he goes back in but Gargano kicks him off. Moss and Gargano counter a couple of holds until Gargano swings his way into the Gargano Escape. Moss manages to make the ropes though and Gargano is now in disbelief like he was when Zelina Vega threw him the DIY shirt at Takeover. This gives Moss an opening to land a big lariat. Gargano ends up on the apron again, and again Sabbatelli gets a kick to the face while going after Gargano. Gargano then slingshots himself into the ring to land his version of the Spear and he’s able to get the win that way.
Winner: Johnny Gargano
K-Tank’s Take: Interesting dynamic with Gargano’s reaction to Moss reaching the ropes. There’s a large story they’re telling here and I can’t wait to see how it plays out. I really like Moss and Sabbatelli as a team and am really surprised there’s not more for them in the tag team division.
A vignette for The Street Profits is shown as they’re in action next.
The Street Profits vs. The Ealy Brothers
Angelo Dawkins and Uriel Ealy will start the match. Uriel rips Dawkins’ headband off and that was a mistake as Dawkins promptly punches him in the face. Dawkins grabs his headbands and tags in Montez Ford and they proceed to double team both Ealy brothers. The ref makes Dawkins get out of the ring and Gabriel lands a lariat on Ford. The Ealy’s start to double team Ford in their corner and now both teams get a tag as Ford moves out of the way of a charging Gabriel. Dawkins lands his spinning avalanche splash on both Ealy’s and then hits his version of Sky High on one, tags in Ford and there is his frog splash for the win.
Winners: The Street Profits
K-Tank’s Take: I love these guys. The crowd is huge into them as well. They’re now doing this thing where they have a red solo cup on their smart phones and hold it up as Ford holds up his party cup. It’s a cool visual when you see it.
We get a long video package celebrating the time Asuka spent in NXT, both undefeated and as the NXT Women’s champion. We then go to William Regal’s office where he’s asked what the plans are for the Women’s championship. He says he intends to let us know in the next few weeks how he will determine a new NXT women’s champion.
We then go to a recap of 3 weeks ago when Wolfgang and Pete Dunne picked up a tag team victory in Brooklyn, which has now led us to our main event tonight between the two for the UK Championship.
WWE UK Title Match
Pete Dunne (c) vs. Wolfgang
We get comments from Wolfgang before he walks out for the match. He says he’s never been more ready for a match. He defeated Tyler Bate, the former UK Champion, and it’s now his mission to become champion tonight. We then go to Pete Dunno once Wolfgang makes his way out, but Dunne decides not to say anything and makes his way to the ring. Dunne gets a huge reaction as has become the norm. Big match introductions for this match. Only 13 minutes left though when the bell rings.
Dunne immediately goes to his joint manipulation and even as Wolfgang bodyslams him, he does not let go of the arm he’s working on. I love how methodical Dunne is with everything. Wolfgang tries to counter Dunne and both men eventually end up in the ropes. Wolfgang gives a clean break though, which was a mistake as Dunne immediately jumps on him again. Wolfgang finally gets some offense in though with a trio of slams and then splashes Dunne in the corner. He thinks about going to the top rope but Dunne cuts him off. Wolfgang ends up on the apron and Dunne slingshots over with a DDT that didn’t connect cleanly, but was effective. We then go to commercial.
We return with Dunne back working over the arm he’s been attacking all match. Wolfgang powers out of the submission though and turns it into a suplex. He splashes Dunne in the corner again but Dunne comes right back with an enziguri. Dunne tries charging but Wolfgang comes at him with a spear. Dunne goes to the outside to regroup and Wolfgang decides to do a huge dive over the top rope to take out Dunne. Both men back in the ring and Wolfgang comes off the second rope with a moonsault but Dunne kicks out. Dunne gets up and manages to hit his X-Plex. He now wants to go to the top rope but this time Wolfgang cuts him off. Wolfgang looking for a superplex and he holds Dunne in the air for a few seconds before crashing down. Wolfgang goes up top and comes off with The Howling senton bomb but Dunne catches him in an armbar. Wolfgang manages to escape. Both men trade kicks and then Wolfgang catches Dunne with a pop up powerslam. Dunne kicks out. Dunne hits a German suplex but Wolfgang gets right back up and lands a lariat. Dunne fights back once more and manages to catch Wolfgang with The Bitter End and Dunne has retained.
Winner: Still WWE UK Champion, Pete Dunne
Post match after we see the highlights, here comes Adam Cole and ReDRagon! They surround Dunne, who looks like he just wants to leave, but then lands a massive elbow strike on O’Reilly. The trio then jump all over Dunne until Wolfgang tries to help even out the sides. All three guys now attack Wolfgang as Dunne just wants to escape harm. The crowd wants him to come back and help and it looks like he might, but all he wants is his title. Cole hits a shining wizard on Wolfgang and stand over him as they admire their work. They leave through the crowd saying they are The Undisputed and this is their era. Trent Seven and Tyler Bate come out to check on Wolfgang as our show comes to an end.
K-Tank’s Take: Great action in that match after the commercial break. I like the randomness of Cole, Fish, & O’Reilly attacking these two. It shows that no one is safe and it’s not just McIntyre and/or Sanity that they want. If you haven’t heard the news, this trio got a shirt on WWE Shop that labels them “The Undisputed Era”. Based on how they were talking after their attack, I believe they’re actually just going by “The Undisputed”. I saw some people post online that they should’ve been called “The Dishonored”, which I really like, but “The Undisputed” has a good ring to it as well. No complaints from me.
That’s it for this week. All that was announced for next week was Aleister Black will speak for the first time. I will be back to cover it all and until next time, don’t do anything I wouldn’t do… but if you do, name it after me!