By Beth Wood. Catch her on Twitter @n0cturnal0wl.
Set in Full Sail University in Florida, this week’s NXT is just one week away from ‘NXT Takeover: The End’.
The show kicks off with The Revival making their entrance in matching attire. Once they enter the ring, they address that they are going to take back their tag team titles, and become the first ever double NXT Tag Team Champions. As they go on about how successful they will be, Tomasso Ciampa and Johnny Gargano interrupt them, saying that American Alpha are better than The Revival, and that The Revival could never beat them. The Revival shoot them down, saying that Ciampa and Gargano don’t have a foot to stand on since they’ve never been tag team champions.
Gargano and Ciampa go to leave, and The Revival comment how they’re running pretty fast for top guys, and this tempts the pair to come back to the ring to attack, which failed as The Revival are quick to counter their attack.
Backstage and Shinsuke Nakamura is asked on how he will fair against Austin Aries at NXT Takeover, and Nakamura is quick to say how Aries will “bow down to the King of Strong style” (Noticing a slight gimmick infringement with Triple H with “bow down to the King”, but I’ll let it slide).
We are then told that the NXT Exclusive Interview with Samoa Joe and Finn Balor is going to happen later on tonight. An advertisement for NXT Takeover occurs, and after this, “The Perfect 10” Tye Dillinger makes his way to the ring.
Tye Dillinger vs Buddy Murphy
A rather short match, with Buddy Murphy fighting solo. Having lost his girlfriend and tag team buddy, he shown to be rather strong against Dillinger, having control for the majority of the match, however Dillinger gets the upper hand, doing 9 punches in the corner of the ring, then delivering a super kick, before giving him the 10th punch. He then delivers a neck breaker for the three count. A short and match which was easily forgettable, although you’ve got to feel sorry for the guy!
Finn Balor and Samoa Joe Interview
We now turn to Corey Graves, who is with Finn Balor and Samoa Joe to interview about the upcoming steel cage match next week. Corey Graves asks Balor about how he felt about losing the NXT Championship to Samoa Joe, and Balor mentions how he didn’t expect to lose it at a house show, and how his world have come crumbling down. He says that he has no regrets on putting the title on the line, as that is the job of being a champion.
Graves asks Samoa Joe about how he feels about winning the championship, with Joe’s response being that he feels that he’s done what he’s come to NXT to do. He touches on the fact that this is what he deserves, calling out Balor on how he made Joe go through hundreds of loops just to get a shot. Balor asks about what happened to their friendship, and Joe asks about how friends are supposed to give fair title shots. Balor says that he isn’t scared of Joe, as he has spent the past 15 years travelling the world to wrestle, however Joe says that Balor has never been in a steel cage match before, unlike himself. Balor states that he’s been in disadvantages before, but he has overcome them.
In the conclusion, Balor says that the title means absolutely everything to them, and Joe says it’s an opportunity to put Balor in his place.
We go back to the action, and Elias Samson goes off against Austin Aries
Elias Samson vs Austin Aries
With Austin Aries set to go against Shinsuke Nakamura, this match was the perfect opportunity to make Aries look strong for next week’s Takeover. Aries quickly takes advantage and this continues pretty much throughout, with Aries locking him into an arm bar. Despite a lot of cheap kicks to Aries that ensues afterwards, Aries comes back with a back breaker, with Samson then rolling out of the arena. This allows Aries to dive out the ring into them, and brings him back into the ring. He then goes on to constantly give him clothesline and chops, and submits Samson with the Last Chancery for the win.
Aries then cuts a small promo, and as the audience start chanting “Nakamura”. He responds to this by saying that Aries is going to put any doubts to rest and take the spotlight from Nakamura.
The Andrade “Cien” Almas promo was repeated from last week, with it being slightly longer than the last. As I said last week, I don’t know who he is, but I’m hoping for good things. He is to debut next week at NXT Takeover: The End. Back to the ring and Tomasso Ciampa and Johnny Gargano’s enterance theme hits, and they enter the ring.
Tomasso Ciampa and Jonny Gargano vs The Revival
This tag team match was by far the best match of the night. The Revival in this match are relatively strong, targetting Ciampa’s leg throughout the match. Both Dash and Dawson do this in their side of the ring, preventing Ciampa from being able to get the tag. Ciampa after a few seconds of Dash switching to Dawson manages to leap to Gargano for the tag, and Gargano delievers a kick to the head in the corner. Ciampa and Dash are outside of the ring at this point, so it’s just these two. Dawson wants to give Gargano a superplex but Gargano rolls Dawson’s up in a surprise 3 count.
Dash and Dawson are not happy and attack Ciampa in a savage beating. This is interrupted with American Alpha out to rescue Ciampa and Gargano. Personally really excited for next week’s match, seeing as the storytelling throughout has been phenomenal, and both tag teams are more than capable enough to be called up to WWE’s main roster.
Contract Signing: Asuka and Nia Jax
William Regal is in the ring to oversee the contract signing of Nia Jax and Asuka. He calls up both Asuka and Nia Jax, and Nia Jax says that although Asuka beat Bayley, Nia Jax “broke her”. She vows that she’s going to break Asuka, and that she’s never gone against anyone like Nia Jax. She goes on to sign the contract. Asuka says that Nia Jax “talks too much” and signs the contract. She then shouts at her in Japanese, and that Nia Jax should be scared of her. Asuka attacks Nia Jax with several kicks, however Nia Jax simply delivers a powerbomb on her to end the show. I’m really interested to seeing who wins this feud, I highly suspect that Asuka is going to retain her title, seeing as she is being shown to be the underdog.
@KayfabeToday will be doing live coverage of NXT Takeover: The End, and I will be as well. Follow us, and follow my Twitter @n0cturnalowl
Kayfabe Today 