WWE NXT (10/03/12) Review By: Sean Garmer
Location: Full Sail University in Winter Park, Florida
Hosts: Jim Ross, Bryan Saxton, & William Regal
WWE: NOW, THEN, FOREVER
RECAP VIDEO OF KASSIUS OHNO MATCH WITH RICHIE STEAMBOAT FROM LAST WEEK
Backstage: Earlier Today, Riley Pearce caught up with Kassius Ohno as he was arriving at the NXT Arena at Full Sail University. Pearce asks Ohno about his attack on Richie Steamboat. Ohno cuts him off and says he was only trying to teach “junior” a lesson. Steamboat FROM BEHIND!!! ATTACKS Kassius Ohno!!! The camera shows the crowd outside the door holding signs and cheering as we go to the…
NXT INTRO
They show us the crowd in the NXT Arena for this episode of the show, and we open up with the music of Drew Mcintyre. The crowd gives a nice response to the Scot and it is revealed that his opponent tonight will be none other than Richie Steamboat. Looks like we are set for a fantastic opening match here on NXT.
Match 1: Richie Steamboat vs. Drew Mcintyre
Steamboat and Mcintyre lock-up and Steamboat gets in early with a counter into an Arm Drag and then a Roll-up on Mcintyre that causes him to think about his strategy once again and slide out to the ring apron to get a breather and we restart again. However, it does not take long for Mcintyre to gain offense on Steamboat with a few right hands, but a quick series of whips and counters leads to a Dropkick from Steamboat and then we head to the corner, where Steamboat starts giving it to Mcintyre with some blows and Knife Edge Chops. Steamboat starts one of those 10 punch things but Mcintyre pushes him off and then charges at Steamboat, but Steamboat counters with a NASTY Knife Edge Chop and we go to the corner again to start another 10 punch thing but that once again is blocked by Mcintyre. Steamboat runs to the diagonal corner and tries to flip over Mcintyre but he hangs up in the air too long and Mcintyre is able to COUNTER with a KICK TO THE GUT!!!! The ensuing gets a 2 count and Mcintyre now has the advantage he needed in the match.
Mcintyre pounds away on Steamboat in the corner and then walks him out of the corner and gives Steamboat a NICE Snap Suplex, gets a 1 count cover, and then puts in a sitting abdominal stretch for about 15 seconds, until Steamboat gets out of it. Steamboat tries to hit the ropes to get away but he runs into a ROUGH Back Elbow from Mcintyre and winds up on the ring apron. Steamboat Sunset Flip Pins back into the ring but he only gets a 2 count and Mcintyre smartly keeps on Steamboat here. Mcintyre basically just DROPS Steamboat and goes for a pin that gets a 2 count. Mcintyre goes for the move again and it looks like Steamboat was supposed to counter it into a roll-up but he falls off of Mcintyre´s shoulders.
Like true professionals both men just get up and keep going with the match, which begins Steamboat´s comeback. Clothesline by Steamboat, SUPERKICK to the face!!! Steamboat could have him here, but WAIT!!! Kassius Ohno has sprinted down the ramp, but the referee prevents him from getting into the ring. It seems all Ohno wanted to do was distract Steamboat and the referee long enough for Mcintyre to hit Steamboat FROM BEHIND with the CAST!!! Mcintyre NAILS Steamboat with the DOUBLE UNDERHOOK DDT for the 1, 2, 3!!!
Winner: Drew Mcintyre (After Double Underhook DDT)
Time & Rating: 4 minutes and 25 seconds, * (This match was here to continue the very interesting Ohno vs. Steamboat feud. Mcintyre looked pretty strong for a bit and pulled off a move we haven´t seen him use where he puts an opponent up on his shoulders and them drops the FACE FIRST!!! Steamboat got to do a few things but the bigger highlight was Mcintyre. Let´s see if this leads to more shenanigans later on tonight.)
We get a graphic of the main event for this evening with the losers in the tag team tournament on WWE Main Event, Tyson Kidd & Justin Gabriel vs. The Ascension. We go to commercial.
Big E. Langston´s music rings throughout the arena and the former football behemoth heads to the ring. His opponent Abe English (jobber) is already in the ring.
Match 2: Big E. Langston vs. Abe English (Jobber)
The master of the five count Big E. Langston wastes little time in giving Mr. English a bunch of NASTY Knees to the gut. Langston picks up English and Back Body Drops DOWN TO THE MAT!!! Langston hits the ropes and Double Arm Clothesline followed by the CANADIAN SLAM for the quick 1, 2, 3, Langston gets angry at the ref, 4, 5!!!
Winner: Big E. Langston (After CANADIAN SLAM)
Time & Rating: 1 minute and 5 seconds, ½ * (Just a squash match for Mr. Langston)
After the Match: The fans insanely chant “One More Time” CANADIAN SLAM and sing along with the 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. The fans start a “5 chant” along with the “One More Time” and ANOTHER CANADIAN SLAM and 1, 2, 3, 4, 5!!! Langston celebrates and looks at his opponent in anger.
We are told that Kassius Ohno vs. Percy Watson will take place tonight as well. Then we go quickly…
Backstage: Richie Steamboat is looking for Kassius Ohno, we see him walk down some stairs and open a few doors screaming Ohno´s name. Then we see Michael McGillicutty walk down the hall and Steamboat asks him “have you seen Ohno” and he says no and keeps walking.
We get a promo video of WWE Champion CM Punk being on NXT next week. We go to commercial.
When we return from break, No. 1 Contender for the NXT Championship Michael McGillicutty comes out to the ring to cut a promo. McGillicutty says he found out today that he is officially the No. 1 Contender for the NXT Championship and will face Seth Rollins next week for his first title defense. McGillicutty calls out the NXT Champion Seth Rollins. Rollins says McGillicutty talks too much. Rollins says no can deny his opponent´s talent but because he runs his mouth so much people forget he is talented. Rollins says McGillicutty wants to call him a “paper” champion, but it seems McGillicutty has NO RESPECT for Rollins. Oh no don´t tell me he is pulling a CM Punk here. McGillicutty says “I have no respect for you and I never will.” McGillicutty calls Rollins a “Paper” champion (meaning a fake champ) and Rollins says there is nothing phony about the NXT Championship and he holds it up to McGillicutty´s face. Rollins says he was not given anything like McGillicutty because he had a father in this business. Rollins says talk is cheap and he is ready to have this match RIGHT NOW!!! McGillicutty does the “heel walks away from the challenge deal” and says “I will do this when I am ready.” Rollins music plays and he celebrates in the ring. We now go…
Backstage: Riley Pearce sits in an empty NXT Arena earlier today with Tyson Kidd and Justin Gabriel. Kidd says they know how capable The Ascension are as opponents. Kidd says it would be against his rules not to prepare for an opponent before the match. The main factor why he believes they will have the upper hand tonight is because of “Trust” he trusts Gabriel and Justin trust him. Kidd brings up the point that both him and Gabriel are former Tag Team Champions as well and they will bring it to Ascension tonight.
Gabriel gets on the mic and says other than how they wrestle they do not know much about those two men. They are dark and mysterious, and they are exactly the opposite. Then the arena turns blue and we see The Ascension watching them from the rafters, as we go to commercial.
After returning from commercial, “Showtime” Percy Watson comes to the ring. This means we know his opponent will be the “Dangerous” Kassius Ohno. BEFORE THE MATCH STARTS!!! Richie Steamboat beats down Ohno as he is walking down the ramp. Ohno is SHOCKED at what just happened. Ohno takes a little bit to get in the ring and he still decides to have the match, so here we go…
Match 3: Kassius Ohno vs. Percy Watson
Ohno tricks Watson into a fake lock-up and then beats him down for a beat until he puts Watson into a Side Headlock, but Watson wins out of the criss-cross with a NICE Calf Kick. Watson with those combo jabs and then he picks up Ohno and Drops him TO THE MAT!!! Watson has Ohno down and looks like he might be going for the Sharpshooter or something similar but Ohno blocks it, so Watson just jumps and Legdrops Ohno for a 1 count pin. Ohno hops over Watson rakes the eyes of Watson and this gives Ohno an advantage to start a BEATDOWN. However, Ohno is not able to keep it going for long, as at one point he hits the ropes for a move, but Watson counters with an Inverted Atomic Drop and then CONNECTS with two BEAUTIFUL Dropkicks right on Ohno.
Watson uses the crowd to gain some extra motivation for the SHOWTIME SPLASH and here is the cover, but he only gets a LONG 2 count on this one. Watson picks up Ohno and puts him on his shoulders, but Ohno smartly uses the ropes to counter and keep Watson from doing the move. Ohno slips out, but Watson whips Ohno into the corner, but its countered by Ohno with a Kick and that leads to the DISCUS ELBOW!!! For the 1, 2, 3!!!
Winner: Kassius Ohno (After Discus Elbow)
Time & Rating: 3 minutes and 20 seconds, * (Good little match here, Watson probably got more offense in this match then I´ve ever seen him have. Even though aside from the Drop move and the Inverted Atomic Drop its nothing new from him. He is still an amazing athlete though and he could become something if allowed to develop a character. Ohno seemed a little off his game because of the beatdown from Steamboat before the match so it told the necessary story I guess. Just something short so that Ohno does the heel thing and still wins regardless of what happened before the match.)
The Main Event for tonight, Gabriel & Kidd vs. Ascension is up NEXT.
WWE “Support Breast Cancer” Commercial Plays, We go to a real commercial break now.
Back from commercial, we get another WWE Champion CM Punk coming to NXT Next Week Promo.
It is time for the Main Event of the evening with The Ascension coming out first, as they mix up shots of their entrance, with the titantron video to make their entrance look even cooler than it already does. Justin Gabriel & Tyson Kidd come out after them and the crowd is very happy to see two of their favorites. WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross has joined on commentary and here we go…
Match 4: MAIN EVENT: The Ascension vs. Tyson Kidd & Justin Gabriel
Kenneth Cameron and Tyson Kidd start off this match. Cameron quickly puts Kidd in a Side-Headlock and and goes into the ropes, Kidd ducks under a Clothesline and then Gabriel tags himself into the match, Double Leapfrog by Kidd and Gabriel and then that turns into a Double Hip-Toss on Cameron Double Kick to the BACK of Cameron as well. Wonderful Tag Team Combinations here by Kidd & Gabriel. Gabriel is just countering everything Cameron is trying to throw at him at the moment, until Cameron is able to elbow out and do a half-assed German Suplex (that actually looked like a botched back flip) and then Cameron tags in Conor O´ Brian for the first time and we go to commercial.
We comeback from break, and Conor O´ Brian is putting a beatdown on Justin Gabriel. O´ Brian immediately puts Gabriel into a Body Scissors for a bit and then decides to unload some more blows on Gabriel. O´ Brian tries for the same German Suplex move Cameron performed earlier, but this Gabriel back flips and then rolls under a Clothesline and MAKES THE TAG TO TYSON KIDD!!! Kidd slides under O´ Brian literally and starts CONNECTING with various kicks and then lands a Running Dropkick to the FACE of Connor O´ Brian. O´ Brian gets angry and knocks Kidd out onto the Ring Apron, but Kidd gets up and Back Elbows Cameron off the ring apron and then kicks a charging O´ Brian as well. Springboard Dropkick by Kidd turns into a 2 count. O´ Brian rolls to the outside, but Kidd stays on him going for a Baseball Slide but O´ Brian side steps and then tosses Kidd to the outside using his momentum.
O´ Brian throws Kidd to the floor again and then against the ring apron before rolling him back into the ring. O´ Brian starts a total STOMP FEST on Tyson Kidd. Cameron tags in and he does the same thing. Body Scissors by Cameron on Tyson Kidd, just when Kidd looks to get out of the hold, Cameron actually holds the ropes for more leverage and then O´ Brian smartly tags himself in to keep Kidd grounded. NICE way to keep Kidd from getting to his corner there!
O´ Brian then puts Kidd into a Leg Body Scissors, which is also another submission that is very hard to get out of because it is working your abdomen area even when you are trying to punch out of the move. O´ Brian does the same thing Cameron did earlier to prevent Kidd from getting to his corner by getting close enough to the corner so that Cameron can tag himself into the match. Kidd tries to make a comeback, but Cameron knocks him back down once again and just continues to put punishment on Kidd. Cameron takes Kidd to their corner again and tags in O´ Brian, so that O´ Brian can STOMP A HOLE in Tyson Kidd. O´ Brian puts Kidd in a front facelock and Cameron comes in for what looks like their double team move, but Kidd is able to counter AT THE LAST MINUTE!!! Kidd kicks O´ Brian in the head and then tosses Cameron to the OUTSIDE!!! Kidd is CRAWLING TOWARDS GABRIEL!!!
But WAIT!!! Cameron is back in the ring and has Kidd by the leg, Kidd rolls through and MAKES THE TAG TO GABRIEL!!! Justin Gabriel with a Springboard Forearm Smash, Variety of Kicks, Gabriel hits the ropes for a Jumping Clothesline. Kidd and O´ Brian are slugging it out on the outside, and back in the ring, Gabriel is going for the 450 SPLASH, but HE MISSES IT!!! O´ Brian throws Kidd into the STEEL STEPS!!! O´ Brian slides in the ring and both men get ready for the HIGH LOW (The Ascension call it “The Fall of Man”) and Cameron gets the 1, 2, 3 for The Ascension.
Winners: The Ascension (After The Fall of Man)
Time & Rating: 9 minutes and 35 seconds (with a commercial break in between), *** (The toughest match The Ascension have had and man did Kidd and Gabriel make them look terrific while doing it. This one was very formulaic but it worked because it got the crowd really hot for the finish by the end. Ascension worked their keep one guy isolated game to even better perfection than we have ever seen. The nice thing is that Gabriel and Kidd showed why to me they are the new “Rockers” of this generation. They are very in-sync with each other and have similar styles in the ring. I would love to see another match from these two on another episode of NXT. This is what makes NXT great is getting to see main events like this.)
After the Match: Ascension celebrate, we get a replay of the big moments in the match, and we see Ascension on top of the stage standing tall. Next week, Seth Rollins vs. Michael McGillicutty for the NXT Championship and WWE Champion CM Punk will also appear on the show as well. We go off-the-air.
FINAL RATING: 7.0
This was another enjoyable show but except for the main event, the matches were storyline heavy. I loved that we got the stuff with Ohno and Steamboat before the show even started, Ohno got Steamboat back in the first match, which helped Mcintyre get a win too. Then Steamboat is shown looking for Ohno backstage. Finally, Steamboat attacks Ohno before his match begins, but Ohno gets the upperhand because he still beats Percy Watson. We also had some back story between McGillicutty and Rollins before their match next week, that´s the first time I think we´ve really seen an actual “impromptu” promo in the ring between two opponents since they´ve done the move to Full Sail University.
Big E Langston continued his five count thing in another squash match, which adds to more of the story type show. However, the main event once again delivered and made this show worth a watch for me because Kidd and Gabriel showed why WWE made a mistake putting Ryder and Santino through in the Tag Team Championship tournament. At least they gave us a nice way to end NXT and Ascension continue to look like world beaters beating two quality WWE tag teams so far in their short run on NXT.
WWE continued their big main story this week in a very great fashion. They setup the NXT Championship match in a very simple manner, and gave us a terrific main event. So, I can´t complain about much this week.
-Sean Garmer, DirtSheets.com