Sorry loyal readers (www.Cheap-Heat.com can neither confirm nor deny if there are in fact any “loyal readers” of Sir Scott M. Hayes xiv, but just humor him, okay? – Been a busy week, and it’ll continue for the next few days, but wanted to jump on here and give a quick overview of NXT Live in Philadelphia: Night 1.
Showed up and the house was very packed. Not a sell out, and I didn’t see the 2nd level of the theater. Interesting thing is this was in the theater. So the ring was up near the stage, and elevated. There was seating on the stage, that was General Admission… I guess?
Still very crowded, very loud and rowdy crowd. Also decidedly “Philly” as far as a wrestling show is concerned.
Tonight’s Host, Mic Stand, is out to welcome us. He finds Joey Styles down near the production table. Joey got a huge reaction. Said he’s proud people are recognizing ECW after a huge chant, but they should be chanting for the FUTURE. Then he said OH MY GOD. Jo Jo came out and we hit the ground running.
Opening match was a tag title match between Enzo and Cass and Blake and Murphy. HUGE reaction for Enzo and Cass. Sing along with Enzo was equally as huge. Match was fast paced and entertaining. Crowd got on Blake and Murphy with a “Blake Sucks Murphy” chant (Warning: the chants you’ll see can be decidedly NOT ‘PG”) That chant morphed into a “BLAKE SUCKS MURPHY… and that’s okay”. Enzo took the beating. Cass got a hot tag. Cleaned house, but in the end BaM won with their running brain buster and then frogsplash flurry. Post match they went to take out Enzo, but Cass made the save. Then Enzo, Cass, and Carmella took turns pummeling Murphy to the delight of the NXT philadelphia phaithful.
Second match was Jason Jordan and Bull Dempsey. Crowd answered every “BULL” in Dempsey’s entrance music with “SHIT”. Crowd was all over both guys here. Dempsey did a leg capture suplex and then posed arms crossed a’la Taz. Match ended with Dempsey hitting, basically, the Whoopie Cushion on Jordan. Not sure how else to describe it.
Jo Jo asks if we were ready for something DIFFERENT, and then announced a “Divas Match”. Crowd roared, HUGE for this #WomensWrestling match. Dana Brooke out first. BOOED heavily and a “you can’t wrestle” chant before the bell even rings. Becky Lynch out to a huge ovation and people singing along with with her song. Alexa Bliss out third with a decent reaction. Not nearly as large as Lynch’s and no where NEAR as loud as Bayley’s. Hug Life out last and Philly LOVED us some Bayley. Huge reaction. A notch below Enzo and Cass, but arguably the loudest pop for a NXT Roster member… (I’ll explain later) – Very fun match. Crowd got annoying trying to get their chants. For some reason the “NEW… DAY-SUCKS” Chant was continuously done. This was back and forth and an entertaining contest. Bayley scored the pin with the Bayley to Belly. Fun stuff and friends I went with repeatedly were like “why aren’t Bayley and Becky” on the main roster. (A theme for a lot of the night)
Next was a triple threat NXT Heavyweight Championship. Owens vs. Balor vs. Breeze. Match placement confused my companions who aren’t quite as diehard, and didn’t get what would main event. When I explained it’d most likely be Charlotte and Sasha Banks they legit didn’t believe me. This match was great. Owens took a seat ring side and watched. He was applauding Breeze, and booing balor. He even did a really loud one man “THIS IS AWESOME” yell. Crowd chanted “Sit Owens Sit”. With the Ring elevated there was a cool spot where Balor went from the ring to the outside with a slingshot splash then did it up and over the elevated ringside area to the outside. Breeze took quite a beating this match. Got almost comical he’d come in, get beat up and tossed out. Eventually things were cooking. Balor had hit the high Coup de Grace on Breeze, but Owens pulled Balor out and scored the pin. Out came William Regal and said that’s great he won, but tomorrow night the NXT Champion will defend his title against Finn Balor one on one. Balor got on the mic and said he was bringing the Demon. GET YOUR TICKETS NOW… oh and to drive this home the people in attendance were offered 20 dollar tickets to tomorrow night’s show. Main event is worth that price alone. Too bad I gotta work. This sent us to intermission.
Back from Intermission Tye Dillenger vs. Solomon Crowe. Dillenger was GREAT. His “Perfect 10” shtick is amazing, and he won over a very tough crowd within the first 2-3 minutes of the match. So much so that the “home town” Solomon Crowe was getting outshined, in my opinion. Entertaining match charisma wise. Crowe doesn’t really do it for me in ring. Lots of “CZW” chants for Crowe too. Crowe won with the Stretch Muffler, but Dillenger dominated a good portion of the match.
Oh and Mick Foley was there. Mick said a few words about how excited he was to have made the 4+ hour drive to see tonight’s historic night. Foley’s reaction was ginormous.
Next up was Baron Corbin versus Rhyno. The crowd has been souring on Baron. Philadelphia was SUPER Sour on him, but clearly NXT is ahead of this curve. They booked him against Rhyno, and I have faith they KNEW he’d be crushed by the crowd. He was. God brawling type match. Corbin’s move set leaves something to be desired. Lots of profanity from the ECW diehards. “F’ him up Rhyno… F’ him up” – (Like Mick Foley I try to limit my F-Bombs… at least when writing) – Corbiin won with the End of Days. Grabbed a mic “Please don’t talk” chant followed. He cut a promo about Rhyno being an ECW Original, and that Rhyno is garbage, and then challenges Joey Styles to find him ANOTHER ECW Original to trash tomorrow night. Nice to have some continuity booking. Smart and special. WHO will be the ECW Original Styles enlists? Be fun for tomorrow’s show.
Mic Stand said tonight was full of surprises, but that we weren’t done, YET! “TIME TO PLAY THE GAME”. Triple H is out. He’s filming on his phone. Stops with fans. Takes a a selfie-movie with Styles and Mick. Gets in ring cuts a pretty standard promo about NXT being the future and that seeing this come together makes him a proud papa. He also puts over the fact that NXT Gives women a chance. Crowd chants “NO MORE DIVAS”, and Hunter responds, I don’t care WHAT you call them, but they kick ass… Then says the main event is a Women’s Championship match.
Charlotte is out… She’s tall. Banks out second. Philadelphia loved The Boss. Match was spectacular. Great back and forth. Athletic. Physical. Its one thing to get the big pops you get for entrances and big moves, but to keep the crowd oohing and verbally wincing for tight spots, or impressive feats of strength or athleticism is something else entirely and with these two women WWE have so much potential to alter how #WomensWrestling is not only produced on a week to week basis, but also how their fans consume and respect it. Finish saw a VICIOUS Banks Statement that got rolled through after it appeared Charlotte was about to touch her forehead to the soles of her boots, before the eventual tap out. It was great stuff. Crowd was into it. A few fans tried some off topic chant nonsense, but people were super into this.
Overall it was a great night. Lone negative was no Sami Zayn. Friend that went with me to the Royal Rumble said he tonights show was better. Lot of people walked out happy they made it to the Tower Theater in Upper Darby PA to see NXT’s Philadelphia debut. Lot of people also talking, wondering WHY a lot of the talent we saw tonight wasn’t plying their trade on Monday’s, Tuesdays, Sundays? I’m just glad I got to see them before that happened! Here’s hoping tomorrow is as awesome as tonight! If you’re going, have a blast!
