NXT is LIVE… kind of… But it coming to you in BEAUTIFUL Technocolor from Columbus Ohio! This episode taped a couple weeks ago when NXT took their show outside of Florida for the first time ever. We open to the crowd chanting NXT.
IN RING!
LU! CHA! LU! CHA! LU! CHA! Kalisto is out first. Next out is Tyler Breeze. Crowd is very pro-Tyler. Fun to see Brock Lesnar guy taking a selfie of himself with Breeze in the background during Breeze's entrance. Starts off with Kalisto gaining an early advantage. Breeze is able to turn the tide catching Kalisto off the top rope with a nasty dropkick. Breeze takes control, punishing Kalisto, through a commercial break. Out of the break, Kalisto turns the tide. Hits his awesome fast past signature moves: Listo Kick, the headscissor face plant on a kneeling opponent (That's how I'd describe it, at least.) Good back and forth for the last few minutes of the match. Breeze's supermodel Kick… OUTTA NO WHERE, was nicely done. Kalisto hit a 450 splash for a three, but BREEZE GRABBED THE ROPE! Kalisto went for the SDS, but Breeze flipped out and hit the Beauty Shot for a three count. Good opener. Kalisto looked very impressive in defeat. Breeze rolls on as his feud with Itami will continue.
HYPE!
A recap of all things Riley and Owens. Giving a nice overview of what led us to their clash… TONIGHT!!!
BACKSTAGE!
Alexa Bliss is excited. Excited to be in her HOMETOWN of Columbus. Excited for Columbus to get to see NXT. Excited to face off with Sasha Banks. Bliss is gunning for Banks! That is ALSO… TONIGHT!
RECAP!
NXT's days at the Arnold Sports Festival. The stuff going on, appearances. A bunch of them went to a local children's hospital. Then recapped the International Sports Hall of Fame induction of Triple H. Capping it with Hogan, Flair doing an in ring segment. Nice little package about their trip.
BACKSTAGE!
Finn approaches Riley. Tells Riley he's going to keep his eye on this match. Riley says he's gonna RAGE. Balor warns Riley to not overlook Owens. Announcers hype a Blake vs. Cassady match.
HYPE!
They show a package of the Cleveland show. HHH giving a little pep talk. Good crowd reactions. Balor/Cesaro highlights make me super jealous of Cleveland.
IN RING!
That awful ring music means the tag champs are on their way out. During the 3entrance they advertise the live show at San Jose State University… which cracks me up. THAT show sold out in two hours. Cass and Enzo are out next, with Carmella. Crowd loving these three… Wait… not so much Carmella. She gets booed during her intro. Singing along with EVERY Enzo Syllable. They gave Cass and Enzo a LOT of mic time. Columbus dug it. Bell rings. "THIS GUYS SAWFT" chant at Blake. Blake gets an early advantage. Cass turns it around with a huge knee. Cass slaps Blake around. Rag dolls him across the ring. Blake takes him down on the top rope. Chop blocks and goes on the offensive. HAHAHA… "USA" chant, which I guess is directed towards Murphy who IS ringside, but not in the match. Cassady working his power game. Big running splash, and then a sidewalk slam. Cassady spells it out for us, but Murphy jumps on the apron. Cassady is distracted, but gives him a running big boot. Carmella is up on the apron as this happens, trying to yell at the Aussie. This gives Blake the chance to sneak up from behind and hit the Roll Up… O'… DOOM! Three count. Blake running Cass into the ropes, knocked Carmella off the apron. So post match she's being attended to.
HYPE!
Dana Brooke is an NXT Women's competitor who competed in some sort of body building deal at the Arnold Classic. So this is her "coming soon" vignette.
IN RING!
Glitter. Glitz. SPARKLE! Dammit, glitter everywhere! We can't get that stuff out of ANYTHING, Miss Bliss! Decent reaction for her, though I thought it'd be better being her "home town". Announcers sell the "home field advantage", and that Bliss had her prom in this very building. Banks out next, and the crowd loves her. We'll see how this goes from a crowd reaction standpoint. Banks lays into the "Home town girl". Bliss hits a take down and smashes Bank's grill into the mat. Gets a one count. Banks trash talking the WHOLE time. Hits the double knees to Bliss laying across the ropes in the corner. Two count. Banks has a nice choke on Bliss for a while. Bliss bridges up, but Sasha bends her back over her knee. Big forearms for Bliss and a flying forearm gets her on the offensive. Hits the Bliss Flip… KIND OF? That was a bit sloppy. Hits a nice roll up for a TWO… PLUS! Sasha rolls out. Bliss hits a Thesz Press to the outside, but as the mounted strikes happen banks pulls Bliss face first into the apron. Bliss runs Banks into the corner post, as the referee gets to 10. Bliss gets a big win over the NXT Women's champion. Little sloppy at times. Bliss isn't as smooth as her NXT Women's division counterparts.
Backstage!
Owens gonna make Riley regret quitting his job. Next week is the match we've all been waiting for! Balor and Owens. Owens gonna end Balor too. No one is going to take the NXT Championship.
Backstage!
Bliss is happy and celebrating. NEXT WEEK, Bliss is going to have an NXT Women's Championship opportunity! So we have two title matches for next week's show. Giddyup.
IN RING!
RAGE!!!! Riley is out. He's going to pop a blood vessel. He beats the hell out of the ring steps and best in the ring. Owens out next, and like almost every other match, the heel is the one getting cheered. Owens gets a huge reaction from Columbus. Huge "Fight Owens Fight" chant. Owens hoists the belt in Riley's face, and laughs. They exchange angry shoves. Owens opens with boots and clubbing forearms. Good job by the announcers to sell how big Riley is. You can definitely see that standing in the ring next to Owens. Huge dropkick turns the tide. He follows that with flying back elbow into the corner. Owens catches a kick and kicks up into Riley's hammy. Then the running cannonball into the corner. "Kill Owens Kill" chant. Huge short armed clothesline. Owens taunts screaming "RRRAAAAGE. RRRAAAAGE!" Locks in the Chin Lock… O'… DOOOOOM! Crowd chants "REST OWENS REST!" That's smarky, but HILARIOUS. HUGE Forearm shot sends Owens through the ropes to the apron. Riley follows that up knocking Owens off the apron into the barricade. Owens not pleased by this as he gets back into the ring. Goes for the cannonball, Riley gets out of dodge. Hits a huge spine buster… TWO… PLUS! Riley went for… uh… SOMETHING, but ended up kind of cross bodying himself into the ropes. Now Owens hits three straight running sentons. Tosses A-Ry outside. Slams him into the fencing. Scoops him up an then body slams him into the fencing surrounding the ring. Back in the ring. Pop Up Powerbomb. Ball Game. Owens snatches HIS belt from the ref and celebrates. Not for long as he continues to assault Riley. Powerbomb into the apron, NOPE. Music hits. Balor is out. Balor gives him the Mutumbo finger. You're not gonna do that, Fella. Owens decides he'll go to attempt the power bomb, but Finn jumps off the entrance stage with a forearm onto Owens. Brawl… En. GAGED! Finn slams Owens into the ring steps. In the ring. High Velocity Dropkcik into the corner. Owens down… Balor UP. Double stomp? Owens gets outta dodge. Crowd chanting "Run Owens Run".
Finn's music hits. They stare down. Logo flashes. Black.
Overview!
Really enjoyed this week's NXT. I loved the different energy from the crowd. Nice to see the show outside of Full Sail. Some good matches. Dug the closer look at what they did while they were in Ohio. I think that's valuable for them as a brand. Seeing them out doing stuff that the main roster does. Set up two title matches for next week. One of which I can't wait for. Everything was well done and every segment helped with stories or setting up future matches. We'll see you in seven!
