NXT Recap: 17th July 2014

Last week’s edition of NXT saw the development of a number of rivalries, ensuring the show becomes a must-see for true wrestling fans. A fantastic main event saw the bad blood between the NXT World Champion Adrian Neville and Sami Zayn towards Tyson Kidd escalate, as the final survivor of the Hart Dungeon stole a victory due to Zayn being concerned for the well-being of Kidd’s wife Natalya, who had fallen to the outside. This week, Zayn seeks revenge when he takes on Kidd one-on-one in the main event, which should prove to be another show-stealer.

Also last week, Summer Rae became the No. 1 contender for the NXT Women’s Championship, and will soon get a shot at her former BFF Charlotte. Tonight, however, it would be the other member of the Diva stable, Sasha Banks, who would be in action against Alexa Bliss. Also on the card, the rising tension between Xavier Woods and CJ Parker would come to a head in singles action, which will hopefully last longer than the high kick to the back of the head Woods experienced last week.

Quick Results

• The Vaudevillains defeat Enzo Amore and Colin Cassady
• CJ Parker defeats Xavier Woods
• Sasha Banks defeats Alexa Bliss
• Adam Rose defeats Jason Jordan
• Sami Zayn defeats Tyson Kidd

The Vaudevillains vs. Enzo Amore and Colin Cassady

After making his return from a broken leg a few weeks ago, it was great to witness Enzo Amore’s return to action this week on NXT, he would team with his buddy Big Cass to take on the resident “entertainers” on the roster, The Vaudevillains. With NXT starved somewhat for serious tag team competition for the dominant champions Ascension (who have probably not been called up only because there is nobody to take the belts off them), this will hopefully showcase some potential competition in this area. Before the action gets under way, one has to admire the uniqueness of the duo of Adrian English and Simon Gotch, and simply for their gimmick alone they look like they could one day capture the tag team belts. If William Regal says it on commentary, then it must be true.

Amore and English start in the ring, with English focusing on the arm of his adversary, singing and joking with Gotch as he does so. The Jersey native was able to counter out of an attempted suplex and find his way to Big Cass, who begins to pound on his former rival English. It’s not exactly Vaudevillian artwork, but it does look like it hurts. English escapes to bring in Gotch, who takes a few shots from Cassady, until the match is interrupted by the entrance music of Sylvester Lefort and Marcus Louis. This allows Gotch to roll up English and garner the victory. Though the match was seemingly there only to sustain the rivalry between Amore, Cassady, Lefort and Louis, even considering the shortness of the match very little of note was achieved. Hopefully more entertaining tag team action can be resumed next week.

Rating – 1/5

CJ Parker vs. Xavier Woods

The self-appointed saviour of the world, the environmentalist CJ Parker makes his way to the ring for his second match since his character was repackaged. Since his return, Parker has had his sights set on Xavier Woods, stating that he did not merit his call up to the main roster of WWE, and that he has done nothing since. Parker insisted that if he were given the same opportunity, he would both win titles and change the world in the process. Woods unsurprisingly objected to this, which saw him on the receiving end of a cheap kick to the back of the head following the pair’s in-ring segment last week. Now, Woods gets his opportunity to return the favour.

Both lock up with the match underway, Woods forcing Parker back into a corner and looking very fired up for this match. Woods maintains control with a number of flashy dropkicks and headscissors, but this momentum is brought to a screeching halt as Parker reverses an Irish-whip sending Woods face first into the bottom rope. Parker begins to take shots on Woods and control the action in the ring, with Byron Saxton putting him over on commentary particularly well. Woods is able to regain momentum, with an impeccably executed tornado DDT, launching himself from the second ring rope. This brings a near-fall, so Woods ascends to the top rope, but misses with an intended cross-body. Parker himself misses the target with a high kick, but as Woods attempts to roll up his opponent, Parker blocks in and takes the pinfall win.

The match again seemed to suffer from time restraints, with Parker actually providing very little effective offence to Woods. Furthermore, whilst Woods had a few flurries, the crowd appeared very subdued. Perhaps his run in WWE has killed the momentum he carried in NXT also? Fortunately, this feud appears far from over, so these two should have an opportunity to improve on this lacklustre display.

Rating – 2/5

Sasha Banks vs. Alexa Bliss

Alexa Bliss makes her way to the ring for this Diva’s contest, looking to follow up on her victory over Sasha Banks from three weeks ago. The peppy cheerleader has yet to display her full potential on TV, considering her high-flying prowess. Banks, on the other hand, is in the difficult predicament of witnessing her “BFFs” Charlotte and Summer Rae battle for the NXT Women’s title. But tonight she gets to do the two things she does best – wrestle, and worry about herself.

Bliss starts with a couple of quick roll-ups to keep Banks on her toes, but these are brought to an end with a hard dropkick. Banks takes control of the action, slamming Bliss’s face into the canvas, then positioning her in the turnbuckle’s second rope and dropping both knees on her opponents abdomen. Bliss breaks out of a vicious headlock and turns up the offence on Banks, hitting some forearms to the face and a nice dropkick following a cool somersault from the middle rope. However, Banks is able to block a clothesline into a backstabber, which she immediately transitioned into a modified crossface for the submission victory. Another good women’s contest that has become a staple of NXT, but once again it could have been much more if given time to tell a story.

Rating – 2.5/5

Adam Rose vs. Jason Jordan

Adam Rose returns his old party hotspot at Full Sail University, presumably taking a break from selling Sonic burgers on Monday Night Raw. At the current rate on the main shows, soon only the people WWE pay to cheer Rose will be doing just that. Tonight he goes up against Jason Jordan, whose tag team partner Tye Dillinger was recently ruled out with injury. In a short video clip, he suggests that Dillinger was injured whilst partying with the Rosebuds, and so will use this opportunity to get answers.

The crowd are fully behind the leader of the Rosebuds, and Rose wastes little time getting in the head of Jordan, jumping into his arms and turning this into a headlock takedown. Rose then rubs his posterior in the face of Jordan from the turnbuckle, which finally brings out some aggression from the Chicago-born superstar. Jordan’s time in control is shortlived, as Rose soon regains the initiative, with shots to the face and a well-executed hurricanrana from the top rope. Following a ride on the Exotic Express in the corner, Rose picks up the victory with the Party Foul. Another short match that does little for either competitor, but at least the crowd appeared vaguely interested in this match.

Rating – 2/5

Sami Zayn vs. Tyson Kidd

The main event arrives, and when these two superstars are in the ring you can be assured of something special, and with the animosity being bred between the two, this should make for a match notable both for its technical mastery and physical aggression. After Kidd capitalised on his wife’s fall and Zayn’s chivalry to pick up a cheap victory, it is undoubted that Zayn will be looking for revenge, especially as this match could have implications down the road with regards to the NXT Championship.

At the outset Kidd looks to frustrate Zayn, who is eager to get his hands on his Canadian compatriot, by continually clinging to the ropes or moving to the outside. The crowd’s chanting appears to eventually get into the head of Kidd, who charges for Zayn, which finally gives the bearded grappler the chance to beat on his adversary. Zayn quickly attempts the Helluva Kick, but Kidd moves to the outside, cuing chants of “Tyson Chicken”. Zayn moves to the outside, but Kidd responds with a kick to the jaw and a suplex onto the steel ramp as the show goes to a break.

When the match returns, Kidd is showing the fullest of his new vicious streak, raining down punches and kicks on Zayn in the corner. A beautiful hesitation dropkick on Zayn hung-up in a tree-of-woe followed by a neckbreaker brings a near-fall. Zayn is able to escape a headlock and dropkicks Kidd out of the ring, following that up with a springboard moonsault from the apron to Kidd at ringside. A crossbody from the top rope, and Zayn is in control until a drop toehold by Kidd sees him land face first on the bottom turnbuckle, and this is added to with a guillotine legdrop. A run of counters ends with a German suplex right on the back of Zayn’s head. Zayn blocks a elbow drop with his knees, and follows this with a Blue Thunder Bomb for a long 2-count. Kidd recovers into a blockbuster neckbreaker from the top rope, and when Zayn kicks out again he applies the Sharpshooter. Zayn’s never-say-die attitude sees him claw to the bottom rope, and Kidd’s frustration grows. Another jump from the top rope is countered into the STO into the Koji Clutch, and Kidd taps to give Zayn some much needed retribution. Another very good match saves an otherwise lacking NXT show, as Kidd shows why he is considered one of the most underrated members of the WWE roster and Zayn is counting the days until his own call to RAW and Smackdown.

Rating – 3.75/5