Midweek wrestling

TNA XPlosion

-Commentators:  Jeremy Borash & Rockstar Spud.
-Shiima Xion d. Eric Young via rollup with a handful of tights.

WWE NXT

Host:  Renee Young.  Commentators:  Tom Phillips, Byron Saxton, & Lord Tensai.  Ring announcer:  Howard Finkel~!

Most of this episode is a best-of-2013 clipshow, but there is one exclusive matchup.

Antonio Cesaro says that he admires and respects S. William Regal...Regal even helped him get a job with WWE.  However, they both knew the day would come when they would clash in the ring and only one would be left standing.

Devin Taylor interviews NXT Women's Champion Paige Knight.  She's proud of being the titleholder but she wants more...and she plans to make history and become the WWE Women's Champion as well.  Devin wraps up that interview...and then NXT Champion Bo Dallas enters the picture to extol his own virtues.

Regal's response to Cesaro is somewhat reserved...he says he's in the "late autumn" of his career and wonders about his legacy.  He never became a World Champion but he takes the blame for that.  As for Cesaro, he admits that he's probably not the favorite, but he is ready to compete with all the "vile and venom" he has left.

Taylor interviews Sami Zayn about his best-of-three-falls match with Cesaro last summer...he's flattered by the praise for the bout, but it still bugs him that he didn't win.  As for current business:  He'll take care of Leo Kruger and then go after Bo Dallas' title again.  With the discussion of the previous match with Cesaro, Zayn gets an idea:  How about best-of-three-falls with Kruger next week?  That'll work.

S. William Regal vs. Antonio Cesaro:  Regal came to Byron's defense recently when Cesaro was abusing him for no good reason...so we have this battle of noted European grapplers.  YAY WRESTLING~!  Regal gets off the mat with a nip-up or two...the fans chime in that He's Still Got It.  Cesaro responds by busting out an old-school flying headscissors but Regal powers him off.

They go into a classic Greco-Roman knucklelock with Antonio getting the edge, but Regal bridges to avoid a pinning situation.  Regal reverses into a straitjacket hold and pulls him back across his knees...very cool.  Cesaro uses his power to escape that predicament...it's a stalemate for now and the fans note that This Is Wrestling.  Back to the knucklelock we go and Regal turns it into a CRAVATE~!  He snapmares Antonio, but Antonio bridges up and gets his own cravate...then uses brute force to power Regal over into a pin attempt!  That only gets two...they end up in the corner and it turns into a slugfest with Regal getting an advantage.  Regal begs off from the referee while back-kicking Cesaro in the corner...but that only ticks off Antonio as he clips the knee!

Cesaro works on the leg to keep Regal down...he even undoes the kneebrace to do more damage.  He hooks a leg-around-the-head version of the half-crab and lifts Regal partially off the mat in the process...Regal barely gets to the ropes.  Regal reverses another attempt at the leg into a flash rollup...for two.  Backslide...gets two.  A big forearm shot puts Cesaro on his back and Regal fires up...he throws a few European uppercuts, but Cesaro decides to show him how it's done with a barrage of his own!  Cesaro goes for the leg again...GIANT SWING~!  Antonio trash-talks him instead of going for the win...Neutralizer?  No, Regal backdrops him and drops a knee on the arm in one motion!  Regal targets the arm with pinpoint focus...the commentators note that this takes away the power game and specifically the Neutralizer.  Exploder suplex hits but Regal can't make the cover...knee trembler?  No, his own knee is bothering him too much and Cesaro stops him with a headbutt.  Antonio goes for another headbutt but Regal simply kicks him in the head to stop him...not pretty but effective!

Double-underhook suplex is blocked...Cesaro backdrops him and bridges...for two.  Regal rolls him over and goes to the legs...he nearly gets the Regal Stretch but Antonio barely reaches the ropes.  Cesaro stops him with a dropkick, then lands a double-stomp to the back of the head!  Cesaro stands over his fallen opponent...he pulls him up for the Neutralizer but Regal seems to be dead weight.  Cesaro shows signs of remorse but Regal finally shows some life...and that's enough motivation for Cesaro to hook him up for the Neutralizer and nail it.  1-2-3 and it's over.

The referees help Regal to his feet and walk him back up the aisle...but Cesaro stops them so he can offer a handshake.  The gesture is accepted...and that's a wrap.  #yaywrestling