Commentators: Tom Phillips, S. William Regal, & Byron Saxton. Ring announcer: Brandi Rhodes.
Chief Operating Officer Triple H welcomes us to the show...goodie.
Sami Zayn vs. Antonio Cesaro: The fans chant "Match Of The Year" before it even starts...no pressure. YAY WRESTLING~! Cesaro has the power advantage and punctuates a waistlock takedown with a slap to the back of the head. Zayn's the quicker of the two, but that works against him as he runs into a dropkick. Zayn lands on his feet out of a backdrop attempt, then Cesaro blocks a rana...Zayn lands on his feet out of whatever Cesaro had planned, then armdrags Cesaro. Cesaro rolls out of the ring so Sami adds a baseball slide, then a somersault plancha!
Zayn goes to the third floor on re-entry...but the cross-body is caught for a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker and our first two-count. Now Sami rolls to the floor and Antonio throws him back in the ring...only to toss him out on the other side and abuse him over there. Cesaro keeps taking him in and out of the ring for varied abuse...Zayn finally kicks him away. Sami tries for the dive through the turnbuckles from the adjacent side of the ring(he hit a flying DDT out of that in their previous match)...only for Cesaro to meet him with a European uppercut!
Antonio wraps the recently-injured leg around the ringpost for good measure, then focuses on the bad limb...Sami tries to kick him away but takes a double-stomp to the knee. More leg damage ensues...but Zayn fires off a leg lariat out of nowhere! Antonio takes out the leg again to halt that momentum, then delivers a series of dragonscrew legwhips...Sami finally fights back on one leg but Cesaro ducks the enzuigiri. Half-crab in the middle of the ring...Zayn barely makes it to the bottom rope!
Zayn elbows a charging Cesaro, then boots him and backdrops him over the ropes...Sami gets a breather, then follows Antonio out with a ropeflip moonsault press...only to get caught AGAIN and slammed on the entrance ramp! Will this end in a countout? NO, Zayn barely beats the count despite his bad wheel! Cesaro smells blood, but Zayn grabs him in an exploder suplex into the turnbuckles out of nowhere! Zayn covers...for two. Cesaro elbows out of a Blue Thunder Bomb attempt once...but not twice and Zayn gets another near-fall!
Cesaro kicks out the knee again, but Zayn Flatliners Cesaro to the mat and hooks a Koji Clutch! Cesaro is able to grab the leg to escape, then hooks Zayn in a Stretch Muffler(half-crab around Cesaro's own head...thank you, Mr. Regal)! Zayn's in big trouble but finally lunges to the ropes to escape. Cesaro blocks a boot and goes for the giant swing but Zayn victory-rolls him...for 2 1/2! Cesaro gets the swing on the second try...then charges into the corner for a European uppercut! Cover gets two, reversed into a mat crucifix by Zayn for two. Antonio double-stomps Zayn's head...for two! (Yes, this deserves the full play-by-play, why do you ask?)
Zayn rolls to the ring apron but Cesaro gets a hold of him...deadlift superplex? Zayn fights him off and stuns him with a boot...top-rope Frankensteiner is blocked...RICOLA SUPERBOMB is countered into the Frankensteiner! Corner boot HITS...for 2 1/2! Both are slow to rise, but Cesaro gets in the first shot when they re-engage. Zayn pulls himself up to his feet on Cesaro's body only to get knocked back down with a European uppercut. Does Sami have anything left? He keeps slowly geting up only to get uppercutted back down. The referee puts on the count and Cesaro tells him to stay down...no dice. Zayn finally shows signs of a life and strikes back, leading to a slugfest in the middle of the ring...then Sami hits a released German suplex out of nowhere! He runs into a Cesaro boot...Neutralizer is countered with a backdrop, Cesaro tries for the sunset flip only for Zayn to block...for two! Zayn somersaults up and over Cesaro into a Code Red...for two!
Again, both are slow to rise...and Cesaro boosts him into the pop-up European uppercut out of nowhere! Cover...for ONE! Cesaro is in disbelief...Zayn psyches himself up but walks into a discus European uppercut...Neutralizer follows and that's it! WHEW!
The fans give both men a well-deserved standing ovation and another "Match Of The Year" chant...WE THE PEOPLE~! Zayn is crushed and Cesaro goes to leave...but returns to the ring and helps him up into a hug. RESPECT~! Cesaro leaves the ring and lets Zayn get his own show of adulation from the fans. OLE~! YAY WRESTLING~!
Mojo Rawley vs. C.J. Parker: Yeahhhhh, good luck following that opener. NXT Update: Mr. Rawley remains hyped and insists that Mr. Parker does not share that state of mind. This is more competitive than you might think...Rawley turns it around into a pair of avalanches, hip check, and Hyperdrive(Earthquake buttdrop) for the win.
The Ascension(Konnor O'Brian & Rick Viktor) vs. Too Cool("Grandmaster Sexay" Brian Christopher & Scotty Too Hotty) for the NXT Tag Team Titles: Darn those open contracts. The tag champs get new music for the big show. Viktor starts fast with Christopher and doesn't take kindly to his opponent's dance moves. Regal says Christopher has one of those faces you'd never get tired of punching...always a classic line. Christopher takes a beating and Viktor holds him down in a chinlock until the escape via jawbreaker. Hot tag to Scotty and the house is on fire! Regal notes that the New Age Outlaws won the WWE Tag Team Titles, so we could see another blast from the past here...Scotty drops Viktor with the bulldog as Christopher disposes of Konnor. W-O-R-M...but Viktor avoids the finishing chop and blasts Christopher off the apron! Viktor runs over Scotty with a major STO, then tags Konnor for the Fall Of Man(legsweep/flying European uppercut combo) and the pin.
Ric Flair and his daughter Charlotte are sitting in the front row...and Stephanie McMahon enters to personally introduce our next matchup. She gets a "You Still Got It" chant...and she says she never lost it, ha!
Paige Knight vs. Emma Tayla for the NXT Women's Title: BUBBLES~! Regal and Steph even do the dance...bwahahaha. Emma has earned her top-contender status a few times over(both in matches and dance-offs). Paige gets new music as well...and she gets right in Emma's face after the opening bell. Shoves lead to a knee to the midsection by Paige and it's CATFIIIIIGHT~! time. The ref has to break up a lockup in the corner...Emma counters an early Paige Turner attempt with a backslide for two. Emma hangs onto the arms and double-legs Paige into a catapult attempt, but Paige nicely blocks for a pin combo for two. Dropkick by Paige...gets two. Paige yanks Emma around by the hair and slams her...for two. DUELING CHANTS~!
Paige slows it down with a chinlock, then elbows Emma in the corner...but Emma takes out the leg to turn things around. Paige raises the boot to block a potential low cross-body in the corner, but Emma blocks the foot and hits the mid-ring catapult. Emma Lock? No, Paige kicks her into the ropes, then knees her repeatedly in the face. However, Emma sweeps the leg while Paige is on the apron, leading to a rough landing...and Emma gets a two-count. Emma hooks the DilEmma(Tarantula) and follows up with the low cross-body in the corner...then drags her away from the ropes for a two-count. The fans are still divided on this one!
Regal jokes about his multiple previous marriages and wonders why he can't get a lady like Paige or Emma...maybe he's addicted to wedding cake? :) Emma gets a modified surfboard hold, stretching her further by pulling her up to her feet with the hold before kicking her down to the mat...for two. She slows it down for a few two-counts, but Paige finally returns fire only to get cut off at the turnbuckles. Despite that, Paige sets up a superplex...Emma fights out of it and sunset-flips into a sitout powerbomb...for two! The fans chant "Better Than Batista"...HA! Both women are down, but Emma bounces back first with a low-altitude dropkick...for two. Emma starts trash-talking...but that fires up Paige and she rallies on offense. KICK WHAM PAIGE TURNER...FOR 2 1/2! No one's ever kicked out after that move and Paige is shocked...she turns Emma into a modified Sharpshooter and double-chickenwings the arms, lifting Emma off the mat! Regal calls it the Scorpion Crush(previously done by former WWE Women's Champion Bull Nakano)...and Emma has to verbally submit with no hands free to tap out!
Paige helps Emma to her feet...CODE OF HONOR~! and a hug too.
Ringside: Dusty Rhodes & Pat Patterson.
Xavier Woods vs. Tyler Breeze: Woods still has the Brodus Clay theme...Regal says they're both "purveyors of the funk". Apparently live viewers got to see Breeze's entrance quite a few times thanks to the feed buffering...heh. SELFIES~! As for the match...it's over before it even truly starts as Lana Perry brings out Alexander Rusev. Woods and Breeze try to double up on him...sorry, no sale. Both men get kicked into oblivion...Rusev takes out Breeze with a fallaway Samoan Drop, then takes out Woods with a unique Rock Bottom variation before locking on the Accolade(camel clutch). Lana and Rusev speak their minds afterwards, prompting "USA" chants and "What"s.
The Bo Dallas video package starts with Bo asking for water...then requesting a glass when he's presented with a bottle. COOKIES~! He interprets "No More Bo" as "KNOW More Bo" because his Bo-Lievers want to know their champion better...outstanding.
Ringside: Steve Keirn & Larry Zbyszko(!). Regal acknowledges his old feud with Larry and drops a Skinner reference for fun.
Shawn Michaels pays a visit to hype the main event...he knows a thing or two about ladder matches and personally delivers the title belt to be hung above the ring. The fans politely request One More Match and he respectfully declines. "HBShizzle" chant? Shawn approves and the fans start the "Yes" chant. If you want to know more about his ladder matches...buy the Mr. WrestleMania DVD! He's got kids to support!
Bo Dallas vs. Adrian Neville, ladder match for the NXT Title: Neville gets new music and pulls a Razor Ramon by stepping under the huge ladder on the entrance stage. Bo cautiously steps around said ladder. Shawn shakes hands with both men before leaving. Big ol' staredown during the ring introductions, then the belt is raised and we're off! Bo tries to exit stage right before Neville cuts him off...Regal notes that neither man has ever been in a ladder match. Adrian brings the FLIPPIES~! but Dallas rolls out to avoid an early attempt at the Red Arrow(corkscrew shooting star press). Neville goes after him and Dallas yanks the leg through the ropes to trip him up.
Bo slows the pace, then ties Neville upside-down in the ropes so he can go for the ladder. However, Adrian frees himself and baseball-slides the ladder into Bo...then follows up with a plancha! Now Neville slides the ladder into the ring, but Dallas pulls him to the floor and rams him into the steel steps. Bo wraps Neville up in the ring banner to pummel him, then goes for another ladder but misses with the battering-ram dash...Dallas attempts a double-underhook DDT only to get backdropped on the ramp.
Neville is the first to climb the ladder, but Bo throws the second ladder at him to knock him down...OW. Dallas sets up the ladder to pin Neville under the bottom rung, but Adrian shakes it enough that Bo falls to the mat. Adrian climbs...Bo tips the ladder and Adrian lands on the top rope rather painfully. They play tug-of-war with a ladder, but Bo has the power edge and rams Neville back into the corner with it. Bo wedges the ladder in the turnbuckles, but Neville fights back and nails the turnbuckle-walk DDT. Upward ho, but Bo cuts him off...they fight until Bo runs Adrian backwards into the ladder...worse yet, the ladder falls on Neville!
Bo repeatedly clotheslines Neville in the corner, then sets up a bulldog onto the ladder only to be shoved off into the ladder wedged in the other corner! Adrian climbs, Bo climbs, and they fight until Bo yanks Neville into the ladder by the arm and pulls him down. Adrian returns fire and goes to the top rope but Bo dumps him to the floor...Bo is slow to rise but he seems to have a clear path up the ladder to victory. Out of the blue, Neville springboards ONTO the ladder and lands above Bo! They fight on the ladder again and Bo teases a German suplex off the ladder, but Adrian elbows him off...only to get pulled down into a powerbomb into the corner ladder!
Bo charges in with one ladder but Neville catches him with a boot, then slams Bo on top of the ladder...RED ARROW with Dallas laid out on the ladder! Both guys are hurting...who can recover first? Bo rolls out of the ring...Neville's got the ladder and he climbs for the belt...Bo desperately tries to stop him but it's too late! Adrian Neville pulls down the title and is the newwwww NXT Champion! Neville poses on top of the ladder with the belt to close the show...we even get a shot of John Cena in the audience applauding the win.
No comments:
Post a Comment