SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
NXT TV REVIEW
NOVEMBER 23, 2016
TAPED AT FULL SAIL UNIVERSITY
AIRED ON WWE NETWORK
REPORT BY JUSTIN JAMES, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR
[Q1] Pre-credits package covers the events of Takeover: Toronto.
Rich Swann starts the show, immediately getting the audience psyched. Like the post-Brooklyn NXT, this one appears to be taped before Takeover: Toronto. He is facing Kona Reeves.
(1) RICH SWANN vs. KONA REEVES
Reeves immediately backs Swann out of the corner then throws him across the ring. Reeves’ size lets him throw Swann up and into a Samoan Drop for a two count. Swann gets a big up in the corner to enable a comeback. Leaping leg drop… then suddenly Sanity’s music plays and the lights cut out. After a loooong entrance, they finally attack Swann and Reeves.
No Contest at 4:30. Swann was a lot of fun before the interruption.
Post-match, Swann tries to rescue Reeves with no success. Young gets a mic and talks about the world falling apart, and they are going to take what they need.
[ J.J.’s Reax: I’m glad Eric Young is in WWE, but this Sanity group just is going to the well too many times with the “group of crazies” cliche. ]
[Q2] After a short break, Sanity is leaving, and No Way Jose is in the ring checking on Swann. He challenges Eric Young to a match tonight. Sanity threatens to come into the ring, big support for Jose. Young slowly gets into the ring. Jose fends off Fulton. He tosses Young into the air and clobbers him with a right, but the rest of Sanity enters the ring. Jose gets free of the crowd until Nikki Cross nails a missle dropkick to his back. They gang up on Jose.
Video package on the end of the Dusty Rhodes Classic. Backstage after Toronto with Paull Ellering and The Authors of Pain. Ellering says that winning the tournament was chapter two, and chapter three remains to be seen.
Backstage, Darria Barenato is shown warming up in Toronto. Billie Kay and Peyton Royce ask her to join them in the six woman tag team match. She agrees to help them beat people up.
Backstage interview with the three. Royce and Kay act like they did Barenato a favor.
Review of Bobby Roode facing Tye Dillinger. Graves finds it in himself to praise Dillinger. Wow, is that the first time a Canadian ever won in his hometown?
Backstage interview with Dillinger. The interviewer asks Dillinger how it felt to lose. Dillinger expresses disappointment in himself for not being able to close the deal again, especially in Canada in front of his friends and family. He mourns his lost momentum. But 10,000 people supported him tonight so he has to believe in himself too, he came up short tonight but will do better next time.
[ J.J.’s Reax: Really solid, emotional work from Dillinger here. He started off sounding nearly defeated, but then he used the support from the crowd to rally himself. ]
Long package on the #DIY – The Revival Tag Team Championship match. What a great match this was, so powerful to wach #DIY complete their year-long quest from tag team underdogs to champions.
[Q3] Backstage with #DIY post-Takeover. Ciampa reviews how so many people said they weren’t good enough, and they are proven wrong. Gargano and Ciampa tell each other that they love each other and congratulate each other. What a great package that was.
Quick look at Mickie James – Asuka.
Backstage with Mickie James. She is crying, says she didn’t want to, but it is so good to be back and hear the crowd. James puts Asuka over, and says that she didn’t feel like she had it in the bag but that she had a good shot at the match, and today Asuka beat her. James mentions that she lost a little respect after the handshake incident.
[ J.J.’ Reax: Another excellent promo, hinting at the possibility of seeing more of James in the future, perhaps a rematch with Asuka. ]
Video package on Samoa Joe’s match against Shinuka Nakamura for the NXT championship. I think the last time we saw a match ending this surprising was Kevin Owens’ first championship match against Sami Zayn, the one that ended due to ref stoppage.
After the event, the interviewer doesn’t even get to ask Nakamura a question, he just say he wants a rematch as soon as possible.
Eric Young is billed to face No Way Jose next week.
(2) EMBER MOON & LIV MORGAN & ALIYAH vs. BILLIE KAY & PEYTON ROYCE & DARIA BERENATO – Six Woman Tag Team Match
Kay charges Morgan as soon as the bell rings, but Morgan is able to get in the offense. Royce comes in but Morgan fends them both off, landing a double bulldog. Aliyah tags in to continue the attack, but Kay is able to get to Barenato. Rollup, but Barenato keeps her shoulders off the mat. Takedown to Aliyah.
[ Break ]
[Q4] Aliyah is isolated out of the break. Double delayed suplex with Royce and Kay dropping her into a two count. Stiff kicks from Barenato in the corner get the crowd to try to rally Aliyah. Aliyah pushes back on a body triangle to get a count on Barenato, but Barenato powers out. aliyah turns around into a mount and punches, and finally breaks free of Barenato. Royce and Moon tag in.
Moon takes Royce to school, crossbody into a cover so the action breaks down. Kay rescues her team, and forces Royce to tag the wounded Barenato. Barenato looks lost, and Moon surprises her with the Eclipse just as she gets her bearings.
Winners: Ember Moon, Liv Morgan, and Aliyah in 6:11. Just another vehicle to get Moon over. Kind of sad to see both a promising new wrestler take an ugly loss here and a decent little feud get a quick write off, all to bolster Moon who is alredy doing fine.
They announce that the Joe – Nakamura rematch will occur in two weeks at the NXT live event in Osaka Japan. No word on if it will be broadcast. Interesting move. Remember, Joe won his first title at a non-broadcast event. This just reinforces the idea that NXT live events are “cant miss” if they come to your area.
Final Reax: Post-Takeover NXTs are predictably weak if the Takeover occurred outside FSU on a Saturday, this was no exception.
NOW CHECK OUT LAST WEEK’S NXT TV REVIEW: 11/16: Alexander vs. Almas, Peyton vs. Morgan, Samson vs. Cruz, Final Takeover hype
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