SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
The following report was originally published on PWTorch.com five years ago this week…
WWE NXT Results
July 3, 2013
Taped at Full Sail University
Report by Justin James, PWTorch contributor
[Q1] Pre-credits, Renee Young introduces a grinning NXT champion Bo Dallas backstage for an interview. She asked him about Leo Kruger’s attack last week. Dallas plays like he’s a fighting champion, and mentions the “Bo-leivers,” which Young questions. He says that he will strive to be “the best there is, the best there was, and the best there ever will be” just like his “good friend and mentor” Bret Hart. He then mentions that he went to WrestleMania and had a match there, too. Young reminds him that his match was at WrestleMania Axxess, not “WrestleMania.” He says that Kruger will need to earn a match to face him like he earned his match against Langston.
Antonio Cesaro comes out and says that Dallas has had everything handed to him, but he’s earned everything he has, and challenges Dallas to a title match. He promises that there will be “no more Bo.” Dallas calls him the most insignificant US Champion in history.
[ J.J.’s Reax: If anything, Dallas is over-acting. He was turned by the crowd because they hated his earnest attempts at playing goodie-two-shoes, not by false modesty. And is it good policy to have a heel quoting the same chant that the anti-Dallas fans use? ]
1 – PAIGE vs. ALICIA FOX – NXT Women’s Championship Tournament match – Semi Finals
Paige with an immediate schoolgirl for one, then a headlock takedown. More grappling with Paige keeping Fox on the mat. Fox slips away and heads to the ringside for a break. Paige wildly elbows out of a waistlock. Northern lights suplex to a bridge for two for Fox. Fox retains control. Jawbreaker finally gets Paige some room. She fires up and throws Fox by the hair.
Fox is draped through the ropes, so Paige goes to the apron and knees her face in, but returns to the ring to eat a dropkick. Sidekick sets up the Paige Turner from nowhere for the win.
WINNER: Paige in 4:45. A so-so match by Paige’s usual high standards, and the end was a bit abrupt. It even seemed to catch Tony Dawson by surprise.
Post-match, a video clip confirms that the Cesaro vs. Dallas match will be for the NXT Championship.
Andy Baker is already in the ring to make his NXT debut. He’s facing Conor O’Brian, who a ton of women go nuts for, judging by the screams. He’s accompanied by a re-packaged Rick Victor, who is now confirmed as the “mysterious stranger” we met a few weeks ago.
2 – ANDY BAKER vs. CONOR O’BRIAN (w/Rick Victor)
O’Brian with a trio of shoulder blocks and a trio of headlock takedowns right out of the bat, bringing back his old Ascension intensity. Baker with kicks, but O’Brian waves them off. Flapjack and a leg drop for the win.
WINNER: Conor O’Brian in 1:00. I love seeing O’Brian at this intensity level when he’s part of the Ascension tag team, but a leg drop is a lame finisher in 2013.
[Q2] Backstage, Renee Young has Adrian Neville and Corey Graves for an interview, and asks how they are going to manage with Ohno out due to the beating he took last week from The Wyatt Family. Graves says that they are prepared. Neville asks William Regal to join them in their fight against the Wyatt Family.
[ J.J.’s Reax: Regal is such an amazing talent on NXT. Last time he wrestled, it was a serious MOTY contender. This match manages to dovetail into his previous feud with Kassius Ohno, too. ]
Sylvester LeFort introduces Scott Dawson in a nearly unintelligible promo. He’s facing Xavier Woods.
3 – XAVIER WOODS vs. SCOTT DAWSON
Big “Woods!” chants to start the match. The crowd support can’t keep Woods out of the corner, though. Schoolboy from Woods gets one, putting him on the attack. Head scissors takedown gets one for Woods. Woods wants a springboard move but Dawson punches him through the ropes sending him to the floor. Dawson with basic offense. Jawbreaker lets Woods get back to his feet. Woods says it’s Morphin Time, hit’s the Honor Roll punch, then Lost in the Woods for the win.
WINNER: Xavier Woods in 4:45. Dawson doesn’t seem like enough of a threat yet for a win over him to feel like a big deal, but Dawson looked fine in the ring, and shows so much personality it’s hard to not like him.
Bray Wyatt with a backwoods promo criticizing people for being so judgmental. Erick Rowan is wearing his lamb mask from the Raw vignettes. I don’t even understand these promos, but I like them.
Camera on the announcer booth as Dawson asks Regal if he will join the six-man tag team. Regal acts offended that anything would think he would turn it down.
Enzo Amore introduces “Big Cass” (Colin Cassidy) to fight Mason Ryan. “Mason: One word to describe you. Why don’t we spell it out for you: S-A-W-F-T. SOFT.” Amore is an awesomely funny character.
4 – MASON RYAN vs. ENZO AMORE (w/Colin Cassidy)
Amore walks into a punch and is knocked out cold.
WINNER: Mason Ryan in 0:05.
[Q3] Post-match, Amore says he wasn’t even ready, and sends Cassidy in to face Ryan.
5 – MASON RYAN vs. COLIN CASSIDY (w/Enzo Amore)
Ryan quickly gains control and hits his finisher for the win.
WINNER: Mason Ryan in 1:00. Between the three people in the ring, Enzo Amore got the most crowd support.
6. BO DALLAS vs. ANTONIO CESARO – NXT Championship match
And the match starts with huge “No More Bo!” chants as Cesaro gets a hero’s welcome and a big “We The People!” chant. Dawson asks Regal what it will mean if Cesaro wins, and Regal says that it will mean that he’s the champion. This is the second time they have had this exchange in a few weeks now. They wrangle for control for a bit. Dueling “No More Bo” and “Let’s Go Bo” with the John Cena support split. Ironically, Dawson tells us that Dallas idolizes John Cena (as well as Bret Hart and Tim Tebow). Cesaro suckers Dallas to the ropes, then dumps him to the outside.
[ Commercial Break ]
Cesaro lands a bodyslam out of the break and Leo Kruger appears on the ramp. Cesaro with a chinlock to wear down Dallas. Cesaro boots Dallas in the back and the crowd demands “one more time,” but he taunts the crowd by sliding into a chinlock again. Dallas ducks a clothesline to rally. Bulldog out of the corner gets two for Dallas. Cesaro back to the chinlock. Dallas slips out of a bodyslam and counters with a reverse DDT. Dallas wants a Tornado DDT, but Cesaro crotches him halfway through the ropewalking. Regal: “That ruptured his custard.” Eww.
[Q4] Cesaro rocks Dallas on the ropes, then hits a gutwrech superplex for a nearfall. Sick move. Cesaro poses on the second rope and nails a cross-ring knee drop. Cesaro stalks Dallas and locks in the chinlock again. Dallas is fading fast, but rolls around to put Cesaro’s shoulders down for two. Cesaro with a fallaway slam to a bridge for two.
Cesaro says it is the end and goes to the top ropes. Dallas meets him there for a surprise hip toss. They are slow to rise and Kruger gets in the apron behind Dallas. Cesaro charges, but Dallas ducks, Cesaro hits Kruger, and Dallas catches Cesaro with a belly-to-belly for the win.
WINNER: Bo Dallas in 10:00. Another tainted win for Bo Dallas. Cesaro was amazing in that match, Dallas did a fine job at taking bumps.
Post-match, Kruger ambushes Dallas to the crowd’s delight. Cesaro comes back to life and knocks Kruger out of the ring, then beats on Dallas. Double foot stomp and Cesaro slips and nearly falls. Dallas makes a comeback, but Kruger rejoins the fray. Sami Zayn finally makes the save. Zayn clears Cesaro and Dallas sends Kruger packing.
FINAL THOUGHTS: Worth watching for the character development of Bo Dallas and to catch Antonio Cesaro’s excellent ring work, but not for much else. Xavier Woods and Enzo Amore put a smile on my face, albeit for different reasons.
NOW CHECK OUT THE PRIOR NXT FLASHBACK: 5 YRS AGO – NXT TV Report (6-26-13): Wyatt Family, Corey Graves, Leo Kruger (Adam Rose), Dawson, Ohno, Emma, Big E vs. AIden English
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.