SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
NXT TV REPORT
AUGUST 1, 2018
TAPED IN ORLANDO, FLA. AT FULL SAIL UNIVERSITY
REPORT BY JUSTIN JAMES, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR
[Q1] Pre-credits silent tribute to Nikolai Volkoff and Brian Christopher. Lengthy video package showing how Tommaso Ciampa become the NXT Champion last week. Ciampa as champion has already been added to the credits.
Heavy Machinery start the show. They are facing The Mighty, who now have trench coats to come to the ring so you know they are really evil heels.
(1) HEAVY MACHINERY (TUCKER KNIGHT & OTIS DOZOVIC) vs. THE MIGHTY (NICK MILLER & SHANE THORNE)
Pre-match, The Mighty toss their jackets at Heavy Machinery, who throw them back and start a brawl. The referee gains control and starts the match. Dozovic easily handles both Thorne and Miller, but taking Thorne out lets Miller recover and get the upper hand. Dozovic is knocked to his knees in the corner then takes a double suplex for two. A suplex from Dozovic lets him tag Knight, who unloads on Thorne, then takes Miller into the ring the hard way. Knight delivers offense to Thorne and Miller simultaneously. The crowd is hot for Knight’s offense. He even delivers a cannonball off the apron to The Mighty. Miller grabs Knight’s leg letting Thorne hit a chop block. The Street Profit’s music hits, and they are in the crowd throwing merch around. This lets Knight tag Dozovic, The Compactor takes out The Mighty.
WINNERS: Heavy Machinery in 5:12. It looks like The Mighty – Heavy Machinery – Street Profits feud is destined to continue forever. Nigel McGuiness’s commentary is now deep in that heel territory of completely discrediting him as a commentator, which is a problem.
Candice LaRae is booked for a non-title match against NXT Women’s Champion Shayna Baszler tonight, and Tommaso Ciampa is scheduled for a promo.
[Q2] 2. MOUSTACHE MOUNTAIN (TYLER BATE & TRENT SEVEN) vs. MATT KNOTTS & BRANDON TAYLOR – Tag Team Match
Bate and Knotts start. Knotts mocks Bate’s waving. Bate leapfrogs him, trips him up, Bop and Bang, tag to Seven. Team moves get Moustache Mountain two. Knotts kicks Seven’s injured leg, tag to Taylor. Knee lift and chops break Seven free. Moustache Mountain hit their Burning Hammer finisher for th ewin.
WINNERS: Moustache Mountain in 2:29. Fine match to start rebuilding Moustache Mountain.
Post-match, Seven and Bate have microphones, and declare that they are back at Full Sail. Seven apologizes to the fans for their loss to Undisputed Era and for letting everyone down. They have spoken to William Regal and have a plan. Bate acknowledges that he threw in the towel, but Seven’s health was more important. Seven thanks Bate with a hug. Bate says he is “re-invoking” their rematch. Huh? It doesn’t work that way, otherwise they could trade title indefinitely.
EC3 makes his entrance to face Kona Reeves. I swear, EC3’s character has to be a rib or something. Reeves has added more chains to his getup, noticed by Percy Watson.
(3) EC3 vs. KONA REEVES
Reeves jaws at EC3 who is non-plussed. Lockup with Reeves and EC3 trading holds. EC3 refuses to let Reeves out of a headlock in a fun interaction. McGuinness compares Reeves to Barry Windham. There’s that credibility problem again. Reeves gets almost one with a running big boot. Reeves stomps on EC3 in the corner to draw boos. Cobra Clutch from EC3, but EC3 gets to his feet. Reeves puts him back down with an elbow and re-applies the Cobra Clutch. EC3 rallies. Stinger Splash, Blockbuster, and EC3 calls for the end. Velveteen Dream interrupts the match by sauntering on the ramp with a mic. Yet another new look for the Dream. He talks about someone there not being able to get over what happened at NXT UK, but if EC3 wants to discuss it, he needs to come to the Dream’s world, and he may be lucky to “bask in the experience”. Dream snaps his fingers and the Tron changes from Dream’s intro to the NXT background. Reeves surprises EC3 with the Hawaiian Drop as Dream walks away, but EC3 kicks out at hits the Top One Percent for the win.
WINNER: EC3 in 5:51. EC3 kicking out of Reeve’s finisher defines Reeves down as a lower card heel. Dream will be make or break for EC3 both as a character and as a wrestler.
[Q3] Backstage, the interviewer asks EC3 about the confrontation. Of course EC3 will accept the invitation to Dream’s experience. He rants a bit, says he is the best, goes through about 87 catch phrases,and vows to win.
(4) CANDICE LaRAE vs. NXT Women’s Champion SHAYNA BASZLER – Non-title match
Baszler refuses to talk LaRae seriously and is just laughing at her. Baszler offers LaRae a chance to leave and even holds the ropes open for her. LaRae dropkicks Baszler through the ropes. Baszler recovers too close to the apron and takes a baseball slide dropkick too. Jawbreaker and armdrags continue the attack, cover for less than one. LaRae tries a wristlock and wants Old School, but Baszler knocks her off the ropes, then shoves her into the steps. Baszler paces the ring as the ref counts LaRae outside. LaRae returns at 9, gets covered for one. Baszler starts the Dunne-style joint work that she does, taking it to the next level. This looks ugly. Baszler throws LaRae into the turnbuckle, then mounts and lays fists in. Baszler Stomp delivered to the elbow. Baszler just casually kicks LaRae around the ring. LaRae slaps Baszler and takes a kick to the back in return. Hammer lock armbar from Baszler to the injured arm. LaRae is able to throw Baszler into the corner so Baszler has a kick. Baszler catches a kick but takes an enziguiri and is stunned. LaRae lands one-armed offense to force Baszler to the corner. Snapmare positions Baszler, LaRae to the top hits downward spiral, Baszler kicks out at one and rolls outside. Suicide Dive from LaRae, LaRae rolls Baszler in, she heads up top, leaping tornado DDT, Baszler kicks out at two-and-a-half.
LaRae stretches her arm out using the ropes, then goes to the top. Baszler meets her there and looks for a gutwrench superplex, LaRae fights her off, jumps off, Baszler catches her mid-air and transitions to the Kirafuda Clutch, but they are too close to the ropes and LaRae grabs them. Small package from LaRae for two. Another clutch from Baszler, LaRae slips out, stomp for two, Killswitch, Lionsault, Baszler dodges, kicks LaRae, Kirafuda Clutch mid-ring, and LaRae has to tap in short order.
WINNER: Shayna Baslzer in 7:58. Baszler is still dominant, but LaRae proved that she can hang with the NXT Women’s Champion.
Post match, Baszler re-applies the Clutch again to punish LaRae. The referee Jessica Karr cannot get Baszler off, and calls for help. Additional refs come out and Baszler breaks the hold. Kairi Sane runs out to challenge Baszler. The referrees hold her back and Baszler ducks to the apron. As Sane checks on LaRae, Baszler returns and kicks Sane. Sane fires up, but the refs keeps her away from Baszler. The crowd is hot for a fight as Baszler cockily walks backwards up the ramp.
[ J.J.’s Reax: pitch perfect all around. Baszler is in such command of her character when a few months ago she wasn’t. ]
[Q4] Interview outside the Moustache Mountain. They are asked about what tricks they have to win. Seven and Bate say they don’t need tricks and will win. War Raiders confront them. They say it doesn’t matter who wins at Takeover: Brooklyn, they will get the titles next.
Backstage with Regal. He books EC3 and Dream at Takeover: Brooklyn. He also books Adam Cole to defend the NXT North American Championship against Ricochet next week. Ricochet is scheduled for a match next week. Keith Lee will also make his debut next week.
Tommaso Ciampa comes out to address the audience. A woman in the Izzy Position just goes berserk screaming at him. Ciampa’s safety may be at risk here, it’s like it is the 1970’s again. The crowd chants “no” at Ciampa. Ciampa pretends he hears the title belt telling him that he deserves to be champ, he talks back and kisses it. Ciampa declares this to be his NXT, he just needed one shot, and he got it and won the title because he is a man of his word. The crowd tells him to shut up. Ciampa talks about how good he looks with the title and no one has deserved it the way he does. He rolls out of the ring and paces ringside. He gets in the face of an old lady and says he remembers her and says that he wants her to know that this is his moment, and he is her NXT Champion. Ciampa sits on the top turnbuckle and talks about how heavy the title is. Not only did Ciampa beat Aleister Black, but Johnny Gargano proved what a loser he is. Amazingly, there is a dueling “Johnny Wrestling/Johnny Sucks” chant, showing how his interference in the match pushed him firmly into tweener territory. Ciampa reminds us how he has beaten Gargano and Black, and he has the only one who has beaten Black one on one. Not only is Ciampa the best NXT Champion ever, but NXT is now the A show because Ciampa is the “greatest sports entertainer of all time”. Black stomps down to the ring, but Gargano runs past him to jump Ciampa. Gargano clears Ciampa out of the ring, who falls down climbing the barricade. Gargano gets on mic and tells Ciampa that he is only champ because of Gargano. Ciampa makes the mistake of running through the ring. Black’s had enough of hearing that Gargano is responsible for Ciampa’s win, and nails Gargano with Black Mass. Gargano gets a “you deserved it” chant after a “Yes!” chant. Black takes the mic and sits down. “I guess you’re right, the only reason he’s NXT Champion IS BECAUSE OF YOU.” Black sets the mic down and stands up. “One more time” fromt he crowd as Black walks around Gargano.
FINAL THOUGHTS: So… last week I said that the Gargano-Ciampa feud is really great TV, but I am burnt out on the feud. I still feel that way, but I’ll elevate it to “compelling TV.” Any given episode of this stuff is amazing, but it’s just the total length and number of matches and encounters is just a bit too much for me. There’s no longer the feeling of wanting to see them get their hands on each other, and the transition of Gargano into darker territory means you don’t care if he wins anymore. It is smart to have Black involved like this now, to give us someone we definitely want to see win. The match quality tonight was good, and the momentum towards Takeover: Brooklyn is really strong right now.
CHECK OUT MY PWTORCH LIVECAST COLLEAGUE HARLEY PAGEOT’S REPORT ON THIS SAME SHOW FOR HIS PERSPECTIVE HERE.
NOW CHECK OUT LAST WEEK’S REPORT: 7/25 NXT TV REPORT: Aleister Black vs. Tomasso Ciampa for the NXT Title, Cole vs. Maluta, Evans vs. Price, Ricochet, War Raiders, William Regal
Anyone else hoping for a massive swerve and a Gargano heel turn. If done right could be as shocking and huge as the Austin turn