5 YRS AGO – NXT TV REPORT (7-31-03): Charlotte vs. Sasha, The Shield, Corey Graves vs. Scott Dawson, Cesaro, Wyatts, Aiden, Bo Dallas, Kruger/Adam Rose, Enzo & Cass, Dusty

By Justin James, PWTorch contributor

Charlotte (Photo credit Scott Lunn - @ScottLunn © PWTorch)

SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...

This report was originally published on PWTorch.com five years ago this week…


WWE NXT Results
July 31, 2013
Taped at Full Sail University

[Q1] No pre-credit video this week, which is surprising considering that there was a title change last week. Enzo Amore kicks off the show, with Colin Cassidy. Cassidy’s trunks now say “Bada Boom” which corresponds to Amore’s promo. Cassidy has a microphone and talks in an accent that sounds a bit fake. He says that one thing they are not… wait for the audience to shout “SAWFT” and repeat. Amore says he sees the main roster as a dance floor, and he is going to dance. Cassidy tries to sing. Tons of Funk comes out to answer the call, with shirts from the new Performance Center.

[J.J.’s Reax – Amore’s promo is a good example of how the FSU crowd is a bit “bizarro-land” at times; the crowd was playing along with him doing what would get him heat in any other venue.]

Amore and Cassidy decline to get in the ring, backing up the ramp, until Mason Ryan comes out to chase them into the ring. Tons of Funk wrecks them before the match even starts. Clay and Tensai manage to get Ryan to dance, giving him more personality in 30 seconds than he’s shown in the past.

Backstage, Dusty Rhodes praises both Emma and Paige. Summer Rae comes in and knocks the two of them. Rae challenges Paige, but Paige isn’t scared. Rae blames Emma, but Emma says she beat Rae fair and square. Rae challenges Emma to a dance contest. Paige looks disgusted by the suggestion. Rhodes says it sounds ridiculous, but books it anyways. Paige loses her temper and says that it doesn’t matter who wins the contest, and she’s going to beat whoever faces her next.

Tony Dawson clarifies that the dance-off is scheduled for next week.

Charlotte is out for a match. She’s facing Sasha Banks.

1 – CHARLOTTE vs. SASHA BANKS

Banks controls Charlotte on the mat, then with some more athletic moves. Banks with a few big arm drags on the much larger Charlotte. Charlotte with some gymnastics and a two count on Charlotte’s Web. Charlotte with a chop that gets Banks enraged. Banks back on the attack, then settles into a Camel Clutch. Running double knees in the corner from Banks. Charlotte with a creative dodge in the corner to get traction. Running blockbuster gets Charlotte the win.

WINNER: Charlotte in 4:00. The match lacked flow, and some spots felt rough, but there’s some real potential here. Charlotte is very, very agile.

[Q2] Backstage, Renee Young wants a word with Tyler Breeze, who is obsession over himself in his phone. He says he was “amazing” and “magnificent” last week. He settles on “gorgeous” just like himself. Young looks disgusted as Bo Dallas (I think, they are wearing a wig) continues to photobomb the promo. Breeze shuts her down when she wants another question.

[J.J.’s Reax – Bo Dallas’s antics in the background, or whoever that was, was completely distracting.]

Wyatt Family vignette.

2 – MICKEY KEEGAN & AIDEN ENGLISH vs. THE WYATT FAMILY (Luke Harper & Erick Rowan w/Bray Wyatt)

Before the bell sounds, Harper and Rowan wreck English and Keegan. For some reason the ref rings the bell mid-brawl, and Rowan picks up a quick win with a running splash.

WINNERS: The Wyatt Family in 0:30. I have no idea why the ref rang the bell in the middle of a pre-match brawl. Is this TNA?

Post-match, Wyatt enters the ring and gives English Sister Abigail. The crowd demands “one more time,” but Wyatt has a promo instead. He’s taking on the world. The crowd is playing right into this like it is a face promo. Wyatt says that they are saying good-bye to NXT, but if they are needed, they just need to “look into the sky and follow the buzzards.” Big “Thank You, Bray” chant.

Backstage, Adrian Neville finds Corey Graves. He says he’ll be out there to help Graves with his match against Scott Dawson. Graves says he doesn’t need it, but Neville says he’s worried about the Wyatt Family. Graves still isn’t worried.

Sylvester LeFort interrupts the ring announcement to talk. He says money is all that matters, and he’s wearing pants with a bunch of money printed on it. He introduces Scott Dawson. I wonder where Garrett Dylan has been? Apparently, Dylan is the son of Kris Kristofferson. It’s like NXT is where the relatives of celebrities go to wrestle (Sasha Banks is related to Snoop Dogg).

3 – COREY GRAVES (w/Adrian Neville) vs. SCOTT DAWSON (w/Sylvester LeFort)

Dawson with early control thanks to his size, and he shows some strength, too. Dawson telegraphs a back body drop, letting Graves hit a chop block and then slap on Lucky 13 for the submission win.

WINNER: Corey Graves in 1:45. Quick match to show Graves as a threat against someone who has been built up a bit.

[Q3] Post-match, The Shield’s music hits, and they come out on stage to show off their belts. Rollins reminds Graves of their history. He says that Graves is “almost” like himself and Reigns, but not quite. Ambrose says that Neville is “carrying around a belt, but you’re not a champion, you just slid into Kassius Ohno’s spot.” That’s brutal. He says that Neville is a thief, a crook, and that’s an injustice that The Shield needs to address. Ambrose challenges Neville to a match. Neville is hot to accept. Neville ups the ante and says it should be right now, and for the United States Championship. Ambrose says he isn’t some “NXT chump” and accepts the offer for next week.

[J.J.’s Reax – Ambrose is so good on the mic. The Shield came out to a big pop, but by the end, the crowd really wanted to see Neville show him up. ]

Next week is Neville vs. Ambrose, Summer Rae against Emma in a dance battle, and the “controversial” Bo Dallas against Leo Kruger in an NXT Championship match. Nice to see them recognize Dallas’s status.

4 – BO DALLAS & SAMI ZAYN vs. ANTONIO CESARO & LEO KRUGER – Tag Team match

Kruger and Zayn to start. After some even handed struggles, Zayne gains control. Dallas is hot for a tag and does it without Zayn’s permission, but takes so long posing on the turnbuckle that Kruger gets loose and tags in Cesaro. Zayn wants to tag in against Cesaro, but Cesaro yanks Dallas away just as Dallas finally decides to make the tag. It’s Kruger and Zayn but Zayn gets tricked and gets the worst of Kruger.

[ Commercial Break ]

Zayn is still isolated. Cesaro with a chinlock but Zayn gets into the corner for a break. Zayn with a sunset flip, Kruger blocks, but Zayn forces him down for two, but Kruger drags Zayn back into his corner.

[Q4] Cesaro risks a disqualification with elbows in the corner and Zayn looks woozy. Zayn finally makes it to the corner to tag in Dallas. Dallas takes it to Kruger. Cesaro breaks up a cover so Zayn clears him out. Zayn and Cearo brawl to the back. As soon as they go, Dallas with his belly-to-belly finisher, but Kruger rolls under the ropes. Kruger hides in a corner after being rolled in and gets his wind. Kruger gets knees up in the corner, follows with The Slice and then a cover for the win.

WINNERS: Kruger & Cesaro in 10:30. There was too much talent in this ring for me to feel happy with it being wasted on a WWE-style tag team match.

Final Reax: Ho-hum episode to set up a few new storylines. I like that The Shield’s history with Graves from many months ago was not forgotten, and The Shield was excellent in their promo, even Reigns who didn’t speak at all. Sad to see the NXT Divas mired in dance contest silyness. Sadly, the release of Audrey Marie leaves Paige with only Summer Rae as a truly heel opponent.


NOW CHECK OUT THE PREVIOUS NXT FLASHBACK: 5 YRS AGO – NXT TV REPORT (7-24-03): Paige vs. Emma, Sheamus vs. Luke Harper, Tyler Breeze, Dawkins, Ascension, Bray, Zeb

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