SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
NXT TV REPORT
AUGUST 22, 2018
TAPED IN ORLANDO, FLA. AT FULL SAIL UNIVERSITY
REPORT BY JUSTIN JAMES, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR
[Q1] Pre-credits package provides an overview of what happened at Takeover: Brooklyn 4 last week.
Bianca Belair is starting the night. Smart move to heat the crowd up for Takeover. She is facing the returning Deonna Purrazzo.
(1) BIANCA BELAIR vs. DEONNA PURRAZZO
They go to the mat to demonstrate their wrestling skill. Purrazzo shows a ton of new moves that we did not see from her last time we saw her. Belair with some crazy acrobatics, and then she shows us how easy it was for her. Tiltawhirl from Purrazzo into an armbar, Belair escapes. Belair covers for two, then jacks her jaw at Purrazzo. Belair applies a full nelson on the mat. She has also added some new moves. Belair blocks a schoolgirl by holding the ropes then hits a shoulder block. Elbow drops keep Purrazzo on the mat. Belair gloats a bit and hits a body slam to a bit “EST” chant, then curtseys. Belair tries a standing moonsault but the time she spent showing off lets Purrazzo recover enough to roll under it. Pump kick and a hip toss from Purrazzo and the crowd is on her side suddenly. Dragon Screw into an armbar in Belair, but Belair escapes and posts Purrazzo, torture rack into the sit out facebuster.
WINNER: Bianca Belair in 5:30. Purrazzo has undergome an incredible transformation in her absense. A fresh new look, significantly upgraded move set, and more charisma. I liked her before but now I am super impressed.
Recap of Velveteen Dream defeating EC3.
[Q2] Backstage, Cathy Kelley asks Dream about the victory. He takes his entrance crown and puts it on her head. He asks “Queen Cathy” what she is doing Wednesday, she says “nothing”. He tell sher she can watch the WWE Network at 8 p.m. and find out like everyone else.
Mike Rome talks to EC3. He talks about the clash of personalities and says that Dream was the better man tonight. He says he has made a lot of claims and promised a string of victories. Being the top 1 percent is about mindset, not dollars, and vows this isn’t the end. Rome asks EC3 about what he saw the night Aleister Black got attacked. EC3 saw a lot of things, but he puts suspicion on Lars Sullivan.
Highlights from Undisputed Era successfully defending the NXT Tag Team Championship against Moustache Mountain.
Faceless interviewer talking to new NXT North American Champion Ricochet. Kyle O’Reilly and Roderick Strong start yelling at him. UK Champion Pete Dunne shows up and shoos them away. Ricochet thanks Dunne, Dunne says he doesn’t like Richochet much, and says that Ricochet isn’t a champ, he just has some gold that Dunne wants.
New footage of the Black attack, after Detective Deckard enhanced the video, Nikki Cross is seen on top of a roof looking at the aftermath of the attack.
Video package on Zack Gibson. He calls himself a throwback to the original British style.
Recap of Kairi Sane defeating Shayna Baszler to capture the NXT Women’s Championship. It was a small surprise that after the loss, Baszler did not make a main roster debut this week.
[Q3] Interview with Baszler. Ronda Rousey, Jessamyn Duke, and Marina Shafir are there too. Baszler says that Sane didn’t win, Baszler lost. It wasn’t Sane’s skill, and Baszler is the better fighter.
Lengthy video on the Last Man Standing match between Tomasso Ciampa and Johnny Gargano. Reports are that Gargano may have seriously injured his knee on that final strike to Ciampa, including a possible dislocation.
Summerslam week in New York video.
Richochet and Dunne will be facing O’Reilly and Strong next week.
Wow, Zack Gibson’s entrance song sounds like “Cocaine” made famous by Eric Clapton mashed together with “Kashmir” by Led Zeppeling.
(2) NXT UK Champion PETE DUNNE vs. ZACK GIBSON – NXT UK Championship Match
Big pop for Dunne. One of the best pops of the night. Dunne immdiately starts to torque the limps of the larger Gibson, who turns it around. Nigel McGuinness compares Gibson to Fit Finlay, William Regal, and Pete Roberts. Gibson uses a ref break to hit a cheap shot throat punch. Shoulder block puts Gibson down so Dunne can yank on the fingers, then stomp the back of the head. Double wristlock from Dune after an exchange of slaps, then an inverted double crab.
[Q4] Dunne back to the fingers, then the Baszler Stomp to the elbow. Gibson slows the pace while picking Dunne apart. Cover gets only one. Ranallo compares Gibson to McGuinness. Dunny pulls the beard and fishhooks a nostril to get to his feat, then punches and chops his way out of a hold, but Gibson hits a suplex for two and going to an armbar. Gibson pries Dunne’s hand open to start prying the joints. Gibson settles into a Cobra Clutch, then stands Dunne up for another suplex. Gibson indicates that it is easy as Dunne regains his feet while selling his wrist. Dunne eats forearms and returns fire. Enziguri, Gibson switches behind, suplex, Dunne on his feet, roundhouse to the head, X-Plex, armbar, but Gibson slips out. Amazing sequence. Gibson slips outside, Dunne goes up north for a moonsault to the outside and they are both down.
Dunne rolls Gibson into the ring. Gibson begs off, Dunne delivers a double stomp, sitout powerbomb for two-and-a-half. Dunne tries to jump over Gibosn in the corner, Gibson catches him with a kick then hits the “Ticket to Ride” (a Codebreaker) from the top, not quite good enough for the win. Gibson has blood in his mouth. He tells Dunne it’s over, but Dunne has chops, then blocks a throat thrust and muscles Gibson’s hands to the mat to stomp them, then kick the face. Ticket to Ride from Gibson then they trade a few identical moves and are both down. They trade offense in the corner, Dunne thinks superplex. Gibson transitions into a corkscrew Gord Buster of sorts which is good for two. Shankly Gates (one of Gibson’s holds), but Dunne blocks. Gibson rolls Dunne around and locks the Gates in. Dunne finally gets to the ropes, bitting it to escape, Gibson stomps the back of his head as he has the rope in his mouth, it knocks his mouthpiece out. Dunne has blood in his mouth. Dunne crawls to the mouthguard but Gibson steps on his hand, pulls him up, and hits a brutal clothesline. Dunne is out in the corner. Gibson picks up Dunne’s mouthguard, looks at it, then pitches it to the crowd, but Dunne blocks the throw and snaps Gibson’s finger, Bitter End, cover for the win.
WINNER: Pete Dunne in 13:39. Another outstanding NXT UK Championship match. If you were to rank titles by the quality of the matches for them, the UK Championship would likely be the top of the pile in WWE. Gibson stood out as something special here.
FINAL THOUGHTS: The NXT UK Championship match saved this from being one of the usual post-Takeover milquetoast episodes. Watch the match. Belair – Purrazzo made me happy as well.
NOW CHECK OUT LAST WEEK’S REPORT: 8/15 NXT TV REPORT: Final Takeover Hype, Kairi Sane vs. Aliyah, Street Profits vs. The Mighty, Strong vs. Tyler Bate
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