WEEKLY OVERVIEW – NXT (thru 2/28): Top stories of week, major show lineups, live event results, schedule of live events, noteworthy social media posts, more

By Robert Doherty, PWTorch Contributor

NXT Photo credit Scott Lunn (@ScottLunn)

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

The following is the latest in a new series of weekly in-depth articles exclusive to PWTorch which will help put in perspective major wrestling promotions with a weekly overview, looking at news and roster developments, results, future line-ups, social media activity, key interviews, plus a timely commentary at the end. We will be featuring similar features on other promotions each week and each will be updated weekly.


•Top Stories of the Week

  • NXT announced the final four tag teams that will round out the field of eight for the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic. DIY, Oney Lorcan/Danny Burch, Aleister Black/Ricochet, and Moustache Mountain have joined The Street Profits, The Forgotten Sons, Fabian Aichner/Marcel Barthel, and The Undisputed Era. The tournament begins next week.
  • Io Shirai and Bianca Belair will do battle in two weeks for the right to face Shayna Baszler for the NXT Women’s Championship at NXT TakeOver: New York.
  • NXT stars Ricochet and Aleister Black again made their presence felt on both Monday Night Raw and Smackdown this week. They defeated the Raw Tag Team Champions Revival on Monday and took down Shinsuke Nakamura and Rusev on Tuesday.
  • The Wrestling Observer Newsletter reports that Tommaso Ciampa is currently injured but the severity or the location of the injury is unknown.

•NXT Live Event Results

February 22 Fort Pierce, Fla.

  • Kona Reeves beat Stacy Ervin Jr.
  • Jessie Elaban beat Chelsea Green
  • Brennan Williams beat Eric Bugenhagen
  • Cezar Bononi and Adrian Jaoude beat Denzel Dejournette and Mansoor Al-Shehail
  • Matt Riddle beat Donovan Dijakovic
  • The Forgotten Sons beat The Street Profits
  • Shayna Baszler beat Bianca Belair to retain NXT Women’s Championship
  • The War Raiders beat The Undisputed Era to retain NXT Tag Team Championship

(Results courtesy of wrestleyard.com)

February 23 Daytona, Fla.

  • Riddick Moss beat Mansoor
  • Chelsea Green beat Jessie Elaban
  • Brennan Williams beat Eric Bugenhagen
  • Babatunde beat Humberto Carrillo
  • Danny Burch, Oney Lorcan and Punishment Martinez beat The Undisputed Era (Strong, Fish, O’Reilly)
  • The Velveteen Dream beat Luke Menzies to retain NXT North American Championship
  • Shayna Baszler, Jessamyn Duke, and Marina Shafir beat Mia Yim, Xia Li, and Bianca Belair
  • Aleister Black beat Dominick Dijakovic

(Results courtesy of wrestling-news.net)


•Upcoming Major Show Line-up: NXT TakeOver New York

NXT TakeOver New York
April 5, 2019
Brooklyn, NY (Barclays Center)

Projected Lineup:

  • War Raiders (NXT Tag Team Champion) vs. Winner of Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Tournament
  • Shayna Baszler (NXT Women’s Champion) vs. Winner of Bianca Belair vs. Io Shirai
  • Who knows the rest of the card?!?!?!?!

•Upcoming Events

Thursday Feb. 28 – Express Live! (Columbus, Ohio)
Thursday Feb. 28 – University Area CDC Gymnasium (Tampa, Fla.)
Friday Mar. 1 – The Stage AE (Pittsburgh, Penn.)
Friday Mar. 1 – Orlando Life Events (Casselberry, Fla.)
Saturday Mar. 2 – Maxwell Snyder Armory (Jacksonville, Fla.)
Saturday Mar. 2 – Agora Theatre (Cleveland, Ohio)
Sunday Mar. 3 – Royal Oak Music Center (Detroit, Mich.)
Thursday Mar. 7 – Minnireg Hall (Largo, Fla.)
Saturday Mar. 9 – Crystal River Armory (Crystal River, Fla.)
Thursday Mar. 14 – St. Petersburg Armory (St. Petersburg, Fla.)
Friday Mar. 15 – Venice Community Center (Venice, Fla.)
Saturday Mar. 16 – Rerserve Pavillion at Hilton Ocala (Ocala, Fla.)
Thursday Mar. 21 – Sanford Civic Center (Sanford, Fla.)
Saturday Mar. 23 – Havert L. Fenn Center (Fort Pierce, Fla.)
Thursday Mar. 28 – Midtown Cultural and Educational Center (Daytona Beach, Fla.)
Friday Mar. 29 – Martin Luther King Jr. Recreation Center (Gainesville, Fla.)
FRIDAY APR. 5 – BARCLAYS CENTER (BROOKLYN, NEW YORK) NXT TAKEOVER BROOKLYN
Thursday Apr. 18 – Lakeland Armory (Lakeland, Fla.)


•Latest TV Highlights: 2/27 NXT TV Report

  • Johnny Gargano in ring promo (2:21 – 9:51)
    • Interrupted by Tommaso Ciampa that leads to DIY reunion for Dusty Tourney (4:38)
  • Ricochet backstage interview with Ricochet (9:52 – 10:57)
  • Gargano/Ciampa/Candice LeRae outside promo (12:13 – 12:50)
  • (1) Vanessa Bourne and Aliyah beat Taynara Conti and Xia Li by pinfall ( 15: 12 – 20:07)
  • Velveteen Dream outside interview (20:49 – 22:30)
    • Interrupted by The Undisputed Era (21:12)
  • Cathy Kelly outside of Regal office/Brawl between Io Shirai and Bianca Belair (23:18 – 24:05)
  • (2) Dominick Dijakovic and Keith Lee fight to double count out (26:34 – 33:35)
  • SASHA BANKS AND BAYLEY in ring promo (38:40 – 44:27)
  • (3) Shayna Baszler beat Mia Yim by submission (47:37 – 55:40)

(NXT TV Report HERE)


•NXT in the media

  • EVOLVE’S Vice President of Talent Relations and Creative Gabe Sapolsky sat down with Sports Illustrated to discuss his very friendly relationship with WWE and NXT in particular. LINK

•Latest NXT Podcast – “PWT Talks NXT” PWTorch Livecast

In this episode, Kelly Wells, Harley R. Pageot, and Justin James cover the stiff Lee-Dijakovic match, the purpose of the Dusty Classic, the possible outcomes of the #DIY saga, and more.

-On Tune In Radio HERE
-On Apple Podcasts HERE
-Or search “PWTorch” or “Pro Wrestling Torch” on your podcast app of choice


•Top NXT Tweets of the Week

Ciampa Tweet of the Week

Match of the week for NXT and the crowd was hot for it. I hope it’s not over.

Kassius Ohno traveled to NXT UK to face Walter….went as expected.

Don’t quite think they’ll win it, but a good run with Ryker by their side would work.


•Thoughts and Comments

  • Velveteen Dream is huge compared to EVERYONE in the Undisputed Era. Dream is listed at six feet, two inches, whereas The Undisputed Era members have Cole and O’Reilly listed at six feet tall, and Fish and Strong both at five feet, eleven inches. I think The Undisputed Era took those height measurements in high heels.
  • Dijakovic’s jumbotron image looks a lot like Marty Skurll’s Villain Enterprise logo.
  • Like Izzy, the reaction that Sasha and Bayley got this week from the NXT crowd brought a tear to my eyes. It’s amazing the passion these two women can elicit from fans, and it’s even more amazing how the main roster has completely botched Bayley.
  • I love the fact the Women’s Tag Team belts will be defended across all brands. This is yet another way to get to the eventual 4 horsewoman feud. Can you imagine this year’s all women’s PPV being headlined by a quartet of matches featuring Becky vs. Rousey, Flair vs. Baszler, and Banks/Bayley vs. Shafir/Duke? Sign. Me. Up.

NOW CHECK OUT OTHER WEEKLY OVERVIEWS HERE.

OR JUMP TO LAST WEEK’S WWE OVERVIEW: WEEKLY OVERVIEW – NXT (thru 2/21): Top stories of week, major show lineups, live event results, schedule of live events, noteworthy social media posts, more

Be the first to comment

Leave a Reply