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The following article was originally published five years ago this week on PWTorch.com…
WWE NXT Results
March 20, 2014
Taped at Full Sail University
Aired on WWE Network
Report by Justin James, PWTorch contributor
[Q1] Mojo Rawley is out to psych the crowd up. Apparently an NFL player is in the audience with one of his shirts to cheer him on.
1 – MOJO RAWLEY vs. BO DEMPSEY
Dempsey looks like something from the mid-’80s. Early brawling, and Rawley can’t fight out of the corner. Suplex finally gets some breathing room for Rawley. A pair of Stinger Splashes, Rear View, the the Hyperdrive ends it.
WINNER: Mojo Rawley in 3:34. Rawley reminds me a lot of John Cena, in that he takes a ton of offense and makes a sudden comeback to win in three moves.
Post-match, Rawley jumps the barrier to get in with the crowd. This guy is so charismatic. You can’t play this guy heel.
Backstage, C.J. Parker, in a suit gets interviewed by Devin Taylor. Parker is down on Rawley’s lifestyle of getting hyped on GMO food filled with corn syrup, and says that Rawley eats ten burgers at a time and tosses the wrappers out his window. He’s going to dispose of Rawley, and makes his point by putting a crumpled up paper in a recycling bin.
Tyler Breeze is back to his furry look. Sami Zayn is out to face him. Before Zayn gets to the ring, Corey Graves ambushes Zayn. William Regal is outraged that Graves attacked Zayn while slapping hands with a little girl. A ringside trainer seems to give Zayn a health check, examining for head injuries. Trainers and refs help Zayn up the ramp.
Backstage, Devin Taylor interviews Sheamus, who looks 18″ taller than her. Sheamus says it is magic to back at NXT, but Aiden English introduces himself. He’s almost as tall as Sheamus. Sheamus makes a reference to English’s genitals and says he will ask JBL for a match.
[Q2] The Adam Rose dance train welcomes him to the ring. He’s getting a better response from folks out there than I expected. His entrance is unique and fun, but I think it’s more novelty than anything else. We will see if the re-packaging works for him long-term. I can’t tell if he is positioned as a face with his fun-times persona, or as a heel with his Eurotrash party boy persona. Renee Young joins Regal, Philips, and Saxton at the commentary position.
2 – ADAM ROSE vs. CAMACHO
Camacho knocks Rose around a bit, but Rose rolls all around the ring, then lounges in the corner. Rose sits on the ropes and kicks his legs to keep Camacho away. Suplex ends the fun times for Rose. The crowd is cooling off. Camacho mocks Rose’s dancing, which fires up Rose. Rose with blood in his mouth. Spinebuster then The Slice for the win.
WINNER: Adam Rose in 4:58. It’s Fandango or Santino for NXT, a dancing guy for folks to enjoy. The in-ring product doesn’t really sizzle, but the packaging is fun.
Sasha Banks is out to face Bayley. The growth of Banks with he character is outstanding. I had written her off before her heel turn as a generic, boring female face, and now she is a very solid heel character, with nothing for anyone to cheer for.
3 – BAYLEY (w/Natalya) vs. SASHA BANKS (w/Charlotte)
Bayley quickly forces Banks to the corner. Banks uses a rope break to get a knee in, but Bayley locks in a full nelson. Banks gets a rope break. Banks is infuriated that Bayley has her glasses. Bayley spends too much time cheering herself on. Banks dodges a corner leap, and takes control of the match. Banks is screeching like a banshee as she trashes Bayley.
[Q3] Bayley fights out of a corner with elbows. Bayley to the outside and Charlotte has a faceoff with Natalya. Natalya gets clobbered, but Bayley ignores it and rolls up Banks for the win.
WINNER: Bayley in 4:31. Wait, a babyface character was not distracted by a ringside brawl? Both Bayley and Banks have improved in many ways.
Advertised for next week is “Vengeance Week” featuring Natalya against Charlotte, C.J. Parker against Mojo Rawley, Xavier Woods against Tyler Breeze, and Bo Dallas getting his championship re-match against Adrian Neville.
Aiden English sings his way to the ring. The audience seems mighty happy to see Sheamus.
English says that FSU is the “theater that the Artiste built” and says NXT is his platform to get to Broadway. Mmmm, okay. Sheamus polls the crowd, and they do not think English will make it to Broadway, giving the “No!” chants. Sheamus starts singing but English snatches the microphone from his. Sheamus takes it back to finish his song. English knocks Sheamus out of the ring, which angers him.
4 – SHEAMUS vs. AIDEN ENGLISH
Sheamus is hot out of the ring, but English plays cat-and-mouse, and knocks Sheamus on the mat, and looks big-time in the corner. Sheamus comes off the mat and English pays for his transgressions. Regal says that English and Sheamus are the two palest wrestlers he’s seen. English rolls out of the ring to avoid the Brogue Kick.
[ Commercial Break ]
English has Sheamus in the corner. Sheamus dumps English out of the ring. Sheamus rolls English into the ring, so English rolls out of the ring, then smashes Sheamus into the post outside. The crowd wills Sheamus to his feet, but a series of knee lifts puts him back down.
[Q4] A boot to the knee drives English away, Sheamus to the top for the battering ram, but English takes him off the top with a neckbreaker for a nearfall. English with a hold mid-ring, and Sheamus sinks to his knees.
English runs into sledge hammer fists and Sheamus starts a comeback. Tilt-a-whirl powerslam, and Sheamus calls for the Brogue Kick, hits it, and gets the win.
WINNER: Sheamus in 9:26. Honestly, I cringed when I saw how much time was left on the clock when I saw this match start off with song singing. Sheamus made English look like a million bucks, taking the bulk of the offense. Great use of a main roster star to build someone on NXT. English did a good job in a longer match with minimal rest holds, a varied, interesting offense, and his usual crisp execution.
FINAL TOUGHTS: Another strong NXT, with solid undercard matches and a good main event that made a roster member look good. The BFFs continue to be a real treat, and champions (other than The Ascension) are well protected. Continued evolution of C.J. Parker, and the development of Zayn-Graves will bear fruit.
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