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NXT ON USA TV REPORT
DECEMBER 9, 2020
ORLANDO, FLA., AT CAPITOL WRESTLING CENTER
AIRED ON USA NETWORK
REPORT BY MATT HUSTWAITE, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR
Announcers: Vic Joseph, Beth Phoenix, Wade Barrett
[HOUR ONE]
– A highlight package set to Black Sabbath’s ‘War Pigs’ aired, featuring the action from NXT Takeover XXXII, as well as Finn Balor’s promo and a reference to the impending return of Karrion Kross.
– In the arena, Finn Balor was already standing in the ring. Balor said that the time for team sports and War Games is over, and that the champ is back. Balor noted that some people in the back like him and some don’t as he issued a challenge for anyone to come out and face him. Pete Dunne’s music cut Balor off and Dunne made his way to the ring. Dunne said that he and Balor have taken similar paths in their careers, coming from the UK and making it in America. Dunne said that he and Balor would soon wrestle for the NXT Championship and that Dunne would win.
Kyle O’Reilly came to the ring and put over Undisputed Era’s victory at War Games. O’Reilly talked about his title match with Balor and how, even though O’Reilly lost, it was Balor who was left eating his meals through a straw. Damian Priest was next to come out and join in the fray, hyping Balor vs Priest for the NXT Championship as a marquee match. Dunne took exception to this and got in Priest’s face to remind him that Priest lost to Leon Ruff. Priest noticed that Balor had slipped out of the ring and was heading to the back. Priest asked where Balor was going, to which Balor responded that the three wrestlers needed to “learn some manners”. Balor revealed that he would be defending the NXT Championship in January at ‘New Years Evil’ and that William Regal would be choosing the challenger. Scarlett appeared and Balor acknowledged that she was there on behalf of Karrion Kross. Priest called out Kross for having Scarlett deliver his messages for him and challenged Kross to a fight. [c]
(Hustwaite’s Analysis: Was anyone else waiting for “Mack Militant” to play Teddy Long out? Seriously, while this was delivered just fine it was standard WWE fare and a bit underwhelming for Finn Balor’s return. Functional in that it sets up the storylines to lead to next month’s match, but lacking in creativity.)
– The roving camera found Pete Dunne backstage, who was blindsided by Killian Dain as revenge from a number of weeks ago.
(1) JAKE ATLAS vs. ISAIAH “SWERVE” SCOTT
After some back and forth holds and escapes, Scott took control of the match with a wrist lock. Scott jumped to the apron and landed a high kick to the face of Atlas. Atlas managed to hit a hurricanrana but missed on a crossbody attempt, allowing Scott to regain the upper hand. Scott got a two-count off of a Paydirt. Atlas came back with a superkick and a Falcon Arrow for a two-count. Scott turned the tide with a slam and a House Call kick. Atlas went for a victory roll which Scott countered with an armbar. Atlas managed to reverse the hold into a pin attempt but Scott kicked out. Scott tried to roll Atlas up for a pin but Atlas countered into a pin of his own for the victory.
WINNER: Jake Atlas at 4:25
– Atlas offered a handshake and Scott was livid at the loss.
(Hustwaite’s Analysis: Scott’s post-match reaction seems to indicate a new direction for his character now he is back on NXT. With Atlas being positioned to grow, a program with Scott would do a great deal of good in establishing Atlas more.)
– Tommaso Ciampa was backstage and told the camera that no-one is safe. He turned his attention to his match with Cameron Grimes and called him the “squeekiest tool in the shed”. Ciampa speculated that Grimes was a loudmouth because he is insecure, saying that confidence is a disguise for insecurity. [c]
(2) GRIZZLED YOUNG VETERANS (Zack Gibson & James Drake) vs. IMPERIUM (Marcel Barthel & Fabien Aichner) vs. EVER RISE (Chase Parker & Matt Martel)
All six men brawled to start the match, before the action settled down to just Barthel and Gibson with Ever Rise laying low at ringside. Grizzled Young Veterans isolated Barthel from his corner and exchanged quick tags to work him over. Drake hit Barthel with a suplex and Martel reentered the ring to take advantage of the two grounded wrestlers. Martel stomped at Drake and Barthel before tagging in Parker who hit a senton. Parker made the cover on Barthel but could only manage a two-count. Ever Rise double-teamed Drake with a Snake Eyes for a nearfall. Imperium took out Parker with a double dropkick and Barthel delivered a suplex on Drake for a two-count. Imperium double-teamed Drake with a Wheelbarrow DDT. Parker slid into try and steal the pin but Drake kicked out at two. The Grizzled Young Veterans took out Parker with the Ticket to Ride and Parker made the cover for the win.
WINNERS: Grizzled Young Veterans at 7:10
(Hustwaite’s Analysis: I’m not sure what purpose this match served, other than to just get these teams on TV and to remind viewers of the Grizzled Young Veterans. It did its job on that front, but it painted a clear picture of the state of the NXT Tag Team division with three heel teams battling it out with nothing at stake. Dain and Maverick are an engaging face team, but are distracted with the fallout of the attack by McAfee’s crew. Some new blood is needed in the NXT Tag Team division, and quick.)
– The ‘Casualties of War Games’ segment was hyped for after the commercial break. [c]
– ‘Casualties of War Games’ featured all of the War Games competitors (sans Pat McAfee, Candice LaRae, Oney Lorcan and Bobby Fish, who all suffered legitimate injuries) putting over the physicality of their respective War Games matches.
– Toni Storm was backstage with McKenzie Mitchell. Mitchell asked Storm about her turning on Ember Moon before War Games. Storm accused Moon of stealing her thunder as Storm pursued the NXT Women’s Championship. Io Shirai appeared and said that the championship is her only focus now that War Games is over. Shirai told Storm that she didn’t like her and punched Storm. The two brawled to the ring where Shirai setup for a moonsault. Storm rolled out of the ring before Shirai could hit the move but was attacked by Ember Moon, who threw Storm into the ring steps. Moon rolled Storm back into the ring and Shirai hit a moonsault.
– Ciampa and Grimes were shown walking backstage ahead of their match. [c]
(Hustwaite’s Analysis: That segment didn’t do a whole lot for Toni Storm, but the three-way dynamic with Moon and Storm chasing Shirai should lead to some good television and quality matches.)
(3) TOMMASO CIAMPA vs. CAMERON GRIMES
Ciampa and Grimes went back and forth with holds early in the match. Ciampa applied an armbar which Grimes reversed into an ankle lock. Timothy Thatcher walked to ringside and sat to watch the match, copying what Ciampa did to him last month. Thatcher watched on as the show went to a picture-in-picture commercial. [c]
Grimes planted Ciampa with a spinning side slam and took control of the match, as Thatcher watched on from ringside. Ciampa fired back with successive clotheslines and a running knee in the corner for a two-count. Ciampa went at Grimes who managed to get a boot up to stop Ciampa’s momentum. Grimes countered a crossbody and hit the Spanish Fly. Both wrestlers ended up perched on the top rope and exchanged hard chops. Ciampa pushed Grimes to ringside and an unknown person ran to the ring. Ciampa fought with him and went for the Willow’s Bell as the referee told him to stop. Grimes tried to take advantage of the distracted Ciampa but was hit with the Willow’s Bell and Ciampa pinned Grimes for the win.
WINNER: Tommaso Ciampa in 10:20
– Ciampa accused Thatcher of sending out one of his students to attack Ciampa. Thatcher denied it and Ciampa left. Thatcher ended up attacking Grimes after Grimes carried on with his southern schtick at ringside.
– McKenzie Mitchell was backstage with Raquel Gonzalez, who hyped her match with Ember Moon for later in the show. [c]
(Hustwaite’s Analysis: It’s hard to get invested in anything being setup for Timothy Thatcher, as he is continually booked to lose his higher profile matches. Grimes is as much of a misfire in my mind as well, as the overbearing southern goofball schtick is becoming a crutch for a shallow character. It’s jarring to be down on this because the ring work is unsurprisingly good.)
[HOUR TWO]
– Xia Li and Boa were shown at the mystery lair. Xia Lia was beating on a training dummy while the Master was beating up Boa with a Singapore cane. This scene played out for an uncomfortable amount of time as the Master yelled at Li and Boa. The mystery person was seen as having facepaint but only her eyes could be made out.
– Johnny Gargano, Candice LeRae, Indi Hartwell and Austin Theory came to the ring. Gargano was amped about War Games and bragged about how well he and LeRae performed. He dubbed his group “The Way”, to which Theory said “like the Milky Way”. Gargano chastised Theory for sounding like a dork and said Theory was excited. Gargano insulted the fans as he bragged about being a three-time NXT North American Champion. Gargano instructed Hartwell to present LeRae with a special, expensive gift from Italy. Gargano told Theory to give a drumroll, but Theory couldn’t make the sound. The present was a Shotzi Blackheart doll.
Damian Priest interrupted and praised the reveal of Theory at War Games. Priest said he wanted to stick the pipe that Theory used to attack him up Theory’s ass. As Priest made his way to the ring, he was blindsided by Karrion Kross. Kross attacked Priest before powerbombing him on the floor near the stage. Kross got away to the parking lot and sped away in a car with Scarlett. [c]
(Hustwaite’s Analysis: Gargano’s mic work has become something to look forward to each week and this was no exception. The dynamic with his “The Way” stable should be fun, and will help keep LeRae more actively relevant as she recovers from her broken arm. It was a surprise to see Kross so soon after being teased by Scarlett, but it’s great to see him back from injury nonetheless.)
– Back from commercial, McKenzie Mitchell was backstage with the man who interfered in the Ciampa vs. Grimes match. His name is Tyler Rust and Mitchell asked if he was working with Timothy Thatcher. Malcolm Bivens interrupted before Rust could answer and took him away for a meeting, saying he saw potential in Rust.
(4) KILLIAN DAIN vs. PETE DUNNE
Dain asserted his strength advantage early in the match by repeatedly tackling Dunne in the corner. Dain dominated Dunne with kicks and, when the action spilled to ringside, hit a big pump kick. Dunne threw punches at Dain but they had no effect. Dain grabbed Dunne by the throat but Dunne managed to push Dain into the ringpost. After the wrestlers returned to the ring, Dunne hit a curbstomp on Dain. Dunne laid the boots into Dain but Dain fired back up. Dain tossed Dunne with an overhead belly-to-belly suplex and then targeted Dunne’s midsection with strikes. Dain sent Dunne into the corner who backflipped out and landed an enziguri on Dain. Dunne hit a snap suplex and started to work over Dains hands as the show went to commercial. [c]
Dunne was still in control as the show returned from commercial. Dain powered up from a side headlock and hit a suplex on Dunne. Dain charged at Dunne who ducked and sent Dain over the top rope to the floor. Dain climbed back on to the apron and hit a uranage. Dain followed up with a powerbomb and elbow drop for a two-count. Dain went for the One Winged Angel but Dunne countered the move into an armbar. Dain powered up again and hit a powerbomb to break the hold. Dain hit a shotgun dropkick but missed on a cannonball into the corner. Dunne climbed to the top rope and Dain met him up top and sent Dunne crashing back down with a superplex for a two-count. Dunne hit an enziguri and Dain fired right back with a clothesline. Dain hit a running senton on Dunne. Burch and Lorcan tried to interfere but were cut off by Drake Maverick with a steel chair. Maverick turned his attention to supporting Dain but got attached from behind by Burch and Lorcan. Dain made the save and ran off Burch and Lorcan. When Dain reentered the ring, he was met with a punt kick from Dunne, who followed up with the Bitter End for the victory.
WINNER: Pete Dunne in 13:55
(Hustwaite’s Analysis: Great to see Dain and Maverick back in the picture and they should provide an entertaining program with, presumably, Burch and Lorcan to keep McAfee’s crew occupied as a bridge program. Dain and Dunne have fantastic chemistry.)
– McKenzie Mitchell interviewed Leon Ruff about his tag-team match with Damien Priest vs. Gargano & Theory next week and what Priest being attacked earlier could mean for Ruff. Gargano & Theory appeared and taunted Ruff about it being a likely handicap match. After they left, Kushida walked up and offered to be Ruff’s partner.
(5) EMBER MOON vs. RAQUEL GONZALEZ
Moon tried to make an effect with kicks and strikes, but Gonzalez was unmoved. Gonzalez threw Moon aside when Moon attempted a codebreaker, and then Gonzalez went to work dominating Moon. Gonzalez grabbed Moon and threw her across the ring. Gonzalez threw Moon again, turning Moon inside out. Moon tried to take Gonzalez down with an armdrag but Gonzalez held strong. Gonzalez took down Moon and unloaded on her with elbow strikes. The action spilled to ringside and Moon landed a dropkick, which brought her some recovery time. Moon dropped Gonzalez with a tackle as the show went to picture-in-picture commercial. [c]
Gonzalez got Moon up for a Gory Special as the show returned to full screen. Moon managed to slip out, but Gonzalez still kept hold of her. Moon hit a jawbreaker but was met with a big boot when she charged at Gonzalez. Moon hit an STO and followed it up with a tornado DDT. Gonzalez tried to reassert her dominance with a big boot, but Moon avoided contact. Moon scored with a kick which dropped Gonzalez down to one knee. Moon hit a backflip elbow and a DDT for a two-count. The action spilled to ringside again and Moon send Gonzalez crashing into the announce desk. Moon climbed the structure next to the announce desk but Gonzalez recovered and pulled Moon down, before throwing Moon into the ringpost. Gonzalez got Moon back into the ring and covered her for a nearfall. Gonzalez ran at Moon but Moon ducked out of the way, causing Gonzalez to crash into the ringpost. Moon covered Gonzalez but could only manage two-count. Moon went up top and dove off for the Eclipse, but Gonzalez caught her and dropped Moon with a clothesline. Gonzalez went for a uranage which Moon reversed into a victory roll for a nearfall. Gonzalez managed to finally hit the uranage and covered Moon for the victory.
WINNER: Raquel Gonzalez in 12:40
– Toni Storm ran to the ring and looked set to attack Moon before Rhea Ripley ran out and cleared off the heels. Ripley and Gonzalez had a staredown as the show ended.
(Hustwaite’s Analysis: Ripley vs. Gonzalez still has a big-match feel, so I’m looking forward to that match and, likely, Ripley’s send-off from NXT. Gonzalez has been built up extremely well recently and has definite star quality. It still seems strange to have Moon lose again so soon after her return, but NXT is doing a good job weaving these women’s storylines together. Moon looked very good in defeat and has shaken off any ring rust she had upon her return.)
FINAL THOUGHTS: This wasn’t a bad show by any stretch, but the weekly editions of NXT seem to be lacking the energy and buzz that AEW has been producing of late. NXT are generally good and consistent with their disciplined booking and logical pathways forward from week to week. However, infusing a little bit of energy with some big moments or matches wouldn’t go astray. With the return of Kross, Balor and some new directions for McAfee’s crew, I would expect the new year to be, in essence, a fresh start for NXT after the past few months of playing booking catch-up thanks to injuries.
Nate Lindberg filled in for Kelly Wells tonight, so check out Nate’s report for his perspective on this show, and make sure to check out the PWT Talks NXT podcast in the Audio section. You can find me on Twitter at @mattyhuss.
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