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NXT 2.0 TV REPORT
AUGUST 2, 2022
WINTER PARK, FLA. AT THE CAPITOL WRESTLING CENTER
AIRED LIVE ON USA NETWORK
REPORT BY KELLY WELLS (@spookymilk), PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR
NXT Commentators: Vic Joseph, Wade Barrett
Tonight after the show, join me, Bruce Hazelwood and Nate Lindberg to break down the show with calls and emails.
•STREAM LIVE HERE ABOUT 15 MINUTES AFTER THE SHOW CONCLUDES
•CALL: (515) 605-9345
•EMAIL COMMENTS/QUESTIONS: pwtorchnxt@gmail.com
•IF YOU DON’T LISTEN LIVE, DOWNLOAD OR STREAM THE FULL SHOW POST-RECORDING
[HOUR ONE]
-No recaps of last week’s action. Vic welcomed everyone to the show and announced we’d be opening with the Women’s tag championship match.
(1) KAYDEN CARTER & KATANA CHANCE vs. YULISA LEON & VALENTINA FEROZ vs. IVY NILE & TATUM PAXLEY vs. TOXIC ATTRACTION (Jacy Jayne & Gigi Dolin) – Fatal Four-Way Elimination match for the vacant Women’s NXT Tag Team Championships
Not sure why the word “Fatal” is being used since it’s an elimination match, but perhaps they’ve forgotten why they started using the “fatal” branding. Paxley dominated Jayne early with power stuff. Dolin tagged in and she and Jayne double-teamed Paxley. Paxley threw a dropkick and the director changed angles just in time to avoid showing over a foot of light. Nile tagged in, and then out, so she and Paxley could work over Dolin. Tags on both sides brought in Carter and Feroz. Feroz hit a rana and tagged Leon. They teamed up for a shot at Carter, then fought off Toxic Attraction in a corner as they tried to interfere. Carter took control with a thrust kick and cleared Nile and Paxley off the apron. Everything broke down as the Leon threw Feroz over the ropes onto a pile of the two non-TA teams. Leon hit a plancha for an “NXT” chant. Back inside, Leon covered Carter for two.
Paxley tagged in to face Leon. They exchanged forearms and Feroz tagged in. The two double-teamed and Feroz covered for two. More quick tags left Nile in with Feroz and Nile finished her off at just under five minutes.
ELIMINATION: Leon and Feroz by Nile
Jayne and Nile faced off. Nile rolled up Jayne for two, then hit a thrustkick. Paxley tagged in and Chance made a blind tag. Paxley hit Chance with a vertical suplex for two. Nile tagged in and stepped over Paxley and hit a forearm on Chance, then a thrustkick for two. Chance and Paxley had a quick sequence of missed shots until Chance got the better of it and tagged Carter, who hit a big kick on Paxley. Jayne blindly tagged Carter to steal her pinfall.
ELIMINATION: Nile and Paxley by Jayne
Jayne and Carter went at it as Vic mentioned NXT is going with limited commercial breaks tonight. Dolin tagged in and Carter threw a back kick and covered for two. Chance tagged in and Dolin hit a back suplex on her and tagged Jayne. Jayne kicked Carter from the apron so TA could double-team Chance, but Carter recovered and made the save. The four sold on the mat. Things broke down on the outside, and Jayne rolled up Chance for two. Dolin was cleared from the apron and the faces hit their team finisher.
WINNERS: Kayden Carter & Katana Chance at 12:15.
(Wells’s Analysis: Spirited spotfest. Not much of a flow here but it was reasonably fun. It would be an even bigger moment if the new champs hadn’t acted so heelish over the last couple of months, but oh well)
-McKenzie Mitchell tried to interview Brooks Jensen, Josh Briggs and Fallon Henley. Joe Gacy and his goons showed up and Gacy tried to offer a space for Henley because she’s “lost.” The faces weren’t having it.
-Carmelo Hayes and Trick Williams hit the ring. Williams said tonight was a celebration for birthday boy Hayes. Hayes said this was an open challenge and whoever entered the ring could step up, and get stepped on. Giovanni Vinci’s music played and while he was doing his posing entrance, Nathan Frazer ran past him and was caught on the snapshot entrance. Great use of that entrance gimmick. Frazer got to the ring first and Vinci smiled, apparently respectful of the move. Vinci joined the announce team.
(2) NATHAN FRAZER vs. CARMELO HAYES (c) – North American Championship match
Very quick action while I was still typing the angle. Frazer went outside and yanked Hayes backward to crotch him on the ring post. Back inside, Frazer thwarted the Fade Away, then hit a stunner variant on Frazer and hit the Fade Away for two. Frazer went for a springboard…something…and Hayes moved and hit a springboard back elbow for two. O’Connor Roll by Hayes got two, and Frazer dumped Hayes. Williams tried to hype Hayes up. Rope run and Frazer hit a couple of blocks, then a Thesz press. Frazer rolled through a missed Phoenix Splash, then hit a back kick for two. Hayes got dumped and Frazer went at him with a tope. He charged Melo into the table, where Vinci’s drink spilled all over him. Trick Williams distracted the ref and Vinci got up and tossed Frazer from the top rope to the mat. Hayes hit Nothing But Net to finish.
WINNER: Carmelo Hayes at 5:41.
(Wells’s Analysis: The breakneck speed of the show continued, which made for an exciting match but another one with very little time for psychology; I’m bullish on Triple H being in control but his proclivity to make everything go at light speed is something I hope he can rein in a little)
-The show went to commercial for the first time tonight at about the 30 minute mark. [c]
-Brought to you by Sonic, here’s a short video on how we got to Solo Sikoa-Von Wagner later tonight.
-Wade Barrett moderated the Breakker-McDonagh summit. McDonagh said he didn’t want to talk about the past (his attack last week) but the here and now. He said he sees the fire in Bron Breakker and he just wants to stomp it out. He said he looks at Bron and sees a road map for the damage he can do. He said he was going to take the muscles he was so proud of and rip them from his body, so at Heatwave he shrieks in agony until Alicia announces him as the new NXT Champion. Breakker said McDonagh had an impressive reign in NXT UK, and with respect to his previous challengers, McDonagh might be the smartest person he’s faced. He said everyone has a plan, though, until he takes them apart. He said he’s glad McDonagh likes pain so much, because he’s going to be in a lot of it. Barrett invited McDonagh to sign first. McDonagh said he saw the fear in Breakker’s eyes and he wanted him to sign first. Breakker said he didn’t fear anything with a heartbeat and he signed the paper. McDonagh said this summit wouldn’t end in violence, but to show him how serious it was, it was going to end in blood. McDonagh cut open his finger and signed with it. He tried to shake Breakker’s hand and Breakker just held up his championship belt.
-Apollo Crews ran across the Creed Brothers. They exchanged pleasantries and Crews told the guys to keep their eyes open. Brutus wanted to know what he meant by that, and Crews just reiterated it, and said he’d be watching. I guess his ability to see the future is continuing. Damon Kemp showed up and told the Creeds Roderick Strong was running late, but he’d be out there for the match.
-McKenzie Mitchell tried to interview Toxic Attraction as they threw a fit after their loss. Mandy Rose said it was the worst time for Mitchell to show up. Vic said not to miss a second of the action as the show went to split-screen; I guess the bell will happen while they’re in commercial. [c]
(3) SARRAY vs. MANDY ROSE
Back to full-screen, Rose rolled up Sarray for two. Sarray floated over for a rollup for two. Sarray flew in with a dropkick and she tried to warm up the crowd, who have gone dead since the summit. Rose rolled up Sarray for two. Rose leaned on Sarray in a corner, then covered for two. Another rollup by Sarray for two. Rose slammed Sarray and covered for two. Another cover for two. Rose pounded Sarray’s head into the mat. Sarray went up for a shotgun dropkick. She followed with a fisherman’s suplex for two, during which Vic quipped “That plex was almost perfect, but not perfect enough.” Rose hit a rising knee for the win. She made threats to Zoey Stark via the camera.
WINNER: Mandy Rose at 5:36.
Rose brought a chair into the ring and lifted it up for a couple of really weak-looking, very controlled shots. She sought to Pillmanize Sarray, at which point Stark charged the ring to chase her off. Stark pointed to an invisible watch on her wrist.
(Wells’s Analysis: The first couple of minutes were in small screen and the rest was mostly rollups to a near-ridiculous degree. Everything was crisp enough, but they never really got going with any impact stuff. A couple of months removed from Sarray’s successful rebrand, she feels shiftless and lost again)
-Tiffany Stratton did voice-over as shots of her practicing gymnastics played. She talked about how everyone in NXT was obsessed with her, and she was obsessed with putting in the work and winning. She said it made her sick that she lost the battle royal, and she teased a Wendy Choo match in the near future. When the voice-over was finished, Stratton faced the camera and said “Now, it’s time to go shopping.” [c]
-Clash at the Castle promo.
-Mitchell interviewed Axiom, fresh off the pages of a comic book, or a textbook. He got to talk for three seconds before Duke Hudson showed up and said he was undersized and undeserving. Hudson said if you look at the two of them, it’s night and day, kid. Axiom said he wasn’t afraid of Hudson. Hudson ducked down and said “Good for you, kid” and slapped him. The two brawled through the halls of the venue and toward the ring.
[HOUR TWO]
The two spilled out to the ramp, and Hudson picked up Axiom and charged him into the apron. Hudson hit a tilt-a-whirl uranage and posed to boos. He grabbed a mic and said “That, ladies and gentlemen, is why you don’t believe in your heroes. They’ll always let you down.” Hudson started up the ramp and Axiom grabbed the mic. He said things have changed and he can prove it – right now.
(4) AXIOM vs. DUKE HUDSON
Hudson charged Axiom to a corner, then clotheslined him from the ring. He followed Axiom out, battered him and sent him back in. Axiom got back into it with some kicks, but he ran into a uranage. Hudson threw kicks and elbow drops on Axiom, followed by a knee drop. Hudon went for Razor’s Edge, but Axiom reversed into a rana into the corner. O’Connor roll finished.
WINNER: Axiom at 2:09.
(Wells’s Analysis: A mixed bag as Duke’s power was put over but he lost like always, and Axiom kept his winning streak going but was absolutely dominated for nearly the entirety of the brawl and match)
-Mitchell interviewed Wes Lee. He said what irks him is Trick Williams thinking he’s the second coming of Muhammad Ali. He said Ali was a legend but Trick is a legend in his own mind. He said they should do it like they do in the UK in a rounds match. He asked via the camera: Trick, what’s it gonna be?
(5) THE CREED BROTHERS (Julius & Brutus) (c) vs. TONY D’ANGELO & STACKS – NXT Tag Team Championship match
Julius and D’Angelo opened and Julius worked a headlock that D couldn’t break. Both guys tagged. Brutus took Stacks down and hit him with a big hip toss. Julius tagged in and hit a big atomic drop. D tagged in and threw some kicks. Julius went for a suplex and D blocked. D picked up Julius and hit him with a release suplex. It looked like Julius wasn’t expecting the release and the fall was super awkward, but I’m not sure. The match went to split-screen. [c]
Stacks and Brutus were at it. Stacks worked Brutus’s arm and tagged D, who stomped on Brutus’s hand. Another quick tag by the heels and Stacks went at it with kicks. Stacks worked Brutus’s arm over the top rope and tagged again. Suplex by D after a few body shots. Stacks tagged in and wrenched the arm, folding back the digits. Brutus tried to make the tag but Stacks chopped him down, then went to the Creed corner for a big slap on Julius. Stacks took Brutus to a neutral corner and came off the ropes but Brutus put the feet up. D tagged in but Julius made the hot tag and dominated him with elbows and suplexes. Dropkick by Julius. Both men went for dropkicks at the same time. Julius tried to tag but Stacks yanked Brutus from the corner. Elektra Lopez showed up and passed a crowbar to D, but when he tried to grab it, he was held at bay by an unseen person. The camera panned to show Santos Escobar holding the other end of the crowbar as Elektra laughed. Cruz Del Toro and Joaquin Wilde held Stacks at bay as Julius finished with the basement lariat.
WINNERS: The Creed Brothers at 10:45.
(Wells’s Analysis: Very good action as usual with the Creeds. D’Angelo is increasing his speed and moveset slightly and he’s becoming much easier to watch and a much more valuable roster piece. I think he could step in relatively quickly to the main roster and fulfill a Baron Corbin-like role. Meanwhile the Creeds could be there tomorrow and be believable tag champions)
-Roxanne Perez got a long sit-down piece where she ran down her former friendship with Cora Jade. She said they’d settle this in two weeks at Heatwave.
-Mitchell interviewed Cora Jade, who no-sold Perez. Mandy Rose showed up and asked Jade if she would attack Zoey Stark like she did last week. Jade said it was typical Rose, with an offer that only benefits her. Rose said if Perez is unable to compete, the match goes to the runner-up in the battle royal, which was Jade. Jade said “I’ll think about it…little girl” to some “ooooohhhhhs,” and walked off. [c]
-Von Wagner hype package. He said he’s the “street champ” now.
-McKenzie Mitchell interviewed new tag team champions Katana Chance & Kayden Carter, who gave an emotionally charged interview about never giving up and overcoming everything. Wisely, for once, the interview wasn’t interrupted by anyone else.
(6) BROOKS JENSEN (w/Josh Briggs & Fallon Henley) vs. JOE GACY (w/Rip Fowler & Jagger Reid)
Jensen had the early advantage until Gacy hit a DDT, then threw some chops and forearms in the corner. Reversals until Gacy took Jensen to a corner and hit a hard lariat. Gacy did his upside-down taunt and hit a uranage, then covered for two. Gacy ran the ropes into a spinning heel kick by Jensen. Outside, Fowler and Reid walked up to Henley. Briggs stepped in. As the ref looked at this, Pretty Deadly flew in and caused enough of a distraction for Gacy to finish.
WINNER: Joe Gacy at 2:59.
-Tony D threw a fit as he talked to someone on the phone. He got another call from Santos Escobar, who mocked him. D said Escobar had cost him two titles. They made an agreement to settle it one last time. [c]
(7) ALBA FYRE vs. LASH LEGEND
This match, too, started during the split-screen break and I missed the beginning. Back to full-screen, Legend was in control with some power stuff. Fyre fought back with some shots to the breadbasket but Legend caught her and did her spot where she traps the opponent and hits their head against the top and middle ropes. I remain surprised the move hasn’t been cut. Legend hit a delayed suplex and kipped up to boos. We heard “breaking news” that Roderick Strong tweeted congratulations to the Creeds and he warned Apollo Crews to stay out of Diamond Mine business. Legend tried a delayed suplex from the second rope, but Fyre threw Legend off. Fyre missed a double stomp. Legend swung Fyre’s bat at her and missed. Fyre hit the Gory Bomb, then went up for the Swanton to finish.
WINNER: Alba Fyre in about 4:30.
(Wells’s Analysis: Legend continues to improve and her existing moveset looks more crisp and clean. Fyre could head north at any time, but with the big injection to the main roster at SummerSlam, it might be a little early for someone to make the jump)
-Carmelo Hayes and Trick Williams walked out of the building. Three attractive young ladies were having car trouble, and they asked for help. They jumped at the chance. Okay! [c]
-Nikkita Lyons cut a promo on Kiana James where she got all sassy and said she wasn’t going to change to fit James’s idea of what a woman should look and act like. The match is coming soon. I hope it comes together alright.
-Next week, Trick Williams faces Wes Lee in a British Rounds Match. I love the style, but I’m very interested to see how an American crowd handles the format.
(8) SOLO SIKOA vs. VON WAGNER (w/Mr. Stone) – Falls Count Anywhere
Solo ducked a shot and threw quick rights and lefts. Shoulder block by Sikoa. Wagner bailed and Sikoa chased him out and hit another block, then a senton for two on the floor. The two went back into the ring and threw hands. Sikoa hit a corner splash, a body slam and a dive headbutt for two. Wagner regrouped in a corner and Sikoa hit a hip attack. Wagner went outside and Sikoa followed. Wagner charged Sikoa into the apron, then the stairs. As he sold, Wagner took a lot of time setting the stairs into the ring (why? you don’t need to be in the ring). He also grabbed three chairs. The two hit the ring and Wagner hit Sikoa with a few chair shots. Wagner laid down a chair and backdropped Sikoa onto it for two.
More chair shots from Wagner. He set up two chairs front to front and slammed Sikoa through them for two; one chair was bent considerably. Wagner threw a boot at Sikoa, then kicked him from the ring. Wagner ran at Sikoa and laid him out with a lariat in front of the announce table. Wagner removed the hood on the table and tried to grab Sikoa, but Sikoa backdropped Wagner on the table instead (he looked like he had a hard landing on one of the monitors). Sikoa covered for two. The two brawled outside, where Hayes and Williams were trying to help the young ladies. Sikoa tossed Hayes into the car and kept walking.
[OVERRUN]
Wagner tossed Sikoa into the WWE-branded dumpster and shut the top, then acted like he had won. Sikoa threw up the lid in a silly moment meant to look like a superstar moment. Sikoa and Wagner brawled back inside and quickly past Cameron Grimes. Wagner sat Sikoa in a chair and threw rights. They were right outside the ring area. Wagner went for a chair shot but Sikoa used a fire extinguisher on him. The two hit the ring and Sikoa took over on offense. Thrust kick and a Samoan drop by Sikoa. Sikoa grabbed a chair and threw some shots of his own – four, to be precise. Sikoa nailed Wagner with a uranage on the steel steps that were still inside the ring for a long two. “NXT” chant.
Sikoa went to the top rope and Mr. Stone tried to stop him. Sikoa of course fought him off, but he had bought enough time for Wagner to crotch Sikoa on the top. Wagner tried a fireman’s carry, but Sikoa wriggled free and pushed Wagner to the corner post. Sikoa set Wagner up on the announce table and went all the way to the top. Frog splash hit the mark and Sikoa rolled his hands back over atop Wagner for the win.
WINNER: Solo Sikoa at 12:25.
(Wells’s Analysis: I feel like Wagner is finally, at long last, coming into his own as a monster. Sure, he’s a Kane-like monster where he’s an unbeatable force who always gets beat, but that’s a valuable roster spot. Sikoa gets another win in a big spot and I can’t help wondering if he’s in his last months on NXT or if this is for a push on the brand, where he could easily be the next champion, or the champion after JD McDonagh)
FINAL THOUGHTS: Very jarring week as we had the 2.0 kids clearly performing on a late-era Black & Gold show. The only thing I didn’t really love about that era was the relentless pace, and unfortunately, that’s back, but there was quite a bit to like about the show otherwise. This unbranded week of TV honestly slapped harder than some of the branded special weeks in the past six months or so, which was great, though I hope they slow down a bit to do some final hype for Heatwave next week. Check out Nate Lindberg and Kevin Cattani on PWT Talks NXT tonight or stream tomorrow. Cheers.
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