SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
The following report originally published 5 years ago this week here at PWTorch.com…
KELLER’S NXT ON USA REPORT
AUGUST 12, 2020
TAPED IN WINTER PARK, FLA. AT FULL SAIL UNIVERSITY
AIRED ON USA NETWORK
Announcers: Vic Joseph, Mauro Ranallo, Beth Phoenix
[HOUR ONE]
-They opened with a video package on Adam Cole and Pat McAfee last week, and the distraction leading to Imperium retaining the NXT Tag Team Titles against Kyle O’Reilly & Bobby Fish. The video package then included Karrion Kross-Keith Lee happenings.
(1) KARRION KROSS (w/Scarlett) vs. DANNY BURCH
Mauro welcomed Vic Joseph as the newest member of their announce team. Burch attacked Kross at the bell with a running dropkick. Kross soon took over and tossed Burch around the ring until Burch caught him charging with a boot and a high roundkick. Burch landed a German suplex and a clothesline. Mauro said he’s giving Kross as tough of a fight as anyone. He applied a crossface. Kross stood and broke free with a Doomsday Saito suplex. He finished Burch seconds later with his Kross Jacket.
WINNER: Kross in 4:00.
(Keller’s Analysis: Really good for a match that short.)
-Lee marched out to his music next. He said he’s not surprised at all he turned out to be a little bitch. He promised G.M. William Regal he wouldn’t put his hands on Kross as long as he gave him a match at Takeover. He threw the contract folder on the mat and said his name is already on it, and it just needs “your punk-ass name.” Scarlett carried the contract folder over to Kross. She held it open for Kross, who scribbled on it while not breaking his stare at Lee. Scarlett brought the folder back to the ring, kissed it, and slid it toward Lee. She gave him a creepy stare. Lee looked down at the contract folder and got really dramatic about even bending over to pick it up. About 20 seconds went by before he did. When he opened it, a fireball blew up in his face. “Oh my god! What the hell? A friction’ fireball!”
Lee went down and flailed in pain. The ring filled with referees and medics. Lee yelled in pain and was helped out of the ring. They cut to Kross and Scarlett watching with sinister expressions. Lee yelled, “Where’s Kross!” He had his eyes squeezed closed as he walked to the back. The cameras followed Lee to the back where a medic continued to tend to him, telling him, “I know it hurts.”
(Keller’s Analysis: The way Lee looked at the folder suspiciously before opening it made no sense. There was no reason for him to treat it like a grenade with a pin that might or might not have had the pin pulled. If he had a reason to know something was up, then he seems like an idiot for opening the damn folder that close to his face. The choice of how to play that scene was rough. But if you do a fireball angle, get as much as you can out of it, and they did.)
-Drake Maverick made his ring entrance. They stayed with Lee being tended to backstage. Killian Dane’s ring entrance also took place on split-screen.
(2) DRAKE MAVERICK vs. KILLIAN DANE
Mauro said Kross and Scarlett “didn’t cross the line, they scorched it.” They cut to a very early break in the match, but stayed with the action on split-screen. [c]
During the break, they showed Lee being led into an ambulance. They bandaged Lee’s eyes. Back from the break, the ambulance drove off with the siren blaring. Then Undisputed Era arrived and got out of an SUV. They looked to be men with a mission. Back at ringside, Drake dove at Killian at ringside. Both were slow to get up and return to the ring.
All four Undisputed Era members jumped Killian and Drake in the ring, so the ref called for the bell.
WINNER: No contest.
-The beatdown continued until they cleared the ring. Cole then took the mic and addressed Pat McAfee. He said he knows for a fact he’s watching, so listen to him. He said if he wants to come to his world and play wrestler, that’s fine, but he shouldn’t forget he kicked him with his hands behind hisb back. He said McAfee is not special, but he is because he is the longest-reigning NXT Champion ever. He dared him to show up next week. He said if he has the guts, he should walk down the ramp, step into the ring, and let him look him face to face and tell him he’s going to whip his ass at Takeover 30. He said he will realize he is in way of his head and there is nothing he can do about it. “And that is undisputed,” he closed with.
(Keller’s Analysis: That was pretty basic. Good intensity.)
-They showed Legado del Fantasma attacking Tyler Breeze and Fandango, including kidnapping Fandango. Joseph hyped the next match. [c]
-A video aired with Kushida discussing the ladder match at Takeover. He said he will seize the glory and it’s time for him to “taste gold.”
(3) TYLER BREEZE vs. SANTOS ESCOBAR
Breeze wore a furry vest to the ring, but Mauro noted his demeanor is more serious than usual. Joseph said the trademark smile isn’t there and he’s all business. Nobody was at ringside for either wrestler. Mauro noted at the bell it’s a non-title match. Escobar took control early including a a leaping dropkick after a whip into the ropes. Joseph said they’re awaiting a medical update on Keith Lee.
Breeze came back with an enzuigiri, knocking Escobar out of the ring. Escobar tackled Breeze at ringside and dropped him over the ring apron. They cut to a break. [c]
Back from the break, Breeze made a spirited comeback. After a Supermodel Kick, Breeze fended off Escobar’s henchmen and then landed his Phantom Driver for the win.
WINNER: Escobar.
-Fandango ran out for the save, although his left arm was in a sling and wrapped. Isaiah “Swerve” Scott ran out and did send the heels into retreat. He yelled at them from the ring as the trio backed away.
-A vignette aired Dakota Kai talking about getting inside Io Shirai’s head. “She’s in Dakota Territory right now.” She said she doesn’t need friends, former fiends, associates, or insurance policies. She just wants the gold at Takeover 30.
(Keller’s Analysis: Good intensity and determination from her in this vignette.) [c]
-A vignette aired on Ridge Holand. He said the hype for him was real. He said his second chance match is against Johnny Gargano. He said guys Johnny’s size don’t last a minute on his rugby field.
-McKenzie Mitchell caught up with Mia Yim backstage. She was frazzled and said she just arrived in time to put on her gear. She said she was told Keith Lee will be okay and there’s “no serious damage.”
(4) INDI HARTWELL vs. MIA YIM
Indi gave off the vibe of a high school girl being lectured by her dad about curfew. Mauro said you can’t bring outside emotions into the match, so Mia will have to shift gears. Phoenix said she knows that first-hand. There was an early sequence where Hartwell appeared to move at half-speed running the ropes, which was strange. Yim ultimately won with an armbar submission.
WINNER: Hartwell in 5:00.
(Keller’s Analysis: This was okay, but nothing more. There seemed to be a moment of setting up sequences before they happened, and the movement just felt 20 percent slow. Indy’s petulant demeanor makes you want to see her lose, though.)
-A vignette aired with Finn Balor who about how everybody watches The Prince. He called out Cameron Grimes or Kushida to enjoy themselves because whoever is left over will be easy picking for him.
-They showed “Thicc Boi” Broson Reed and Damien Priest getting ready for their match. [c]
-A video package aired on the Cole-McAfee including Triple H announcing on ESPN he’s booking Cole vs. McAfee at Takeover XXX if McAfee accepts. McAfee then accepted the challenge and owed to use his kicking leg to knock him out. He said he’s going to “dance on the grave of NXT.” They showed a tweet from him saying he will “dominate you and the whole wrestling community.”
(Keller’s Analysis: McAfee is all-in on the button-pushing NXT fans. This is a match where I feel bad there aren’t fans around to boo him, because he’d have great heat right now against Cole.)
ARTICLE CONTINUED BELOW…
Check out the latest episode of “PWT Talks NXT” with Kelly Wells and Nate Lindberg, part of the PWTorch Dailycast line-up: CLICK HERE to stream (or search “pwtorch” on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or any other iOS or Android app to subscribe free)
[HOUR TWO]
(5) DAMIEN PRIEST vs. BRONSON REED
Mauro said Bronson didn’t take kindly to Priest calling Bronson’s win to qualify for Takeover a fluke. “Thicc Boi” is on Reed’s intro video. Fun gamesmanship early, including Reed pointing at Priest after knocking him down with a shoulder block. Priest came back with a leapfrog and a leaping back elbow to Reed’s chest. Priest rolled to the floor after Reed DDT’d him. They cut to a break. [c]
Back to the match, Priest had Reed in a chinlock mid-ring (of course). The announcers really pushed the mystery wrestler in the main event throughout this match. Reed powered Priest over with a fallaway slam and followed with a quick senton for a near fall. Priest came back with a series of strikes and a springboard somersault senton. He played to the audience a bit, then landed a flying elbow into the corner and then a vertical suplex attempt. He couldn’t get Reed up at first. He kneed him and then got him over with a Broken Arrow for a convincing near fall. Reed fired back with his own suplex. Both were down and slow to get up.
Priest landed a 360 round kick, but when he followed up with a springboard at Reed, Reed caught him and power slammed him. Reed followed up with a top rope splash. Priest moved out of his way, although not all the way, so Reed’s legs landed on his back. Priest came up behind Reed for a Reckoning, but Reed blocked it and quickly scored a three count on Priest with a Jackknife pin.
WINNER: Reed in 11:00.
(Keller’s Analysis: Another big win for Reed. Good match. These two have good chemistry together in the ring along the lines of Lee and Dominic Dijakovic.)
-An Io Shirai vignette aired. Her words were translated on screen with captioning. She talked about Dakota Kai kicking her in the face and acting like a big star every since. She said she destroyed Tegan Nox and that’s when people first realized who she was. She said Dakota is a manipulator and uses people and then gets rid of people once she’s done with them. She said when she sees her, she sees a little girl who was terrified of Shayna Baszler. Clips aired of that era for Kai. She said Kai ought to be terrified of her, too, because she is no match for her. She said in English at the end, “You just pissed me off.”
(Keller’s Analysis: They’re doing a really good job with Shirai’s limited English with creative production of her vignettes with a mix of English and translated captions.) [c]
-A vignette aired on Cameron Grimes on the bank of a river or lake. He went into his annoying screechy cadence he had spewing cliches in an over the top cartoonish way about winning the match tonight and then winning the ladder match and “taking it to the moon.”
(6) KAYDEN CARTER & KACY CATANZARO vs. MERCEDES MARTINEZ & ALIYA (w/Robert Stone)
Mauro called Martinez the prized acquisition of The Robert Stone Brand.Stone said, after entering the ring, that unless you’ve been living under a rock, his brand has been on fire. He turned to Kacy and said she’s hanging out with the wrong people. He offered her a spot in the Robert Stone Brand. He told her to lose to loser, and then he looked at Carter. Kaci wound up. Stone ducked. Carter stomped on his injured leg. Carter and Kacy dominated out of the gate and scored a near fall on Aliya after stereo super kicks. Mercedes tagged in and she and Aliya delivered a double-team wheelbarrow/facebuster for a near fall on Carter. They cut to a break. [c]
Back from the break, the heels were still in control against Carter. Eventually Kacy tagged in against Aliya and rallied. She landed a flip somersault for a two count, broken up by Martinez. Martinez caught Kacy mid-air and landed her Air Raid Crash for the win.
WINNER: Martinez & Aliya in 8:00.
-As Aliya and Martinez celebrated with Stone, Rhea Ripley made her way onto the stage as her whole entrance video and music played. She went after Martinez, but Aliya attacked her from behind. Martinez pushed past Aliya to go after Ripley. Shotzi Blackheart then entered and knocked Martinez out of the ring with an enzuigiri.
-Dinner with the Garganos included Candice LaRae playing with her dog and reading her a book about Tegan Nox and claiming she isn’t evil. Gargano, who was standing on a ladder changing a lightbulb (of course), talked his kingdom being fine because he is a constant in NXT despite all the new arrivals, such as Damien Priest and “that Thicc Boi guy.” He said as talented as they are, they’re aren’t as talented at Gargano. He said you can’t have a Takeover without Johnny Takeover. He said his opponent next week, Ridge Holland, is big and strong, but he’s not Gargano. He said he will earn his way into the ladder match he should’ve been in the whole time. He said he will then go on to make history as the first two-time NXT Champion.
(Keller’s Analysis: Delightfully disconcerting glimpse into their living room and their psyche.) [c]
-Joseph hyped a vinyl album featuring Triple H entrance thongs with an exclusive jacket patch. It’s limited edition.
-Timothy Thatcher held another “Thatch as Thatch Can” lesson, this one called Adaptation. He demonstrated a single-leg crab. He applied it to a student who cried out in pain as he demonstrated.
-Joseph hyped that McAfee and Cole will go face-to-face on next week’s show. Phoenix plugged Fandango & Swerve vs. Santos Escobar & Raul Mendoza & Jacquin Wilde. Plus two second-chance qualifying matches with Gargano vs. Holland and Balor vs. TBA. They went to Joseph on camera who directed people to WWE.com for updates on Keith Lee.
(6) KUSHIDA vs. CAMERON GRIMES vs. VELVETEEN DREAM
Kushida came out first. Then Grimes, who had a few words for the North American Title belt on a table at ringside. After a dramatic pause, the third entrance was revealed to be Velveteen Dream. Mauro said he took some time off after failing to win the NXT Championship. Dream began kissing and caressing the North American belt at ringside. Mauro said his opponents couldn’t prepare for him, so he’s an instant factor. Grimes yanked Dream to ringside a minute in. Dream knocked him down, then leaped off the top rope with a double axe handle on Kushida for a two count. Dream dove at Kushida, but Kushida ducked. Dream fell to the floor. Kushida kicked Dream off the ring apron as soon as he stood up there. Then he delivered a tornado DDT onto Dream off the apron. Back in the ring, Grimes knocked Kushida off the top rope. They cut to a break. [c]
They stayed with the action during the break. Kushida rallied after the break. Rapid-fire action ensued and all three ended up down and out on the mat after a Dream superkick to Grimes. Dream was the first to get up. He leaped onto Grimes at ringside with a flying forearm. He threw Grimes back into the ring, then hit him with double axe handles. Dream hit the Dream Valley Driver on Kushida a minute later. Grimes threw Dream out of the ring and went for the cover, but Dream yanked him out of the ring by his leg. Kushida leaped off the top rope onto Dream. Grimes climbed to the top rope, but Kushida caught him up there and threw him off into the cross arm breaker. Dream leaped off the top rope at Kushida, but Kushida let go of Grimes and put Dreamin a hoverboard lock. Dream backdropped out of it, but Kushida rolled him up. Dream rolled through and lifted Kushida onto his shoulders. Kushida applied a hoverboard again. Grimes then gave Kushida his Cave In double-stomp, shoved Dream out of the ring, and pinned Kushida.
WINNER: Grimes in 10:00 to advance to the ladder match at Takeover 30.
(Keller’s Analysis: Good match. The Dream return was a sufficient surprise. I think he peaked as a character over a year ago, so this is a chance for him to reset a bit. Grimes is still coming across as a throwback in a bad way to a 1970s territorial heel who has contempt for fans with an over-the-top heel demeanor that’s just 30 percent “too much” and comes across as put-on and phony and condescending.)
-After the match, as Grimes celebrated, Mauro noted Dream will have a second chance because he wasn’t pinned or submitted. Grimes chatted with the belt before returning to the back. Mauro and Joseph said if Grimes won the belt, they’d never heard the end of it.
-Dream entered the ring and attacked Kushida. The audience booed as the referee scolded him. Mauro said Dream is unhinged. “What the hell is Dream doing?” he said. “The match is over.” He said they haven’t seen this side of Dream before. Dream posed as his music played. Balor entered the ring and pointed at him. The show closed with a stare down between them.
(Keller’s Analysis: Grimes is a good addition to the ladder match for the sake of athleticism. Dream vs. Balor is a marquee match-up for next week’s show without Dynamite as opposition, too.)
FINAL THOUGHTS: Solid show start to finish. It moved things forward for Takeover including a big fireball angle with Keith Lee and continued the fun and deserved push of the rising star Bronson Reed.
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