NXT
Date:
February 25, 2015
Location:
Full Sail University, Winter Park, Florida
Commentators:
Corey Graves, Alex Riley, Tom Phillips
Reviewed by Tommy Hall
We're
still living in Kevin Owens' NXT as he shows no sign of letting up
soon. Last week he ran through former NXT Champion Adrian Neville,
clearing more of the path to get to his showdown with Finn Balor.
Other than that, we have the potential split of Carmella from Enzo
Amore and Colin Cassady, which might be well received by the NXT
fans. Let's get to it.
Opening
sequence.
Hideo
Itami vs. Bull Dempsey
Dempsey
elbows him in the face to start and drives another into Hideo's
chest. A chinlock doesn't last long as Itami fires off elbows of his
own, followed by kicks to the leg. That's fine with Dempsey who hits
a running Vader style splash for two to regain control. When all
else fails, just have the big guy run someone over. Itami comes back
with a quick series of strike and a running basement dropkick in the
corner. A running kick to the face is enough to pin Dempsey at 2:50.
Tyler
Breeze superkicks Itami as he leaves. He stops to take a picture
though and Itami gets up to chase him away.
Video
on The Brian Kendrick, who is making a return tonight like Rhyno did
last week.
Lucha
Dragons vs. Tye Dillinger/Jason Jordan
During
Dillinger/Jordan's entrances, Solomon Crowe hacks the feed and says
he'll be NXT Champion. Jordan drags Sin Cara into the corner but
Kalisto is pulled in, only to get face planted for his efforts. Off
to Dillinger for a mocking bow to Cara as the fans chant NO ME GUSTA
(“I don't like it!”) and a slam to Kalisto.
It's
quickly back to Cara who quickly takes Dillinger into the Dragons'
corner for a tag back to Kalisto. That's quite the fast exchange.
Dillinger and Jordan (thank goodness for those letters on the trunks.
To be fair I couldn't tell the Hardy Boys apart for years either)
don't seem to agree on a tag so Tye tells him to relax. Cara slips
over for a tag to Kalisto as things speed way up. Jordan drops to
the floor and walks out on the match, allowing the Salida Del Sol and
Swanton Bomb to pin Dillinger at 3:31.
Rating:
D+. This was angle advancement
but I'm getting a little bored with the Dragons. We saw them win and
lose the titles and they're still basically the same team. Those
belts have always been defined by heel teams so the Dragons never did
much for me with the titles. Nothing much to see here, especially
considering Jordan and Dillinger haven't meant anything in months.
Finn
Balor is ready for Kendrick tonight and isn't looking ahead to Owens.
After
a break, Dillinger demands Jordan come out here. He doesn't care
whose match is next because he can whip that man too.
Baron
Corbin vs. Tye Dillinger
End
of Days, 17 seconds. Corbin needs to move up the ladder a bit now.
Give him a feud against someone not named Dempsey.
Charlotte
says the title is coming back where it belongs next week.
Breeze
says Itami will soon be squashed in his trap.
Quick
video on Sami Zayn in Abu Dhabi.
Bayley
vs. Becky Lynch
The
fans are split on who to cheer for but the Bayley fans boo at the
Becky fans. Becky charges
into an elbow in the corner but avoids a splash, setting up a
pumphandle suplex for two on Bayley. A
hair whip legdrop gets the same and we hit the chinlock. Bayley
fights up and takes Becky outside for a baseball slide through the
corner ala Sami's running DDT.
Back
in and the aggression comes out of Bayley with some running corner
elbows, complete with the tightening of the hair band (as
usual, far more adorable than it should be).
Bayley tweaks her arm but
shoves Becky away and keeps going. A middle rope back elbow to the
jaw gets two on Lynch. The Belly to Bayley is countered into a
seated
armbar out of nowhere and Bayley taps at 4:30.
Rating:
C. As
usual, this is miles ahead of the messes that the Divas usually put
on. The Divas seem impressed when they manage a suplex. This was a
four and a half minute match with different stages and even some
psychology with the arm. It's so much better than listening to BRIE
MODE or someone putting on lip gloss. You can still be a heel
without makeup if that's believable.
Rhyno
is back because he loves the intensity he sees here in NXT. It
reminds him of the energy he has when he Gores people in half.
Jason
Jordan did what he did and will give an explanation when he wants to.
Finn
Balor vs. The Brian Kendrick
Owens
is on commentary and says
he'd love to face Balor anytime he'd like. Kendrick
grabs a headlock to start but gets thrown off and dropkicked down.
Brian claims an ankle injury
but goldbricks to grab a small package for two. Back to the headlock
on the mat but Balor kicks him off, sending Kendrick crawling away.
It's even more goldbricking though as he grabs a hammerlock. Owens
doesn't like something Riley says and leaves as Kendrick grabs
another headlock.
Back
from a break with Balor hitting a running forearm to the jaw to put
Kendrick down. Finn charges
into a boot to the jaw though and eats a tornado DDT for two. A
kick to the chest drops Kendrick again though and the Sling Blade
does the same. The top rope
double stomp is good for the pin on Kendrick at 11:32.
Rating:
C-. I
like seeing Balor having a bit simpler match for a change but I've
never been a fan of Kendrick. He's much more interesting on the mic
than in the ring but it's continuing a cool idea of having people
return to the show like this. Owens vs. Balor has real potential to
tear the house down though and this was more build to that.
Post
match Owens comes out and stares at Balor before throwing Riley over
the announcers' desk. Balor stares him down from the ring and
invites Owens to come fight him. The champ walks away to end the
show.
Overall
Rating: D+. This really didn't
do it for me and was one of the weaker shows they've had in a long
time. They're in a holding pattern until we get to Balor vs. Owens
and then the big rematch with Owens vs. Zayn. Tonight's show felt
like a filler episode but next week there's going to be a title match
which NXT almost always does well. Not a bad show this week, but not
one of their better episodes.
Results
Hideo
Itami b. Bull Dempsey – Running boot to the face
Lucha
Dragons b. Jason Jordan/Tye Dillinger – Swanton Bomb to Dillinger
Baron
Corbin b. Tye Dillinger – End of Days
Becky
Lynch b. Bayley – Seated armbar
Finn
Balor b. The Brian Kendrick – Top rope double stomp
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