Posted on 8/26/126 by Bob Magee
Grayson Waller says that NXT is soft and complacent, but
what my theory presupposes is maybe it’s better with
luchadores?
That theory will be put to the test tonight when Rey Fenix
defends his AAA Cruiserweight title just one night after
advancing to the finals in The Tournament To See Who Will
Fight Roman Reigns For The Championship At RAW In Mexico (or
TTTSWFRRFTCARIM for short).
Also, OTM made a big splash on Raw this week, so we’ll see
if they have moved on or still have some NXT business to
handle. It’s the go-home show for Heatwave, so expect the
expected and that lots of people will be in Robert Stone’s
office!
Weaponized Steel Cage Match: Saquon Shugars vs. Dion Lennox
Kicking things off with a bang, this match stems from Lennox
kicking Shugars out of DarkState because he was sick of
Shugars not knowing how to wear shirts or something. This
“Weaponized” Steel Cage match (hot off the heels of
Lockdown, I might add) features a cage with weapons taped to
the sides of it and will serve to totally, definitely
absolutely, completely 100%, for sure end the conflict
between the two. Totally.
Lennox threw a trash can at Shugars as he entered the cage,
setting the tone right away. Lennox went for a chair and
belted Shugars with it. He went for an early cover, but
everyone knew that wasn’t going to do it. Lenox threw
Shugars face-first into cage sides and then took his
(Shugars’) belt and whipped him with it.
Shugars popped up with a kicked to the head, but Lennox
countered by throwing him onto a steel chair. Shugars threw
a trash can at Lennox, then put another one over his head.
Shugars hit the can with a chair and then dropkicked it. He
pulled it off and went for a cover, but only got a two
count.
Shugars smacked Lennox with a chair, bending it over his
back. Lennox powered back with some right hands and then
picked up Shugars and dumped him onto two chairs he had set
up earlier.
Shugars found a Kendo stick and started hitting Lennox with
it, but Lennox pulled it out of his hands and returned the
favour, kind of choking him with it. Shugars got out of
having his cheek pressed against the stick (?) and sent
Lennox into the steel. Shugars went up top for a high
crossbody, but Lennox hit him in the gut with the kendo
stick.
Lennox then set up two kendo sticks in the corner, but
Shugars shoved him into it and then hit an atomic drop for a
near fall. Then Lennox hit a spinebuster over a trash can
but Shugars kicked out at two. Lennox set up two more kendo
sticks in the cage and while he was doing that, Shugars
produced his baseball bat.
Shugars lit up Lennox with the bat, but then Lennox threw a
chair into his knee. He quickly set Shugars up in a tree of
woe and decked him with a chair for a two count. Lennox then
grabbed the bat and crossed Shugars legs over it, pulling
back hard. Shugars hit him in the head with a trash can lid
to break the hold.
Lennox went for an Official Slim Jim Table and set it up in
the ring. He went to gran Shugars, but Shugars scrambled
away and went up top. Lennox followed and Shugars hit him
with a trash can lid before going for a destroyer. He missed
and seemed to have hurt his knee.
Shugars put Lennox on the table then put a trash can on him
and then the table collapsed (oops). Shugars then climbed up
to the top of the cage and threw a crossbody onto Lennox.
That did and Shugars made the cover and got the win in what
will surely be the end of his feud with DarkState and
Lennox.
Match Result: Saquon Shugars defeated Dion Lennox
-Back from break, NXT Champion Tony D’Angelo was interviewed
about Heatwave. He said that he’s the only NXT Grand Slam
Champion in history and the man who put Oba Femi down
(actually he vacated the title, Tony). He promised to beat
all three of his opponents to keep his title at Heatwave.
-A segment with Vanity Project going bowling aired next.
They took turns talking trash about Miles Borne and Tavion
Heights. Jackson Drake then bowled a terrible shot and Myka
Lockwood granny-bowled a slightly better shot. Brad Baylor
then rolled a marginally better shot and Ricky Smokes set up
the kids ramp to bowl an even slightly better shot. I don’t
really know a lot about bowling but none of them were
strikes. Then it was over. Mercifully.
-Back in the ring, Nattie had a mic and said she came to NXT
because she wanted to fight Jaida Parker. Nattie praised
Parker but said she is wasting her potential. Nattie said
that she gave her the most valuable asset in all of
wrestling: her attention. Nattie said that she made Parker
who she is and that of course brought out Parker herself.
Parker said she isn’t wasting anything. She said that Nattie
did remind her who she is but she doesn’t need Nattie’s
approval. Nattie said that she wanted a submission match
with Parker at Heatwave. Parker said “ok,” they called each
other “bitch” and that was it.
Keanu Carver vs Kam Hendrix
Apparently this match was made in the Warehouse Playset by
Carver and Robert Stone to help Carver “figure it out.”
They went back and forth in the opening moments. Carver
would use his power and the Hendrix would clothesline him.
Neither really got an upper hand or ay momentum until
Hendrix kicked Carver through the ropes. They brawled in the
middle of the ring until Carver started no-selling Hendrix’
offense.
Carver grabbed him in a suplex and tossed him around the
ring, including a massive shoulder block off the ropes.
Hendrix slipped out of the ring and then thumbed Carver’s
eye through the ropes.
Then Mason Rook showed up and hit Hendrix, tossing him back
into the ring for Carver to pin. Well worth our time.
Match Result: Keanu Carver defeated Kam Hendrix
-Next a vignette for Kelani Jordan aired. She claimed that
Oba Femi and others have followed her plan to success
because she didn’t need a famous last name to get a head.
She said no one does it like ‘Lani and that was it.
-Back from a break, a taped vignette about Zilla Fatu aired.
He said that he carries his family legacy every day, but
when it’s all said and done he will earn his success on his
own. He promised to win the NXT Title at Heatwave.
NXT Women’s North American Champion Zaria vs. Kali Armstrong
As always, this match originated in Robert Stone’s office
last week with Armstrong complaining about not getting title
shots and Zaria complaining about, I don’t know, too many
title shots? Any way, if Armstrong wins this match, she will
be added to the Women’s North American Title/Speed Title
Unification match that Zaria has against Wren Sinclair at
Heatwave.
They locked up off the top and being of similar size and
stature it was a good one. They traded shoulder blocks with
Zaria getting the first knockdown. She scoop slammed
Armstrong and then Armstrong did the same to her. They
locked up in a test of strength with Zaria getting Armstrong
over before throwing her into the corner for some strikes.
Zaria took control, slamming and splashing Armstrong. She
back-body dropped her and then went for a suplex, but
Armstrong countered that. She started throwing jabs,
knocking Zaria off her feet. She then clotheslined her over
the ropes and hit a crossbody onto her on the outside.
Back in the ring, Armstrong set Zaria up in the corner and
drove her shoulders into her gut. Armstrong grabbed a
headlock and they reversed it back and forth until Zaria hit
a belly-to-back suplex and dropped some elbows on Armstrong.
Zaria hit a big boot and then climbed up top. Armstrong went
up too and they traded strikes. Armstrong then got in a big
superplex.
They slugged it out in the middle of the ring until
Armstrong caught Zaria looking with a powerbomb for two.
Zaria came back with a pump kick, but couldn’t get a cover.
Zaria threw Armstrong with a German suplex, but Armstrong
dodged the follow up spear. Armstrong then went for the Kali
connection, but walked into a second spear.
They went back and forth off of that, with Armstrong getting
a rollup for the win. She is now in the match with Wren
Sinclair at Heatwave.
Match Result: Kali Armstrong defeated Zaria
-In the Backstage Medical Playset, William Sawalich, who is
a race car driver who seemingly always wears his race car
uniform for some reason, was with Kendal Grey who was being
told that she was medically cleared, but it was not
recommended that she wrestle. That was a long sentence. Grey
said she would wrestle any way and then the doctor left and
Wren Sinclair showed up and they talked to Sawalich for a
bit before the segment ended.
Dorian Van Dux, Noam Dar, Romeo Moreno & Sean Legacy vs.
BirthRight (Channing Lorenzo, Charlie Dempsey, Lexis King &
Uriah Connors) w/Arianna Grace
I honestly don’t know why this match is happening. Maybe
it’s for control of the NXT Warehouse Playset? Because that
seems to be where all these people hang out. I’m sure it had
to do with “opportunity” being given or not given in some
way. To be honest, in my opinion, Birthright has long
outlived it’s usefulness, so maybe this will be the start of
something for the talents on both sides. Or not, it’s hard
to tell sometimes.
Dempsey and Dar started off with some technical back and
forth which was a nice change. They traded pin attempts and
roll throughs until Moreno tagged in and then quickly
brought in Van Dux. King tagged in and fell victim to an arm
drag. Legacy caught a blind tag for a cover before Van Duxy
tagged back in.
Stacks came in and was met by Noreno who chopped him a
bunch. Then Connors came in and took him down with a
dropkick. Moreno went for an ankle lock and Stacks tried to
help, but Dar came in and they had double ankle locks for a
moment or two. Van Dux and Legacy got distracted by Ariana
Grace and then Connors pulled Moreno out of the ring for a
superkick.
Dempsey gut wrenched Moreno as Booker T referred to his
training in “the orient” and then Stacks came in to throw
Moreno into the ringpost. Moreno was isolated in the
Birthright corner and so they traded quick tags and shots to
wear him down. Moreno eventually got a tag to Van Dux after
overcoming the damn numbers game.
He cleared the ring but Stacks snuck in a quick kick that
got him thrown over the top rope onto the rest of
Birthright. Van Dux jumped over too then threw Stacks back
into the ring for Legacy to hit a 450, but but King broke up
the pin. Dar got a tag and he and Dempsey traded shots.
Dar hit a suplex into an armbar, but then Connors hit him
with a swanton. LEgacy took him out, then Stacks took out
Legacy then Van Dux hit Stacks, then King hit Van Dux with a
blockbuster, then Moreno jumped onto everyone on the
outside. Van Dux gave Legacy an extra lift off the ropes to
take out Birthright and Dar and Dempsey fought in the ring.
Dempsey hit an overhead slam on Dar and got the “victory”
for his team.
Match Result: BirthRight defeated Dorian Van Dux, Noam Dar,
Romeo Moreno & Sean Legacy
I put that in quotes because no one really won, especially
me.
-In the Warehouse playset, Robert Stone was making sure
everything was good with the Heatwave Summit later. Then
Keanu Carver walked by and told Stone the ref’s decision was
final (?). No time to think about it though because Shiloh
Hill showed up and asked for a match with Naraku which Stone
gave him because of mist.
AAA World Cruiserweight Championship Match: Rey Fenix (c) vs
EK Prosper
And we have arrived at the fireworks factory! AAA GM Rey
Mysterio did Robert Stone’s job for him by suggesting
Prosper take on Fenix for the AAA Cruiserweight title and I
thank him for it. Fenix blew the doors off on Raw this week
against Dragon Lee, so let’s see what he can do in Orlando.
Off of the lockup, Prosper rolled up Fenix for two. Fenix
got back up and hit a kick and went for a backslide, but
Fenix countered into an armdrag. Prosper landed on his feet
and Fenix stopped him in his tracks with an open handed
strike. Prosper caught Fenix with a dropkick to the face
that sent him to the outside. Prosper then hit a moonsault
from the ringpost to Fenix on the outside.
Back in the ring, Fenix turned the tides with a kick that
laid Prosper out. Fenix chopped him in the corner and then
went for a suplex, but Prosper blocked it and hit a DDT for
two. Prosper showed off his own open-handed chops, but Fenix
turned it into a crucifix cover for two.
Fenix put Prosper in a submission move, but let it break and
they traded strikes. They both went off the ropes and hit a
double clothesline, leaving both laying. They got to their
feet and started throwing hands. Fenix hit a dropkick that
stunned Prosper and then went for a powerbomb, but Prosper
countered it into an X-Factor.
Prosper then dropped a leg from up top, but could only get a
two. Prosper hit a Michinoku Driver, but Fenix wasn’t done
yet. Fenix walked the ropes and kicked Prosper in the head.
He went up top again and hit a high crossbody for a two
count. Fenix picked up the pace and went for a frog splash,
but still Prosper kicked out at two.
Fenix rolled out of the corner, looking for a cutter, but
Prosper countered it into a suplex. He threw Fenix off the
ropes and Fenix caught him with that cutter on the way back.
Fenix charged with a high knee and set Prosper up for the
Mexican Muscle Buster. Prosper shoved him off, so Fenix
kicked him in the head.
They went up top and Prosper landed a standing Superrana
from the top ropes. Prosper went for a moonsault, but Fenix
moved and sent him to the corner. He locked in the Mexican
Muscle Buster and landed it perfectly for the cover and the
victory to retain his title.
Match Result: Rey Fenix defeated EK Prosper
After the match, Fenix showed respect to Prosper, shaking
his hand in the middle of the ring.
Backstage Sam Mayer, also a NASCAR driver in full uniform,
talked to Miles Borne and Tavion Heights. Heights was way
worked up over their match(es) at Heatwave and Borne told
him to chill. Hank and Tank arrived because they like NASCAR
and suggested after Heatwave, Borne and Heights give them a
Tag Title Shot. Heights said that they would see them around
and we moved to the ring for the (sigh) Heatwave Summit.
To begin the “summit,” Kendal Grey and Wren Sinclair came to
the ring and Grey grabbed a mic. She said she has heard what
Kelani Jordan has said and she thinks she’s earned her NXT
Women’s Championships. Grey declared herself “the
benchmark.” She beat Nattie, she beat Lola Vice and never
took a day off. She’s a fighting champion.
Kelani Jordan then came out and said that ‘The Standout”
(aka Jordan) will take the title from her. Sinclair said
that Heatwave is in her home of texas, so they are going to
win. Then Zaria came out and said that she was going to win.
Then Kali Armstrong came out and said she’s beaten both of
them, so she’s going to win.
Also, is NXT buying Mics in bulk? Everyone had one.
Including Grayson Waller who wandered out in a “Nepo Uce”
shirt and said, and I quote “Ladies, nice to look at, hard
to listen to.” Waller said that he hopes they do well at
Heatwave, but the world is going to be talking about one
thing: Grayson Waller as NXT Champion.
Then Tony D’Angelo came out and said that Grayson Waller is
going to do the same thing he always does; be a
disappointment. Then Cruz Montana popped up in the audience.
He said that he came here to throw hands and a massive brawl
broke out. Zilla Fatu arrived as the women finished fighting
and leapt off the ringpost on the NXT Championship Match
field. Then he posed with the NXT title belt, thus ending
the show.