Posted on 1/21/126 by Bob Magee
NXT is on the air in front of a live studio audience from a
sound stage at the Performance Center in Orlando. The show
starts with a recap of last week, and a preview of this
week’s card.
NXT General Manager Ava is in her office with her security
team. She wants them on “high alert” as they are on the
lookout for Tony D’Angelo, following the cliffhanger from
last Tuesday. Meanwhile inside the sound stage, the NXT
Championship belt hangs over the ring, awaiting the ladder
match in a few weeks.
Opening the show tonight is a title match. One-half of the
AAA Mixed Tag Team Champions — and the current NXT North
American Champion — Ethan Page defends his singles title
against the debuting masked wrestler named Elio LeFleur
(formerly Aigle Blanc).
Ethan Page vs. Elio LeFleur for the NXT North American
Championship
—
LeFleur gets to shine with his high-flying and fast-paced
offense. He looked great from the start. On the floor,
LeFleur leaps off the ring steps to catch Page with a flying
head scissors. Page cut him off and gave LeFleur a
backbreaker on the top turnbuckle. LeFleur was on the floor
selling as the show cuts to a commercial break.
During a split-screen as commercials rolled, Page worked
over LeFleur. Targeting the back, Page then goes for a
piledriver — only for LeFleur to counter with a back drop.
LeFleur begins a comeback that led into a two count on Page.
They trade near falls after Page boots LeFleur in the face
after LeFleur rolled through on an attempted 450.
They square off and LeFleur is fired up. LeFleur goes for
another springboard, and Page cuts him off with a dropkick.
Nevertheless, LeFleur recovers and counters Page into a DDT.
Quebrada to the floor by LeFleur, and a springboard kick for
another near fall.
Before they go home, LeFleur goes coast-to-coast on a
missile dropkick for the closest near fall of the bout. Page
gets his knees up on an attempted Phoenix Splash. Having
targeted the back earlier in the match, Page was sure he
could deliver a Razor’s Edge. LeFleur counters with a
hurricanrana, and Page eats a running kick. LeFleur goes for
another running kick, but Page blocks it with a powerbomb.
Page then covers LeFleur and hooks the tights for an illegal
advantage. Great opener despite the cheap finish. And still…
Match result: NXT North American Champion Ethan Page
defeated Elio LeFleur via a pinfall (while holding trunks)
to retain his title.
On Page’s way out he encounters Ricky Saints, who is
entering the sound stage to join the commentary team. Saints
joins Vic Joseph and Booker T at the announce desk as the
show goes into a commercial break.
— Back from the break, the television debut of Keanu Carver
laying waste the NXT roster in an angle from last Tuesday.
Vic Joseph tries to ask Booker T about Carver and him
getting into an argument in an angle from LFG between Booker
and Carver. Booker is silent at the announce desk, and he
offers no comment.
Shiloh Hill vs. Josh Briggs in a NXT Championship ladder
match qualifier
—
The match goes through a commercial break in what developed
into a hoss fight. A long-haired guy in leather jeans
against a biker in leather pants, in what is a battle old as
time. They were laying in the leather too, with lariats,
strikes and kicks.
The tide really shifts when there is no water in the pool as
Briggs crashes and burns on a moonsault press. Hill follows
up with a side slam/neckbreaker combo, which is apparently
his finisher. Hill then hooks a leg and covers Briggs for a
three count.
Match result: Shiloh Hill defeated Josh Briggs via pinfall
to qualify for the championship ladder match.
— In a post-match ambush, Tony D’Angelo attacks both Briggs
and Hill after the match. D’Angelo lays out both, scooping
any heat the two just acquired in their hard-hitting match.
D’Angelo then strolls away after glaring at Ricky Saints,
who looked like he saw a ghost.
— Zaria & Sol Ruca discuss their angle from TNA Genesis, and
Zaria says her shoulder is sore — so of that costs them in
their tag match tonight. Then Zaria will not be to blame.
— The Vanity Project trio enter the sound stage ahead of the
tag bout that is up next after a commercial break.
Chase U (Kale Dixon & Uriah Connors with Andre Chase) vs.
Swipe Right (Brad Baylor & Ricky Smokes with Jackson Drake)
—
This was a fun, action-filled tag match. Lots of double team
spots and high spots galore. Swipe Right win after a double
stomp/slop drop finisher. Chase U got to shine, and Dixon
especially shines with a Fosbury Flop. However, he
ultimately takes the double team finisher, and Smokes covers
Dixon for a pinfall.
Match result: Brad Barlor & Ricky Smokes defeated Kale Dixon
& Uriah Connors when Smokes pinned Dixon.
— In a backstage skit, Lola Vice is in Ava’s office lobbying
for a title match. In walks Thea Hail, who says she has
learned her lesson, and now Hail wants a title shot. Vice
disagrees, before Ava informs both they are in triple threat
title match against NXT Women’s North American Champion Izzi
Dame on February 3.
— Back from a commercial break and Vic Joseph again brings
up Keanu Carver. That led to a sit-down where Blake Howard
interviews Carver, who starts off by saying the only reason
he is here is because they made him. Carver refuses to
answer any “dumbass questions” from Howard. Upon Howard
bringing up the disciplinary action from the past, Carver
storms off set.
— Jaida Parker enters the sound stage for an in-ring promo.
She is over greatly with the studio audience. Parker says
she has been away for a while, but she has watched closely.
She puts over Kendal Grey, with Parker saying she deserves
her flowers. Blake Monroe on the other hand, does not
deserve her flowers.
Parker goes on to say she did not rush back with excuses,
instead letting her work speak for itself. Parker then talks
about negative opinions on her. Maybe she should smile more
and talk less, but to each their own. Some days she feels
like she cannot catch a break, but she still catches
attention. When she walks in a room, the room gets tighter
and the air harder to breath.
Blake Monroe interrupts Parker after the arena lights go
dark. A spotlight shows Monroe on a platform perched
overlooking the ring. Monroe says the grand entrance is a
way to remind Parker in case she needs a reminder. Monroe
warns Parker she missed up by interrupting Monroe last week.
Monroe claims Parker does not get to return and stand in the
way of Monroe.
Parker says Monroe talks so much because if Monroe quit
talking, she might have something to prove. At the end of
the day, Monroe has to deal with Ms. Parker. Mic drop.
Sean Legacy vs. Eli Knight in a NXT Championship ladder
match qualifier
—
Ricky Saints is back for guest commentary during the match,
which was a high-flying spectacle from the start. Knight
with an Asai moonsault as the show cuts to a commercial
break. Slugfest as the show returns from the break, and they
trade strikes and kicks. Knight turned inside out on a
lariat from Legacy, and they begin trading near falls with
reversals and counters from each.
Knight eats a superkick, and Legacy with a running Spanish
Fly. Springboard 450 splash by Legacy, but Knight kicks out
at two and half. Knight counters Legacy with an exploder in
a corner. In a really cool spot, Knight lands on his feet
doing a moonsault when Legacy tried to roll away. Upon
landing, Knight then leapt backwards into a standing
moonsault press for a two count.
They keep trading near falls and reversals. Sliced bread by
Knight to set up an attempted moonsault. Legacy gets his
feet up and boots Knight in the face. Legacy capitalizes
with a Torture rack into a twisting neckbreaker for a wicked
finisher, and Legacy covers Knight for a pinfall.
Match result: Sean Legacy defeated Eli Knight via pinfall to
qualify for the championship ladder match.
Great bout, but whatever they did to get over was seemingly
all for not after Tony D’Angelo scooped more heat. Much like
earlier tonight in the other qualifier, D’Angelo attacked
both Legacy and Knight. D’Angelo ambushes them and leaves
them laid out. Taking things a step further than before,
D’Angelo gives Legacy a chokeslam on the announce desk — as
Ricky Saints watches in horror from behind the desk.
Ava eventually enters the scene flanked by armed security,
and D’Angelo is surrounded by them. D’Angelo calmly turns
around and places his hands behind his back without a word
spoken. D’Angelo is then handcuffed and escorted away. Later
after a commercial break, D’Angelo is taken on a perp walk
where he is led by Ava, who remarks he left her no choice.
D’Angelo is stone-faced and stays silent. Blake Howard as
the roving reporter tries to get a comment from D’Angelo as
he is placed in the back of a SUV. No comment, and D’Angelo
is driven away apparently under arrest.
— The Culling is featured in a video package sponsored by an
insurance company.
— OTM shoves Blake Howard, and they cut a promo on
Darkstate. Last week was a warning, and now OTM is looking
for the tag title. OTM challenges Darkstate to a tag title
match next Tuesday. That match is made official for next
week by the end of this show.
— Joe Hendry in a cameo appearance is the highlight of a
backstage skit with The Vanity Project. The heel trios is
talking backstage with two unidentified blonde women. Robert
Stone walks up to inform Jackson Drake he is booked in a
qualifying match next week against Joe Hendry. Say his name
and he appears, and Hendry cuts a promo.
— Darkstate cut a promo on Myles Borne in a locker room
skit.
Fatal Influence (Fallon Henley & Lainey Reid with Jacy
Jayne) vs. Sol Ruca & Zaria vs. Kendal Grey & Wren Sinclair
in a triple threat match to determine number one contenders
for the TNA Knockouts Tag Team Championship
—
Action-packed tag bout with three teams involved, and three
legal wrestlers in the ring at once. They did a parade of
dives where Grey & Sinclair shine ahead of a commercial
break. After the show returns from the break, the chaos is
settled in the ring. Zaria has Grey in a hanging choke, and
Henley assists for a Doomsday Device.
They did a flash of false finishes and high spots, which
popped the studio audience every time. Grey & Sinclair
shined a lot in the final moments. As they go home in the
match, the focus shifts to an angle between Ruca and her
partner — Zaria — who makes a blind tag much to the chagrin
of Ruca. Zaria delivers a double spear, as Ruca claps for
her. Zaria then sends Ruca for an attempted assist, but Ruca
sails out of the ring and takes a kick from Henley on the
floor.
NXT Women’s Champion Jacy Jayne interferes at ringside with
a roaring elbow to Grey. Sinclair tries to make a save with
a missile dropkick on Jayne, only for Henley to send
Sinclair crashing into the barricade. Back in the ring,
Zaria faces off against Henley & Reid. Blockbuster by Henley
on Zaria for a near fall, where Ruca breaks the count by
pulling Henley out of the ring. Ruca leaps into action by
hitting a double Sol Snatcher on Reid & Henley. Ruca then
sends Henley into the clutches of Zaria, who executes a F5.
Zaria then hooks a leg and covers Henley for a three count.
Match result: Sol Ruca & Zaria becomes number one contenders
for the TNA Knockouts Tag Team Championship after defeating
Fallon Henley & Lainey Reid and Kendal Grey & Wren Sinclair
in a triple threat match.