Posted on 5/06/126 by Bob Magee
NXT is back on the air in front of a live studio audience
from the Performance Center in Orlando. Highlights at the
start recapped last week’s reset episode.
Much like the whole show last week, there are so many debuts
and run-ins that hardly any stand out, except for Tavion
Heights attacking NXT Champion Tony D’Angelo. Clips of that
run-in concluded the video package, and this week began with
Stone Cold Tony D opening a can in a backstage pull-apart
brawl.
D’Angelo spears Heights over a folding table set up
backstage, and they are quickly separated around grappling
on the floor. Chaotic skit to start the show.
Opening the show from the sound stage is a match set up in a
locker room skit from last Tuesday.
Jaida Parker vs. Kali Armstrong
—
They were in each other’s face before the bell, and the bout
begins with a shoving match. They soon thereafter grapple
with artful chain wrestling. The fight outside the ring and
they collide both going for a lariat. Double down leads into
a commercial break.
The match continues through the break, and Armstrong takes
control soon after the show returns from commercials.
Armstrong with a high cross, seemingly just for the heck of
it. They go on to trade near falls.
Parker fires up and does a signature spot. Armstrong fights
back, and eventually fights dirty. Armstrong rakes Parker’s
face, and they do an awkward powerslam. Armstrong signals
for a finisher, and she runs the ropes several times before
flying into a shoulder tackle, much like the Ultimate
Warrior. Armstrong then pins Parker after the finisher they
dubbed “Kali Connection”. Armstrong goes over to establish
her as a character on NXT, but the eye rake finish allows
them to run it back.
Match result: Kali Armstrong defeated Jaida Parker via
pinfall.
— Cameo from Fit Finlay as he cuts a promo on his son’s
stable — Birthright. Finlay says they should be upholding
tradition. Not being outmaneuvered by gamers with no
pedigree, who are beneath them. Finlay has William Regal on
speaker phone.
Regal says he has taken care of the matter, and he sent his
son — Charlie Dempsey — back to the Snake Pit. Regal goes on
to say Birthright has a six-man tag team match next Tuesday.
Regal tells them to make the most to the opportunity and
take care of business.
Evils gets a new name
The wrestler formerly known as Evil is the focus of a video
package introducing himself to viewers. NXT is entering a
new era, and this is his time to strike. He wants the
biggest prize in NXT, which he says is the men’s NXT
Championship. The items given to the champ, Tony D’Angelo,
over the last few weeks were not gifts. Rather, it was a
proclamation. Evil vows he and D’Angelo will meet for the
NXT title, saying it is written in the rising sun. Naraku is
revealed as his new name in WWE. Naraku debuts next week.
Jasper Troy vs. Jackson Drake (with The Vanity Project)
—
The match goes through a commercial break. Vanity Project
assists by distracting Troy, so Drake can knock him off his
feet as the show goes into commercials. Troy is pummeling
Drake when the show returns from the break. Drake counters
Troy to drop him into a DDT. Kip up by Troy, and he comes to
life with a surge of force. Drake leaps off the top rope
onto the arms of Troy. Big chokeslam by Troy, and Drake soon
flees the ring.
At ringside, Troy smacks down Ricky Smokes. Brad Baylor is
pressed over Troy’s head and tossed into the ring. Suddenly,
Myka Lockwood runs in and body slams Troy on the floor.
Lockwood debuted recently in a skit with Vanity Project.
Lockwood’s assistance helps Drake set up a 450 splash on
Troy, and Drake upsets Troy.
Match result: Jackson Drake defeated Jasper Troy via
pinfall.
— Tristan Angels is featured in a personality profile.
— Rhea Ripley’s journey in NXT is the focus of an “NXT
Origins” video package.
Potential contenders brawl over shot at NXT Women’s North
American title
—
Zaria heads to the ring for a monologue, marking her first
time to address the audience since besting Sol Ruca in a
last woman standing match. Zaria says a change is in the air
at NXT, and it could be anyone ballgame. For the first time
in NXT, no one is holding Zaria back. No dead weight, nor
fake partners. Zaria realizes she has to do it herself.
Zaria has her sights on the very thing that caused the rift
between her and Ruca, which is the NXT Women’s North America
Championship.
The reigning North American champ — Tatum Paxley — soon
interrupts the monologue to confront Zaria in the ring. They
are both soon interrupted by a fired up Lizzy Rain. She
talks about the putting some heavy metal into the lineage of
the Women’s North American title.
Out comes Nikkita Lyons for another interruption. Lyons cuts
a promo that ultimately leads into a brawl with the
potential contenders and the champion. Zaria stands tall and
lays out the other three. Zaria stands over the champions
and posing as the segment ends.
— Noam Dar returns to NXT in a backstage skit that sets up a
match between him and Jackson Drake. Myka Lockwood walks in
and Drake says he will accept a match with Dar for next week
if Lockwood is in his corner for the bout.
— Kam Hendrix ambushes Tony D’Angelo in a backstage attack.
Hendrix is pulled off D’Angelo as the show goes into a
commercial break.
— NXT GM Robert Stone is rushing around backstage after the
show returns from the commercial break. Stone grabs a
headset and orders the mixed tag title match be moved up
immediately because of the attack on D’Angelo postpones his
match. The scheduled main event is up next.
AAA Mixed Tag Team Champions Lola Vice & Mr. Iguana (with La
Yesca) vs. The Culling (Izzi Dame & Niko Vance with Shawn
Spears) in a non-title mixed tag team match
—
They had a really good tag match, and even had comedy spots
with La Yesca. They wrestled through a commercial break. For
the finish, Iguana is powerbombed on the floor by Vance.
Vice is distracted by Iguana getting laid out, and she
eventually ate a running knee from Dame. Dame then scores a
pin. Vice got a near fall in he match where Vance stopped
the referee from counting.
In winning, Dame scores a pin on the reigning women’s champ.
The Culling also have a win over the mixed tag champs. That
would seem to set up a mixed title match, but the outcome
here seems to focus on Dame challenging for the singles
title.
Match result: Izzi Dame & Niko Vance defeated Lola Vice &
Mr. Iguana when Dame pinned Vice.
— Tavion Heights rants to North American Champion Myles
Borne over Heights’ match tonight getting canceled. In walks
Robert Stone, who says he kicked Kam Hendrix out of the
venus. Stone also says D’Aneglo is good to go, and the match
with Heights is on for later tonight in the main event slot.
Zaria enters the scene to confront Stone. He informs her
that she is booked in a tag match next with Zaria teaming
with Nikkia Lyons against Lizzy Rain and Tatum Paxley. Zaria
is upset as she is done with tag team wrestling. Stone says
if she wants a singles title match, she must get through the
tag match.
— Nattie Neidhart in a cameo appearance tells Jaida Parker
she has gotten soft. This came after a frustrated Parker was
wrecking the locker room.
DarkState (Cutler James & Osiris Griffin with Dion Lennox &
Saquon Shugars) vs. Hank Walker & Tank Ledger
—
The match goes through a commercial break. Before the break,
the dissension continues in Darkstate. Dion Lennox and
Saquon Shugars must be separated at ringside after Shugars
stops Lennox from using a metal folding chair. This plays on
a similar spot from a previous episode. Lennox rages over
Shugars blockmh a chair shot. Nevertheless, Darkstate is
again in control as the match returns from commercial break.
They did several spots where teammates broke up a pinning
attempt. Hot tag led to Hank & Tank running wild. They are
cut off and Darkstate takes control again Darkstate catch
Tank on a dive and slam him on Hank. Double-team powerbomb
finisher by Darkstate, and James pins Hank.
Match result: Cutler James & Osiris Griffin defeated Hank
Walker & Tank Ledger when James pinned Walker.
— Kelani Jordan has words with Lola Vice in a backstage
skit. Kendal Grey takes up for Vice, but Vice scoffs at
needing help. Jordan scoffs at Grey. Scoffs all around.
— Emily Agard is on assignment as a reporter looking to
interview Keanu Carver. He does not want to speak on camera,
so Agard gets the camera put down — but it still records the
interaction. This was odd, but did its job in trying to get
Carver over.
NXT Champion Tony D’Angelo vs. Tavion Heights in a title
match
—
Good match, but the studio audience seemingly never bought
the title being in jeopardy. Cheap finish did not help. Runs
in both during the match and afterwards. This was overbooked
like much of the show.
Lots of great offense by Heights, especially his variations
of a suplex. They traded near falls, and the work itself was
really good.
Spear by D’Angelo as they go home. Heights counters
D’Angelo’s finisher before a sudden run in by Kam Hendrix,
who was supposedly kicked out of the building earlier on by
Robert Stone.
Heights thwarts the run-in, and Myles Borne runs down to the
ring to do a flip dive out of the ring — in street clothes
no less. Borne brawls Hendrix. Meanwhile, D’Angelo with his
chokeslam finisher before pinning Heights. And still…
Match result: NXT Champion Tony D’Angelo defeated Tavion
Heights to retain his title.
In a post-match angle, Mason Rook (Will Kroos) runs in to
ambush D’Angelo. Rook lays out D’Angelo before identifying
himself as the show goes off air.