411’s WWE NXT Report 5.25.16

It’s time for another NXT Report!

The broadcast opens with William Regal in his office. His original plan was to have Bayley face Asuka at TakeOver. However, Bayley is injured after last week’s match with Nia Jax. Tonight’s main event will now see Alexa Bliss, Carmella and Nia wrestle in a Triple Threat match to determine a number one contender.

There’s also a new weekly intro video. Same song, but different clips and no names anymore.

Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa vs. TM61

TM61 is The Mighty Don’t Kneel for those unaware. Commentary hypes Gargano and Ciampa as part of the Cruiserweight Classic. TM61 get an insert promo saying that they’ve made a name for themselves around the world. They call themselves the mighty and the mighty…don’t kneel. Ciampa starts with Nick Miller and they grapple, with neither guy getting an upper hand. Miller wins out with a shoulder block and both guys tag out. Gargano against Shane Thorn or Thorne now. Gargano escapes a wristlock twice, applying his own only for Thorn to backflip out and take him over with a snapmare followed by a dropkick. Miller enters and stomps on Gargano. TM61 work a double team where Miller hits an atomic drop and Thorn comes in with what I believe was a big running elbow. I missed part of it. Ciampa and Miller end up having a hard chop exchange. TM61 do a double team move where one hits a moonsault and the other does a fist drop. Gargano and Ciampa regroup outside and Thorn threatens a dive outside but fakes them out as we head to commercial. Returning, Thorn has Ciampa in a headlock. Ciampa fights out with a vicious elbow. Shane runs into another and then Gargano is tagged and comes in with a slingshot spear. Gargano applies an interesting submission that I can’t put my finger on. I feel like I know the name, I just can’t remember it. Shane reaches the ropes to break it. Ciampa enters and works a chinlock. Shane fights out but eats a big boot. He gets his feet up on a charging Ciampa. Ciampa knocks Miller off the apron but turns around into a dropkick. Miller is back up and gets the tag. He backs Gargano off the apron and when he comes back in, sends Ciampa into him. He takes both down with a double clothesline. Shane catches a Ciampa sunset flip before tagging Shane. He flips him off his shoulders into a neckbreaker from his teammate. Gargano breaks up the near fall before taking out Miller with a superkick and suicide dive. Ciampa and Shane are left as the legal men. Ciampa ducks two shots from him and hits a vicious open handed strike. His corner running knee takes him over onto the apron. Tag to Gargano and they win with the superkick/running knee strike sandwich combo.

Winners: Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa in 10:10

A very impressive debut for TM61. They looked all kinds of awesome so far, while Gargnao and Ciampa continued to impress. Sometimes just giving two teams ten minutes to do their thing works and it did so here. TM61 are a welcome addition to a vastly improved tag team division. ***1/2

After the match, Gargano and Ciampa show respect to TM61.

We are taken to a video package hyping Samoa Joe and his rise to the top of NXT. We also hear Joe talk about the Steel Cage match, saying that Finn will be trapped inside with him and no one can help him.

Cathy Kelley interviews Bayley about not being cleared to wrestle. Bayley says that it sucks and it’s the last thing that she wanted. She does agree with Regal’s choice since she’s not 100% and she needs to be against Asuka. Nia Jax shows up and laughs, saying that she broke Bayley last week. She says that Bayley will never be the same again. Carmella comes up to back up Bayley. Nia says that she will run through Carmella and that little blonde Alexa. Alexa shows up but Nia says she’s not worth it and leaves. Alexa and Carmella get in each other’s faces before Alexa leaves.

A vignette airs of a masked man watching black and white lucha libre. He removes the mask and looks at it but we never see his face. Andrade “Cien” Almas is coming soon. OH SHIT! LA SOMBRA!

Austin Aries makes his way to the ring for what seems to be a promo. He says that the “best” is a very overused phrase. He says that you can only be the best until someone better comes along, which is why he prefers to be great. Aries says that he has made a name for himself for over ten years, made NXT better and has done things to be great. However, timing is everything and as he debuted, someone else was there to take all of the hype and attention. The fans chant “Nakamura”. Aries says that he is coming for the NXT Title regardless of who wins at TakeOver: Revenge. He gets interrupted by the always excellent entrance of Shinsuke Nakamura. Nakamurs grabs a microphone and says some things in Japanese before apologizing and asking if Aries understands Japanese. Aries says he doesn’t understand Shinsuke, who agrees that he doesn’t either. He does say that the NXT Title is coming to the King of “Strong Style” Out comes William Regal, who commends them on their impact on NXT so far. He decides that on June 8th at TakeOver: Revenge, Aries goes one on one with Nakamura. The crowd pretty much orgasms at that news.

American Alpha get interviewed about their upcoming TakeOver match against the Revival. They admit that they are their toughest opponents. However, there are no two better guys in the wrestling ring together than them. According to American Alpha, it doesn’t matter where or when, they will be ready, willing (so sick) and Gable.

No Way Jose vs. Jonathan Oregon?

I’m not sure on the jobber’s name but his beard causes Corey Graves to call him an Abraham Lincoln enthusiast. Jose dances, even as he applies a headlock. Jose shoulder blocks him down and dances some more. Jose jumps over him a bit before hitting a snapmare. Jose hoists him up and does the airplane spin. Jose fires off some right hands, catches a kick and delivers some Polish hammers. A facebuster and dancing follows before he gets the win with a fastball punch and full nelson slam.

Winner: No Way Jose in 3:20

Fine for what it was.

Jose goes to the commentary ooth and tries to get Tom Phillips to dance with him. Phillips has no rhythm so they get Corey Graves to reluctantly join in. It’s all good fun.

Now we’re taken to a Finn Balor video that is similar to the Samoa Joe we saw earlier.

Cathy Kelley interviews Asuka about the upcoming number one contender’s match. Asuka says she has no preference because no matter who wins she will defeat them.

NEXT WEEK ~ Corey Graves hosts a face to face interview between Finn Balor and Samoa Joe. Also, Austin Aries takes on Elias Samson.

Number One Contender’s Match: Alexa Bliss vs. Carmella vs. Nia Jax

Right off the bat, Carmella and Alexa look like they’ll form an alliance against their bigger opponent. Alexa rolls out of the ring though, leaving Carmella to get lifted and placed on the top. Nia shoves her a it but Carmella kicks her off and tries a sunset flip. She fails but avoids a stomp from Nia. Alexa almost gets involved but thinks better of it when Nia sees her. After a break, Carmella tries a rana but Nia holds on only to still get sent into the corner. Alexa capitalizes and goes right after Carmella, rolling her up with a handful of tights. She smashes Carmella’s face into the mat and stomps on it. They keep Nia outside and Alexa nails a body slam, followed by the smallest vader bomb ever. Alexa grabs Carmella by the throat and slams her down before hitting the backflip knee drop. Nia tries to break the pin but Bliss moves and Carmella eats an elbow. Alexa drops knees on Nia now. She hits the Sparkle Splash but Carmella breaks the pin. Alexa and Carmella try a double suplex on Nia but she counters with her own. Nia charges but her momentum takes her outside as Carmella and Alexa avoid her. Carmella kicks Alexa out and tries a suicide dive on Nia but gets caught. Alexa kicks her to break it and talks trash but gets knocked off the apron by Carmella. This time, Carmella’s dive takes out Jax. She celebrates too long and Bliss gets her. inside, Carmella lays into her and hits an arm drag. With Alexa in the corner, it’s time for the moonwalk and single bronco buster. She awkwardly applies her submission finisher but Nia enters and pulls Alexa to safety. She headbutts Carmella and tries a slam but Carmella slips behind her into a sleeper. Nia gets to the ropes so Carmella tries another bronco buster. Nia catches her and drops her, followed by the leg drop.

Winner: Nia Jax in 9:26

Solid triple threat match here. Everyone worked hard but it suffered from the tired planning of having one competitor spend too much time outside and make it a singles match too often. **3/4

Asuka’s music hits as the NXT Women’s Champion walks out onto the stage. She holds the title high and stares at Nia before smiling and choosing to walk towards the ring. They come face to face and she raises the belt right in Nia’s face. You can hear Nia say that if Asuka steps that close to her again, she’ll drop her.