Kevin’s WWE NXT Review 5.20.20

I was slammed with work stuff the other night and wasn’t able to send in my thoughts following Larry Csonka’s untimely passing. I wanted to take a quick moment to address it here. Honestly, I had no words when it happened. I literally spent the weekend recording podcasts with him and we had set up plans to do more together. It’s crazy that he’s gone. In 2014, I had gotten laid off of work around the time the WWE Network launched. That’s when I got into reviewing, mostly for my own use or for a blog with minimal views. As an avid 411mania reader, I took the chance to send in my stuff and Larry seemed to like it. He’s the man who gave me my first real chance in terms of writing. Without him, I don’t know if I would’ve kept pursuing it. Now, I’ve graduated with a Bachelor’s in Creative Writing for Entertainment and I owe a lot of that to Larry. The people who know me mostly do so because of the chance Larry gave me. He was a great man who was incredibly easy to talk to. As we began podcasting this year, I got to know him more. We’d talk for an hour or so before and after recording. I got to learn about his family and his life and it was an absolute joy. The man will be missed by the entire wrestling community. I certainly will. RIP Larry, the hardest working man in wrestling reviews.

Karrion Kross vs. Liam?

Not as much lip-synching from Scarlett this week, though she still does the FALL AND PREY gimmick. I didn’t get the jobber’s name but his tights say LIAM. Kross quickly attacks and drops him with a few Doomsday Saitos. He applies the Kross Jacket and wins via submission.

Winner: Karrion Kross in 0;49 [NR]

The celebration is cut short by the arrival of Tommaso Ciampa. He introduces himself officially. He kind of respects that Kross went after the top guy in NXT. He sees that Kross is special and says that they’ll be competing against each other at TakeOver: In Your House. Ciampa welcomes him to the main event.

Interim NXT Cruiserweight Championship Tournament:: Akira Tozawa [2-0 vs. El Hijo del Fantasma [1-1]

Whoever wins takes the block. They jockey for position in a test of strength and go to a standoff. Tozawa sends him outside with a rana and then wants a dive but Fantasma avoids it. He then awkwardly stands there as Tozawa hits a rana off the apron. Tozawa adds a somersault senton into the break. Returning, Tozawa is in control. Fantasma trips him, hits a boot, and with Tozawa draped on the apron he adds a splash. Back inside, Tozawa wants the senton but gets crouched. They fight up top where Fantasma hoists him on his shoulders and drops him chest first onto the top turnbuckle for two. Tozawa with a bulldog and he hits the senton but Fantasma rolls outside to buy time. It allows him to kickout inside. Fantasma comes back with a tope suicida and goes for the Phantom Driver. Tozawa fights off and puts on the Octopus. Fantasma fights that off and hits the Phantom Driver to win.

Winner: El Hijo del Fantasma in 11:28 [***]

LAST WEEK ~ A recap of the Thatcher/Riddle issues.

Thatcher cuts a promo in the back, saying that he left the Riddle circus. He wants a rematch with no fluke wins. You can only win via knockout or tap out. He tells Riddle to pick the place because he’s ready.

A Shotzi Blackheart vignette runs. She stands on a big tank and says that she’s just like a tank because tanks don’t give a s**t. I don’t think that makes much sense. She also says she’s our daddy, but I’m pretty sure Sonya Deville is. Shotzi runs over cars with the tank and was that’s the NXT women’s division. She calls out Dakota, Raquel, Candice, and Chelsea.

Mia Yim vs. Santana Garrett

Man, I was just talking with Larry about how we’re hoping to see Santana impress in NXT soon. She hits a nice looking handspring back elbow and adds a floatover suplex for two. Mia hits a dragon suplex and wins with Protect Ya Neck.

Winner: Mia Yim in 1:14 [NR]

Johnny Gargano and Candice LeRae show up, with Gargano mocking her theme. Candice congratulates her for winning but noted that she got another opportunity on a silver platter against Charlotte Flair and dropped the ball. Candice wouldn’t have dropped the ball and says Mia took that from her. They enter the ring and Mia kicks Johnny out but Candice attacks. Johnny pulls the middle rope down on her as Candice sends her in and she hits the floor. Johnny laughs at her but scurries when Keith Lee shows up to help Mia to her feet. They enter the ring and the Garganos run for the hills.

LAST WEEK ~ Damian Priest was revealed as Finn Balor’s attacker.

Cameron Grimes cuts a promo from somewhere outside. He brags about beating Finn Balor.

Drake Maverick is interviewed about having to beat Kushida to stay alive. He puts Kushida over as the best in the world and knows that he’s no Bret Hart. He’s tired of second-guessing himself and is going to just go out and win.

Dexter Lumis vs. Roderick Strong

During the entrance of the Undisputed Era, Adam Cole says they may have a celebration next week since he’ll have been champion for a year. Roddy is quickly in trouble, not sure how to handle Lumis’ personality. He must exit and regroup multiple times. Lumis hits a bulldog and Strong exits again, so Lumis follows out and stays on him. Strong finally gets in a notable shot, heading into break. Returning, Roddy has LUmis in a submission but he shows no reaction to pain. He instead stares Roddy down until he lets go out of fear. They trade blows. Lumis shrugs off an enziguri and fires off a spinebuster. Strong comes back and wants the Strong Hold but Lumis  fights it off, so Strong turns it into a pin to steal it.

WInner: Roderick Strong in 11:24 [**1/2]

Post-match, Lumis chokes Roderick Strong out. Cole and Fish arrive and kick him to break the hold but he barely flinches. Before Cole can hit a superkick, Velveteen Dream shows up and takes him out. He superkicks Cole over the guardrail and then hits him with a Purple Rainmaker. The camera cut oddly so it was most likely not live.

During the break, Tozawa and Fantasma shared a moment of respect. The masked dudes in their car showed up and attacked Tozawa, then ran off before Fantasma could get them.

Danny Burch and Oney Lorcan vs. Ever-Rise

This barely gets going before Lorcan and Burch kick ass and win with dealing submissions.

Winners: Danny Burch and Oney Lorcan in 1:33 [NR]

Keith Lee asked for an interview time to discuss the Garganos. He now has a problem with them and he feels it reaches its boiling point at TakeOver.

Matt Riddle has a response for Timothy Thatcher. Where does he want to fight? He wants to go somewhere they’re familiar with. A cage.

Interim NXT Cruiserweight Championship Tournament: Drake Maverick vs. Kushida

Kushida keeps things slow at the start but Drake pulls out some flash pins, seemingly out of desperation. Drake drops down as Kushida runs the ropes and eats a dropkick to the side. Jake Atlas comes to ringside to watch. Kushida works the arm and nails a cartwheel dropkick for a near fall. Commercial. Returning, Drake fires up and gets two on a Code Red. He complains to the referee, opening the door for Kushida to kick his arm. Drake eats Shotei and has to valiantly fire off strikes but then Kushida just slams him. Kushida applies the Hoverboard Lock and Drake shouts but refuses to quit. He desperately yells not to stop the match as he reaches the ropes. Kushida seems concerned. Shotei again but Drake gets him on the top. However, Kushida grabs the arm again but has to break before five. Kushida counters his top rope bulldog attempt into the Hoverboard Lock again. However, Drake rolls him over into a pinning combination to secure the win.

Winner: Drake Maverick in 12:02 [***1/2]

That sets up a 3-way tie. Drake beat Kushida who beat Atlas who beat Drake and all sit at 2-1. Byron Saxton gets on the microphone to give them the news. he just received word from William Regal that next week, these three will meet to determine who makes the finals against El Hijo del Fantasma.

NEXT WEEK ~ Riddle/Thatcher in a Cage Fight.

Damian Priest speaks about having multiple targets. He chose Finn Balor because of his name value and he will beat him at the place he made his name, TakeOver. Finn’s name will become ash while his will live forever. He held out his hands as his name on the tron caught fire.

Io Shirai vs. Rhea Ripley

They go right at each other and Rhea dropkicks Io to send her to the apron. Several slams on Io’s face. She elbows free of the third and rolls into a double stomp before a break. Returning, Io uses her quickness to gain control but Rhea blocks a rana with her power. Io gets two and goes to a crossface. Rhea gets out, they fight up top and Rhea gets two on a superplex. Io slips free of her grasp and locks in another crossface, keeping Rhea on the mat. Rhea is sent outside and Io nails a tope suicida. Charlotte Flair shows up with both women down for a closer look. They fight inside and Io gets a near fall. After Io hits a huge DDT, Charlotte runs in and hits Io with a big boot.

Winner via DQ: Io Shirai in 10:58 [***1/4]

Charlotte also does a number on Rhea and poses with the title.

7.0

The final score: review Good

The 411

A very enjoyable show this week. They used their few squash matches right and featured three good matches, as well as a decent one between Roddy/Lumis. The Maverick stuff was great and I think the setup for Garganos/Lee & Yim was good. Though the main event could've had a better finish, it again furthered storylines and was entertaining.