411’s WWE NXT Report 05.23.13

From Full Sail University in Winter Park, Florida

Commentators: Tony Dawson & William Regal

Championship’s roll call: WWE Champion: John Cena… World Champion: Dolph Ziggler… Intercontinental Champion: Wade Barrett… United States Champion: Dean Ambrose… Tag Team Champions: The Shield… NXT Champion: Big E Langston… NXT Tag Team Champions: The Wyatt Family… Diva’s Champion: Kaitlyn

Sami Zayn vs. Curt Hawkins:   Olé! I haven’t seen Hawkins since his teak with Tyler Reks. Wow, did I ever misspell Zayn’s name last week. Hawkins cut his hair too. The fans are already singing “olé” at Zayn. Hawkins tries to pound in the corner but Zayn recovers sending Curt to the floor. Zayn applies a chinlock but Hawkins hits a shoulderblock; Sami comes back with some release armdrags. He chops in the corner and mount punches ten times in the corner. Sadly the fans don’t count in Spanish. Hawkins comes back with a wicked enziguri right to Zayn’s face. Hawkins takes back over and stomps Zayn down; he goes to a chinlock. Sami flings himself free and avoids a corner charge. Zayn comes back with clotheslines and a back suplex. He hits a nice dropkick to counter a backdrop, for two. He goes for a slam but it’s countered; Curt hits his own slam. He tries a piledriver but Zayn counters and hits a springboard tornado DDT to put Hawkins away.   4/10 Decent match for Zayn’s debut in the WWE. I like that finisher and Hawkins sold it perfectly. I like Zayn and saw him a bunch of times in ROH he always had good matches.

Here is your winner… Sami Zayn via springboard tornado DDT pinfall

Yoshi Tatsu vs. Antonio Cesaro:   Cesaro is in his new garb (beret and shades) and not the US champion here. Cesaro powers Tatsu into the corner and hits some forearms; he misses a shoulderblock in the corner and Tatsu comes back with a crossbody block and a kick to the face… but runs right into Swiss Death though and gets Neutralized and pinned. Post-match, he has something important to say. He cuts the same promo he did on Raw a few weeks ago saying no one can hold a candle to him in the ring. Sami Zayn comes out and interrupts and this is the first time they have had a conversation where they both speak English. Then they begin to argue in French. Zayn come in and we have an impromptu match?

Here is your winner… Antonio Cesaro via Neutralizer pinfall

Sami Zayn vs. Antonio Cesaro:   This is a rather quick turnaround. Cesaro gets a fireman’s carry takedown to open. He works an armbar so Sami tries to Owen his way free but Cesaro uses the trunks to keep him down. They go through a series of holds on the mat until Zayn busts out the Blue Blazer Armdrag sending Cesaro to the floor. Back from commercial with Zayn controlling with an armbar; Cesaro comes right back and hotshots him across the top rope to take over. The commentators say both Zayn and Cesaro “traveled similar roads to get here in the WWE.” They stop short of saying “Ring of Honor” though. Cesaro hammer-tosses Zayn into the buckles a few times and gets two. Cesaro goes for a chinlock. Sami tries a snap-sunset flip but Cesaro powers free and hits a double stomp. Cesaro hits a nasty short clothesline and reapplies a chinlock. Zayn fights free and hits a heel kick; he gets an O’Connor Roll but gets two. Zayn goes up top and… gets caught in a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker out of midair, which gets two; the running European uppercut scores for two more. Antonio shouts at the crowd as he is infirm control. Cesaro powers Zayn up into a suplex but Sami slips free and schoolboys him for three! What an upset! Post-match, Cesaro beats up Zayn from behind and plants him with the Neutralizer to keep his heat.   6/10 Not as good as these two could go but the win is huge for Zayn beating two former champions in one evening for his debut no less.

Here is your winner… Sami Zayn via schoolboy pinfall

Renee Young is about to interview Audrey Marie but Emma wanders in thinking that it is her promo time. Emma keeps getting her name wrong and then dances. Marie gets annoyed with her and threatens her. Emma leaves but pokes Marie in the eye as she dances away.

Mason Ryan vs. Enzo Amore:   Amore’s gimmick is a Jersey Shore Italian character; he cuts a promo on the crowd calling himself a situation. They lock up and Ryan launches Enzo across the ring; he hits a nasty short clothesline and Snake Eyes. He kills him with a clothesline. A Torture Rack neckbreaker ends the squash.   1.5/10 Quick squash for Ryan.

Here is your winner… Mason Ryan via Torture Rack neckbreaker pinfall

Corey Graves vs. Bray Wyatt (w/The Family):   I guess Graves is a babyface now. Wyatt has his mask on to protect his broker nose. Wyatt backs Graves into the corner but he escapes so Wyatt laughs at him. Another lock up and Graves backs Wyatt into the corner and laughs at him. Bray charges right into a drop-toehold and front facelock. Wyatt counters with a suplex but Graves tenaciously hold onto the facelock. Bray finally powers free but gets hit with a dropkick. Wyatt retreats to the floor and removes his mask in frustration. He puts it back on and reenters. Wyatt hits a few punches but Graves gets a figure-four head scissors in the ropes. Wyatt comes back with a running crossbody as we head to break. We return with Wyatt holding a chinlock. He misses a charge and tumbles to the floor; Craves tries to take advantage but Wyatt sends him into the steps. Bray beats him on the floor and gets two back in the ring. Back to the chinlock; Graves eventually breaks free but falls to the charging splash in the corner. He counters Sister Abigail with a schoolboy but gets only two. Graves mounts the comeback and gets a crossbody; Wyatt loses the mask again and Graves sizes the opportunity punching in the face. He hits a knee to the nose and a clothesline in the corner. He submarines the knee and tries for the Lucky Thirteen. The Family interferes but Graves manages to get it anyway. Rowan distracts the referee allowing Harper to break the hold with an elbow. Sister Abigail finishes clean. Post-match, Kassius Ohno comes to Graves’ aid and attacks Wyatt. The Family quickly overwhelms him as well and both guys are down. Sister Abigail to Ohno as well.   5.5/10 Good match but Wyatt continues to win; I feel he is on track to become the next NXT champ. Odd that the people who he is beating up were heels until they came into contact with the Family.

Here is your winner… Bray Wyatt via Sister Abigail pinfall

OVERALL 6.5/10   The Sami Zayn show opening and the main event bookend a good show this week. They snuck in a Mason Ryan squash but the show didn’t suffer too much from it.

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