411’S WWE NXT Report 8.1.12

Have any of you heard the rumblings of an NXT Champion being crowned soon? I usually don’t look at the results of the NXT tapings because I like the element of surprise, but a supposed photo of the belt got me interested. Of course, after tonight, we understand that the title is actually the second one pictured.

Yes, that gold plated thing that looks more akin to a trinket you’d win at a fair is the championship…Such a shame, right? Well, let’s get on with the best show WWE has to offer!!

SO. Fucking. Cute!

What better way to start the show than with Dusty Rhodes? He talks about championships and being a championship. He speaks on the need for one on NXT, and lets us know that the first ever NXT Champ will be crowned. There will be a Gold Rush Tournament with eight people in it. Richie Steamboat, Bo Dallas, Leo Kruger, Seth Rollins, Michael McGillicutty, Drew McIntyre, Jinder Mahal and Justin Gabriel. He also has more exciting news, that tournament begins…right now!

Gold Rush Tournament Qualifying Match
Richie Steamboat vs. Leo Kruger
Go behind from Richie into a roll up for 1. He trips up Kruger and covers again for a no count. Both men up, lock up. Richie backs Kruger into the corner, the ref breaks the hold and Kruger slaps Steamboat hard. Kruger notices the anger and runs outside the ring, around it and back in, only to run back around it again and inside. Axe handle to the back of Steamboat. A forearm to the back, and a whip into a sleeper attempt. Richie breaks it though, and we got a stalemate. Steamboat with a chop, another, and once again Kruger heads to the outside. Kruger rolls up, Steamboat tries to grab, and Kruger drops down again. He gets a top the apron, and Steamboat attacks the moment he gets in with some hard forearms to the back. Steamboat tosses Kruger to the turnbuckle head first then hits a chop. Same thing in the adjacent corner. Whip to the opposite. He is about to attack, but the ref stops him as Kruger feins a knee injury. Of course, it’s fraudulent, and he hits a back elbow on Steamboat. One more right, then he works the upper back with his forearm. A kick to the side of Steamboat. Kruger gloats, then goes for a suplex. He hits a nice snap one, then poses again. He hits the ropes and drops a fist to the forehead of Richie. Pin for 2.

Cravat from Kruger, and the crowd helps Steamboat to his feet. Shortlived as Kruger hits a snapmare then locks the chin and head, applying pressure to the head. Steamboat is up, turns into it, then hits some chops. A whip is reversed by Kruger and he hits a spinebuster into a pin for 1…2…NO!!! Kruger is calling for the end. He locks in the Sleeper, but Steamboat snapmares Kruger out of it, only for Kruger to attack with rights. Kruger is up and he sends Steamboat into the corner. Gut shot, and a whip to the corner. Steamboat goes for a kick, deflected, but the second one is not! Kick to the head! Chop from Richie! Another! One more! Right to the head, another chop, but it’s stopped by a knee from Kruger. Kruger hits the ropes, and runs into a clothesline, one more. He sends Kruger up and over. Steamboat calls for the end, now. He runs with a flying back elbow into the corner, and heads up top. He flies off with a dropkick to the face of Kruger. Pin for 1…2…NO!!! Kruger reverses a clothesline into a sleeper, and Steamboat is flailing. He’s fading away. Dropped to his knees. He digs deep, it appears, reaching up. Steamboat is back up and falls forwards towards the ropes. Kruger is bothered. Hits to the back, some knees follow. Whip to the ropes, but Steamboat comes back with a Pay Dirt and a pin for 1….2…3!!!
Winner: Richie Steamboat
Impressive match from both guys, particularly Leo Kruger, who played his character to a T and did numerous little things in that ring to make him stand out. Kudos to both.

Match 2: Big E. Langston vs. Adam Mercer
Langston has a hairline that’s higher than most my friends on a Friday night. He’s intense, though. Let’s see how he fares in the ring. Lock up to start. Langston hits some knees to the gut, sending Mercer up like a plastic bag in the wind. He lifts him and starts hitting some backbreakers like nothing. Big E. sends Mercer to the corner with his hand, and dives in some shoulder blocks, then hits a final one that sends Mercer to the mat. Big E lifts up Mercy, and Mercer hits a jawbreaker, he hits another. E no sells it, then hits a hard right into the gut, followed by a wall of a standing splash. He takes his straps down, then lifts Mercer up and hits an interesting power move, followed by a pin for 1…2…3!!!
Winner: Big E. Langston

The dude is an imposing figure, and Mercer did a lot to make him look extremely powerful.

We come back mid entrance of Audrey Marie who’s got a hell of a rack. She also shares the name of a former murderer. She’s FCW grown, so not much news on her. She’s going to be taking on Raquel Diaz, who comes out annoying as fuck, which makes sense because she’s supposed to be annoying. She shares Vickie’s laugh, if that helps you picture it.

Match 3: Raquel Diaz vs. Audrey Marie
Lockup into a side headlock from Audrey. Raquel tries to spin out of it, but can’t. She pulls the hair of Audrey, so Audrey releases, twerks the arm, and locks in the side headlock again. Raquel with a foot stomp, then she lifts Audrey and drops her on the ropes. Pin for 1 by Raquel. She locks in a half nelson/chin lock from behind, onto Audrey, then slams her face down and pins for 2. Raquel scrapes Audrey’s face with her boots, then pulls the hair. Audrey goes for a run, but Diaz hits a drop toe hold then hops atop Audrey’s bak and pushes her face in the mat. Jackknife cover by Audrey, but Raquel bridges out of it! Raquel goes for a backslide, but Audrey runs up the corner and flips over, only for Diaz to slap the ass of Audrey. She sets up the Gory Bomb. Hits it. Pin for 1…2….3!!!
Winner: Raquel

Eh, that was kinda sloppy, and I blame both ladies.

Afterwards, Raquel grabs some lipstick and draws a large L on Audrey’s forehead.

Backstage, Paige is watching what just transpired with Briley and she doesn’t look too happy about it. Briley wants to know her thoughts. She says nothing important, but I’m interested in the match.

Match 4: Hunico and Camacho vs. Jason Jordan and Mike Dalton aka Jobberooskies
Hunico and Jordan to start. Lock up into a go bhind from Jason, but Junico quickly grabs the ropes. Regal brings up why Camacho and Hunico are friends, as he does…every week. Another lockup but Jordan with a fireman’s carry take down into a belly to back, ending in a front face headlock. Wow. Impressive. Tag to Dalton, who pins Hunico for 1. Hunico with a chop then sends Dalton to the ropes. Mike holds the ropes but Camacho distracts and Hunico takes the upperhand, then pins for 2. Tag to Camacho, and Camacho stomps Mike in the corner. Tag to Hunico who flies over and kicks the mid section of Dalton. Hunico cuts the ring in half then drops a boot to the gace of Mike. Dalton with some rights from the ground, and an uppercut, but Hunico hits a high kick and a whip. Dalton with a roll up out of nowhere for 2. Hunico sends Mike to the corner, then tags in Camacho. Camacho is in with a double underhook suplex and a pin for 1…2…NO! Right hands to the head of Dalton then a headlock and a tag to Hunico. Double arm drag – nope, it’s a body slam. Pin from Hunico for 1…2..Jordan breaks the pin up. The ref goes to stop him, so Camacho and Hunico stomp Dalton a couple of times. Hunico tags in Camacho. Camacho lumbers in and we get a tos from Hunico into a powerbomb attempt, but Dalton rolls up Camacho as Jordan holds onto Hunico. The ref counts. 1…2…3. No. Way.
Winner: The Jobberooskies!

Well I’ll be damned. Interesting choice and I’m curious to see where this is going. Jordan was impressiv in his one minute that he was involved.

This is a rematch from…last week, I think. They’re being given a full 14 minutes according to the youtube timer, so let’s see what they can do. Last week, I felt they were trying to force the whole “This is a good match” feel. I can only hope they change it up a bit this week.

Match 5: Seth Rollins vs. Drew McIntyre
Lockup, and Seth ducks under. Seth shoots the leg and Drew just pummels on his back. He lifts up Seth, Seth floats over and starts in with the kicks and right hands. Drew heads to the ropes then hits a right of his on. Stomp atop the head from Drew. Euro uppercut followed by a headbutt. Drew sends Seth to the ropes, and Seth hits a dropkick to the knees. He hits the rope, rolls over, leap frogs over. Head scissors takeover from Seth. He hits the ropes again, and we get a dropkick. Nicely done. Drew rolls out of the ring. Seth was about to dive, so Drew drops down on the mat outside and rolls under the ring. Seth goes to follow, so Drew pulls the arm, sending Seth arm first into the apron. Drew slams the arm of Seth into the stairs, then sends Seth into the ring. Drew locks the arm up on the ropes until the 4 count. Drew tosses Seth by the arm, then stomps it. Drew lifts Seth up and locks the arm behind Seth then hits a back suplex on the arm. Pin for 1..2…NO! Drew with a key lock on top the laid out Seth

We get a break and return with Drew knocking Seth on his ass and pinning for 1. Drew sends Seth into the corner as Jim Ross calls this a Gut Check. haha. Drew stomps Seth then lifts hum up and goes for a right hand. Seth blocks and hits a couple rights of his own, but Drew kicks and slams the arm to the mat. Pin for 1…2..NO! Seth rolls out on the apron, so Drew follows and drops a forearm to the chest of Seth. He grabs the left arm and slams it against the apron of the ring then sends Seth back in the middle of the ring. Drew will not let up, he hits a right hand to the head. Seth tries to fight back, but Drew kicks and hits another right. Seth heads to the corner, and Drew hits a right to the face. Drew with another right, as Seth falls down face first. Drew whips Seth into a clothe-no, Seth flips out of it! He hits the ropes and Drew is about to lift him up and over, but Seth hits a DDT instead! Nicely done! Drew blocks a right, ducks another, but gets hit with a chop. Seth with some kicks to the legs, then a spinning kick to the gut of Drew. Seth sends Drew to the middle, but Drew stops, only for Seth to hit a kick to the head of Drew! Drew is on the ropes and Seth clotheslines him over, then hits the ropes and flies out with a suicide dive!! Both are back in the ring, and Seth is stomping around like a mad man. He flies into the corner with a hard clothesline, then hits the ropes only for Drew to clothesline the hell out of him! Pin for 1…2..NO!! Drew sets Seth up in thecorner and hits some headbutts. He whips Seth to the corner then goes for a move, only to eat the elbow of Seth. Seth goes up top, flies….right into a back breaker from Drew and a pin for 1…2….NO!

Drew is tired of this shit and foes for his finisher, but Seth turns out of it. Drew sends Seth into the corner and tries for it again, but Seth locks the ropes with his legs. Drew sends Seth up to the top rope, back first. Drew is looking to end it, but Seth hits some elbows, sending Drew to the mat. Seth with a hell of a freakin flip off the top rope, and he lands on his feet! Drew goes for a big boot, but Seth moves and Drew gets crotched! Drew in the middle of the ring, Seth hits the ropes….He hits his finisher, stepping on Drew’s head like there’s a curb underneath and pins!! 1…2….3!!!
Winner: Seth Rollins
That was leaps and bounds better than their match last week. They did not let up on each other. Bell to bell action, and a great showing from both guys. Great main event.

End Show

Tony Acero
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