Csonka’s NXT Review 3.25.20

Csonka’s NXT Review 3.25.20

OFFICIAL RESULTS
– Tyler Breeze defeated Austin Theory @ 13:30 via pin [**½]
– Killian Dain defeated Tehuti Miles @ 3:20 via pin [NR]
– Cameron Grimes defeated Tony Nese @ 5:35 via pin [**¾]
– Number One Contender’s Qualifying Match: Io Shirai defeated Aliyah @ 1:20 via pin [NR]
– Danny Burch and Oney Lorcan defeated Brendan Vink and Shane Thorne @ 3:30 via submission [NR]
– Number One Contender’s Qualifying Match: Candice LeRae defeated Kayden Carter @ 4:30 via submission [**]
– Matt Riddle defeated Roderick Strong @ 11:00 via pin [***]

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– Follow all of my reviews at this link.

– Tom Phillips & Byron Saxton are on commentary.

– The previously scheduled Takeover matches will be part of NXT TV in the upcoming weeks.

Tyler Breeze vs. Austin Theory: They lockup with Theory overpowering Breeze early on, and talking some shit. Theory’s just a dick here early on, mocking Breeze and controlling until Breeze cuts him off with a dropkick. He follows with strikes, clotheslines but Theory cuts him off with a blockbuster. Theory takes control of things, talking some really mild shit, he needs to up his game there. Theory grounds Breeze, Breeze to his feet but Theory cuts him off with the rolling dropkick. Post break and Breeze battles back, hits corner strikes until Theory counters into three seconds around the world for 2. Theory dumps him and they brawl on the floor as Theory controls and back in, Breeze counters into a RANA for 2. Theory cuts him off with the buckle bomb, but roils into the supermodel kick for 2. Breeze follows with an enziguri and heads up top. Theory snatches him up into the OG last shot and that gets 2. Ground and pound from Theory follows and he lays the boots to Breeze, fucks around with his phone and Breeze counters and hits the beauty shot to finish things. Tyler Breeze defeated Austin Theory @ 13:30 via pin [**½] This was a nice and solid opening match, but for as much as I like and appreciate Breeze, this was a match that Theory really should have won. Unfortunately they will likely play the Theory was too over confident card so that he can win a rematch in the coming weeks instead of establishing momentum for him. similar to what they did with Chelsea Green.

Killian Dain vs. Tehuti Miles: Dain attacks at the bell, Miles mistakenly talks some shit and uses his speed to attack. He follows with strikes until Dain dumps him, shoots him to the steps and just beats Miles’ ass. Dain continues to control in the ring, hitting a suplex and covering for 2. Miles fires back, posts Dain and follows with strikes and a dropkick. Dain cuts him off and the senton and Vader bomb finishes it. Killian Dain defeated Tehuti Miles @ 3:20 via pin [NR] Dominance from Dain.

Cameron Grimes vs. Tony Nese: They lockup and work to the ropes. Grimes backs off and Nese quickly grounds him. Grimes counters to his feet and is grounded once again as Nese cradles him for 2. Grimes fires back with knee strikes and stuns Nese off the ropes. He now grounds Nese, but Nese fires back with chops until Grimes hits a clothesline for 2. Nese fights off a powerbomb, follows with a spin kick and strikes. He connects with a flurry of kicks and stuns Grimes over the ropes and the springboard moonsault follows for 2. Grimes counters the sunset driver and the superman punch follows. They trade and the cave in finishes things, Cameron Grimes defeated Tony Nese @ 5:35 via pin [**¾] This was a nice and solid match for Grimes to get back on track with.

Number One Contender’s Qualifying Match: Io Shirai vs. Aliyah: Xia Li was originally Aliyah’s opponent but was injured backstage, so Io returned to kill a bitch. Io hits a dropkick, follows with strikes and chokes out Aliyah. Aliyah counters back and lays the bots to Io. Io quickly cuts her off and follows with a backbreaker and finishes her with the moonsault. Io Shirai defeated Aliyah @ 1:20 via pin [NR] Glorious, Io is back!

– Keith Lee arrives and admits that he made a mistake hitting Dominik Dijakovic a few weeks ago. He thought it was him and not Damian Priest. Dijakovic comes out and says the title is all that he cares about, not an apology. Priest arrives to say that it’s a good thing neither of them is Damian Priest, because his name will live on forever. He wants the title because of the money and girls that it come with. They all brawl and Dijakovic takes them out with a springboard dive to stand tall.

– Adam Cole joins us from his vacation. Cole admits that he got rattled when Velveteen Dream confronted him, but he shouldn’t be because Dream is a loser and that’s undisputed. He also says Bobby Fish wants a piece of Dream next week.

Danny Burch and Oney Lorcan vs. Brendan Vink and Shane Thorne: Burch and Vink begin, with Vink overpowering him. Burch cuts him off until Vink hits a shoulder tackle, Thorne tags in and Burch quickly cuts him off, Lorcan tags in and Thorne tags in Vink. He takes Lorcan down and covers for 2. He grounds Lorcan and Thorne tags in and maintains control. Lorcan cuts him off, follows with a lariat and Burch tags in, runs wild on Vink and hits the missile dropkick. Double submissions follow and Thorne & Vink tap. Danny Burch and Oney Lorcan defeated Brendan Vink and Shane Thorne @ 3:30 via submission [NR] A rare and quick win for Lorcan and Burch, I approve.

Number One Contender’s Qualifying Match: Candice LeRae vs. Kayden Carter: Candice grounds things early, Kayden counters back and they pick up the pace, working into counters and cradles for near falls. Kayden counters into a sunset flip for 2. Kayden follows with the dropkick for 2. Candice counters back with elbows, the Hennig neck snap and covers for 2. Candice misses the senton, Kayden follows with clotheslines and the running kick for 2. Candice fires back, and the senton follows. The lionsault misses, but she counters into the Gargano escape for the win. Candice LeRae defeated Kayden Carter @ 4:30 via submission [**] This was a fine, short match with Candice rightfully winning.

Matt Riddle vs. Roderick Strong: Strong looks to ground things, they scramble on the mat and end in a stalemate. Riddle grounds things and Strong fights back to his feet. Riddle grounds him again, works into guard and Strong makes the ropes. Strong now grounds things and they work to the ropes. Riddle follows with a gut wrench suplex, Strong backs off and Riddle attacks the arm, knee strike by Strong and they trade chops. Riddle counters the Angle slam, but Strong cuts him off and dumps him onto the ropes. Post break and Strong grounds things with a modified camel clutch. Riddle escapes, follows with kicks and running forearms. The XPLODER follows, but Strong counters the PK into the stronghold. Riddle escapes, and the knee strike and German follows for 2. Knee by Strong and the Angle slam connects for 2. Riddle counters back and Strong cuts him off with running forearms until Riddle finishes it with Bro Derrick. Matt Riddle defeated Roderick Strong @ 11:00 via pin [***] This was good, easily the best thing on the show and worked with a nice sense of urgency as these two are very good professional wrestlers.

– Post-match, Saurav Gurjar and Rinku Singh attack Riddle. He fights back but they beat him down. We hear the voice of Malcolm Bivens who arrives and introduces himself and figured that with no Pete Dunne around, he wanted to introduce Riddle to the future of the NXT tag division. BIG FUCKING STOKE ON TV FINALLY!

– NEXT WEEK: Three matches including Velveteen Dream vs. Bobby Fish, a Second Chance Gauntlet featuring all prior losers getting another shot at the final spot in the women’s ladder match, and finally Keith Lee vs. Dominiak Dijakovic vs. Damian Priest for the North American Title.

– Disappointed NXT Dad Triple H closes the show and talks about the Gargano & Ciampa feud but Ciampa quickly cuts him off and joins him. He says everything that needs to be said has already been said, so bring that boy out here. Triple H tells him there will be no physicality tonight and brings out Johnny. He says he doesn’t want to get in a ring with that psycho. He also doesn’t think he should get fined when the PC destruction was Ciampa’s fault. Triple H makes him get in the ring and wants this to end on a big stage. Johnny says that was supposed to happen last year but he broke his neck and that his only regret is that he didn’t break it. Ciampa says this needs to end and that they don’t need a crowd or arena. Triple H asks how long Johnny needs to be ready, and he says two more weeks to heal up. Triple H agrees, adding that he’ll put a ring in an empty building and it ends there. After it’s done, they will never touch in NXT again. The odd videos that have been airing for weeks appear on the tron. It’s Killer Kross. We see his face a few times on the tron but and show ends…

The 411 on Wrestling Podcast returns to the 411 Podcasting Network for episode 100. On the show, 411’s Larry Csonka & Steve Cook take a trip back to 1998, and the start of the Steve Austin era with retro reviews of WrestleMania 14 & the following night’s Raw. Ian Hamilton then joins the show to talk the best of the wXw 16 Carat Weekend. The show is approximately 168-minutes long.

* Intro
* Retro WWE WrestleMania 14 Review: 5:00
* Retro WWE Monday Night Raw 3.30.98 Review: 42:45
* Ian Hamilton Talks wXw 16 Carat Weekend and Compares Notebook Matches With Larry: 1:31:47

* iTunes
* Spotify
* Stitcher
* Google Play

– End scene.

– Thanks for reading.

6.5

The final score: review Average

The 411

This week’s NXT was a rock solid show that may not look overly impressive on paper but I thought was a good setting up for the future style show as they change course without Takeover. They set matches for the next two weeks, continued building the established matches, and the introductions of Kross & Bivens, along with the return of Io could make for some interesting TV in the coming weeks.