Csonka’s NXT Review 5.22.19

Csonka’s NXT Review 5.22.19

OFFICIAL RESULTS
– Mansoor defeated Sean Maluta @ 2:50 via pin [NR]
– Candice Lerae defeated Reina Gonzalez @ 3:15 via pin [*½]
– Kyle O’Reilly & Bobby Fish defeated Matt Riddle & Johnny Gargano @ 13:30 via pin [***½]

---

– Follow all of my reviews at this link.

– We get highlights from last week, which led to the Viking War Raiders Machine Experience relinquishing the NXT Tag Team Titles. William Regal announces that at Takeover, the Street Profits, the Forgotten Sons. Lorcan & Burch, and Fish & O’Reilly will compete in a ladder match for the vacated titles.

The Undisputed Era Speak: Undisputed Era kick off the show this week, arriving as a unified force. Cole says they aren’t going anywhere and stronger than ever. They own NXT and the entire roster, and will take what they want when they want. At Takeover, they will win the NXT & Tag Titles. Johnny Gargano now arrives and Mr. Wrestling has an issue with this proclamation. He accepts the match, but says that Cole can’t beat him on his own. Cole says that he beat him in NYC in the first fall. Gargano then reminds him that he won the next two, mocking Cole for not shocking the math system. This pisses Cole off, but knows it eats at Gargano that he pinned him. Riddle arrives and attacks Undisputed and Gargano joins in. They clear the ring and stand tall. This sets up Kyle O’Reilly & Bobby Fish vs. Matt Riddle & Johnny Gargano for later tonight.

Mansoor vs. Sean Maluta: They lockup and work into counters, with Maluta grounding the action. Mansoor counters out and follows with a RANA and dropkick. Maluta fires back with kicks, and the Samoan drop. The running boot connects, and Maluta flies in with a code breaker for 2. He grounds things, but Mansoor fires back with strikes and a German. He follows with a slingshot neck breaker, and hits an inverted suplex for the win. Mansoor defeated Sean Maluta @ 2:50 via pin [NR] This was short and sweet, with Mansoor picking up the win. Solid stuff overall.

– Undisputed argues with Regal, and Regal announces Riddle vs. Strong for Takeover and Kyle O’Reilly & Bobby Fish vs. Matt Riddle & Johnny Gargano for later tonight.

– Velveteen Dream arrives and is here for the experience. People want to feel him, touch him, and hold him but you can’t. Look everyone… it’s TYLER! Tyler Breeze arrives, making his official NXT return. Dream doesn’t look impressed, but the crowd is happy to see Breeze. He says Prince Pretty is home, and says when he was in NXT, everyone talked about him. But when the fashion left NXT, it became dull, filled with impersonators & knockoffs. It’s flattening, but there is only one Prince Pretty. Dream welcomes Breeze to HIS NXT, where they want a real man like Dream, and not a boy. Just because you couldn’t cut it on Monday &Tuesday doesn’t mean you can come back and demand things. Breeze says he was uninspired, but Dream inspires him, and so does his championship. An inspired Breeze is too much for Dream to handle. Dream calls him a dollar store detective and mocks him for sitting in catering. Dream offers to let him take a selfie, and Breeze accepts… and then attacks him. Good stuff, I love Breeze being back in NXT.

– Breeze comments on his return and says he just wanted to introduce himself.

Candice Lerae vs. Reina Gonzalez: Gonzalez overpowers to begin, bullying Candice around and hitting a slam for 2. Gonzalez grounds things, but Candice fires back and attacks the arm and dumps her to the floor. Gonzalez catches the high cross, but Candice sends her to the steps. Back in and Candice hits a RANA and follows with strikes. The missile dropkick follows, and the lionsault finishes it. Candice Lerae defeated Reina Gonzalez @ 3:15 via pin [*½] This was a nice win for Candice, but Gonzalez is still really clunky and far from smooth.

– Post match: Shayna Baszler, Jessamyn Duke, and Marina Shafir attack LeRae. Io Shirai and her kendo stick make the save. Io beats the shit out of Shayna & pals to stand tall. I love Io so much.

– Breeze vs. Dream is official for Takeover.

– Next week: Mia Yim vs. Bianca Belair & KUSHIDA vs. Drew Gulak.

Kyle O’Reilly & Bobby Fish vs. Matt Riddle & Johnny Gargano: Gargano & O’Reilly begin. They lock up and Gargano starts working the arm, grounding things. O’Reilly escapes, pulls guard and locks on a triangle but Gargano counters into Gargano escape. O’Reilly escapes, tags in Fish and he grounds things. Riddle takes down O’Reilly until Fish attacks him. Gargano follows with a superkick, and tags in Riddle. He follows with strikes, and then corner kicks. Running forearms and the XPLODER follows. He dumps O’Reilly and Fish follows with strikes, but Riddle cuts him off with rolling gut wrench suplexes on Fish &then O’Reilly until his ribs cause him issues, allowing Fish to attack. O’Reilly attacks the midsection with strikes and then kicks. O’Reilly & Fish work quick tags and double teams, covering for 2. Fish continues to focus on the ribs, and follows with a senton atomico for 2. He lays in knee strikes, tags in O’Reilly and he grounds Riddle. Riddle escapes, fires back as they trade, and Riddle hits the ripcord knee. Wholesale changes to Fish & Gargano, and Gargano runs wild, and the tornado DDT gets 2. O’Reilly blind tags in and chasing the dragon connects for 2. It breaks down as Riddle & O’Reilly trade Germans and strikes. They isolate Fish with double teams and Riddle hits the floating bro for 2 as O’Reilly makes the save. Gargano & Riddle hit a lawn dart/knee strike combo. Riddle is in control until Cole arrives. Gargano hits him with a suicide dive but Roddy attacks Riddle and slams him off the apron. Total elimination finishes it. Kyle O’Reilly & Bobby Fish defeated Matt Riddle & Johnny Gargano @ 13:30 via pin [***½] This was a very good and tremendously fun main event that helped add to the build to Takeover. Fish & O’Reilly are so damn good as a team and worked well with their opponents. This was a blast.

– Post match, Undisputed leaves Gargano & Riddle laid out.

– End Scene.

– Thanks for reading.

The 411 on Wrestling Podcast returns to the 411 Podcasting Network for episode 21. On the show, the good brother, Jeremy Lambert, joins 411’s Larry Csonka; the guys will break down the WWE Money in the Bank PPV, and then a full preview of the AEW Double or Nothing PPV, discussing the loss of Page vs. PAC, possible surprises, and possible VISA issues looming. The show is approximately 125–minutes long.

* Intro
* WWE MITB Review: 3:30
* AEW Double or Nothing Preview: 44:00

You can subscribe and listen to the 411 on Wrestling Podcast via the above player on Transistor, or on the following platforms:

* iTunes
* Spotify
* Stitcher
* Google Play

7.5

The final score: review Good

The 411

Outside of the main event, this week’s NXT wasn’t much to write home about inside the ring. But I found it a good and strong show as the build to Takeover really felt locked in with the card being filled out and almost everything on the show designed to sell that show.