Csonka’s NXT TV Review 2.21.18

Csonka’s NXT TV Review 2.21.18

OFFICIAL RESULTS
– The Velveteen Dream defeated No Way Jose @ 4:10 via pin [**½]
– Nikki Cross defeated Vanessa Borne @ 2:54 via pin [NR]
– NXT Title Match: Champion Andrade “Cien” Almas defeated Johnny Gargano @ 16:55 via pin [****]

---

– Follow all of my reviews at this link.

– We open with a great Almas/Gargano video package.

The Velveteen Dream vs. No Way Jose: Dream attacks with strikes right away. He dances and Jose cuts him off with a lariat. Dream hits an elbow, but a she comes off the ropes Jose cuts him off and follows with a backdrop. Jose dumps Dream to the floor, and the plancha follows. Post break, and Dream takes control with a neck breaker. Dream up top and eats boots on the way down, Jose rolls him up for 2. Jose follows with rights, and then tosses Dream across the ring. He tosses him around some more, and follows with more rights. Dream counters the pop up punch with a dropkick, and the rolling DVD follows. Dream up top and the elbow drop connects for the win. The Velveteen Dream defeated No Way Jose @ 4:10 via pin [**½] This was a perfectly solid opening match, with Jose showing good fire until Dream put him away to keep his momentum. I expect an Andre Battle Royal spot and likely post Mania call up for Jose since he’s been largely phased out in NXT.

– Dream gets promo time and says that he’s the man in NXT. No one cares about Black, Asuka, or Bate because everyone loves the Dream.

– Vega fires up Almas backstage.

– William Regal arrives and announces that the Dusty Classic is returning. It starts in two-weeks. The winners win the cup and a title shot Mania weekend.

Nikki Cross vs. Vanessa Borne: The crowd loves Nikki, who attacks right away and beats down Borne in the corner. Borne battles back, hitting a spinning side slam for 2. She lays the boots to Nikki, and chokes her out in the ropes. The snap suplex follows for 2. Borne grounds the action, slaps Nikki around, but Nikki laughs at her. Nikki fires up and attacks, hitting forearm strikes and hits a corner splash. Nikki up top and hits the high cross and finishes things with the purge for the win Nikki Cross defeated Vanessa Borne @ 2:54 via pin [NR] I am all for more Nikki Cross on my wrestling shows, and she looked good in victory. Borne has improved since the last time I saw her, which is a good thing.

– We get a clip from last week’s Black vs. Dain face-off.

– We see footage of Baszler attacking Moon last week and Sane making the save.

NXT Champion Andrade “Cien” Almas w/Zelina Vega vs. Johnny Gargano w/Candice LeRae: If Gargano loses, he is gone from NXT. Almas goes for pin attempts right away, and Gargano powders. Post break, and Almas takes control back in the ring. Gargano picks up the pace, and hits an enziguri and dropkick. He dumps Almas to the floor, and Gargano looks for a dive, but Vega stops him so Candice hits a dive on her as Gargano cannonballs onto Almas. Vega & Candice brawl to the back and it’s one on one now. Back in the ring and Almas cuts off Gargano and hits an inverted DDT on the apron. Back in and Almas covers for 2. They trade chops and Almas works the hanging arm bar in the ropes. Almas continues to work the arm of Gargano, laying the boots to him. Almas is working a good and smart heat on Gargano here. Almas starts to pummel Gargano with strikes, and hits a draping neck breaker and DDT, covering for 2. Post break, and Almas maintains control, working the arm. Knee strikes follow, but Gargano counters out and hits a rolling kick. The RANA follows and the slingshot spear gets 2. Gargano is really favoring the arm Almas has worked on. Gargano lays in strikes, hits a superkick to the knee, but Almas counters another into a buckle bomb and the double knees follows for 2. Gargano fights off the hammerlock DDT, but Almas posts him. Gargano fires back on the apron with a superkick, they trade strikes and then follows with chops. Almas fights back in and counters the slingshot spear into an arm bar. Gargano fights, looking for the ropes, Almas tries the Gargano escape, and then Gargano counters into a cradle for 2. They trade roll ups as Gargano looks for the hammerlock DDT, but Almas escapes and hits the corner knees again. Almas sets Gargano up top and follows by looking for the hanging hammerlock DDT, but Gargano fights out only for Almas to hang him in the ropes but Gargano escapes the double stomp and tosses Almas to the floor. The suicide dive DDT by Gargano follows and the slingshot DDT gets a GREAT near fall! They trade strikes from thier knees, and then to their feet. Gargano hits a superkick but Almas accidentally takes out the ref. Gargano locks on the Gargano escape! BUT THAT RAT FUCKER TOMMASO CIAMPA IS HERE AND ATACKS GARGANO WITH A CRUTCH! Almas now hits the hammerlock DDT, and retains, sending Gargano out of NXT. The ref’s delayed count was well played here, as was Mauro’s reaction. Champion Andrade “Cien” Almas defeated Johnny Gargano @ 16:55 via pin [****] As you would expect, the fourth meeting of these two was another great match. They did some nice callbacks to their previous meetings, and they continue to make it look so easy. The match was filled with a lot of believable near finishes, and had great drama. The involvement with Zelina & Candice was short-lived but made complete sense, playing into their interaction at the Takeover special and on TV recently. It was part of the story and completely served its purpose. While I tend to loathe ref bump finishes, this one not only protected Gargano from a straight loss. But also worked to ensure that Ciampa is the most hated man on the planet. This was all so great.

– Post match, Almas & Vega celebrate while Gargano gets “thank you Johnny” chants as Candice returns to console her husband.

– Ciampa returns to wave goodbye to his former friend. What an amazing asshole.

– Next week…
* Kairi Sane vs. Shayna Baszler

– End Scene.

– Thanks for reading.

“Byyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyye Felicia!”

7.0

The final score: review Good

The 411

This week’s NXT TV was another good episode, with a great main event, and the continuation of the Gargano & Ciampa program…