Csonka’s NXT TV Review 5.16.18

Csonka’s NXT TV Review 5.16.18

OFFICIAL RESULTS
– Lacey Evans defeated Brandi Lauren @ 1:23 via pin [NR]
– Ricochet vs. The Velveteen Dream went to a no contest @ 3:45 [**]
– Kona Reeves defeated Raul Mendoza @ 3:46 via pin [*½]
– Pete Dunne, Oney Lorcan, & Danny Burch defeated The Undisputed Era @ 11:22 via pin [***½]

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Tommy Entertainment Is Here: Tommaso Tommy Entertainment Ciampa enters to Johnny Wrestling’s music. Tommy says Johnny may have won a battle but he will always win the war. He’s broken Johnny’s mind, sprit, and his body and Johnny Wrestling is gone; he wins. Candice LeRae arrives and takes the mic. Candice questions who Tommy is, she used to think she knew him, but doesn’t recognize who he’s become. Candice claims that he’s the one that’s broken as he mocks her. She’s done shedding tears for him, he’s not the man that she knew; he’s a monster. One thing she knows is that Johnny is better than him. Tommy says maybe he was better, but he’s not half the man he is. That’s why he sent his wife out and didn’t come himself. He lived with them for two-years and says Candice was always more of a man that Johnny. During the wedding, he thought the entire time, how could Candice be… she slaps him. Tommy bails. This was good, Tommy was a completely condescending asshole and using Candice to add to the personal touch and emotional part of the feud works.

Lacey Evans vs. Brandi Lauren: Lauren has worked for ROH & Impact as Ava Storie. She’s ok, but very inexperienced. Evans attacks right away, laying the boots to Lauren, and hits a slingshot elbow drop. She takes time to pose and hits a moonsault. The KO shot finishes Lauren. Lacey Evans defeated Brandi Lauren @ 1:23 via pin [NR] A fine squash for Evans to give her momentum for her feud with Kairi Sane.

– Sane attacks post match and takes her into the ring. She looks for the insane elbow, but Evans bails and escapes.

– We get a video package of last week’s confrontation between Ricochet & Velveteen Dream.

– Aleister Black was interviewed earlier tonight about Ricochet and Dream wanting title shots. He knows he’s a target, but reminds us that he already beat Dream. He’d like to see if Ricochet really is the “one and only.”

– Dakota Kai is interviewed and asked about Shayna & Nikki. She doesn’t know what to make of them, and Nikki arrives and asks when she’ll fight Shayna. Dai is scared and Nikki says with fear comes opportunity and Kai should fight.

Ricochet vs. The Velveteen Dream: They work into some basic back and forth to begin. Ricochet grounds the action, and Dream fights back and Ricochet gets a head scissors. They work back to the feet, but Ricochet grounds things, working the arm. He transitions to a side headlock, Dream escapes and they work into counters as Dream sends him to the floor. Dream teases a dive and Ricochet dropkicks him to the floor. Ricochet teases a dive and they end up posing. Dream attack and they end up in a double down. Lars Sullivan arrives and attacks, destroying both for the no contest. Ricochet vs. The Velveteen Dream went to a no contest @ 3:45 [**] This was ok and fun while it lasted, and I’m glad they didn’t give it away in full without a real build. Lars stands tall, and I am interested to see how it plays out as all three are looking for a title shot.

Kona Reeves vs. Raul Mendoza: Kona attacks the arm to begin, Mendoza fires back and Kona runs him over with a shoulder block. Kona follows with rights and then lays the boots to Mendoza. The suplex follows, and then a fist drop. The fall away elbow drop connects. Kona works the cobra clutch, but Mendoza hits a jawbreaker to escape. Mendoza tries to fire up, hits an enziguri and running forearm. Another enziguri follows but Kona cuts him off and finishes him with the Hawaiian drop. Kona Reeves defeated Raul Mendoza @ 3:46 via pin [*½] Another win for the illegitimate love child of Kazuchika Okada & John Morrison. Reeves does nothing for me right now, he may improve, but feels like a bad create a wrestler.

– Dream & Ricochet both want some of Lars Sullivan for his attack. They meet with Regal.

– Earlier today, TM61 & Heavy Machinery had an altercation. This sets up a match for next week.

Pete Dunne, Oney Lorcan, & Danny Burch vs. The Undisputed Era (Cole, Strong, O’Reilly): Roddy runs from Dunne, and we get Burch and O’Reilly to begin. Burch looks to ground things, taking early control. O’Reilly escapes and wants Burch to come into his world on the ground. O’Reilly attacks with leg kicks as Cole tags in and lays the boots to Burch. Cole continues to beat him down as O’Reilly tags back in and lays in knee strikes. Roddy tags in and hits a back breaker for 2. He mocks Dunne as he works over Burch. Burch fights him off and tags in Dunne, who kicks the shit out of Roddy. Dunne grounds things and continues to torture Roddy. It breaks down and Dunne & company do the finger break spot to clear the ring. Undisputed cuts off Dunne and they beat him down, working quick tags. It’s all Undisputed as they have Dunne grounded. O’Reilly in and is working the arm, keeping Dunne grounded. Roddy back in and he continues the assault on Dunne. Dunne slowly fights them off, and tags in Lorcan, who is a house of fire. He works over Roddy & O’Reilly, dragon suplex and the blockbuster follows. He then hits a suicide dive. Burch in and kills Roddy with a lariat. It breaks down as Dunne runs wild. Lorcan tossed intro Dunne and Burch eats a knee strike. Cole hits the ushigoroshi and the sick kick by O’Reilly gets 2. Burch dumps Cole & Roddy, and locks on the crossface on O’Reilly and Lorcan gets the half crab on Roddy. Dunne gets a hanging guillotine on Cole! They eventually run into each other and they break. Bodies fly to the floor as Cole & Dunne are out. The two tag teams brawl, O’Reilly accidentally hits Roddy and Burch and Lorcan hit a double team spike DDT for the win. Pete Dunne, Oney Lorcan, & Danny Burch defeated The Undisputed Era @ 11:22 via pin [***½] Burch picking up the win here was huge and needed. It would have been easy to give Dunne, the star, the win but they played it smartly here. This was a very good, hard-hitting match with good pacing and sense of urgency. I love that Lorcan 8 Burch are being elevated, at least for now.

– Next week…

* TM61 vs. Heavy Machinery
* Handicap Match: Lars Sullivan vs. Velveteen Dream & Ricochet

– End Scene.

– Thanks for reading.

“Byyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyye Felicia!”

6.8

The final score: review Average

The 411

This week’s episode of NXT TV felt like a nice improvement over last week’s effort. They did a nice job of continuing the Sane vs. Evans feud, as well as the Ricochet vs. The Velveteen Dream feud, as well as adding Lars in. Kona won again as they try to make him a thing and capped it off with a very good main event (continuing Undisputed vs. not so British Strong Style) and some matches made for next week. Overall, a pretty good show.