wrestling / Video Reviews
Hall’s NXT Arrival Review
Image Credit: WWE
Loading...NXT: Arrival
Date: February 27, 2014
Location: Full Sail University, Winter Park, Florida
Attendance: 400
Commentators: Tom Phillips, Byron Saxton, William Regal
So while this isn’t a Takeover, it’s pretty much a Takeover. What this really is is a dry run for a live broadcast on the newfangled WWE Network before Wrestlemania XXX in a few weeks. NXT was still something of an underground sensation but that was starting to change. The main event here will see Adrian Neville challenging Bo Dallas for the NXT Title in a ladder match. Let’s get to it.
We open with the lights out and what sounds an awful lot like the Natural Disasters theme of all things. HHH is in the ring and asks if we’re ready, because THIS IS NXT! HHH says this is the next generation and they have arrived. This really was a big deal as NXT had never had a special before so they were taking a heck of a step.
Opening sequence, complete with name graphics and the classic The Roar Of The Crowd theme.
Of note: Eden Stiles, the future Brandi Rhodes, is ring announcer.
Cesaro vs. Sami Zayn
They had a 2/3 falls match back in August which played a huge hand in putting NXT on the map so it’s time to run it back (one fall this time and their fourth match overall). The fans give this a MATCH OF THE YEAR chant, and then the bell rings. They go with the grappling to start and it’s off to a WE THE PEOPLE/SAMI ZAYN dueling chant. Some headlock takeovers don’t get Zayn anywhere as Cesaro keeps headscissoring his way out.
Back up and Zayn’s running hurricanrana is blocked but a second attempt sends Cesaro outside. That means the big running flip dive (which might have been in the weekly show’s opening sequence) can take Cesaro out again and the fans are right there with them. Back in and Zayn’s high crossbody is pulled out of the air into a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker and Cesaro takes him right back to the floor. Zayn gets rammed into the barricade and is dropped onto the apron before they head back inside.
Then Cesaro sends him right back outside (I guess he’s neutral on where to beat him up) for more drops onto the apron. Zayn gets in a posting and tries his diving DDT over the ropes, which is uppercutted out of the air for quite the reaction. Cesaro switches targets by going after Zayn’s banged up knee, which is wrapped around the post. Some leg cranking and a knee to the knee have Zayn in trouble, as does a dragon screw legwhip.
Zayn finally kicks his way out so Cesaro stomps him right back down. Another dragon screw legwhip has Zayn in trouble and we hit the half crab. Zayn dives over to the rope for the break and Cesaro is getting frustrated at not being able to put him away. A kick to the face lets Zayn backdrop him out to the floor but Cesaro pulls the Arabian moonsault out of the air for a tilt-a-whirl slam onto the ramp. Zayn barely makes it back inside, where he’s able to suplex Cesaro into the corner.
A Downward Spiral drops Cesaro and Zayn grabs a Koji Clutch. That’s reversed into a stretch muffler, with Zayn diving to the ropes and preventing his muffler from being stretched. The Swing is countered into a cradle for two but now the Swing goes on, with Zayn getting dropped into the corner. Cesaro hits a jumping basement dropkick for two and can’t believe the kickout. Zayn catches him on top and reverses a super Riccola Bomb into the super hurricanrana.
The Helluva Kick connects for two and now it’s his turn to be stunned. Cesaro uppercuts him down a few times and Zayn is barely hanging on. Zayn starts slugging back and Cesaro looks more shocked than anything else. A German suplex drops Cesaro but he cuts off the Helluva Kick with a boot of his own. The Neutralizer is countered and Zayn gets two off a perfect Code Red. Swiss Death gives Cesaro one and that has him totally stunned. With nothing else working, Cesaro just BLASTS HIM with a spinning uppercut, followed by the Neutralizer for the pin at 23:03.
Rating: A. I hadn’t seen this one in a bit and I was pulled all the way back into it again. These two have outstanding chemistry together and you could believe that either of them could have won at any point. The 2/3 falls match gets the praise for how important it was but this was one of the best matches I’ve seen in a bit. Check this out if you haven’t before or in awhile as it’s just great.
Post match Cesaro goes to leave but comes back for the big hug of respect. Zayn is left in the ring for the big OLE chants before leaving (to his original music, which is so strange to hear after hearing his more famous song for so many years).
Video on Mojo Rawley. If you’re not familiar, just pick someone who drank Red Bull. All the Red Bull.
Mojo Rawley vs. CJ Parker
Parker is a hippie who would go on to become Juice Robinson. Rawley declares Parker NOT hyped before they run the ropes, with Rawley getting two off a rather high backdrop. The armbar doesn’t last long and Parker is up with a shot to the face for two. Parker hammers away with the left hands in the corner but Rawley is right back with the running splash in the corner. Hyperdrive (Earthquake) finishes Parker at 3:23.
Rating: C-. This was just your basic TV squash but the important thing here was Rawley getting in front of a camera and getting to do his thing. Rawley is not exactly like your usual star and it was easy to see why he was given a chance. The problem is he didn’t really get better in the ring, but the presentation more than worked.
Video on Emma, who really likes bubbles.
Video on the Ascension, the longest reigning Tag Team Champions, who want some competition.
Tag Team Titles: Ascension vs. ???/???
Ascension is defending against some mystery opponents who are….Too Cool? Sure why not. The idea here is playing off of the New Age Outlaws winning the main roster Tag Team Titles and it only kind of works, at least partially due to Scotty being bald. Viktor and Grandmaster start things off with Grandmaster trying to get away to start but getting sent into the wrong corner. Konor comes in for a running shoulder and throws him into the corner again, allowing Viktor to drop some elbows.
A suplex gets two and the chinlock goes on to keep Grandmaster down. The jawbreaker finally gets him out of trouble and he crawls through the legs for the diving tag off to Scotty. House is quickly cleaned and Scotty raises the roof for the flashback. The bulldog plants Viktor and Scott’s eyes bug out as he loads it up. He gets to do the whole setup but is sent throat first into the rope, meaning the Fall Of Man (High/Low) retains the titles at 6:41.
Rating: C. The thing here is that it was a weird squash with Ascension never being in anything resembling danger, which is fine, but the whole idea was to get the Worm in there. It worked well enough in that regard but as a match, there was nothing here. I didn’t care to see Too Cool again and that pretty much stayed the same on another viewing. Cool nostalgia but nothing more.
Video on Paige, who is not your usual Diva. She’s the inaugural Women’s Champion and yes winning it made her cry.
Ric Flair and Charlotte are here.
Here is Stephanie McMahon, who gets a YOU STILL GOT IT chant. Stephanie: “I never lost it!” She puts over Arrival as the first live streaming show on the WWE Network and introduces the Divas division. I’m not sure how much of an introduction it really is but Stephanie can say some weird things.
Women’s Title: Paige vs. Emma
Paige is defending in a rematch of the inaugural title match. Emma (later known as Tenille Dashwood) comes out first and gets Stephanie to do the Emma Dance because of course she does. They shove each other to start and Emma grabs a double leg. That’s broken up and they go into the corner with Paige taking over but it’s too early for the Paige Turner. The Emma Lock is blocked and Paige counters a catapult into a cradle for two.
Paige slams her into a chinlock and the fans are split. Back up and Paige fires off some alternating elbows in the corner (ala Matt Morgan of all people) until Emma gets in a kick of her own. The Emmamite Sandwich (running corner crossbody) is broken up and Paige goes to the apron for a knee and the banshee scream. That takes too long and Emma gets in a shot of her own, setting up the Dilemma.
Now the Emmamite Sandwich can connect for two and Emma starts cranking on the arms. The cranking stays on, with Emma putting her feet in Paige’s back to make it worse. Back up and Emma sends her into the corner for some stomping, followed by a nasty sitout powerbomb for two. Fans: “BETTER THAN BATISTA!” Paige gets in a quick Paige Turner for two and whips out the Scorpion Crosslock (apparently debuting it) for the tap to retain at 12:04.
Rating: B-. We weren’t quite to the Women’s Revolution yet but you could absolutely see how far they had come in a few years. This was a match that got some time and was mostly serious (or as serious as an Emma match was going to be), which was a rare sight on the main roster. It was great to see things being treated differently and it was only a small preview of things to come.
Post match Paige pulls her in for a big hug.
Video on Adrian Neville, who really loves to fly.
Video on how NXT has evolved into what it has become today.
Pat Patterson and Dusty Rhodes are here.
Xavier Woods vs. Tyler Breeze
Woods comes out to Somebody Call My Mama, which thankfully wasn’t a permanent move. The bell rings, they stare at each other, and Alexander Rusev (with Lana) comes to the ring for the no contest. Of note: around this time on the original show, a lot of the feeds went out so there was a few minutes missing for a bunch of fans.
Total destruction ensues.
Video on Bo Dallas, the longest reigning NXT Champion of all time (granted there have been three of them) who is a little delusional (he promised us all cookies). He’s ready to take Adrian Neville out and make him a Boliever.
Larry Zbyszko and Steve Keirn (Skinner) are here.
We recap Adrian Neville vs. Bo Dallas. They’ve fought before but now HHH wants them to have a big match with special stakes. That would be involving ladders.
Naturally that means here is Shawn Michaels to hang the belt. Shawn acknowledges the ONE MORE MATCH chants but he’s happy being fat and out of shape and now in a dress code. Then it’s an H-B-SHIZZLE chant, which Shawn thinks would be a good shirt. Anyway, he’s got a reputation for having an insight into ladder matches and if you don’t know about them….pick up his new Mr. Wrestlemania DVD! Ignore that it’s a Blu-Ray I guess. But buy it because he has kids to feed and put through college!
NXT Title: Bo Dallas vs. Adrian Neville
Neville is challenging in a ladder match and we get the Big Match Intros. They start fast with Neville flipping away from him and getting in a knockdown but it’s way too early for the Red Arrow. Dallas is back up with a hard clothesline and gets smart by tying Neville’s leg in the rope. The first ladder is grabbed but Dallas takes too long, with Neville diving onto him. Dallas sends him into the steps but gets backdropped onto the ramp.
Neville makes his first climb so Dallas hits him with another ladder. Said ladder is then pinned onto Neville, who kicks it over for the save to leave them both down. Back up and Dallas knocks the ladder down again before using it to crush Neville’s ribs in the corner. Neville is fine enough to snap off a tornado DDT out of the corner and shoves Dallas down again.
Regal is begging Neville to get the ladder up but it takes too long, allowing Dallas to shove him out to the floor. Back in and Neville knocks him back down, setting up the Red Arrow onto Dallas onto the ladder. With Dallas down, Neville goes up and gets the title to win at 16:45.
Rating: B. This was rather different than a lot of ladder matches as they didn’t really do a lot with the ladder. In a way, that made it better as I’d rather see something fresh than the same dives and flips and crashes that we’ve always seen. It’s a good example of doing something basic but doing it well rather than going insane without the execution. What mattered here was that Neville got the title and they nailed that part so call it a success.
Neville celebrates, with John Cena cheering him on from the crowd to end the show.
Results
Cesaro b. Sami Zayn – Neutralizer
Mojo Rawley b. CJ Parker – Hyperdrive
Ascension b. Too Cool – Fall Of Man to Scotty
Paige b. Emma – Scorpion Crosslock
Tyler Breeze vs. Xavier Woods went to a no contest when Alexander Rusev interfered
Adrian Neville b. Bo Dallas – Neville pulled down the title
