Kevin’s WWE NXT Review 10.21.20

KUSHIDA vs. Tommaso Ciampa vs. Velveteen Dream

KUSHIDA is in the ring to start the show. Tommaso Ciampa attacks Velveteen Dream during his entrance. That triggers a brawl to start. Dream is wearing a cast and has it slammed on the announce table. Ciampa fires off knees on both men. Inside, they tried to have Ciampa do a unique double Willow’s Bell but it looked goofy. Still, Ciampa remains in control. Dream turns the tide by picking his moment and pouncing. Ciampa fires back with chops for both until KUSHIDA started in with kicks. He avoids a double back suplex and lays out Ciampa before eating a DVD. Ciampa sends Dream packing with a pump knee going into break. Returning, KUSHIDA gets going but has an armbar broken up. Dream hits Purple Rainmaker when Ciampa is trapped in an armbar but can’t cover in time. Each guy comes close to winning but can’t seal it. Dream talks smack and it leads to them kicking his ass again. KUSHIDA gets going with dives out onto both guys. On his way back in from one, Ciampa hits Willow’s Bell. Dream superkicks Ciampa to stop Fairytale Ending. KUSHIDA counters the DVD into a crucifix for two. Ciampa is also rolled up for two. He gets hit with Dream’s cast and KUSHIDA delivers a German suplex to win.

Winner: KUSHIDA in 15:33 [Hell of a start to the show. They went at it for 15 minutes and put on a hard hitting fight that I really liked. ***1/2]

The Undisputed Era, with Adam Cole via tablet, discuss how things haven’t been great for them lately but that changes tonight as the Rod & Bob Express win the NXT Tag Titles again.

To hype Halloween Havoc, a Rhea Ripley vignette airs.

Ember Moon vs. Jessi Kamea

Kamea shows off some decent athleticism with her first few moves. Moon does her own, including a moonsault. She also applies a crossface which then gets turned into a modified half crab. That is countered and she’s sent into the turnbuckle. Ember weathers a short rally and uses an STF style camel clutch to win.

WInner: Ember Moon in 3:56 [Ember is still shaking off the rust but looked good here. I like her developing a new finisher since the Eclipse is murder on her spine.. *1/2]

Ember Moon has her celebration cut short when Dakota Kai shows up and trips her. She adds a big boot and tells Ember that she can’t use her to be relevant again.

Backstage, Bobby Fish has been attacked and can barely walk.

Austin Theory vs. Bronson Reed

These guys have met a bunch. Theory is cocky but is floored by a powerslam and THICC BOI SENTON. Reed then squashes him with the Tsunami for the quick win.

Winner: Bronson Reed in 3:29 [NR]

Austin Theory gets on the microphone and says that as the future of NXT, he demands another match.

Austin Theory vs. Bronson Reed

Reed hits a Samoan Drop and wins.

Winner: Bronson Reed in 0:07 or something [NR]

Backstage, Xia Lia thanks Kacy Catanzaro for agreeing to face her tonight. She reiterates that this is an important match. That’s all she says. She has to win. Kacy knows they’ve had issues but she was glad to accept this. Xia calls it the biggest match of her life.

During the break, Theory left the arena and said, “That’s it. I’m done. I quit.”

Ashante “Thee” Adonis, Isaiah “Swerve” Scott and Jake Atlas vs. Legado Del Fantasma

Legado bails at the bell for a powder. They try to surround the ring but Scott gets right in Escobar’s face and they brawl as the other guys go at it inside. Atlas and Wilde as the legal men as things calm down. The teams trade stuff until Swerve hits a plancha that takes every opponent out heading into the break. Returning, Adonis is isolated and Legado use trios offense to keep him down. That includes a slingshot moonsault/hip toss combo. Mendoza gets two on a quebrada. Adonis keeps getting beaten until he makes the hot tag to Atlas, who fires off shots on everyone. German on Escobar and a huge forearm. Tag to Scott who hits the Rolling Thunder Flatliner for two. Scott fights Mendoza on the apron and is pulled to the floor. Wilde hits the ropes and tries to attack Atlas on the apron but he turns it into a dangerous Spanish Fly onto the two men below. Mendoza counters the JML but then takes modified powerbomb in the corner only for the pin to be broken up. Tag to Adonis and they have a tandem move countered, sending Adonis into Swerve. Escobar hits a tope suicida that takes out Scott until Atlas hits a sick cartwheel DDT from the announce table. Inside, Adonis falls to a Russian leg sweep/leg lariat from Wilde and Mendoza.

Winners: Legado del Fantasma in 14:55 [Balls to the wall action. It started a bit slow but once it picked up, it was non stop action. The final few minutes are magnificent. ***1/2]

At the Gargano home, they have a “training” wheel to practice for next week. Johnny spins and gets a Buried Alive match. He’s stressed. Candice spins and gets Trick or Street Fight. Johnny’s next spin lands on Casket match. The wheel wants him to die so he hates it. He storms off to bed.

Drake Maverick and Killian Dain vs. Ever-Rise

Dain again stopped the whistling theme. Drake starts out and doesn’t do so hot. Dain tags in and runs over both opponents. Ever-Rise chop Dain down to size with shots to the leg. They talk trash to Drake, saying Dain is his only friend. He gets pissed and uses a steel chair on both, sending them packing, getting DQed, and saving Dain.

Winners via DQ: Ever-Rise in 2:50 [NR]

Dain is shocked at Drake. When Drake hears the result, he snaps out of it and begins to apologize. Dain looks like he’s going to hit Drake but instead congratulates him and says that was awesome. The theme hits and Dain lets it slide but doesn’t dance with Drake.

Cut backstage where now Roderick Strong has been attacked. He’s out cold as Kyle O’Reilly and medics check on him.

In the back, William Regal talks to the tag division. Kyle says he won’t compete tonight and that they should give the shot to Burch and Lorcan. They object, saying since they lost last week, Kyle should team with one of them. He declines so Regal agrees on Breezango vs. Burch and Lorcan.

Kacy Catanzaro vs. Xia Li

They both deliver some early kicks and Kacy busts out a sweet spinning jumping elbow. Xia fires off kicks and knee strikes as she seems desperate to win. Kacy gets in her own shots and really has Xia reeling. Corner clothesline and somersault kick follow. Kacy rolls her into a pinning combination to score the victory.

Winner: Kacy Catanzaro in 2:26 [The Xia story is an odd one. Kacy is a blast, though. *3/4]

We get more of sore loser Xia as she attacks Kacy and then boots Kayden Carter. She boots Kacy inside until Raquel Gonzalez shows up and levels her. She then launches Kacy onto Kayden. A powerbomb for Kayden follows. She cuts a short promo about being bigger and badder than Rhea Ripley.

Cameron Grimes is interviewed backstage about having to face Dexter Lumis next week. He is happy about it until he realizes that the stipulation is a Haunted Hosue of Terror match. As he talks, Lumis appears in the doorway behind him. Grimes stutters through his promo, trying to say he’s not scared. After he beats Lumis, he promises that he’ll go to the moon.

It’s time for an in-ring version of Thatch-as-Thatch-Can. He has a student named Anthony (Timothy calls him Andrew) with him who he takes down with ease and starts showing off various holds. Andrew gets mad as Timothy holds the moves for longer than he should. When Tim asks him to take the wrist, he goes after the leg instead and puts him in a guillotine style choke. An annoyed Thatcher demands they start a match.

Andrew/Anthony vs. Timothy Thatcher

Thatcher levels him to start and keeps up the pressure with strikes. A half crab ends it.

Winner: Timothy Thatcher in 0:56 [NR]

We get a Damian Priest vignette ahead of his title defense next week.

NXT Tag Team Championship: Breezango [c] vs. Danny Burch and Oney Lorcan

We start with a feeling out process. The idea is that neither team expected to face each other so they’re taking it slow as they figure things out. Breeze drives Burch’s knee into the post going into commercial. Returning, Fandango is now being isolated by the challengers. He gets free with some stiffer than you’d expect clotheslines. Fandango keeps it up outside and then Breeze cuts off an Oney dive. Back inside, the challengers work a crossface and half crab on Breeze at the same time. It almost results in a DQ but Fandango makes the save. Breeze goes to work on Danny’s bad leg. Things break down and the champs hit stereo superkicks on both men. Fandango goes up but then someone shows up and shoves him off the top. They wore a strange silver mask. Danny with a low blow behind the referee’s back. Breeze takes the elevated DDT and we have new champs.

Winners: Danny Burch and Oney Lorcan in 12:55 [A good main event but nothing great. ***]

The masked man enters and hugs the new champions before raising their hands. He removes the mask and it’s PAT MCAFEE! He shouts that these are the new champs and that is UNDISPUTED!

7.5

The final score: review Good

The 411

At times, the show did seem to drag a bit. That being said, it featured two very good matches and some very solid angle advancement. Plus, that twist ending was actually really well done and makes sense.