Kevin’s WWE NXT Review 2.26.20

Recap of last week’s episode.

Charlotte Flair arrives at the arena and is greeted by William Regal.

Cameron Grimes vs. Dominik Dijakovic

They struggle to gain an upper hand to start but DD just runs him over with a shoulder block. Grimes uses his quickness to slip free of DD and nails a dropkick. DD stops him with a cyclone big boot that gets a near fall. Slow looking springboard splash also gets two. Grimes gets caught and hit with a backbreaker before he’s flung over the top rope. Grimes turns the tide with a huge kick as we go to commercial. Grimes spends the break wearing him down. Dijakovic fights back with a series of strikes, boots, and an elbow. Suplex throw connects. DD fights off a German but takes a Superman forearm and superkick. Grimes hits the German for two. As things move outside, DD takes out Grimes with a moonsault but hurts his knee in the process. He slides Grimes back in. Damian Priest runs out behind the referee’s back and hits DD with a weapon in the knee. He escapes through the crowd and the hurt DD looks like he’ll get counted out. He barely makes it in the ring but immediately takes the Cave In to lose.

Winner: Cameron Grimes in 12:38 [***]

Officials check on Dijakovic’s knee.

William Regal is interviewed backstage. He has an announcement for the women’s division. Starting next week, a tournament begins for the women. The two finalists will compete in a ladder match at TakeOver: Tampa.

During the break, Dijakovic was helped to the back.

Finn Balor is here for a promo. He says he’s not a “moves” guy or a stooge to the office. When the bell rings though, he is THE guy. He builds brands like Japan, Mexico, IC Champion, Universal Champion, NXT Champion, etc. He’s not trying to peak for Mania because he has been at his peak for 20 years. What’s next for him? He is interrupted by the arrival of Imperium. Well, Fabian Aichner and Marcel Barthel. Barthel says there is something Balor hasn’t done. That’s be NXT UK  Champion. WALTER sends his regards. Finn takes them out with a dropkick and then double stomps Aichner. He throws Barthel into the steps and hits a Slingblade on Aichner. Barthel interrupts his next move with an uppercut. That turns the tide and allows Imperium to beat on him, leaving him hurt by the steel steps.

An Austin Theory video package airs to hype his match with Tommaso Ciampa tonight.

Earlier today, Bianca Belair was interviewed as she arrived. Bianca says she’s giving Charlotte the roughest, toughest, best, etc.

Mia Yim vs. Xia Li

A year ago, Li debuted against Mia and lost. They shake hands but Mia keeps hold and talks some smack. Xia breaks free and tries a bunch of kicks but Mia backs away, impressed. She explodes out with a dropkick of her own. Weak looking big boot keeps Mia in control. However, she misses a corner cannonball. Xia starts firing off kicks and strikes. The match is interrupted by the arrival of Dakota Kai and Raquel Gonzalez. Dakota says Mia stole her spot in War Games and she took it back. Xiz rolls Mia up to steal it.

Winner: Xia Li in 2:42 [NR]

Gonzalez enters the ring and boots Mia. Xia goes after Gonzalez but gets dropped with a clothesline. Mia hops on Gonzalez’s back but is shoved away. Gonzalez puts her down and leaves with Dakota.

Velveteen Dream cuts a promo backstage in front of a mirror. He talks about beating Roderick Strong last week. That’s not enough because they broke his back. He wants everything. He addresses Mr. Regal and says he wants Strong to experience the Steel Cage. He says to leave it up after Dakota/Tegan.

Austin Theory vs. Tommaso Ciampa

Theory is fuming but Ciampa keeps him grounded. The fight goes outside where Theory blocks the guardrail attack from last week and starts getting in offense. Ciampa sends Theory into the ring post and claps for himself heading into the commercial break. Returning, Theory seems to have turned things around and he gets two on a moonsault. Ciampa fires up and delivers a German suplex before adding a running knee. Theory avoids the Fairytale Ending but takes a huge knee strike out of a roll for a near fall. They trade strikes and Theory’s rolling Blockbuster connects. Buckle Bomb added and Ataxia gets two. Theory escapes Fairytale Ending again and hits a sweet spinout facebuster for a great near fall. Outside, Theory starts throwing Ciampa into the guardrail a few times as payback for last week. On his way back in, he eats a kick and then gets hit with Willow’s Bell. Fairytale Ending finishes it.

Winner: Tommaso Ciampa in 12:41 [***1/2]

Post-mathc, Johnny Gargano sneaks in to attack Ciampa. It backfires as he gets hit but he spins it around and stomps out Ciampa in the corner. Boot from Ciampa but Theory gets involved. That distraction allows Gargano to hit a superkick. Gargano sits on the apron next to a hurt Ciampa and slowly claps. He throws Ciampa to the floor and stares him down.

Backstage, the Undisputed Era cut a promo. Strong says he agrees about the cage match next week. Bobby Fish says Pete DOONE has a stupid name and Matt Riddle has a stupid face. They got lucky. Kyle O’Reilly puts over himself and Bobby. Adam Cole says they’ll all win their titles back soon to remain the most dominant faction.

Bronson Reed vs. Killian Dain

Commentary put this over as two guys who could move up for a North American TItle shot. These two big boys clobber each other and jockey for position. Reed sends Dain outside and follows with a tope suicida. Inside, Dain fights back and takes control. They quickly seem to be battered and their strike exchange lacks something. The headbutts pick things up. Reed with a clothesline, body slam, and a Saito suplex. Reed gets another near fall and then goes up top. Dain clocks him, following up. A superplex, BIG BOY sentons, and a Vader Bomb follow to end it.

Winner: Killian Dain in 6:15 [**1/2]

A Broserweights video package airs.

The Forgotten Sons vs. Grizzled Young Veterans

Zack Gibson cut a promo during their entrance running down the trash of America, including the Forgotten Sons. Babyface Forgotten Sons is a weird look. Blake showed fire with quick offense and dropkicks. Cutler enters and finds himself in trouble, getting hit with tandem offense from the Grizzled Young Veterans. Blake gets the tag and hits a powerslam. Drake heads outside but runs into Ryker. The Sons send GYV outside heading into a break with momentum. Returning, Blake seems to have become the isolated guy. He gets free with a back body drop and makes the tag. Cutler comes in mild and clotheslines Drake. Butterfly backbeaker gets two. Boston Crab follows but Gibson manages to interrupt a bit. Still, Cutler hits a Buckle Bomb and Fisherman Driver. Gibson puts Drake’s foot on the ropes to save the pin. Ryker goes after Gibson for some reason. Cutler takes a vicious spill to the outside as things break down. Blake levels Drake and he falls into a tag. Blake misses a moonsault as Drake shoves Gibson to safety. Ticket to Mayhem wraps this up.

Winners: Grizzled Young Veterans in 13:05 [**1/4]

Tegan Nox is interviewed backstage about the cage match next week. She admits she didn’t expect Gonzalez at TakeOver but this time, she can just be a spectator as Tegan beats on Dakota in a cage.

A strange video runs for the second time tonight. It shows a bunch of rapid fire clips and something about an apocalypse.

NEXT WEEK ~ Two steel cage matches! Dakota Kai vs. Tegan Nox and Roderick Strong vs. Velveteen Dream!

Moments ago, Damian Priest was interviewed outside. He says the attack on Dijakovic wasn’t personal. He was just in the way of what he wants.

Bianca Belair vs. Charlotte Flair

“You don’t go here” chants. Their early exchanges are kind of even but then Charlotte takes over. Bianca shows her athleticism by flipping over her a few times, dropkicking her, and doing a kip-up. She taunts to follow it. Charlotte comes back with a slam and a big boot. The crowd is way into this. Commercial time. Returning, Bianca gets two on a small package. Charlotte hits a neckbreaker and applies a dragon sleeper. Bianca fights out and slaps away at Charlotte. Charlotte stops a handspring elbow with a boot to the ribs. Bianca comes back and hits a handspring moonsault for two. Charlotte with a back elbow and face smash into the turnbuckle. Bianca gets her feet up on Charlotte’s moonsault but the Queen is ready and catches them, turning it into a Boston Crab. Bianca escapes but Charlotte rolls into a pin for two. Charlotte turns it into a Stretch Muffler and then a powerbomb for two. The women trade Spears and Charlotte hits Natural Selection to win.

Winner: Charlotte Flair in 12:04 [***]

Flair gets a chair after the match but Rhea Ripley’s music hits. Charlotte still PILLMANIZES Bianca’s ankle and then does her Figure Four. Rhea waits to do her entrance taunt, letting it happen. Charlotte escapes before anything can happen.

6.5

The final score: review Average

The 411

Probably the weakest episode of NXT in a long time. It wasn't at all bad but nothing really stood out as being special. The Forgotten Sons stuff was lame, while Charlotte/Bianca underwhelmed. A solid episode but ultimately a disappointment.