wrestling / TV Reports
Kevin’s WWE NXT Review 3.17.21
Loading...Finn Balor is in the ring to start the show. He says he beat every name put in front of him. Karrion Kross’s time is up at TakeOver: Stand and Deliver. Karrion and Scarlett arrive so he can say that everyone needs to know who the real champion is around here. Finn says he doesn’t have what it takes to win the main event against him and that he’ll choke. Scarlett chimes in, saying she has foreseen this and that it all happens for a reason. They are cut off by the arrival of Danny Burch and Oney Lorcan. They say the focus should be on the best technical wrestler in the world, Pete Dunne, who can beat both of them. Scarlett suggests they defend their titles against Karrion and Finn. She even rubs up on them to convince them. They agree.
Austin Theory vs. Dexter Lumis
Gargano and Candice give Austin a pep talk on a tablet beforehand as they’re not there. Austin attacks and sends Dexter outside and wails on him going into break. Returning Theory is in control but Lumis turns a kick out into the Silence. Austin elbows out. Lumis starts rallying, hitting a back suplex and a twisting leg drop for two. Theory turns it around and gets stuck staring as Dexter, who is on his knees. Surprisingly, Austin snaps out of it and hits a running knee. A brainbuster on the knee gets two and Theory can’t believe it. After Dexter knocks Theory on his ass, he offers a hand to help him. Austin hugs him, saying he knew they were friends. Dexter goes for the Silence but Theory fights out. Dexter counters the TKO into the Silence and gets the win.
Winner: Dexter Lumis in 9:34 [A relatively fine opener but nothing more. **1/4]
backstage, Tommaso Ciampa talks to McKenzie Mitchell to have her find Marchel and Fabian and see if they’ve seen Alexander Wolfe lately. He’s sure they haven’t. He promises they won’t be standing by the end of the night.
Adam Cole is in the ring for a promo. He says he didn’t have an issue with Kyle O’Reilly, he just didn’t need him anymore. However, after his actions last week, Adam had to take him out. He demands Kyle come out so he can finish this. William Regal interrupts because Kyle wasn’t cleared to compete and isn’t here tonight since he is more injured now. Kyle interrupts on the screen saying he’s not there for Adam’s safety. He’s willing to do anything to Adam for what he did to 11 years of friendship. Cole storms off saying he’ll find Kyle first.
After footage from last week’s title win, Ember Moon and Shotzi Blackheart are interviewed about being Tag Team Champions. Ember says she came back to make history and be the face of the division, while Shotzi was happy to celebrate with her dad. The Robert Stone Brand cut them off, saying the titles would look better on them. Ember and Shotzi accept the challenge for next week and Ember disses Robert’s suit.
Outside, noted terrible person Jordan Devlin arrives at the arena.
Breezango vs. Legado del Fantasma
The action starts hot with Fandango lighting up his opponents. Things change when Breeze comes in, as he gets worked over by Wilde who hits a running cross body for two. Breeze tags out but then Fandango gets isolated as Legado uses quick tags to hold serve. Mendoza chops Fandango in the corner and cuts him off up top. Fandango with a front suplex off the top but he gets sent packing off the top and to the outside before break. Returning, Fandango fights them off outside and has an opening for a tag, which he does. Breeze comes in hot, nails a dropkick and a corner forearm, and caps it with an enziguri. He slaps a single leg crab on Wilde and pulls him to the middle of the ring. Wilde gets out but is slingshot to the outside. Breeze is tripped before following but he still catches Wilde with a superkick. Mendoza breaks up the count. They work together to snap Breeze’s neck off the ropes and hit their finisher to win
Winners: Legado del Fantasma in 9:53 [Quality tag team action from two solid tag teams. **3/4]
Santos Escobar gets on the microphone to say that he’s been hearing about Jordan Devlin but hasn’t seen him. Devlin comes out and holds up his Cruiserweight Title before walking to the ring. He says that Santos has been lying to everyone by calling himself the champion. Santos says nobody even remembers that he won the title in the first place. Santos tells him to wrap things up in the UK and meet him at Stand and Deliver. Devlin drops him with a cheap shot and bails.
A video package airs to hype the arrival of NXT’s newest signee, Sarray. She’s coming soon!
Dakota Kai vs. Zoey Stark
Kai seems to be taking Stark lightly, so she is quickly bested in their first exchange, showing that Stark is for real. Kai wins the next back and forth by slamming Stark by her hair and getting two. Kai seems mildly impressed as she continues her offense and works a body scissors. Kai misses the apron boot and gets kicked before Stark hits a plancha to the outside. That sets up a commercial. Returning, Kai has taken control and she wails on Stark with rights and lefts. Stark fires up with a series of clotheslines but misses a running boot. She hits a half and half suplex and kips up before adding a sliding knee for two. Kai connects on the apron boot and fights STark on the apron, where she is launched back inside. Stark springboards into a huge superkick. Kai adds a corner boot for a near fall. They trade near falls on pin attempts and Stark hits a rolling fireman’s carry. She goes up but Kai cuts her off with a kick. Go to kick ends it.
Winner: Dakota Kai in 12:35 [Match of the night as Dakota continues to be one of the standouts in a loaded division. Stark has also impressed so far. ***1/4]
Post-match, Kai talks down to Stark until Io Shirai comes out. She goes face to face with Dakota but ignores her to walk past her and shove a contract into Raquel’s chest before leaving and helping Zoey Stark.
William Regal is interviewed when someone tells him that something happened to Adam Cole and he needs to come see.
The Grizzled Young Veterans cut a promo from home(?) saying that MSK made a huge mistake last week and they’ll pay for it.
Imperium is out for a match but Tommaso Ciampa jumps them beforehand. Oh, it’s a singles match.
Marchel Barthel vs. Tommaso Ciampa
Ah, so Ciampa insinuated that Imperium jumped Timothy Thatcher, so he’s not here tonight. Ciampa starts hot but Barthel wears him down. As Ciampa gets going, some interference from Aichner stops him and Barthel adds a hanging dropkick. Ciampa comes back with a German suplex and wants Willow’s Bell, which connects for a surprisingly short match.
Winner: Tommaso Ciampa in 4:34 [Not much from this as it was all about the post-match stuff. **]
Ciampa’s celebration is cut short by the arrival of WALTER! He takes off the title and gets in the ring to face Ciampa. Imperium gets involved and Ciampa fights them off until WALTER chops him down brutally. He adds a STIFF powerbomb.
Outside, William Regal finds Adam Cole and Kyle O’Reilly arguing by their cars. The cops are involved and Adam is shouting that Kyle tried to run him off the road.
August Grey vs. LA Knight
Knight fires off right hands to start. He adds an impressive slingshot shoulder block. Grey does some counters until he’s slammed. Bronson Reed walks out and has Knight’s jacket. He tries to put it on, ripping it in the process as he flexes. knight is furious. Grey Rolls Knight up for two and fires off strikes. Grey misses an aerial move, putting him back in trouble. Knight puts him down with a headlock driver.
Winner: LA Knight (forgot to start stopwatch) [Squash. NR]
Backstage, Raquel Gonzalez says Io Shirai made a mistake by handing her this contract. Once she signs, Io’s reign is over. Dakota comes up and congratulates her but says she got them a match against Io and Zoey next week. Raquel is skeptical but Dakota says she needs it for her and for them since they lost two straight tags. Raquel gets behind the idea.
It’s vignette time for Xia Li. Resistance will not be tolerated.
William Regal explains that the Kyle and Adam stuff is out of control. He demands the two show up at the CWC next week and he’ll have a solution to their situation.
NXT Tag Team Championship: Danny Burch and Oney Lorcan [c] vs. Finn Bálor and Karrion Kross
For the record, I hate the opponents/rivals becoming a team trope. Kross overwhelms Oney to start to Danny gives it a shot. He fares only a little better and takes a body slam. Kross takes them both out and Finn does nothing to even help when he is potentially in trouble. Commercial time. Returning, Finn is legal and he dropkicks Oney. Finn become isolated by the teamwork of the champions. Finn fights free with a modified Pele and gets close to the tag but Oney knocks Kross off the apron. Finn lights him up with chops. Slingblade outside connects as medics check on Burch. John Woo dropkick connects but it sends Oney into Scarlett, who goes flying. Finn looks a bit concerned and goes to help her but she seems to laugh. Kross attacks, driving Finn headfirst into the plexiglass before sending him inside. Oney hits his running uppercut to win.
Winners: Danny Burch and Oney Lorcan in 11:01 [Couldn’t really get into this. Kross dominated, there was a commercial, some decent action, and then the fight between partners at the end. Nothing special. **1/2]
Post-match, Kross immediately attacks Oney. He then puts the focus on Finn, laying into him and hitting Doomsday Saitos. He then puts him in the submission but Scarlett stops it so she can help Finn up only for Kross to hit the forearm to the back.
