Kevin’s WWE NXT Review 5.27.20

NXT roster members are audience members.

Interim NXT Cruiserweight Championship Tournament: Drake Maverick vs. Jake Atlas vs. Kushida

This stems from the three-way tie atop A Block. Winner gets El Hijo del Fantasma in the finals. Fast start right out of the gate, with Atlas hitting a plancha and a springboard Blockbuster. Kushida turns the tide and kicks Drake’s arm, which is still damaged from last week. He fires off on both and picks up dual near falls heading into break. Returning, the three of them are trading blows in the middle of the ring. Holding his arm, Drake gets both guys trapped in the corner and hits a missile dropkick. Kushida comes back with a handspring kick but Drake nearly steals it the way he won last week. Atlas hits a reverse suplex but has the pin broken up. Atlas takes out Kushida with a German suplex. A weak looking Rainbow DDT connects but Kushida breaks up the cover. They fight outside with Drake laid out inside. Everyone fights up top, which breaks the Sakuraba Lock. Kushida brings Atlas down into the Sakuraba Lock. As he has Atlas trapped, Maverick drapes an arm over Atlas and gets the three count.

Winner: Drake Maverick in 11:10 [***]

Fantasma walked out and shook hands with Maverick.

At TakeOver: In Your House, Charlotte Flair defends the title against Rhea Ripley and Io Shirai. Tonight, Rhea and Io team up to face Charlotte and a partner of her choosing.

Backstage, Kurt Angle discussed the rules of tonight’s match with Timothy Thatcher.

Johnny Gargano and Candice LeRae walk out to boos. Johnny says they have a company to work for because of him. He says there are good hands in NXT and he wants to give them opportunities. That’s how he got his start. He claims tonight is the debut of the Johnny Gargano Invitational. The first challenger is Adrian Alanis, who he first reads as Adrian Adonis.

Adrian Alanis vs. Johnny Gargano

Alanis is an Evolve boy. He accepts a handshake and gets a cheap shot for it. He levels Johnny back but runs into a superkick. Vicious Gargano Escape and it’s over.

Winner: Johnny Gargano in 0:45 [NR]

The celebration is cut short by a video of Mia Yim and Keith Lee having dinner. They diss the trashy, cheap Gargano decor. Mia hilariously mocks the black and white slow motion promo gimmick from last week. She runs down Candice for not knowing how to dye her hair and for having no titles in NXT. Lee wonders why she did it. He still mocks Johny for looking at himself more in the mirror than his own wife. Mia says she made the same thing Candice did, which is to get takeout. A knock is heard and Tegan Nox brings them in pizza, which she ate most of. They’re going to make the Garganos pay.

McKenzie Mitchell interviews Drake Mavericks because video footage showed that Atlas tapped to Kushida as Drake won. He wants to win fairly but Kushida comes up tp him and tells him to win because he’s fighting for his job. Drake thanks him and says Kushida will have the first title shot if he wins.

Imperium cut a promo about being the new NXT Tag Team Champions. They say no team can beat them because the ring is sacred to them.

Raquel Gonzalez vs. Shotzi Blackheart

Raquel starts by beating on the smaller Blackheart. However, she comes back with offense on the arm and kicks at it often. Raquel blocks her rana for a powerbomb but Shotzi slips free. She fires off forearms and the Question Mark Kick. A miscue opens the door for a Raquel elbow that gets two. Dakota gets ni Shotzi’s tank and drives it away. When it gets stuck, she just rips parts off until Tegan Nox shoves her out. Commercial. Returning, Raquel is in the driver’s seat. She gets two on a backbreaker. Shotzi starts to rally and sends Raquel to regroup outside. Shotzi then takes them out with a terrifying looking Coffin Drop. She landed on the back of her head. Candice LeRae comes out to confront Tegan Nox about the Mia Yim video. With the distraction, Dakota interferes to stop a Shotzi Sliced Bread. Raquel wins with a modified slam.

Winner: Raquel Gonzalez in 9:13 [**1/4]

A video package aired to hype Balor/Priest at TakeOver.

Charlotte Flair and Chelsea Green vs. Io Shirai and Rhea Ripley

Chelsea Green is Charlotte’s chosen partner. Chelsea starts with Rhea, who slams her down and demands Charlotte. Chelsea gets in a cheap shot but Rhea tosses her around. Io gets tagged and is too quick for Chelsea, hitting boots and knees in the corner. Chelsea turns the tide with a tope suicida and now Charlotte demands the tag. Io fights through it and when Chelsea is legal again, she hits a tope of her own. Chelsea sends her into the guardrail, which pushes it back way far. Commercial. Returning, Io is isolated until Charlotte accidentally chops Chelsea. However, they still find a way to back her into trouble. Io again slips out and rolls to Rhea, who comes in hot. She knocks Charlotte off the apron and delivers knee strikes to Chelsea. Charlotte enters and puts Rhea in the Figure Four but Io dropkicks her to break it. Io gets the tag and snaps off a headscissors. Double knees in the corner get two. Io with a double stomp and the Tiger Feint Kick. Chelsea takes a springboard dropkick b pushing Chalrotte to safety. Charlotte knocks Rhea off the apron and rolls up Io with feet on the ropes to steal it.

Winners: Charlotte Flair and Chelsea Green in 11:51 [***]

McKenzie Mitchell interviews the Garganos. She calls the Mia/Keith dinner entertaining, which upsets them. Gargano says it won’t be funny when he takes the title from Lee at TakeOver. Candice wants Mia next week and says Tegan should be ashamed of herself.

Kurt Angle now talks with Matt Riddle about tonight’s rules.

Adam Cole has requested an audience with General Manager William Regal. They have a face to face via webcam. Cole is annoyed that Velveteen Dream ruined his plans for a year-long celebration. His negotiation is that he wants the Undisputed Era to get a fair shot at the NXT Tag Team Titles and for Dream to never be in his business again. Regal feels that Dream deserves another shot, which he may get at TakeOver. Cole wonders why so much charity is being given out and he calls Dream a narcissist. Trying to find middle ground (after some disses about Cole being a bay-bay and Regal being a “man’s man”), Cole says after he beats Dream he wants Regal to say that he’ll never face him again. Regal agrees but says he’ll find a location for the match that will shine a spotlight brightly on both of them. Cole says it’s a deal.

A vignette runs to hype Danny Burch and Oney Lorcan about their toughness and how they faced each other, earning respect. They meet at a bar to discuss how they’re on a roll. They want to call out Imperium and take the titles.

Leon Ruff vs. Tommaso Ciampa

As Ciampa enters the ring, Scarlett walks out for a closer look. Ruff uses the distinction to roll Ciampa up for two. He uses his quickness to bust out triple jumps on the ropes to avoid Ciampa but then eats a knee. He hits the Fairytale Ending soon after to win.

Winner: Tommaso Ciampa in 1:18 [NR]

As Scarlett leaves, Karrion Kross appears on the tron. He says that TakeOver is special and he promises that he will make Ciampa feel something he has never felt in his life. Tick tock.

NEXT WEEK ~ The NXT Cruiserweight Title Tournament Finals! Candice LeRae vs. Mia Yim! The Women’s and NXT Title matches are getting Prime Target showcases!

Cage Fight: Matt Riddle vs. Timothy Thatcher

Kurt Angle is the guest referee. You can only win via knockout or tap out. Riddle leaps from the top of the cage and rolls into strikes. They grapple on the ground and Thatcher catches Riddle’s kick but Riddle uses the cage to switch positions and hits a German suplex. He adds some Brotons. He gets too cocky and Thatcher slaps the shit out of him but then Riddle puts him down with a ShowtimeKick. Thatcher beats the 10 count but is bleeding from the mouth and has apparently lost two teeth. Commercial time. After the break, we see that the guys are grappling on the mat by the cage. Thatcher catches him in various submissions, twisting at Riddle. After a butterfly suplex, they grapple more and Riddle wants the Bromission. Thatcher grabs his bare feet and wrenches at it. The fight eventually moves to the top of the cage, where there’s a platform for them to walk on around the top. They trade strikes up there. Thatcher with another butterfly suplex. He wants to throw Riddle off the top but gets sent to the mat himself. Riddle follows with a Floating Bro off the top. They battle more before Thatcher catches Riddle in a rear naked choke and makes him pass out, giving him the win.

Winner: Timothy Thatcher in 14:34 [***1/2]

7.5

The final score: review Good

The 411

Another good episode of NXT. The Cruiserweight stuff was entertaining, I liked the Garganos/Yim/Lee segment, the women's tag was good, and the main event was fun and creative. They continued building things for TakeOver and most of the show was entertaining without ever really dragging.