Kevin’s WWE NXT Review 7.29.20

The intro is set to “The End” and focuses on Lee/Kross.

Io Shirai comes out to start the show but is again attacked by Dakota Kai. Tegan Nox shows up to help and then out comes Candice LeRae. They fight to the ring, starting the opening tag.

Candice LeRae and Dakota Kai vs. Io Shirai and Tegan Nox

Candice and Tegan start, with Candice having the upper hand. When they tag out, Io attacks Dakota with a vengeance, getting some revenge. Dakota turns the tide with a superkick for two. Io takes s short heat segment but then tags in Tegan for a double suplex that Dakota avoids. Io and Tegan nearly collide but it sets up Dakota booting her in the face. Tegan is sent into the steel steps outside as we go to break. Tegan takes the longer heat during that span. Io gets the tag as we return and lays into both opponents with strikes and kicks. She gets two on a springboard dropkick. Dakota cuts her off up top and they fight there for a bit. Dakota ends up tagging Candice, who gets taken down with a  dropkick and the Bullet Train attack. Io then hits a tope suicida on Dakota. Shiniest Wizard inside on Candice. Io goes up and wins with the moonsault.

Winners: Io Shirai and Tegan Nox in 12:58 [A really solid tag featuring four very good wrestlers. I enjoyed this. ***]

Dakota left Candice to eat the pin, choosing to back away on her own as Tegan and Io celebrate.

We get a clip from The Pat McAfee Show and the Adam Cole incident. Two days ago Triple H appeared on the show to discuss Adam Cole’s apology and they’re looking to talk again soon.

Johnny Gargano vs. Roderick Strong

This stems from last week. Two heels, though, so it’s odd. Commentary rightfully hypes it as a TakeOver caliber match. Lots of mat work to kick this off. Once that is past, they start moving quicker and getting multiple counters and fast offense. Outside, Gargano avoids a backbreaker and hits a Divorce Court heading into commercial. Returning, Johnny still has his sights set on the bad arm but takes a backbreaker. Roddy blocks One FInal Beat and hits another big backbreaker. That becomes the theme of the match. The arm against the back. Gargano turns the Olympic Slam into the Gargano Escape but that gets turned into a pin. Roddy rocks him with a huge kick from the mat. Johnny snaps off a rana inside and gets a flying headscissors outside that sends Roddy into the guardrail. Back inside, Johnny hits One Final Beat to win.

Winner: Johnny Gargano in 12:57 [You can’t have a bad match with these two involved. It wasn’t spectacular but delivered a very strong TV match. ***1/4]

Dakota Kai is interviewed about leaving Candice LeRae behind. She says she doesn’t care about tag matches. She wants Io Shirai and the title. She’s the number one contender and that’s that. Rhea Ripley and her new bleach blonde hair come up to say that Dakota isn’t next, she is. She’ll go through Dakota if she has to.

Timothy Thatcher is interviewed about the match tonight. He will hurt Finn Balor and when he discusses Dexter Lumis’ creepy stare, Lumis is in the background watching.

Adam Cole and Roderick Strong complain with Bobby Fish about what has been happening and their struggles. Kyle O’Reilly shows up and gives them a pep talk to remind them of who they are. They’re greatness for a reason.

Mercedes Martinez vs. Shotzi Blackheart

Shotzi attacks at the bell but Martinez turns it around and starts beating on her. Robert STone and Aliyah watch from ringside. Shotzi gets some kicks and a corner dropkick before a sunset flip for two. From there, Martinz gets going nad fires off brutal formers up top before hitting a spider German suplex. KING KONG KNEE…wait, this isn’t Makabe. A modified Air Raid Crash looking move gets Mercedes the win.

Winner: Mercedes Martinez in 4:21 [Shotzi got to look good in defeat but Martinez still managed to look dominant. **1/2]

A vignette runs to hype Ridge Holland, who is apparently coming to NXT next week and he wants the North American Title.

NXT Champion Keith Lee comes to the ring to discuss what happened last week. He says that Dijakovic will eventually be fine. As for Karrion Kross, he doesn’t get why he did a bunch of bullshit. Lee says Kross doesn’t seem to have the balls to just come up to him face to face, so he calls him out. Instead, he gets Cameron Grimes, who says that he will win the North American Title and go straight to the moon. He annoys Lee to the point where Lee grabs him and chokeslams him down before crushing him in the corner. The lights flicker and it’s time for spooky Kross. Actually, it’s spooky Scarlett. Grimes attacks and is hit with a Spirit Bomb. Kross appears on the tron to say that Lee did nothing as his friend suffered and now he has to live with that. He threatens to keep hurting people if he doesn’t get a title shot. That’s the easy way. Lee says to name the time and place and he will whoop dat ass.

Ever-Rise vs. Imperium

It seems like Imperium is in a foul mood. They dominate and win what was basically a flawless victory.

Winners: Imperium in 2:16 [Squash. NR]

Imperium tries to cut a promo saying they’re the dominant team in NXT. Undisputed Era’s theme hits as they rush out and jump Barthel and Aichner, taking out their frustrations on them. They leave them lying.

A vignette runs to hype Bronson Reed and explain a lot of his background.

William Regal speaks from his home to say that he will not be bullied into making title matches. They will always have to be earned, so that’s what Karrion Kross must do.

Isaiah Scott vs. Jake Atlas

Almost instantly, Atlas shows off his incredible athleticism with some dope moves that lead him to get the best of Swerve with a dropkick. He bows, which annoys Swerve, who comes at him with fire. He hits a big kick going into break. Returning, Atlas hits a springboard blockbuster for two. Swerve gets the next near fall and then they go into some very impressive lucha libre style offense, filled with quickness and counters. Atlas hits an awesome looking DVD style move off the middle rope for two. Outside, Swerve hits the House Call. He adds the JML Driver inside to move closer to a title shot.

Winner: Isaiah Scott in 9:57 [Another in a line of good matches this week. ***]

Damian Priest is interviewed about his qualifying match next week. He goes against Ridge Holland and Oney Lorcan. He promises there won’t be any surprises or upsets. He’s winning.

NEXT WEEK ~ Rhea Ripley vs. Dakota Kai! The winner faces Io at TakeOver! Oney Lorcan vs. Ridge Holland vs. Damian Priest in a North American Title Qualifying Match! Imperium vs. Undisputed Era for the Tag Titles!

NXT North American Championship Qualifying Match: Dexter Lumis vs. Finn Balor vs. Timothy Thatcher

They all go at it at the bell. Lumis steals the show early by landing on his feet on a tope to the outside, which stuns both Balor and Thatcher. Back inside, Lumis holds serve and gets some near falls. Lumis keeps doing this thing but once Thatcher gets going, we head to commercial. Returning, Thatcher remains in control. He sends Lumis outside and starts twisting at Balor. Lumis returns and stops his momentum. Finn hasn’t done much in a while. Lumis with a spinebuster on Thatcher inside. Finn’s now busted up leg gets caught in a dragon screw on the ropes. Lumis hits the uranage and puts on the Silence but Balor breaks it up with the Coup de Grace. Thatcher interrupts the pin this time and puts on an ankle lock. Lumis then put Thatcher in the Silence. Thatcher passed out while holding Balor and Lumis gets the win.

Winner: Dexter Lumis in 12:19 [Nothing about this stood out but it was still some good wrestling. They’re keeping with theme of new opportunity winners. ***]

7.0

The final score: review Good

The 411

A good episode this week. There weren't any "must see" matches or angles but everything moved along nicely and nothing was bad. Nothing but quality matches and some solid angle advancement.