Kevin’s WWE NXT Review 8.26.20

A TakeOver XXX recap airs.

New NXT Champion Karrion Kross is out with Scarlett doing her over the top entrance gimmick. He’s in a sling. He cut a promo saying he did exactly what he said he would but he separated his shoulder at TakeOver and they won’t let him defend the title with the injury. Kross puts the title down and says this changes nothing because doomsday is still coming.

Vic Joseph and Wade Barrett are on commentary.

NXT Tag Team Championship: Imperium [c] vs. Breezango

On 6/17, this match happened (***) and Imperium retained. Breezango attacks before the bell to send the champs outside but things are calm to allow the bell to ring. We go to commercial after some back and forth from Barthel and Fandango. Returning, Fandango is still being isolated by the champions. Fandango finally sends them packing and tags in Tyler Breeze who has the hot tag run interrupted by an immediate shot. That’s different. However, he quickly turns it around and gets going, including a leaping knee on Barthel. Breeze cuts off an Aichner run with an enziguri. He slingshots Aichner into Fandango for the forearm and leg drop combo. Imperium escape but Fandango takes Aichern up with a dive, only to take a German suplex outside heading into another break. Returning, Fandango is again in trouble. Breeze is knocked off the apron, so Fandango gets picked apart but survives a near fall. A rare bit of miscommunication from the champs allows the Breeze hot tag. He does his thing, which leads to superkicks. Tag to Fandango for the double leg drop and we’ve got new champions.

Winners: Breezango in 15:17 [That was really good tag match. Imperium is super underrated and Breezango played their role well. Plus, it’s nice to see Breeze finally get a title. I assume this is because Imperium will be back in NXT UK next month. ***1/4]

Fandango dances on the announce table to celebrate.

Backstage, Damian Priest is interviewed and says he’s still partying. Timothy Thatcher interrupts to saying that the way he’s celebrating is comical. He could show the title respect and challenges Priest to show him how poorly equipped his wrestling is. Priest drinks champagne and says he’s well equipped.

Earlier today, NXT’s board of directors discussed what to do about the NXT Title.

Jake Atlas vs. Tommaso Ciampa

Ciampa busted out the PSYCHO KILLER mask from the indies. He’s vicious from the start with stomps and his Willow’s Bell DDT. That ends it.

Winner: Tommaso Ciampa in 0:51 [Total domination and that’s good. NR]

A pissed Ciampa continues the assault after the match, bringing out officials. He still attacks and does a slingshot that drives Atlas’s chest into the steel bars under the ring. He has to do a stretcher job as Ciampa sits on the apron with his eyes fixated on him. After he’s on the stretcher, Ciampa pounces again and does another Willow’s Bell DDT.

A video package runs where Candice LeRae talks about how talented Tegan Nox is and how they bonded in Wales because she saw a lot of herself in Tegan. She says that Tegan doesn’t understand her anymore. She was there for Tegan but didn’t get help the other way around. Candice offers to bring Tegan down the right path like she’s on. If Tegan doesn’t agree that you have to be selfish sometimes, then that’s on her.

Bronson Reed is interviewed about Thatcher’s comments. Reed appreciates his ambition but notes that he’s actually beaten Priest. Austin Theory shows up behind him and brags about being on WrestleMania at 22. He offers advice that could get Reed to the big time when he’s 55, so Reed slaps him.

Mia Yim comes out for a match with Mercedes Martinez. Robert Stone and Aliyah interrupt as Stone says he won’t let Mercedes into the ring after what Rhea did last week. He’s cut off as Shotzi Blackheart rides out in her tank and runs him over again. She gets in the ring and Mia is happy to take this new challenge.

Mia Yim vs. Shotzi Blackheart

They’ve evenly matched to start, with Shotzi hitting the BALL PIT leg drop. They catch each other’s kicks and respectfully put them down with no cheap shots. However, when Shotzi howls, Mia jabs her and shrugs. Shotzi fights back and starts hitting a combination of strikes and kicks before getting two on a back suplex. She connects on the senton off the top to win.

Winner: Shotzi Blackheart in 4:31 [I was really liking that but it was too short. They should’ve had back and forth for longer so Shotzi’s win would’ve felt more earned. Still solid, though. **1/2]

After the break, William Regal will have an announcement on the NXT Title.

Dakota Kai and Raquel Gonzalez are asked about the tag match against Io Shirai and Rhea Ripley tonight. Dakota says they aren’t bothered because they’re a real team while Io and Rhea don’t even like each other. Dakota says she still deserves to be champion. Raquel speaks to Rhea and says she messed up by getting in her face.

William Regal is in the ring with the NXT Title. He wishes Kross well. Next week, on a Tuesday episode, four NXT greats and former champions will do battle for the title. Those men are Johnny Gargano, Tommaso Ciampa, Adam Cole, and Finn Balor. There’s more. It will be a Four-Way 60 Minute Iron Man match!

NXT Cruiserweight Championship: Santos Escobar [c] vs. Isaiah Scott

Scott has the only win over Escobar so far. We quickly go to commercial once it starts. Returning, Scott starts firing off quick offense, including a sweet vertical suplex and a Gory Bomb style stretch. He also rolls the champion into a submission, which looks good. Escobar turns it around a bit and Scott holds his knee in pain. They both go up to the middle rope where Scott wants a springboard rana but has it countered into a powerbomb. Time for another break. Returning again, Escobar fires off boots but Scott gets pumped and lights him up with rights and lefts into the corner. He sends him outside and delivers the Fosbury Flop. Inside, he adds the rolling Flatliner for a great near fall. Joaquin Wilde arrives to distract the referee, while Mendoza distracts Scott. Escobar hits a superkick for two. Breezango shows up to take Wilde and Mendoza out. We’re back to one on one. Scott hits a deadlift German suplex for two. The same goes for his signature kick. Escobar catches him in the corner and inverts him into a modified powerbomb but Scobar gets his hand on the ropes to break up a pin. Escobar rolls outside and puts on a yellow lucha mask. He headbutts Scott and that knocks him out to get the three.

Winner: Santos Escobar in 16:46 [Match of the night. They had some great exchanges and the drama with the run-ins and mask were well done. This was really good, though it feels like there’s something great they have in them. Maybe for a TakeOver? ***1/2]

Johnny Gargano cuts a promo saying he’s been NXT’s ironman for years and he will remind everyone of who he is.

Finn Balor cuts a backstage promo. Some fall and prey but the Prince rises to the occasion. He’s not a cornerstone like the rest of these guys. He’s the centerpiece.

Drake Maverick vs. Kyle O’Reilly

Drake challenged any Undisputed member after being attacked last week. He attacks Kyle as soon as the bell rings and fires off shots. He also takes out Strong and Fish outside with a somersault plancha. Back inside, Kyle takes control and picks him apart. Kyle goes after the leg and applied an Achilles lock. Drake fights but Kyle turns it into a heel hook and Drake taps.

Winner: Kyle O’Reilly in 3:25 [A solid little encounter to get Kyle a win. **]

Undisputed Era beat on Drake after the match, which Kyle doesn’t seem to love. Before they can use a chair, Killian Dain runs out and beats on them, hitting Strong with a chair. Drake comes up to Dain but gets beat up for it.

Rhea Ripley is interviewed about tonight. She says she obviously wants Io’s title but she won’t let it get in the way tonight. She didn’t save Io at TakeOver. She was sending a message that Io is hers.

Time for words from Adam Cole who says the match is the Mt. Rushmore of NXT. He plans on making history again next week.

Dakota Kai and Raquel Gonzalez vs. Io Shirai and Rhea Ripley

Raquel and Rhea go at it to start but neither woman is able to gain a clear advantage. Io does when she uses a snap rana to send Raquel outside. Dakota gets in her face on the apron and is knocked off, but Raquel catches her heading into break. Returning, Io rebounds from isolation to tag in a hot Rhea. She knocks Raquel off the apron and wails on Dakota. Raquel tags in and they dump her outside. That allows Kai and Raquel to work quick tags and keep Rhea in trouble. Hot tag to Io once Rhea gets free and she takes it to Dakota, picking up a near fall. Dakota with the Scorpion Kick but has Kairopractor avoided. Io with a knee strike and German but Raquel breaks up the pin. Raquel gets a near fall on Io. She makes the tag but the referee doesn’t see it. Then, Mercedes Martinz comes out and pulls Rhea off the apron, making her hit the steel steps. Raquel with a spinning slam on Io for two. Rhea gets back up and tags in but Raquel dominates and powerbombs her to win.

Winners: Dakota Kai and Raquel Gonzalez in 10:13 [Good main event. it got interrupted by the break a bit but they all worked hard, put on an entertaining bout and it built several things going forward. ***]

7.5

The final score: review Good

The 411

This is the kind of episode of TV that I enjoy. There weren't any MOTY contenders or even anything I'd flat out call great. However, the whole show was entertaining, we got a few good matches, and some angle advancement. Ciampa's stuff worked well and the setup for next week was cool. Very good show this week.