by JCH
NXT USA 2
I’m back. 2 weeks in a row. Hopefully this makes it out Thursday, but I am off to a wedding rehearsal in an hour. So hopefully this afternoon will have time to catch the Network portion.
Today we start with a behind the scenes shot of the Era walking up some stairs. They have a podium at the back of Full Sail Arena. Just posing there with their titles. It’s pretty good. Everyone cheers the heels…because….
Keith Lee vs Dominick Dijakovic
These are usually good. Kenny Omega has been getting into it with Dijakovic on Twitter. Seriously its like watching TOWIE. I’m probably in the minority of people who would rather watch Dijakovic matches than a 3 hour Omega match. I enjoyed his work with Kushida when I first saw him.
It’s big guys doing athletic stuff. It is impressive.
I like how they avoid a few moves early, this is their 3rd match and shows some adjustments have been made to the game plan.
Keith Lee pounces Dijakovic out of the ring. It looks so good.
Lee in charge in the early exchanges until Dijakovic chokeslams him ON THE HARDEST PART OF THE RING. This leads us into a bloody ad break. Still hate these mid match.
Massive slaps to the chest from Dijakovic who releases a magical smile to the camera then turns around to see Lee unaffected just staring at him. Excellent.
Corkscrew pesata from Lee. The big man makes it look effortless.
Big strike combo and a middle rope moonsault from Lee gets a 2-count.
Dijkaovic casually throws a top rope Canadian destroyer in. Only 2. Then a Moonsault which Lee kicks out of by sitting up whilst picking Dijakovic up. Great transition.
Lee hits his finish. Mauro calls it Big Bang Catastrophe. That’ll do it.
Another exciting encounter between the two behemoths and its 1-1-1 in the scorecard.
Tale of the Tape for Shayna vs Candace next week on USA.
Recap of the big brawl next week.
Regal announcing that the winner of tonights street fight will get a NXT championship shot.
Street Profits promo. They will also have a title shot. Next week.
Dakota Kai is back. Full Sail gives her a huge welcome. She looks like her denim jacket is upside down. It isn’t
Dakota Kai vs Taynara Conti
I like Conti. Two time winner of the Montez Ford award. Chance she can rename it with a top showing here.
Beautiful kick from Conti to Dakota on the top rope. Team Kick that. She then volleys Kai in the arm to get her to let go of the ropes. Facewashing and a Judo throw, then another kick! Conti on fire.
Kai now bringing some of that Team Kick action.
Go To Kick from Kai. And it is over.
There was nothing wrong with that. Everything in it was great. A lot of kicks, which I Love and obviously Kai is the woman getting the focus here. Hopefully they get the chance to go longer in the future as I thought their styles, with the battle of the kicks, was setting up well for a strong match.
Kushida and 2 mystery partners will take on 3 of Imperium on the Network Portion.
Matt Riddle vs Killian Dain
I was thinking this was starting off slightly slow. Beth also comments on this and Mauro says its due to the stakes being higher due to the Number 1 contendership. I know people give Mauro a lot of crap for his pop culture references, but that right there is great commentary helping the match.
Apparently we missed a kendo stick shot during the break.
Superb offensive onslaught by Riddle. Finished off with a huge PK.
KNEE TO FACE by Riddle.
Dain showing off some nice power moves then Rids with an awesome Alabama Slammer on to Dain.
We’re outside the ring now and Dain is wailing on Rids with a chair.
Dain just crossbodied Riddle through a wall…..the Emi Sakura…..and we go to adverts…..You don’t get to feel the full impact of the move by leaving every time something huge happens.
We come back and Riddle is putting Dain through a table????
Terrible direction in my opinion.
Riddle has a chair but Dain crossbodies it on to Riddle.
3 Vader bombs by Dain. The same finish as their last match. BUT RIDS KICKS OUT.
Dain puts a chair on top of Riddle and then hits the chair with a Kendo stick. Forgive me but that seem counter-productive.
He then goes for a Vader Bomb on the chair. That seems more sensible. Rids gets up tho, Chair to back. Powerbomb. Throws chair at Dain who catches it. KNEE TO CHAIR TO FACE.
I thought that was it, Dain kicks out.
Riddle now with the Kendo to the chair…. Then just kendos.
Strikes galore. Riddle punches a chair out of Dain’s hands.
Riddle with the Fujiwara armbar and DAIN taps.
I liked this match. Shockingly as it had Matt Riddle in it. Didn’t like the position of the ad-breaks, but I guess I will have to get used to that.
Riddle down on the canvas and here comes Adam Cole to talk some shit. Rids just puts him in the armbar as well. Cole lets out an incredible scream. The Era run off Rids, who escapes in good shape.
Rids vs Cole next week as well. 3 title matches. Strong line-up.
On to the Network and I’ve had a lunch meeting so am a couple of glasses of wine down.
Cole is still whining in the ring after Rids broke the clowns arm. Go Rids.
Hour 2 is kicking off with…….recaps.
Here comes Rhea Ripley. I’m still not entirely sure why she is so beloved in Full Sail. She was a big heel in NXTUK. Although outside the boss I’m not sure anyone watches that. So maybe NXT regular crowd doesn’t know that.
Rhea Ripley vs Kayden Carter
Kayden Carter looks a lot like Lacey Lane from the Mae Young Classic. Why do they change these names. I would love to be in the meetings to discuss this. They must have a reason, but for the life of me I can’t figure it out.
Kayden Carter has a a nice dropkick.
Carter has some nice flashy offence and Rhea is a great base for smaller opponents to work with.
Rhea puts Carter away with the riptide. That was a competitive squash. I liked it. Rhea looks dominant, still not acting like a face though. Kicking Lane out of the ring following some sarcastic applause.
I’m annoyed now. The Network is acting up and I have limited time to fit in NXT and the season 4 finale of the Wire before my football game.
Why is there a firefly funhouse advert on here?
Here comes Oney and Danny. They are at tag league next week in Germany. Weekend of the 1s and 2s. Fantastic.
Oney Lorcan and Danny Burch vs Chase Parker and Matt Martel
One of these dudes looks like switchblade.
Switchblade and his mate dominate Lorcan. Burch comes in. Him and Lorcan hulk up. They win. Afterwards they celebrate with F.R.G. Somewhere Brum dies a little inside.
Deonna Perazzo and Chelsea Green look annoyed in the crowd. They probably just saw the t-shirts that had been designed for them.
Here comes Cameron Grimes and his top hat. Looking like a slimmer stripper version of the Fat Controller
Cameron Grimes vs Raul Mendoza
Grimes nearly wins in a second again.
Beth Phoenix said Grimes was nearly expelled in 6th grade for starting a Fight Club. Well he can’t have been very good at it Beth, else you wouldn’t know.
That move where Grimes reverses a crossbody into whatever it is is bloody good.
Some of this stuff Mauro comes out with. Does he just have a list of references to get in during a show?
Grimes won. Network is acting up. I’m off to the Wire
Back on to NXT
Kushida and ???? Vs Imperium
Walter on the bench tonight. Imperium treating this like the Carabao Cup.
Kushida has brought in The Fashion Police. I would like to have seen that recruitment meeting.
Kushida is good at Professional Wrestling.
Wolfe hit a nice cravat into a backbreaker. I liked that.
Breeze is isolated for a long time and Imperium just beat him up. Marcel Bartel is great. He just has this confidence about everything he does. Adding in little looks and details that just make you want to see someone kick his ass.
Kushida picks up the win in a solid TV match then gets Twatted by Walter as he celebrates on the ramp.
Imperium stand tall to end the show.
The epsiode was fine, I didn’t think the second hour was as good as last week. I don’t think watching it truncated helped. Next week should be a strong episode.
Stars of the Week
1.Keith Lee
2.Dominick Dijakovic
3.Matt Riddle
Montez Ford Award
This is a tough one. I think I will give it to Dakota Kai. A strong reintroduction for her.
JCH Knee of the Night
No surprises here. For the second week in a row its the BRO. Matt Riddle with the knee to the chair to the Face.
Stars Standings.
1. Io Shirai/Keith Lee - 3
2. Oney Lorcan/Dominick Dijakovic 2
3. Roderick Strong/Matt Riddle 1
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