Hello loyal NXT readers, I must first again begin with an apology. I did not get a review out last week on the Rids v Ohno match, I still haven’t caught up with the show. I tried watching in an airport but ran out of time.
Now I’m back from Vegas and am behind on my college work and also stupidly decided to start reviewing Stardom for the site as well - the first piece should be up soon, I am 4/5 through it.
So anyway will get this NXT piece done. I think it’s a new set of tapings and I’ve seen no spoilers so exciting times. Belair v Shayna and Black v Ciampa I believe are already set up for Rumble Takeover at the end of the month. So Happy New Year gang and Let’s go!
Double Main Event announced! Bianca Belair vs Nikki Cross and EC3 vs Adam Cole. Have to presume that Cross and EC3 are on their way out on their back as they leave for pastures non greener.
TITLES PICTURE
My most played song of 2018 on Spotify Rebel Heart hits and out comes Johnny. FRG gives a big thumbs up. He’s still a fan! Johnny says, the only things that matter are wins and championships and in 2019 he will become a champion. Duelling Johnny wrestling/Johnny failure chants.
The crowd is split but decent DIY chants when Ciampa is mentioned. He says they are not together, it was one moment and Ciampa still has a title that Johnny wants. Johnny instead calls out Ricochet and the North American Championship……ONE AND ONLY hits and here comes Ricochet in a nice suit with a dubious shirt collar.
That belt looks massive on him. Big that’s are champion chant for Ricochet. Witty banter from Ricochet. Ricochet calls out Johnny Takeover and says at Takeover Phoenix he’ll be the man. They square up and suddenly Tommy Sports Entertainment joins the party. Johnny cuts him off and says its about me not you then Ally Black’s music hits - he’s on screen.
Tomasso watches him from the ramp. He cuts down Johnny and says unlike Gargano he’s a real challenge to Ciampa. Lights go down and when they come back, Black is behind Ciampa and attacks him.
Black tries to put him through the announce table, but Ciampa scarpers as Ricochet and Gargano are watching them leave Johnny shrugs and superkicks him in the face to huge boos and lots more Johnny Failure chants. Cracking opening segment to build to two big matches at NXT Takeover Phoenix.
Holding my Breath by Alien Weaponry is the theme for NXT Takeover…..
Regal tweets that War Raiders will get an NXT Tag Title shot against Strong and O’Reilly at Phoenix!
BIANCA BELAIR v NIKKI CROSS
The Hair whip sounds and my most listened to song so far in 2019 Watch Me Shine kicks in. Here’s Bianca. Her two matches so far with Nikki Cross have had no finish. Will we get a decision this time?
Nikki looking extra crazy tonight, is this her Full Sail goodbye? Let’s Go Nikki/EST duelling chants. Probably just in Cross’ favour. Nikki avoids an early hair whip. Then Bianca moonsaults out of a rollup attempt and hits a dropkick. Nikki back with a head scissors. Then she catches Bianca in the apron and just wails away.
Belair lifts Nikki off the top, holds her then.a gorilla press slam, followed by a standing moonsault. Great mix of power and athleticism from Bianca. What a STAR. Bianca kicks away and you can hear and see MY MAN FRG shout ‘Put the Boots to her Belair’. Good presence from FRG today.
Abdominal stretch with punches into a backbreaker from Belair. Cutting off the crowd support in a moment. Bianca goes for a delayed vertical but midway through Cross reverses into a DDT. Lovely stuff. Nikki in control now, repeated strikes then a crossbody. Great in character Frenzied offence from Nikki gets a near fall. Counter sequence into a Huge Spear by Belair for 2.
Running frog splash from Belair lands on the knees, Swinging Fishermans Neckbreaker but Belair rolls out of the ring, Now dual Undefeated/Overrated chants for Belair. Harsh Full Sail. Harsh. Nikki on Bianca’s back on the outside and Bianca falls back onto the metal ramp.
Crushing Cross. Both make it in at 9 and a half. Nice callback to first meeting that was a double countout. They meet in the middle with punches. Belair into the post, roll up for very near fall! Bianca slaps Nikki and puts her up top. Cross pushes her down misses the crossbody from the top. Belair into the torture rack and the K.O.D.
its over Belair wins! Then mock yawns. Haha. Good match and top work. I wonder how long it takes to do her hair?
STREET PROFITS PROMO
Angelo Dawkins beatboxes whilst Montez spits bars. Is that the term? They say no more locked doors. They finally open a shop door, they’re gonna be opening up doors in 2019.
They call out, War Raiders, Humberto and Raul and Undisputed Era. Apparently they have a TV show called Street Talk going into season 3. I doubt I will watch it. They definitely have something in these promos even though I don’t understand much of what they say.
THE EUROPEAN UNION v THE GOOBERS
Next up the new tag team formed in NXTUK Fabian Aichner and Marcel Barthel in action. Here come Bethel and Aichner to new music both wearing Barthel’s jackets. They will be wrestling two goobers as yet unnamed. Kungsman and Watts I think Mauro called them.
Kungsman in with Bethel first. If they give him a push Bethel is a fantastic talent. Kungsman takes control and tags in Stanley Watts. Marcel takes control. ,Huge thrust chop and tag to Aichner. Hang on what did I just see. Huge Huge Huge height on a pop up powerbomb by Aichner, but Watts catches his legs around Aichners head.
Looks like he’s about to be Styles Clashed but Aichner lifts him up for another powerbomb and Watts goes over the top looking for a sunset flip but Aicher fights him off. In comes Kungsman. Spinebuster from Aichner into a PK from Bethel. Awesome.
Lovely quick tags and double teams by the European boys. Nice kicks from Watts as he comes in again, He’s looked good. Powerbomb from Aichner caught into a bridging German by Bethel for 3. What a finisher. Great debut from the European Union. Nice Fire shown from the job squad as well. Cracking little match that.
Outside interview with Ricochet. Johnny superkicked away all respect he had for him. He doesn’t care if Regal makes the match. He’s taking Johnny out.
Cole v EC3 up next!
Recap of Ohio v Riddle. That saves me time. Riddler won then Ohno faked a handshake and beat him up. Riddle is not cleared to compete. Keith Lee is backstage to talk about it. Keith Lee calls out Kassius Ohno as revenge for Rids.
EC3 v ADAM COLE
Something tells me this match will peak at the theme tunes for me. Bonus O’Reilly air guitar solo! BOOM. Nigel ‘Adam Cole has something, that intangible that make men envious and makes women swoon’ Who does he think he is? Val Venis?
They exchange poses and catchphrases. Sensible playing to their strengths. EC3 smashes Cole of the apron, then Cole hits a cracking enziguri as EC3 pokes his head through the ropes. Fight on the ropes and EC3 duplexes Cole in from the outside. Nice. EC3 in control hits the Say My Name Elbow drop. Adding in a BayBay for good measure. Nice touch.
Brogue Kick for 2 from Cole. Cole continues to target the right arm, followed by a backstabber for a near fall. Cole misses kick and EC3 hits a German followed by a big clothesline for 2. Bobby is so vocal from the outside. Love it.
Think there was a ‘Shut up Bobby’ chant earlier. Go on Bobby. What a cheerleader. Great advice from the sidelines. EC3 powerbombs out of an armour, distraction from the Era, superkick to distracted EC3, last shot. 1-2-3. Adam Cole wins. Solid match. Era beat up EC3 after the match. War Raiders in for the save and they destroy the Era including a powerbomb on Fish whilst also holding and throwing down Roddy. Raiders end the show standing tall.
FINAL THOUGHTS
A nice show to start the year, Presume that’s goodbye for EC3 and Nikki Cross. She will be missed, I probably won’t notice he’s gone to be fair. He’s fine, but not in my top 10 of NXT or anything,
4 title matches set for Phoenix leaving one space on the card, the likes of Velveteen Dream, Adam Cole, Bobby Fish, Keith Lee, Matt Riddle, Kairi Sane, Io Shirai, Dakota Kai, European Union all with nothing to do as yet.
So hard to get on these cards as its basically 4 title matches and one other. If I had to guess who’s be on I’d lean towards a Dream vs Cole match as I feel they are the two biggest names in NXT’s mind who are not yet on it.
STARS OF THE SHOW
1, Bianca BelAir
2 . The European Union
3 . Nikki Cross
Hopefully my Stardom review should be up soon,
Nerd Watch dropped on Wednesday and check out weekly NXTUK reviews from Ross and 205 Live from Dom plus all the other great stuff Ross is doing on the Twitter. Laters.
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