Dear Readers….reader?…..Diary? Merry Christmas. I must first begin with an admission of error. Two weeks ago I said ReDRagon were the only wrestlers I’d only paid for a photograph with. However, whilst back home at Christmas, my friend Dan reminded me of the time we paid £5 for a polaroid with Jake ‘The Snake’ Roberts after watching him at St George’s Hall, Exeter. I apologise for the inaccurate reporting.
Tonight we have Heavy Machinery vs Undisputed Era for the NXT Tag Titles, but we’re opening up with the women's No.1 Contender for Takeover Phoenix. Who’s going on to wrestle Shayna Baszler at the big show?
IO SHIRAI v LACEY EVANS v MIA YIM v BIANCA BELAIR - #1 CONTENDERS MATCH
Out first Io Shirai who has looked impressive since her debut in the Mae Young. I saw one of her matches from Stardom vs Mayu Iwatani a couple of years ago. Absolute banger. Then we have Lacey Evans, she’s fine, and not long for this (NXT) world, I see her going out on her back.
Next is Mia Him, definitely popular with the Full Sail crowd. Out last, to the biggest reaction is Bianca Belair, who just screams star to me. FRG gives her a standing O. Lacey decides to get out the ring and let the others go at it which leads to Io and Mia teaming on Bianca. She bails to the outside and is hit with a Tope Suicida my Mia.
Io calls for a dive of her own, but Lacey comes in, grabs her and Irish whips her which Io turns into her own banging dive through the middle and top rope. That was awesome. Now the double team is on Lacey - with Bianca taken out from the two dives. It goes well until Lacey ducks and Yim clocks Io with a nice kick.
Lacey with a good looking slingshot elbow drop. Some good airtime there. Lacey in control of Io and Mia in the corner and she hits that cool looking headstand into a split legged sit on the chest. I don’t know what it’s called but it looks great. She almost moves in slow motion when she’s in the air. In a good way as it just adds to when the impact is coming.
Bianca uses Io as a weapon to hit Lacey before being thrown out again and Lacey and Io go at it. Evans saves Io from Bianca’s finisher and they argue before double teaming Mia. Breaking down a bit, lots of near falls being broken up by one of the others. Exciting stuff. Io with a springboard missile drop kick on to Lacey then she’s speared by Bianca and all four are down!
Bianca unsuccessfully tries covers on all three. Roll through into a double stomp by Io, followed by a tiger crane kick? And another missile drop kick on Bianca. Evans makes the save. Now Lacey and Mia go at it. Women’s Right! Broken up at the death by Io.
Io up for the moonsault on Lacey. Hits it 1, 2…WHIP. Bianca breaks up the pinfall with a hair whip. That must be a first. Awesome. Then Alley Oop for Io on to Mia on the outside takes them both out. Picks up Evans. K.O.D Bianca wins and remains un-de-feat-ed!
That match was great. Really enjoyed that. Belair has a bit of blood I think in the mouth. Loads of great stuff and near falls.
I think the right woman won personally. Obviously not as accomplished in ring yet as the more experienced Io or Mia, but Bianca Belair is over and her character work is great. She’s well established in NXT and they want to see her at the top. She’s not unlike Velveteen Dream on the men’s side as someone who has come from the PC (I know Dream worked some Indies), but neither were Indy Stars like so many of the NXT success stories.
It's good to see that they are capable of creating some stars of their own. (Sit down Baron Corbin fans….fan….Luke). I love the Baszler bully character and it should be interesting to see her go up against someone as confident in themselves as Bianca.
MITCH TAVERNA v JAXSON RYKER
Here comes Mitch Taverna for a match against Jaxson Ryker Just what I wanted for Christmas... a Jaxson Ryker match to review. I like the concept of the Forgotten Sons, the problem is they were off TV for so long that I literally have forgotten them. So it’s going to take a while for me to be invested in them.
I’m going to predict a Ryker win here. Bold I know. Cutler and Jannetty on the outside shout things. It adds to it. The crowd is pretty silent. FRG is the least animated I’ve ever seen. The ref is a guy I think called Chris, I met him in the smoking area of a Pro Wrestling Eve show. Nice dude.
Ryker hits a powerbomb after bouncing Mitch off the ropes - which the crowd proper popped for. Nice finish. I don’t think there was any commentary on that match at all. I’m not going back to watch it again, please let me know. Yeah, still no commentary in the post match, WWE cared about that match even less than me or FRG. I’m prepared to give the Forgotten Sons more time to be remembered. I like their jackets.
VELVETEEN DREAM PROMO PACKAGE
This kid is bloody good. He should be going places. 2019 - Dream on. Ok Velvet. Can’t wait to see what you have planned!
TOMMASO CIAMPA PROMO
The winner of our Wrestling Should Be Fun WWE Wrestler of the year talks about how he often feels like a broken record, but Johnny Gargano proves that he listens to him! Tommy Sports Entertainment suggest Johnny pinning Aleister means he deserves an opportunity. Not at his title, but maybe at the North American Title…..they talked about Taking over NXT. Takeover Phoenix can be their Takeover. Top Stuff from Ciampa asking questions of management and planting more seeds in Gargano’s head. He is a master manipulator.
NEXT WEEK...
Next week my BRO Matt Riddle vs Kassius Ohno, Really not giving me a week off. Next week may be tough for me as I’m holidaying in Vegas, but I will get something out for everyone.
UNDISPUTED ERA v HEAVY MACHINERY - NXT TAG TITLE MATCH
Here come Heavy Machinery, who are also main roster bound, and I also predict will be going out the same way as Lacey did. Roddy and Kyle come out alone. Here it comes, O’Reilly air guitar solo gets a big pop from the crowd and from me. They also point at each other from the turnbuckle during the BOOM part of the song. I love these guys.
Is this a new ring announcer? Or does Jojo not normally do NXT? Apparently Kayla has been doing it since August according to Wikipedia. I bet you’re glad you have a reviewer who pays so much attention to the product……
Teams feel each other out a bit at the start before double overhead belly to bellies from the Heavies as they take control. Knight then takes them both out on the outside before Kyle cuts him off on his way back in, As Kyle distracts the ref with the tan Roddy drops him with a back drop of sorts that caught the apron. That looked painful.
Kyle and Roddy isolate Tucker, quick tags and strikes. Kyle is a bloody great striker. Consistent heat work on Knight. Crowd clapping for the Tag. Knight drags Strong towards Dozy whilst in a submission but Kyle comes over and drags them back to the corner. Crowd reach a crescendo as Dozy gets the tag. The Full Sail crowd does really help this product. I imagine this on the main roster and no one would be watching or they’d be cheering for tables or Cm Punk or Fucking Harambe when there is a 205 banger going on. Sort yourself out WWE crowds.
Anyway Dozovic erupts on the hot tag finishing with the caterpillar elbow drop on Roddy. Hoss Toss on Kyle, Roddy makes the save. Knight up top! NOBODY HOME for the moonsault!. Roddy misses with the knee Tag to Dozy. Nigel calls him the Big Dozer. Hahaha. Big clothesline Roddy goes inside out. Great selling. Now Dozy going up top. Roddy stops him up there with a step up enziguri. Nigel has now started reciting Humpty Dumpty. Brilliant .Roddy has Dozy for the Superplex Kyle underneath for the powerbomb combo. Top work!
“Humpty Dumpty had a great fall” from Nigel. Brilliant. Last second kick out from Otis. O’Reilly boots Tucker off the apron just as he got back. Axe and Smash, double Strike, Otis Kicks oUT AGAIN, Roddy boots Tucker down again, Hi-LOW 1,2,3. It’s over. Good match. I’d say convincing victory for the Era, it took a lot to put Machinery away, but the Era never really looked in trouble.
The four Era guys celebrate at the top of the ramp as Tucker and Dozi look devastated in the ring. The end of 2018 NXT, and I’ve enjoyed watching all year and reviewing the last month.
STARS OF THE WEEK
Bianca Belair
Kyle O’Reilly
Io Shirai
Will see what the award categories NXT have next week and give out some of my own,
Keep checking out @wrestlingshoul2 on Twitter for our awards polls and links to all the great content from the other writers on the site such as Ross Casey's NXTUK reviews and DomVanDam's 205 live write ups. Will he ever see a Spanish Fly? And the fun stuff like the Roundtables, Watch-along-Wednesdays and my favourite Hazy Memories!
Signing off for 2018 - JCH.
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