Hello team. JCH here with another NXT recap, a fresh set of tapings and the road to Takeover NYC (which I will be attending) begins here.
Rebel Heart hits and out comes Johnny Gargano. There is a lot of fans with Johnny Champion signs I’m the crowd. Big Johnny Champion chant. Johnny Sucks chants grow a bit.
You Deserve it/No You Don’t chant. With You Deserve it definitely louder. FRG is wearing a Bobble hat, indoors, in Florida…..It’s an Everton hat. Looks like e he got a new Everton jacket for Christmas as well.
Johnny is interrupted by Tommy Sports Entertainment. Tommaso talks about how since Johnny followed the champs lead. They own the world. Big DIY chant. Johnny says no. There is no ‘Our moment’. He came out on stage to show he will never need Ciampa.
The Dream interrupts. Tonight isn’t about either of them it’s about him. He brings up winning the Worlds Collide tournament and says he has a Championship shot of his choice. He accuses Ciampa of lusting after him and says Dream is over for Ciampa. He doesn’t want Ciampa. He wants Johnny. Johnny runs down his accomplishments and says if Dream wants his shot, he can have it and he will lose. Dream calls him Johnny Jackass and Johnny backs up the ramp and has more awkward eye contact with Ciampa.
Good interview segment to set up Dream vs Gargano. I had it for Takeover, but it looks like it will be coming before then. All three are great on the mic. Will be interesting to see the crowd cheer for.
Hang on have they dubbed the sound for the replays. I swear the first time they chanted Johnny Champion and this time it sounded like Johnny Jackass.
Later Io, Kairi and Bianca vs 3 of the Horsewomen and Drew Gulak is here in NXT.
But Next here comes the Forgotten Sons. Jaxon Ryker is in action. He is taking on Mansoor.
Mansoor apparently had no malls where he grew up, he had 2 video games and wrestling on TV
Jaxon Ryker vs Mansoor
MATCH HIGHLIGHTS - Ryker absolutely clobbers Mansoor hung up in the corner. Then got caught with, I guess, a Rock Bottom? coming off the top. And his finish which Mauro calls No Remorse. Complete squash from Ryker. Didn’t really get to see much of Mansoor. Oh, hang on Ryker brings him back in and hits another No Remorse.
Backstage Ricochet is having a photo shoot. Cathy wants a word with Ricochet. Adam Cole comes over and is furious. Cathy should be interrupting him. Ricochet overhears this and we have some back and forth. Ricochet challenges Cole next week to a contender’s match. The Era leave and Ricochet tells Cathy he will be back for his title whoever is champ. Then he goes back to the shoot. What a pro.
Dream vs Gargano announced for 2 week’s time.
Here comes Drew Gulak. His opponent is Eric Bugenhagen. Air drumming his way to the ring. He has a ridiculous high-pitched scream. The one-man band. Flicks a plectrum to the crowd which is less successful than one of my streamers. Now he’s playing air keyboard. Nigel is furious. The crowd loved him. And call for an encore. Drew Gulak’s face is fantastic.
Drew Gulak vs Eric Bugenhagen
Arm drag from Bugenhagen, then he hits a high note and Drew dropkicks him in the face. Bugenhagen has Gulak in an abdominal stretch and plays air guitar on Gulak’s body. This guy is great. Bugenhagen chant. Gulak not impressed. Hits a big suplex then the Gu-Lock. It’s over.
Bugenhagen had some good moments. The crowd loved him. Nigel hates him. Brilliant.
Gulak is furious. He’s the best submission specialist in WWE. That’s what he got given. Ben Stiller from Dodgeball. He calls out anyone in the back. BRO hits and out comes Drew’s fellow Catch Point alumni Matt Riddle. Riddle tells him to go home or he’s gonna come down and tap him out.
Drew invites him to take his flip flops off and make his day.
Rids obliges and we have a match.
Drew Gulak vs Matt Riddle
Think there was a little Catch Point chant there.
Mat wrestling and submission attempts to start. Riddle after an armbar. Smooth transitions and counters. Lovely Stuff. Exchange of Leg Sweeps and a stand off. Big applause from the crowd. Riddle head stands out of a hold and hits a big PK, then the sexton, jumping corner forearm. Goes for another and Gulak punts him in the face as he’s on his way. Excellent.
Gulak in control as crowd urges Riddle on. Gulak has a wicked submission. Double armbar whilst kneeing Riddle down. Adds the finger bending as well. Multiple holds from Gulak, keeping Riddle grounded. Rids fight out palm strikes then a cradle suplex and both men are down.
Riddle up and 2 chest kicks. Went for a 3rd but Gulak catches him and hits a dragon screw. Riddle sleeper on the outside and lifts Drew in whilst still in the sleeper. Bridging deadlift German for 2. Drew kicks out and rolls into a fujiwara armbar. Exchanging chops and forearms then Riddle misses a kick, Gulak rolls him up Riddle powers out into a Deadlift Powerbomb then the Jumping Knee. Bloody hell Rids. Gulak kicks out. Crikey.
Riddle with the elbows to the head into the Bromission and Gulak taps. What a match. Great job by both men. Drew Gulak offers a Catch Point handshake and Riddle accepts. Well that was ACE.
Bianca Belair, Kairi Sane and Io Shirai vs Shayna Baszler, Marina Shafir and Jessamyn Duke.
Did Kairi Sane just give her hat to Izzy??? She’s wearing an Adam Cole hoodie. Sold out on Bayley. Watch me Shine. Here comes Bianca. I think she may be wearing Black History month inspired trunks. Nice. Shafir still sporting the Facundo Sava celebration facemask.
MATCH HIGHLIGHTS - Shayna and Bianca starting off. Percy confirms Bianca’s Black History month trunks. Shayna whips Bianca into the corner Bianca up and over her goes to the other corner and Shayna doesn’t follow her and just tags out. Great. Bianca then just drops Marina with a kick. Duke in and a double chickening face buster from Bianca. Starting out hot. Tags in Kairi Gorilla presses her into an elbow drop on Duke. Awesome.
Huge chop from Kairi on Marina. Who asks for more and gets them. Brilliant. Io in, no Tag and she spins Marina into another chop. Shayna distracts Kairi off the top allowing them to take control. Shayna mocking Kairi. Heat on Kairi. Keeping her in the corner. Quick Tags and strikes. Targeting the back. Leg submission whilst standing on the head by Baszler. I love it when people stand on the head when putting submission on. Marina in.
Couple of goobers chanting ‘you can’t wrestle’ They are drowned out by Pro Kairi chants. Much better. Support the face in peril. Sure, she’s new and has room to improve but I think all things considered Shafir has been fine since she came up.
Duke cuts off the hot tag at the last minute, but then Sane reverses and she finally finds Io on the hot tag. Taking it to Baszler. Kicks galore. Absolutely clocks Marina in the face. Then back to back double knees on Marina and Shayna in different corners. Boots Jessamyn off the apron. Springboard Dropkick to Shayna. Io on fire. Tags in Kairi. InSane elbow on Shayna. Marina breaks up the pin Kairi looking to tag Io, but Bianca reaches over and gets there first. Clotheslines both Marina and Jessamyn off the apron. K.O.D on Shayna, but they get back in just in time to break the pin.
Marina and Jessamyn sent outside. Kairi huge crossbody to the outside takes them both out. Io tag’s in and hits the Springboard Moonsault on Shayna for the 3.
Io and Kairi celebrate madly, Bianca joins in not as excitedly.
Io wants a title shot. Bianca looks a bit annoyed she didn’t get the pinfall. Mauro points out that Io and Kairi are the only people to have pinned Baszler.
Really good match. The faces were all awesome. Duke and Shafir are doing what they need to do well, and Shayna is always awesome.
Looks like there could be an Io title shot and maybe a Kairi vs Bianca match coming up…..
The last two matches were great. Gulak and Rids was outstanding and the main event I think got over all the faces, especially Io who has had the least exposure of the 3. Add in a nice table setting opening segment and all in all another enjoyable hour of television.
Stars of the Show
1. Matt Riddle
2. Io Shirai/Kairi Sane
3. Drew Gulak
The Humberto Carillo award for most stock raised this week
Has to be Eric Bugenhagen
Honorable mention to Io Shirai. I’m already a big fan but I think this showing will definitely increase her popularity.
Prediction for Takeover Card
Tommaso Ciampa vs Ricochet
Shayna Baszler vs Io Shirai
Johnny Gargano vs Matt Riddle
Kairi Sane vs Bianca Belair
War Raiders vs Moustache Mountain
Should have a Stardom piece done by this weekend and will try and write up some live thoughts from Pro Wrestling Eve on Saturday night.
Until then. Take care JCH.
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