by JCH
5 episodes of NXT left before the big Takeover. We have Dusty action starting this week in a show that is in memory of King Kong Bundy.
We open with Ciampa turning on a mic and moving to show Gargano sat with him. Promo video of all the teams in the classic. Really good video showcasing every team. Begins and ends with DIY.
Apparently, we’re getting the whole first round tonight. We are in for a Tag Team Treat.
Ricochet and Aleister Black out first so we begin with
Ricochet and Aleister Black vs The European Union
We get a repeat of the 1974 World Cup final as Black squares off with Barthel. EU in charge of Black early doors, quick tags and double teams. A spinebuster from Aichner followed up by a big PK from Barthel a highlight. Ricochet distracts Aichner which allows Black to fight back and makes the tag. Ricochet then pushes Aichner into Barthel and hits a cutter on Barthel causing him to DDT Aichner at the same time. Lovely stuff.
Barthel throws Ricochet to Aichner who catches him and hits a Brainbuster. Marcel tope takes out Black on the outside and a double springboard Moonsault from Aichner to Ricochet. Surely that is it. Kick out. I think they did that sequence before but whatever. It is straight fire. Aichner then hits a springboard Tornado DDT for another 2. These two are bloody great.
Black with a springboard double knees on Barthel. Then another blur of moves sees Ricochet take out Barthel on the outside. Black goes for the springboard moonsault but Aichner catches him and sits down into a pin. Big strikes from Aichner, but the slight pause as he celebrates sees the Black Mass and Ricochet and Black advance to the semifinals. Really good. Love the EU.
Recap on Lee vs Dijakovic from last week.
PC footage. Drew Gulak is teaching a class featuring Keith Lee and Dijakovic comes out and challenges Lee right there and then. The match is set for two week’s time. Yes Please.
Forgotten Sons vs 1s and 2s
Lot of backbreakers early on as the Son’s isolate Lorcan. Burch gets the hot tag and is on a tear. Clotheslines, kicks, germans to everybody. Tags Lorcan back in looking for the finisher. But Lorcan’s back gives out after the work earlier and the Sons back on top with Lorcan legal. Lorcan fights back before being caught with another backbreaker by Cutler. Boston crab to Lorcan. Great consistent back work from the Sons. Burch back in breaks it up with a big nut and both are down.
Tag to Burch who looks for the finisher but Lorcan is out. Burch gets caught and Blake hits a missile drop-kick for a near fall. Lorcan in again. Fighting through the pain, He fights off both and in comes Burch. Spike DDT and Cutler or Blake saves at the last minute.
Lorcan gets power bombed into Cutlers knees as he sits on the buckle. Then the double stomp and reverse DDT combo. Cutler pins Lorcan and the Sons are in the semi-finals.
Good match. The early back work on Lorcan paying dividend down the end and the final stretch was really strong.
Velveteen Dream comes out. He is wearing a bum bag ridiculously low. Words cannot describe.
Dream is interrupted by BRO.
He’s out to say hi and Congratulations to the Dream. He turns serious and is wondering what the title would like around his waste
Dream says the spotlight belongs to him and turns the lights out on Riddle.
Well that could be the direction for Takeover.
The undisputed Era are hanging out backstage and have hung their merchandise around in the background. Always be Closing.
Io and Kairi interview
Basically, goes over the story with Belair and they talk up Io. Nice little feature.
Street Profits vs Moustache Mountain
Montez Ford is wearing a red mask and a crown.
Split Crowd for the two face teams.
Back and forth early. Suddenly Montez, showing some of that aggression we saw last time, starts punting Trent in the stomach. Trent nails the Arn Anderson delayed DDT.
The Street Profits tagged in from the wrong corner at one point after Ford hit his massive dive on Seven on outside.
Tyler kicked out of a huge frog splash. Then the Profits go to the right corner.
But Trent hits a bloody dragon suplex on the apron. German from Tyler. Torture rack/double stomp combo and Moustache Mountain advance to the semi-finals. Another really strong finish, just double teams flying around all over the place
Here come the Baddest Team on God’s Green
Kyle O’Reilly and Bobby Fish vs D.I.Y
Will we get the old D.I.Y music? No. Rebel Heart instead. Then Black Heart. Then they pause on the ramp. HERE IT IS. D.I.Y theme. Great sequence there.
I think I’ve spotted FRG and he’s not in the Front Row. Looks to be second for third row. Must have been late. He’s also obscured by a turnbuckle.
Era on top. Fish and O’Reilly are just so slick when they’ve isolated someone. Tags, doubles, keeping their opponent in the corner. Gargano is their victim here.
O’Reilly hits 2 double undertook takeovers, holding on in between, then Fish in and a double team wheelbarrow DDT into a double team Wheelbarrow suplex combo. Top stuff. Gargano finally fights back hitting a tornado DDT on Kyle using Fish’s face as a springboard. Hot Tag to Ciampa and there is a mixed reaction from the crowd.
Kyle unleashes strikes on Ciampa who jumps the low spin kick and lands his knee on Kyle’s head. That was quality. Tower of London gets a nearfall for Ciampa. Dead lift German to O’Reilly. Holds on and another. Johnny takes out Bobby with a dive outside. Blue Thunder Bomb to Kyle for another near fall.
Gargano in now. Slingshot spear. Kyle catches him in a guillotine. Great work. Gargano lifts Kyle enough for Ciampa to hit the running knee. Kyle kicks out. Mad strike exchange and rebounds of ropes from Johnny and Kyle ends with them both down.
Fish and Ciampa in now. Fish hits an avalanche Michinoku Driver off the top turnbuckle. Kyle follows it up with a diving knee. Closest to a win for DIY. Kyle locks in an armbar and Fish hits a diving headbutt off the top.
Gargano pushes Fish into them to break the hold and we carry on. What a match. Running knee of the apron from Kyle onto Ciampa. Kyle throws him back in and Ciampa catches him with the spike DDT as he re-enters the ring. Tag to Johnny springboard DDT. KYLE KICKS OUT. Tag to Ciampa. Bobby taken out. Meet in the Middle. 1-2-3.
Great match. 4 of the best in the business going at it. DIY advance to face Black and Ricochet.
War Raiders out for stare down at the end of the show.
Black and Ricochet have unfinished business with the Undisputed Era, so now they can’t face each other it wouldn’t shock me if Era cost Black and Ricochet and then Gargano turns on Ciampa in the final maybe???? Who knows, obviously big injury news about Ciampa so whatever they had planned I presume is now off the table.
STARS of The Week
Well this is bloody tough. I’m going to cheat and do it by teams
1. Kyle O’Reilly and Bobby Fish (a.k.a reDRagon
2. D.I.Y
3. European Union
Just a great week of tag team wrestling.
Humberto Carrillo award
Tough one this week as a lot of established talent. I will give the award to Barthel and Aichner though. For people who haven’t seen a lot of them this was another impressive outing from our soon to be ex trade partners.
Takeover Card Prediction (with out of 10 how confident I am this match happens)
Velveteen Dream vs Matt Riddle - North American Championship (9/10)
War Raiders vs Moustache Mountain - Tag Team Championship (7/10)
Shayna Baszler vs Bianca Belair - Women’s Championship (5/10)
Io Shirai & Kairi Sane vs Sasha Banks & Bayley - Women’s Tag Team Championships (2/10)
Johnny Gargano vs Adam Cole vs Aleister Black vs Ricochet - vacant NXT Championship (0/10)
If you like Tag Team wrestling, this show is a must watch. If you like wrestling it is highly recommended.
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