Photo: WWE.com
By Emerson Witner, WrestlingObserver.com & Wrestling Outsiders Podcast
The Big News: It was announced that July 4, “live” from Tokyo on the WWE Network it would be Kevin Owens vs Finn Balor for the NXT Title.
Show Recap:
The show started with a video recapping Kevin Owens clean victory over John Cena at Elimination Chamber.
Tyler Breeze pinned Adam Rose
Breeze now has a fur cape that he wears to the ring. It really works for him. The fans with a dueling chant of “We Want Kruger/No We Don’t”, which is the first time the fans ever acknowledged they were the same person. This was a match between two heels, so when they weren’t doing half hearted dueling chants, the fans were mostly quiet.
The fans opened their mouths for a few seconds when Breeze did a springboard dropkick while Rose was on the apron, so Adam went crashing to the metal ramp, but it was soon back to nothing. Rose did a double thrust that sent Breeze flying halfway across the ring. Rose then did the Hideo Itami running kick that the announcers didn’t pick up on. Rose looked better than he has in over a year. Rose hit the Cactus Jack running elbow off the ring apron, but when they got back in the ring he was immediately clocked with the Beauty Shot and Breeze won.
– This week, it’s the Kevin Owens NXT Championship Open Challenge on SmackDown.
– Solomon Crowe told Devin she is not allowed to ask questions. He does not regret anything he did last week and it’s alright with him if Samoa Joe wants to go toe to toe with the champ. Crowe did vow to be in the ring with the NXT Champion.
– Dana Brooke went to Rio De Janero to take part in an Arnold Classic and will be going to Spain in September to do the same thing.
– Greg Hamilton introduced my brother’s favorite Diva, Eva Marie, for an interview on the stage. They did find one person clapping for her and found about 499 people booing her. There is always one.
Eva kissed the asses of everyone booing her, which caused them to boo more and chant “You can’t wrestle” at her. Marie lost her train of thought about a dozen times. She put over the woman’s match at Takeover and is here to help revolutionize the business. Oh God, between her and Dana Brooke I may finally have to quit this job.
-Go buy the Daniel Bryan DVD. I did.
– William Regal announced that on July 4 there will be a live special on the WWE Network, from Tokyo, Japan, with Kevin Owens defending the NXT Title against Finn Balor. I call shenanigans since I doubt that will air at 3:30am. Maybe it will, but I doubt it. Either way I smell title change.
Alexa Bliss (w/Blake & Murphy) defeated Carmella (w/Enzo & Big Cass)
Alexa has now dyed the tips of her hair red. I liked the blue better. There was nothing wrong with this match, but there was literally nothing to say about it. Alexa won with a roll up and a handful of ropes.
– Rhyno really enjoyed going to war with Baron Corbin, but he came to NXT to become the top competitor and Finn Balor is that top competitor. Finn’s theatrics won’t phase a psychotic man beast like Rhyno and one day he will become NXT Champion.
– Sami Zayn did a promo from his hospital bed, vowing to be back.
The Vaudevillains defeated Jason Jordan & Marcus Louis
Hey look who’s back. Not seen since shortly after NXT Takeover: R Evolution The Vaudevillains are back in action. Actually their last match was Wesley Blake and Buddy Murphy’s first ever win. Jason Jordan could have been partners with Chad Gable, but instead he took Marcus Louis. Louis hasn’t been seen since he refused to wrestle Tyler Breeze in October. I wonder if he is still pissed at Sylvester Lefort.
Louis just got his butt kicked all over the ring until Jordan blind tagged himself in and dropped English with a Back Suplex. Louis did a weird move where he pulled at Aiden’s jaw. Gotch got the hot tag and went all manly and they very quickly won with the Whirling Dervish on Louis. Jordan was pissed and blamed his partner after the match.
– A video package on the love of my life, Sasha Banks, aired. It’s the same one that aired last week. At least it wasn’t the Becky Lynch video for the fourth time, right?
– Finn Balor vows to win the NXT Title in Japan on July 4.
Finn Balor pinned Rhyno
This match is kind of in alternate universe NXT. No mention at all of Samoa Joe this week and no mention that just last week Rhyno challenged Baron Corbin to a rematch. In theory Rhyno shouldn’t be in a match with the top contender, Baron Corbin should be, but this stuff can’t be perfect I guess.
Rhyno looked really good in this match, hovering that line between face and heel that he does. Balor got to look like the toughest guy ever, as he took a beating from the Man Beast still come out on top at the end. Rhyno continued to mock Finn’s entrance and got a Pele Kick for his troubles. Balor went for the Coup De Grace, but Rhyno moved. Rhyno went for a Gore, but Balor sidestepped and rolled the Man Beast up for the win!
After the match, Balor was celebrating and walking up the ramp when Rhyno appeared from out of nowhere and Gore’d Finn on the ramp.
That does it for this week. One month away from the probably crowning of a new NXT Champion, but until next week remember to say your vitamins and take your prayers!