NXT TV
Date: 8/1/2012
From: Orlando, FL
Matches:
1.) Richie Steamboat defeated Leo Kruger in the quarterfinals of the NXT Championship Gold Rush Tournament
2.) Big E Langston defeated Adam Mercer
3.) Raquel Diaz defeated Audrey Marie
4.) Mike Dalton & Jason Jordan defeated Hunico & Camacho
5.) Seth Rollins defeated Drew McIntyre in the quarterfinals of the NXT Championship Gold Rush Tournament
Angle Developments/Notes:
1.) Backstage, interim General Manager Dusty Rhodes cuts a promo about being a champion on any level and being able to hold any piece of gold is a great accomplishment. NXT needs that guidance towards the elusive goal to be champion. Rhodes says we are down to eight and it’s called the Gold Rush Tournament to become the first NXT Heavyweight Champion. Richie Steamboat, Leo Kruger, Bo Dallas, Seth Rollins, Mike McGillicutty, Drew McIntryre, Jinder Mahal and Justin Gabriel are the competitors in the tournament. Rhodes begins right now…
2.) Steamboat tries for a quick rollup on Kruger, but only manages a two count. Steamboat backs Kruger into a corner, but is met with a slap across the face. Kruger bails to the floor and runs away. They roll into the ring, but Kruger runs again around ringside. Kruger gets the advantage with a few strikes to the back of Steamboat. Kruger tries for a sleeper, but Steamboat avoids it and drops Kruger with a few chops causing Kruger to bail to the floor to regroup. Kruger fakes going back into the ring and continues to stall on the floor. Steamboat pummels Kruger in the corner and rams Kruger into the corner face first before delivering a chop. Steamboat sends Kruger into the corner, but the referee stops Steamboat as Kruger claims an injury. Kruger was faking the injury and forearms Steamboat for the cheap advantage. Kruger takes Steamboat over with a snap suplex and a fist drop off the ropes for a two count. Kruger keeps a neck vice on Steamboat and snapmares Steamboat to the mat. Kruger continues with a neck vice, but Steamboat fights out with chops. Kruger plants Steamboat with a spinebuster for a near fall. Kruger goes for the sleeper hold, but Steamboat breaks free, but Kruger pummels Steamboat on the mat with right hands. Kruger sends Steamboat into the corner, but is met with a kick to the head. Steamboat chops Kruger several times. Kruger knee lifts Steamboat, but is met with a few clotheslines. Steamboat backdrops Kruger and gets fired up in the corner. Steamboat splashes Kruger in the corner and heads to the top rope. Steamboat hits a missile dropkick for a two count. Kruger puts a sleeper on Steamboat, and Steamboat drops to his knees. Steamboat falls forward and reaches the ropes to break the hold. Kruger knee drops Steamboat several times. Steamboat nails Kruger with a sling blade and wins the match. (**. Kruger doesn’t seem to buy into his own act. It came across half-assed and uninspired. Steamboat has some good babyface fire and he absolutely works the same way as his father Ricky, aside from the sling blade usage.)
3.) A vignette promoting Big E Langston is shown. Langston doesn’t train for a fight, but rather to beat his opponent down. Time is money and he doesn’t get paid by the hour. Langston debuts next.
4.) Langston dominates his debut match, as expected. Langston wins following an over the shoulder slam. Langston came across very well here.
5.) Raquel Diaz cuts a promo during her entrance and says that Audrey Marie doesn’t know how to work a ramp. Diaz is continuing her tour of beating ugly people and it will continue tonight.
6.) Marie gets a side headlock on Diaz for a few moments. Diaz fights free and drops Marie over the top rope throat first for a two count. Diaz puts a chin lock on Marie and drives Marie down to the mat face first. Diaz delivers a boot scrape and eye gouges Marie. Marie nearly wins with a quick rollup. Diaz drop toe holds Marie and rubs Marie’s face on the canvas. Marie gets a two count on a rollup, but they bridge up. Diaz avoids a kick and spanks Marie before hitting the Gory Special for the win. (DUD. The fans chanted that Diaz couldn’t wrestle, and aside from the Gory Special, that may be accurate. Interestingly, Diaz will never be on NXT TV ever again. So, her ugly tour is over with.) After the match, Diaz paints an L on Marie’s forehead with lipstick in the corner.
7.) Backstage, Bradley Pierce interviews Paige. Paige says “we’ll see” when it comes to the tour that Diaz is promoting.
8.) Jordan and Hunico kickoff the tag match. Hunico goes to the ropes as Jordan tried to get a waist lock on Hunico. Jordan takes Hunico over with a fireman’s carry and takes Hunico down with a few takedowns. Dalton covers off the top with an axe handle and gets a rollup for a two count. Camacho distracts Dalton allowing Hunico to deliver a dropkick. Camacho tags into the match and works over Dalton in the corner. Hunico tags back in and hits a slingshot dropkick in the corner. Dalton fights back with a few strikes, and nearly wins with a rollup after avoiding a knee lift. Hunico regains control of the match. Camacho tags in and hits a butterfly suplex for a near fall. Hunico tags in and they hit an H Bomb for a near fall. Dalton is lifted into the air by Hunico, and hits a hurricanrana on Camacho while Jordan holds Hunico allowing Dalton to pin Camacho! (*. That was a good finish. Dalton’s look reminds me of Ziggler, so it’s no wonder that he’ll eventually change his look quite a bit. Jordan didn’t get much shine at all, but it’s still very early in his career.)
9.) A vignette promoting Bo Dallas is shown. Dallas talks about his family members being wrestlers and he always knew he’d be a wrestler. Dallas is ready to exceed expectations. Dallas will continue to get up no matter what. Dallas will be in action next week.
10.) Rollins uses his speed to avoid McIntyre, but McIntyre delivers a few strikes to the back. Rollins fights back with strikes against the ropes, but McIntyre punches Rollins away. McIntyre uppercuts Rollins and delivers a headbutt. Rollins dropkicks McIntyre on the knee and hits a head scissors. Rollins ducks a clothesline to dropkick McIntyre to the floor. McIntyre goes under the ring, but Rollins tries to grab McIntyre and is rammed into the apron face first. McIntyre slams Rollins hand onto the ring steps and wraps Rollins arm under the top rope. McIntyre yanks Rollins to the mat and stomps on Rollins arm to maintain control. McIntyre controls Rollins with a hammerlock and hits a back suplex. McIntyre covers, but Rollins kicks out at two as the show goes to commercial.
McIntyre decks Rollins with a clothesline for a near fall. McIntyre works over Rollins in the corner with several strikes and stomps. Rollins fights back with strikes, but McIntyre yanks Rollins down by his arm to the mat for a one count. McIntyre clubs Rollins on the chest over the apron and rams Rollins arm over the apron. Rollins tries to fight back with body shots, but McIntyre keeps control in the corner. McIntyre continues to club Rollins in the corner. McIntyre tries for a short arm clothesline, but Rollins avoids it and ends up hitting a DDT and both men are down. Rollins ducks a clothesline and strikes McIntyre several times. Rollins nails McIntyre with a kick to the head. McIntyre stumbles and is clotheslined over the top to the floor. Rollins takes McIntyre out with a suicide dive to the floor! Rollins tosses McIntyre back into the ring and gets the crowd behind him. Rollins forearms McIntyre in the corner, but McIntyre decks Rollins with a clothesline for a near fall. McIntyre headbutts Rollins in the corner several times. Rollins elbows McIntyre in the corner and goes to the middle rope, but is caught in midair and McIntyre delivers a backbreaker for a near fall. McIntyre tries for a double under hook, but settles for ramming Rollins in the corner. Rollins gets to the ropes to avoid Future Shock. McIntyre sits Rollins on the top turnbuckle, but Rollins elbows McIntyre to the mat. Rollins rolls through on a Phoenix Splash attempt. Rollins avoids a boot in the corner and hits a running curb stomp to pin McIntyre in the middle of the ring. (***. Rollins is noticeably one of the best in-ring guys in NXT. McIntyre is still actively on the main roster, but he’d be up there as well for NXT if he worked on the brand regularly. Rollins coming from the indies helps him standout and doesn’t come across as a WWE robot. This was a solid match and I’d be in favor of these two feuding over the NXT Heavyweight Championship for a bit.)
Final Thoughts:
A solid episode of NXT this week. I feel like they are going to continue to introduce characters over the next several months. I doubt we’ll get any major storylines until a champion is crowned at the very least.
Thanks for reading.