Finn Balor, aka “The Prince” is taking on Imperium from NXT UK, working his way up to a boss fight with the champion, Walter.
The tournament for the interim Cruiserweight Championship (created by Jordan Devlin being unable to travel in current events) has begun and has already seen my dude, Akira Tozawa, defeat the former Killshot of Lucha Underground, Isaiah “Swerve” Scott.
Teagan Nox has found an ally in her war against Dakota Kai and Raquel Gonzalez … Shotzi Blackheart!
NXT champ, Adam Cole (Bay Bay!), is still ducking/dismissing Velveteen Dream but he doesn’t have to worry too much about Undisputed Era as they have their hands full with Matt Riddle and Pete … no … Timothy Thatcher!
Tommasso Ciampa is giving Johnny Gargano his due after their war at pseudo-Takeover when he’s turned inside out to reveal what’s the patent leather boot of “Smoke Show” Scarlett Bordeaux and the “tick tock” of Killer (now Karrion) Kross.
Let’s move onto NXT 4/22…
Byron Saxton and Tom Phillips welcome us to Full Sail for NXT 4/22 and the strange development of Finn Balor missing from the locker room. Finn was scheduled to take on Velveteen Dream but instead we get a Velveteen Dream promo that’s cut short by Adam Cole. The champ denies taking out his rival, Balor, but rather accuses Dream of having something to do with it. It’s all a ruse as Roderick Strong and Bobby Fish blindside Velveteen Dream for a three-on-one boot party. The North American Champion, Keith Lee, doesn’t dig those odds and comes out to save Dream, right a wrong, and hit his favorite pounce target into his backup boys like a pinball.
Shotzi Blackheart & Teagan Nox vs Dakota Kai & Raquel Gonzalez
I’m a fan of all four women. Shotzi is giving a shot in the arm to this feud to keep it from getting stale and, make no bones about it, she’s in NXT for exposure, not development. It’s a shame that it took the knee injuries to put the spotlight on Dakota and Teagan but they have been making the most of it. Yes, Raquel is still a little green but going with the Lady Diesel shtick is the right move and will serve her best. She actually does the bulk of this very solid match, finishing off Shotzi with a one-armed powerbomb.
Winners: Dakota Kai & Raquel Gonzalez
We get a profile piece on cruiserweight tournament entrant, Drake Maverick. Of all the absolutely gutting layoffs and furloughs announced last week, Maverick’s wasn’t the most surprising but his reaction video posted to social media was one of the classiest and most moving. Last week, he looked like a bearded Dickensian orphan. This week, he looks like a man on a mission.
Alternately, new signee and former Evolve star, Jake Atlas, gets a video package that seems more like one from The Voice.
Jake Atlas vs Drake Maverick
One of the key components of Ricky Morton’s ability to garner sympathy was his lack of size. Drake has this even against other cruiserweights. The once (and future?) Rockstar Spud plays the cagey opportunist against the larger, more athletic Atlas and you still root for him. Unfortunately, the Cinderella story breaks a heel tonight. It does happen in outstanding fashion, though as Jake Atlas hits a cartwheel on the top rope into a DDT for the 1-2-3.
Winner: Jake Atlas
Damian Priest is still gunning for Keith Lee’s North American Championship, saying that Lee is handpicking beatable opponents to avoid his power.
Kushida’s promo is subtitled as the Time Splitter aims to elevate WWE to the Japanese audience.
Tony Nese talks about his win at last year’s Wrestlemania and the fact that he was never pinned to lose it.
Kushida vs Tony Nese
Both guys are known for a brawling base and both of their chests must be on fire after this one. Moonsaults and handsprings sprinkled in and neither a fantastic Northern Lights suplex or a 450 by Nese gets it done. It takes a flipping kimura “Sakuraba Lock” off the top turnbuckle to tap out Tony Nese.
Winner: Kushida
In an interview segment, Matt Riddle proves that he and Pete Dunne aren’t an “odd couple” tag team; Matt Riddle and anyone can be an odd couple tag team.
Johnny Gargano and Candice LeRae are enjoying a candlelight dinner with a perfect Easter egg of a centerpiece. Johnny switches gears from his usual inspirational optimism. He says his kindness was being taken advantage of. Candice, with pale purple locks and lips, makes similar laments about trying to keep the women’s locker room together. It’s the two of them against the world … and the world had better watch out.
Drake Maverick is beside himself in the back. He says that everyone else in the tourney is fighting their opponent. He’s fighting his opponents and himself.
Mia Yim vs Jessi Kamea
Kamea is long and leggy, looking to show off her athleticism but Mia is unimpressed and has answers for much of her showing off. The HBIC finishes her off with an STO before she teaches her to “Protect ya Neck.”
Winner: Mia Yim
NXT Women’s Champion, Charlotte Flair, comes out to repeat her offer of a title shot to Mia Yim. Mia is honored and Charlotte congratulates her with a back-handed compliment. HBIC vs Queen coming soon.
“Gentleman” Jack Gallagher explains the change in his persona from umbrella-toting rule-minder to tattooed and aggressive.
Robert Stone laments that Chelsea Green didn’t come out on top in the ladder match for #1 contender-ship but remains confident that she has all the tools to reach the top of the mountain as he coaches her photo shoot from poolside.
“Gentleman” Jack Gallagher vs El Hijo del Phantasma
Phantasma has returned to the mask he lost in Mexico but continues with the name (likely his King Cuerno persona was off limits). Both men are equally athletic so the devil is in the differences as Gentleman Jack gets gritty while the luchador does what luchadores do. At one point, it looks like Phantasma is going for his picture-perfect tope but it’s a fake out for a slingshot plancha. The real one comes after he nearly bodies Gallagher with a superkick to the neck. Gallagher tries rollups, a headbutt, and multiple plays for the mask but it’s Phantasma’s cradle “Samoan” driver that ends the match.
Winner: El Hijo de Phantasma
In El Hijo’s post-match interview with Sara Schreiber thanks the people and promises to push forward. In the parking lot, he manages to avoid being abducted by the masked men (Los Conquistadores?) who have been kidnapping cruiserweights outside of Full Sail recently.
Velveteen Dream & Keith Lee vs Adam Cole & Roderick Strong
Undisputed Era tries to jump the bell but get met and get wrecked for it. Even when they start evening up, Bobby Fish gets ejected to keep them honest. While the referee is dealing with that, however, Damian Priest slinks into the picture and nails Keith Lee twice in the throat with a nightstick! Lee is taken to the back by security and trainers but Velveteen Dream insists on continuing the match. Dream is valiant but getting ground into paisley paste but … what’s this? A wild Dexter Lumis appears! Dream tags him in. This is all apparently legal as the referee allows it. Lumis cleans house with right hands and a tope con helo, leaving Velveteen Dream free to hit the Purple Rainmaker on Adam Cole and win the match by pinning the NXT Champion.
Winners: Velveteen Dream & Keith Lee/Dexter Lumis
Five Takeaways from NXT 4/22
- Whatever happens with Drake Maverick from this point forward is sure to have detractors. Many have already begun to question what is actually going on here regarding his employment status and why he’s still working these dates. But, from an entertainment standpoint, I’m 100% for all of it.
- Dexter Lumis is a curious case. Decent pedigree as the first TNA/Impact Gut Check winner. Great look. Reminds me of a video game villain. But wouldn’t have expected him to have survived the recent purging if I had remembered him at all. I didn’t think they were at all high on him but it looks like he’s being put on deck now.
- That bit about Mia Yim building herself into a championship contender felt real because it was real. That’s when this stuff is at its best.
- Already, people are complaining that their picks/faves are “out of” the cruiserweight tournament. It’s round robin like the World Cup. You can all calm down. This is why we can’t have nice things like Zack Sabre Jr and Kota Ibushi.
- The rotating casts of announce teams have been praised by some but lamented by others. If your eyebrow was raised by the “essential business” status, just remember that these more employees working on a quarantine rotation to minimize exposure.
