NXT 9/16 begins with the earlier news that Wade Barrett will now join Beth Phoenix and Vic Joseph as an official full-timer!
Shotzi Blackheart vs Io Shirai (c) in a non-title match
I can not wrap my head around this new tradition of trying to elevate wrestlers by having them in non-title matches with the champs. You know who used to get non-title matches all the time? “Iron” Mike Sharpe and Barry Horowitz, that’s who.
Shotzi does a pretty good job elevating herself by going step-for-step with Io. The first few minutes sees a lot of counter-evasions until Shotzi starts feeling her oats, pulling off a Tiger Driver into a jackknife pin and a combination omaplata/war special hold that has the champion crawling to the ropes.
Ironically, it’s “The Genius of the Sky” who keeps it grounded with rope hangs and nasty abdominal stretch once she gains control. reat rally by Shotzi sees her follow up a Tiger Suplex transitioned into Cattle Mutilation a la Ring of Honor-era Daniel Bryan.
Io can’t keep her down with aerial attacks and when she tries one too many trips to the top turnbuckle it’s a hurricanrana off by Shotzi. This infuriates IO and she gives Shotzi a German on the apron! The end sees a moonsault that seems like it may have been shorted as it brings the shins right down onto Shotzi’s chest.
Winner: Io Shirai
We’ve been promised two big announcements by William Regal tonight and the first one is in regards to the women’s division. There will be a Battle Royal to determine a #1 title contender and it goes down next week.
Candice LeRae calls out Teagan Nox for her food fight last week. While she cuts into her, Johnny Gargano plops down next to her to complain about the condition of their TV (which was destroyed by Candice during the dust up.) He doesn’t much care for this week’s main event of “Toothy Thatcher” and “bargain bin Slash” but less so watching upstairs on a mobile device.
Desmond Troy vs Tomasso Ciampa
There’s a little exposition about how Desmond Troy (actual and cooler name, Denzel DeJournette) was an All American (heavyweight at Appalachian State U.) That’s about all he gets in this one. It’s barely a minute of action before Ciampa has him under the turnbuckle for a slingshot face smash. One rope hung DDT and it’s done.
Winner: Ciampa
Jake Atlas gets to the entrance ramp after the match to challenge “The Blackheart,” citing their last meeting and his similar beating at Ciampa’s hand.
Drake Maverick arrives at the PC early earlier, eager for his tag match against Undisputed Era but not as confident in the cooperation of his partner, Killian Dain.
Finn Balor explains his importance to NXT in a promo package. He makes the brand and his having the title makes it the most prestigious.
Austin Theory vs Kushida
Austin Theory makes sure that we know his loss last week to Bronson Reed was “a fluke.” To prove it, he issues an open challenge to the locker room. He’s answered by Kushida (who was last seen decimating Velveteen Dream). Kushida gets Theory to sacrifice his arm to the ringpost gods. Constant focus to the left arm includes a handspring dropkick and the Hoverboard Lock to end it.
Winner: Kushida
Breezango (c) vs Imperium for the NXT Tag Team Titles
Imperium rushes the ring but Fashion Police holds them off. Their safety doesn’t last long as they quickly isolate Fandango for stomp parties. He barely makes it past a well-executed rope hang tandem dropkick. The first hot tag brings in a high velocity Tyler Breeze but he’s brought under control before he can end the match. Aichner does the literal heavy lifting for imperium with power moves including an impressive transitioning suplex. Fandango recovers for tag and fights out of each cover attempt, hitting a Tornado DDT to keep himself alive. After he tags out, Imperium’s Euro Bomb is disrupted and Tyler Breeze turns it into a hurricanrana pin.
Winner: Breezango
Xia Li & Jesse Kamea vs Kacey Catanzaro & Kayden Carter
Harmony is the name of the game for Carter & Kacey. They use this to frustrate Xia with quick tag work and neutralize powerhouse Kamea (the only one in the match whose shoulders reach the ring ropes) with tandem kicks. Carter even ends up out-slugging Xia Li! Kayden goes into a crucifix hold and legal woman Kacey assists with a pump kick into the pin? It’s a bait-and-switch as Kayden releases the hold for Kacey to jump into a jackknife pin for the 1-2-3! Really can’t think of where I’ve seen that before.
Winners: Carter & Catanzaro
Teagan Nox addresses Candice Larae with shade at her attitude change and Johnny’s whining coupled with a losing streak.
Drake Maverick & Killian Dain(?) vs Undisputed Era (Bobby Fish & Roderick Strong)
Dain is absent from the ring and UE beats up on Drake who is scrappy but outclassed in every other way by Roderick Strong. He get some licks in on Bobby Fish but he gets handed off into a series of back breakers by Strong. Dain watches in the back as, separately and together, Fish and Strong manhandle Maverick. Regal guilts Killian Dain into making his way out to the ring in his street clothes. Less than happy with the whole thing, Dain puts Drake back in the ring and tells him to “take his loss like a man.” He starts to walk away but Roddy has to open his big fat mouth by taunting him. The Beast of Belfast doesn’t take kindly to fat jokes and starts to wreck up on UE until Bobby Fish uses a chair. That gets them a disqualification but Drake and Dain still manage to run them off.
Winners: Drake & Dain
After the match Dain drops Maverick with a right hand and I doubt this is the last time we’ll see this “team” in action together.
In the parking lot, Jake Atlas is asked about his challenge to Ciampa but Ciampa answers for him and leaves him lying on the pavement.
William Regal’s second announcement will create a #1 contender for the NXT men’s strap. He has created a “Gauntlet Eliminator” match that can only see competitors win by pinfall or submission only.
Damian Priest (c) vs Timothy Thatcher for the NXT North American title
It starts out as Priest’s match and he gets in high kicks and high impact moves (and does it all in pants that David Lee Roth forgot about in 1992.) Thatcher blocks a power bomb on the outside and starts to slow him down with counter strikes and holds. Priest survives an Achilles crab and the Fujiwara armbar by using his long limbs to reach the ropes. A big chokelsam gets the champ back on top and enough time to hit a spinning heel kick from the top turnbuckle! The Reckoning seals the deal and the champion retains.
Winner: Damian Priest
Five Takeaways from NXT 9/16:
1) Damian Priest looks like he’s living up to his North American Championship. The right pairing (Miz with the Intercontinental title, Nick Aldis with the NWA Heavyweight strap) will elevate both the performer and the title. Priest has prestige courtesy of that ugly ugly belt. The belt gets carried by a guy with the look and unique style of a star.
2) Roderick Strong pairing up with Bobby Fish lends credence to the rumors that Kyle O’Reilly is being primed for a face turn. This doesn’t necessarily mean that Undisputed Era is dissolving but it does seem like the right time and setting for it.
3) Last week Kushida sent Velveteen Dream off the air. This week, he makes short work of Austin Theory. This may just be coincidence that both of them have had allegations of sexual harassment come to light in recent weeks. Even if they aren’t being pushed down, the step up for Kushida is a good look in and of itself.
4) Jake Atlas has shown that he does have that “it” in seedling form. Tomasso Ciampa is a great choice for a gardener to see if it can grow and blossom.
5) Gimmick matches are done right in NXT. With the winners determined next week, they’ll still only have ten days to hype the pairings for the October 4th Takeover, though. But, sometimes, a title match is the start of a feud and not the end of one.
NXT 9/16 is currently airing on Hulu, the USA Network app and website, and on demand. It will be on the WWE Network tonight
#WWENXT's roster is too stacked to do a regular No. 1 Contender's match for @FinnBalor's #NXTTitle.
Let @RealKingRegal present to you the FIRST-EVER #GauntletEliminator Match: pic.twitter.com/1YSXMxS6I5
— WWE NXT (@WWENXT) September 17, 2020
