Leon Ruff vs Isaiah “Swerve” Scott in a Falls Count Anywhere match
NXT 5/4 kicked off with one of the top personal feuds in NXT’s “first hour” for quite some time. “Falls count anywhere” is harder to elevate in a fully contained environment but these two have been a joy to watch each time they touch. This grudge match starts very true to form. Swerve is nonchalant and has his back turned only to catch Ruff with a high knee when he rushes in. From there, Swerve does little brother the hell out of Ruff but it elevates quickly each time Ruff manages to fight back. Ruff dives to the outside and Swerve manages to catch him and toss him inverted into the ring apron and onto his head. Later, after Ruff manages to catch him with a kick for being lackadaisical, Swerve retrieves a toolbox from under the ring and throws a frozen rope twenty feet into the barricades with Ruff barely avoiding it! Swerve is using every ounce and inch of his size advantage when they end up in the back, pinballing him off lockers and gym equipment.
Ruff has no quit, getting the action back to the ring and even improvising a superplex reversal into his crucifix bomb for a two count! Desperation has Ruff taking the amazing chance and hitting a reverse-rana off the apron to the floor! Swerve hits the Confidence Boost on the outside but still only a two count. Like Billy ocean sang, “When the going gets rough, the Ruff get going” and the Little Athlete Who Could attacks Swerve’s right leg repeatedly with the errant toolbox! Swerve is in survival mode trying to avoid a submission and becomes a sitting duck for Ruffs aerial offenses. Ruff wasn’t expecting Swerve’s entourage member, AJ Francis, to be there, though. The big buffalo catches him from a dive off the scaffolding, bounces him off the barricade, and serves him up to Swerve.
Winner: Isaiah “Swerve” Scott
Johnny Gargano and Austin Theory think this is a perfect time to speak with NXT general manager, William Regal, but they find him already in audience with Scarlett Boudreaux. Johnny is angry that regal doesn’t have time for “the #1 champion of NXT” meanwhile Theory is fascinated by Scarlett’s anatomy… namely her fingernails. [eyeroll emoji]
Asher Hale vs Cameron Grimes
Asher Hale (formerly Evolve’s Anthony Henry) puts up a good fight but it doesn’t take long for him get caught in a Cave-In. NC State rolls over UGA tonight.
Winner: Cameron Grimes
Kayden Carter & Kacy Catanzaro tell McKenzie Mitchell that they’re done with Xia Li’s spook show. Instead, they’re going to be paying attention to the Women’s Tag Title match later on. Franky Monet stops in to introduce herself to her favorite “so adorable” tag team with some back handed compliments, getting Kayden’s Irish up with Kacy keeping her on task.
Cameron Grimes is set to celebrate at the club. Ever Rise show up to help him up but he’s only got enough room in the V-I-P for M and E.
The Grizzled Young Veterans vs Timothy Thatcher & Tommaso Ciampa
The Vets start tearing down Thatcher & Ciampa and the audience for being “typical worthless Yanks,” finishing just in time for their opponents’ entrance. Match underway, Drake has the size advantage on Ciampa and Gibson on Thatcher but the GYV rely on the hold-heavy English traditions that Ciampa loves and Thatcher has pledged his life to. Thatcher gets worked heavily thanks to some questionable tag work by GYV but makes a hot tag to Ciampa. Ciampa’s beard says AARP but his work is all about the RPM. Guy is just a buzzsaw. Unfortunately, that buzzsaw can’t cut through the announce table. He’s driven into it twice, once again isolating Thatcher. The attempt at double team shenanigans backfires, though. Instead of GYV, it’s Thatcher who manages to make use of Wade Barrett’s size 15 across the dome of Gibson. He’s easy prey for a Fujiwara armbar after that.
Winners: Tommaso Ciampa & Timothy Thatcher
Gargano and Theory are headed back to Regal’s office. He finds them in the hallway where he informs Johnny that his match with Bronson Reed is still on and Austin has a match next week on special request by Scarlett… with NXT Champion, Karrion Kross!
“Swerve” Scott laughs down the hallway, with an “I told you so” about his win against Leon Ruff. His entourage laughs with him all the way out of the building.
Karrion Kross and Scarlett are out to address the fact that NXT talent is talking about “not being afraid of him.” He doesn’t have to prove them wrong. They have to prove themselves right. Next up is Austin Theory next week but Kyle O’Reilly decides to make himself perfectly clear. It’s a night for interruptions, though, Pete Dunne thinks anyone ahead of him in line is having a laugh. Finn Balor thinks that’s a joke but is dead serious as he socks Karrion Kross in the jaw! It breaks down into a dust up with all the security that Kross hadn’t suplexed to hell dragging the others to the back. This leaves Kross alone in the ring… and blindsided by Gargano & Theory! They leave him lying on the canvas with the North American title belt’s imprint on his forehead while they rush to leave the premises before he recovers.
Zayda Ramier vs Sarray
Zayda Ramier shocked the NXT universe when she beat a distracted Toni Storm with a sick-looking shooting star press. Meanwhile, Sarray has come to America amidst a hurricane of hype. She also comes to the ring looking like a cheerleader with peppy music but holy $#!+ this lady is a damn assassin in the ring! Zayda is gutsy and even had Sarray dragging herself to the ropes to break a submission. Alas, no upset for her this week. Spin kick. Snap German suplex. Saito suplex that would make Karrion Kross take notes. 1-2-3.
Winner: Sarray
Imperium is video conferencing with their leader, WALTER. And they’re speaking German so that’s a no.
Another hype bump for Diamond Mine. The speculation abounds with everything from independent stars to controversial legacy performers to retired MMA pioneers.
Sarray finds Zayda Ramier recovering after the match and thanks her for a hard fought contest in earnest. Toni Storm is headed on a collision course with both of them but Zoey Stark is ready to step in her way. They’re separated but this not over for any of them.
Jake Atlas vs LA Knight
LA Knight comes down to the ring with his characteristic trash talk and gets in the ring with his characteristic underestimation of his opponent. Atlas takes it right to him with some quick arm drags. He’s got athleticism and heart but the former Impact champion has the wiles and killer instinct. LA Knight weathers a storm of kicks but answers with a snap mare driver that’s looking better and better each week.
Winner: LA Knight
Candice LaRae is getting Indi Hartwell focused on their upcoming match. That includes hiding Dexter Lumis’ presents and even Dexter Lumis’ presence from the forlorn Indi.
Toni Storm addresses Zoey Stark by way of the interview camera. She says that Zoey is a flavor of the month that has lost it’s taste. Toni claims credit for bringing Zoey into the business and vows to take her back out if she wants.
Legado del Fantasma is the ring, reminding us about last week when they left MSK & Kushida lying in the ring unable to stand. They say that the measure of a man is not what he does for himself but what he does for his brothers. Kushida comes on the big screen to challenge Santos Escobar with Kushida’s NXT Cruiserweight title on the line. Raul Mendoza & Joaquin Wilde already stated intent on MSK’s tag titles. With Escobar’s acceptance, the ball could be rolling to see Legado con todos el oro.
Raquel Gonzalez and Mercedes Martinez are teleconferencing with Beth Phoenix. Mercedes says that she paved the road that Raquel has driven smoothly on. Raquel says that Mercedes had set the bar but she’s now taken it in one hand and put it higher than anyone else can reach.
Ember Moon & Shotzi Blackheart find Franky Monet’s Pomeranian in their tank. Shotzi thinks it’s cute but Ember discovers something not so cute that it left in the tank. They pinch their nose and walk on out to their Street Fight against LaRae & Hartwell.
Cameron Grimes wasn’t just talking. He’s out on the town and about to hit the VIP room at Vanguard but he’s got seven feet of doorman in the way. The entire venue was rented out tonight. Grimes doesn’t get how or why but the answer shows up in a limo to cackle about buying the club instead of renting a booth. Goldang that Ted DiBiase!!!
Main Event of NXT 5/4 Ember Moon & Shotzi Blackheart vs Candice LaRae & Indi Hartwell in a Street Fight for the NXT Women’s Tag Team titles
Despite Candice and Indi’s meanstreaks, it’s Ember and Shotzi making the most of these relaxed rules. Indi gets flaceplanted onto a row of chairs and tossed through a table. Candice Larae gets driven into the ringpost and later used to break a ladder courtesy of a coffin drop by Shotzi. Indi and Candice rally for a bit but Shotzi climbs the lighting rig for a diving splash onto Indi, completely destroying the announce table! Indi recovers to hit a springboard splash onto Ember through a table and that lets Candice Larae make use of some brass knuckles and then hit the Wicked Stepsister on Shotzi, driving her face into a steel chair!
Winners and new NXT Women’s Tag Team Champions: Candice LaRae & Indi Hartwell
Five Takeaways from NXT 5/4:
1 I think I might rather take one of WALTER’s bear maulings than be used for dropkick practice by Sarray. Seriously. I fell off a roof once. I’d do that again. Not her. Nuh-uh.
2. I really loved the program with Leon Ruff and Swerve. Extending it was the right move, as was ending it with the interjection of AJ Francis. I’ve always preferred the entourage/stable or the hulking bodyguard to the flunky or interfering partner.
3. Legado del Fantasma holding multiple titles would be a big change in the dynamic of the upper card. We’ll see how much so based on how NXT goes forward with The Way now that they’re in that same position.
4. Mercedes calling Raquel Gonzalez “cookie cutter” both does and does not track. Yes, she’s big, green, and made champion quickly. That’s par for WWE in general but rarely on NXT. The grooming continues in what looks like an attempt to create a huge star.
5. On RAW and Smackdown, someone becomes champ and they have to scramble to find their opponents. On NXT, a killer like Kross gets the belt and there’s already four (or more) contenders ready to go.
