Welcome to NXT Future Five on Last Word On Sports, where each week we analyze the latest episode of World Wrestling Entertainment Network’s hottest program, NXT and rank the five performers who made the biggest impact.
Highlights of the Night
Tyler Breeze/Adam Rose/Bull Dempsey Confrontation: Adam Rose was out doing his new party pooper gimmick. Before the match could get started Bull Dempsey came out and addressed Prince Pretty. Tyler responded on the microphone while Rose sat in the corner quietly. Once Bull asked Rose to step aside, he responded with a slap to the face. Adam tried to attack him but Bull fired back with his Bull punches and an avalanche splash off the ropes. Breeze then tried to attack Dempsey but was met with a similar fate. In the end, the Bullfit guru was left alone in the ring egging on the heels.
Tye Dillinger vs. Danny Burch: Burch started out by working over Tye’s arms, but it was quickly reversed and turned into an arm drag. Danny switched things up with a head lock, but Dillinger out maneuvered him by grabbing the ropes and performing a cartwheel. Burch decided to start brawling instead with a right hand that sent Tye to his knee. Danny then locked on a top wrist lock, which Dillinger stopped with a clothesline and followed up with a Russian leg sweep. Shortly after, Tye finished off his opponent with a knee smash to the skull, picking up the pin fall victory.
Asuka Vignette: A simple shot of Asuka standing in the ring with her unique look wearing a porcelain doll mask. She slowly removed it and a graphic appeared letting us all know who she is and touting her debut next week. Looks like they’re rushing her right in. I look forward to it.
Apollo Crews vs. Solomon Crowe: Crowe and Crews started off his some chain wrestling that left both men as equals. Solomon tried taking control but Apollo dazzled the crowd with some flips and a perfect dropkick, followed by a vertical suplex. Crowe sought refuge on the outside but it did him no good. Apollo tried a baseball slide but got caught in the old Fit Finlay trick of hooking the apron overtop of your opponent and beating on them. Solomon rolled Crews back in the ring and laid into him with vicious kicks and a reverse chin lock. Apollo fought his way back and powered out of the hold, leading to a jaw breaker. A series of Polish hammers and an enziguri later set up Crowe for the Gorilla Press Slam and his standing moonsault for the victory.
Tournament Update: Having one of the broadcasters recap the tournament thus far not only caught up the fans who haven’t been watching, but they once again showed off some live event footage that seemed rare and special, making the tournament seem rare and special. Plus it also reminded me of those old update segments with Todd Pettengill or Doc Hendrix.
Rhyno & Baron Corbin vs. Johnny Gargano & Tommaso Ciampa: Tommaso and Rhyno started off with the Man Beast using power to shove Ciampa around and Tommasso using quick strikes to stun Rhyno. Once tagged in, Gargano and hiampa used some double team maneuvers on Rhyno and dumped Corbin to the outside, later diving onto the Lone Wolf. Rhyno soon joined his partner on the outside and Tommaso used the opportunity to launch onto both his adversaries. Once action resumed in the ring, Ciampa and Johnny continued the strategy of quick tags and double teams, but one lariat from Rhyno put a stop to that. Corbin was tagged in and shortly afterwards landed a sidewalk slam. Back from commercial Corbin was choking Tommaso on the ropes, then tagged in Rhyno, who went to work with hard forearms. Ciampa fired back with his own and a stiff knee, but Rhyno charged the Sicilian Psycho into the corner and tagged in Baron, who stomped a mud hole into Ciampa. Another quick tag and more fists from Rhyno. The Man Beast lifted Tommaso onto the top turnbuckle but he managed to fight off the attack and land a flying dropkick. The hot tag was made to each team and Gargano bounced around the ring hitting Corbin with a multitude of strikes, finishing up with a springboard DDT. Corbin threw Johnny at Rhyno to set up for the Gore but Gargano leapfrogged him. Sadly, Baron was waiting with the End of Days, which put an end to the Cinderella story with a 3 count.
The Vaudevillians/Blake & Murphy & Alexa Promo: The Vaudevillians talked about what an honor it would be to win the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic, especially as the NXT Tag Team Champions. They were interrupted by Blake, Murphy, and Alexa Bliss who informed both the champs and the viewers at home that next week they were evoking their rematch clause for a tag team title match. The word indubitably was tossed around first by Aiden English, then attempted by Murphy, who failed to pronounce the word. The promo ended with English using the word again. Look for it to become the 2015 version of Funaki’s “Indeed!”
Bayley vs. Sara Dobson: The new NXT Women’s Champion returned to Full Sail University to great cheers and even pulled a Diamond Dallas Page by jumping into the ring and celebrating with the fans, even pulling her super fan Izzy from the crowd and bringing her into the ring to celebrate. The crowd gave her a hero’s welcome. The crowd chanted “You deserve it” as the bell rang. Sara started by getting rough, pelting Bayley with kicks and clubs to the back, trying to spoil Bayley’s return. Bayley tried fighting back, but Dobson locked in a guillotine choke. Bayley rammed Sara into the corner a number of times to break the hold, then followed up with a series of axe handles and elbow in the corner. After a snap suplex, Bayley followed up with a Bayley To Belly Suplex for the win. After the match, Bayley got on the mic, but didn’t have a chance to say much before being interrupted by the former champion Sasha Banks. Banks said she wanted to congratulate Bayley. She then talked about the praise their match from Takeover: Brooklyn has been getting, and while it was deserved, Banks didn’t come to NXT in order to put on great matches, she came to win. She reminded Bayley that she isn’t as good as she thinks she is and challenged her to a rematch. Bayley offered a 2 out of 3 falls match, but Banks said she wanted to beat her again and again. This brought out NXT General Manager William Regal to announce that not only would Sasha Banks get her rematch at Takeover: Respect, but they would main event the show, and it would be contested in a 30 minute Ironman Match. Bayley offered a handshake and Sasha accepted.
The Future Five
5. Apollo Crews: Apollo once again smiled his way to victory this week, with a win over Solomon Crowe in impressive fashion. While Crowe’s win/loss record isn’t exactly stellar, he is still an NXT superstar, and a step up from the majority of enhancement talent that Crews has demolished since arriving on the scene. His quickness and agility for a man of his size is absolutely a thing of beauty to watch in the ring, but I wonder how quickly his smile will fade when he’s no longer satisfied with just being there.
4.Bull Dempsey: The Bullfit Guru holds onto the number four spot this week by getting the best of not one, but two superstars both in the ring and on the microphone. Dempsey got a small measure of revenge against the man who attacked him last week, and he managed to make Adam Rose look more foolish than his new gimmick. He wasn’t even scheduled to be a part of the show, and instead he started things off by making two of his enemies believers in Bullfit.
3. Rhyno & Baron Corbin: When the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic Tournament first started, I would not have guessed that this make shift team would make it into the final four, but their journey has been the most interesting, besting both the most dominant tag team in NXT history in The Ascension and an underdog team that captured the hearts of the NXT Universe. While they may not have been as impressive as their opponents bell to bell this week, by the time the match was over, they were in the final four, and their opponents were not.
2. Sasha Banks: This is one of those times when the spot earned is for the impact made instead of a big victory. Sasha Banks didn’t have a match, but she created the catalyst for a huge announcement that closed the show and had the crowd going insane. This week was supposed to be all about Bayley’s return to Full Sail University, and while she did receive an incredible welcome home from the crowd, Sasha came along and stole the moment right from under her and had the crowd eating out of her hand.
1. Johnny Gargano & Tommaso Ciampa: Last week, these two managed to take the number two spot by upsetting two established NXT stars. This week, they take the number one spot by putting on the best performance of anyone on the roster this week. I don’t know if these guys were fighting for a contract during their match, but it sure felt like they were. Their moves were crisp, they told a great underdog story, and most importantly, they got the fans to believe in them. I truly hope this isn’t the last we have seen of these two in NXT.
Final Thoughts
This was a good episode of NXT. I enjoyed myself and never felt bored during the broadcast, but I do wish WWE hadn’t spoiled the big main event announcement online before this episode aired. I think it would have elevated the show for the viewers at home. Instead we knew what was coming so it didn’t have the punch it needed. Otherwise the wrestling was solid and nothing was a thumbs down. We have two big matches to look forward to next week with Blake & Murphy with Alexa Bliss getting their NXT Tag Team Championship rematch against the Vaudevillians, and Tyler Breeze vs Bull Dempsey in a grudge match. Let’s hope they deliver and things only go up from here.
