Did you miss NXT this week? Well, I’m here to make it all better. It’s the weekly NXT Recap, right here at Last Word on Pro Wrestling. Did you miss last week’s recap? Check it out and catch up here.
So, what happened in Drew McIntyre‘s anticipated return to the yellow brand? Additionally, who will step up now that another batch of current stars are gone? Let’s find out, shall we?
NXT Recap: (4/12/17) – Drew McIntyre Returns
Match: Aleister Black vs. Corey Hollis
After his monstrous debut at NXT Takeover: Orlando, Aleister Black took on Corey Hollis. And this thing was over in less than thirty seconds. With one devastating kick (known as Black Mass), Black took down Hollis. Despite his heavy-metal demeanor, Black seemed incredibly calm throughout the short bout. This guy is getting a push to the stars, and he knows it.
Winner: Aleister Black
Analysis: Black Mass is so, so, so pretty. Everything about the move is, while beautiful, absolutely overwhelming. Corey Hollis was downright humiliated during this bout, and rightfully so. Aleister Black is ready to run roughshod across NXT, and the entire locker room had better be ready. In one fell swoop, Black got his finishing move over, which is sometimes hard to do. See what can happen when the creative team uses enhancement talent correctly?
Interview: Tye Dillinger
After the opening match, we saw the Perfect Ten himself, Tye Dillinger, in an interview. Now, although Dillinger has moved on to bigger things on SmackDown Live, he still has “unfinished business” on the yellow brand. Therefore, he quickly announced that he got permission from William Regal for one final match. Dillinger noted that next week, he would take on Eric Young of SAnitY in a steel cage match.
Analysis: This is really exciting for NXT. It’s not often that the yellow brand sees former stars come back for a swan song match. In any case, this bout between Dillinger and Young should be an absolute barnburner next week. Additionally, Eric Young no longer has the numbers game to back him up inside the cage (most likely). It will be interesting to see how he fares one-on-one with no shenanigans.
Match: #DIY vs. Dylan Miley and Michael Blais
Of course, #DIY came out to thunderous applause for this one. In the most likely scenario, they’ll be moving on to the main roster soon. This week, they took on Miley & Blais, a couple of monsters to NXT. And boy, Miley and Blais looked fantastic during this match. DIY has an uncanny ability to put over any tag team they choose, and make them look like world-beaters while doing it. However, after downright murdering Johnny Gargano for a bit, it was time for the tables to turn. Quickly, DIY took both the momentum and the win, and Miley and Blais seemed stunned. Oh yeah, and Dylan Miley kicked the stuffing out of Michael Blais afterward. Looks like those two are done.
Winners: #DIY
Analysis: If this truly was the sendoff for DIY, it was a great one. Yes, it was a short match. However, it did two great things. First off, it showed that DIY can still get it done, even when the going gets tough. Secondly, it showcased the power of one Dylan Miley, which is really important. Everything about Miley screamed “singles push” and it looks like he could be getting one. Miley looks like a total monster, and his power is much too strong for tag team action. He’s not part of the Authors of Pain, you know.
Match: Ruby Riot vs. Kimberly Frankele
Next up, Ruby Riot was in action against Kimberly Frankele. Rather quickly, Riot got on the attack against Frankele (known widely as Kimber Lee). However, she soon found that Nikki Cross of SAnitY was watching her. Of course, this put Riot off her game and Frankele was able to capitalize for a while. Nevertheless though, Ruby Riot took back control; it seems that nothing truly phases her, which is interesting. As she took out Frankele for the three-count, Riot stared down Nikki Cross.
Winner: Ruby Riot
Analysis: As Nigel McGuinness noted after the match, this feud between Cross and Riot is far from over. Cross and Riot are both, very clearly, inside each other’s heads. Truthfully, it will be very intriguing to see who can get crazier. As of right now, it looks like neither woman truly has the upper hand. However, Ruby Riot is on one hell of a roll right now. One thing is for sure: a total shift is coming in the yellow brand’s women’s division.
Match: Drew McIntyre vs. Oney Lorcan
Finally, NXT fans received the match they were all waiting for. In this week’s main event, Drew McIntyre made his triumphant return to the yellow brand against Oney Lorcan. As McIntyre came down to the ring, the fans serenaded him with “Welcome Back” chants. Man, it’s good to see McIntyre back in a WWE ring again: it feels like he’s home. Nevertheless, let’s get the recap underway.
McIntyre showed no WWE ring rust at first, begging Lorcan to “bring it here.” And bring it there, Lorcan did. Following an uppercut and a suicide dive for the ages, it looked as though Lorcan had all the momentum in the world. Until he dove from the top rope, was caught by one Drew McIntyre, and was slammed onto the ring apron. For those of you who are somehow unaware, the ring apron is the hardest part of the ring.
When the show came back from a commercial break, McIntyre still had the upper hand. And the momentum stayed with McIntyre nearly all the way through (save for a few short breaks) as he picked up the win using what looked like a flying Kinshasa. Whatever that final move was, it was enough to put away one of the strongest in the business. As a side note, Lorcan actually got busted open pretty hard during this one, so hopefully he truly is alright.
Winner: Drew McIntyre
Analysis: Drew McIntyre has always been a personal favorite of mine. To see something like this from him is incredible. McIntyre was able to show his true strength during this match, and basically dominated Lorcan. With this win, McIntyre put the entire NXT locker room on notice. If one thing is for sure, it’s that McIntyre is destined for an NXT Championship run.
Shinsuke Nakamura Farewell
Is someone cutting onions in here? No? Must just be me watching Shinsuke Nakamura bid farewell to NXT. Truthfully, Nakamura has done so much for this brand, and it’s a shame to see him go. But you know what they say about all good things: they must come to an end. And if Nakamura must move on to the main roster, SmackDown Live is definitely the best place for him to be. As Shinsuke Nakamura said farewell to his “home,” the “crazy” fans of NXT sang to him one more time. Finally, the entire locker room came out to say goodbye to good old Shinsuke Nakamura, and cameras showed shots of crying and singing fans. This segment needs no analysis, but it definitely left a smile on my face and that of every other NXT fan.
Winners: NXT Fans and Shinsuke Nakamura
A Hundred Words or Less
For those who said, “Too long; didn’t read”, I offer you this. Tonight’s NXT in one hundred words or less.
Tonight, we saw a re-boot of the NXT universe. First off, Aleister Black pummeled Corey Hollis to cement a new star. Then, DIY built another new star in Dylan Miley through unconventional means. Next, Ruby Riot and Nikki Cross showed that they are both inside the other’s head for good. After that, Drew McIntyre marked his triumphant return to WWE with a win over Oney Lorcan. Finally, Shinsuke Nakamura gave one of the most heartfelt wrestling farewells ever. Overall, this show did a lot for NXT and gets a 9.5/10.
