WWE: NXT TV Report | 30th October 2013

Hot off the heels of last week’s debut for the NXT report, the second edition that the millions (and millions!) have been salivating for has finally arrived! So without further ado, let’s go!

This week’s edition of WWE NXT opens up with Byron Saxton wishing us a happy Halloween and introducing the rest of the announce team; William Regal and Renee Young.

The realist guys in the room, Colin Cassady & Enzo Amore, make their entrance, mic in hand. Maybe being from the UK hinders my connection somewhat but the whole SAWFT thing just hasn’t resonated with me yet.

Their opponents are to be Alexander Rusev, who we saw squash CJ Parker last week, & Sylvester LeFort. Mr Saxton informs us that it is the first time we are seeing Lefort in action on NXT. Regal cracks a joke about Rusev looking like his mother-in-law with a beard (how the guy isn’t announcing on one of the E’s main shows is beyond me).

Colin Cassady & Enzo Amore v. Alexander Rusev  and Sylvester LeFort

Cassady and Rusev lock up to get the action underway. Rusev dominates the early proceedings with some vicious knee thrsuts and clubs. Nothing technical but impressive nonetheless.

Rusev brings Amore into the ring, very much against his will and puts the second member of the team onto the mat also. Dominant display from Rusev once again, up to this point.

A fact not missed by his partner, LeFort, who enters the ring to applaud him. Rusev clearly has issues with accepting praise though, as he launches Sylvester to the roped and bulldozes his partner to the mat.

Rusev locks in The Accolade on Big Cass, who almost immediately taps out.

WINNERS: Alexander Rusev and Sylvester LeFort

So, LeFort gets a win in his debut match thanks to a commanding performance from Rusev, which he also fell victim to. Regal describes Rusev as a monster and Renee suggests that he is a human wrecking ball.

The camera cuts to the top of the ramp and we see they mysterious blonde, who wandered round the ring last week. Regal puts money on Rusev being world champ in the next year as young questions the identity of the mystery woman.

We then get hype for tonight’s main event, CJ Parker v. Tyler Breeze. We then get a generic ‘Don’t Try this at Home’ message followed by a nicely done video package for the Real Americans.

This is followed by a Raw rebound (I thought that was called Smackdown now?). It starts out with that weird commentary over photos thing that WWE does to show what happened at Hell in a Cell, as if showing a few seconds video footage of a PPV is going to project them over the fiscal cliff. The actual rebound is the Orton promo, that I have now had to endure twice, and the interference of the ‘fired’ Big Show, entrance music, company clothing et al.

Finally! We go back to Full-Sail! That’s two Rock references in one article. I’m on a roll.

“The Artiste” Aiden English is introduced and makes his entrance with a microphone. English serenades us with something that may have been stolen from Disney’s ‘The Beauty and the Beast.

“The Artiste” Aiden English v. Jason Jordan

The match gets under way with a couple of belly to back takedowns from Jordan. English takes control with some offence of his own, culminating in a sleeper hold. As the hold goes to the mat, English sings Jordan a lullaby, which is nice of him!

A little more back and forth before English gets in a European uppercut and hits his finisher, The Directors Cut, before picking up the 1-2-3.

WINNER: “The Artiste” Aiden English

Post-match, English has the mic and requests a spotlight, explaining that he has decided to give us an encore. Aiden English, the man that keeps on giving! Roses are tossed into the ring and Regal stands up and applauds English whilst sounding emotional. Renee suggests our William is smitten with Mr English.

Not all will be though, the gimmick is clearly Marmite and not all are going to be as in love with it as Regal so evidently is. It’s not a bad gimmick, as such, just not one for the purists. I for one am in the thumbs up column, for now at least.

The camera cuts to Saxton, who talks us through a replay of the culmination of Cory Graves v. Adrian Neville from last week.

We now go to a WWE.com exclusive of reaction from Neville, in regard to the post-match attack by Graves. A very serious Neville suggests that this is the beginning. A good job from Neville, who places another building block, onto which the feud can continue to build. I expect there is plenty more to come from these two and I am looking forward to it.

Up next, Summer Rae v. Paige.

Mrs Fandango enters first, Sasha Banks is accompanying her. The announcers once again suggest that Summer has brainwashed Banks.

The anti-diva makes her entrance and we go to a quick clip from two weeks ago. It shows Sasha Banks attacking Paige and Emma, allowing Summer Rae to pick up a win.

Summer Rae v. Paige

The bell rings and Paige dashes towards Summer and grabs her by the hair. Paige uses Summer’s hair to toss her around the ring a couple of times. Intense start from the Brit.

A distraught Rae leaves the ring and seeks the condolences of her accomplice, Sasha Banks. Paige does not seem to like this though and attempts a baseball slide to the outside, which Banks manages to pull Rae away from.

Summer rewards her by using her as a human shield against Paige. Paige tosses Banks aside but this gives Rae a chance to get in a slap and make a return to the ring.

The two exchange offence and manage a two-count each. Paige head-butts Summer, much to the delight of Regal and Young.

Banks holds onto the leg of the Anti-Diva and the ref spots it. He orders her to the back, expelling her from ringside. We go to commercial.

As we re-join the action, Summer Rae has her head driven into the turnbuckle by Paige. Some back and forth between the two that results in Paige being sent outside to the floor before Summer joins her to roll the Brit back in the ring. Two-count for Rae.

Summer Rae carries out a leg-lock. She then pins Paige in a most unique fashion, by placing her left calf under the head of Paige and the other between the Brits legs. Nothing flashy but always nice to see something new when you’ve wrongly assumed that you’ve seen it all!

Sumer Rae continues to control this part of the match and starts to get more vocal. Summer runs and jumps toward Paige but the champ manages to catch her and counter with a lovely fisherman’s suplex and then gets a two-count.

Some more intensity from Paige as she chains together repeated clotheslines and a single leg dropkick, leading to another two-count.

Summer pushes Paige onto the ropes and drops her with a spinning kick. Paige kicks out at two, much to the distress of Rae.

Summer Rae lifts Paige to her feet by her hair but the Brit lands a vicious kick to her mid-section. Paige hits something of an anti-climactic Paige Tuner and picks up the victory.

WINNER: Paige

Sasha Banks re-enters the fray and attacks the Women’s Champion from behind. Emma enters and makes the save. The Australian brutalises Banks in the corner, much to the delight of Paige, who applauds her briefly.

Paige turns Emma round and is hit with a clothesline for her trouble. In a switch of roles from last week, Regal and Emma’s body language suggests that the attack was accidental. Paige, though, is less than impressed. The Champion and number one contender come face to face. Emma tries to explain but Paige looks to be having none of it. The music hits and there is no further physicality’s.

The stories being told in the Diva’s division of NXT are building nicely. Banks and Rae are continuing to be a thorn in the side and both have helped put on good performances in the last couple of weeks. Tensions between the two fan-favourites, Emma and Paige, are also building nicely. This well help immensely when it comes to their title match.

We cut backstage and we are with Tyler Breeze, holding the locks of CJ Parker’s hair that he stole last week. He says he is going to send Parker back to the streets where he belongs. Commercial.

We get a creepy taped promo from Wyatt Family member, Luke Harper. He repeatedly uses the words ‘oh no’. Turns out we will see Harper face Kassius Ohno on next week’s edition of NXT. We will also see Sylvester LeFort look to gain revenge on the attack he suffered at the hands of Alexander Rusev.

Tyler Breeze makes his entrance, followed by CJ Parker, who sprints to the ring but Breeze quickly makes an exit.

Tyler Breeze v. CJ Parker

The bell rings and Parker chases Breeze around the ring. Breeze slides back inside but Parker catches him and gets in some offence. A nice cross-body from Parker onto Breeze from the second turnbuckle.

The crowd at full-sail seem firmly behind Breeze and in a match that Parker has thus far controlled, he has had a fair amount of boos. Indeed, this continues with a chant from a minority of fans informing Parker that he should change his gimmick. They may not like it but that isn’t helping anyone.

Parker gets Breeze onto his shoulders and subjects him to an airplane spin. More boos. Parker motions for Breeze to get up so he can inflict his finisher but Breeze makes for a quick exit under the bottom rope. We go to an ad-break.

When we come back, Parker is still in control and suplexes Breeze. Parker plays to the crowd and is met with what could be best described as a mixed reaction but he is certainly not without support.

Breeze, crouched in the corner avoids an attack from Parker, who ends up standing on the middle turnbuckle. Breeze reaches up and grabs Parkers feet, carrying out something of a powerbomb. I would suggest that sounds more impressive than it actually looked.

The crowd appreciated it though with a “that was awesome” chant. It’s hard to tell whether they actually thought it was or whether they are somewhat blinded by their clear dislike of Parker, who has mostly controlled this match thus far.

Breeze drops a couple of knees and earns himself a two-count. Breeze goes back on the attack by standing on Parker’s face a couple of times whilst striking some poses before heading in the corner to take a ‘selfie’. Breeze gets in some more offence, a submission and then a pinfall but Parker kicks out at 2.

Breeze goes to the top rope but he is tossed to the mat by Parker, who strangely tugs on his hair repeatedly at his grounded opponent. Parker pulls a bit of a weird face and then darts towards a risen Breeze, forces him to the mat and then subjects him to some punches.

A couple of wicked clotheslines from Paker before he unleashes a hell of a kick that decks Breeze. Simple but excellent stuff there. This earns Parker a count of two.

We get a reversal from both competitors. Breeze attempts to hit his ‘Beauty Shot’ but Parker avoids it. Parker hits the Palm Strike and gets the win.

WINNER: CJ Parker

Post-match, Parker has the scissors and strolls towards Breeze. He manages to hold Breeze up by the hair but he escapes before Parker can return the favour from last week. With that, this week’s edition of NXT is a wrap.

A very similar show in formula to last week but I do not mean that in a negative way, once again we are seeing stories build very nicely. Rusev is being made to look every bit of the behemoth that he deserves to be. English intrigues me.

As I already stated, the storylines developing between all four Divas are my highlight of NXT at the moment and I doff my cap to all involved. Summer Rae and Paige had, by far, the match of the night.

The main event was disappointing for me. It wasn’t so much that it was bad. I just didn’t enjoy it. I don’t really care for either character, nor am I fan of the feud.

A lot can be said for crowds making matches but a few at Full-Sail certainly detracted from proceedings between Tyler Breeze and CJ Parker. You may not be a fan of the latter but I respectfully suggest that that does not give you the right to hound the guy for a gimmick that he has been handed, attempted to do his best with and is presumably powerless to change.

On the other hand, the writers did not help matters last week when Paker was dominated by Rusev. The cutting of the hair could have been done in many other ways that would not have done further damage to Parker’s character. I suggest a heel-turn to come sooner rather than later, as things are not resonating as they are.

Overall though, we were treated to another solid show that I would recommend you to view for yourself. If you’re not into NXT yet then you should be!

Thanks for taking the time to read this report and I urge you to join us here next week. In the words, or word, of the great Stan Lee, excelsior!

– By Richard Thompson