Mitchell’s WWE NXT Report! (7/26/17)

The Knockout Artist and the Innovator of the GTS finally have at it in the ring!

Steven Mitchell
Jul 27, 2017 · 11 min read

All images courtesy of the WWE Network streaming service

OFFICIAL RESULTS

  • Ember Moon VS Lei’d Tapa; Ember wins.
  • The Authors of Pain w/ Paul Ellering VS David Ramos & Timothy Bumpers; no contest.
  • The Velveteen Dream VS Cezar Bononi; Velveteen Dream wins.
  • Kassius Ohno VS Hideo Itami; Ohno wins by disqualification.

PLAY BY PLAY

Ember Moon VS Lei’d Tapa!

The Prophecy of Flame is back and good as she ever was, but how will she fare against the debuting Lady of Tonga? Tapa goes right at Ember with a left hand lariat, then a throw out of the corner. Tapa stomps, but the fans are strongly behind Ember. Tapa gives a headbutt, and demands they “bow down” before her. Ember gets to a corner, boots back and grabs Tapa, and hits a tornado snap suplex! Ember is fired up as she dropkicks Tapa and demands she get up. Mule kick, roundhouse, forearm and Tapa is down! Ember sees the corner, goes up top, ECLIPSE!

Ember wins!

Ember takes to the mic, “I want Asuka at TakeOver: Brooklyn!” The Empress wants a “worthy challenge”, she wants “competition”, Ember is here to give Asuka all she desires. The fans cheer for Ember, Ember is not afraid to do this all over again. “I am ready to defeat the undefeated”, the question is, is Asuka ready for Ember? Can the Moon eclipse the Sun this time around?

The Embodiment of the End sends a message.

“I’ve loved this so much that I hated it.” “I do not care for someone else’s game. This isn’t about them. This is about me.” Who in NXT will be the next to #FadetoBlack?

The Authors of Pain w/ Paul Ellering VS David Ramos & Timothy Bumpers!

Akam and Rezar have been undefeated, unstoppable and undeniable since debuting in NXT, even against some of the literally biggest teams around. But there’s still the craziest to deal with, as SAnitY’s Nikki Cross appears at the ramp ahead of them!

That’s because SAnitY’s Wolfe and Dain attack Ramos and Bumpers in the ring!

Wolfe gives Bumpers a German Suplex, Damo runs Ramos over with a body check. The maniacal men of SAnitY control the ring now, daring Ellering’s behemoths to join them. Ellering gives the command, Akam and Rezar move forward. A tense stare down, explodes into a brawl! Akam throws and clotheslines Wolfe, but Damo runs Rezar over with a clothesline! Rezar clubs back, they take Wolfe for snake eyes and a lariat! Damo revives, Rezar and Akam give him a clothesline and boot. SAnitY is backed off, but they’re not scared. Nikki keeps Damo back, Wolfe laughs it off. When will these two teams meet again?

The Street Profits are on their way!

Angelo Dawkins, Montez Ford, can these two take over NXT’s tag team division?

No Way Jose has an intense encounter with Zelina Vega.

The mysterious senorita who has been hovering around El Idolo, Andrade Almas, actually admires Jose trying to “do what you thought was right.” However, he got in the way of Almas’s business, and now Almas is fired up. That is not something you can just dance around. Vega leaves it at that, what does she and Almas have planned for the Fighting Fiesta?

The Velveteen Dream VS Cezar Bononi!

The enigmatic Patrick Clarke Experience crosses the paths with the impressive Brazilian V8, both men are tall, but who will stand tall here? They tie up, Dream gives clubbing blows, body shots, and kicks. Dream has Bononi in the corner, stomps away, but backs up when the ref tells him. Bononi’s first boot is blocked, but he kicks Dream away with the other, then rocks Dream with right hands. Dream swings, misses, atomic drop and a dropkick. Bononi roars as he slams Dream, Dream kicks out at one. Bononi flapjacks Dream up to his shoulders, Dream slips down and ducks a punch, fireman’s carry for the rolling Death Valley Driver!

Dream gets up to the top rope, swivels those hips, then jumps for the Purple Rain Maker elbow drop!

Dream hits, Dream wins!

Dream is then interviewed on the ramp, the NXT Universe wants to know his goals here. Dream asks the interviewer her goals. To interview him? A “decently enough dressed girl” like her, maybe. But not in front of this ugliness known as the NXT Universe. Her experience will have to wait. Dream leaves, where is he going?

NXT General Manager, William Regal, comments on Ember Moon’s claims.

He has great interest in the NXT Women’s Division and agrees. It will be Ember Moon VS Asuka 2, for the title, at TakeOver: Brooklyn III. Is this the Prophecy of Flame coming to pass?

Drew McIntyre comes to the ring.

The Scottish Stud stayed undefeated after a grueling battle with the Beast of Belfast, Killian Dain, and is now set to face the NXT Champion at TakeOver: Brooklyn III. McIntyre thanks those who have supported him since his return, and for those just signing up, there’s only “four short weeks” left. Others would reflect and look back, but McIntyre doesn’t have that button. He only looks forward. “Once upon a time, I was not the man that stands before you right now.” His first WWE run, as Vince’s “Chosen One”, he expected to get opportunities, he felt entitled, but when he realized he wasn’t the hardest worker in the room, that’s when he failed. His time away made it clear that it was his life, his responsibility, that he had “to wake up” and BE the hardest worker not just in teh room, but in the WORLD. The more success and growth, it was clear. It wasn’t one person, it was everyone working to push each other, and that is why McIntyre came to NXT! “We all walk side by side as equals around here.” Well, except for Bobby Roode. “You can tell a lot about a man looking into his eyes”, and when McIntyre looks in Roode’s eyes, it’s nothing but entitlement. Roode is not entitled to a DAMN THING. This is not Roode’s NXT, this is THE FANS’ NXT! In Full Sail and around the world, they have a message for Roode: #WeAreNXT! McIntyre and the crowd are fired up, can McIntyre dethrone the GLORIOUS One?

NXT newcomer, Raul Mendoza, comments on facing Johnny Gargano next week.

Johnny Wrestling returns after being injured and betrayed by Tommaso Ciampa, so Mendoza knows Gargano has been “training hard” to make this return. Mendoza has also been training hard. Next week might end up becoming less about Gargano’s return, and more about Mendoza’s debut. Will Mendoza back up his words against a former NXT Tag Team Champion?

Kassius Ohno VS Hideo Itami!

Once friends, competitive nature and professional rivalries have created a rift between these two, it’s time to settle things in the ring. The bell rings, the fans cheer for both, and the two stare down before tying up. Ohno gets an arm in a wristlock then a takedown, Itami slips up and around to get a leg trip, Ohno rubs a forearm in Itami’s face then gets the headscissor hold, Itami gets up and around and shoves Ohno away. The fans cheer the stand-off as the two circle and try again. Itami kicks low then forearms Ohno. Ohno gives a sharp chop, but Itami absorbs it to grab Ohno’s beard and push him to the ropes. Itami give off forearms, Ohno turns it around to give a forearm, chop and kick of his own. Itami fires back again with kicks to the chest, Ohno blocks one to throw Itami down, low dropkick, TWO. Itami shakes his head to clear out the cobwebs, Ohno stands him up for another sharp chop. Ohno tries to whip but Itami holds the ropes, so Ohno gives him a boot to the face. Ohno clubs and whips Itami, Itami reverses so Ohno tumbles to the apron. Ohno goes to boot back, Itami blocks and then slaps Ohno, then stretches him out over the second rope to kick away at him. Itami goes up to the second rope, guillotine legdrop!

Ohno rolls out of the ring, the fans fire up while Itami is in control, we go to a break.

We return, Ohno gets running but runs into a kick from Itami. Itami gives a knee drop, covers, TWO. Itami kicks Ohno right in the back, then toys with Ohno before giving more stiff kicks to the chest. Itami drags Ohno up, neckbreaker brings him back down, TWO. Itami sits Ohno up for a chinlock, knee grinding into the spine. The fans rally, Ohno can’t get away before Itami drives in more knees. The fans duel, Itami kicks Ohno again and again. Ohno dares Itami to keep kicking him, so Itami does. Ohno fires up with each kick, even as they knock him back, TWO. Itami sits Ohno up for another chinlock, the fans rally again, Ohno gets up and fights out with body shots. Ohno gives Itami another sharp chop, Itami is in a corner but boots out. Itami goes up, grabs Ohno, tornado hotshot! Ohno falls back, Itami mocks the fans cheering, climbs up and… gets a chop! And another chop. And another chop! Ohno runs, Itami kicks Ohno but he keeps going! Ohno rallies with running forearms and ax handles to knock Itami down, Shining Wizard!

The fans fire up for Ohno, he takse aim, cyclone boot!

TWO! Ohno isn’t deterred, he hits a back senton!

TWO again, and Ohno is a bit frustrated. Itami gets to a corner, Ohno rushes in, but misses the splash. Itami gives a spinning back kick, then manages the Fisherman Suplex! Ohno rolls to a corner, Itami gets up and takes aim, hesitation dropkick! Itami calls for the finish, he drags Ohno up for the fireman’s carry but Ohno slips out. Itami senses Ohno wants the wring-out so he fights it off with back elbows. Itami runs, into a boot! Ohno fires up, discus- low blow! Itami kicks Ohno in the balls!

Ohno wins on disqualification, but Itami isn’t going to leave it at that. He rains hands on Ohno, then stomps and scrapes his boot on Ohno in a corner. Itami kicks and kicks away, too, Ohno goes limp. Itami drags Ohno up and out, into the fireman’s carry, for not just one but two GTS knees to the head!

Itami looks to be leaving, but then he comes back to drag Ohno out of the ring. He lifts Ohno up, and drops him on the steel steps!

Itami finally leaves, what new lows will he sink to in order to get ahead in NXT?

My Thoughts:

Whenever anything gets on a great roll, it is inevitable that there is a low point. However, because NXT has been riding so high, tonight’s episode is hardly a real low point. Ember Moon quite literally eclipses the debut of the physically intimidating Lei’d Tapa (who is surprisingly keeping her TNA/Impact/GFW name), and now Ember wants her second 1v1 chance against Asuka. As great as Ember was going in the first time as the undefeated underdog, I can’t really see Ember — reinvigorated as she is — defeating Asuka now after everything Asuka has overcome. The match will certainly be great, but it just doesn’t feel Ember has gotten the right build to be the one that ends Asuka’s undefeated streak. Not getting to see the Authors of Pain in a match was fine, the brawl with SAnitY made up for that, even if the AoP backs down SAnitY. While the sequence of events paints SAnitY as the monster Heels and AoP as monster Faces, the crowd reaction swaps things, SAnitY are anti-hero Faces going after the big bad monster Heels. This I could see going SAnitY’s way, being the first team to defeat the AoP and taking those tag titles to start a new back-and-forth tag feud the way all NXT tag team championships have gone before. Good on Cezar Bononi getting more screen time, even if he loses to Velveteen Dream. Both those guys have potential, and I really enjoyed Patrick Clarke’s sass in that on-stage interview.

Loved Drew McIntyre’s promo tonight calling out the GLORIOUS Roode, playing on his past self as “The Chosen One”, and talking about his indie days without naming names, it really helps build McIntyre’s broader redemption story. Roode is going to respond next week, but surely that’ll lead to McIntyre confronting him in person. Then in the main event, Ohno and Itami really impress, I again say how disappointing it is that NXT does not have a secondary title for these great talents that are just spinning their wheels waiting for the NXT title. Itami keeps his Heel game strong by giving Ohno that low blow to avoid legitimate defeat, then two GTS’s and the steel step snake eyes, Itami definitely moves up to be the Heel that faces the next Face champion, Itami-McIntyre can make for a high quality and very stiff match.

My Score: 8/10

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