LAW
WWE NXT Report for Jan. 30 - NXT Tag Tournament Continues
Brian Campbell / February 1, 2013 - 11:21am
A recap of last week opens the show, featuring Shawn Michaels announcing the NXT Tag Team Title tournament, along with clips from last show.
[Match #1]: NXT Tag Team Title Tournament: Alex Riley & Derrick Bateman vs. Kassius Ohno & Leo Kruger
Kruger and Bateman start things off very slowly before Bateman takes control with a couple of armdrags and armringers. He tags in Riley but Kruger retreats and tags in Ohno. Ohno is referred to here as ‘the walking disasterpiece’ – I’m not sure what that means but it sounds good I guess. Riley gets a schoolboy for a quick 2 then goes to work on the arm as the announcers do their best to put Riley over. He hits a beautiful dropkick and goes back to work on the arm, and tags Bateman back in, who gets a flying clothesline for 2. Bateman goes for an Irish whip that is reversed as he gets sent to the far buckle, but catches Ohno with a backdrop over the top to the floor as we head to commercial break. Back from break and Kruger is in and gets the heat back with some kicks, punches and chops in the corner. Bateman misses a knee in the corner and the heels go to work on the knee, the same one he recently had surgery on, and as Ohno is tagged in, he goes to work on the wrong knee in a hilarious spot, which Regal actually points out on commentary. Kruger is back in and continues to work over the knee. After what seemed like an eternity Bateman hits a luke-warm tag to Riley, who explodes into the ring with clotheslines and a spinebuster before hitting his A-Bomb finisher, something of a dropping DDT, out of the corner for 2. Bateman comes back in and sends Kruger out, as Ohno hits a big boot and a reverse neckhold that gets the submission win.
Winners [via submission]: Kassius Ohno & Leo Kruger (10:17)
After the match, Cory Graves hits the ring and slaps on his Thirteenth Step submission hold to a downed Riley.
[Match #2]: Sakamoto vs. Mason Ryan
Ryan opens with some displays of power before catching Sakamoto coming off the second rope with a backbreaker and a massive fall-away slam. Ryan continues with a short-arm clothesline and a nervehold, before Sakamoto fights back. He gets caught with a big boot coming off the ropes for his troubles. Ryan hits the Jackhammer for the win as the crowd immediately chants Goldberg.
Winner [via pinfall]: Mason Ryan (1:07)
[Match #3]: Aksana vs. Paige
Aksana sends Paige to the floor over the top, and then quickly sends her back in and gets a slingshot into the ropes for 1 and then a sidewalk slam for 2. Aksana applies a modified bow and arrow before Paige fights back with punches and gets the win with a modified Texas Cloverleaf.
Winner [via submission]: Paige (3:02)
Following the match, Summer Rae, the NXT ring announcer, attacks Paige from behind after the two accidentally bumped.
Renee Young is in the back with Sasha Banks, who delivers the babiest of babyface promos after getting her first NXT win last week. Some guy hands her a letter which features a poem from her secret admirer. Oh, these NXT storylines.
[Match #4]: NXT Tag Team Title Tournament: Bo Dallas & Michael McGillicutty vs. Primo & Epico
Dallas and Primo kicks things off and the two go back and forth before Primo bails to the floor. Epico, sporting a new look, is tagged in and hits a running back-elbow for 1. Primo comes back in and hits a scoop slam but misses a running elbow drop as Dallas gets the heat back with a back body drop and an atomic drop for 2. McGillicutty is tagged in and nails a backbreaker for 2. Primo’s tagged back in but gets nailed with multiple knife-edge chops and McGillicutty continues with a pair of running dropkicks. He’s sent to the apron as Primo hits a dropkick sending him to the floor, where Epico fires him into the guardrail. Epico sends him back in and hits a slingshot hilo for 2. Primo comes in, works over the arm and applies a reverse chinlock and body scissors before tagging Epico back in. After a few more weardown holds, the two hit the ropes and eventually collide for a rest spot. Both get their respective tags and Dallas gains the advantage on Primo in sloppy fashion. Primo hits a stiff looking single-arm DDT for a VERY close 2, but Dallas catches him coming off the ropes with a belly-to-belly suplex for the win.
Winner [via pinfall]: Bo Dallas & Michael McGillicutty (10:25)
My Thoughts
This was another solid episode - two good tag matches and two basic squashes - and this tag title tourney has been a really good thing for NXT. Ohno and Kruger are now my favorites to win as they remind me of an old school heel tag team. Riley could be good, and to be honest, this is where he belongs, not wrestling Tensai or JTG on Superstars. I’ve been waiting for Mason Riley to return, and while this was a squash, he still looked unpolished in the ring. And the Jackhammer finish isn’t going to do this guy any favors in terms of Goldberg comparisons. He’s a work in progress for sure. I’m really surprised that Paige is still wrestling on NXT and not the main roster given how thin the WWE is in the Diva division. She’s already the best female wrestler they have in any level. A face turn could be good for McGillicutty - something I’ve been waiting for since he has needed a fresh coat of paint for some time.
Announced For Next Week
The continuation of the tag tourney – the Wyatt Family (Luke Harper & Erick Rowan) vs. Dallas and McGillicutty and Kruger and Ohno vs. Adrian Neville and Oliver Grey.
