Episode 269 – Arnold Sports
Festival Special – March 18th 2015
NOTE: this was written before the events of March 25th.
One
week before the next NXT event, the event comes to us for the
first time on the road. Away from the confines of the NXT Arena at Full Sail
University, there was no doubt that it was a risky strategy taking performers
weren’t used to doing their jobs away from their comfort zone, but its also a
necessary evil for WWE to do so. The way wrestlers learn their craft, the ins
and outs, is on the road and not performing once every two or three weeks. This
was a brilliant idea by Triple H and I hope to see more NXT house shows in the
future. They are after all the stars of tomorrow and they can only get
themselves ready by performing four days a week in different towns.
When
the NXT stars aren’t performing on television, they sit dormant in the back or
in development trying to develop their skill. With house shows which would be
guaranteed to sell out, those stars who aren’t performing for a few weeks at a
time on television could be honing their craft elsewhere. It’s a fool proof
idea. Here, at the Arnold Sports Festival, we would get a small sample of what
could be possible if Triple H took these men and women on the road and though
the LC Pavilion in Columbus, Ohio was as drastic change from the NXT Arena in
that the stage was almost touching the ring apron and the capacity was larger,
it still screamed NXT from its very core.
Before
the action kicked off, the show began with a video package highlighting the
main event of show which would be a non-title grudge match between Kevin Owens
and Alex Riley which only began a few weeks prior and hadn’t yet been given the
time to blossom. We were also shown a match plate promoting NXT Women’s
Champion Sasha Banks vs Alexa Bliss in yet another non-title match.
Tyler Breeze vs Kalisto
The
opening bout of this week’s NXT programme was a departure from what we were
used to whilst also highlighting what could be possible if NXT introduced a
fourth division into their ranks, that being a cruiserweight or light
heavyweight ranking for its smaller and more agile stars. Now that titles
actually mean something in promotion and every belt is fought over with passion
and given a decent storyline before its thrown on television unlike WWE’s main
roster prize’s, an NXT Light Heavyweight Championship would be yet another
jewel in the crown of the brand. It would give its smaller talent something to
fight for because men Kalisto are never going to be NXT Champion, and whilst
the action is regularly gripping, this could be something which further sets
NXT apart from Raw and Smackdown.
In
Columbus, Ohio it was Tyler Breeze who was the favourite with the new NXT
audience. His aura screams future star but I’m not convinced it’s on WWE’s main
roster. He looks like Dolph Ziggler and his character has been done to death. I
can’t see a massive future for Tyler Breeze on WWE’s main stage because of his
size and there are very little opponents with whim he could have a stunning one
on one bout with because Vince McMahon doesn’t believe that cruiserweight
action has a place on his main brand, but here in NXT there are numerous
opportunities for Breeze to shine. One day I believe he will be NXT Champion
because that is what the audience want.
Kalisto
in singles action brought about a different feeling to this week’s NXT show.
We’re used to seeing the masked luchadore compete in tag team action with Sin
Cara, but as Sin Cara was prepping for what will ultimately turn out to be a
pointless appearance at WrestleMania 31 as a participant in the second annual
Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal in which he’ll be eliminated without
fanfare of care before returning to NXT the following week, Kalisto stepped out
on is own to open the show and judging by the performance he put in here then
Kalisto could make it as a singles performer and there is a place for a future
feud between the masked marvels.
Beginning
the bout with the usual Lock Up, it was the bigger Tyler Breeze who gained the
upper hand by using his power to force Kalisto into the corner. Instead of
following the referee’s orders to break the hold before the count of five,
Tyler Breeze used his initiative and twisted his momentum into an Armbar.
Lording it over Kalisto, Breeze was too busy posing to the audience to notice
Kalisto wriggle his way out of the hole with a simple roll which allowed
Kalisto to flip Tyler to the canvas. Nursing only wounded pride, Tyler Breeze
backed his way into the corner regrouping his game plan. After a few moments,
both men initiated a second Lock Up which Tyler Breeze used to his advantage in
order to apply a Headlock.
Trapped
in a tight predicament, Kalisto gripped and clawed at anything he could get his
hands on in order to escape. After several attempts which came up short,
Kalisto found a hand full of hair useful in persuading Breeze to break the hold
and used that momentum to fire his narcissistic foe into the ropes. As the tide
seemed as if it would turn in the Mexican’s favour, Breeze once again used his
savvy to sway the momentum in his direction and floored Kalisto with a Running
Shoulderblock as he rebounded from the ropes. With a swagger which befits a
character such as the selfie loving Breeze, Tyler went to the well once more
but was forced to change his plan at the last moment and Leapfrog Kalisto when
the luchadore found his feet and ducked Breeze’s attack.
Flinging
himself into the ropes, Kalisto’s attack was thwarted by a second Leapfrog
which saw Tyler Breeze roll backwards in order to execute a head scissors which
ended when Kalisto telegraphed the manoeuvre and hit a forward roll through
Breeze’s legs and landed on his hands. Walking on his appendages in a neat
looking move, Kalisto stunned the LC Pavilion with a Jumping Springboard
Headscissors Takedown which looked the bee’s knees. Firing in kicks and slaps
to the legs and chest, Kalisto took flight once more with a Springboard Armdrag
from the top rope before Tyler Breeze rolled to the arena floor in order to
escape the onslaught being aimed his way. Slowing the pace of the bout down to
one which suited him, Tyler Breeze was shaken by a Suicide Dive attempt by his
smaller rival which turned out to be a mere threat when Kalisto hit the ropes
with his neck and shoulders to stop himself flying to ringside.
Climbing
back into the ring after a short rest period, Tyler Breeze acted upon and
advancing Kalisto with a Backdrop over the top rope which put Kalisto on the
ring apron where he clocked Breeze with a stunning kick to the head over the
top rope. As Breeze clutched his money maker and staggered into the middle of
the ring, Kalisto lined up his opponent and hit a Springboard into the ring
only for his attempt to be countered with a perfect Dropkick to the abdomen. It
looked really professional. Scampering to take advantage of his counter, Tyler
Breeze covered Kalisto for a near fall and when that didn’t work was forced to
conjure up a different strategy. Pulling Kalisto up by his mask, Breeze hurled
the masked marvel into the turnbuckle where he proceeded to stomp away on his
foe.
With
Kalisto seated in the corner, Tyler Breeze stuck his foot into the throat of
Sin Cara’s tag team partner and choked him with all the might he had left. Not
allowing Kalisto time to recover, Tyler Breeze threw his smaller victim over
the middle rope and proceeded to choke him once more, driving the wind from his
lungs. Dragging Kalisto from the rope into the middle of the ring, Tyler Breeze
covered Kalisto for a Leg Drop and count of two as if just choking someone
would get the job done anyway. Using his frustration to synch Kalisto into a
Rear Chinlock, the programme took an early break in order to hype Sting vs
Triple H at WrestleMania 31. Coming back from the ad break and Tyler Breeze was
still in charge.
Breaking
the Rear Chinlock, Tyler Breeze drove his knee into the gut further winding his
rival. Ducking a Running Clothesline, Kalisto was able to execute and connect
with a Springboard Spiral Crossbody and his Kalisto Kick before charging into
the ropes and slamming Breeze with a Hurricanrana Face Plant as Breeze was
knelt in the middle of the ring. It was a lovely series of moves which kept the
bout chugging along nicely. Though his efforts only garnered him a count of
two, Kalisto was on a roll and following a stiff Running Knee in the corner he
attempted an STS which was countered by Tyler Breeze. Pushing Kalisto into the
ropes, Breeze’s Clothesline was again ducked and as he more agile star
rebounded with what would have been a stupendous Handspring Crossbody, ‘The
King of Cuteville’ proved he wasn’t just a pretty face when he countered the
move with his Super Model Kick. It was excellent and the fans believed so to
with chants of ‘That was gorgeous!’
In
despair that one of his best moved only managed to get him a heated near fall,
Tyler Breeze allowed his emotions to get the better of him and following more
stomps in the corner, Breeze failed to spot a Kalisto fight back brewing which
began with a double foot kick to the jaw. Finding his was back to his feet,
Kalisto cracked Tyler Breeze with a nice Dropkick to the knee and a thrilling
Inzaguri which put Breeze on the canvas. Slowly scaling the top turnbuckle,
Kalisto puffed and panted as he stood on the summit and surveyed his
surroundings. With Tyler Breeze dormant below, Kalisto flung himself from the
turnbuckle with an unforgettable 450 Splash for a killer near fall which Tyler
grabbed the rope to break.
With
fans thrilled beyond compare, Tyler Breeze made his way to the ropes and a
vertical base as Kalisto attempted an Irish Whip. Clutching onto the rope to
counter the Irish Whip, Breeze finally lost his grip and found himself hurled
into the opposite rope. With time running short, Tyler Breeze was forced to dig
deep into his reserves and as Kalisto executed a Handspring Kick he countered
with The Beauty Shot for the victory. It was an excellent opener full of
counters and thrilling moves which was just the ticket to open NXT’s first
endeavour away from the NXT Arena. Not only that, but this further affirmed my
belief that a Light Heavyweight division would be a profitable and enhancing
venture for NXT to delve into.
Alex Riley’s Revenge
As
Tyler Breeze was making his way back to the locker room, we were shown the
match plate for the main event of the show in which Alex Riley would battle
Kevin Owens. Though we all knew this was coming, none of us really thought it
would come this quickly. After all, we all remember William Regal telling Alex
Riley before he signed his talent contract that he would only get Kevin Owens
when Regal believed he was good and ready. Yet, Alex Riley had only had one
match since returning to the ring so how could WWE possibly justify Riley being
ready?
Worse
still, the video package which followed the match announcement included the
William Regal statement. Why show that? Why make everyone who has been
following this brand loyally suddenly question if those in charge knew what
they were doing? There couldn’t have been anyone watching NXT who asked the
very same question. By last week’s showing which was edited down in this video
package to make Riley look good, The Miz’s former right hand man was months
away from being ready to challenge the great Kevin Owens and his match should
have been the culmination of months of hype. Not given away after just three
weeks.
Alexa Bliss Interview
Following
the video package highlighting Alex Riley’s revenge in the main event of this
broadcast, we were shown an interview backstage with Alexa Bliss who had one
hell of a tan job from the week previous. Honestly, she looked like she’d been
tangoed it was ludicrous how orange Bliss was and I’m sure the audience in her
home town noticed it also. Here, Alexa Bliss was speaking on her upcoming bout
with NXT Women’s Champion, Sasha Banks:
“I am
so excited to be here in Columbus, Ohio. My home town! I’m so excited for
Columbus to see what Alexa Bliss is all about and what Alexa Bliss is capable
of. But on a more serious note, I am facing the NXT Women’s Champion in Sasha
Banks. And she knows I’m gunning for her. And Sasha Banks is going to find out
what Alexa Bliss is capable of.”
It was
a standard interview which possessed nothing in its main body. It was as if the
NXT writers had run out of things to say and were pushed for time to write her
something of note. Even more off putting was the way Alexa kept referring to
herself in the third person. This isn’t what is expected of an NXT talent even
if they’re not great on the mic. However, Bliss isn’t completely blameless on
this occasion. Yes, she could have suggested something more gripping as
according to Triple H the NXT talent have that power but the blame lies with
creative. They know these wrestlers need something more concrete and they
failed to give it to her on this occasion.
NXT Weekend Highlights
Instead
of another match, NXT instead aired edited highlights of their weekend in
Columbus, Ohio at the Arnold Sports Festival. It wasn’t necessarily what we
wanted to see because we tune into NXT for the gripping bouts and not what goes
on outside the ring. We get plenty of that with Raw and Smackdown and pay-per
view events so it wasn’t necessarily needed here. However, the video package
proved to be useful in giving us a glimpse of the people behind the characters
and none were more charming than Sasha Banks who was shown taking time out of
her schedule to spend a day at a children’s hospital.
The
beautiful Banks is usually bitchy and self serving, but the woman behind the
character is both loving and charming. She gives off the aura that you really
would love to get to know her with the character present. If Sasha Banks keeps
this up, then she’s going to fit into WWE’s main roster perfectly and whether
she’s a heel or a face then she’ll fall into the hearts of fans be they, men,
women or children. This was enlightening to see and credit to WWE for including
this and not allowing us to believe that Sasha was a cold hearted bitch through
and through.
Apart
from the children’s hospital meeting, we were shown other highlights of the
weekend activities which included exclusive matches and Triple H being inducted
into the International Sports Hall of Fame by Arnold Schwarzenegger for his
services to the public. The honour will be repaid on March 28th when Triple H
inducts Arnold into the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2015. Throughout these
highlights, an interview with Triple H was played over the action in which
Hunter provided some eye opening comments. Telling us that inspiration leads to
great things, Triple H tells us that NXT is now a brand on its own and no
longer a developmental brand to breed stars for Raw and Smackdown.
These
comments were welcome. For anyone who isn’t an NXT regular viewer, it’s easy to
tune into the show on the WWE Network and form the judgment that these stars
are just here to be made for future use on the main roster. This is what we
needed to hear from the man who will take the reigns of the company when
McMahon finally steps down. Maybe the future is in the correct hands after all.
Alex Riley and Finn Balor
Discuss Kevin Owens
Returning
us to the activities of the broadcast, we were shown Alex Riley gearing up for
his battle against Kevin Owens in the main event of the show. Approached by the
man who will challenge Kevin Owens for the NXT Championship, Finn Balor, the
two friends discussed Kevin Owens and Alex Riley’s need for vengeance with Finn
Balor giving Alex Riley a warning:
“Riley,
what’s the crack mate? Listen, I know you got Kevin Owens tonight but I’ve got
him next week and just so you know, I’ll be watching tonight like a hawk. “
Alex
Riley interjected:
“Good.
I want you to watch. Because everything that Kevin Owens has done to me I’m
about to do to him tonight. I’m going to humiliate the NXT Champion. For Kevin
Owens after tonight, there isn’t going to be a tomorrow, because it’s time to
rage.”
With
one last warning, Finn Balor tried to warn Alex Riley about the NXT Champion:
“Listen,
do not overlook Kevin Owens. We all seen what he done to Sami Zayn at takeover
and we haven’t seen Adrian Neville since he faced Kevin Owens. So do not
overlook Kevin Owens or for you, there will be no tomorrow.”
It
wasn’t a thrilling confrontation. I mean, the pair said everything you’d expect
them to say and Alex Riley looked really pumped up when talking about what he
was going to do to the NXT Champion but sadly it was never believable. After
just three weeks of hype, no one believed that Alex Riley stood a chance and
that is how it would prevail when the time rolled around. What I would have
preferred to see would have been Alex Riley confront Finn Balor about not
coming to his recue when Kevin Owens first attacked him weeks prior.
Had
Alex Riley stood up to Finn Balor and questioned him about standing and
watching him get his arse handed to him it would have been a much more
interesting piece. Especially had Alex Riley accused Finn Balor of being a
coward and only thinking of himself. This way, when Finn Balor came out at the
end of the main event Alex Riley could have turned heel and attacked Balor
setting up a triple threat match for the NXT Championship somewhere down the
line, thus keeping Riley in the public eye.
Wesley Blake vs Colin Cassidy
Following
a look behind the scenes of NXT which gave us a rare insight into how the show
is staged, we were presented with our second bout of the evening as Colin
Cassidy challenged one half of the NXT Tag Team Champions who he and Enzo Amore
will battle on March 25th where the fate of the doubles gold will be decided.
As I’ve said before, I believe that Carmella will turn on Amore and Cassidy in
order to prolong the feud and give NXT its first real, meaty tag team rivalry
which could last until summer especially since not every star competes every
week.
In
recent weeks, though we haven’t seen it on camera, it has been said that Enzo
Amore has been ultra protective over Carmella in that he hasn’t wanted anyone
talking to her or going near her without him present. I believe this is NXT
laying the foundations for a Carmella turn though she’s already a heel so it
would just be a betrayal and not a surprising one. It’s believable that she’d
betray Cassidy and Amore to escape his protective nature and side with the NXT
Tag Team Champions. Of course, this will eventually lead to Blake and Murphy
losing the titles but not before a lengthily and interesting feud.
Before
this match got underway, Enzo Amore and Colin Cassidy who were accompanied by
Carmella began the bout with their usual patter before the subject turned to
Blake and Murphy who were in the ring before Carmella’s men made their way to
the ring. Getting their ‘you can’t teach that’ speech out of the way, Colin
Cassidy took to the microphone in order to flex his verbal talents which have
been less than satisfactory over the past few months:
“Columbus,
Ohio we are here for the Arnold. And Arnold liked to pump iron. We, we like to
pump fists. And you Wesley Blake, you better pump the breaks because you’re
about to run into a fricking road block!”
Enzo
Amore then took the microphone:
“And
as for the Australian kid, why don’t you diggery-do yourself a favour while you
still have that NXT Tag Team title, kicks rocks and flip flops, break a toe and
skedaddle sweet boy!”
Thankfully,
after Enzo Amore had spewed forth his bullshit for which he garnered laughs,
Colin Cassidy resumed control:
“You
two are looking at the next NXT Tag Team Champions. And there’s only one word
to describe you and I’m going to spell it out for you…”
We all
know where it went from here so I won’t bothered transcribing the rest for you
and we’ll jump directly into the bout which wasn’t as bad as your Wrestling God
originally believed it to be. Once again beginning the bout with a Lock Up, it
was Wesley Blake who took control of his towering rival by turning the Lock Up
into a Wrist lock. Admittedly, it wasn’t the best course action for Wesley
Blake to take and there was no way he was going to outmatch Big Cass for power
but credit to him for trying. Almost laughing off his rival, Cassidy plunged his
hand into Blake’s face and drove him into the corner.
Taking
the initiative before Colin Cassidy could gain the upper hand dictate the flow
of the bout with his strength and superior height, Wesley Blake slipped from
the corner and applied a Waistlock which he ably turned into a second Wrist
Lock. Unfortunately for one half of the NXT Tag Team Champions, Colin Cassidy
wouldn’t be controlled and responded by shooting Blake into the ropes with the
intention to blast his opponent with a Clothesline and Back Elbow which were
both ducked. Gaining momentum as he dodged the giant Cassidy’s attack, Blake
became over confident and ran directly into a hard knee into the gut.
Pulling
Blake to his feet, Colin Cassidy rammed a second knee into the gut and pounded
away on his back as Wesley Blake stumbled into the corner where he became
ensnared in Cassidy’s trap. Following in on his offence, Amore’s partner drove
in a several hard right hands to the stomach driving the wind from his rival.
This was a repetitive occurrence which happened in two corners before Big Cass
hauled Blake across the ring with a thunderous Hip Toss. Revelling in his
dominance, Colin Cassidy hurled Wesley Blake into the opposite corner and
pitched him into the air with a Backdrop which the recipient sold well.
Selling
his back with conviction, Wesley Blake rolled to the ring apron to stop the
punishment but was forced to think on his feet when Cassidy just kept coming.
As Colin grabbed his hair in order to bring him back into the ring, Blake clung
onto Cassidy’s head and drive him throat first over the top rope. Finally, one
half of the NXT Tag Team Champions had a foot hold in the bout and he wasn’t
about to let it go or go down without a fight. Rushing back into the ring as
Cassidy began to stumble; Blake clattered into his knee with a Chop-Block and
aimed kicks into the appendage with the intention to take Cassidy off of his
vertical base where he was most dominant.
Strangely,
after working over the leg of Colin Cassidy, Wesley Blake left the target alone
and even allowed him to climb back to his feet. Using the ring ropes as
leverage, Blake executed a perfect Springboard Forearm Smash for the count of
two. Needing to keep Cassidy grounded, Wesley Blake applied the Million Dollar
Dream for a lengthily break in action while Big Cass got his breath back.
Recovered and ready to complete the remainder of the bout, Colin Cassidy fought
his way to his feet and broke the hold with a massive Back Suplex which he
followed up with two bone shattering Shoulderblocks. Losing the momentum he had
previously, Wesley Blake needed to find an exit route and quickly.
Staggering
to his feet, Wesley Blake was hurled into the corner and pelted with hard elbow
shots and relentless punches. Backing away into the opposite corner, Colin
Cassidy charged at his prone target and connected with a sweet Corner Splash
which looked dismal but he made up for that with a cracking Sidewalk Slam. With
his tag team partner in dire jeopardy, Buddy Murphy jumped onto the ring apron where
Carmella joined him and the pair argued. Receiving a Big Boot for his troubles,
Buddy Murphy’s distraction was ample enough to allow Wesley Blake to sneak up
on Cassidy, force him against the ropes and roll him up for the victory. During
the fracas, Carmella was knocked from the ring apron and supposedly injured her
knee.
It was
a decent enough bout for two men who aren’t used to competing in singles
action. There wasn’t a lot of flow or back and forth action but Wesley Blake
managed to sell Colin Cassidy’s threat and power which should hold he and Enzo
Amore in good stead when they meet Blake and Murphy for the NXT Tag Team
Championships in the near future.
Dana Brooke is Coming
Before
we were presented with the grudge match between Sasha Banks and Alexa Bliss,
NXT aired a match plate promotion Dana Brooke who is said to be the next big
thing in NXT’s women’s division. We’re told that Dana Brooke is ready to make
an impact in NXT and then shown video footage of Brooke in action over NXT’s
weekend in Columbus.
There
was problem with Brooke’s participation however. The video footage didn’t show
her in wrestling action once. Instead, it showed plenty of footage of Dana
Brooke pumping weights and competing in the bodybuilding tournament as well as
posing on stage and in the ring. For me, this was ill advised. You see, an NXT
audience likes to see a talent’s passion for the business and not anything
else. The only impression one got from this video package was that Dana Brooke
really cares about bodybuilding and little else. An NXT audience could be
forgiven for believing that Dana Brooke is using NXT as a stepping stone to
better things. If that is the case, then she won’t make it far in the brand or
in WWE.
Following
the video package, we were shown a promotional poster advertising Dana Brooke.
It read that Dana Brooke was coming soon to NXT.
Sasha Banks vs Alexa Bliss
There
were mixed feelings about this contest. You see, Alexa Bliss has only been back
in NXT for one week and already she’s eyeing the NXT Women’s Championship as
her next goal. Don’t get me wrong, her ambition is admirable but this smells of
yet another Alex Riley storyline where NXT have rushed a talent into a feud too
quickly. Instead of making it a slow burner where Sasha Banks avoided Alexa
Bliss for weeks until Bliss forced her hand and made her accept a match, NXT
have rushed Bliss into the picture when she hasn’t actually earned it. By
staging a non-title match between the duo, NXT risk irking their audience with
Alexa Bliss.
Whilst
Alexa Bliss is meant to be a babyface and possibly the next big sensation in
NXT, the chances of fans accepting her as such if they believe she’s pushing in
the line are slim. You see, there are several other women in line for shot
first including Becky Lynch and Bayley who have worked hard in order to get a
leg up the ladder. Many fans believe that Alexa Bliss has been pushed this in
front of everyone else because of her looks or a potential relationship with
someone backstage and I have to concur. It simply isn’t fair that she gets this
opportunity one week after returning and her skills in the ring leave a lot to
be desired.
Thankfully,
the NXT audience agree with me. Even though Alexa Bliss was competing in front
of her hometown crowd, the reaction to her was luke warm at best. In contrast
to the overwhelming reception Sasha Banks received, Alexa Bliss has a long way
to go before she’s accepted by the NXT fans and there is no way she can even be
considered as the next NXT Women’s Champion in the next year. With that said,
you can already guess that the bout began with a Lock Up and seeing as she was
at home it was Alexa Bliss who was permitted the early advantage by blasting
Sasha Banks with forearms to the face which were supposedly designed to break
Banks’ nose as she had been said to have done to Bliss months earlier.
Clocking
a dazed Banks with her forearms shots, Alexa Bliss changed tact and executed a
very messy heel trip which cast doubt over her ability in the ring. It looked
horrible. With Sash Banks face down on the canvas, Bliss jumped on her back and
rode her hard whilst pounding her face into the mat with the nose being the
target. Pulling Banks up from the mat, Bliss lacked ring savvy and didn’t see
an oncoming knee being propelled her way which was buried into her mid-section.
Posing to the fans, Sasha Banks took too long to follow up her offense and
allowed Alexa Bliss to shrug her off. Feigning anger which looked as real as
John Cena’s STF, Bliss strode across the ring only for Sasha to grab her by the
trunks and pull her face first into the middle turnbuckle.
Giving
herself a reprieve, Sash Banks took great pleasure in sticking her boot into
the back of Bliss’ head and forcing her face first into buckle. The early going
of the bout focused heavily on the injury Bliss was meant to have suffered
months prior. Leaving alone the nose injury, Banks dug into her playbook early
and set Bliss up on the middle rope before driving her knees into the
mid-section with the leverage of the ropes. Pulling her challenger into the
middle of the ring, Banks only managed to hold Bliss down for a count of two
before the woman who was looking to snatch the NXT Women’s Championship; this
was a non-title bout, kicked out. Annoyed that one of her most famous moves
didn’t work, Sasha Banks slowed down an already crawling pace with a Rear
Chinlock.
Sat in
the centre of the ring for a sensible amount of time may not have been
thrilling to watch, but at least it limited what Bliss had to do during the bout.
Finally fighting back to her feet, Alexa Bliss bridged out of the move but her
effort landed her on the knee of Banks who bent her rival across the limb with
the move still applied. It looked decent but wouldn’t last as Bliss broke out
of her tortuous position with shots to the gut and countered a Clothesline
attempt with three forearms to the face. Unable to rock the NXT Women’s
Champion, Alexa Bliss was quick in ducking another Clothesline and landing one
of her own knocking Banks off kilter.
As both
women climbed back to their feet, Alexa Bliss ducked a third Clothesline
attempt and swept Sasha Banks’ legs out from underneath her. Feeling a victory
coursing through her veins, Alexa Bliss nailed her Bliss Blitz Moonsault for
what she sure was a massive win. Sadly for Bliss, Banks lived up to her title
and kicked out on two. As Sasha Banks made her way into the corner, hurting
from the collision, Bliss charged her and executed a lovely Springboard Roll Up
for another close near fall. Banks was losing control of the situation and time
was beginning to run out as Bliss hit a very weak Dropkick.
Rolling
underneath the bottom rope to take refuge at ringside, Sasha Banks wasn’t ready
for more onslaught and turned directly into an Alexa Bliss Crossbody from the
ring apron. If Sasha Banks was going to go down then she wasn’t going to make
it easy for Bliss to stand triumphant and in a repeat of the beginning of the
bout, Banks grabbed a handful of tights and pulled Bliss face first into the
ring apron. Grabbing Bliss by a handful of hair, Banks’ attempt to roll Alexa
back into the ring was reversed and the number one contender rammed Banks face
first into the ring post as the referee neared a count of ten. Rolling back
inside, Bliss beat the referee’s count but the NXT Women’s Champion failed to
do so handing Alexa a victory and advancing their feud.
It
wasn’t pretty, but it was better than expected and seeing as it wasn’t given
much time to flourish both women did their very best to put on a decent show
and tell a sensible story. Yes, it paled in comparison to Sasha Banks vs
Charlotte two weeks previous but this was all meant to a set up an NXT Women’s
Championship Match one week later which would be announced later in the
broadcast.
Kevin Owens Interview
Moment
before his match with Alex Riley, a pissed off Kevin Owens was brought to task
for his actions in the previous weeks. He had this to say about stepping into
the ring with Alex Riley:
“Tonight,
I’m going to make Alex Riley wish he’d never quit that nice cushy commentary
job of his. But you know, I understand why he did it, he’s got to prove to
himself that he can still do this but the fact is he cannot. Not against
someone like me anyway. Not at this level. And as far as Finn Balor goes, next
week is the match everybody has been waiting for including me. Because I
honestly cannot wait to take him out and show everybody that no-one and I mean
no-one is taking this away from me and my family.”
As
usual, Kevin Owens shined in his role as annoyed NXT Champion. He didn’t have
to shout or threaten, the look in his eyes are enough to unsettle anyone
watching. I know I say this every week but Kevin Owens is a headline star in
the making and should he advance onto the main roster then there’s no way he can
a mid-card talent. Kevin Owens is going straight to the top.
Alexa Bliss Interview:
In a
second interview following her victory over Sasha Banks, Alexa Bliss spoke
about defeating the NXT Women’s Championship:
“Oh my
gosh this is incredible. I beat the NXT Women’s Champion Sasha Banks in my
hometown Columbus, Ohio. I told Sasha I was gunning for her and that I was
going to beat her and show her who’s boss.”
At
this point, Alexa Bliss was interrupted by the NXT Women’s Champion Sasha
Banks:
“Excuse
me? Who’s Boss? You’re looking at the boss sweetheart. You never pinned me, I’m
the NXT Women’s Champion.”
To
further the confusion, NXT General Manager William Regal got involved in the
confrontation:
“Ladies,
ladies! There’s easily one way to settle this. Next week on this show Sasha
Banks you will defend your NXT Women’s Championship against Alexa Bliss.”
It was
a predictable announcement but one which was sure to irk the NXT audience. In
the space of a few weeks, Alexa Bliss had gone from absent to number one
contender without really doing anything of note. She hadn’t earned her spot or
her opportunity. If this continues then fans are going to start turning on
talent that NXT wants to go far.
The Main Event
Kevin Owens vs Alex Riley
I know
how many times I’ve said this over the course of this one blog, but Kevin Owens
vs Alex Riley came too soon. For NXT, this was a rushed job when it should have
been a drawn out story of frustration for Alex Riley. Instead of William Regal
promising Alex Riley a match when the General Manager believed he was ready and
then giving him the bout one week after his return to the squared circle when
he plainly wasn’t ready, Riley should have been given longer and livelier
matches for three of four months in order to prove that he was ready for the
challenge and then approached William Regal for the match he so urgently
desired.
During
those months, Kevin Owens could have kept taunting Alex Riley in promos and
even appeared on stage during his matches to remind the audience that he hadn’t
forgotten about Riley and NXT hadn’t forgotten about the feud. Then, after Alex
Riley had gone to William Regal begging for a match, the Brit could have
refused him the bout telling him that he still wasn’t ready. Annoyed with
William Regal, Alex Riley would have then taken the situation into his own
hands and attacked Kevin Owens which in turn would have cost him an important
match. Kevin Owens would then have gone to Regal and demanded a match with
Regal then insisting that Owens put the NXT Championship on the line. The match
would then have been set after a slow build and an interesting story.
Instead,
this was just rushed. It felt like something presented in order to just fill
time instead of an actual rebirth for Alex Riley and once the bout had ended it
was hard to see where the road panned out for the challenger. Fought under
non-title rules, it was plain and clear that Alex Riley wasn’t ready for the
task ahead of him when he entered the LC Pavilion to take up the challenge. He
looked nervous and shaky as if he’d bitten off more than he could chew. It was
obvious to everyone inside the arena that Riley wasn’t main event material and
therefore this lacked the main event aura that other NXT programmes had as they
came towards the end of their broadcast.
It was
undeniable who the favourite was with the Columbus audience as floods of ‘Fight
Owens Fight’ chants bombarded the NXT Champion as he stood toe to toe with Alex
Riley in the middle of the ring. The sentiments of one week previous had well
and truly been washed away and now Alex Riley wasn’t just another competitor,
he was a road block on Kevin Owens’ path to immortality. The message was
simple. He had to be removed and removed he would be. Breaking tradition, the
bout began with a shoving match as both men carried off the aura of hate. For
one of the first times in WWE in months, we had a believable rivalry on our
hands. Following the heated shoving match, both men initiated in a Lock Up to
kick off proceedings properly where Kevin Owens came out on the receiving end
of Alex Riley’s rage.
Using
the built up anger over the last few weeks, Riley managed to harness some
reserved energy and forced Kevin Owens into the ropes and corner from the Lock
Up. Releasing the move, a second shoving match ensued which ended when Owens
feigned a second Lock Up and caught Riley square with a hard kick to the gut.
With the NXT Champion in full control so early on in the contest, things looked
very bleak for Riley who for the longest time showed no sign of battling back.
Punishing his challenger for stepping up against him, the NXT Champion pounded
him with hard right hands, kicks and Chops to the chest. Alex Riley looked no
match.
Sizing
his newest muse up, Kevin Owens took delight in driving his fist into Riley’s
face and watching him flop to the canvas without resistance. With the momentum
on his side, this match would have been over in minutes if Alex Riley couldn’t
find his way back into the bout. Planting his boot firmly into Riley’s rib
cage, Kevin Owens retrieved his play thing from the canvas and attempted a
Short-Arm Clothesline which Alex managed to duck and avoid having his head
taken off. Applying a Waistlock instead of hitting Owens with a heavy offence, Riley
was taken by Owens’ momentum as the NXT Champion charged into the ropes and
shrugged off his oppressor. Rolling backwards across the ring, Alex Riley
climbed to his feet in time to duck a charge and connect with a crisp Dropkick
as Owens rebounded off of the ropes.
Following
up his momentum with a Running Elbow Splash, Riley came up short yet again when
Kevin Owens caught his foot off of kick and nailed a big foot to the hamstring,
which knotted up his muscles. Grabbing Riley by the head, Owens drove him into
the turnbuckle with enough momentum to send Alex crashing to a seated position.
Backing away, gathering speed, Owens launched himself from one corner to
another with a Cannonball Splash which fully connected. Standing over Alex
Riley’s prone body, Kevin Owens sold hatred better than anyone I’ve seen in
months and the scathing look on his face was one to behold. If looks could
kill, Alex Riley would be the latest wrestling tragedy.
Soaking
up the ‘Kill Owens Kill’ chants which sounded raw and baying as if a crowd of
savages had gathered to see the slaughter of a traitor, Kevin Owens blasted
Riley with a Short-Arm Clothesline putting him on his back once again. Alex
Riley had no friends here. Standing over Riley again, Kevin Owens provided the
laughs by mocking his opponent. With open arms, Owens shouted at his victim,
‘Come on Riley! Rage!’ It just goes to prove that Kevin Owens doesn’t have to
be physically active to be entertaining. For good measure, Owens dropped a big
elbow on his prey for a count of two. As Alex Riley kicked out of the pinfall
attempt, Kevin Owens slowed the pace of the bout and applied a Rear Chinlock
which Riley clearly needed to regain his breath. He was heavily blow up by this
point. It looked too easy for Kevin Owens.
Letting
go of the move, Owens kicked Riley in the back only for Alex to battle back out
of desperation with a Forearm shot across Owen’s face. The collision worked out
better than Riley could have hoped for as Kevin Owens dropped to the canvas and
rolled to the apron, where Riley took advantage and knocked the NXT Champion to
ringside. Had Alex Riley been able to capitalise on his momentum the bout may
have panned out differently, unfortunately for the man who hoped to extract
vengeance on this night Kevin Owens was first back to his feet and slowly
climbed back into the ring with a look of annoyance on his face. With Riley
still trying to get up, he seemed to be no match for a rampaging Champion who
propped Alex in the corner only to miss a Cannonball Splash.
Harnessing
every piece of strength he had left, Alex Riley pulled himself to a vertical
base and nailed an excellent Spinebuster which would be his biggest
contribution to the bout. Selling the move to perfection, Kevin Owens staggered
to his feet and came to rest against the ring ropes where Riley went all or
nothing with a Big Splash. Crashing and burning, Riley’s Splash was dodged and
in turn he hung himself up in the ropes. Now, there was no more time for
messing around for Kevin Owens. Thoroughly annoyed that he was taken advantage
of, Owens went on the rampage and squished his rival with three heavy Senton
Splashes. Instead of pinning Riley which should have brought about the end of
the clash, Owens sought further punishment by hurling Alex from the ring.
Taking
the fight to the arena floor, the NXT Champion was in his element. Pulling Alex
Riley to his feet, Kevin Owens rammed the returning star into the steel
barricade twice before rolling Alex back into the ring. The match was as good
as over. All that was left were formalities. Sliding back into the ring, Kevin
Owens allowed Alex Riley to be the architect of his own downfall. Pulling
himself back up, Alex Riley charged at Owens only for the NXT Champion to hoist
his rival in the air and drive him home with a Powerbomb. With a smirk on his
face, Kevin Owens covered Alex Riley for the victory as it became clear he was
never any match for the man standing atop the NXT mountain.
After
those weeks of hype, it was almost embarrassing to watch Alex Riley go down so
easily. All the talk, all the rage and all those promises came to nothing in
the end. They were washed away by a far superior athlete who helped ruin Alex
Riley’s chances of making it big in NXT. But it wasn’t Kevin Owens’ fault. He
was just doing his job. The fault here lies with WWE. They pushed Riley before
he was ready and he looked terrible for ninety nine percent of this bout. It
was damaging to his career, image and NXT as a whole. Now, it’s hard to see
where Alex Riley goes from here. Does he disappear from television in order to
hone his talents more and then have one final crack at Kevin Owens? Or does he
return to the announce desk and try to forget what went down here?
Following
the bout, Kevin Owens decided it would be a good idea to send a message to Finn
Balor who was watching backstage and who despite not being in action during
this broadcast was dressed to wrestle. Fetching Alex Riley to ringside, Owens
attempted a Powerbomb onto the apron only for his number one contender to come out
and halt the attack. After a stare down, Finn Balor dived from the stage and
connected with a massive fist as Kevin Owens and Finn Balor battled around and
inside the ring. Levelling Owens with a his double foot Dropkick, Balor went to
the summit but found Owens rolling out of the way of his Coupe de Grace.
Finally, the pair had come to blows one week before their NXT Championship
Match and it promised something bigger and better the following week.
The Summary
Episode
269 of NXT was a cracking romp through fifty seven minutes of action, only let
down by the poor performance of Alex Riley in the main event after weeks of
hype. It was a dumb decision and NXT should have altered their plan in order to
hype Riley as a serious threat. Because the moment Owens pinned Riley without
trouble, the last few weeks were all for nothing. WWE could and should have
done better. Had Alex Riley pinned Kevin Owens or even defeated him via
disqualification it would have at least set up a triple threat or NXT
Championship bout somewhere down the line. Now, Alex Riley has a mountain to
climb and I doubt he can manage to get even half way up it.
Apart
from that fact, the show was a very good piece of work. Tyler Breeze vs
Kalisto, Wesley Blake vs Colin Cassidy and Sasha Banks vs Alexa Bliss were all
excellent to good and a great advert for NXT on the road. The future is bright
indeed.
Onwards
and upwards…
