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Category: WWE News

  • WWE 2015 Slammy Awards winners & nominees

    Today is Slammy Award day at WWE, which means a series of awards (some tongue in cheek, some serious) will be released throughout the day with what the company believes are the major awards being released throughout the three-hour Raw tonight from Minneapolis.

    Usually this builds to the fan voted Superstar of the Year award at the end of Raw. Given the timing of Roman Reigns winning the title this past week and all voting being done this week, plus the other leading candidates, Seth Rollins, John Cena and Brock Lesnar all being off television the past two months, he would look to be the favorite.

    These awards will be announced throughout the day on WWE.com and will get updated here as they do:

    • Tag Team of the Year – The New Day would seem like the favorite here.
    • Hashtag of the Year
    • Celebrity Moment of the Year – Stephen Amell, Jon Stewart and Wayne Rooney would be the favorites here.
    • Tell Me You Just Didn’t Say That Moment of the Year
    • Best John Cena Open Challenge match of the year – Choices are Cesaro, Dolph Ziggler, Sami Zayn, Dean Ambrose and Neville.

    The following awards will be announced on the Raw pregame show on the WWE Network starting at 6 PM EST:

    • Rivalry of the Year – Undertaker vs. Lesnar would be a favorite but you can’t predict fan voting on something like this
    • Double Cross of the Year
    • Surprise Return of the Year
    • Best WWE Network Original Series

    These awards will air live on Raw:

    • Superstar of the Year
    • Match of the Year  – Candidates are John Cena vs. Brock Lesnar vs. Seth Rollins at Royal Rumble, Sting vs. HHH at WrestleMania, Cena vs. Kevin Owens at Elimination Chamber, Reigns vs. Alberto Del Rio vs Dolph Ziggler vs. Owens on Raw, Lesnar vs. Undertaker Hell in a Cell
    • Diva of the Year – Choices are Nikki Bella, Noami, Charlotte, Paige and Sasha Banks
    • Breakout Star of the Year – Owens, Neville, Charlotte, Tyler Breeze and Braun Strowman.
    • LOL Moment of the Year
    • Extreme Moment of the Year
    • This is Awesome Moment of the Year
    • OMG Most Shocking Moment of the Year

  • WWE Winnipeg, MB results: Sheamus vs. Roman Reigns for the WWE title

    By Jay O’Byrne

    Overall the event was great. 

    A few promos for the Slammy’s tomorrow night with Lillian and Byron mentioning it in the ring.

    The Miz vs Ryback (W)

    • Great opener with Ryback getting the crowd hot
    • Young crowd so Ryback was very over. 
    • Miz was pretty outstanding in this match and really played up the heel card. 
    • Skull Crushing Finale for a 2 count which led to the go home for Ryback to hit Shell Shock. 

    Wyatt Family vs Dudley Boys, Tommy Dreamer & Kane (W)

    • Wyatt’s and Bray in particular were very over with the older parts of the crowd. Bray seemed extra vocal on the apron during the entire match.
    • Kane was a surprise guest and received a huge pop when coming out. 
    • Did the big Kane vs Strowman spot which led to a spot fest, everything landing finishers. 
    • Ended with Kane getting the pin and the 4 raised hands in the middle of the ring.

    Kevin Owens vs Dean Ambrose (W) (IC Title Match)

    • Owens was definitely over being in Canada. 
    • Attacked Dean as he was getting into the ring and cut a promo while Ambrose recovered.
    • Brawl on the outside which led to Owens grabbing an Ambrose fan sign and ripping it up, and eventually eating it in the ring. Super heel crowd reaction to this.
    • Ambrose lands the DDT and gets the win. Celebrated taking photos with the barrier etc.

    Team B.A.D vs Charlotte, Becky, and Brie Bella (W) (Elimination Style Match)

    • Sasha was over getting chants right from the walk. Quick promo in the ring about how it will be 3 vs 2 because Paige isn’t around anymore.
    • Becky comes out to a HUGE reaction, was definitely the most over of all the girls tonight. Charlotte follows after with Brie being the surprise 3rd.
    • Order of elimination was… Tamina, Becky, Naomi , Brie. We Want Becky chants started after she was eliminated.
    • Great final match with Charlotte and Sasha, definitely felt like NXT calibre. Felt like this is the next feud coming.
    • BAD rushes the ring followed by Becky and Brie for the brawl, Charlotte hits the spear into the figure 8 and gets the tap.
    • Match of the night for sure. 

    Jack Swagger vs Alberto Del Rio (W)(US Title Match) 

    • Crowd definitely seemed a little quite for this. 
    • Highlight was Swagger throwing Del Rio’s shirt into the crowd, followed by Del Rio hopping the barricade and snatching it back from the fan. Swagger grabbed ADR and brawl ensued at the barricade. 
    • ADR hit the top rope stomp for the win.

    Sheamus vs Roman Reigns (W)(WWE WHC Match)

    • Sheamus rolled out of the ring to start, Reigns grabbed him and brawled on the outside for a while
    • Crowd was super into Roman. Almost no boo’s. Older guys in the audience tried to get a little Roman Sucks chant going.
    • 5:15 chant from small part of the audience seemed to get some attention.
    • Finishers on both ends through the match.
    • Go home was the spear for the win. 
    • Roman promo after the match thanking the crowd. 

  • WWE Main Event Results: Rusev rages at flag malfunction, The Usos vs. The Ascension

    Rusev w/Lana def. Neville by submission (15:00)

    Fortunately, The Miz was shown backstage watching this on TV (at a preposterous angle of course) with megaphone in hand, rather than shouting through it at ringside. An admission here that that particular piece of this promising nascent Neville storyline did not work on Monday night.

    Lots of Neville using his speed to avoid Rusev and employ some trusty arm-wringers to start here – before the Bulgarian caught him off a cross-body attempt and fallaway slammed him leading into the break. Back with Rusev continuing to get the heat, working a slow methodical pace that fails to hold the interest. Neville manages an enziguri to start his comeback and follows up with a missile dropkick and a superkick to set up the Red Arrow.

    Rusev rolls to the floor to avoid however, so Neville hits him with a moonsault to the outside instead, before rolling Rusev back into the ring for a second bite at the Red Arrow apple. This is Lana’s cue to climb the ringsteps and point at Neville, which is apparently enough of a distraction to cause him to hesitate and allow Rusev to recover. Rusev slams Neville off the top, before hitting the kick to the head and locking on the Accolade for the submission finish.

    Pretty boring heel offence from Rusev here. The match was briefly enlivened by the moonsault highspot, only for it to eventually fall victim to the dumbest of dumb distraction finishes.

    Post-match, Rusev shows exactly why he’s so awesome by ad-libbing a fantastically furious reaction to his flag failing to unfurl properly from the ceiling. He grabs his own handheld version and waves it furiously, before handing it off to Lana and cussing out the WWE staff at ringside in Bulgarian instead. Fantastic stuff.

    Jack Swagger def. Bo Dallas by submission (12:08)

    Alas, Vince McMahon did not appear to call a premature end to this clash of the titans. Bo shows off his jiggle with an early victory lap, before Swagger takes control leading into the break with a vicious running clothesline on the outside.

    Swagger is still dominant when we return, only for Bo to kick off his heat with a double sledge off the ropes. Dallas then continues his gimmick of shouting “BOLIEVE!” while applying restholds. One too many Bolieves allows Swagger to recover and shoot for an anklelock, which Bo escapes, only to eat yet another running clothesline.

    Bo gets the knees up off a Swagger Bomb attempt, but gets thrown to the outside, where he trips Swagger on the apron and throws him into the steps for a close nine-count. Bo signals for the Bodog, but Swagger reverses it into the Patriot Lock for the submission, to put a merciful end to this disjointed and dull affair.

    – We get our obligatory RAW recap, focusing on Roman Reigns’ one-night ascension to the top of the company. Worth noting that they did not show the Brogue Kick kick-out here, but did show the post-match celebrations with the Usos and Dean Ambrose. Still no explanation as to where those guys were on Sunday night, though.

    The Usos def. The Ascension by pinfall (5:55)

    Jimmy gets the shine on Konnor to start us off, before tagging in Jey – your babyface-in-peril for the evening – who immediately gets caught with a flapjack to start the heat. Viktor tags in and hits an excellent looking STO to Jey on the outside. He applies a headlock inside the ring, before neatly swatting away an attempted dropkick from the Uso. A damn crisp worker is our Viktor.

    Konnor comes in and ruins everything by eating a Jey elbow off an attempted corner charge. Enziguri from Jey leads to the hot tag to brother Jimmy, who runs wild on Viktor – hitting him with the usual Samoan Drop and corner hip attack combo.

    Double superkicks to both Konnor and Viktor follow, before Jimmy hits the Superfly Splash on the latter for the pinfall victory. Short, by-the-numbers and perfectly acceptable tag match, highlighted by Viktor’s contribution.

    Final Thoughts

    A pretty bleh show this week, highlighted by Rusev’s ability to think on his feet and react to the overhead flag malfunction. As for the actual wrestling, there’s not much to recommend here. An eminently skippable outing for Main Event, I’m afraid.

  • NXT on fire with multiple sellouts

    The April 1st NXT Takeover show in Dallas is now officially sold out.

    Pre-sale tickets went quickly on Friday and the held back tickets for the public sale went in 15 minutes when they were put on sale this morning for the show at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center.

    At this point every NXT show outside of Florida that had tickets put on sale for early next year but one has sold out.

    Tickets for Chicago, Milwaukee, Pittsburgh and Royal Oak, MI are limited even on the secondary market.  In Chicago, the bottom price right is $165, which is the most expensive bottom price.

    There are less than 125 tickets on Stubhub for Dallas, with a low price of $50 but very few at that price and almost but a handful at $80 or more, and most closer to $150 and up.

    The Dallas show will be run in association with WrestleMania 32 weekend.  WWE’s biggest show of the year, which airs on April 3rd from the AT&T Arena, will likely be the biggest WrestleMania of all time based on the size of the building, ticket and merchandise sales, pay-per-view revenue, Network buys, etc.

  • WWE Los Angeles, CA results: Brock Lesnar battles Alberto Del Rio for the U.S. title

    By Guy Bogard

    Dolph Ziggler pinned the Miz.

    Charlotte, Becky Lynch and Brie Bella beat team bad. All the girls came out with Santa hats on.

    Ryback pinned Rusev with the shellshock.  An older guy was the special ring announcer because he won it by donating at a charity event. First thing he did was grab the mic and yell “WHOOOO!” He then announced like a 70’s or 80’s ring announcer and was pretty good. After the match he was shaking hands with fans and did the Flair deal where you pull your hand away and run it through your hair.

    Brock Lesnar beat Del Rio via DQ when Rusev ran in. A short match with Lesnar hitting multiple german suplexes and Del Rio kept going for the armbar. Nothing special really. After the match he F’5d both guys. Lesnar was the biggest star on the show.

    Kane, Dreamer and Dudleys beat the Wyatts after Kane chokeslammed Rowan. Ok match.

    Ambrose pinned Owens to retain IC title. Very good match. Very light PWG chant for Owens.

    Reigns pinned Sheamus to retain the WWE World Title. Reigns was pretty much cheered coming out but during the match there was the dueling “Lets go Roman!” and “Roman sucks!” chants just like Cena with women and kids cheering and adult males booing. Not as fervent though. Good match. After Roman mentioned it was his first title defense and wished everyone Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

  • WWE NXT tickets remain white-hot with multiple pre-sale sellouts

    1500 tickets for a 1/16 NXT house show in Chicago at the Portage Theater, the group’s debut in the market, sold out in one minute today.

    At this writing, there are 48 tickets left on Stubhub with a cheapest ticket price at $145.  There are also tickets available in other secondary market sites and through area ticket brokers, but are for well above face value and there are not a great deal of them available.

    Tickets for a 1/30 NXT show in Royal Oak, MI, just outside of Detroit, sold out their pre-sale allotment on the first day as well.

    Also, it appears as if the entire pre-sale allotment for the NXT event on April 1st in Dallas, TX, is also sold out. The show, set for the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center in Dallas, seats about 7,000. A public on-sale is scheduled for Saturday, but it’s likely only a small amount of tickets will be made available which is usually the case in these situations.

  • WWE Smackdown results: Roman Reigns Speaks, Kevin Owens vs. Dolph Ziggler

    WWE Smackdown results (12/17): Roman Reigns Speaks, Kevin Owens vs. Dolph Ziggler

    Air Date: December 17, 2015 – Location: Prudential Center in Newark, NJ

    The Big News:

    Watch Raw next Monday if you would like a follow-up to Raw last Monday.

    Show Recap:

    Smackdown opened with a recap of the Roman Reigns story from Raw, including Stephanie McMahon slapping the crap out of him. They also included a shot of The Usos and Dean Ambrose jumping in to celebrate after Reigns won.

    Reigns came out through the crowd, WWE title belt on his shoulder. He said winning the championship felt good, but doing it on his daughter’s birthday was so much better. Reigns figured he doesn’t have much time left in the company after spearing Triple H and punching Vince McMahon. The line about punching Vince got a big reaction.

    He advised the people at home not to punch their bosses. Reigns said he’d face his repercussions on Monday, but tonight isn’t Raw, it’s Smackdown (and no one is in charge I guess). Reigns added that we haven’t seen Triple H since TLC. I guess they forgot Smackdown airs after NXT Takeover.

    Sheamus came out and said he wants Reigns to enjoy every moment with the title because it won’t be long before he has it again. Reigns was ready to fight now, but of course Sheamus wasn’t going to. Sheamus said the Authority has launched an investigation against Reigns, which means he can’t be on Smackdown tonight.

    Reigns told Sheamus he could make him leave. Sheamus put over Reigns’ fighting spirit, but Stephanie told him if Reigns didn’t leave voluntarily they’d take alternative measures, and about 10 security guards came out on stage. Reigns didn’t budge so security went after him. Most of them were tiny, so Reigns took them out easily. The best spot was after one security guard couldn’t get over the top rope, Reigns shoved him out violently and the guy splatted on the mats.

    There was one larger security guard left and Reigns took him out with a superman punch. Reigns posed with the title and Sheamus frowned. Reigns was universally cheered in this segment but I wouldn’t call it a huge reaction. Of course, that could have something to do with the number of people in attendance. Nobody was booing, anyway.

    Non-Title: U.S. Champion Alberto Del Rio beat Ryback via submission

    They explained that Ryback requested this match. Before it started, Ryback said Del Rio is going to wish he never came back, and he’s going to eat the League of Nations (or something). Somebody in the crowd had a Mexican flag and Del Rio held it up for a moment during his entrance.

    They messed up a spot where Ryback went for the Lou Thesz press but Del Rio didn’t go down, so Ryback just punched him until he did. Ryback made his comeback which actually included a missile dropkick. Ryback hit a meat-hook clothesline and went for Shellshocked but Sheamus, Rusev and Wade Barrett all ran out to the League of Nations music.

    Ryback shoved Del Rio away for some reason, and the distraction allowed Del Rio to lock in the armbar. Ryback tried to fight out but eventually tapped. Afterwards, the League beat up Ryback, and Rusev applied the Accolade. The match was no good and I have no idea why Roman Reigns didn’t come out here.

    Backstage, Tyler Breeze told Summer Rae that Titus O’Neil was an uggo. Goldust randomly appeared behind them and made weird noises. Summer sprayed hairspray in his face and he eventually left. Okay then.

    They plugged a WWE house show at The Forum in Los Angeles on Saturday featuring Brock Lesnar. It was just a quick plug by the announcers, not a commercial.

    Titus O’Neil beat Tyler Breeze (w/Summer Rae) via pinfall

    No Darren Young at ringside. Goldust came out in the middle of the match and sat next to Summer in the VIP section. O’Neil made his comeback as this was happening. Goldust grabbed the selfie stick and took a selfie with Jerry Lawler. He also tried taking one with Breeze as Breeze yelled at him. The distraction allowed Titus to hit a sitout powerbomb for the win. Two straight distraction finishes.

    Backstage, Dean Ambrose told Renee Young that Kevin Owens’ mind games won’t work. Ambrose said he won’t go away, and if Owens wants him all he has to do is ask. Ambrose said he puts it all on the line every night and that’s how he won the title. Ambrose wished Owens luck if his plan is to drive him crazy.

    In his dark room backstage, Bray Wyatt said being extreme wasn’t enough. Each member of the Wyatt family added a stupid line. Strowman said he enjoys the feeling of someone taking their last breath in his arms. Ok.

    Non-Title: Lucha Dragons beat WWE Tag-Team Champions Kofi Kingston & Xavier Woods (w/Big E) via pinfall

    Xavier Woods said the Lucha Dragons and Usos didn’t accept their gratitude on Monday because they’re jealous, just like everyone else. Kofi Kingston plugged their unicorn horns, which light up. Woods said when they dance, it’s not for the fans, but for themselves. They chanted New Day rocks. This was not good.

    The announcers put over how great the ladder match was at TLC. (They also did this for the tables match earlier.) Like last week, Big E tried and failed to play the trombone. They had the heat on Kalisto forever. He tried to make a tag but Big E yanked Sin Cara off the apron and Kingston clotheslined Kalisto from behind.

    New Day danced, very proud of themselves. As they danced, Sin Cara jumped in the ring and did a crazy dive which knocked Woods off the apron and took out Big E at the same time. With Kingston standing on the middle rope, Kalisto did a powerbomb into a pin for the victory. Crowd did the Lucha dance after the win. Not much of a match but I liked the finish.

    Backstage, Renee asked Dolph Ziggler what it was like being collateral damage. Ziggler was tired of being called collateral damage and said the Intercontinental Title means more to him than anyone. He admitted that maybe he has become an afterthought and that was his own fault for not winning the big one [after just saying he was a former IC champion (also, he was World Champion twice)]. Ziggler said he worked hard and never calls in sick and never lost his smile. He dared Owens to top him tonight. Maybe this read well on the script, but this was stupid and Ziggler comes off so insincere.

    Becky Lynch beat Brie Bella via submission

    Before Lynch came out, Team B.A.D. were in the first row and their music played as Brie waited in the ring. Why was their music playing if they’re just spectating? And why do they have tickets if they work there?

    The crowd chanted “We want Sasha” as soon as the match started. If Team B.A.D. being in the crowd wasn’t enough, Charlotte came out during the match to her music. The distraction allowed Lynch to make a comeback. Brie countered with a missile dropkick and running knee. Lynch followed with an Exploder suplex.

    Lynch pushed Brie into the ropes and the referee was somehow distracted, allowing Charlotte to trip Brie. Lynch saw what happened, but applied the Disarmer anyway for the win. I didn’t mind Charlotte interfering since it plays into the story, but it would be nice if they eliminate the number of crappy finishes elsewhere on the show.

    Backstage, Charlotte and Lynch argued. Lynch said they won on Raw because Ric Flair interfered, and she won tonight because Charlotte interfered. Charlotte said she just wanted Lynch to win. Lynch said she wants to do it on her own, which is why she accepted Brie’s challenge. Charlotte said she didn’t want Lynch to lose. Lynch was offended that Charlotte thought she couldn’t win on their own and she stormed off.

    Elsewhere, Kevin Owens told Jo-Jo that it doesn’t matter what Dolph Ziggler wants, this was about Owens getting his IC title back from the cockroach Dean Ambrose. Jo-Jo again asked Owens about Ziggler. Owen gets that Ziggler wants revenge, but now he’s going to end up in a hospital.

    They announced New Day will defend their tag titles against the Lucha Dragons on the live Smackdown on Tuesday.

    Dolph Ziggler beat Kevin Owens via DQ

    Ziggler tuned up the band and went for a superkick but Owens caught him and hit a belly-to-belly suplex. Owens also used a German suplex. Ziggler countered a pop-up powerbomb into a superkick for a nearfall.

    Owens back body dropped Ziggler to the outside and they tried to sell it like he hurt his neck or shoulder. Owens went after him and clubbed away. The referee warned Owens to get back in the ring, but Owens tossed Ziggler over the announce table for a lame DQ. Ziggler miraculously recovered and jumped off the table onto Owens, but Owens just pushed him into the steel steps like he was nothing.

    Dean Ambrose ran out to make the save. He went for Dirty Deeds but Owens bailed. Owens superkicked Ziggler as he was being helped out by referees, so Ambrose chased him off. Ambrose went to check on Ziggler but Ziggler superkicked him. The announcers debated whether Ziggler thought Ambrose was actually Owens.

    Final Thoughts:

    They basically told you in the opening segment that this show would be a placeholder since the main story won’t be followed up until Monday, and that was definitely the case. Besides Reigns beating up ten security guards, the opening segment was basically pointless. The Authority wanted him banned from the building, but he refused. After refusing to leave, he never showed up again anyway – even after the League of Nations attacked Ryback in the very next segment.

    Also, this show featured two distraction finishes, a win by interference, and a DQ in the main event.

  • NXT TakeOver London feedback, updated

    MORE NXT TAKEOVER FEEDBACK

    Thumbs way up
    Best Match: Balor vs Joe
    Worst Match: None

    Was finally able to watch the event On Demand tonight after avoiding spoilers (is this Star Wars?). Wish I left work to watch live. TakeOvers continue to just hit it out of the park and really renew being a wrestling FAN for me.  A much better show than TLC. Asuka vs. Emma could have been my pick for best match.  It was close. Though Asuka is always amazing, I was very impressed by Emma. 

    Wish they could bottle up crowds like this and uncork them at every arena as it added just that much more to a great show. I think the roof would have blown off if Enzo and Cassady won the belts. I like that we can have real winners here and know that a guy like Crews isn’t damaged by losing a close tough battle. Just good stuff all around!

    Michael O’Brien

    Hey Dave,

    Overall: The consistent NXT vibe was alive and well, tinged with an evident London flavor. I can’t express how nice it is to see classic time tested wrestling fixtures play out in front of a receptive crowd in the 21st century. Every match contained a clearly defined villain and a crowd supported hero. The heels were dastardly and the baby faces were heroic. The contrast between the protagonist and the antagonist created the needed atmosphere for the fans to not just applaud the action, but to cheer for the competitor they wanted to be victorious and boo the competitor they wished would fall. The finishes were not over complicated, and they were all effective. Each match was unique and the main event was a fitting capstone to another NXT homerun.

    Best Match: Everything was good, Joe vs. Balor was great.

    Worst Match: Nothing

    1. Asuka vs. Emma. Takeover started with a women’s match and it was a hot and fitting opener. Good technical wrestling and a physical contest from start to finish. Emma was up to the task and Asuka continued to display her unique style. They did not succumb to the cheap tainted finish and instead provided a climatic, clean and satisfying victory for Asuka. ***

    2. NXT Tag Title Match: Enzo and Cassidy vs. Dash and Dawson. Enzo and Cassidy have found a way to maintain their act and add some needed seriousness. Their aggressive style is not limited to a promo, it translates to their ring work. Very solid old school tag match aided by a white hot crowd.  Perfect finish for a heel tag team on the rise. ***1/2

    3. Apollo Crews vs. Baron Corbin. A singles match that meant something. In fact, it felt like it meant a lot. The fact that Corbin can wrestle a competitive match with Crews and not look outclassed says a lot about his development. The match itself was not spectacular, but it was perfectly acceptable. **1/2

    4. NXT Women’s Title Match: Nia Jax vs. Bailey. The classic David vs. Goliath story told at an Ernest Hemingway level. Jax channeled a Vader like level of dominance. Bailey’s presentation was heroic to say the least. From an athletic standpoint, it was not what other NXT women’s title matches have been. However, from a story telling perspective it was on par with all of the TakeOver standout matches involving women wrestlers. ***

    5. NXT Title Match: Samoa Joe vs. Fin Balor. A more than fitting capstone to another NXT homerun. Joe was at his most vicious. The Demon act is not just a paint job, it is a transformation in Balor’s character. The match was an outstanding hybrid of NJPW style and WWE main event style. A few of the sequences were not perfect, but in the grand scale, it did not halt or slow the momentum or the drama of the contest. Great match. ****

    Thanks, Derrick Hubbard

    Thumbs up– Possibly my favorite WWE show of 2015.

    Best match- Asuka v. Emma

    I don’t know what my “wow” count was, but this match made me amazed by little moves and the progression to the finish.  I think Asuka can elevate any match that she’s put in.  But when she’s paired with an already talented Emma, things really shine.  NXT did a masterful job of teasing interference, foreign object use, and ref bump finishes without telegraphing the ending into a stale finish.  I do not trust RAW to pull this off. When done right, this is a thing of beauty.

    Worst match- Crews v. Corbin

    Good match.  This would be a #1 match on a typical NXT show.  But it had the misfortune of following matches that were doing something really ambitious. I’m glad this wasn’t an instance of kicking out of finishers. Pushing that End of Days finisher from Corbin keeps him a threat to anyone he’s paired with.

    Other notes-

    -Great to see Bayley’s move set incorporate submissions. Bayley is a very effective face, but arm drags and shoulder blocks made me doubt whether things would get stale in the ring for her.  Adding the threat of a submission will open up a whole new world of options for her matches.

    -Lots of old school match flourishes that were being done right.  Foreign objects?  Ref bumps?  Using a valet as a shield?  I’m watching WWE Network Vault content now and this show tapped into a lot of those lost arts.

    -Even more great video packages out of NXT.  I have no idea why the main roster can’t produce something that looks like the Bayley package.

    -Very hopeful about the tag team division.  Dawson and Dash are a real talent. HHH’s conference call this week described them as spearheading a revolution in the tag division.  They’re really building matches that highlight the importance of having a dedicated tag partner. Hopefully NXT can build from this so we don’t hear chants from fans to get their favorite member of each team in the ring.  

    Nick Garcia @foothands

    Columbus, OH

    Thumbs Up
    Best Match – Finn Balor vs Samoa Joe
    Worst Match – Baron Corbin vs Apollo Crews

    This was definitely worth leaving work early to catch. An unbelievable show. From the amazing crowd all night long (especially the innovative chants during the Bayley vs Nia Jax match), to the great main event. Nia Jax, even in her infancy, showed that she could hang with the best given the right circumstances. Multiple times during their match I literally thought it was over and jumped from my couch like I was there live at the show. Not sure why Baron and Apollo didn’t connect, but something was just missing from their match. That main event was just quality and made me happy to be a fan of this business. And of course, the opener was hot and Emma has come a long way from being clumsy and unwatchable to being able to have a good match with the right opponent. Asuka is light years ahead of 98% of everything else on both rosters, both male and female, and I look forward to a program with her and Bayley in 2016

    Roy Lucier

    How you doin’ Dave,

    Thumbs Up

    Asuka vs. Emma ***1/2

    Thought it was a good solid match that was well-paced and built well. Not quite as fluid as some of Asuka’s other matches, and their chemistry was a little off with some of the counter/chain stuff and Emma had issues feeding Asuka, also Asuka’s method of firing up didn’t really translate, but none the less good stuff with lots of nice spots at the back end.

    Enzo & Cass vs. Dash & Dawson **3/4

    Felt it was a solid match that was well-paced, although I would’ve liked a little more sizzle and a little less steak – i.e. thought they stayed in the heat too long and then Cass’ comeback was short-lived with the chop block transition move coming fairly quickly, also the leg submission wasn’t taken seriously as a potential finish which detracted a little. Big fan of Dash & Dawson, very deliberate, aggressive and solid, Cass still looks very green and Enzo although not a great worker or anything, I feel has improved a great deal this year. Would’ve liked it to be a little more spotty, but hey, they were out there to have a solid match and that’s what they did.

    Worst Match: Corbin vs. Crews **3/4

    Thought it was another solid match for the most part, although a little fragmented at times, really good transition move going into the heat, perhaps would’ve liked a few hope spots, Crews’ fire could’ve been better on the comeback but his fluidity and athleticism in the match was fantastic, counter-spot out of the end of days was really good, Corbin seems much more at home as a heel and carries himself really well as one, he’s not too adventurous with his spots but his solidity is improving, really benefitted from working with Balor and Joe, I feel. Nothing too spectacular but a decent match. Very surprised by the finish.

    Nia Jax vs. Bayley ***

    The crowd meant well, but I thought the nature of the chants detracted from the match a little as they didn’t really embrace the drama within the match. I thought Bayley worked ever so hard making Jax look good and her selling was at a high level, Jax was fine technically, I felt, but she lacked aggression and didn’t really carry herself like a monster nor was she was particulary expressive, most of which is down to her experience and level of confidence. I thought the timing, drama and emphasis could’ve been better with some little gestures and bigger gaps between certain things, but I thought it was a good effort.

    Best Match: Joe vs. Balor ****

    Thought technically, timing wise, emphasis and spots wise it was great, pace was wonderful early on, would’ve liked them to pick it up a tiny bit at times, and also would’ve liked a little more aggresssion and wildness for lack of a better word, but felt it was really, really good and a great effort.

    Thanks Dave,

    Tom Griffiths

    Hey Dave, 

    Overall: Double Thumbs up

    Best match: Asuka vs Emma due to the heat and the teased finishes. Crowd were on the edge of their seat. (close second; the main event and the tag team match)

    Worst match: Corbin vs Crews (wasn’t a bad match, but we weren’t into it as much as the others)

    MOST OVER: JASON JORDAN AND GABLE – The crowd loved them so much, especially Gable. First time i’ve ever seen Jordan – he’s a great wrestler/ he received a huge pop when he suplexed everyone – massive suplex city chant broke out

    Cheers,

    Saul Hill

    Hi Dave

    Thumbs way up for this show

    Asuka Vs Emma: Great match, they worked really hard and it showed.  Along with everyone else in the crowd I was dreading the idea of the match being possibly ruined by a ref bump and was incredibly thankful when it didn’t happen.

    Tag Title match: Another great match, crowd really were convinced that Enzo & Cass would win and despised Dash & Dawson all through the match.

    Crews Vs Corbin: Fairly disappointing match, crowd didn’t seem that into it and only wanted to hurl insults at Corbin.
    Definitely the weakest match of the Takeover portion of the show.

    Bayley Vs Nia Jax: Really good match, the crowd adored Bayley throughout. My only issue is the crowd singing through half the match, it felt a little disrespectful and they could’ve toned it down a bit.

    Balór Vs Joe: Fantastic match from a live perspective, crowd was split throughout and most people (including myself) were thinking/hoping for Joe to win so we can see a big title change for once. They worked really hard and it showed, one of the best matches I’ve ever seen in person.

    Overall it was a fantastic show with an incredible atmosphere, great wrestling and some really ridiculous chants that you can only expect from a UK crowd.

  • NXT TakeOver London TV taping results: Sami Zayn, Chad Gable & Jason Jordan

    Submitted by Seb Major

    These matches were taped for next week’s NXT TV show.

    Jason Jordan and Chad Gable vs The Hype Bros vs. The Vaudevillians vs Blake and Murphy (w/ Alexa Bliss) 

    Jordan and Gable might be more over than anyone in the entire company right now, at least in the UK. They came out to a humongous pop with chants from the crowd the whole way through the match. Typical overbooked opener, everyone got their spots in. Jordan was incredibly pumped up from the crowd reaction and played to the crowd alot. The other teams were booed incessantly. Vaudevillians worked over Gable for most of the match. The hot tag to Jordan got another crazy pop and he hit a number of incredible suplexes, getting a suplex city chant at one point. The finish came after Jordan his an absolutely ridiculous belly to belly over the top rope onto the other teams on the outside, spot of the match, if not the night. Jordan and Gable hit their double finisher for the win. Really really good.

    Elias Sampson vs Bull Dempsey

    A pretty nothing match. No one really cared about Sampson. Not much happened. This was basically a comedy match. Bull did jumping jacks which Sampson watched from the corner. A fairly botchy match at times. Sampson got “You’re just a poo poo Seth Rollins” and “You’re a hipster” chants. Sampson wins out of basically nowhere after a few minutes. Basically nothing. 

    After the match, “Thank you, ladies and gentlemen, and now we have for you a special BONUS MATCH!” which led to immediate Ole chants.

    Sami Zayn vs. Tye Dillinger

    Tye Dillinger comes out first, and was very over with his 10 gimmick (10 signs were probably the most common ones I saw; there weren’t that many overall). He would’ve been a face except out comes his opponent. The crowd goes insane for Sami. He goes up the stairs and does his arm-ruining waves. Sami was incredibly over, but they’re going to have to cut this down if they show it because about half the match was them reacting to the chants, all the usual stuff you’d expect, “Welcome Back” and Oles and everything. Tye gets “poo poo Hair, No Fans” and “Topknot Wanker” chants. A good match. Sami teases his arm injury and Tye works that arm a bit, but nothing to make you worried. Great Blue Thunder Bomb out of nowhere gets a 2, and a Helluva Kick for the win.

    Sami stays in the ring with a mic. Huge amount of chants; he gives up speaking a couple of times because it’s so loud. Basically just imagine every line here interspersed with one chant or another for him. He says it’s great to be back, that every time he’s on a high, like winning the title or going on Raw to fight John Cena (boos), it seems like things take a nosedive for him, but today, that trend is reversed. He talks about the tour up until this point and is hilariously dumbfounded that we boo the hell out of all the other towns he brings up, “is this some British heat thing?”. Big things are coming for NXT in 2016, and for him, he says, and makes to leave – but then comes back into the ring, because ever since Triple H got to say it, he’s wanted to. “We are NXT!” Super babyface stuff, basically, but he was beloved for it. 

  • WWE Breaking Ground episode 7 recap: Of pumpkins, eating dinner, and being human

    Photo: Bayley’s Instagram

    By Ryan Pike for WrestlingObserver.com

    Key Takeaway:

    The focus shifts somewhat from the established NXT stars towards the newcomers in an episode that suffers due to being a bit all over the place narratively, in the sense that nothing really happens.

    Show Recap:

    As mentioned, this week was a bit all over the place narratively, so let’s break it down.

    Carmella got kicked in the head last week by Eva Marie and got a stinger. She manages to avoid a concussion and basically frets about not being to wrestle for a week. She and Big Cass, her boyfriend, carve pumpkins and are generally adorable. After her week is up, she goes through the in-ring workout for NXT’s trainer, Tina, and gets the all-clear. Eva Marie is seen once but never mentioned, so presumably they don’t want to bury the poor girl. The most entertaining part of the episode in in this storyline, where Enzo Amore and Carmella bond (at a dinner after a show with Bayley and Cass) about how loud Cass is at night – he wakes them up at home or on the road by snoring or making too much noise in the bathroom.

    Bayley, Carmella’s best friend, has a performance evaluation with Sara Amato. It goes really well and Amato praises her mentorship abilities, which Bayley says are a product of having Charlotte and Paige mentor her when she was coming in. She and Carmella take Sara Lee, from Tough Enough, on the road with them and begin to mentor her. The big cliffhanger of this episode is Triple H calling a meeting with Bayley and Sasha Banks and teasing a big announcement, which is presumably the Iron Man Match from Takeover (because this show plays fast and loose with timelines).

    ZZ complains about a knee injury but notes he’s down in weight because he’s eating broccoli now. Matt Bloom jokingly praises him for “learning what vegetables are.” Later, ZZ goes to an alligator camp and helps move an alligator.

    The new wrestler from India, Lovepreet Singh, has some growing pains in training because he’s bringing some bad habits – like using punches below the belt to get guys over the top rope in practices – that he needs to unlearn. But he seems coachable and performances well enough in the “internal matches” that they have at the Performance Center to get a spot in a battle royal on a house show. He also has Robbie Brookside over for a traditional Indian dinner and seems eager to pick his brain about the business.

    Tino Sabbatelli also performs well in the internal matches, with Tye Dillinger praising his ability to be a natural heel because he’s so physically gifted. Dillinger gives him some advice about his in-ring persona and playing up his physique a bit. Nhooph continues to develop her in-ring persona for her Aliyah character, working a bit with William Regal on her entrance. Regal notes: “I think the audience has made their mind up by about a third of the way down the ramp whether they’re going to care.” However, Nhooph bombs with her entrance and promo at the internal matches, with Regal criticizing her lack of urgency and the crowd (made up of wrestlers from the Performance Center) jeering her throughout. She’s got some work to do.

    Final Thoughts:

    There were some interesting moments in the show, but nothing really happened. Bayley watched a wrestling match with her boyfriend. Lovepreet ate dinner. Carmella carved pumpkins. But nothing noteworthy really occurred and the show continued jumping around too much for us as an audience to really build a relationship with any of the wrestlers in this episode. This was a pretty flat episode of Breaking Ground overall.