source: WWE
This week, we have the culmination of the MMC, another fantastic Buddy Murphy match, and an additional match that complicates TakeOver.
Mixed Match Challenge
source: WWE
Charlotte and Bobby Roode vs. Miz and Asuka
Winners: Miz and Asuka
Highlights:
Charlotte chops Miz
Miz mocks Charlotte before attempting the figure four leg lock
Charlotte blocks Miz’s figure four with a spear before locking him in the figure four
Asuka kicks Bobby Roode in the back of the neck
Miz delivers a Skull Crushing Finale for the victory
Opinion:
It was kinda obvious that Miz and Asuka weren’t going to lose this match because Asuka isn’t going to lose her streak on Facebook Live. I liked the attacks by both Asuka and Charlotte on their opponent’s partners, especially the interaction between Charlotte and Miz regarding the figure four. As a dog lover, I’m glad the $100,000 goes to a dog organization, too.
205 Live
source: WWE
Lince Dorado and Gran Metalik vs. Akira Tozawa and Hideo Itami
Winners: N/A (DQ)
Highlights:
Dorado jumps over the top rope and onto Itami
Tozawa delivers a suicide dive to Dorado
Metalik wipes out all 3 men with a corkscrew splash over the top rope
Itami tries to take off Metalik’s mask
Dorado attacks Hideo, causing a DQ
Opinion:
This feels like a small step back for the luchadors and Itami and Tozawa from last week’s fantastic fatal four way match. I understand the storyline development with Itami trying to take of Metalik’s mask, but it doesn’t make sense for Itami’s character. Neither team are outright heels in the rivalry—they just hate each other.
It is always stressed that a luchador’s mask is meaningful and sacred and it’s very disrespectful to try and remove it. Only huge heels should attempt this, and with Itami’s background in Japanese wrestling, he should respect the mask (unless he’s a heel). It just doesn’t make much sense to me, and this match missed any sort of “wow” factor.
source: WWE
Tony Nese vs. Johnathan Pierce
Winner: Tony Nese
Highlights:
Nese hits Pierce with chops and kicks
Pierce tries to escape the ring, but Tony catches him on the ramp and attacks him, sending him back into the ring
Nese delivers a running knee to Pierce in the corner for the win
Opinion:
It was stated that Nese got this opportunity because of Drake Maverick’s belief that he has untapped potential. Nese certainly proved it, and I hope he gets more opportunities down the line.
source: WWE
Kalisto vs. Buddy Murphy
Winner: Buddy Murphy
Highlights:
Kalisto reverses a hold and applies the sleeper hold on Murphy
Murphy delivers a running release suplex to Kalisto on the edge of the apron
Buddy whips Kalisto’s back not the turnbuckles
Murphy launches Kalisto’s body onto the announce table
Kalisto and Murphy get multiple “205” chants
Murphy hits a Murphy’s Law for the win
Opinion:
Each week, Buddy Murphy makes me wonder more and more why he hasn’t been brought up to the main roster sooner. Murphy is arguably proving to be one of NXT’s best creations yet, and he has brought out the best in everyone he has competed with. I just hope that he can cut decent promos, or else he will start to fade to the back of the 205 roster and become an afterthought in WWE.
NXT
source: WWE
Authors of Pain vs. Roderick Strong and Pete Dunne
Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic Tournament Finals
Winners: N/A (DQ)
Highlights:
AOP double teams Pete Dunne with slams in their corner
Roderick Strong gives an olympic slam to Razar
Dunne delivers a running step-up enziguiri to Razar in the corner
Strong and Dunne receive simultaneous super kicks from Akam and Rezar
Adam Cole and Kyle O’Reilly attack both teams, resulting in a double disqualification
William Regal comes out, telling the Undisputed Era that they will face both teams at TakeOver, with the winners being tag team champions and winners of the Dusty Classic
Opinion:
I’m so excited about this. When this match started, I was less than thrilled with either team winning the Dusty Classic. While all of these guys are great competitors, I didn’t find it very entertaining for AOP to win two years in a row (they should just be brought up to the main roster) or for a “thrown together” team (that isn’t a real tag team) would win for the second time. The point of this tournament is to highlight good tag teams in NXT, and that’s kind of hard todo when the good teams are eliminated early on.
Making this match a three-way tag match not only raises the stakes for the tag championships, but also puts Adam Cole in two matches at TakeOver, which is ridiculous. Not only does Cole have to face AOP, who are the resident terrifying big guys on NXT, but he also has to compete in a ladder match for the North American Championships. Adding this match to NXT’s card is a great solution to the issue of only having four matches that I did not see coming at all.
source: WWE
Kairi Sane vs. Vanessa Borne
Winner: Kairi Sane
Highlights:
Kairi delivers a interceptor spear to Vanessa
Sane sends herself into the corner, nailing Borne with an elbow
Sane double stomps Borne, who’s hanging off the middle ropes
Kairi gives Borne the elbow off the top rope
Opinion:
Sane continues to wow with her brutal strikes and painful elbows. It’s going to be difficult for mainstream fans not view her as an inferior version of Asuka, and because they’re the only Japanese women on the roster, it’s hard not to compare them. I think it’s crucial that Kairi’s character develops more to further separate the two, but I’m not sure the “pirate princess” gimmick is the way to go. It doesn’t make much sense to me and she doesn’t really do much to sell it.
source: WWE
Killian Dain vs. Lars Sullivan
Winner: Killian Dain
Highlights:
Sullivan climbs to the top rope, but Dain follows him and both men headbutt each other and fall to the floor
Velveteen Dream runs in, climbing to the top rope and looking over both of the floored men
Adam Cole comes out and he and Dream taunt each other
EC3 comes to the ring, and Lars and Killian come back in too
Ricochet runs in, running across the ring and bouncing into a flip off the middle rope
The show ends with Ricochet in the center of the ring with five men surrounding him
Opinion:
I am super excited for this match. All of these guys know how to put on a match, and even the idea of Adam Cole, Velveteen Dream, EC3 and Ricochet in a ring together is electric. I expect this match to be full of crazy spots and a wild crowd.
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