NXT Toki エネクスチ時3: Toki Toki: April 22 and April 29

Some complications have clogged up the works at Mondo Headquarters. Therefore this past week’s NXT report is delayed, but I am determined to serve it up. Last week’s report also fell by the wayside so we’ll start this edition of NXT Toki with highlights of the show the week before.

NXT 4.22  Highlights

Finn Balor ran through Ty Dillinger in a straight up squash match, establishing a routine series of moves that spell out success for the former NJPW Bullet Club breakout star. Things started with him floating over Ty as he attempted a charge in the corner and chopping him across the chest. We also see Finn hit the Sling Blade (a move in the arsenal of NJPW’s Hiroshi Tanahashi), a massive Drop Kick that blasts the oponents off his feet and into the corner, and the coup de grace (double foot stomp off the top ropes) finisher for the win.

As Balor made his way up the ramp, Tyler Breeze appeared on the monitor to cut a more sulky less arrogant promo on how he is sick of the attention Balor has been getting and plans to return the attention to himself. It’s an effective visual that sets up an interesting program between the quickly made Balor and the long time NXT competitor looking to break out in Breeze.

Bailey, Becky Lynch, and Charlotte had a fantastic triple threat match for the number one contender spot to the women’s title. The match started out with the women hitting each other hard. It soon shifted to a battle of submission holds, with Charlotte and Becky both working over Bailey’s legs. 

Lynch tried to get Bailey into a Superplex but Charlotte walked her away from the ropes on her shoulders, setting up for Bailey to hit an elbow off the top as Charlotte dropped Becky with a Power Bomb. This was a huge spot that looked like the Road Warriors’ Doomsday Device at first, but was really something even more devastating. Charlotte later trapped Bailey in an amazing improvisation on the Figure Four called the Figure 8, which finds her applying her father’s classic submission and propping herself way up on extended arms to exert more pressure. Becky, still devastated from the double team move and a Belly to Bailey Suplex crawled over and put an arm over Bailey for the win. 

Hideo Itami defeated CJ Parker in another fairly one sided fight. Most notably, Hideo added a new move to his repertoire: a lightning quick leg sweep that starts with the CJ’s leg being grabbed to set up for a Dragon Screw Leg Whip, but is then switched to Hideo’s other hand as he lowers himself, spins, and sweeps out his leg. I’m fairly certain this is an old move from Itami’s Kenta days as I got a flash of an arcade game I played in a Tokyo Game Center around 1999 featuring All Japan and NOAH Wrestlers. I can recall with near certainty a character with yellow tights pulling off this same sharp looking move.

Kevin Owens once again defeated Alex Reilly. This time, when Owens went to hurt Reilly after the match, Zayn made a sudden appearance and dived onto Owens from the top turnbuckle to break up the attack. It was a moment that got the fans psyched for this red hot feud to once again resume.

And Now for this past Wednesday’s edition of NXT:

The show begins with footage of Owens defeating Alex Reilly and being attacked by Sami Zayn before he could inflict post-match damage injury on his opponent.

Owens comes to the ring, calmly belittles the crowd as they launch into a lengthy ‘ole’ chant in support of Zayn, and challenges the former NXT champion to come to the ring. Regal appears instead and confronts Owens in the ring, followed by the arrival of Zayn himself.

Regal makes a match between the two for the title at Arrival on May 20. But Owens answers with some wonderfully weasel-ish heel techniques, saying he wanted a match but never offered for it to be for the title. He questioned what Zayn had done to deserve it, and even asked how wrestlers can earn title shots just by attacking people by surprise, which is exactly what Owens had done himself in his debut.

Zayn gets in Owens’ head, first suggesting that for 12 years Owens has been living in Zayn’s shadows, and then coming right out and saying it directly.  Owens is goaded into agreeing to the match and the two are set for this much anticipated rematch from the last NXT special.

Carmella is sidled up to by the tag tea champions Blake and Wesley who ask her how she’s doing?  She shoes them away, leading to an Alexa Bliss with shades of an attitude adjustment questioning her manners. Carmella smacks her, and Bliss and the tag tea champs appear as though they may be on the same page. And wow, the WWE Performance Center has a lovely spacious and modern kitchen lounge area, where this vignette took place.

An unhinged Alex Reilly barges into Regal’s office as Zayn signs the contract for his rematch. Reilly demands another shot at Owens to which Zayn suggests Reilly back down for the time being. Reilly, feeling condescended to by Zayne’s suggestion to ‘hang in there’ tells the former NXT Champ to stay out of it, and quickly a match between these two is made.

Enzo Amore and Collin Cassady VS Blake and Murphy

Cass and Amore with Carmella come to the ring. Amore has stepped up his look with a leopard print gangsta kerchief pulled up over his face. ‘Team dubstep’ come to the ring next. Cass and Amore’s promo leads the crowd to chant ‘sweet boys’ at Blake and Murphy.

Enzo starts in the ring against Blake and after a lock up, Enzo is quickly slammed down into the tag team champs’ corner. Enzo tries to hit a big splash on Blake and Murphy but they side step. Blake turns his attention to Carmella, allowing Cass to hit a big boot off the distraction. Amore and Cass hit their finisher, with Cass passing Amore overhead and down onto Blake for the pin. This nontitle match win will likely lead to a title match between the two teams at Takeover.

Becky Lynch has a promo in the back about how much winning the NXT Women’s championship would mean to her.

Bailey is in the backstage area with Devon and is frazzled by a need to find her accessories, which apparently Emma has and prepare for her match.

A video promo is shown of Baron Corbin, yet another wrestler who seems to be getting the attitude adjustment treatment; seems NXT is quick to try something new when members of the roster lose momentum. He has a Sons of Anarchy-esque type font in the background and talks of rules not applying to him.

It’s a battle of terrible sound-alike entrance themes as an Owl City sound alike (Bailey) takes on an Evanescene sound alike (Dana Brooke). As much as I don’t like the themes, both do seem appropriate in matching the energy these wrestlers carry themselves to the ring with.

Bailey puts Brooke in an arm bar but Brooke reverses and slams Bailey down by her hair. Brooke hits an impressive looking slam out of a fireman’s carry on Bailey. Bailey hit a big leaping charge into Brooke in the corner and somersaults backwards out of it. As Bailey is poised on the top rope, her music suddenly hits and out comes Emma with her missing gear. Bailey continues her assault but can’t shake the distraction by Emma. Brooke capitalizes and wins with the Avalanche.

Regal announces a triple threat number 1 contenders match for Takeover between Hideo Itami, Finn Balor,and Tyler Breeze, which is bound to be excellent and very competitive.

Hideo Itami VS Adam Rose

The two lock up. Rose escapes and rolls around and around and around the ring. Itami answers the spectacle with a hard chop. Hideo hits this amazing looking reverse leg sweep after catching his opponent’s leg in what looks like a Dragon Screw Leg Whip set up, also featured in his match on last week’s show. It’s followed by a pose that is strikingly similar to Okada’s Rainmaker stance. The Shot Gun Kick follows soon after for Itami to pick up the quick victory.

Bailey is searching backstage for Emma, telling someone behind a camera that she is getting her stuff back.

Becky Lynch VS Sarah Dawson

The two lock up in a test of strength. Becky gets the advantage and a leg lock, which is reversed into a roll up by Dawson. Becky answers with a drop kick. Lynch locks in an arm bar, which she switches up, putting Dawson’s arm between her legs and wrenching it way back to pick up the submission. It is another display of versatility on the part of Lynch, who has shown off numerous ways to make opponents tap out during her stint in NXT thus far. If things take their course and she has a 1 on 1 match with current NXT Women’s champ Sasha Banks, it is also destined for greatness.

Rhyno is in what looks like a basement by the building’s circuit breaker, for some reason, and says he heard what Baron Corbin is about. Rhyno tells him that he enjoys inflicting pain and these two are also apparently set to collide.

Alex Reilly VS Sami Zayn

The two lock up and Zayn is backed into a corner. The grappling continues with Reilly landing an arm drag and keeping the pressure on Zayn’s arm. Owens has joined the commentary team and in his cool demeanor, runs down both Zayn and Reilly. Reily hits a fireman’s carry into a cutter maneuver and attempts a pin.

Zayn reversed the momentum with a tope onto Reilly on the outside, when he is bashed from behind by Owens. Owens feigns walking away and then he runs back toward Reilly and power bombs him on the ring apron. Owens walks backward up the ramp leaving Zayn hurt as the show goes off the air.

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A LOT is being packed into 1 show these days, with this episode being the most busy of to date, but not at all in a bad way. Matches are few in number but give a good taste of action. There is a good dose of 1 sided matches showcasing the abilities of some talent while slightly more competitive matches are held to build up toward the feuds that will be given a more substantial length to play out on the special. Meanwhile, there are numerous quick moving promos and segments for the short attention span set. The feud between Owens and Zayn has escalated with Zayn referencing the pair’s past and Owens doing a fantastic job playing a calculating villain with signs of insecurities threatening to unravel his demeanor.

Twitter: @mondocurrymark

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NXT Toki エネクスチ時 2: April 15, 2015

This edition of NXT was a time for the show to regain momentum. After the looming spectacle of Wrestlemania, right before which Kevin Owens successfully kept Finn Balor at bay, and a show celebrating the NXT’s presence at Mania and Hideo Itami achieving a spot on the card, this week’s show would move some programs forward while introducing some newer and potentially major players to the field.

Solomon Crowe VS CJ Parker

Before the match: Showing no illusion of the show being live, the recent WWE deserter CJ Parker came to the ring holding up one of his environmentally friendly, fan unfriendly signs. Solomon Crowe came out to face him, still working the hacker identity as he slammed his palms on a n LEDNXT display along the side of the ring until it turned to static.

During The match: started out quickly with Parker raining fists down on Crowe in the corner until Crow reversed things and hit several forearms. Crowe dived through the ropes to hit Parker head on and knock him down on the ramp. After a bit, the match slowed down dramatically to an uneven pace. Parker is bleeding from the mouth, and some unintentional damage may have been done early on. CJ hit a Senton on Crowe. Another attempt would be blocked when Crowe put his boots up. Parker hit a powerful clothesline and an impressive scissors kick in Crowe. Crowe would recover, though, and hit a head butt from the top turnbuckle directly onto Parker’s leg before pulling CJ’s leg back over his head and overextending it for a submission finisher called the Stretch Muffler. Crowe gets the tap out victory.

After the match: Crowe promises that the show is just beginning. Despite a bit of an awkward spot, this was a good match showing off some unique offense in Crowe’s back pocket and the ability to work a fast paced match.

Baron Corbin VS Steve Cutler

Before The Match: Corbin comes out to his music, with the lesser known Steve Cutler waiting in the rain. The announcer notes Cutler's background as a Marine.

During the Match: There is a countdown taking place amidst the crowd, but to a much lesser extent than previously. After a few punches, Corbin hits End Of Days finisher for the win.



After a bit of an absence. Corbin’s return did not come with anything new or different in tow. The reaction to him in the crowd has fizzled drastically. Something new is going to be needed to get his mojo back on. A heel turn may even hold some interesting potential for the quiet, brooding young talent.

Sami Zayn is interviewed in the back about his upcoming match with Rhyno after the former ECW champion challenged the former NXT champion. He talks about how Rhyno wants to cut the line and put himself directly into the NXT title picture. He says that there is a lot of this going out lately, a subtle reference to Kevin Owens winning the belt from him. He says he will not let Rhyno or anyone else do the same thing. This is a logical succinct promo showing that Zayn can speak in a calm register and still be compelling on mic.




Enzo Amore and Colin Cassady VS Sawyer Fulton and Angelo Dawkins

Before the Match: The team of ‘Big Cass’ and Enzo, accompanied by Carmela, came out to the ramp to a chorus of ‘How ya doin?’ chants in the crowd, and talked about how Blake and Murphy have something they want, the NXT tag team championship, and they plan on taking it.
In the ring, Amore tried out a number of catchphrases, saying that he has ‘spectacular vernacular’ and is ‘the Michael Jordan of  jargon.’

Dawkins and Fulton came out to the ring, and no that is not Rick Steiner. It is Angelo Dawkins rocking collegiate wrestling headgear the likes of which we haven’t
seen since the days of Rick Steiner, the Steiner that was not recently accused of threatening to murder Hulk Hogan. Wait, didn’t Marcus Louis rock the protective headgear for a minute after losing his hair in his feud with Amore and Cassady? How’s he doin’?

During The Match: Cass launches Enzo into Fulton. Fulton and Dawkins double-team Amore, lifting him up and planting him face first onto the mat.

On the outside, the tag team champs Blake and Murphy came to ringside and gave Carmela a pair of very small rose bouquets. She takes them, reluctantly at first, but becomes ever more taken with the gesture.
Cass hit a splash into the corner onto Dawkins followed by a bodyslam. Cass then lifted Amore off the turnbuckle and drops him into an assisted splash onto Dawkins for the win.



After The Match: They exchange words with Carmela about the flowers from the tag champions, none too thrilled about their advances.

Alex Riley is in the locker room and says that he will get revenge on Owens. His eyes are noticeably large, and appear to be bulging thanks to some kind of color enhancer. It gives an effective enough look of intensity in this short promo setting up for a rematch on next week’s show.

Blue Plants VS Dana Brooke

Before The Match: Blue pants comes down to the ring in her X-Men cosplay gear. No, Cassady has not come back out, but Pants’ ring entrance still comprises of ‘Big Cass’ calling her out and humming the Price is Right theme song jokingly.
Dana Brooke comes out for the first time in front of the NXT crowd with some loud Evanescence-like music for her entrance theme. She does a cartwheel and flexes her body ostentatiously, showing off her physique. 



During The Match: Blue pants goes for a sunset flip in the corner but Brooke throws her down. Brooke slingshots Blue Pants into the bottom rope, right on her neck. The
crowd is firmly behind Blue Pants. Brooke does a handstand and locks her legs around Pants in a choke. After a few kicks from Blue Pants, Brooke finishes the match with a Landslide, a move out of Shinsuke Nakamura's repertoire in which the opponent is hoisted up in a Death Valley Driver or FU position and then twisted into a Michinoku Driver.  

After The Match: Brooke poses some more to celebrate her in ring debut and victory. She is poised to be a dominant heel, able to bully her opponents with her impressive stature. With all of the fan support behind Sasha Banks, the current NXT Women’s Champion could conceivably turn babyface and have a very interesting program with the physically impressive newcomer.



Two matches are announced for next week: a triple threat match between Charlotte and Becky Lynch and Bailey for top contender position to the Women’s Title, and Alex Riley Vs Kevin Steen in a rematch from a few weeks ago.


Sami Sayn VS Rhyno

Before The Match: Zayn is out first for the main event, and the former champ’s first match back since his loss to Kevin Owens. Zayn seems to have adapted an Owens-like mannerism, sitting back in the corner nonchalantly while awaiting his oponent.


During The Match: The crowd chants for both Rhyno and Sami Zayn. After a slow start with a lot of lock ups, Zayn hits an amazing sequence with a springboard backwards over Rhyno’s head into a reversal of a powerbomb into a huricanrana that sends Rhyno to the floor. This frustrates the former ECW champion, who slams his fists against the ropes on the outside.
Rhyno hits a big spinebuster for a near fall.

He then hits Zayn with two close range spears in the corner.

Sammy escapes a Fireman's Carry, ducks a clothesline and gets Rhyno up for the Blue Thunder Bomb.

Zayn knocks Rhyno off the turnbuckle onto the floor with a big forearm and then hit a huge Senton to Rhyno on the floor.



Back in the ring Rhyno hits a belly to belly suplex but misses with the Gore, giving Sami the opportunity to hit the Helluva Kick and pick up the pin fall victory.



This was a very good match with sound in-ring storytelling. Zayn had a psychological game going, showing a more aggressive side and ayt one point slapping the bigger competitor, Rhyno right across the face. Rhyno kept up as the veteran whose size and experience would suggest an assured victory, but found himself exasperated by an inability to keep the smaller opponent down.

This was a very solid show for NXT in ‘build up’ mode. It could stand to have more action, but NXT is about shifting dynamics, having a few very strong moments on some shows before things culminate in a fantastic special. There are a LOT of babyfaces right now, in Zayn, Balor, and Hideo Itami and it is interesting how they have been kept apart. Some work definitely needs to be done to provide effective foils for the heroes. Meanwhile, the women’s division remains strong, and appears to have gained an asset in Dana Brooke.

Comments? Questions? Criticisms? Corrections? Leave them in the box below.

Twitter: @MondocurryMark

A Week in Mondo 11.10-11.14

2 hours in and awakening from a bit of a RAW coma that usually sets in about now, if I decide to watch live. I’ve found skimming through the following day can be a bit less painless. But thought I’d try another alternative: step away from the 180 minute plus marathon (don’t worry, it’s on in the background) and the barrage of live tweeting, and do some writing about the previous week in wrestling. And if they’re all like last week, it would be a pleasure. Between a fantastic NXT, a Smackdown with a couple very bright spots, a Lucha Underground that finds the show coming into its own, and a RAW which, at the very least, shows signs of shaking off some of the shackles of monotony and getting on a few interesting turn arounds and returns. TNA was…there. All this and not a minute left to devote to ROH or New Japan Pro Wrestling.

Let’s start with NXT, the crown jewel and saving grace of the Network, which was firing on all cylinders this past week. If they are turning up the intensity to showcase what prospective subscribers can get as they get their free preview of the Network this November, then job well done and mission accomplished. But since this is a show with several episodes taped at once and in advance, it’s more likely the result of careful planning and inspired booking. Finn Balor , the WFKA Prince Devitt, came out looking ripped, delivered a solid promo to be interrupted by Tyson Kidd, one of the brand’s best talkers who would make a mark on Smackdown this same week. It lead to a swift and satisfying tag team match in which Finn and Hideo Itami, the WFKA Kenta, took out Kidd and Justin Gabriel with a battery of brutal kicks, and an impossibly fluid flying takedown by Finn onto Kidd and Gabriel on the outside.

The Lucha Dragons also defended their titles in a solid tagteam match, with the wrestler presently known as Sin Cara redeeming the name Sin Cara and Kalisto hitting an incredible flip to the outside. I hope these guys are treated right; they are surpassing my expectations when they first started teaming together.

Finally, there’s nothing like a main event that you feel invested in, that features teo very strong competitors, and a result has consequence. This is what we got in Sami Zayn’s match taking on Adrian Neville. After a match that was surely a tease of just how far these two can go, we get a shady screw job of sorts with Zayn checking on Neville, who is claiming an injured knee after missing his brilliant arial Red Arrow finisher from the top. It might’ve felt a bit gimmicky but some smart moves were made keeping things up in the air as far as Neville’s heel status – not quite a full turn – and the fact that the injury could’ve been legit, at least a legit work and not Neville making it up all along. It is likely to build to increasing tension between the two and a very impressive title match between the two at the Next NXT special.

Ok, time for some conjecture. I know the mode of NXT thus far has been to groom and push talent until they are ready for the eventual move up to the main Roster, where they either rise to the top (The Shield, Rusev) or simply round out the roster (Bo Dallas, Adam Rose). But with newly acquired superstars in their own right like Kenta and Devitt, along with mainstays who had come on the scene with their own trail of experience behind them (Zayn/El Generico, Neville/PAC) what if there were a shift to make NXT more of a destination of its own? What if completely in house wrestlers continued to be prepared for the main roster – I can see Tyler Breeze on his way – but keeping the guys mentioned before, soon to be joined by Kevin Steen, as a focal point of a very slick talent-centric brand? Could it function like this in a 2 hour mode? Really make the Network appealing? Bring in other reputable guys from other companies and indies before Lucha Underground and hmmm, maybe Global Force Wrestling grab them up? Have them remain the center of NXT’s action while making occasional appearances on the main roster? I can imagine this rebooted NXT giving us dream matches between, say Devitt and a some day acquired Austin Aries…

Let’s get into the other hour long show to hit airwaves this week, Lucha Underground. Before this third week, I did not have much love for the show. I harped on the fact that it felt overproduced and the audience reactions, a steady level of shouting from beginning to end with no ups and downs, did not feel hard earned, thus not genuine. It did not help that its home, the El Rey Network is not easy to come by. I don’t get it. So, watching it after the fact through dubious sources takes a bit of the shine off the experience. Yet the important thing is week 3 is making the vibe of the show gel together. A bigger assortment of wrestlers have been introduced, with some guys maintaining a steady presence and others adding some nice variety to the mix. Unsurprisingly, the thing that brought it home for me was closest to what an outsider like myself might consider a traditional lucha match: a triple threat showdown between three masked luchadors. It was filled with mind blowing spots. I want more of this. While I appreciate the desire to show something encapsulating a number of styles, I have a lot less interest in the non-lucha guys so far. Am I compelled to make my way to week 4, though? Absolutely.

It’s hard to say much about TNA. Not in it’s lowest of lows, but far from great, it is showing slow and steady signs of improvement that are sadly too late, as it doesn’t seem like it has a future. I didn't see all of it. As for what was worth talking about, I’ve got to shout out Samuel Shaw. After being handed terrible gimmick after terrible gimmick, the guy has maintained a charisma and a decent showing throughout. The crazy couple gimmick he is in now with Brittany is actually pretty good. The black rubber gloves he wears during matches is a nice freakish touch. So, while it may all be moot anyway, it pains me to see them treat him as a throw away character time and again, as in book him to lose. In a decent hardcore match, he lost to Gunner who is physically impressive, but as a well-rounded pro wrestler with a vision, I’m left cold. Him no selling excruciating looking spots does not impress. Neither does yelling crass obscenities in the heel valet’s face, not if you’re trying to get over as a face anyway.  This doesn't strike me as a persona with a future. On the other hand, Shaw and Brittany running wild like Woody and Juliette in Natural Born Killers is an intriguing pair that is far more deserving of a push. Aries was solid as always and helped made the match with Lashley a good one.  To me he is the guy most deserving of greener pastures if TNA can’t make it to 2015.

OK then, as far as the big leagues. Smackdown continues to prove my theory that it has a team of writers and bookers behind it doing better work than the RAW crew. For whatever reason, maybe as simple as the fact that 3 hours is bloated and 2 hours is less excess to muck around with? Matches for the most part seem better, and here I’ll only talk about one: Ziggler vs Tyson Kidd vs Cesaro. This was some of the best spot-filled wrestling action I’ve seen, well worth seeking out and giving a look. Aside from the odd decision to add a stipulation that it was an elimination match, which seemed to only serve the purpose of continuing the burial of Cesaro and giving fodder for the uninspiring commentary team to tee off on Kidd, it was an excellent showcase of their talent.

And finally, the monstrosity, the juggernaut…RAW. After week after week of frustrating booking centered around the same 4 – 6 talents, it is nice to see them putting some new moves in motion. The emergence of Luke Harper on the main event scene was odd, but very welcome. The guy is extremely talented. The return of Ryback, while going through some muddled turns this week, is a nice change up as well. Goes to show, sometimes the best way to make us want someone is to make them go away for a while. Hard to believe this is the same guy who has been in mediocre heel tag team purgatory for such a long time. I wonder how long he will keep our interest? It seems as long as you let people chant feed me more, he’s golden.  For now, it gives much needed options. I’m guessing the absence of Orton will have a similar effect on him when he makes his return.

Last of all, I’ll talk about one of my favorite things to see on Raw and Smackdown: the heel turn of Adam Rose. While not an important figure, I love seeing plans gone awry being problem solved, and the tweaking of the obvious miss of a baby face gimmick into heel territory is a nice correction. Watching him work heel, you can see it is a very natural fit. They could’ve made him disappear completely and return to his South African brutalizer persona once worn in NXT, but I actually think the Adam Rose heel twist is perfect. When I first saw Rose on NXT, he was in fact a heel for me. That generic soulless light beer commercial theme song, the trendy followers all scream heel. I hope he keeps all of this moving forward. All he had to do was grow a bit more facial hair, apply that eye liner a bit more heavily, and make his facial expressions a bit more vain and superficial looking and I’m sold on an entertaining villain. Add in one of my favorite forms of heel heat – beating up the mascot – and we’ve got a really good thing going. One must remember that with WWE, you never know if their end game is what makes sense or the result of other agendas. If they are pushing Rose toward a match with the Bunny, and putting the Bunny over for cheap comedy, it will be seriously painful. Hopefully they get whatever that is out of their system and keep Adam Rose the heel with the empty headed entourage. I can see some solid feuds with Chris Jericho, the new incarnation of Woods, Kofi, and Big E, or even some fodder for the once again fan favorite Ryback being solid wrestling.

I love to dole out opinions and welcome yours. Leave some feedback, let the verbal throw down begin! And catch me on twitter @mondocurrymark