WWE NXT
March 22, 2017
Orlando, Florida (The Venue at UCF)
Commentary: Tom Phillips, Nigel McGuinness, Percy Watson
Report by Alex Kahrs of Wrestleview.com
“WWE: Then. Now. Forever.”
We get a video package hyping tonight’s main event: SAnitY taking on the team of Tye Dillinger, Roderick Strong, and No Way Jose before the NXT intro brings us into a packed crowd at The Venue. Commentary hypes the main event of Takeover: Orlando as Bobby Roode is set to take on Shinsuke Nakamura, as well as tonight’s main event between SAnitY and the team of Tye Dillinger, Roderick Strong, and No Way Jose. We go to ringside, where Oney Lorcan makes his way to the ring for tonight’s opening contest. Andrade Almas makes his way out next, and this match is underway!
Oney Lorcan vs. Andrade “Cien” Almas
Almas takes his sweet time to get ready, before rolling out of the way of Lorcan and posing on the mat. He gets back up with a smile, before doing the same again and sliding out of the ring to enrage Lorcan further. Lorcan chases Almas around the outside before they both get back in, and Lorcan lays into Almas with some chops. Exchange of leapfrogs and Almas misses a senton which leads to Lorcan getting the upper hand. Lorcan sends Almas outside, where Almas takes a breather long enough to get Lorcan to come after him again. Almas turns things around now, driving boots into Lorcan in the corner before he charges out at him…but it’s a ruse, and he shouts at Lorcan before slapping him in the face! Almas continues the attack until Lorcan sends him flying out of the ring, and Lorcan launches off the apron, only to be caught with a powerslam into the floor as we go to break.
– AD: Wrestlemania is only 11 days away! Catch it on the WWE Network! –
Back from break, Almas continues the attack on Lorcan with an uppercut before stomping on the hand. Almas lifts him up on his shoulders, launching Lorcan onto the top turnbuckle. Almas has him against the ropes, driving the neck of Lorcan against the cables as the ref gives him a count to break the hold. Almas sends Lorcan into the ropes, catching him with a big dropkick for a nearfall. He goes straight into a choke hold as Lorcan fights to get to his feet. He gets up, getting out of a suplex attempt to bring Almas down. Lorcan with a running blockbuster, but only gets a nearfall for his efforts. Lorcan goes for a half and half suplex, but a reversal attempt by Almas leads into a set of European uppercuts instead. Almas to the outside as Lorcan climbs to the top turnbuckle, hitting a senton bomb onto Almas on the outside! Back in the ring are both men now, and Lorcan charges into Almas three times over with a flying hip attack. He gets a crazy look on his eye before hitting it two more times, and a half and half suplex for the cover…but Almas kicks out at two! Almas blocks a suplex attempt by Lorcan, setting him up on the top turnbuckle before hitting him with a hard chop. Lorcan blocks a superplex attempt, but takes a handspring double boot to the back by Almas! Lorcan struggles to get to his feet before hitting a forearm on Almas…who responds with a brutal lariat for a nearfall! Almas takes Lorcan to the corner with some forearms, before hitting a double knee and a hammerlock DDT for the win!
Winner via pinfall: Andrade “Cien” Almas
Almas celebrates in the ring as we get replays of the match. Almas taunts the crowd as we go backstage, where #DIY talks about everything they’ve done together over the years. The first two guys they saw when they got an opportunity in NXT through the Dusty Rhodes Tag Classic were The Revival, the same two guys they got to face for the NXT Tag Team Championship at Takeover: Brooklyn. They realized a dream that night, one that was taken away by the Authors of Pain. These guys don’t love this, let’s face it, they’re in it for the money. Ciampa brings up what DIY means, that it means way more than just the two of them, it’s about the people that supported them for the past twelve years. DIY goes to Takeover: Orlando during the biggest weekend in sports entertainment. Gargano says we are DIY, and we will have our moment.
Alex’s Thoughts: Fun opener to continue the feud between Almas and Lorcan. I do like the focus on Lorcan taking a stand against the bullying of Almas, gives a little more depth to the feud that seemed like they were at one point just having matches for the sake of being on the card. Meanwhile, the Tag Team Championship match is something I’m really excited for and this promo helped toward that end. It’s definitely a big moment for Ciampa and Gargano to be at this show, considering their path to this moment.
– Video Package: Aleister Black –
Back from break, we thank Baroness for their song “Shock Me,” one of the official theme songs of Takeover: Orlando! Commentary hypes the NXT Women’s Championship match between Asuka and Ember Moon, before talking about the impact Moon’s finisher has. Back at ringside, the NXT Women’s Champion makes her way to the ring for a non-title match against Priscilla Zuniga, who is already in the ring. The bell rings, and this match is underway!
Non-Title Match
NXT Women’s Champion Asuka vs. Priscilla Zuniga
Asuka calls for a microphone, and says “Ember Moon…this is your head!” She lunges at Zuniga with a spinning kick that nearly knocks her out! Zuniga tries to fight back, but is no match for the Women’s Champion as Asuka smiles off a slap to the face before hitting a jumping hip attack. She follows up with several hard kicks to the midsection of Zuniga, who looks nearly helpless as Asuka lifts her up for a deadlift German suplex. Another hard kick to the head puts Zuniga away…but Asuka pulls her up out of the cover, driving her knee into Zuniga’s head to send a message to Ember Moon. The champ locks in an Asuka Lock, and Zuniga immediately taps out!
Winner via submission: Asuka
Asuka simply smiles as we get replays of the match. Back in the ring, Asuka cuts a promo in Japanese before simply saying “No Eclipse” and dropping the mic. Commentary hypes the Women’s Championship match for Takeover: Orlando, as well as the Tag Team Championship match, before we go to the back where The Revival talks about why they call themselves that. They are a revival of the greats, and they hustle for the money like the Authors of Pain as much as they grind like DIY. At Takeover, it’s The Revival’s destiny to win the Tag Team Championship once again. Top guys, out! Commentary hypes a triple threat match set for next week, as Akem, Johnny Gargano, and Dash Wilder face off. Commentary also hypes the six man tag main event as SAnitY takes on Tye Dillinger, Roderick Strong, and No Way Jose tonight! Coming up next, a special look at the build to the NXT Championship match at Takeover: Orlando!
Alex’s Thoughts: It took longer for me to confirm Priscilla’s last name (because I’m a journalist with integrity, thank you very much) than it did for this match to come and go. That said, I’m very excited for the NXT Women’s Championship match at Takeover. Two hard hitting women who could easily take each other out in a matter of seconds means this match could be anyone’s ball game, and that’s always exciting to see!
– AD: The action of NXT is coming live to the UK this summer! –
Back from the break, we thank Crown The Empire for “Are You Coming With Me?” which is one of the official theme songs of Takeover: Orlando! Commentary hypes the NXT Championship match for Takeover, before we go to a video package highlighting both the champion and challenger heading into this big rematch for not only the title but the future of NXT. Backstage, we hear from Team Dillinger. Jose says SAnitY’s attacked the Perfect and the Strong, and there’s No Way have they ever done it at the same time! Now that Strong is ready to go, the numbers game is not in their favor. Dillinger promises that tonight, SAnitY will find out why you don’t play the numbers game against a Perfect Ten! The six man tag main event is up next!
Alex’s Thoughts: Oh man, that NXT title match is #HYPE. It’s been fun seeing these two take verbal jabs at each other, and now that Nakamura is back from injury I can’t wait to see how they bring us home next week. Silly as their promo might be, I am still very much invested in the furthering of this feud between these three guys and SAnitY!
– Video Package: Heavy Machinery –
Back from the break, we go to a video from last week where we hear from Kassius Ohno, who says he didn’t anticipate things going this way. He is quickly interrupted by Elias Samson, who sings a song about Ohno “crashing and burning” before saying Ohno doesn’t belong in NXT. Kassius responds by challenging Samson to a Loser Leaves NXT match, which Samson accepts. We thank I Prevail for “Come And Get It,” one of the official theme songs for Takeover: Orlando! Commentary hypes a match just announced for Takeover, as Aleister Black makes his NXT debut taking on Andrade “Cien” Almas! Backstage, Almas responds to the announcement by saying he’s going to make Black believe in Almas. Back at ringside, SAnitY makes their way to the ring for our main event! Out next is Roderick Strong, followed by NO Way Jose and Tye Dillinger. They quickly bring Young out of the ring, and things quickly break down before this match is underway!
Main Event: Six Man Tag Match
SAnitY (Eric Young, Killian Dain, & Alexander Wolfe) vs. Tye Dillinger, Roderick Strong, & No Way Jose
Strong and Dain start things off, as Dain quickly takes advantage with a charge into the corner before tagging in Wolfe. Wolfe with some hard strikes including a European uppercut that sends Strong to the corner, as Strong starts to fight back. Wolfe gets sent to the corner as Tye tags in, staring down Young before tagging in Jose. Jose with a body slam for a nearfall before tagging in Strong, who hits a backbreaker as he tags in Tye. Tye with a knee to the head of Wolfe before staring down Young. Tye lays into Wolfe with a chop before tagging inStrong, as Wolfe starts to turn things around with a European uppercut. Strong responds with a dropkick that sends Wolfe out before Strong knocks down Young and Dain and launching onto Wolfe on the outside as we go to break.
– AD: NXT: The Future Is Now, available on April 11! Preorder now on Amazon! –
Back from break, Strong tags in Jose who sends Wolfe into the corner for a sidewalk slam on the rebound and a nearfall. Wolfe takes control, tagging in Young who goes toe to toe with Jose. Jose responds with a tag to Tye, but Young tags in Wolfe to avoid the attack. Tye simply stares at Young before tagging in Jose, who finds himself falling down by an assist from Cross. Tag to Dain, who brings Jose back into the ring before hitting a hard European uppercut and bringing Jose down hard in the corner. Dain continues the attack with a hard elbow drop on Jose, before tagging in Wolfe. Wolf and Dain with a double team on Jose, allowing Wolfe a nearfall. Distraction from Strong opens Jose up to a comeback as Dain tags in Young, who knocks Tye off the apron before running into a back body drop by Jose! Tag to Strong, who unleashes on all of SAnitY with backbreakers for all before driving Young into the canvas for a nearfall. Dain comes in, and chaos breaks out as all six men brawl until the ref calls for the bell!
Winner: No Contest
Everyone involved spill out of the ring, leaving just Tye and Young! Tye stomps a mudhole into Young, but Cross runs into the ring getting involved. Suddenly, a woman some might recognize as Heidi Lovelace runs out to make the save with some great offense on Cross. Everyone else is running into the ring, as Tye, Jose, and Strong get the better of Dain sending him out of the ring. SAnitY hightail it out of the ring, allowing the three men and their new friend to stand tall in the ring as the show comes to a close.
Alex’s Overall Thoughts: What a fun main event to end the show this week! I had a feeling they were gonna do something to keep this feud going into Takeover, but the match itself was a lot of fun to witness. On top of that, we finally have the answer to who would keep Nikkie Cross in her place…and while I know what her name is, YOU probably know what her name is, and the crowd chanting “RUBY” know what her name is, the fact that the commentators didn’t know her name gives me an excuse to call her “The Artist Formerly Known as Heidi Lovelace” tonight, so let’s leave it at that. I’m a big fan of her work, especially in CHIKARA, and I can’t wait to see how she fares in NXT. Seems to me like she’s in good hands, if they’re putting her in an angle like this! Overall, a great episode of NXT to bring us ever closer to Takeover: Orlando!
Quick Results:
* Andrade “Cien” Almas def. Oney Lorcan
* Asuka def. Priscilla Zuniga
* SAnitY vs. Tye Dillinger, Roderick Strong, & No Way Jose resulted in a No Contest
That’s it for NXT this week, Wrestleviewniverse!
What did you think of the show? Let me know in the comments or on Twitter @Power2TheSmarks! Till next time, thanks for reading!