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WWE NXT - August 10, 2016

by Scrooge McSuck

- Last week on NXT...Bobby Roode made a GLORIOUS Debut, The Revival defeated TM61 but still have a road-block in the form of Johnny Gargano and Tomaso Ciampa in their path, Samoa Joe beat up on poor Mojo Rawley, Asuka was being a bit of a dick in her squash match, taunting Bayley the whole time, and Hideo Itami made his return to the NXT ring.

- Taped from Full Sail University in Orlando, FL, with Corey Graves and Tom Phillips calling the action, unless otherwise noted. No new episode of Main Event this week, at least yet to be uploaded to Hulu, so here's what was taped: Kane squashing someone and Sin Cara defeating Jinder Mahal. Yeah, both of them are on Raw. I guess the New Zealand and Australia trip crippled the undercard that bad.

- Moments Ago, William Regal and Bobby Roode are finishing up a closed door meeting. Regal leaves to handle a contract signing, and moments later, all Roode has to say is "this is gonna be great."

- We open the show with the OFFICIAL contract signing between Women's Champion Asuka and former Champion Bayley. Bayley cuts a promo about always being the underdog until her dream came true in Brooklyn last Summer. The dream became a nightmare when Asuka beat her in Dallas. Bayley tells Asuka that her mystique is gone and she's going to become a two-time Champion in Brooklyn. Asuka to Bayley: "You don't have what it takes." Asuka offers a half-hearted handshake, but Bayley doesn't want any of it and suggests she just sign the contract unless she wants to end up on the mat like at her contract signing with Nia Jax. Bayley swipes away another handshake offer and they go face-to-face without exchanging blows. Good segment to put over the importance of the match.

- Paul Ellering and the Authors of Pain are backstage.

The Authors of Pain (w/ Paul Ellering) vs. Rob Ryzin & Adrian Nails:

Still no names for the Authors of Pain, previously known as Gzim Selmani and Sunny Dhinsa. Selmani throws Nails into the corner and pounds away. They take turns dropping elbows. Dhinsa boots him on the ass into his corner, forcing Ryzin to reluctantly tag in. The Authors of Pain with a pair of avalanches, followed by a synchronized Powerbomb spot. Russian leg sweep and clothesline combo finishes Ryzin at 1:15. Should be interesting to see where they go with these two. Post-match, they go for Nails, but TM61 run in to break things up. Crowd didn't react much to the run in. Dhinsa plants Miller with a Powerbomb, and they give Thorne the side slam and running big boot combo. Where's American Alpha to make the run-in for the save?! (Spoiler: It won't happen).

Andrade "Cien" Almas vs. Angelo Dawkins:

I still don't care much for the name Andrade Almas. Feels like Dawkins has been around forever, and is still stuck in a bottom-rung JTTS role. Lockup and Dawkins goes for the arm. Almas counters into a side headlock and does some more fancy springs off the ropes before taking Dawkins over with a flying head scissors. Dawkins interrupts the Lucha lesson with a short right and a splash in the corner for two. Almas with a sunset flip for two. Dawkins misses the splash in the corner and Almas nails him with a springboard dropkick. Almas with a diving forearm into the corner, followed by more forearm blows. The running double knees and a modified DDT (he wraps the arm left arm around the back of the opponent) finishes at 2:23. The Lucha-style doesn't translate well in squash matches against WWE Performance Center guys, but it was alright.

Almas' celebration is interrupted by the GLORIOUS theme music of Bobby Roode. He congratulates Almas, not on his victory (it was sloppy, rough around the edges, and minor league), but for having the opportunity to face him at Takeover: Brooklyn II. He says the show needed more star power and needs to be GLORIOUS. In case his English isn't up to snuff, they aren't paying to see you (Almas), they're paying to see me (Roode).

- Austin Aries is bothering William Regal in his office about Takeover: Brooklyn II. He questions not being featured on the card. Samoa Joe has an opponent. Asuka has an opponent. Bobby Roode has an opponent and he's been here for about 5-minutes. Regal agrees that he deserves an opponent at Takeover, a man he has been avoiding...No Way Jose.

Liv Morgan vs. Billie Kay:

Two weeks ago, Kay was victorious over Santana Garrett. Will her momentum continue? Against Carmella Jr., most likely. Graves quickly buries New Jersey and everything about it upon her entrance. Lockup, Billie with a side headlock, followed by a shoulder tackle. She takes Liv over with a fireman's carry and slaps on an arm-bar. Whip to the ropes and Morgan with a shoulder tackle and some taunting. She catches Kay with a head scissors and swings away. Kay quickly turns things around, dropping Morgan across the buckle and connects with a forearm smash for a near fall. Kay with a modified suplex into a cover for only a one count. Morgan fights free of a chin-lock and takes Billie over with an arm drag. Morgan with a clothesline and bulldog. She takes Billie Kay over with a monkey flip, but misses a big spinning heel kick. Billie Kay with the big boot, and that gets the three count at 3:11. * They were moving a bit slow at times, but that's the price you pay when you have to rebuild the entire division.

- Highlights of a fantastic 1st Round Match from the Cruiserweight Classic between Johnny Gargano and Tomaso Ciampa.

- Speaking of Ciampa and Gargano, they are backstage in the office of William Regal. He informs them that they will finally be getting their Tag Team Championship Match against the Revival at Takeover: Brooklyn. Has it really been almost a year since these two were introduced as part of the Dusty Rhodes Classic?

- Ember Moon ARRIVES at Takeover: Brooklyn II. The vignette comes across as something from Mortal Kombat mythos.

Johnny Gargano & Tomaso Ciampa vs. Tucker Knight & Patrick Clark:

More squash match goodness! I feel like I'm mentioning Ciampa and Gargano a lot this week, and yet we haven't seen one hair of Dash and Dawson. Gargano starts with Patrick, former Tough Enough contestant. Gargano counters a headlock with a hammer-lock. Ciampa with a take-down and Gargano with a double stomp to the back. Knight tags in and pounds away on Ciampa. Charging clothesline to the corner gets a two count. Ciampa rolls away from a diving headbutt and connects with an enzuigiri. Gargano comes off the ropes with a diving shoulder tackle, followed by a roll up into a kick to the face. Gargano slingshots in from the apron with a Spear and charges into the corner for an elbow. Ciampa boots Jordan to the floor and hits Knight with a big knee. Gargano with a Super-Kick to the face and Ciampa with a knee to the back for the three count at 3:15. That spot needs a fancy move, like Impact Sandwich, minus Impact because, you know, TNA still exists, I guess.

- Last Week, Hideo Itami made his return to the NXT ring, defeating Sean Maluta. He'll be in action again NEXT WEEK.

- Mojo Rawley is backstage. He shakes, screaming about not being that guy. Two times he's been jumped by a 900 pound Heavyweight. You don't do that to him, man! Hyperbole must've been Mojo's major in College.

Mojo Rawley vs. Samoa Joe:

Joe is the reigning NXT Champion, but this is a Non-Title Match. It's not about a Championship when it's PERSONAL. Mojo rushes into the corner, pounding away with rights. He ducks under a short clothesline and comes off the ropes with a trio of shoulder tackles, knocking Joe to the floor in the process. Mojo follows him out, trading blows. His luck finally runs out as he misses a charge and meets the steps. Back in the ring, Mojo continues to throw punches. Whip to the corner is reversed and Joe follows in with an elbow, followed by a spinning enzuigiri. Joe with a snap mare, chop to the back, and kick to the chest. Twisting elbow drop gets two. Joe sets up for the Muscle Buster, but Mojo fights him off and comes off the middle rope with a clothesline. Full Nelson Slam gets a near fall. Mojo charges into the corner but Joe spikes him onto the canvas. He screams out Nakamura before choking Mojo out with the Coquina Clutch at 4:34. Post-match, Joe hooks the hold on again until Nakamura shows up to dance. Regal quickly orders security to keep them separated. Nakamura plays a game of "got your nose" to really piss Joe off. *1/2 Fine action considering Mojo isn't treated as a serious threat and Joe needed a tune-up match for Takeover.

Final Thoughts: This was all about setting up the rest of the card for Takeover: Brooklyn II. They gave us a solid main event segment with Joe in action and the post-match interaction with Nakamura, but the rest was just to put pieces in place for the big show 10 days away. We've OFFICIALLY added Bayley vs. Asuka in a rematch for the Women's Title, OFFICIALLY added the Tag Title Match between the Revival and Gargano and Ciampa, OFFICIALLY added No Way Jose vs. Austin Aries, and the GLROIOUS in-ring debut of Bobby Roode against Andrade Almas. The women's division still needs to add some depth, but I'll accept a short match here and there until they work that out.

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