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WWE NXT - August 3, 2016

by Scrooge McSuck

- Taped from Full Sail University in Orlando, FL, with Corey Graves and Tom Phillips calling the action unless otherwise noted. Last week on NXT, we got the big announcement of Samoa Joe defending the NXT Championship against Shinsuke Nakamura at Takeover: Brooklyn 2, as well as the good chance of seeing a Asuka vs. Bayley rematch and No Way Jose getting some of Austin Aries.

Tonight: Bobby Roode debuts.

Hideo Itami vs. Sean Maluta:

First match for Itami on NXT television in well over a year, recovering from major shoulder surgery. Maluta is featured in the Cruiserweight Classic (well, was. He lost in his first-round match). He's clearly doing the job to Itami, too. Lockup and Itami with a side headlock. Crisscross and Itami with a knee to the midsection, followed by a kick to the face. He takes Maluta over with a snap mare and lands a kick to the back. He pulls the knee pad down, teases something big, but casually brush kicks his face. Maluta with a takedown, sending Itami into the corner. Maluta with a modified code breaker for two. I hate when they use moves that are finishers on the main roster. Jumping headbutt gets two. Apparently Maluta is a nephew of Afa... HOW MANY WRESTLERS DOES THAT FAMILY BREED?! Itami starts getting mad at being kicked in the chest. He connects with a pair of clotheslines and a dragon screw leg whip. He charges into the corner with a boot to the face and unloads with a flurry of strikes. Running baseball dropkick in the corner, and Itami finishes with the running knee at 3:48. *1/2 This was alright, but not exactly a spectacular return. The same could've been said when Sami Zayn underwhelmed in his return match in London, so I'll give Itami time to get back into a groove.

- Two weeks ago on NXT, the Authors of Pain beat down American Alpha before their match, and despite a valiant effort, were victorious as well.

- Revival Interview. They're still gloating about being the best tag team in NXT. They're interrupted by TM61. I guess Gargano and Ciampa were busy working the Cruiserweight Classic to make their usual appearance challenging Dash and Dawson. Oh wait, never mind, here they come, interrupting that interruption. Gargano and Ciampa say they're next in line. Dash and Dawson deny being afraid of them, then claim they already promised a match with TM61.

Mojo Rawley vs. Chris Atkins:

I'm guessing this was taped before the Brand Extension Draft. No ring entrance for Atkins, so he's a Super-Jobber, and a pretty tall one at that. Looks like 6'5", might be billed as higher. Whip to the ropes and Mojo with a shoulder tackle for two. Suddenly Samoa Joe runs in, tosses Atkins out of the ring, and pounds away on Mojo before dumping him out as well. No Contest at 0:28.

- Samoa Joe is still pissed off about last week and William Regal's decision to make a Championship Match without his consent. Mojo Rawley interrupts Joe's ranting and pounds away in retaliation for earlier. Joe attacks him from behind on the entrance ramp and chokes him out with the Coquina Clutch. At least they did something to not let Mojo look like a total geek before getting geeked out a second time.

- Bayley Interview. She needs to mentally prepare for Asuka and has been watching footage of her in the ring. Asuka interrupts and smugly suggests Bayley to watch if she thinks she's ready.

Asuka vs. Aliyah:

In case everyone forgot, Asuka is still the reigning NXT Women's Champion. Bayley joins Graves and Phillips on commentary. Aliyah came across as pretty green the last time I saw her in Venice, but they need fresh faces as "enhancement talent", and I'm sure Asuka isn't going to give her too much offense. Asuka grabs a chair and sets it up at the entrance ramp, gesturing for Bayley to get a closer look. Bayley tosses the chair aside. Asuka with a snap mare and kick to the back. Crowd with pro-Bayley chants. Aliyah with some strikes, but Asuka shrugs it off. Whip to the ropes and Asuka with the flying hip attack. Asuka with kicks and strikes near the rope. She locks on a modified octopus, all while staring down Bayley. Asuka with a running hip attack to the lower back. Aliyah gets boots up in the corner, but jumps into a heel kick, and Asuka pulls her up at two. Asuka with a roundhouse kick and the Asuka-Lock finishes at 2:28. Asuka holds onto it after the bell until Bayley gets in the ring. Complete destruction, and a heck of a way to build heat for the Asuka/Bayley rematch.

- Last month, newcomer Oney Lorcan defeated "The Perfect Ten" Tye Dillinger. Lorcan with an interview about having to go back to his roots.

- Hype video for the debut of Ember Moon on August 20th. Yes, that would be the date of Takeover: Brooklyn 2.

- Bobby Roode makes his NXT Debut... RIGHT NOW. This isn't an in-ring debut, by the way, unless he plans to wrestle in his trousers and jacket. Insert TNA jokes whenever you want to. He cuts a total babyface promo about how NXT is the place to be and how attending Takeover: Dallas was a moment he will never forget. His arrogance quickly shines through, as he claims to be the man capable of taking NXT to the next level. Hopefully it doesn't require 3.5 million EXP points. Didn't take more than 4-minutes for him to completely trash the fans, making him the most successful heel presently on the roster.

- Next Week: Asuka and Bayley sign the contract for NXT Takeover: Brooklyn 2.

TM61 vs. The Revival:

(Nick Miller & Shane Thorne vs. Scott Dawson & Dash Wilder)
Non-Title Match and the Main Event of the evening. I still have no idea what the 61 is in TM61 (Editor's Note: "61" is the international calling code for Australia). Dawson and Miller start. Lockup and Dawson with a waist-lock takedown. TM61 take turns working the arm. Miller with a fist drop and Thorne with a standing moonsault for two. Thorne in control working the arm. Wilder with a distraction from the apron. He sends Thorne to the corner and works him over. Dash and Dawson take turns pounding away. Whip to the corner, Thorne avoids a charge and connects with a pair of dropkicks. All four men in the ring, with TM61 standing tall after a short exchange. We return from break, with Dawson working the arm of Thorne. Northern Lights Suplex gets two. Dash comes off the middle rope with knees to the arm for a two count. Dawson with a basement dropkick for two. Dawson with an arm-bar. Whip to the ropes and an elbow. Dash gets caught coming off the middle rope and hot tag to Nick Miller. Crowd didn't even pop for it. He takes both men down with a back suplex and rolls up Dawson for two. Spine-buster for a two count. Dash pulls Thorne off the apron to prevent a tag. A game of cat-and-mouse leads to Dawson laying out Miller with a DDT for three at 7:56. * I wasn't feeling this one. It seemed obvious they weren't going as hard as possible, the weak hot tag was obvious with the lack of response from the crowd, and a clean finish doesn't do much for TM61's stock right now.

- The Revival cut a post-match promo about being the best, blah blah blah, and hey, wouldn't you know it, Johnny Gargano and Tomaso Ciampa show up because they feel have the right to claim the status as the #1 contenders. Revival tease taking a walk, but a brawl goes in favor of Gargano and Ciampa as the show closes.

Final Thoughts: Not a great show for the in-ring performances. Asuka's destruction of Aliyah to pop interest for the match with Bayley at Takeover was really the only highlight. Hideo Itami's return was lackluster, but understandable, but the Revival/TM61 Main Event fell flat. Joe's interrupting a match and laying out Mojo Rawley was great, Bobby Roode quickly made himself a top guy in NXT by being an obnoxious jerk, and I'm actually looking forward to the eventual matches between Gargano/Ciampa and the Revival.

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