Written by Wayne Mason
Photos by Maryann Mason
Photos by Maryann Mason
In the dark match of the evening The Mechanics Scott Dawson and Dash Wilder take on Elias Sampson and Tucker Knight. Early on it’s clear that even Knight’s distinct power and size advantage would not be a factor against the fluid tag team wrestling of Dawson and Wilder. Making frequent tags The Mechanics methodically take apart Knight until he eventually makes the hot tag to Sampson. Elias comes in clearing house and hitting Wilder with an jaw-shattering knee strike before Dawson hits him with an explosive clothesline. He then sends Sampson flying with a flapjack onto the knees of Dawson for a pinfall victory. Finally, it seems we’re getting closer to a debut from The Mechanics, who interesting enough aren’t introduced as “The Mechanics” but rather Dawson and Wilder.
Episode 1
NXT champion Kevin Owens makes his way to the ring and is met with Ole chants from the crowd. He tells them “that’s cute” before recounting the recent events from last weeks episode and calls out Sami Zayn. Instead he gets General Manager William Regal who tells him that he won’t use this show to pursue his agenda. Owens tells him he didn’t ask for him and really doesn’t care what he has to say. Next Sami Zayn finally comes out to a huge pop, while Regal makes sure to keep both men separated and declaring easily that since they wanted to fight they would do so May 20th at Takeover. Owens declares that it will not be a title match because Zayn hasn’t earned it. Sami then goads Owens telling him that he has been in the shadow of Zayn for their entire career. He continues by throwing Owens own words back at him declaring he only fights for a prize. Owens relents and it’s official, May 20th Zayn and Owens meet once again with the title on the line.
Next up Cass and Enzo take on Blake and Murphy in tag team action. Right from the start the champs control Enzo until he makes a hot tag to Cass who clears house and lays out Murphy with a swinging side slam for a pin but Blake makes the save. The match continues and Cass ejects Blake from the ring and lays out Murphy and tosses Amore onto him with an assisted splash for the win. It was a surprisingly short and anti-climactic match, but one can assume these two are saving it for Takeover when the titles are on the line.
Next Bayley takes on Dana Brooke. The match starts off with much back and forth action between the two. The power of Brooke is definitely one of her stronger points which she illustrates with an impressive firemans carry slam. With the crowd firmly behind her Bayley makes a comeback with a bevy of her signature moves until her music hits and Emma comes down the ramp causing a distraction allowing Brooke to defeat Bayley with a front sitout slam. Dana Brooke is a work in progress, but she looked much more comfortable here than she did in her television debut.
The action continues with Hideo Itami taking on a returning Adam Rose in a pretty physical match. Rose managed to get in some offense but it was a largely one-sided match that ended with a hesitation dropkick and a running single leg dropkick for the win.
Next Becky Lynch makes quick work of Sarah Dobson (aka Crazy Mary Dobson) in what was pretty much a squash. Lynch looked explosive tonight hitting all her signature maneuvers and ending it with a beautiful armbar submission. With an excellent performance and much of the crowd getting behind her Becky Lynch is heading into Takeover with a lot of momentum. I’m betting now that Lynch and Banks will likely steal the show at the next special.
Kevin Owens comes out to the commentary table to watch the main event of Alex Riley vs Sami Zayn. Riley starts off strong and controls Zayn for most of the match. Every time Zayn would begin to mount offense Riley would shut him down, at one point blocking a blue thunder powerbomb. In the final moments with Riley ejected to the floor Sami Zayn takes flight diving on Riley. Then Owens pounces slamming Zayn onto the entrance ramp. He pauses for a moment before attacking Riley and powerbombing him onto the ring apron. He saunters up the entrance as medics and referees tend to Alex Riley.
Episode 2
The episode begins with Charlotte taking on Emma. The match starts off with fast paced back and forth action before Emma takes over. A definitely more aggressive Emma took over and began to work the leg of Charlotte and culminating in a half crab. Charlotte mounts a comeback with a neckbreaker followed by a spear and a natural selection. After a seemingly forgiving Bayley comes to the ring to help Emma to her feet and then lay her out with a Belly-To-Bayley.
Next up, Bull Dempsey takes on Rhyno. The two started out brawling but Dempsey wasn’t able to keep it up long enough before Rhyno took charge with a massive belly to belly suplex followed by a gore making surprisingly short work of Dempsey. Rhyno takes the mic stating he’s been hearing about another unstoppable force in NXT, and at Takeover he wants to take on Baron Corbin.
Scott Dawson and Dash Wilder are out next to take on Big Cass and Enzo Amore. However, up on the tron we see Zo and Cass being attacked backstage by Blake and Murphy, thus the match never starts. It was a good way to advance the feud between the tag champs and Cass and Enzo, but disappointing for those of us who have been impatiently waiting for the television debut of Dawson and Wilder.
Next is the contract signing between womens champion Sasha Banks and number one contender Becky Lynch. Before signing Lynch begins a passionate speech about how she has been chasing this dream since she was fifteen, and how all the trials and tribulations have been worth it because it has led to this moment. She assures Banks though, she didn’t come here to take part, she came to takeover. Not impressed Banks stamps the contract before throwing it in Becky’s face and attacking. She began a beatdown before Lynch countered and threw the champ into an armbar and the two were separated.
Finn Balor comes out to sit ringside as Hideo Itami takes on Tyler Breeze yet again. These two know each other so well as they counter each other tit for tat. Eventually the two battle to the outside where Itami measures up Breeze for a kick, but he dodges and Balor ends up on the receiving end. The two battle back into the ring and Breeze misses a Beauty Shot and Itami comes back with a single leg dropkick for the win. After, an irate Breeze attacks Itami but Finn makes the save. But as Balor helped Hideo to his feet Breeze attacked again superkicking Finn and laying out Itami with a Beauty Shot.
Episode 3
The opening match sees debuting Jessie McKay take on Bayley. The two start off with some nice grappling as they parlay for control. Despite some nice offense from McKay her opponent takes over with a flurry of signature moves followed by a Belly-To-Bayley for the win. Bayley came out of this match looking great, but McKay definitely made a good first impression on the NXT universe.
Next, Solomon Crowe takes on Baron Corbin. Despite flurries of explosive offense from Crowe Baron made short work of him with an emphatic End Of Days. After Rhyno comes out and asks “Are we gonna do this?”, and then wasting no time the two tear into each other trading lefts and rights until wrestlers from the back come out to separate them. Interesting to note how the crowd have seemingly turned on Corbin overnight, which is fine since they seem to be edging him towards heel anyway. Still yet I wish the television audience could see some of the Corbin performances we see at house shows.
More womens action and another debut follows as KC Cassidy takes on the boss Sasha Banks. KC brings the fight right to Banks sending the champ to the outside to regroup. Apparently it worked because she came back in and reminded everyone why she is boss making short work of Cassidy and finishing her with a Banks Statement for the tapout. Sasha Banks gained some valuable momentum heading into her title defense, but Cassidy looked great in the ring and I’m definitely looking forward to seeing what her future holds.
Next Carmella takes on Alexa Bliss. The two competitors both start out strong but Carmella looks stronger until Blake and Murphy come out to the ring distracting Carmella allowing Bliss to take over. She hits a glitz flip for a pin but Carmella kicks out. The two fight on and Carmella snags Bliss with a drop toe hold into her leg scissors submission which bring Blake and Murphy onto the ring apron causing another distraction. Bliss takes advantage laying out Carmella and following with a Sparkle Splash for the win. After Blake and Murphy come into the ring with a mic and remind Carmella that when you hang out with trash you start to stink. She responds by letting them know that her boys Cass and Enzo will be victorious for the titles on May 20th.
Ty Dillinger is out next and seems to be really getting over with house show regulars who met him with “perfect ten” signs. His opponent is a returning Kalisto. The two put on a short but fun match that showed some of the impressive lucha styling of Kalisto as Dillinger attempted to ground him. In the end Kalisto defeated Ty with a Salida Del Sol, but Dillinger may be the real winner here. Ty consistently puts on great matches and puts everyone else over, crowds are starting to recognize that and are left wondering when he will be put over instead.
Sami Zayn comes out to talk and is interrupted by Kevin Owens. Sami wants to know “Why?, what is the real reason for all of this… jealousy, resentment, etc? Owens responds by letting Zayn know on May 20th he will hurt him again, except this time there will be no coming back.
Our main event is Hideo Itami and Finn Balor vs Tyler Breeze and Adam Rose. In the beginning the odd pairing of Rose and Breeze work well together isolating Finn for a long while until he makes the hot tag to Hideo who comes in and cleans house. Itami seems ready to finish off Breeze but Balor tags himself in. Balor comes in and hits his signature moves and looks ready to finish things as well but Hideo tags himself back in. The two begin to bicker and Breeze takes advantage rolling up Itami for the pin. Hideo and Finn begin to argue in the middle of the ring until Breeze sneaks back in superkicking Hideo and hitting Balor with a Beauty Shot. Adam Rose comes in to celebrate with his partner only to eat a superkick as well. Presumably the episode ends with Breeze standing over the three bodies, but eventually Itami and Balor make it back up. First Itami lays out Breeze with a single leg dropkick and Balor finishes him off with a Coups De Grace. The crowd goes home happy and very anxious for May 20th.
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