November 25, 2015
Episode 308
City: Winter Park, FL
Venue: Full Sail University
Commentary: Rich Brennan, Byron Saxton, Corey Graves
Ring Announcer: Greg Hamilton
Intro Video
“Roar of the Crowd” by CFO$
Ring Area
As the show starts, Michael Cole is standing in the ring and informs us that Regal is resting at home after successful surgery. But that means Cole is in charge tonight. Cole says that he got a call from corporate saying that Bayley will defend her title against Eva Marie tonight. He also has a contract in his hand for the NXT Title match between Finn Balor and Samoa Joe. There will be a signing.
Balor makes his way to the ring and addresses Joe (who has not come out yet). He says that Joe is not entitled to anything. Cole then introduces Joe. Joe walks straight down to the ring, signs the contract, and leaves. He never even looked at Balor. Balor signs and Cole announces that the match is official.
As Balor approaches the stage Joe comes back out and attacks him. The two fight in the ring. The refs try to separate them but Joe’s Coquina Clutch leaves Balor unconscious and drooling in the middle of the ring.
** Not a terrible contract signing. It was short and served its purpose, to show both men’s attitude. I would have preferred if they had left it with Joe just leaving, but I guess you can’t really have a contract signing without a fight. I can’t think of any that didn’t end like that. **
Match 1
NXT Tag Team Title Match
The Vaudevillains vs Dash & Dawson (Tag Champs)
(referee: Shawn Bennett)
Dawson starts with some punches, but Gotch comes back with some of his own. English and Dash get tagged. English is in control, but Dawson tags back in and hits a single arm DDT that sends English to the floor.
-commercial-
Back from the break, Dash controls English with an armbar. English leverages Dash out to the floor and both men make tags. Gotch attacks both of his opponents and lands a sunset flip for 2 on Dawson. He gets a few more near falls until he is distracted and clotheslined by Dawson. Dawson is set up for a finisher, but English breaks it up. The match breaks down, with all four men fighting, until English gets isolated and takes Shatter Machine to end the match.
Result: Dash pins English after Shatter Machine
Time: 5:21 (1 break)
**Kind of short, but it was a good match. There were actually a couple of really close near falls that were believable by both teams. There were a lot of good fakes and reversals towards the end of the match. **
Ring Area
After the match, Colin Cassady and Enzo Amore attack Dash and Dawson presumably for revenge from the attack they suffered previously.
Backstage
Tom Phillips asks Eva Marie why she’s in Regal’s office. She says she needed a bigger place to prepare for her match. She also doesn’t understand how to use the word “literally.” Or “inevitable.” She also has a good friend: Nia Jax.
Ring Area
Asuka goes to the ring for her match. Dana Brooke talks to her from the stage and Emma attacks Asuka from behind. She puts Asuka in the Emma Lock.
Backstage
Bayley explains the difference between her and Eva Marie: Bayley is a wrestler.
Video
Sami Zayn returns promo video.
** YES! **
Match 2
Apollo Crews vs Jesse Sorensen
(referee: Eddie Orengo)
Crews takes control with a dropkick. He then performs a very long stalling suplex. Sorensen fights back with some strikes in the corner, but Crews isn’t bothered too much and continues to dominate. He finishes off Sorensen with a blue thunder driver in which he tosses Sorensen up from his shoulder and into a sitout powerbomb.
Result: Crews wins via pinfall after a blue thunder driver
Time: 2:06
** Pretty much a squash match, though the finisher by Crews was impressive. **
Ring Area
Crews gets on the mic and addresses Baron Corbin. He accepts Corbin’s challenge for Takeover London.
Backstage
Corbin says Crews will be that one guy that did that one thing that one time.
Ring Area
Charles Robinson comes out to the ring to ensure that there will be no controversy in the Women’s Title match.
** That’s pretty much a guarantee that there will be some controversy… **
Match 3
NXT Women’s Title Match
Eva Marie w/ Nia Jax vs Bayley (Women’s Champ)
(referee: Danilo Anfibio, Charles Robinson [outside ref])
Bayley controls Eva Marie with a side headlock. Eva Marie pulls Bayley’s hair and poses. She drives some shoulders into Bayley’s midsection, then hits a vertical suplex for a 2 count. Bayley hits the Bayley-to-belly and covers Eva Marie, but Nia Jax pulls the ref out of the ring as he’s counting. He’s helped to the back.
Eva Marie gets Bayley in a schoolboy pin. Charles Robinson enters the ring and counts but Bayley gets out at 2. Jax headbutts Bayley and Eva Marie hits a senton (sort of), but can’t pin Bayley. Bayley applies a pair of pins for two 2 counts.
Bayley hits a running clothesline on Eva Marie, then follows up with a suplex. Bayley tries to go after Eva Marie in the corner, but the ref gets in the way allowing Eva Marie time to hit sliced bread #2. 2 count!
Bayley pushes Evan Marie who collides with Charles Robinson. He’s out cold. Eva Marie hits a boot to Bayley. Jax interferes, but she still manages to hit a Bayley-to-belly from the ropes! She covers Eva Marie but there’s no ref. Suddenly the original ref appears and counts to 3!
Result: Bayley wins via pinfall after a second rope Bayley-to-belly suplex
Time: 6:39
** This was more of a drama than a match. Eva Marie is not good and she needed all of the shenanigans (in-story and for real) to make the match entertaining. There was some decent drama, but it mostly stems from the reasonable and understandable fear that the WWE might do something terrible like put the title on Eva Marie. **
Ring Area
Jax drops a leg on Bayley in the middle of the ring. She picks up Bayley’s belt and drops another leg before walking away.
Show Impressions
An okay show. There could have been more wrestling. A lot more. This episode felt like it was all buildup for other shows. All sizzle and no steak. It seems like the whole Eva Marie thing was an excuse to get Nia Jax into the title picture. That’s fine I guess. I’m just glad there wasn’t any more Michael Cole than there already was.
Match of the Night
The Vaudevillains vs Dash & Dawson
It could have been longer, but it was a good match. Also the rest of the matches on the show weren’t very rewatchable.