December 23, 2015
Episode 313
(Taped December 16, 2015)
City: London, England
Venue: SSE Wembley Arena
Commentary: Rich Brennan, Corey Graves, Byron Saxton
Ring Announcer: Greg Hamilton
Video
Highlight video of NXT Takeover: London.
Intro Video
“Roar of the Crowd” by CFO$
Match 1
Fatal 4-Way Tag Team Match
The Vaudevillains vs Hype Bros vs Blake & Murphy w/ Alexa Bliss vs Jason Jordan & Chad Gable
(referee: Drake Wuertz)
Gable starts the match by taking on both of the Vaudevillains and out-wrestling them. Rawley tags himself in and folds up Gotch with a shoulder block. A missile dropkick from Ryder gets his team a 2 count, then everyone enters the ring and most get thrown out.
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Ryder hits a flapjack and a cover on English, then Gable tags himself in on Ryder. Gable controls English, then down both Blake and Murphy wit dropkicks. He gets Murphy in an arm bar over the ropes, but a double-team from Blake finally stops Gable’s momentum.
English tags in on Blake to try to take advantage of Gable. The Vaudevillains make some quick tags, but English goes for a senton and hits the upraised legs of Gable. Gable nearly pins Jordan, but Blake and Murphy prevent it. Jordan tags in and takes out Blake, Murphy, and the Vaudevillains.
The HYpe Bros enter the ring and take out the Vaudevillains with a dive from Ryder. Then Jordan belly-to-bellies Murphy over the top rope onto the teams on the floor. Jordan and Gable hit Grand Amplitude on Blake for the win.
Result: Gable pins Blake after Grand Amplitude (pop-up assisted bridging German suplex)
Time: 9:18
** Very good match. The crowd was clearly behind Jordan and Gable, and the two of them looked very good. They were definitely the stars of the match and really didn’t have any trouble with anyone, aside from the double-team from Blake and Murphy. **
Backstage
Taped after Takeover, Emma is looked at by the trainer and Asuka comes in to gloat. Dana Brooke is upset.
Video
NXT in the UK.
Backstage
Tye Dillinger seems annoyed by Sami Zayn’s return.
Video
Promo for a guy playing a guitar and walking along some railroad tracks. He’s coming up next.
Backstage
Taped at Takeover, Corbin declares himself the number one contender to Balor’s title.
Match 2
Bull Dempsey vs Elias Samson
(referee: Danilo Anfibio)
Dempsey looks like he wants to have fun, but Samson is totally serious. He starts off strong on Dempsey until Bull uses his size to take over. Samson knocks Dempsey down then climbs to the top for a diving elbow drop.
Result: Samson wins via pinfall after a diving elbow drop
Time: 1:37
** Not much of a match. Not really a great debut when you only really do one move. **
Backstage
Taped at Takeover, Dash and Dawson give it up for Amore and Cassady, but it wasn’t their night.
Match 3
Tye Dillinger vs Sami Zayn
(referee: Shawn Bennett)
Zayn looks like he’s favoring his shoulder early in the match. Dillinger looks like he’s playing a little with Zayn with hammerlocks and go-behinds. Zayn then starts to pick up the pace with a series of arm drags. Zayn follows Dillinger to the floor, but Dillinger shoves his shoulder into the ring post.
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Dillinger is in control and going after Zayn’s shoulder. Zayn fights back with some clotheslines and a fisherman suplex, but he’s still favoring his shoulder. With Dillinger on the floor, Zayn dives over the top rope.
Back in the ring, Zayn hits a blue thunder bomb for a 2 count. A big superkick from Dillinger gets him a 2 count. Zayn answers with an exploder in the corner and Helluva Kick for the win.
Result: Sami Zayn wins via pinfall after a Helluva kick (big boot in the corner)
Time: 9:48
** A good match and a good return for Zayn. I like how he sold the shoulder right from the beginning. I feel like that will be a continuing thing going forward as part of his storylines, at least for a while until he seems completely comfident in his return. **
Ring Area
Sami Zayn says that his trend of having his dreams turn bad has been broken with his return tonight. He promises great things for 2016.
Show Impressions
Not a bad show. Two good matches, plus it feels like a fresh start after Takeover what with a return, a debut, and potential new and changing storylines going forward.
Match of the Night
Fatal 4-Way tag match
Yeah, Zayn’s return was great to see, but he’ll have better matches. As far as an entertaining wrestling match goes, I enjoyed the tag match more.