October 19, 2016
Episode 359
(taped October 13, 2016)
#WWENXT
City: Winter Park, FL
Venue: Full Sail University
Commentary: Tom Phillips, Corey Graves
Ring Announcer: Mike Rome
Video
A video package showing Samoa Joe demanding either Nakamura or the title. While he waits, he’ll lays waste to the entire roster. Nakamura returns and attacks Joe.
Intro Video
“Roar of the Crowd” by CFO$
Match 1
Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic Round 1 Match
Rich Swann & No Way Jose vs Tony Nese & Drew Gulak
(referee: Drake Wuertz)
Result: No Way Jose pins Drew Gulak after a Cobra Clutch Slam, Jose and Swann advance to the second round of the tournament
Time: 6:41 (1 break)
Match Thoughts
Very good match. It started fast with Swann and Gulak putting together some great chains and some nice moves. As the match went on both teams showed a lot of really good chemistry. This was fast-paced and exciting. A great first round tournament match.
WWE Performance Center
Earlier today, Tye Dillinger was not happy that Bobby Roode abandoned him in their Dusty Classic match, and Regal has granted Dillinger a match against Roode at Takeover Toronto.
Backstage
Dasha Fuentes asks Austin Aries who his partner for the Dusty Classic is. Aries refuses to answer, then he goes on to complain about Hideo Itami getting injured.
Match 2
Bobby Roode vs Sean Maluta
(referee: Danilo Anfibio)
Result: Bobby Roode wins via pinfall after a Glorious DDT
Time: 2:55
Match Thoughts
An okay match. It was mostly an exhibition for Roode. Very one-sided.
Ring Area
Bobby Roode addresses Tye Dillinger, saying that he tried to pull Dillinger up to Roode’s level. Dillinger runs to the ring and attacks, getting the better of Roode and dumping him out of the ring.
Backstage
Charly Caruso asks Liv Morgan about her issues with Billie Kay and Peyton Royce. As Morgan begins to respond, Kay and Royce attack her. They drag Morgan out to the stage where they beat her up. Kay and Royce get on the mic and put the Women’s division on notice, including Asuka.
Match 3
Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic Round 1 Match
Tucker Knight & Otis Dozovic vs Austin Aries & Roderick Strong
(referee: Drake Wuertz)
Result: Roderick Strong pins Tucker Knight after a running single-leg dropkick
Time: 5:15
Match Thoughts
Very good match. Knight and Dozovic started out surprisingly strong, showing that they can be an entertaining tag team. They are After a while Knight began to get isolated and Aries and Strong showed some great teamwork and fast-paced action. The finish to this was great, leaving no question who the definitive winners of this match were.
Backstage
Earlier today, Andrea D’Marco translated as Andrade “Cien” Almas says that he has been disrespected since joining NXT. He doesn’t care about earning respect anymore, he just cares about himself.
Match 4
Nikki Cross w/ Eric Young, Alexander Wolfe, Sawyer Fulton vs Danielle Kamela
(referee: Eddie Orengo)
Result: Danielle Kamela wins by decision when the referee reverses his decision after Nikki Cross attacks Kamela after the match (Nikki Cross initially won via pinfall after a swinging fisherman’s neckbreaker)
Time: 1:04
Match Thoughts
Squash. Apparently the point of this match was just to show that Nikki Cross is a crazy person. She gesticulated constantly during the match and barely sold the one move Danielle did (a vertical suplex). I think Nikki can have better matches than this. I’m not too into the crazy, no-selling thing. It’s a little over the top right now (and by that I mean I feel Nikki is overacting).
Ring Area
Shinsuke Nakamura heads to the ring. He isn’t done with Samoa Joe. He dares Joe to take the NXT Title away from him. He barley starts talking when Patrick Clark comes out. Clark suggests that he and Nakamura have a match tonight. Nakamura knocks Clark out with Kinshasa while Samoa Joe comes out and watches from the ramp.
Show Impressions
This was a good show. It had two really good tag matches and the talking segments were all entertaining enough. Plus, the debut of Roderick Strong made this a pretty memorable episode.
Match of the Night
Tucker Knight & Otis Dozovic vs Austin Aries & Roderick Strong
Both tag matches were good, but Strong’s debut and the finish of this match helped make it a little better in my opinion. Also, the surprise of Knight and Dozovic being pretty good helped a lot.