WWE NXT
Episode 397
#WWENXT
Original Air Date: June 14, 2017
Event Date: May 25, 2017
City: Winter Park, FL
Venue: Full Sail University
Commentary: Tom Phillips, Nigel McGuinness, Percy Watson
Ring Announcer: Mike Rome
Video
Tonight, the NXT Women’s title will be put on the line once again in a rematch of the triple threat from Takeover.
Intro Video
“Resistance” by Powerflo
Match 1
Rob Ryzin vs Drew McIntyre
(referee: Eddie Orengo)
Result: Drew McIntyre wins via pinfall after a running single leg dropkick
Time: 3:27
Match Thoughts
Pretty much a squash, but Drew took his time in this match. That made it a little slow since there weren’t a whole lot of move in the match. I’d really like for them to put McIntyre in a proper feud soon.
Video
A replay of the scene from two weeks ago when Billie Kay and Peyton Royce discovered that Ember Moon has been cleared to return to the ring.
Video
A promo package for Aleister Black.
Match 2
Anthony Dominguez & Wilmer Freyday vs Authors of Pain (NXT Tag Champs) w/ Paul Ellering
(referee: Darryl Sharma)
Result: Akam pins Anthony Dominguez after a Death Valley Driver
Time: 0:54
Match Thoughts
This was a total squash. Rezar didn’t participate in the match. He didn’t even get on the apron at all. Akam took care of things by himself.
Ring Area
After the match, the Authors of Pain hit Dominguez and Freyday with the Super Collider. Ellering then gets on the mic an says that Heavy Machinery is as foolish as they are large. He lists the teams AoP has beaten during their time in NXT. In the Book of Dominance, Heavy Machinery won’t even be a footnote.
Heavy Machinery comes out and heads to the ring. They get face to face with AoP before Ellering pulls his team out of the ring. AoP backs away as Heavy Machinery stands tall in the ring.
Video
A promo package for Sonya Deville.
Match 3
Raul Mendoza vs Velveteen Dream
(referee: Tom Castor)
Result: Velveteen Dream wins via pinfall after Raining Down (diving elbow drop)
Time: 3:40
Match Thoughts
An okay match. Mendoza put up a bit of a fight, but it was mostly just him running away and around Dream. Dream then caught Mendoza and hit a couple of big moves.
Backstage
Kayla Braxton asks Kassius Ohno about his friendship with Hieo Itami. Ohno regrets shoving Itami, and he knows Itami isn’t a bad guy.
Video
A promo package for Ember Moon.
Match 4
NXT Women’s Title Triple Threat Elimination Match
Nikki Cross vs Ruby Riot vs Asuka (NXT Women’s Champ)
(referee: Eddie Orengo)
Result: The match ends in a No Contest, Asuka retains the title
Fall 1: Nikki Cross pins Ruby Riot after a hanging snap swinging neckbreaker (6:33)
Fall 2: Asuka and Cross fight to the backstage area resulting in the match being called off
Time: 9:43 (2 breaks)
Match Thoughts
I liked the match, but the multiple commercial breaks really hurt the flow after a while. Also, the referee was very quick to call for the bell even though the match is supposed to be no DQ and no countout, which the commentators made a point to talk about prior to the end of the match.
Backstage
Nikki Cross and Asuka continue to fight. Referees try to break them up as they go from outside, to the backstage area, to the ringside area. They continue to fight, ending up on some risers. Cross lunges at Asuka, sending both of them off the riser and through some tables. The two women are attended to by referees and officials including Norman Smiley, Steve Corino, and William Regal.
Show Impressions
Except for the main event, this show was kind of forgettable. The main event and its aftermath are definitely worth watching though.
Match of the Night
Nikki Cross vs Ruby Riot vs Asuka
The triple threat at Takeover was better, and I’m not sure what the in-story reasoning for a rematch was, but in the end it was a nice way to build up some instant interest in Asuka versus Cross. I don’t like that they seem to be blowing off a finish to the Cross/Riot feud, but maybe they’ll revisit it later.