WWE NXT
Episode 528
#WWENXT
Original Air Date: October 2, 2019
Event Date: October 2, 2019
(aired live on USA)
City: Winter Park, FL
Venue: Full Sail University
Commentary: Mauro Ranallo, Nigel McGuinness, Beth Phoenix
Ring Announcer: Alicia Taylor
Video
Corey Taylor (of Slipknot) says “we are NXT.”
Backstage
Before he heads to the ring for his NXT Title match, Matt Riddle gets a nod from William Regal.
Match 1
NXT Title Match
Matt Riddle vs Adam Cole (NXT Champ)
(referee: Darryl Sharma)
Result: Adam Cole wins via pinall after the Last Shot
Time: 13:50
Match Thoughts
Great match! It might not have been a Takeover-length NXT Title match, but is was definitely Takeover quality. Cole and Riddle fought hard right from the start and kept the pace up throughout the match. They were hitting huge moves in the middle of lengthy sequences of exchanges, and the match went back and forth multiple times. Cole came into the match with what I assume is a storyline broken wrist, and that meant has was allowed to wear a small cast. While that did provide a target which Riddle focused on late in the match, it also provided Cole with a free weapon if he chose to use it. That said, there wasn’t really much in the way of shenanigans. None of Cole’s Undisputed Era buddies made an appearance. Both men just wanted to fight as hard as they could, and they did so splendidly. What a way to start the show.
Ring Area
After the match, Finn Balor interrupts the champion’s celebration. Balor heads to the ring where he says that, as of now, “Finn Balor is NXT.”
Video
A look at Candice LeRae and Shayna Baszler leading up to their title match tonight.
Backstage
Candice LeRae warms up for her match.
Backstage
Shayna Baszler warms up with Jessamyn Duke and Marina Shafir.
Ring Area
On the stage surrounded by women, Velveteen Dream says the Velveteen Dream experience is the climax of life. Roderick Strong and his Undisputed Era buddies tried to steal the experience, but Dream has never had a problem taking on more than one man. Dream challenges Strong for another match.
Video
A recap of Lio Rush returning to NXT and earning a Cruiserweight Title match against Drew Gulak.
Match 2
Io Shirai vs Mia Yim
(referee: Drake Wuertz)
Result: Io Shirai wins via pinfall with a diving moonsault
Time: 8:42 (2 breaks)
Match Thoughts
Good match. Shirai started strong, but after a while she seemed to take Yim too lightly. Tim came back with some good offense in the middle of the match, then it went back and forth for a while. Shirai seemed to be more in-control throughout the match. Shirai looked better tonight, and this was a solid match overall.
Ring Area
Scott Hall and Kevin Nash are in the crowd.
Outside the Venue
The Street Profits and Bianca Belair arrive at Full Sail.
Video
A look at Tegan Knox, her injury, and the work she put in to come back to the ring.
Match 3
Johnny Gargano vs Shane Thorne
(referee: Jessika Carr)
Result: Johnny Gargano wins via pinfall after a superkick
Time: 5:43 (1 break)
Match Thoughts
This was a nice return to action for Gargano. I don’t anyone expected Thorne to win, but Thorne did put up much more of a fight than I expected. Thorne’s fight helped Gargano do what he does best, which is to come from behind and win despite the odds (though it never REALLY felt like Gargano was in trouble).
Match 4
NXT Women’s Title Match
Candice LeRae vs Shayna Baszler (NXT Women’s Champ)
(referee: Drake Wuertz)
Result: Shayna Baszler wins via submission with the Kirifuda Clutch
Time: 8:32 (2 breaks)
Match Thoughts
Very good match. Baszler didn’t take LeRae seriously at all at the start of the match, and that allowed LeRae to get in some early offense. Baszler would go on to dominate LeRae on the mat, but LeRae found many opportunities to hit dives and other high-impact moves. Those move from LeRae also came with substantial risk, and Baszler found ways to capitalize on the risks LeRae was taking. I really enjoyed how the match flowed and how both women were trying to figure out the best way to attack their opponent. The finish was also particularly well done.
Ring Area
Stephanie McMahon, Alundra Blayze, and Mark Henry are in the crowd.
Video
A look at Imperium’s invasion of NXT, and of KUSHIDA standing up to the invaders.
Match 5
Pete Dunne vs Danny Burch
(referee: Jessika Carr)
Result: Pete Dunne wins via pinfall after the Bitter End
Time: 4:31 (1 break)
Match Thoughts
Good match. It was short, but Dunne and Burch tried to beat each other up, so it was fun.
Ring Area
After the match, Damian Priest attacks Pete Dunne…
Backstage
Cathy Kelley congratulates Adam Cole on using his cast to retain his title. Cole says his cast is medically required. As Cole speaks, the rest of Undisputed Era walks up. They’re angry about Finn Balor showing up, but Cole is more concerned with making sure Fish and O’Reilly retain their tag titles tonight.
Video
A look at how the Undisputed Era fulfilled their prophecy of gold, and how the Street Profits plan to take back the tag titles.
Match 6
NXT Tag Team Title Match
Street Profits w/ Wale vs Bobby Fish & Kyle O’Reilly (NXT Tag Champs)
(referee: DA Brewer)
Result: Kyle O’Reilly pins Montez Ford after the High/Low
Time: 13:49 (2 breaks)
Match Thoughts
Very good match. This match built up in intensity throughout, and though there were some shenanigans right at the end, it was mostly an evenly fought match. Ford got isolated for a very long time by Fish and O’Reilly’s superb teamwork, but once Dawkins tagged in, the match opened up considerably. This was a great main event for a highly entertaining show.
Ring Area
After the match, Adam Cole comes out to the stage. Cole holds up his title while O’Reilly, Fish, and Strong hold up theirs. Cole’s smile quickly fades as Tommaso Ciampa walks out and stares at Goldie.
Show Impressions
This was a great show. It was stacked with three title matches as well as three other fun matches. The action almost never stopped, and it was all entertaining. The only thing I didn’t like was Damian Priest attacking Pete Dunne. I’m not looking forward to anything coming from that, but everything else was very good tonight.
I don’t think it’s any surprise that NXT put on such a stacked show since tonight was also the debut of AEW Dynamite at the same time on TNT. NXT had no commercial breaks during the first 30 minutes during the NXT Title match (to keep people from checking out what AEW had, which was a match between Cody and Sammy Geuvara). NXT also boasted “limited commercial interruptions” (again, to keep people from switching over, though I think they just added more breaks after the first 30 minutes). Also, NXT ran over their scheduled end time with the main event (to keep people away from the end of AEW which included a huge match and a debut, but also to cut into the replay of Dynamite that immediately followed the show).
I think it’s great WWE is doing all these things. Why? Because everyone who cares is going to be able to watch both shows anyway, so the clear competition is going to push both shows to put out an even better show every week. Right now, it feels like WWE is pushing harder while AEW is just going about thier business as usual. We’ll see what happens when the newness of AEW wears off and both shows are on a more level playing field.
Match of the Night
Matt Riddle vs Adam Cole
This was a great title match and a testament to how great of a champ Adam Cole is. Riddle is more than worthy of the title, but this incredibly tough and mostly fair defense for Cole was probably needed since it seems he is going to have his fair share of credible challengers in the near future. Cole could be carrying the NXT Title into the toughest era ever for the NXT Champ.
Official Results: https://www.wwe.com/shows/wwenxt/2019-10-02