May 10, 2017
Episode 391
(taped April 19, 2017)
#WWENXT
City: Winter Park, FL
Venue: Full Sail University
Commentary: Tom Phillips, Nigel McGuinness, Percy Watson
Ring Announcer: Mike Rome
Video
Tonight, Hideo Itami faces Roderick Strong to determine the number one contender for Bobby Roode’s NXT Title at Takeover: Chicago.
Intro Video
“Rage” by CFO$
Match 1
Aleister Black vs Cezar Bononi
(referee: Darryl Sharma)
Result: Aleister Black wins via pinfall after Black Mass
Time: 1:30
Match Thoughts
This was a little more interesting than a lot of Black’s previous squashes, but it was still a pretty straightforward way to build him up. Bononi got some quick offense, and Black had to show some defense in order to make a quick comeback. The Black Mass kick looked really good as usual.
Backstage
At the WWE Performance Center, Ember Moon talks about the injury that will keep her out of Takeover: Chicago.
Video
A promo package or the number one contender for the UK Title, “The Bruiserweight” Pete Dunne.
Video
A video package answering the question, “who is Ruby Riot?” She talks about her tattoos and how they define her.
Backstage
Earlier today, an attempt was made to have a sit-down interview with Nikki Cross. It didn’t go well.
Backstage
Kayla Braxton asks Drew McIntyre about the number one contender match tonight. He’s disappointed he’s not in it, but he’s learned that he has to create his own chances. Wesley Blake interrupts the interview and tells Drew to leave. Blake is the one who leaves in this segment though.
Video
The Velveteen Dream is coming.
Ring Area
In the ring, Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa say that they have never had a fair, one-on-one rematch for the NXT Tag Titles. They should get one at Takeover: Chicago. The line for an NXT Title shot starts behind DIY.
Tino Sabbatelli and Riddick Moss come out and head to the ring. They say the line starts behind them. DIY tells Moss and Sabbatelli that they just crossed the line. DIY attacks which apparently leads to a match.
Match 2
#DIY vs Riddick Moss & Tino Sabbatelli
(referee: Darryl Sharma)
Result: Tommaso Ciampa pins Riddick Moss after a Meeting in the Middle
Time: 5:04
Match Thoughts
Pretty good match. Moss and Sabbatelli started strong by isolating Ciampa for a long while. Gargano eventually got the tag and turned things around with a small explosion of offense. A solid match. I liked that Moss and Sabbatelli were given the chance to make an impact as well.
Ring Area
After the match, William Regal comes out to the stage and says that only one team deserves to challenge to the NXT Tag Titles. Before Regal can name the team, the Authors of Pain and Paul Ellering come out. Ellering says that if Regal put DIY in a title match, their blood will be on his hands. Regal does it anyway, and he also says that the titles will be defended in a ladder match.
Backstage
Kayla Braxton asks Kassius Ohno where he goes from here after failing to capture the NXT Title. Ohno says that he might have fallen, but he just has to get back up and work his way to another title shot. Andrade Almas interrupts, so Ohno challenges him to a match next week. Almas accepts.
Video
A promo package for the current UK Champ Tyler Bate.
Backstage
Christy St. Cloud asks Roderick Strong about his mindset going into his number one contender match. He says this is what he came to NXT for. His music starts and Roddy heads to the ring.
Christy then asks Hideo Itami what he thinks about Strong. Itami respects Strong, but tonight he will go to sleep. Itami then heads to the ring himself.
Match 3
NXT Title Number One Contender Match
Roderick Strong vs Hideo Itami
(referee: Drake Wuertz)
Result: Hideo Itami wins via pinfall after GTS and will face Bobby Roode for the NXT Title at Takeover: Chicago
Time: 15:48 (2 breaks)
Match Thoughts
Great match. This was quite a hard-hitting affair and helped both Itami and Strong look extremely good. I think they both needed a match like this. This match had a great build to it, starting with some pretty even grappling and working up to some fairly even strikes and power moves. The finish was interesting and not exactly what I would have expected, but I think it says a lot about the character they are building for Roderick Strong.
Show Impressions
It felt little bit like the first half of the show was just biding its time until the main event, but that really gave the main event an important feeling. And even with that impression, there were still good things in the first half of the show. I like the announcement of a ladder match for the tag titles, and video packages for Nikki Cross and Ruby Riot helped flesh out their characters a little (Riot more than Cross).
Match of the Night
Roderick Strong vs Hideo Itami
Easily the best match of the night, and one of the better NXT matches lately.