WWE NXT
Episode 495
#WWENXT
Original Air Date: March 6, 2019
Event Date: February 20, 2019
(available on the WWE Network)
City: Winter Park, FL
Venue: Full Sail University
Commentary: Mauro Ranallo, Nigel McGuinness, Percy Watson
Ring Announcer: Kayla Braxton
Video
Tonight is the start of this year’s Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic. The eight teams entered into the tournament each have some words.
Intro Video
“Resistance” by Powerflo
Match 1
Dusty Rhodes Tag Classic Quarter Final Match
Ricochet & Aleister Black vs Fabian Aichner & Marcel Barthel
(referee: Tom Castor)
Result: Aleister Black pins Fabian Aichner after Black Mass
Time: 8:19
Match Thoughts
Great match. Ricochet and Black were strong early in the match, but Barthel and Aichner’s teamwork helped them dominate large portions of the match as it went on. This was very fast paced, and there were a lot of high-flying, highly agile sequences from all four men. Barthel and Aichner are great, and I was probably pulling for them, but regardless of the outcome, the action was super fun.
Backstage
Moustache Mountain prepares for their match. The War Raiders walk up with their tag titles and stare at Bate and Seven.
Video
Earlier this week at the Performance Center, Drew Gulak and Danny Burch watched as Eric Bugenhagen and Keith Lee worked on some moves. Dominik Dijakovic walked up to the ring and called for Keith Lee to fight him. The two men were kept apart.
Match 2
Dusty Rhodes Tag Classic Quarter Final Match
Steve Cutler & Wesley Blake w/ Jaxson Ryker vs Danny Burch & Oney Lorcan
(referee: Eddie Orengo)
Result: Steve Cutler pins Oney Lorcan after a tandem diving stomp (Blake) and reverse DDT (Cutler)
Time: 8:23
Match Thoughts
Good match. Both teams looked good, though Burch and Lorcan seemed to have the advantage in aggression. Unfortunately, Lorcan developed some back problems partway through the match, and that derailed a lot of his team’s offense. Lorcan and Burch fought valiantly, but the Forgotten Sons took full advantage of Lorcan’s injury.
Ring Area
Velveteen Dream comes out and stands atop the announce table. Dream reminds everyone that his is our new NXT North American Champ. He has another reminder, but Matt Riddle interrupts as he comes out to the stage.
Riddle came out to say “hi” and to congratulate Dream on his title win. Riddle also wants a closer look at the North American Title. After seeing the title, Riddle wonders what it would look like around his own waist. Dream tells Riddle that he isn’t his bro. Also, the spotlight belongs to Dream.
Backstage
The Undisputed Era prepares for their match.
Video
Earlier this week, Io Shirai said that Biance Belair is good, but she hasn’t beaten Shayna Baszler. Io Shirai has beaten Baszler. Kairi Sane believes that Shirai can beat Belair.
Match 3
Dusty Rhodes Tag Classic Quarter Final Match
Street Profits vs Moustache Mountain
(referee: Jessika Carr)
Result: Trent Seven pins Angelo Dawkins after a tandem diving knee drop (Bate) and burning hammer (Seven)
Time: 7:24
Match Thoughts
Good match. I was pulling for the Street Profits, but it’s hard to pull against Moustache Mountain in any match. This was fun, and though the finish wasn’t pretty, it was effective.
Match 4
Dusty Rhodes Tag Classic Quarter Final Match
Bobby Fish & Kyle O’Reilly vs Johnny Gargano & Tommaso Ciampa (NXT Champ)
(referee: Darryl Sharma)
Result: Tommaso Ciampa pins Kyle O’Reilly after Meet in the Middle
Time: 14:04
Match Thoughts
Great match. Not that everyone wasn’t great in this match (because they were), but Kyle O’Reilly is just a treat to watch. This whole match was great from start to finish. I think it had the best build of the night. It started with some back and forth until Undisputed Era managed to isolate Gargano for a while. Then, as the match made its way to the final act, the fighting opened up and everyone started hitting big moves. UE had the best tag sequences in the match by far. Gargano and Ciampa were still largely doing their own thing, though they did work together in some very important moments. I wish both teams could have won.
Ring Area
After the match, the War Raiders come out to the stage. They hold up their tag titles as the winners of the previous match look up at them.
Show Impressions
Despite kind of wanting every match to go to the teams that lost, I am not disappointed with this show. It was great.
Match of the Night
Undisputed Era vs DIY
This was the best pure tag match of the night. Great teamwork, great action, and great stories. It all worked.
Official Results: https://www.wwe.com/shows/wwenxt/2019-03-06