We open to shots of the YES!ing crowd from a new camera angle. The crowd are told to welcome JR who's going to be on commentary tonight. Only Regal seems to be out there which is a good thing for the commentary tonight. Wasting no time Dalton's music hits before JR's even sat down. He's accompanied to the ring by Jason Jordan for out opening tag match against Kruger (in some new ring gear) and Brad Maddox.
Tag Team Match: Mike Dalton and Jason Jordan vs Leo Kruger and Brad Maddox
Kruger and Jordan start us off, which is a good thing for him and us because Kruger is will probably do a better job of making him look good than Maddox could. Jordan wrenches the arm and quickly tags out to Dalton who continues on that limb. Another quick tag to Jordan. One more quick tag to Dalton. Kruger tries to escape, taking Dalotnto the ground. Rollthrough by Dalton gets Kruger into a grounded hammerlock. Ktuger though makes it back to his corner, hits some elbows and tags out after a cheap shot by Maddox. Russian Legsweep floated over into a cover gets one. With Dalton on his back Maddox lays some very unconvincing strikes to Dalton (go watch Brock Lesnar and see how it's done, kid) until he's forced off by the ref. Kruger back in and headbuts Dalton's [s]lower back[/s] kidneys followed up with his trademark snap suplex which gets two. Choke on the second rope gets broken up on 4, and Maddox sneaks in a kick to the head while the ref's talking to Leo.
Maddox back in and grabs a rear chinlock to a seated Dalton. The "Blonde Stallion" fights to his feet and trades blows with Maddox, and seemingly gets the best of it hitting an enzuigiri to allow him to get the hot tag. Clotheslines to both heels. Gourdbuster to Maddox, followed up with a [s]running[/s] walking blockbuster. Pin broken up by Kruger at two, but gets taken out by Dalton afterwards. The newbie looks at the action as it unfolds, allowing Maddox to hit a twisting jumping complete shot for the win.
Winners: Brad Maddox and Leo Kruger via pinfall Certainly not bad. Slow at times, especially when Maddox was in the ring and Jordan is just not good at this stage (though he's thankfully absent for most of the match). He's athletic, you can tell, but he has no clue how to use that effectively and just seems awkward because of it. Maddox too isn't great in the ring but justifies his existence with his charisma and punchability. The match would have been stronger if it was a singles match without Jordan or Maddox but even so this was fine. Good commentary too. C
In a nice touch, Kruger continues to sell the arm on his way backstage while Regal and Ross talk up Maddox's guile. Divas triple threat's up next.
Raquel is coming out first, odd considering she's the champ. She also gets no reaction but c'mon it's a divas match at the third episode of the taping. What do you expect? Before getting into the ring she makes sure to admire her reflection in the belt (I like that, it's those kind of things that get over her vain glory obsessed gimmick). Regal talks about his long history with Raquel and how he likes the changes she's made to be a wonderful diva. Audrey comes next. Nothing out of her except poses and short short. Paige (accompanied by Sofia Cortez who makes sure to mouth off to the camera. Again, smart work) and her incredibly undiva like theme rounds out the trio. The two make a slightly gimmicked entrance to the ring. and the match can get underway.
Triple threat Divas match: Raquel Diaz vs Audrey Marie vs Paige
Cagey start from all three, and Raquel pretty much runs out of the ring leaving Paige and Audrey to start out. Kick to the midsection drops Audrey to her knees, but stopping to scream rather then maintain the attack allows Audrey to get up and grab the arm to apply a hammerlock. She switches to a headlock. Pushed off by the Brit she bounces off the rope, and reverses an attempted back body drop into a sunset flip which is broken up by Diaz. Odd double headlock spot (Raquel headlocks Audrey but then gets headlocked by Paige) gets broken by elbows from the headlocked parties. Paige dropped with a clothesline by Audrey who takes a weak and poorly done hiptoss from Raquel. Elbowdrop from paige (and another scream) that gets a rise out of the dead crowd. The heels work together to beat on Audrey. Regal and Ross talk about Klondike Kate training Paige as a double team spot backfires, causing Diaz to eat a knee and a drop from apron to the ground. Rollup by Audrey gets two. Hard Irish whip by Paige sends Audrey to her ass in the corner (another scream gets another reaction from the audience). Stomps in the corner get broken up by Raquel asking what the fuck happened (Paige tells her to back off) Paige ducks a clothesline by Audrey but Raquel doesn't. Pin's broken up by the Brit. Audrey's sent shoulder first into the ringpost and after a "don't push me" battle Raquel hits the Gory bomb. Sofia who was on the apron distracting the ref (for some reason) eventually hops down as the move hits. Pin broken up by Audrey. Paige goes over to the ropes and speaks to Sofia while Raquel goes for the three amigos. After the second Paige pins her before she can roll to her feet. That was a pretty darn good finish. Another scream to celebrate gets another solid (for a diva) reaction. Sofia gives her fellow anti-diva a hug.
Winner: Paige via pinfall Another solid match and Paige was really good here. The action wasn't much to speak of, but it's three divas with only one having more than 18 months experience but it was solid. Paige was the star of the show though, as she was actually able to get reactions in the ring which none of the others could. B (for a diva's match)
Next up is the half hour FCW 15 match. I'll be honest, I liked the FCW half hour multifall match much better the first time at the tail end of 2009. Regal and Ross talk up the main event followed by an awesome video package that hypes up the ME.
Cesaro's out first to his warlike music (definitely better than his WWE Chelsea Dagger knockoff) and in something I really like he times his footsteps and artillery taunt to his music. Richie's got some new attire and now likes to climb the set on his way to the ring. Old school introductions eats up more time of the broadcast as we get ready to get underway. A few boos for Richie when he's announced.
30 minute match for the FCW 15 championship: Antonio Cesaro vs Richie Steamboat (c)
Richie comes out the blocks fast, going for two pins in the first 15 seconds but barely gets 1 counts for both. Cesaro immediately slows down and rubs the ropes in the corner. Steamboat continues his offense with a springboard armdrag sending Cesaro across the ring. Hasn't done for quite a while always nice to see. Monkey flip gets two and he grabs an armbar, evidently deciding that making Cesaro fly isn't going to work. Richie keeps trying to work the arm, but Cesaro finds his way to the corners to force a break or fight out. The commentators talk up Cesaro's as an oldschool "catcher", spending time in the Swiss Special Forces and (in a shoutout to a Smackdown that hasn't taken place at the time of filming) on the Swiss Rugby team. Another failed pin and Cesaro gets Steamboat to the corner and lays on some chops. Steamboat reverses the situation though. Out of the corner Rishie whips Antonio before armdragging and barring him. Cesaro wrestles his way out and Richie into an overhead wristlock. Rishie reverses into a writslock and flips Cesaro to his back to relieve the pressure, before dropping the leg on the limb. We're 4 minutes in and this has been non stop action so far. Another cover gets 1. Back to their feet and Cesaro lays on some stiff strikes to Richie in the corner but eventually gets hiptossed for his troubles. More armwork from Steamboat doesn't get him a fall. Cesaro goes for a rollup, but Steamboat Rolls through getting the first fall.
Richie Steamboat 1 - Antonio Cesaro 0
Cesaro is sent to the outside, and Steamboat imediately goes for a slingshot plancha. Back into the ring Steamboat maintains his dominance, using his speed to prevent Cesaro from strining more than a couple of moves together. Cesaro tries using his size to his advantage, but it's not working well with Steamboat reversing a hiptoss into a backslide for a nearfall after some hard strikes in the corner. Hard forearm to the kidnesy of a rebounding Steamboat followed by a back suplex gets two as we head to a break.
Ans we're back at the 18:20 mark, during the break Cesaro got a fall which we are shown. It was after a sick boot to the head of Richie draped over the top rope. He tries to kick out but to no avail
Richie Steamboat 1 - Antonio Cesaro 1
Richie hits a suplex and both men sell fatigue. Richie goes for a pin. The two trade shots with Steamboat getting the best of it. However, Cesaro sends Richie for a big fall out of the corner slamming into the steel steps as he plummets. Cesaro retrieves him, which Regal criticises. Pin gets two. Floatover gets another two. Cesaro stays in control, working over Steamboat with slightly odd holds. Gutwrench suplex gets two.
Steamboat fights his way out of a modified abdominal stretch, hitting a back suplex to buy him some time. Steamboat runs into a pair of elbow strikes from Cesaro who goes for a pin with his feet on the ropes. Doesn't work though. Cesaro maintains his advantage until a double leg takedown and mounted strikes by Steamboat turns the tables. Both men throw clotheslines, but only Richie hits the decks which was only good for a nearfall for Cesaro. More punishing holds from Cesaro, until Richie gets his second wind. Richie hits some stikes and heads to the top. Cross body off the top, but Cesaro rolls through and gets the three count with a handful of tights.
Richie Steamboat 1 - Antonio Cesaro 2
Steamboat picks up the pace again and counters an attempted back suplex by landing on his feet. However a running crossbody attempt fails as we head to a break. We're back at 8:15 mark with Richie in a hold from Cesaro. He fights to his feet and escapes the Gotch Style Neutraliser with a back body drop. Two European uppercuts get nearfalls for Cesaro as Richie seems to have no answers. Scratch that, third European uppercut countered into a backslide for two. A running uppercut gets no answer though. However, Steamboat's able to roll him up with an inside cradle to level things up.
Richie Steamboat 2 - Antonio Cesaro 2
Cesaro immediately goes on an offensive flurry, but Steamboat's stepping it up as well. Steamboat goes up top again, this time for an axehandle/chop which gets a nearfall. Wraparound clothesline gets two. Neckbreaker countered, strike from Cesaro dodged, dropkick by Steamboat connects. Nearfall. Cesaro eats a pair of boots from Richie in the corner. He goes up top. Moonsault misses, Gotch Style Neutraliser... NEARFALL! Looks to go for the Riccola bomb but can't get him up. Steamboat missed the superkick and takes a hard lariat for another nearfall. Cesaro gets a trio of rolling gutwrench suplexes for a nearfall. Riccola bomb countered into a sunset flip for two. Savate kick gets tyhree with five seconds remaining. The match is elementary after that.
Richie Steamboat wins 3-2 to retain the FCW Jack Brisco 15 championship Good match here. No missteps and highlighted by damn fine commentary (which was constant throughout the night). Just watch it. B
Recommended Viewing:
The entire episode honsetly. None of the matches are bad and the commentary was just great all night. There's nothing great tonight (The FCW 15 match is good though) but there's nothing you'll regret watching.
I'll second Kotre's sentiments on both the episode and particularly the Steamboat/Cesaro match. It has been a great series all around, and I loved that they are the first two to be a part of the innovation of "20/30 Minute" Jack Brisco 15 matches. It felt right, and it was probably the final big test for Antonio to bring him up if he passed(Which in my eyes, and obviously the WWE's eyes since he's already on Smackdown, he passed with flying colors). It's also nice to see that he hasn't abandoned the Ricola Bomb, and is in fact his last ditch, all-or-nothing finisher. It's great to see his signature moves as not only recognizable techniques, but also a hierarchy of increasingly devastating moves that can each finish an opponent depending on the night and the quality of said opponent(The Super European Uppercut, Gotch Pancake Piledriver, then the Ricola Bomb). You don't see that with too many performers today. Their finishes tend to be one-trick ponies, with a few having a submission as an extra finisher(which Antonio has as well, so he's STILL raising the bar).
I sincerely hope WWE don't force him to trim out any of his move-set, because none of it is "too indie" for them to have a right to complain, and it's a part of the complete, near-perfect package Claudtonio has to offer.
Also, Steamboat continues to improve almost drastically. The first few times I watched him wrestle, I could not care one bit for him, but soon after his angle with Husky, he seemed to learn something, and while he may not have strong mic skills, his ring skills click now, and his work as the JB15 Champ has been phenomenal. I see him as being the next guy being able to pull off the Stoic warrior who may not have a great way with words, but his presence and revered power in the ring will carry him forward and allow him to click with the fans. He's much closer to ready than he was before, but I'd love to see him get at least two more months out as champ to put on some good feuds so he can grow comfortable with not only being quality, but keeping the quality up when he's put up against a lesser opponent. After that, I'm sure it won't be long before he's brought up to the main roster.
WWE NXT will be graduating to its own tapings, combined with WWE developmental Florida Championship Wrestling starting on Thursday 5/17 at 7 PM. The tapings will be held at Full Sail University in Winter Park, FL (near Orlando) at the Full Sail Live gym. Tickets for the tapings will be free to FSU staff and students with ID as long as they reserve the tickets in advance. No word yet as to how the general public can attend.
I am told one of the reasons the tapings, which will be branded as "WWE Superstar Showdown", are being moved are to make it easier to integrate WWE developmental talent into the mix for NXT. The hope is that the University feel will give the show a chance for better crowd reactions as well as help upgrade FCW TV to a "grander" look than the FCW Arena in Tampa can provide. The plan is to upgrade NXT and give it more attention as opposed to it being a secondary show on the Smackdown tapings.
HHH is behind the moves and will be very involved with the tapings. He was said to be a big fan of the facility when he and other company executives, including Kevin Dunn and Stephanie McMahon scouted last year.
This past December, WWE filmed several potential pilots at the facility and signed an exclusivity deal with the University to prevent any other wrestling-related events from being held there. Full Sail is an entertainment media university with state of the art production facilities.
Triple H is advertised for the initial taping, which will also feature Sheamus vs. Alberto Del Rio and R-Truth & Kofi Kingston vs. Epico & Primo.
Currently scheduled tapings:
May 17, 2012
June 14, 2012
July 5, 2012
July 19, 2012
August 9, 2012
August 23, 2012
September 6, 2012
September 20, 2012
This is an interesting and more than a little odd move. NXT was one of the few places talent was able to learn to work in front of a massive crowd and learn about life on the road in the big leagues before they came up to a show that people, ya know watch. It is unlikely to harm the talent who work NXT though. Everyone who has come up through FCW to date still lives in Florida, I believe and most of them do the odd FCW house show anyway.
For FCW this is a big step up from the FCW arena. Looks waaaay better and fits a lot more people in it. For normal things, like conferences and concerts it fits in around 1,500 but even taking int account things like the ring that will reduce the amount of people that can safely be fitted in, it'll easily be 1,000+. Also, WWE are employing FCW's trick of advertising WWE guys to draw the crowd, which is smart.
The way you worded the first post was just a little hard to follow.
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote
Originally Posted by PWInsider.com
Bookmarks