It’s NXT time as Enzo and Big Cass make their way to the ring, then call out the Lucha Dragons with a borderline racist gag about Auto insurance.
Match 1: Enzo Amore & Colin Cassidy vs The Lucha Dragons
Enzo starts out against Kalisto, locking up and hitting a series of reversals into a rollup from Amore into a one count. Another lockup leads to a Kalisto rollup and quick kickout from Enzo, who throws a few punches but gets caught with an armdrag.
Kalisto drags him to the corner and tags in Sin Cara, followed by a snapmare, double team kick and assisted senton. Sin Cara lays some punishment into Enzo with chops, but Amore reverses a suplex, grabs the mask and tags in Big Cass. Quick tags and some nice double team moves from the realest guys in the room until Sin Cara hits an enziguiri and makes the hot tag to Kalisto.
The little dragon flies around the ring, hitting a springboard cross body into a pin attempt on Amore. Tag back to Sin Cara and the crowd is chanting for Enzo, who gets beaten up for a while and then dropkicked out of the ring. Cass joins his partner outside and the Dragons hit a double suicide dive through the ropes, then roll Amore back into the ring.
Sin Cara hits the schoolboy powerbomb as Kalisto climbs to the top rope, but Cass takes him out with a big boot and drags Enzo back to the corner so he can make the tag. The crowd comes alive as Cass hits the ring and nails the East River Crossing on Kalisto, then tags in Enzo who climbs the turnbuckle for the assisted top rope splash and the three count.
Solid match from both teams, and Enzo and Cass are now the number one contenders for the NXT tag titles.
Alex Riley promo package, builing him up for his return match against CJ Parker. Apparently Riley wants to the WWE champion. Ho hum.
Kevin Owens package, and he is the future. Yes, that seems a little more realistic.
Match 2: Carmella vs Alexa Bliss
Bliss returns from a few months off for a broken nose, exchanging curtsies with Carmella before taking her down with a headlock. Break and another lockup sees a series of reversals leading to Bliss getting the upper hand. Nice flip from the top rope into a rollup combination, but Carmella hits a cheap shot and takes control.
Carmella lays in some shots on Bliss, including a decent dropkick and a leg scissor submission. Alexa eventually fights her way out but Carmella knees her in the head and goes for a pin. Kick out at two and Carmella smacks Bliss around a little more, hitting some elbows in the corner and kicks to the ribs.
Bliss finally catches a kick and counters with some hard punches to the face, then takes Carmella down with a leg sweep. Nice standing moonsault knee drop from Alexa, and I don’t think I’ve seen that move before. Carmella kicks out at two but Bliss is in control, climbing to the top rope and hitting the Sparkle Splash for the pin and the three count.
Another good match from the divas, with Carmella showing a few improvements and Bliss proving that a few months off hasn’t slowed her down.
Alex Riley promo. He’s angry, and he’s going to take it out on Kevin Owens. Yeah, let me know how that works out for you, champ.
Match 3: CJ Parker vs Alex Riley
The pseudo-hippy makes his way to the ring first, carrying a placard about taking over that makes absolutely no sense. Saving us from an interminable promo is Alex Riley, who is two hundred and fifty pounds of pure rage, apparently.
Lockup and headlock takedown from Parker, waving his dreadlocks in Riley’s face. Headlock stays locked in for a sizable chunk of time, until Riley uses his rage to fight his way to his feet. Irish whip goes badly for Riley as Parker hits a shoulderblock, but Riley manages a leapfrog followed by a dropkick taking his opponent down.
Parker takes over for a while with some sloppy looking offence and I lose interest until Riley hits a decent looking backdrop, a couple of hard clotheslines and a corner splash that got about three inches of air. Parker walks groggily out of the corner and Riley hits a swinging neckbreaker, then climbs to the top rope.
As Parker stumbles to his feet Riley hits a blockbuster, the move made famous by Buff Bagwell. Pin and a three count, but Riley’s celebration is interrupted by Kevin Owens, who comes out to taunt him.
The crowd chants for Riley and he starts to cry. Because that’s the best way to set up a credible challenger.
Match 4: Tyler Breeze vs Hideo Itami
It’s time for the main event as Breeze makes his way to the ring carrying his fluffy selfie-stick, which is not a phrase I often use. As Hideo makes his way to the ring I decide/finally realise that they around going with a video game/Scorpion from Mortal Kombat approach for his look and entrance.
The competitors face off in the centre of the ring but Breeze rolls to the outside rather than lock up. He stalls for time and then gets back into the ring, only to bail out again as Itami tries to engage. This classic heel move gets the crowd responding with some lacklustre boos, so Tyler heads back to the ring and finally gets on with it.
Breeze on the offensive as he forces Itami into the corner and hits some shoulder charges, followed by a hard right to the face. Irish whip into a rope running sequence that sees Breeze dodge two running kicks from Itami but eventually get taken down with a knee to the gut. To the outside again for Tyler, but Hideo follows and hits a big clothesline.
Back in the ring and Itami hits a running knee in the corner, followed by the swinging DDT over the top rope. Itami climbs to the top turnbuckle, but takes a little too long and Breeze hits the ropes, bringing him crashing down. Breeze lays in kicks in the corner, then breaks and comes back with a choke.
Snapmare and legdrop from Breeze into a cover, but Itami kicks out at two. Rear chinlock from Breeze and the crowd begins a duelling chant. Back from the break Breeze is in control but Itami reverses and hits a top rope clothesline. Two more regular clotheslines from Hideo and Breeze is struggling., teasing a reversal before getting taken out by a stiff discus clothesline from Itami. Pin and a long two count.
Standing series of reversals leads to Itami hitting a gut kick, but Breeze immediately responding with the supermodel kick for a two count. Both men are slow to their feet, but Tyler gets there first and tries to wrap Itami’s knees around the ring post. Hideo reverses, smashing Breeze face first into the post, then picks him up and rolls him back into the ring.
Front suplex onto the ropes from Itami, hanging Breeze over the top and then hitting a top rope double knee to the back of his head. Pin and a kick out at two as the crowd chants for the GTS. Strike and kick combination takes Breeze down, but Hideo misses the hesitation dropkick and Breeze takes advantage and hits the Beauty Shot out of nowhere.
Pin and a three count for the upset win. Very strong match from both competitors, with some vintage heel stalling from Breeze and another solid in-ring performance from Itami.
This episode was a solid improvement from last week, with only Riley vs Parker coming anywhere near stinking up the joint. And yes, that is a smelly hippie joke. I watched Inherent Vice over the weekend and it seemed cromulant.
