Yes, ladies and gents, we’re rolling into the post-‘Mania season and into our first NXT Redemption episode of said season. Let’s get into it, shall we?
Theme music, crowd shots, and we’re in the middle of the ring with Stryker, Maryse, and the rookies.
1. Darren Young
2. Titus O’Neil
3. Jacob Novak
4. Byron Saxton
5. Lucky Cannon
6. Conor O’Brian
We’re introduced to a challenge immediately, and it’s trivia. Byron Saxton (my favored pick) wins his first challenge. Hooray!
Commercial.
We get a promo for Tough Enough, which was actually a pretty well produced show. I seriously recommend you check it.
Conor O’Brian vs. Jacob Novak
We start with, you guessed it, a lock up, which Novak wins. O’Brian gets a takedown and locks in a hammerlock. This leads to an armdrag takedown and another armlock into a nearfall. O’Brian gets launched into the ropes, but hits a shoulderblock. O’Brian goes into a reverse headlock on Novak, whips Novak into the corner, but eats a boot running to him. Novak tosses O’Brian hard into the corner and continues stomping a mudhole in him. Hmm, more Tough Enough promotion. Novak pulls O’Brian into the middle of the ring, hits an elbow, and gets a nearfall. Novka follows this with a rope-assisted choke. He hits a neckbreaker for a nearfall. Novak then rolls into a hinlock. I’m rather impressed with Goldilocks (Novak). He’s gotten better through the weeks. A reverse chinlock by Novak is reversed by O’Brian into a a back body drop. O’Brian hits European uppercuts, but then, gets caught with a boot. Novak attempts a running boot, but O’Brian runs out of the way and Novak hits the corner, allowing O’Brian to get the roll-up and the pin.
Winner: Conor O’Brian via pinfall
This match proves that all these kids need to get better is more time in the ring.
Backstage antics with Lucky Cannon, Yoshi Tatsu, and Maryse. Tatsu asks Maryse out, which Ted DiBiase answers in a rather physical way. Not sure if this is the best way to support Japan right now, Vince.
Commercial.
Hall of Fame recap. This was a good class, to say the least. I mean, Armstrong, Duggan, the Road Warriors, Sunny, Michaels? And less we forget, the highlight, Drew Carey.
Backstage segment between JTG and Kozlov, arguing about which of their rookies is better. Entertaiiiiining.
Commercial.
We get an ad for Big Show’s DVD. Well, this will remain on my Netflix queue unwatched for an unknown amount of time.
Titus O’Neil/Hornswoggle vs. Darren Young/Chavo Guerrero
The rookies start it off, and Young gets a headlock on O’Neil. O’Neil fights back and hits a clothesline. Young tags in Chavo, and he gets O’Neil into the corner, attempts to run into O’Neil, but eats an elbow. He fights back with a dropkick, which leads O’Neil to tag in…..the fucking midget. Hornswoggle wants Young in the ring, so Chavo tags him in. Young mocks the fucking midget by falling to his knees and the two play a game of mercy. ‘Swoggle kicks Young, then kicks Chavo before tagging in O’Neil. Titus hits a few clotheslines and hits a powerslam. Chavo makes a blind tag as Young fights back with a clothesline. Chavo goes to the top rope, but gets his ankle bitten by the fucking midget. Chavo tags in Young as Chavo is distracted by the fucking midget. Young walks into a Sky High by O’Neil and that’s all she wrote.
Winner: Titus O’Neil/Hornswoggle via pinfall
Decent entertainment match, while I would have liked to see more of the rookies battle it out. This season has had much better matches, and with ‘Mania over, the focus on said matches will make for a better show.
Commercial.
We get a recap of last night’s “epic†confrontation between Cena and the Great One. An interesting thing, this pre-year booking. It will make Cena’s character development something to keep an eye on. Read more about my predictions on the coming year on this week’s “Kue’s Kornerâ€.
Ted DiBiase vs. Yoshi Tatsu
Not gonna lie, I do like DiBiase’s ring work. I’m not expecting the quality of his NXT match with Bryan in this one, but with Tatsu, you can bet it’ll be a good one to watch.
DiBiase starts dominating, punching and kicking Tatsu into the corner. Tatsus fights back with slaps to the chest and a spinning heel kick. Tatsu’s got DiBiase in the corner, hitting a few slaps to the chest Tatsu whips DiBiase to the other corner, runs at him, but eats a boot. DiBiase goes to the top and hits a double foot stomp on Tatsu before laying into him with kicks and knees. He hits a hard whip on Tatsu to the corner before slamming his head into the post. DiBiase goes for a foot choke, which leads to more stomps and punches. I feel a “from out of nowhere†victory coming in favor of Tatsu. DiBiase doesn’t let up in the corner on Tatsu, which leads the ref to DQ him. Well, that was anticlimactic.
Winner: Yoshi Tatsu via DQ
Maryse gets on the mic and demands Ted stop the Tatsu abuse. Ted comes out to Maryse and gives her an ultimatum. NXT or Ted. And she’s got a week. A jobber or a show full of potential future jobbers? Tough one, girl.
Curtain call.
