The NXT Report: May 11th, 2021.
Last week we saw championships change hands and tonight is no different as the Cruiserweight Championship is on the line as is the NXT Women’s title.
Austin Theory vs. Karrion Kross
After last week’s sneak attack Theory and Johnny Gargano look shook.
Kross early on takes Austin Theory to the woodshed. Any of Theory’s offense is null and void.
After landing a Saito Suplex Kross looked like he was gonna end it but Theory scrapes they eyes while the ref was distracted. This gives the underdog a leg up on the champ.
The ref ends the match after a couple of suplexes and a sleeper hold out Theory out.
Decent match. Did enough to put the psychology of the Gargano/Kross rivalry in perspective. Finn Bálor shows up to face up to the champ and demand a rematch. I give it a 3.2 out of five.
Tag Team Match: Breezango vs. MSK
The tag champs MSK go up against, holy shit! Tyler Breeze and Fandango are still with the company! Hey kids, remember when Fandango beat Chris Jericho at Wrestlemania?
Both teams are actually doing a good job working with each other. Even the ref was jumping around.
Despite a valiant effort by Breezango MSK pull it out and get the win. I’ll give it a 4.3 out of five. Great to see Tyler Breeze and Fandango doing some work.
Pete Dunn vs. Leon Ruff
Dunn cuts a promo about how pissed he is not getting a chance at the NXT Title and presents an open challenge.
Leon Ruff answers the call even though he isn’t medically cleared.
The beginning was a torture clinic as Dunn manipulates the joints of Ruff.
Leon stages a comeback with some middle drop kicks. As he attempts a springboard Dunn jabs Leon Ruff and puts him in a submission leading to the ref calling the match.
That’s the second match of the night to end on a ref stoppage. It was a good match even though it was short. I’ll give it a 3.89 out of five.
NXT Women’s Championship: Mercedes Martinez vs. Raquel González(c) w/Dakota Kai
González is from Texas, huh? May have to pull for the home state girl.
Right out the gate Martinez knocks the champ out of the ring and gives her the business against the sin bin.
NXT goes to a “picture in picture” commercial but the match isn’t showing. Instead I get mortgage commercials in Spanish. That’s some racist shit. Whateves.
These two are going at it and the rivalry between the two shines.
It was a critical beatdown with González retaining. I give the match 4.31 out of five. Both women left it on the floor.
Isaiah “Swerve” Scott Promo
Scott’s faction introduces themselves.
Oney Larkin vs. Kyle O’Reilly
A grappling/wrestling clinic between these two. So much heat between the two they almost cane to blows in the parking lot.
A mismash of rivalries collide leaving feuds unresolved. I give the match a 3.1 out of five.
Cruiserweight Championship Match, Two-out-of-Three Falls: Santos Escobar vs. Kushida(c)
All right guys, it’s the main event. Damn! MSK has taken out Legaco Del Fantasmo (sp?). Now it‘s a true one-on-one match.
-commercial break-
Has anyone ever thought Candice LeRae and actress Jennifer Morrison look alike?
Anyways, Santos is dominate in the beginning, despite the fast start by Kushida.
A few minutes into the match Escobar gets the first pin off the Japanese champion. But suddenly off an arm bar submission Kushida scores a pin of his own.
-another stupid PIP commercial-
We come back to programming and both wrestlers sports entertainers trade near-falls.
The crowd cheers, “this is awesome” and this main event is the last match for a reason.
Kushida gets Santos in a arm lock but the Mexican challenger is persistent and breaks the hold with a rope grab. The champ though gets the last pin to retain. I give the match a 4.5 out of five.
All images courtesy of WWE.
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