NXT Recap: May 6 2015

NXT steams toward their latest live special of Takeover: Unstoppable, although their plans hit a road bump on the recent episode of RAW. Whilst Sami Zayn’s appearance on the show in front of his hometown crowd of Montreal was an incredible moment in the history of the brand, it came with the price of an unfortunate shoulder injury that might keep him out of his main event NXT Championship match with Kevin Owens.

However, this could create an opening for one of the men in the Triple Threat Number One Contender’s match to get their shot at the gold earlier than expected. Two of the three participants square off in the main event of the evening, with Hideo Itami battling Tyler Breeze. And Finn Balor would be scouting his upcoming opposition from ringside.

As for the rest of the card, Sasha Banks and Becky Lynch conduct a contract signing for their title match at Takeover, whilst Charlotte takes on Emma in the opening contest. Also, Rhyno dukes it out with Bull Dempsey, an intended tag team match is derailed before it even begins, and a new signing is on his way to NXT.

Quick Results

• Charlotte defeats Emma
• Rhyno defeats Bull Dempsey
• Enzo Amore & Colin Cassady vs Scott Dawson & Dash Wilder never took place
• Hideo Itami defeats Tyler Breeze

Charlotte vs Emma

The night’s opening contest pits Charlotte against Emma. The Aussie has been more heavily focused on Bayley in recent weeks, and was adorning her T-Shirt throughout the match. After costing the huggable babyface in her defeat last week to Dana Brooke, Emma would be hoping her contest with the former NXT Women’s Champion goes more smoothly. But, when you step into the ring with the genetically superior Charlotte, that is a difficult prospect to overcome.

Highlights

Emma showing a new degree of aggression, smashing the ankle of Charlotte and pushing the referee aside to continue the assault

Emma’s half-crab on Charlotte appears to bend her in two

Charlotte consistently selling the damage to her leg throughout the contest

Crowd Reaction

“Let’s go Charlotte! Woo!” – mixing their love of the Nature Girl and her legendary father Ric Flair

“Better than Rae” – perhaps an indication that these two women are regarded as more talented than Summer Rae

Low points

It was pretty short, but the course the match took made up for that

Finish

Charlotte capitalizes on Emma’s slow movement after a jackknife cover to hit Natural Selection and win. After the match, Bayley came out, at first hugging Emma, before landing the Bayley-to-Belly and beating up the Aussie until being dragged off by Charlotte.

This was a decent match, and clearly demonstrated that Emma has the ability to carry a match as the heel aggressor. Her focused attack on the leg of Charlotte was an excellent story to follow throughout, and despite its brevity produced an enjoyable contest. The presence of Bayley after the match extends the rivalry with Emma, and shows that the women of that brand are entrusted in getting fans invested in them.

Rating – 2.5/5

Rhyno vs Bull Dempsey

In a match between two bruising heavyweights, Rhyno and Bull Demspey would not be an encounter filled with chain wrestling and acrobatic reversals. This was sure to be a brawl, with the Man Beast desperate to build momentum before tangling with Baron Corbin at Takeover: Unstoppable. The eerie Corbin is very familiar to Dempsey, so should prove a fitting taster for Rhyno.

Highlights

Hard to come up with in a match this short and unconsequential

Crowd Reaction

“Rhyno’s gonna kill you” – if this bout goes like the rest of his matches in NXT, then they are pretty accurate

Low points

Very short, and not much happening – Dempsey’s career looks dead in the water

Finish

Rhyno quickly Gores Dempsey into a crushing defeat

A squash match, much like what Baron Corbin has produced o a regular basis, and Rhyno has been following in the same vein. It was not interesting or particularly necessary beyond that point, and it just served to indicate that Bull Dempsey’s time in NXT is getting shorter in a hurry. It will be interesting to see how the two powerhouses of Corbin and Rhyno mix at Takeover.

Rating – 1.5/5

Enzo Amore & Colin Cassady vs Scott Dawson & Dash Wilder

This match was scheduled to be a tag team encounter for Enzo Amore & Colin Cassady in preparation for their NXT Tag Team Championship match at Takeover. It would also be a real opportunity for the relatively new pairing of Scott Dawson & Dash Wilder an opportunity to get noticed in NXT. It might not have been a five-star classic, but might have been a solid showcase of both tandems’ talents, and considering the popularity of Amore and Cass, at least would have given the fans something to cheer along to.

However, this match would not take place, as a backstage assault by tag team champions Blake & Murphy curtailed their challengers’ approach to the ring. Although it robs Dawson and Wilder of their chance to compete, it is a superb tactic to push real heat onto the champs. They robbed the audience of their chance to hang on every word of Enzo Amore and Big Cass, and for that they will endure a significant amount of hate come Takeover.

Sasha Banks/Becky Lynch Contract Signing

Only in NXT would you witness two significant Diva segments in one evening, and that trust and value placed on their female wrestlers has paid off in a huge way. At Takeover: Unstoppable, Becky Lynch will look to ride the wave of momentum she is currently enjoying into a first NXT Women’s Championship when she challenges Sasha Banks. Banks was initially the one that lit a fire under Lynch and convinced her to show more aggression to get noticed. Now the Irishwoman has risen through the ranks, and the Boss might become the victim of her own handiwork.

With General Manager William Regal overseeing, Lynch talked passionately about how every mistake she has made in the past has been worth it just to make it to this title shot. She gets in Banks’ face, stating that her goal is not only to make up the numbers in NXT, but take over. Banks does not retort immediately, but gets out her own stamp to sign the contract, rather than use the pen as the crowd chants “Like a Boss” in unison.

Banks shoves the contract in the face of Lynch, exploiting the chance to take a swing at her challenger. Tossing her over the table, the champ adds insult to injury by standing on Lynch’s head pressed down against the table, while she hoists her title into the air. Banks doesn’t look to be through when she throws the table aside, but that momentary lapse allows Lynch to turn the tables. She locks in her Fujiwara armbar, forcing Banks to tap out to the pain before the referees finally pull the redhead away. This title match just became an explosive encounter in the making.

Hideo Itami vs Tyler Breeze

With the NXT Championship seemingly to be defended by Kevin Owens against Sami Zayn at Takeover, the next challenger for the title is still to be determined. Whoever emerges from that confrontation with the belt however will not get much of a reprieve, as three hungry challengers will be waiting in the wings to be the next to take a crack at the gold. Two of those participants lock horns in the main event of the evening, as the renewal of the Hideo Itami and Tyler Breeze rivalry takes place, with Finn Balor watching from the wings.

Highlights

Breeze baiting the referee and Itami by spending the early moments outside, before catching the Japanese star with a kick to the gut

Brilliant by Itami feigning a knee drop, but just jumping over Breeze and sweeping his face with the sole of his boot

Excellent double swinging neckbreaker by Breeze

Itami hits Balor accidentally with a running boot after Breeze dodges

Crowd Reaction

Fans finding both superstars easy to cheer for, but the clear favorite is Itami

Finn Balor getting a nice ovation whenever the action moves in his vicinity

“Breeze is Gorgeous” “No he’s not”

Low points

A very good match between these two was always the likely outcome

Finish

Itami ducks the Beauty Shot, and secures the victory after a Shotgun Kick. Breeze attacks him after the bell, only for Balor to come to his aid. The Irishman seems conflicted as to whether he should help Itami up after thatinadvertant boot earlier, but is then superkicked by Breeze, before Itami is floored by the Beauty Shot.

If this were a precursor of things to come for Takeover, it would be a very exciting prospect. However, unfortunate news regarding a serious injury to Hideo Itami has derailed the plans for the Triple Threat match, as he will be out for up to eight months. That sucks for him as he finally appeared to have settled into the American style, and looked to be the ideal next contender for the NXT Championship. Still, this will leave a fond memory of him until his return, and show that when he comes back he can tangle with the best of them.

Rating – 3.5/5