Original Airdate: Wednesday, April 24th, 2013
Full Sail University
Winter Park, Florida
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Dusty Rhodes presents the first NXT Clash Of Champions.
United States Championship Match
Antonio Cesaro vs. Adrian Neville
Apparently Cesaro lost the title on April 15th on Raw to Kofi Kingston, so they scroll at the bottom that this match is taped. Before the match, Cesaro says that he is the longest reigning champion and he plans on being the champion for a long, long time. This may be my most anticipated NXT match out of all of the shows I have reviewed. Cesaro starts in control, but Neville quickly recovers and hits some of his fast paced offense. However, Cesaro catches him and drops him on the top turnbuckle. Cesaro after the break hits a stomp and gets a 2 count. Despite being the United States Champion, Cesaro did not have a match at WrestleMania. This was before the 8 hour WrestleMania's we've all grown to roll our eyes at. Cesaro catches Neville in midair and hits a backbreaker. Neville ducks a charging Cesaro and he ends up over the top rope. Neville then hits a springboard moonsault with some serious height. Back in the ring, Neville hits a springboard dropkick and a standing Shooting Star Press for a 2 count. Neville then counters a pop up powerbomb with a hurricanrana that looked like Cesaro landed right on his neck. Neville kicks Cesaro in the head and hits a moonsault DDT for another close call. Neville goes up top, but Cesaro hits the ropes and hits a European uppercut. Cesaro hits the Neutralizer and gets the victory. It never quite got to these guys top gear, but this was easily one of the best matches in NXT's short history.
Match Rating: ***1/4 (out of 5)
Diva's Championship Match
AJ Lee vs. Kaitlyn
It's kind of weird because AJ is a heel here and with Big E Langston on the main roster, who is a babyface NXT Champion here. AJ avoids Kaitlyn and she hits here shoulder on the ring post. AJ works on the shoulder, but Kaitlyn starts to fire back. We get a sloppy spot where it looked like Kaitlyn was going to roll through and pick AJ up, but she struggles and improvises. Kaitlyn ends up running through the ropes and for some reason AJ lets her crawl back in. AJ hits an enzuigiri and gets a 2 count. She loses it on Kaitlyn, but then Kaitlyn hits a Spear and that's all. That wasn't very good.
Match Rating: 1/4*
Chris Jericho is here and hypes up NXT. He says that William Regal has given him permission to face anyone he wants next week. In walks Bray Wyatt and he cuts one of his Jake Roberts promos. Jericho tells him to never interrupt him again and that he chooses him as his opponent next week. Jericho says that if he loses, he will join the Wyatt Family.
NXT Championship Match
Big E Langston vs. Brad Maddox
Brad Maddox comes out to no music and introduces himself. I'm thinking this will be a quick one. Big E steamrolls Maddox and then hits the Big Ending. That's it and he of course wants the 5 count. The ref then explains to him that the match is over at 3. Big E hits another Big Ending and then counts to 5, even though it looks like his shoulders were up. Maddox rolls out of the ring, but Big E goes out and puts him back in. Big E hits another one and gets another 5 count.
Match Rating: 1/4*
They show a clip of Bo Dallas eliminating Wade Barrett at the Royal Rumble. Bo Dallas then defeated Barret the next night on Raw. Bo Dallas is backstage and says tonight is all about the Bo Barrage.
Intercontinental Championship Match
Bo Dallas vs. Wade Barrett
I miss Barrett. Bo gets a few quick pinfall attempts and Barrett rolls under the ropes to take a breather. There's a pretty vocal group in the audience booing Bo here tonight. Barrett hits a flurry of elbows and follows up with a boot to the face of a seated Bo Dalls. Bo gets in a little bit of offense in, but Barrett quickly ends that with a boot to the face. Barrett hits a high knee to Dallas who was draped on the top rope. Dallas is doing a nice job of selling here tonight. Barrett hits some more knees and then kicks him out of the ring. Dallas gets another quick flurry, but Barrett tosses Dallas across the ring and then hits Winds Of Change for a 2 count. Barrett misses with the Bull Hammer and Bo hits his spinning bulldog for a nearfall. Barrett goes for Wasteland, but Dallas gets out. He goes off the top rope, but Barrett hits the Bull Hammer and gets the victory. That was a really solid match, as they seem to have good chemistry with one another.
Match Rating: **3/4
Well, this is definitely one of the best episodes of NXT to this point. We got two good matches, which is about all you can really ask for on a 50 minute show. NXT has been gaining a little bit of momentum as they head into the summer and hopefully it will keep up.
Overall Rating: 66%
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