NXT 6-5-13 Review

Original Airdate: Wednesday, June 5th, 2013
Full Sail University
Winter Park, Florida

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Jim Ross is here and he first introduces Bo Dallas, followed by Big E Langston. The crowd is chanting "No more Bo". Bo is upset with how Big E looked at him as a joke. Bo says that he doesn't want the championship, he needs it. Big E calls him a geek who lives at home with his mom. We get a 5 chant and that's about it. This was about as uneventful of a contract signing that I can remember.

Renee Young is with Corey Graves. He said he understands how the Wyatt's work. As for his partner tonight, Kassius Ohno, he has never cared for him but he will do what he has to do to take down the Wyatts.

NXT Women's Championship Tournament First Round Match
Tamina vs. Paige

It's crazy that seven years later Tamina is challenging for a women's title and Paige is retired. Tamina dominates to start. She argues with the ref and Paige tries to roll her up, but Tamina just falls instead. Tamina hits an elbow and then a knee drop, but Paige kicks out at 1. Tamina hits a superkick and then drags Paige to the corner. Paige gets the knees up on the splash and Paige rolls her up for the victory. This was not a good match at all.

Match Rating: 1/4* (out of 5)

Renee Young is now with Kassius Ohno. He gives pretty much the same interview that Graves gave, playing up that he and Graves aren't friends.

We get a Leo Kruger vignette. Really?

Colin Cassady vs. Mason Ryan

It's Big Cass's debut. Cassady gets a little offense in, but Ryan no sells it and hits his standard power wrestler offense. He hits his Torture Rack slam and gets the victory. Ryan just never put it all together.

Match Rating: 1/4*

Renee is working overtime today. She is now with Sami Zayn. He talks about beating Antonio Cesaro, who then walks in. Cesaro calls it a cheap win and says he is ticked off. Zayn accepts a rematch and asks Cesaro where he got his man purse from. Cesaro slaps him and they begin to brawl.

Alex Riley vs. Conor O'Brian

Man, they're bringing out all the big guns today. Tamina, Mason Ryan and now Alex Riley. O'Brian starts the match standing in a pose for some reason. He runs Riley over and then tosses him around. Riley hits a top rope clothesline for a 1 count. O'Brian hits a clothesline in the corner and hits a flapjack. He puts him in his new submission finisher and that's all. Another squash match tonight. As he walks up the ramp, Viktor is there to meet him.

Match Rating: 1/4*

NXT Tag Team Championship Match
Kassius Ohno & Corey Graves vs. The Wyatt Family

Ohno and Rowan start things off. They go back and forth a little until Graves and Harper end up tagging in. Harper catches Graves and sets him on the rop rope, but Graves goes for a sunset flip. Harper counters that, but then Graves gets a roll up from behind. Graves hits a nice hip toss and tags in Ohno, who hits an ax handle to Harper's arm. The Wyatt's are in control after the commercial break. Ohno hits a tag to Graves and he clips Rowan's leg. This is the most motivated I have seen Graves. Harper gets in a cheap shot on Graves in the apron, but he kicks out at 2. Graves counters a suplex into a small package for a 2 count. He counters a powerbomb into a back body drop and tags in Ohno. Ohno hits a flurry of offense and gets a 2 count out of a senton. Bray Wyatt comes up and distracts Ohno, but he still hits a spinning headbutt on Harper. Graves clotheslines Rowan over the top, but Bray comes in and hits Ohno in the back of the head. Graves takes out Bray, but Harper gets the pin on Ohno. Ohno and Graves both looked really good here. Unfortunately, the Wyatt's are still kind of working like early 90s Undertaker, even though Harper is capable of so much more than that. This was an acceptable TV main event, particularly by 2013 NXT standards.

Match Rating: **1/2

The first half hour of this show was an absolute chore to get through. I suppose if you enjoy any of the performers in the first three matches, your mileage may vary a little, but none of them were even good matches by squash standards. The tag team match is a decent little match, but not enough to make up for the rest of the show.

Overall Rating: 41%