Monday, August 17, 2020

NXT 8-14-13 Review

Original Airdate: Wednesday, August 14th, 2013
Full Sail University
Winter Park, Florida

Follow me on Twitter: @WorkTheNetwork2

"My name is Paul Heyman." I certainly did not expect to hear those words on NXT. He says that it is time for him to start scouting the next Paul Heyman guy. He says that not only is there not only the next Paul Heyman guy, but somewhere back there is the next Brock Lesnar. He also says that there is someone who is the next Intercontinental Champion, Curtis Axel. The weird thing about only watching NXT from this year is that I completely forget what storylines are going on over on Raw and SmackDown. Paul says that Curtis is not defending his title tonight, which of course leads to Big E Langston coming out. He wants a shot at the Intercontinental Championship and Axel agrees. He just means not tonight. Big E of course bullies his way into it and I guess we're getting a match.

Intercontinental Championship Match
Curtis Axel vs. Big E Langston

Just a quick reminder that the white Intercontinental Championship is the best looking belt of all time. Axel comes out firing away, but Big E hits a belly-to-belly suplex and then clotheslines him over the top rope into the commercial break. When we come back, Big E has Axel in a headlock. Big E follows up with five right hands to the gut. After some heel tactics, Axel hits a big clothesline to the back of Big E. Axel hits a standing dropkick and I have to say that Axel looks really motivated here. More so than he ever did in NXT. Big E makes his comeback with a trio of clotheslines and five knees. The straps are now off and Heyman comes from behind and tries to attack Big E. The ref calls for the bell. Big E turns his attention to Paul and Axel attacks Big E from behind. Axel goes to hit Big E with the title belt, but Big E ducks and hits the Big Ending. He then counts to 5 for the live crowd, but obviously Axel is still your champion. They were actually having a nice match until the abrupt finish. 

Match Rating: ** (out of 5)

Renee Young is backstage with Sami Zayn. Zayn says that he is not ashamed of who he is and that he's still waiting for his rematch. He wants a 2 out of 3 falls match with Cesaro. 

Mason Ryan vs. Scott Dawson

Ryan immediately hits a series of clotheslines on Dawson and then out come Enzo and Cass. This allows Dawson to hit a chop block on Ryan. It doesn't last, as Ryan hits a big boot and then hits whatever his finisher is and gets the victory. He then knocks Enzo and Cassidy out of the ring. He takes Dawson and throws him on top of both of them. It's funny that the only guy who never got over is the guy that buried three people in about two minutes here.

Match Rating: 1/4*

NXT Women's Championship Match
Paige vs. Summer Rae

Summer hits a crossbody, but Paige pulls down Summer by her hair and throws her across the ring by her hair. That's a pretty heel move right off the bat. Summer catches Paige's boot and slams her face-first. Paige drives Summer into the corner and hits some elbows. Paige catches Summer's boot and gives her a taste of her own medicine. That would have worked better had it happened earlier in a lengthy match rather than about 60 seconds later. Paige hits the Paige Turner and the victory. The NXT Women's Championship continues to get very little time. This was pretty good for a three minute match, but every match just feels like an extended squash.

Match Rating: 3/4*

AJ Lee is now with Renee. AJ will be defending her Divas Championship, but she doesn't want to know who it is. In walks Bayley, who gives her a hug. Bayley pretty much admits she was stalking her and then asks if she could face her next week and AJ agrees. Bayley then says that she doesn't get why people think AJ is crazy, because she thinks she's awesome. Bayley wants to be friends with AJ after she beats her next week and gives her a hug. 

Dolph Ziggler will also be on NXT next week. 

During the commercial break, Emma came in and attacked Summer Rae. 

The Shield vs. Corey Graves, Adrian Neville & Xavier Woods

Here's to hoping that we see a good effort here. Graves hits a nice counter of a Rollins hip toss into a hip toss of his own and then tags in Neville. Neville hits two low dropkicks and tags in Woods. It seems like the crowd isn't sure who they want to cheer for here. Rollins tries to make a comeback, but Graves leg whips Rollins off the second rope. In come Woods and Neville and they hit dual somersaults over the top rope to take out the Shield as we head into the commercial break. Graves gets some stiff offense in on Ambrose and then puts him in Lucky 13 until Reigns breaks it up. Reigns hits a nice variation of a powerslam and gets a nearfall on Graves. The Shield now isolate Graves in their corner. Graves avoids a charging Reigns and finally tags in Neville. Neville speeds up the pace and hits a big kick to the head of Ambrose. Neville goes for the Red Arrow, but Ambrose gets the knees up. He is able to tag in Woods and he gets some time to shine. He hits his somersault clothesline and almost gets the victory until Reigns again makes the save. Reigns has Neville up for a powerbomb, but Neville counters it with a hurricanrana to the outside. Ambrose then suplexes Graves over the top rope as well. Woods avoids a leaping Rollins and sets him up on the top turnbuckle. Rollins counters it and Reigns makes a blind tag. Rollins hits a buckle bomb, which leads to a Reigns spear and that is all for Woods. Those last few minutes were very good. It's fun to remember how good the Shield really were.

Match Rating: ***1/4

Renee Young is now with Cesaro, who says that he is the boss of the world. He accepts Zayn's challenge, who then comes in and attacks Cesaro to end the show. 

This was a very entertaining episode of NXT. Everything had a purpose and most of the action was good. This is the power of a one hour show. 

Overall Rating: 70%

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