Original Airdate: Wednesday, January 21st, 2015
Full Sail University
Winter Park, Florida
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After a Sami Zayn/Adrian Neville highlight package, William Regal announces that the next NXT TakeOver will be February 11th. There will also be a tournament for the NXT Champion #1 contender.
Sami Zayn's music hits and he runs in the ring and attacks Tye Dillinger, who is supposed to be his opponent. This is as aggressive as he's ever been. He throws him out of the ring and grabs a mic to let us know he wants Kevin Owens. Out comes Regal and he tells Zayn to stop acting this way. Regal says that he hasn't earned the title shot yet. Zayn says to make it non-title, he just wants Owens. Regal announces that Zayn will face Owens at TakeOver.
We get an interview with Regal from during the break. Regal says that next week there will be a contract signing for the Zayn/Owens match.
NXT Championship #1 Contender Tournament First Round Match
Curtis Axel vs. Finn Balor
I think we know who is going to win this one. Graves hits a dropkick that sends Axel to the outside and nails him with a senton over the top rope. Axel does come back with a clothesline to the back of the head. After a short heat segment, Axel misses an elbow drop and Balor hits a Pele Kick. He hits the Slingblade before hitting the running dropkick in the corner. He heads up to the top rope and hits the Coup de Grace for the easy victory. This was the dominant match it should have been.
Match Rating: *1/4
We get a Sasha Banks promo with her claiming that Charlotte will have absolutely no one to help her tonight.
Bull Dempsey says that he let his opportunity against Corbin slip through his hands, but next week he will hear people chanting "Bull" after he beats Corbin.
NXT Women's Championship Match
Sasha Banks vs. Charlotte
These two go at it right away and they quickly are outside the ring. Becky tries to get involved, but Charlotte hits her with a clothesline. Charlotte goes back in the ring and continues working on Sasha. She hits her with a Lou Thesz press until Becky Lynch comes in and attacks Charlotte. The ref rings the bell and out comes Bayley to make the save. Bayley grabs the NXT Women's Championship belt and looks at it until Charlotte has to yank it from her. Bayley grabs her and gives her the Bayley To Belly suplex. Out comes William Regal and he announces that Charlotte will defend her title at TakeOver against Bayley, Becky Lynch and Sasha Banks. Sounds good to me. This was jsut an angle.
Match Rating: 1/2*
Kevin Owens is interviewed backstage, but says that if he has something to say to Sami Zayn that he'll say it to Sami next week at the contract signing.
Vaudevillains vs. Wesley Blake & Buddy Murphy
Murphy hits a nice leg lariat, but after that the Vaudevillains take command of the match. The announcers are playing up the Vaudevillains frustration and that there are no issues between the two. Blake gets a hot tag and it leads to a little bit of an awkward finish where Blake ducks through the ropes and Murphy hits him with a kick to the head for the victory. This was a little too short to be much, but they had to do something in the tag division.
Match Rating: *
Tyler Breeze says that it's only a matter of time before he wins the NXT Championship.
Blake and Murphy cut a promo of how they won that match fair and square. They want to challenge the Lucha Dragons next week.
NXT Championship #1 Contender Tournament First Round Match
Tyler Breeze vs. Hideo Itami
Breeze is impressive early on hitting Itami with a kick to the ribs outside the ring. He hits a neckbreaker for a 2 count and we head into a commercial break. Itami tries to make a comeback when we come back and hits Breeze with some clotheslines. He hits a top rope clothesline, but Breeze is able to kick out of the pin attempt. Itami runs into a boot by Breeze, but Itami fights hit way out of a piledriver attempt. Itami hits a snap suplex for another 2 count. Breeze is able to catch Itami with a Supermodel Kick, but this time Itami kicks out. Breeze hits a crucifix slam and gets a 2 count. Itami hulks up and hits a series of kicks. He hits the running dropkick in the corner and then a standing dropkick for the victory. This was a hard fought match between two good competitors.
Match Rating: ***
This was a good overall episode, as everything meant something. NXT always is at its strongest when they have a TakeOver to build to and this show was a good example. The Sami/Owens stuff continues to be good and considering they headlined WrestleMania 8 years after this, it's clear they were onto something.
Overall Rating: 68%
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