WWE NXT 3/31/2021

WWE NXT 3/31/2021

Last week's show is here: https://prowresblog.blogspot.com/2021/03/wwe-nxt-3242021.html  

We get a long preview for NXT Takeover: Stand and Deliver

Roderick Strong vs Cameron Grimes

Strong is in non-Undisputed Era gear and is doing a good job of selling feeling weird without UE around. I think this is Grimes' first televised match since he got rich. Grimes did a promo during his entrance. He said he is still interested in buying Undisputed Era and has a new shirt that says "Grimes The System" instead of "Shock The System". He then did his own version of their tron and Strong jumps him whe nhe isn't looking.

Strong rides Grimes to start and takes control. Grimes comes back and grabs his eyes. They announce that Grimes will be in the gauntlet battle royal later so he is doing double duty. Strong hits some hard chops and clotheslines him out. Strong then dropkicks him through the ropes. Strong beats down Grimes on the outside and goes into the barricade. Grimes has control over the break and Strong charges off the ropes but gets a big forearm.

Strong hits a nice water wheel drops then uranage's Grimes over the knee. Strong superplexes him off the top for 2. Grimes tries to catch Strong with a flipping slam/spanish fly variat but lands on his head when he nails Strong. He pulls a UE armband out of his pants and Strong grabs it. Grimes then does an M. Bison stomp while Strong is distracted and wins it. It was an indy style match. They did some cool moves but it didn't mean that much. At least the finish played into the angle they are doing.
 
Karrion Kross does a promo. He said he is training to do maximum damage and is going back to basics. Kross said he will light him up with shots and cut the ring off.

We go to break and return. Walter says Ciampa was ruthless but wrestling isn't the most important part of his life anymore. He said Ciampa is a shadow of his former self. Walter said he respects his sport like nobody else and said he would prove that the ring is sacred.

They announce NXT's move to Tuesdays. I like it because these Wednesday reviews are too much for me and are something I dread each week. I think more people will watch and more people will talk about NXT which is good.

Santos Escobar does a promo in the ring with LdF. He said he is issuing an open challenge. He said the division was created for him and it is in his blood. Tyler Breeze comes down. He says Escobar is entitled and accepts the challenge.

Tyler Breeze vs Santos Escobar

Breeze is stomped on to start and comes back with a dropkick. Santos does a fancy roll out of the corner and eats another dropkick. Escobar hits our 4th dropkick of the match and is enzugiri'd soon after. Breeze bangs Escobar's leg off the post then nails the other LdF members.

We go to a break and return with Escobar back in control. He surfboards Breeze. Tyler gets a comeback after being beat down for a bit with a hurricanrana then some punches. Breeze goes back to working the knee. He traps Escobar's knee over the middle rope and steps on it. Breeze puts him in the sharpshooter but Escobar hits the ropes. Escobar then dropkicks him and cradle shocks him for the win. I wasn't that into this one. It went too long and they did more dropkicks here than in a joshi opener. Breeze is held up by LdF but MSK comes out to save him and clears them off.

The Grizzled Young Vets get on the tron. They said both teams are distracted but they will be the next tag champs.

Johnny Gargano is interviewed with The Way He isn't happy that he doesn't know his opponent for Takeover and theory brings up the fingerpoke of doom. Gargnao said if Theory wins, they can have him lay down for an easy win. LaRae said they would show moon and Shotzi what real champs look like. We cut away on accident and return for a second.

We see a video with a dog looking at the performance center.

We see an interview from last week with Io. She is asked if she bit off more than she can chew with Raquel Gonzalez and Io said that is why she picked her.

Candice LaRae and Indi Hartwell vs Gigi Dolin and Zayda Ramier

Gigi was in the Dusty Rhodes Classic. She kicks Indi in the back but gets thrown onto the buckle then sidewalk slammed. Zayda hits some superman punches on Indi and hits her with a hard enzugiri. Indi comes back with a spinebuster and LaRae knocks Dolin off the apron. LaRae curb stomps Zayda then Indi springboard elbows her for the win in a short and nothing squash.

LaRae grabs the mic after and said there isn't a woman who deserves to be champ more than her. She said they deserve to be NXT tag team champs. LaRae says she is coming for what's hers and it will be on their time and it will be done their way. Shotzi and Ember come out. They aren't happy that they heard Indi and LaRae say they deserve their titles. Shotzi said they will take care of business then Shotzi howls. Ember said they should knock some sense into them in the meantime and Shotzi hits Indi with their tank missile.

Zoey Stark is walking around in the back. Raquel Gonzalez is too and runs into Io. I have no idea what Io said but they start fighting and Io's head is banged off a box. The do then enters the performance center and Beth yells hilariously "What's with the dog?".

We get a commercial for a kung fu show which I honestly thought was a Xia Li promo. I dare anyone to tell me they didn't think the same thing.

Roddy Strong looks down and is going home. He said he is done and won't be in the battle royale. He says he is going home.

Zoey Stark vs Raquel Gonzalez

Zoey running hurricanrana's Raquel early and dropkicks RG in the corner. Zoey gets dropped on her stomach and RG drops some elbows. RG charges in the corner and ends up taking a kick and goes over the top. Zoey then plancha's her but gets caught. She puts RG into the post and Kai takes a shot on her then is lariated over the rails.

Zoey does a nice sliding knee then comes off the top with a nice twisting blockbuster. RG comes back with her chokeslam and wins it in a decent short match.

Io comes down after RG and dropkicks her out. Io then gets thrown into the barricade.

We see the dog run up the steps and over a field that says "We are NXT".

Kushida gets interviewed and Pete Dunne interrupts. Dunne said he doesn't like Kushida saying he is the best technical wrestler because Dunne is. Ksuhida says something that I couldn't understand about the battle royale tonight.

They do a package on the O'Reilly vs Cole feud. They say they have known each other for over a decade and have always been attached. We hear their multiple snippets from their contract signing audio from last week over some video. Their unsanctioned match is Thursday 3/8.

Kacy Catanzaro and Kayden Carter vs Xia Li

I figured Kacy would be out longer. It looks like this is a handicap match. Xia gets trapped in the corner and beat up on early and Kacy hits a flipping leg drop on her back. Outside and Kacy goes into the apron and the barricade. Kacy does a neat spin into a codebreaker.

Kacy goes to confront Tian Sha but is grabbed by the throat. Tian spits some smoke into her face and she drops over. Xia hits a jumping knee on Kacy and her spin kick for the win. I did not miss this angle and I wish they would have just moved on from it. This match solely existed for the angle at the end.

Raquel gets interviewed and Io jumps on her back. Io gets thrown into the wall and breakd through it, which just happens to be a blocked off window. You could tell this was edited as the pieces of the window cover were neatly put on the side.

We see the dog again a message syas "See you April, 13th, Franky". This is thought to be Taya Valkyrie.

We get a promo for Pretty Deadly vs Jordan and Williams tomorrow.

Ciamp does a promo. He said his wife and kid gave him a necklace. He said it reminds him of his journey. He said some people think he has went downhill but he's going to remind people what he can do against Walter. He said he's going to chop Walter's head off. He said he has changed. He said he'd rather be a man that fights for something than a man with nothing to lose. He says if Walter wants to know if the psycho killer still lives, he will show him and take his title. This was a good promo.

Finn Balor does a video. He said he has been expecting Kross for a long time. Finn says he doesn't get tired and the longer this goes, the deeper Kross drowns. He said he will retain the title at Takeover.

Vic Joseph and Wade Barrett get in the ring.

Gauntlet Eliminator Qualifier Battle Royale - Last 6 Advance

Isaiah "Swerve" Scott gets nailed by Leon Ruff during entrance. Ruff gets thrown into the barricades and kicks Scott. Scott gets lariated over the top and almost escapes the ring area to evade his dive. We go to break.

We return from break and everyone is in the ring with Dunne ready to enter. Malcoln Bivens gets involved and Jake Atlas goes out first. tyler Rust then gets thrown out overhead of Scott. Lumix stares at everyoner from the corner. Theory hangs onto the bottom rope and Bronson Reed hip attacks him out. Theory's feet doesn't touch but he says he has got it and then kips up to eliminate himself like a moron. Kushida handspring double back elbows Scott and LA Knight.

Dunne stomps on Ruff's arm and he trades shots with Kushida.  Kushida cartwheels out of a triangle then tries to hammerlock Dunne but both go over the top. Kushida then keeps the hammerlock on as we are now down to final 6.

We go to picture-in-picture break and the battle royale continues. We come back from break with no one being eliminated. Scott and Ruff are up top and Reed puts both of them on his shoulders and throws both off. Scott gets thrown right on Reed. The order of elimination now determines the entrance position for the gauntlet next week.

Grimes, Knight and Lumis eliminate Bronson Reed together and Knight mocks Reed. Grimes offers money for both guys to lose. They both nail Grimes and make his money fly. Then they eliminate him.

LA Knight and Dexter Lumis are the last two remaining. Knight takes a hard fall through the middle rope - but it's the middle rope. Lumis is on the apron and he pulls him down to win. LA Knight wins the battle royale.

Knight goes up to Gargano and says he wants the North American Title. They talk then Io Shirai comes out. Io yells in Japanese, Raquel comes out and they fight. The women and the refs try to break it up and can't somehow. Io dropkicks RG off the apron and takes some shots at the girls trying to break the fight up. Io then springboard crossbodies RG and the other girls. She then poses and yells over top of them to end the show.

Overall thoughts: This wasn't a great episode. None of the matches were that interesting but they did advance some feuds here. The battle royale rules were too complicated and I don't know why we need the gauntlet when Knight just beat everyone in a battle royale.