WWE NXT 5/18/2021

WWE NXT 5/18/2021

Last week's show is here: https://prowresblog.blogspot.com/2021/05/wwe-nxt-5112021.html 

Toni Storm vs Zoey Stark

Zoey dropkicks Toni out early then plancha's her. Zoey is on the apron and is pulled down landing hard on her butt. She is then thrown into the steps and Toni butt bumps her into there. TOn then vertical suplexes her for 2. Toni stretches her over her knee.

Zoey comes back with an enzugiri and we go to break. It's picture-in-picture and Zoey takes a hard fall out and they do a strike exchange as we return. Zoey superkicks her and sliding lariats her for 2. Zoey half-nelson suplexes her for 2. Toni hits a tiger driver for 2. Toni then wins it with a nasty over the back driver.

This wasn't too bad but the commercial really came at the wrong time and hurt this.

The lights go out after and Franky Monet comes out. She plays with her dog and that's it.

Santos Escobar isn't here as LdF are interviewed. Wilde and his partner are waiting for their shot against MSK. Ciampa and Thatcher then come in. They said they haven't beat them or MSK and challenge them for tonight. TT says something in bad spanish and Ciampa translates it as "challenge accepted" for tonight.

We see clips of Cameron Grimes' arriving. He tries to pay off Jake Atlas to park his car but Jake says the spot is reserved for Ted Dibiase. He then throws money at him.

LaRae and Indi are at a health spa. Indi says she gets tired of Lumis always popping up and staring at him and calls him a loser. It's revealed that Lumis is the one massaging her then leaves.

We get a segment with Karrion Kross and Finn Balor reviewing their last match. Pat MCAfee and Paul Heyman give their take. Paul says Roman Reigns is going to be watching and says it is too close to call.

Jake Atlas vs Cameron Grimes

Grimes tells them to cut his music. He calls for Ted Dibiase and shows a video package of him on the monitor. We see clips of Ted getting beaten up by various people and getting hit with slop. Grimes laughs at him and a Dibiase chant breaks out.

Jake ducks a lariat and Grimes does a funny sell on a dropkick. We immediately go to break. Back from break and Jake is in control. Jake hits a bunch of kicks and hurricanrana's him off the 2nd rope. They trade strikes with Grimes hitting a lot of kicks. Jake slaps him and we see Dibiase arrive in a limo in the back. Jake pump knee's him then spinning clotheslines him for 2.

Grimes does his standing counter spanish fly then Dibiase's music hits. He arrives on the camp then Jake rolls him up for the win. Dibiase laughs and leaves. Grimes goes after him and tries to open his limo. Ted then rides off.

It was cool to see Ted but I was expecting a little more than what we got. The match wasn't anything too special but Grimes' dropkick sell was like a fish out of water.

Bronson Reed says it is 14 years after his first match. He says this is the biggest match of his life.

Pete dunne is interviewed. He said he doesn't care if he doesn't gert the respect he deserves. He said he has never had a bad match and says everyone who wrestles him leaves the ring different. The interviewer says he wrestles like a UFC fighter and that couldn't be much futher from the truth. Dunne says it's time to go after the NXT title after conquering the UK.

Alexander Wolfe with Imperium vs Killian Dain with Drake Maverick

We see Wolfe getting cleared to wrestle from earlier today. Wolfe has a pretty bad look right now that just doesn't fit the character at all. Wolfe slaps Dain in the back of the head and gets punched. Wolfe then face kicks him. Dain hits some big euro uppercuts and corner splashes him. Aichner gets on the apron and Drake tries to stop him but Dain has to do it. Wolfe then german's Dain.

A chair gets thrown in and the ref tries to toss it. Wolfe picks it up and gets peared for the Dain win in a very quick match. Wolfe tries to do the Imperium pose but gets beaten up by Barthel and Aichner. He then takes a powerbomb + euro uppercut combo.

RG and Dakota Kai get interviewed. Kai says they want the NXT tag titles again. Ever-Rise comes in. RG asks who they are then someone puts their sign over the monitor with the NXT image. Martel asks if RG wants to take a swing at him and she slaps him and knocks him down. Parker calls it a sucker punch.

Legado del Fantasma (Joaquin Wilde and Raul Mendoza) vs Tomasso Ciampa and Timothy Thatcher

TT throws his jacket at Wilde during his entrance. Wilde gets thrown into the boards early then TT cravate's him. Raul takes a big boot from Ciampa. Raul gets his nose busted open then hits some hard chest kicks on TT.

We go to break and return with Ciampa hitting lariats on both LDF members. He then double lariats them but they come back and split his legs, then double dropkick him. We see Raul getting cleaned up during the break. Raul tries to spear Ciampa in the corner but goes into the post hard and goes outside. TT gets in and belly to belly's him and Wilde. Raul and Ciampa go at it and Raul shining wizard's him.

Raul hiptosses Wilde into the ropes for a splash on Ciampa. A little later Wilde flip dives onto TT but when he goes back in, he gets caught with a draping ddt over the ropes. The Grizzled Young Vets come out and hit their finisher on Ciampa on the apron. LdF then does an enzugiri/russian leg sweep combo for the win.

Bobby Fish gets interviewed. He says Dunne and Lorcan put him out at Wargames and says they have a debt to be paid. Fish says that Dunne brags about nobody wanting a match with him, but he does. He says Dunne started it and he wants to finish it.

We come back from break and Indi and LaRae are at the health spa. LaRae's credit card fails as there is an unpaid expense. I'ts supposedly a bill from a florist. Indi finds out that the flowers that were given a few weeks ago were supposed to be for her. She then yells "he still love sme" and the segment ends. Beth calls Dexter and Indi "Index".

Johnny and Theory do a promo. Johnny says he stops the unstoppable and beats the unbeatable. He says he is untouchable and will show Bronson why.

Aliyah with Robert Stone and Jessi Kamea vs Sarray

Sarray wants a handshake but Aliyah cheapshots her and pounds on her. Sarray hits an armdrag on her from the ropes and dropkicks her. Kamea trips Sarray and throws her by her hair. They trade forearms and Sarray spin kicks her then slow german suplexes her. Sarray dropkicks her form the top then dropkicks her through the ropes. She hits a very stiff exploder suplex and wins it in a quick one.

Ember and Shotzi do a promo. They say this is far from over with The Way and told RG and Kai not to forget about them. They are working on the tank and said they will TCB. Shotzi then howls. I thought this was decent.

We get a Diamond Mine promo with someone doing some MMA training. They will be debuting soon.

Tony Nese and Ariya Daivari vs Hit Row - Top Dolla and Ashante "Thee" Adonis

This is Top Dolla's debut. Nese gets flapjacked then is thrown across the ring by TD. TD slams both opponents at the same time then Ariya flurries on Adonis. Adonis hits a high dropkick. Adonis superkicks Nese then TD hits Ariya with a fireman's carry into a neckbreaker for the quick win. Top Dollar had a good debut here hitting some big man moves.

Hit Row talks after. They do some rhyming lines. Scott says he doesn't care who wins, but he wants whoever wins the Gargano/Reed cage match tonight.

Regal is interviewed in the back. He says LdF are the #1 Contenders for the tag titles and will face MSK in 2 weeks. Regal says he is bringing in new cruiserweights and announces Shotzi/Ember vs Kai/Raquel next week.

We get a quick package for Franky Monet. She debuts next week and Dibiase/Grimes have a million dollar faceoff. Kross and Finn also meet for the NXT Title.

WWE NXT North American Title - Steel Cage - Johnny Gargano (c) vs Bronson Reed

Johnny tries to hold his title in Reed's face but is pushed back. Johnny rushes for the door and gets stopped. Johnny tries to leapfrog Reed but is just swatted down. Johnny is then thrown into the cage. Reed presses Johnny and his face against the cage and tries to splash him against the cage, but johnny moves.

Johnny tries his slingshot spear but is caught and ddt'd. Johnny chopblocks Reed then moonsaults him from the top rope. Johnny then takes a big samoan drop. Reed tries to climb out but Theory interrupts him and Reed gets crotched.

We go to picture in picture break with Johnny in control. Johnny presses Reed's head against the cage. Back from break and Johnny dropkicks Reed's head in the cage and Theory bounces into the cage from the outside. Reed gets a powerslam in and catapults Johnny into the cage. Reed then samoan drops Johnny from the 2nd rope.

Reed tries to climb out but Johnny stops him and bangs his head off the cage. Johnny then sunset bombs him from the top rope. Theory tries to pull Johnny out but Reed pulls onto Johnny's leg then butt drops him. Thepory holds the door closed on Reed then is knocked off. Reed takes a superkick but comes back wit ha nice punch. He tried to powerbomb Johnny but Johnny jumps up to the top rope and poisonrana's him. Reed tries to go through the door but Theory slams the door on him.

Johnny then DDT's Reed when he jumps from the top. Reed is on the 2nd rope and Johnny tries to climb the cage over top of him but is powerbombed from almost the top of the cage. Reed has to fight off Theory and Johnny on the top and knocks both down. Reed splashes Johnny from the top twice and wins it.

Reed gets sparklers after.

They did too much which Gargano is a master at and the selling wasn't quite there. Johnny did tons of stuff from the top and it just didn't mean that much. Theory getting involved was a good way to cover Reed likely being able to get out easy. 

Overall thoughts: Pretty much the usual NXT show with a bunch of passable to decent matches and not a whole lot going on otherwise. Dibiase and Grimes' thing was the only real disappointment of the night.