A video package opened the show, highlighting tonight’s NXT Women’s Championship match. This video made the match feel like a big deal.
PAIGE defeated EMMA to win the NXT Women’s Championship.
Contrasting chants to start things off, although it seemed like the crowd was more vocal for Emma. The match started a little slow, with them basically finding their rhythm in the ring, but after the commercial break, they hit it. Paige hits a Perfect Plex for two. Then stays on offense and locks on a modified Texas Cloverleaf, called the RamPaige, that actually looked really painful. Emma was able to fight back, and when Paige went to the top rope, Emma caught her and hit a big Superplex. She wasn’t able to capitalize, and Paige hits the Paige Turner for the win and the title. Divas came out to celebrate, including Rosa Mendes, Bayley, Charlotte, and Alicia Fox, but they were soon topped by Triple H, who came out to congratulate her personally. This match was, while probably a step below the Kim/Taryn matches in TNA, easily on par with some of the best WWE Divas matches of the last few years.
Antonio Cesaro and Zeb Coulter cut a promo on Sami Zayn, telling him that Zayn’s not his real name, referring to his past wearing a mask, and saying that people who wear masks sneak across the border, and they promised to look into his past and have him deported. I almost wonder if this is a way to bring El Generico into NXT, maybe after Zayn has to leave.
TYLER BREEZE defeated ANGELO DAWKINS.
Breeze is committing himself to the model character, and it’s working really well, including him taking selfies on the way to the ring and refusing to put the phone down because of it, until Dawkins jumped him from behind out of frustration. Breeze quickly took control with a lot of aggression, before going to check his phone again. Breeze finished him with a spinning heel kick. It was basically a squash, but Breeze will be a star.
Another Ascension promo played. Or maybe it’s the same one as next week. It was kind of bland, although in a sea of blue… that can only add so much. They’re up next.
THE ASCENSION defeated MICKEY KEEGAN and AIDEN ENGLISH.
The Ascension are a cool enough idea, but I feel like between the first incarnation and O’Brian’s singles push, like they’ve been trying to make it happen to no avail. It’s definitely a better thing to protect O’Brian, who has superstar size but not much else, in a tag team, and Victor’s good enough in the workhorse for the team role. They squash English with kind of a modified Total Elimination. I guess if you need a new heel team to push with the Wyatts moving on soon, they’re better than D-Squared.
SHEAMUS defeated LUKE HARPER.
This was basically a pier six brawl for ten minutes. Harper looked pretty good here, ducking a brogue kick and hitting a spinning clothesline for two, and overall showing that he could last with a WWE Main Eventer. Rowan would get involved occasionally, never to any real effect. But I’m sure you know how this goes.. White Noise, Brogue Kick, end of story. After the match, Bray pulled Harper out while cackling maniacally at the Celtic Warrior.
This was overall a really solid show. I’d have preferred to see the Women’s match get the main event spot, but you know how that goes.
