- WWE NXT! I'm actually looking forward to this.
- 8 WWE Pros and 8 WWE "Rookies"...people assume its going to be a quasi reality show, but truthfully, no one knows for sure what we're getting. Here is the "Cast"
Daniel Bryan and The Miz - This is the huge selling point. Daniel Bryan is Bryan Danielson, internet sensation who has been proclaimed the best wrestler in the world. He's been wrestling at least 5 years longer than The Miz. The Internet suffered a minor explosion at this announcement.
Darren Young and CM Punk - Young looks like a black John Cena. Rumor has it he's a bit of a partier, so there's a good chance that will be brought up to conflict with Punk's Straight Edge lifestyle.
David Otunga and R-Truth - Otunga is engaged to former American Idol contestant Jennifer Hudson.
Heath Slater and Christian - Slater calls himself "The One Man Rock Band" and reminds me a bit of Christian back in his long hair days.
Justin Gabriel and Matt Hardy
Michael Tarver and Carlito - Tarver claims he can knock any man out in under 2 seconds.
Skip Sheffield and William Regal - Sheffield is a former Tough Enough contestant known as Ryan Reeves. Regal is unadulterated awesome.
Wade Barrett and Chris Jericho - Jericho is not only awesome, but the new World Champion as well.
- NXT opener showcases the cast and pairings. We begin with a backstage shot of the Rookies...The Miz! The Miz is all over Daniel Bryan, talking about him being an "internet darling". Telling Bryan to go to the ring, introduce himself and that he better have a catchphrase...and that he can use Miz' music! Most of these guys look like they're having a hard time keeping a straight face, including Bryan. Jim Cornette would slap somebody.
- Miz' music hits! Miz is bagging on Bryan's personality...saying he will slap some personality into Bruan if he doesn't show some on his own.
- Michael Cole? Ew. Please tell me he's at least got Matt Striker. Really?? Cole and Matthews?
- STRIKER is the host! AWESOME. Thank God.
- Savannah - who is naked in a new movie - introduces Bryan. Bryan is stumbling over his words. He's apologizing to his fans for being paired with The Miz. He pretty much is dry as toast. Crowd doesn't sound impressed. Miz here to interrupt just before the segment died.
- I wonder if Vince called the audible on this. Thing is...this alone could get Bryan over.
- "I'll submit you right now."?
- Nice! He's bagging on Miz's reality show past and fauxhawk.
- "You tap, or you snap."
- He sounds awkward, but he's slowly winning the crowd over. Miz being here is going to be HUGE for him.
- SLAP! Miz bails, leaving Bryan stewing in the ring.
- Bryan says he will slap Miz back, someday.
- Well, Miz is WAY more comfortable on the mic. Thing is, Bryan didn't sound any worse than Heath Slater or Michael Tarver sounded last night on Raw.
- Striker backstage with Bryan. Bryan says he slaps a lot harder than The Miz. Bryan points out that he's been in wrestling twice as long as The Miz, Striker points out that he's not been in WWE. Daniel Bryan vs Chris Jericho tonight?
- Carlito brings out Michael Tarver.
- We get a video package for Tarver, focusing on his ability to knock out any man in 1.9 seconds. He looks like Ernest Miller in this package, wearing a lopsided hat. He's really comfortable in this package. Intercut with clips of Tarver from FCW. This will be a tag team match, apparently.
CARLITO & MICHAEL TARVER vs CHRISTIAN & HEATH SLATER
- Oh, we're getting the Heath Slater package now. "A Rock Star without the instruments". Sounds a little too southern for the WWE. Talking about people who told him he couldn't make it. Weird camera angle. Carlito wants Slater in the ring. Quick roll up by Slater! Carlito cheap shot. Beating Slater down, and tag to Tarver. How comes Slater's not been knocked out yet? Springboard out of the corner by Slayer! Nice! The camera work is distracting. Tarver is choking Slater in the ropes and Carlito kicks his head off. Ref out of position for the cover. Christian wants in. Crowd is dead. Carlito doing most of the work on Slater. Tarver back in, pummeling Slater. Camel clutch variation. Slater fighting up...but knocked back down. Slater powerslam! Something felt off about that. Pros are in! Christian is all over Carlito! Missile dropkick! Calling for the KILLSWITCH! Counter...springboard...Killswirch again? No! Sequence turns into the springboard sunset flip! Carlito takes him down and Tarver's in with Christian for the first time! Double team backfires and Christiann takes out both men! Slater pulls Carlito out of the ring and Killswitch on Tarver gets the biggest reaction so far!
Winners: CHRISTIAN and HEATH SLATER via pinfall on Tarver (KILLSWITCH)
- Darren Young is backstage with The Straight Edge Society - who does not look impressed - while R-Truth is talking to David Otunga. Young vs Otunga is NEXT.
DARREN YOUNG (w/Straight Edge Society) vs DAVID OTUNGA (w/R-Truth)
- "Every time Punk speaks, drink." AWESOME. Punk, apparently, is here under protest. Young is trying to talk to Punk, who no-sells him. Otunga's heeling it up, being a big "Hollywood star". Otunga is drawing connections with Obama. TOTAL HEEL. The upside, is that he sounds great. The downside, is that he sounds like he believes his crap. He and R-Truth are easily my least favorite duo. So far it has been Raw-Raw and Smackdown-Smackdown. Both of these guys are big. Big powwer stuff. Botched a spinebuster. Wow. Otunga gets the win off a botched spinebuster?
Winner: DAVID OTUNGA via pinfall (spinebuster)
- Seriously...I hate these camera angles.
- Replay of Miz-Bryan.
- Raw recap.
- Nice...Cole talks about how he's the pro and Matthews is the "rookie" and Matthews talks about JR coaching Cole on Twitter.
- JERICHO~! Jericho is here with Wade Barrett. Wait...the main event is next? Are the other three not getting on TV tonight, aside from the group shot?
- Next week, Matt Hardy will be on the show with Justin Gabriel.
CHRIS JERICHO (w/Wade Barrett) vs DANIEL BRYAN (w/The Miz)
- Jericho is having Wade Barrett introduce him, instead of Savannah. Barrett has a heavy accent. Huge heat for this duo. AWESOME! Jericho cuts off Barrett's promo, telling him to get straight to the introduction. Here comes Miz and Bryan. This is interesting as well, given how Miz has essentially replaced Jericho as Big Show's "leader". The announcers sound almost like they're trying to bury Bryan as being cocky. Commercials.
- Bryan asks for a handshake. Jericho slaps his hand down. Jaw jacking. Shove by Jericho. Pie face. Slap on Jericho! Dropkick! Huge charge in the corner. Beatdown, but ref breaks it up. Cheap shot by Jericho and dropkick of his own. Jericho laying into him. Awesome...Matthews talks about how everyone has heard of Bryan, Cole says he's never heard of him, Matthews retorts with Cole having not heard of a lot of things. Josh Matthews is awesome. This seems like a hostile environment for Bryan. Yep...Cole is totally bagging on Bryan. Roll up by Bryan gets two, but Jericho with an enzuigiri. Interesting...Matt Strike is interviewing Wade Barrett at ringside. Jericho misses a corner charge! Bryan lays into Jericho! Dragonscrew...someone screwed that up. Bryan runs up the ropes and kills Jericho! Cole is totally bagging the internet, Matthews is cheerleading him. Bryan tried to knock him over the ropes, but he failed. Jericho bails out instead. Bryan runs and dives...and Jericho guides him into the announce table! Oh my God! But Bryan takes back control! Springboard...Walls of Jericho! Victory Roll into a leglock!!! Crowd is going nuts! Jericho in the ropes. CODEBREAKER!!! Jericho can't get to the cover...oh...he wants to go for the Walls...and dick Walls! Bryan taps!
Winner: CHRIS JERICHO via submission (WALLS OF JERICHO)
- Miz is beating Daniel Bryan down! Miz beats him down, pointing out that he's "The Pro".
- Strike backstage with the six rookies who weren't in the main event giving a hard sell setting up a video package of highlights from the show.
- Good start. Bryan was the best in ring worker among the "Rookies", but Tarver was the most comfortable promo without being annoying (like Otunga). Obviously, way too early to call this for anyone, since three of them didn't get to do anything.
The commentary was good during the show. It's a good showing so far.
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