A recap airs of the Ascension killing Itami, setting up Balor's debut. It was a good debut, but the TV version failed to capture the special feel that came from just watching the cellphone version when it was taped. Balor starts the show with an extreme red light bath that looks fantastic. He's got some wacky poses now, but man is this theme one of the best in the company. Fill says his name and that he's in NXT because he's the future. Tyson takes offense and gets a big Nattie's Husband chant. He's not impressed with Balor's past - FACT! Gabriel's out...wow is a chain of dudes saying words not how I'd have him debut. Still, I like this possible 3-way. Or we'll just get a tag match. Itami comes out to prevent a 2-on-1. Ref makes a tag match, and wow does Gabriel's new Joker-ish gear look terrible. Regal has apparently made this a tag match. Kidd and Itami exchange holds for a bit and Albert talks about him hating the new generation - isn't Itami older than him? Balor runs into Gabriel with a blazing fast dropkick to the chest. Balor dives to the heels and that's a break.
Oh my God does Sheamus seem lame with this Celtic Crusader crap. Itami's in against Gabriel. Albert takes about Itami going up in the New Japan dojo...no...and how he had to clean up after guys. Albert puts over Itami's fighting spirit. Balor lands some nice kicks and chops, while the generic guy puts over his chosp. Swinging neckbreaker from Kidd to Balor on the floor. Gabriel pays him back with a nasty chop to the chest on the floor. Riley says that Gabriel and Kidd were a team at WM 28 and opened the show. I have zero recollection of that. Double basement kick by Gabriel and Kidd gets 2 on Balor. Machine gun forearms from Kidd in the corner - nice! Kidd gets a chinlock while a Balor Fever chant breaks out. Riley, in his Andy Bernard role, talks about his college days and how Balor needs to be about it. Gabriel dives into the knee for 2. The faces reenact their basement dropkicks in the corner. Balor wins with a double stomp off the top.
Neville-Zayn history video goes all the back to last November with stuff I haven't seen. Sami talks to some chick about how tonight feels very different, and the road to redemption isn't just a marketing slogan. Banks-Bliss is next. Queens of the Ring ad airs. Holy shit, that is like sub-TGWTG-level acting and budget.
Sasha and her GOLD SHADES rule. Recap of last week's tag, which was fantastic. Alexa and her Emma on the main roster-level gimmick came out. Riley brings back Mongo's "athalete" call. Big double knee to the gut from Sasha in the corner gets 2. Sliding D slap from Sasha actually gets 2. Hopping corner sunset bomb gets 2 for Bliss! Back stabber into the crossface wins. Short, but fine match. Sasha tells Charlotte to hand the belt over to her to save her the humiliation. Becky's faces here ruled. Sasha's character is still a bit too one note for me, but she's got that one note down. Generic Brunette Chick talks to Neville about the defense tonight against Zayn. Neville says that unlike Zayn, he can win the big one - and he's just stating a fact. Lucha Dragons are in action next.
They're facing Team Fit and Kalisto eats that pop-up suplex from Murphy, who needs a new first name. Buddy is just dreadful. Blake gets off a sliding D. Albert says that THE ASCENSION of all teams could do it all. Flying AJ knee from Murphy gets 2. Blake gets a surfboard and Murphy flies in for a reverse version of Bourne's double knees and lands on his own face, so that can stand to leave the arsenal. Team Fit has something - they're quite good and I dig their gear, and not just because it's easy to make in FPR. Sin Cara's back elbow gets 2. Sin Cara gets tossed into the other guy, and he's too old for that. Kalisto gets a wacky dive, while Sin Cara does a hard lift-up slam, a swanton and wins. This is such a perfect role for Hunico at this stage in his career, and it's so odd to see the second Sin Cara do so much better than the first. Generic Brunette Girl meets with her guest, the Vaude Villains - they'd be guests. The Dragons are told to keep the metal shined and leather oiled so the belts can go home with two men. Okey dokey.
Albert says Sami's match is all he could think about, while Riley says why care - we already know the outcome! Ugh. "Adrian Neville Thinks Greedo Shot First" sign rules. Seeing the NXT Title graphic really shows off how much worse this belt is even than the first X Title. Neville and Zayn bust out some chain wrestling, which will justify the new chain wrestling system in 2K15. They flip around a bit and Sami avoids a calf kick. They go to the floor and Sami offers to open the ropes, while Neville opts to hop in. Neville gets 2 off a chest axehandle and locks on a chinlock. Sleeper takes Zayn down for a bit. He recovers and eats forearms. Zayn recovers and hits his flip dive on the floor. Neville counters a crossbody and gets a standing SSP for 2. Flippy ma doo into a sitout powerbomb from Zayn gets 2 - that was shown before in the clips, so now they're playing off the past. Neville gets some kicks, but misses some and eats Rolling Germans. 2.9! Neville counters the Helluva kick with a kick, but the corner exploder is turned into a cradle for ! Kick KOs Zayn! RED ARROW MISSES, and it was shot perfectly - nothing telegraphed it. Neville hurts his left knee on the landing and the ref puts up the X. It's A TRAP. NEVILLE CRADLES HIM FOR THE WIN! OH THAT FUCKER!
We're are the photo
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