So, apropos of nothing, I've been working my way through 1995 ECW Hardcore TV on the Network, and just by sheer coincidence, the episode I watched just before tonight's NXT was the one with the Eddie Guerrero/Dean Malenko 2/3 falls match. Tonight's Sami Zayn vs. Samoa Joe, 2/3 falls for the #1 contendership match certainly hearkens to that, but if this one ends in a draw I'm actually going to be pretty pissed off. Uh, spoiler warning for a 20-year-old match, I guess?
Anyhoo, We've been waiting a while for this, but we'll have to wait just a bit longer, as GM Regal is out to the ring to make an announcement first. Seems that instead of taking disciplinary action, Austin Aries has asked to face Baron Corbin at Takeover, and Regal has agreed. Alright, that seems settled then. So, with that minor piece of business taken care of, we are off to the races.
Sami Zayn versus Samoa Joe. You know, even if the fact that this will be tonight's only match hadn't been "spoiled" last week, I think we all could have figured it out by the fact that you don't start the show with your main event. We get a look at ringside, as we are joined by luminaries such as Sasha Banks, Michael PS Hayes, and Hideo Itami, among others. They're really going all-out to give this a big match feel. The match starts with some feeling out; we get a test of strength into a standing switch, and assorted general other NXT main event style shenanigans. Sami tries a quick roll-up for 2, and then tries to step it up by pushing Joe into the corner. Joe comes out into a collar and elbow tie-up, then takes Sami over into a headlock. Joe lets him loose for a shoulder tackle, and with Sami down he gets a quick 2 count before going back to the headlock. Sami armdrags himself out of the headlock and applies a short-arm scissors to Joe's left arm, which allows him to set up a la magistral cradle for 2. You don't see the la magistral enough, in my opinion. Joe gets back to a vertical base, and starts laying in punches and chops. I hope you like punches and chops, because Joe's got plenty of them for you tonight. He shoots Sami into the ropes, but Sami is just barely able to clear Joe's head on a leapfrog. He armdrags Joe outside, and sets up a dive spot, but does the fake-out thing where he bounces off the ropes. Joe gets back into the ring, and starts hitting Sami with some big kicks. He puts Sami on the mat for an elbow drop, and then a spinning elbow strike. He pushes Sami into the corner, and then hits a double chop, followed by another. He's headbutting and jabbing at Sami, just working him over. Sami rallies briefly, but Joe cuts that off with a belly to belly suplex, and goes back on offense with more strikes. Sami comes back with a trio of clotheslines and goes up top, but Joe sees an opportunity for the Muscle Buster. Sami gets out of that one, but eats an enzuigiri for his trouble. Joe delivers an atomic drop, big boot, and senton in short order, and it's just all Joe right now, which he punctuates with a powerslam. Sami tries to fire up again, but Joe charges him - so Sami does the sensible thing. He rapidly back-peddles, and then low-bridges Joe to the floor. Joe's in the Danger Zone, so Sami obliges us with a slingshot moonsault press. He sends Joe back into the ring, and hits a crossbody block. He wants the blue thunder bomb, but Joe's bulk just comes crashing down on top of him. They wind up back in the corner, which Sami should probably avoid, and Joe is able to hit his urinage counter. This stuns Sami enough to set up and deliver the Muscle Buster, and that leads to our first fall of the evening.
Joe's not of a mind to waste time, so as soon as the bell rings to start the second round, he goes right for the Muscle Buster again. Sami counters out, so Joe wails on him for a bit and tries again. Sami again counters, this time with a headbutt and a missile dropkick. Something there opened Joe up, as we get just a little bit of blood. This means we have to have a little bit of a time-out while the ref checks on Joe. He's cleared, but that break was just enough for him to get his wind back, and now Joe goes right back on offense. He hits a snap suplex, but misses a knee drop. Sami rolls out to the floor and takes his time getting back into the ring. When he does, Joe just punts him right back out. This time, Joe follows him and tosses him into the ring steps, then nails an STO on the floor. Sami really milks this one, staying motionless until the 8 count, then scrambling back into the ring. Sami's got his wind back now, though, and is able to muscle Joe over with a suplex. Joe rolls out, but he's once again in the Danger Zone, and Sami's got a massive tope suicida for him! He sends Joe back in, and locks in the Koji Clutch. Joe's in danger of going out here, so he saves himself by tapping out. Sami Zayn secures the second fall.
It all comes down to this. They come out of the bell trading shots with each other. Joe hits a spinning elbow strike, but Sami shrugs it off and counters with a blue thunder bomb! That, of course, only gets a 2 count. It's the best move in wrestling that never pins anyone. Sami smells blood, though, and tries for a Helluva Kick. Joe gets out of the way, though, and puts Sami up top. He's not looking for a Muscle Buster, though - he wants a superplex. Sami gets loose from that, and counters with a sunset bomb for 2. Joe goes outside, and Sami decides that this is a big enough match for him to do his through-the-turnbuckle dive spot. Joe manages to beat the count back in, though, and blocks another Helluva Kick attempt. He hoists Sami up for a powerbomb, and transitions that into a super-shitty Boston crab. Sorry, but I'm not kidding about that. Joe seems to recognize it, too, so he moves that into a crossface instead, which is much better. Sami makes the ropes, so Joe starts wailing on him. Sami's going down hard here, prompting the ref to start a 10 count. Sami beats it twice, so Joe gives him another enzuigiri. Joe's feeling pretty confident here - maybe overconfident, as Sami locks in Joe's own Kokina Clutch! Do it! Beat him with his own move! Whoops, lost my objectivity there for a second. Doesn't matter anyways, as Joe makes it to the ropes. As he gets to his feet, though, Sami thinks that he can make this happen. He nails the corner exploder suplex, and he's signalling the Helluva Kick for real! He goes, and Joe dodges at the last possible second! Sami bounces off the turnbuckle, and Joe locks in the Kokina Clutch himself. Sami tries for the ropes, but it's in vain as the ref signals that Sami's out. Joe wins. Wait, Joe wins? Match Rating: Boo! Booooooooooo!
I mean, it was a good match and all, but really? I mean, coming up just a little bit short is Sami Zayn all over (he's the world's greatest Tommy Dreamer), and Sami's already got a date for that weekend, but they just did Finn vs. Joe, and we're probably never going to get another opportunity for Finn vs. Sami in NXT. This is...genuinely disappointing for me.
I was also SO SURE Sami was going to win by beating Joe with his own move, and I am equally disappointed that this loss probably means Sami is on his way to the main roster. I mean, good for him, but sad for me. I really wanted to see him with one more happy-ska-dancing title run.
It's the most important meal of the day.
http://toomuchbreakfast.tumblr.com/
The newest report is that Vince doesn't think the NXT kids can make him money and be stars. After this booking, I am not sure I disagree. To be fair, Joe is already a star regardless of what HHH or Vince think. I fear for Sami in the main roster. I honestly fear anyone headed to the main roster when a Cena who needs to prove himself comes back.
Joe/Finn is a natural feud, I just wish it wasn't done on the back of others. The other bad thing you can see coming is Joe destroying Finn and then shipping Finn to the main roster to get lost with everyone else.
The newest report is that Vince doesn't think the NXT kids can make him money and be stars. After this booking, I am not sure I disagree. To be fair, Joe is already a star regardless of what HHH or Vince think. I fear for Sami in the main roster. I honestly fear anyone headed to the main roster when a Cena who needs to prove himself comes back.
Joe/Finn is a natural feud, I just wish it wasn't done on the back of others. The other bad thing you can see coming is Joe destroying Finn and then shipping Finn to the main roster to get lost with everyone else.
The match was good and I appreciate a WWE platform doing this kind of match so I don't want to sound like some kind of snob here, but ... it wasn't great. It probably would have been nice if this had run before Zayn attacked Owen's on Raw, because Joe winning seemed like a forgone conclusion to me and Zayn showing up on Raw would have made a little more sense.
Good match. I'm all for doing more of these, but this particular match didn't click for me.
Bah, stupid kid does stupid thing gets booted off stupid show. WWF needs their financial support more than they need to make insincere anti-drug platitudes.
Thread rated: 4.63
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