WWE NXT Live In Liverpool June 2016

Image Source: Mark Armstrong

Written By: Mark Armstrong

Genre: Wrestling
Produced By: WWE/NXT
Format: House Show
Date: June 15 2016
Location: Echo Arena, Liverpool, Merseyside, England
Attendance: 5,000

As part of the latest NXT tour of the United Kingdom, I went along to the show in my hometown of Liverpool to see this brand, which began as strictly developmental and has since taken on a life of its own, to the point that it is now the go-to wrestling product for many hardcore fans. As it turned out, the show was more WWE than NXT: Takeover, to use a recent example, but it was still an enjoyable experience.

The first bout pitted Hugo Knox against Wesley Blake. Knox is a former goalkeeper for Burton Albion, believe it or not, while Blake is now solo after his tag team run with Murphy. This was a match where the "developmental" tag still applied for NXT, since it was clear that this match acted as part of Knox's own personal development as he looks to build up the skills and know-how in his early days in the wrestling business. It was a solid and basic opener, which Knox won after a split-legged moonsault (which he bungled on the first attempt, but the fans let him off with it which was nice to see/hear). Speaking of the Liverpool fans, they were on form all night and they set the tone in this match, with chants like "Burton Albion!", "Hugo Knoxy baby!" and, most humorously, "You're just a s--t Robbie Savage!" (aimed at Blake) Hilarious.

Match two was a tag team attraction as the very popular American Alpha combo of Chad Gable and Jason Jordan took on Alexander Wolfe and Sawyer Fulton. AA were over like rover here, and whilst this doubles match wasn't to the level of American Alpha's bouts with the likes of Dash and Dawson on NXT, it was still a good showcase of their skills, as they looked every inch the top tag team that many feel they could be in WWE in the not-too-distant future. More chants came up in this match as Gable and Jordan each received a prolonged "Kolo/Yaya Toure!" chant (Google it if you don't know what I mean) and, in the first of many instances on the night, requests for both men to "give us a wave!" (they did respond in the positive) AA won by submission with stereo Ankle Locks. Afterwards, Dash and Dawson came out and teased that they would give Gable and Jordan an NXT Tag Team Title shot right there (which excited fans since NXT has proven that it could switch titles on a house show such as this), with several Beatles references in the process, only to backtrack and attempt instead to jump the team. It didn't work, as one member of The Revival suffered a double-team assault (not sure which one; as the NXT fans often ask, which one's Dash and which one's Dawson?).

Next up, Bobby Roode came out to face No Way Jose. Roode got a major pop since, despite his official signing with WWE/NXT, he has yet to wrestle on the weekly show, so in effect we (and the other UK audiences on this tour) were getting a treat by seeing Roode in action. The first half of this match was all comedy, and at one point the bout stopped for an extended double-dance routine, before Roode stopped it dead in its tracks with a big clothesline. After some decent exchanges, Roode won the match with an Arn Anderson-style spinebuster. While he is wrestling low-card matches on this tour, with a comedy vibe at that, it's obvious that Roode will be a major part of NXT in the coming months.

The pre-intermission bout was a women's tag team match as the hugely popular Bayley (whose entrance was complete with wacky waving inflatable tube men, which always reminds me of the mock commercial on Family Guy) and Carmella (whose previous association with Enzo and Big Cass continues into her entrance routine today) took on Peyton Royce and Nikki Glencross (who apparently has a connection with ICW, or Insane Championship Wrestling, the ECW-style promotion based in Scotland which is expanding rapidly and has an even more dedicated cult following than NXT, albeit on a smaller scale). Those expecting a Bayley match along the lines of the Takeover clashes with Sasha Banks (which we were shown clips of before the show started) or Asuka will have been disappointed, and if anything Bayley only had a few spots to shine. That being said, it was a good little match, although there was a botch when Carmella didn't kick out of a pinfall attempt on time, so the referee held up his count and everyone noticed (in this environment, it would have been the perfect time to unleash a chant of "You're not fit to referee!" Alas, it didn't happen). Unsurprisingly, the babyfaces won when Bayley hit Royce with the Bayley-To-Belly. Bayley's celebration was enhanced by the fact that it was her birthday, and she even got a "Happy Birthday!" chant at the start of the match.

Post-break, we saw Tye Dillinger take on NXT newcomer Andrade "Cien" Almas. Tye provoked big heel heat beforehand by unveiling a Manchester United shirt with Dillinger 10 on the back (Dillinger's gimmick is an obsession with the number 10), which played a role in the bout when Cien threatened to stomp on the shirt in question and eventually forced Tye to do so himself. Besides that, this was a pretty good match and a nice showcase of Cien's skills. Their shorter match at Takeover: The End last week had more impressive spots, but with more time on this show, we got a better idea of what Cien has to offer, as well as Dillinger to a lesser extent. As he did at Takeover, Cien pinned Tye with his double running knee attack.

The penultimate match saw Asuka defend her NXT Women's Championship against Nia Jax and Alexa Bliss in a three-way bout. Asuka was by far the most popular performer, although it was her opponents who dominated much of the action. Alexa had some good spots, and Jax played the monster female heel well (I didn't realise just how big she was until this bout). It descended into comedy (a recurring theme on the show) when Alexa tried unsuccessfully to intimidate Jax, and when Nia tried to pay tribute to her cousin The Rock by attempting a People's Elbow, only for Alexa to cut her off. Asuka made a comeback after taking some wicked powerbombs from Nia, and her brutal kicks and strong-style offence made an impression on the fans. Asuka won it when she trapped Bliss in the Asuka Lock to retain her prize. Nia was protected here, which suggests a possible rematch down the line with Asuka, although the Women's Championship match at the next Takeover in Brooklyn surely has to be Asuka vs. Bayley (in what could be Bayley's NXT swansong).

The main event was a tag team match pitting two dream teams against one another: Finn Balor and Shinsuke Nakamura battled Austin Aries and NXT Champion Samoa Joe. Fan reactions to all four were strong, especially Nakamura whose entrance was incredibly captivating to watch live, in line with the fans singing along to his theme song. This match most resembled the action we see every week on NXT and at the occasional Takeover specials, as there were plenty of nifty technical exchanges, hard-hitting strikes and cool moves from all involved. Joe humorously gave the finger when he was the latest wrestler to be asked to "give us a wave!" Finn and Shinsuke were dominant early on, only for Aries and Joe to work together and isolate Balor to turn it around. It all led to the inevitable hot tag where Shinsuke, the "King Of Strong Style", came in and unleashed his super-strong strikes along with displaying his unique charisma. His exchanges with Joe were particular cool to watch, knowing that a singles match between the two (which is likely at some point) has the potential to be the best NXT match to date. In the end, Aries took a Kinshasa kick by Nakamura and, with Shinsuke keeping Joe back at ringside, Finn nailed Aries with the Coup De Grace for the win. Afterwards, the babyfaces both did Nakamura's pose (try doing that at home and you'll probably break your back), and Balor on the microphone paid tribute to NXT trainer and local lad Robbie Brookside.

As I mentioned earlier, from a live perspective, this felt more like a WWE house show than an NXT event, and the level of comedy was a little too high (and this is from someone who appreciates comedy in wrestling, when it's done right anyway). Besides the main event, there weren't many moments where you could truly understand the appeal of NXT from an in-ring perspective (which is the brand's main strength). That all being said, this was a really fun card, enhanced by the superb crowd, and the leading stars in NXT truly are stars, and have the potential in many cases to make a major impact on Raw and SmackDown after the upcoming brand extension. This wasn't necessarily the best example of what NXT can provide, but it did serve as a good introduction to new fans on why NXT has become the coolest wrestling brand in the world today.

Overall Rating: 6.5/10 - Okay

NXT Greatest Matches Vol. 1

Image Source: Amazon

Written By: Mark Armstrong

Running Time: 427 Minutes
Certificate: 15
Number Of Discs: 3
Studio: Fremantle Home Entertainment
Released: March 14 2016

The story of NXT is one of the most remarkable of the last decade in wrestling.

Beginning in 2010 as a supposed platform to find WWE's next breakout star through reality-inspired competitions, the handling of the show was largely flawed. Whilst some future stars did get their main roster start on this version of NXT (Daniel Bryan, Wade Barrett and AJ Lee amongst them), the show was filler at best and highly inconsequential at worst (the fifth and final season lasted for over 15 months and didn't even have a winner!). It was WWE-lite and at times pathetically handled. Fortunately, things changed in June 2012 when the show was revamped as a weekly platform for most developmental names, with block TV tapings based out of Full Sail University in Orlando, Florida, and with Triple H handling the booking far away from Vince McMahon and co.

Since then, the brand has slowly grown from an adequate developmental output into a superb showcase for future names and independent scene stars under WWE contracts, boosted by the usually-sensational Takeover specials held a few times a year. The brand has now reached the point where NXT is running big-stage arenas and selling them out (including international jaunts), and it could even be placed on the level of WWE's flagship shows as a top brand, in terms of its importance.

This DVD uses memorable matches and interview clips with those involved to tell that story, as there are several elements which explain the brand's success (not all of which are covered here, admittedly). There's the emphasis on progression up the ranks, both on the show and to Raw and SmackDown once a talent is deemed ready. There's old-school logical booking. There are distinctive personalities with well-defined characters. There are strong division ranks for men, women and tag teams. There's a first-class group of talent, which constantly evolves and always finds suitable replacements for promoted stars. And there's the topnotch wrestling action which ensures that every Takeover show is must-see, boosted by a desire from all to steal the show.

It has resulted in NXT becoming the gem of the WWE Network, and a cult following perhaps not seen since the Attitude Era became the coolest wrestling product around. It takes the WWE first-class presentation, the ECW/ROH "steal the show at all costs" mentality, the TNA level of pure wrestling talent and the old-school storytelling, and creates one hell of a wrestling product. (Plus, it's all within a PG environment, which is further pleasing to WWE management.)

Back to the DVD, then. The 2010-2 era is briefly touched upon, but no bouts are shown (Daniel Bryan vs. Chris Jericho from the very first episode would have been a fitting start). So, we open with Seth Rollins beating Jinder Mahal to become the first NXT Champion. This is harmed by Seth's Curb Stomp annoyingly being edited out, but this is fine to watch, as are the other early matches. Big E Langston's shot at Seth's gold came at a time when NXT storylines still clashed with events on Raw and SmackDown as Big E, by the time this bout aired, was on main roster TV as a heel despite still being a babyface on NXT.

Next, we get a Bray Wyatt bout against Chris Jericho from 2013, in a preview of their 2014 feud (by the way, this was still the period when main roster names would make guest appearances on NXT). The other big strength of NXT has been its role in redefining women's wrestling, the seeds of which are sown by a surprisingly good Paige vs. Emma match from the summer of 2013 to crown the first NXT Women's Champion.

The first really good match comes from Sami Zayn facing Antonio Cesaro in a 2 Out Of 3 Falls match, broadcast in August 2013, which has an electrifying final chapter. This serves as a preview of the consistently-fantastic wrestling action to come on NXT, and was the first sign that previously-uninterested fans should perhaps start checking out the show. Disc one ends with a great old-school technical wrestling match between Cesaro and William Regal (Regal's last match to date), which was broadcast on Christmas Day 2013.

Disc two opens with Triple H telling the story behind the NXT Takeover concept and the main event of Takeover #1, a good Ladder match between Bo Dallas and Adrian Neville for the NXT Title, which acts as a bridge to the new era of NXT where top-quality talent would dominate the main event scene. We then get Charlotte vs. Natalya for the vacant Women's Title from Takeover #2, which was a big step towards women's wrestling stealing the show on major events, although it would be topped in the future (as we see later in the DVD). After that is a short Tyler Breeze music video, before we get back to the action.

A strong Zayn vs. Tyson Kidd from an October 2014 episode of NXT is followed by Sami's outstanding NXT Title match against Neville from Takeover: R-Evolution, and has a huge surprise in the post-match angle. By now, the brand had caught the eye of the hardcore fans, and this show was ultimately a massive success. More than the first Takeover, this truly marked the arrival of NXT, with the roster now boosted by the signings of Finn Balor, Hideo Itami and Kevin Owens. Not forgetting the ladies who put on an incredible Fatal Four Way match at Takeover: Rival from February 2015 to close disc two. Charlotte, Sasha Banks, Becky Lynch and Bayley discuss their impact on NXT and then showcase their ability in this belter of a match. Amazingly, even better would come from the NXT women later on.

Disc three kicks off with the Zayn-Kevin Owens main event from Takeover: Rival, which tells a great story amidst topnotch action. Footage from the Arnold Classic event demonstrates the brand's expansion outside Orlando, and we get an unseen gem from the event in Neville vs. Cesaro. This and the subsequent match between Hideo Itami and Tyler Breeze (held on a live NXT event in San Jose, California over WrestleMania 31 weekend that drew a huge crowd, and a bout where Hideo gets a massive pop for using the GTS; previously his finisher in Japan, but later adopted by CM Punk in WWE) are without commentary (and Hideo vs. Tyler is shot on a "fan cam"), but the viewing experience of neither match really suffers as a result. After that, we see a six-person tag from a June 2015 episode of NXT, pitting Enzo Amore, Colin Cassady and Carmella against Blake, Murphy and Alexa Bliss, which at least gives the hugely popular Enzo and Big Cass tandem some exposure on this DVD.

Next, it's the first DVD appearance (quite late in the programme) of Finn Balor as he challenges Owens for the NXT Title in Japan at Beast In The East. This thriller is followed by a simply outstanding match, arguably the best of 2015, between Sasha Banks and Bayley from Takeover: Brooklyn. The brand was now strong enough to fill major arenas, and this bout (the apex of the superb NXT women's division) was superior to anything at SummerSlam in the same venue (the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York) the following night. The DVD ends with the final of the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic tournament from Takeover: Respect as Finn Balor and Samoa Joe take on Rhyno and Baron Corbin after a tribute segment on Dusty, who played a vital role in the growth of so many NXT performers before his 2015 passing.

This DVD is fantastic. It perfectly illustrates the growth of NXT with a collection of consistently superb matches; there are more great straight wrestling bouts between a variety of talent on this DVD than perhaps any other WWE release to date. And it becomes clear that the talent themselves have played a vital role in the expansion of NXT: Sami Zayn was the brand's MVP, but there's also Neville, Sasha, Bayley, Tyler, Finn, Owens, Charlotte, Becky, Joe, Hideo, Enzo and Cass and many more, just as the likes of Shinsuke Nakamura are making the brand must-see right now.

The DVD does have some slight flaws: besides the edit of Seth Rollins' finisher in the first match, the DVD could actually do with more bouts (only five on disc two), and Sasha vs. Becky from Takeover: Unstoppable (an incredible match) is a notable omission. Ditto the Iron Man match between Bayley and Sasha from Takeover: Respect, although we do get their Brooklyn classic. But you can't have everything, I suppose.

This is WWE's best DVD of the year thus far, and from a pure wrestling standpoint, it's one of the greatest WWE compilations ever. Diehard fans of the show will love this DVD, but if you've never watched NXT and have been wondering what the buzz is all about, this is the perfect introduction to the brand that is changing the face of WWE and wrestling as a whole. Buy it today!

Overall Rating: 9/10 - Outstanding