The Darewolf

Justin Gabriel's out. 'Darewolf' PJ Black is in.

It's not exactly breaking news that the artist formerly known as Justin Gabriel has been released by WWE. Apparently frustrated with his lack of direction and the nonchalant way his TV appearances were being handled Gabriel left the January 19 RAW and informed the company he wanted to be released from his contract. His status as a free agent was confirmed on January 25 when WWE announced he'd been released.

Pointing to the sky shows you mean business.

It's hardly surprising the man born Paul Lloyd Jr wanted out of WWE. He rarely got to appear on the promotion's more important broadcasts. When he did it was usually in a short match which he lost. His appearances on NXT were more promising. He didn't win much but he did get to wrestle lengthier matches in a less restrictive environment. A regular slot on that show would have been a good fit for him, allowing him creative freedom while providing the show with a reliable performer who could guarantee a good outing while putting over the hot prospects. Unfortunately for him Tyson Kidd got the main roster veteran in residence spot. NXT only needs one.

It's hard to imagine many people being happy to work hard to get to WWE's main roster only to be content with an enhancement role. His request was and is understandable. The last time he verged on relevance was when he was a tag team champion with Heath Slater in 2011. That Slater has to be mentioned there should tell you all you need to know about how well Gabriel was truly doing.

I think WWE could have done more with 'The Werewolf of Cape Town'. From what we were shown he could have turned in some belters opposite the likes of Cesaro, Daniel Bryan and Dolph Ziggler. His on-off team with Tyson Kidd had potential too, but the writers never seemed overly interested in it. An injury to Kidd didn't help matters either, to be fair. Given time to develop, and used as part of a proper, actual tag team division Gabriel and Kidd could have been great. Matches with the Usos, the Wyatt Family, and even The Shield could have been excellent.

Gabriel wasn't necessarily a natural headliner or even an upper mid-carder, but he was capable of more than we saw. Which is what I think we'll see from him in his matches for the WWN over WrestleMania weekend. Gabe Sapolsky was quick to sign him for the group's shows, which speaks of the faith an experienced booker and promoter has in him. As does Black's announced matches against EVOLVE champion Drew Galloway and former Open the Freedom Gate champion Ricochet. They're not just some of the best wrestlers Sapolsky has available to him, they're some of the top names of the WWN. Black wouldn't be wrestling them on such major shows if there was any doubt in his ability.

If only he'd only a better nickname than 'Darewolf' I could get really into his new found freedom.

NXTweet 28.01.15

The number one contendership tournament continues. The four women who will wrestle for the women’s championship had a tag match then brawled. And a contract was signed for the main event of the next NXT Takeover show. Good episode. Strong effort.

Intro

Tweet 1: I am watching NXT.

Tweet 2: This week: a contract signing! But first Blake and Murphy with their amazing entrance music.

NXT tag team championship match: Wesley Blake and Buddy Murphy v Lucha Dragons (c)

Tweet 3: Polite applause from the audience sums up the sudden push of Blake and Murphy perfectly.

Tweet 4: Kalisto writhing around like a sex pest there.
Tweet 5: Buddy Murphy still looks like a young Undertaker. #youngtaker
Tweet 6: I'm enjoying the Lucha Dragons being booed.
Tweet 7: The Dragons have been pretty blotchy in this.

Their team name should be Better Than Dragons.

Tweet 8: What...? But... restart of some sort, yeah?
Tweet 9: No? You're going with Murphy and Blake as tag champs. Okay. I guess.
Tweet 10: To be honest they're not a bad team, they're just a bit generic compared to other NXT teams. Nice to have a change though.

Bayley and Charlotte chat in a locker room

Tweet 11: Remember last week when they set up a four-way title match? Well just in case you don't they're replaying a hefty portion of the segment.

Tweet 12: Bayley taking the Sami Zayn approach and saying she's been too nice. Charlotte giving an aggressive retort. She should've wooed.

Number one contender tournament: Adrian Neville v Tyson Kidd

Tweet 13: Neville once had a Taiwanese girlfriend but she left him because she didn't fit in with the Newcastle culture.

Tweet 14: She now lives with his brother in Sunderland. #deliberatePartridge
Tweet 15: That static interference thing was more interesting than static interference has any right to be.
Tweet 16: I'm assuming it'll be Solomon Crowe's hacker gimmick. If he's still being allowed to do it. Which he should be. It sounded great.
Tweet 17: Kidd and Gabriel probably could have gone places as a team if anyone had bothered giving them things to do.

Tyson 'Cat Shins' Kidd.

Tweet 18: Kidd's heel antics need some work. Covering the other guy's head with the ring valance? What's that, eh?
Tweet 19: Nice little power bomb from Neville there.
Tweet 20: Predictable win for Neville. Good match. Kidd might have won if he'd rolled out of the ring instead of into Red Arrow position.
Tweet 21: Bargain bin Jeremy Borash has shown up to chat up Neville.
Tweet 22: Nev said he'd win the tournament and get the title back, basically.

Team BAE chat backstage

Tweet 23: Subtle (by which I mean not subtle) bit of dissension in Team BAE there.

Wesley Blake and Buddy Murphy celebrate their title win backstage

Tweet 24: Blake and Murphy marking out over their title win. They're basically better than The Ascension.

Tweet 25: I can't figure out if we're meant to like them or not.

Charlotte and Bayley v Team BAE

Tweet 26: Charlotte's handstand routine into the ring is so convoluted.

Tweet 27: Pretty sure Becky Lynch thinks she's Lita.
Tweet 28: For the record Bayley is still the best female babyface NXT has.
Tweet 29: Always love WWE commentators making out everyone has an equal chance of winning multi-way matches.

Charlotte going all Bray Wyatt.

Tweet 30: Trad figure four with a handstand. Natch should've used that. Maybe he'd have won with the move more.
Tweet 31: Charlotte and Bayley have turned on each other. I don't think ANY of us saw this coming. Whadda swerve!

Devin Taylor interviews Finn Bálor, featuring Hideo Itami

Tweet 32: Bálor's up for a match with Itami. Itami's up for a match with Bálor. Looking forward to that match, y'know.

Tweet 33: I would've liked it if Bálor had announced that he's going to murder Itami and absorb his soul to become Super Bálor.
Tweet 34: Sort of thing we can all relate to.

Devin Taylor interviews Emma

Tweet 35: Emma being positive about her demotion there.

Tweet 36: She seemed a bit heelish. A heelish Emma would he good. And it would be something new for the women's division.
Tweet 37: Calling it now: heel Emma v face Charlotte or Bayley for the special after the one in February.

Number one contender tournament: Baron Corbin v Bull Dempsey

Tweet 38: Baron Corbin's borrowed Roman Reigns's SWAT vest.

Tweet 39: Baron Von Corbin versus Mega Taz: round two.
Tweet 40: "He has something unique about him. A mystique, a gaze!" - Alex Riley on Baron Corbin

FYI Bull's crying.

Tweet 41: I imagine Corbin's going to lose at some point in this tournament. I'll be interested to see how it's handled.
Tweet 42: Keen to see him against a guy as established as Neville too.

Devin Taylor interviews Baron Corbin, featuring Bull Dempsey

Tweet 43: Ohhhhhhh... Promos aren't Corbin's strong point are they?

William Regal oversees Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens signing a contract

Tweet 44: #Regalpop

Tweet 45: Zayn's busted out a flat cap, so you know it's a special occasion.
Tweet 46: Just a couple of French Canadian lads getting ready to write their names on a bit of paper.

Fancier table than the main roster generally gets.

Tweet 47: Regal will cancel the match if they fight here. I bet he really, really means that.
Tweet 48: "Maybe I should have seen this coming!" - Sami Zayn to Kevin Owens, who should have seen it coming because Owens had turned on him before
Tweet 49: Loving Owens holding the show up in exchange for an NXT title match. Makes the championship important and explains his character.
Tweet 50: Loling at Regal adding a hand-written clause to make it a title match.
Tweet 51: "Sign, Owens, sign!" - The audience
Tweet 52: Most cordial contract signing segment ever.

NXTweet 13.11.14

Finn Bálor's in-ring debut and a championship match. This was a memorable, and very enjoyable, episode of NXT.

Opening recap video

Tweet 1: I am about to watch NXT.

Tweet 2: Little recap of Itami being fed up with The Ascension and summoning a plague demon to help rough them up.
Tweet 3: Kicks. Loadsa kicks.
Tweet 4: Matt Striker would have marked out at Bálor's debut.

Finn Bálor promo, featuring Tyson Kidd, Justin Gabriel and Hideo Itami

Tweet 5: Finn Bálor. From jobbing out The Legion of Ascension in a main event to jerking the curtain. Stop holding him down, WWE! #sarcasm

Tweet 6: I had to add that sarcasm bit because, sadly, some people would have thought I was being serious if I hadn't.
Tweet 7: "My name is Finn Bálor" - Fergal Devitt

What is this man's name?

Tweet 8: Tyson Kidd's robbed Regal's colours off of Bryan.
Tweet 9: Kidd talking about Bálor having only been in NXT for a cup of coffee. He debuted last week. Even by wrestling standards that's short coffee.
Tweet 10: Did Justin Gabriel borrow those tights off a 60s Batman villain?

Finn Bálor and Hideo Itami v Tyson Kidd and Justin Gabriel

Tweet 11: Impromptu tag match, playa. Holla!

Tweet 12: Prince A-Train telling us that NXT's newest superstar used to clean toilets in Japan. That'll help him.
Tweet 13: Gabriel and Kidd should be a tag team on the main roster. They could do good stuff with the dusts and the Usos.
Tweet 14: Why would Kidd be getting opportunities because he's married to Natalya? It's not like she's a big star.
Tweet 15: And what are these opportunities? He's been with the company for years and has been demoted to NXT.
Tweet 16: Stupid commentary, basically.
Tweet 17: Bálor's foot stomp is... very believable.

A recap of the Zayn v Neville rivalry

Tweet 18: This callback to the November 27 2013 episode is great. Exactly the sort of thing that separates NXT from main WWE. And makes it better.

Tweet 19: That 2013 match was great by the way.

Devin Taylor interviews Sami Zayn

Tweet 20: Flat cap alert.

Tweet 21: Zayn revealing he believes in destiny there. I think less of him now.
Tweet 22: Alberto Del Zayn.

Sasha Banks v Alexa Bliss

Tweet 23: This Banks and Lynch pairing could be good. Lynch is going to need some more appropriate ring gear though.

Tweet 24: Alexa's curtseying all over the place. Probably been taking tips from Regal.
Tweet 25: Sasha using the Bow and Arrow there. I still think that should be a Bo Dallas move.

Fairy cheerleader in trouble there.

Tweet 26: Did that end early because Bliss started bleeding? And was the blood the reason for the ECW chant?
Tweet 27: I reckon Becky Lynch is a big Lita fan.

Devin Taylor interviews Adrian Neville

Tweet 28: Best thing about Adrian Neville here is his T-shirt.

Tweet 29: Nev says Sami's leaving without the gold again. But you would say that wouldn't you mate?

Lucha Dragons v Wesley Blake and Buddy Murphy

Tweet 30: Lol at Sin Cara wearing a long-sleeved tee to the ring.

Tweet 31: Murphy and Blake's music is priceless.
Tweet 32: Murphy and Blake want to be the most functional tag team in NXT. That is a decidedly unlofty goal. I like it. Realism in rasslin'.
Tweet 33: Can't tell Murphy and Blake apart? Don't worry, they've got you covered with their names written on their tights!

Acrobatics yo.

Tweet 34: I still think Murphy looks like a short, young Undertaker.
Tweet 35: Youngertaker.
Tweet 36: Still waiting for A-Ry to slip up and mention Benoit.
Tweet 37: Rich Brennan confusing Cara and Kalisto. Great work. They'll make a WWE commentator of you yet.
Tweet 38: Cara with a one arm powerbomb. Because he's a powerhouse now apparently.
Tweet 39: Blake and Murphy lost. That wasn't very functional of them.

Devin Taylor interviews The Vaudevillains

Tweet 40: #Vaudevillainspop

Tweet 41: #Gotchvoicepop
Tweet 42: He has a silky smooth voice to go with his silky smooth moustache.

NXT Championship: Adrian Neville (c) v Sami Zayn

Tweet 43: "Adrian Neville thinks Greedo shot first" - Some Star Wars fans in the audience

Tweet 44: "Sami's better" chant from the crowd there. Can't say I disagree.
Tweet 45: Excellent opening few minutes. Crisp action and a logical, understandable opening to the story of the match.
Tweet 46: "Those are all great facts" - Alex Riley on facts
Tweet 47: This episode of NXT has featured more over the top rope dives than the average RAW.
Tweet 48: Now that they've established quarterly specials would WWE ever have the NXT championship change hands on a regular TV episode?
Tweet 49: This ref is distractingly buff. He's more stacked than Zayn.
Tweet 50: He threw up the X so you know it's rea- oh wait, Neville was faking. #swerve

"So close, mate," said soon-to-be-heel Adrian Neville.

Tweet 51: The ending made complete sense but it still harmed the match overall. Natural setup for a rematch at Takeover: Insert Subtitle Here.
Tweet 52: Yeah, good. Good show.

NXTweet 18.09.14

This week’s post-Takeover II episode of NXT didn’t just feature the in-ring debut of Hideo Itami. Oh no! It also featured a surprise appearance from Titus O’Neil. If that doesn’t sell you on the show you should probably just stop being a wrestling fan.

Opening

Tweet 1: Tweets about NXT are incoming.

Tweet 2: Why bother watching NXT specials when you get everything of significance recapped incredibly thoroughly a week later, eh?

Promo segment featuring Titus O’Neil, Sami Zayn, Tyson Kidd and Adrian Neville

Tweet 3: I assume Titus O'Neil needs to learn how to work.

Tweet 4: Guy in a WCW T-shirt there. Maybe Triple H is selling them from a car boot outside the building.
Tweet 5: Titus's promo was not good. They may be going too far with this spirit of WCW thing...

The lads.

Tweet 6: I was hoping The Charisma Vacuum Kidd would be disappearing after Takeover. Guess not.
Tweet 7: Nice blend of placing the importance on the title and integrating Big Titus here.
Tweet 8: #bestforbusiness
Tweet 9: Billy Regal with a Teddy Long special there. "Tag team match, playas! Holla holla holla!"
Tweet 10: I'm expecting wonderfully botchy things from Rich Brennan.

Charlotte v Emma

Tweet 11: This is the first time I can remember seeing Emma since... The Incident.

Tweet 12: Crime doesn't pay. Which means Emma's going to lose this.
Tweet 13: Renee Young putting Emma over as someone on RAW and SmackDown. When, Renee? When is Emma on those shows?

If DC ever do a Power Girl film they could do worse than cast Emma.

Tweet 14: I'm really beginning to like Charlotte. I like the little bubble burst taunt she did with the figure four headlock there.
Tweet 15: Charlotte needs to learn how to do a Flair flop.
Tweet 16: I like Emma and I like Charlotte but that match was a rough watch too often.

Justin Gabriel v Hideo Itami

Tweet 17: The instantly recognisable entrance music of Justin Gabriel.

Tweet 18: “Japanese style.”
Tweet 19: Brennan is describing suplexes instead of naming them. Michael Cole school of commentary graduate I reckon.

Gabriel bracing like a trooper.

Tweet 20: Gabriel lost? I am stunned.
Tweet 21: I can confidently say that that was the best Hideo Itami match EVER.
Tweet 22: The Legion of Ascension there, reminding everyone that they don't like Itami.
Tweet 23: A-Ry mentions "dizzying highs and lows." No idea what he's referring to.

CJ Parker v Baron Corbin

Tweet 24: Beating CJ Parker earned Baron Corbin a televised entrance.

Tweet 25: "Let's not lose focus of the fact that CJ Parker, he's a player here in NXT" - Renee Young
Tweet 26: Corbin beat him again. So now he's a megaplayer.

Big Cass films Enzo Amore work out before the pair are accosted by their hairdresser pal Carmella

Tweet 27: Enzo's hairdresser is coming in as a wrestler. I'm sure hilarity will ensue.

Tweet 28: Enzo and Cass are great but I'm not feeling this iPhone filming stuff. They work better, as most wrestlers do, with a crowd to play off.

Tyson Kidd and Titus O’Neil v Sami Zayn and Adrian Neville

Tweet 29: Hey look, it's Tyson Kidd being a cocky heel who isn't cocky because he has no personality!

Tweet 30: Titus and Tyson should team up with Tyler Breeze and Tye Dillinger for a faction based on first name alliteration.
Tweet 31: Neville tags himself in before Zayn can do anything. U mad bro?
Tweet 32: "Better than Neville!" chant there. Turn him. The crowd will love it.

Tyson Kidd with a scintillating headlock there.

Tweet 33: Zayn blocking Neville from doing a dive as a call back to Takeover is the sort of storytelling WWE should do more of.
Tweet 34: "You can't teach that!" - Alex Riley reminding us that strength can't be taught
Tweet 35: Titus should start hanging people in a tree of woe and calling it the tree of Titus.
Tweet 36: Was Titus meant to be doing shoulder blocks, head-butts or clotheslines there?
Tweet 37: A-Ry says Titus has a million dollar body...
Tweet 38: Alex, if you're trying to drop a millions of dollars reference you need to really go for it. Otherwise you sound like an idiot.
Tweet 39: Oh noes! Zayn inadvertently distracted the ref and the heels stole a victory!!1!
Tweet 40: If Triple H wants to make NXT more like WCW then Zayn and Nev should win the tag titles before their feud goes further.

NXTweet 07.08.14

So here we are. Another Sunday, another compilation of tweets about NXT. It’s an easy post.

Jason Jordan and Tye Dillinger v Enzo Amore and Colin Cassady

Tweet 1: And now some tweets about NXT.

Tweet 2: Jason Jordan and Tye Dillinger have some wonderfully generic music going on.
Tweet 3: Also, it's not clear whether we're meant to like them for being all clean cut and athletic or dislike them for being generic and arrogant.
Tweet 4: Enzo and Big Cass though.
Tweet 5: You can't teach being seven feet tall. Sorta thing Kevin Nash would say.
Tweet 6: Commentary team pushing Cass's elbow is pretty lol.

Textbook pointing. Main roster pointing? Perhaps...

Tweet 7: Dillinger and Jordan have more than a little Benjamin and Haas about them.
Tweet 8: They should nick a few of the WGTT's moves. I was always partial to the German suplex-super kick combo.
Tweet 9: If Enzo and Cass don't get called up as a pair something will have gone very wrong.
Tweet 10: Pretty blah match as far as the wrestling went, but people are into Enzo and Cass so that's fine.

Sami Zayn chats to Renee Young, gets picked on by Tyson Kidd and Justin Gabriel, and then agrees to tag with Adam Rose

Tweet 11: Jason Albert and Alex Riley. #budgetcuts

Tweet 12: Sami Zayn doesn't have a tag partner. Uh-oh.
Tweet 13: Tyson Kidd and Justin Gabriel being recast as school bullies there.
Tweet 14: I like the idea that Adam Rose gets body surfed everywhere backstage. He's above walking.

CJ Parker v Xavier Woods

Tweet 15: CJ Parker needs to be announced from somewhere other than some place in Illinois. Maybe a National Park or something.

Tweet 16:  Stop frickin' frackin', kids. And wash your hands afterwards.

Sign Guy Parker.

Tweet 17: #XavierWoodseyeroll
Tweet 18: If CJ ever moves up to the main roster then he should debut by "protesting" with his signs. Wander all around the arena for an hour or so.
Tweet 19: I thought that double axe handle was going to finish Woods off. He's a tough dude to kick out of that...
Tweet 20: They should also work in some conspiracy theorist stuff to CJ's character.
Tweet 21: Forward roll into a clothesline? Not the best move, Xavier.
Tweet 22: Lots of kick outs going on but the moves being kicked out of are pretty standard.
Tweet 23: CJP winning is what's best for business.

Tyler Breeze addresses the arena on the Titantron

Tweet 24: 'The Definition of Delish'. I'm dying at that.

Tweet 25: So basically the Era of Gorgeous is coming. Lovely stuff.

Bayley v Eva Marie

Tweet 26: Wacky waving arm flailing inflatable tube men for Bayley's entrance there. It's simple stuff like that that makes me enjoy NXT.

Tweet 27: Even Eva Marie sitting on a box for her entrance isn't bad. It's pointless like her, so it fits her character.

Good headlock form from Eva there.

Tweet 28: Mike Chioda's on NXT ref duty again.
Tweet 29: That was unequivocally a wrestling match. Eva Marie's trying, bless 'er.

Justin Gabriel and Tyson Kidd v Sami Zayn and Adam Rose

Tweet 30: Why didn't Gabriel and Kidd walk to the ring together?

Tweet 31: Zayn's dancing is over with me.
Tweet 32: Jason Albert's dancing and nobody's thought to reference ‘The Hip Hop Hippo’. Poor.
Tweet 33: Renee would've been all over that.
Tweet 34: Justin Gabriel's robbed Heath Slater's haircut.
Tweet 35: "What could it mean for any of these four men to get a shot at The Ascension?" - Alex Riley

Just noticed Zayn's mismatched elbow pad colours as I posted this. So that'll be the comment.

Tweet 36: Kidd seems incapable of crowd interaction. It's fascinating.
Tweet 37: Sami Zayn, on the other hand, excels at it.
Tweet 38: Why is Adam Rose doing turnbuckle stuff on NXT? Unnecessary.
Tweet 39: "Whadda match!" - Alex Riley on an average match
Tweet 40: I've seen better episodes of NXT but that was still good. There's a reason for everything that happens. Rare in WWE. Non-existent in TNA.

Hour Two

Over the course of That Wrestling Podcast Michael and I began frequently using the term hour two. It references the fact that the second hour of RAW almost always playing host to good but ultimately inconsequential matches. These matches usually feature the likes of Kofi Kingston and Dolph Ziggler. Guys who can wrestle a top notch match but who, for whatever reason, WWE seem unwilling to push beyond this filler role.

Good enemies, better friends?

This is something that could actually be used to WWE's advantage. Kingston and Ziggler could be paired up as a team or, better yet, put in a trio (those are so in right now) alongside a similarly overlooked mid-card vet such as Tyson Kidd or Justin Gabriel. It would be creating a new dynamic for the matches of all three and opening up storyline options for RAW's second hour (and SmackDown, Main Event, and pay-per-views too, obvs). That RAW’s second hour is bereft of plots is particularly depressing and something I think most would like to see changed.

There are various ways the three could be brought together. They could simply announce they're forming a team. That's suitably bland enough to suit WWE but it would be particularly unimpactful (if that wasn’t a word it is now). They could interfere in each other's matches for a few weeks before officially forming a group. My personal choice would be for the three of them to be booked in a three-way match for a US or Intercontinental title shot and announce the formation of their group instead of wrestling one another, challenging any three wrestlers to come out and steal the show with them in a six man tag instead. Because a desire to steal the show would need to be the driving force of a faction of this type, naturally.

If the three members got into the idea of being a faction it could become a highlight of RAW. Wearing some colour-coordinated gear and working on some double and triple team sequences would help to set them apart visually. They could bring back the strangely out of fashion practice of being at ringside for each other's single and tag team matches. Kidd and Kofi could be paired up as a regular duo and 'The Show Off' could be booked to pursue IC and-or US gold, with all three coming together for six mans every few weeks and facing their various opponents (or three randoms).

If left alone to establish themselves as a trio over a period of months then encounters with the Wyatt Family could be big events (had The Shield not split they’d have been natural opponents too). Imagine if this proposed new group closed an episode of RAW by attacking and getting the better of the Wyatt Family after months of earning a reputation of being a formidable three man team. In fact, you don't need to. Just glance at the face-off between the Wyatts and 'The Hounds of Justice' from November 2013 to see how well crowds will respond to such a stand-off if both teams have been built up to matter.

This proposed group (or one thematically similar to it) would give some structure to WWE's permanently overlooked middle card and give three guys the chance to get over without too much time commitment from the apparently overworked creative team. If they were allowed to develop character and a group dynamic WWE could have another Shield or Wyatt Family on their hands. The name of this proposed group? To do it full justice only one name's appropriate: Hour Two.

The SmackDown Spot

WWE have got Tyson Kidd, Justin Gabriel, Bad News Barrett, Luke Harper, Cody Rhodes, Kofi Kingston, the new and improved Sin Cara, Damien Sandow, and Dolph Ziggler sitting in the locker room. That’s a list that omits anybody who might be even remotely confused with a main eventer, guys like Cesaro and Bray Wyatt, and the perma-injured likes of Rey Mysterio (and, seemingly, Christian). Oh, and people who just aren’t particularly interesting like Zack Ryder and The Miz. It’s a bunch of talent not even appearing on the show.

There’s Evan Bourne sitting on the sidelines, having apparently been ready to return for over year from the injury he suffered in 2012. He’s a charisma vacuum, as are Kidd and Gabriel, but he’s capable of exciting matches. He’d be a fresh addition to the roster after so long away too.

They’ve even got access to David Otunga! He’s not appeared on TV in forever, despite having an incredible array of wrestling tools at his disposal (I know I’m in the minority on this but the guy’s valuable in roles other than Active Non-Gimmick Wrestler).

This had to happen apparently. I'd probably have been
fine if Hornswoggle weren't involved.

And yet somehow, for some reason, somebody made the decision to give Hornswoggle and El Torito a match on SmackDown. I’ve nothing against Torito. In fact I’ve enjoyed his JBL and Cole Show antics and the swagger he exhibits whenever he’s stationed at ringside. The guy’s entertaining. I’ve no time at all for Hornswoggle, but this isn’t really the point. Why are two gimmick seconds, one of whom hasn’t appeared in anything even approaching a meaningful capacity in years, getting time to have a match on TV when the names above aren’t even appearing?

Diego, Fernando and 2-out-of-3MB were at ringside on the show. Couldn’t they have had a tag match in place of Torito v Hornswoggle? So what if they’d had that exact match on Main Event. It would have been more entertaining than the leprechaun and the bull (even that four word description makes the match more fun than it could ever be). If repeating meaningless matches within the same week is against the rules then they could’ve done a six man instead and had ‘swoggle and Torito do the finish.

I appreciate that not everyone’s going to get on every show. With a roster so large people being relegated to the locker room is inevitable. But that’s not an excuse to exclude everyone. Give us someone off the list instead of nobody.

For all they’re getting a lot right these days WWE are still dropping the ball on little things (no pun intended). Next time can we have Kidd and Gabriel in matching trunks doing their storyline best to impress management enough to be awarded a tag title match? Please and thanks.

NXTweet 20.03.13

A recurring theme in my NXT recaps is comparing NXT to Ring of Honor and Extreme Championship Wrestling. Part of this, at least in the case of ROH, is that a number of the same names crop up on both shows. Meanwhile some of the guys who have never worked for either league feel like they’d have worked there (such as Bray Wyatt, who I’ve compared to Raven).

The general feel of a one hour weekly show is another factor on the comparisons. The shorter running time makes a certain format necessary. RAW can afford to have filler matches and pointless skits because it lasts for three hours. At one hour long ROH and NXT’s TV shows (and ECW’s over a decade ago) have to make sure that everything broadcast has a point. Whether that’s to get over or introduce a new star or advance a storyline doesn’t matter, there’ no time for filler.

NXT is also more inclined towards gimmicks than the rest of WWE’s programmes. This of course puts it into the same league as ECW. Leo Kruger’s African walkabout gimmick could have cropped up in late 90s ECW. It seems likely that a character change will take place before Kruger makes it to the main roster.

As it stands now I can’t see the guy on RAW each week. Then again Fandango, one of the most gimmicky creations of the last ten years, is gracing our screens each week so I could be wrong.

I don’t know for certain but I imagine this sort of approach to a wrestling TV show, one that makes cutting anything not important a necessity, is ideal for talent hoping to get a call up. It forces them to make the most of everything they’re given to do and raises the overall quality of the show.

Unrelated to these thoughts: I enjoyed the confrontation between Ohno and Regal this week. I was surprised that Ohno didn’t display more aggression. Presumably the change will come about over the coming weeks, likely as he takes the decision to goad Regal into a singles match. As I wrote last week that could be great.

Intro video

Tweet 1: NXTweet.

Tweet 2: A recap of Oliver Grey being duffed up because he's too injured to compete. Great cover story.
Tweet 3: Also, words from Adrian Neville that nobody understands. It's like listening to Michael from I'm Alan Partridge.

Justin Gabriel v Leo Kruger

Tweet 4: Why does Gabriel's vest have a zip on the back?

Tweet 5: I wonder if Byron Saxton feels depressed because he's not allowed to wrestle on TV anymore. He probably does.
Tweet 6: 'The Elaborate Secret' Leo Kruger.
Tweet 7: Hair pulling from Kruger there. What a heel!
Tweet 8: Look at Gabriel's hair. Can you imagine him working in Costa with that hair? Because I can.
Tweet 9: That'd make an interesting gimmick actually. Gabriel could do a mist blowing spot as his finish and claim it's coffee.
Tweet 10: He could drink coffee immediately prior to a match to hype himself up. Like Popeye with spinach.
Tweet 11: Also, sponsorship of wrestlers is something that's yet to take off. Gabriel could be a trailblazer. Costa written on his trunks? #win
Tweet 12: He could turn heel by debuting trunks with a Starbucks colour scheme. People would go nuts at the betrayal of 'The Barista Hero'.
Tweet 13: That's barista. Not Batista.

Kruger is showing that barista who's boss!

Tweet 14: Gabriel's kicking a kneeling Kruger. Bryan does it better.
Tweet 15: "Look at that move!" - Tony Dawson, play-by-play commentator
Tweet 16: Kruger's got a nice set of moves for working on the arm. Good stuff.
Tweet 17: 'Captain Secret' Leo Kruger wins with the London Dungeon. That really needs to be given a more relevant name for when he uses it.

Rene Young interviews Audrey Marie

Tweet 18: Oh good. An Audrey Marie interview. these are always GREAT. And her feud with Sasha Banks? Scintillating.

William Regal and Kassius Ohno confrontation

Tweet 19: Ohno's new music is a bit disappointing.

Tweet 20: Regal apologises. The crowd seems to dislike this for some reason.
Tweet 21: Ohno seems disappointed too. That's more understandable though.

Feud brewing

Tweet 22: Nice of Ohno to put over the European tournaments and indy scene.
Tweet 23: "Don't boo me!" - Kassius Ohno to the fans (who should be booing themselves)
Tweet 24: That was a really cool segment. I'm looking forward to their match.

Paige v Bayley

Tweet 25: Bayley, another female wrestler with an absence of surname.

Tweet 26: Bayley's gold and jade colour scheme is interesting. It'd work well on a mask. Which makes me wonder if there are female luchadors.
Tweet 27: Probably are. I'm just unaware of them.
Tweet 28: Why doesn't Mike Chioda work on NXT? Too much of a big shot I s'pose.
Tweet 29: Summer Rae was never going to pull off that run-in successfully. The rule is that wrestling gear must be worn for a run-in.

Adrian Neville v Luke Harper

Tweet 30: According to Regal Neville is the pride of Britain. No. Just no.

Tweet 31: Rochester, New York is a distinctly un-Southern hometown for a member of the Wyatt Family.
Tweet 32: When Bray Wyatt was on the main roster as Husky Harris he seemed like just another guy. The preacher gimmick has been a great move.
Tweet 33: I liked him as Husky. It was a good name and he looked like someone who could succeed in ROH. I prefer the Wyatt character though.

Note the rag in the back pocket

Tweet 34: He's not in this match though. Adrian Neville is, and I like him too. Particularly the Union flag on his trunks. Nice touch.
Tweet 35: Harper wins off a top rope fall and a clothesline. To say that's anti-climactic is an understatement.
Tweet 36: If Oliver Grey was there why didn't he go to ringside at the start of the match? Stupid babyface.
Tweet 37: Bo Dallas is getting involved too. His feud with Bray Wyatt, a heel with his own (small) entourage, makes him the Tommy Dreamer of NXT.

NXTweet 27.02.13

That was perhaps the most average episode of NXT ever. It was certainly the most average episode of 2013. Barely anything of interest happened until the final three minutes.
 
And yet it wasn't a bad show. If an episode of RAW or IMPACT or ROH on SBG was as uneventful it would be rightly lambasted (by me, anyway). Somehow NXT can pull off the occasional dud. I think it has something to do with the show's low key charm and style. The lack of perfection is one of its selling points: most of the people involved in creating it are learning their crafts.
 
There were three matches on the programme. The opening bout was a lengthy match between South Africans Leo Kruger and Justin Gabriel. To give you an idea of how exciting it was the highlight of the first half of the match was watching Gabriel's absurd and constant posing. That it was structured around a headlock for most of its run time should give you an idea of the thrill levels that were reached.
 
It did end with a nice 450 splash though. That's always nice to see.
 
Match two was Aksana v Emma. Antonio's ex did her usual sultry routine before the match. She stopped being sultry as soon as she was required to wrestle. Emma's gimmick seems to be that she's a drunk chick from a nightclub. I'm interested to see what layers are forced on such a clearly one dimensional character before someone realises it’s a stupid idea and changes what she’s doing.
 
The main event was supposed to be Conor O'Brian v Bo Dallas v Corey Graves in a three-way number one contenders match. That didn't happen and instead we were given a singles match between two bad guys in Graves and O'Brian. Dallas didn't even get to do the last minute babyface return shtick.
 
The action was proficient but the crowd's lack of enthusiasm and the fact that neither man took the initiative and subtly played face made it difficult to get into. 'The Ascension' looked okay. Graves looked better. He has more of an idea of how to show that he's got a character than the Conan tribute act does.

He's a one man tag team

 
There was no winner. Instead The Shield appeared to give both men a kicking. The commentary team, who had been firmly stuck on Generic Mode until this point, helpfully explained that the riot gear lovers were interfering because Rollins doesn't want anyone but him to be the NXT champ. The gang then cut a promo telling everyone to believe in them and then left.
 
Had that run-in not closed things it's possible I'd have a far more negative opinion of the show. As it is the ending ensured that something memorable happened, which could lead to some meaty storylines developments in the near future. NXT saved itself by the skin of its teeth this week. But I want Ohno and Big E next week.

Bo Dallas and Dusty Rhodes chat backstage, Corey Graves showing up to return the title belt

Tweet 1: NXTweet.

Tweet 2: Bo and Dusty. Strongest opening shot possible.
Tweet 3: Did someone whittle Dusty out of an old potato?
Tweet 4: Bo seems happy about having been chewed up and spat out by the main roster. Shouldn't he be moping about, depressed at his demotion?

Justin Gabriel v Leo Kruger

Tweet 5: It's the much anticipated War of South Africa. Leo 'Potent Secret' Kruger v Justin 'Big Hair is Better' Gabriel.

Tweet 6: Justin Gabriel has quite a camp wrestling style. I've never noticed that before.
Tweet 7: Headlocks are prominent.
Tweet 8: So far this match has been all posing and headlocks. Kruger's not even getting in on the posing...
Tweet 9: Armbar takedown, Jarrett style! Kruger needs to start spelling out his name like Jarrett used to.
Tweet 10: Kruger should, in fact, be repackaged as a Jeff Jarrett tribute act.
Tweet 11: If this match had been my first introduction to wrestling I doubt I'd have stuck at being a fan.
Tweet 12: I'd probably have ended up blogging about F1 or something instead...
Tweet 13: "This is main event type intensity" - Tony Dawson on the most average match you'll ever see
Tweet 14: Gabriel wins. I miss the Nexus.
Tweet 15: "This was a character-driven triumph" - Tony Dawson on a wrestling match
Tweet 16: Outdoor shot of the NXT Arena. Surprisingly busy considering the show's already in progress.

Aksana v Emma

Tweet 17: And here's Aksana. I'm prepared for a five star classic.

Tweet 18: Is Emma drunk? Not even Scott Hall has had a ring entrance THIS bad.
Tweet 19: I didn't think this show could get lower than the last match.
Tweet 20: Do you want to know what would save this match? Mae Young.
Tweet 21: Emma's locked in the kravat! Ring the bell! It's over!!
Tweet 22: Someone's been training with Arn.

Backstage in a hallway…

Tweet 23: Oh no, Bo Dallas has been murdered! Someone call Jessica Fletcher!

Corey Graves v Conor O’Brian

Tweet 24: What's Corey got written on his knuckles? I couldn't make it out. I'll just assume it's "stay hard" until I hear otherwise.

Tweet 25: Stay down. I was close. And mine's funnier.

Mysterious knuckles

Tweet 26: Remember when ROH had a trophy for their number one contenders? Great days.
Tweet 27: I like the way Graves stole the championship and then gave it back a week later. He's a polite lad deep down.
Tweet 28: I wonder where Corey gets his jeans from. What's the US equivalent of Topman?
Tweet 29: Lights out! It's the Undertaker's return!!
Tweet 30: Oh. No. It's just The Shield.
Tweet 31: The crowd are chanting "Shield." I'd prefer "We believe, we believe!" But that's me.
Tweet 32: And here's Dean Ambrose, doing an impression of Sting doing an impression of the Joker.
Tweet 33: Mishmash of a show.
Tweet 34: The show goes off the air with Graves and O'Brian lollygagging at ringside.