NXT Respect: a fitting end to Full Sail

A COMPLETE LACK'A RESTECP

Personally I'm hoping this is the last special hosted at Full Sail. As we saw with Brooklyn, NXT can clearly hang in larger arenas, and if not one that fits 15,000+, then one that at least fits more than 500, or whatever minuscule number Full Sail does. I originally didn't want Full Sail to have this show, but I think with it being the conclusion of the Dusty Tag Tournament (which I maintain was a shitty tribute), it was fitting, as NXT in its "current" form was birthed there, and it all just made sense.

On a side note, I liked the Full Sail screen set up. New and exciting. Hopefully it sticks around for the weekly shows and maybe even for their traveling ones too. Maybe the ring was different as well, because it sounded more... upgraded... in the first match, but I'm not sure.

But anyway, on with the RATINGS.

FINN BALOR & SAMOA JOE vs. THE MECHANICS DASH 'N' DAWSON

SEMIFINALS of the DUSTY TAG TOURNAMENT

'alright'

***

So Balor is continuing that very heel-ish entrance with the cocky championship flashing and the oh-so rebellious leather jacket, yet plays face the entire night? I'm confused as to what the point is with this. And not the good kind of confused. Confused because it seems so mismanaged, not because it's intentionally confusing. Which is the good kind of confusing. Got it?

The most disappointing thing other than the completely obvious outcome was finding out that the name for Dash Wilder & Scott Dawson is no longer "The Mechanics", which was fantastic and gave them an inherent semblance of a character. Now it's just... Dash & Dawson. Because it worked very, very well for Blake & Murphy didn't it? Oh well, just remove a major part of talented workers and wonder why their reaction is middling at best. Typical NXT. It certainly doesn't help when their theme is awful and their entrance clips are just like your typical jobbers. Their names and some flashy lights. Nothing that sets them out at all. At least BAMs had annoying music, VERY flashy lights, and was all-out obnoxious as fuck.

Samoa Joe starts. Samoa Joe does strikes. Samoa Joe does bad strikes. Samoa Joe gets out-struck by anyone else. Seriously, his strikes are trash and commentary have to put them over ALL THE TIME. Scott Dawson was on the money with his elbow strikes throughout the match and his punches were infinitely better than Joe's. Even Dash had some good offense which was much, much better than Joe's strikes.

(Un)Surprisingly(?) Balor and Joe looked pretty damn bad in the ring against The MECHANICS Dash & Dawson. I'm pretty sure Dawson has been working as a tag team wrestler in NXT for at least 3/4 of the time he's been there. With one or two guys I don't remember, Rusev for a very short while, and now Dash, so obviously he knows what he's doing. And Dash continues to either impress or just be there, which when you're in a match with three guys everyone expects to be better than you, is impressive enough to me. As long as you don't fuck up, you're doing good in that situation. And if you do good, you're doing great. So he's between good and great.

I noticed two great examples of Dash in that match. The first was how quick he was to distract Joe and then ever-so-fluidly move into perfect position for the double team finisher, which unfortunately didn't get the job done.. Honestly I don't think I've seen something like that in a tag match since WWE had genuine and good actual tag teams facing eachother regularly. The other was the way he scrambled to try to prevent Balor tagging Joe. I don't know if he tripped over, but the frantic nature was perfect for that moment.

Sadly the finish to the match - not the outcome - left me, myself, scrambled. Dash just got dropped and pinned so quickly, while Joe was in the ring wondering if Balor was okay, well past the normal five count, but the referee stopped Dawson from entering the ring to stop the match? It seemed like really careless and reckless on-the-fly thinking by Joe and the referee especially. Let one guy stay in the ring but not the other? That's not FAIR! If anything, Joe should've immediately went to stop Dawson, even if it was a bit of a heel move, it's to solidify a win and Joe is not a stranger to doing sorta heel-ish things at all.

Overall a decent match, not without its flaws however.

JASON JORDAN & CHAD GABLE vs. RHYNO & BARON CORBIN

SEMIFINALS of the DUSTY TAG TOURNAMENT

'great'

****

Alright, maybe I am a bit of a mark but I think this match genuinely deserved a four star rating. It was my favourite match of the night (trumping Sasha vs. Bayley by a small but respectable margin), only in part because I, and not many people overall, really expected such a display from these four. An old, ex-ECW wrestler, plus a tall guy who "can't wrestle" against an amateur wrestler who has been in developmental for years but up until recently displayed nothing fantastic, and a very new debutee, who, despite being good, is still new. I mean naturally who the hell would expect something good out of this? I didn't expect anything like that and I think this match was better than what people who expected something good... err... expected...

It was good from the get-go, and the last few minutes were so hectic, but so enjoyable. The outcome sucked IMO, but honestly it didn't really bother me all that much until the excitement died down. Most of the time when there's a sucky ending to an entertaining match, it just immediately cuts off all enjoyment and I'm left either disappointed or mad. It took a couple of minutes for that to set in for me which really speaks volumes about how much I actually enjoyed this match.

The beginning with Jordan and Corbin was perfect. Jordan displayed his strength and athleticism to a great ovation to start the adrenaline, and Corbin managed to hold it back down with good timing with his strikes. The tag out to Rhyno was particularly well timed, as was the tag to Gable. It seems corny and weird to talk about it, but the timing of those tags were just really... good. It's so hard to explain, but it seemed like they did everything they wanted to do so well in the first few moments of the match that speeding through to the other guys was the only thing they had left to do, and so they did it.

Gable somehow being one of the most over guys on the roster is so damn impressive. And the fact he's not over based on his "SICK WRESTLING FROM THE INDIES/JAPAN!" or his name makes it so much better. Full Sail weren't just bearable, but actually decent for this match alone. Of course they ruined it later with the main event, but regardless, this match was perfect. Reminiscent of Daniel Bryan in PPV matches in late 2013, Gable was getting constant chants and no matter what happened, they'd start up again soon after. It was immense. INFINITELY better than "THIS IS WRESTLING" and all those other, awful ones we all know and love (to hate).

And DAMN is he a good face in peril. That entire match was a testament to not only Corbin, but Gable especially. If anyone had a 'display of the night' it was Gable. I knew the guy was good but this was just so good it was borderline unbelievable. I'd never have known he only signed in like 2013. I even remember the thread popping up and me thinking "buh who cares about another amateur wrestler!?". Boy was I wrong.

Enough about Gable (for now) though, as Corbin had a great showing as well. Another special event match another way to show he's better than the marks think. I expect he'll still be met with disdain for whatever reason despite being pretty good now, but hey, maybe people will realise that he did very well in this match. He didn't do much in the sense of big moves, or big spots, because he doesn't have to, he's Baron Corbin. The tall, intimidating wrestler with very long arms, who will punch you until you meet the END OF DAYS. That's the whole point. He doesn't need much to win, and he does well with those tools, and as long as he does well, then it's all you need to worry about. Of course we can argue that more moves = more tools and being good at more tools = being better, but that's for another day.

Gable managing the tag to Jordan nearing the end of the match, and Jordan coming FLYING in with that typical hot tag routine was exactly that - typical - but it was nice to see Jordan come in so dynamite. Especially better when it seemed they were just about to win and get it taken out from beneath them so quickly. That hot tag marked the best part of the match. Both Jordan and Gable frantically trying to get that last hit before Gable died from being crushed by two BEHEMOTHS, and Rhyno and Corbin both trying their damnedest to stop all momentum. Like I said, the outcome sucked, but the last few minutes of that match were so exciting that for the first time in a long time that ending didn't matter (for a while) because I was just so damn entertained and surprised. And tbh I do mark for the abundance of ways the End of Days can be hit. Sue me.

DANA BROOKE w/ EMMA vs. ASUKA

THE DEBUT OF WWE'S NEWEST ACQUISITION

'average'

** 1/2

I happily and CONTROVERSIALLY gave Apollo Crews' debut against Breeze a four star rating because it was a very well done debut. Which I personally believed should've been rated differently than a normal everyday match because it served a different purpose - to show the fans what the new wrestler is capable of. In this particular match, I wasn't sure what the purpose was. Obviously it's the first match for Kana... I mean Kanna... I mean Asuka in WWE, so it could be treated as a showcase, but it didn't really seem like a showcase of talent. Either way I'll treat it as neither 100%, more 50/50 as both, which gives it a pretty solid average rating.

Asuka was able to display some of her strengths but not the ins-and-outs or bread-and-butter of her physicality like Crews did, unless of course, that's all we're going to expect from her. And she faced Dana Brooke who would've been the best opponent considering how much of a bitch (and apparently a "talent") she is.

Some things were off. Some strikes looked weak and some completely missed, like the back-fist to Emma on the apron (and especially the post match back kick), but some looked effective and were good, like the repeated roundhouses to Dana which made her cower.

What I don't understand is how Dana was shown to be afraid of Asuka the week beforehand, and even during the match, only to come along and do that really awful head-pat thing in the middle of the match. Why would you do that, and what is the logic? You're scared. Don't antagonise someone when you're scared, because no one does that. Ever. EVER. So WHAT DA HAYELL?

TYLER BREEZE vs. APOLLO CREWS

'average'

** 1/2

Aight let's be fair. This match was pretty lacklustre. I expected more from both but I guess the guys don't really have the chemistry and Crews isn't really quite that good. Though, I firmly believe if Crews was part of the males singles main event scene he'd be having Finn Balor tier matches (which are most of the time just "good") given the time and booking priority, and getting away with it a lot easier.

Which reminds me. Crews seems to get a lacking reaction from the crowd in Full Sail. Why? Every other acquisition from other companies has entered and kept a strong reaction whereas Crews is... below them. I really don't understand. He hasn't done much different to all the other people, yet they still receive a good reaction. If Crews' reaction was dim in comparison because he's yet another similar talent, then shouldn't they be lower on Balor among others too? I don't see the sense in it.

At least Breeze's reception was better than it was against Balor only a while before RESPECT. I'll never really understand how this goddamn crowd works. They'd rather cheer the epitome of averageness in Balor than cheer a genuinely decent talent who worked for everything in NXT and has put on good matches for over two years now, because of what reason? I have no idea. Yet now they stop and cheer Breeze over a guy very similar to Balor.

ARE THEY JUST RACIST?

Nahhh...

...

There wasn't much I noticed in this match though honestly. It was a bit disappointing as I expected a fair bit more than just an average-ish match, but a decent one at least. What I noticed was commentary constantly putting Crews over in ways that seemed so intentionally manufactured, like he's supposed to be what the New Day was originally meant to be. A guy who is too positive, too "nice", and too good, to even like, because he's just so... fake. Or something. Hell I don't know what goes through the bookers' minds. Sometimes I don't think they do either.

The only other thing I noticed was Breeze's reversal to the Crews Combination. Grabbing the leg to stop the moonsault was a simple but effective way to prevent the completion. Instead of being a blatant, very elaborate reversal, it just stopped Crews. It didn't make the gorilla press look weak, it just made Breeze look desperate. Which is exactly what he is.

And I quite liked the new finisher, but if it was a sit-out powerbomb it'd be better. Less similar to recent NXT wrestler Kevin Owens, otherwise.

RHYNO & BARON CORBIN vs. SAMOA JOE & FINN BALOR

THE FINALS of the DUSTY TAG TOURNAMENT

'average'

** 1/2

This is as fair as I can be. There was nothing worth watching in this match, but it wasn't bad by any means. It was the definition of anti-climactic. To have Balor and Joe defeat Dash and Dawson, and Corbin and Rhyno to beat the favourites Jordan and Gable, as well as having Balor enter with a damaged leg, to have such an average match as the final match in a tournament dedicated to one of the greatest wrestlers and bookers to ever grace our gotdamn earth? Anti-climactic in every sense of the word... I think.

It was shit, okay? Not meaning it was bad, just not up to expectations in any way.

And with the ending, and the clear as fuck photo op, it made me believe that this was just a huge grab at publicity, for honouring a mans passing with such a travesty of a tournament. If it ended in a DUSTY FINISH, I could understand, but it was as clean as clean can be, and it fucking SUCKED.

Also Balor, the NXT Champion who is known by many as a "good wrestler", had absolutely no issue using his leg until he was booked to do so. He jumped over the ropes, did a step-up dropkick, etc, with no issue. And then he did a vault in the corner, landed, and THAT was painful? Give me a break of Balor already for god sake.

I really am just so disappointed nothing came from this tournament whatsoever. The only three things worth noting were;

The NXT bookers care so little about the tag division that not only did two singles guys randomly tagging together because they can, ended up winning, they defeated the most popular tag team in NXT history;

The former tag team champions in Blake & Murphy were knocked out of the tournament in the first round;

And the actual tag team champions lost in the second round.

Not to mention most of these weren't even bloody televised, and the tag team champions were absent from the special too. What. The. Fuck?

THE MAIN EVENT
SASHA BANKS vs. BAYLEY (c)

30-Minute Ironman Match for the NXT Women's Championship

'good-great'

*** 3/4

I hate that I went out, came back, and put this match on to hear "WOMEN'S WRESTLING" being chanted, as Stephanie McMahon looked on. It's great that this means so much to everyone at NXT, including the women wrestlers who made it happen, but it feels dirty knowing that this is so very clearly an attempt at good publicity by a McMahon. Steph and even Triple H are incredibly disingenuous. Nothing they do is for anyone but themselves. NXT is a prime example of this, even if we like it, the only reason they make it this way is to prove to themselves that they can make everyone happy one way or another.

Well, at least the match was good. Even with the horrendous chants which, if weren't so prevalent, might have helped redeem the Full Sail crowd of their absolute awfulness. Also on the list: the "THIS IS AWESOME" chant before anything happened, and "YOU DESERVE IT", which as we all know, they do deserve it, but neither Stephanie nor Triple H deserve to stroke their fat egos.

Overall, It has nothing on their previous match at Brooklyn though, sadly. That's still my personal MATCH OF THE YEAR so far.

For a thirty minute match with multiple falls, it really had its flaws. The first minute was a fine little walk-around that often happens in big matches. No problem. But for over three more minutes after that, both Sasha and Bayley wasted time with that very hateable string of near-fall pin attempts with things like schoolboys, backslides and Oklahoma rolls. May as well have just said it was a 27 minute match because that is an undeniable waste of time in every match it's in.

It picked up quickly after that, though. Bayley hit one of her signature arm-drags, and went for another, where Sasha landed a little badly on her neck/shoulder. Now, I assume that was a botched landing, but whether the effect of the landing was supposed to be sold the way it was, I'm unsure. But Sasha was either feeling or wrestling-feeling the damage from that for at least another two minutes, stalling the match out a little bit, looking concerned and being very convincing. If that was legitimate, it was good to see that take up some time in the match. If it was an act, then even better, because by GOD I was convinced.

Unfortunately for me I predicted a dirty pin as the first fall for Sasha, it seemed too obvious to me. And it happened. It wasn't anything special and normally a face would kick out of that tactic so early in a match, which is why I'm not such a huge fan of Ironman stipulations like a lot of others are. Things seem to come so cheaply in their matches, like the people in them have become half the wrestler they usually would be; taking pins they'd kick out of, being counted out when they'd normally jump back into the ring, etc.

On the flip-side, Bayley's first pinfall was awesome, except for it being so soon in the match. It was quick, unexpected, and executed really well at a great time to turn the tide.

Around the middle of the match was where most of the action happened outside of the ring. Sasha throwing Bayley around in front of her family and 'biggest fan' (that kid) gave me some flashbacks to some of the most classic heel/face matches in WWE, but at this point of the match it was wasted. Sasha wasn't in the lead so being cocky didn't have as much of an effect as it could've, and Sasha didn't take the opportunity to trash-talk anyone.

Only a few minutes later Sasha sure proved me wrong, pulling out the BIG (booked) GUNS by getting a count-out fall over Bayley and mocking her and her 'biggest fan' (that kid) whom I am CERTAIN is a plant, not because she's a huge fan, but because Sasha was able to mock her, and she cried. On TV. We're all being worked damn it.

So it was about fifteen-ish minutes into the match and Bayley couldn't manage to get back into the ring. There was a count-out fall only fifteen-ish minutes into a thirty minute long match, but it still turned around. Another thing I don't quite get about Ironmans.

It was between here and the end of the match where Bayley started to do some really aggressive things, and I'm not a big fan of that. I understand that people like faces that are more 'edgier' and less smiley, but they all have their places. I also know that Bayley has been booked to be more aggressive on purpose, but I still think that, after making it to the top, she could've toned it back down to play a perilous face and not a vindictive, angry face who is happy when she's not wrestling.

Bayley started being the definition of vindictive when she was bashing Sasha's hand on the steps. It's a heel tactic when a heel does it but it's face when a face does it for revenge? I don't think it works that way. All the while, doing it right in front of both her family and her 'biggest fan'. Before this, Bayley stuck Sasha up in the tree of woe, which is almost exclusively a heel tactic with very few exceptions. Past this, Bayley won the match by sticking Sasha in a submission and pulling her fingers back. Which is another thing exclusively for either heels or 'submission specialists', which Bayley is neither.

On the other hand though, through those fifteen minutes it was pretty entertaining. Sasha losing was a given but I did kinda mark when Bayley hit her HUGPLEX from the middle rope again, but Sasha rolled through to the ropes. What I liked most about it, though, is how it was treated ambiguously. Did Sasha realise what happened and roll herself over to the ropes for a rope-break, knowing she'd not have the energy to kick out? Or was it just pure luck that Bayley threw her down with such force that she rolled through because of the momentum? Who knows. Maybe it won't be answered. It would've been a good way to book Sasha somehow fluking the championship back, but it's fine that didn't happen.

Overall, like I said, it was a solid match, but it has nothing on the original special match at Brooklyn, like most rematches.



Stay tuned. I have an NXT Women's Championship idea I may post.

:-)