WWE NXT on WWE.com
January 25, 2012
Tucson, Arizona
Report by: Gregory “Grash” Walek of Wrestleview.com
“We Are Wild and Young”
Josh welcomes us to the show. William Regal is with him on commentary this week. Titus enters the arena in a suit. Regal sets up a package from last week showing Titus’s heel turn after beating Darren Young. The crowd in the arena boos him. Titus says an apology is deserved. This leads to him trying to get one from the crowd. The boos turn into a “You Suck” chant. Titus tells them that he did everything they asked him to do and has liberated himself from the WWE Universe. He doesn’t have to ask if there are dogs in the house because everyone are puppies. He does his dog call and Percy Watson comes out. Percy asks him what’s going on in his mind. He tells him he’s been there for him. Percy uses the word “Love” and Titus jumps on it with singing “What’s Love got to do with it”. Percy tells him he’s turning on everyone. Titus talks about challenges and redemption points. Tells Percy he’s been pulled into the joke with his talk show. Titus then becomes Darth Titus and tells him that together they are unstoppable. Percy tells him he sounds like Darren Young. Titus can’t believe it. Titus tells him he’s either with him or against him. Percy tells him he isn’t with him. Titus pulls his arm to stop him and explains the difference between him and Darren Young. He wiped his ass. He pushes Percy down. The two stare down. Striker enters before it gets out of control and sets the main event between the two.
Backstage Striker walking back and is stopped by Reks and Hawkins. Hawkins uses his cane to hold up Striker. He tells him he doesn’t have time for their insecurities. Reks jumps on that and says everyone wants to see them. Striker tells him to take care of the Usos and he’ll take care of NXT. As Striker walks off, Hawkins calls striker a poor pathetic man.
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The Usos vs. Curt Hawkins and Tyler Reks
The Usos enter the arena with their war chant. (It’s not edited, so it sounds like they’re saying F-U. Hawkins and Reks are out next and pose for the crowd. Hawkins starts with one of the Usos. Regal asks if Josh can tell the Usos apart. He can, but Regal says his eyes are old. The Match starts with the Usos on offense. It then goes back and forth till Reks blows his tag and lets the Uso take over on offense. Reks recovers control when he gets his feet up when the Uso charges in. Hawkins is shortly tagged in. Commentary talks about Hawkins being the leader. Thus Reks has much to learn from him. Josh brings up the glue incident from a few weeks ago, and Regal brushes it off as we all make mistakes. Hawkins and Reks go on a long control segment as Regal and Josh talk about the Royal Rumble. Reks is wearing down Jay as Jimmy works the crowd. It sets up Jay to drop Reks on his nuts on the ropes. This sets up for the hot double tag. Jimmy is on fire and goes for a pin. Reks saves Hawkins. Jay manages to remove Reks from the ring. Jimmy tries to pin again. Hawkins kicks out and stands up. Reks manages to toss Hawkins his cane. But Jimmy gets Hawkins before can use it. And that’s the Pin for the win.
Winner: The Usos
Backstage, Bateman is happy as a clam. He talks about true to Kaitlyn. Kaitlyn ask why he’s back with Maxine. Bateman says it’s going to be different this time and if he’s going to be here on NXT, at least it will be with a hot woman. Kaitlyn body language is “this is awkward”. there’s no way Curtis won’t be here. Kaitlyn says she saw him cleaning his shag rug. Bateman goes stressful, and then turn gleeful to Kaityln tells her thanks for the heads up.
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Heath Slater vs. Trent Barreta
Heath Slater is the first to enter arena with his “One Man Southern Rock Band” music. Trent is out next with his Punk theme. Josh talks about Trent having a ton of passion. The two circle the ring before they lock up. They go back and forth at first before Trent takes over and rolls Slater out of the ring. Trent jump out at Slater, but Slater jumps out of the way and beats on Trent on the outside of the ring. The refs gets to seven before Slater rolls Trent in the ring. Back in the ring, Slater goes into a control segment as Regal talks about his hair. Slater works the crowd as he beats on Trent. Slater is distracted and Trent uses it to take control of the match. After two pin attempts, Trent goes to the top ropes. Slater pulls him down with a slam. Trent manages to kick out, but the frustrated Slater almost gets caught in a roll up. Slater then manages to throw Trent into the ropes to set him up for his finisher. It’s the pinfall for the win.
Winner: Heath Slater
After the match, Regal talks about Slater’s ring savvy and that he’s someone people need to watch. Slater in the ring is playing Air Guitar to celebrate his win. Josh says well hear from Curtis about the wedding debacle from last week.
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Striker is in the ring and introduces a package showing Bateman breaking up Curtis and Maxine’s Vegas Wedding. Maxine comes to Bateman’s aid to stop Curtis. And then the two share a luscious kiss. After the package, Striker introduces Curtis to the ring. Josh asks if he’s on Team Johnny or Team Derrick. Regal says neither. Striker asks Curtis thoughts. He says he loves Maxine’s fingers in his mouth. He loves a girl with dirty finger nails in his mouth. Striker’s body language is that Curtis is giving too much information. Maxine and Bateman enter the arena. Maxine lays out the truth with him and asks how far low will he go. Curtis says they’re the same and tells her he’s a dirty little girl. Maxine says she has to either keep him at arm’s length or get him off NXT. Striker butts in says we need all the warm bodies on NXT as it is. Maxine tells him to shut up. She berates Striker about Curtis just walking in. Striker says they’re going to have all get along. Bateman says it’s okay as he’s beaten Derrick already. Curtis wants them to be all one big happy family and offers his hand for a shake. Curtis says he doesn’t bite, ask her. But then changes his mind. It riles up Bateman, and Maxine has to push him back. She then steps up to Curtis and then knees him in the balls. Maxine asks Curtis if “Do we have an understanding?”. She then turns and asks Bateman the same. Hey says “yes” and kisses Maxine. Bateman’s music hit as BetaMax leaves the arena.
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Josh puts over the Royal Rumble before WWE’s Royal Rumble Autism Package plays. After the package, Josh and Regal run down the three other Matches on the card.
Backstage, Percy is heading to the Arena. A-Ri stops him and talks to him about what happened with Titus earlier in the show. A-Ri tells him that Titus has a different look in his eye and wishes him luck.
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Titus O’Neil vs. Percy Watson
After the break, Percy is already in the ring waiting for Titus to enter the arena. Titus then enters to boos. The two circle the ring before the bell. Percy gets the first offensive by being faster than Titus. Percy gets a nice forearm uppercut on Titus as he beats on him. The ref tries to separate the two and Titus gets a sucker punch. It allows him to take over and toss Percy out of the ring. He does his dog call before heading out of the ring to beat on Percy. He rolls him back in and continues the offensive. The action slows with a head lock on Percy. The two fight to their feet as the crowd cheers for Percy. The crowd gets to a high before Titus cuts them down by taking control of the match. Percy is very audible about the damage that being done to him. Titus asks who’s the man before beating Percy on the matt. Regal explains that in Titus’s mind right now he needs to beat someone up. Josh asks if getting noticed is more important than victories. Regal says it is. Titus tells the crowd to shut up and he beats on Percy more. Percy gets a foot up and goes on a hot offensive. The Crowd is cheering for him as he hits the Heisman on Titus. Titus kicks out. Percy then tries to slam Titus, but Titus gets out of it and slams him for pin and the win.
Winner: Titus O’Neil
After the match, Percy continues beating on Percy. Regal says that Titus is making a point. A-Ri comes out and saves Percy from Titus. He rips his shirt off in the ring and the crowd pops for him. Titus rolls out of the ring and head to the back. A-Ri and Titus stair down as Titus tells A-Ri that this wasn’t his business.
Grash Says…
NXT this week revolves around three storylines.
First, the aftermath of Titus Turning heel. Titus had turned his back on everyone but Percy. But with Percy not going along with Darth Titus’s Path, Percy and Titus are in conflict. The resulting match hast Titus winning, and then beating on Percy after the match. There are three important factors in play here. 1) Percy is getting a response as a Face. 2) Titus is getting a response as a Heel. 3) We’ve introduced A-Ri to NXT as a Face
Second is the brewing Hawkins and Reks storyline. This week they encountered Striker in the hallway. What is important is that Striker told them to take care of the Uso, and they didn’t.
Third was the aftermath of the Vegas Wedding. With a swift knee, Maxine proved she’s more of man than the men in this story line. Kaitlyn had some interesting reactions to keep her in the mix. But I’m sure if there’s something more between Kaitlyn and Bateman or just an awkward “friend zone”. Time will tell on this.
After the storylines, the show is filled out with hype for the Royal Rumble and a good match with Slater and Barreta.