WWE NXT Recap (on WWE.com) – 3/1/11
Cleveland, Ohio
Report by: Gregory “Grash” Walek of Wrestleview.com
NXT is in Cleveland tonight.
Matt Striker is the NXT Host.
Josh Mathews and Todd Grisham are on commentary.
Previously on NXT:
* Derrick Bateman earned a punch in the face and got sent Home.
* TONIGHT IS THE SEASON FINALE!
We start tonight’s episode reviewing the eliminations from this season. Smackdown Voice guy asks “Who’ll be the Next Breakout start” with Clay and Curtis’s video and voices are mixed with their reasons why.
After the opening theme and pyros, Striker brings out the Pros. Daniel Bryan is selling Miz’s attack. Masters is next. Maryse is out for Teddy Jr. Ziggler is not here as he’s been fired. R-Truth introduces his rookie, Johnny Curtis and goes to the ring with him. Ricardo Rodriguez is out for Del Rio. He introduces Brodus Clay, in Spanish. They head to the Ring. There is a “We want Bateman” Chant as Striker talks to the Rookies in the ring. Curtis is the first to talk about what it means to make it the finals. Curtis talks how Clay been in his way and “tonight I will fight you and knock your teeth down your throat”. Clay calls him “Poor Little Johnny” and tells him he would normally respect him for standing tall. Calls the crowd lousy, the crowd is pissed. Clay plays the Lebron Card and the Crowd is more incensed. And with that, we have the match between these two right way:
MATCH: Brodus Clay vs. Johnny Curtis
The beginning of the match is back and forth with Curtis having an edge and furry. Curtis is able to get out of holds and situation. This continues till Curtis goes to the top rope to set up a drop kick. He takes too long and Clay slams him onto the matt. We get an elbow and we cut to…
AD: The True Story of Wrestlemania
We’re back and Clay is still in control. Clay is dominating like a big guy should. He’s getting some good throws which then leads to a pin attempt. Clay is working on the neck and shoulder on Curtis. Curtis in good face faction manages to pull out of it to counter it. Clay manages to put in the corner and then smozes with Truth. Clay tries to do a Flaming Mexican, (aka running butt to the face) but misses gives Curtis an opportunity to take over. Going on the offensive and getting Clay off his feel. Again Curtis goes the top rope again. But Clay slams him down, setting up a big fat Splash on for the pin and the win. R-Truth immediately steps in to protect his rookie. There’s a stand down. After a few awkward moments between Clay and R-Truth, the two are separated and Ricardo Rodriguez Finally announces Clay as the winner, In Spanish.
Winner: Brodus Clay defeats Johnny Curtis via pin fall after a Fat Man Splash
BACKSTAGE:
Derrick Bateman is in his hometown and wearing a Browns Shirt with Daniel Bryan. Bryan can’t believe Bateman got eliminated. Bateman talks about being from Cleveland and heart break. Bryan says he’s gonna punch him in the face. Bateman says he can’t be serious. Not a friend. Not some one with Glasses! Bateman turns around and he has glasses on. Bryan is quick his response… to the side of the face. He looks down at Bateman and tells him he has a tag match with other rookies and pumps him up “For Cleveland!” Bateman gets up and is roaring!
AD: HHH in the Chaperone
AD: Wrestlemania is 33 days Away
RAW LAST WEEK – Cena Responds with Thuganomics to the Rock
“You say love them Rock, I here every week to show them”
RAW LAST NIGHT – Rock Responds Back to Cena’s Rap
“It all started with you, John Cena, calling me a liar that I don’t love the WWE.”
“The Rock will be hosting Wrestlemania, but he will be addressing you, John Cena, sooner than you think.”
The Promo is Edited and flows better than last night on Raw.
AD: The Big Show – A Giant’s World Video
MATCH: Rookie Reunion Tag Match
Byron Saxon & Jacob Novak vs Bateman & Connor
Bateman and Novack Start off. The match. We get dueling tagging in and out in each corner. “We Want Bateman” chant is going again. Connor is getting beat by Novak and Saxon. They are building up to a Bateman Hot tag for the Crowd. Novak has a head lock on that falls apart. He gets sent in to the corner and Saxon tags in to stop Connor. Saxon eventually fails and Bateman comes in on the hot tag and dominates. This continues till Saxon gets a drop on Bateman and goes for tag. Novack instead drops off the ring Apron and leaves Saxon is left to fend for him self as he walks off. This gives the opportunity for Bateman to take control, Dominate, and pin Saxon quickly.
Winners: Bateman & Connor def. Saxon & Novak via pinfall
AD: Wrestlemania Themed WWESHOP.com Ad
RAW REBOUND : The Steel Cage and Twitter Match from Raw Last night
PACKAGE: HBK on HHH vs Undertaker at Wrestlemania
UP NEXT: Who is the Next Break Out Star!
AD: “Last of the Outlaws” Undertaker Ad for SmackDown this week.
ELIMINATION
Striker is in the ring with Clay and Brodus. He thanks the Pros before we got to elimination.
WWE’s NEXT BREAKOUT STAR IS …. JOHNNY CURTIS!
Curtis drops to his feet. Brodus is crushed. Truth is in the ring Quick to support Curtis. He gets up and celebrates on the rops. R-Truth “Look at this man’s face. That is real Tears!”. Curtis gets to talk. He addresses Clay first and gives him and a hand shake. They then hug. Curtis shouts out to his dad talking about if it wasn’t for him he wouldn’t be where he is now. He then thanks the WWE Universe and R-Truth. Clay is given the mic next and says that the WWE Universe took his dream away. Clay is going all in with being a heel. “I promise you this, I will take away of your heroes away”. The Crowd is riled up. As he leaves the ring, he yells at the cameraman to get it out of his face. Back in the ring Striker tells R-truth and Curtis they have a shot at the Tag Championship. The both start posing for the crowd.
And that’s the show. The stream is done.
NEXT TIME: SEASON 5 BEGINS! “Nothing like you have seen before!”
Quick Results:
* Brodus Clay defeats Johnny Curtis via pin fall after a Fat Man Splash
* Bateman & Connor def. Saxon & Novak via pinfall
* JOHNNY CURTIS WINS NXT SEASON 4
Grash Says…
Let’s start with the big news tonight: Johnny Curtis Wins Season 4. Now I have to admit, I’m a bit shocked. I’m a Poo Butt Army Guy, meaning I follow Ricardo Rodriguez on Twitter. So I was pulling for Clay to win. And to be honest, with Clay’s win over Curtis earlier in the night, I though that’s were it was going. In the end, the next break out star should be a face, not a heel. The other factor to consider is that this season gives a tag championship match opportunity between winning rookie and his pro. Putting the opportunity on Curtis and R-Truth is the best choice. These two were a better addition to WWE’s sparse tag division. As much as I enjoy Ricardo Rodriguez, his role is not yet as a wrestler on the main roster. They’ve only recently signed him to a developmental deal. Del Rio is too busy to team being the headliner for this years Wrestlemania to tag with Clay either. Ultimately, Curtis winning is the right choice. He needs this opportunity more than Bateman or Clay does.
Don’t discount Clay. He’s in for the long run as well. In fact, he’s more likely to have the tools he needs already for the long run than Curtis does. He’s been able to develop his heel character extremely well though these weeks. He knows how to push what buttons, at what time, and in key with his character to get the crowd going. Mostly against him, as in the case of this week, or for him as in last week’s case when he was on home turf in the hood of Sacramento. Simply put, the man knows how to get a reaction. So to the Poo Butt Army that is crushed right now, defeat right now is only temporary. We will see Clay again.
Bateman is in the same boat as Clay. Over the Season of NXT he developed his character well and has become productive. We’ve already seen him do a segment poking fun at Mark Henry’s odorness on Raw. He’s worked will with Bryan and against Bryan. Ultimately, Bateman didn’t need the NXT win, he’s ready already to go fill in a hole on the main roster where needed. I look forward to seeing him soon as well.
Now, the rest of the Roster was a huge mixed bag. All of them have major flaws. All of them need more work at FCW. Of the remaining three, it was shocking how Saxon performed. He’s the only one whom I had known about before hand for his work on commentary at FCW. This is admittedly when I did research on Wade Barrett, but nether the less, I like how he worked on the desk. I was surprised how poorly he performed as a heel with an entitlement gimmick. It was worse of a flop than #douginatux. The magic moment when things clicked for Saxon on NXT did come. Unfortunately, it would be after he had been eliminated.
With this Season 4 comes to a close. It’s been fun. But Season 5 starts next week. So the excitement starts a new with a new group of rookies to get to know. What is odd with this Season Finale is the next season’s rookie and pro pairs have not been announced. This is going to be a week of speculation going forward as to what it may be. I am going to skip that and just say I’m looking forward to next week.
Before I wrap this NXT recap, I just want to announce that Wrestleview has taken me on as staff to recap NXT going forward. I am positively excited about this, and it’s not just the Smooth Citus flavor the “White-Out” Mt. Dew I’m drinking. There are many staff, vip-members, and others whom have helped me along the way. You know whom you are and I thank you.
FEEDBACK
Want to give me feedback? Want to tell me I suck at recapping and I should pull my fingers off for my abuse of the English language? Did you make me, do please tell me! Were you paying attention?
Email me: grashuriza@gmail.com
I might just email you back. Make sure to tell me the magic word is “PooButt”.