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We opened with a dark arena and HHH's voice welcoming us. It is WrestleMania weekend but tonight's our night. We are NXT and we are home. After that we cut to video on the history of the promotion and how Orlando is home for the NXT fans. It was very cool.
They then brought us up to speed in the form of a video recap. We have 14,975 on hand, a sell out at The Amway Center. Tom Phillips is joint by Nigel McGuinness and Percy Watson. They are all psyched.
We are opening with SAnitY vs. Tye Dillinger, Roderick Strong, No Way Jose and Ruby Riot.
They showed footage from Axxess where SAnitY took out Jose earlier today. William Regal said Jose can not compete. If the others can find a partner, they can have that man join them.
Tye was out first for his team. He got a huge pop. He looks pissed and ready. Ruby was out next. She also looks ready. And then Roderick. Who will their partner be? Oh, they have a partner, Kassius Ohno. They charged the ring and cleared the heels out of the ring for a minute.
The women are starting us off. When Ruby got the upper hand, Nikki tagged out. So Ruby tagged in Ohno and he cleaned house. As SAnitY came back, Roddy tagged in. He was in control briefly but then Killian Dain got the upper hand. The story became that they worked over Roddy while he tried to tag out. The story that they were telling was that this is all on Tye for turning Eric Young down.
Finally, Eric Young missed an attack in the corner and Roddy hit the tag on Tye, who cleaned house. The fans went nuts and chanted 10! Nikki tried to attack him but Ruby made the save. Tye was going nuts, taking everyone out, until Dain attacked him from behind. They brawled on the floor until it left the women in the ring. For a minute. Then it was Tye and Young. Dain came in and ate a superkick but it got broken up. This was nuts, 100 miles an hour.
Roddy was set to face off with Dain when Cross jumped on his back. So, Riot did the same to Dain. Cross went after her and Ruby threw her to the floor. Riot then hit an insane dropkick to the floor. Tye had Dain when the numbers game caught up but Wolfe hit him with a kick and Dain hit his fingers for the pin.
It was all action and great work. What a way to start the show!
They showed us Bobby Roode in the back. He believes everyone is here to see him.
Then they showed Edge and Beth Phoenix in the crowd. They got a huge pop and looked happy.
Time for Cien Almas vs. the debuting Aleister Black. Almas is out first. The arena went dark for Black, pun intended. He came out under a spotlight and looked pretty intimidating. He walked slowly to the ring. He walked out slowly to a death metal song and some cool background. He got a big pop after being announced. Nigel told him that he has known Black since 2005 and he has changed. He has some demons but in that ring he is legit. His entrance was really cool.
Almas played heel early. He bailed to the floor and Black feigned coming out and instead did a moonsault that ended with him sitting with his legs folded. It was cool. Then Almas got the upper hand and went to work on Black’s upper body. Nigel kept saying that was a mistake. He should go for Black’s legs to stop his kicks.
Nigel was proved a prophet as Black tossed Almas to the floor and did a nice moonsault off of the top. But Almas came back and laid in some lumber. He tried an armbar on the ropes but it didn’t work. Almas came off the top and I don’t know what he was going for but it didn’t work. Black got a two. Almas got back up and went to work. He missed going into the corner and Black rolled him up for two. Then Almas returned the favor for a two. Then they kicked each other at the same time and down they went. Almas got a two with a move I can’t even describe. He ran into the corner and hit both knees. He got a two with a snap German after Black blocked few attempts.
Black then came back with numerous kicks to the head and finished him off with a spinning kick to the head, getting the win.
Earlier in the match, Nigel said that Black looked a little nervous early on and I think he was right on the money. This was a huge match for him so it was understandable. I enjoyed the match a lot. People that take points off for missed spots may not have enjoyed it as much but I kind of like it when it gets gritty. It makes it look more like a fight and less like a work. I enjoyed this and can’t wait to see where they go next with him. Almas wasn’t hurt at all either. NXT knows how to book.
The three way for the Tag Titles is up next.
The Revival came out first. Followed by DIY. The Champs, rightfully were out last.
William Regal came out and got the old belts from the AOP. He broke out the new ones and they look good.
At the bell, The Revival and DIY worked together to go after the AOP. DIY went after a table right away. They wanted to put Akam through it but he said no. They took him out while The Revival took out Rezar and those two teams met in the ring.
Please click to Page Two for more thoughts from tonight’s show!
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