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NXT Live: St Petersburg
August 1, 2019
US National Guard: St. Petersburg Armory
St. Petersburg, Florida
Attendance: 175
Disclaimer: Names of wrestlers may have been changed during the writing of this review or may not be known to me, I apologize if, for example, Samuel Shaw is given some goofy new name like Dexter Loomis.
NXT Live in St. Petersburg: This was a different yet entertaining show with some fairly good matches along with some matches that were average. At least there were no true stinkers on the show but the wrestling and overall show was below the normal very high bar set for these usually awesome shows. The shows at this armory in St. Petersburg do not always deliver the best cards either but tonight’s card was not bad, just very unique with a weird pacing. Also, there was no racist shouts tonight! Progress!
(Oh you didn’t know??!?!? Google???? Kairi Sane NXT St. Petersburg Racism)
Want Some Weird News I Learned at the Show!?!!????!!?
At the beginning of each match tonight, they made the time limit of the match very quickly. They then started to pull the New Japan time announcing until draw tactic in every match. There seemed to be a reason you can read about below or this could be experimental for a more sports based Sports Entertainment product. Out of nowhere you would here 20 MINUTES LEFT!!! They would make these announcements at the 20 minute, 10 minute, 5 minute, 2 minute, and 30 second marks. It was interesting and the crowd seemed to like it for the most part.
Isiah “Swerve” Scott and Brennan Williams defeated Shane Thorne and Brandon Vink
This was a solid opener between two new tag teams that could become great if they are actually made into real tag teams instead of experiments. Swerve and Williams have really become a good tag team and this is coming from someone who really dislikes Williams’ strange flamboyant gimmick. Fortunately, while he still has this “twerking” gimmick, it is tempered when he tags with Swerve. They make a great team with Swerve hitting impressive aerial maneuvers and inventive strikes while Williams uses his power to throw their opponents around. The team they face was composed of former TM-61 member Shane Thorne and Brandon Vink and this could be the first time they have tagged. They held their own with Thorne showing off his overall potential and potential as a member of a very good tag team. Vink is still learning but can do some impressive slams and drivers out of nowhere. Swerve and Williams made a comeback and won the match with a diving single leg stop to a waist lifted side slam. During this match, they announced the time remaining twice.
Update: Brennan Williams is now Dio Madden, they sure love their name changes. Maybe the name Dio Madden will get his twerking gimmick over.
Rhea Ridley w/ Reina Gonzalez defeated Lacey Lane
This was a solid match that got better as it progressed to finish strong. This had the basic formula where a big wrestler took on the smaller wrestler who, as some would say, tried to chop the tree down. The only twist was that the big wrestler had a bigger wrestler accompany her to ringside. Lane was almost successful in cutting her bigger opponent down and hit several impressive maneuvers, usually through flip reversals, diving assaults or spring-boarding. Why the referee did not kick Rhea’s friend, Reina Gonzalez out of the ringside area or disqualify Rhea due to her interference baffles me, it is like he is in an all of this! Kayfabe drop! Sorry, Reina interfered and after several good near-falls by both women, ultimately Rhea was able to reverse a move by Lacey into her finisher, the Rhea Bomb, which is a Pumphandle Powerbomb.
Donovan Dijakovic defeated Raul Mendoza
This was a good but quick match, maybe due to the time limits! Not really, they never came into play up this point outside of being very annoying due to the volume of their time announcements. Both were impressive and this was another smaller wrestler trying to take down the bigger wrestler match. Raul tried to do this through quick running kicks to Dijakovic’s legs as well as spring-boarding dropkicks to the knees. There were near-falls in this match but they came too quickly to have an impact but the finish was fantastic, unpredictable and realistic. Raul spring-boarded to hit some huge strike to a hazy Dijakovic who was playing possum and Dijakpvic then hit a nasty looking Superkick that sounded gruesome, more than your common thigh slap. The kick came out of nowhere due to how Dijakovic sold being woozy and the kick was brutal looking. Dijakovic then pinned Raul.
Daniel Vidot Promo
Daniel Vidot, who has worked security at the door in recent months which is what newer wrestlers have to do at these events if they are not on the card, came out and cut a promo. He is Samoan and Irish but is from Brisbane, Australia. Vidot played Rugby as a winger in the National Rugby League for the Canberra Raiders, St. George Illawarra Dragons, Brisbane Broncos and the Gold Coast Titans. He also played for the Salford Red Devils in the Super League, and represented Samoa at an international level. Obviously, he is athlete recruit to NXT with no independent experience that I could find. This probably means he has a lot to learn about everything that goes into professional wrestling. He did cut a solid babyface promo on his background as a Pacific Islander, He seems to be developing a Toa Henare like gimmick and he brought a very large and intimidating Samoan War Club to the ring with him. His promo was then interrupted by Samuel Shaw who then cut a promo on Vidot and Shaw referred to himself as (oh no it cannot be! Dadgummit!) Dexter Loomis (RIP Samuel Shaw). Dexter Loomis stated that Vito is afraid of Dexter Loomis, yep just like that which was pretty much an argument for scripting not against it, if someone actually told him to say that. Shaw, sorry DEXTER LOOMIS started to creepily close talk Vidot which was funny but Vidot grabbed his club which led D-Loom high tail it to the locker-room.
Damien Priest defeated Cal Bloom
Cal Bloom came out to minimal response and like Vidot has been working the doors and security over the last couple of months. Bloom was the Tight End for the UCF Knights during the Blake Bortles Era when UCF reached national prominence. He is also the son of Wayne Bloom, who was Beau Beverly of the early 90’s WWE tag team, the Beverly Brothers. You will see him if you ever watch WWF Superstars from the early 90’s on the network. Cal Bloom has always been nice and humble when working security waiting for his turn with this deep roster. While he did not get a lot of offense in, he did get to show off some of his skill in this squash match and he definitely has potential. Damian Priest came out to a pop way louder than I and from his reaction, Priest, expected. People seemed to really like his gimmick and constantly chanted “Priest” while he squashed Bloom. Priest dominated most of the match until Bloom made a small comeback only to be cut-off by a vicious strike from Priest who then locked in his submission finisher. It was something I have not witnessed before but I am sure it has a name, it basically was an Inverted Sharpshooter but with Priest using his arms instead of legs. While it was similar to a Cloverleaf, it definitely was not one unless he really screwed it up.
Robert Strauss and Outliers Promo
Robert Strauss (Robbie E) came out and cut a vicious promo on the crowd as Outliers made fun of individual fans. Strauss then invited any tag team to come out and face them, when no one answered, he started boasting and as they began to leave, Tyler Breeze’s music hit. The Outliers and Strauss ran back into the ring. When they realized it was only him, Strauss made fun of him and the Outliers went to attack him only for Fandango’s music to hit which popped the crowd the loudest of the night. The Outliers and Strauss started freaking out because Breezango is back! The crowd chant Fandango’s name as he gyrated his hips and the crowd chanted Breezango throughout the match. This was a good tag match and the Outliers held their own although Breeze and Fandango made them look really good. Ultimately, Breezango got the upper hand and defeated the Outliers with in Stereo Super Kicks. The crowd popped loudly for this and loved Breezango.
Brody Lee defeated Mansoor
Brody Lee came out to a mild reaction and with this being the second time I have watched him live on the Florida Loop, I am starting to realize that he is talented. He just needs to figure out what his gimmick because from what I can tell, it seems to be that he is a smaller, more agile Bruiser Brody who hits hard strikes and solid aerial maneuvers. Brody was a heel tonight and his opponent, Mansoor, then came out to another surprisingly big pop. I really like Mansoor due to his in-ring ability and how he can play both babyface or heel roles so well. This turned into a very good match that was fast paced and hard hitting with both wrestlers hitting some spectacular moves. This was the surprise match of the night because the crowd was really into it and really wanted Mansoor to win. Every time Mansoor would hit an impressive reversal, he would hit a litany of strikes, aerial maneuvers and slams only to be cut off by Lee’s cheap heel tactics. With the time limit running down, Lee won out of nowhere with a Jumping Meteora for the victory and an angry crowd.
Cruiserweight Championship: Kushida vs. Drew Gulak
This was a fantastic match between the two and the crowd was really into this match with Kushida being heavily cheered and Gulak heavily booed. I wondered why they were doing the match time limit and got my answer with this match, unless of course this is something they are experimenting with. Both wrestlers would come very close to winning the match either by a submission or a reverse to their opponent’s finisher. The announcer then stated 5 minutes remaining, which made me question if this match was really being timed correctly or if we were on Kayfabe time because then the two minute warning came very quickly. Regardless, as Kushida reversed out of Gulak’s Dragon Sleeper to twist around him while grabbing his arm and swinging him into his submission finisher, the Hoverboard Lock, which he had clinched on in the center of the ring for the sure victory until “Time!” was announced and this awesome match ended with a draw. This match left me with way more questions than answers.
Io Shirai defeated Xia Li
Io drew heat easily after coming out in all black and really plays a heel well live. About a fourth of the crowd was with her apparently liking this new attitude and chanted her name. With time limits still in effect for no real purpose now other than if they are making NXT like New Japan, this was a quick squash match. While Xia Li was able to get some offense in with some impressive kicks, Io eventually hit a nasty reversal with a leg sweep. Io then dominated the rest of the match and won with a submission since she did not want to let the crowd see her do her moonsault like a true heel.
Main Event:
Pete Dunne defeated Roderick Strong
This was a spectacular Main Event and even with some odd things occurring throughout the show, this match made it all with more than the drive and price of admission. Both wrestlers got good reactions from the crowd, Strong is from Tampa and always has a group of dedicated fans that cheer him no matter what. While both wrestlers got good reactions, Strong quickly was booed once he started his heel tactics. What made this match great was how Dunne constantly worked over the fingers on each hand of Strong. Strong would focus on Dunne’s back hitting several innovative back breakers out of nowhere to set up his finisher which is the Lion tamer or an elevated Boston Crab called the Strong Hold. This all culminated when Strong hit the End of Heartache, A suplex dropped into a backbreaker, that he then transitioned into the Strong Hold. It looked like Dunne would tap but he was able to reach Strong’s finger’s and which he bent back to make Strong release the hold. The working over of the fingers earlier in the match allowed this to happen and Dunne would then hit his finisher, the Bitter End, for the victory. The time limit didn’t play a part in this match although they announced it would be a 30 minute time limit. Regardless, this was another great NXT main event on the Florida Loop. I just wish I knew what the deal with the time limit rules were but who cares, it was fun and as Bill Murray says, “Live in the moment”.
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