WWE NXT Report – May 25th, 2010
Report by Richard Trionfo, PWInsider
We start off tonight’s show with a look back at the four previous eliminations and the eliminated rookie’s best promos after their elimination.
We are live on tape from Cleveland, Ohio and your announcers are Josh ‘Must be Thanksgiving because I am sitting at the adult table’ Mathews and Michael ‘Anyone have Dragon Repellant’ Cole. Your host is Matt ‘The reason for the SAP button’ Striker.
Matt is in the ring and he brings out the seven NXT pros, well six since Matt tells us after he introduces CM Punk that because of what happened at Over the Limit, CM Punk will not be out tonight, but they leave a chair open for him as a memorial to his lost hair.
It is now time for the four rookies who remain in the competition to come out. Matt congratulates them for making it to the semi-finals since they are the final four. Matt says that each of them wants to win so they can go on to become the WWE’s next breakout star and earn a title match on pay per view. Matt says that time to make an impact is fleeting. Matt lets us know that next week is the season finale. One person will be eliminated and will go home. Matt allows the rookies to talk to the pros and the WWE Universe
Wade Barrett says that Justin is not man enough to win. It could be David Otunga because he reminds him of an episode of the Benny Hill Show and he hates Benny Hill. Wade says that the Ginger Ninja Heath Slater should go home because he cannot stand Heath’s offensive hair.
Justin Gabriel says that if he is asked the question three times, he would have three different answers. He says that it should be David Otunga because while he might be good on the mic, he has no idea what is going on in the ring.
David Otunga says that he is not worried about Wade because he is boring and here for the money so he can buy his favor. He says that the guy to his right irritates the mess out of him. He says that he is going to let Carrot Top’s evil twin hang around a little longer. Otunga says that Gabriel is a glorified gymnast and if you put a mic in his hands, he is a deer in the headlights and a bumbling stumbling idiot.
Heath Slater says that Wade Barrett should go home because he doesn’t know how Wade’s face is still on television with such a crooked nose.
Matt says that the rookies will team with their pros in tag team action.
Match Number One: R Truth and David Otunga versus Christian and Heath Slater
Slater and Truth start things off and Truth wants to know ‘what’s up’. They lock up and Truth with a double leg take down into a side head lock. Truth with a hammer lock but Slater with a side head lock. Slater with a flying shoulder tackle but Truth with a hip toss and arm drag into an arm bar. Otunga tags in and Otunga works on the arm. Otunga with an Irish whip but Slater floats over and hits an arm drag into an arm bar. Slater wrings the arm and tags in Christian. Christian with a double sledge from the turnbuckles and then he continues to work on the arm. Christian with a hammer lock. Christian with a punch and drop kick for a near fall. Truth tags in and Christian with a rollup for a near fall. Christian with a punch but Truth with a leg lariat for a near fall. Otunga tags in and he kicks Christian. Otunga with a back elbow for a near fall. Otunga with a chin lock but Christian with elbows. Otunga with a shoulder tackle for a near fall. Otunga with a rear chin lock but Christian with punches to get out of the hold. Otunga with a kick followed by an Irish whip and Otunga charges into boots from Christian and Christian with a back elbow from the turnbuckles and Slater is tagged in. Slater with a running forearm or two. Slater with a running forearm into the turnbuckles followed by a hesitation drop kick for a near fall. Otunga with a punch but he misses a clothesline. Slater with a neck breaker but Otunga gets his foot on the ropes. Otunga sends Slater to the floor. Slater with a punch from the apron and then he hits a cross body from the turnbuckles but the momentum sends Otunga over for the three count.
Winners: R Truth and David Otunga
We see the pros who were not in the match.
We see Daniel Bryan in his sweater vest waiting in the back as we wonder if he will apologize to Michael Cole.
We go to commercial.
We are back and Michael Cole is in the ring with security. Cole says that he knows the show is not about him, but he wants to talk about something that happened to him last week and he says that it was the most unprofessional thing to happen to him in his career. We go to the video tape.
Cole says that he has problems watching that and then he talks about the traumatic week. Cole says that he has been meeting with his team of attorneys and they suggested that he have his own security unit. Cole says that he can sue Bryan for everything that he is worth, but Cole says that he is going to be more of a man than Daniel Bryan ever was. He is going to let Bryan come out and publicly apologize for what he did. If he doesn’t apologize, then he is taking Bryan to court.
Daniel Bryan comes out to the ring. Daniel says that he is going to apologize and says that there is no need for security. Bryan says that being in the WWE is his dream and he doesn’t have a job now. He will do what is right. Cole wants to make sure that Bryan is going to apologize. Bryan says that he will apologize. Cole says that he will be a man about it and shake hands and let bygones be bygones. He wants Bryan to admit that he was wrong. Cole tells security to leave but stay at ringside.
Bryan tells Michael that he is sorry. He is really really truly sorry. He says that he is truly sorry. Cole wants to know if it is all over. Cole offers his hand and Bryan shakes it. Bryan says that he is sorry that Cole is the worst announcer in WWE history. Bryan says that Cole can’t even escape a handshake and hide behind security and an announce table. Bryan says that management has been holding him back. They put him with the Miz who was the worst pro. Bryan says that when Miz decided to show up, he only talked about himself. Bryan says that Cole never earned the job behind the announce table. Cole says that he ripped Bryan because he didn’t deserve it. Bryan says that he has more heart than anyone in the locker room. He says that he is the best wrestler in the back. Cole says that Bryan is no longer in the competition and maybe Bryan should look at himself in the mirror and stop blaming the Miz and himself. He says that Bryan should stop talking about the submission specialist because the only person to tap out in the competition was Daniel Bryan. Cole says Bryan tapped out because he is a loser. Cole says that losers have no heart. Cole slaps Bryan and Cole leaves the ring. Bryan is stopped by security. Bryan escapes security and he goes after Cole.
Cole holds his head and he tells Bryan to apologize while Bryan is taken to the back.
Miz says that Bryan doesn’t deserve to be here and he should leave. Bryan punches Miz and then security has to separate Miz and Bryan.
Back at the ring, Cole calls Bryan a maniac as we go to commercial.
We are back and Matt Striker has replaced Michael Cole at the announce table. Josh and Matt talk about what just happened. Matt says that you always respect the people here before you and he tells people to consider that when you think about who was right. We then see the many brawls. While Striker says that you show respect to the pros, Mathews says that some times you have to respond.
Match Number Two: Wade Barrett versus Justin Gabriel
Gabriel with a waist lock and he lands on his feet on a hip toss. Gabriel with a series of kicks but Barrett tosses Gabriel in the air and then Barrett kicks Gabriel. Barrett with a hard Irish whip for a near fall. Barrett with a gourdbuster and then he kicks Gabriel in the midsection while Jericho throws in some commentary. Barrett with a big boot for a near fall and then he connects with forearms across the chest and then he puts Gabriel in a seated abdominal stretch. Gabriel with a kick to the head and then Barrett misses a charge into the corner. Gabriel with kicks to the chest followed by a jumping back kick. Gabriel with another spin kick followed by a roaring elbow. Gabriel with a cross body into the corner and he hits a springboard cross body for a near fall. Barrett with a slingshot back breaker for a near fall. Barrett puts Gabriel on the top turnbuckle but Gabriel with a sunset flip power bomb and then Gabriel goes up top for the 450 splash and he hits it for the three count.
Winner: Justin Gabriel
After the match, we see the rookies in the last match with their pros. Matt gives Justin a pep talk based on his victory.
We go to commercial.
We are back and American Bang, the band who has poisoned our minds with ‘Wild and Young’ are in the front row.
It is time for the Raw Rebound.
Matt lets us know that it is time for the pros to get into a circle so they can figure out who is going to go home.
We go to commercial.
We are back and the rookies have graduated to the ring for the announcement of the Pro’s Poll.
Wade Barrett is still in first place despite losing tonight. David Otunga stays in second place with his victory.
Matt brings Justin Gabriel and Heath Slater to the spots of potential elimination. It is time to see that the man who is going home is Heath Slater because Justin Gabriel moved up to third.
Matt asks Heath for some parting comments. Matt asks Christian why Heath was eliminated. Christian says that he thought that the cards were stacked against him from the start. He said that it was going to be a dogfight and he needed to scratch and claw for everything. Christian says that he thought Heath could have done it. He says that Jericho only cared about Wade Barrett. Christian says that Heath has a bright future.
Matt asks Miz why he voted Heath Slater off was because he never showed the wow or gave his all. He never felt the passion. When you come to WWE, you bring it full throttle all the time. Some times he was good, but some times he was off and you can never be off in the WWE.
R Truth says that Slater was busting his butt and he did everything asked of him. Slater found out that it was a survival of the fittest and he wishes Slater luck in the future.
Chris Jericho is asked for his thoughts on Slater. Chris says it is axiomatic that Heath would be eliminated. He says that Otunga and Gabriel will be eliminated since Wade Barrett will be the winner. He tells Wade not to lose again to a clown like Gabriel or Otunga. He tells Barrett to start acting like he is the best. He wants to make sure that Barrett understands him.
Matt asks Heath for some final words. Heath says that all good things must come to an end. He says that he has done too much to go away. He was the first rookie to beat a pro and the first to win a challenge. He says that he was voted most impressive by the WWE Universe. He mentions that he had to lose to Kane to end his streak. Heath reminds Chris Jericho, a six time World Champion, a man who beat Stone Cole and The Rock in one night, that he beat Jericho. Heath says that they may have pulled the plug on the one man rock band, but be ready for the encore because he is going to blow their mind.
We go to credits.