NXT, Lucha Underground and Indy Wrestling Minutes - You weekly source for independent wrestling news

Hope everyone had a great Christmas and I’ve got a special present for you – independent wrestling news!

NXT TV, 12/18

  NXT TV opens with video package recapping NXT Takeover. Shows Sami Zayn being carted away on a stretcher with the NXT title on him, which they didn’t show on Takeover itself.

  Commentary team tonight is Jason Albert, Rich Brennan and Corey Graves. Hopefully this means no more Alex Riley but he’ll probably switch in and out with Albert. Luckily, Graves is pretty good on commentary, much better than Riley.

  Adrian Neville comes out first. Seems like he’s squarely back in the face territory. Crowd chanting “Thank You, Neville” for some reason. He puts over Zayn, saying the better man won and he deserves to be NXT Champ. And it should be Sami Zayn out there right now, saying he wishes he could shake his friend’s hand but he’s not here tonight thanks to one person - Kevin Owens.

  Adrian says he hopes Owens is proud of what he did and it isn’t long before Owens hits the stage and heads to the ring. Neville says what he did was shameful and keeps saying shame on you to Owens and the crowd starts chanting it.

  Owens says he doesn’t care what Neville has to say, that his opinion is irrelevant to him. He cares that he is finally here and cares that Zayn isn’t here because he is. He doesn’t have a problem with Neville and he’s here to get to the absolute top. If Neville wants a fight, he’s got a fight.

  Seems like they are really trying to push Owen’s catchphrase as “I’ll fight anybody and everybody” but I don’t know how well it’s working. I like the sentiment but the wording in clunky and I don’t see it really getting over with the crowd.

  Devin Taylor is backstage with Becky Lynch. Becky says Sasha Banks opened her eyes to the fact that isn’t doesn’t matter if the fans are cheering if she’s losing every week. Becky takes on Bayley next.

  Bayley is wearing a brace on her left knee after being attacked by Becky and Sasha. Bayley takes advantage first, keeping on top of Becky with hard shots and clotheslines. Becky keeps trying to attack the knee but Bayley reversing her attempts and staying in control. It seems like Bayley might win until Becky reverses a roll up and locks in a submission on Bayley’s knee for the win. Albert says she calls it “The Four Leg Clover.”

  Charlotte cuts sort of an odd promo with Renee Young, trying to sound like a face but definitely saying heel things about how she’s the best Diva in WWE and that she’s genetically superior. Next week, Sasha gets a rematch for the Women’s title.

  The Vaudevillains talk to William Regal in his office and they get a black and white film effect while on screen. They show Regal a video clip that even though Gotch got pinned in their match against the Lucha Dragons, he wasn’t the legal man. They want the match tonight but Regal says no way, but they will get one eventually.

  Bull Dempsey up to squash some jobber they don’t name. Probably some local dude. He doesn’t get any offense in before Bull smashes him with headbutts and knees before pinning him with a flying headbutt.

  Bull heads up the ramp but before he gets to the top, Baron Corbin’s music hits and he makes his way out. Bull is still on the ramp and he stares down Bull as he walks by. It’s kinda cool how Bull and Baron are feuding without actually saying a word to each other.

  Corbin punches his jobber once and hits the End of Days and wins in 14 seconds. Bull still on the ramp as Corbin walks up and Bull shoves him but before Corbin can do anything, Bull jumps off the ramp and backs away with a smirk on his face.

  Enzo and Big Cass (with Carmella) make their way out to the ring. Enzo has such amazing charisma. Just give that dude a mic on Raw and he’d be over immediately. They’re taking on The Ascension. Commentary says they jumped Enzo and Cass, but I don’t remember when that would’ve happened. Enzo and Cass do a little rendition of the “7 Days of Christmas” about what they’re gonna give Konnor and Viktor.

  Big Cass starts against Viktor. Viktor pushes him to the corner first but Cass soon takes advantage. Enzo tags himself in after Cass takes down Viktor and runs across the ring to forearm Konnor who just stands there. Enzo seems like he’s trying to get the attention of Carmella by being a tough guy in the ring but she doesn’t pay attention to him. Viktor STOs him and get the pin before Cass can get in the ring and Konnor knocks Cass off the apron.

  Am I sensing the beginning of a break up between these guys? Is Carmella gonna be a wedge between them, whether she’s actively trying to break them up or not? Cass seems annoyed that Enzo tagged himself in to try and get Carmella’s attention and then lost the match. I sure hope that’s not what’s happening.

  Viktor on the mic says they’ve been the best in NXT for years and what happened at Takeover was beginners luck and that this war between them and Itami and Balor is far from over.

  Graves says Neville and Owens will step in the ring for the first time...in NXT.

  Albert says he doesn’t get why Owens can just show up and be in the main event scene. That he needs to pay his dues. That Zayn worked for 14 years and waited his turn.

  Owens starts the match by jumping outside and not engaging Neville. Classic heel maneuver. Neville go behind pushes him into the ropes followed by a leg lariat and Owens rolls out as he hits the mat. Back into the ring, Owens takes him down with a single forearm. He hits a few strikes before Neville hits a big rana and Owens runs away again.

  Commentary mentions they wonder if Owens can breathe with that broken nose and I was wondering that too.

  Owens gets in but right back outside and this time Neville pursues. Owens dodges the baseball slide and hammers Neville with a clothesline to the back of his head. Smashes him on the apron a few times and draws boos from the crowd. Kinda crazy how Neville is just right back into face territory again after being a huge jerk to Zayn for so long.

  Owens flattens Neville with a cannonball senton but gets a two count. Owens talking trash in the ring. “Nothing I do makes me shameful” and “You were the champ for a year - you’re a joke!”

  Neville sidesteps Owens in the corner and hits a big head kick which stuns Owens. Follows up with quick strikes and a 2 count from a springboard missile dropkick. Goes up top and seems like maybe for the Red Arrow but Owens blocks him. Neville springboard and gets caught on Owens’ shoulders who drops him down into a big gutbuster (I was like, Deep Sea Diverticulitis?!) followed by a senton but only gets a 2.

  Owens puts Neville on the top rope but Neville sends him crashing to the mat with some forearms. Neville perched on top but Owens hits the ropes and knocks him down. Owens drapes Neville’s feet on the corner and spikes him with a DDT but only gets a 2. Owens keeps breaking out crazy looking, heavy handed offense that he didn’t use last time.

  Neville wiggles off of Owen’s shoulders and pushes him into the ropes and uses the momentum to take him over with a German suplex. Owens rolls outside and Neville rebound into a twisting dive to the outside but struggles to lift Owens back into the ring as the count rises. Owens pushes Neville into the ring post and neither can get back in the ring before the 10 count for a double count out.

 The ref tells Owens it’s over and he looks furious. He pushes the ref away and powerbombs Neville onto the apron as doctors rush out to check on Neville.

Lucha Underground - Episode 8

  Looks like LU is bringing a bit of the multiman flavor to the show. Cueto asked 10 luchadores to come to the ring to start the show. Cueto has big sunglasses on, not doubt to hide the black eye Johnny Mundo gave him. The winner of each match will be rewarded he says. But not money. Something much more precous than money he says.

  Thought it was a tag match but it’s not. Just a giant clusterf*ck. One pin to win between Drago, King Cuerno, Pentagon Jr., Fenix, Mascarita Sagrada, Big Ryck, Prince Puma, Super Fly, Son of Havoc, Mariachi Loco.

  Everyone but Drago and Cuerno gang up on Ryck to start (they’re hanging back in opposite corners, watching each other). Ryck throws everyone aside and Sagrada is left, ineffectually punching him in the stomach. They tie up and Sagrada goes behind with a hammerlock and starts kicking his legs out. Ryck snapmares him onto his face and Drago leaps up and over Sagrada into Cuerno.

  Fenix bounces off several ropes hits a drop kick on Ryck. Mariachi springboard dropkick on Ryck and a final dropkick from Pentagon sends him out. Pentagon Slingblade on Fenix, Drago attack Pentagon, throws him off and big corckscrew onto Cuerno on the outside.

  Vamp really hates Sagrada. Every time someone hits him, he wants them to do it again. Almost too much going on at once, it’s hard to follow who’s fighting who.

  Havoc fakes a dive to the outside and tells off the fans who boo him wanting to see a dive. Puma steps up to fight him, even though he has his ribs taped up from the ladder match. Vamp says it’s no doubt Konnan making him get back in the ring so soon. Lots of flippy stuff from Puma and Havoc. Puma two backflips and a headscissor take Havoc outside and hits a senton onto Fenix and Pentagon outside.

  Ryck takes on Fenix, Drago and Mariachi at the same time, throwing Drago into Fenix and Mariachi. Puma and Fenix gang up on Ryck to take him down and out of the ring. Then Fenix and Puma trade kicks into the corners and Fenix takes down Puma with a superkick. Fenix goes up top but Puma follows him and sets up for a super plex. Cuerno sets up to powerbomb tower of doom style and Mariachi and Pentagon slide out of the ring taking Cuerno’s legs out.

  Havoc hits a huge shooting star press on Fenix but Super Fly breaks it up. Drago uses that pin combo (the Dragon’s Tail says Striker) on Super Fly but Cuerno kicks him in the face to break it up. Cuerno, Mariachi and Pentagon all get near falls with their finishers and Sagrada back in to break up Pentagon’s with a mini Mafia Kick.

  Pretty much everyone but Fenix, Puma and Ryck do big dives to the outside. Puma hits a 630 senton on Ryck and goes after Fenix who sets him up for a Tornado DDT off the top. Fenix flips Puma up onto his shoulder and hits a Greeting From Asbury Park type piledriver for the win.

  The next match is a Boyle Heights Battle Royal. Cortez Castro, Cisco, B-Boy (Bael apparently), Famous B, Ricky Mandel, Sexy Star, Pimpinela Escarlata, Johnny Mundo and Mil Muertes. Oh and Chavo is number 10.

  Star goes under the second rope to jump on Chavo to start the match. Mundo tries to eliminate Cisco but he gets back in. They show that Asian chick in the crowd watching this match. Famous B eliminated first. Pimpinela springboards on the ropes with a knuckle lock on both Cisco and Bael and takes them down. Then Star drop kicks Pimpy from behind.

  The Crew eliminates Ricky Mandel. Pimpy with a knuckle lock on Mundo and up to the top. Mil knocks them both over, spears Pimpy and throws him over the ropes. Star jumps Chavo from behind and starts pounding on him but he snapmares her over. He drags her around by the hair, picks her up and Codebreaker. Chavo in the corner, Star runs in and Chavo puts her up over the top. Shoulder to Chavo and Star up top with a cross body but Chavo catches her and dumps her over the top rope.

  Mil, the Crew, Chavo and Mundo are left. The Crew works over Mundo while Mil goes to choke Chavo in the corner. The Crew pick him up and throw him over the top but Mundo hangs on to the top rope. On the apron he’s fighting them all at once. Basement dropkick tries to knock out Mundo but he hangs on with his feet somehow and the Crew don’t see it.

  Mundo takes Cortez over the top rope, Chavo tosses Cisco and Mil spears Bael and throws him out.

  Chavo catapult Mundo and he hangs onto the rope again. Mil wants a German but Chavo holds on. Mundo shoulder to his gut and sunset flip on Mil who Germans Chavo. Mil tries to eliminate Mundo who springboards in and dropkicks Mil. Mundo crotches Chavo and Mundo springboards off the ropes and a kick to the face eliminates Chavo. That Asian chick is still in the crowd (and Vampiro is still losing his mind over her).

  Mil spears Mundo. Mundo escapes the apron again and back in the ring, Mundo hits some quick moves off the topes to take down Mil. Mundo hits a running knee on Mil and lifts him, trying to take him over the ropes. Both guys on the apron, Mil stomping Mundo into the mat and Catrina pulls him over a little. Mil standing on Mundo’s next as he hangs off the apron but holds onto the bottom rope with a leg. Mundo slides back in through his legs and sets up for the End of the World but Mil gets the knees up. It hits Mundo’s knee somehow and clotheslines Mundo over the top rope to win.

  Fenix and Mil are facing off in the ring. Cueto comes out of his office and with him is a title belt - a Lucha Underground championship belt! Looks kinda plain though. Cueto says the lucha who wears the belt will be the greatest fighter in the world. Cueto says he’s invented the most brutal, innovative match in the world - Aztec Warfare. (Guerrilla Warfare?) In three weeks, first show of 2015, whoever survives Aztec Warfare will win the belt.

  Fenix and Mil have a match tonight. Winner gets into Aztec Warfare last and loser goes in first and has to fight 19 other luchadores to win. So it’s like a Royal Rumble match?

  Fenix avoiding the big rushes of Mil and catches him in a go behind. Fenix getting the best of mil with big dives and a corkscrew over the top. Mil just barely makes it back in before the 10 count.

  Mil spears Fenix and lays him over the ropes allowing Catrina to choke him as Mil distracts the ref. Mil drops Fenix with a big DDT but only a 2. Mil hits a big running powerslam but only a 2. Fenix tries to build some momentum but Mil powerbomb for a 2.

  Fenix hits a handspring into a cutter but gets a 2. Fenix walks the top rope and leaps onto Mil but he drops him with a big uppercut. Mil picks him up by the throat and drops him with a Flatliner to win. Mil will be 20 in Aztec Warfare. I don’t think Mil has lost yet in LU. Catrina licks Fenix’ face and Mil kisses her as the episode ends.

  As the episode ends Cueto talking about the belt and how it has gold in it from the 7 Aztec tribes. That it’s not just impressive but powerful. Sounds like he’s talking to someone and says “I’m sorry I can’t let you touch it, I know how you like to destroy pretty things.”

WWNLive/Evolve

Partial cards for EVOLVE 36 and 37

EVOLVE 36

Ybor City, FL – January 9, 9pm

Open The Freedom Gate Title Match

Johnny Gargano defends vs. Caleb Konley with Su Yung

Non-Title Grudge Match

EVOLVE Champion Drew Galloway vs. Roderick Strong

Ricochet vs. Timothy Thatcher

Special Challenge Match: Biff Busick vs. Trevor Lee

EVOLVE 37

Winter Park, FL – January 10, 9pm

EVOLVE Title Match

Drew Galloway defends vs. Ricochet

Special Challenge Match #1

Roderick Strong vs. Timothy Thatcher

Special Challenge Match #2

Uhaa Nation vs. Biff Busick

Special Challenge Match #3

AR Fox vs. Trevor Lee

  A new “King of the Indies” tournament was recently announced, the first tournament since 2001. Going to be held somewhere in California (not sure where – San Jose?) on March 27 and 28 and is being hosted under the WWNLive banner (Evolve, DG USA, etc).

  Three participants have been announced – B-Boy, Rey Horus and Jody Kristofferson.

Other notes

  Adam Pearce announced that he is retiring from in-ring competition and his final match was against Colt Cabana at Championship Wrestling from Hollywood. It’s believed that Pearce will now work as a producer and trainer at NXT.

  New Japan Pro Wrestling will begin on AXS TV starting Friday, January 16 at 9 p.m. The series will be 13 episodes comprised of some of the best matches in the company’s history and former UFC heavyweight champion Josh Barnett and long-time combat sports commentator Mauro Ranallo will provide English commentary.

  Pro Wrestling Syndicate, which runs out of Rahway, NJ, is getting a weekly TV series on WLNY starting on January 3.

  Also during the show, Chikara announced that they are touring the United Kingdom in April, their first shows in the UK. The tour starts with two nights in Wolverhampton on April 3 and 4. The next night they are in Cardiff followed by the final show in London on April 6. Check out more information at http://www.chikarauktour.com/.