NXT, Lucha Underground and Indy Wrestling Minute - Your Weekly Source for Independent Wrestling News

NXT

Tyson Kidd opens NXT TV (without Natalya). He’s taking on Finn Balor who’s getting more and more over with the crowd every week it seems. Dude has really taken to the theatrics and showmanship the WWE wants its wrestlers to show. The crowd is really responding to him too.

Balor starts fast, hitting Tyson with a dropkick at the bell then going up top for a double stomp but Kidd roles out of the way. Balor hits some big chops and a basement dropkick into the corner and goes up top again and but Kidd roles out. Starts heading up the ramp but Balor follows and brings him back to the ring. Tyson rolls to the opposite side of the ring and Balor tries to follow him out with a baseball slide but Kidd sidesteps it and slams him into the guardrail.

Renee says Kidd is dedicating this match to Charlotte. Riley says “Flair?” and she says no, his cat. Riley seems flabbergasted – almost outraged – that he is dedicating matches to his cat.

Kidd takes control of the match following a leg drop and a big neck breaker. Kidd drops an elbow then starts choking Finn on the ropes. Kidd catapults Finn into the bottom turnbuckle and Balor tries to mount a comeback but Kidd locks in a side headlock and Finn on the mat.

Kidd ties him in the tree of Joey Lawrence and chokes him followed by several kicks. Finn finally gets to his feet, creates space and hits a Pele kick. Finn to the corner and Kidd rushes in and caught with a clotheslines, followed by a running forearm and a Tanahashi Slingblade lariat (which totally confuses everyone on commentary – Riley calls it a “floating, spinning neckbreaker of some kind – I’ve never seen it”).

Kidd in the corner perches up top but Finn with a big gamangari (opposite of an enzigari) knocks him to the outside. Finn hits the ropes and takes flight, landing a big tope con hilo on Kidd. He rolls Tyson back in and tries another gamangari but Kidd catches his leg and dragon screw on the top rope. Finn picks himself up on the floor and Kidd runs down the apron and big soccer kick in his face. Rolls Balor in the ring, hits a springboard elbow drop and then locks in the Sharpshooter. Gets near the ropes but Kidd drags him back to the center. Finn fights to the ropes and gets a break which draws a This Is Awesome chant.

Kidd misses a leg drop on the apron and allows Finn to hit a lifting reverse DDT followed by a top rope double stomp for the win.

Pretty long match for NXT, almost 15 minutes (well probably about 10 with the intro and entrances). Can’t wait to see Balor in some longer singles matches.

Video package looking back at the feud between Sami Zayn and Adrian Neville for the NXT Title leading into R Evolution.

Bull Dempsey talks to Devin Taylor before his match with Baron Corbin. Says Corbin isn’t the only undefeated wrestler in this match and that it is Corbin’s “end of days.” The last thing Corbin will hear as he’s laying on his back looking at the lights is ‘Bull, Bull, Bull.’

Corbin out first. You know, I didn’t care for Corbin much at first but the dude has a presence that’s undeniable. His entrance is awesome and as long as they don’t try to overbook or overproduce his aura and mystique, I think he could be something special.

Bull gets the first few shots in but Corbin weathers them and fires back at Bull. Crowd starts counting but I don’t know why – I don’t see this being a quick, squash match like we’re used to seeing out of both guys.

Bull eventually drops down and rolls outside where Corbin follows. They’re just beating the hell out of each other. Lots of knees to the gut, big clubbing blows, and smashing each other on the apron.

Back in the ring, Bull hits Corbin with a standing splash and takes him off his feet – maybe the first time anyone has ever gotten an advantage on Corbin. Bull heads to the top but just misses the headbutt. As he gets up, Corbin pulls him into the End of Days for the win.

Team BAE (Best At Everything), Sasha Banks and Becky Lynch, up to face Natalya and Charlotte now.

Becky in first against Natty. Trading holds in the center of the ring. Natty roles up Becky but only gets a one count and Natty stays behind and runs her into the ropes where she starts nailing Becky with forearms. Becky rolls out and Sasha checks on her as Charlotte and Natty baseball slide into them to send them to the mat. Charlotte tags in and they hold Becky up in a stalling suplex before dropping her down and Charlotte getting 2.

Tags Natty back in who wheel barrow into Charlotte and splash onto Becky for a 2. Becky rolls to her corner and tags in Sasha who gets a side Russian leg sweep. Natty hits the ropes, runs over Sasha’s back then hits a basement dropkick before going for a cover. Sasha reverses a whip to the corner, throws Natty’s legs onto the ropes and drops the knees to her midsection.

Sasha straight jacket choke on Natty who breaks free and tags in Charlotte. Charlotte chops Sasha down, suplex her over, spins through and neck breaker but Becky breaks up the cover. They whip Charlotte into the ropes but she cartwheels through the double clothesline. Natty trips Becky and drags her outside and Sasha sidesteps Charlotte coming off the ropes, hits a straight jacket neck breaker and grabs the tights to get the pin on Charlotte.

Adrian Neville out first for his title match against Sami Zayn.

Before they lock up, Sami puts out his hand to shake Neville’s, adhering to the Code of Honor. Starts off with a few arm drags but then into side headlock exchanges. Neville flips out of a takeover and sends Zayn into the corner with a rana.

Neither guy can really get the upper hand as both are reversing moves and only getting one counts. Neville shoves Zayn who looks surprised and Neville apologizes but Sami doesn’t believe him. “Sorry? I’m sorry too (as he forearms him in the face)”

Neville whips him through the ropes and catches him with a dive over the top ropes. Back in the ring, Zayn catches him rushing into the corner and hits him with a springboard cross body. Zayn hits the ropes but Neville takes him over with a rana into a pin but gts a 2.

Zayn blocks Neville from going up top and then Neville blocks a Blue Thunder Bomb attempt. He pushes him off and Neville goes for a head kick but misses and Zayn hits the Blue Thunder. Picks him up and hits two Germans then sets up for a half and half suplex but Neville flips out and lands on his feet. Nville hand spring in and up onto Zayn’s shoulders, spins around and hits another big rana but gets a 2.

Neville tries to pick up Zayn but he’s barely moving. The ref checks on him but he insists he’s ok and lets the match keep going. Neville tells him to check him again as he tries to lift up Zayn, who tells him not to stop the match. Neville picks up him and as he does, Zayn flatliner into a Koji Clutch in the middle of the ring but Neville fights out of it and backs intot he corner.

He goads Neville into rushes in and hits a half and half suplex. Neville into the opposite corner and rolls out of the way of a Helluva Kick. Zayn heads outside and looks for a swinging DDT through the turnbuckle but Neville hits a super kick as he dives through. Zayn looks out of it as he rolls into the ring and Neville heads to the top rope. Goes for the Red Arrow but Zayn moves and he lands on his feet and moves into the opposite corner. Zayn follows him in for a Helluva Kick but Neville moves and rolls him up with a bridge and Zayn barely kicks out. Neville goes for a kick clothesline and Zayn exploder into the corner followed by a Helluva Kick for the win to retain.

As Zayn is celebrating, Kevin Owens appears out of nowhere and tosses him into the ropes and hits a pop up powerbomb and stands on Zayn’s throat as the crowd boos. He kicks the NXT Title to Zayn and it hits his head. Owens just stares down Zayn as he leaves the ring.

PWInsider says the next NXT live event will be Wednesday, Feb 11. Say to be headlined by Sami Zayn vs Kevin Owens in a nontitle match.

NXT hosting its first show outside of the Orlando area. On March 5, NXT will host a show in the Lifestyle Communities Pavilion in Columbus Ohio in conjunction with the Arnold Classic also at the venue that weekend.

Lucha Underground

Starts with a recap of some storylines from the first season of LU - Chavo’s turn (attacking Blue Demon after his loss to Mil Muertes, and attacking Sexy Star) and some friction between Puma and Konnan for losing a match (says you gotta take advantage of opportunities because someday they’ll be gone and so will I) and winning the LU Championship.

Dario Cueto opens the show talking to Fenix in his office. He’s complimenting him on his impressive performances and almost winning Aztec Warfare and says he sees big things for Fenix in LU. Cueto wants him to live up to his name and rise from the ashes to destroy Prince Puma. But Fenix says he doesn’t fight for Cueto - he fights for himself, to be the best. Cueto wants him to take the championship from Puma and embarass Konnan because if he doesn’t, someone else will. In the background, we see that Asian chick who’s been watching some matches (usually Drago and Cuerno) watching the meeting through the window.

Chavo/Demon and Fenix/Puma for the title tonight. But opens with a four way elimination match with four new luchadores. Aerostar in first (I think I saw him in an ultraviolent match in CZW), Argenis (Striker says a mixture of Silver King and Dr Wagner - can fly but take it to the mat), Angelico (some white dude from South Africa, wearing a LU shirt and hat, Striker says he’s a “Zack Sabre/XPac blend”. So he’s awesome and everyone hates him?), and BRIAN F’N CAGE (in a singlet). Well his name is just Cage in LU.

Argenis goes to lock up with Cage first who just tosses him across the ring like he was nothing. Angelico runs in a gets a big shoulder block and Aerostar runs in and Cage tosses him straight up. Cage plays to the crowd and all three attack him when he turns around.

Where Angelico is all speed and high impact strikes, Aerostar is a lot more lucha based high flying. Argenis also utilizes lucha but also seems to have an American pro wrestling style. And Cage is an f’n machine, just lifting people and tossing them through the air like they were nothing. Cage deadlift suplex Argenis on the apron from the second then Aerostar climbs the ropes and dives at Cage, who catches him in a suplex and Jackhammers him. But only gets a 2 count.

Argenis moves out of the way as Cage runs into the corner and hits him with a gamangari. With Cage on the floor, he springboards on the top rope then moonsault onto Cage (but hits his face hard on the mat). Angelico seemed to be sizing them up for a dive but Aerostar interrupts him. Bumps him then hits a 619 to his midsection to stagger him and Aerostar heads to the apron and off the second rope, leaps up and falls back first onto Argenis and Cage. Angelico still in the rin and still looking to dive, runs and leaps OVER the turnbuckle onto the other 3. Angelico looking pretty smug about the dive and gets back in the ring. Once there, Aerostar follows him in for a tiltawhirl satellite headscissor that just seemed to keep going.

Soon after, with all four men back in the ring, Cage eliminates Argenis with a pumphandle sitout facebuster. Aerostar tries to rana Cage right after, but Cage no sells it and sends him flying. He picks up Aerostar and powerbombs him once, lifts him up and power bombs him on Angelico in the corner then pins him after a discus lariat.

Angelico tries to get something going against Cage but Cage flattens him with a lariat too for the pin. Damn, Cage eliminated all three men in that match and is looking really strong in LU already. Afterward, he gets on the mic – “They call me Cage because I’m not a man, I’m a machine!”

Chavo is in the ring, sitting on a chair with a mic. He says two months ago, he made a mistake. He ruined the friendship between himself and Blue Demon and between his family and the Guerrero family. And he wants to issue an apology and asks Blue Demon to come to the ring (just noticed there’s another chair in the ring too).

Blue Demon comes to the ring in slacks and a dress shirt and his mask (Chavo in street clothes too). A vocal few in the crowd start a “Lie, cheat, steal” chant and Chavo puts his hand on Demon’s knee as he starts his apology and Demon looks like “Is this guy serious?”

Chavo says he’s sorry - he’s sorry he didn’t expose Demon for the fraud that he is. Sorry he didn’t rip the mask of Demon’s face. Sorry he didn’t remove his mask and cover it with a mask of his own blood and as he’s saying that, pulls out a pair of the shiniest brass knuckles ever and goes to swing on Demon, who ducks and scoops Chavo and lays in punches and stomps.

Demon picks up a chair and Chavo begs off but Demon lays him out anyway. Smashes him in the back as the crowd chants “Una ves (more one time)” and gives him the Stone Cold double bird as he leaves. Striker on commentary says the chapter between Demon and Chavo seems to have ended - for now.

Up next, Drago vs King Cuerno. Vampiro says this feud has gotten to the point where you can’t tell who is the hunter and who is the hunted. Basically the rubber match but probably not the end of their feud.

Drago gets an early 2 count with a rana pin combo. Drago hits Cuerno with a few strikes but Cuerno blocks and hits an enziguri which sends him to the outside. He hits a big dive then gets a table from under the ring.

Cuerno takes Drago to the apron near the table and looks to set up for The Thrill of the Hunt (the DVD into a Minchinoku Driver) perhaps through the table but Drago wriggles out and sends Cuerno to the floor and hits a corkscrew dive over the ropes onto him.

Cuero gets a chair from under the ring and swings at Drago who ducks and lays out Cuerno on the table with a super kick. Drago heads to the top of Cueto’s office and leaps off, splashing cuerno through the table. No DQ for the table spot but both guys get counted out by Rick Knox.

A video package hyping up Fenix about how you can’t kill a phoenix and when they’re close to death, they only get stronger. And if you do kill a phoenix, his rebirth will be your end.

Puma and Fenix shake hands to start, lock up and each reversing the others attempts at offense with ease. Each handspring out of headscissor attempts and flip out of attempts to kick the other, but Puma finally takes Fenix down with a drop kick.

Puma goes for a tope but Fenix stops him with an enziguri, springboard drop kick from the top and goes to dive on Puma outside who hits Fenix with an enzugari and takes him down with a drop kick off the top. Both guys staying step for step with the other. Puma sends Fenix to the outside and hits a dive over the top. Both go back in the ring, Fenix sends puma to the outside and hits a corkscrew onto Puma. Striker notes that one of AAA’s owners, Dorian Roldan, is in the audience tonight.

Puma hits a few of the most unnecessary move in pro wrestling (a kick to the back of a seated Fenix) and flattens him out to hit a standing moonsault (maybe there was a standing SSP first?) and the upload goes to shit.

Puma gets a two count off a standing bow and arrow into a face buster. Fenix gets a two off a handspring into a cutter.

As agile as Puma is, dude is so strong too. Fenix hit a strike combo then went for another handspring cutter. Puma caught him on his shoulder for a backdrop supelx but Fenix turned it around into a guillotine choke. Puma lifts him over with a northern lights suplex, rolls through and deadlifts him up into a vertical suplex and floats over for the pin but only a 2.

Puma drags Fenix to the corner and climbs the ropes for a twisting 450 but Fenix moves. Fenix German suplex, roll through into a half and half with a bridge and a 2 count.

(Vamp is name-dropping like crazy tonight. “When Fit Finlay did that to me…” “Booker T hit me with that move…” “I got a concussion from Steve Williams in Japan from that move…”. Funny how he’s always getting beat up in his stories)

Fenix hits a 450 but Puma kicks out. Fenix picks him up in a dragon sleeper and lifts him onto his shoulder, looking for that piledriver. But Puma kicks backward and lands on his feet with Fenix on his shoulder and piledrives him down (the move Fenix used to pin him before) but Puma too beat to get a cover right away and only a 2 when he finally drapes his arm.

Puma to the top and Fenix palm strike to stun Puma. Puma stays on the top rope though, swaying a lot. Fenix on the adjace corner and runs the top rope to Puma, maybe looking for a rana from the top, but Puma hits him with a side kick which sends Fenix crashing to the mat. Puma hits a 630 for the win in the first defense of the LU Championship.

But Cage runs in afterward and attacks Puma! Takes down the straps and a discus lariat takes down Puma. Cage then hits an Alabama Slam on Puma, deadlift Puma up and power bombs him twice in the center of the ring. Cage is definitely going to be a top contender for the LU Championship though I hope they tease it for a while and don’t just rush it for next week. If their match from DDT4 last year was any indication (Unbreakable F’n Machines vs Inner City Machine Guns), a championship match between Cage and Prince Puma could be something really special.

New Japan Pro Wrestling

  New Japan Pro Wrestling’s first episode on AXS TV recounted the rivalry between Hiroshi Tanahashi and Kazuchika Okada and showed their IWGP Heavyweight title match from Wrestle Kingdom 7. Maura Ranallo and Josh Barnett did a great job on commentary, treating the match like an actual sport and really selling the action in the ring.

This week’s episode will feature Okada facing Hirooki Goto in the finals of the 2013 New Japan Cup and a six-man tag match between Shinsuke Nakamura, Tomohiro Ishii and Jado taking on Minoru Suzuki, Lance Archer and Taka Michinoku.

Listing of matches for NJPW AXS
January 16

Tanahashi vs. Okada, Wrestle Kingdom 7

January 23

Okada vs. Hirooki Goto, 2013 New Japan Cup finals

Shinsuke Nakamura/Tomohiro Ishii/Jado vs. Minoru Suzuki/Lance Archer/Taka Michinoku

January 30

Tanahashi vs. Okada, Invasion Attack 2013

February 6

Okada vs. Togi Makabe

Tanahashi vs. Prince Devitt

February 13

Okada vs. Prince Devitt

Tanahashi/Makabe/Jushin Liger/Captain New Japan vs. Karl Anderson/El Terrible/Tama Tonga/Bad Luck Fale

February 20

Nakamura vs. Kota Ibushi

Satoshi Kojima vs. Davey Boy Smith Jr. 

Hiroyoshi Tenzan vs. Karl Anderson

February 27

Tanahashi vs. Tesuya Naito, G1 Climax finals

March 6

Nakamura vs. Naomichi Marifuji

Naito vs. Yujiro Takahashi

March 13

Okada vs. Naito, Wrestle Kingdom 8

March 20

Nakamura vs. Tanahashi, Wrestle Kingdom 8

March 27

Nakamura vs. Tanahashi, Invasion Attack 2014

April 3

Okada vs. AJ Styles, Wrestling Dontaku

Ibushi vs. Ryusuke Taguchi

The Forever Hooligans vs. The Young Bucks

April 10

Okada vs. AJ Styles, Yokohama Arena

Takashi Iizuka/Toru Yano vs. Suzuki/Shelton Benjamin

Royal Rumble weekend

There’s a number of wrestling-related events in Philadelphia this weekend for the Royal Rumble. On Saturday, Ring of Honor is hosting the “Winter Warriors Tour” at the 2300 Arena (the ECW Arena), though I’ve heard the show is sold out. The next day, the day of the Royal Rumble, Chikara is hosting “A New Start,” at 2 p.m. at the 2300 Arena, which is the beginning of its next season.

Also on Sunday at 2 p.m., legendary announcer Jim Ross is hosting an event at The Underground Art (moved from The Troc) called “Ringside: An Afternoon with Jim Ross” where he’ll talk about his career and his thoughts on the industry.

But that’s not the only event taking place Sunday afternoon. At Dave and Buster’s on Columbus Blvd. from 1 to 3 p.m., Chris Jericho will moderate a debate between former WCW President Eric Bischoff and Bruce Prichard, known for his Brother Love manager gimmick in WWE and worked for TNA as Senior Vice President of Programming and Talent Relations.

Notes

Ring of Honor's Tadarius Thomas is allegedly retiring from pro wrestling to focus on MMA. PWInsider is reporting that Thomas requested a release from his contract and will finish up his dates with the company through 1/30 in Dearborn, MI

AR Fox took a punt kick to the face from Trevor Lee that busted his lip, gave him a black eye, chipped a few teeth  (One badly enough that the nerve was exposed) and suffered a concussion and had a CAT scan.

Main event of Wrestlecon on 3/28 will be RVD and Sabu vs The Hardy Boyz. Only the second time they met. First was 1998 in North Carolina before Hardys got big. Also the first time RVD and Sabu teamed since 2006

Apparently MetsFan4Ever posted on Wreddit that Biff Busick is getting a WWE tryout and that Gabe is furious to lose him. Gabe later tweeted that wasn't true and called him a troll.

(Screenshot)

King of Indies tournament

Ultimo Dragon vs Ricochet vs Juventud Guerrero added to the show taking place on Saturday, 3/28 (the second night of the tournament and also Wrestlemania 31 weekend). Both shows take place in San Jose, CA at the Santa Clara Fairgrounds which will be live iPPVs through WWNLive.

Announced for the tournament so far are El Mariachi, Dylan Drake, Jody Kristofferson, Jeckles, Rey Horus (formerly El Hijo del Rey Mysterio), B-Boy, Mr. Athletic Jeff Cobb, and Vincenzo Massaro. (So B-Boy is the only one people outside of SoCal would be familiar with)

Tournament will pay tribute to the late Roland Alexander.

#RAWlternative

The live streaming event on Monday #RAWlternative was a big success with over 12,000 unique views on the show and as many as 1,600 people watching at once. There were 13 matches featured and you can find a rundown of them below.

I watched the entire event on my phone while watching Raw and it was a really great way to be introduced to several new promotions I’ve never seen and some I’d never even heard of before. Overall, my favorite matches were probably Ricochet vs. Josh Alexander, Johnny Gargano vs. Ethan Page, Athena vs Mia Yim and Chris Hero vs Colin Delaney.

I’ve also added two of the matches from the show at the bottom of this post – The Food Fighters vs Ninjas With Altitude and Kevin Steen vs. Mike Bailey.

The event was sponsored by Smart Mark Video and offers shows from many of these companies for sale on DVD or to stream online so make sure you check out www.SmartMarkVideo.com.

Kevin Steen vs. Mike Bailey (C4)
Ninjas with Altitude vs. Food Fighters (ISW)
Eddie Kingston vs. Keith Walker (AAW)
Takaaki Watanabe vs. Andy Dalton (Inspire Pro)
Kyle O'Reilly vs. Gary Jay (St. Louis Anarchy)
Ricochet vs. Josh Alexander (Alpha-1)
Athena vs. Mia Yim (AIW Girls Night Out)
Chris Hero vs. Colin Delaney (2CW)
Rich Swann & AR Fox vs. Christian Rose & Matt Cage (Dreamwave)
Brian Kendrick vs. Dark Sheik (Hoodslam)
Johnny Gargano vs. Ethan Page (AIW)
The Young Bucks vs. Super Smash Brothers (Smash Wrestling)
Eddie Edwards vs. Biff Busick (Beyond Wrestling)

Food Fights vs Ninjas With Altitude, Interspecies Wrestling

Kevin Steen vs “Speedball” Mike Bailey, C*4