Quick hits on WWE NXT
• As far as the NXT Season 2 competition goes, Titus O’Neil isn’t going to make it a win. On Tuesday night’s episode of NXT, he was eliminated after finishing last among the eight rookies in voting by the pros and fans. O’Neil becoming the first rookie to get the boot wasn’t a surprise. While he has an impressive physique, he didn’t show much else. He got off to an inauspicious start on the series three weeks ago, as he stumbled over his “make it a win” catch phrase. His fate was probably sealed on Tuesday’s show after he tripped over his own feet and nearly took a header into the ring post during the keg-carrying competition. WWE not only replayed the gaffe several times, but it also did so in slow motion. The truly unfortunate part for O’Neil is that he did his best work after he had been eliminated. He cut a classy farewell promo that the crowd popped for. I wouldn’t feel too bad for him, though. With O’Neil’s look and legitimate athletic background, it wouldn’t surprise me at all to see him on Raw or Smackdown in the future if he shows improvement in the ring and on the stick.
• Here are the results of the voting (with my ranking of the rookies after last week’s show in parentheses): 1. Kaval (2); 2. Percy Watson (4); 3. Michael McGillicutty (3); 4. Alex Riley (1); 5. Lucky Cannon (6); 6. Eli Cottonwood (5); 7. Husky Harris (7); 8. O’Neil (8). Cannon won the keg-carrying challenge and thus had immunity for this week.
• When Kaval was revealed at the top vote-getter, Michael Cole took a shot at the Internet Wrestling Community, although he didn’t harp on it the way he did last season with Daniel Bryan. The biggest surprise to me with the poll was that Riley wasn’t ranked higher than fourth. Perhaps he’s doing too good of a job at getting heel heat.
• O’Neil wasn’t the only rookie to have difficulty carrying the keg. McGillicutty and Harris both were disqualified for dropping it. McGillicutty actually lost the keg right away, proving that he may be a Hennig but he isn’t Perfect. Riley managed to complete the task, but he stumbled across the finish line and landed on top of the keg. Ouch.
• Kaval, noting that the keg weighed as much as him and that he did not want to risk injury, refused to participate. Good for him. He’s already being forced to wear a silly pink shirt; no need to risk further embarrassment by struggling to carry a keg.
• Watson finished second to Cannon in the challenge, but his performance may have been more impressive because he kept his “gimmick smile” on his face the entire time he was carrying the keg.
• It was nice to see Kaval get a victory after his 0-2 start. He pinned Riley in a six-man tag team match, giving him, McGillicutty and Cannon the win over Riley, Cottonwood and O’Neil.
• The MVP-Harris match really dragged and the crowd was dead for it. Harris, who was on offense most of the way before MVP pulled out the victory, has a ways to go in the ring.
• New host Ashley Valence wasn’t exactly smooth on the mic at the top of the show when she introduced the rookies and announced that there would be an elimination this week. “They should eliminate her,” Cole said. Now that was funny.
Comments
I also don't understand how Riley, who was absolutely dominant again this week, including in the tag match, could be ranked at number four. That's crazy. I'd be interested to see how the fans voted, that must have been a factor.
Can't really stick up for Harris' in-ring performance this week. On the other hand, Riley vs. Kaval is already a contest I'd pay money to see. That whole 6-man tag was one of the better matches I've seen on NXT.
Posted by: Jules B. | June 30, 2010 1:04 PM
"The biggest surprise to me with the poll was that Riley wasn’t ranked higher than fourth. Perhaps he’s doing too good of a job at getting heel heat."
I've been thinking that this is the fundamental flaw in this new NXT premise. A heel is supposed to be someone who everyone hates, but the rookies' survival is based 50% on whether the fans are willing to like them (assuming the rankings aren't just a work). This doesn't seem to bode well for those rookies, especially a great heel like Riley.
Posted by: David | June 30, 2010 1:31 PM
I actually thought the Husky match was pretty decent, and that the crowd was enjoying it. I found myself believing, and hoping that the ruined MVP would lose.
Last seasons NXT featured no one that I really cared about, but I think all 8 of the new NXT members actually have skill and character. Strange stuff.
Posted by: Jayred | June 30, 2010 1:41 PM
Hello could i know where is the jamie keyes photo page gone from wwe.com is she no more going to be on wwe
Posted by: WWE | June 30, 2010 3:19 PM
They booted Savannah for a lot less than this new chick messed up on.
Posted by: Ray | June 30, 2010 5:39 PM
I don't think Riley's 4th place in the poll is entirely his fault. Heels are going to have a little more difficulty winning NXT this season. With the WWE Universe receiving half of the vote, all the younger fans (i.e.- the "marks") probably will vote faces over heels a vast majority of the time. The Pros' half of the poll will have to counter-balance that. The final two of Season 1 were both heels; I don't believe that will be the case in Season 2.
Posted by: Matthew | June 30, 2010 7:21 PM
Unlike Daniel Bryan, I really like Kaval's in-ring style and think he can be successful in the WWE.
I'm happy to see Percy Watson ranked so high. If McGillicutty actually develops a personality he can overtake him.
I believe Riley hurt himself with that stupid sneezing bit weeks back. Just one spot above Cannon, yikes!
I really liked Husky Harris in his first match. After this episode... I can't really defend him any more.
Posted by: Phillip Reynolds | June 30, 2010 7:35 PM
It's nice to see that Kaval won't totally get the Bryan Danielson memorial "we need to job him every week since he's miles ahead of everyone else in the ring" treatment. Michael Cole taking shots at someone for messing up a line is like Shaq criticizing someone's free throw percentage.
Posted by: Joe Barber | June 30, 2010 8:54 PM
I was hoping Kaval would pin Riley in that tag match, and got my wish.
Not only that... later on, he appeared at the TOP of the voting poll! I guess my one vote DOES count after all!
Posted by: Shy Leonheart | June 30, 2010 9:05 PM
Congratulations go out to the Undertaker and Michelle McCool on their wedding on Saturday!!
Posted by: The Nature Boy | June 30, 2010 11:19 PM
I think O'Neil would've done better if not for freezing at the end of the first episode in mid-promo and finishing with "make it a win". You only get one chance to make a first impression. My guess is that it originally wasn't supposed to be his catchphrase, but that they tried to turn a negative into a positive after he embarrassed himself by turning it into one.
I'm glad that Kaval got a clean pinfall victory over somebody too. Hopefully this means that I was wrong to believe that WWE is out to bury him because of his past success in other promotions.
I thought that Husky Harris should have been ranked higher, and that Eli Cottonwood ranked lower. I would have also ranked Riley higher than fourth. My rankings are:
1. Kaval
2. Riley
3. McGillicutty
4. Watson
5. Harris
6. Cannon
7. O'Neil
8. Cottonwood
Posted by: Rob Brown | July 1, 2010 12:26 AM
Kev, if you look closely, the reason that Titus O'niel almost tripped over his own 2 feet was because the Keg bounced off of his left knee causing him to stumble and lose control of it.
With that being said, I didn't think that he would last long anyway.
Posted by: Michael | July 1, 2010 2:53 AM
Ashley Valences voice is so annoying lol. It was actually Josh Matthews who said can we eliminate Ashley and then cole say ya they should eliminate her.
LOL Great stuff, btw Kev what do you think of the Matthews Cole team? I think it clearly shows Lawler needs to go.
Posted by: HiMyNameIsMike | July 1, 2010 9:34 AM
Kevin, I heard a rumor that I got more votes than that bum Titus. And, while we're on the subject, I tried to vote on the internet, but I got a note from WWE saying that it wasn't necessary because they already knew what my vote was going to be. Is this common?
Posted by: Peter Schmuck | July 1, 2010 10:29 AM
Kevin this has nothing to do with NXT there is a SuperShow in Atlanta that will have a mega main event . Main event 1 will have Raw & SmackDown superstars vs Nexus. Main event 2 will have a triple threat match for the World Heavyweight Championship it will have Rey Rey vs Jack Swagger, vs Big Show. Your thoughts!
Posted by: ryan | July 1, 2010 2:22 PM
""“They should eliminate her,” Cole said""
It wasn't cole who said it first. It was the other little guy on commentary. Cole just jumped on the bandwagon.
Striker messed up too, coz after Hennig dropped the keg, striker told him to run lol!
Then, Hennig gets on the mic and refers to Harris as "Wyndham" until he remembered its "Harris"
I just watched the first 4min and 53 seconds, and ya, seems like a bit of a trainwreck!
Also, i think the keg carrying contest is stupid! lolZ!
Posted by: Tom in Belfast | July 1, 2010 2:22 PM
Matthews asked if we could eliminate Ashley. That was so unexpected.
Posted by: Another Wrestling Mark | July 1, 2010 3:37 PM
It seemed to me that Harris actually ran out of steam at one point and that both he and MVP took a few extra seconds getting up from the mat after a chain so that Harris could catch his breath.
He may move pretty good for his size, but with the way he looks he can't afford to look out of condition in the ring because I think that is his biggest obstacle. There aren't a whole lot of obese-looking wrestlers in WWE anymore. Mark Henry and Big Show might be the closest things I can think of to that term, but Big Show is huge at 7'0'' and Mark Henry is "the World's Strongest Man."
Harris doesn't have either of those attributes and doesn't have the personality of another agile big man known as Bam Bam Bigelow.
Percy Watson is very energetic, but that trademark clap, fingers wiggling in front of his face, and then the "Oh Yeah!" chant is already wearing thin with me. Love the enthusiasm and athleticism, but somebody needs to work on his gimmick.
Posted by: The Mythical One | July 4, 2010 7:51 AM