I open this NXT Watch with a quote. Not one of those fancy spiritual quotes many people tweet about on twitter, but one that Kaitlyn herself actually retweeted… “For everyone who complains that Divas and tag teams don’t get much ring time, you’d think NXT would have a million views.” This rings no truer than tonight’s episode. On top of getting to see Kaitlyn face off against Tamina in a rematch from last week, we also get to witness AJ team up with Percy Watson & Titus O’Neil to compete opposite Maxine, Derrick Bateman, and JTG in the main event. If that isn’t groundbreaking enough, there’s both a backstage segment with the Chickbusters…AND another segment to open the show involving AJ and Maxine that goes on longer than probably a years worth of TV matches.
So enough babbling from me…let’s get started.
We open this week’s NXT with a brilliant video package highlighting the budding romance between the recently engaged Derrick Bateman and Maxine. After the show open, the cameras head to the ring as JTG welcomes us to this weeks episode and introduces the two lovebirds. Derrick and Maxine enter the arean, as he carries her like a threshold is below them. (obviously preparing for the honeymoon) Once the two enter the ring, they each grab a microphone and Maxine opens up by addressing JTG and his lack of introducing them as their coveted couple name “Betamax”. (Note: Not this type of Betamax)
Bateman explains that it’s the perfect name for a couple who’s too hot for TV, and informs JTG he may be Derrick’s best ‘fly’ man. Maxine interrupts and claims that this is not about JTG, to which Derrick remembers that he did not have the ring for Maxine’s finger last week. He gets down on one knee and presents her with the ring that 38 weeks of NXT salary could get him, to which she eventually seems pleased with her new rock. The two then proceed to kiss, as Titus O’Neil, Percy Watson, and AJ make their way out to the ring, mics in hand.
Titus claims that nobody wants to see Betamax kiss because it makes they’re stomachs move like Jagger…hmm. He then continues on with some insults to Maxine that I shall not repeat because I would never insult Maxine, but basically he and Percy speak about the size of her lips. Derrick Bateman calls them all jealous, and bitter because of Derrick’s success from his woman to his show. AJ chimes in and wonders how often a woman like Maxine bags a catch like Derrick…seven…eight…nine…ten times? She continues on with her congratulations, stating that both Maxine and her ring are cheap and plastic. (BURN!)
Maxine demands that nothing on her is fake, and asks AJ when the last time she ever got bagged was! (BURN X2!) AJ amazingly claims she doesn’t understand that, as Titus comes back into the equation stating that the groom should have asked Maxine’s father for his daughter’s hand in marriage, although he couldn’t locate her father. He and Percy claim they have found her father and pull out a fish from a bag (obviously because no human could give birth to a woman as perfect as Maxine). This infuriates our evil NXT Queen, as she charges forward after them.
Derrick springs forward even more than his fiancée, but Titus throws him over the top rope as Maxine slides out the opposing side. JTG soon follows her, as Matt Striker walks out and announces that tonight’s main event is going to pit Titus, Percy, and AJ against Derrick Bateman, JTG, and Maxine in a six person intergender tag team match! The six seem pleased at this announcement, as they head out and we go to a commercial break.
We head to the back, where AJ is seen lacing her chucks up in preparation for her match tonight, when out of nowhere pops her chickbusting partner, Kaitlyn. The two greet one another and discuss the possibility of little Betamax children running around, with their curly hair and amazing ability to cut promos, but I digress. AJ describes the two as literally being able to give birth to hate…albeit with a glorious head of curly hair!
From there, the subject turns to Kaitlyn’s rematch tonight against Tamina. Kaitlyn claims that she toppled the goddess last week easily, and that she’s not worried for anything tonight. AJ chimes in and states that Kaitlyn’s victory may not have been as easy as she thought. (ruh-roh) Kaitlyn turns the tables onto AJ’s match against Maxine this evening, and claims that she hasn’t had a match in a few weeks and may be a little rusty. (ruh-roh x2) The two agree, and after an awkward silence, engage in a fist bump as they head out in preparation for their upcoming battles this evening.
LET’S GO HIT THE DANCE FLOOR!
As the upbeat theme of the NXT Season Three winner pops onto the sound system, out comes the baby blue wearing woman herself, Kaitlyn! As she slides into the ring, the threatening theme of Tamina blares, and out comes the evil looking Snuka goddess. She quickly gets into the ring, as the bell sounds and these divas waste no time getting things started. They charge forward up to one another, but it’s Tamina who takes control with a quick headlock into a takedown. Kaitlyn uses her leg strength to trap Tamina, until both women get out and to a vertical base.
Tamina punches Kaitlyn in the stomach, before chopping her in the back. Kaitlyn then takes control with a nice european uppercut, followed by a seated butt bump to send Tamina down to the canvas in pain. Kaitlyn wastes no time reverting back to her strong suit, in trapping Tamina’s abdomen with a leg lock. She flips it over into some unique roll ups, but only for quick counts. Tamina tries to fight out, and eventually does after some powerful elbows. Both ladies step up to two feet, but Kaitlyn capitalizes with a kick to the stomach and an impactful suplex.
Tamina scurries to the corner, and as Kaitlyn charges forward, she is met skull first with Tamina’s boot. She follows it up with a nasty clothesline, and then some relentless knee and elbow drops. Tamina picks Kaitlyn up and throws her into the corner, before screaming for her to “GET UP! GET UP!” (which may be easier if she wasn’t throwing Kaitlyn down mere seconds before) A snapmare to the former rookie for a couple two counts, as Tamina can’t believe what has transpired. Kaitlyn’s poor stomach gets kicked by the boot of Snuka Goddess, before being choked on the ropes until the referee begins to count.
Tamina locks in a choke hold around Kaitlyn’s throat, as she demands the referee ask if Kaitlyn wants to give up. She begins to reach a vertical base, but Tamina slams her back down and begins to destroy her. Finally…Kaitlyn is able to power out and take control with a snapmare, before locking in some dragon sleeper holds mixed in with strikes to the chest. Both women get to two feet, but Tamina DRILLS Kaitlyn in the face with a brutal fist. Lady Snuka reverts back to the submission hold, hoping this added punishment will spark Kaitlyn to give up.
The crowd gets behind Kaitlyn, as she manages to shove Tamina into the corner and flip her over with an arm drag into a submission hold! Tamina fights out of it and tries to send Kaitlyn into the ropes, only Kaitlyn reverses and sends Tamina flying. Kaitlyn goes for a high dropkick, but Tamina holds onto the ropes and simply slams her to the ground. Tamina scouts for her prey to get up, and once in position, goes for a clothesline from hell…only Kaitlyn ducks and catches her with a sick side effect finisher for the second victory over our goddess! Kaitlyn celebrates her (much harder to attain than last week) win, as Tamina goes back to the drawing board to come up with ways to beat this former rookie.
As we return to the arena, the theme that currently sits on my iPod of Titus O’Neil and Percy Watson hits, as the two men, along with resident Kitana costume master, AJ. The trio glide into the ring and pose for the fans, as Derrick Bateman’s theme follows, whilst he and JTG make their way out trying to hold Maxine back from charging forward and destroying AJ! They run all the way around the ring holding this pit bull back, as Titus and Percy try to control AJ as well. It’s about to go down! The men try to control the two ladies, but as soon as the bell sounds, it’s all legal, and the women start things off.
Maxine runs forward and takes AJ down with a kick. She then relentlessly slams AJ into the canvas over and over to make her pay for her earlier comments! Maxine takes the spunky spitfire down with two clotheslines, meanwhile holding onto the wrist for easy access to continue. As she goes for the third, AJ ducks and rolls Maxine up for a quick count. The two get back up, as Maxine kicks AJ in the stomach and…uniquely twists her hair around in a circle to add further damage with a fourth clothesline! She hooks the leg for a two count, before letting out a sharp scream and sending AJ into the corner.
Maxine runs forward, but AJ boots her in the face and leaps off with an awesome arm drag from the second rope. From there, she follows up with a leaping front dropkick that almost sends Maxine flying in the shape of a pretzel. She doesn’t stay down for long though, as she runs for her opponent, only to get hit square in the face with a reverse roundhouse kick! Maxine rolls over to the ropes so the referee forces AJ off, before running over to her corner and tagging in JTG.
By rules of a mixed tag match, Percy Watson runs into the ring and the two lock up. JTG connects with some kicks, as he sends Percy into the ropes, only Watson reverses it and ducks under. Following up with a leapfrog in true showtime fashion, he then drills JTG with a belly to belly/clothesline combo for a two count! Percy drags JTG into his corner, as Titus O’Neil tags in and they take JTG down with a double team move for a close call. Tag back into Percy, as they go to repeat the tag team maneuver, only JTG slides under it and makes the tag to Derrick Bateman.
Derrick charges into the ring but gets taken down with an arm drag, followed by the Sky High dropkick for a two count! Percy is sent into the corner, but nails Bateman with an elbow to the jaw. Maxine walks over to Watson in hopes of distracting him, which she accomplishes as Bateman is able dropkick Percy back into the corner for another close pin attempt. Derrick drags Percy into the corner and begins kicking him over and over, as JTG makes the tag in. JTG snapmares Watson into the ring and applies a choke hold, as AJ and Titus try to get the crowd behind Percy.
Percy finally gets to a vertical base, but JTG controls him with a Regal Cutter! Tag back into Derrick Bateman, as the two just destroy Percy Watson until he is able to fight back with some kicks. Ultimately, Derrick takes him back down with a knee to the skull and a neckbreaker for a two count! Derrick locks Percy into a camel clutch, as the crowd claps and claps to show their support for Showtime!~ Watson finally kicks out and hits an awesome step up enziguiri to Derrick. Percy crawls…and crawls….and MAKES THE TAG!
Titus O’Neil springs into the ring and takes Derrick down with a shoulder tackle or two. Following it up with a clothesline, before the patented dog bark, he runs off the ropes and tries to go for something, but Derrick Bateman catches him off guard with the greatest leaping dropkick i have ever seen. Percy breaks the pin attempt up, as JTG runs in and the two flip out of the ring. Maxine tries to check on Derrick, but AJ leaps onto her and the ladies roll outside as well. Derrick turns back around and is PLANTED with the Clash of the Titus seated spinebuster for the win! The three celebrate, as Maxine lets our her enraged emotions on the outside.
Thoughts: First of all, NXT is really the perfect show to me. They use people I want to see, and not only that, but actually give them storylines and time as well. Superstars was fine to me, but it was just a series of matches with no real storylines or anything, so NXT has taken what worked and made it better. The Maxine/Bateman storyline is really enjoyable and I want to know what happens next. I dont care for Titus and Percy doing the lips insult, but clearly there’s nothing else for them to pick on since they revert to it every week. I don’t blame them for what’s written, but they come off as heels to me in the opening segment.
Kaitlyn and Tamina’s second showing was much longer and NXT type showing I like. They mesh well together so far, and I loved that neither woman came off looking weak. I enjoy them building up that Kaitlyn keeps scoring upsets as I hope it can bring Tamina to a new level where she just gets pissed off with the losing and goes nuts. Hoping for a tag match between the four divas soon as I think it’ll be refreshing to see. Overall, another great episode of NXT as usual, in the land of magical time that can be given to not only the women, but the men who deserve it as well.