Hello world, I be Bobby
Five foot eleven, performin’ my hobby
Which is writing these recaps please
support them and check out NXT
And yes, that only took fifteen minutes to come up with but that’s the sacrifice I make to stand out with these openings! Welcome to your weekly NXT recap, although if things continue like they were on this week’s episode, I’m not sure how cheery I can continue to be, but more on that later. This episode brings us the final show traveling on the road with SmackDown, as the first ever NXT/FCW taping takes place at Full Sail University later today! It’s only fitting that the final Divas match we get to witness in front of this huge crowd is beteen Kaitlyn and Maxine. And well, that was it for tonight. Sigh, once again… more on that later.
We trot out to the arena as my new favorite song, SPIN THE BOTTLE, sways its way into my eardrum. Kaitlyn walks out in some new bangs, but my focus is on this theme song as I sing along vibrantly. “Why don’t you spin the botttleeeee, spin it right arounnnddd, duh duh duh duh duh duh”. Next thing I know, Kaitlyn is standing in the ring and we are cut off by the perky theme song of the not so perky Maxine. I’m very disappointed we are not treated to the “new” Maxine, who would have called Kaitlyn by the name of “Katie” and graced us with that charming presence. Nonetheless, Maxine walks out in some new gear and a very, very dark tan.
William Regal notices Maxine’s vibrant change of skin color as well, which leaves us to believe it’s real and Mad Max enjoyed the sun a little too much. Spray tanners don’t exist in Redux world!
The two circle around the ring and Maxine goes to lock up, but Kaitlyn reverses into a brief roll up that Maxine breaks quickly. Mad Max shoves Kaitlyn off a tad, but Kaitlyn quickly bodyslams her and hits a few legdrops for a near fall. Maxine with a punch, as she leaps onto Kaitlyn with the Dragon Sleeper! Kaitlyn thankfully manages to back Maxine into the corner and then hoist her into the air. Maxine keeps the hold in tact, but Kaitlyn lifts her back up once more and this time drops her onto the ropes.
Kaitlyn tosses Maxine in the ring, but Max rolls out and catches her breath for a second. Kaitlyn quickly tries to pull her back into the ring, but Maxine drops her neck on the second rope with a vicious manner. Maxine pulls Kaitlyn out onto the ring apron and… GOOD GOD, basically chops the skin off Kaitlyn’s chest. From there, Maxine applies a chin lock as the crowd gets behind Kaitlyn to break out. She attempts said comeback, but Maxine controls her and slams her head into the canvas. Maxine reverts to a knee over the throat, as she continues her utter dominance of the season three winner.
Queen Maxine works over Kaitlyn’s head again, as William Regal puts over Maxine as the person who has made the biggest impact on NXT! I agree! Kaitlyn fights out of the Queen’s clutches, but not for long as Maxine drops her with a clothesline for a series of nearfalls. Mad Max slams Kaitlyn’s head over and over, as I wonder if Kaitlyn is still sane through all of this head bashing. She must be because she managed to dodge a running attempt from Maxine and drop toe hold her right into the turnbuckle! Kaitlyn mounts her comeback carefully, hitting a nice dropkick and a huge leaping shoulder tackle!
Kaitlyn with a punch as she sends Maxine off the ropes and runs off the opposing side with an awesome crossbody, as it now looks like Kaitlyn has been cut open. I swear, Kaitlyn is becoming Ric Flair with the amount of times she gets busted open. Maxine hooks a Small Package for a close call, but Kaitlyn kicks out. Nevertheless, Maxine’s tan seems to have also done even more wonders for her in ring savvy, as she capitalizes right away on Kaitlyn and locks on a sick bridging headlock! Kaitlyn gets to a vertical base, but Maxine keeps the hold in tact and transitions it into a DDT!
That’s right, Maxine, show the world why you deserve to be in a larger role when it comes to this division. Kaitlyn crawls towards the corner, but unfortunately for her Maxine hops on the back and applies a choke hold! Thankfully for our NXT winner though, she quickly manages to spin Maxine around onto her feet and drop her with the full nelson into a sit out bomb using her legs! Maxine tries to fight, but she ultimately taps. Oh heck, here we go… SPIN THE BOTTLE! Kaitlyn celebrates with the fans at ringside, as Mad Max plots for another day.
Thoughts: Okay, before we break down this match, I want to discuss NXT. I know “change” is coming, but if said “change” is cutting out the backstage segments, and scrapping like every story that was going on such as JTG/Alicia Fox, the Percy Watson attacks, and the “new” Maxine, I want this change to take it’s sorry behind and hit the bricks. NXT tonight was basically Superstars with yellow ropes and I do not want my hidden gem of the company to become that. I’m hoping this was just a mere roadblock in our travels to Full Sail University, but if NXT becomes “Superstars LITE” weekly, I’m not going to be a happy camper.
Okay, now with that out of my system, the match tonight was great, and I mean really, really great. I always felt like every Kaitlyn/Maxine match was competing for second place since my favorite (the one they had with AJ at ringside) could not be touched, but tonight just shoved that one out of the way. And in non-match news, Maxine’s new gear looked tremendous on her and I honestly think I prefer it to the older type. I still like that NXT at least gave us a long Divas match, though. I guess the plus side to the removal of basically every storyline is that the matches got a ridiculously awesome amount of time. That’s my positive moment through all of this, but I swear if I go another NXT like this I’m not sure what I will do. Give me back JTG and Alicia Fox! Give me back smiling “Tammy”-calling Maxine! Give me back Percy’s attacks! Superstars version 2.0 is okay for now, but next week is a different story.
