Normally this space is reserved for what either previously happened on NXT or what is going to happen tonight. I have not a clue at this point which it is because our little web show that could left me truly stunned for the first time ever last night. AJ‘s elimination basically sent shockwaves through the WWE Universe and I, for one, was completely blindsided and shocking overcome with emotion. I don’t know AJ personally but her goodbye speech last night was one of the most heartfelt things I’ve ever seen in my life. She truly wanted to be part of the WWE and honestly, she deserves it. She’s stated time and time again that wrestling is her passion; that being a WWE Diva has been her dream since she was a little girl. Watching AJ walk up the ramp in tears last night and embrace Primo really did bring out my girl emotions and those emotions are overflowing right now as I relive this moment. Perhaps it’s my emo Simple Plan music playing in the background. Or maybe it’s due to the fact that I’m just highly emotional right now but AJ leaving NXT is a stunning miscarriage of justice.
Lets take a look at how the night unfolded.
In keeping with tradition, NXT opened up with Matt Striker looking flawless in the middle of the ring. He announced the rookie girls and Kaitlyn, Naomi, and AJ walked out to the ring. As they entered, each girl bent down and selected an air horn which meant that a challenge was looming on the horizon. That was indeed the case as Striker announced that WWE Trivia was about to commence. He ran down how the contest would work and told each girl in the ring that there would be no immunity tonight. Everyone would be fair game and the contest got underway. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out how this went. AJ dominated the competion and basically answered every question right but one. That lone one hundred points went to Naomi. The ending tally was in AJ’s favor. She had 1300 points, while Naomi had 100, and Kaitlyn had zero. Striker announced AJ as the winner and told Kaitlyn to hang out inside the ring because she would be in action against Nikki Bella next.
When the show returned, Kaitlyn and Vickie Guerrero were waiting inside the ring. Nikki walked out second, accompanied by Brie Bella, and once they did their usual entrance, it was game on. Nikki and Kaitlyn locked horns and Nikki shoved Kaitlyn towards the ropes. She hit her in the face and Kaitlyn attempted to mount some offense by running towards Nikki. She knocked her down and Nikki rebounded by locking her arms around Kaitlyn’s waist. Kaitlyn fought her off with a shoulder block and kept ahold of Nikki’s wrist. Nikki was eventually able to bring Kaitlyn back down to Earth with an arm drag takedown and then tossed Kaitlyn into the ropes. Kaitlyn got smacked with a dropkick and Nikki went for a cover. She only got a two count. Nikki maintained control after the near fall by dragging Kaitlyn to the ropes. She decided to try and soften up Kaitlyn’s knee.
“Bitchy” Bella slapped Kaitlyn with a unique submission which sent the blond’s leg bending back in a rather uncomfortable position. To her credit, Kaitlyn didn’t type. She searched for a way to reverse the hold. She got her arm locked around Nikki’s head but that just prompted the aggressive Bella to break the hold and toss Kaitlyn into a turnbuckle. Nikki stomped her opponent down and continued working on that injured limb. Kaitlyn was finally able to mount some offense in the form of a kick, and she fought off Nikki with several wicked elbow shots. She stumbled from the corner and hit Nikki with a series of clotheslines. Sadly for Kaitlyn, her offensive burst didn’t last long. Nikki was able to lock in her high impact finisher and score the pinfall over the NXT rookie. Vickie berated her charge while Brie kept her sister from going back for seconds. Overall, this match was pretty decent. Kaitlyn is a great seller.
NXT cut to the John Cena farewell from Raw, but when it returned Kelly Kelly was walking to the ring with Naomi. Apparently we are going to get Naomi versus AJ tonight. Once Naomi and Kelly were settled, AJ and Primo walked out onto the stage. AJ was her usual, smiling self and she seemed pretty confident. The pros gave their rookies a good luck pep talk and the bell rang. Naomi and AJ locked up and Naomi began to work the arm of AJ. AJ reversed it but she got taken down with a neckbreaker. Naomi came off the ropes towards AJ and knocked her down. AJ was able to nail a hurricanrana but Naomi just bounced back with her bootie takedown.
AJ got out of the ring via baseball slide and tripped Naomi up from behind. AJ went to the ropes and tried to launch off, but Naomi was able to slam her down. Naomi attempted to grab AJ but she wiggled out of the ring holding her back. She sold the injury for a bit and finally got back in the ring. Naomi and AJ exchanged a handshake, and Naomi immediately took her down from behind with a dropkick. She followed it up with a drop kick, then she body slammed AJ down. Naomi went with a leg drop and went for a cover. Two count. She continued to work on AJ’s back and shoved her knee into the middle of it. She bent AJ back by the arms but AJ continued to keep fighting. Her offense was but on hold when Naomi used a jawbreaker and stepped it up into an enziguiri. She went for a cover but AJ was able to kick out. AJ ended up in a surfboard but flipped out of it and into a cover. Naomi kicked out.
The spot fest/submission showcase by Naomi continued as she tried AJ out in various positions. AJ still continued to show her heart and her passion, and stay in the match. She muscled Naomi off but the ever present Naomi came back with an upper-cut. AJ finally got a reverse neckbreaker and she went for a cover. Naomi kicked out. Naomi bounded back to her feet and absolutely brutalized AJ with a devastating kick. She covered. Two count, again. Naomi decided to try and put the finishing touches on the match. She tossed AJ into the corner but that proved to be a huge mistake. AJ was able to come back with the octopus and finally, Naomi was forced to tap signifying the end of the match.
Brilliant.
What’s not so brilliant is how the WWE followed up this match. The second and final challenge of the evening was held and it was a sumo wrestling contest with the girls dressed in fat suits. Having won immunity the previous week, AJ was sent straight into the finals which meant Naomi and Kaitlyn would face off in the first round. Kaitlyn would take that thrilling match-up and square off against AJ next. The match was restarted after failing to go anywhere the first time and finally Kaitlyn eeked out the victory. She won absolutely nothing and the girls played around in their fat suits while NXT went to their recap commercial break.
After that was finished, Matt was shown backstage with the girls. He asked all of them who they thought should be eliminated. AJ and Kaitlyn both agreed that Naomi should go because they wanted to be in the finals with one another. Naomi fired back with the infamous “Kaitlyn can’t wrestle” comment and said that the aforementioned blonde should be the one who is sent packing tonight..
As we know now, Kaitlyn wasn’t the one sent home. It was AJ. Her speech at the end was beautifully spoken and there’s no doubt that we won’t see her again real soon. I don’t think a top five is needed tonight because only two things really stick out. AJ’s elimination and that beautiful match. With the finals next week, it’s a toss-up between who should win. Are you guys Team Kaitlyn or Team Naomi?
Make sure to go to WWE dot com to cast your votes!
Until next week’s finale, Cryssi is out!
