NXT Coverage – 5/11/16

This week’s NXT kicks off with a highlight package covering the feud between Finn Balor and Samoa Joe and then ends with a “Finn Balor Returns Tonight” screen. We see the usual opening video, and then Corey Graves and Tom Phillips welcome us to the show from Full Sail University in Winter Park, Florida. We see that Shinsuke Nakamura will go one-on-one with Alex Riley later tonight. Finn Balor’s music hits, and the former NXT Champion makes his way to the ring.

The crowd chants “Thank You Finn” and he says he should be thanking them. He says Samoa Joe is the NXT Champion and they have been at war for a long time. He says the match in London could have gone either way, but he won. He says the same thing about the match in Dallas. He says the match in Lowell, Massachusetts could have went either way, but then he is interrupted by “The Drifter” Elias Sampson.

Sampson says he wrote a song for Finn Balor and begins to sing it, but it is hard to understand what he is singing over the boos of the crowd. Sampson says Balor is nothing without the title, and Balor turns around and lays him out. Balor grabs the guitar and throws it at Sampson, who catches it as he stumbles on the entrance ramp. Balor and Sampson stare each other down as Phillips says the main event tonight will be Balor vs. Sampson.

We take a look at some social media posts about the arrival of Eric Young in NXT last week. We see an interview with Cathy Kelley and Eric Young. Young says everyone wants to be the best and there is no doubt in his mind that the best are on NXT. He says he is here to prove himself and prove that he belongs. He says you’re looking at a world class athlete, professional wrestler, man, and maniac. He says it means the world to be in NXT and this is where he has always wanted to be. He says he is going to make a name for himself.

We see that the NXT Tag Team Champions, American Alpha, will be in action as we head to a break.

Back from the break, we see Finn Balor backstage. He says he will say to Samoa Joe what he was going to say after he gets through kicking Elias Sampson’s ass.

Match #1: American Alpha (Chad Gable and Jason Jordan) vs. Corey Hollis and John Skyler
Gable and Skyler start the match and Gable wrestles circles around Skyler to start the match. Hollis tries to get involved, but Gable takes care of him as well. Jordan tags in and takes Skyler down with a dropkick. Hollis tags in and Jordan tosses him down to the mat. Jordan applies a front face-lock down on the mat but Hollis gets up. Gable tags in and takes Hollis down with an arm-drag. Jordan tags in and continues to work over Hollis’ arm. Hollis comes back with a right hand, but Jordan sends him into the corner and tags in Gable. Alpha takes Skyler off the apron and then takes Hollis down to the mat. Skyler grabs Gable’s hair and Hollis beats down Gable. Skyler tags in and stomps away on Gable in the corner. Hollis tags back in and takes Gable down and Skyler tags in a drops a leg drop. Skyler goes for the cover, but Gable kicks out at one. Gable comes back and drops Skyler with a belly-to-belly suplex. Jordan and Hollis tag in and Jordan takes both Skyler and Hollis down with suplexes. Dash and Dawson, The Revival, walk out onto the entrance ramp and stare down American Alpha. Jordan spears Hollis in the corner and then Gable tags in and they take Hollis down with Grand Aptitude and gets the pin fall.
Winners: American Alpha.
After the match, American Alpha and The Revival continue to stare each other down and Dawson points at his wrist to signal it is not quite time yet.

Backstage, Shinsuke Nakamura is asked what Alex Riley meant by “It’s time to rage.” Shinsuke mutters something about rage and walks away.

Match #2: Alex Riley vs. Shinsuke Nakamura
Riley pie-faces Nakamura to start the match, but Nakamura comes back and backs Riley into the ropes. Riley charges at Nakamura, but Nakamura sends him to the outside. Riley gets back into the ring and Nakamura goes for the knee drop, but Riley moves out of the way. Riley takes Nakamura down with a dropkick and then slams Nakamura in the back of the head. Nakamura comes back and catches Riley with an elbow and then lights him up with a series of knees. Nakamura takes Riley down with a forearm shot and then stomps his head into the mat repeatedly. Nakamura waits on Riley to get up and then drops him with knee shots. Nakamura puts Riley on the top rope and then drives his knee into Riley’s midsection. Nakamura drops Riley with an exploder suplex and then delivers the Kinshasa for the pin fall.
Winner: Shinsuke Nakamura.

We see William Regal and Austin Aries backstage. Aries says he came here to make an impact, but Blake and Murphy interrupt. They say they want one more title match, and Aries tells them to march on back from where they came. Regal says on next week’s show, Blake and Murphy will take on Austin Aries and a partner of his choice.

Match #3: Alexa Bliss vs. Rachael Ellering
Alexa and Rachael exchange headlocks and Alexas takes control with an elbow shot. Alexa kicks Rachael while she is down on the mat and goes for the cover, but Rachael kicks out at two. Alexa stomps down on Rachael and then works over her arm. Alexa goes for another cover, but Rachael kicks out at two. Alexa continues to work over Rachael’s arm, but Rachael gets free and sends Alexa into the corner. Rachael fights back with some right hands and then takes Alexa down with a dropkick. Rachael goes for a clothesline, but Alexa stops her and slams her down to the mat. Alexa goes up top and connects with the Sparkle Splash for the pin fall.
Winner: Alexa Bliss.

We go backstage and Bayley is asked when she is going to ask Asuka for her rematch. Bayley says she has been refocusing and training, but is interrupted by Nia Jax. Nia says when Bayley was choked out she became weaker. Bayley says if she remembers correctly, Bayley won their match in London. Nia says if they step into the ring again, the outcome won’t be the same. Bayley says she has choked Nia out once and can do it again. Nia walks away. We see that Finn Balor and Elias Sampson will go one-on-one next.

We see that Austin Aries and a mystery partner vs. Blake and Murphy as well as Bayley vs. Nia Jax have been signed for next week’s NXT.

Match #4: Elias Sampson vs. Finn Balor
Balor goes behind Sampson, but Sampson comes back an works over Balor’s arm. Sampson takes Balor down to the mat and gets Balor’s shoulders on the mat, but Balor kicks out at one. Balor comes back and sends Sampson of the ropes and then takes him down with a dropkick. Sampson rolls to the outside for a breather as we head for a break.

Back from the break, Sampson backs Balor into the ropes and takes him down to the mat. Sampson stomps away on Baloe and then drops a couple elbows. Sampson goes for the cover, but Balor kicks out at one. Sampson suplexes Balor back down to the mat and goes for the cover, but Balor kicks out at two. Sampson works over Balor’s arm again, but Balor fights to his feet. Balor comes off the ropes, but Sampson connects with a forearm shot. Sampson sends Balor off the ropes, but Balor connects with a forearm of his own. Balor chops Sampson in the corner, and then does so repeatedly in alternating corners. Balor clotheslines Sampson over the top rope and then delivers a dropkick. Balor gets on the apron and kicks Sampson in the face. Balor tosses Sampson back into the ring and takes him down with a spinning neck-breaker. Balor dropkicks Sampson into the corner and then drops him with 1916 for the pin fall.
Winner: Finn Balor.

After the match, Balor grabs a microphone. He says Samoa Joe beat him and he has no excuses. He says he is not taking anything away from Samoa Joe…yet. He says he wants his rematch and everybody knows he is obsessed with NXT and is obsessed with being NXT Champion. He says, now, he is possessed like a demon stalking his prey and possessed in going after what belongs to him. Samoa Joe’s music hits, and the NXT Champion makes his way out.

Joe and Balor mouth each other, but William Regal says he makes the decisions around here and this will not break down into chaos. Regal says at the next TakeOver on June 8th, Samoa Joe will defend the title against Finn Balor. Joe says Balor doesn’t deserve it, but Balor flies over the top rope and takes Joe down on the ramp. Balor lays the title on top of Joe and tells him to enjoy it because it’s not going to last.

NXT comes to a close with Balor walking to the back and Regal staring down as Joe, who is still down on the entrance ramp.