WWE NXT Report
February 8, 2012
Taped 2/7 in Tulsa, Okla.
Report by Justin James, PWTorch contributor

Last week's show featured Titus O'Neil and Darren Young teaming up against Alex Riley and Percy Watson and the continuation of the never-ending BetaMax + Dirty Curty saga. This week's "WWE Inbox" webisode featured a bunch of NXT folks, including JTG and Kaitlyn, so I would not be shocked to see JTG on NXT this week and perhaps Kaitlyn and her amazingly bright-pink fannypack. Last week, Matt Striker promised that this week all NXT participants would be in matches, so who knows? Will A.J. wrestle with a broken neck? Could William Regal or Matt Striker climb in the ring? On with the show!

[Q1] Matt Striker is in the ring to start the show, and he says that everyone will be wrestling tonight. Striker books The Usos vs. Curt Hawkins and Tyler Reks. Out comes Derrick Bateman to start the night. Josh Mathews tries to portray Bateman as a ladies man, saying that he's with Maxine but "canoodling" with Kaitlyn. Regal walks right into that and says, "Why not? I'd canoodle with Kaitlyn, too." I suppose that's after he puts his co-joined daughters to bed? Next comes the OMRB himself, Heath Slater. I'll say this for Slater, at least his theme song is distinctive in WWE.

1 - DERRICK BATEMAN vs. HEATH SLATER

Slater with the early advantage and heels to the crowd, so Bateman lands a dropkick and controls Slater's wrist a bit. Slater dodges a running double-knee strike in the corner to take over. I'll say that Slater is amusingly heeling when he interacts with the crowd, but he'd better not over-do it, or else Chris Jericho will accuse Slater of stealing his gimmick. Bateman with a takedown to put the ball back in his own court. Bateman with an STO, followed by a running spinning neckbreaker for a two count. Slater avoids a suplex and lands his totally nondescript finisher for the win.

WINNER: Heath Slater in 5:00. Losing to Slater does Bateman no good, and does it make sense to start giving Slater wins considering the damage done to his character? All the same, I really like Slater's character and how he carries himself, but I think he needs to step up his in-ring game to create a unique moveset.

False commercial break, and Titus O'Neil is on commentary. He calls himself "Big Dog O'Neil." Pre-match, O'Neil says he's come to respect Young, and Watson isn't helping him meet his goals.

2 - PERCY WATSON vs. DARREN YOUNG

Watson and Young exchange control in the early-going. Watson has such a sweet combination of speed, power, and agility. A big leg drop sends Young outside the ring, but Watson follows with a baseball slide and Young traps him with the apron a la Fit Finlay. Young with a leg drop on the trapped Watson. Neckbreaker gets Young a two count. O'Neil's commentary is interesting because he's justifying his heelish actions by saying that he needs to put his kids through private school and provide for them, but then talks up his tailor. It's like he's saying that he has to bust his chops for his kids (face thing to say) to get the upper crust, elite stuff in like (heel thing to say). This could be a very effective and unique gimmick, and if it is the intention, I like it.

Watson in control, and O'Neil gets upset because social media helped his former NXT Pro, Zack Ryder, get opportunities but no one has petitioned for him to get them. Watson with a hot sequence of a flying forearm, dropkick, and a double underhook suplex that just flipped Young over as if he were a toddler. Watson lands a standing splash for a nearfall as O'Neil thanks Regal for lighting a fire under him. Young elbows Watson off, but walks into the Percycution for the loss.

WINNER: Percy Watson in 5:00. Watson basically just ran over Young. Watson's ring skills are off the chart for someone at his level of experience, and he has charisma, too. I truly hope that he sticks around long enough to make long-term contributions to WWE. If I were to start a petition, it's to see Watson in the Money in the Bank ladder match.

Afterward, O'Neil stands outside the ring with a mic and says that when he goes after Watson, he won't see it coming.

[Q2] Backstage, Kaitlyn is bending over to warm up, and Dirty Curty approaches her from behind, dressed in jeans but no shirt. He creeps on her and complains that he doesn't have a match. She turns around and asks why he's shirtless and asks why he's there since he's been booted from NXT. He says that he knows "a secret that no one knows and that's why it's a secret." It probably is something linking Kaitlyn and Bateman, based on Josh Mathews's earlier commentary. She asks to know what it is, and he says that Maxine told him about how Bateman also would talk about how awesome Kaitlyn is. Kaitlyn seems to buy it for a moment and think about it.

Reax: Curtis was such a disgusting pig in this scene with his body language. If he talked to my daughter or wife like that, he'd find out how quickly his teeth could pass through his digestive system. Congrats, Johnny Curtis, in a brief segment I completely suspended disbelief. Kaitlyn played off him well, and it's clear that the next step is her throwing herself at Bateman to continue the debacle. Why can't Raw be booked this effectively? They got more done in 60 seconds than Triple H and two video packages can get done in 15 minutes.

3 - TRENT BARRETA vs. TYSON KIDD

Gorgeous sequence to open with Kidd getting a one count and settling into an armbar. Barreta clears Kidd off the apron, but Kidd dodges a baseball slide. They brawl on the outside and Barreta hits a corkscrew moonsault leg drop off the barrier. Kidd is playing hurt while the ref actually left the ring twice to check on Barreta, which is very unusual.

Kidd rolls Barreta into the ring and goes up top, but Barreta counters a middle dropkick with a Kofi Kingston-height dropkick of his own. Back and forth and both men are selling like it's the end of the match. Kidd blocks the Gobstopper Knee, sending Barreta to the mat hard, and looks for the Sharpshooter, but Barreta rolls through for a two count. Kidd with a jumping kid kick and a released German Suplex that looks sick for a nearfall. Kidd's got blood on his face, but it's not clear whose.

Kidd puts Barreta on the turnbuckle and looks for a belly-to-back superplex, but Barreta actually turns it around in mid-air into a crossbody. That was so innovative, and it's wasted on NXT. Barreta with a neckbreaker and he goes to the top rope again. Missile dropkick for two. Barreta sits down on a sunset flip from Kidd, but, at two, Kidd rolls through for the leveraged pin.

WINNER: Tyson Kidd in 5:00. They went straight from the bell to third gear. Barreta and Kidd both maximize their in-ring minutes to the fullest, but, with Barreta, I sometimes sense that he feels like if he doesn't nearly suffer a major injury in a match, then he isn't happy. Trent doing a moonsault corkscrew leg drop from the barricade on an episode of NXT is going to get him in the hospital faster than to the main roster. I'd like to see Barreta paired with Kofi Kingston in lieu of Evan Bourne.

Post-match, Kidd offers a handshake to Barreta, who accepts. This seems to continue Kidd's face turn that started on Superstars recently. I like the idea of a Tyson Kidd and Trent Barreta pairing based on the idea that they've built mutual respect for each other in the ring.

Backstage, Derrick Bateman is walking around and Kaitlyn sees him, pats him on the stomach, and calls him "sweetmeat." Very flirty. She tells him that he is a winner and compliments his hair. He asks her for a piece of gum, but Maxine butts in. She berates Bateman for losing and yukking it up with Kaitlyn instead of taking it seriously. Kaitlyn points out that Maxine is not being very supportive as a girlfriend. Maxine tells her to butt out and leave Bateman alone, as Curtis watches in the background from around the corner. Maxine warns her to stay away from Bateman and everyone storms off. Curtis reveals himself (he still hasn't put a shirt on) and says that it's "getting weird."

4 - KAITLYN vs. MAXINE

Maxine with a quick leg pick and a knee the to face, but Kaitlyn dodges a charge and hits a side slam for one. Kaitlyn with a head scissors on the mat, plus an armbar. Has she been talking to Daniel Bryan? Maxine escapes, but walks into a powerslam followed by a leg drop, then an elbow drop for two. Maxine takes Kaitlyn to the mat for two, then they trade pin attempts. The crowd is actually chanting "Let's Go Kaitlyn." How often does that happen in a Divas match? And, it's not just one or two people, but a good portion of the crowd.

[Q3] Maxine with a Dragon Sleeper, but Kaitlyn bridges up, then turns the bridge into a stunner of sorts to escape. Maxine puts Katilyn in the corner and mounts her, but Kaitlyn shrugs her off. Kaitlyn with a dropkick and clotheslines, then a cross-body for two. Maxine slaps the taste out of Kaitlyn's mouth, then locks on a hold in the crucifix position. Very unique! Maxine forces Kaitlyn to the mat and gets the shoulders to the mat for three.

WINNER: Maxine in 4:00. I really enjoyed that match. While the main roster Divas are offering "Booty Pop moonsaults" and the butt shakin' stinkface, Maxine and Kaitlyn tried their best (for two fairly inexperienced wrestlers) to put on a "power vs. submission" style match with lots of back-and-forth.

[ c - Elimination Chamber hype video ]

Backstage, Tyson Kidd approaches Trent Barreta and asks to talk about their match. Barreta admits that he lost. Kidd says that Barreta takes him to his limit every time and has earned his respect, and offers a tag team pairing. Barreta doesn't believe it, but Kidd tells him to believe it and leaves. The prospect of Kidd and Barreta challenging Primo and Epico for the Tag Tiles has me drooling.

5 - THE USOS vs. CURT HAWKINS & TYLER REKS (Tag Team Main Event)

Can someone please give Hawkins and Reks a team name?

Hawkins with a fast takedown on Jey, but Jey turns it around with a nice suplex to bridge for two. Jey brings in Jimmy, and Hawkins gets Reks into the match. Jey tags back in and they do the double elbows, double arm drops routine. Jimmy tags back in. Hawkins comes in and walks into a big armdrag, then a massive back body drop. Jimmy clears Hawkins from the ring. False commercial break and Reks in in control of Jey.

Reks and Hawkins double-team Jimmy for a stretch. Jey with a spinning forearm for a double tag out. Jimmy cleans house on Reks and clears Hawkins out, lands the Alley-Us leg drop and a stinkface for two, but Hawkins makes the tag. The Usos throw Hawkins into Reks, then Jimmy jumps onto Hawkins. Reks runs under the Superfly Splash, then ducks a superkick. Reks tries the Burning Hammer, but Jey slips out. Jey with a roll-up and Reks comes out at two. Behind the ref's back, Hawkins whacks Jey with his cane, letting Reks pin him with a school boy with a tights grab.

WINNERS: Hawkins & Reks in 8:00.

Afterward, Striker comes running out from the back to tell the ref about the interference, so Hawkins cold cocks him. The Usos chase Reks and Hawkins from the ring. End show.

Final Reax: This was one of NXT's best outings in a long time. Titus O'Neil's heel character is much more nuanced than anyone could have predicted. Tyson Kidd is making a reasonable face turn and teaming with the exciting Trent Barreta. They could sell me a PPV by putting that team on the card. The love triangle story is one of my guilty pleasures, and Johnny Curtis in particular is playing his part to a "t." The only ding on the episode is, as usual, Josh Mathews ignoring the matches and the moves to the point where he called a Sharpshooter attempt a "potential submission move."

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