- WWE NXT
- October 2, 2020
We begin with a recap of Reigns vs. Jey at Clash of Champions.
Roman comes out with Heyman. Heyman says he’s a bit nervous because he knew this was destined to happen. Roman will be declared the Tribal Chief, not just of WWE, his family, or SmackDown, but of the entire WWE Universe, which is why he needs to be Universal Champion.
Paul talks about Roman’s family before Roman requests the mic. Roman doesn’t want to be acknowledged as the Tribal Chief because Jey wouldn’t admit him and requests Jey’s presence.
Jey comes out and says he doesn’t know Roman. He’s supposed to be family, but he showed his true colors at Clash of Champions. So did Jey. Roman beat his ass, but didn’t break his spirit: Jey says he’d be Universal Champion of Jimmy didn’t throw in the towel.
Roman says Clash of Champions was the worst night of his life, and he was trying to do Jey a favor. All he wanted to do is make Jey a main-eventer and get a big payday. He loves Jey more than Jimmy does. He just wanted to raise him. All Jey had to do was acknowledge him as the tribal chief. It’s his birthright, and Jey embarrassed the family and broke Roman’s heart.
He sees Jey is staring at the title and not at him and wonders if he wants another shot. Roman says if he wants it, he has it at Hell in a Cell. But the match will have the highest stakes in WWE history. He hugs Jey and whispers something to him before he and Paul leaves. Jey tells Roman on the ramp that whatever the stakes are, he’s on.
Roman leaves and out comes AJ Styles. He tells Jey that he matters to him because he doesn’t want to see him take another beating. So he asks him to allow someone more deserving and qualified to go after the Universal Title. He tells Jey his older brother is the better athlete and to go back where he comes from before attacking AJ and taking him out from the announce table.
Jey Uso vs. AJ Styles
Jey superkicks AJ’s legs as he’s going for the Phenomenal Forearm and Uso hits another superkick followed by a splash for the win in 12 minutes.
Winner: Jey Uso
Match Review: 3/5. Good Match with Jey winning decisively. Superkick and splash sequence, in the end, was poetry in motion.
We get a recap of the ladder match at Clash of Champions.
Zayn is backstage, and he says instead of bragging, he’s angry at the risks to take to get back what was always his. He also takes shots at WWE management. We didn’t say anything when Hardy won the fraudulent title, but now the great liberator has set things right. After tonight, Hardy’s title dreams are going where his title is going. The trash.
John Morrison vs. Otis
Otis wins with a Vader Bomb in three minutes.
Winner: Otis
Match Review: 1/5. Why is John Morisson jobbing? Did he brush someone wrongly backstage? The match was a typical WWE squash.
Sasha Banks is backstage with a neck brace. She has a message for Bayley tonight.
Big E is backstage and challenges Sheamus to a Falls Count Anywhere match next week in anticipation of the draft.
Shorty G vs. Sheamus
Sheamus wins easily with a series of Brogue Kicks in one minute.
Winner: Sheamus
Match Review: 1/5. Another squash. Shorty G is a talented wrestler who can surprise us by putting a decent 4-star match against Sheamus. But WWE loves squash matches sadly.
It’s time for the Kevin Owens show with Alexa Bliss, and we got a recap of Bliss’ transformation last week. Owens has seen a chance in Alexa, a shift in attitude and anger. And it reminded him of what he sees in Aleister Black. Bliss says she doesn’t know what he means.
Owens says Bliss isn’t the same woman he met five years ago, someone who always tried to make people laugh. Alexa says people change, and Owens should consider it and try to be better. Owens says he’s done many terrible things and has tried to be a better person, but tonights about Alexa’s change. He doesn’t even know what to call it. Maybe he could understand what’s happened to Aleister if Alexa explains.
Bliss says you can’t explain what you don’t understand, but if you’ve ever been in his presence, your body grows numb, your spine grows cold, you get pins and needles feeling, and when he stares at you, you can’t look away. But Owens doesn’t know what’s that like. Owens says it’s like Bliss is brainwashed. Bliss says she has been brainwashed and has seen the truth. She’s been cleansed.
Owens asks if he’s here, and Bliss says he’s everywhere and to let him in. Owens gets up, and the lights go out. The Fiend is in the ring and hits the Claw on Owens. Bliss remains sitting and watches. The Fiend approaches Bliss and signals her to come over, which she does. Bliss takes The Fiend’s hand and gives a sinister smile.
Matt Riddle and Lucha House Party vs. Cesaro, Shinsuke Nakamura and King Corbin
Riddle and LHP win when Riddle hits the Bro Derek on Cesaro in eight minutes.
Winners: Matt Riddle and Lucha House Party
Match Review: 2.75/5. Bro! Good match with Matt Riddle getting the win for the team after losing clean to Corbin last week.
After the match, Riddle stands tall as his music hits. Kalisto runs in and celebrates with Riddle, acting as he won. This leads to more tension and arguing between Kalisto and Dorado. Riddle holds Kalisto back.
Cole says we will hear from Sasha Banks soon. We see Bayley’s recent footage when she explained her attacks on her former tag team partner and then attacked her again. We also see how Banks attacked Bayley at Clash of Champions last Sunday.
We go back to the ring, and out comes Sasha Banks, wearing a neck brace. Back to commercial.
Back from the break and we see the mystery woman backstage in her dressing room again. She finally reveals herself to be Carmella. She says sometimes you need to take a good look in the mirror at yourself and see who you are. She admits she forgot who she was as she got lost along the way, but she knows exactly who to blame – the fans, all of them. Carmella says the fans wanted her to do things their way, play by their rules. Look where that got her – absolutely nowhere. She says then she remembered that she is Carmella, she’s better than all of you. But do you know what she is not? She’s not your princess anymore. She says it doesn’t matter if she gets drafted to RAW or SmackDown because she’s untouchable this time. Unless she doesn’t want to be.
We go back to the bank, and Sasha Banks is in the ring. She asks if SmackDown Women’s Champion Bayley thought not being medically cleared would have stopped her from attacking Clash of Champions. She goes on and says Bayley is nothing but a coward, one who needed Banks’ time and after time to keep her title. Banks says Bayley was using her for her accomplishments. Banks knows Bayley isn’t here tonight because she’s scared, but Banks says next week it will be them in a singles match, with Bayley’s title on the line.
Banks says they both know that when it comes down to them, and there’s nobody there to save her.
Banks takes off her neck brace to a pop. Banks says Bayley doesn’t stand a chance, b—h! Banks stares ahead at the camera as her music starts up. Cole confirms the title match for next week.
We see how Sami Zayn trashed one of the WWE Intercontinental Title belts earlier.
Sami Zayn (C) vs. Jeff Hardy – Intercontinental Championship
Zayn wins when he sends Hardy into the exposed turnbuckle in 13 minutes.
Winner: Sami Zayn
Match Review: 3.75/5. WOW! One of the better Smackdown main events in 2020. Sami Zayn is the best wrestler to have never won the WWE championship in the new decade. Jeff hasn’t lost a beat either.
NYK WWE Smackdown Rating for October 2, 2020: 7.25/10.
Three Stars of the show
- Sami Zayn
- AJ Styles/Jey Uso
- Jeff Hardy
