WWE NXT – 5/18/10
Last night’s edition of NXT had a couple matches, a couple surprises, and one Pro’s Poll leading to another elimination. Which NXT Rookie would be at the bottom and sent packing? Find out here:
Video Package: Clips from last week’s elimination show where Michael Tarver, Daniel Bryan & Skip Sheffield were sent home.
Matt Striker is on the ramp, and tonight he welcomes some of the WWE Pros to the arena (The Miz, William Regal, CM Punk, Christian, Matt Hardy & Chris Jericho). Striker asks them what they’re looking for in the rookies. Some say “IT” factor, some say ability to roll with the changes they’ll interact with when it comes to personas or other superstars in the locker room.
Darren Young vs. Wade Barrett
WINNER: Barrett via pin fall after hitting the Fireman’s Carry Slam
Video Package: What do the WWE Pros think of David Otunga?
Matt Striker in the ring with two special guests, Michael Tarver and Daniel Bryan. He asks them what their thoughts were after having a week to let their eliminations sink in.
- Tarver is upset because he was supposed to be eliminated only by a Pros Poll, not by WWE management… He also comments that he didn’t participate in challenges because he wanted to be different than everyone else and stand out.
- Bryan was mainly upset about the politics because he wasn’t a home grown talent made by the WWE machine. He still thinks he’s the best man for the job, and three of the WWE Pros on the ramp all agree he’s absolutely better than his pro, The Miz. Bryan then calls out Michael Cole for dogging him every week saying he doesn’t have “IT.” He walks down to the announce table and start poking Cole until finally he starts slapping him around. Referees and Matt Striker intervene, but not after Bryan gets a kick in.
Justin Gabriel vs. Heath Slater
WINNER: Gabriel via pin fall after hitting the 450 Splash
Backstage: Skip Sheffield thinks he was eliminated by the Pros Poll because he was the biggest threat to them.
Video Package: What do the pros think of Darren Young?
Matt Striker has the pros huddle up to tally their scores for their Pros Poll.
After a commercial, Striker is ringside with the NXT Rookies and reveals the results of the Pro’s Poll:
- Wade Barrett
- David Otunga
- Heath Slater
- Justin Gabriel
ELIMINATED: Darren Young
- Matt Striker gives Young the microphone and address the fans with his final thoughts.
- Young walks up the ramp and first thanks all the fans in the arena and at home. He then walks over to the WWE Pros and says thank you to them and tells them that he has much respect for them.
QUICK THOUGHTS:
Okay, I have to admit that this was one of my favorite episodes of NXT, not because it was over the top great, but because of the fact that Daniel Bryan did one thing that we’d love to do, slap that little twerp, Michael Cole, around. I had a feeling that it would be coming, but to actually see it was just great! Bryan said it best, Cole “is a poor man’s Jim Ross,” and he’ll never be on the same level. JR is the best! It was also nice to see the WWE Pros actually state on live TV that they thought that Daniel Bryan was better than The Miz. That was great!
I sort of figured the one to go home would be Darren Young. Yeah, he won a bunch of matches, but it’s also about entertaining the fans, and that guy just didn’t do that. For being that “party boy” character, he really didn’t have much charisma. He went out classy though saying thank you to the pros and the fans. Got to hand it to him for that.