3/13 Zim's WWE NXT Live Coverage: Bo Dallas vs. Colin Cassady, Paige vs. Sasha Banks, Xavier Woods vs. Alexander Rusev, The Ascension in action, and more

By Zack Zimmerman

WWE NXT
Aired March 13, 2014
Taped February 28, 2014 at Full Sail University

The opening video played… The show opened with NXT Women's Champion Paige making her entrance to a good reaction. Tom Phillips, Alex "Adamle Bad" Riley, and Jason Albert (f/k/a/ Tensai) checked in on commentary. Phillips noted that Paige's title reign stands at 232 days. Sasha Banks was out next accompanied by Charlotte and Summer Rae's head on a popsicle stick.

1. Paige vs. Sasha Banks (w/ Charlotte) in a non-title match. Sasha threw Paige's own t-shirt at her and Paige reciprocated with a hard kick to the gut to take control. Paige whipped Sasha across the ring by her hair and stomped away in the corner. Shortly after the minute mark, Sasha took the upper hand.

The crowd chanted "Sasha's ratchet" before Sasha settled into a straight-jacket choke. She stayed in control and went back to the straight-jacket stretch a short time later. Paige worked to her feet and backed Sasha into the corner before teeing off with back elbow strikes. Paige took Sasha by the arm and hit repeated short-arm clotheslines. Paige hooked in the Scorpion Crush Lock a short time later and Sasha tapped out.

Paige forced Sasha Banks to submit in about 5:15.

After the bell, Charlotte entered the ring and attacked Paige from behind. Albert once again referred to her as the "Dirtiest Diva in the locker room." Natalya's music hit and she ran to the ring. The BFFs slipped out of the ring and Nattie kneeled by Paige as the BFFs backed up the ramp... The commentators threw to a replay package from last week's episode of Corey Graves' promo on Sami Zayn, Graves' attack on Yoshi Tatsu, and main event loss to Zayn…

An NXT Backstage Exclusive had the roving reporter ask Sami Zayn if he feels he silenced Graves after last week. Sami said he had no issues with Graves to begin with, but Graves talked about how Sami couldn't win and then Sami went out and won the match. He said as far as he's concerned, it's done between them. He added that if Graves had any further issues, he isn't hard to find…

Scott Stanford hyped Bo Dallas vs. Colin Cassady in the main event… He also announced that The Ascension would be in action next… [C]

Zim Says: The ladies match was fine but nothing special. It logically sets up a tag match down the road, but I'm still not keen on Charlotte getting the push over Sasha. Fine promo from Sami; we'll see where it goes.

A still-shot package showed the highlights (relatively speaking, of course) of the Mojo Rawley vs. CJ Parker match from NXT Arrival… Backstage, Mojo Rawley was hyped up in the locker room. He said he showed the world what he was about. He said he doesn't get hyped, he stays hyped. He said "Let's go!" and left the room…

In the arena, the NXT Tag Team Champions The Ascension made their entrance. The crowd started a loud "yah" chant for the champs. Their opponents were already waiting in the ring.

2. The Ascension vs. Travis Tyler and Cal Bishop in a non-title match. Viktor opened up with a rolling shoulder block on Tyler and then Konnor tagged in and hit several of his own. A short time later, the jobbers managed to catch Viktor off-guard and Bishop tagged in but he was quickly put down by an uppercut. Konnor and Viktor made quick tags isolating Tyler in their corner.

At the three-minute mark, Konnor whipped Tyler towards the corner where Viktor caught him with a flying knee; the commentators called it the Guillotine. Viktor ran in and knocked Bishop off the apron before The Ascension hit the Fall of Man for the win.

The Ascension defeated Tyler and Bishop in about 3:25.

Scott Stanford hyped Xavier Woods vs. Alexander Rusev later in the show… [C]

Zim Says: Another week, another Ascension squash. I must admit that the crowd is reacting to them like they're babyfaces, so I'm curious to see if that trend continues going forward.

Back in the arena, Renee Young joined the commentary team as Mason Ryan made his entrance. His opponent was already in the ring.

3. Mason Ryan vs. Wesley Blake. The crowd opened up with a "Better than Batista" chant. Questionable. The two men traded holds before Blake fired at Ryan with a forearm and briefly took control. Ryan hit a big powerslam a short time later, but couldn’t capitalize and Blake regained control by sending Ryan shoulder-first into the ringpost. Blake targeted the shoulder from there and went to work. Sometime later, Ryan fought back with a hot shot, a big boot, and the Cobra Clutch slam for the win…

Mason Ryan over Wesley Blake in about 4:00.

Backstage, Bayley walked onto the interview set with her iPad. Devin Taylor tried to ask how it felt to be on the Network every week, but Bayley wasn't paying attention because she was watching the Network. She said that she'd gotten to be best friends with Natalya and had the chance to meet Bret Hart, so she was watching one of his matches.

Sasha Banks and Charlotte walked onto the set. Charlotte said it was just like Bayley to cheer for a stringy grey-haired man who looks homeless. Bayley grabbed Summer Rae's head-on-a-stick and asked her why she wasn't there with her friends. She answered herself in an awful voice mimicking Summer and said that she didn't want to be around Sasha and Charlotte because they're ugly and smell like cheese.

Sasha said they could settle it right now, when Natalya walked on set and asked if there was a problem. Charlotte said that Nattie was the Diva's champion from 100 years ago and the only thing she's still famous for is drunk-dialing her boss on a reality show. Natalya reminisced about Bret Hart beating Ric Flair for the championship years ago, and apparently that's where Charlotte draws the line because she walked off set…

Scott Stanford hyped Xavier Woods vs. Alexander Rusev up next… [C]

Zim Says: I can't get excited for anything Mason Ryan-related. Sorry. The backstage segment was fine. Bayley seems like she's getting better on the mic but otherwise it wasn't anything really worth commenting on.

An intense Xavier Woods made his way to the ring with none of his usual flair. Before Rusev came out, Tyler Breeze made his entrance. Ring announcer Eden announced Breeze as Woods' opponent. Odd. Breeze took a mic and said that they aren't friends, but after what happened at Arrival, he's asking Woods to let him get his revenge and kindly leave. Woods didn't and Lana introduced Rusev who made his entrance. As he was walking to the ring, Breeze attacked Woods from behind and slipped out of the ring. The ref checked on Woods who said he was good to go.

4. Xavier Woods vs. Alexander Rusev (w/ Lana). Rusev wore Woods out with multiple kicks and knee thrusts. At about the minute-mark, Woods checked Rusev's leg kicks and began to fire back. He landed some offense before Rusev caught him running the ropes and planted him with a Samoan drop. Rusev hoisted Woods up and hit a swinging side slam before applying the Accolade for the win…

Alexander Rusev beat Xavier Woods in about 3:30.

Scott Stanford hyped Bo Dallas vs. Colin Cassady up next… [C]

Zim Says: There's seemingly nothing worth analyzing this week. It makes my job easier suppose, but I feel like my report is lacking the usual level of analysis because of the content on this show.

Scott Stanford hyped that Sheamus would return to NXT next week…

Backstage, Devin Taylor asked NXT Champion Adrian Neville for his thoughts on his rematch with Bo Dallas in two weeks. Before Neville could respond, Dallas walked onto the set. He said in two weeks, his nightmare would end. He thanked his Bo-lievers for their strength and said they've been the wind beneath his wings. He said that he and Neville have been through a lot, but this has to end. He said that the Bo-lievers are sick of Neville and he said that Neville is out of his league. Neville slapped him in the face and Bo stormed off set…

Back in the arena, Colin Cassady made his entrance. Bo Dallas was out next before a replay showed him announcing his rematch for the NXT Title which will take place in two weeks.

5. Bo Dallas vs. Colin Cassady. Cassady looks like he's starting to pack on the muscle. Dallas stalled and hesitated for over a minute before kicking Cassady in the gut and taking the upper hand. Cassady hit a big bodyslam and several elbow drops for an early two-count which sent Bo to ringside to take a powder.

The crowd chanted "sloppy jalopy" in support of Cassady but Bo took a headlock and held the momentum. Cassady pushed Bo off and hit a shoulder block that sent Dallas to ringside once again. [C]

Back from break, Dallas hung Cassady up on the top rope and went to work as the crowd chanted "No more Bo." Dallas settled into a cravat, I ran to the bathroom, and when I got back he still had the hold applied. Cassady broke free eventually, but Bo put him right back down with a follow-behind clothesline and kept control. The crowd chanted "Bo-ring" as Bo hit his methodical short-arm elbows.

A "Let's go Cass" chant broke out and Cassady whipped Dallas hard into the corner and began to fire up with a running high knee. He spelled out "S-A-W-F-T" and delivered a back club on "Sawwwwft." He caught Bo seconds later with a big boot for a near-fall. Bo hung onto the ropes and hit a kick to the head of Cassady before planting him with a double arm DDT which was good for the pinfall.

Bo Dallas pinned Colin Cassady in about 12:00.

The show closed with Dallas standing tall in the ring and the commentators mentioning his rematch for the NXT Championship in two weeks...

Zim Says: The match went 5-7 minutes longer than it needed to. Not very good. Cassady is still green and a bit clumsy. Dallas is decent in the ring but can't really do anything without an opponent on his level or higher. I'm not sure if giving Cassady 12 minutes is a sign of their confidence in him or due to a relatively shallow on-screen roster, but I don’t think he was ready to be exposed like this.

Overall, this was a relatively mediocre show. I'm not sure how it came across to viewers who are still new to NXT and are enjoying the freshness of the show, but to me it was just a bunch of forgettable squash matches. There were generally unspectacular interview segments and relatively weak storyline progression this week as well. I'm not one to bash NXT because it's still my favorite weekly show, but this week left something to be desired.

Be sure to check out Darren Gutteridge and myself on the Member-Exclusive Dot Net NXT Recap Podcasts each and every weekend!

Throw comments, questions, criticisms, or corrections @DotNetZim or DotNetZim@gmail.com; always happy to discuss.