By Rich Twilling

WWE NXT on the Syfy Network
Live from Dallas, Tex.

[Q1] A video package aired recapping the show's entire run featuring eliminations and interview comments of those who did not make it tonight. The video concluded with Justin Gabriel, David Otunga, and Wade Barrett from bottom to top...

The opening video sort of aired. They didn't show the graphics of the pros and rookies. Fireworks lit up the stage. Michael Cole and Josh Mathews welcomed us to the show. They sent it Matt Striker in the ring...

Striker announced the five who have been eliminated. They were sitting at ringside. There were two guys sitting behind them wearing the same shirt; it wasn't even a wrestling shirt. Did they think this was a Sadie Hawkins dance?

Each pro was introduced and they took a seat on the stage. C.M. Punk was wearing a mask with a Dallas Cowboys' star on the side. Each remaining rookie made their way out to the ring...

Twill's Two Cents: I like how they are treating tonight's show like a big deal. By the way, Jason Powell is discussing the show with everyone in the Dot Net Members' Forum.

Striker said there would be two Pro's Polls tonight. The three remaining rookies would face each other in a triple threat match...

The announcers revealed Season Two of the show will begin next week and we will meet the pros and rookies throughout this show. The first rookie is Husky Harris, who is the grandson of Blackjack Mulligan and son of Mike Rotunda. His pro will be Cody Rhodes...

Twill's Two Cents: So much for getting Tuesday night off. Kidding. Let's just hope they are more organized this time around. Hopefully tonight's show will create enough buzz to pop a solid rating next week too.

The three pros representing the three rookies all headed to ringside... [C]

I should try out for the Ghost Hunters Academy. I don't believe in ghosts so I shouldn't have a problem getting frightened...

John Morrison cut a promo for his rookie, Eli Cottonwood. At a quick glance, he resembles the Great Khali...

[Q2] 1. Wade Barrett (with Chris Jericho) defeated Justin Gabriel (with Matt Hardy) and David Otunga (with R-Truth) in a triple threat elimination match in 10:03. This is not the normal triple threat match WWE has; this one is an elimination match.

Barrett was disposed of right away and Otunga dominated Gabriel. Each rookie kept taking turns going to the floor so the in-ring action was one on one. Gabriel hit the 450 (flawlessly) on Otunga. Barrett broke up the pinfall attempt and pinned Otunga himself...

David Otunga was eliminated at the 3:21 mark. ... [C]

Barrett hit a gut buster and followed up with an abdominal stretch. Solid. Gabriel fought back with a series of kicks. He nearly scored the win with a nice springboard high cross body. Gabriel countered Barrett's finisher with a sunset flip pin but Barrett kicked out. He then missed the 450. Barrett applied a small package and scored the three count...

Twill's Two Cents: Fun match in which they obviously stayed away from all three guys working together. The one on one stuff was pretty good and a nice way for the rookies to go out.

The NXT pros got together to make their first Pro's Poll of the night...

MVP cut a promo for his rookie, Percy Watson. A short video for Percy played and his character is, shall we say, flamboyant? Let's say I already enjoy Watson's character more than I ever have Orlando Jordan's... [C]

[Q3] Does anyone else love the commercial with Evan Longoria trying to get his baseball cap back? He stops and pulls a Ferris Bueller with a girl sitting on a bus. Funny...

The Classics on Demand commercial for the Junkyard Dog was shown...

Zack Ryder cut a promo for his rookie, Titus O'Neil. He reminded me of Bobby Lashley a bit with his power and soft spoken voice. Nice to see Ryder involved in the show. I still say he is money...

Striker asked each of the eliminated rookies who should win and why. Michael Tarver said himself. Tarver's own kids probably wouldn't even vote for him. Daniel Bryan said Otunga couldn't wrestle and Gabriel couldn't talk, so Barrett should win.

Skip Sheffield said he didn't care who won. Darren Young went with Wade Barrett. Heath Slater also picked Barrett. By the way, Otunga bedazzled his hair. There's a look we don't need to see again...

Twill's Two Cents: I like how the eliminated rookies were honest and candid with their comments.

The first Pro's Poll of the night featured Wade Barrett at number one, David Otunga at number two, and Justin Gabriel at number three. Gabriel was eliminated. He took the mic and said he would keep coming back and be a World Champion someday...

Twill's Two Cents: He's the right pick to be eliminated first.

As Gabriel walked up the ramp, Matt Hardy cut a nice promo for him. He said Gabriel was like him and wished him luck...

Twill's Two Cents: Gabriel is like Hardy in that he does some entertaining high spots and cannot cut a promo. Good comparison.

Believe it or not, the oddest pro/rookie combination was revealed next. Michelle McCool and Layla cut an annoying promo for their rookie, Kaval (a/k/a Low Ki). Kaval said he was from the greatest city in the world, Brooklyn. He looked to be in great shape... [C]

Twill's Two Cents: Well, that should answer the question of all of the emails asking where Low Ki is and why he wasn't on during season one. I'm guessing his partnership with LayCool will provide some interesting moments, but the problem is: if Michelle and/or Layla pisses Kaval off, he can't get his heat back by beating on two women.

[Q4] Mark Henry will be a pro and his rookie will be Lucky Cannon. Lucky Cannon? Sounds like a porn star name...

The final competition is a promo contest. Each man received sixty seconds to tell the other rookie why they should be eliminated...

Otunga said the only person Barrett intimidates is his dentist. The only triple threat match he would pay to see Barrett in would be vs. Aqua Fresh and Listerine. He said he could learn to wrestle, but Barrett could not be taught the "it" factor.

Barrett said Otunga had a great body and had no idea how to use it. He said the Great Khali moves around the ring better than Otunga. The only reason people say Otunga has the "it" factor because he doesn't have any other qualities. He said two more letters need to be added to "it" to represent what he thinks of Otunga...

Twill's Two Cents: Barrett absolutely ran away with that one. Otunga's only shot was to win it on the mic and Barrett wiped the floor with him.

Kofi Kingston cut a promo for his rookie and Curt Hennig's son, Michael McGillicutty. No sign of Beulah...

The pros got together to decide the winner of the show... [C]

Josh Mathews said a difference in season two was that the pros will have 50% of the power and the WWE Universe's votes will comprise of the other 50%...

Twill's Two Cents: Oh great. "IluvJohnCena4eva" gets to have a say in who wins.

The Miz announced he would be back for season two. Alex Riley is his rookie and he is cocky like Miz...

The final Pro's Poll was revealed. William Regal congratulated Jericho but R-Truth said nothing was announced yet. Regal said the only reason Otunga was there was he "married well." He then he has seen his wife and "he didn't marry that well."

Regal and R-Truth went face to face as Regal challenged them to do something. The pros bickered with each other...

[Overrun] Jericho said his guy was going to win because he mentored him. He said Skip Sheffield would have won if he was Jericho's rookie. Regal said Barrett would have won with anyone. Punk took off.

Striker finally regained control and put up the Pro's Poll. The longest drumroll of all time preceded the announcement that Wade Barrett won the first season of NXT.

Otunga wondered if Ashton (Kutcher) was around because he was getting punked. "Even Stevie Wonder can see I am the next breakout star." He said he has been eliminated from a "reality" show before. He referenced Jennifer Hudson by saying she ended up being the biggest star on her season of American Idol.

Striker congratulated Barrett. Wade cut a promo and said he and Jericho knew he was going to win from the start. He told the pros to be worried because the Wade Barrett era was beginning. Wade Barrett era? Wow, that's confidence. He said he was a future World Champion...

Highlights of the show's first season were shown...

Twill's Two Cents: I'm glad they didn't go with a swerve. The announcement was anticlimactic but it was the right decision. Barrett was by far the best of the bunch outside of Danielson.

What did you think of the show? Feel free to let me know by shooting an email to dotnetrich@gmail.com.

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