By Chris Shore

WWE NXT on WWE.com
Taped on 6/29/11 in Tucson, AZ.

A video recapped the current season and those eliminated. It hyped the remaining two rookies, Titus O'Neil and Darren Young, before showing the announcement of Derrick Bateman returning last week…The opening video aired and Todd Grisham and William Regal sent it to Maryse and Matt Striker in the ring.

Striker and Maryse introduced the three rookies and the two pros. The "original" rookies gave Bateman a hard time when they got in the ring. Striker ran down the rules and then Maryse recapped the redemption point totals. Striker introduced a three point Talk the Talk challenge on "Winning NXT."

Maryse picked Young to go first. Young said NXT threw them a curveball by adding Bateman back. He said he had busted his ass for 17 weeks and he was going to win without a pro by doing it all on his own.

Titus said he could understand why Young was upset they brought back "the wannabe Andy Samburg." He said it didn't matter to him because he had dominated the competition and had so many redemption points he could make it rain. He tossed some papers in the air that said "Redemption Point." He told Bateman that anybody that won NXT would have to earn it.

Bateman cut his normal nonsensical promo and said he and Daniel Bryan were the best thing to happen to the Internet since kitten videos. He listed about 30 Twitter hashtags for some reason. Maryse asked the crowd, and Titus O'Neill won. Afterward, Regal shit all over all three men's performance…[C]

Shore’s Slant: Regal called the promos "diabolical." Couldn't agree more Lord Steven! They were more boring than bad. Though in wrestling, there isn't much worse than boring.

Yoshi Tatsu made his ring entrance as a video recapped his altercation with Tyson Kidd last week. Kidd was out next with a Yoshi Tatsu action figure leg around his neck…

1. Tyson Kidd defeated Yoshi Tatsu at 9:10. Yoshi went right after Kid to start, but he got overzealous and Kidd fought back. They battled on the apron, and Kidd dropkicked Tatsu into the post…[C]

Back from commercial, Kidd continued to work strikes on Tatsu. The Tucson crowd was much hotter for this match than last week's crowd. Tatsu finally hit a running knee out of a Sunset flip roll through to have his moment of hope. Yoshi hit a spinning heel kick from the top rope for a great near fall. Yoshi went for his roundhouse, but Kidd hit a drop kick to the leg and followed with his cork-screw Fisher Driver finisher for the win…[C]

Shore’s Slant: Much better match than last week, but not spectacular. The near fall at the end was very, very good, and the live crowd fell for it big time. I'd like to see these guys just go.

A video highlighted Derrick Bateman…Backstage, Titus tried to talk Hornswoggle into leaving Maryse alone. He begged Horny not to give her a bouquet of dead flowers, Twizzlers, and banana peels. He didn't listen and gave them to her anyway. She acted like she loved them and told him to close his eyes for a kiss. Horny did, and she beat him in the head with the bouquet while calling him a fat troll…

2. Daniel Bryan and Derrick Bateman defeated Titus O'Neill and Darren Young at 6:21. Bateman and Young started. Bateman took early control and tagged Bryan. Bryan worked an armbar combo and tagged Bateman back in. Young immediately dropped Bateman on the top rope and he and Titus took control.

Titus and Young worked in and out on Bateman, and Titus worked a surprisingly heel move set at times. Bateman ducked a dive in the corner and Young hit Titus by mistake. Bateman made the hot tag and Bryan worked his offense on Young. Young ducked a clothesline and tried for a back suplex. Bryan flipped out and fell into his corner. Bateman got the blind tag and reversed Young's finisher into his standing bulldog finisher for the win…[C]

Shore’s Slant: Snoozer of a match. I thought they were going long because of how early in the show it is, so maybe my expectations didn't help. Bryan also popped a heel moment when he took out Titus for no reason. Odd stuff tonight.

The Raw Rebound video replayed the entire John Cena/Vince McMahon segment from Raw to end the show…

Shore’s Slant: Very interesting. First chance I had to see that as I was on vacation and actively trying to cause acute cirrhosis of the liver. I failed, but only because I couldn't hold a glass anymore. I may yet do a blog on that tomorrow.

NXT was God awful this week. What a shame. The show that never ends never gets better either. It's like a Jeff Hardy trial. Thanks for watching along with me tonight.

Questions? Comments? Anyone, anyone? Let me hear from you. Email me at css3238@gmail.com with whatever is on your mind.

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