A Room with a Review: NXT 02/12/20

Posted: February 13, 2020/Under: Belts/By: Richard Phillips

It’s the go-home show for NXT Takeover: Portland, available exclusively on the WWE Network. Can I have a job now, WWE?

The show starts with Roderick Strong calling out the Velveteen Dream. If you read last week’s column, you would know that Dream made his return and featured Stong’s wife and son airbrushed on his tights, Rick Rude-style. Roddy wants an apology from Dream, but instead, he gets Bronson Reed, who the Undisputed Era punked out last week. We’ve got a ref and this match is official. Reed uses his strength to stay on top of Roddy until the former NXT North American champion used COMMERCIAL BREAK to gain the advantage. Reed hits a power slam and a senton but makes a mistake by going to the top rope. Strong pops up and hits Reed with a superplex. The lights in the arena turn purple (Velveteen?), which distracts Roddy, allowing Reed to hit him with a suicide dive. Reed once again goes to the top rope, but Strong counters the frog splash with a knee to Bronson’s face to score a pinfall victory. After the match, Dream appears on the Titantron. He says that if anything ever happened to Roddy, he would take care of Strong’s wife.

Next, we get a short vignette of Matt Riddle and Pete Dunne departing on a “bro’d trip” to Portland with the Dusty Cup strapped in the back. Of course, neither has a license and the car gets impounded after Dunne gets pulled over for driving on the wrong side of the road. To be continued…

Queen Cathy Kelley is interviewing Angel Garza backstage. Lio Rush interrupts and says he’s going to win their cruiserweight contenders match later on. I’d be okay with this match taking up the rest of the show.

Back in the ring, it’s time for Candice LeRae vs Dakota Kai. Candice hits Kai with four straight suicide dives. Don’t let Randy Orton see this match. Kai kicks LeRae in the face and busts her nose open. After a commercial break to get the bleeding under control, Candice applies the GargaNo Escape. Dakota reverses it and folds LeRae up for the pin. Afterward, Kai is about to hit Candice with the ring bell, but Tegan Nox saves the day. She and Kai brawl and have to be separated by security.

Next up is Johnny Gargano against Cameron Grimes. Really nice mat work early from Johnny Wrestling. The match moves to the outside and Gargano hits a cannonball from the ring apron. Grimes hits Johnny with a German Suplex, but can only hold him for a two count. Gargano reverses a tilt-a-whirl into the GargaNo Escape and Grimes quickly taps out.

Backstage, Adam Cole (bay bay) yells into a microphone held by Cathy Kelley. He’s willing to do anything to keep the belt in his match against Ciampa.

Another Bruiserweight vignette. Swan boat! As an Orlando native, you don’t know how happy it made me to see Lake Eola and a swan boat on national TV.

After a commercial break, we get a backstage vignette with Robert Stone and Chelsea Green. They plan on returning when they are ready and the Robert Stone Brand will be bigger than ever. I don’t know what the plan is with this, but it has not gotten out of the gate well.

It’s a #1 Contender match, the winner slated to face NXT Cruiserweight champion Jordan Devlin, between Angel Garza and Lio Rush. Garza rips his pants off before the match, so you know he means business. The match is fast-paced and flippy. Rush hits an avalanche Ace Crusher and follows it up with a Final Hour to the outside. He rolls Garza back into the ring and goes for the Frog Splash again, but Garza gets his knees up. Angel goes for the Wing Clipper, but Lio turns it into a small package for the victory.

Next is a great video package hosted by Mark Henry. He’s setting up the match between Keith Lee and Dominick Dijakovic, talking about how they are a new breed of big men in the ring. A really awesome way to put those guys over.

Bianca Belair gets one final tuneup for Takeover: Portland against Santana Garrett. Belair strikes as soon as the bell rings. Bianca wins the match in less than a minute after the KOD. She gets on the mic and runs down Rhea Ripley. Rhea heads to the ring and Belair hits her with the KOD!

The Broserweights head to the airport, where there’s a private plane waiting. Riddle tricks Dunne into climbing into the baggage hold and they hitch a ride with an unknowing Triple H to Portland.

Ciampa is backstage watching video of when he relinquished Goldie to Triple H because of his neck injury. He cuts a great promo on Adam Cole (bay bay) and says that he’s dangerous because he has nothing left to lose.

Main event time. It’s Cole against Kushida in a non-title match. This stems from last week’s show when the Undisputed Era beat up Kushida backstage while looking for Ciampa. Really great back and forth match. Cole goes for the Panama Sunrise but Kushida is able to turn it into the Hoverboard Lock. Cole gets the win after hitting the Last Shot. Ciampa’s music hits and the former champion slowly makes his way to the ring. The show ends with the two rivals face to face in a staredown. Per WWE.com, Ciampa hit Cole with the Fairy Tale Ending after the show went off the air.

As usual, NXT nails it. We got some new matchups and every segment was used to put over the Takeover: Portland event. Will you be watching this Sunday? Let me know in the comment section below.

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