WWE NXT Results – 4/8/15: WrestleMania Axxess Tournament
– WWE NXT Results – 4/8/15 | San Jose Convention Center | San Jose, California
This week’s episode is all about the WrestleMania Axxess Tournament to determine who would represent NXT in the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal. The was shot over WrestleMania weekend as eight men entered, one man was left standing. Here are some of the first round highlights.
- Finn Bálor defeated Baron Corbin with a crucifix roll up
- Tyler Breeze over Bull Dempsey with the Beauty Shot
- Hideo Itami pins Jason Jordan after hitting a running kick
- Adrian Neville bests Kalisto with the Red Arrow
– Semi-Finals: Hideo Itami vs. Adrian Neville:
“This is awesome” emerges from the crowd before the bell even rings as both men take in all of the adulation. The match opens up with some smooth chain wrestling. Neville controls things on the mat, but Itami is able to gain top position for a one count. After some stalling from Neville in order to gain his composure, he takes Itami down with a headlock takeover. Itami gets to his feet, sends Neville into the ropes, leapfrog, hip toss, and drops him with a hard kick to the chest.
Neville attempts to ground Itami again, but he receives a kick to the head for his troubles and gets clotheslined out of the ring which prompts a “HIDEO” chant from the crowd. Neville takes his time getting back into the ring, and gets a bit more aggressive as he rams Itami into the corner, snap mares him over, and delivers a kick between the shoulder blades.
Neville follows up with a knee drop to the back of the neck, slams Itami’s head into the turnbuckle, and measures him for some chops and kicks. Neville slams Itami, applies a rear chinlock, and stops him before he can rise and delivers a well-placed stomp to the head. Itami slips the slam, hits Neville with a leg lariat, follows up with a clothesline and a leg sweep that causes Neville to hit the back of his head on the canvas.
Itami hits a running knee in the corner and delivers a Tornado DDT that grapevines Neville’s throat on the ropes. Itami hits a flying clothesline from the top, applies a sleepr hold and changes it up into a dragon sleeper. Neville gets to the ropes, but Itami hits a vertical suplex for a close near fall. Itami go for the GTS which makes the crowd go crazy until Neville escapes, but gets drilled with a series of kicks for his troubles.
Neville catches Itami with a well-placed superkick coming in. Neville lands on his feet out of a shooting star press when he sees that Itami has moved, rolls into the corner, but Itami catches him with a clothesline. Itami hits Neville with a running dropkick in the corner, and gives the high sign as the crowd cheers on. Itami drills Neville with the running kick off the ropes, and moves on to the finals.
Winner via pinfall: Hideo Itami
– Tournament Semi Final: Tyler Breeze vs. Finn Balor
Balor does his entrance minus the face paint but the crowd still loves it as Breeze poses in the corner. Balor connects with a dropkick makes fun of him by posing in the corner. Breeze takes control with some boots in the corner and applies a rear chinlock. Balor escapes and throws several kicks, which keeps occurring through the match up.
Balor hits a running dropkick and Breeze goes flying into the corner, hitting the back of his head on the second turnbuckle. Balor follows up and nails Breeze with an enzugiri in the corner. Breeze comes back with some punches and forearms, but Balor hits the Sling Blade out of nowhere. Balor sets him in position and hits the Coupe de Grace and the win.
Winner: Finn Balor
- We are treated to a video package where highlighting the NXT house show from WrestleMania weekend with 5,000 fans in attendance.
- Vignette hyping next week’s debut of “The Total Diva” Dana Brooke
- Sami Zayn vs. Rhyno is advertised as next week’s main event on NXT
– Tournament Finals: Hideo Itami vs. Finn Balor
This is a fitting showdown considering Finn Balor beat Hideo Itami in the finals of the number one contender tournament. The crowd is pumped up for this one with dueling chants of “Let’s go Balor” and “HI-DE-O” before the bell even rings. Balor and Itami exchange in some chain wrestling, some nice reversals until Itami goes for the quick near fall.
Itami hits a sunset flip but Balor rolls through and connects with a dropkick. Balor follows up with a clothesline and chops in the corner. Itami catches Balor with a boot coming in the corner and goes for the tornado DDT on the apron, but Balor is able to hang on and lands an enzuigiri for a two count.
Itami comes back with a flying clothesline and both men are down. After some fiery exchanges, Itami hits Balor with a running knee into the corner. Balor comes back with a Pele kick. Balor follows up with forearms, but Itami hits some of his own, drops Balor, and connects with a hesitation dropkick in the corner.
This is a highly competitive match up with both men exuding the will to win. Itami goes for the GTS, Balor slips out and delivers the Sling Blade. Balor tries to roll up Itami, but gets caught with the Shotgun Kick and it’s lights out for Balor. Both men stare at each other after the match with the crowd chanting “Hug it out.” They eventually hug the delight of the crowd, and Itami punches hit ticket to WrestleMania.
Winner and going on to the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal: Hideo Itami
– Hideo Itami’s WrestleMania Experience:
This is a very well done video package highlighting Itami’s journey from Japan to signing with WWE and his time in NXT. Hulk Hogan said he had no idea how big of a star Itami was until he heard the audience pop for him. Triple H states that Itami deserves a lot of credit for going outside of his comfort zone and essentially starting all over again in a land where he doesn’t know the language.
Seth Rollins gets in a few words with Itami. Rollins says it took him three years to get to his first WrestleMania while it took Itami only six months. They show footage of the NXT house show in San Jose where Itami finally delivers the GTS and various wrestlers pop for it because they got to see the creator of the move do it in live.
WrestleMania Sunday arrives and Itami is a excited and nervous. Dean Ambrose and Paige talk about Itami representing NXT while John Cena says this is the time make the wrestlers in NXT excited and motivated. Highlights of Itami in the battle royal are shown along him eliminating Bo Dallas and his exchange with Big Show before being eliminated via the KO punch.
The reaction Itami got from the fans when heading back to the locker was shown. Once Itami goes back through the curtain, he is greeted by various wrestlers giving him praise. Itami reflects on the experience, mentions how proud he is of his accomplishment and says he is still dreaming. The segment ends with Triple H saying that Itami really won today.
