BROWN'S FIVE AT 5 / Vol.3, Issue 5: NXT One-Off Classics
- The Great Brown Hope
- 3 minutes ago
- 11 min read
Ay yoooo, what up with thee?! Holy chet, we haven't done one of these since June! But as you may or may not know, we got alot more blogs available these days. We got three Superstar bloggers now and we're just getting started on what I feel will become something very special.
Also, I dont know if you heard, but we recently had a 12 Hour Live Main Event Wrestling Network Marathon. That's right, remember our 24 hour live stream? We did it again, sorta. Every member of our Network was a part of the show with plenty of fun content for everyone! Be sure to follow and subscribe to the Main Event Wrestling Network on all our socials so you dont miss out on anything! If you dont know, you better ask somebody. And if they dont know, then ask somebody else.
With that said, welcome back everyone to another!
We all love pro wrestling and it goes without saying but im gonna say it anyway.
We all love pro wrestling.
There, I said it.
Over the years pro wrestling has evolved with the times as more becomes available to us for our viewing pleasures. Thanks to the advancements of social media apparati, it's so much easier to find a local wrestling show almost any day of the week every single week.
And with the ever evolving times, the access we have to professional wrestling changes as well. And now, Premium Live Event Pay Per Views will move over to another platform. Gone are the days of the WWE Network, but that doesn't mean we can't take a step back to appreciate the greatness of it all. All the fond memories of a Network that kick started a frenzy in the world of streaming and streaming sports entertainment. And one of the many reasons this WWE Network premium live streaming service and library was so successful was the good ol' black and gold, NXT. It all started with the first live stream WWE Network special, NXT Arrival.
And the rest, was historee.
NXT Arrival will always be in my eyes the first NXT TakeOver, an event that I was able to stream live as it happened on some regular ass android phone, without Fios by the way, and without any issues. The game was about to change as NXT TakeOver events gained more and more traction with every event as the brand rose in popularity. NXT TakeOvers on Saturdays were making the folks working Sunday payperviews step up their game. And with two trending ppv events on back to back nights doing well, it's no wonder they are turning the Big Four into 2 day extravaganzas. NXT set the bar and continously raised it with matches fans wanted to see, and more. And what I feel was a staple in their rise was the storee-telling and build up for matches, making every match feel like a must see attraction.
NXT truly exceled most when it came to it's one-off matches, giving us matches that we can truly label "Once in a Lifetime". And while some previous one-off matches would make their way to the main roster card eventually, some of these encounters would never be repeated, only adding to their luster. And guess what? That's right, The Great Brown Hope has FIVE, count em, FIVE of em for ya.
LETS GET TO IT YALL!!
BROWN'S FIVE AT 5
VOLUME 3 / ISSUE 5
FIVE CLASSIC NXT ONE-OFF MATCHES
5.FINN BALOR VS JORDAN DEVLIN
NXTUK TAKEOVER: BLACKPOOL
The fourth brand of the fed was on the rise, as NXT UK had it's own LIVE TakeOver special in Blackpool. Travis Banks and Jordan Devlin were scheduled to wrestle each other but Banks would be unable to compete as they brawled on two separate occassions before the bell even rang. But like The H that is Tripled and Randall "Not Bandit" Keith, Johnny Saint and Sid Scala had a Plan B.
and the B stands for Balor.
Balor's music hit and the crowd went absolutely bonkers. Finn Balor would take the place of Travis Banks, and because of their historee, Jordan Devlin McDonagh knew Balor was trouble when he walked in. We now had ourselves a good ol' fashioned trainer vs trainee showdown. Showing flashes of greatness to come from both talents, these two would work the crowd and put on a fun impromptu encounter. Not your everyday WWE matchup, this match would take on a different side of wrestling that this Blackpool crowd came to see. And today we have come full circle as they have won tag team gold together on the main roster, twice. Both now having held multiple WWE championships and became staples of the product, Balor and Devlin have worked perfectly together since day one, ish.
4.THE ASCENSION VS. TOO COOL
NXT TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP
NXT ArRIVAL
The Ascension was on an absolute rampage on NXT as tag champs as they demolished enhancement talent on a weekly basis to assert their intimidating dominance. They wanted a real challenge, and at NXT Arrival (hey there's that name again), they got it. Upon issuing an open challenge, legendary tag duo, yes I DO mean legendary, Too Cool would answer the call! Whilst it was not their classic You Look Fly Today theme, it was still a theme Too Cool was known for so this crowd had NO issue recognizing this team. And for those who didn't know, the commentators made sure to plug the awesomeness of the WWE Network at the time by pointing out that there's plenty of Too Cool archive footage available to stream for just $9.99 a month.
Too Cool would give The Acension a run for their cool money as they were more capable of taking the punishment Konnor and Viktor dished out as compared to previous challengers. Scotty and Sexay had the crowd on their side on occassion as The Ascension was a well liked duo down at FSU. And of course, what's a Too Cool match without The Worm?
Scotty Too Hotty would complete 99% percent of The Worm's execution, only to be stopped by Viktor. Viktor would then dispose of Grandmaster Sexay and tag in Konnor as The Ascension hit The Fall of Man on Scotty for the pinfall victory. Another successful defense in the books for The Ascension, this time against an established tag team. Sadly, this would also mark the last time Too Cool competed together in the ring.
3.NO WAY JOSE VS. AUSTIN ARIES
NXT TAKEOVER: BROOKLYN II
The Greatest Man That Ever Lived turned into THE BIGGEST COWARD IN N-X-T!
When I say I was excited for this, i MEAN i was excited for this! No Way Jose, a young NXT prospect, was coming into this match with not just a Conga Line, but with a 5-0 record as well. Austin Aries, well, he doesn't need an introduction. The build up to this match stemmed from Austin Aries having a problem with No Way Jose trying to push the power of positivity on him. The writing that made this one-off battle important was more evidence of what made NXT great in the first place.
Aries had unleashed an uncontrollable fury from a usually kind hearted man who cannot be denied. Leading up to the match, Aries would deny Jose the opportunity to get his hands on him. But at TakeOver Brooklyn II, these two were going to scrap. No Way Jose was going to get his shot to make himself famous, as he and Austin Aries would go on to put on the opening match of NXT TakeOver Brooklyn II.
No Way Jose would enter TakeOver B2 an NXT Prospect, and exit an NXT Superstar. No Way Jose made his way to the ring to a monstrous ovation from the crowd, a red hot crowd ready for what was going to be a hell of an opener. Jose would take Aries to the limit, proving he has what it takes to squabble with the best of em. Aries would use his quickness and in-ring experience to his advantage, slowing down the bigger and stronger Jose. Jose would gain momentum and shift the tide and weaponized his bigger frame backed by his raw, untapped power to ground Aries. The crowd was electric for both competitors, as they battled with no end in sight simply because they can't find common ground. Jose brought the Fiesta and the Fight to Aries, but Aries would eventually gain the deciding upper hand and would force Jose to tap out. One of the better NXT matches that isn't talked about enough, the ending to this match featured a well received return from Hideo Itami. NXT always had something up it's black and yellow, black and yellow sleeves, this night was no different.
2.YUSHIN THUNDER LIGER VS. TYLER BREEZE
NXT TAKEOVER: BROOKLYN
NXT TakeOver Brooklyn was truly special. All the work the NXT/FCW talent had put into the brand brought them here to this very night. From a not very well received game show, NXT would become the development brand for the fed. And from streaming on WWE dot com to streaming on the WWE Network, this young crop of talent was getting their 8 Mile moment. NXT TakeOver was leaving the exclusivity and the comfort of FSU and it's loyal crowd and hitting the road with the main roster to host a monumentous three day weekend of professional wrestling in Brooklyn.
And on the days leading up to this event, Tyler Breeze demanded a match on the bill. Tyler Breeze deserved to be a part of this. NXT GM William Regal would grant his wish and announced Tyler Breeze, and his flocked selfie stick, would be taking on the legendary Yushin Thunder Liger.
And the rest, well you know the bit.
Yushin Thunder Liger is one of those names that comes up and everyone knows who they are. A legend stretched over decades that will live on for centuries, Yushin Thunder Liger would make his only appearance for the fed. Oh what an honor it is for Tyler Breeze to be given the nod for this one-off opportunity. These two would come on first in front of a sellout crowd, jam packed and hungry for action.
Taking time from his seasonal residence in Cairo, Egypt, Tyler Breeze gives us a glimpse into his super model lifestyle with a runway featuring models elegantly dressed as the sights of NY, and a taxi cab. A model appears in a full Statue of Liberty getup that would make Chelsea Green jealous. And as soon as Tyler Breeze's music hit, the crowd roared and applauded with approval. Prince Pretty was now a bonafide Superstar, and the match hadn't even started.
The cherry on top of this flawless entrance was Tyler Breeze live streaming his entrance on facebook live via his trusty selfie stick!
The former Mike Dalton who once held FCW Tag Gold with Leakee(Roman Reigns) and the FCW Hevyweight Championship, Tyler Breeze stepped into the ring a seasoned competitor that could hold his own. Breeze would take Yushin Thunder Liger to the limit and blow the roof off the building with a crowd that just wouldn't let up. I mean cmon, where else were you gonna get Yushin Thunder Liger taking a selfie mid-match?
Breeze would utilize every trick he learned in his wrestling journey against a respected veteran in the game. A Super Model Kick would get Breeze a near fall early on in the match, much to this electric crowd's approval. Once Breeze gained momentum, there was no slowing him down. On the offensive, Breeze would hit a stride to weaken Yushin Thunder Liger and maintain control, proving he belonged in the ring.
Unfortunately, Breeze's ego would prove to be pretty deadly to himself, as his continous fighting with the ref urging Mr. Stripes not to touch him would cost him the match. Yunshin Thunder Liger would gain the deciding advantage, finishing the match with a vintage Liger Bomb. Takeover Brooklyn kicked off on a high note with a memorable match that was beautifully put together from entrance to closing bell. This match would set the tone for a jam packed show and the two shows that followed. NXT was here to stay.
1.VELVETEEN DREAM VS. ALEISTER BLACK
NXT TAKEOVER: WAR GAMES
You wanted my attention, you have it.
Aleister Black was a new star in the NXT ranks and was one not known for talking. Four days from now, it has been 8 years since Aleister Black first cut a promo on NXT television. Black would share his storee with the crowd as to become familiar with the man behind the darkness. Then out came the Velveteen Dream to confront Aleister Black to tear apart the errors and flaws of his ways.
During the weeks leading up to War Games, Dream would continously interfere and taunt Black during his affairs. Dream was looking for recognition, he wanted Black to respect him. Black would ignore and disregard Dream's attempts for attention, only to have Dream grow more and more discontent. And now armed with a full tank of fury, Dream would take it to Black with an ambush during Black's entrance on NXT TV, the catalyst that would finally set the wheels in motion for a match between the two.
Two NXT stars looking to climb the ladder of success, Dream and Black would go one on one at NXT War Games to settle things once and for all. Two distinguised talents with all the potential in the world were about to hit the big stage in front of the big blinding lights of NXT Takeover gloree.
The two superstars would meet in the ring, with the crowd chanting for Velveteen Dream, cause they knew his name.
Aleister Black would take it to the Dream early on, utilizing arm drags, arm holds, and head locks to bring Dream down to size. Eventually Dream would move faster than the speed of light, the very kryptonite to the darkness Black arose from. The in-ring chemistry these two shared was a grand display, taunting each other to the approval of the masses. And through all the punishment endured, the Dream continued to push Black's buttons in his mission for acknowledgement.
The two competitors kept these people on their toes and invested in this heated rivalry of words and names. These two could fight forever and no one would have complained. A spectacle of a classic with excellent rewatch value, this match holds a very special place in my heart. Watching both Superstars give it their all to make a name for themselves reminded me of the greatness that NXT was and always will be.
Numerous near falls had this crowd cheering for both as they had both earned the admiration of the WWE Universe, even more so with fans who weren't regular viewers of the NXT product. But in the end it was Aleister Black that chopped down the tree that was the Velveteen Dream with a Black Mass that kept him down for one, two, and three. A fitting encounter for this War themed event, this rivalry pushed both Superstars to the next level. Both Aleister Black and Velveteen Dream became household names, with praise across the board for the match and the storee it told. And whilst Black may have gotten the win, the true victor of this match was the Velveteen Dream.
The match would close with Aleister Black holding a microphone looking the Dream dead in his eyes as he finally said his name.
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(this chapter of Storee Time with The Great Brown Hope has been brought to you by Four Loko. Drink Four Loko.)
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Playlist
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Bruno Mars ft. B.o.B and Cee-Lo Green "The Other Side"
G-Unit / 50 Cent, Young Buck, and M.O.P. "I'll Whip Ya Head Boy Remix"
Bone Thugs-N-Harmony "Body Rott"
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Korn "Here To Stay"
Destiny's Child "Say My Name"
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