6/21/12 Superstars

Ratings:
Hunico vs. Ezekiel Jackson: *1/4

Tyson Kidd & Justin Gabriel vs. Curt Hawkins & Tyler Reks: ***

Zack Ryder vs. Drew McIntyre: **1/2
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Reviews/Thoughts:
Big Zeke starts the show, still with that imposing physique. Zeke runs pretty fast for a big man, but dropped by a Camacho clothesline behind the ref's back. Hunico tweaks his knee at some point, but still hits his top-rope senton for the win.

Kidd and Gabriel again team up against Hawkins and Reks. Kidd and Gabriel already showing great double-team chemistry. Kidd gets to punt people in the face from the ring apron, and several people get to do dropkicks to the face, but Randy Orton can't punt people in the head? WTF. Gabriel with the hot tag and more kicks. I love the Kidd-Gabriel tag finisher. Exciting match, and the crowd really appreciated it. More of this, please.

Ryder faces McIntyre in the main event. Good use of the post and the outside to get physical. Ryder's back hit the edge of the apron, ouch. Methodical beatdown from McIntyre. Ryder on the comeback with his usual moves, leads to a couple of near falls. Crowd into this one. Rough Ryder from the second rope gets three. Nice finish. Ryder's parents in the stands, nice to see them supporting their son.
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Before I forget, some additional thoughts on the new NXT:

(1) I like the smaller arena. I dunno why, other than I'd feel like I could sit closer to the action.

(2) Good use of the non-main event guys. It's no secret that NXT is really more the "D" show of all WWE shows, filled with new stars or established midcarders that are really there to boost the watchability of the product. It allows stars to get involved in some type of storyline and get more properly used, instead of showing up on RAW or Smackdown for a squash. Look at Kidd and McGillicutty. They work so well together and have had amazing matches on NXT. They'd get lost in the RAW or Smackdown shuffle.

(3) I have high hopes for guys like Bo Dallas and Seth Rollins. I've seen their work and they could easily be main eventing in the next couple of years. The same with Dean Ambrose, although he hasn't been featured yet (from what I saw) and might just shoot to the main roster (bypassing NXT).

(4) I feel bad for Derrick Bateman. It seems like all the guys around him have either gotten that "promotion" to RAW or Smackdown (i.e., Titus, D-Young), or got repackaged into that neat gimmick (i.e., Conor O'Brian). What the hell was Bateman's gimmick in the first place? Or what makes him stand out? Yeah, I don't know.

(5) The Ascension has one of the coolest entrances in pro wrestling today. I love the aggression in the ring. Conor O'Brian struck gold here. Better than being labeled a rat.