What a match!
What a performance by one specific kind of new face!
I am really happy that my two predictions: That you know who will win and you know who will last to the end, they were correct. What I didn't expect is that the one who will last to the end will go through the whole match.
DAKOTA KAI won the SECOND CHANCE GAUNTLET MATCH TO QUALIFY FORT HE #1 CONTENDER'S SIX-WOMEN LADDER MATCH ON APRIL 8TH NXT'S EPISODE
Man, that was epic!
I really expected a lot from Shotzi Blackheart, but what she did was really epic and really important for her career. The way that she went through the whole match, almost like Baszler did on Elimination Chambers PPV, is here to show us that the company (WWE) is having some big plans for the green-haired sensation. Can't wait to see more...
1ST LEG OF THE GAUNTLET:
SHOTZI BLACKHEART Vs. DEONNA PURRAZZO
The Virtuosa Deonna Purrazzo started the match with an aggressive offense. Kicks in the corner, roll-up. She an amazing technical wrestler and she reminds us of that. Blackheart hit an Ezugiri kick to stop her opponent's stamina and to take a breath. The Ballsy Badass hit angry running senton in the back of the positioned on the second rope Purrazzo, followed by a pin attempt. The Virtuosa blocked springboard bulldog, by throwing the green-haired wonder connecting with a head-blowing pump kick to the head. Kicks. Short arm clothesline. It looked like Deonna has Shotzi's number. Brutal jumps on the face by the Virtuosa and it looks like Blackheart is over. Domination, until she turned her back on The Ballsy One...
Kick in the head, blocked superplex, diving one senton and Shotzi Blackheart won, the first leg of the match.
Overall - Deonna:
Great self-control and technique. I am totally impressed and I want to see more from Purrazzo, even in that shape (if she is okay with herself I am welcoming and supporting). That jump on the face was so professional, they even show it on slow motion (not the awesome pump kick, the simple jump) and made me scream 'How the hell, she did that, without smashing Shotzi's face?!'. The answer: This is how well self-controlled and the professional worker do it. Respect! I am really hoping to see better booking for this talented young woman and I even have some ideas, that might share this day on Booking Strategy. Really good start of the match, really astonishing performance!
2ST LEG OF THE GAUNTLET:
SHOTZI BLACKHEART Vs. XIA LI
Guys, that was short but very dynamic. I like how the announcers laughed like "Now Shotzi is in trouble".Li entered the ring furious after she was robbed from her opportunity after a mysterious attack last week and we suggest that it was Vanessa Borne or Io Shirai, herself, behind the assault.
Weeeell, she was for a while. She took some clothesline, some elbow avalanche in the corner and some martial arts punches, but they spent most of the short clash between them avoiding hits and maneuvers.
In the end, Xia tried her winning finisher spinning roundhouse kick on the back of the neck over the downed Blackheart, but Shotzi moved and took advantage of locking a marvelous bridging-chickenwing over the head submision and forced the Chinese Superstar to tap...
Overall- Xia:
As I have mentioned in the predictions, Li is an amazing martial art competitor. But she lacks wrestling in her style - no grappling, no submissions, we are not mentioning high-fly moves. She is pure kicks and punches. Not bad. It's kind of realistic... kind of realistic to boredom. I like her. I'll be glad to see her work more in the ring and have some chances and I will suggest something: TAG TEAM HER WITH KAREN Q AND SEND THEM FOR THE WWE WOMEN'S TAG TEAM GOLD. Send them after Borne and Boujee (that would be a great rivalry and Karen might debut as an enforcer for Li). Don't waste her talent for god's sake!
3RD LEG OF THE GAUNTLET:
SHOTZI BLACKHEART Vs. ALIYAH
Aliyah entered the ring furious and demanding that she is the most deserving as a veteran who is on the line for the NXT Women's Gold since forever (she hadn't reached a title shot since she is here from 2015).
They both begin with a rolling in pin counters all over the ring which made both women dizzy and disoriented. It was a funny accent in the match. Through the battle, Boujee made a classic hair-pull neckbreaker as arrogantly cleared her finger from Shotzi's hair. At the end after a double underhook suplex, by the Ballsy Baddass, Aliyah shared Xia Li's faith, by tapping out for the Blackheart's unique submission maneuver.
Overall - Aliyah:
I am always happy to see this pro-wrestling Ariana Grande look alike, even when she loses, she stays a winner, thanks to her experience and time in WWE NXT. I just think that they pushed her into these matches, just because she is a veteran and she is always so professional in the ring and put a nice match. Well, they need to develop her tag team with Borne, further and to give them more opponents like Karen Q and Xia Li, Dakota and Raquel, Kayden and Kacy Catanzaro... there are a lot of possibilities and why not send them for the tag team gold on several occasions. Both Aliyah and Borne are really good and stable workers. They can handle it!
4TH LEG OF THE GAUNTLET:
SHOTZI BLACKHEART Vs. KAYDEN CARTER
Exhausted to the limits after a heroic performance, Shotzi Blackheart had to meet one of the most agile and high-fly, unorthodox fresh Superstars of NXT, that we are following closely as well as The Ballsy One and several others...
Kayden Carter!
Surviving Asuka on Monday Night's Raw, Carter continues with he non-stop strikes from the beginning tactic. Shotzi was really tired and her efforts to defend herself from Kayden's constant kicks and strikes were almost close to zero (actually she hit a beautiful headscissors takedown, which Carter countered landing in an Io Shirai style - on her feet, after a cartwheel).
It was a really good battle of two really athletic and acrobatic young NXT hopes. What failed Carter was her attempt to hit avalanche on Blackheart in the corner, but she missed! Shotzi grabbed the chance and connected with a high kick in the corner, to set Kayden for her devastating diving senton.
Overall - Kayden:
Kayden Carter is definitely one of the Future Superstars of NXT and WWE! She's got it all, she has experience prior to WWE. Her talent quickly brought her on TV and she is rising and we want to see her more and more frequently in singles or tag team action (with her bestie Kacy Catanzaro, who is back in NXT). I can only have superlative words for this one and this match was really helpful for her career, not like her tiny clash with Asuka. That one was great!
5TH FINAL LEG OF THE GAUNTLET:
SHOTZI BLACKHEART Vs. DAKOTA KAI /w. Raquel Gonzalez/
Sadly, this was the swan song for Blackheart in this match... After, an outrageous and remarkable performance she met someone, who slingshots her career with one heel turn!
Accompanied by her enforcer Raquel Gonzalez, Dakota Kai was here to win it all! She didn't waste any time and viciously attacked poor Shotzi with kicks and punches, making a pin attempt. Of course, the camera and the referee didn't miss Gonzalez as well. We know what she is capable of (you can ask Tegan Nox about it), so The Ballsy Badass had two opponents unofficially! Kai really enjoyed causing harm to her opponent. Gonzalez interfered as well. Kick in the head, a submission that almost lead her to pin, Shotzi survived the wicked offense thrown at her. Another Pump kick in the face, choke in the ropes, signature kick in the corner form Kai. Blackheart went to hell and back to kick out and kick out and kick out after 4 matches... Heroic! Epic!
Somehow The Ballsy One, succeded to regroup. Somehow she got some power and energy from god knows where. Attempt for STF, beautiful Enzugiri, side suplex, suicide dive on both Kai and Gonzalez followed by victorious howling it looked like she was successful and the match is in hand... Here, Gonzalez played the difference, again. Despite being unsuccessful, she distracted and slowed down Shotzi, so the green-haired epic star was nailed with a running kick in the head while entering the ring through the ropes. Here Kai just grabbed her brave opponent in a Fireman's position and connected with a Dakota Kick (Go2Sleep Knee kick) to win the final spot in the #1 Contender's Six Women Ladder Match at NXT's April 08, 2020 episode!!!
Overall:
I told you that NXT Creative team won't left someone like Shotzi Blackheart behind with a loss and not giving her a great opportunity next. It was over my expectations. I just thought that they will be brought her later in the match and let her reach the final battle with Kai, but they pushed her through the whole 4-legs of the Gauntlet! That is amazing and it means a lot. Blackheart handled that chance astonishingly.
Well, Dakota Kai was destined to win it! She is in a roll as I said and it was more logical and suitable for her to win that last spot, as there are a lot of heat and drama awaiting her in the Ladder match, which she might win as well, defeating all of her nemesis at once.
Respect to all of the women involved!
They gave 101% of themselves and made a match looked like it was performed in afront of 100 000 people, not in an empty arena. Raw and SmackDown Superstars should take note of how they should perform at WrestleMania 36 - with passion and devotion like these six ladies did, last night!
Admirations! We hope to see more from all of you because you deserve it!!!
Don't forget that the Ladder Match is NEXT week, April 08, 2020, on USA Network, and there is a lot at stake and a lot of drama coming up next!!!
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| Left to Right: Candice LeRae, Mia Yim, Io Shirai, Tegan Nox, Chelsea Green and Dakota Kai to compete in a #1 Contender's Ladder Match, next week! |
