Thank You Regal – NXT Recap – March 28, 2018

The show kicks off with Tomasso Ciampa arriving via……oh good lord, it’s a Ford.  If you haven’t watched the videos they’ve put together to promote how unhinged Gargano has become, attacking Ciampa in the parking lot at his therapy session and knocking on his door at 3:00 AM, you owe it to yourself to see them.  Not for Gargano or Ciampa, but because Otis Dozovic continues to be one of the most wildly entertaining things on NXT.  Heavy Machinery may never get the push they deserve, but damn if they aren’t entertaining.  Cageside Seats was kind enough to put them both together in one post, available here, and hang out on Cageside for a bit.  They’ve got some great writers over there, and they post some incredibly entertaining stuff.

Anyway, Ciampa makes his way towards the rear entrance at Full Sail Live where he catches Regal, confronting him to act on this Gargano lunacy.  In response, Regal establishes that they will have a match at Takeover, an unsanctioned match which plays into the strengths of the Sicilian Psychopath, and if Gargano wins he gets his job back, but if he loses, he is permanently banned from NXT.  Man that match will be great….as will be…

Welcome to NXT, EC3

William Regal kicks off the in arena action as well, announcing that at Takeover, NXT will unveil a new title belt, the North American Championship.  EC3 makes his on screen debut (save for the appearance in the crowd at TakeOver Philadelphia) and brings his swagger to the ring to his “banging new theme music” and thanks Regal for bringing him in, paying him so well, and for creating a championship belt just for him.

Not so fast, as NXT is a land of opportunity, so Regal announces that EC3 will be in a six man ladder match to crown the first North American Champion.

Regal announces throughout the show who will join him, and the match rounds out to include: EC3, Adam Cole, Velveteen Dream, Lars Sullivan, Killian Dane, and RICOCHET!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  There is no objectivity in my reporting, King Ricochet is f*^&ing amazing.

Holy s*^&.  Can you tell I’m beyond excited?

• The Authors of Pain def. Street Profits to advance to the finals of the Dusty Rhodes Classic.  I’m pleased with this outcome because Street Profits aren’t quite at a level yet where they are believable as contenders against AoP or for the tag championships.  They’re wildly popular, and they get better in the ring each week, but a bunch of fat Floridians “stirring it up” while they do their ring entrance does not a championship push make.
• Did you see that Ricochet gif?  Seriously, if you aren’t excited, check your pulse.
• Lars Sullivan destroyed some jobber.  
• Dakota Kai made her way to the ring for what seemed like a match, but instead they cut to the parking lot where Almas was beating the hell out of Aleister Black.  He tries to drown him in a cooler full of water, then beats him all the way to the ring and leaves him laying amid the sea of officials who came out to break it up.  Black is your next champion come next Saturday night.
• So really?  Kai came out for no reason?
• Pete Dunne and Roderick Strong def. Sanity.  The random pairing of Pete Dunne and Roderick Strong are getting their footing working together.  Eric Young is a fantastic veteran performer.  Alexander Wolfe is entertaining as all hell.  I miss Nikki Cross.  Where the hell has she been in all this Shayna Baezler nonsense?  Hell of a challenge in front of them with Authors of Pain awaiting them next week.  Not a bad way to build them as even more believable contenders for the Undisputed Era’s titles.
• Did I mention Ricochet?

Before I part for the evening, I want to take a moment to applaud whomever is doing the artwork for NXT lately.  The TakeOver Philadelphia graphic with the beat up flag was fantastic, and this TakeOver New Orleans graphic is just bad ass.  Great work, whoever you are, you digital arts superstar.