NXT
Date: December 28, 2016
Location: Edion Arena, Osaka, Japan
Commentators: Corey Graves, Tom Phillips

It’s a special week in NXT as we’re closing out the year with a house show taped over in Japan earlier this month. The main event is Shinsuke Nakamura challenging Samoa Joe for the title in a match we saw a few weeks back. This is also a two hour show, meaning the matches won’t have to be as clipped. Let’s get to it.

We open with a quick video on Samoa Joe vs. Shinsuke Nakamura.

Opening sequence.

Oney Lorcan vs. Andrade Cien Almas

Almas wears a mask during his entrance and has no interest in a pre-match handshake. We hear about Almas defeating Nakamura for the IWGP Intercontinental Title a few years back which is almost unthinkable given their statuses in NXT. Almas’ headlock doesn’t go anywhere so he does the lay on the ropes spot before getting caught in a Lorcan headlock. We talk about the crowd being more silent than usual as as Almas takes him down into a chinlock.

Back up and Lorcan hits a running corner clothesline before popping in a few shots to the face. Something like a standing backflip into a reverse DDT gets two on Lorcan but he comes right back with an inverted exploder. Almas sends him into the corner again with the running double knees getting two despite a foot on the ropes. The hammerlock DDT is broken up and Lorcan takes him to the top for a German superplex (with Almas flipping over in the air) and the pin at 10:06.

Result: Oney Lorcan b. Andrade Cien Almas – Release German superplex (10:06)

Aliyah/Liv Morgan vs. Peyton Royce/Billie Kay

Billie gives Liv a quick fireman’s carry to start as Corey goes into his usual anti-New Jersey rant. Morgan grabs a sunset flip and rolls Kay around the ring for a few two counts but both of them seem a bit dizzy. Aliyah comes in and gets caught in the wrong corner for some very long legged choking.

The Australians work on Aliyah’s back and keep pulling her away from the hot tag. We hit the chinlock for a bit as the beating continues. Liv gets knocked off the apron, which Graves refers to as an insurance policy. Aliyah finally flips out of a double suplex and brings Morgan back in to clean house with a bulldog. An STO gets two on Billie but a blind tag allows Peyton to send Liv face first into Billie’s knee for the pin at 8:29.

Result: Peyton Royce/Billie Kay b. Aliyan/Liv Morgan – Bulldog onto Kay’s knee (8:29)

Tag Team Titles: DIY vs. Akira Tozawa/Tajiri

The feeling out process continues with the mist having fallen on Tajiri’s back. Ciampa wins a battle of the shoulder blocks but a headlock into a headscissor sequence takes us back to a stalemate. They’re almost completely even in the first five minutes. Ciampa starts in on Tozawa’s arm but gets taken down for some Tajiri kicks to put the champions in trouble for the first time.

Back from a break with Ciampa telling Tozawa to kick him harder. They take turns sticking their chests out for chops until Tozawa hits him behind the ear to take over. A gutbuster puts Ciampa down but he breaks up a tag to Tajiri as the formula changes a bit. Tozawa kicks him before bringing Tajiri back in for the REAL kicks to the chest. Everything breaks down and Tozawa hits some suicide dives to put the champs in trouble. It doesn’t last long though as Gargano hits the spear through the ropes for a close two.

The Tarantula sets up a missed Buzzsaw Kick before it’s back to Tozawa for a forearm slugout. Ciampa comes back in for the rolling German suplexes, only to get caught in a snap German suplex from Tozawa. That’s enough for Ciampa who kicks the heck out of Tozawa and hits Project Ciampa for two with Tajiri breaking it up. A blind tag brings Gargano back in for the running knee/superkick combination for the pin on Tozawa at 21:04.

DIY bows to the challengers post match.

Women’s Title: Nia Jax vs. Asuka

Asuka is defending and we’re in her hometown. Jax shrugs off the strikes to start and headbutts the champ into the corner. That earns her an Octopus Hold followed by a guillotine with the announcers bringing up Jax’s issues with that hold. Asuka gets thrown into the corner and we take an early break.

Back with Jax tossing Asuka around even more with a release slam getting two. A sidewalk slam gets the same and another comeback is cut off in a hurry, quieting the crowd all over again. Nia drops her with a clothesline as the announcers talk about how bringing the NXT Women’s Title to Raw would be a huge deal for Jax’s career.

Some kicks set up a kneebar on Nia but she stands up for the easy break. A hip attack knocks Nia off the apron but Asuka is easily thrown into the apron to put her in trouble again. The big leg sends Asuka outside again and the announcers aren’t sure if Nia is familiar enough with the rules.

Back in and Asuka unloads on her with the strike, followed by a cross armbreaker. Asuka jumps on Nia’s back for a sleeper but gets countered into a hard powerbomb for two. Back up and Asuka actually gets her up for a German suplex, followed by one heck of a kick to the jaw to retain the title at 18:52.

Result: Asuka b. Nia Jax – Kick to the head (18:52)

We’re in Melbourne next week and hopefully it’s not another two hour show.

NXT Title: Samoa Joe vs. Shinsuke Nakamura

Nakamura is challenging. They trade some kicks to the legs to start and Nakamura does his arm waving bit to mess with Joe’s head. That’s enough for Joe to take a breather on the floor and we take a break. Back with Joe taking it outside and chopping Nakamura to his knees. The corner enziguri drops Nakamura again and it’s time to go after the knees. A spinwheel kick to the leg sets up a leglock and Nakamura is in trouble.

Joe grabs a kneebar for a bit until Nakamura makes the ropes, setting up a big kick to the champ’s head. The running knee to the ribs in the corner gets two, followed by Joe’s big boot getting the same. We take another break and come back with Joe holding the STF, which is transitioned into the Crossface. Nakamura finally gets to the ropes but can’t hook a cross armbreaker. He can however get a triangle choke, sending Joe’s legs into the rope for a break of his own.

It’s too early for Kinshasa though as Joe powerslams him out of the air for two. Joe can’t hook the Muscle Buster so he switches to the Koquina Clutch, only to settle for a hard German suplex instead. An enziguri sends Nakamura outside but he gets out of the Rock Bottom onto the steps that put him out of action for so long earlier this year. The running knee to the back of the neck drops Joe but he’s too big for Nakamura to hold up in a fireman’s carry. That’s fine with Nakamura as he hits the middle rope knee, followed by Kinshasa for the pin and the title at 26:28.

Result: Shinsuke Nakamura b. Samoa Joe – Kinshasa (26:28)

A lot of posing ends the show.

Results
Oney Lorcan b. Andrade Cien Almas – German superplex
Billie Kay/Peyton Royce b. Liv Morgan/Aliyah – Bulldog onto Kay’s knee
DIY b. Akira Tozawa/Tajiri – Running knee/superkick combination
Asuka b. Nia Jax – Kick to the head
Shinsuke Nakamura b. Samoa Joe – Kinshasa