Wesley Blake and Steve Cutler have re-emerged, aiding King Corbin in his win tonight on SmackDown against Murphy.
Both men were identified when they came out to help Corbin, who lost last week against Murphy on SmackDown following interference from the Mysterio family. Corbin challenged Murphy to another match, saying that next time he would be prepared.
During tonight’s match, the two sides mostly stayed apart until the finish. Murphy had Corbin in the corner when Corbin signaled to Cutler and Blake. They promptly attacked both Dominik and Rey Mysterio. Murphy exited the ring to help, but when he came back to the ring walked into the End of Days for the win.
Cutler and Blake had originally been called up from NXT along with Jaxson Ryker back in April. However, all three men were pulled from television in May after Ryker voiced support for President Donald Trump during the George Floyd protests, which led to backlash backstage from several WWE stars.
The Forgotten Sons have been called up to the main roster.
They made their first appearance on SmackDown tonight, facing Gran Metalik and Lince Dorado of The Lucha House Party. After a back and forth match, Wesley Blake and Steve Cutler picked up the win for the trio, with Cutler pinning Gran Metalik.
Blake and Cutler, along with Jaxson Ryker, were put together as a trio and made their NXT debut as The Forgotten Sons back in August 2018. They made it to the finals of the 2019 Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic, but lost to Aleister Black and Ricochet in the finals. At this year’s tournament, they lost to Imperium in the first round.
Ryker, who signed with the WWE in 2017, is most famous for his run in Impact Wrestling as Gunner. Blake, who joined WWE in 2014, is a former NXT Tag Team champion with Buddy Murphy. Cutler also signed with the WWE in 2014.
Tonight’s attendance at the Ocala wedding tent was approximately 250 people.
– The Street Prophets defeated The Ealy Brothers
Angelo Dawkins hit a big spear and Montez Ford followed with a frog splash to win a hot opener.
– Sawyer Fulton defeated Babatunde Aiyegbusi
Fulton won it with a suplex.
– Mary Kate defeated Sarah Logan
A Black Hole Slam by Mary Kate ended this one.
– Dory Funk Jr. made his usual appearance in Ocala. He came out for an interview but was immediately interrupted by Wesley Blake and Steve Cutler. Roderick Strong evened things up and we’ll have Strong and a partner vs. Blake and Cutler as our main event.
– Oney Lorcan defeated Jeet Rama
Lorcan hit a running blockbuster to get the win.
– Buddy Murphy defeated Andrade “Cien” Almas
This match had great action from two of the best in NXT. Murphy won with flying double knees off the top.
– Lars Sullivan defeated Kona Reeves
Lars hit a big slam for the victory. His power is impressive.
– Ruby Riot defeated Sonya Deville
This was a battle. Riot hit an up-kick to pick up the win.
– Roderick Strong & No Way Jose (w/ Dory Funk Jr.) defeated Wesley Blake & Steve Cutler
The crowd was all over the self-proclaimed “products of the system” Cutler and Blake. The babyfaces won and then celebrated with Funk to send everyone home happy. They were dancing and wearing cowboy hats.
The Big News: As with every post-TakeOver episode of NXT, this one was bursting full of lengthy video packages going over the special. In other words, just watch TakeOver.
The Medium News: Drew McIntyre continued his winning ways by defeating Wesley Blake in a main event that was better than expected.
The Little Beaver-sized News: Velveteen Dream debuted. Good news: He does a good elbow. Bad news: His punches really blow.
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Aleister Black defeated Curt Hawkins
We were magically still in Chicago. It’s almost as if they taped this week’s show before TakeOver or something. Curt Hawkins was here to make a star out of Black for the second time, because two weeks ago on WWE Main Event (a show watched even less than NXT Redemption) Black defeated Hawkins.
Percy Watson seemed to forget the storyline where he was accused of sneak attacking everyone on NXT Redemption (including Watson, ironically enough), but it was abandoned before it came out that Hawkins and Tyler Reks did it.
Anyway, this remembrance of a five-year-old angle almost lasted longer than the match. Black was over coming out and got more over with his skill and athleticism. Hawkins shockingly got in more offense than the average Black opponent. Black broke out a beautiful Asai moonsault and then picked up the win with Black Mass.
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We got the first of many TakeOver recap video packages, starting with Authors of Pain vs DIY. After a five-minute recap, we were told that “Doctors refuse to release the medical condition of Johnny Gargano.” Great.
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Ember Moon sat in an empty arena before TakeOver, talking about how awful it feels to be stuck sitting in the audience watching the show, since she got one of her big breaks in Chicago. She said the selfish part of her wanted Asuka to retain the title so she could take it from her.
This led to lengthy video package number two, this time on the Asuka vs. Ruby Riot vs. Nikki Cross three-way. Asuka laughed afterwards at the idea that there is anyone else left to challenge her.
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This show needs more video packages! Roderick Strong vs. Eric Young was featured next. It was the weakest match on the show, but it would still easily have been the best match on Backlash.
Kayla Braxton asked Strong what it was like to be the first person to beat Eric Young, which is a lie even if you only consider NXT (he lost to Samoa Joe last year during his surprise debut). Strong said you don’t talk about his family and this was his next step to becoming the NXT Champion.
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Velveteen Dream defeated Robert Anthony
Patrick Clark wasn’t even called Patrick Clark, however we did pretend like we hadn’t seen him half a dozen times already. Honestly, Dream’s commercial song was better than his actual theme music.
Dream needs to stop punching or throw a thousand punches at his mirror every day. Nothing in between the two, as his punches looked bad. He won with a Rick Rude neckbreaker and an elbow drop from the top rope that actually looked pretty good.
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That was enough wrestling. It was now time for another video package, but at least it was for the amazing, magnificent, fabulous, one of a kind, tremendous UK title match between Pete Dunne and Tyler Bate.
Sadly, this amazing match was recapped in 30 seconds. We did get a Dunne interview where he said he was watching Bate live a dream since January. He said before the match that he would win the title and now everything is his.
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More video packages! The oh so glorious NXT Champion, Bobby Roode and his title defense against Hideo Itami was featured next. Roode chastised Braxton for sounding surprised that he won. He then said Itami may have earned his title match, but he’s not in Roode’s league.
Roode said his next challenger is whomever he decides to face. He’s going home and taking some time off and when he decides to come back, he will.
Apparently he has decided to come back next week, because after a commercial we were informed he will have a “Glorious Celebration” next week.
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Drew McIntyre defeated Wesley Blake
Blake, a former NXT Tag Team Champion, was last seen as “Beautiful Blonde Blake,” but he has dropped whatever that was supposed to be and has a new country music theme song.
Blake backed McIntyre into the corner and gloated about his advantage, so McIntyre kicked him in the face.
It was mentioned that McIntyre won the WWE Tag Team Championship in Chicago, but, for obvious reasons, they didn’t mention his partner (Cody Rhodes). Blake took over, using the double wrist lock, but McIntyre just picked Blake up and carried him across the ring. Blake broke out a hurricanrana that turned into a cross armbreaker, though McIntyre was able to get to the ropes.
McIntyre hit the Sky High powerbomb, which got a big pop from the crowd, to the point where most forgot to do that annoying “SWEEEEEEEEEET” when Blake kicked out. Blake threw McIntyre into the post shoulder-first and locked on the crossface momentarily. McIntyre came back and hit a reverse Alabama slam (where Blake landed on his face), but that wasn’t the end.
We kept going back and forth until McIntyre threw Blake off the top rope and hit a stiff headbutt before hitting the Claymore Kick for the win.
That does it for NXT. Next week we are back at Full Sail, and until then, remember to say your vitamins and take your prayers!
Here are results from the matches that were taped for NXT TV at the Allstate Arena prior to TakeOver going on the air:
– Aleister Black defeated Curt Hawkins
The crowd went nuts for Black. He took most of the match, then got the pin after hitting Black Mass.
– The Velveteen Dream (Patrick Clark) defeated Robert “Ego” Anthony
Anthony wrestles for local indies and got a decent pop for his appearance here. It was a squash match, but it was fine for what it was because Anthony can work. The Velveteen Dream won with an elbow from the top rope.
– Drew McIntyre defeated Wesley Blake
The pop that McIntyre got was okay, but it wasn’t anything huge. Blake got a decent amount of offense in the match. It was an okay match, though it was choppy at parts. McIntyre won with the Claymore Kick.
Bliss wins it with the Sparkle Splash. The Tampa crowd was giving Morgan the business for being from Jersey but she rolled with it.
– Dan Matha beat Steve Cutler
Crowd is all over Matha lately, calling him “Mr. Clean” due to his white trunks and shaved head. Big Dan won it with a big boot.
– NXT Women’s Champion Asuka and Adrienne Reese beat Mandy Rose and Nia Jax
Asuka Lock on Rose for the win.
– Noah beat Cezar Bononi
Big sit-out slam by Noah for the win.
– In ring interview with Brazillian talent Adrian Jaoude, the Ollympic hopeful who is still working at the Performance Center.
– Sawyer Fulton and Alexander Wolfe beat Mojo Rawley and Hugo Knox
Hugo is back to being his happy dancing face persona to team up with the hype man Rawley. However they were no match for the power of Fulton and Wolfe.
– Austin Aries beat Wesley Blake
Pre match, ring announcer Mike Rome introduced Blake as “Murphy” to set him off and continue the ongoing break-up story. Aries wins it with the Last Chancery to send everyone home happy.
