Shawn Michaels & team brought WWE’s pandemic times Raw Underground concept to NXT last night (July 4), pitting Damon Kemp against Eddy Thorpe in the no ropes environment designed to feel more “real” than a pro wrestling match.
In case you were wondering, Josh Barnett still thinks it’s a knock-off of the Bloodsport brand his name is attached to for GCW. Barnett quote-tweeted a clip from what’s now called NXT Underground to say:
“Oh look, fake Bloodsport is back.”
Thank you for showing the world that this kind of thing has legs (we knew that already) and that even with 10x the money and production there is still only one Josh Barnett’s: Bloodsport.
No disrespect to Thorpe & Kemp, who threw each other around for about 10 minutes before the former New Japan wrestler won with a Triangle. But the clip Barnett tweeted is also what we’re highlighting — Thorpe’s corner man/trainer (and Kemp’s real-life brother) Gable Steveson suplexing four not-small dudes after the match.
NXT Underground is the first ongoing storyline the Olympic gold medalist has worked. There wasn’t a ton to go on, but nothing we saw from Steveson contradicts reports he’s picking up this whole sports entertainment thing really well at the Performance Center.
Plus he’s doing it while heading back to the University of Minnesota for another year of NCAA competition, and trying to qualify for next summer’s Olympics.
Let us know what you think of Gable’s version of Suplex City, and on your way down to the comments check out our playlist of highlights from last night’s show — which include more from the first edition of NXT Underground:
Roxanne Perez vs. Blair Davenport
Baron Corbin burns his past
Tyler Bate vs. Mustafa Ali
Kelani Jordan wins in her NXT debut
Mr. Chase returns to lead Chase U
Eddy Thorpe defeats Damon Kemp in an NXT Underground Match
The Judgment Day accept Carmelo Hayes’ challenge to come to NXT
Stacks informs Tony D’Angelo of the plan to free him
Lyra Valkyria vs. Jacy Jayne
The Meta-Four believe Noam Dar needs the NXT Heritage Cup back
Bronco Nima & Lucien Price are on their way
Big Body Javy feels the wrath of Von Wagner
The Creeds must leave NXT after losing to The Dyad
Bron Breakker and Ilja Dragunov engage in a massive brawl
For complete results and the live blog for NXT’s July 4 episode. click here. To read a complete recap & review of all the night’s events click here.
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