WWE NXT Recap 03.30.10

WWE NXT Recap from Las Vegas, NV

Tonight was the biggest episode of NXT on SyFy yet, with the first Pro Poll results for the NXT rookies. They showed some highlights of various rookies in action, as well as their interactions with the pro wrestlers. Several superstars and their rookies don't get along, while others do. Heath Slater is undefeated in terms of the NXT competition so far. Tonight's four judging criteria are work ethic, IT factor, strength of competition and wins/losses.

NXT Host Matt Striker was in the ring to start the show off. Striker said tonight they reveal the Pro's Poll which is a standing of the current NXT rookie class. Striker introduced the NXT rookies, Heath Slater, Darren Young, Michael Tarver, Justin Gabriel, Skip Sheffield, David Otunga, Daniel Bryan and Wade Barrett. They all came to the ring to join Striker. Striker listed out the criteria they are all judged on for the poll. They revealed the poll results:

#8 Darren Young
#7 Michael Tarver
#6 Skip Sheffield
#5 David Otunga
#4 Heath Slater
#3 Justin Gabriel
#2 Wade Barrett
#1 Daniel Bryan

Surprisingly, Daniel Bryan was ranked #1 in the pro's poll. Striker asked Darren Young about his 8th place ranking. Young said he'll have to step it up in the coming weeks to improve his ranking. Striker asked Daniel Bryan about being #1. Daniel Bryan said even though Michael Cole said he doesn't quite have the IT factor, there's some guys out there who are married to celebrities that have the IT factor. Bryan said just because they're famous doesn't mean they can wrestle though.

David Otunga took exception to his comments and got in his face. The two jawed at each other, with Striker coming over with the mic. Striker said each week from here on out, a NXT rookie will be eliminated, until there's just a Final Four. The winner of the competition becomes the next breakout star, and they get a championship match at a Pay-Per-View against any champion of their choice.

Striker said they're going to have a NXT Battle Royal tonight, and the winner will get the opportunity to host Monday Night Raw this coming Monday. Striker said next up we'll have an eight man tag involving the NXT Pros.

Cole was livid saying he doesn't believe Bryan is #1 with an 0-5 record. Matthews tried to get a word in but couldn't. Cole said they want to know what the WWE Universe thinks about it at WWE.com's vote.

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Raw Pros vs. Smackdown Pros

An 8-man tag team match kicked off NXT's matches in Vegas. Christian, Carlito, William Regal & The Miz went up against Chris Jericho, CM Punk, R-Truth & Matt Hardy. Jericho brought his rookie Wade Barrett to ringisde with him. Jericho wasn't dressed to compete, but instead in a business suit. He took a seat with the commentators to watch the match saying he got speared through a barricade the other night by Edge and can do what he wants, he's the world champion. Wade Barrett took Jericho's place in the match with Jericho claiming he was hurt, but was using this as strategy to get Barrett to #1.

Jericho kept talking about how great his rookie was due to listening to what Jericho tells him. Right before a commercial break, Miz and Hardy fought up on the corner. Both guys fell off to the outside, bringing their tag partners over to check on them. Chris Jericho got up and yelled instructions to Barrett as NXT went to break.

In the final moments of the match, Truth managed to hit a dropkick on Miz as he came off the corner. Both guys crawled over to make tags with Christian and Punk getting in. Christian had the momentum as he smashed Punk into the corner, then hit a flying elbow off the top rope. He set up for Killswitch, but Punk countered and went for GTS. Christian escaped it. There ended up being a brawl amongst everyone. All wrestlers ended up outside the ring, except Punk and Christian, the legal men. Barrett was still on the apron and he slapped Punk for a tag. Jericho left the commentary area and grabbed Christian's leg as the ref was distracted. This allowed Barrett to set up his finisher on Christian for the victory. Barret, Jericho, Punk, Gallows & Serena posed in the ring to celebrate.

Winners: Wade Barrett, R-Truth, CM Punk & Matt Hardy win via pinfall over Christian, William Regal, Carlito & Christian.

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NXT returned with Cole and Matthews discussing how unbelievable Wrestlemania was in Arizona this past Sunday. They introduced footage of last night's Raw which was Shawn Michaels' farewell to the WWE Universe. He closed with "Ladies & gentlemen, the Heartbreak Kid Shawn Michaels has left the building." Cole reminisced about Michaels' legendary career. Cole said he was happy to call Michaels a friend too and wishes him all the best.

Matthews and Cole again brought up the rookie rankings for the WWE NXT Pro's Poll. Cole said he believes Heath Slater should have been higher. Fans can go to WWE.com and rank the NXT rookies for themselves.

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WWE NXT Rookies Battle Royal

The winner of this 8 man battle royal would get the opportunity to guest host Monday Night Raw. All the other rookies teamed up to eliminate Barrett to start off the match. NXT went to commercial with Barrett yelling on the ramp.

As NXT returned, they showed that Darren Young had been eliminated and was out on the floor. Also eliminated during the break was Skip Sheffield, tossed over the ropes by Darren Young and Justin Gabriel. Tarver was tossed out, and then Heath Slater took out Daniel Bryan with a flying bodypress. Unfortunately for Slater, he went over the ropes with Bryan.

It came down to David Otunga versus Justin Gabriel in the ring. Gabriel was able to hit a roundhouse kick on Otunga's head to knock him down, then did his Frogsplash from off the ropes. Gabriel held his ribs a bit then thought about what to do next. Cole and Matthews said he was taking too much time. Gabriel got Otunga to his feet and tried to push him over the ropes. Otunga raked Gabriel in the eyes, then grabbed him and tossed him over the ropes. David Otunga has the opportunity to host Raw this Monday night. R-Truth came down to the ring to celebrate the win.

Winner: David Otunga wins the 8-man NXT Battle Royal.

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