The NXT Report for December 11, 2013

Tag team gold is on the line for this week's NXT!

Hunico and Camacho have made quite the impact since returning to the tag ranks. They scored a big non-title victory over NXT Tag Team champions The Ascension a few weeks back and now have a chance to take the titles.

Also on this week's show, Sami Zayn takes on Leo Kruger in a match set up by last week's show. Will Zayn score a second victory over the South African hunter, or will Kruger defeat the red-hot Canadian and throw his name into contention for a future NXT Championship opportunity?

Kassius Ohno makes his final appearance in NXT as he meets the massive Bulgarian brute Alexander Rusev, while Bayley teams with Natalya to face BFFs Summer Rae and Sasha Banks.

With the huge 200th episode of NXT right around the corner, let's take a look at what went down on this week's broadcast.

Location

Full Sail University in Winter Park, Fla.

Broadcast Team

Tom Phillips, William Regal and Alex Riley

Match Results

- Leo Kruger defeated Sami Zayn

- Mojo Rawley defeated Scott Dawson

- Sasha Banks and Summer Rae defeated Bayley and Natalya

- Alexander Rusev defeated Kassius Ohno

- NXT Tag Team champions The Ascension defeated Hunico and Camacho

Storyline Advancement

The Ascension dominates

NXT Tag Team champions The Ascension defended their titles against Hunico and Camacho in a match that has been built toward, lazily but still built toward, for the last month.

The challengers put up a solid fight but the power, tenacity and ruthless aggression of the champions proved to be too much.

The Ascension delivered the Fall of Man to Camacho and scored the victory.

The successful title defense seemingly spelled the end of Hunico and Camacho's Tag title contention and creates questions about who will step up and challenge the champions next. With no real clear-cut team ready to take that step, it should be interesting to see what the creative team comes up with in the coming weeks.

Rusev sends Ohno packing

This week's broadcast saw the end of Kassius Ohno's WWE stint as he was soundly defeated by Bulgarian brute Alexander Rusev, who was once again accompanied to the squared circle by translator and representative Lana.

The match was the culmination of a weeks-long rivalry that saw Ohno best Rusev's time in the Beat the Clock Challenge series, insult Lana's Russian accent and pay for it the following week.

The win continues the singles push for Rusev, who has enjoyed a sparkling win-loss record since splitting from Sylvester Lefort. He has thrived under the leadership of Lana, the beautiful blonde who appears to have some sort of control over him, and is poised to have a huge 2014.

Bayley's revenge...or is it?

On the November 13 episode of NXT, Charlotte (daughter of Ric Flair) turned on tag team partner Bayley and revealed her allegiance with Sasha Banks and Summer Rae of the Beautiful Fierce Females.

This week, Bayley partnered with WWE Diva Natalya to take on Summer and Sasha in tag team Divas action.

Prior to the match, Natalya encouraged Bayley, who responded as only she can: with a great big bear hug.

The bout itself was fairly formulaic and rather on the short side.

Banks planted Bayley with the Bankrupt neckbreaker and picked up the win for she and Summer Rae.

The fact that Bayley has yet to get her revenge on the BFFs, Charlotte to be exact, indicates that this is but one match in what will be a series of them yet to come.

Regal addresses Cesaro

Two weeks ago, William Regal rescued broadcast partner Byron Saxton from bullying at the hands of Antonio Cesaro. Cesaro responded a week ago by feigning insincerity while apologizing to Saxton, then added injury to insult when he slapped Saxton and left him lying on the entrance ramp.

This week, Regal had very little to say and did so in a manner that suggests the Blackpool native will no longer sit back and watch Cesaro try to play mind games with him.

With a subdued yet intense look on his face, Regal simply stated that "If Antonio Cesaro has a problem with me, there is no reason to take it out on Byron Saxton."

It was a simple comment that seems pedestrian, but when the look on Regal's face and the calm intensity with which he spoke are factored in, it tells an immediately understandable story that fans can get behind and should result in a phenomenal match in the very near future.

Kruger goes Zayn hunting

On last week's show, Antonio Cesaro asked Leo Kruger to do him a favor involving Sami Zayn, whom Cesaro had an unbelievable series of matches against earlier this year.

Kruger, who had lost out on a Beat the Clock Challenge series win over Zayn a few weeks back, happily obliged. He attacked Zayn backstage but paid for it in the end, as Zayn distracted him later in the evening, allowing Tyson Kidd to roll him up for the win.

This week, the two met in a very solid main event match.

To the surprise of many, Kruger scored the upset win over Zayn, doing so cleanly.

Whether it earns the South African Superstar a shot at the NXT Championship in the weeks to come remains to be seen, but it was a very big, unexpected win over the previously hot Zayn.

Match of the Week: Sami Zayn vs. Leo Kruger

A solidly wrestled, if unspectacular, match that saw Kruger pick up a big win after capitalizing on a single mistake by Zayn.

Star of the Week: Leo Kruger

One of the more underrated and understated members of the NXT roster, Kruger has long been one of the better and more consistently solid wrestlers on the roster.

His match against Zayn on this week's show was very good, and the win was somewhat unexpected.

One of Kruger's best performances in quite some time.

Analysis

A decent show this week but one that felt like a bit of a place-holder as the developmental brand prepares for next week's 200th episode.

On Tap

Next week's show is a historic one.

NXT champion Bo Dallas takes on Adrian Neville in a Lumberjack match, ensuring that neither champion nor challenger can be counted out.

NXT Tag Team champions The Ascension has issued an open challenge to any team in NXT or WWE. Who will answer that challenge is the big question considering the lack of duos in NXT.

COO Triple H will grace the NXT Universe with his presence, regardless of whether anyone actually wants to see him or not.