Just in case you missed last week's introduction to the New Kids On The Block (like me), here is a brief rundown of this season's featured players:

- The Miz mentoring Alex Riley

- John Morrison mentoring Eli Cottonwood

- Cody Rhodes mentoring Husky Harris (Duke Rotundo)

- Laycool mentoring Kaval (Low-Ki)

- Mark Henry mentoring Lucky Cannon

- Kofi Kingston mentoring Michael McGillicutty (Joe Hennig)

- MVP mentoring Percy Watson

- Zack Ryder mentoring Titus O'Neil

Hmmm…a few of those names are very familiar, like Rotundo and Henning. And Kaval? Where have I seen him before? But, hey, as long as talented guys make it onto the (Almost) Big Show, it's all good.

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Welcome to WWI's ongoing coverage of WWE NXT. RD Lee was kind enough to give me a tour of the place, so I think we're good to go, but keep in mind I'm still learning who's who on this show.

Matt Striker said there were a lot of unanswered questions from last week, so he brought out the eight rookies, along with the eight pros.

MVP explained why the pros had been so tough on the rookies last week.  The rookies had had to pay for the transgressions (and bad manners) of the first group. MVP asked if they could move on from this point and let bygones be bygones? The rookies all agreed.

Matt Striker further explained that the pros and the WWE Universe would participate in periodic votes and eventually eliminations would begin. Striker asked Kaval and Riley to come forward and face each other. They would be facing each other after the break.

Kaval introduced himself and said he is from Brooklyn. For someone his size, he said he is usually the underdog, but he will fight tooth and nail. He is also a martial arts expert. Kaval seemed very much at ease on the mic.

The match got underway as Kaval's co-pros/fan club sat at ringside and chatted up the commentators.

The Miz was Riley's pro, but Miz was not at the show this evening. Riley didn't really seem to need him anyway, given the lovely ladies at ringside and his own God-given talent. Turns out the much shorter Kaval was getting the better of Riley as the match approached the end. Kaval went up top but missed Riley when he landed, and the Varsity Villan connected and made the winning pin. The winner, Alex Riley.

When interviewed after the match, Riley put over The Miz's championship win at Raw. He said he'd declined The Miz's help tonight and could handle it himself.

For their part, the ladies said they would be happy to help out Kaval.

From the pro gallery, Morrison said Alex and Kaval did a very good job, then Morrison corrected that The Miz was off getting lipo, not doing good works.  There was an awkward silence right about here.  Maybe the audience doesn't know what lipo is.

Eli Cottonwood said he grew up on a farm in a military family. Not surprisingly, he said he played basketball growing up, but he likes to punish people and took up wrestling instead. Swell, another big guy who likes to inflict pain. Sounds like another Kane.

Josh Matthews explained Wade Barrett's actions last night at Raw. The Bad Boys of NXT Season One had been fired by General Manager Bret Hart. John Cena invited them all to come down to the ring and take on John Cena and the rest of the locker room one last time. Button line, the Season One Rookies wanted an answer from Bret Hart, but they'd demolished him and his car and left him unable to give them an answer. Duh!  They might should have given some thought to that before they roughed up the GM.

On a hidden camera this afternoon, Zach Ryder was caught on camera speaking with one of the rookies in the lock room.. If there had been a caption on his picture, I'd have told you who he was.

Husky Harris explained he is a third generation wrestler. The legendary Black Jack Mulligan was his grandfather and Mike Rotunda is his father. He went to Troy University in Alabama and feels more than up to the task of being a rookie. He was certainly very personable.

Somebody finally asked the burning question: Why is Lucky Lucky? Seems he'd saved a buddy in a fight and had been hit in the head with a pipe and spent a long time recuperating.

Cannon and McGulligutty more than held their own in this match, but it was McGilligutty and Kingston who took the win.

As for comments from the pro gallery, Kingston said his rookie had taken a step in the right direction this week. Mark Henry said his rookie had a lot of potential and would get there eventually. Cody Rhodes, still being a little beeyotch, said that Cannon had a real dumb look on his face and was all style and no substance.

Mark Henry said Cody should put his money where his mouth is and face Lucky one-on-one in the ring next week. Matt asked Cody what could be expected of him, and he responded by knocking Matt Striker off the stage.

Ouch!

Can Cannon knock that chip off Cody's shoulder next week? Tune in next Tuesday night to find out.