WWE Superstars results: Zayn vs. Axel; Neville vs. Mahal

The Big Takeaway: Sami Zayn and Neville, two excellent babyfaces, get their wins in two fairly meager matches this week on Superstars.

*****

Sami Zayn defeated Curtis Axel

As they come out, Zayn gives it everything as usual despite his inexplicable relegation to this show. He and Axel should really be the longer match as they work well together. Axel looks good, he may have bulked up slightly.

They start by exchanging wristlocks until Zayn reverses one into an arm drag, forcing Axel to go outside for a breather. Zayn brings him back inside and carries on with the arm drag sequence. Axel misses a knife edge chop in the corner as Zayn ducks out of the way and hits two of his own. Axel slides outside again to a great rain of boos. He slides back in and does some ground and pound on Zayn, then hits him with a sweet dropkick.

After knees to the lower back and a backbreaker for two, Axel puts on a rest hold. Zayn works out and takes two running clotheslines in the corner but dodges the third. Zayn hits the exploder suplex into the turnbuckles to set up for the Helluva Kick, which he nails Axel with for the win.

Neville defeated Jinder Mahal

Jinder Mahal used to be on this show almost every week during his last WWE run. This is fourth appearance on Superstars since he returned, and everything points to him being a regular on here yet again.

We start off with a headlock from Mahal, but Neville flips out of the way of Mahal’s offense. A cheap shot elbow at the ropes allows Mahal to get the advantage. He tosses Neville around but eventually runs into knees and is then tossed outside. Neville teases the tope as we go to a break with Mahal begging for mercy.

Neville sends Mahal outside, but he dodges the baseball slide and slams Neville into the apron. Back inside, Neville kicks out at one as Mahal puts on a rest hold. Mahal shoulder barges Neville into the turnbuckle and knee drops him, trying to ground him down. Neville sells well and looks like he’s in real trouble but eventually gets the heat.

Neville uses a series of kicks, and then hits a diving Mahal from the second rope with a superkick to set up for the Red Arrow, which looks like it absolutely killed his ribs on impact, to get the win. Mahal in this new gimmick is really dull and made a match with Neville look slow and laborious.