‘WWE NXT’ Review (Oct 2nd 2019)
Welcome to this week’s NXT review, right here on Nerdly. I’m Nathan Favel and we have the full two hours on USA, so let’s see if NXT can kick All Elite Wrestling’s ass…or not. I love monkeys!
Match #1: Adam Cole def. Matt Riddle – NXT Championship Match
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
Adam Cole’s precious NXT Championship remains safe around his waist. An exhausted Cole looked absolutely stunned after a grueling match with Riddle, especially given his far less than peak condition. The leader of The Undisputed ERA fought through a broken right wrist thanks to a Fujiwara Armbar at the hands of Riddle last week. Riddle showed off his superior grappling skills early on, taking The Panama City Playboy down repeatedly and seemingly overwhelming the champion. However, Cole proved he was game with comparably astute skills. The opponents showed they had each other’s repertoires well scouted, trading a multitude of reversals, highlighted by Riddle’s into a fisherman’s buster and Cole’s into a mid-air backstabber. Full Sail Live almost came unglued after a series that saw Riddle hit a Bro to Sleep, powerbomb, devastating knee strike and a floating bro. The Original Bro even locked Cole into both the Bromission and Fujiwara Armbar, from which Cole managed to squirm free before hitting an elbow out of nowhere. That cleared the way for The Last Shot and a pinfall for Cole.
My Opinion: 3.7 out of 5 – They started off the show with the main event. Apparently, Vince wanted to make sure no one watched All Elite Wrestling: Dynamite, so he gave away the big match first. Screw it. This match rocked ass! Rocked ass! Do you know what that means? It means that asses were rocked…like asses! I didn’t even mind the smell. Piggly Wiggly nonsense. Boy, oh boy, did this match deliver the goods, like a milk-man nailing my mom. Shot for shot, these two had the kind of match that will go down in history as…worth watching. Riddle’s MMA background came through for him in every instance. Cole was great as champion, with every scowl of arrogance that… Sorry, I was letting the intern write the thing. Loser! Get the damn coffee! Decaf! Any-way, this match kicked ass. See that dink? That’s how you review a match. Moron. Damn it! Decaf! Wait, how is all of this making it in the review? Did you hit the record button? I told you that thing doesn’t work! We don’t have a delete button! The key-board was defective and we’re getting another one. Alright. Let’s move on.
Match #2: Io Shirai def. Mia Yim
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
Io Shirai sought retribution for what she saw as Mia Yim costing her an opportunity at the NXT Women’s Championship, and she achieved it. Two weeks removed from a Fatal-4-Way No. 1 Contender’s Match that saw Yim disrupt Shirai when she was seemingly moments away from victory, the two tangled in singles competition. Shirai seized the early advantage but also demonstrated some overconfidence that gave Yim an opening to get back into the match. Yim had Shirai on the ropes with explosive offense, including a devastating series of kicks that momentarily stunned the evil Genius of the Sky. Narrowly, Shirai evaded a pinfall attempt that followed a Code Blue by Yim, and later recovered to hit her patented moonsault en route to victory. Not only did Shirai achieve a measure of revenge, but she staked her claim in the pecking order in the NXT Women’s Division, where surely her sights remain on another title opportunity.
My Opinion: 3.2 out of 5 – This worked out really well for a match that was on second. They kept up the pace and didn’t lose their way. What is this? Hansel and Gretel? These two worked hard and that’s that. M’Kay?
Match #3: Johnny Gargano def. Shane Thorne
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
Shane Thorne’s never-ending quest for adulation hit a detour, at least for this week. Thorne interrupted Johnny Gargano’s address to the NXT Universe three weeks ago, and much like that encounter, Gargano got the better of Thorne on Wednesday. In his first NXT TV action since NXT TakeOver: Toronto, Gargano hardly missed a beat. Though Thorne withstood many of Gargano’s best shots — including a high-impact slingshot spear — and responded with some of his own, Johnny Wrestling proved to be too much to overcome. Gargano secured the win following a superkick that was right on the mark.
My Opinion: 3.1 out of 5 – This was a solid match that was all about Gargano winning and affirming his place on the roster as a major star.
Match #4: Shayna Baszler def. Candice LeRae – NXT Women’s Championship Match
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
Shayna Baszler isn’t surrendering her mantle as the longest currently reigning champ anytime soon if she has anything to say about it. Baszler closed the deal on another successful NXT Women’s Title defense, this time overcoming the plucky Candice LeRae, who was more than ready for her big chance. LeRae rattled The Queen of Spades in the early going, knocking her silly with a thunderous enziguri and a springboard plancha. Baszler found her way back into the match with the same viciousness that has made her such a dominant champion, stomping LeRae’s left elbow against the steel steps. Tenacious C fought back with a DDT that spiked Baszler’s head into the apron, followed by three tope suicidas that left Baszler dazed. But when she tried to finish off the champion with a springboard moonsault, The Submission Magician slipped out of the way and locked LeRae into the Kirifuda Clutch. LeRae struggled to get free to no avail and was left with no choice but to eventually tap out. The NXT Women’s Division is brimming with worthy challengers, but none so far have shown the mettle needed to dethrone Baszler. With her reign closing in on a year, who will step up next to try to stop her?
My Opinion: 3.5 out of 5 – A lot of this happened during split-screen commercial breaks, but this was a strong prize fight. Both women looked tough as steel and hard as iron. Did #MeToo like that? I serve the Master. Master is power! The wrestling was not just good for women. This match was great no matter what gender you are. There were plenty of clinches and locks to keep this match from getting too sports-entertainment-ish. This looked like a real sports contest and that goes a long way for this show being seen as different from Vince’s main roster programming. I hope we get another match from these two sooner rather than later.
Match #5: Pete Dunne def. Danny Burch
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
Another match brought yet another victory for Pete Dunne, but it may have also brought a new adversary. Dunne took on Danny Burch in a battle of smash-mouth British styles, ultimately overcoming Burch after hitting The Bitter End. But The BruiserWeight didn’t have long to celebrate. The lights went dark at Full Sail and when they came back on Damian Priest emerged from beneath the squared circle. The Archer of Infamy floored Dunne with a vicious forearm, then put an exclamation mark on his ambush by hitting The Reckoning. Since arriving on the scene, Priest has run through his opponents with relative ease, but surely he’s awoken a new level of competition by attacking Dunne — a man who’s never been one to turn down a fight.
My Opinion: 3.4 out of 5 – This was a physical fight that wasn’t the most exciting match either has ever done, but it was enough of a showing for Dunne that he looked like a star.
Match #6: (Main Event) The Undisputed ERA def. The Street Profits – NXT Tag Team Championship Match
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
The Undisputed ERA’s golden prophecy remains intact after Bobby Fish and Kyle O’Reilly defeated The Street Profits — but for how much longer with returning challengers circling the group’s leader? In the moment after Fish and O’Reilly’s NXT Tag Team Championship defense, Adam Cole made his way to the stage, fresh off a defense of his own earlier in the night against Matt Riddle. However, it wasn’t long before The Panama City Playboy was joined by a foreboding guest. Tommaso Ciampa appeared on NXT TV for the first time since undergoing a spinal fusion surgery in March for a neck injury — an injury which forced Ciampa to surrender the same title now held by Cole. The Blackheart walked a deliberate circle around Cole, his eyes locked on to the title he so affectionately refers to as “Goldie.” No words were needed to communicate that Ciampa is fixated on reclaiming his dear championship from Cole — who was confronted earlier in the night by another potential challenger in Finn Bálor.
Moments earlier, The Street Profits brought all of the smoke, but it wasn’t quite enough for them to regain the NXT Tag Team Championship, due in large part to Roderick Strong. After electrifying the NXT Universe with an entrance emceed by Grammy-nominated rapper, Wale, The Sultans of Swag went hold for hold with the championship duo of O’Reilly and Fish, forging another storied chapter in what has developed into a fiercely competitive rivalry. The Undisputed ERA played a keep-away game that left Montez Ford in dire straits and far away from Angelo Dawkins for much of the contest. Finally evading both adversaries, Ford’s late tag saw Dawkins rock the ring with a fiery offensive flurry. The match devolved into sheer chaos minutes later, and The Undisputed ERA took advantage. Strong appeared at ringside just in time to trip Ford up as he was perched atop the ropes and ready to perhaps finish the bout. That left Ford a sitting duck for the champions to hit Total Elimination and wrap up the win.
My Opinion: 3.3 out of 5 – This should not have been the main event, but it did well as one. This had enough time to be a proper prize fight, but there wasn’t much to go on other than the UE being great. If you squint your eyes, it was great, but was merely good with your eyes wide open.
News Of The Night:
- Pete Dunne and Damien Priest are in a feud, thanks to Priest attacking Dunne.
- Tommaso Ciampa returned to NXT.
- Finn Balor has re-joined the NXT roster.
Final Verdict: 3.5/5
This turned out really well, with an oddly booked card delivering some great action, despite being a bit dull in parts. Next time, just have the main event in the main event, not the opener.
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Author’s Note: In my home state of Michigan, those of us who need Medicaid are being forced to put our health care on the line each month, starting in January of 2020. If we don’t meet a series of requirements each month, our health care is suspended. The biggest requirement is we have to report at least 80 hours of work each month in order to keep our coverage. All that said, this coverage is now said to only last two years, which could mean that it all disappears despite adhering to these new rules allowed by Donald Trump. I started a petition on whitehouse.gov to ask Congress to intervene and demand that the Michigan state government postpone this new mandate on our health care until the November election, where the people of Michigan can vote on this change themselves. If you are able to sign and would like to, please follow this link and do so.
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