‘WWE NXT’ Review (Nov 20th 2019)
Welcome to this week’s NXT review, right here on Nerdly. I’m Nathan Favel and we have Ruby Tuesday hopping into bed with Big Boy, because they met at the National Restaurant Chain Convention and when they swapped burger recipes they got real horny and…DAMN. We’ve got a Ladder Match in the main event, so call Bob Villa and let him know he can come hold the thing up.
Match #1: Becky Lynch vs. Rhea Ripley (No Contest)
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
Triple H opened the door to NXT and The Man came around and walked right in. Trash talking, sneak attacks and hostile takeovers have ruled the month during Raw, SmackDown and NXT’s brand warfare on the road to Survivor Series. But Raw Women’s Champion Becky Lynch wasn’t having any of that. Taking Triple H up on the open invitation he extended to Raw and SmackDown Superstars this past Monday, Lynch kicked off the show by returning to where she first made a name for herself in WWE and calling out NXT Women’s Champion Shayna Baszler — but The Man’s challenge was accepted by Rhea Ripley instead. Despite only a few days separating both competitors from massive matchups this weekend in Chicago — a Triple Threat Match with Baszler and SmackDown Women’s Champion Bayley for Lynch, and for Ripley, the first-ever Women’s WarGames Match — they held little back from each other. Baszler — along with Jessamyn Duke and Marina Shafir — were happy to play spoiler, breaking up what had been a highly physical encounter. But suddenly finding themselves with a common enemy, Lynch and Ripley had each other’s back and fought off the dastardly trio, living to perhaps do battle with each other again another day.
My Opinion: 3.5 out of 5 – This was quite good, but it got less than ten minutes and had a lame finish, so screw you Vince.
Match #2: Matt Riddle def. Ricochet
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
With Matt Riddle set to face Kona Reeves, one Raw Superstar had other ideas — but Ricochet wasn’t the only hostile party to try to take NXT by force. Flying into Full Sail like the Superhero he’s billed as to deliver a dropkick during Reeve’s entrance, Ricochet inserted himself opposite Riddle in NXT’s second successive impromptu bout. Two of the best athletes in all of WWE set a breakneck pace from the start, though SmackDown’s Cesaro and Intercontinental Champion Shinsuke Nakamura put the brakes on the bout before it could reach another gear. The presence of the blue-brand duo proved to be enough of a distraction for Riddle to catch Ricochet in a small package for a quick pinfall.
My Opinion: 3.4 out of 5 – Three minutes for a match tat should have gone twenty is like offering someone food and just shooting them instead. Plus, we had more interference $#!@ on this show, which pisses me off. I don’t care if you’re “telling a story”, you don’t have to be so cheap about it. This match deserved so much better from the bookers.
Match #3: The Undisputed ERA def. The Revival
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
The Undisputed ERA may have ruined last week’s SmackDown Tag Team Championship rematch between The New Day and The Revival, but it was more than made up for with the WWE Universe being treated days later to a dream matchup between the only two squads to win multiple NXT Tag Team Titles. Bobby Fish & Kyle O’Reilly showed why they’ve been the preeminent duo on the black-and-gold brand, deploying clinical tag team tactics. Though they successfully isolated Dash Wilder from Scott Dawson for what seemed like eons, Wilder eventually uncorked a rare hurricanrana to create the opening he needed for a tag to Dawson, who soon set the ring ablaze with a furious rally that had Full Sail on its collective feet. Moments after O’Reilly yanked Fish out of what seemed like certain doom following The Revival’s Shatter Machine, it was The Undisputed ERA connecting with Total Elimination on Dawson to spell the end to an instant classic.
My Opinion: 4.4 out of 5 – This was a great match that went nearly a half an hour, which is a hell of a change from the three minute bullet to the head we got a couple matches ago. This was tag team wrestling done the old-fashioned way and I bet George South is proud seeing this puppy run around the yard barking like a bat out of Hell. This is what wrestling is all about.
Match #4: Kay Lee Ray def. Dakota Kai
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
The women of NXT have not been shy in recent weeks about encroaching on enemy turf during Monday and Friday nights, but the Raw and SmackDown Women’s divisions both delivered resounding counterattacks five days before Survivor Series, with NXT UK Women’s Champion Kay Lee Ray earning victory over Dakota Kai.
My Opinion: 2.9 out of 5 – This was about five minutes and was good enough to watch once. I know…exciting.
Match #5: The Viking Raiders def. The Forgotten Sons
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
No matter where The Viking Raiders go, the raid continues. That was the case Wednesday in their return to the brand they called home earlier this year, and The Forgotten Sons’ attempt at resistance proved futile. Though Steve Cutler & Wesley Blake narrowly escaped a quick and decisive defeat much earlier on — one that has befallen many a Viking Raiders’ opponent on Monday nights — it only delayed the inevitable against the the Raw Tag Team Champions. With Ivar barreling himself through Jaxson Ryker at ringside with a tope suicida moments earlier, it was The Viking Raiders winning the race to the finish and reigning victorious after connecting with The Viking Experience.
My Opinion: 3.5 out of 5 – This ended up being excellent stuff, thanks to good pacing and somewhere around thirteen minutes to wrestle.
Match #6: (Main Event) Adam Cole def. Dominik Dijakovic – WarGames Advantage Ladder Match
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
NXT Champion Adam Cole defeated Dominik Dijakovic in a WarGames Advantage Ladder Match in the main event.
My Opinion: 3.4 out of 5 – This match was an excellent ten minute after-thought. Only the WWE could find a way to take a really spirited bout and squeeze the fun out of it. Fortunately, this was a blast while it lasted. Cole shined like The North Star, which is just an excuse for me to pretend to be nautical. I like this, but it should have gone on far longer.
News Of The Night:
- The Killian Dain/Damian Priest/Pete Dunne at TakeOver will have the winner facing Adam Cole for the NXT Title at Survivor Series.
- Raw, SmackDown and NXT brawled all night in those stupid t-shirts.
Final Verdict: 3.7/5
When the show focused on wrestling matches, this was as good as any-thing around, but this show spent too much time on contrived brawls to do what a few more well-booked bouts could have done much better.
