31st Jul2020

‘WWE NXT’ (July 29th 2020)

by Nathan Favel

Welcome to this week’s NXT review, right here on Nerdly. I’m Nathan Favel and BWHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!! Hey, little baby…PISS ME OFF! BWHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!! If Rey Mysterio was a stereo, then you could plug some speakers in his ass for surround sound and twist his nipples to change the volume and station. Alright, Donald Trump had people taken for protesting racism and NXT starts now…RICKLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLES!!!!!!!!!

Match #1: Io Shirai & Tegan Nox def. Candice LeRae & Dakota Kai

The following is courtesy of wwe.com:

Dakota Kai ambushed Io Shirai for the second time in three weeks, this time to kick off NXT while Shirai was making her entrance, and the scene quickly devolved into disarray with the other two competitors joining them for a melee before the action officially started. Kai and Candice LeRae worked well together early on, isolating Tegan Nox until Shirai lit up the ring and her opponents with her athleticism. The Captain of Team Kick responded by deftly spoiling a potential moonsault attempt. Kai forcibly tagged in LeRae, largely leaving The Poison Pixie to fend for herself, which ended with a pinfall loss after Shirai’s moonsault.

My Opinion: 3.3 out of 5 – This was a good opener that had solid, stocky action, like a horny grocery store. Clean-up on aisle…ew. Everything here was quick and to the point, with the usual mat grappling leading to the usual tie-ups and slams (like my Saturday night at The Apollo). There’s nothing in here that will make you a bigger fan of these people than you might already be (unless there is…Goosky). The Russians Are Coming! The Russians Are Coming!…to tell you that this was a fine little match.

Match #2: Johnny Gargano def. Roderick Strong

The following is courtesy of wwe.com:

Johnny Gargano and Roderick Strong, two of NXT’s proudest and most skilled Superstars, tactfully battled for bragging rights after coming up short in last week’s Triple Threat Match won by Bronson Reed. The technical wrestling clinic featured both men demonstrating the depths of their repertoires, with Strong avoiding dire straits by rolling out of the Gargano Escape. He had no answer for Gargano’s increased intensity on the outside, though, as Johnny Wrestling repeatedly smashed Strong into the ring post and plexiglass before planting him with the One Final Beat DDT for the victory.

My Opinion: 3.8 out of 5 – This was some fabulous stuff, like Big Bird in a blender post deep-fry…mmmmmmm…state fair milk-shake…aaaalllllllgggggghhhhhhh. These guys did it again, really. There’s a lot of fantastic grappling here and some thrilling action sequences as well, including in the finale, where both fighters tried to blast each other’s heads off. There isn’t a second in this match where it fell apart or went astray, because I SAID SO, DAMN IT!!!!!! If you wanna talk about a wrestling clinic, then this is where you wanna make an appointment, because these guys are experts. How are these guys not at the top of the main roster (Vince is an idiot)?

Match #3: Mercedes Martinez def. Shotzi Blackheart

The following is courtesy of wwe.com:

If one match is any indication, Mercedes Martinez’s decision to sign with The Robert Stone Brand appears to be a smart one. Martinez impressed against Shotzi Blackheart, slamming her with an innovative, modified Air Raid Crash for the win, much to the delight of Stone and Aliyah.

My Opinion: 3 out of 5 – This worked well for a glorified squash and both fighters looked tough.

Match #4: Imperium def. Ever-Rise

The following is courtesy of wwe.com:

Imperium made quick work of Ever-Rise, putting them down after hitting the European Bomb on Chase Parker. But before they could soak in their victory, they were savagely ambushed by Undisputed ERA, who made it clear they still consider themselves to be NXT’s most dominant faction.

My Opinion: 2.6 out of 5 – As squashes go, this was alright, with the right team winning and doing so decisively.

Match #5: Isaiah “Swerve” Scott def. Jake Atlas

The following is courtesy of wwe.com:

Isaiah “Swerve” Scott prevailed in this fast-paced encounter with a win over Jake Atlas that was crucial for NXT Cruiserweight Championship positioning. “Swerve” fought off Atlas’ patented cartwheel DDT before blasting him with the House Call on the outside of the ring and dropping him with the JML Driver.

My Opinion: 3.5 out of 5 – This was a very clever, intricate match that had a great pace and rhythm. These guys went all over the place, as modern matches tend to do, but never took any terrain for granted, which made this match more unpredictable. Swerve winning was right, because he’s growing into something of an attraction for the WWE these days. Atlas gave his best NXT performance yet and has managed to stand-out just with his wrestling. I could go for another round or two between these two.

Match #6: (Main Event) Dexter Lumis def. Timothy Thatcher and Finn Bálor – Triple Threat Match For A Spot In The North American Title Ladder Match At TakeOver XXX

The following is courtesy of wwe.com:

Dexter Lumis wowed from the get-go, dazzling even his opponents early when he landed on his feet following a senton over the top rope. The matchup between The Tortured Artist, Finn Bálor and Timothy Thatcher presented three unique styles and created a frenzied conclusion. Lumis masterfully countered Thatcher’s double underhook into the Kata Gatame before being splattered by Bálor’s Coup de Grace, though the “Professor of Pain” would break up The Prince’s ensuing pin attempt and lock him in a grapevine ankle lock. But Lumis swooped in, taking advantage of Thatcher’s blind spot by locking him in the Kata Gatame to win by technical submission before Bálor could wriggle free from Thatcher and break it up.

My Opinion: 3.5 out of 5 – Thatcher and Bálor carried Lumis to an excellent match that started off strong, dipped a little bit in the middle despite a great sequence with Thatcher and Bálor and kicked the match in high-gear for the surprise finale. Lumis did a cool flip at the beginning that was a nice smoke-and-mirrors trick to make him look more versatile as a wrestler, but he stuck to his solid brawling for the rest of the fight. Lumis may have been the big winner, but Thatcher and Bálor were the stars here, delivering marvelous wrestling action that ought to, in a just world at least, guarantee them both a marquee match against each other in the near future.

News Of The Night:

  1. William Regal will consider a prize fight between Keith Lee and Karrion Kross, but only if they stay out of his affairs as the booker.
  2. The Undisputed Era and Imperium are at war, in an effort of the UE to regain control of NXT.

Final Verdict: 3.6/5

This was quite good, with steady build toward TakeOver XXX occurring and some excellent wrestling, in particular with Gargano/Strong.

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