‘WWE NXT’ Review (Aug 24th 2021)
Welcome to this week’s NXT review, right here on Nerdly. I’m Nathan Favel and we may have a big change in how NXT is presented this week, or it’ll be the same old deal. Samoa Joe is champion. Not bad for a guy that was fired a few months ago. I’m excited to see where this goes. Did you know that I’m a complete moron? You did? F–k you. NXT starts now.
Match #1: Ridge Holland def. Timothy Thatcher
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
Ridge Holland and Timothy Thatcher turned up the aggression in the Capitol Wrestling Center, but the stunning return of Danny Burch tipped the scales in the ongoing war. The bruiser from Yorkshire imposed his will on Thatcher to earn the win and fireworks followed as Burch, Dunne & Lorcan went on the attack against Ciampa and his teammate.
The Verdict: 8 out of 10
Match #2: Kacy Catanzaro & Kayden Carter def. Gigi Dolin & Jacy Jayne
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
Kacy Catanzaro & Kayden Carter have been climbing the NXT Women’s Tag Team ladder, but Gigi Dolin & Jacy Jayne were out to prove they’re taking over the black-and-gold brand. The newcomers had their moments, but the Tik Tok Tag Team’s chemistry kicked in to set up a moonsault combo for the win. After the match, Catanzaro & Carter let the NXT Universe know that they have their eyes on the titles.
The Verdict: 2 out of 10
Match #3: Kay Lee Ray def. Valentina Feroz
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
Kay Lee Ray put the NXT Women’s division on notice with her emergence at NXT TakeOver 36. The former NXT UK Women’s Champion opened even more eyes with a dominant performance against Valentina Feroz that ended with a crushing Gory Bomb.
The Verdict: 4 out of 10
Match #4: Carmelo Hayes def. Odyssey Jones – NXT Breakout Tournament Final
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
It was a complete clash of styles in the NXT Breakout Tournament Final, as the high-flying and flashy Carmelo Hayes collided with the massive Odyssey Jones. Jones stopped “NXT’s First Round Pick” dead in his tracks by catching a splash and slamming his opponent. Hayes flipped the match with a series of kicks, and then shocked Jones with a roll-up reversal for the win. With a championship contract secured, Hayes passed on choosing an immediate opportunity but put the whole locker room on notice.
The Verdict: 6 out of 10
Match #5: Xyon Quinn def. Boa
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
Disobedience will not be tolerated. As Boa looked to pay respects to the throne of Mei Ying, Xyon Quinn came charging back at his opponent with a brutal forearm for the pin. And the NXT Universe is left to only imagine how Mei Ying might respond after the embarrassment to Tian Sha.
The Verdict: 2 out of 10
Match #6: (Main Event) Legado del Fantasma def. Hit Row
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
Hit Row and Legado del Fantasma brought their rivalry to the ring after weeks of back-and-forth, parking lot brawls and guitar smashes. Top Dolla appeared to shift the match, as the gigantic Superstar lifted up and dropped Santos Escobar, Joaquin Wilde and Raul Mendoza all at once. With B-Fab laying in wait throughout the match, Elektra Lopez appeared to even the odds for Legado del Fantasma and distract Isaiah “Swerve” Scott for a Escobar roll-up win.
The Verdict: 5 out of 10
Final Verdict: 6/10
This was average. Average is exactly what this was and was just as such on down to the bottom of well. The opener is the only match on the card to recommend. Ridge, who shouldn’t be on TV yet and yet is already on it, had the best opponent NXT can provide to him right now in Thatcher. Thatcher kept the match in close strikes and tight grapples, which forced Ridge to constantly react and make decisions. Ridge was never given a chance to falter and that made the match immediate and sturdy. If Ridge had been allowed to think twice on anything, he likely would have ruined what little he is capable of at this point. Thatcher made Ridge perform like the brute that he needs to be to warrant the push he has now been given upon his return to action. I’d go so far as to say that everything Ridge needs to make himself look credible in the ring he did or was witness to in this match. The keys to the kingdom were just handed to Ridge here and if he knows which key goes where, this match may just prove to be the turning point for his career. As for the rest of the matches, either they were too short to matter or they went a certain length of time and offered just enough to be considered fit for TV. Hayes looked just fine against the cumbersome yet able Jones. I’m glad Hayes won, as he’ll make for a solid contender against any of the champions on the roster. Joe having several contenders lined up, including Pete Dunne and Kyle O’Reilly to LA Knight and Tommaso Ciampa served as a reminder of how good of a roster there still is here in NXT.Danny Burch returned to aid Pete Dunna and his faction, so all is right with their world. Johnny Gargano fights LA Knight next week and Roderick Strong has an open challenge to anybody that would take that challenge. Dexter Lumis and Indi Hartwell get married sometime in September, so I’ll remember to puke before then. Well, since this is a wrestling card, the opener was the only thing to really go see, but the rest were there and nothing was terrible…except anything that was terrible. Okay. My bus just got abducted by aliens. Uh oh. Here comes the probe. I’ll see you next tiIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIME!!!!!!!!!!! Ah! Cold!