By Jon Mezzera, Torch Specialist

NXT HITS

Criteria Revealed: I like my idea better than this (to have each NXT pro define their individual criteria), but at least the criteria for how the pros will be evaluating the rookies has been defined. Apparently this is just going to be a report card to see where they currently stand. Nobody will be eliminated, which I like. The cast of the show is small enough as it is, and if you start eliminating rookies, then you make it even smaller. Obviously, there still needs to be more explanation given as to the length of the season, and to exactly how the winner will be named. WWE is giving one step a week. It would have been better to lay out the rules from the start, but it is something.

NXT MISSES

Sheffield & Barrett vs. Slater & Gabriel: This was the first match we saw in the arena on Monday night. We got very excited when Christian's music came on, but disappointed when he didn't accompany Heath Slater to the ring. He did come out moments later, but wasn't involved. The problem here is that this was a live crowd warm up match while the arena continued to fill before the Raw taping. This should have been a dark match. The fans aren't into these rookies and when you put four of them into the ring with no established stars, the fans aren't going to get into the match. Don't get me wrong. There was talent in the ring. But, nobody cared. They didn't care much about the second match either, but it went longer and had better wrestling action (it wasn't quite Hit worthy, but solid enough to not be a Miss).

Intro Videos Replayed: I liked these videos when they first aired in the first two weeks of NXT. But, why show them again? I appreciate how they edited in new footage from NXT. However, the words in the sit down interviews were the same. Why not do something new? WWE has gone away from back stage scenes with the rookies interacting with their pros. What about some pre-taped videos of them training during the week? What about each doing a new video talking about their experiences on the show so far? Don't just show the same video. That does nothing to help the rookies connect with the fans. Showing David Otunga and The Miz at the Syfy party red carpet was new and caught my eye and further established Otunga's persona as an A list type celebrity. Give us more of those videos and less of the same videos we have already seen.

Jon Mezzera is PWTorch.com's WWE Hits & Misses Specialist, providing his point of view for Raw, Smackdown, NXT, and Superstars each week. Email him at jmezz-torch@sbcglobal.net.

For another view from the original Hitlist author, compare Jason Powell's views to mine by visiting prowrestling.NET's "Hitlist" section here.

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