-- 6/28 WWE Raw Reax

Joey B. of N.J., artist: Here's my evaluation of the Rookies through four weeks. Percy Watson cracks me up every time! His manic energy, vibe, and promos are a breath of fresh air. He's really fun to watch. Titus O'Neil is a nice guy - a very BIG nice guy, so WWE won't let him go away, but he needs seasoning and a gimmick. Husky Harris can be a great heel due to his confidence. He seems to be tapping into that part of his identity. His physique is a plus because it's different and he seems stronger and tougher than Trevor Murdoch. McGillicutty Hennig is very talented and could go far if pushed right. Poor Kaval. He seemed to be doomed from the get-go due to his size. Being paired with Lay-Cool was the confirmation. Kudos to him for saying no to the keg challenge rather than making a fool of himself. Alex Riley's gimmick fits him like a tailored suit. I haven't figured out Eli Cottonwood yet, but he could be an interesting short-term novelty act ala Great Khali. Lucky is a bit too earnest, but he could be a solid white meat babyface someday.

Terrie Neilson of Las Vegas, Nev. (4.0): Best: Kaval/McGillicutty/Cannon vs. Riley/Cottonwood/O'Neil. Worst: Rookie already eliminated. For the record, I thought that Titus O'Neil would likely be eliminated early on. But, why after just three weeks of TV time when WWE had announced the first elimination would be coming three weeks from now? Is WWE already writing off this season of NXT in favor of the NXT/Nexus Invasion? If that was the case, what was the point? Alex Riley, Kaval, and Percy Watson have already gotten off the blocks. Considering WWE's impatience this season, that's a good thing. Those struggling for identity and/or confidence (pretty much the rest of the contenders, including McGillicutty) have basically been told they have to get over with the audience fast or else. The dead crowd this week didn't help matters, but even the liveliest crowd can't help if WWE hasn't given the audience reason to get behind a certain wrestler. Poor Zack Ryder. His storyline pairing with Alicia Fox ended, he seemed to be focused on his next step, and then the rug is pulled out from under him with O'Neil being eliminated before they really got any footing. What gives?

Beau of Texas (7.0): Best: Six-man tag match. Worst: Keg carry. I cringed hard when they re-introduced the keg carrying competition. I cringed harder when Lucky Cannon won immunity. I hope Titus O'Neil showed why they need to eliminate these lame contests. There's just no way for a wrestler to look good during these things. I noticed Kaval chose not to play, and now he's number one in the official poll. Is that a coincidence or a great strategy on his part? I lean towards the latter. Assuming the Rookies actually make the decision on whether to participate or not participate in the challenges, I think WWE should take note of Kaval saying no to the challenge before all of the Rookies stop playing these stupid games. Other than that, the matches were simply average. I enjoyed Husky Harris's work this week. I have him over Cottonwood and Cannon in my rankings. Rankings one through four in the poll seemed pretty spot-on, though. Kaval's star shined bright in the six-man tag team match. Suddenly, I'm not so worried about his fate anymore. It looks like he will do well on the big stage. I'm happy for him, but in our household, Percymania is running wild. Oh yeah!

We welcome your 0-10 score and comments on this show for an "NXT TV Reax" feature in the Torch Feedback section of PWTorch.com. Just to add a twist to this feature, include not just your hometown, but also your occupation (mechanic, lawyer, stay-at-home-dad, college student, etc.) so readers get a flavor for what everyone does as "day jobs." To contribute your thoughts on NXT, click here.

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