NXT HITS & MISSES 2/14: Roderick Strong vs. Pete Dunne, Ember Moon vs. Shayna Baszler, TM-61 squash match

HITS

Roderick Strong vs. Pete Dunne (UK Championship): This was a very good match.  It was a clash of styles with Pete Dunne being more methodical as Roderick Strong’s style is fast, but both are hard hitting.  Also, both are very technical and this was on display as the two traded holds and strikes.  Dunne stuck to his usual game plan as Strong was the victim of his joint manipulation.  Strong also didn’t stray away from his usual forte as he lived up to his name as the “Messiah of the Backbreaker”, performing an array of backbreakers.  There are two things that were evident in this match, Pete Dunne is a star and Roderick Strong’s time in NXT is about up.  Dunne is not only the ultimate heel in his smug nature, but he is an extrodinary wrestler who embodies the British Strong Style. And he is only 24 years old!  He has a bright future on any of the rosters that he chooses to be in, as Roderick Strong once again has done all that he can in NXT.  Being that he has been a champion in other promotions, it is hard to see how come he hasn’t excelled more in NXT.  He is very talented, but this could possibly be a waste of opportunity as he should have been more. Maybe this is his calling to another roster such as 205 Live? Either way, it was a great match and the future is bright for both of these stars.

Ember Moon vs. Shayna Baszler (NXT Women’s Championship Match): This was a decent rematch from Takeover: Philadelphia as, even though Ember Moon won that bout, there was a lot to prove as she aggressively went after Shayna Baszler from the offset.  Both of these competitors looked good as Moon performed very well and Baszler remained her vicious self. It was good to see Kairi Sane added to the mix as she made the save for Moon, but where is this going to go?  It seems as though it is going in circles as it was once Sane vs. Baszler, then Moon vs. Baszler, now back to Sane vs. Baszler?  Possibly a three-way match, but there needs to be more of a focus on the individual feuds as opposed to this back and forth between these three.  Once again, it is a show of the lack of female competitors within the division, but overall, still a decent match between the champion and the newcomer.

MISSES

TM-61 vs. Jobbers: This was a horrible match as it served as a squash match for TM-61, but they did not look that impressive.  They controlled the match, but there was nothing spectacular.  If TM-61 is to get over, they need to be in more competitive matches.  Also, there move sets are very dull as there really isn’t anything that they do can really be worth talking about.  The only thing that they’VE got going for them right now is the promo videos that were used to reintroduce them, but as of this point, they have yet to live up to them.

NOW CHECK OUT A FULL REVIEW OF THIS EPISODE: 2/14 NXT TV Report: Ember Moon vs. Baszler, Dunne vs. Strong, TM61 in action, Aleister Black, Velveteen Dream