SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
TOP TIER FEUDS
There are no feuds that are what I would consider “Top Tier” right now. With number one contender matches coming up for the men and women, we should have an idea as to what will be at the top of the card for the October 4th Takeover soon.
MIDDLE TIER FEUDS
(1) Breezango vs. Imperium
New Developments: Brezango defeated Imperium in a match that really showed how dominant Imperium is in the ring. Fandango took most of the offense from Imperium and Breeze got the hot tag and came out attacking with a lot of intensity. After a chaotic finish, Breeze was able to get the pin and win.
Highs & Lows: Video packages leading up to this match were great, but I still feel like Breezango is missing something in the ring. Breeze has great intensity so hopefully he can continue to develop, since Fandango really comes across as slow and clunky in the ring after years of being a pure comedy act.
Start of Feud: June 18, 2020
Forecast & Prediction: I think this feud is over for now and expect to see Breezango move back to Legado del Fantasma. Imperium was so strong in this match; they might be best served moving back to NXT UK
(2) Damian Priest vs. Timothy Thatcher
New Developments: Priest successfully defended his North American Title against Thatcher. The match was really good and both men looked strong at the right points of the match.
Highs & Lows: The build to this match was hit or miss to me, but I really enjoyed their match. Thatcher continues to improve with every match and every promo. Priest looked good as champion and really got me invested in his comeback.
Start of Feud: August 26, 2020
Forecast & Prediction: Thatcher is a serious challenger who doesn’t lose much by taking a loss, since he can easily move on to a new babyface and get a win with his style of wrestling. I don’t know if there’s enough time to build up a new challenger before TakeOver, so I wouldn’t be surprised if these two had another match at Takeover.
(3) Candice LeRae vs. Tegan Nox
New Developments: LeRae cut a promo from home saying that Nox had changed for the worse. Both women will be in the battle royal to determine the number one contender, and LeRae said that Nox should watch out. Nox cut a webcam promo later in the show to counter LeRae’s promo.
Highs & Lows: I had hoped for more after the two weeks of video packages, but the segments at the Gargano home did nothing to help build this feud. This week’s promos were okay, but only really helped to set up the battle royal and did little to build any heat between the two women.
Start of Feud: August 26, 2020
Forecast & Prediction: With the battle royal taking place next week, I would expect some sort of elimination or interference to take place between these two to continue to build the feud.
(4) Tommaso Ciampa vs. Jake Atlas
New Developments: Ciampa had a squash match and after his win Atlas came out on the ramp and challenged Ciampa to a match next week. Atlas said that he wanted to show Ciampa how ruthless he can be. Later in the show Atlas was attacked by Ciampa, before Kyle O’Reilly made the save.
Highs & Lows: This was teased a few weeks ago but was perhaps put on hold so that Ciampa could take part in the fatal four-way championship match. Atlas initially seemed out of place by calling out Ciampa after being easily defeated a few weeks ago, so the fact that Atlas is just a quick stop on the way to Ciampa feuding with Kyle O’Reilly made a little more sense later in the show.
Start of Feud: August 26, 2020
Forecast & Prediction: Ciampa will win quickly and easily and probably proceed to a post-match beat-down. That will probably be the point at which O’Reilly will make the save.
LOWER TIER FEUDS
(1) Undisputed Era vs. Killian Dain & Drake Maverick
New Developments: Strong and Fish were scheduled to take on Maverick and Dain. Dain did not come out to start the match, so Maverick started the match as a 2-on-1 handicap match. Dain was shown backstage laughing as Maverick continued to take the beat-down from Undisputed Era until William Regal subtly encouraged Dain to get out to the ring. Dain was going to leave Maverick to continue to fight alone until UE attacked Dain and then picked up the DQ when they hit him with a chair. Dain then knocked Maverick out after the match – again.
Highs & Lows: This is still just a placeholder spot for UE and I hope they move past it soon. Maverick seems like he wants to team with Dain so badly, but he seems naïve since he won’t defend himself against Dain’s attacks.
Start of Feud: August 12, 2020
Forecast & Prediction: I think there’s one more match between these two teams, probably with Dain being present for the entire match.
(2) Kushida vs. Velveteen Dream
New Developments: Kushida defeated Austin Theory soundly when Theory put out an open challenge to the back. In the match the announcers called out that Kushida had put Dream on the NXT Medical Report.
Highs & Lows: Dream’s post-match beat down on Kushida seems like forever ago, so it was good that Kushida was able to come back with such intensity to even the score against Dream.
Start of Feud: August 12, 2020
Forecast & Prediction: Depending on what being on the NXT Medical Report means, this feud could be on hold for a few weeks or completely set aside for now. Kushida has showed great intensity, so perhaps we see him continue to work his way through the roster before going back to Dream.
CONCLUDED, DORMANT, OR FORGOTTEN FEUDS
– Finn Balor vs. Adam Cole – CONCLUDED
– Rhea Ripley vs. Mercedes Martinez – CONCLUDED
– Bronson Reed vs. Austin Theory – CONCLUDED
– Io Sharai vs. Dakota Kai & Raquel Gonzalez – DORMANT
– Breezango vs. Legado del Fantasma – DORMANT
– Isaiah “Swerve” Scott vs. Santos Escobar – DORMANT
RECOMMENDED: 9/16 NXT ON USA REPORT: Wells’s report on Priest vs. Thatcher, Breezango vs. Imperium, Shirai vs. Blackheart
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