SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
This week’s episode of NXT 2.0 has wrapped. Let’s take a stroll down memory lane and relive some of the madness.
-Call me crazy, but I was not expecting that good of a match between Grizzled Young Vets and Creed Brothers. Wow – just fantastic stuff. The action was stiff, fast paced, exciting, and had a story throughout. The Creed Brothers showed something in this. Arguably, the best match of the NXT 2.0 era.
-What is with this Wendy Choo stuff? How can she be taken seriously? Its yawn inducing and Tiffany Stratton certainly isn’t adding anything of significance to help her elevate the act. Pull the plug.
-I don’t say this often, but I enjoyed Pete Dunne’s promo this week. He showed more personality than usual and it played well. I think he’s jobbing to Tony D’Angelo next week, but he’s found a decent little spot in the new NXT world.
-LA Knight secured a pretty big win this week. Sanga is a new, monster act and to see him fall a quickly as he did speaks to Knight and the investment in him and his program with Grayson Waller. Knight is rumored to be headed the main roster and likely doing the favors for Waller at some point, but he’s been booked in a way that makes that win meaningful for Waller when he gets it.
-The Championship Summit had its highs, but also it’s lows. Bron Breakker looked the part of a champion and continues to give off an aura of star power. As Breakker’s heel opponent, Santos Escobar generated some nice heat that reflected off Breakker in a way that lit him up. Dolph Ziggler’s appearance had the opposite effect. Ziggler displayed an “I’m too cool for this” attitude and while the audience ate it up, it deflected from Breakker.
-Tommaso Ciampa and Ziggler should tear the house down and I think we’re starting to see a WWE strategy unfold. Look for more main roster faces that can work to be deployed down to NXT at some point — looking at you Cesaro, Finn Balor again, Kofi Kingston, and others.
-A good night at the office for Sarray. She’ll cross paths with Mandy Rose in due time.
-MSK advancing in the Dusty Classic was all but a certainty. The match next week against The Creed Brothers in the finals should be a burner, but to what end? Two babyface teams? Not an ideal way to book.
-I liked the framing of Cameron Grimes in his sizzle video this week. He’s done a lot with his time in NXT and the video articulated that in an impactful way. Really looking forward to what he and Carmelo Hayes do next week.
-Another ok outing from Mandy Rose. As champion, she needs to find another level in the ring to join the likes of Sasha Banks, Bianca Belair, Charlotte Flair, and Becky Lynch on the main roster.
-Kay Lee Ray and Io Shirai as a tag team works for me, but doesn’t position either for long term success given where the women’s tag team championships stand in NXT right now. I have to think Shirai is on a list to potentially be called up at some point. There are immediate fresh matches across the board with her opposite the main roster talent.
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