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CORA JADE & RAQUEL GONZALEZ vs WENDY CHOO & DAKOTA KAI – Dusty Classic Semi-Final
The inclusion of Wendy Choo into any match immediately turns it into a comedic affair. For a match that has this much at stake, this felt more like something I’d see at a house show. Wendy Choo fell asleep mid ring, Jade and Gonzalez tried to tip toe and not wake her up. There’s a time and a place for comedy in wrestling, and that shouldn’t be in a big matchup like this.
Choo got a decent amount of offense in against both Gonzalez and Jade, making both of her main event level opponents look weak. Choo can’t be taken seriously, yet she’s getting one over on the former Women’s Champion?
Predictably, Toxic Attraction intervened and took out Raquel Gonzalez’s knee with a pipe while the referee had his back turned. This essentially turned it into a handicapped match as Cora Jade tried to stall for time to allow Gonzalez to recover. Gonzalez made it back into the ring, but the damage to her knee was too much and she fell to Kai and Choo.
Will this turn into a Jade vs. Gonzalez feud over their loss? Or will they target Toxic Attraction to seek revenge?
Verdict: Lukewarm HIT
TIFFANY STRATTON vs. FALLON HENLEY
Tiffany Stratton lost her first match after interference by Sarray, who showed up in the ring after smoke appeared on stage to distract everyone. I was just starting to get settled into the match as the interference took place, which is a shame because I want to see more out of Stratton. Her first couple outings, I wasn’t nearly as impressed as the rest of the wrestling world seemed to be. She seems a lot more polished than some of the other newbies, but I was hoping to see a longer match here to help form my opinion on her. I don’t care for the “daddy’s girl” gimmick so much, but I can see the appeal and how easy that character could draw heat.
Fallon Henley is going to be someone else to keep an eye on. She impressed me in this short match, and had an angle with Briggs and Jensen post-match. I’d say something is in store for Henley in the future.
Verdict: Lukewarm HIT
LA KNIGHT vs. GREYSON WALLER – Last Man Standing
A feud that’s been going almost as far back as the 2.0 rebrand, Knight and Waller finally came to blows in this last man standing match. The match exploded right out of the gate with Knight attacking Waller during his entrance.
Waller has been a pleasant surprise from the 2.0 class. He’s really grown into his character over the last six months and is one of the most polished newbies on the roster both on the mic and in the ring. Opposite a talent the caliber of LA Knight, and Waller has become one of the most hated heels on the NXT roster.
The match spilled all over the arena, including Knight throwing Waller off of a scaffold only to be caught by his heavy, Sanga. Sanga then interjected himself in the match, which is legal in a last man standing, but to have interference three matches in a row seemed excessive. LA Knight handcuffed Sanga to the ringpost, making his presence null and void.
LA Knight then gave the annoying Waller his comeuppance, decimating him with a trash can and a chair, throwing him through a table. Waller hit LA Knight with some sort of hard object that he took out of Sanga’s pocket and then put Knight through the announce table. Neither man made it to their feet before the count of 10, meaning that this feud is going to continue.
Match may have been match of the night in terms of quality. But I was really hoping to see the feud end here.
Verdict: HIT
KAY LEE RAY & IO SHIRAI vs. KACY CATANZARO & KAYDEN CARTER – Dusty Classic Semi-Final
Kacy and Kayden are the only team left that’s an established team, the rest are just mish-moshed teams that came together for this tournament. You’d think that may have given them the edge in this match, but this was a solid back and forth contest between these two teams.
KLR and Io Shirai are established NXT Main Eventers, so it was doubtful that Kacy and Kayden would have gone over, but it would have been nice to see an established team make it to the finals. Especially a team that have been building themselves for the better part of two years.
Verdict: HIT
MSK vs. IMPERIUM – NXT Tag Team Championship
This match was slated to be the Creed Bros. vs. Imperium with the straps on the line, but the Creeds were taken out in the parking lot earlier in the night. MSK accused Imperium of being the attackers, and it lead to this match. MSK said if they won, they’d give the Creeds the opportunity that was stolen from them.
I really don’t have much to say about this match, it was another MSK vs. Imperium bout. Solid action, but we’ve been here so many times before that I had trouble investing in it.
The Creed Brothers interfered a few minutes in, causing a DQ finish. That’s now three matches with interference finishes.
Verdict: MISS
BRON BREAKKER vs. TOMMASO CIAMPA vs. DOLPH ZIGGLER – NXT Championship
See, normally if you go one on one with another wrestler, you got a 50/50 chance of winning. But Breakker is a genetic freak and he ain’t normal! So Ciampa has a 25% chance, at best, at beat him. Then you add Dolph Ziggler to the mix, Ciampa’s chances of winning drastic go down. See at the triple threat at Roadblock, Ciampa has a 33 1/3% chance at winning but Breakker has a 66 1/3% chance of winning because Ziggler knows he can’t beat Breakker and he’s not even gonna try!
So Ciampa, you take your 33 1/3% chance minus Breakkers 25% chance and you got an 8 1/3% chance of winning. But then you take Breakkers 75% chance of winning and then add 66 2/3%, Breakker has a 141% chance of winning at Roadblock. See Tommaso, the numbers don’t lie and they spell disaster for you at Sacrifi… Roadblock, I meant Roadblock.
Okay, I couldn’t resist.
Breakker may have entered the match as champion, but he doesn’t need to be pinned to lose the NXT championship. He seemed like the underdog, up against two seasoned veterans, yet he seemed like the defacto choice to win based on the booking of his opponents. Ciampa is main roster bound sooner rather than later, and Dolph Ziggler’s time in NXT is likely over after this feud concludes. Breakker losing the title didn’t make sense this early into his reign.
But sometimes what doesn’t make sense is what winds up happening. Bobby Roode interfered on behalf of his partner, Ziggler, leading to Dolph Ziggler winning the NXT gold. My best guess is that Ziggler will carry the NXT title into Stand & Deliver, allowing Breakker to recapture it and proclaim himself a two time NXT Champion
Verdict: HIT
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