SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
TIFFANY STRATTON vs. KIANA JAMES – NXT WOMEN’S CHAMPIONSHIP
Last week, Kiana James won a multi-woman match for the opportunity to face Stratton for the title tonight. While I do like Kiana James, the choice feels underwhelming. Both women lean heel, so I think some fans were left confused as who to cheer for.
Stratton ultimately played the babyface role trying to retain her championship from the heel James. The match was technically sound, but a decent match with a bad story can be a tough sell.
With a title retention in approximately five minutes or so, and a decisive one at that, it was clear that this was just for Stratton to get a strong win before someone new challenged her.
Apparently her husband must have told her how much fun he had returning to NXT a couple months ago, as Becky Lynch showed up on the tron and challenged Stratton for the title next week. A title that The Man never did hold during her time in NXT years ago.
Becky Lynch back in NXT? For the title? Yes please!
Verdict: Match was so-so. The ending angle seems out of the blue, but I don’t even care.
IJLA DRAGUNOV vs. ORO MENSAH
The NXT Heritage Cup Champion, Noam Dar, sent his right hand man in to the ring to do battle against Ilja Dragunov. This was a fantastic match, but another match with little story between the two competitors. Instead, the commentators focused on Ijla’s individual story as of late, proving he’s the toughest around. And Meta Four’s continuing story of protecting the Heritage Cup.
Oro Mensah, for his position on the card, impresses me each time I see him in the ring. This match with Dragunov was fantastic, and put both men over strong. Dragunov picked up the win, which he could definitely use.
Verdict: HIT
DUKE HUDSON vs. NATHAN FRAZER – HERITAGE CUP INVITATIONAL
A Group B match in the Invitation pit Hudson against Frazer. Frazer comes into this match with one loss and another loss would make the invitational nearly impossible for him to win. That was the story of the match, Frazer doing everything he could to put the Chase University powerhouse away.
In a very short contest, Frazer bounced back and picked up a win. The focus on his victory from the commentary team is really seeming to foreshadow his involvement in the finals.
Verdict: HIT
DABBA KATO vs. TYLER BATE
Tyler Bate has just been minding his own business on two different occasions when Dabba Kato attacked from out of the blue. Tonight, the big strong boy looked to take on the largest man in NXT and get revenge.
Kato was underwhelming, as usual, with Tyler Bate doing everything he could to try and put the big man’s offense over. That is, until he picked Kato up for an Airplane Spin and a spinning senton for the upset win.
Verdict: HIT
DRAGON LEE vs. MUSTAFA ALI with DOMINIK MYSTERIO AS SPECIAL REF.
Would Dirty Dom be fair to determine the contender for his title? That was the big question as the match kicked off. As Dragon Lee and Mustafa Ali squared off, Dom called the match right down the middle to start. Everyone was shocked at how fair he actually was being.
As you would expect out of these two athletes, this was a fantastic matchup with both men showcasing the best of their abilities. That was, of course, until Mustafa Ali rolled Dragon Lee up and Dirty Dom counted super fast, leading to a Mustafa Ali win.
Ali attacked Dom afterwards, showing that he wasn’t in cahoots with Dom after all.
Verdict: HIT
BUTCH vs. AXIOM – HERITAGE CUP INVITATIONAL
Group A in action tonight as Butch faced Axiom under the Heritage Invitational rules.
Tonight was just a night of fantastic wrestling, this being no exception. Butch spent the entire match looking to lock various submission holds in on Axiom to secure two points in this match. Submissions are two points, pinfalls only one.
Axiom may have gotten his ass handed to him throughout, but he didn’t lose. The match went to the 12 minute limit and was ruled a draw, giving each man one point. A little underwhelming, but it managed to put both men over at the same time.
Verdict: HIT
THEA HAIL vs. GIGI DOLAN
Thea Hail’s been hanging out with the wrong crowd since rebelling against her Chase University professor. Jacy Jayne took her under her wing, and Gigi Dolan had something to say about it. She tried to “save” Thea from hanging with the wrong crowd.
Sorry, Dolan. Mind your own business. Hail apparently thought the same thing I did, and challenged her to a match tonight.
Jacy Jayne spent time coaching Hail from the apron, actually effectively as a manager figure. Blair Davenport, feuding with Dolan, attacked and allowed Hail to get a rare victory.
Verdict: HIT
VON WAGNER vs. BRON BREAKKER – No DQ
And for the main event angle that should have never main evented the show, Von Wagner looked to “Table” Bron Breakker once again in this no DQ matchup.
Here’s the thing, nobody cares. Von Wagner is not a main eventer, and Bron Breakker still needs to connect with the audience before he’ll be considered a top guy by the fans.
The match itself was fine, two big men slapping man meat. Bron tried to avoid the tables by using kendo sticks and chairs as weapons against Von Wagner.
Wagner put Bron through a wall and also fulfilled his promise to table Breakker, popping the crowd more than Wagner probably ever has before. Breakker may have gotten tabled, but he still was able to get a crotch shot in before posing in the corner like Roman, and hitting Roman’s finisher, the Spear. I don’t bring up Roman for any reason here. Nope. None whatsoever.
Bron violently ended the match when he used the steel steps to bash Wagner’s head in, causing the cameras to cut to black about 20 seconds before the show ended. Audio was still working, but the no video sold the violence of the finish.
Personally, I’m not invested in either man or this angle so… my only real thoughts for this are as follows.
Verdict: Meh.
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