The NXT Thread: It Must Breakk You

[Uncle Sam]

I preferred the Dream match but I could see a case for both.

[klunderbunker]

NXT
Date: June 20, 2018
Location: Allstate Arena, Rosemont, Illinois
Commentators: Vic Joseph, Percy Watson, Nigel McGuinness

It’s another slow down week as we’ll be looking at what happened this past Saturday plus the two matches taped before Takeover went on the air. Therefore it’s not going to be the most important show in the world, but after everything WWE has had going on this week, a little break sounds like just the ticket. Let’s get to it.

Click on the link below for the full review.

Last Train From Chicago

[klunderbunker]

NXT
Date: June 27, 2018
Location: Full Sail University, Winter Park, Florida
Commentators: Mauro Ranallo, Percy Watson, Nigel McGuinness

It’s time to start getting ready for Brooklyn as the next Takeover is only about a month and a half away. The big story this week is the return of NXT Champion Aleister Black, who will be making his first comments since retaining over Lars Sullivan in a brutal match at Takeover: Chicago II. Let’s get to it.

Click on the link below for the full review.

Not The Grocery Store!

[Jack-Hammer]

I thought tonight's show was a lot of fun and already gave some hints as some of what might go down for Brooklyn III.

Black vs. Ciampa could be fun, though I'm not sure if they'll wind up meeting on an episode of NXT, in which Gargano costs Ciampa the match, if they meet in Brooklyn III and Gargano costs Ciampa or if they meet at Brooklyn and Ciampa wins the title. I'm mostly hoping for the third option as having the big blow off for their program involve the NXT Championship seems fitting. If the plan is to put their final bout off for a bit, say until the TakeOver during Survivor Series weekend, then that works. Some nice intensity was shown by Gargano during his backstage interview later in the show, though it has me wondering if he's going to go on something of a losing streak again similar to what we saw last year.

I still see nothing special whatsoever about Kona Reeves. He's dirt basic inside the ring and considering the gimmick he has, he's just not remotely good looking enough to pull it off. As I've said in the past, he has kind of a weird body in that he's kinda sorta muscular in some areas, a little chubby in some areas and skinny in other areas. I'm wondering if he's a member of the Anoa'i family, otherwise I can't see why he's getting any real TV time.

Candice LeRae vs. Lacey Evans was a solid, **3/4 star match with some good heel tactics from Evans and Candace as a spunky, fiery babyface. She's a cute little thing and you don't really realize how tiny she is until she's paired up with someone like Evans.

The main event was originally supposed to be the new NXT Tag Team Champions, Mustache Mountain, take on a few jobbers before said jobbers were jumped by the Undisputed Era. The UE was about to launch a 3 on 2 beatdown until Ricochet hit the ring to even things up and a six man tag match was made. The match was a lot of fun with a ton of energy that the life crowd ate up. The Undisputed Era picks up the win via Cole pinning Ricochet after Ricochet eats a version of the End of Heartache in which he's slammed into the ring apron. A fun ###1/2 star bout.

As to what might be on the table for the next TakeOver event, the seeds for Black vs. Ciampa for the NXT Championship may have been planted though it's early to tell. I don't see Mustache Mountain keeping the tag titles for long and I figure they'll drop them back to the UE before long so the tag match is still open. However, in the roughly 2 months until Brooklyn III, I expect that the War Raiders may be positioned to be the next challengers. I also got the feeling of Cole vs. Ricochet for the NXT North American Championship could be in the cards for Brooklyn III.

Another good hour of NXT, I give it a B, maybe a B+.

[#AbsoluteUnit]

I don't like seeing Lacey Evans lose. Call me a sore loser all you want. I don't know why, but she is a favorite of mine.

[klunderbunker]

NXT
Date: July 4, 2018
Location: Full Sail University, Winter Park, Florida
Commentators: Mauro Ranallo, Nigel McGuinness, Percy Watson

We’re well on the way to Takeover: Brooklyn with the NXT Title match pretty clearly set and that’s going to make for some interesting weeks ahead. NXT knows how to build up a card in a hurry and I’m looking forward to see what else we get on the upcoming show. Things are good around here and they could get even better so let’s get to it.

Click on the link below for the full review.

Celebrating Independence From The Main Roster

[smarkmouth]

Shayna is great, but she cut the same promo that Bianca Bel Air did from her honeymoon. I think it's obvious who had the better of the two.

Dijak and Dream was way more physical than I expected. I like Dijak's voice as he trash talked during the match. Hope his promo matches that intensity.

I can't remember a character arc as strong as Gargano's for the life of me. This is absolutely literary, dare I say biblical. I love that his transformation into Ciampa continues. Being Ciampa cost Johnny his match against the genuine article, but the Ciampa-viciousness secures Johnny a win against EC3. As beautiful as all that is on it's own, it induces goosebumps when you consider Johnny's theme music. Be yourself, can't be no one else...

[klunderbunker]

NXT
Date: July 11, 2018
Location: Full Sail University, Winter Park, Florida
Commentators: Mauro Ranallo, Nigel McGuinness, Percy Watson

It’s rematch night and in this case we have a title on the line. This time around it’s about the Tag Team Titles as new champions Moustache Mountain defends against former champions the Undisputed Era. Other than that we’re still in the early stages of the build towards Takeover: Brooklyn so let’s get to it.

Click on the link below for the full review.

They're Coming Home

[Jack-Hammer]

Par for the course for NXT tonight, meaning it was another very solid hour of wrestling in which everything had a place and there was a place for everything.

Adam Cole vs. Danny Burch was a fun opener. As with most situations concerning Burch or Lorcan, you never get the feeling that their opponents are in real danger but Lorcan and Burch go at it with such enthusiasm that you can't help but get sucked in. Some fun, physical action from both men here and it was a nice little novelty to see Cole pick up a win without any other UE members at ringside. **3/4

There was a nice, brief scuffle between Shayna Baszler and Candice LeRae as Candice was giving an interview, Shayna interrupted and said Candice should be happy being her hubby's sidekick and it was on. Nice intensity from the two as security separated them.

Kairi Sane vs. Vanessa Borne was a solid outing overall. Sane continues to connect with fans and you can tell that she seems more comfortable with herself and goes beyond just doing her typical poses an mannerisms. Vanessa Borne has improved but she needs more work. Sane picks up the win via the Anchor, which is a great looking half crab that genuinely looks kinda painful, causing Borne to tap. **3/4

There's a brief walking interview with Aleister Black before he runs into Johnny Gargano. Gargano has this intense, haunted look on his face and he does a good job of conveying his obsession with Tommaso Ciampa by repeatedly telling Black that Ciampa can't become NXT Champion. Black kind of soothingly placates Gargano before going inside, where he's jumped by Ciampa and nailed with a hanging DDT from a table onto the concrete floor. Personally, I think Black is at his best when he says as little as possible, it just fits him in my opinion, while Ciampa continues to be a raging asshole and Gargano is sliding closer to the abyss as his focus on Ciampa stays at the forefront of his character.

NXT Tag Team Championship: Mustache Mountain vs. The Undisputed Era - This match was a helluva lot of fun with a ton of action, an excited crowd and a damn fine bit of storytelling. Trent Seven did a great job of selling the hell out of his left knee throughout the match while the UE came off as vicious, ravaneous heels who'll do anything to get back the titles they lost by feverishly targeting the injury. Tyler Bate continues to impress as he's a great mix of athletic ability, power and technical knowhow all rolled into one. He's so fluid that you forget he's only in his very early 20s. The ending comes with O'Reilly repeatedly locking in a series of leg locks with Seven managing to escape each time, struggle to get the tag only to be cut off and put back into another leglock. Seven sells the anguish and when it becomes obvious that he simply won't tap, Bate struggles to decide whether or not to literally throw in the towel due to concern over his friend and mentor, something that the NXT commentators frequently hammer into the fans as they watch. Eventually, Bate can't stand to watch Seven suffer and tosses in the towel somewhere past the 17 minute mark. The UE celebrate as Bate helps Seven in the aftermath. I get the feeling we could be headed for a rubber match between these teams at TakeOver: Brooklyn and, if so, that's fine with me as they have the sort of chemistry that reminds me of the Revival's feuds with American Alpha and #DIY. ****1/4

I thought the main event put tonight's show over the top. Everything on the show was solid, but the main event gave it that extra push that it needed to go from being just slightly above average. Based on how things are looking right now, we're getting Baszler vs. Sane for Brooklyn III, possibly UE vs. MM III at Brooklyn III and you just have to sense that Gargano is going to do something to prevent Ciampa from winning the NXT Championship when he faces Black in a few weeks. A solid B overall.

[smarkmouth]

In regards to the championship picture, I hope they're heading towards Gargano vs Ciampa vs Black. The Gargano/Ciampa rivalry still has plenty of momentum that could easily carry them to Survivor Series weekend, so a triple threat would be a nice "soft-interlude" to the epic conclusion.

The tag team championship match, wow. That finish was spectacularly dramatic. I was a little annoyed that Tyler wasn't breaking the hold. Yes, I know the ref was getting more firm with the rules towards the end, but a ref being a stickler for such a thing is so rare it's almost alien. I'd like to have seen them laying it on a little thicker. Maybe make the same authoritative stance against UE earlier in the match or something.

Yes, that's nitpicky, and I have to concede that the last agonizing moments of the match made me forget all about my gripes.