The NXT Thread: It Must Breakk You

[Storm Trooper]

Pat McAfee is awesome. Cuts a promo better than most of the roster.

Can't wait to see him lose on Saturday.

[klunderbunker]

NXT
Date: August 19, 2020
Location: Full Sail University, Winter Park, Florida
Commentators: Vic Joseph, Mauro Ranallo, Beth Phoenix

It’s the go home show for Takeover and really, I’m not sure I could remember half of the card at this point. This show has felt slapped together and while I have confidence in NXT to be able to pull it off, it doesn’t exactly make me want to watch the show. Hopefully they do something better here. Let’s get to it.

Click on the link below for the full review.

You Never Know What To Do In A Situation Like This

[BestSportsEntertainer]

KB gave tonight's NXT a C-. Lowest rated episode since April 8, which got a D.

Great opportunity for NXT being the only wrestling on tonight and they blew it.

[#AbsoluteUnit]

Legit forgot about this tonight.

[klunderbunker]

Takeover: XXX
Date: August 22, 2020
Location: Full Sail University, Winter Park, Florida
Commentators: Corey Graves, Tom Phillips, Beth Phoenix

It’s time for the milestone edition of the show and this time around it’s not exactly feeling like that important of an entry. Maybe it’s the rushed build to the show or the lack of star power, but there is something missing here. The main event should be a heck of a hoss fight between Keith Lee and Karrion Kross for the NXT Title. Let’s get to it.

Click on the link below for the full review.

If This Is Bad, They're Going To Be Fine

[Jack-Hammer]

For me, NXT continues to show that the TakeOver events are the overall best 2.5 hours of pro wrestling in pro wrestling and have been for years now.

As continues to be the case, there wasn't anything remotely bad on last night's TakeOver. It didn't have a particularly big feel about it and I think one reason for this is simply due to the lack of the audience. That's going to pull down a show to some degree no matter what, there's no way to get around it.

The kickoff show featured a solid triple threat match to determine the #1 contenders for the NXT Tag Team Championship. Generally speaking, if there's ever been anything in NXT that's weaker than anything else, and I use the term rather loosely, it's been its tag team scene. Breezango getting a win here was fine and, truth be told, i wouldn't mind seeing them win the gold. Both guys have busted their asses in WWE for years, they're a solid and entertaining tag team so winning the gold wouldn't be the worst thing in the world. The action was fun, it didn't overstay its welcome and achieved what it needed to. ***

Finn Balor vs. Timothy Thatcher started off the main TakeOver card and it was a fun, physical, hard hitting outing. I know that Thatcher's style isn't for everyone but I personally like it because the guy's a genuine technical whiz. It's nice to see someone who can be an actual "tough guy", someone who is a "tough guy" as he has all this knowledge and ability with using moves that can legitimately hurt someone. You don't have to suspend disbelief with this guy and it makes him stand out. He's not someone that I see Vince embracing on the "main roster" but I don't mind the whole throwback aspect of the guy. It was a good mix of styles with Balor doing his thing, which is always crisp. I would've preferred Thatcher score the win but, at the same time, he's someone that they're taking their time with like Lumis and fans become more and more into him as time goes by. ***1/2

The NXT North American Championship Ladder Match was what you'd expect. The first 5 minutes or so were a little rough as everyone had to find their pace but once they did, everything fell into place. NXT gives its wrestlers opportunities to shine in these sorts of matches, nobody here felt like they were just being used as a body to fill up a space, and there was a legit "it's anybody's match to win" feeling here for me. This is one of those matches that would've been especially enhanced in front of a hot crowd of about 10,000 or so. All the wrestlers worked hard and delivered some fun spots, though Dream's spot from the top of the ladder out through a table was really sweet looking. The kid's never been afraid to take a bump, gotta give him that. The end comes with Damien Priest and Johnny Gargano battling atop the ladder with each holding one end of the belt before Priest eventually knocks Johnny off and wins. Priest was probably the overall favorite to come out the winner but any one of them would've worked. Bronson Reed is probably not ready but he continues to progress. ****

Adam Cole vs. Pat McAfee was exactly what it needed to be: a fun match that told a good story featuring some good action. I think we were all expecting McAfee to be pretty solid but I thought he was great here. He played his role perfectly and you can tell that he's someone that's gotten in some training over the years to do as well as he did. He's green, sure but he knew what he was doing and had enough knowledge so that Cole could easily navigate him through the match. McAfee is an annoying fucker of a heel and I wanted to see this "outsider" get his ass kicked by a pro wrestler. I also got the sense that McAfee had a ton of fun here; he's a hardcore wrestling fan and has been most of his life so this is probably something that's been on his bucket list. If he wants to be in WWE as a wrestler at some point, he could potentially go far. Personally, I think he'd be even better as someone's mouthpiece because the guy has the gift of gab. Cole coming out with the win was exactly the right thing to do here, otherwise it would've simply made NXT look bad. I mean, Cole's NXT Championship run of 400+ days only ended within the past month and there's no way to have him lose a match, even if there'd been gobs of interference, from a guy literally having his very first match. ***3/4

Io Shirai vs. Dakota Kai for the NXT Women's Championship was the biggest surprise of the night. Dakota Kai has always been sort of hit and miss for me, usually significantly more hit than miss but not someone who can consistently put it together each and every match. This, in my eyes, was easily her best match in NXT and both women absolutely shined here. Just a great wrestling match in which both women looked like stars. The problem with this bout is that Kai didn't really feel like a threat going in but she certainly looked it during the match and coming out of it. I'm wondering if that's by design in that Kai will continue to look awesome and having upped her game in order for her to eventually win the strap. Of course, it's pretty damn difficult to look bad in a match with Io Shirai as baby girl damn sure knows what she's doing. Shirai retaining is the right call and makes me wonder if we might see her with Gonzalez eventually, which would suit me as Raquel Gonzalez has been impressive in her role and it could make for a really good David vs. Goliath type of situation. ****1/4

Keith Lee vs. Karrion Kross for the NXT Championship was the sort of physical, hard hitting bout I expected. They didn't go full on hoss fight throughout the whole 22 minutes or so, which is fine as this was also Kross' first long match in NXT so we got to see more of what he brings to the table. When it's all said and done, both guys beat the crap out of each other and delivered some impressive moves. They didn't go nuts with the finishers, meaning they didn't hit their finishers 3 or 4 times during the match only for each of them to kick out, which is refreshing. The match was supposed to feel like a couple of beasts, two alphas going at it to see who wanted it most and I thought the match delivered that without, again, going nuts and making them look too alpha. Karrion Kross picks up the clean with with a Super Saito Suplex and is the new NXT Champion. I think Kross had to win here as he's just been built up as such a monstrous force, and he's been delivering quite well, and this makes me wonder if Keith Lee is soon to be heading for the "main roster." It's difficult to tell right now as the effects of the pandemic have caused so much of what was once planned to be pushed back or scrapped altogether. ****

So yeah, another great TakeOver. Was it among the all time classics? Nah but, as I said earlier, NXT TakeOver is the most consistent, high quality 2.5 hours of professional wrestling in professional wrestling, in my opinion, and TakeOver: XXX showed why. While the hype for this show wasn't exactly red hot, the show itself more than delivered. When your "weakest" match on the card is a match that was good and would be right at home anywhere else, then you know you've put on a strong show. Overall, I give the show an A-.

[klunderbunker]

NXT
Date: August 26, 2020
Location: Full Sail University, Winter Park, Florida
Commentators: Wade Barrett, Vic Joseph, Beth Phoenix

We’re past Takeover: XXX and that means it’s time to get back to a little more normal around here. Karrion Kross is the new NXT Champion, Keith Lee is gone and Tommaso Ciampa is back so…maybe the normal isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. This could be an interesting show, including a Tag Team Title match. Let’s get to it.

Click on the link below for the full review.

The Busy Night Of The Week

[Storm Trooper]

So a Fatal 4-Way (featuring the top 4 guys in the promotion) for the Vacant NXT Title is a great way to get viewers for your pre-emted show.

A Fatal 4 Way 60 Minute Iron Man Match? Hot damn a good idea for something different. I'm intrigued as to how that'll play out.

[Y 2 Jake]

It's just a shame it consists of guys who should've moved on from NXT by now.

[BestSportsEntertainer]

NXT needs stars on USA