NXT has been a sub-par product over the past year and a half, as the shine has begun to wear off for Triple H's baby. But NXT has always been able to deliver on the big stage, and that was no different tonight.
The Toronto crowd was red hot throughout the whole show, but especially at the start, with Canadians Bobby Roode and Tye Dillinger kicking off the show. It was pretty obvious where this match was heading just from the entrances alone; Bobby Roode will be one of the main faces of NXT, whereas Tye Dillinger has quickly settled into the Tyler Breeze role. Despite the finish being obvious, the match was solid, and Bobby Roode is ridiculously over. Next up we had the finals of the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic, pitting the Authors of Pain against the Australians TM-61. Not much to say here; it was a fairly bland tag match, though I did like the old-school shark cage stipulation. The Authors of Pain appear destined for big things, and TM-61, despite being great wrestlers, come off as very boring.
The tag team revolution has been going strong in NXT this year, with The Revival spearheading the movement. Their matches have all been great, but a definite argument could be made that tonight's was the best. Their two out of three falls match with Gargano and Ciampa was breath-taking, a true showcase of the beauty of pro wrestling. This match didn't just steal the show, it was the show. There were just so many amazing spots and incredible false finishes to keep the crowd on the edge of their seats from start to finish. This is what wrestling is all about.
It was great to see Mickie James back in a WWE ring, and she had a far better match with Asuka than I think anyone anticipated. That being said, she never stood a chance of winning, with the Empress of Tomorrow clearly the focal point of the division. I could be interested in seeing Mickie on the main roster, with both Raw and SmackDown needing some extra talent. That brings us to our main event, Nakamura vs Joe II. They had an alright encounter in Brooklyn, and the build to this rematch made the match feel very personal. Joe's win shocked the crowd and apparently the production crew, who played the wrong theme for a very awkward minute or two. Nevertheless, Joe is on top of his game right now, and he was certainly the right choice as NXT's first two-time champion.
8/10
This show was pretty good. Survivor Series will have a lot to live up to, as per usual.
The Toronto crowd was red hot throughout the whole show, but especially at the start, with Canadians Bobby Roode and Tye Dillinger kicking off the show. It was pretty obvious where this match was heading just from the entrances alone; Bobby Roode will be one of the main faces of NXT, whereas Tye Dillinger has quickly settled into the Tyler Breeze role. Despite the finish being obvious, the match was solid, and Bobby Roode is ridiculously over. Next up we had the finals of the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic, pitting the Authors of Pain against the Australians TM-61. Not much to say here; it was a fairly bland tag match, though I did like the old-school shark cage stipulation. The Authors of Pain appear destined for big things, and TM-61, despite being great wrestlers, come off as very boring.
The tag team revolution has been going strong in NXT this year, with The Revival spearheading the movement. Their matches have all been great, but a definite argument could be made that tonight's was the best. Their two out of three falls match with Gargano and Ciampa was breath-taking, a true showcase of the beauty of pro wrestling. This match didn't just steal the show, it was the show. There were just so many amazing spots and incredible false finishes to keep the crowd on the edge of their seats from start to finish. This is what wrestling is all about.
It was great to see Mickie James back in a WWE ring, and she had a far better match with Asuka than I think anyone anticipated. That being said, she never stood a chance of winning, with the Empress of Tomorrow clearly the focal point of the division. I could be interested in seeing Mickie on the main roster, with both Raw and SmackDown needing some extra talent. That brings us to our main event, Nakamura vs Joe II. They had an alright encounter in Brooklyn, and the build to this rematch made the match feel very personal. Joe's win shocked the crowd and apparently the production crew, who played the wrong theme for a very awkward minute or two. Nevertheless, Joe is on top of his game right now, and he was certainly the right choice as NXT's first two-time champion.
8/10
This show was pretty good. Survivor Series will have a lot to live up to, as per usual.
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