After a couple rough weeks, can NXT return to its former glory?
NXT Thoughts (Recorded as watched)
- Johnny Gargano comes out first. He's high-fiving fans coming down to the ring, and he seems to be in a good mood. 2018 made him realize that success is defined by championships. In 2019, Johnny Gargano will become a champion. Tommaso Ciampa is nothing to Gargano. The DIY reunion was a one-time thing. Ciampa is still a piece of trash with a belt that Gargano wants. But Gargano wants another title: North American Championship. He's going to take it from Ricochet. Ricochet interrupts Gargano. Ricochet doesn't care what Gargano calls himself. Ricochet will still walk out of TakeOver as North American Champion.
Out comes Tommaso Ciampa. Gargano stops him from talking and wants him to go away. Here comes Aleister Black... on the video screen. He's now behind Ciampa! He's going after Ciampa. Ciampa gets a hard kick. Ciampa is chased to the back by Black. Meanwhile, Gargano just kicks the everloving hell out of Ricochet with a superkick.
(Is it time for NXT TakeOver yet? Can't wait for Ricochet vs. Gargano. That could be an early contender for Match of the Year. Black vs. Ciampa will be really good too. But I have a feeling Gargano and Ricochet could take the show to new heights.)
- Nikki Cross takes on Bianca Belair. Nikki is my kind of crazy. I just have to say that up front. Belair shows off some great athleticism early on with a few flips. Meanwhile, Cross continues to show that unique crazy charisma that she has. Belair catches Cross on the corner and gives her a Gorilla Press Slam followed by a moonsault for a 2. Belair goes on offense with an abdominal stretch followed by a backbreaker. Cross reverses a suplex into a DDT. She takes over on offense. Reverse DDT by Nikki gets a 2. Spear by Belair ONLY gets a 2! Wow! Belair starts selling frustration. Splash into the knees of Cross. Swinging Fisherman Neckbreaker by Cross, but Belair rolls to the floor to avoid the pinfall. Cross jumps on her back and begins choking her. BELAIR FALLS BACKWARDS, SQUASHING CROSS IN BETWEEN HER AND THE RAMP! Both women get back in before the 10 count.
They just start going right at it. Belair goes shoulder first into the post! 1-2-kickout of a roll-up by Belair. Crowd says "This is Awesome!" I say this is really good. Big forearm by Belair. This is living up to the "main event" moniker NXT was selling it as earlier. Belair goes back on the attack. Nikki is put on the corner. Belair climbs up. Nikki pushes her off the corner, but Belair avoids the splash off of it. Belair hits the K.O.D. for the 1-2-3.
A really good match here between Belair and Cross. This is a really good display for Belair going into her championship match at TakeOver. As for Cross, she loses nothing in this as it is likely her last match in NXT before going to the main roster. A true main event level match here.
- The Street Profits cut a too long promo talking about "opening up doors" in 2019. I'm not going to recap it, but it was definitely too long.
- Fabian Aichner and Marcel Barthel are on the show this week as they take on two "enhancement talents" in the ring. (One of my 2019 resolutions as a blogger is to not refer to anyone as a jobber, even if they do plenty of jobs.) It's a squash match here as Aichner and Barthel take few blows but have plenty to deliver to their opponents. The smaller one of the "enhancement talent" got a couple impressive jumps in, but he was basically there to throw around. Little more, little less.
- Ricochet is walking in the parking lot. In an impromptu interview, he says he's going to take Gargano out for what he did tonight.
- Keith Lee wants to teach Kassius Ohno a lesson about respect next week.
- EC3 takes on Adam Cole (Bay Bay) in the second main event featuring a departing NXT talent. The entire Undisputed Era comes out with Adam Cole. God, there's a HUGE size difference between EC3 and Adam Cole. EC3 and Adam Cole trade insults while trying to one-up the other. EC3 gets the advantage early on and knocks him to the floor. Cole retreats to the floor but hits a big jumping enziguri. EC3 gets rammed into the ring steps. Moments later, EC3 suplexes Adam Cole back into the ring. EC3 Elbow Drop. EC3 continues to press the attack on Adam Cole, but Cole again catches EC3 off guard with an arm pull over the top rope and a running kick. 2 count. Backstabber by Cole. 1-2-Kickout. German Suplex and a Clothesline on Cole for a 2 by EC3. Cole continues to use the arm of EC3 to take the advantage. Ushigaroshe by Cole gets a 2. Cole goes for an armbar, but EC3 powers him up for a powerbomb! The Undisputed Era get involved. Superkick by Cole followed by a Last Shot. 1-2-3! Adam Cole (Bay Bay) wins.
The Undisputed Era attack EC3 until The War Raiders come out to fight them off. Hanson fights off both the Tag Team Champions. Rowe comes back in and helps Hanson further destroy O'Reilly and Strong. Fallout to O'Reilly.
Overall, this was a pretty good episode of NXT and a return to form after a couple rough weeks. First off, you had two talents that are leaving NXT doing the honors on their way out in respectable fashion. EC3 certainly has an out after the Undisputed Era interfered. As for the current roster, TakeOver got a lot of hype this week with Ricochet vs. Gargano, Black vs. Ciampa, Belair vs. Baszler, and (just announced) Undisputed Era vs. War Raiders getting a lot of focus during the show. Add on that the War Profits getting a couple minutes on the show to further their characters and get attention for themselves, and you can't really call this anything but a success. Good show.
Until next time, take care of yourselves. Spread some awesomeness.
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