NXT continues to prove that 1 hour is greater than 5.
NXT Thoughts (Recorded as Viewed on 2/7/19)
- Johnny Gargano comes out first with his newly won North American Championship. Johnny Champion is correct as fans celebrate Gargano's victory. Johnny Gargano says that he deserves to be champion, a sentiment that the NXT audience more than happily agreed with. Ciampa comes out. He says he's there to "celebrate" the moment. Gargano followed "The Champ's" lead. They both now hold singles titles. Ciampa tells Gargano "we own the world." Gargano tells Ciampa that he doesn't need him.
Here comes The Velveteen Dream. Dream tells both of them that it is not about either one of those two. Dream stole NXT TakeOver: Phoenix simply by showing up. He tells both men that he won the Worlds Collide tournament giving himself a NXT Championship opportunity. Dream tells Ciampa to back up. "The Dream is Over... You. That means I don't want you." Dream gets in the ring and challenges Gargano. Gargano tells off Dream, going over his accomplishments at Phoenix. Dream wants to know if it will be Dream vs. Johnny Champion or Johnny Jack...(well, you get the idea). Gargano gets in his face but decides to leave the ring. He and Ciampa exchange stares.
(Very good opening here that gave Gargano, Ciampa, and Dream a lot of exposure. This is what NXT does best in their talking segments: build anticipation for what is to come. For Gargano and Ciampa, they continue their years-long rivalry with subtle clues and hints about where it is going. For Dream, this was another showcase of the great character and performer he has become.)
- Our first official match is The Forgotten Sons' Jaxson Ryker taking on Mansoor. Mansoor didn't really have a chance as Ryker just bulldozes over this man with a spear and a Sit-Down Spinebuster Powerbomb within a moment. 3 count. After the match, he does it again to him.
(Good way to build up the big man of "The Forgotten Sons.")
- Ricochet is shown getting photographed, and Adam Cole goes off about Ricochet being at the back of the line in the North American Championship contention. Ricochet suggests a 1-on-1 match. Adam Cole says he looks forward to it.
- It is announced that Gargano vs. Dream will happen in 2 weeks.
- Drew Gulak of 205 Live competes against Eric Bugenhagen. And this guy is rocking and screaming all the way to the ring. This guy looks like Rick Rude meets Elias. The crowd is loving that entrance. Gulak just dropkicks him down to the mat and goes right at him. Gulak continues to mercilessly attack Bugenhagen. Bugenhagen gets an abdominal stretch on Gulak and plays Air Guitar on him. Thankfully, Gulak gets the Gulock on Bugenhagen for the submission.
(This character is another NXT creation that will suffer once it gets to the main roster. This has Adam Rose and No Way Jose written all over it.)
Gulak gets on the mic. He puts himself over as a Submission Specialist. He puts down his competition. He calls out anyone in the back that wants to face him.
BRO!!!!
Matt Riddle comes out. He tells Gulak to leave the ring or he will "tap" him out of it. Gulak tells him to take off his flip flops and make him do it. Riddle is coming down for the match!
- We do indeed get Matt Riddle vs. Drew Gulak next. The match starts off as a mat wrestling clinic with both men trading submission holds and reversals. Riddle gets the advantage with a few high impact moves, but Gulak counters the running strikes into the corner with a dropkick. Gulak attacks the joints of Riddle with arm-based submission holds. Riddle is able to reverse the fortunes for a moment. Riddle and Gulak continue to trade moves back and forth. Riddle hits a deadlift powerbomb and a kneelift strike! Wow!!! Elbows and Bromission end this match.
(Good match here. And frankly, I enjoyed this more than any match with Kassius Ohno. This showed the wrestling side of Riddle just as much as it did the Strong Style side. Gulak also looked very good here.)
Drew Gulak and Riddle shake hands after the match.
- The main event is a 6-Woman Tag with Sam Roberts' favorite wrestler Bianca Belair teaming up with Io Shirai and Kairi Sane to take on Marina Shafir, Jessamyn Duke, and NXT Women's Champion Shayna Baszler. Belair gets some good offense against The Horsewomen including a Chicken Wing into a Facebuster. She tags in Kairi to continue the attack. Shafir gets tagged in and goes at it with Kairi for a moment. Shirai comes in and helps Sane double-team Shafir while the referee does nothing to stop them. Shafir gets Sane in the corner and tags in Baszler to attack Sane. The Horsewomen continue to execute frequent tags to beat down on Sane.
Sane finally gets the tag to Shirai who goes off on all the Horsewomen. Springboardfrom Shirai to Baszler. Tag to Sane. INSANE ELBOW on Baszler! Shafir breaks it up. Belair tags in and stops Baszler from getting the tag. KOD! 1-2-The Horsewomen break it up. Shafir and Duke get taken out by a dive from Sane. Belair tags in Shirai. Moonsault by Shirai leads to a win for her team. And for Shirai, she has just pinned the NXT Women's Champion. Bianca Belair is not happy about all of this.
(Good finish to the show here with a good series of events. For starters, it was a good match overall that gave the faces a good bit of offense. Secondly, Shirai pinning Baszler sets up a probable tag team match sometime down the road one would imagine. Third, one has to wonder what the ending will lead to as Bianca Belair was really selling being unhappy about all of this. Very well done overall by these 6 women and by the bookers for putting together some interesting moments.)
How can this show not get a thumbs up? So much was set up on this show, especially in the first and final segments. NXT specializes in giving you entertainment for now while building anticipation for the future. Here you got build towards two big matches in the coming weeks, a brewing development in the women's division, the continued rise of Matt Riddle, and signs of a force to be reckoned with in Jaxson Ryker. In one hour, NXT surpassed 5 hours of main roster television and continues to amaze me.
Until next time, take care of yourselves. Spread some awesomeness.
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NXT; WWE Network
2/6/19
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NXT Thoughts (Recorded as Viewed on 2/7/19)
- Johnny Gargano comes out first with his newly won North American Championship. Johnny Champion is correct as fans celebrate Gargano's victory. Johnny Gargano says that he deserves to be champion, a sentiment that the NXT audience more than happily agreed with. Ciampa comes out. He says he's there to "celebrate" the moment. Gargano followed "The Champ's" lead. They both now hold singles titles. Ciampa tells Gargano "we own the world." Gargano tells Ciampa that he doesn't need him.
Here comes The Velveteen Dream. Dream tells both of them that it is not about either one of those two. Dream stole NXT TakeOver: Phoenix simply by showing up. He tells both men that he won the Worlds Collide tournament giving himself a NXT Championship opportunity. Dream tells Ciampa to back up. "The Dream is Over... You. That means I don't want you." Dream gets in the ring and challenges Gargano. Gargano tells off Dream, going over his accomplishments at Phoenix. Dream wants to know if it will be Dream vs. Johnny Champion or Johnny Jack...(well, you get the idea). Gargano gets in his face but decides to leave the ring. He and Ciampa exchange stares.
(Very good opening here that gave Gargano, Ciampa, and Dream a lot of exposure. This is what NXT does best in their talking segments: build anticipation for what is to come. For Gargano and Ciampa, they continue their years-long rivalry with subtle clues and hints about where it is going. For Dream, this was another showcase of the great character and performer he has become.)
- Our first official match is The Forgotten Sons' Jaxson Ryker taking on Mansoor. Mansoor didn't really have a chance as Ryker just bulldozes over this man with a spear and a Sit-Down Spinebuster Powerbomb within a moment. 3 count. After the match, he does it again to him.
(Good way to build up the big man of "The Forgotten Sons.")
- Ricochet is shown getting photographed, and Adam Cole goes off about Ricochet being at the back of the line in the North American Championship contention. Ricochet suggests a 1-on-1 match. Adam Cole says he looks forward to it.
- It is announced that Gargano vs. Dream will happen in 2 weeks.
- Drew Gulak of 205 Live competes against Eric Bugenhagen. And this guy is rocking and screaming all the way to the ring. This guy looks like Rick Rude meets Elias. The crowd is loving that entrance. Gulak just dropkicks him down to the mat and goes right at him. Gulak continues to mercilessly attack Bugenhagen. Bugenhagen gets an abdominal stretch on Gulak and plays Air Guitar on him. Thankfully, Gulak gets the Gulock on Bugenhagen for the submission.
(This character is another NXT creation that will suffer once it gets to the main roster. This has Adam Rose and No Way Jose written all over it.)
Gulak gets on the mic. He puts himself over as a Submission Specialist. He puts down his competition. He calls out anyone in the back that wants to face him.
BRO!!!!
Matt Riddle comes out. He tells Gulak to leave the ring or he will "tap" him out of it. Gulak tells him to take off his flip flops and make him do it. Riddle is coming down for the match!
- We do indeed get Matt Riddle vs. Drew Gulak next. The match starts off as a mat wrestling clinic with both men trading submission holds and reversals. Riddle gets the advantage with a few high impact moves, but Gulak counters the running strikes into the corner with a dropkick. Gulak attacks the joints of Riddle with arm-based submission holds. Riddle is able to reverse the fortunes for a moment. Riddle and Gulak continue to trade moves back and forth. Riddle hits a deadlift powerbomb and a kneelift strike! Wow!!! Elbows and Bromission end this match.
(Good match here. And frankly, I enjoyed this more than any match with Kassius Ohno. This showed the wrestling side of Riddle just as much as it did the Strong Style side. Gulak also looked very good here.)
Drew Gulak and Riddle shake hands after the match.
- The main event is a 6-Woman Tag with Sam Roberts' favorite wrestler Bianca Belair teaming up with Io Shirai and Kairi Sane to take on Marina Shafir, Jessamyn Duke, and NXT Women's Champion Shayna Baszler. Belair gets some good offense against The Horsewomen including a Chicken Wing into a Facebuster. She tags in Kairi to continue the attack. Shafir gets tagged in and goes at it with Kairi for a moment. Shirai comes in and helps Sane double-team Shafir while the referee does nothing to stop them. Shafir gets Sane in the corner and tags in Baszler to attack Sane. The Horsewomen continue to execute frequent tags to beat down on Sane.
Sane finally gets the tag to Shirai who goes off on all the Horsewomen. Springboardfrom Shirai to Baszler. Tag to Sane. INSANE ELBOW on Baszler! Shafir breaks it up. Belair tags in and stops Baszler from getting the tag. KOD! 1-2-The Horsewomen break it up. Shafir and Duke get taken out by a dive from Sane. Belair tags in Shirai. Moonsault by Shirai leads to a win for her team. And for Shirai, she has just pinned the NXT Women's Champion. Bianca Belair is not happy about all of this.
(Good finish to the show here with a good series of events. For starters, it was a good match overall that gave the faces a good bit of offense. Secondly, Shirai pinning Baszler sets up a probable tag team match sometime down the road one would imagine. Third, one has to wonder what the ending will lead to as Bianca Belair was really selling being unhappy about all of this. Very well done overall by these 6 women and by the bookers for putting together some interesting moments.)
How can this show not get a thumbs up? So much was set up on this show, especially in the first and final segments. NXT specializes in giving you entertainment for now while building anticipation for the future. Here you got build towards two big matches in the coming weeks, a brewing development in the women's division, the continued rise of Matt Riddle, and signs of a force to be reckoned with in Jaxson Ryker. In one hour, NXT surpassed 5 hours of main roster television and continues to amaze me.
Until next time, take care of yourselves. Spread some awesomeness.
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