NXT 2017 Thread *SPOILERS*

rovert

You should read my moaning posts in this thread more often, Bobby. :P

For a bunch of reasons I want to compile a complete and accurate list of NXTers one day. Triple H said they had 80 people in NXT and they have the capacity for 100 people at the Performance Centre. A news story a few weeks ago said NXT had 55 under contract with the new signees it makes 66 people.

I don't think that it is completely the case that there's to many people moreso they don't mix up rosters enough on TV and Live Events. Live Event matches are primarily practices for TV and Network specials rather than a rookie Wrestling Balor and learning.

bobby_says_hi

haha Rovie I read all your posts in this thread. they're often more interesting than my own reviews

rovert

https://twitter.com/JRsBBQ/status/591975708911652864

bobby_says_hi wrote: »

haha Rovie I read all your posts in this thread. they're often more interesting than my own reviews

Feel the need to apologise to Bobby. Yesterday Bobby says there's too many people in NXT and then later that day it was announced they released 5 people. :P

billion dollar baby

rovert wrote: »

https://twitter.com/JRsBBQ/status/591975708911652864





Feel the need to apologise to Bobby. Yesterday Bobby says there's too many people in NXT and then later that day it was announced they released 5 people. :P

Actually that was me, not Bobby. But I'll take your thanks anyway

rovert

One of yis beginning with a B anyways!

rovert

Looks like Sarah Stock IS being hired as a trainer. Everyone in NXT is following Sarah Stock and she is following back in this automated fashion on Twitter. Essentially it is her being added to the internal "NXT contact list."

Sarah Stock was Sarita in TNA and is Dark Angel in CMLL in Mexico. Personally and professionally well regarded.

rovert

Alternative universe stuff:

bobby_says_hi

Reminds me of the time she had a SHIMMER match against Del Rey. The crowd chanted "Sarah" and didn't make it clear which one they meant hehehe

rovert

That's pretty cool:
https://twitter.com/SashaBanksWWE/status/593196012283568131

rovert

Here are the first matches, announced during NXT, for the next NXT Takover show. Titled NXT Takover: Unstoppable, the show airs on May 20th on the WWE Network.

* NXT Title Match: Kevin Owens vs. Sami Zayn
* NXT Title #1 Contender’s Match: Finn Bálor vs. Hideo Itami vs. Tyler Breeze

Don't worry Becky Lynch vs Sasha Banks is still scheduled. Keep watching.

Omackeral

Great card lined up so far. Looking forward to that. I assume Blake and Murphy vs Enzo Amore and Big Cass w/Carmella is going to be added also.

Decent show momentum wise this week, things ticked along nicely and made the right people shine. The crowd are getting even more annoying though.

rovert

An interesting thing about this episode and the tapings in general is the increased Raw-isation of NXT. With the show opening promo, contracts and distraction finishes. One thing worth monitoring and worth nothing.

The opening segment with Regal, Owens and Zayn was pretty good and want you would expect. I do believe/fear that feud has kind of lost its lustre and feels less personal now. Owens and Zayn need to pull it back in.

As said in the past the tag division is one of NXT's weakest points Enzo Amore and Colin Cassady vs. Blake and Murphy was not sure footed at all even for a match this short. Thank goodness the Full Sail crowd is so forgiving and Enzo is so charismatic. The backstage segment was interesting as they are seeming doing my six person idea with Alexa Bliss instead of Blue Pants. Bliss and Murphy have been seeing each other in real life so I guess they decided to run with it. Also the feeling I got from this episode they dropped the direction of Carmella turning and joining Blake and Murphy. Instead maybe Bliss is turning!

Becky Lynch kind of had a phantom babyface turn but Full Sail always wants to like her so fair enough. So happy they gave her a sitdown interview to establish her character. Becky explaining her career is kind of weird as she details what she did between ages 15 to 19 then just stops. I wonder if they will ever address her head injury. Doing so in the right way could help position her as this inspirational babyface.

Bayley, Bayley, Bayley. She maybe the most over babyface female in America but I am kind of done with her. But she is a sympathetic character who I don't feel sympathy for. Dana Brooke looked more comfortable and improved this time around owing to two months more of experience in real time and a better opponent than Blue Pants. The heel reaction her entrance got was glorious. I liked what I saw of Emma she looked really natural here - a first for her during her entire WWE tenure.

Hideo Itami vs Adam Rose was totally forgettable bar me playing spot the Rosebuds.

Becky vs Sarah Thompson was not all that memorable either. Although Becky wrestled with extra verve and "professionalism". Blue Pants works at Disneyworld and couldn't get time off. So they flew Sarah Thompson known on the indies as Crazy Mary Dobson in from Kentucky. Dobson is very much on WWE's radar, has all the attributes they want and did a WWE tryout earlier in the year. A lot was made about Dobson being named and the announcers talking about her background. Also a few weeks ago NXT signed 3 females and normally the sign an even number so everyone has a roommate etc. But I am interested in what WWE thinks of her background and whether that will make them lose interest. She decided to be a wrestler after watching Deathmatch Wrestling. She has done a lot of them herself there's a lot of bloody pictures of her online and is engaged to well known Deathmatch wrestler Mad Man Pondo. She also has a "Hatchet Man" Juggalo tattoos. Which are kind of like gang signs.

If they are serious about Baron Corbin a feud with Rhyno seems like a decent feud. I wonder what came first the crowd reaction to Corbin on a future episode or that heel vignette they showed on this episode. Essentially was the heel turn planned originally going into the TV taping. Last we saw Rhyno he was a heel.

Zayn has the rep of never having a bad match which is almost true but his match with Riley stunk. Enjoyed Owen's commentary and post match beatdown though.

Moneymaker

Sami had a pretty rotten match with Titus too last year. Maybe he just doesn't work with certain guys. I wouldn't call Titus or Riley ring generals to put it mildly though. Opening promo was really good I thought. Good to see some chinks in Owen's armour and that he can be rattled.

Brooke was definitely a lot better. NXT crowd is really annoying lately. They peaked at the last Takeover when Sami won the belt, they were amazing that night. Too busy putting themselves over and/or being obnoxious since then imo.

CastorTroy

I know we shouldn't expect consistency from WWE but that backstage segment with Enzo/Cass/Carmella/Blake/Murphy/Bliss took place a bit too close to the match for everyone to go and get ready so quickly. Unless it said it was filmed earlier in the day.

And they're turning Bliss without her attacking Bayley? Well that's a change.

cian68

Should be good stuff that moves the rivalry along nicely. Although speaking of the raw-isation of NXT, Michael Cole himself on the show.

Pentecost

CastorTroy wrote: »

I know we shouldn't expect consistency from WWE but that backstage segment with Enzo/Cass/Carmella/Blake/Murphy/Bliss took place a bit too close to the match for everyone to go and get ready so quickly. Unless it said it was filmed earlier in the day.

And they're turning Bliss without her attacking Bayley? Well that's a change.

It was a bit off in that the commentary said "let's go to our colleague (whatever his name is) who's backstage" then they put up a graphic saying "earlier today". Like the graphic was edited in after the commentary had been done.

Stereomaniac

That backstage area reminds me of the living quarters on the Nostromo in Alien, for some reason. I really like Blake & Murphy. They're like the irritating guys who talk too much at parties.

rovert

The backstage area is the kitchen/communal area at the Performance Center.

Why?

Stereomaniac

What's that?

rovert

Poor Riley:



https://twitter.com/AlexRileyWWE/status/593615608475951104

rovert

Stereomaniac wrote: »

What's that?

Crowe's gimmick is a CAW set to Random.

rovert

Devin Taylor has a Valley girl gimmick:


Or she is on the game.

Omackeral

rovert wrote: »

Devin Taylor has a Valley girl gimmick:


Or she is on the game.

Steph might have something to say about that.

connemara man

Omackeral wrote: »

Steph might have something to say about that.

Furious-Red

Have to say Dana did look a lot better this week after last time. And agree kinda getting bored of the whole Bayley character and plus i cant see her ever getting over on Raw or SD

rovert

The FCW training facility is now a children's activity centre:

https://twitter.com/RRWWE/status/594190782904537088

hufpc8w3adnk65

Is he still employed by WWE? He must be realated too JTG

The Ayatolla

No he's been gone a while now.

rovert

Mojo Rawley is back with a brand new shooter gimmick. Actually no he is exactly the same:

Next up is Chad Gable taking on the returning Mojo Rawley. Like he does with most of his opponents Gable easily out-grapples Mojo in the early going. The super hyped Mojo wasn’t fazed though, dancing around the ring talking trash. Gable still took over working the arm of Rawley with a series of armbars including one over the ring ropes. Eventually though Mojo comes back with his series of tackles and lays out Gable for the win. I’ve been critical of Rawley on the blog before, but I’ll give it to him that the crowd was hyped for his return. However, it won’t be long before the crowds begin to turn on him again if his repertoire simply doesn’t expand. His enthusiasm is contagious and he is simply one of the nicest guys in entire locker room, but that will only carry him so far.

http://masonsringsideview.blogspot.ie/2015/05/nxt-tampa-5-1-15.html

Mason RARELY buries people in his blog.

Becky Lynch is defo a babyface now going by this weekend's shows. However they are doing a thing in front of fan that Bayley isn't trusting her.

They seem to be very mildly testing Bliss as a heel. She wrestled Bayley last night in a neutral match with no babyface or heel:
https://instagram.com/p/2NZ3cczdRZ/

rovert

This Tuesday in the US: