NXT Thread *SPOILERS*

LineOfBeauty

I’ve not watched weekly NXT in ages, heard good things about this week’s show so gave it a go.

A few things that caught my eye.

Fun opening tag, no silly masks. Ruff was a little sloppy on a couple spots (that fall looked scary for a moment) but they’ve re-established Theory. I don’t know if I’ve missed something, but why is Kushida in jeans? ***1/4

Really enjoyed O’Reilly/Dunne. Fantastic TV match. A couple of gripes first. The dual bumping heads on the turnbuckle spot was silly, and the production crews timing of the replay of Dunne’s Liger Bomb while there’s an armbar spot ongoing just conditions the audience to not care about submission spots. That being said, extremely well worked, the finish with O’Reilly reversing the Bitter End on the apron and turning it into a suplex to the floor was so smooth and made me gasp. ****

Main was pretty good, you’d imagine it did well ratings wise (not seen the quarter breakdowns) as the women’s division for NXT often does and their total viewers were up a bit this week too. The finish, in trying to protect Ripley, ends up doing nobody, Ripley or Storm, any favours but I can’t go on another 50/50 booking rant. ***1/4

It was a good show, I enjoyed it. I still think tonally there’s a problem with NXT. Everything is heightened to the point where it’s become the default. Everything is deadly serious. Xia Li is in some kind of dark Karate Kid situation, Karion Kross is promising doomsday and he’s asking us to fall and pray and he’s screaming and now Scarlett is screaming and doing bugging eyes into the camera, The Way are threatening to takeover NXT with their nefarious ways. Dunne and O’Reilly are having a bigtime match to challenge for the NXT Title, Ciampa, Dexter Lumis (implied serial killer) is drawing and there’s ominous music and a spotlight on him and he’s staring into the camera too, Balor is doing a pre tape with a tight shot on his face talking about his broken jaw and promising to end this feud, Storm is evil now and she’s having a match with long time rival Rhea Ripley. Don't get me wrong, it was a good show, but it’s a show that takes itself so seriously, everything means so much that ultimately nothing ends up meaning what it should. In isolation, none of those things are necessarily bad, but with all of it on the same show, it’s thick, it’s heavy, it’s a slog, and on a bad night it can overwhelm everything. A brand that desperately could do with a bit of levity interspersed with the heavy stuff.

Neil3030

SCSA was on Pat McAfee's show tonight.

Haven't watched yet, so not sure if it's part of an angle.

https://t.co/g3PE7rvmC5?amp=1

Omackeral

Rhea Ripley is cringeworthy to me

LineOfBeauty

Omackeral wrote: »

Rhea Ripley is cringeworthy to me

Her heel run was great. Presented as a killer, no nonsense. Then, as they always do, they got rid of all the things that got her over in the first place turned her into a generic 2020 WWE face, was soundly defeated in a feud with Charlotte and then put in a comedy feud with Robert Stone Brand. It's WWE, they have to break you down, they do it so often that nobody gets over ever.

RollieFingers

Omackeral wrote: »

Rhea Ripley is cringeworthy to me

Same, I dont get the hype at all.

The White Wolf

I like Rhea but the sooner they switch her and Gonzalez the better. Latter has scope to be a top face while Ripley is better as a heel.

Agent Coulson

NXT Mexico next up.

JP Liz V1

Trish Stratus could become the latest WWE Hall of Famer to take on a behind-the-scenes role at the Performance Center to help groom upcoming NXT superstars.

Speaking on the Women Talk Wrestling podcast (h/t Marc Middleton of Wrestling Inc.), Stratus said she is open to a coaching role in NXT but perhaps not right away:

"The reality is it comes with the road, right? And I just can't do the road because of my family, at this point anyway. They're young now. I have a three-year-old and Max just turned 7. So at this point, I just couldn't go back on the road like that and leave my family like that but yeah, I'd love to contribute in some way. It was nice to go back those couple times and just work with the girls and see how their minds work and telling the art of storytelling and just working with Fit [Finlay] again, it got me stimulated and him and I were in like this little — we're like Frit and Frat.

"We just have this little connection when we were working together, and we would literally come up with ideas the more we would — and we'd be like, 'Yeah…' You just have that with someone. So we had that and so I thought, 'Man, we could put some good matches together.' We would be like co-agenting probably. We would be awesome but, yeah I would like to contribute in some way."

A number of WWE legends are currently working as coaches and trainers in NXT, including Shawn Michaels, William Regal and Sara Del Rey.

oldtimeyfella

JP Liz V1 wrote: »

Trish Stratus could become the latest WWE Hall of Famer to take on a behind-the-scenes role at the Performance Center to help groom upcoming NXT superstars.

Speaking on the Women Talk Wrestling podcast (h/t Marc Middleton of Wrestling Inc.), Stratus said she is open to a coaching role in NXT but perhaps not right away:

"The reality is it comes with the road, right? And I just can't do the road because of my family, at this point anyway. They're young now. I have a three-year-old and Max just turned 7. So at this point, I just couldn't go back on the road like that and leave my family like that but yeah, I'd love to contribute in some way. It was nice to go back those couple times and just work with the girls and see how their minds work and telling the art of storytelling and just working with Fit [Finlay] again, it got me stimulated and him and I were in like this little — we're like Frit and Frat.

"We just have this little connection when we were working together, and we would literally come up with ideas the more we would — and we'd be like, 'Yeah…' You just have that with someone. So we had that and so I thought, 'Man, we could put some good matches together.' We would be like co-agenting probably. We would be awesome but, yeah I would like to contribute in some way."

A number of WWE legends are currently working as coaches and trainers in NXT, including Shawn Michaels, William Regal and Sara Del Rey.

Trish was mediocre at best in-ring. Is she going to teach the new recruits how to look good in a bikini?

Omackeral

That’s unfair. She became quite accomplished and respected for her work.

Itssoeasy

JP Liz V1 wrote: »

Trish Stratus could become the latest WWE Hall of Famer to take on a behind-the-scenes role at the Performance Center to help groom upcoming NXT superstars.

Speaking on the Women Talk Wrestling podcast (h/t Marc Middleton of Wrestling Inc.), Stratus said she is open to a coaching role in NXT but perhaps not right away:

"The reality is it comes with the road, right? And I just can't do the road because of my family, at this point anyway. They're young now. I have a three-year-old and Max just turned 7. So at this point, I just couldn't go back on the road like that and leave my family like that but yeah, I'd love to contribute in some way. It was nice to go back those couple times and just work with the girls and see how their minds work and telling the art of storytelling and just working with Fit [Finlay] again, it got me stimulated and him and I were in like this little — we're like Frit and Frat.

"We just have this little connection when we were working together, and we would literally come up with ideas the more we would — and we'd be like, 'Yeah…' You just have that with someone. So we had that and so I thought, 'Man, we could put some good matches together.' We would be like co-agenting probably. We would be awesome but, yeah I would like to contribute in some way."

A number of WWE legends are currently working as coaches and trainers in NXT, including Shawn Michaels, William Regal and Sara Del Rey.

Except Sara del Rey never wrestled in wwe as far as I know.

Itssoeasy

oldtimeyfella wrote: »

Trish was mediocre at best in-ring. Is she going to teach the new recruits how to look good in a bikini?

Well she did become very good in the ring by her retirement and to me I give her credit for wanting to learn and get better.

oldtimeyfella

Itssoeasy wrote: »

Except Sara del Rey never wrestled in wwe as far as I know.

I might be mistaken but i seem to remember her having a match on NXT tv at one stage.

Itssoeasy

oldtimeyfella wrote: »

I might be mistaken but i seem to remember her having a match on NXT tv at one stage.

Maybe she did but the wwe legend part wouldn’t apply to her.

oldtimeyfella

Itssoeasy wrote: »

Maybe she did but the wwe legend part wouldn’t apply to her.

Literally anyone who has stepped inside a WWE ring and is still associated with the company is considered a Legend for PR purposes.

Trump is in their hall of fame alongside multi-decade veteran workers.

The White Wolf

Itssoeasy wrote: »

Well she did become very good in the ring by her retirement and to me I give her credit for wanting to learn and get better.

She knows how to work the WWE type of match to a good standard so I'm sure she has something to contribute.

The White Wolf

Indi Wrestling.....how did we not see it.

CastorTroy

Was just thinking it'll be interesting when word gets out they're trying to trademark Indi Wrestling.

PTH2009

Cant see anything other than a comedy type act for Drake Maverick, he doesn't have the size to be a serious act in and out of the ring

Dream back out of nowhere this week, was a decent match against Cole though

I guess we have to forget Austin Theory was on the main roster for a while

Can anyone else see Kyle O Reily getting booted out of the UE ? something like Evolution with Randy Orton

The Ayatolla

The refreshing swerve would be KOR winning and then they boot out Cole.

PTH2009

The Ayatolla wrote: »

The refreshing swerve would be KOR winning and then they boot out Cole.

Yeah that would be fresh

Another thing i'm disappointed with is that they didn't leave Finn heel for very long. He was great as it

The White Wolf

Are Indi and Theory intentionally gormless followers? They look like deers in headlights a lot of the time.

That Gargano backstage segment was a rambling sh1tshow.

Strong promo by O'Reilly. Can't see him winning. Whoever does will get beaten by Kross so they might as well keep it on Balor. I'm still a bit iffy on Kross.

The White Wolf

This thread really is dying a slow death. :P

CastorTroy

Thought I replied in here already.

Indi and Austin are meant to be acting like kids.

Was a good episode for one that likely wasn't getting many viewers. Some interesting matches for next week.

PTH2009

Looking forward to tonights episode, sort of a mini ppv

I don't knw would Kyle O Reily be a good NXT champion, feel its better if Finn holds onto it. Finn vs Pete Dunne or Kross could be great storylines. Lets hope no injuries for either men this time

CastorTroy

Until recently I wouldn't have put Kyle as a main eventer but they took a chance and it paid off, so he could be good as champ. Plus he needs a belt to play guitar on

PTH2009

Priest getting a call up apparently

J. Marston

PTH2009 wrote: »

Priest getting a call up apparently

That guy is effortlessly cool so no doubt they'll kill that stone dead.

PTH2009

J. Marston wrote: »

That guy is effortlessly cool so no doubt they'll kill that stone dead.

No doubt him vs King Corbin will be his first fued

Omackeral

J. Marston wrote: »

That guy is effortlessly cool so no doubt they'll kill that stone dead.

“He loves to have fun”