NXT

[Prime Time]

I don't know the exact thing you're talking about but this sort of thing is right near the top of the reasons why I've lost interest.

I've read it as they don't wanna telegraph the kick-out because you jeopardise the reaction in the crowd, but it strikes me as abandoning story for sensation.... which actually sums up so many of my objections, really.

[PEN15v2]

I'm with you. I haven't given up the same way. In fact, I watch more wrestling today than ever before in my life. But less attention is spent towards the actual matches, and more on the story getting there. Matches for the sake of matches isn't for me. It's a big reason AEW has yet to connect with me, and why this current NXT direction isn't my fave either. On the recent 2 hour show, the opening match had a story going for it, the 6 man main event was at the beginning of a story, and Dain vs Riddle had a story, but not much of one.

[Oliver]

I think COACH mentioned this somewhere, but I would be fine with a kick out after that Destroyer IF Dijak limped over for the cover, taking some extra time to sell fatigue. But while he didn't rush to the pinfall, it was still too fast, and the kick out lost impact.

Yeah, I think it makes a big difference if it's a defensive or back foot move that is 'out of desperation' - I can buy into that being kicked out of a lot more.

Prime - it's here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4dX2yujl_dw.

[PEN15v2]

Watching that clip again, I am trying to figure out how that move is "legal" but not an actual piledriver.

[Prime Time]

It's impressive for sure, but that's definitely the kind of thing that gets me swearing at the TV.

I'm with you. I haven't given up the same way. In fact, I watch more wrestling today than ever before in my life. But less attention is spent towards the actual matches, and more on the story getting there. Matches for the sake of matches isn't for me. It's a big reason AEW has yet to connect with me, and why this current NXT direction isn't my fave either. On the recent 2 hour show, the opening match had a story going for it, the 6 man main event was at the beginning of a story, and Dain vs Riddle had a story, but not much of one.

I have almost as many objections to the stories as the matches in truth, so I'm kinda fucked each way you want to look at it.

[comfortablynumb]

Ciampa coming back and laying out Cole would be a great ending to NXT tonight. Not sure if he's cleared but he's been posting videos indicating it's close.

Finn to NXT makes sense although I was looking forward to a Demon vs. Fiend match.

[PEN15v2]

After watching both shows tonight, I feel NXT was the better program. But, I have my board, so that could be a factor. But I feel AEW had more of a "start /stop" feel, while NXT was more non stop.

What fault I did find in NXT was in the Cole VS Riddle match. I was loving it... Until they started no selling moves back and forth midway. That took me out of the match. I was feeling it was a 4 star match until then. I hope that is the Adam Cole factor, because if the entire main event scene ends up with matches like that all the time I might not be able to stay invested in NXT the same way.
Thankfully the rest of the show was tremendous. I feel like the best AEW match of the night was equal to the worst match on NXT.

But, I'm a WWE guy, so take that for what it's worth. I didn't hate AEW. In fact it was overall the best show of theirs I've seen.

[Powder]

Really? I felt the opposite. Yes the AEW show wasn't as polished, but it was show #1. But it felt distinctly non-WWE, and fresh.

Dynamite had many things that were brought back to wrestling:

• Separate entrances for heels/faces
• Time limits on matches
• Match will end with TV time left - JR even commented on this
• Announcers calling moves and the match - not just pandering
• Talking about how the referees had control of the match
• Wins and losses matter, with records shown on name graphics - the announcers talked about this nonstop
• Post match interviews
• TV-14. It makes a difference, there was only one time I can think of that this came into play, when Tony called MJF a prick, and JR said TV-14.

I am sure that others will find more things, but these are just some that made AEW feel much different.

[Oliver]

What fault I did find in NXT was in the Cole VS Riddle match. I was loving it... Until they started no selling moves back and forth midway. That took me out of the match. I was feeling it was a 4 star match until then. I hope that is the Adam Cole factor, because if the entire main event scene ends up with matches like that all the time I might not be able to stay invested in NXT the same way.

Man, how annoying was that? It was going so well, and then it all went into that no selling thing. There was a bit of it I liked, actually, which led to the Riddle German, where it was largely just strikes being responded to. I can always pass it off when it's like that and it's in a quick flurry, because I think I buy into a 'normal' strike not being enough to knock someone down or out fully - possibly just a conditioning thing, over time - and when it feels like someone's acting to stop the second, more fatal, strike from hitting. I can't immediately remember that series of moves, but I remember feeling the ebb and flow of it and it not hurting the match too much.

The second Panama Sunrise, and the subsequent Riddle counter to the Last Shot, was where I checked out a bit. I was urging Cole not to hit a second PS, because it's got to the point where the move itself bothers me, whether it's a finish or not.

My only black mark against the show otherwise was the ad breaks, which I'm still not used to when they're just normal breaks, but are objectively bad when they're run picture-in-picture like last night.

Not really into Finn returning to NXT, but I'm not really into Finn. For me, his title run on NXT was the poorest one to date on both a storyline(s) and in ring level.

I was quite surprised how much time Io and Mia got for a match which was, essentially, nothing of importance. Not sure whether it was or not, but it felt longer than Riddle/Cole. I know Mia seems to be highly thought of which, well, I don't get but whatever, but that was a real showcase for both of them.

Shayna remains dope as fuck and sells incredibly well. Time to build up Kai and get those two together at Takeover, bring that story full circle.

Tag was really good, probably a little under my expectations but my expectations were sky high for it. Those two teams are incredible together.

Anyway, I'm glad that the TRUE NXT champion, the man who never lost the belt, has returned to reclaim what is rightfully his. Goldie's coming home!

EDIT: I should also say, I really liked Dream's promo last night. It was witty, smart, and he continues to carry himself like a star. There was a point where he kept repeating himself and I thought he'd lost his way, but if he did it didn't seem to phase him and he carried himself through it.

[Powder]

Honest question.

If NXT is better than AEW, then why is it that next week, the WWE is choosing to forgo some of it's NXT performers in liu of their UK champion having a match and the 205 live guys having a match.

WWE UK Champion WALTER vs. Kushida in a non-title match, and Lio Rush vs. WWE Cruiserweight Champion Drew Gulak with the title on the line.

Why isn't the entire NXT show focused around NXT? If NXT is "clearly better than AEW", why are they having non NXT stars on their show next week? this seems to me like the WWE is adding people/performers to try to counter AEW, and not rely on who they already have on their roster.

[Cult Icon]

I mean they set both of those matches up on NXT two weeks ago and Kushida and Lio Rush are (last I checked) supposed to be part of the NXT roster so this isn't NXT forgoing their own talent. It's them going to the well with stuff they already set up.

I've heard the show was good. I haven't seen it obviously (and probably won't) but it seems like it went well, which means everyone seemed to have a good night. That's the most important thing.

[Oliver]

If NXT is better than AEW, then why is it that next week, the WWE is choosing to forgo some of it's NXT performers in liu of their UK champion having a match and the 205 live guys having a match.

I don't know, Powder (if that is your real name), but answer me this - if AEW is so much better than NXT and an alternative to WWE, why is it using someone who shit the bed as a WWE Champion as their 'Luger shock' on week one?

I jest, but I will only accept Hager as AEW Champion is he has Chavo as the Hager Soaring Eagle.

It most likely comes down to how you approach NXT - is 'NXT' an umbrella brand which encompasses both NXT US and NXT UK? That would explain why you have people like Pete Dunne showing up, Rhea Ripley showing up, and so on, and have had (on multiple occasions) NXT UK Championship matches on NXT TV/Takeover. That one's pretty easy to explain, really.

The 205 Live stuff is a bit hazier, but there has always been quite a strong link between the two rosters (Oney, for example, has been pretty fluid between them, and Carrillo, his gorgeous cheek dimples, and Garza had a cup of coffee on NXT before 'graduating').

Most likely is that they want to have some title defences on the show and they've already done every NXT title in a three week period, with three of them having just been defended this week. They've got a lot of things brewing, Dream vs Strong seems pretty set for a week in the future (although there was a rumour that Dream had some kind of injury after the match with Strong - possibly just a work, though, as it was reported as lumbar pain), Cole vs Ciampa is in it's nascent stages, you've also got Cole vs Balor in a similar situation.

With Rush and Kushida both being NXT rostered talents, as Cult says there, it's going to be at least 50% NXT US talent, and 75% NXT talent if you take the umbrella approach, so I don't think it's a major issue.

I'm going to be most interested to see where NXT (and AEW, for that matter) shakes out in 6 weeks or so's time. I'm all for these big matches, but they've essentially delivered a four hour Takeover over the past 3 weeks, when you ignore the hour on the Network - every title defended, and big matches/stories paid off. If you presented me with a Takeover card that was:

Riddle vs Killian Dain
Shirai vs Mia Yim (Number One Contendership)
Strong vs Dream (North American Title)
LeRae vs Baszler (Women's Title)
Cole vs Riddle (NXT Championship)
Street Profits vs Undisputed Era (Tag Titles)

I'd be talking it up as a really strong show on paper. Even with Riddle in there twice...

They surely will need to be settling some of that pace down in the near future, because while I think you can hotshot into Cole vs Balor there's no way something like Ciampa vs Cole should be rushed out on TV prior to a Takeover, in my opinion.

[PEN15v2]

Honest question.

If NXT is better than AEW, then why is it that next week, the WWE is choosing to forgo some of it's NXT performers in liu of their UK champion having a match and the 205 live guys having a match.

WWE UK Champion WALTER vs. Kushida in a non-title match, and Lio Rush vs. WWE Cruiserweight Champion Drew Gulak with the title on the line.

Why isn't the entire NXT show focused around NXT? If NXT is "clearly better than AEW", why are they having non NXT stars on their show next week? this seems to me like the WWE is adding people/performers to try to counter AEW, and not rely on who they already have on their roster.

Honest question.

Were you dropped on your head as a child? Maybe multiple times? Did you snack on paint chips, thinkingthey were colored tortilla chips?

NXT has used 205 Live and NXT UK stars for over a year, maybe 2. I know Pete Dunne and Tyler Bate had their title rematch on an NXT Takeover, maybe in 2017, if memory serves me correct. And while I don't think there's an official WWE press release to say it, but it's pretty evident that NXT is the top brand of all these sub brands. It's not about borrowing from other brands to counter AEW. I see it more like territory era NWA. Ric Flair would be the NWA champ, and tour to all the territories to defend against the local top contenders. I think once NXT Canada, NXT Mexico, NXT Japan and wherever else they added these brands, likely those champions and top contenders will come to NXT as the next step in their evolution.

[Kleckamania]

Oh man, NXT was almost too good this past week! I think Oli is right, in that this feels like too strong of a lineup of matches in the first couple weeks- like a Takeover. I'm starting to worry that this kind of pace might desensitize from actual Takeovers.

I was not as bothered by the Riddle vs Cole no selling, I only really noticed it blatantly in like 2-3 spots. I really, really, really enjoyed the first 12 or so minutes of that match! They had some runs in there that were pretty outstanding. There was a Cole no sell that reminded me of Cena towards the end lol, that was my only true annoyance. I thought Riddle, overall, did awesome.

Mia vs Io was very good. Io is so damned good at wrestling. I place her on the AJ Styles level, in that she is meticulously efficient. Mia has definite quality, but if she keeps eating losses her value is gonna start dipping real soon. Very good wrestler though.

I actually enjoyed the Velveteen promo quite a bit, and am genuinely curious as to why others didn't? I loved his clever wordplay throughout, and thought he showed more personality. I loved that he leaned into his sexuality so much, as I think him shoving his sexuality in people's faces is kind of the key to him getting over with casuals. He backs it up with great wrestling. I'd love to see him play into it in the ring, to get into his opponents heads more.

Candice vs Shayna was very good. Shayna is an amazing heel. I simply love watching her work a match- so much satisfaction. She does so many things, so damned well. I think she's a natural at it.

Gargano match was enjoyable.

Seeing Finn Balor show up made me puke in my mouth a bit. I sincerely hope he isn't about to go on some long, pointless World Title run. His first was abyssmal enough. Now he could be stealing spotlight from newer talent that deserve it more. Though if he takes some of Damian Priests time away I'm cool with that.


Seeing the Blackheart return, however, was my biggest mark out moment. So damn good to see him back. He is one of the very best male heels in the company.

What an awesome episode. I keep my Network subscription now almost solely for NXT and NXT UK.

Kushida Vs WALTER is my most anticipated wrestling of this week. That match could be amazing.

[LK3185]

One of the problems I have with NXT is the style in the show is too similar to alot of other matches on the same show. Not just that almost everyone does a suicide dive but like Riddle/Cole have a fast paced match, it was really good I thought and then Gargano/Thorne do a similar type match and i mentally checked out. You have to do matches a little differently in the show to make them stand out. That's what I want from all my wrestling.