BRM Reviews the 10/2/2019 NXT
Posted: Oct 2nd, '19, 20:14
OPENING VIDEO PACKAGE- Yeah… I can’t imagine they ran this by Vince before airing it. They used the phrase “brand of combat” instead of the despised “sports entertainment.” Also, I’m certain that by the time this week is over, I will never want to see another fancy opening video package ever again.
NXT TITLE MATCH: Adam Cole(c) vs. Matt Riddle- 7.5/10
Cole has suffered a fractured wrist from last week’s altercation with Riddle. He has been cleared to compete, but will be allowed to wear a cast so we know what the finish is going to be.
Yup. Cole won after nailing Riddle with the cast. That was a fine way of sending Riddle back down to earn another title shot while not killing him off as a challenger because casts are hard and hitting someone with one isn’t very fair.
The match itself was spottier than I would have liked, but they did tell a thorough story with both guys working over the head.
POST-MATCH SEGMENT- mixed feelings
Finn Balor showed up to tell Adam Cole that “Finn Balor is now NXT.” Cole backed down. This all got a huge pop. While on the one hand I really don’t want to see main roster stars show up on NXT to hot-shot against AEW (which is what this is), I can’t argue that a win over Balor is something that would really establish Cole as a big deal in the eyes of a new viewer. I’m fine with this, but I don’t want to see anyone else show up unless it’s part of some sort of demotion and redemption story.
WOMEN’S TITLE MATCH VIDEO PACKAGE- awesome
THE VELVETEEN DREAM EXPERIENCE- He is WAY too happy for his first appearance after getting screwed out of his prized NXT North American Title. The promo challenging Roddy to a rematch and daring him to stand on his own was good, but the whole setting just didn’t work for me.
CRUISERWEIGHT TITLE MATCH VIDEO PACKAGE- great!
The match is next week on NXT.
IO SHIRAI vs. MIA YIM- 7/10
Great stuff. Io won clean.
KEVIN NASH & SCOTT HALL ARE SHOWN IN THE FRONT ROW. That wasn’t a segment header. The all-caps was an expression of shock.
They showed Bianca Belair arriving with the Street Profits. Have they acknowledged Bianca and Montez’s marriage on the air before?
TEGAN NOX VIDEO PACKAGE- great!
JOHNNY GARGANO vs. SHANE THORNE- 7/10
They really dropped the ball on building this up. This should have at least gotten something last week. This put Gargano over while allowing Thorne to look strong in defeat. This was a step up for Thorne.
THE ROCK WILL BE ON SMACKDOWN- I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. If he’s not showing up to do an angle that leads to a match, I don’t want to see him, and doubly so if he’s not going to be putting someone over.
NXT WOMEN’S TITLE MATCH: Shayna Baszler(c) vs. Candice LeRae- 7.25/10
A great babyface vs. heel match even though Baszler wrestled completely clean. She’s just that wonderfully unlikable.
MARK HENRY, ALUNDRA BLAYZE, & STEPHANIE MCMAHON ARE SHOWN IN THE CROWD- Yeah… this is starting to feel like a lame TakeOver.
WALTER VS. KUSHIDA IS HAPPENING NEXT WEEK!
PETE DUNNE vs. DANNY BURCH- 6.75/10
An excellent hard-hitting brawl. I’d love to see a rematch that gets ten more minutes.
POST-MATCH SEGMENT- good
Damian Priest attacked Dunne from behind and laid him out.
CATHY KELLEY INTERVIEWS ADAM COLE & UNDISPUTED ERA- good stuff
Cole points out that his cast is required by WWE medical staff, and says that he didn’t beat Riddle with the cast but rather with the last shot. There was talk about making sure their prophecy remained fulfilled. Someone want to check the other channel and make sure Christopher Daniels isn’t missing?
NXT TAG TEAM TITLE MATCH: Undisputed Era (Bobby Fish & Kyle O’Reilly)(c) vs. the Street Profits- 7.75/10
This was a great twenty minutes of tag team action with a hot crowd and some great babyface in peril stuff, but Roddy’s interference definitely should have been a DQ, and Dawkins pretty much forgot to sell his knee towards the end. Roddy, Bobby, and Kyle celebrate in the ring while Cole comes out onto the ramp and…
POST-MATCH SEGMENT- Okay… that was a good surprise.
Actually, maybe “good “isn’t the best word to use. It was a big surprise, but I refuse to call Tommaso Ciampa “good,” as I still firmly believe that he is pure evil and will turn on Johnny Gargano the moment it suits him.
This certainly wasn’t a bad show from NXT, but it feels rather disappointing despite the match quality. I think the problem is that rather than a big episode of NXT TV, this felt like a disappointing TakeOver. In their zeal to beat AEW, I think WWE may have raised their own bar higher than they could jump.
NXT TITLE MATCH: Adam Cole(c) vs. Matt Riddle- 7.5/10
Cole has suffered a fractured wrist from last week’s altercation with Riddle. He has been cleared to compete, but will be allowed to wear a cast so we know what the finish is going to be.
Yup. Cole won after nailing Riddle with the cast. That was a fine way of sending Riddle back down to earn another title shot while not killing him off as a challenger because casts are hard and hitting someone with one isn’t very fair.
The match itself was spottier than I would have liked, but they did tell a thorough story with both guys working over the head.
POST-MATCH SEGMENT- mixed feelings
Finn Balor showed up to tell Adam Cole that “Finn Balor is now NXT.” Cole backed down. This all got a huge pop. While on the one hand I really don’t want to see main roster stars show up on NXT to hot-shot against AEW (which is what this is), I can’t argue that a win over Balor is something that would really establish Cole as a big deal in the eyes of a new viewer. I’m fine with this, but I don’t want to see anyone else show up unless it’s part of some sort of demotion and redemption story.
WOMEN’S TITLE MATCH VIDEO PACKAGE- awesome
THE VELVETEEN DREAM EXPERIENCE- He is WAY too happy for his first appearance after getting screwed out of his prized NXT North American Title. The promo challenging Roddy to a rematch and daring him to stand on his own was good, but the whole setting just didn’t work for me.
CRUISERWEIGHT TITLE MATCH VIDEO PACKAGE- great!
The match is next week on NXT.
IO SHIRAI vs. MIA YIM- 7/10
Great stuff. Io won clean.
KEVIN NASH & SCOTT HALL ARE SHOWN IN THE FRONT ROW. That wasn’t a segment header. The all-caps was an expression of shock.
They showed Bianca Belair arriving with the Street Profits. Have they acknowledged Bianca and Montez’s marriage on the air before?
TEGAN NOX VIDEO PACKAGE- great!
JOHNNY GARGANO vs. SHANE THORNE- 7/10
They really dropped the ball on building this up. This should have at least gotten something last week. This put Gargano over while allowing Thorne to look strong in defeat. This was a step up for Thorne.
THE ROCK WILL BE ON SMACKDOWN- I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. If he’s not showing up to do an angle that leads to a match, I don’t want to see him, and doubly so if he’s not going to be putting someone over.
NXT WOMEN’S TITLE MATCH: Shayna Baszler(c) vs. Candice LeRae- 7.25/10
A great babyface vs. heel match even though Baszler wrestled completely clean. She’s just that wonderfully unlikable.
MARK HENRY, ALUNDRA BLAYZE, & STEPHANIE MCMAHON ARE SHOWN IN THE CROWD- Yeah… this is starting to feel like a lame TakeOver.
WALTER VS. KUSHIDA IS HAPPENING NEXT WEEK!
PETE DUNNE vs. DANNY BURCH- 6.75/10
An excellent hard-hitting brawl. I’d love to see a rematch that gets ten more minutes.
POST-MATCH SEGMENT- good
Damian Priest attacked Dunne from behind and laid him out.
CATHY KELLEY INTERVIEWS ADAM COLE & UNDISPUTED ERA- good stuff
Cole points out that his cast is required by WWE medical staff, and says that he didn’t beat Riddle with the cast but rather with the last shot. There was talk about making sure their prophecy remained fulfilled. Someone want to check the other channel and make sure Christopher Daniels isn’t missing?
NXT TAG TEAM TITLE MATCH: Undisputed Era (Bobby Fish & Kyle O’Reilly)(c) vs. the Street Profits- 7.75/10
This was a great twenty minutes of tag team action with a hot crowd and some great babyface in peril stuff, but Roddy’s interference definitely should have been a DQ, and Dawkins pretty much forgot to sell his knee towards the end. Roddy, Bobby, and Kyle celebrate in the ring while Cole comes out onto the ramp and…
POST-MATCH SEGMENT- Okay… that was a good surprise.
Actually, maybe “good “isn’t the best word to use. It was a big surprise, but I refuse to call Tommaso Ciampa “good,” as I still firmly believe that he is pure evil and will turn on Johnny Gargano the moment it suits him.
This certainly wasn’t a bad show from NXT, but it feels rather disappointing despite the match quality. I think the problem is that rather than a big episode of NXT TV, this felt like a disappointing TakeOver. In their zeal to beat AEW, I think WWE may have raised their own bar higher than they could jump.