BRM Reviews the 3/24/2021 NXT (AWESOME!)

[Big Red Machine]

IO SHIRAI & ZOEY STARK vs. DAKOTA KAI & RAQUEL GONZALEZ- 7.75/10
A GREAT, action-packed opener. Gonzalez pinned Stark clean.

POST-MATCH SEGMENT- good
Gonzalez and Io shouted at each other. Kai tried to attack Io but Io saw it coming and took her out, but that allowed Gonzalez to attack her from behind. Gonzalez hit Io with a big Towerbomb onto the announcers’ table.

SECURITY CAMERA FOOTAGE OF ADAM COLE CONFRONTING KYLE O’REILLY AT HIS BJJ GYM- fine
The other people in the gym kept them apart.

MCKENZIE MITCHELL INTERVIEWS KYLE O’REILLY- good segment
Kyle was flanked by security. Roddy interrupted and told Kyle that “after everything Adam has done to us, we need to go out there and kick his ass.” Kyle responded by telling Roddy “there is no more ‘us.’ This is between me and him.” Roddy said that both Cole and O’Reilly could go to hell.

L.A. KNIGHT PROMO- good

JORDAN DEVLIN PROMO- good build for a match against KUSHIDA later tonight
He put KUSHIDA over, then said he would make an example of him for Santos Escobar.

BRONSON REED vs. L.A. KNIGHT- 6.75/10
Beth Phoenix made it clear that she has no idea what “chutzpah” means.
Reed wins clean. Knight has talked such a big game that I think he absolutely had to win his first match.

DANNY BURCH IS INJURED AND THUS HE AND ONEY LORCAN MUST VACATE THE NXT TAG TEAM TITLES. WE’RE GOING TO HAVE A THREE-WAY AT TAKEOVER TO DETERMINE NEW CHAMPS- Competing in this match are MSK (fine), GYV (fine) and Legado del Phantasma (this one is a little puzzling).

WALTER VIDEO PACKAGE- AWESOME!

ONEY LORCAN vs. KARRION KROSS (w/Scarlet)- 7/10
Kross won a great brawl cleanly.

POST-MATCH SEGMENT- didn’t like it
Kross started to cut a promo on Balor. He thinks Balor intentionally dropkicked Lorcan into Scarlet, which is obviously false, he’s clearly the heel. He started to cut a good promo on Balor, but then Balor interrupted and cut a promo in which he explained to Kross exactly what he keeps Kross’ weakness is and telling him what to do in order to overcome it. Why is Balor giving Kross advice?
They ended it with a stare-down, which felt… not exactly forced, but it did feel a little staged, like they had had an agreement not to fight tonight.

WILLIAM REGAL ANNOUNCES THE CHALLENGER FOR THE NXT NORTH AMERICAN TITLE AT TAKEOVER: STAND & DELIVER: NIGHT 2- There is going to be a battle royale next week. The winner and the last five eliminated will qualify for a “Gauntlet Eliminator” (Aztec Warfare) on Night 1 to determine who will challenge on Night 2, with their finish in the battle royale determining when they enter the Gauntlet Eliminator.

SUBTITLED KUSHIDA PROMO- fine

DRAKE MAVERICK vs. WALTER (w/Imperium)- TREMENDOUS squash
They set this up with a clip from yesterday or Maverick threatening Fabian Aichner & Marcel Barthel with a crowbar and demanding to know what they have done with Killian Dain. WALTER came up behind Maverick and calmly took the crowbar away from him and told him to shoo.
One body slam, one powerbomb, and one half-crab later, WALTER was the declared the winner via referee stoppage.

POST-MATCH SEGMENT- good
Tommaso Ciampa came out and cut a promo on WALTER. He wants a shot at the NXT UK Title. WALTER tired to walk away from him but Ciampa slapped him do Imperium beat him up and WALTER ripped off Ciampa’s necklace which, if I remember right, contains a piece of something he had surgery on or something like that). WALTER then accepted the match.

PETE DUNNE PROMO- good
He says he’ll win next week’s battle royale and go on to win the North American Title.

JESSI KAMEA IS HURT SO ROBERT STONE RECRUITS MERCEDES MARTINEZ TO TEAM WITH ALIYAH- good
He offered her an envelope full of money. She looked inside and told him that this is half, then walked away. He agreed, but then turned to Aliyah and admitted that he didn’t have any more money. Beth Phoenix, who apparently wasn’t listening, said that it’s a good thing that Stone has deep pockets.

JOHNNY GARGANO COMPLAINS TO WILLIAM REGAL ABOUT THE WAY HIS #1 CONTENDER IS GOING TO BE DETERMINED- Gargano was over the top. Regal politely gives him advice to shut him.

NXT WOMEN’S TAG TEAM TITLE MATCH: Shotzi Blackheart & Ember Moon(c) vs. Robert Stone Brand (Mercedes Martinez & Aliyah) (w/Robert Stone)- 6/10
Here Beth claimed that Stone “shorted” Mercedes on her money, which isn’t true, either. That’s now twice that Beth has failed to understand this simple story. Are there really no other women in NXT who can do commentary? The other non-Barrett announcer said something similar, so he’s an idiot, too.
The champs won clean. I’m sure you won’t be surprised to learn that Aliyah didn’t take the Eclipse well.

CAMERON GRIMES OFFERS TO BUY UNDISPUTED ERA’S INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY FROM RODERICK STRONG- Roderick responded by punching Grimes in the face. If Grimes absolutely has to open his mouth on my TV, all of his segments should end like this.

CANDICE LERAE & INDI HARTWELL INTERRUPT EMBER MOON & SHOTZI BLACKHEART’S INTERVIEW- very bad
If only they had gotten there before Shotzi started talking. Words were exchanged. This was terrible. No one came off well.

KUSHIDA vs. JORDAN DEVLIN- 7.75/10
This was great, but it did feel marred by Legado del Fantasma’s attempted interference, even if said interference was botched. Of all of the matches to have interference, did you really have to pick the main event? Just put something else in the main event slot!

POST-MATCH SEGMENT-
KUSHIDA went after Mendoza and Wilde for interfering in his match, leaving Devlin and Escobar alone in the ring. Then Shawn Michaels showed up to give them a ladder because G-d forbid we have a straight wrestling match here. We got a horribly staged-feeling shot of each guy looking at this title then looking across the ladder at the other one.

WILLIAM REGAL ISSUES CONSEQUENCES FOR ADAM COLE & KYLE O’REILLY- OUTSTANDING!
Regal yells at them for getting the cops involved and embarrassing NXT. Kyle isn’t cleared, but this needs to end so he gives them a contract with a hold harmless clause in it.
Then they cut promos on each other and HOLY F*CK WAS THIS AWESOME! Cole was his usual spectacular self, and Kyle O’Reilly cut the Promo of the Year.


This was an awesome episode of NXT! Good storyline advancement, great wrestling, and a closing segment that you absolutely must see!