-A pretty cool video package to start the show this week. It was kind of like a reset on the brand in a way, with two new talents as the lead champions. The video also made The Rock’s appearance last week look MUCH better than it actually was.
-As for Oba Femi’s promo to start things off, thumbs up. Femi has always had an authentic touch to his work on the microphone and he found it here. Femi is a babyface at this point, but he’s kept an edge about him. I like a feud with Eddy Thorpe to start his title run. Thorpe can easily do a job, but has also worked well enough to earn a longer look from NXT brass. Like Femi, he’s taken this opportunity and run with it.
I guess this works
-Tony D’Angelo and Ridge Holland brawled at the end of Femi’s promo and that’s a feud that makes sense. I have to think that D’Angelo is headed to the main roster at some point and Ridge Holland makes sense as a heel NXT North American Champion.
-Yeah, look, I know it included a lot of shenanigans and interference, but there’s no way Stephanie Vaquer should be doing a job to Shotzi. Vaquer is a special talent. It makes no sense to treat her as anything but that.
-Nice to see Ethan Page get a solid squash match. It all existed to further build to a match with Je’Von Evans and to that end it worked well. They are taking their time with this program and by the time they square off, it should be a red hot grudge feud.
-Karmen Petrovic and Ashante have zero chemistry together on-screen. Like, none. It looked like cousins kissing each other this week.
-A pretty good women’s tag match this week. Kind of wild to see Unholy Union treated like a launching pad for Lash Legend and Jakara Jackson, but such is life. Legend and Jackson held their own during the match and are a good choice for up and coming opponents for Bianca Belair and Naomi.
Hello Masha
-Oh, hello Masha Slamovich. The TNA and NXT crossover continues. I’ll take Slamovich vs. Vaquer please. Thanks.
-Cora Jade vs. Kelani Jordan was fine. Both women feel like they are in a holding pattern, though. They’ve been in NXT for a long time and don’t appear to be on track to hold gold anymore. For better or worse, the main roster may be calling sooner than later.
-How about that selfie promo from Eddy Thorpe? Really good stuff and it’s a perfect example of a guy doing all he can to elevate his game. Thorpe looked serious, a little twisted, heelish, and real. That’s a good mix.
An OTM showcase
-An excellent tag team main event between Fraxiom and OTM. OTM has grown a lot in the last year and have consistently been able to have some good matches throughout the last four months. As for Fraxiom, well, their stellar — and unexpected run — continues. Looking at the NXT roster right now, it’s hard to find a team that isn’t OTM who is ready to take the tag titles at this point.
What did you think of this week’s episode of NXT? Let us know in the comments!
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