-Hey! Does Shawn Michaels read this? The Vanity Project are the NXT Tag Team Champions. Smart move. The bottom line is, they are more over than DarkState right now and simply click better as a team. They get real heel heat and now the babyface teams can line up to try and take them down.
Tony D’Angelo vs. DarkState?
-Now, for as smart of a move as it was to put the title on Vanity Project, the Tony D’Angelo interference didn’t work well this week to make that happen. DarkState were babyfaces opposite Vanity Project, so another babyface in D’Angelo essentially screwing them out of the championships was an odd psychology.
-DarkState is a weak lead opponent for the new D’Angelo character that is already a mixed bag of ups and downs. He needs a strong heel dance partner right now and DarkState isn’t that.
-We’re starting to really learn about the hierarchy of the men’s division in NXT. After this week, Keanu Carter is officially ahead of Sean Legacy. Carter got a dominant win over the face of Evolve. From a booking perspective he was strong, but he had a strong night in the ring too. Carter still has a ways to go with his character work.
-Last week, Lola Vice vs. Kelani Jordan was a highlight. After this week, we now know that feud isn’t over. I’m good with it. Let these two women run it back on a bigger stage. Can this be a Stand and Deliver match? That might be a stretch just because there is so much time between now and then.
New NXT Speed Champion
-Elio LeFleur is the new NXT Speed Champion. Yay? The french luchadore gimmick intrigues me, but the Speed Championship is a handcuff that nobody in NXT should want.
-NXT ran a very cool video that detailed the Joe Hendry journey to this point. He came across as authentic and likable, but also as someone who worked hard to get to where he is. This helped him in terms of adding something real to his personality that fans can connect with outside of the entrance and song. The goal seems to be to present him as more than just one note. Stuff like this video helps.
-My eyes!!! It actually happened. Zaria turned on Sol Ruca this week and cost Ruca her NXT Women’s Championship match against Jacy Jayne. Well done on the turn. Zaria looked dominant and the audience gave her a very negative reaction. As for Ruca, she’s an over enough babyface where there just wasn’t any doubt as to whether or not fans would side with her in this story — even as she came across as a bad friend a lot of the time. This feud needed to get to right where it is now. Ruca vs. Zaria. It’s on the table and now both women need to deliver strong promos and interactions to build what will be a Stand and Deliver match most likely.
-There ya go, Tatum Paxley. Nothing fancy, but a solid babyface promo that dished out a mission statement, while giving the fans an opportunity to join her ride. Thumbs up.
Breathe easy Blake Monroe fans
-Blake Monroe fans … exhale. She isn’t going to be the NXT Women’s Speed Champion. Thank goodness. Monroe lost to Thea Hail this week, but she really won. The feud with Jaida Parker is more important and this match served that feud.
-Uriah Connors and Kale Dixon wrestled. Moving on ….
Borne beats Page
-Myles Borne is the new NXT Men’s North American Champion. Just a silly amount of interference in the match with Ethan Page, but it led to the big pop moment when Joe Hendry finally came out to even all the odds. Page was protected inside of the finish, but Borne still looked great winning that title. Could Ethan Page be a post-WrestleMania main roster call-up?
What did you think of this week’s episode of WWE NXT? Let us know in the comments!
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