-Smart to start the show with the big NXT Championship number one contender battle royal. If it’s in the main event slot, fans could clock watch and that isn’t much fun, especially for something major like a shot at the NXT Championship.
Doing Hendry dirty
-Did NXT do Joe Hendry dirty? Kinda. He got eliminated almost immediately. However, Hendry got the attention. He got the focus and the spotlight. Hell, he even got an entrance, which is more than a lot of talent in the match could say. The biggest thing he got was the time with Shawn Michaels. Their backstage promo vignette skit together tells the audience that Hendry is in for some type of push going forward. Hendry didn’t win the match this week, but he won in more important ways. Not everyone gets time with HBK on TV.
-Je’Von Evans winning the battle royal to earn a shot at the NXT Championship was a surprise. Evans is a strong babyface for the brand right now, so putting him against the strongest babyface on the brand in Trick Williams is a bizarre choice. That said, don’t think the overhead shot that closed the show this week was an accident. It won’t only be Evans in the title match at Heatwave. Think fatal four-way with Trick defending against Evans, but also against Shawn Spears and Ethan Page.
-If the fatal four-way was the end point, why even bother with the battle royal? It’s a big win for Evans I suppose, but overall, it’s a whirlwind way to arrive at the final destination — especially when Evans’ win was clean and legitimate. And yes, I know Ethan Page wasn’t technically eliminated, but it was HE who decided to duck the match to chase down Oro Mensah. I mean, it’s Mensah. You won’t get any sympathy from me, Page.
STOP
-OMG they need to stop with the backstage segments in the women’s locker room. This is how it always goes — random Performance Center talent act poorly and chat before a disgruntled heel barges in. The heel rants, but then is stopped by an up and coming babyface. The locker room argues. The match is made. The heel wins later in the night. Like freaking clockwork. NXT has to take pride in giving the women’s division more layers. This regularly feels like high schoolers snotting off at one another rather than competitors lacing up their boots. Be better here, NXT.
-Lola Vice was good this week? Maybe? She played off Roxanne Perez nicely and walked a fine line of being her partner, but also clearly wanting a shot at her title. Here’s the thing. Let’s hope this isn’t a babyface turn for Vice. She’s not ready for that and needs more seasoning on all aspects of her game. Rushing her into a slot that’s overwhelming likely will hurt all slow progress that’s been made with her.
-Not a bad women’s tag match this week. The Meta Four women hung with Vice and Perez and they got plenty of time to do their thing.
Who is Kelani Jordan?
-There is something so performative and scripted about Kelani Jordan right now. What exactly is her gimmick? She’s not feeling her character out there, she’s going through steps. The result is many of her matches feeling like dances, rather than fights. This week’s NXT Women’s North American Championship defense against Michin wasn’t any different. Jordan is missing a gimmick. She can’t only be someone who is really athletic and who has a collegiate sport background. Who is she? What is she as a pro wrestler now? All of that is undefined, which makes it hard for her to connect with the audience.
-Ok, why is Axiom angry at Nathan Frazer exactly? His time is split if he goes after the Heritage Cup? Not buying it. That’s not how teams work. Axiom should be happy his partner got an opportunity. Unless this is the end of that tag team, this pivot of jealousy on the part of Axiom is confusing.
-Izzi Dame hitting a volleyball serve 60 mph isn’t a character. Sorry, but try again NXT.
Segment of the night
-Oba Femi and Wes Lee delivered the segment of the night. Both guys were tremendous playing off the other. Femi leaned into his dominance as champion and Lee leaned directly at this underdog gimmick. Both have claims to the NXT North American Championship throne and each articulated those claims well. Femi was an alpha, but not overly dismissive. Lee was confident, but not arrogant and took Femi seriously as a strong threat. This was booked like a fight and it stood out amongst everything else on the show.
-Eddy Thorpe was in the battle royal and got a short promo on this week’s show, but pretty much said nothing of consequence. After a strong return, he’s faded into the background already.
-Ridge Holland’s name is getting written on the blackboard isn’t it? Holland helping Duke Hudson win their match over The Good Brothers is an interesting development for all things Chase U. Chase U is the NXT soap opera that never ends and this was the next episode in that series. Are we headed to Chase vs. Holland? Holland vs. Hudson? Maybe even Riley vs. Holland? Lots of ways this can go at this point.
-Fallon Henley and Jacy Jayne teased a partnership this week? Really? I’ll buy a vowel on that one. Nothing about those two together screams chemistry.
A star in the making
-A good main event. Je’Von Evans is a star in the making that just needs a good gimmick to go along with this ring work. Page did his thing in there and the two delivered.
What did you think of this week’s episode of NXT? Let us know in the comments!
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