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This week's episode of NXT did well to build to the next TakeOver event, which is in less than two weeks.
The past few weeks have seen various stories get completed, leaving around two weeks of build for NXT TakeOver: In Your House. The black and gold brand has filled up the card for the event nicely, with some matches being confirmed and another few being teased.
The majority of the TakeOver talk came from the NXT Championship picture, which looks different from what was expected. Adam Cole's return shook things up, as we will get to. Elsewhere, we saw fun title matches, upset victories, and an impressive callback from four years ago as the basis of a TakeOver feud.
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This was a fun episode of NXT, as we approach what looks like yet another brilliant TakeOver event. Here are the main positives and negatives of this week's show. What did you think of it? Sound of in the comments section.
#1 Best: Adam Cole's return causes chaos throughout NXT
NXT began with an excellent triple threat match that was supposed to determine a new No.1 Contender for Karrion Kross' title. Pete Dunne, Kyle O'Reilly, and Johnny Gargano put on a blinder but in the end, it was all for nothing due to the return of Adam Cole.
The former Undisputed Era member interfered in the match and laid out all three superstars. This led to William Regal coming out with a bunch of security guards to contain the chaos. Despite the abrupt ending of the match, NXT seamlessly transitioned into the next segment.
Amidst all the chaos, Ember Moon rushed to the ring and called Raquel Gonzalez out. Regal tried to stop the two women from brawling to no avail before Dakota Kai took Moon out when it seemed the segment was over. The NXT general manager had a rough night.
Cole came out later on as well, as he goaded Karrion Kross into taking him on for the NXT Championship. His promo was excellent, with Kross also doing a fine job on the microphone.
Adam Cole's return certainly upped the drama on NXT, giving it some much-needed urgency heading into TakeOver.
#1 Worst: The NXT Championship Fatal Five-way could have done with more build
As mentioned earlier, Adam Cole found his way to the NXT Championship scene. His promo ticked Karrion Kross off, to the point where he decided to put his title on the line against every potential challenger. Kross will take on Cole and all three stars from the show-opening No.1 Contender's match.
Pete Dunne, Kyle O'Reilly, and Johnny Gargano will undoubtedly ensure the main event of NXT TakeOver: In Your House is a banger in the ring. Expectations will be high for the upcoming Fatal Five-Way, but it won't be from an exciting build.
The black and gold brand could have done with an extra week to tell a better story between the five men, with next week's episode of NXT being the go-home show for TakeOver: In Your House.
Ideally, tonight's chaotic events could have happened on the last edition so there are more than two weeks between the announcement and the match. This is an extension of the issue with NXT having title matches on TV too close to TakeOver.
Finn Balor's rematch against Karrion Kross is the perfect example of this, with the result being an inadequate build to the main event of NXT TakeOver: In Your House. Nevertheless, for all the problems in the build to it, the Fatal Five-way could turn out to be a fantastic match.
#2 Best: Xia Li cites a four-year-long callback for her NXT TakeOver debut
After not wrestling on NXT for a couple of months, Xia Li resumes her rise up the card. She issued a challenge for what will be her first-ever NXT TakeOver match, against Mercedes Martinez.
A feud between the two was first teased last week on NXT, following Martinez's victory over Zayda Ramier. The lights went out and she had a mark on her wrist, signaling her as Xia Li's next target. It may seem random at first, but this week's episode of NXT gave a valid reason for the match.
The Chinese Superstar's first match under the WWE umbrella came in the 2017 Mae Young Classic. Her opponent? Mercedes Martinez.
Li was soundly defeated in the first-round match, but she has evolved since then. The long-term callback was impressive and has done well to establish this match as TakeOver-worthy.
Her allegiance to Tian Sha has given her a new lease on life in NXT. Xia Li could overwhelmingly defeat Mercedes Martinez at TakeOver: In Your House, possibly sending her to RAW or SmackDown in the process. This will likely lead to bigger and better things in her future on the black and gold brand.
#2 Worst: LA Knight suffers a surprising loss before his NXT TakeOver match against Cameron Grimes
The feud between LA Knight and Cameron Grimes on NXT is pretty intriguing, especially given the involvement of Ted DiBiase. His role has gotten pretty interesting, with a major development expected to happen at NXT TakeOver: In Your House.
Grimes will take on LA Knight at the event, possibly with DiBiase's managerial services at stake. NXT's richest man even came out to speak with the WWE Hall of Famer, who was watching Knight in action against Jake Atlas.
After a long match, Atlas picked up the victory with the Cartwheel DDT. It is heartwarming to see him win, especially at the start of Pride Month. But perhaps he could have possibly defeated somebody else?
It isn't the most ideal scenario for one of the competitors on NXT TakeOver to be pinned less than two weeks before the event. LA Knight could be a much bigger star.
The match between him and Cameron Grimes will still likely be fun, no matter what the outcome is. Knight would be a great client for The Million Dollar Man.
#3 Best/Worst: MSK retain the NXT Tag Team Championship in the main event
NXT ended with a brilliant Tag Team Championship match, pitting MSK against Legado del Fantasma. The two teams went at it and put together a myriad of creative offenses against one another, with Santos Escobar seated ringside.
Somehow, there remains a disconnect between MSK and the NXT fans. They still seem indifferent to the NXT Tag Team Champions. Nevertheless, Nash Carter and Wes Lee delivered an immense performance.
This comes despite a random and unnecessary brawl involving the Grizzled Young Veterans, Tommaso Ciampa, and Timothy Thatcher. Anyway, Escobar's interference was not enough for Legado del Fantasma to pick up the victory. NXT North American Champion Bronson Reed attacked him to neutralize the effect.
This slight distraction allowed MSK to retain their titles, as the three Champions posed with their titles to end the show.
There may have been a couple of issues during the match, but it was still great. The in-ring action offered by NXT's tag team division remains off the charts.
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