NXT, especially heading into a mega Takeover event, picks up the pace and how! Just over one week removed from the action at Takeover: Toronto, we travelled to the historic Palladium in Los Angeles, for this week of NXT TV.
Through the action that transpired, we found out the two teams who will participate in the finals of the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic. Moreover, the contract signing for the NXT Championship was so well executed that it sent chills up our spine.
Samoa Joe and Shinsuke Nakamura look like dominant superstars, for now (at least until they head into the main roster). Condensing one hour of action into five points does not do it justice, but let us give it a shot in this recap piece.
#5 Samoa Joe disrespected William Regal
Anyone who’s watched professional wrestling for any length of time knows that a contract signing usually means an all-out brawl inside the ring. Samoa Joe, the evil heel monster, changed the rules this week.
When his music hit, for Joe’s Takeover Toronto signing against Shinsuke Nakamura, Joe would come out to ringside, and then head back to the locker room area. He would return again, with his own chair and table, that he would set up at ringside, inviting Regal to him.
Having no other choice, Regal would scurry to Joe; and Joe would disrespectfully sign the contract that Regal held in his defeated hands. What this achieved, was set up Joe as the evil heel, who does not play by the rules. But then Nakamura would retaliate, and take out the security, who had been brought to ringside to defuse this very situation.
These two men are legitimate old school wrestlers who can sell a ‘fight’, an art that’s missing today.
#4 Ember Moon continued her domination
Tom Phillips mentioned how the women’s division was heating up with Billie Kay, Liv Morgan and Peyton Royce. Corey Graves would correct him and go on to say that Ember Moon was ahead of the pack at the moment, which she is.
Her contest with the rather talkative Rachael Evers was nothing more than your usual squash match, but even with such restrictions, Ember Moon did impress us. And to quote JBL, her finisher is a ‘thing of beauty’. Asuka’s opponent after Mickie James, maybe? Future Women’s Champion?
#3 TM61 pulled off an upset
After the hype around the debut of SAnitY we expected them to, not only advance to the finals of the Dusty Rhodes Classic Tournament but also win it. However, TM61 would defeat the insane twosome of Fulton and Wolfe, in a contest that the heels dominated.
Even before the bell rang, Miller and Thorne were ambushed and laid out. But a surprise roll-up pin at one point would result in the babyfaces, advancing to the finals of the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic! This is a big opportunity for TM61 to win over a Takeover audience, in Canada.
They certainly have the talent and could be next in line to become NXT Tag Team Champions, after the tournament is done.
#2 #DIY ‘almost’ pulled off an upset
We’ve seen a change over the last two weeks. The very dominant looking team of Akam and Rezar, and their devious manager, WWE Hall of Famer, Paul Ellering, have looked vulnerable and susceptible to damage. They’re selling a lot more, and there are times in every match, where it looks like they can be conquered and vanquished.
#DIY took the fight to this dominant heel faction, and yes, they almost won the match. If not for interference from the NXT tag team champions, The Revival, who knows what the outcome of the match would have been? (well, we do know it would be the same...but just keeping kayfabe here!)
At the end of the day, The Authors of Pain will face, the Aussie sensations TM61, in the finals of the Dusty Rhodes Classic tournament.
Our prediction? They go on to win the whole thing.
#1 DIY’s ‘upset’ set up a new Takeover title-match
Last week, Dash and Dawson pulled out of the Dusty Rhodes Classic Tag Team Tournament, because of a kayfabe injury. This week, they would interfere in the semi-finals and cost their arch rivals #DIY their shot at the gold. While this is a baffling development, it does set up a match that is, any wrestling fan’s dream come true, at Takeover:Toronto.
The Revival will defend their tag team titles against #DIY in a 2 out of 3 falls match. But why would the Revival not want to win the tournament and establish their dominance? Do they heal at superhuman speed? Is Vince Russo booking NXT Television?
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