'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
NXT returned to the USA Network for its second episode. The night's biggest match had already been booked during last week’s final moments and fans waited in eager anticipation.
Even though there were no championship matches booked for the second week in a row, the rivalry between NXT Superstars Matt Riddle and Killian Dain continued and gave fans something even bigger to look forward to.
The night started with a huge match between future stars Keith Lee and Dominik Dijakovic, while the middle part of the broadcast saw Oney Lorcan and Danny Burch pick up a well deserved victory over Ever-Rise.
The action was great throughout the evening, and creative ensured that there was never a dull moment. Each of NXT's storylines saw advancement and fans certainly enjoyed NXT on USA.
In this article, we will look at the 4 things NXT got right on this week's show.
#1 Gave Dakota Kai a good return match
Since debuting in 2017, Dakota Kai had been a fan favorite babyface for most of her NXT run. She quickly climbed up the ladder and even competed against Shayna Baszler for the NXT Women’s Championship.
Unfortunately, a torn ACL forced her out of competition, but the New Zealand born Superstar made her long awaited return to action this week on NXT.
Vignettes had already hinted toward her arrival, but the lack of surprise certainly didn't diminish how special her return actually was. The entire WWE Universe was ecstatic to see her back, and she was appropriately greeted with applause.
Kai was visibly emotional. It was obvious what NXT and the fans meant to her.
She took on Taynara Conti in singles competition in a rather ordinary match, but was able to finish the bout impressively with her signature GTK.
#2 Booked Keith Lee to pick up his biggest victory yet
For those who didn’t know, Keith Lee was one of the biggest Superstars on the indie circuit before he decided to sign with NXT in 2018. Lee is not only massive in size, but in talent too, and his athleticism is unreal.
This week, Lee continued his rivalry with Dominik Dijakovic, who has proven to be the biggest hurdle in his rise on the brand. The two men battled in one of the most physical matches of the night. After the fight spilled outside the ring, Dijakovic delivered a chokeslam to Lee on the apron to draw loud cheers of, “NXT! NXT! NXT!”.
The two Superstars starting off the show was exactly what the brand needed, and they were able to deliver one of the finest heavyweight performances we’ve seen in recent times.
After a few near falls, Lee delivered a big moonsault and followed it up with a power slam to pick up the biggest pinfall victory of his NXT career.
Creative booked this match to near perfection, and it was amazing to see Lee dominate the hard-hitting Dijakovic in the final moments of the match to bag the victory.
#3 Built towards Walter vs. Kushida
After we saw a good confrontation between Imperium and Kushida on last week’s NXT, the company decided to take one step forward in a rivalry that could take over the Black and Gold brand in the coming weeks.
A huge six-man tag team match was booked for tonight in which Imperium, minus the WWE United Kingdom champion Walter, took on Kushida and Breezango.
Marcel Barthel, Alexander Wolfe, and Fabian Aichner showed why they are arguably the best international faction in the company today, while Kushida, Tyler Breeze, and Fandango gave them an exceptionally tough fight.
After a close match, Kushida picked up the pin, ensuring his team's victory. Not only did this do wonders for Kushida, but it also increased the value of Breezango on the developmental brand where they were a great team before moving to the main roster.
Even though most of the action took place during the match, what happened afterward made things even more exciting for the weeks to come. Walter attacked a celebrating Kushida with a big boot on the entrance ramp, and Imperium stood tall even in defeat to close out the show. This will definitely provide the spark for a future match between Walter and Kushida for the WWE United Kingdom Championship.
#4 Gave Matt Riddle the ultimate push
Matt Riddle arrived in NXT during 2018 and has managed to become one of its biggest stars in just one year. Not only is Riddle extremely athletic and strong, but his wrestling technique is also one of the most unique we’ve seen in modern times.
Just a week after the Street Fight between Riddle and Killian Dain ended in a no-contest, a rematch was booked between the two men for this week’s episode of NXT. What made things even more interesting was the fact that the stakes were much higher this time around, as the winner would receive a shot at the NXT Championship.
Last week’s match was excellent, and the two men once again wrestled their hearts out this week to prove that it wasn’t a fluke. Dain managed to show that he is indeed one of the top singles wrestlers out there, and can be a force to reckoned with in the coming months.
Riddle was the star of the show once again and overcame the pain and punishment to lock Dain in a Fujiwara Armbar to score a submission victory. A submission victory is always sweeter for a wrestler, as they can show their superiority over their opponents in grand fashion.
Riddle has now received a big push, which will see him challenge for the NXT Championship for the first time in his career. While Adam Cole has proven to be a great champion in the past couple of months, overcoming Riddle could become his biggest challenge yet.
Riddle locking Cole in an armbar and making him tap out at the end of the segment was a great touch to the entire story, as the company has already shown what Riddle is capable of.
What makes Sting special? His first AEW opponent opens up RIGHT HERE.
