'%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)
This week's episode of NXT provided plenty of action as the brand marches towards Halloween Havoc on October 22. The card is shaping up nicely, and some questions were answered in the brand's weekly offering.
While NXT hasn't quite gotten the shot of adrenaline that RAW and SmackDown have thus far in the Triple H regime, they have been steadily improving. The focus on the in-ring product is more prominent, with backstage vignettes and comedy bits taking a back seat. There's still plenty of fluff on the show, but it seems to be a less dominant part of the programming now.
On a quick side note, the production team busted out a very cool, new set, one that downplayed a lot of the 'rainbow splash' look that dominated the 2.0 version of NXT. It's not quite the darkened arena look of the old black-and-gold version of the brand but rather a happy medium between its last two incarnations.
Tomorrow's stars were shining bright as we kicked off the month of October. Over the next three months, we are likely to see a lot of roster moves that will change the face of the brand for 2023 and beyond.
Having said that, let's take a look at a few moments that stood out about this week's episode of NXT.
#5 - The Pretty Deadly gimmick is pretty bad, and it likely needs to be reworked or scrapped
This pair of British poster boys may be the current WWE NXT Tag Team Champions, but their gimmick is seemingly flatter than a tire with ten nails in it. These two young stars have a ton of talent, but through no fault of their own, they have been saddled with this silly gimmick.
Firstly, it borders a little closer to the same premise that the Maximum Male Models follow on the main roster: arrogant, preening models who are better than everyone else based on their appearance. It's a played-out trope that's been done way better than this in the past. This version brings very little to that same tiring formula.
Secondly, they are generating a bad kind of heat. They annoyed the audience to the point that the NXT faithful were hoping they would just take their Fabio-lookalike act elsewhere. It was a welcome sight to see The Brawling Brutes arrive to bust up their little party. The two teams met later in the night in the main event, with the upstarts coming out on top, thanks to interference by Imperium.
#4 - How much longer does Carmelo Hayes have to wait to get the main roster call-up?
Carmelo Hayes is one of the most promising prospects on the NXT brand and has been ready for the big time for a while now. He's a two-time North American Champion and among the very best who have held that coveted title.
Unless WWE wants him to have a run with the NXT Championship at some point, Carmelo Hayes has nothing left to prove. He could make the transition tomorrow with relative ease.
For now, though, he will have to be content with dazzling the third brand's loyal following. The dynamic young star scored another victory this week, defeating Oro Mensah in a hard-fought match to qualify for the NXT North American Championship Ladder Match at Halloween Havoc.
#3 - Grayson Waller will have a huge 'Effect' when he eventually joins the WWE main roster
Portraying what may be the best version of an irritating heel since the dawning of The Miz's career, Grayson Waller is a future star. The handsome young Australian grappler is not only a fantastic athlete, but he's also incredibly gifted with a microphone as well.
Waller is already one of the best promo cutters in the entire WWE Universe, not just NXT. The 32-year-old performer has the appearance, presence, and technique to be a valuable asset. He should be a top-level heel for years to come.
He hosted his show, The Grayson Waller Effect, this week and continued to stir the pot with his antics. He antagonized former friends Roxanne Perez and Cora Jade. They 'spun the wheel to make a deal' and the ladies will now meet in a Weapons Wild Match' at the big event.
Grayson then received a surprise of his own when everything broke down and he was attacked by Apollo Crews. This was a highly-entertaining segment, spearheaded by Waller's gift of gab.
#2 - Nikkita Lyons and Zoey Stark should be the next NXT Women's Tag Team Champions
The powerful pair of Lyons and Stark qualified for a title shot and have to be considered a very serious threat to champions Kayden Carter and Katana Chance. They've looked good as a team and should be tabbed for a crowning victory at Halloween Havoc 2022.
Nikkita Lyons is one of WWE's most highly-touted prospects, and this is the perfect opportunity to put her first-ever championship on her. As part of the team, she can continue to hone her skills without having to carry out the match by herself.
Stark has more experience, so Nikkita can take some time to learn from her. In the meantime, the two look terrific together and should have continued success.
#1 - Will it be Trick or Treat for NXT Champion Bron Breakker at Halloween Havoc?
It's kind of odd to think that a wrestler with less than two years experience is such a valuable part of the programming, but Bron Breakker is just that. He's a symbol of the new school approach that NXT went for a year in the 2.0 version.
At the same time, however, he's steeped in wrestling's heritage and a Steiner through and through. His traditional, hard-nosed style is reminiscent of his father Rick and his Uncle Scott when they were in their primes.
Breakker is already being viewed as an immediate, main event performer when he does graduate and moves on to WWE. He appeared backstage but mostly kept a low profile on this episode. However, an awesome highlight package was aired to hype his three-way title match at Havoc with Ilja Dragunov and JD McDonagh.
This could be the swan song for Breakker. He's so close to being ready that you have to think that WWE is just resisting the temptation to bring him onto RAW or SmackDown.
Having said that, he will likely lose the gold in this three-way dance. Breakker has already passed all of his tests with flying colors. Now it's time to watch him graduate to the highest level of sports entertainment.
Paige's dad sends a message to a former WWE star here.
