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How good was NXT TakeOver: Phoenix? Even though it was probably not the most memorable TakeOver event that I've seen, it was still a very good show. But the engine that is NXT does not rest on its laurels and continues ever onwards and upwards. A new season of NXT kicked off on just the right note, I felt.
The NXT roster is absolutely stacked right now. There are dream matchups that are happening within the brand on a weekly basis. This week, Drew Gulak came over from 205 Live and had a very memorable match with one of NXT's most talented Superstars right now.
I wonder if there will be more cross-promotion in the coming weeks. While that's a question that can be answered later, let me attempt to review the hour of action that we all just witnessed.
Needless to say, it was quite extraordinary indeed.
#5 Drew Gulak faces a rock n' roll vocalist
Believe it or not, I was a fan of the very weird Eric Bugenhagen who performed on NXT this week. His gimmick is just so ridiculous that it works. Inspired by the likes of Steven Tyler and Freddie Mercury, Bugenhagen hit high notes and played air guitar while taking on a man that despises fun in Drew Gulak.
Somehow, I can see his gimmick work well in the main roster if and when he gets called up. He's probably not going to become Universal Champion with this particular gimmick, but he's certain to be a very popular mid-card comedy character. That said, he did not stand a chance against 205 Live's Drew Gulak.
Gulak has moved to the black and gold brand now. After making short work of Bugenhagen, he demanded yet another competitor.
#4 The King of Bros answers the challenge
Gulak's first night in NXT saw him face one of the brand's hottest current superstars. Gulak tore it up with Matt Riddle in a heated singles contest. Their styles really meshed well because of their background in submission based professional wrestling.
While Matt Riddle rightfully won the contest, I am glad that Drew Gulak had a great showing too. It does seem like Gulak will be a babyface going forward because he shook Riddle's hand at the conclusion of the match. And no, he did not go on to attack Riddle from behind shortly after.
I wonder what the ceiling of Drew Gulak in the brand is and why he's been brought to NXT. I don't see him in the title picture anytime soon because of just how stacked the brand currently is. Or is this just a one-off match for him?
#3 Dream match set up
Which brings me to Adam Cole and Ricochet, two men who are not strangers to one another. In fact, both Adam Cole and Ricochet are former North American Champions and still have their eyes on the prize, at this point in time.
Cole took exception to the fact that Cathy Kelley wanted to interview Ricochet over him. And Ricochet took exception to this, setting up a dream match between the two men for next week.
It stands to reason that when one of these men comes out on top during the course of the said contest, he will become the top contender for the NXT North American Championship again. The title seems to be the hot new thing in the company right now.
Judging by how well the two men work with one another one thing is for sure- these two men will put on a classic very soon!
#2 Three of the four horsewomen team up and lose
While discussing this match after it happened, some of my colleagues remarked on how two of the four Horsewomen are not ready for the big time. The Four Horsewomen of WWE are all exemplary in-ring workers. Two of the Horsewomen of MMA fall into this category.
The unfortunate thing is that Marina Shafir and Jessamyn Duke are very new to the business and while it is commendable how far they've come, they still have a long way to go. The audience let them know this week, during the main event match. 'Please tag Shayna' and 'You can't wrestle' chants echoed through the arena as the two women tried their best.
However, the match wasn't as bad as the audience made it sound. An interesting thing to note was how Bianca Belair showed the first signs of a heel turn too, during the said match.
#1 Massive title match set up
We all saw Johnny Gargano defeat Ricochet at NXT TakeOver: Phoenix. The match was incredible and some are calling it a contender for 'Match Of The Year'. And now, he takes on The Velveteen Dream in two weeks. Could we see a massive title change at the show?
Gargano is still a crowd favorite, despite the fact that he's been showing some heelish tendencies. His equation with Ciampa is still complicated and nobody knows yet what is afoot between the two men. I suppose this is the storyline that will play out as we approach NXT TakeOver: New York.
As for the Velveteen Dream, this could be his big moment and the one that fans have all been waiting for, for a long time. Will he finally realize his destiny and become the North American Champion?
Find out only on Sportskeeda where we bring you the hottest coverage of WWE NXT.
