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NXT has been delivering some strong shows lately, and the episode this week was nothing less than great.
While the matches during the show were really good, it was the stories and the segments that made the show a treat to watch.
Dakota Kai and Raquel Gonzalez made another statement this week to begin their reign of terror on the Black & Gold brand. Dominik Dijakovic battled in a good match but an old foe took him out to reignite their feud.
Austin Theory gave an impressive performance against a former NXT Champion, while Finn Balor’s questions were answered in the most unexpected ways. The main event saw the return of The Queen to NXT’s ring.
In this article, we will look at the 5 things NXT got right on this week’s episode.
#5 Focus outside the NXT Women’s Championship scene
Mia Yim got a match against Xia Li on this week’s show. The two women traded blows early on, but Yim began to get the advantage soon after.
The Head Baddie tried to put the Chinese Superstar away to get some bragging rights and hit her with the Sole Food. Just then, Dakota Kai interrupted them with Raquel Gonzalez and the distraction allowed Li to roll up Yim for the three count.
Gonzalez then hit the ring to lay out both Superstars, demonstrating her freakish strength in the process. Kai was impressed by her new partner who seems to be ready to hit the ring whenever the brand needs her to.
While the match wasn’t much to talk about, the involvement of Kai and Gonzalez in the segment now opens the door to both women making the lives of other women in NXT a living nightmare. We could see a faction or two come up in the coming weeks, and the focus on the other women of NXT could increase as a result at a time when Charlotte Flair and Rhea Ripley seem to be taking most of the spotlight.
#4 Damian Priest’s attack
Dominik Dijakovic has been nursing an injury for some time and he has made it no secret.
This week, the big man came out to face the fast-rising Cameron Grimes. Grimes has had some incredible matches in the past on NXT but failed to make an impact when it has mattered.
This week, he used Dijakovic’s injuries to his advantage and continued to stay over the big man, proving that he’s a versatile athlete. The two men exchanged some big moves and blows, but near-falls were all the two men could afford.
A moonsault on the outside from Dijakovic on Grimes became the turning point as Dijakovic’s knee took too much weight when he came down. This allowed Grimes to recover and make it back to the ring while Dijakovic struggled on the outside.
Once he made it back to his feet and tried to re-enter the ring, Damian Priest appeared and attacked Dijakovic’s knee. This allowed Grimes to hit the Cane-In for one of the biggest victories of his career.
The attack by Priest will now allow Dijakovic to take some time off while pushing Priest up the ladder for an NXT North American Championship opportunity. This will allow NXT to mix it up and hold Keith Lee vs. Dijakovic back for some time.
#3 Theory’s impressive performance
Austin Theory is slowly becoming my favorite Superstar on NXT, and he once again proved why he has a lot of potential during a match against Tommaso Ciampa.
After last week’s events, Theory got a chance to battle against the former NXT Champion who is bitter thanks to Johnny Gargano’s betrayal.
It’s not easy to outmatch Ciampa when he’s focused, but Theory managed to do just that with the help of his great athleticism. What could have been a squash victory for Ciampa turned into the best match of the night as both men traded blows to try and gain the upper hand.
The fight spilled over to the floor where Theory managed to throw Ciampa into the barricades. However, emotions got the better of the young man who fell prey to a draping DDT and the Fairytale Ending to lose the match.
After the match, Gargano arrived to attack The Blackheart and laid him out. He ended the segment by mocking his former DIY partner.
While the show was stolen by Ciampa and Gargano, Theory’s performance in the match was what kept the entire story alive and will possibly give him a push to get some better bookings.
#2 The EST’s loss
Charlotte Flair didn’t waste too much time accepting Rhea Ripley’s challenge for the NXT Women’s Championship. As the Royal Rumble winner, she had to make the difficult choice of picking who to face at the Show of Shows, and The Nightmare made her job easy.
This week, Flair returned to battle in the Black & Gold ring for the first time in years. She took on the woman who recently took on Ripley for the NXT Women’s Championship at TakeOver: Portland, Bianca Belair.
The two women had a good match that allowed WWE to show why they have faith in Belair and want to give her a big push. She brought the fight to The Queen and tried to match her in every way possible.
Belair’s athleticism and strength allowed her to pose a major threat to Flair, and she even had the former RAW Women’s Champion on the ropes for some time.
However, a Spear from Flair slowed down the action and allowed her to hit the Natural Selection soon after to pick up the victory.
After the match, she tried to make a statement by applying the Figure-Eight to The EST, but Ripley appeared to send The Queen running.
While the match could have been longer and better, it was good enough to establish Belair as a legit threat and keep her in the loop for the NXT Women’s Championship match at WrestleMania 36.
#1 The Prince meets his match
“I’m not a movies guy, I’m not an internet guy, but when the bell rings, I am THE guy.”
Finn Balor wasn’t wasting time this week when he came out to address his future in NXT. He talked down Matt Riddle and Johnny Gargano, both men he defeated at different TakeOver events, and was looking for a new victim on NXT as he has already done it all and even won the Universal Championship.
However, he wasn’t ready for the challenge that was coming his way as the most captivating entrance music in WWE today hit the stereos. Imperium’s Fabian Aichner and Marcel Bartel made their way out to deliver a message from their leader and reigning NXT UK Champion, WALTER.
The two men were attacked by Balor, but they fought him off and stomped him into the ring steps. The two men left Balor lying motionless after the attack, showing that he is not ready for what’s to come.
The Ring General is arguably the most dominating force in NXT, and a battle between him and The Prince of NXT will be a treat for the fans of NXT UK.
This will be the best story for Finn Balor on the Road to WrestleMania as the NXT UK brand is the only brand where he is yet to win a championship belt.
