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WWE NXT was once again held on a Tuesday instead of Wednesday, and the brand once again looked to crown a new NXT Champion after failing to do so last week.
Adam Cole and Finn Balor faced off in a Sudden Death Match after Cole hit the Last Shot on Balor just seconds before time ran out during the Iron Man Match to tie with him.
Rhea Ripley geared up to compete against Mercedes Martinez in a Steel Cage match to determine who the real Badass of NXT really is.
The Velveteen Dream got another match on this week’s show, while Roderick Strong took on Killian Dain in a match that ended in his favor. WWE NXT also announced that Breezango would defend their NXT Tag Team Championships against Imperium next week during this week’s broadcast.
Shotzi Blackheart seems to have found the next challenger for the WWE NXT Women’s Championship, and we could see an intense rivalry roll out. Tegan Nox visited Candice LeRae to try and reignite their friendship, but things did not go too smoothly.
In this article, we will look at the five things WWE got right on this week’s NXT on Super Tuesday.
#5 Shotzi Blackheart is now in the WWE NXT Women’s Championship picture
Shotzi Blackheart has managed to make things interesting in WWE NXT since she’s started using her tank to mow down her enemies. Robert Stone has been her main target for a while, and Stone looked to try and destroy Blackheart’s tank backstage on NXT.
Io Shirai and Blackheart caught Stone’s accomplice Aliyah in the act and Blackheart took out Stone before Shirai joined her to chase Aliyah to the ring.
The two babyfaces took out Aliyah and Stone with moonsaults from the top rope, after which they had an interesting moment in the ring. Blackheart picked up Shirai’s NXT Women’s Championship and did not want to give it to Shirai.
The Joshi Judas warned Blackheart before snatching the title from her and going up the ramp, which gave an impression that Blackheart is next in line for a title opportunity.
This was a great segment that helped Shirai come face to face with a woman who deserves to get top chances after all she’s done on NXT. Blackheart has become a fan favorite, and she could turn out to be one of Shirai’s toughest competitors to date.
While this storyline seems to have just started, WWE NXT could take the story further slowly and turn Blackheart heel to go after the NXT Women’s Champion.
#4 KUSHIDA snaps on WWE NXT
The Velveteen Dream had a match scheduled for this week as he took on Ashante "Thee" Adonis (formerly known as Tehuti Miles) in a one-on-one match. The Dream wasn’t impressed with Adonis’ wardrobe, but the Superstar impressed by dropping the former NXT North American Champion with a DDT.
After a short contest between the two men, Dream took out his competition with the Dream Valley Driver in the middle of the ring to pick up the victory. After the match, His Purple Highness took the microphone, but was soon attacked by KUSHIDA who returned to the show for the first time since being brutally attacked by Dream a few weeks ago.
NXT officials tried to separate the two men, but the Japanese Superstar had completely snapped as he showed a completely new side of himself.
He tried to rip Dream’s arm off and then laid him out to end the segment. This was a great way to bring KUSHIDA back at a time when fans have complained that the talented Superstar hasn’t received enough opportunities and that his character felt a bit bland.
KUSHIDA is a talented performer, and a rivalry with Velveteen Dream will help him get ahead in the company.
#3 Bronson Reed continues to rise on WWE NXT
After a short stay on WWE RAW, Austin Theory made his way back to WWE NXT and immediately began a rivalry with the Thicc Boi of NXT, Bronson Reed.
The two men were set for their match this week as Theory returned to the ring for the first time since June. Reed was focused and looked to undo his smaller opponent, who had attacked him backstage last week.
However, Theory’s athleticism and speed kept him in the game as he tried to use his heelish tactics to overcome AusZilla. Theory showed a lot of heart during the fight, but The Colossal One was just too good for him as he kept fighting out of all of Theory’s holds and strikes.
A belly-to-back suplex helped Theory gain some momentum, but Theory ended up hurting his back in the process. He went for the ATL with the massive Reed upon his shoulders, but he couldn’t handle the weight.
Reed took the opportunity and crushed Theory with a top rope Tsunami Splash to pick up the victory. While Theory needed a win on his return, his performance was good enough to get him back in the game.
The NXT creative team seem to be invested in The Colossal One, and we could see him continue this rivalry for some time before getting an NXT North American Championship opportunity.
#2 Rhea Ripley stands tall as The Badass of WWE NXT
The main event of WWE NXT Super Tuesday saw Rhea Ripley and Mercedes Martinez compete in The Battle of the Badasses, inside a Steel Cage. While their rivalry hasn't been on for a long time, they’ve done enough to make the rivalry interesting.
Martinez arrived and immediately started digging for weapons to use during the match, but Ripley blindsided her to get the match started. Both women are hard-hitters, and they continued to go after each other with neither backing down.
Ripley went after Martinez’s arm and dished out a lot of punishment to hold control of the match for extended periods. However, Martinez was able to reverse a RipTide attempt into a Fisherman’s Suplex to turn the tide in her favor.
After several more top spots, the two women reached the final moments of the match, and a table was set up as Martinez tried to end things with a Fisherman’s Suplex. However, Ripley delivered a massive RipTide from the top rope through the table to ensure there was no coming back for Martinez.
With this victory, Ripley once again established herself as the toughest woman in WWE NXT which could help her reach the top of the roster once again. With fans speculating that Martinez could be one of the women to be a part of RETRIBUTION, we could see her disappear from NXT and appear on RAW when the final reveal is made.
#1 The Prince of WWE NXT becomes the King
Last week’s Fatal 4-Way Iron Man Match ended in a draw between Adam Cole and Finn Balor, after both had two pinfalls to their names. This week’s show kicked off with a match between the two men to determine the new WWE NXT Champion.
Balor was on the attack early on, but his leg started to give out, especially after a failed Coup de Grace attempt. Cole decided to use Balor’s weak leg to his advantage as he looked to further damage The Prince.
While The Prince managed to hit a Coup de Grace soon after, the Panama City Playboy surprised everyone by kicking out of the finisher to stay alive in the match.
Later on, Cole caught Balor with The Last Shot, but this time The Prince surprised the WWE Universe by kicking out of Cole’s finisher to show how much he wanted to become the NXT Champion once again.
The two men then climbed to the top of the rope from where Balor delivered the 1916 DDT to Cole to become the new NXT Champion. The victory ensured that Balor’s decision to return to the Black and Gold brand was a good one.
Balor to becoming the champion once again is a great choice as it opens the door to several new rivalries. While Cole had an excellent run as the NXT Champion, he has competed against almost every challenger on NXT. Therefore, The Prince can make NXT his Kingdom for some time.
