Best and Worst of WWE NXT - Couple goes on first date, Major TakeOver match to flop?

By Divesh Merani
Modified Aug 11, 2021 08:52 IST
Where will Adam Cole go?
Where will Adam Cole go?

Following a difficult weekend, NXT rallied to put on a fantastic episode in the build to TakeOver 36. Multiple storylines were furthered, setting up a huge couple of weeks for the black and gold brand.

The WWE releases from last Friday left a sour taste in everybody's mouth, but NXT continues to deliver on our screens. This week's show was entertaining and featured some high-quality action. NXT TakeOver 36 looks incredible, for the most part.

Samoa Joe and Karrion Kross were not on the show, but that was fine. They were represented by a stellar video package that detailed their feud. Meanwhile, the rest of the card caught some steam. However, NXT made some mistakes this week. One of them could be rectified at TakeOver, though.

Let's take a look at the main positives and negatives from this week's episode of WWE NXT. Tell us your thoughts on the episode in the comments below.

#3 Best/Worst: The build to WALTER vs. Ilja Dragunov at NXT TakeOver 36

Ilja Dragunov was one of the focal points of tonight's episode of NXT. He cut a great promo on his upcoming match against WALTER at NXT TakeOver 36. The Russian was interrupted by Pete Dunne, who would face him in the main event of the show.

The two shared an incredibly hard-hitting match but it did not end in the most ideal way. WALTER arrived to provide a momentary distraction for Dragunov, eventually leading him to eat defeat at the hands of Dunne.

This was the wrong call, especially since Pete Dunne is not doing anything at NXT TakeOver 36. Ilja Dragunov needed a big win on this episode to feel like a bigger threat to WALTER's epic reign as NXT UK Champion. At least he got the upper hand over the Austrian beast.

The empty arena match between the two was excellent, which bodes well for TakeOver 36. WALTER and Dragunov could steal the show, especially with the help of some promotion for it on NXT. A win for the babyface in the main event would have been the perfect build for the big match, though.

#2 Best: Dakota Kai gains momentum heading into NXT TakeOver 36

Dakota Kai has been built well as we head towards NXT TakeOver 36. She will challenge Raquel Gonzalez for the NXT Women's Championship after turning on her former tag team partner. Kai took on Sarray this week, in a match that served to boost her before TakeOver. The two women put on a great opener.

While Dakota Kai was victorious, Sarray looked incredible in defeat. The Joshi star would be saved from a post-match assault when Gonzalez chased Kai out of the ring.

The NXT Women's Champion then cut a quick and fiery promo on her challenger. This feud between former partners has progressed nicely so far.

#2 Worst: InDex's first date is a bit too cheesy

Johnny Gargano and Candice LeRae were annoying and overprotective parents on NXT. They saw Indi Hartwell off as she went on a date with Dexter Lumis a week after the two shared a kiss. The skits we saw on this episode were mildly entertaining, but a bit too cheesy.

They relied on Hartwell's comic timing, which was great in places. Lumis not speaking a word also added to it, but Gargano and LeRae came off as creepy throughout the episode. Also, where is Austin Theory? His reaction to the start of InDex would have been fun if he even is a part of The Way anymore.

#1 Best: A Million Dollar storyline for NXT TakeOver 36

NXT has booked the angle between Cameron Grimes and LA Knight to near-perfection. This week was a slam dunk, providing the build for an epic finale at NXT TakeOver 36. 'The Million Dollar Man' Ted DiBiase has put his future on the line, just to save Grimes from remaining Knight's butler.

He will challenge for the Million Dollar Championship once again at TakeOver. If he loses, DiBiase will become LA Knight's new butler.

This has led to a compelling dynamic, where the WWE Hall of Famer has complete confidence in Cameron Grimes winning the Million Dollar belt. Hopefully, this story has a happy ending.

#1 Worst: Adam Cole vs. Kyle O'Reilly III to border on parody?

Adam Cole's potential final NXT match might not represent such a fond farewell for him. He will take on Kyle O'Reilly in a 2 out of 3 Falls Match - a carbon copy of the feud-ender between Cole and Johnny Gargano in 2019. The match was notorious for an unrealistic amount of kick-outs, nearly turning it into a parody at one point.

Both Superstars survived absurd levels of offense and removed the suspension of disbelief. Kyle O'Reilly selected a singles match for the first fall, while Adam Cole's choice of match is a Street Fight.

This follows the exact format of the previous match of its kind, with a Steel Cage Match to determine the final fall.

The two will likely wrestle for over 40 minutes, with a lot of fans possibly losing interest before the match is over. That was nearly the case during O'Reilly and Cole's Unsanctioned Match this April.

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