Is NXT ready for War Machine?

The War Machine are on their way to NXT
The War Machine are on their way to NXT

One of the most dominant, decorated tag teams in the world, Todd Hanson and Raymond Rowe have officially made their performance centre debut. Here are seven reasons War Machine will take NXT by storm in 2018.Ever wondered what would happen if Godzilla and King Kong formed a tag team?

Well, wonder no more, because War Machine has signed with the biggest wrestling company on the planet. Hanson and Rowe are physically dominant, unbelievably agile, and hard striking heavyweights who move with the speed of men half their size.

Comparisons to the Road Warriors were immediate and well warranted when Hanson and Rowe made their debut as a tag team for Ring of Honor. The duo were originally opponents in the ROH Future Prospect tournament. Both men made it to the finals and beat each other silly in a brutal match.

Out of the ashes of that conflict rose War Machine. Here are seven reasons why NXT is NOT ready for Hanson and Rowe!


#1 A menacing presence

War Machine captured the IWGP tag team championship.
War Machine captured the IWGP tag team championship.

Let's get this out of the way first; Hanson and Rowe look like something out of your worst nightmare. Warbeard Hanson is nearly three hundred pounds of hairy hostility, while Mike Rowe is covered with as many tattoos as muscles--and there are a LOT of muscles on this guy!

War Machine doesn't even NEED to wear face paint to scare their opponents silly...but they do it anyway, because War Machine. Forget the Ascension--these two are the true heirs to the Road Warriors dynasty.

#2 The Hanson Moonsault

Todd Hanson performs his famous moonsault, a move primarily utilized by much smaller wrestlers.
Todd Hanson performs his famous moonsault, a move primarily utilized by much smaller wrestlers.

At one point, Todd Hanson weighed over three hundred pounds and was not the agilest of wrestlers. However, a knee injury nearly ended his career and forced him to seek different methods of training his massive body.

Taking lemons and making lemonade, Todd Hanson returned from rehabbing the knee injury leaner, meaner, and much more flexible. A practitioner of yoga, Hanson can do the splits as readily as any cheerleader and can perform one of the craziest, most risky moves in pro wrestling; The moonsault.

Seeing a man Hanson's size float through the air like a bug skimming across the surface of a pond is a breathtaking sight. The NXT locker room has some big men, but none that can pull off a feat like this.

#3 Raymond Rowe's swiftness

Raymond Rowe
Raymond Rowe

Raymond "Death" Rowe is obviously powerful and solidly built. What takes people off guard is his incredible quickness.

Rowe had to learn to be quick, growing up on the mean streets of Cleveland, Ohio. Rowe's father had to work double shifts just to keep his family housed and fed. Raymond had to grow up quickly and become the 'man' of the house when his father was away.

In order to protect himself and his family, Rowe often had to get physical. Those years honing his body in street fights have led to a man nearly as swift as a cruiserweight, and three times as tough!

#4 Unparalleled strength

Lifting two opponents at once is no problem for War Machine
Lifting two opponents at once is no problem for War Machine

In terms of raw power, it's hard to beat Hanson and Rowe.

On the NXT Roster, only Heavy Machinery comes close to being able to match strength against War Machine. After Machinery failed against the AOP, it's hard to imagine the fan-favourite team having much more success against Hanson and Rowe.

War Machine vs. AOP is an intriguing matchup, but War Machine is faster, more versatile, more technically sound, and--most importantly--more experienced.

There may not be anyone on the NXT roster, or even all of WWE, who can stand up to Hanson and Rowe when they're firing on all cylinders.

#5 Wherever they go, they win the gold

War Machine as IWGP champions
War Machine as ROH champions

There's an old saying; great people don't seek power, they have it thrust upon them.

War Machine never has to ask for a title shot; A short period after they arrive, promotions practically toss title opportunities at their massive feet. This is because Hanson and Rowe are undeniably entertaining, and have a damn good shot at winning any title they get a shot at.

We suspect that soon after War Machine arrives, they'll be sporting those gold NXT belts around their ample waists.

#6 A wealth of experience

War Machine have a lot of experience in high stakes and international matches.
War Machine has a lot of experience in high stakes and international matches.

Being a wrestler is one of the hardest, most demanding jobs one can have. Not only is the travel schedule brutal, their bodies take the equivalent of a thirty mile per hour car crash every single match.

As there is no offseason in Pro Wrestling, and the wrestlers are paid at a much lower rate than any other sport, they often have no choice but to be on the road nearly three hundred days a year or more.

War Machine has wrestled eight different venues in one week, in different time zones for different promotions. Being able to work with multiple styles and federations is no mean feat, and War Machine is beloved everywhere they go for their hard work ethic and dazzling performances. Noone on the NXT roster is as experienced in big money matches as War Machine.

#7 Fallout

Fallout
Fallout

If your name is War Machine, then your finisher had better be something special.

War Machine definitely delivers in this regard. The Fallout is an even more devastating version of the Demolition Decapitator. First Hanson ascends to the top rope, then Hanson lifts their hapless victim up in the sidewalk slam position.

Hanson leaps off the turnbuckle and delivers a devastating guillotine leg drop while Rowe slams the foe hard on the mat. It usually spells curtains for their opponents, and a photo op for the fans watching. There's no one in NXT who could take Fallout and not be counted for the one two three!

There you have it; Seven reasons NXT is NOT ready for War Machine!


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