NXT Television has been picking up in recent memory with the Dusty Rhodes Classic Tag Team Tournament, and Samoa Joe's annihilation of the entire NXT roster, in his quest for the championship belt.
This week, Full Sail University witnessed another power-packed show with a massive debut, storyline development as well as a huge, royal and truly majestic return from their favourite babyface.
While the show did begin to drag towards the end, the shocking conclusion to the show would knock our socks off!
As always, while Raw battles Smackdown in the rating’s war, NXT is the brand to beat.
#5 The Return of the King
Shinsuke Nakamura had been injured by Samoa Joe in an attack that sent him packing to the hospital.
In his absence, Joe would run through the NXT roster, crippling them as he threatened consequences if Regal did not return the NXT Championship to him. While he did interfere in the Blake and Murphy match today as well, the lights went off, and we saw the return of NXT to Full Sail.
Shinsuke Nakamura would not be taken lightly, as the fun and games were gone for good this week. Samoa Joe and Shinsuke Nakamura brawled all over the arena, ultimately culminating in a ‘Kinshaaasaaaa’ which had Nakamura standing tall at the end of the show.
The passion we saw from both these superstars as they brawled through the arena is unmatched on the main roster, where the talent seems unrealistically sympathetic to one another at times. We hope that there’s less talking and more fists when these two mammoths get called up.
#4 Liv Morgan has taken the ‘Carmella’ spot
Corey Graves on commentary, who was great as always, likened the alliance between Billy Kay and Peyton Royce to that of Eva Marie and Nia Jax, previously.
This is typical WWE booking, because when there’s a dearth of good heels in the roster; they’re just thrown into a stable. Remember the League of Nations, after Seth Rollins got hurt?
The terrible twosome worked together to defeat Liv Morgan, who seems to have ascended to the ‘Carmella’ spot. While she’s not championship title material, she still has the crowd on her side; and can be used in secondary women’s non-title storylines.
#3 Roode and Dillinger headed for a feud?
Some things are too good to be true. The NXT Universe was beyond thrilled when it was announced that Tye Dillinger would team up with the glorious Bobby Roode. The crowd was into their first match before it even began chanting for the awesome twosome.
But when they squared off against the dominant, debuting, destructive squad known simply as ‘SAnitY’, Bobby Roode would make a hasty retreat and leave his partner in the lurch. We smell a Takeover match, don’t we? The Glorious Bobby Roode vs The Perfect 10 Tye Dillinger. Can’t imagine a better non-title feud, to be honest!
#2 From Down Under, to right on top
The Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic Tournament had a second first round match this week, after the SAnitY- Glorious 10 bout earlier.
This one pitted the crowd favourites TM-61 consisting of Shane Thorne and Nick Miller against the rookie duo of Tino Sabbatelli and Riddick Moss, who were surprisingly over with the rather loud and smarky Full Sail University crowd.
While it is almost certain that they may not go on to win the tournament, TM-61 could go a fair bit in the tournament. And we don’t mind that at all, because the two of them can really go in the ring. Shockingly enough, we can’t pick a tournament winner right now.
#1 A truly insane debut
We had been waiting for this moment, for weeks. We had seen the promo at NXT Takeover: Brooklyn II (and many more since then). We were sure it was going to be an explosive debut. But SAnitY, in demeanor, skill and impact were more menacing than we anticipated.
Led by the crazy Eric Young from TNA, and accompanied by Nikki Cross, Sawyer Fulton and Alexander Wolfe, their masked debut with creepy music playing in the background, was a true sight to behold!
The addition of these names to the NXT roster will truly bolster the division and give it a whole new dimension. We’ve seen Eric wrestle once before against Samoa Joe on NXT television, but how will the other two fare in the Dusty Rhodes Memorial Tag Team tournament?
How will Cross fare in the Women’s Division? These questions will be answered in the coming weeks, in the A brand- NXT!
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