NXT- 5 Points to note (9 January 2019)

The Undisputed Era continues 2019 on top of NXT
The Undisputed Era continues 2019 on top of NXT

NXT started 2019 off (for real this time) with a bang. Two main event level matches in Bianca Belair/Nikki Cross and EC3/Adam Cole really gave us all the wrestling that we needed this week. However, we also saw the debut of a new tag team that will add more powerhouses to the division.

Not only was the wrestling side strong this week, but we saw a lot of advancement in a few storylines. All that added to the fact that we now know who will challenge each champion for their respective titles, and this made for one incredible hour of TV.


#5 A European Union breaks through the NXT Tag Team Division

Yet another devastating tag team for NXT and NXT UK
Yet another devastating tag team for NXT and NXT UK

The NXT UK brand made a surprising appearance on this week's edition of NXT. On a brand that is already overflowing with incredible tag teams such as the War Raiders, the Undisputed Era, and the Street Profits, it seems a little strange to add another team to the brand. However, without Heavy Machinery around, NXT was needing another powerhouse team, and my did they find one.

Fabian Aichner and Marcel Barthell absolutely obliterated their competition. Aichner literally ragdolled one of the competitors, manipulating his body with ease. These two are a force to be reckoned with.

There was a spot during the massacre of a match where Barthell tossed one of their opponents into Aichner, who caught him in a suplex position before dropping him into a brainbuster. It was like a car crash, it was hard to turn away.

The duo ended up picking up their first win on the roster after connecting with a powerbomb/German suplex combo, and are sure to have caught the attention of the WWE Universe and the tag team division on NXT.

youtube-cover

Post NXT, the duo was immediately thrust into a rivalry with the hardest hitting tag team on the roster, Oney Lorcan and Danny Burch. This is just the kind of feud this team needed to put them on the map, and they're getting it early.

#4 The Street Profits are opening doors in 2019

The Street Profits are heading into 2019 with aspirations of gold
The Street Profits are heading into 2019 with aspirations of gold

I'm not going to lie. When the Street Profits first broke onto NXT, I wasn't exactly a fan. Angelo Dawkins hadn't been a part of anything successful during his run with the company, and I just assumed this would be another flop.

Well, I'm not ashamed to say I was wrong (also, sorry Dawkins, you're awesome). The Street Profits ended up being one of the most entertaining acts of 2018, and that's not just restricted to NXT. With Dawkins and Montez Ford, the crowd is heavily invested and always having a good time. It doesn't hurt the fact that these two can go in-ring.

While they didn't pick up any gold last year, they did pick up some impressive victories, and the Street Profits are looking to rectify that one issue in 2019. They'll have to go through Burch & Lorcan, The Undisputed Era, The War Raiders, and now Aichner and Barthell if they want to sit atop the tag team division.

It's a tall order, but the Profits feel that 2019 is their year, and it's hard to doubt them when they're this confident.

#3 Johnny Wrestling drops Ricochet; Tommaso Ciampa Fades to Black

Johnny Gargano is Ricochet's #1 contender
Johnny Gargano is Ricochet's #1 contender

Johnny Gargano opened this week's episode of NXT and addressed the elephant in the room regarding Tommaso Ciampa. While Gargano and Ciampa had a "moment" in the steel cage, Gargano said that DIY is not reforming, and he still thinks Ciampa is a piece of garbage.

After that, Gargano challenged the One and Only to a match for the NXT North American Championship. Gargano said that he learned something in 2018. It doesn't matter how much of a good person you are. What matters is winning and championships.

In 2018, he didn't have much of either, but he plans on turning all that around in 2019, and his first step in that plan is to take the North American Championship off of Ricochet.

youtube-cover

Ricochet came out to respond, and just as things were getting heated between the two, Tommaso Ciampa's music hit. Before Ciampa could say anything, Gargano stopped him, demanding that he leave and let Gargano and Ricochet figure this out themselves. Before Ciampa could do that, he was assaulted by Aleister Black, his challenger for the NXT Championship at NXT TakeOver: Phoenix.

Black was all over Ciampa at this point, as Gargano and Ricochet watched the beatdown from the ring. At this point, Gargano noticed Ricochet's attention was fully on the brawl and caught the champion with a superkick. Gargano stood over an unconscious Ricochet, and it seemed that his turn to the dark side will continue as we move onward.

Johnny Gargano facing Ricochet for the NXT North American Championship should be the match of the night, and will most definitely be a match of the year contender. NXT TakeOver: Phoenix is shaping up to be an incredible show, and we still have two weeks left to build.

#2 Bianca Belair: Un-De-Fea-Ted

This epic rivalry came to an expected yet satisfying end
This epic rivalry came to an expected yet satisfying end

Bianca Belair continued her undefeated streak tonight when she beat her longtime rival Nikki Cross for the final time. Cross has been on her way to the main roster for some time now, and tonight marked her final appearance for NXT.

Well, the Twisted Sister went out with a bang, as these two put on an incredible match. Whenever you put Belair and Cross together, it's always going to be a knockdown drag-out fight. Belair's power game vs Cross's ability to endure and enjoy punishment really makes for a fun watch.

youtube-cover

Nikki Cross's insanity really shone here, as her frustration built every time Belair kicked out of some highly impactful maneuver. I'm really going to miss watching these two work together. Hopefully, in the future, Belair and Cross can reignite this rivalry.

While Cross is moving on up to the main roster, Bianca Belair has a championship opportunity waiting for her at NXT TakeOver: Phoenix. The Est of NXT will challenge Shayna Baszler for the NXT Women's Championship in what should be an epic confrontation of two heavy hitters.

#1 The Undisputed Era goes to War; EC3 fails his final match

Undisputed Era started off 2019 on top
Undisputed Era started off 2019 on top

EC3 is also onto greener pastures, depending on who you ask, and will be moving onto the main roster soon. On Monday night, he made his debut on Main Event, beating Curt Hawkins in the main event of the show.

Tonight was, probably, the last time we'll see EC3 on NXT, and the top one percenter gave us one of the best matches of his run thus far. While he already had a tough match ahead of him in Adam Cole, he also had to watch his back as the rest of the Undisputed Era accompanied Cole to the ring.

youtube-cover

EC3 and Cole worked incredibly well together here, as they were able to telegraph each other's big moves and keep the crowd engaged throughout. Eventually, the numbers game forced EC3 to fight off the rest of the Undisputed Era, allowing Cole to catch him with a superkick and the Last Shot for the victory.

After that, however, the Undisputed Era beat down EC3, leading to a save from the War Raiders, who proceeded to tear through the four-man stable with ease.