What we learned from the WWE this week: 12th June, 2017

#5 NXT took it to the next level

What a way to finish the week

Considering Smackdown has a PPV coming up on Sunday, and that Brock Lesnar and Samoa Joe are currently involved in a dream feud with each other on RAW, NXT really had no right to stand out above its main roster rivals this week. But that’s exactly what it did, owing to a fantastic main event for the NXT Women’s Championship between Asuka, Nikki Cross and Ruby Riot.

There was a bit of concern surrounding the women’s division after Ember Moon was forced to miss the Takeover: Chicago show due to injury. It looked like Moon was being earmarked as the next champion, so her absence prompted a bit of an unexpected shake-up. Luckily, Nikki Cross and Ruby Riot were more than willing to put their one-on-one feud to one side and step into the title picture alongside Asuka. This week, the three of them reminded us all how good NXT can be when it comes to the females.

Not since Bayley’s attempts to defeat Sasha Banks for the title has the action been this compelling. Ruby and Nikki work so well together, and are now believable women's champions for the Thursday night brand. And while Ruby played her part in the triple threat, it was the conclusion to the match between Cross and the Empress of Tomorrow that has people talking.

One slight issue was that having the referee call for a no contest didn’t make a lot of sense considering this match was fought under no-DQ and no-count out rules. That aside, this was a very nice way for the show to end, concluding a stiff backstage brawl with a spot that saw both women crash through a table. If Ember Moon was expecting to be placed back into the title scene upon her return, she may now be forced to wait.

Thinking longer term, this kind of action between two NXT women makes the future of women’s wrestling in WWE brighter as a whole. When Asuka and Nikki Cross finally get called up to RAW or Smackdown, it's going to feel special. The current roster on the two main brands will feel the effects of having an unhinged Scot or an arrogant Japanese empress within their midst.

NXT always has the responsibility to making sure the week finishes strong, and this time of asking they did just that.