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The premiere of NXT 2.0 was interesting, to say the least. A lot happened during the two hours, and we're not short of talking points.
NXT received an aesthetic lift, with the new stage setup looking pretty cool. The colors do seem too bright for one's liking, though. As for the show, it was a mixed bag. There were some major developments accompanied by what seems to be Vince McMahon's vision for NXT.
A lot of new stars showed up during this episode, while established names also had big nights. And to top everything off, it ended with one of the greatest segments of the year.
Let's take a look at the biggest positives and negatives from this week's episode of NXT. Leave thoughts down in the comments!
#3 Best: NXT closes with a spectacular wedding
Weddings in WWE never end well. There's always a swerve at the last moment that ruins the big occasion. This time, the swerve at the end made it even happier. Indi Hartwell and Dexter Lumis really got married! Their wedding transpired smoothly, unlike pretty much every other one before it.
Austin Theory made his NXT return earlier on the show. He even got a "priest" for the wedding – United States Champion Damian Priest. The ceremony itself featured a number of fun moments, with many on the roster serving as guests.
Johnny Gargano was particularly entertaining, unintentionally disrupting the proceedings. Lumis was great too. He flashed an axe when every Superstar in attendance objected to the marriage before locking the priest in his submission move.
Beth Phoenix stepped in, and the rest of the ceremony went on without a hitch. Dexter Lumis ended things by saying his first words in NXT – "I do."
He and Indi are now happily wedded, while The Way is united in full. This has to be considered among the greatest weddings in WWE history simply for its unique outcome. The comedy was great too. There may not have been a better segment on NXT all year.
#2 Best: Mandy 2.0
Along with the radical changes in the layout of the show, Mandy Rose showed off her new look on NXT 2.0. She ditched the blonde hair that has been a mainstay during her entire WWE career, going for a brand new brunette look.
This is a welcome change for Rose, who is drifting away from her previous identity. She teamed up with Gigi Dolin and Jacey Jane to win a six-woman tag team match against Kacy Catanzaro, Kayden Carter, and Sarray, showing extra aggression in the process.
It's been a solid start to life for Mandy Rose 2.0, as she further embeds herself in NXT.
#2 Worst: Too many acts debut on NXT at once
The new era of NXT has been marked as a fresh start with many new Superstars making debuts. Some came on a little too strongly, especially Von Wagner's.
He was inserted into the NXT Championship fatal-four-way by simply running off Pete Dunne and Ridge Holland. Bron Breakker also had a noteworthy debut – more on him in a bit. NXT introduced various other acts, like Trick Williams and the team of Josh Briggs and Brooks Jenson.
These debuts could have been spaced out and allowed for a few more experienced Superstars to help balance the program.
#1 Best: Goldie is back home
The biggest positive from the first NXT of the new era came from an old favorite. Tommaso Ciampa is once again NXT Champion, having defeated Pete Dunne, LA Knight, and Von Wagner to do so. As a result, Goldie is back home.
Ciampa has not held the title since being forced to vacate it two and a half years ago, capping off a long struggle with a great moment. The Blackheart might be the greatest NXT Champion of all time, having had a legendary reign with it as a heel.
And it seems like Ciampa might be headed towards that direction again, as evidenced by the apparent disgust on his face when watching the InDex wedding main event NXT over his title win.
#1 Worst: Did LA Knight have to lose twice on NXT?
The one slight downside to the NXT Championship match was the fact that LA Knight had to take the pin. It was his second defeat on the show. He partook in a completely unnecessary match against debutant Bron Breakker.
The son of WCW legend Rick Steiner, Breakker picked up a shocking win over Knight. It makes no sense for a title challenger to lose a match before his shot, especially if it is on the same show and they don't become the Champion.
Breakker could have defeated another experienced name before moving on to LA Knight next week after the NXT Title match. Nevertheless, a new star's been created. Breakker even closed the show as he shook hands with Ciampa backstage.
