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And so we begin a brand new era of WWE NXT, with Adam Cole as the face of the brand, with his cohorts standing by his side. It's not just a new era, and it's an Undisputed ERA.
But that's not all that happened on this week's episode and I'll bring you all of the highlights in this recap. Be sure to let me know what your thoughts are if you've watched the show, and if you haven't, I recommend that you do so right away.
There are quite a few things that I noted from the episode and I'll elaborate 5 of the most interesting points in this article. It does feel like a fresh new beginning for NXT, with Johnny Wrestling no longer at the helm.
Do you think that Adam Cole is a better Champion than his predecessor was?
#5 Tyler Breeze is sticking around in NXT
Some of us assumed that Tyler Breeze only came back to NXT to take on The Velveteen Dream in what was a solid match at the 25th edition of NXT TakeOver recently. But thankfully, he has decided to stick around in the black and yellow brand for a brief spell, at the very least, for now. It sure beats being benched in the main roster while others get opportunities.
The main roster suffers from an overabundance of talent. So much so that a lot of the Superstars who've been called up sometimes do not get the chance to really showcase their wares to the fullest. Even if they have brief spells of glory, as Breeze did with the Fashion Files, something else comes along and it's all forgotten.
Let's hope Breeze has a good run. He certainly deserves this moment of happiness under the spotlight.
#4 Roderick Strong has a pinfall victory over the Velveteen Dream now
At the start of the night, Adam Cole promised that by the end of 2019, the members of the Undisputed ERA would be draped in championship gold. One of the gentlemen in the faction is one step closer to that goal. Roderick Strong picked up a pinfall victory over The Velveteen Dream in the main event 6-man tag team match.
Nigel McGuinness put over the Strong vs. Riddle match from TakeOver XXV, calling it the best opening contest that he'd ever seen in his life. Considering the kind of career that he has had, that is high praise indeed. It wasn't even a scripted line, but just a heartfelt moment from the course of this week's show.
One assumes that The Velveteen Dream vs. Roderick Strong will be as explosive if/when it does happen. The two men could even potentially overshadow Strong vs. Riddle.
#3 The NXT Breakout tournament is now underway
William Regal announced on this week's show that 8 Superstars from the black and yellow brand would compete in a tournament to crown the next breakout star. Anyone who's watched wrestling outside the WWE will be familiar with these names.
I've had the pleasure of interviewing the likes of Trevor Lee and DJZ before this, and it's cool to see them in NXT. Both of these not-so-gentlemen have new names now and it'll be interesting to see how they're presented in NXT.
It's also very cool to see Shane Strickland in the mix, and some of you may recognize him as Killshot from Lucha Underground. The next generation of NXT talent is absolutely stacked and ready to go!
I also think that it's cool that the winner of the tournament gets an automatic title shot, which should make him a star right away!
#2 Historic steel cage match made official for next week's show
I read a comment online that Nikki Cross seemed intimidating while she was in NXT. Now that she's in the main roster, she seems wasted as Alexa Bliss' lackey. The edge that she had in NXT while waging wars with Asuka and the likes, has been missing.
I would say that while Shayna Baszler has been a fantastic champion, some of the battles we witnessed when Asuka was the face of the brand were significantly superior. Which is why I'm glad that Baszler and Io Shirai will get a chance to showcase their skills inside a steel cage on next week's show. This is the first time in history that the women of NXT will participate in a steel cage match, and it's a well-deserved accolade.
Elsewhere, Xia Li picked up a big win over Taynara Conti. I wonder if she's moving up the ranks towards Baszler too?!
#1 Damian Priest has arrived in NXT
It is clear that Damian Priest's name is a tribute to 'The Omen', but instead of a supernatural, Aleister Black like gimmick, I thought that his persona was a lot more like that of a hedonist. Certainly, what Nigel McGuinness said when he introduced him, about fast cars and pretty women, about 'the lifestyle' also pointed in this direction.
While there may be a bit of confusion about the character he's trying to portray, there is no confusion about his in-ring skills. Priest is a natural and he showcased his abilities against Raul Mendoza, this week.
Mendoza put up a brave fight but did not stand a chance against the force of nature that is Priest. The latter may be on course to become a top guy in NXT, in due course of time.
Do you guys see Damian Priest as future Championship material?
What makes Sting special? His first AEW opponent opens up RIGHT HERE.
