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There are weeks when we praise the product that WWE puts out and say how good it has been. This was one of those weeks because Money in the Bank was a pretty solid show and the subsequent episodes of RAW and SmackDown Live were decent as well.
And then, WWE NXT comes along and reminds us why it is the best sports entertainment brand in the entire business. From the length of the show to the electricity of the crowd, every element is just perfect when it comes to the black and yellow brand we love so dearly.
I invite you, ladies and gentlemen, to share your thoughts and views in the comments below. In case you watched this episode, what did you think of it?
Also, what do you think of the following TakeOver event not coinciding with a pay-per-view but being a standalone show in its own right?
#5 Mansoor is being given a pretty big push
A lot of matches on NXT are reasonably easy to call because it is obvious who is being given the push. Only in this case, I had no clue who will persevere in a contest between Mansoor and Sean Maluta, considering neither man has really been portrayed as NXT Championship material. The two men had a pretty good showing, and it was a 50/50 contest, I felt.
And then, much to the surprise of everyone in attendance, it was the Middle Eastern native who picked up the victory over the Samoan powerhouse. I suppose that WWE wants a character like Mansoor in their mix, to dominate the Middle Eastern market. He's pretty good in the ring as well, which makes it a no-brainer.
This marked Mansoor's first victory on NXT's television show. First of many victories, we hope.
#4 Welcome home, Tyler Breeze
I know my face lit up with a smile when I saw Tyler Breeze return to the brand that many feel he belongs to, with a lot of pomp and swagger. While he may be a main roster Superstar, he's never been a big deal on either WWE brand. But when serenaded by 'welcome home' chants in NXT, he felt like the star that he is.
Thankfully, he came out to have a war of words with The Velveteen Dream, for a clash that fans have been salivating over for months now. The exchange was absolutely as good as can be imagined, by two Superstars of the highest caliber. The scripting was so good, one wonders why the main roster cannot employ these writers.
Of course, the segment would end with Breeze knocking The Velveteen Dream out. The two men are slated to face each other in the following TakeOver.
#3 Io Shirai fought off the Four Horsewomen with a kendo stick
So, this saga begins with a David vs. Goliath story, this time between two women. Candice LeRae took on the much larger Reina Gonzalez in a match where she was clearly the underdog because of the size disadvantage.
However, tenacity and perseverance would result in LeRae picking up a big win to the delight of the audience. However, the Horsewomen were not amused and they attacked Candice LeRae, laying a beat down on her.
Io Shirai would then storm the ring with a kendo stick and make the three Horsewomen regret the day they decided to assault her friend. It is to be noted that Io Shirai and Shayna Baszler will clash for the NXT Women's Championship at NXT TakeOver: XXV soon.
Is it time for the crowning of a brand new NXT Women's Champion after Baszler's dominant reign?
#2 Big ladder match announced for TakeOver: XXV
So, on last week's show, we saw how The Viking Raiders pretty much said that they were done with NXT and would be relinquishing the NXT Tag Team Championships. Well, relinquish the titles they did which means that four teams have stepped up to claim the gold. And they will battle it out in a ladder match at NXT TakeOver: XXV for the prize.
We know that TakeOver events are always good, but a ladder match will just take the excitement up a notch. You have Lorcan and Burch, The Forgotten Sons, The Undisputed ERA and of course, the Street Profits competing in what should be a barn-burner. The action is sure to be fast and furious.
From the looks of it, the Street Profits and the Undisputed ERA are the two favorites in the match, in my opinion. I doubt that the others are ready.
#1 An incredible main event match to close the show
The first thing I noticed about this match was how ill-equipped Beth Phoenix is with regard to calling matches for NXT. Even as Johnny Gargano and Kyle O'Reilly traded incredible holds in a fantastic display of mat wrestling, her commentary was very much in the sports entertainment space only.
The match was as good as one would expect it to be considering the participants involved in the said affair and their incredible talent. The Undisputed ERA is back on the same page once again and they worked as a cohesive unit to pick up the win.
But will the splinters start showing if they cannot pick up the gold at NXT TakeOver: XXV is what we've been wondering. Whatever the case may be, we're in for some great pro wrestling action.
Leave your thoughts on the next TakeOver, in the comments below.
One of Samoa Joe's colleagues had harsh words for him HERE
