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After a couple weeks of preview and highlight shows for NXT TakeOver: Chicago, the report card is back for this week's edition of NXT television!
While no titles changed hands at TakeOver, there was a surprising title change during the second WWE United Kingdom Championship Tournament when Moustache Mountain (Tyler Bate and Trent Seven) defeated Roderick Strong and Kyle O'Reilly of The Undisputed Era to win the NXT Tag Team Championships.
Though we are a little less than two months away from the next NXT TakeOver in Brooklyn, New York, we got an idea of what we may see at that TakeOver on this week's edition of NXT television.
This week's edition of NXT featured a total of three matches and a potential preview of the next challenger for NXT Champion Aleister Black.
As with all of my report card articles, the best grade a segment or match can earn is an A+; while on the flip side, the worst grade a segment or match can earn is an F.
Let's kick things off with the NXT Champion...
#1 Aleister Black is interrupted by the Blackheart
After successfully defending his NXT Championship against Lars Sullivan, Aleister Black took to the ring to kick off the first edition of NXT since. Black talked about facing adversity and making that adversity fade to black.
Just minutes into his promo, Black was interrupted by the most-hated man in NXT right now, Tommaso Ciampa. After defeating Johnny Gargano at NXT TakeOver: Chicago, Ciampa said it is now time to become NXT Champion.
Ciampa mentioned that Black stood face to face with adversity, but now it's time to stand face to face with the devil. Black welcomed the challenge if General Manager William Regal gives it the green light.
Ciampa would then mock Black by sitting on the stage in his patented pose. That drew the NXT Champion out of the ring, but Ciampa would retreat with his sinister wave goodbye.
It was a great segment to set up the next potential NXT Championship match at NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn. I fully expect Johnny Gargano to be added to that match eventually too.
GRADE: B+
#2 Kona Reeves vs. Max Humberto
"The Finest" Kona Reeves made his way to the ring for the first match of the evening as he took on jobber Max Humberto. Reeves was sporting more chains and we learned that he spent some time away from NXT training with the legendary (and fellow Hawaiian) Don Muraco.
Reeves made pretty quick work of his opponent this week and is definitely in need of a feud to help establish his character some more. I think there is promise with this gimmick.
GRADE: C
#3 Candice LeRae vs. Lacey Evans
As she tries to get past the bitter feud between her husband Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa, Candice LeRae tried to refocus her efforts towards positioning herself to become the next NXT Women's Champion.
Candice had a tough task this week as she faced the surging Lacey Evans. Throughout most of the match, Evans was in control focusing her efforts on injuring Candice's arm and shoulder.
LeRae would make a comeback and get the victory with an Unprettier that Christian made famous, followed by a quebrada for the victory in a really good women's match.
GRADE: B
#4 Johnny Gargano does not want to move on from Tommaso Ciampa
After a big win by Candice LeRae, her husband, Johnny Gargano, was interviewed backstage. Though Candice is his favorite wrestler (duh) he found it was hard to be focused.
Johnny kept playing the match against Tommaso Ciampa over and over in his head from NXT TakeOver: Chicago. Seeing Ciampa take off his wedding ring, spit on it, and throw it into the crowd completely infuriated him.
Gargano said that he's won one, and Ciampa's won one. This is far from over. He's going to talk to General Manager William Regal to get one more match, he doesn't care if it is in Brooklyn, the streets, or a grocery store.
Regal stated that Gargano must move on from Ciampa and will face EC3, but as I said earlier, I fully expect Gargano to face Ciampa and Aleister Black for the NXT Championship.
Great promo from Gargano in what's been the best feud in pro wrestling for some time.
GRADE: A
#5 Moustache Mountain and Ricochet vs. The Undisputed Era
The new NXT Tag Team Champions of Tyler Bate and Trent Seven made their way out to the ring for the first time since winning the titles in the United Kingdom. They were supposed to face a couple of jobbers, but The Undisputed Era attacked those jobbers and surrounded the ring. Ricochet came out to even up the odds, and we had an impromptu six-man tag match.
As expected, it was a tremendous match. Ricochet hit Adam Cole with his 630 Senton finisher, but Kyle O'Reilly broke up the pin attempt. Ricochet would do a suicide dive to the outside on O'Reilly, but Roderick Strong hit him from behind and landed a brutal End of Heartache on the apron, rolled him back in the ring, and Cole pinned Ricochet.
It was a tremendous match, and I am expecting Ricochet is going to challenge Adam Cole for the NXT North American Championship in Brooklyn.
GRADE: A
Which was your favorite segment of NXT this week? Tell us in the comments below!
