5 Biggest Takeaways from NXT 2.0 (October 12th, 2021)
I like to keep things as positive as possible.
I like WWE.
I like AEW.
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Another episode of NXT is in the books and the show continues to grow on me. The flow of the show is not only smooth but a never ending ride. They continue to pack in as much show as they possibly can within a 2 hour period without it being overkill and coming across as sloppy. We got a nice opening match between Tomasso Ciampa and Joe Gacy that would really set the pace for the entire show and the last match/segment revolving around the North American Championship was just a fantastic way to close. I won’t beat around the bush too much here, so let’s jump right into the 5 biggest takeaways from NXT this week.
#5: Diamonds in the Mine
The Diamond Mine is a very impressive group. We all know what Roderick Strong is capable of, so there’s no need to dive into what he brings to the table. We also know how entertaining Malcom Bivens is, so we won’t go there either. I have expressed how great the Creed Brothers have looked thus far as a tag team but on this week’s show we were treated to one of them in singles action(sorry, can’t tell them apart at this time). Ikeman Jiro decided he wanted to crash Diamond Mine’s party this week and what did he get for his troubles? A beating at the hands of one of these wrestling machine’s. So not only do these guys operate as a cohesive unit in tag team wrestling, they seem to be very capable of handling themselves in singles competition as well. Charisma, size and skill will take them a very long way in WWE.
Ivy Nile made her in-ring debut as well this week and she is impressive. What she lacks in size, she makes up for in looks and skill. She is a very intimidating presence and from what she showed this week, it appears as if she is able to back it up. She will be a great change of pace in the women’s division, almost like a Shayna Baszler type to go against the “traditional” wrestling style that dominates the division now. Just like the other group members, Ivy Nile looks to be the real deal and this group continues to impress me each week.
#4: Say Goodbye to Kyle
When this year started, Kyle O’Reilly was looking to be the future top guy on the brand. After showing out in two matches with Finn Balor that were absolutely amazing and he was about to head into a feud with arguably the biggest star in NXT’s history, Adam Cole. The rocket was strapped to him and with every chance he was given, he delivered. You would think that winning a trilogy with Cole would send him to the next level, especially with big names leaving… but that wasn’t the case.
The timing couldn’t be worse for Kyle. Just as he was reaching the top, NXT was reaching its end. A new era would soon be ushered in, leaving many to wonder what will happen to the talent that has carried this company for the last several years. Ciampa gets to serve as a transitional champion. Johnny Gargano is off television and Adam Cole is gone. What is Kyle O’Reilly doing? Nothing.
Maybe not exactly nothing, because a feud with Dunne will lead to a match that will undoubtedly be really, really good but it doesn’t feel important. By Kyle’s side is a newbie, Von Wagner. Pairing up with a young guy to help battle Dunne and Holland wouldn’t normally be an issue but this week’s episode proved something to me. This isn’t about Kyle. It is all about Wagner. As they teamed up to take on Dunne & Holland, by the end of the match Kyle was taking orders from the younger guy. It was at this very moment that it became clear to me that Kyle’s future in NXT will be nothing more than giving the young guys a rub and it is too early in his career for that to be his role. So to that I say, let him go. He has just reached his peak as a performer and does not deserve to have his momentum halted by a rebranding.
#3: Gacy & Harland
Joe Gacy continues to be the most interesting character on the new show. I can’t say enough about how captivating he is when he has a microphone in his hands. He now has 2 losses in 3 weeks but that hasn’t hurt his stock in any way, shape or form. Because what he does before and after the bell rings is where he makes his star potential known. And just when I thought he couldn’t get any more intriguing, they throw this new serial killer looking Harland in the mix and it just blows my mind. Nothing else in wrestling has my attention more than this at the moment.
After beating Gacy, Ciampa was leaving the ring before being attacked by Harland. As Harland had Tomasso pinned to the ground by the throat, he would be approached by Joe Gacy. Harland quickly turned his attention to Joe and would grab him by the throat. Joe does not fight back though, he simply consoles Harland with a backhand stroke of the face. This seems to give Harland a sense of peace as he lets Gacy go before running off with a look of confusion. What just happened? I don’t know and I have no idea where it could be leading, and that’s why I am so invested. I look forward to next week as the next chapter unfolds and we see where this feud/partnership goes next.
#2: A Toxic Prophecy
Fatal Attraction made their way to the ring this week again to put the women’s division on notice. Not only are they there to dominate, they have a goal in mind. That goal? All the gold. We saw Dolin & Jayne fall short of the tag titles last week but that loss is not going to dampen their spirit. They may have lost but they are not giving up. With Mandy putting Gonzalez on notice, the other members of Toxic Attraction are now putting Io & Zoey back on notice. This group has prophecy on their mind and there is no reason to think they won’t reach this goal seeing as how they have been the most pushed talents since the new version of NXT started.
#1: Carmelo Hayes Does Not Miss
The North American title has been out of the picture for several months. Not because it was gone, that’s just how they booked it. Swerve Scott held the title and was on tv every week but for whatever reason, he just never defended it. Fast forward to now and Swerve, along with all of Hit Row, have been drafted to Smackdown meaning their time in NXT is officially over. That can only mean one thing, Swerve has to drop the title.
So with the obvious picture being painted on the wall, the perfect candidate to take the belt off of him would be the guy he has been feuding with all summer long, Santos Escobar. We all watched this match knowing who the victor would be but that didn’t stop them from delivering a stellar match. It’s a shame we didn’t get to see more of this during Swerve’s reign because it really was that good. But then the unthinkable happened, Scott won. WHAT!?
Earlier in the night, Legado Del Fantasma kidnapped the rest of the members of Hit Row so that they would not be present for the match. So when the numbers game came into play, it looked certain Santos was going to be cheating his way to another victory. But then Hayes and Trick Williams appeared to make the save. This allowed Swerve to get the surprising victory and retain the title. After the match, Hayes and Trick would join Swerve in celebrating the win before laying Scott out. Hayes would then sign his Breakout Tournament contract, cash it in like the Money in the Bank briefcase and pick up an easy victory over Scott.
Goated 🐐🐐 pic.twitter.com/wuC2etNcOp
— Carmelo Hayes (@Carmelo_WWE) October 13, 2021
This gives us the first new era champion that will lead NXT to the next chapter. Hopefully this will lead to a title reign that is much more significant than the last and will bring some prestige back to the North American Championship. Hayes is a great talent and has shown he is capable of putting on a show with anyone. He has charisma and can talk the talk as well as walk the walk. Carmelo Hayes says that he doesn’t miss and he proved it this week by picking the most opportune time to take his shot and score.
Agree? Disagree? As always let me know what you think. If I don’t hear from you in the comments, I will see you again next week after what hopes to be another fun episode of NXT 2.0.
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