5 Biggest Takeaways from NXT (September 7th, 2021)
I like to keep things as positive as possible.
I like WWE.
I like AEW.
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With the final pre-taped show of NXT in the books, we can now move forward to the new era. Whether it had to do with coping with the idea of the NXT we all knew and love was changing or the taped format had run it’s course after 3 weeks, last nights episode just didn’t hit the same.
We had two time consuming segments revolving around the Index wedding. One saw the bachelorette party taking place, which was a complete miss with what it was trying to execute as the comedy fell flat. The bachelor party was a bit more successful in trying to make us laugh, as Cameron Grimes was able to deliver his trademark routine and the Gargano/Dexter dynamic is entertaining. We had a great mach between Carmelo Hayes and Santos Escobar, a few squash matches and both tag titles were defended in highly competitive matches that saw both champions retain.
What else happened? Let’s take a look at the 5 biggest takeaways from this weeks NXT…
#5: Mei Ying
Since the arrival of Mei Ying on the NXT roster, we have seen her sit a top the stage on her throne over seeing what her followers did in the ring. Only once have we seen her get physical, and that was an attack on Mercedes Martinez after her victory over Xia Li. After months of mystery surrounding her, we finally got to see her in action last night.
Xia Li was her first project that had some legs under her for a few weeks. Her match with Raquel left her injured and out of action. Since then, Boa made his in ring debut. He was able to skate by in his first match but was defeated the next time around. These events seemed to have forced Mei Ying to insert herself in to competition and lead by example. And based on how her match went last night, the example set has a high standard. Mei Ying ran through Virginia Ferry with extreme ease and very little effort. When the match was over, Ferry was motionless as Ying presented herself to the NXT universe as the next big threat. It will be interesting to see how this kind of character gets booked in the women’s division, but expect her to be a force in the very near future.
#4: And Then There Were 2
Dunne, Holland, Lorcan and Burch came across as a no nonsense faction that were always down to brawl. They liked to hurt people and that was believable with the style they all wrestle with. Holland came back 2 weeks ago and then Burch made his return last week so it looked like things were lookling up for all members of this group, until last night.
When Burch went down to injury, he and Lorcan were forced to vacate the titles. MSK felt it was necessary to defend the titles against them for that very reason, typical baby face move. In the main event, we saw these two teams put on a very good match that showed MSK coming out with a little more edge with their offense. Danny and Oney put up one hell of a battle but in the end, MSK was just too much and were able to retain.
And then there were two. @PeteDunneYxB & @RidgeWWE leave @strongstylebrit @ONEYLORCAN behind with a brutal post-match attack. #WWENXT pic.twitter.com/7CB6yugcQt
— WWE (@WWE) September 8, 2021
After the match, Holland and Dunne came in to survey the damage after allowing MSK to leave with no trouble. As Burch struggled to get to his feet, Ridge Holland attacked as Oney Lorcan watched on confused. Almost begging for mercy as he backed himself in to the corner, Oney was next as Dunne and Holland attacked him as well. When it was all said and done, Ridge and Pete left the ring with Dunne looking back giving his signature shrug before leaving up the rampway. The faction that could have been dominant has now been reduced to two guys who will probably end up going after Tag Titles while Burch and Lorcan will be reduced to irrelevancy on the NXT roster.
#3: Diamond Mine Beefs Up
I said a few weeks ago that it appeared as if Malcom Bivens was doing some recruiting. This week, we got to see some of those recruits make their in ring debut. Upon first look, The Creed Brothers come across as very vanilla in appearance with a little bit of size to them. They had a chance to show what they had in the ring this week, and it was impressive. Wearing traditional wrestling gear, these boys absolutely destroyed their competition in the ring. They definitely have a wrestling background and you can tell from how crisp their suplexes look, and they have a lot of them in their repertoire. I saw a comment that compared them to the Steiner Brothers and it is very fitting. It’s too early to tell if they have any kind of character to them but if they can perform like they did last night in the ring and they have a mouth piece with them at all times, these boys will be a force to reckon with in the tag team division for a very, very long time.
#2: Franky Monet vs Raquel Gonzalez
I’ve been saying it since her arrival, Franky is ready for the spotlight. If they had no intentions on fast tracking her to the main roster, she should be going after that Women’s Title or it should already be around her waist. Raquel’s reign has been sub par and in my opinion, she lacks that quality at this point in her career that makes her a star. She will get there soon enough, but she doesn’t have “it” right now.
Next week, Franky’s moment arrives. Robert Stone apparantly pulled some strings with Regal and got the match made, much to the delight of Franky. The one thing that Raquel has had to her advantage during her run is size. She had one competitor that matched her in that department, and Mercedes was able to give her a run for that title. Franky can match up as well and as far as talent goes, she has Gonzalez beat. I expect this match to be very physical and showcase a fighting spirit from Raquel, but it won’t be enough. I don’t expect her to come out of the match with the title at all. With a new era kicking off next week, they need a new face heading the brand. A face that has star quality. Franky Money is that star and a title reign from her is exactly what the Women’s division needs right now.
#1: End of an Era
As a self proclaimed “die hard” NXT fan for the last several years, this is a very bitter sweet moment. NXT has been the product that has entertained me more than any other show on a consistent bases since I first started watching it. The in ring product is un-matched and the Takeover events have been the best events put together hands down. That brand has been represent by black and gold since it’s birth, and it holds a special place in the hearts of many.
With the rumors floating around for the past 2 months about a shake up, the initial reaction by many was heart broken. Anger. Confusion. This is a show that has a very dedicated fan base that truly loves what they see week in and week out. As we are now less than a week away from the rebrand, reality is starting to set in.
#WWENXT
— WWE (@WWE) September 8, 2021
COMING 9/14 pic.twitter.com/qcz6wCmuf3
The new look was a shock at first, but it has since grown on me. I hope it has grown on the others as well, because a logo definitely doesn’t make or break a wrestling program. The new layout of the show looks to be an upgrade from the dark and almost prison like setting we have had for the last several months, at least from the very little we have seen from it. The big question though is talent. Are they really going to moving away from the formula that made NXT so special? Are we going back to a playground for the performance center talent to get their practice in before moving up to the main roster? It doesn’t appear that way now, but a change of that magnitude is time consuming. We will need to look for hints over the next month to get a feel for the direction that is going in.
Nobody truly knows what to expect though, we can just walk in with an open mind and remain skeptical. For all we know, the look is the only change we’re going to get. I’ve put my faith in Triple H and company over the last several years to deliver a great product and until they show me otherwise, it would be unfair to think they won’t continue to do the same. But no matter what, we will always be NXT. Then. Now. Forever.
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