Welcome to another week of NXT reporting here at The Wrestling Mania. Let us go straight into finding out if we are finally over our Arrival hangover that just won’t go away.
“Big Cass” Colin Cassady vs. “The Artiste” Aiden English – Winner: “The Artiste” Aiden English
Seeing as how neither have really done anything since their feud bubbled out like it did, pitting them against one another in a meaningless match seems an odd choice.
Considering his size, Cass moves really well.
Even without much meaning, at this point, that was a decent outing.
Both men have a lot of potential and whilst I wouldn’t want either men pushed too heavily (Mojo Rawley), I would like to see them use them a little more prominently now that Bo et al are moving up to pastures new.
Camacho vs. Oliver Grey – Winner: Camacho
I quite like Camacho in that lack of personality but decent in the ring type way.
Wow, I know I said I like Camacho but I never imagined they would ever let him win a match.
Not sure the logic in having Grey come back and be beaten by a Samoan Drop.
The Ascension vs. Wesley Blake and Cal Bishop – Winners: The Ascension
If you want to know what happened in this match then watch any Ascension match from the last 6 months.
The whole Viktor repeatedly uppercutting and chopping thing got no reaction from the crowd other than the generic wooo shout after each chop.
I have no idea where that ‘yah’ thing started but the crowd always seem more into that than the match going on in front of them. To be fair, I don’t blame them.
CJ Parker vs. The Great Khali – Winner: The Great Khali
Wow, I’m assuming people have abandoned NXT after the standards of recent weeks or this match would have surely broken the internet.
They have turned Parker into a guy we are meant to boo because we want to be left to destroy our planet in peace. Really, I just wish he’d go away.
I was kind of surprised how into this match the crowd were. They had fun, which is the point after all.
A ‘Global Warming’ chant. Wow!
Tye Dillinger and Jason Jordan vs. Baron Corbin and Sawyer Fulton – Winners: Tye Dillinger and Jason Jordan
Not one but two tag teams that aren’t The Ascension nor jobbing to The Ascension. Somebody find out if Satan packed his thermals!
The crowd were not into this at all but then I guess that is what happens when two teams just come from nowhere like this.
What on earth is Fulton wearing?
The generic babyface shouting by Jordan had no impact given the lack of crowd reaction to anything being done in the ring.
I thought both teams looked decent. I came out of it most intrigued by Crobin, which I don’t think was the point.
I’m pleased that new teams are being built but Dillinger and Jordan look a little generic at present. Much work is to be done in order to establish one or both of these teams as credible threats to The Ascension.
Brodus Clay vs. Adrian Neville – Winner: Adrian Neville
Brodus’ home town has gone from Planet Funk to the Concrete Jungle. Make of that what you will.
I was just thinking how they botched that kick out by Neville and how rubbish it looked. Regal then criticises him for it in a way that is in keeping with, for want of a less insider term, kayfabe. This is why he is the best around today, in my book.
Brodus rolling into position for the Red Arrow looked silly until he got out of the way.
Neville winning by count-out obviously gives reasoning for another match between the two. I think they could go a bit longer next time, as we have seen with other title matches on NXT, but I’d like to see a bit more of the monster in Clay beforehand.
Overall Show
It was by no means perfect by any stretch of the imagination.
That is not to say that it wasn’t an improvement and the fact that we are finally seeing an investment in the tag division is a great sign. I think a short-term pairing of established roster members in the meantime could help spice things up whilst they build a reaction for teams such as we saw today. Putting either one of these against The Ascension, at this point, is not going to end well.
The matches outside of this and the main event were either predictable or pointless.
Props go to the crowd for making a match between Khali and Parker entertaining!
What do you think of this episode? Be sure to let us know in the comments.
See you next week!
– By Richard Thompson | @AnacondaVise88