Fair warning, having trouble differentiating between reacting to this specific episode vs. general issues I'm having with the brand's overall creative direction. This could be all over the place, and result in a letter grade that doesn't mean a whole lot.
And to everyone who just said, "you mean like every week?" I say, "yeah, pretty much".
Recap:
- Zack Ryder becomes the latest wrestler to split time between the main roster and Full Sail, as his team with Mojo Rawley ports from the internet to the show. They defeat the now-recurring jobber team of Elias Sampson & Mike Rallis.
- Coming to us from the holodeck, Finn Bálor encourages demon-embracing and tuning into WWE Network on July 4 to see him face Kevin Owens in Tokyo.
- Negative fan reaction to Dana Brooke is now a part of kayfabe, and she channels it John Cena-style for motivation.
- Trying to do what her mentee Brooke couldn't, Dark Emma gets the privilege of carrying Blue Pants through a match designed to draw heel heat but not much else.
Reactions:
- Putting Rawley on a tag team is genius, provided your goal is still to make Mojo Rawley a thing. He's the personification of a "hot tag" and having someone else around covers for him to get his wind back after his entrance. That being said, I still have zero interest in watching them try to make Mojo Rawley a thing again.
- Like Adam Rose, Ryder is a useful piece for house shows and Developmental. Heck, he may be the best chance they have of making me care about Mojo, seeing as how even though the gimmick was never my cuppa, it's hard to not feel for a dude who got punished for getting over on his own.
- Glad to not see much ass-based offense from the Hype Man. Now I'd like to never see that "Hammer Time" dance ever again, too.
- The Bálor video changes nothing. It allows his biggest fans and those who like to fantasy books from scraps WWE throws us to get excited about his "character" without actually doing anything to write him one. I'm still very excited for that match on the Fourth, but I think they're risking leaving money on the table with the guy by not developing the gimmick now.
- Trolling Dana Brooke's critics is great, really. There are two problems with it, though. (1) She's still not ready to back-up this push with ringwork that say she belongs with the NXT Four, and (2) promoting her this heavily makes the backlash a self-fulfilling prophecy.
- Not a fan of embracing 50/50 reactions, which is what they're going for here, right down to the Cena script of "I'm going to keep inspiring people, using your hate as my fuel". Write her as an aspirational babyface or an arrogant heel. Maybe I'm burnt out by main roster tweener chicks, but this feels like a step in the wrong direction for the NXT women's movement.
- Sorry Leva, but it's time to question the utility of Blue Pants for television. What the character accomplishes in getting smarks to boo rudos is mitigated by forcing those performers to sell her offense and struggle to get a good flow going in the ring.
- Did mark for Dark Emma screaming "Happy Birthday" at her...the first time. Not so much the third, fourth and fifth, though. I'm still all in on this version of the Australian, but this time spent with Full Sail's inside joke didn't evolve the act or her performance of it sufficiently to make it worthwhile.
Recap:
- Carmella drops a Friday reference and Enzo Amore does Hunger Games (en route to Fresh Prince of Bel Air) trash-talking Alex Bliss, then Big Cass doesn't want those cowards Blake & Murphy to take this the wrong way, but The Port Authority is going to kick BAMF's asses in six person inter-gender tag action next week.
- Super-model outsmarts fat guy when Tyler Breeze defeats Bull Dempsey due to the latter's poor training habits.
- Driving home her face turn by replaying the crowd reaction after her loss at Unstoppable, Becky Lynch then picks up a win over new signee Jessie McKay.
- General Manager William Regal asks to see Bull about his food addiction, and we learn what Dempsey keeps in his singlet.
- Chad is ready, willing and Gable to be Jason Jordan's partner, and also Kurt Angle circa 1999.
Reactions:
- My favorite thing about the Enzo & Cass, and now Carm, is how they rotate responsibilities and, as a result, provide each other with opportunities to shine. This was accomplished quite literally this week as each member of the team got a chance to speak, and acquitted themselves nicely. Amore is the obvious standout (howudoin), but I'm digging the Princess' fire and like Big Man's more serious take. This was one of my favorite parts of the show.
- Hoping they find a way to keep BAMF and this group a part for a while after next week, though. Both trios are making good strides, and I'd hate to see them lose steam due to a decisive feud loss for the baddies or our heroes (and heroine) repeatedly getting screwed.
- Love that Prince Pretty is now being booked as intelligent in addition to being physically able to hang with the best of NXT, but really frustrated that he's in a holding pattern again. Turn the Rose angle into a long-term program. Unleash Marcus Louis on him. Booking him so much means they see value in him, but not enough to put him in the title scene. It's maddening.
- Not mad that they may have forgotten that Rawley was supposed to be gunning for the Duke of Delish upon his return because he injured him.
- A little leery of BEX's push, and for similar reasons that I'm meh on her countryman's. Spending a minute watching the live audience give her props is like telling me Bálor is awesome because his entrance is cool - it's not actual development.
- Would like to hear her plans for following up on that amazing match with Sasha Banks - and the response the crowd gave her - instead of just an enhancement match. A minute with a microphone to just thank the crowd and/or say she's not done earning their respect until she's women's champ instead of footage we've now seen twice since the live special doesn't seem like too much to ask.
- Will leave it to better technical analysts, but something felt off about Lynch/McKay to me. Maybe it's just that I know they're capable of so much more, but it never seemed to establish a rhythm. Good if standard psychology, cool finish and probably the best match on the show, but nothing I'd feel compelled to seek out again.
- Stories for undercard guys are great, and something for which I have and will continue to advocate. And it's early, so I shouldn't judge too harshly. But Bull's poor cardio, over-snacking angle is at best the kind of pointless comedy that pops up on the main roster shows that is forgotten after a few episodes. At worst, it's a rib from which a guy never recovers.
- Not to be too harsh about it either, but like Mojo, is spending time on Dempsey something we need to be doing on television right now?
- More time with Chad, please. A less dense version of our Olympic hero is worth the slow burn build.
Recap:
- It takes a really long time for Baron Corbin to hit his finisher on Angelo Dawkins.
- Samoa Joe's debut
victimopponent is Scott Dawson, and he gets victimized while Kevin Owens scares the announce trio at the commentary desk. - The champ uses arguments that were once used against him to tell Joe why he can't have a title shot, but Regal finds a loop hole and makes a match between the two for next week, presumably without the belt on the line.
Reactions:
- Continue to be impressed by the Lone Wolf's vicious streak, but wish that Rich Brennan, Corey Graves & Byron Saxton (all of whom I enjoyed tonight...Graves in particular had me rolling during the opening match as he basically said more clever versions of what I was thinking, and settling into Corey as the heel with Byron as the face is helping Saxton fit in) would explain that his matches are now going longer because he enjoys tormenting his opponents or something.
- Maybe that will be addressed more when his interactions with Rhyno resume. Speaking of whom, never thought I'd say this, but I missed the Man-Beast this week. Having no follow-up on last week's show closing angle felt weird, especially since Finn's title shot was mentioned several times.
- Actually feel uncomfortable for the guys at the desk when KO is out there f'n with them. "Stop asking me about my match with John Cena" in response to Byron trying to change the topic to Samoa Joe's debut...we're watching him do it on three or four shows a week now, and it's only becoming more amazing.
- The guy's main theme right now is that he does what he says he's going to do, while his modus operandi is to overcome barriers and then throw those same barriers back at his rivals...I feel badly for folks who don't get Kevin Owens, or who think that sites like Cageside are too effusive in our praise of him. Because he, and that praise, aren't going anywhere any time soon.
- Joe looks phenomenal. I need to get on the "Triple H says I have one chance to make it in the biggest company in my chosen profession" plan.
- Match served its purpose, which was to make Joe look great and set-up the set-up for next week. Check and check.
- My read on Regal's compromise in booking next week's showdown is that it's non-title. But with KO, the title is not as impressive as the fact that he still hasn't been beaten on television in WWE. Now, that may change Sunday at Money in the Bank, and I don't believe for one second that Vince McMahon will factor in a match against a guy he didn't make on a show he doesn't watch when deciding how to deciding how to tell a story involving John freaking Cena, but this isn't the usual champ-loses-when-the-belt-isn't-on-the-line scenario here. Regardless of what happens in Columbus, Ohio, Joe could hand Owens his first NXT loss next week. That's HUGE.
- Kevin Steen is feuding with Samoa Joe and John Cena at the same time in WWE. Gimme a Hell yeah.
I am amped for next week. But I didn't really enjoy this week, other than two backstage talking segments and then the stuff with the best heel in pro wrestling at the end.
Unlike a "developmental gonna develop" show like last week's, nothing or one was really changed by the events of this episode. Not only were the matches not that great, but they didn't advance characters or storylines. Mojo, Emma, Tyler, Baron and Joe are in the same place now as they were at 8:00PM Eastern last night. Only Dempsey is different, and I'm not sure that's good - for him or us.
Actually talked myself up to a 'plus' while writing this, but I still have issues with some of the decisions that lead to how this show was put together in addition to feeling like most of it was a slog to get through. Judging from online reaction I peeked, I might be in the minority here, but this was one of my least favorite - and the least essential - editions of NXT in a while.
Grade: C+
Convince me I'm wrong, valued readers.