FanPost

Tag Team Weekly Roundup and Power Ratings: What does this week’s news tell us about NXT UK/Europe tag titles?

WWE.com

It looks like NXT Prime is making some lemonade out of the potentially sour news of the NXT UK brand taking an extended break and becoming NXT Europe. A boatload of performers already appeared this week with perhaps more coming over the pond.

If NXT Europe is going to be a thing, then Worlds Collide will tide us over for the awkward transition with some champion vs. champion matches (Tyler Bate against Bron Breakker, or really anybody, is worth the time, while others can fantasize about Meiko Satomura appearing in Florida). But even with Shaun Michael putting the best face on the situation, NXT Europe feels more like a vague concept than a hot territory (although it certainly could be).

In the tag division, NXT is already setting up an interesting situation around the UK/Europe belts. Josh Briggs and Brooks Jensen (and his lovably awful sense of style), while fun and likable performers, have no real business with the NXT UK tag gold. Pretty Deadly wants the titles back around their midriffs. The Dyad, when better utilized as Grizzled Young Veterans, knew the titles too. As did the newest import in Gallus.

Indeed, the route is already plotted out thanks to this week's show. Gallus laid out Diamond Mine, including current NXT champs The Creed Brothers, then challenged Briggs and Jensen to a tag championship match. While that change would feel somewhat sudden, you can't see Gallus taking an immediate L.

Fortunately, NXT has laid a foundation for preventing this from happening immediately. You don't have to be Apollo Crews to foresee the possibility of shenanigans leading to a fatal four-way of Gallus, The Dyad, Pretty Deadly and Briggs and Jensen. Then Gallus can take the belts and take their beef to The Creeds for a Worlds Collide match.

The Creeds should win that, although Roderick Strong could always solidify a heel turn to let the Brits get the W. Either way, Gallus can get some cred moving forward should they re-appear or stay in Florida. At the very least, let's hope they never become part of a Joe Gacy faction.

Or would it make sense to unify the belts and then debut new titles for NXT Europe?

And along the way, we'd get some entertaining matches, which would be win.

The following Tag Team Power Rankings take into account wins, power and placement of segments, recentness of appearances, creative direction and momentum for teams and factions.

WWE Tag Team Power Rankings through Aug. 19:

1. The Bloodline (last week: 1)

Pro: Still hold all the gold. The Usos are pretty much everywhere, including interrupting a fun match between top guys Drew McIntyre and Kevin Owens.
Con: Drew got the better of them, and they didn't even make SmackDown, where Roman Reigns was then left laying by McIntyre. Not the best week for The Bloodline, but nobody else is presented as in their league.

2. Bayley, Iyo Sky and Dakota Kai (2)

Pro: Still in a great position. Dakota picked up an emphatic win over Dana Brooke. Perhaps more importantly, Bayley rekindled the greatest rivalry in WWE with Michael Cole.
Con: Will have a stiff test vs. Asuka and Alexa Bliss to advance in the tag title tournament.

3. Judgment Day (5)

Pro: They remain on a roll with Rhea Ripley continuing to look dominant (to the delight of her simps) and the whole pack taking out Rey Mysterio.
Con: Still, there's no way Damian Priest beats Edge in Toronto, eh?

4. Toxic Attraction (6)

Pro: Gigi Dolin and Jacy Jayne made a splash on the main roster with a win in the championship tournament. Mandy Rose is still champ, defeating Zoey Stark in a good match.
Con: Does the very heelish finish of use Zoey's kneebrace against her lead to another match and redemption for Starks?

5. Katana Chance and Kayden Carter (3)

Pro: Still the NXT women's tag champs.
Con: Mainly just doing babyface things backstage instead of building another program.

6. The Creed Brothers/Diamond Mine (4)

Pro: The Creeds are still NXT men's tag team champions, and Julius looked like he was finally ready to rid the faction of the divisive Roderick Strong.
Con: Gallus showed up to spoil the plans.

7. Asuka and Alexa Bliss (not ranked)

Pro: Picked up a tidy win to move on in the women's tag title tournament.
Con: Being more established on the main roster, they can more afford a loss in the next round than Iyo Sky and Dakota Kai.

8. The New Vicious Viking Raiders (8)

Pro: Got a cool video for their viking funeral thing, so that's nice.
Con: Even if they go over New Day, having The Usos so untouchable (and also heels) doesn't give them a good path to the top.

9: Josh Briggs and Brooks Jensen (10)

Pro: Still the NXT UK titleholders -- for now.
Con: The influx of NXT UK talent likely means the outflow of their current gold.

10. Hit Row (8)

Pro: Got some additional shine via embarrassing Maximum Male Models and having an in-ring performance.
Con: Starting against a comedy stable shows they're not near the top yet.

Best tag segment of the week: It is good to see the women's tournament taking shape, and the injection of Toxic Attraction -- while wondering if they will make a move to the main roster -- was definitely intriguing. They also looked like they belonged in getting the win.

Grade: B+

With the women's main-roster tag title belts getting attention, the weak spot now is the men's main-roster championships, where The Usos are mainly just taking hits for Roman Reigns right now.

The FanPosts are solely the subjective opinions of Cageside Seats readers and do not necessarily reflect the views of Cageside Seats editors or staff.