WWE NXT Spring Breakin’ preview (May 3, 2022): Write offs

NXT 2.0 returns tonight (May 3) live from the WWE Performance Center in Orlando!

Advertised for this Spring Breakin’ edition of the show:

• Bron Breakker (c) vs. Joe Gacy for the NXT championship
• Cameron Grimes (c) vs. Carmelo Hayes vs. Solo Sikoa for the NXT North American title
• Viking Raiders vs. The Creeds
• Natalya & Lash Legend vs. Cora Jade & Nikkita Lyons
• Nathan Frazier vs. Grayson Waller
• Santos Escobar and Tony D’Angelo have a sitdown

As usual, here are our five questions about NXT tonight:

1) Will they give kayfabe explanations for last week’s releases?

Don’t know about you, but the ten people who were cut last Friday... and the rumor such cuts could happen every three months... and the report one long-time member of the NXT roster wants out... those things are all front of mind as we get ready for Spring Breakin’. But seeing as this is a preview for that show, we will try to focus on the on-screen ramifications of those various items.

They probably won’t address the suddenly missing role players, but seeing as WWE prides themselves on being great storytellers, they should. Most scripted dramas wouldn’t have supporting characters disappear without some kind of narrative explanation (or just change their names out of the blue, but that’s a whole ‘nother subject). Sports entertainment shouldn’t either.

Dakota Kai’s exit was set-up in traditional pro wrestling-style, and the practice of leaving a territory/brand with a loss is pretty much all we need (Wendy Choo being friends with any babyface who feuds with Toxic Attraction is a little weird, but whatevs). The groundwork was already laid for one of the mid-story releases, with Roderick Strong reasserting himself as Diamond Mine’s leader next week. Malcolm Bivens absence could be explained with one line about Strong ousting their old manager. If Roddy is willing to deliver that line, that is.

Persia Pirotta and Dexter Lumis is the tricky one. They’ve been staples of NXT television for a long time, and the angle where Pirotta and Indi Hartwell were trying to mold their men Lumis & Duke Hudson into a tag team hadn’t reached a conclusion other than their losing a match with the champions two weeks ago. Indi’s romance with and marriage to her Sexy Dexy is one of NXT’s most established programs. How can they just split two prominent on-screen couples without explanation and expect the audience to invest in character relationships going forward?

And that’s where the “releases every 90 days” rumor comes into play. If 2.0 is rolling tryout with regular cuts, the writers will need to be able to navigate situations like these if the show has any hope of maintain — let alone growing — its audience. We’ll see what they come up with. Or if they even try.

2) Do we have Harland’s lack of progress to blame for Joe Gacy becoming a cult leader?

The release of next Next Big Thing Parker Boudreaux was a bit surprising, but NXT did quietly shuffle him off screen early on in Gacy’s feud with NXT champion Bron Breakker. That happened while Gacy’s character was transitioned from a parody of wokeness, to a kidnapper, to finally a dude who has a bunch of cloaked followers.

Breakker clotheslining his way through a bunch of hooded dudes last week made for a cool visual, but otherwise this feels like one of the more lackluster top title feuds in recent WWE history. Here’s hoping they wrap it up tonight, move Bron on to something else (Carmelo Hayes, please) and figure out Joe G’s post-Harland future. And speaking of next big things...

3) Is Nikkita Lyons taking Cora Jade’s spot?

Lyons has captured the internet’s attention and is getting good reactions from the Orlando faithful. Word is WWE’s noticed all that, and is high on the former WOW Superhero. Now her ongoing angle with Lash Legend has crossed over with Jade’s program with Natalya, which at first seemed like a step in Cora’s coronation, but now looks like it might be a way to move Nikkita into place as the one to end Mandy Rose’s lengthy title reign.

4) The sitdown will turn into a six-man, right?

After Santos Escobar cost Tony D’Angelo his match against Von Wagner, the Don of NXT introduced us to his new muscle — Troy “2 Dimes” Donovan and Channing Lorenzo (Cole Karter and Jake Tucker, both recent signees with brief indie track records). Not for nothing, but out on the streets, Tony D calls Lorenzo “Stacks”...

Seems like a pretty easy way to get a trios match with Legado Del Fantasma, capeesh?

5) Anybody else have a real bad feeling about Kay Lee Ray Alba Fyre?

If Dakota didn’t fit the vision, will the soon-to-be 30 year old Scotswoman? Hopefully the rollout of her new name is a good sign, and maybe she can get a push with global touring back on and the upcoming UK stadium show. But we saw the writing on the wall with Kai, and it looks like the same script...

Give us your questions and answers in the comments below. Then join us in our live blog, and we’ll see what Qs and As tonight’s show gives us.