We start NXT with a huge announcement from raspy voiced WWE COO Triple H. He plugs the upcoming NXT TaKEOVER (speculation on capitalization) special on May 29.
Tyson Kidd defeats Bo Dallas (with new theme music and intro) with the Blockbuster. During the match, William Regal asks if Tyson is still married to Natalya and responds "that lasted longer than I thought". We are also told that Tyson is "definitely on his way to making a name for himself", which I find hard to believe since this is a demotion from the main roster.
Sasha Banks defeats Bayley in a first round match-up for the vacant NXT Women's Championship with a backstabber into a submission move. Bayley now has wacky waving inflatable arm tube men in her entrance.
Adam Rose (and the Exotic Express) quickly defeats Danny Burch (recently released) with the Party Foul, which is a neckbreaker/DDT type move. Afterwards, Camacho comes out and attacks one of the Exotic Express members.
Natalya defeats Layla (using Fandango's music) with the sharpshooter to advance in the NXT Women's Championship tournament. She will face Sasha Banks in the future. During her entrance, Natalya tells us that "to be the NXT Women's Champion, it would be a dream come true". This sounds delusional, but I know they had to find more bodies to fill out the 8-woman bracket. We are also told the other first round matches we'll see are Emma vs. Charlotte and newcomer Alexa Bliss vs. Alica Fox.
Mojo Rawley quickly defeats Oliver Grey (recently released) with the Hyperdrive. Aiden English comes out after tell Mojo he has "made a decision to stop suffering fools. And as you stand there, the fool, I am done suffering you." Mojo turns his back on Aiden, and gets attacked from behind.
Adrian Neville defeats a much darker looking Brodus Clay with the Red Arrow, successfully defending the NXT Championship. Brodus' face looked much darker than the rest of him, and earned him Oompa Loompa chants throughout the match.
Originally posted by SchippeWreckKidd and Natalya getting "pushes" in NXT is utterly baffling to me.
I kind of like it. I mean, I'd like to see them on the main roster but if they aren't going to be used there then why not on NXT? It adds a little name value to the NXT, especially since both are on Total Divas. They're both good workers that will make the rest of the roster look good. I'd even like to see them team up and be like the power couple of NXT, almost like a mini-Triple H and Steph.
Originally posted by SchippeWreckKidd and Natalya getting "pushes" in NXT is utterly baffling to me.
I kind of like it. I mean, I'd like to see them on the main roster but if they aren't going to be used there then why not on NXT? It adds a little name value to the NXT, especially since both are on Total Divas. They're both good workers that will make the rest of the roster look good. I'd even like to see them team up and be like the power couple of NXT, almost like a mini-Triple H and Steph.
Now that would be brilliant.
But also keep in mind that Tyson hasn't been used a lot on tv, so for many he's almost new. So "rising star on NXT" means something for that audience. Also, it could be said that by having Natalya say she really wants the NXT title, it adds prestige to the title. Everyone's chasing the title!
Originally posted by dMpAlso, it could be said that by having Natalya say she really wants the NXT title, it adds prestige to the title. Everyone's chasing the title!
I always have viewed that as a demotion. When a wrestler has won the main title, they shouldn't be going after intermediate titles. Kind of like RVD or Alberto Del Rio going after the Intercontinental title, it should be beneath them and only tells people they are not as good as they once were.
In Natalya's case, it looks even worse because she wants to be the champion of the developmental league, after she's been on the main roster for six years. It tells me that she can't cut it and wants to go dominate the girls in training.
I know not everyone has this view of things, but that's how it always has felt to me.
I understand that way of thinking and I wish it were like the old days when wrestlers would slowly progress from tag team to IC champion to World Champion, where they would then stay the rest of their career like Bret Hart or Shawn Michaels. But at some point in time it just got impossible for me to think that way. Between guys being pushed way too soon (Orton and Lesnar), much shorter title reigns and two Championships belts (which is now back to one champion), there are just too many former world champions for them all to still have the angle that it's world champion or bust. By my count there are NINETEEN guys on the roster (not including Punk and The Rock) that have won the WWE Title or WHC. They can't all be after the title. So some of them have to drop down a level. To me that's just the nature of the beast that is the current WWE.
I do admit that dropping from a WWE title to a NXT title is different and seems like a step down, but like I said if Kidd and Natalya get screen time out of it then I'm all for it.
Kayfabe-wise doesn't holding a belt also give them a theoretical pay raise? If the title-scene on the main roster is too full, heading to NXT to get some gold and thus blingage might make sense. Married couple gots bills ta pay!
Yeah what was up with Brodus Clay? Almost look like he had blackface (didn't look like the usual WWE spray-on tan). They crammed a lot of matches into one hour so I knew a lot of matches would be rushed. Nattie cracks me up, on Total Divas she said TLC was the "Golden Globes" of WWE PPV's and being in Flex magazine was like a lifelong dream come true. Really?
All I'm saying is that I have a problem with it. I get the synergy with Total Divas, but I watch NXT to see new talent. The occasional drop-in appearance by main roster talent is fine, but I don't want to see them (spoilers for tapings)
Spoiler Below: Highlight text to read
build a month of programming around main roster talent challenging for NXT titles.
Again, this is MY preference. I don't expect them to change things for me, but I'm not going to be happy either.
I thought they were just there to have good matches with spoiler?
Spoiler Below: Highlight text to read
Neville and Charlotte
putting them over on the special, which they want to be buzzworthingly good like the last one. They're basically guest coaches, but they want it to mean something important when the NXT people beat them, instead of just beating WWE prelim wrestlers.
Understandably, Neville/Zayn is the match everyone is looking forward to, but I guess that depends on when the next special is and what their timetable is for calling either of them up (perhaps when Cesaro is established as a big deal with Heyman, dun dun dun).