Now that we can build to another TakeOver, the next few episodes look ready to bring out the big guns and give us the best NXT has to offer. Each match advertised looks ready to steal the show, so without wasting any more time lets check what went down this week on NXT!
Io Shirai & Candice LeRae vs Jessamyn Duke & Marina Shafir w/ Shayna Baszler
What started as a decent opener to an episode soon spiralled into chaos, and I loved everything about it. The spark ignited after Io Shirai copied Baszler’s own devastating arm stomp on Jessamyn Duke, leaving Baszler shocked with her hand over her mouth. Shirai sought to end the match there and then, but Baszler pulled duke out before anything could be done. Shirai, seemingly not wanting to let her climb to the top turnbuckle go to waste, then moonsaulted onto the pair which was then followed by Candice with a suicide dive. The brawl got out of control and the match had to be called off.
The Bits In-Between:
- Velveteen Dream shrugging off the prospect of a worthy opponent.
- Vanessa Borne & Aliyah has a care package for Mia Yim which included; The Fashion Bible, Beginners English, and Grammar for Dummies.
Drew Gulak vs Kushida (Submission Match)
If you’re a wrestler or have a basic interest in catch wrestling, then this is a match for you. The intricate reversals and character work made this an absolute pleasure to watch. Kushida shined, to begin with, by outwitting Gulak at every turn, all until Gulak hit a ghastly reverse power slam to gain momentum. The tension kept building as Kushida kept hitting high flying moves and eventually getting the submission victory. The feud between them seems to have come to a close as they shook hands to show respect.
Oney Lorcan & Danny Burch vs Undisputed Era (Kyle O’Reilly & Roderick Strong)
Lorcan and Burch couldn’t wait to get their hands dirty, but they had to wait before the bell could even ring. It seemed like no matter what each competitor did, the match did not slow down. The moment of the match that caught me off guard was an actual rip off of Dean Ambrose (John Moxley) rebound off the ropes into a clothesline. At the end though what escalated the match to its breaking point was when one of the forgotten sons (You know? the big guy? what’s his face… Jaxson Ryker! That’s the one!) showed up to cause some mayhem, but Burch finished the match by rolling up O’Reilly for the win.
Match of the night is hard to choose from here. The opener showed how well a story can carry a match to exciting levels, the submission match presented us with an engaging mat wrestling spectacular, and the main event kicked it into high gear by pushing down on the accelerator and gave us a fun climax.
Overall, this was a fantastic episode of NXT and, with the announcement of Io Sharai vs Shayna Baszler in a Steel Cage match, the next few episodes look ready to impress and entertain!
