Todd Pettingill and Dok Hendrix are back!!! Heck Yeah. This is the kind of nostalgia I love.
Winner Takes All
Bronson Reed (c) & MSK (c) defeated Legado Del Fantasma to retain
6.5/10
Legado Del Fantasma have a good promo on the pre-show, but the scripted crap given to the babyfaces was abysmal.
That Nash Carter dive was great. He left a reason for Escobar to be standing there when he attacked LFD and made it look like he was gonna jump over the turnbuckle instead! Some good triple team offense from the babyfaces, and we're starting to see the return of more slow paced holds, chinlocks and such. The pace is a roller coaster, and Bronson sends Escobar through the barricade. I'm sure Escobar will get another title shot because he didn't get pinned, but he shouldn't. That's three straight losses in title matches. Let's make this mean more than Raw or Smackdown.
Xia Li (w/ Tian Sha) defeated Mercedes Martinez
6/10
Xia Li's gear looks awesome, and Mei Ying still hasn't gotten up. Mercedes Martinez did a great hesitation butterfly suplex where she brought Xia up on her thighs. Xia casually answered with a wrist clutch exploder. Xia Li wins with her spinning kick. She goes after Mercedes with a chair but gets beat down. MEI YING STOOD UP! NOW YOU FUCKED UP. YOU HAVE FUCKED UP NOW. Mei Ying chucks Mercedes off the ramp into the barricade in a very dope spot.
Million Dollar Championship
Ladder Match
LA Knight defeated Cameron Grimes to become champion
5.75/10
I don't think NXT or WWE needed more titles but I don't care because the Million Dollar Belt was the coolest thing. This is not a conventional ladder match early on, but I love the clear briefcase holding the belt. This is more of a 1990s ladder match for the majority of it, and regardless it's not a strong spot for Knight. The highlight of it is Grimes jumping off the lighting rig, and right after Eli Drake talks way too much and can be seen calling the spot. Grimes had insisted on the gold ladder, and it was his undoing in the final spot of the match to the ramp. No desire to see LA Knight with the Million Dollar Belt, but I'd imagine Grimes wins it eventually.
NXT Women's Title
Raquel Gonzalez (c) defeated Ember Moon to retain
7/10
Raquel Gonzalez has added a Vader Senton Bomb to her arsenal, and it rules. Raquel Gonzalez just did The Northern Assault move Page & Alexander did by herself. This match is Raquel dominating early. Ember Moon has a great counter into a stunner, then an Eclipse. Dakota Kai was so smooth with the foot on the ropes save, but Shotzi comes out and throws her into the planting area. Ember Moon does a tornado DDT on the ramp, but Big Mami Cool wins with Snake Eyes and her powerbomb. This was a hoot.
NXT Championship
Karrion Kross retains
8.5/10
I think this is the first NXT Title match with more than two wrestlers since 2014. My god! Kyle O'Reilly told me this week how excited he was to work with Karrion Kross. He said Karrion Kross has his skill set with an extra 100 pounds. Kross works a big share of the early going with power moves. This is his best showing besides maybe the Escobar match, as he just chucks everyone around. I much prefer this Title match to many NXT Title matches we've seen in recent years. The pace is incredible, the spots from five establish talents keep hitting. Kross gets thrown through the set at one point.
NXT has the reputation of having a faster pace than main roster, but the NXT Title matches usually build more as opposed to being 100 MPH out of the gate like this. Some incredible spots: double superkick on Dunne, Gargano's suicide DDT, double Gargano escape. Dunne got Bitter End on Kross. Woah.
Karrion Kross retains in a fantastic match. This is the best he's been just saying "fuck it I'll fight everyone." That should be his thing, because NXT rarely does NXT Title matches like this and it was amazing. Let Kross have the confidence to fight three or four people nonstop
Rating Guide
10- Perfect, 9- MOTY Territory, 8- Excellent, 7- Great, 6- Good, 5- Average to above average, 4- Slightly below average, 3 or below: Poor
Each match starts at a 5 and slides up and down based on entertainment, execution, time, environment, reaction and stakes. The ratings are in no way an indication of a "star rating," which is a completely different system. A standard, non-offensive "TV match" lands at a 5. The gap between 5.75-6 is generally the largest, with anything reaching 6 being recommended viewing.
These are opinions, and incredibly inconsistent ones that may change upon a second viewing, or sitting on the match for a period of time. Don't take them too seriously, and have (and share) your own! Our opinions mean exactly the same amount as yours.
