Rating guide
10- Perfect, 9- Excellent, 8- Great, 7- Good, 6- Above Average, 5- Average, 4- Slightly below average, 3 or below: Poor
Pre-show
- Kurt Angle is backstage, and Lita implies that he's there to scout talent. That's a nice touch.
- Charly Caruso is doing an awesome job leading the panel.
- Big E, Carmella, Sasha Banks, Neville, Becky Lynch all appear. Big E was a little rough. They're really pushing the Neville vs. Aleister Black possibility.
Other crappenings
- At the beginning of the show, Code Orange plays and aren't bad. It feels like ECW with production values.
- They show NXT stars talking to Daniel Bryan and Kurt Angle. A great touch. The Iconic Duo are making their pitch to Daniel Bryan.
- Becky, Sasha and Charlotte are all ringside for the co-main event.
Andrade Cien Almas (w/ Zelina) defeated Johnny Gargano
8.5/10
- Crazy to think it's been like six and a half years since we first saw Zelina in TNA.
- Gargano has those unusual looking punches that make a great sound and get a good reaction.
- Johnny Wrestling's slingshot spear is a WWE producer's dream. It comes out of nowhere on TV.
- Almas' Tranquilo is countered with a kick, then followed by a suicide dive and a slingshot DDT. This is a banger.
- I appreciate Almas (and anyone) using unconventional and traditionally unseen WWE offense.
- I find myself pointing out the offense and counters of this match a lot, because they're great and different and that goes a long way.
- Ranallo is so much better than Phillips.
- Almas having a star making performance 14 months after his debut.
- Gargano is distracted when Zelina throws a DIY shirt at him and he gets DDT'd.
- You must watch this match.
- If Tetsuya Naito and Manny Ramirez had a kid, it would be Andrade Cien Almas and that's incredible
- I hope this leads to Candice LeRae coming in with Gargano. He looks horrified by the shirt.
NXT Tag Team Championship
Sanity (w/ Killian Dane and Nikki Cross) defeated Authors of Pain (c) (w/ Paul Ellering) to become NXT Tag Team Champions
7.5/10
- Sanity's entrance isn't done justice by TV. Awesome live.
- This is the Junior Big Beef Battle.
- This is the brawl we all expected.
- Eric Young pulled the ol' switcheroo and replaced Dane.
- Young gets killed with a back body drop/Dominator and a side slam stomp.
- Wolfe had a really good showing too, including a big German suplex and a frankensteiner.
- These two teams delivering big time. Alexander Wolfe landed a sick dive, and Nikki Cross gets sandwiched between Dane, Rezar and a table.
- Sanity wins!!!! I hope this means Nikki Cross is a tag champ too.
- ReDRagon reforms and attacks Sanity! This is a lot to digest.
Aleister Black defeated Hideo Itami
6/10
- Black getting the star treatment with live music. I was told this weekend that WWE has plans for Black.
- Jim Ross is calling this one.
- Black busted open early. This is the match both men were meant for.
- You know the score here. They beat the living shit out of one another. It's solid stuff.
- Shout outs to Itami for the Super Falcon Arrow.
- I don't consider it a coincidence that Neville is at ringside.
- Black wins with his wheel kick, that he delivers better than many pro MMA fighters.
NXT Women's Championship
Asuka (c) defeated Ember Moon
8/10
- Personally, I put Asuka vs. Ember as the main. Zero buzz for Roode vs. McIntyre. I'd imagine there are REASONS, though.
- Ember starts off fast. I love the leg sweeps and the cannonball to the outside.
- Asuka's surfboard stomps and German suplex into the buckle are NASTY.
- A tornado suplex from Ember!
- Asuka kicked out of the Eclipse. Ember is beside herself.
- The fact that everyone hasn't been doing the "OMG THEY KICKED OUT OF THAT WHAT WILL I DO" all night's makes Ember's mean more. Ember realized she wasn't ever nearly as close as beating Asuka as she thought.
- Asuka gets caught holding the trunks. She's a great shades of grey character.
- Asuka lock and a submission. What a run she's had.
NXT Championship
Drew McIntyre (c) defeated Bobby Roode
5.25/10
- Personally, I've never been a McIntyre or Roode guy. Certainly much more interested in McIntyre, though.
- I should note Nigel McGuinness' great work tonight.
- It feels like WWE has their main roster production squad doing this one (they're not any different from earlier), but that isn't really a good thing.
- Tilt-a-whirl slam on the apron from McIntyre. Baller.
- This is a very Triple H 2003 match. I've never been a fan of Bobby Roode's pacing.
- What was with the ref flipping his hand out to avoid counting three?
- The last two and a half years, the NXT Championship has been the "guys who have worked at the top elsewhere" title.
- Drew McIntyre slapped the ringside area hard on his Tope Con Hilo. Roode didn't break the fall AT ALL.
- This match would have been a lot better with a third person.
- Drew McIntyre wins. That's cool. Not a great match.
- Adam Code Orange Skin Cole is here! He and Redragon attack McIntyre!
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