NXT UNSTOPPABLE

[Godfrey]

Also, I think a big part of what helped the final segment was that the announcers just, as JR says, laid out. They shut up and let the emotion of the moment carry the program. It was glorious.

[Phantom Lord]

 

 

And Samoa Joe showing up. In 5 minutes the WWE did more with him then TNA did in 10 years. That's all that needs to be said.

This is big time hyperbole. He had a great run right up to the point where he met Kurt Angle.

 

 

Yeah, one of the things TNA did right was the booking of Joe through about the second Angle match. They made him a fucking monster.

 

 

I should have clarified. I meant the WWE/NXT got people talking about him. Yeah people talked about him in TNA, but outside the indy bubble no one really knew who he was. Joe up till Angle's debut was great. Even in like the last year he was booked great. But he wasnt a huge star. Last night they made him look like one.

 

I would really love to see how a booking meeting in NXT goes down compared to one for RAW. There's such a huge disconnect in the styles. I know we saw clips on E60 but there must be something different than oh its Triple H vs. Vince.

[JCM]

Am I the only one who thinks they're saving a lot of the Zayn/Owens stuff for the main roster? They have been mentioned quite a bit in promos and by announcers the past few weeks. I wouldn't be surprised if Zayn/Owens 3 happens on the main roster.

 

I'd really like for some of the unreleased NXT stuff to see the light of day because I agree with Phantom Lord about Sasha having a legit shot at WWE wrestler of the year so far.

[Brian Fowler]

The undercard was nice a solid if not overly memorable.

 

The main event was good, violent, but short.

 

SAMOA FUCKING JOE~! showed up.

 

But, lets be honest, none of that shit matters.  What matters is Becky Lynch and THE BOSS tore the motherfucking house down with a match that was different, violent, well laid out, and just flat out fucking great.  They found thirty-seven different ways to work the arm, and they were all painful as fuck looking.  Sasha standing on each of Becky's arms, while taunting the crowd?  Lynch putting Banks in a modified arm-bar with her legs?  Sasha's one-armed dive?  Lynch's face plant on the apron off a simple but beautiful counter?  The finish?  Good god man, that was fucking amazing.

[mattdangerously]

Corbin looked pretty good last night. His offense is looking better, and some of his selling early in the match looked good. And they should seriously consider locking Rhyno into an exclusive deal and moving him up to the main roster. He's got at least one more really good run left in him.

[Patrick B.]

https://twitter.com/patrickab7/status/601485824144838656

Patrick Brandmeyer ‏@patrickab7

@TripleH My friend Mark enjoyed the show last night. #yaywrestling

 

3:32 PM - 21 May 2015

 

[Go2Sleep]

I dug the special entrances throughout the show.

 

Kevin Owens walking right by Itami after the "sneak attack" was a perfect character moment. Tremendous writing there.

 

Becky and Sasha, in addition to being the most beautiful hair match in wrestling history, was an absolute gem. Becky has always shown great athleticism and smart match structure, but hasn't had too many opportunities for a big showcase match like this. Total break-out, star-making match for her. Sasha is Sasha. It's just crazy how far women's wrestling has come in NXT. A little over a year ago, people were going crazy over that Paige/Emma match, and honestly, that was dogshit compared to this. The bar just keeps getting higher, and the matches are rightly getting mention in MOTY conversations.

 

Zayn/Owens was also really good for the time it got. Sami was really fired up, and Owens bumped his ass off. The apron powerbomb will never not be a sick spot. The constant head-shots while the refs were checking on Zayn went right along with the story. Joe's debut would've been infinitely cooler had it not been spoiled for me previously, but it was still sufficiently awesome. Can't wait for that match.

[Ramsey]

So, yeah, saw the show a day late and then the board staged a sit in so I couldn't comment. This was a FUN FUN FUN show.

 

Sasha, best in the company? Yup.

 

Sasha/Becky, match of the year? Yup.

 

Kevin Owens getting a hateful ass kicking before continuing to be super heel was amazing? Yup.

 

SAMOA FUCKING JOE COMING IN KING SIZED? Yup.

 

Goddamn I love me some NXT.

 

P.S. Tyler Breeze is underrated and fun as hell.

[Skeeball Wizard]

Tyler Breeze is underrated and fun as hell.

Yep. I'm not sure why, I just can't get into Balor's work. There's just some kind of disconnect between the character he portrays and his in ring. Breeze should have won that match, the possibility of Breeze vs. Owens is very intriguing, and I think would bring out a whole new side of Breeze.

[Phantom Lord]

 

Tyler Breeze is underrated and fun as hell.

Yep. I'm not sure why, I just can't get into Balor's work. There's just some kind of disconnect between the character he portrays and his in ring. Breeze should have won that match, the possibility of Breeze vs. Owens is very intriguing, and I think would bring out a whole new side of Breeze.

 

 

I was kinda hoping Breeze would win as well. I like Finn, but I never watched his stuff in Japan so I don't get the whole hype/aura surrounding him. Don't get me wrong he is pretty damn good...but I can just hear JBL saying "what the hell is with the Picasso paint Maggle..."

[RandomAct]

Becky and Sasha, in addition to being the most beautiful hair match in wrestling history, was an absolute gem. Becky has always shown great athleticism and smart match structure, but hasn't had too many opportunities for a big showcase match like this. Total break-out, star-making match for her. Sasha is Sasha. It's just crazy how far women's wrestling has come in NXT. A little over a year ago, people were going crazy over that Paige/Emma match, and honestly, that was dogshit compared to this. The bar just keeps getting higher, and the matches are rightly getting mention in MOTY conversations.

Something similar to this crossed my mind.  Now I still love the Paige/Emma tournament final, but it benefited from the whole "pleasant surprise" factor.  We move onto say, Charlotte/Nattie and the like, and all of those were well received.  It just kept escalating from there, to stuff like Sasha/Charlotte, and finally Sasha/Becky where they aren't "good for ladies matches", but legit phenomenal fucking matches. 

 

The big topic a while back was putting the women on equal footing with men, and for some, it meant wrestling men and doing stupid shit in the ring.  But if  you REALLY want women to be on equal footing with men in the business, you do it with matches like that.  No one would expect Manny Pacquaio to fight Wladimir Klitschko to gain respect, so why should a female worker do the wrestling equivalent?  A ladies match is awesome the same way a welterweight fight is awesome. 

[Greggulator]

All the early "great NXT women's matches" are still really solid matches. It was the first time those of us who only watch the WWE have seen women's title matches with compelling characters who could also put on watchable matches that lasted beyond five minutes.But they were still very good matches. Maybe not PPV-level matches, but more "Hey, here's something worth watching on Smackdown" level. And that really elevated since it culminated a really good rivalry between the ultra-serious Paige and lovable goofball Emma.

But NXT has improved. And the women have improved and the talent level is up a whole bunch of levels. I mean, Sasha Banks is absolutely amazing. But Becky and Charlotte are really close, too. It's not like Emma got worse, either. And Bailey has a really great character, too. And now they're incorporating Alexa Bliss and Carmella and Dana Brooke, too. They have an A-Story, a B-Story and even a C-Story.

***

I just rewatched Sasha and Becky. It's so great. Everything they do in the ring matters and builds towards the ending. There are so many great little things, too. There's this great exchange in the beginning where Becky almost stole a fall from Sasha and is doing the "one inch away" taunt and Sasha just completely loses her confidence and bravado. It's such a great "Oh, damn, this girl's coming for me" little thing. I also love the end so much. Becky couldn't get Sasha to tap when she hooked her armbar but had control after that awesome leap/catch on the floor thing. So she has to go to the top again and is unsure of what she's going to do AND also has a damaged arm impeding her climb. That gives Sasha just enough time to go for something big, which was hurting the arm from the top with her knees (maybe her best weapon and something she did earlier) into the nasty Bank Statement.

(I don't know, though, if it would get over on the main roster, though, and that's beyond having to get past the neckbeards who just want eye candy. This match really reminded me of something involving Benoit or Malenko or Eddie more than anything else. It has been a really long time since we've had a mat-based submission-style match. I don't know if the greater WWE Universe would endure arm work to that degree from Cena, let alone the ladies.)

This is my favorite match of the year so far no matter the gender. if you add in the WWE Divas Sliding Scale, then it's a historically great match.

I think the next Takeover is going to be headlined by a rematch. I know Owens/Joe is going to be a big match. But I've seen matches like that before. I've never seen a woman's match rightfully main event a PPV-type thing. I really want to.

[Big Fresh]

Tyler Breeze is definitely the man. But so is Finn.

[JohnnyJ]

Tyler Breeze is underrated and fun as hell.

Yep. I'm not sure why, I just can't get into Balor's work. There's just some kind of disconnect between the character he portrays and his in ring. Breeze should have won that match, the possibility of Breeze vs. Owens is very intriguing, and I think would bring out a whole new side of Breeze.

I was kinda hoping Breeze would win as well. I like Finn, but I never watched his stuff in Japan so I don't get the whole hype/aura surrounding him. Don't get me wrong he is pretty damn good...but I can just hear JBL saying "what the hell is with the Picasso paint Maggle..."

What's so great about NXT is a lot of these performers have these "a-ha" moments where everything just clicks. Either the ring work or character goes to the next level and they never look back.(Ex: Charlotte had her match w nattie. Neville had his series w Sami. Itami had his mania special.)

Balor to me is a great entrance and a great finish but his move set is still a work in progress. I still think he's going to get there but he's at a few steps below the other standouts on the NXT roster.

[JCM]

 

 I don't know if the greater WWE Universe would endure arm work to that degree from Cena, let alone the ladies.)

 

If Cena could make his arm work half as compelling as Sasha and Becky(which he couldn't) then they probably would. I'm really struggling to think of 5 guys in WWE that could work a mat based match that good without throwing in non active guys like Regal and Noble. I got a Flair/Steamboat vibe from this match just a special kind of chemistry there between Sasha and Becky that Sasha also has(albeit in a different way) with Charlotte.

 

I have no issue with anyone saying Sasha in the best talent in WWE. Owens is the only other person I enjoy watching as much right now. From the time her music hits to the time she walks back up the ramp you know you've seen a star, and she doesn't waste a single second of screen time when she's out there

[mco543]

I think Balor's biggest problem is that he's seemingly been forced to abandon a good 75% of his moveset. He's still excellent and my favorite guy in NXT but I miss seeing him do all my favorite spots.

[The Man Known as Dan]

I'll actually sign on with Greg regarding Finn. I thought he was the worst guy in both the Breeze and Neville matches by a really good deal. Right now he has no character other then "Guy who puts on body paint". There is a LOT missing from him right now. He might get there eventually, but I thought Itami had been taking more positive steps pre injury then Balor had made. 

 

Also, upon further rewatching, I now have Lynch/Banks firmly in the "Best match since SHIELD Wyatts 1" level. 

[EVA]

Finn isn't doing much for me at this point either. He doesn't really seem to have a connection with what he's doing or the crowd, outside of his entrance. He almost reminds me of early 00's Christopher Daniels, when he had that great look and entrance but was basically a robot when the bell rang.

I'm really only familiar with his Bullet Club stuff, so maybe he's just not as comfortable being a face?

[Roman]

Also, upon further rewatching, I now have Lynch/Banks firmly in the "Best match since SHIELD Wyatts 1" level. 

When was the first time the Shield and the Wyatts faced off? I need to re-watch that match, I think.

[Matt D]

Breeze is a fashion model who happens to wrestler. That's what he comes off as, not as a guy pretending to be a fashion model who happens to wrestle. Emma came off as someone who was jaded from her experiences and was relishing in the opportunity to be bad. Owens comes off as a chickenshit opportunist bully hypocrite.

 

Finn comes off as nothing so interesting.

[Jrag]

If he is able to establish an in-ring difference between normal Finn and Demon Finn the dude will make all the money.  Not there yet, though.

 

If he can't do it on his own they need to give him DARK POWERS or a fireball or some shit!

[Niners Fan in CT]

I don't know, they are two different types of matches but right now in WWE I'd have  Becky Lynch vs. Sasha Banks and Brock Lesnar vs. Roman Reigns as my #1 and #2 in 2015.

[Roman]

If he is able to establish an in-ring difference between normal Finn and Demon Finn the dude will make all the money.  Not there yet, though.

 

If he can't do it on his own they need to give him DARK POWERS or a fireball or some shit!

Mist! He needs mist!

[Hail Sabin]

 

Also, upon further rewatching, I now have Lynch/Banks firmly in the "Best match since SHIELD Wyatts 1" level. 

When was the first time the Shield and the Wyatts faced off? I need to re-watch that match, I think.

 

Elimination Chamber 2014

[SirSmUgly]

I don't want to seem like I'm piling on just to do so, but I haven't been enamored of Bálor since he came in, and I don't really like his Devitt/Bullet Club stuff either. I don't like his offense and the painting stuff, I know I'm in the minority on because I find it to be somewhat ridiculous. Even Itami, who was really awkward there for a few months, started to find his stride as a "gruff dude that kicks people in the face when he gets irritated" type before he got injured. Balor is just a dude with weak, theatrical-looking offense that paints himself up as goofily as Jeff Hardy. As people have noted, even his offense doesn't change to sell the difference between regular Bálor and painted Bálor.

 

Breeze is really into that character, but the Beauty Shot is probably the least credible finish in NXT at this point. He needs to just use the Supermodel Kick as his finisher.