(NXT) June 13, 2018 TV Show

[Greggulator]

Shocked this wasn't posted up, especially since Dunne/O'Reilly was one of the hottest matches in Full Sail history.

Is Pete Dunne the best worker in the whole company right now? I think he has to be. His match against Kyle was one of my favorite matches in NXT history. This was just an absolute great war. It was such a great story that built off the past few weeks of Dunne vs. Undisputed. Dunne had a target on his leg, but overcame it with his grotesque mastery of finger and joint work. O'Reilly held his own on the mat and had the benefit of his striking. 

But what they added on was just great stuff. I love how Dunne is a fan-favorite but absolutely NOT a face. He's still the same person, it's just that we appreciate his tenacity now. They had a great spot where Dunne absolutely would not let go of Kyle's hand despite being nearly knocked out. Kyle did this great look like... "You've got to be kidding me." I usually think Kyle is absolutely brutal to watch in terms of character work. There have been times when he's been on my TV and I have thought that he is the single worst professional wrestler I have seen in several years. I am not kidding. But he stopped trying to do "Cool Heel Circa 1998" and was just a nasty person. It works so much better for him. A+ for that match.

Bianca Belair is about six months away from being the next big thing. She has IT. That match against Aaliyah was a great squash. I loved her doing a clean-and-jerk to a friggin' human being. Her segment with Dakota Kai was great, too. She now has a character and is running with it. Some good veteran workers like Dakota Kai are going to be able to hold her hand into some good stuff. 

War Raiders rule. I didn't realize until now that the one dude had a straight-up 1990s style TRUE TILL DEATH hardcore sXe chest-piece. I was more into pop-punk/indie/ska as a skid, but I got dragged to a lot of hardcore shows by my friends. There were always a few dudes like that at those shows -- just dudes you would never, ever make eye contact with and you'd hear someone say "yeah, he just got out from prison, he killed a teacher." Or there would sometimes be at a show a friggin' straightedge bouncer who was absolutely terrifying. I love that War Raiders are reppin' Victory Records.  

EC3 vs. Kassius did nothing for me. I really want to like EC3. I love the poolside videos. Rich, arrogant jerks are why I love wrestling. But he was pretty "eh" in this match. 

The video packages for Gargano/Ciampa and Shayna/Nikki were perfect. Shayna doing the "this is why I don't do these interviews" when challenged about whether Nikki could beat her was a great character moment. I love that Shayna is straight-up scared of Nikki. 

All-in-all, Saturday's going to be great.

[Eivion]

The video packages were great.

Loved Bianca's squash of Aliyah though I feel sorry for Aliyah. She seems fairl decent, but its clear they have no intention of doing anything with her. I am looking forward to Bianca vs. Dakota.

EC3 does nothing for me. Its a pity I liked Kassius attitude in their match.

Dunne/O'Reilly was great and easily the best O'Reilly has looked in NXT.

[nofuture]

O'Reilly's probably the last guy I though would really grow in NXT.  He went from super serious indie guy with no personality to a total enjoyable goofball.

Like everyone else is saying, Belair is really going to be something special in a year or two.  Hopefully the take time and groom her and not rush her onto the main roster.

[The Natural]

Dunne vs. O'Reilly was one of the best matches in WWE this year. The reversals, the limb work and one of the loudest FSU crowds I can recall.

[RIPPA]

 

[Burgundy LaRue]

Sadly for Aliyah, the writing has been on the wall for her since Liv Morgan was called to the main roster. Both were used similarly in NXT, but they called up Liv and being in a stable with Ruby Riott will help her continue to grow. Aliyah barely gets TV time anymore and when she does, it seems like she has a new look and music every time. She feels out of place with the newer women, despite still being quite young.

EC3 is a mixed bag for me. I love everything about him as a character--but then he wrestles and the interest is gone. He's not bad in the ring, but he doesn't do enough for me to care.

Bianca is getting the Velveteen Dream treatment where they're putting her with top-level people. Understandably so. She has talent to spare. Good to hear her do promos and continue develop her character. 

The Shayna-Nikki feud is great because that's exactly how it would play in real life. The bully brutalizes everyone until she meets the weird foreign exchange student who's not the biggest or strongest, but has the tenacity of crazy on her side. And the bully has no idea what to do with that.

As great as Gargano-Ciampa has been, it feels like it's time to wrap it up or move in a totally different direction. If for no other reason in that it's fairly overtaken the main event scene, but it's negatively impacting Black and what they're doing with his title run.

 

[Firebreaker Chip]

Bainging main event, mixed in fancy jiu-jitsu and fighting spirit spots without detracting from it being a believably intense pro-wrestling brawl. O'Reilly has some great little moments of amusing stooging, despite walking to the ring like he's providing motion capture for an orc warlord. Recall there being some weirdly good comedy bits in one of his KUSHIDA matches I saw, and that spot where he tried to Hulk up vs AOP and just collapsed out of the ring was an all-timer

Maybe he's learning from Adam Cole, a so-so wrestler with absolutely world class facial reactions and cowardly heel body language

dunno why they keep saying Pete Dunne's a vegan, he's clearly a cannibal

 

[quackhell]

Some minor quibbles (Dunne landing on his knee on backflips in quick succession while barely selling) aside Dunne/O'Riley was great stuff.

Was kind of put off by Belair's blue lipstick look, but she just continues to get better and better, although I'll echo the thought that Aliyah seems to be unfairly stuck in a thankless enhancement role. The sit-out Spicy Drop is a much better finish for Belair than the Alley Oop or spear.

War Raiders have the perfect offense for squashing guys(although that pop up powerslam looked very dodgy) A feud with The Mighty has some potential.

EC3 seems like he will work better on the main roster as his character work and look will matter more than his mediocre in ring. I haven't got a clue where Ohno stands. On the verge of a turn? Player coach who is just there to get guys over? On hold till he drops weight? 

Video packages were excellent especially Gargano/Ciampa. I do think the program needs a proper blow off, and I am not sure a street fight is it, but I also don't know where else they can go. I do wish Almas had remained champion long enough for Gargano to finally beat him. Would have been a nice story, but that is the nature of NXT with the roster call ups.

[Eivion]

I forgot to mention how much I love Bianca's new finisher. That looks so much better than anything she has used before. Hopefully she sticks with that and the 450.

[Go2Sleep]

That was a nice little match with Dunne/O'Reilly. Dunne is easily the MVP so far this year, and I never understood why anyone hated O'Reilly. His facial expressions are goofy, but that works to his advantage selling (like that headbutt in this match) and he can absolutely go on the mat or in quick strike exchanges. Pretty much every NXT match he's been is has been good. Loved that even early on it felt like both guys were trying to win. Great finish too with O'Reilly unable to get the KO, so he yanks out the mouth guard as a great visual cue to mean "one more shot and he's out," but it gave Dunne enough time to counter with the injured arm they built up throughout the match.

Hopefully after Shayna's through with Nikki, she can bully a few of the less intimidating looking women on the roster before Bianca puts her in her place. Bianca looked like she had it all together tonight.

[Norwegian Rudo]

11 hours ago, quackhell said:

I haven't got a clue where Ohno stands. On the verge of a turn? Player coach who is just there to get guys over? On hold till he drops weight? 

The second. He's intimated as much in interviews, although I can't remember the specific wording he used.

[NikoBaltimore]

19 hours ago, Burgundy LaRue said:

As great as Gargano-Ciampa has been, it feels like it's time to wrap it up or move in a totally different direction. If for no other reason in that it's fairly overtaken the main event scene, but it's negatively impacting Black and what they're doing with his title run.

Considering Gargano interrupted EC3's match a couple weeks ago I could see them getting into a feud.  Which works for me as I feel Gargano would be just the guy to pair EC3 with to make his character work mean something in-ring.

 

6 hours ago, Go2Sleep said:

I never understood why anyone hated O'Reilly.

Kyle was guilty by association for so long when he was paired with Davey Richards.  And he didn't do much at the time to change anybody's opinions on that.  But after teaming with Fish for so long it took a while but people started to appreciate him.  Heck, I even felt a need to apologize to him which he seemed to appreciate and from what I heard sounds like a decent guy to boot.

Long story short don't be associated with Davey Richards lest you want to be ridiculed with him.

[Eivion]

8 hours ago, NikoBaltimore said:

Kyle was guilty by association for so long when he was paired with Davey Richards.  And he didn't do much at the time to change anybody's opinions on that.  But after teaming with Fish for so long it took a while but people started to appreciate him.  Heck, I even felt a need to apologize to him which he seemed to appreciate and from what I heard sounds like a decent guy to boot. 

I never saw a thing of O'Reilly until he hit NXT. At the very least in WWE he just hasn't been super impressive until recently.

[Lawful Metal]

I think Kyle O’Reilly’s gimmick being MMA Eugene has been really endearing. Submission Savant forever!

[NikoBaltimore]

On 6/15/2018 at 6:37 PM, Eivion said:

I never saw a thing of O'Reilly until he hit NXT. At the very least in WWE he just hasn't been super impressive until recently.

He turned out pretty well once he started ReDragon, but if this is your first time seeing him then that's for the best.  Unlike a lot of us he had a clean slate in your eyes so you never saw him have the Richards stink on him for awhile.  But he really is my favorite member of UE though I do like them all.

[JonnyLaw]

I really like Fish’s stooging. It was a highlight of seeing them live.