NXT RETRO WORKRATE REPORT (March 28, 2013)
NXT RETRO WORKRATE REPORT – MARCH 28, 2013
(by PHIL RIPPA)
Yeah… yet again reminded why I really need to write these things as I am watching them. Especially this episode, now I gotta remember what happened. Stupid Road to Wrestlemania.
WHAT WORKED
Why isn’t Howard Finkel doing the ring intros full time? If you really aren’t going to spend the time to train new guys (or transitioning an aging vet to something else – like Christy Hemme in TNA) there isn’t any reason to not let Finkel collect extra cash while giving all the matches a bigger feel.
Natalya vs. Kaitlyn was fine. I probably would have described it as better than fine if I haven’t been enjoying the NXT women’s division so much. This was a much different women’s match than normally on this show since this was a WWE style Diva’s match (albeit one given time) as opposed to the Sara Del Ray NXT style match we all enjoy. I do appreciate them tying the universes together with Natalya getting the title shot because she won a match on whatever that short lived Saturday Morning show was. Again nothing wrong this but the Abdominal Stretch spot seemed to last forever. I did like the finish with Kaitlyn’s selling of the Sharpshooter and the transition to the eventual pin via spear.
No Tony Dawson and Jim Ross being the third mic this week means the announce crew can be up here. Of course… when I am seriously debating that Dawson might be better than Tom Phillips, that really doesn’t say much about Phillips.
Speaking of announcers – the only thing of note from this week’s show is that Kassius Ohno comes out and jumps William Regal. That means with another week closer to Regal/Ohno. I also was way too amused over Ross just sitting there watching Regal get his ass beat without batting an eye. Way to show you care JR.
WHAT DIDN’T WORK
Man – what a weird fucking show. There wasn’t a single NXT regular in any of the matches. Heck – outside of Ohno attacking Regal, the regular NXT crew wasn’t anywhere to be found. I understand the purpose of this show and it must have been great for the live audience but this isn’t why I am watching NXT – I don’t need the same matches I could ignore on Smackdown.
It’s really fucking sad that Ricardo Rodriguez working as El Local was the only “regular” to work a match this week. And again – classifying Local as a “regular” is stretching that definition a lot. I am crediting him though because he had to spend two minutes putting up with Brodus Clay’s nonsense. Blargh.
I am not really a fan of Randy Orton. I am REALLY not a fan Randy Orton when he is wrestling Damien Sandow. I REALLY REALLY am not a fan of Randy Orton when he decides to bust out the Garvin stomp again. Apparently because Orton was in the opening Mania match and ate the pin they needed to proactively build him back up. I don’t know. That is my best guess at WWE logic and it makes me sleepy.