Asuka: Colourful and viciousThis was no Takeover, but this edition of NXT had a championship match for the main event that had everyone chanting 'This Is Awesome' before they even rang the bell.New storylines kicked off and some were continued taking one step at a time. The main event scene looks quite set and the female performers in NXT still have more interesting stuff to deal with than anything else WWE has come up with in the main roster. It is also important to note that Asuka and Finn Balor, despite their limiations on the mic, have some tremendous screen presence. Here are the 5 points to note from this weeks show-
#1 \"Asuka\'s Gonna Kill You\"
Trending
It’s quite amazing how over Asuka has become in NXT since her first match was just about a month back. She kicked off the show with her badass theme music and her marvellous presence.
Despite her limitations on the mic and her command over the English language – her wrestling skills and her chilling expressions have made her quite an attraction. This week she faced Cameron who made her NXT debut in her pursuit to become a better wrestler.
Her entrance was met with an immediate chorus of boos. Much of it turned to amusement soon as the audience realized she’s an easy prey for the Japanese star and they aptly began chanting ‘Asuka’s gonna kill you’ as soon as the match began.
Much to Cameron’s credit, her magnified expressions were the perfect foil for Asuka’s viciousness.
And man, oh man, Asuka turning that slap into an armbar an awesome moment. Also, Asuka made, what the commentators called the ‘hip attack’ seem like a legit dangerous move. Cameron did get some offence in, most of it were variations of using a full split, but it was Asuka’s colourful yet vicious presence that you mostly took away from this match.
She’s certainly the best addition to the women’s division in NXT this year.
#2 \"The Baddest Guys In The Room\"
Speaking of immediate impacts, Dash and Dawson have attained just that in the tag team division.
Last week they went straight after the most popular tag team in NXT and injured Big Cass. This week they not only mocked "The realest guys in the room", they immediately shifted their attention to the most obvious point; winning the tag team championship. They even gifted the Vaudevillains a wheelchair.
What they made most interesting to wait for in this brief backstage segment is the trash talking that will ensue from Enzo Amore and Big Cass after what they've done to them. You just know that they'll be decimated, atleast verbally.
Just wait for it.
#3 \'All Red\' with rage
The ‘All Red’ campaign continued with Eva Marie returning from Paris and facing someone whom WWE’s official Youtube page calls a ‘local competitor’.
The ‘local competitor’ she faced got quite a lot of cheers after she shoved Marie and got an early, brief advantage. Marie looked better embracing her heel nature with more vigour, but she’s still pretty rough and rickety when it comes to executing her moves and also when it comes to selling some moves.
She received chants like ‘You’re not Charlotte’ and ‘What was that?!’ to her wooing and the boot-to-the-face move respectively. And then she won with one simple move. She’s certainly not getting many new supporters this week.
#4 The wild cards
Emma and Dana Brooke had a brief backstage segment following Eva Marie’s match and they showed why they should get better opportunities in the future.
They are a great team of heels. Their indignation at being overpowered by Asuka’s expressions and actions was the perfect set up for continuing the feud. Asuka still hasn’t had a proper welcome in NXT, they believe and given the performances of all the characters involved, this feud surely needs to have longevity.
For once, Emma should get her breakthrough. She’s been captivating as a heel and Dana Brooke has shown quite an improvement both in-ring and on the microphone.
#5 The main event
Firstly, Finn Balor’s theme song is gold.
Secondly, Balor looks every bit like royalty. He’s tailor-made to be a champion. The reaction to his entrance, raising one's arms in the air and that leather jacket all combine well to accentuate his persona.
This championship match was not from the unpredictable category of title matches at all. It was a no-brainer that Balor will retain his championship. It was about setting up new feuds and new main event level superstars.
Balor is still the ultimate babyface, Crews is as promising as ever and Corbin made it apparent that his time has come to climb up the ladder in NXT. But Joe’s heel turn had the most impact. He made it clear that despite the good times of sharing the trophy with Balor for winning the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic, Joe is here for so much more.
He’s here to win the biggest championship this show has to offer and he made it clear it is all about that prestigious prize.
The new feud for the championship begins and Crews and Corbin look like mainstays in the main event in the future.
Ex WWE writer blasts Liv Morgan HERE
