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While wrestling fanatics are always looking forward to the next episode of RAW and SmackDown Live, many diehard fans wait patiently to witness the action that takes place on NXT.
This past Wednesday, the wrestling world watched one of the biggest NXT episodes ever, as the brand debuted on the USA Network. To ensure the action remained as big as the hype that surrounds the brand, NXT booked two of their top Superstars in an NXT North American Championship match.
That wasn’t all, as the company booked a Number One Contender's Match for the NXT Women’s Championship and the 205 Live’s Cruiserweight Championship from this week’s episode.
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In this article, we will look at the three things NXT got right and two things they got wrong on their USA Network debut.
#1 Got Right: The Fatal 4-Way NXT Women's Championship No.1 contender's match
How do you introduce your female talent to the world? The way NXT did it this past Wednesday ensures that everyone knows that the brand has the best female wrestlers in professional wrestling.
Io Shirai, Bianca Belair, Candice LeRae, and Mia Yim all competed in a Fatal 4-Way match to determine the number one contender to Shayna Baszler’s NXT Women's Championship.
All four women produced nonstop action which served the purpose of showcasing the NXT Women's Division to perfection. The women were also given adequate time to display their uniqueness and prove why each one belonged in the match.
LeRae got the most out of the battle, as she will no longer exclusively be known as Johnny Gargano’s wife. Her victory enabled her to pick up one of the biggest wins of her career and also get one over on Io Shirai.
If LeRae does go on to win the NXT Women’s Championship at a later date, the WWE Universe can rest assured that she'll have a ready made challenger waiting for her.
#1 Got Wrong: The 3-second squash
The Black and Gold Brand is all about athleticism, heart, and the best wrestling performances you’ll ever see. Character building has also been one of NXT's biggest strong points.
Cameron Grimes is a perfect example of what NXT stands for and how newer talented wrestlers are given an opportunity on the brand. The Breakout Tournament finalist took on the former Cruiserweight Classic competitor Sean Maluta in a one-on-one match this past Wednesday.
This was a great chance for NXT to build on their undercard stars and bring them up to another level. Instead, wrestling fans endured a 3-second squash match, as Grimes caught a charging Maluta with a leaping double stomp and pinned him to score one of the quickest victories in NXT history.
If NXT wanted to leave a big first impression on the audience, then they could have allowed him to dominate for at least a minute before getting the pin. Grimes is a Superstar to look out for and NXT should allow him some more time in the ring to get fans interested in him.
#2 Got right: Lio Rush’s return
Lio Rush was one of the most hyped stars when he signed on to the company and was destined for great things right from the start. However, his reported outbursts brought him a lot of heat which resulted in not getting any favors from creative.
Considered as one of WWE's biggest mouths, Rush received his big break as Bobby Lashley's mouthpiece on the main roster. There he accompanied the big man during his big matches on RAW.
After receiving some backstage heat, Rush was pulled from television and remained out of competition for quite some time. After months of uncertainty, Rush returned to television this week and took on Oney Lorcan for a shot at the Cruiserweight Title.
The two men delivered a great match, which reminded fans of each of their unique skill sets. Rush’s victory will immediately allow him to reach the top and aim for bigger things, as he is a talent WWE should not give up on.
Although his babyface turn was puzzling, especially considering his long run as a heel, it was good to have Rush competing on television once again.
#2 Got Wrong: The NXT brawl
Killian Dain and Matt Riddle have been able to evolve their rivalry into one of the biggest parts of NXT in the past few weeks. The two have gone at each other nonstop and become as physical as possible to sell their rivalry in such a way that even a loss here or there wouldn't hurt.
The main event of this week's show saw the continuation of the rivalry, this time in a street fight. As you’d expect from any street fight, the action spilled over to the floor, and into the backstage area where they bumped into Imperium at a nearby table.
This was the beginning of the end of their match, as Walter applied a choke to Riddle, but The Street Profits and Forgotten Sons interjected. The angle led to a full-on brawl involving most of the top stars on the NXT roster.
The match ended in a no-contest with NXT security trying desperately to break up the fights that had broken out across Full Sail University. While the action was fantastic, the booking seemed lazy, as creative looked to achieve far too much in too little time. Even though they tried to put over the brand and Matt Riddle, prematurely ending the main event of an extremely hyped show doesn’t really work well with a brand known for its action.
#3 Got right: The prophecy came true
The most anticipated match of the night was also the only championship match and did not disappoint at all. NXT put two of their best entertainers in the driver’s seat on Wednesday night, as Roderick Strong took on the North American champion Velveteen Dream to win the last piece of NXT men’s gold for The Undisputed Era's collection.
The TakeOver worthy match was one of the best fans have ever seen on NXT. The Undisputed Era's involvement ensured that Dream’s loss did not make him look weak by any means. He’s a babyface who knows how to work the crowd with the mic and with his wrestling skills. Velveteen Dream is one of the men who will carry NXT to the next level.
Strong, on the other hand, has always been one of NXT’s top talents, but had remained underrated due to his partnerships. This solo performance was one of the best we’ve seen from him, which allowed him to win his first singles Championship in WWE.
