4 things NXT got right on its Christmas Special episode (December 25, 2019)

#1 Theory’s challenge

This week’s Christmas Special kicked off with an incredible NXT North American Championship match.

Roderick Strong had sent an open challenge to anyone in the back to step up to him, and his challenge was answered by none other than Austin Theory.

In case you didn’t know, Theory signed up with the company in August 2019 and was assigned to the WWE Performance Center. At the time of signing with the company, he held the Evolve Championship and WWN Championship.

This was a great way to have him debut on television and allowed the well-known Superstar a chance to shine on his first outing against a competitor like Strong.

While Theory isn’t a large man, he matched up to someone like Strong perfectly, and the two men managed to deliver a show-stealing performance.

It was great to watch him get a Championship opportunity right at the start, confirming that the company is willing to invest more in the Superstar. However, the North American Champion took him down during the latter stages of the match and picked up the victory to retain his title after making Theory tap out to the lethal modified surfboard submission maneuver.

The crowd gave both men a standing ovation, confirming that they approved of the Christmas Special booking for them.

This was a great way to kick off an episode meant to be a treat for the fans.