Grading the 9/5/18 Episode of NXT

Johnny Gargano vs Velveteen Dream

These 2 superstars easily had the match of the night.

Result: Velveteen Dream defeated Johnny Gargano via pinfall with the Dream Valley Driver.

Grade: A+

Analysis: This was an excellent match between 2 of NXT's best wrestlers. Both superstars hit each other with their best shots. Velveteen Dream hit Johnny Gargano with a Famouser that I was convinced would get Dream the win. Dream then hit the modified DDT that had me on the edge of my seat.

Johnny Gargano was the obvious favorite heading into this match so it seemed like he was on the cusp of getting the victory at many times in this match. It is interesting that Johnny Gargano stopped himself from hitting Velveteen Dream with a draped DDT on the floor and seemed to regain control of himself until Velveteen Dream called him Johnny Failure.

Johnny Gargano then lost control and Velveteen Dream was able to hit him with the Dream Valley Driver out of nowhere. Gargano lost because of this "identity crisis" that he's been going through on recent episodes of NXT. This match also served to establish Velveteen Dream's Dream Valley Driver as a dangerous move that can be hit out of nowhere.

There is now a bit of unpredictability in the NXT Title picture. It is unlikely that Johnny Gargano is leaving the NXT Title picture as there's no way that the Johnny Gargano vs Tommaso Ciampa feud is going to end after the controversial ending of their NXT Title match at NXT Takeover: Brooklyn 4 but Velveteen Dream has just been established as a potential NXT Title challenger with recent victories over EC3 & Johnny Gargano. Maybe we'll see a triple threat match at NXT Takeover: War Games 2 between all 3 competitors.