Since so many NXT mainstays made their debut on the main roster last week, Raw had become NXT. So, it would have been interesting to see what NXT looked like with so many of their performers being moved to the upper echelon of the company. Well, it was still the same. With star power in the form of Nakamura, Bayley, Austin Aries et al. still at the best brand the company has, it was still a great day to a fan of NXT.
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Corbin, Crews and The Vaudevillains are still balancing some time here and on the main roster.
Here are the 5 points to note from this week’s show-
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1). Nakamura! Nakamura!
Let’s just put it out there that Nakamura’s theme song is the best this year in WWE has had to offer. It’s arguably one of the greatest of all time because of how well it fits the character and how badass it sounds. His first televised NXT match was against endearing jobber Tye ‘Perfect 10’ Dillinger.
He was there to lose and we got to the outcome soon enough. But what this match proved is that Nakamura surely does have a lot of star power to offer to this brand. Even without uttering a single word, his body language speaks a million words.
2). It’s Bayley!
Bayley may perform the most generic of babyface promos and say the most typical of lines heard over and over again in the WWE but her character and the way she plays it is such that you have to feel for everything she says.
She seems so genuine and so connected with her fanbase that she really is the most babyface face WWE has had in a long, long time. Her legend is only going to grow here and she is on a Sami Zayn-esque path of becoming champion again. It’ll still be quite a stellar moment when her music finally hits on Raw.
3). Here to be Great
Austin Aries, fresh off his victory over Baron Corbin faced another man twice his size in Angelo Dawkins. Aries is another performer at NXT whose presence gives the brand some added credibility and is such a performer that can put an upcoming talent over by working with them. His promos and wresting skills are something that will only help the developmental brand.
But going by his past experience, being a babyface for too long may not be a great idea. He’s just too darn great as a heel. But as Samoa Joe is already doing a great job of being the best heel in NXT, they can wait with Aries.
4). Not Letting Go
Speaking of Samoa Joe, he called himself a warrior on this show and he is still eyeing that title he never won from Finn Balor. But with Anderson and Gallows making their debut on the main roster and with a surging rumor that Balor is off to Raw as well, it seems that Joe may finally get his hands on that championship he’s been chasing for so long.
Meanwhile, he’s supposed to face Apollo Crews. Since main roster call ups usually trigger losses on NXT, it seems Crews may get his second ever loss at NXT from Samoa Joe.
5). One more Match
Since Baron Corbin and Apollo Crews had some unfinished business at NXT, so did Enzo Amore and Big Cass. The most popular tag team in NXT is already making waves on the main roster and while a possible confrontation with New Day is possible, they have to deal with The Dudleys for a while.
On this show, these two confronted the new tag team champs Gable and Jordan and this segment led to the two teams deciding to face each other next week. The context that they put in place was quite meaningful. Amore and Cassidy have been in NXT longer than most tag teams and before they are off to the main roster for good, they want to take on the tag team champs whom they’ve never faced before.
