Wednesday nights are always exciting for all professional wrestling fans. After witnessing half-baked main roster segments, plots and contests, the hardcore wrestling enthusiast gears up for the real ‘cool’ brand in wrestling: NXT! With due apologies to The Miz, this week’s show was Intercontinental in the truest sense of the word.
We first witnessed a pre-recorded title match inside a steel cage between Samoa Joe and Shinsuke Nakamura from Melbourne, Australia. Following this epic encounter, we would soon travel to Full Sail Arena in Orlando, Florida, to determine which wrestlers from the NXT universe would be part of the Fatal Four Way next week, to crown the Number One contender for the NXT Championship.
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Each match was unique, exciting and showed us what makes NXT the hottest brand in wrestling. Without further ado, let’s travel to Melbourne, and kickstart our recap from this hard-hitting episode of NXT.
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#5 Three Kinshasas to kill the beast
It’s always bittersweet when a legendary rivalry ends. We have witnessed the end of one of the most entertaining feuds this year, one that made NXT a red hot brand. What better setting for the same than within a steel cage, in front of an international audience baying for Joe’s blood!
Shinsuke Nakamura delivered a flying Kinshasa from the top rope to land the first blow, and unsettle the Samoan Submission Machine. While he had a chance to leave the cage and emerge victoriously, Nakamura would change his mind shortly.
Two Kinshasas later, Samoa Joe would not be able to kick out of a three count and forever relinquish the NXT Championship. A new era had begun, and Samoa Joe’s face showed the battle scars from this devastating encounter.
We are certain that Samoa Joe will move on to bigger and better things soon. That begs the question, what’s next for Shinsuke Nakamura? A tournament to crown the number one contender for his title, that’s what! And for the same, we moved to Full Sail University, many miles across the globe.
#4 Roderick made a Strong statement
Roderick Strong defeated Elias Samson to advance to the Fatal Four Way next week. There are two major takeaways from this.
The first is that Corey Graves becomes almost maniacal at the sight of The Drifter. Every time he goes into a tirade about how much he hates Samson, it is refreshing to see a colour commentator hate on a heel talent.
But more importantly, Roderick Strong is a great hand in the ring, who can really step up to the main event picture in the near future. Let’s see how he fares in the Fatal Four Way next week.
#3 Auditions ongoing for SAnitY?
Big Damo made a big impact last week. The monster heel seems like a perfect fit for the heelish stable known as ‘SAnitY’. On Wednesday, the leader of the faction- Eric Young battled the perfect 10, Tye Dillinger in a battle to determine who advances in the Fatal Four Way tournament.
The match would last only a while before Nikki Cross would jump on Dillinger, and disqualify her own stable mate!
Tye Dillinger would manage to regain his composure and fight off the heels, before being attacked by Big Damo. When the ring announcer read out Tye Dillinger’s name as the winner of the match, he was laid out in a crumpled heap in the middle of the ring. Symbolic of Tye Dillinger’s own career, maybe?
The question remains. Is Big Damo trying to impress members of SAnitY?
#2 Greatest theme song in history?
Bobby Roode has been making his ‘glorious’ entrance on NXT for quite a while now. However, the effect that the song and the entrance have on the NXT universe is truly breathtaking. Even before the match began, Oney Lorcan looked like a jobber next to the glorious Bobby Roode.
In due course of time, Lorcan did impress with his great in-ring work, but Roode would pick up the victory with a glorious DDT. Why? Because he won't give in, he won’t give in! Till he’s victorious in the Fatal Four Way, he will defend. He will defend. Sorry, got carried away!
#1 Heel Almas is best Almas
For years, Almas wrestled under a mask and was known as La Sombra. NXT made him as uncool as can be, upon his debut; giving him white clothes and ugly suspenders. During the Dusty Rhodes classic, we witnessed another side of Almas!
One that was filled with rage, malice and the willingness to inflict pain. This heel version of Almas is quite fun to watch. He defeated No Way Jose, to advance to the next round. So Roode vs. Dillinger vs. Almas vs. Strong. Which of these main will face Shinsuke Nakamura for the NXT Championship at the next Takeover special? Join us next week, and you’ll have your answer.
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