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What a great episode of NXT it was! Just when you thought that the black and yellow brand couldn't outdo itself, it did so in a show filled with action and thrilling surprises.
As we inch closer to TakeOver in Toronto, on SummerSlam weekend, all of the pieces are falling in place to ensure that the show is truly grand indeed. If this was a preview of sorts for the following TakeOver, I daresay we have quite a show to look forward to.
Let me list out 5 points to note from NXT TV this week. What do you guys think of the current NXT roster and which current superstars do you think will do well in the main roster?
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#5 Adrian Jaoude gets a brand new name and a new look
The great thing about having Mauro Ranallo at the commentary desk is that he brings a combat sports experience that extends beyond sports entertainment alone. Ranallo is a gentleman who is adept in calling boxing and MMA fights, which is why he presented the whole Arturo Ruas vs. Matt Riddle match in a rather different manner. Nigel McGuinness and Beth Phoenix went along for the ride, providing suitable accompaniment.
You may know Artuto Ruas as Adrian Jaoude, and I'm certain that those who watch the WWE NXT weekly show must have seen him on more than one occasion. While he is being repackaged, one wonders if this necessarily means that he will be given a push. Even though he put up a fight against Matt Riddle, he came out on the losing end.
It is clear that Riddle is being primed for bigger and better things. He is 'the guy'.
#4 Masked man attacks Matt Riddle, revealed to be Killian Dain
The main roster's loss is NXT's gain, I suppose. We all used to speak about what a great athlete Killian Dain is, how so few men his size can move with the kind of agility and nimbleness he possesses.
Dain would ambush Matt Riddle shortly after his victory showing up in a mask. It must be noted that vignettes have been airing of Killian Dain, promoting his return to NXT. I cannot think of a better way for him to re-debut in the brand.
We all believed that SAnitY would be the next big thing on the main roster, and while Nikki Cross is certainly the only one from the faction who's faring well under Vince McMahon, she's hardly the twisted character she was in NXT. Maybe Dain can establish himself as someone at the top of the food chain in the black and yellow brand, by taking Matt Riddle down.
#3 Two big men square off on next week's show
Keith Lee has been in NXT for some time now but hasn't had the same kind of success in the black and yellow brand that people believed he would. He was interviewed by Cathy Kelley and expressed the fact that he's not been in the same spot that he'd imagined for himself.
And to change that, he wants to take on Damian Priest, a man who has been racking up victories. Both men are larger than the average human being, so this could potentially be quite the clash.
Also, what makes the contest special is the fact that it is impossible to pick a winner between the two gigantic superstars. Both of them need the win to advance to the next stage, making it a match to watch out for, really.
Expect both men to be in the title picture very soon.
#2 Apollo Crews has a pretty great showing
Honestly, there's more than one superstar in the main roster that doesn't get to showcase his true worth. I mean we all saw what Tyler Breeze could do, upon his NXT return. He'd been used as little more than an enhancement talent during his time in the WWE main roster.
Apollo Crews came back to NXT and proved exactly how good the main roster guys can be. He took on NXT's hottest star Kushida in a contest that went back and forth, in a match that could have been won by either individual. But ultimately, Kushida would pick up the victory and inch ever so closer to the title picture.
I guess that the narrative right now is that superstars from various brands want to test their ability against Kushida. And with this in mind, I wonder who's next to step up to the plate and challenge him.
#1 Twan Tucker brings a friend to destroy Adam Cole
Twan Tucker is training hard to become a sports entertainer and one day, rise to the same level as his hero, Johnny Gargano. Adam Cole has been very mocking towards the man, undermining his hopes and dreams, in vignettes that have aired on NXT TV.
Cole would give Tucker a title opportunity, hoping to belittle the man in the ring. Instead, Tucker would call forth Johnny Gargano who would come out to brawl with Adam Cole, eventually locking him in the Gargano escape submission hold.
Not long after this altercation, William Regal made a 2-out-of-3 falls match official for NXT TakeOver: Toronto between the two men. Considering the fantastic chemistry both men share, this is going to be a sports entertainment match for the ages.
I suppose this will be the culmination of the feud between both men that has stretched over months.
