NXT Television Report Card

This week marks the second-to-last edition of NXT before NXT Takeover: Chicago II during Money In The Bank weekend. Takeover will take place on June 16th live on the WWE Network.

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I've said it before, but I thought NXT Takeover: New Orleans was the best Takeover of all-time (so far). It's going to be VERY difficult to top the card in New Orleans, but Chicago's five-match card definitely is going to be a great one.

This week's edition of NXT started with a showdown between the current top two women in the division, had three matches in the middle, and finished with a brawl all over the Full Sail Arena.

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As with all Report Card articles, I will grade each of the major developments of this week's television episode. The highest grade a segment or match can get is an A+; while the worst grade one can earn is an F.

Without further ado, let's see just how crazy Nikki Cross can get...

Fireworks between Shayna Baszler and Nikki Cross kick off NXT...

Shayna Baszler came out to the ring to kick off NXT. She was furious at what Nikki Cross did to her the week prior when she hit her with The Purge and pinned her for the 1-2-3 as Dakota Kai was the "referee" of the impromptu match.

Cross would come out and Baszler told her that if she tried to pull a stunt like that again, she'd put her to sleep. The crazy Cross pleaded with Baszler to "do it" and was willing to be put to sleep by the NXT Women's Champion.

Things got physical with Cross actually bloodying the mouth of Baszler before Shayna retreated. It was a great segment to set up this championship match at Takeover.

GRADE: A

The Mighty destroy a couple of jobbers...

tHE — The Mighty are making their opponents kneel...

It appears that Shane Thorne and Nick Miller are no longer going by TM61, but now by simply The Mighty. They destroyed a couple of jobbers in Mike Hughley and Robbie Grand in pretty quick fashion.

After the match, they bragged about who they have already beaten in the Street Profits and Heavy Machinery; while claiming they will do the same with the rest of the tag team division, including The Undisputed Era.

It was a good showcase to further their heel personas, but nothing earth-shattering here.

GRADE: C+

Roderick Strong v. Danny Burch

A couple of hard-hitting wrestlers squared off in the next match when The Undisputed Era's Roderick Strong took on Danny Burch ahead of the NXT Tag Team Championship match at NXT Takeover: Chicago II.

It didn't take long before the rest of The Undisputed Era came to ringside to distract Burch. At least Burch had a backup as his tag team partner Oney Lorcan and Pete Dunne came to even the odds.

Burch applied a crossface on Strong, but Adam Cole would get on the apron to distract Burch. That allowed Strong to hit a backbreaker and get the win.

This was more about the distractions than a good match, but that's okay considering the history of these six men.

GRADE: B

The rubber match between Kairi Sane and Lacey Evans...

What NXT is doing with Lacey Evans and Kairi Sane is something they should do more on NXT television, execute mini-feuds like this. On this week's edition of NXT, Sane and Evans had the rubber match of their three-match series.

I've said this over the past couple of weeks, but this feud with Sane has established Evans as an important piece of the women's division going forward with the great work she's done.

Some unique offense here from Evans including a slingshot elbow over the top rope and a Cobra Clutch swinging type of slam. The resilient Sane fought back though with an Interceptor and the Insane Elbow.

Great match, and loved the psychology of Sane working on Evan's right hand to prevent The Women's Right.

GRADE: B+

The best feud in professional wrestling continues to explode (and get bloody)...

The final segment of NXT this week starts with the best heel in professional wrestling right now, Tommaso Ciampa (sorry Cody Rhodes) entering Full Sail to the usual chorus of boos and you suck chants.

Ciampa says that his adversary is all of a sudden Johnny Badass; which prompted a Johnny Badass chant with the NXT Universe. I think that nickname could stick. Ciampa said it's adorable the way he delivered the contract for the street fight, but warned Johnny to not show up to Takeover.

From there, a huge melee ensued between Gargano and Ciampa with security and referees doing everything in their power to try to stop it. Words do not do it justice, so take a look at the melee for yourself.