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NXT, WWE's developmental territory is heading into the second War Games PPV after last years success in Houston. With the next Takeover now just over a month away, storylines are starting to lead towards the next PPV's card. This weeks episode opened up with Candace LaRae facing off against the taller Lacey Evans. This was in response to Evans taunting LaRae in the parking lot during last weeks episode. Evans would win after she taunted Gargano, calling LaRae and Johnny "losers" before hitting LaRae with the "Women's Right". LaRae is an extremely talented wrestler, but she's currently being pushed into an underdog role, which isn't necessarily a good fit and seems to be the same role they were giving to Dakota Kai.
Next up was Ciampa calling out Velveteen Dream backstage in a backstage video. Ciampa is remarkably good both in the ring and in front of a camera. The two are incredibly unique and talented and the match has great potential to be amazing. Back to the ring, we saw the Forgotten Sons, Wesley Blake, Jaxson Ryker, and Steve Cuttler. The Forgotten Sons won in a pretty quick squash against their opponents. The mid card stable is being built strongly and could potentially challenge for the tag team titles after the Undisputed Era and War Raiders feud wraps up.
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In a crossover between 205 Live and NXT, 205 Live's Tony Neese faced off against Johnny Gargano. The fight was probably a way for WWE to bring more attention to the struggling program, especially since it has been now moved to Wednesday nights after NXT. Gargano, for his part, has also appeared on 205 Live during the Cruiserweight Title Tournament in the lead up to Wrestlemania. The match had an explosive pace, starting with back and forth chain wrestling to the more acrobatic moves that the Cruiserweight division has often represented. The match was well paced and Gargano would win after locking in the Gargano Escape.
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The main event of the evening was a fight between Lars Sullivan and EC3. The match was the wrestling equivalent of a head-on collision between a semi-trailer and a freight train, with neither man taking a backward step. Sullivan, for his part, has been very patchy recently and his Takeover bout against Aleister Black and the errors he made during that match showed signs of someone that probably needed more time in the PC. This week he wasn't in a squash match and the errors he made against Black leaked out again here against EC3. EC3 also isn't the cleanest in the ring, but his current billing makes him at least enjoyable to watch when cutting a promo. Sullivan won after hitting a Freak Accident onto the ring apron and following it up with a Diving Headbutt.
# 3 EC3
EC3 is not the smoothest in ring operator, especially in NXT. However, standing in the ring with the likes of Lars Sullivan and it's amazing how much that perception can change when he is in the ring with the likes of Lars Sullivan. Since Sullivan and EC3 took part in the excellent 6 Man ladder match to crown the inaugural NXT North American Champion, the two have been on separate paths.
While Sullivan was given a premature title shot against Aleister Black at Takeover: Chicago, EC3 was kept off the card. Instead, the former TNA superstar went on to have a feud against the enigmatic Velveteen Dream, culminating in a match between the two at Takeover: Brooklyn IV. In this fight, however, EC3 looked the better of the two despite losing the battle.
EC3 managed to throw himself around for his bigger opponent and got offense of his own despite the size difference.
# 2 Lacey Evans
Lacey Evans has been one of the standouts in an NXT Women's division jammed full of good female heels. Evans' most recent feuds include going toe to toe against current NXT Women's champion Kairi Sane and now seems to be starting a program against Candace LaRae. Evans' is one of the best in-ring taunts in NXT, of the entire roster, and with Shayna Baszler has a genuine in-ring heel presence that is a bit hit-and-miss with Bianca Belair or Aaliyah.
Lacey's weakness is probably that of her finisher, in the Women's Right. Despite the KO punch being pushes as effective, it's still hard to believe. However, the rest of Lacey's move set is spot on, especially her version of the Bronco Buster.
# 1 Johnny Gargano
Johnny Gargano is one of the most talented wrestlers on the NXT roster, which is saying something because there are a lot of extremely talented wrestlers on the NXT list. After a long feud with Tommaso Ciampa, Gargano has looked to continue his time with NXT feuding against a range of other opponents.
This time he was given a match up against 205 Live Competitor, Tony Neese. In a sign of a promising idea which will allow superstars from other rosters in WWE to come and face against the talents of WWE, this was a positive step in the right direction. The fight started with all the pace in the world as the two settled into it. Gargano dominated the pacing of the match and very much seemed in control of it all. Gargano brought the entire arsenal out in the match against Neese, finishing the match with the Gargano Escape for the submission victory.
