Top 3 Performers of NXT (January 16, 2019)

This week's episode of NXT opened with the Street Profits making their first in-ring appearance for 2019. They faced the Metro brothers, a team from the Dudley Boys academy that has been used as enhancement talent in NXT over the last few years. The Street Profits got a dominant victory as the Metro brothers got little offence in against the Street Profits. Montez Ford would hit a frog splash for the pinfall victory.

However, the Street Profits would be attacked during their post-match celebrations by the Forgotten Sons, Jaxson Ryker, Steve Cutler, and Wesley Blake. After their attack, with the crowd booing them, the Forgotten Sons stood tall over the bodies of the Street Profits.

After a short backstage promo with Matt Riddle, promoting Keith Lee's match against Kassius Ohno and a short video promo from Aleister Black regarding his NXT title match against Tommaso Ciampa, the number one contender for Shayna Baszler's NXT Women's title, Bianca Belair, was in the ring cutting a promo calling out Shayna Baszler.

She was cut off mid-promo by Shayna Baszler and her horsewoman cohorts in Jessamyn Duke and Marina Shafir. The two traded barbs back and forth, with Baszler getting the better of the word game, but as she called her friends back, Belair slapped the taste out of Baszler's mouth.

Adrian Jaoude would appear in the ring next as the opponent of Dominik Dijakovic. This was Dijakovic's first competitive matches, as his previous matches have all been squash matches against developmental talent. However, it wasn't long until Dijakovic wrested control of the match from Jaoude, using his power and size to dominate his smaller opponent. He would win the match via pinfall after hitting his finisher "Feast Your Eyes" on the Brazilian Judoka.

This was followed by a video promo from the War Raiders, against the Undisputed Era, in preparation for the tag team title match at Takeover: Phoenix. It did seem like a waste, as the War Raiders do not need promos to enhance their image, and would be better if they spoke less as they do their intimidation in the ring with their actions rather than with words.

The next challenger for the NXT North American Title, Johnny Gargano, headed to the ring for in-ring action. Gargano faced Humberto Carillo, who debuted on 205 Live this week, as a warm-up for his title match against Ricochet at Takeover: Phoenix. The two traded chain wrestling back and forth, with Gargano breaking the chain with a forearm. Carillo used his speed as an impressive form of offence against Johnny Wrestling.

Gargano gained control of the match after hitting his slingshot spear on Carillo from the ring apron. Despite Carillo hitting lots of high-risk, high flying moves, Carillo went to the well one too many times as Gargano was able to get his feet up to counter Carillo's Moonsault, and then hit a superkick and a slingshot DDT for the win.

The NXT Champion Tommaso Ciampa responded to Aleister Black's promo from earlier in the night in a video package and the Velveteen Dream had a video promo hyping his first appearance for 2019. This was followed by the main event between Kassius Ohno and Keith Lee, the latter of whom was seeking revenge for what the former did to his friend Matt Riddle.

Lee dominated the start of proceedings, with Ohno on the back foot at the start of the fight. Ohno would use stiff strikes and kicks to chop down Lee. 'Limitless' Keith Lee was able to get back momentum after Ohno would try hit a second running Senton on Lee, only for Lee to get his knees up.

The two would trade chops before Lee would truck through Ohno. As Lee went to lift Ohno up, Ohno would block it by holding on to the ropes. This would lead to inadvertent contact between Lee and the referee. With the referee hurt and Lee distracted by the referee Ohno would hit Lee with a Low Blow and then a spinning forearm for the win.

#3 Bianca Belair

You wouldn't think that former MMA superstar and current NXT Women's champion Shayna Baszler would have much trouble with Bianca Belair when it came to physicality in their match. However, it was Bianca Belair who would come out on top with their standoff at this weeks episode of NXT.

While Baszler may have won the war of words with her number one contender, Belair was able to get in a great slap across the champion's face and escape without any repercussions from the two horsewomen she was flanked by in the ring.

Due to the fact that it was the first real interaction the two have had in their build towards their title match at Takeover: Phoenix, it was a great first step in the right direction for the two. While Bianca Belair may have taken round one, only the future knows what receipts she can look forward to when the champion gets her revenge.

#2 Humberto Carillo

Humberto Carillo had a big week, impressing people with a great performance on 205 Live against the current Cruiserweight Champion Buddy Murphy, and now with this stellar performance against Johnny Gargano. Given Carillo's former position as solely enhancement talent, the future looks extremely bright for the incredibly talented Mexican luchador with the change in position he has been given.

While he lost both of the matchups from this week, he certainly impressed in both performances, pushing Buddy Murphy to his limits and getting the better of Johnny Gargano at the start of their encounter. With a style similar to that of Ricochet, he certainly looks like he will fit in well at both NXT and 205 live, as long as he can keep pulling out performances as he did on this week's NXT.

The match also built well for Gargano's feud with Ricochet for the NXT North American title due to the obvious similarities between Ricochet and Carillo's in-ring abilities and move set.

#1 Johnny Gargano

After a disappointing 2018 for Johnny Gargano, in which he lost key matches to Andrade Cien Almas, Tommaso Ciampa, the Velveteen Dream, and lastly Aleister Black, 2019 started on the right foot. After calling out NXT North American Champion, Ricochet, on last week's episode of NXT, Gargano has got a match between the two announced for Takeover: Phoenix.

In preparation for his title match against the agile and high flying Ricochet, Gargano faced Humberto Carillo in this week's episode of NXT. While the former NXT enhancement talent got in more offence on Johnny Wrestling then many would have expected, and certainly more than he would have got in if this match occurred last year. Gargano ended up hitting Carillo with a superkick and then nailed him with a slingshot DDT for the victory.

His performance was incredibly impressive against the Ricochet inspired Carillo, but will Gargano be able to beat Ricochet at Takeover: Phoenix and finally claim his first solo title in NXT? Only time will tell.