WWE NXT: 3 things we learned from this week's episode (January 23, 2019)

While Raw and SmackDown were busy setting up the final touches to the road to Royal Rumble this week, NXT was busy with its own masterpiece.

With Saturday's TakeOver: Phoenix just a few days away, the brand once again managed to build up great hype for its pay-per-view which will precede the Royal Rumble event.

The episode was not only action-packed, but also consisted of two great promos which helped take the entire storyline of the brand forward in a manner that is second to none.

The episode had the return of The Velveteen Dream, and also included two superb matches from the men's and women's tag team divisions.

Overall the show did a fine job of building towards its event for Saturday, which will definitely be a treat to watch, and could actually give us a Match of the Year contender in the first month of the year.

Check out 3 things we learned from this episode of NXT before NXT TakeOver: Phoenix.

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#3 NXT’s tag team division is unparalleled

On one hand, we have Raw, which is filled with a host of makeshift tag teams, and a few genuine ones who are failing to make an impact, making the fans lose interest in them.

On the other hand, we have SmackDown with teams like The Usos, The New Day, The Good Brothers, Sanity, and The Bar, yet Shane McMahon and The Miz are getting a shot at the championships at arguably the second biggest pay-per-view of the year.

Miles apart is the NXT tag team division, which has the teams of War Raiders and The Undisputed Era at the top fighting for the tag team championships.

Now NXT has been further boosted by the teams of Oney Lorcan & Danny Burch, and Marcel Barthel & Fabian Aichner, who are outstanding tag teams and have battled a couple of times on televised matches.

Each time they have delivered A-grade matches, and leave the crowd wanting more, which is a clear sign that NXT is far superior in the tag team division, compared to the two main brands.

Their match this week was a work of art, and both teams will surely rise to the top faster than most others on NXT.

#2 One team might break up, one might reunite

The Undisputed Era is probably the most strongly bonded team on NXT today, but this doesn't mean it'll stay that way forever.

All four men have been champions on an off, and Adam Cole vowed this week that every member of Undisputed Era will have gold around their waist this year. Bobby Fish had similar views.

However, many have tried to pull the team apart, and Velveteen Dream was the one who tried to cause a rift between the four men this episode. Dream questioned the hierarchy of the group, and asked Cole's permission to face Bobby Fish next week.

This could be just the first step in Dream's quest to break Adam Cole and his teammates down, as he tries to make his way to the North American Championship.

On the other hand, we saw a rather interesting promo at the end of the night, which yet again hinted towards a possible DIY reunion.

Ricochet and Gargano came face to face, and Ciampa later emerged to attack the babyface champion. Aleister Black made his way to the ring to attack Ciampa himself, but Gargano provided cover for the NXT Champion.

All this could signal a possible DIY reunion, especially after Gargano wins the North American Championship, and Ciampa reigns as the NXT Champion.

#1 The Dream is the future

Has there ever been a time Velveteen has pulled off a B-grade promo, B-grade entrance, or a B-grade match? The Dream has no memory of that.

The A-grade superstar never lets the quality of his performance dip, and therefore he has emerged as one of the biggest stars in the company at such a young age.

Everything Dream touches turns to gold, and that has been the case more often than not. While other superstars have struggled on and off to get the crowd behind them, Velveteen Dream hasn't really had that problem, as he works hard to give his best.

Even at such a young age, it is very obvious that The Dream is the future of not just NXT, but the entire company, and it is time WWE realizes this before it is too late.

It's hard to believe he hasn't won a championship with the company yet, looking at the charisma the man has. He has more support from the WWE Universe than many other superstars, even without the need to have gold around his waist.