Last week on NXT: Bianca Belair remains Un-Duh-Fe-Ted after beating Mia Yim. Lacey Evans continued her winning tradwife ways. Kyle O’Reilly picked up a win over Hanson to give his team the advantage going into War Games. At War Games Matt Riddle beat Kassius Ohno in four seconds. Shayna Baszler used her horsewomen to cheat their way into a title defense against Kairi Sane. Velveteen Dream made us all believe he could win the big one against Tommaso Ciampa. Ciampa still prevailed in an instant classic. War Games happened and Undisputed Era came out as the losers while both NXT mid card champions got the pin.
Cold Open
A Takeover highlight package happens and really makes War Games feel more special than it already felt.
This and probably next week are the matches that happened before War Games. So the crowd will be hot but there will be little in the way of storyline progression. That’s the worst thing about Takeover. The hangover. It usually takes a month for NXT to pick up steam again.
Keith Lee vs. Fidel Bravo
- Keith Lee’s entrance music is different but bland. Just some strings over some beats. It needs something more, something more special.
- You might remember Fidel Bravo from his match on 205 Live. He is a “local competitor” and will probably get crushed by Keith Lee.
- Lee is conducting the crowd in singing “Oh bask in his glory” instead of wrestling but Fidel still can’t land shit.
- Keith Lee hits a double slap on Bravo’s chest and the crowd lights the hell up.
- Keith Lee hits an Attitude Adjustment into a Jackhammer for the win.
And I’m Like… Mauro says Keith Lee is a huge fan of One Piece and so I got to throw my support around him. Straw Hat Pirates forever yo. This was really just a showcase match to put Keith in front of a big crowd. Dude has presence he just really needs a more impactful entrance song.
Lars Sullivan vs. Keto Murray
- With Lars’ vignettes airing on both Raw and Smackdown, he only has so much time left before he leaves NXT forever. On the plus side, those screams in his entrance song are not just a crazy fan in Full Sail. They are legit in his entrance song. Which is something my dumbass couldn’t figure out for months.
- This is another showcase, which is obvious. One thing that isn’t obvious is why Lars Sullivan always has an orange ass tongue. PLEASE ADDRESS THIS WWE COMMENTATORS!!!!
And I’m Like… In the amount of time it took me to write about Lars’ orange tongue, he had already won the match. Lars grabs the mic and talks trash about how he wants an NXT championship match. What he needs is a got damn tongue scraper. This also happens.
Next week is Sullivan vs. Lee
Nikki Cross vs. Candice LaRae
- While Becky Lynch is the new hottness on WWE television. Nikki Cross has low key been the most over character on NXT. She is chaos and everything she does is absolutely tremendous.
- Candice is from the L.A. area so she is well known to the crowd but if someone only knew her from NXT, I wonder how excited they are for her. Her only real character traits is that she is married to a wrestler and supports him but also worries for him.
- Nikki opens up with some aggression but laughs off Candice a bit. So Candice brings it! Nikki is unconventional though. When Cross traps LaRae between the ring and the ring skirt the crowd erupts in cheers for our girl Nikki.
- Candice does a springboard vagina to the face on Cross. LaRae was going for a knee but overshot it and just went crotch first. I’m thinking she has some lingering crotch strength from her time in the World’s Cutest Tag Team.
- Nikki starts to back away from Candice after the flurry of offense Candice lands. I mean Candice over here hitting an Unprettier as a transitional move.
- Candice makes one mistake and kicks out of Nikki Cross’ finisher The Purge. First person to ever kick out!!
- “Let’s Go Nikki/Let’s Go Candice” takes over the crowd as the women fight in the corner. Crowd is definitely hot for this.
- When Candice hits the Avalanche German suplex off, the crowd and myself bought it as the finish and this shit is fire right now.
- Nikki starts laughing because she is having fun playing with Candice. LaRae doesn’t seem phased, in fact it lights a fire in her and Candice comes with the aggression.
- The juxtaposition of Candice being ruthless with her movements while wearing cupcake themed gear is unsettling.
- Candice attempts the Gargan-No Escape but Nikki is able to get to the ropes. Staying true to character Nikki kicks at the ropes instead of grabbing them.
- Nikki is able to hit a draping purge on LaRae to the joy of the crowd.
And I’m Like… That match was short and sweet. Crowd loved it, I loved it and it looks like Nikki loved it. This woman is special as hell and I kind of want to see her on every WWE brand. She is the embodiment of chaos!
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