TONI STORM (re)debuted, Candice LeRae ruthlessly assaulted Helmet, Drake Maverick accepted Killian Dain for who he was, and turns out, Shotzi might be a witch.
This Week: It’s the show before NXT Halloween Havoc so let’s see how they set up for that event.
The Part of the Article Where I Dance Around the Segments Featuring People That Are Very Problematic
Yeah so, the show immediately started with a Triple Threat match that was objectively very good. Of course, Tomasso Ciampa and Kushida are both very talented. I don’t entirely know about Ciampa taking the L here though, but I suspect it’s done to further his actual feud with [redacted].
On the whole, I’m not entirely sure what they’re doing with Ciampa. It’s not the fault of anyone of course but it really seems that Karrion Kross getting injured after winning the NXT Championship really jacked up their plans as the obvious move would be to have Ciampa focused on the guy that took him out to begin with, especially since he also had “Goldie”. I can’t even remember the last time he even talked about “Goldie”.
So now he’s shifted from coming back a heel and murking Jake Atlas to now being positioned as a face against [redacted] and it’s kinda, not all the way flowing well, to me anyway.
Then, later on the other guy it’s uncomfortable to talk about lost two times in a row to Bronson Reed and said he “quits” so hey maybe I won’t have to vaguely reference him anymore. (Although something I do have to note, for both of these guys who are both have some serious baggage on them right now, interestingly ever since they came back, their respective W/L records have not been good.)
Mid: “Ya Done Messed Up Now”
This match between Ember and Jessi Kamea was fine. Honestly, I don’t really have much to say about it. Jessi’s really improving in the ring and I’ve already liked her for a while now so, there’s that. Afterwards, local ne’er do well Dakota Kai beats up Ember for winning that tag match a couple weeks ago so we have that to look forward to.
POP: Produced by Michael Bay
I’m tempted to just type exclamation points to represent how I felt about this 6 Man Tag Match. It was a clusterfuck in the best way. This was the type of match that would make FTR aggravated. Jake Atlas in particular stuck out to me here twice, first when he reversed a Tope from Joaquin Wilde into a Spanish Fly, and then again when he caught Escobar with a Cartwheel DDT off the announcer’s table when he wasn’t looking.
I honestly wouldn’t mind Ashante, Atlas or even Swerve again challenging Escobar for Big Purp. I was surprised when Legado del Fantasma got the win, but they needed it more.
POP: JOHNNY GARGANO HATES WHEELS!
I’m pretty sure for the past couple months, the Power Couple have been part of whatever my favorite segment of the show is that week. That hasn’t changed this week as we see these two evil dorks practicing for Spin the Wheel, Make the Deal by spinning a makeshift, much smaller version of the actual wheel they will be spinning.
Don’t think you can really practice for a game of chance, but even if you could I don’t think practicing on a much smaller version of it would help anything but hey, do you Garganos (points for the “training wheel” pun). Johnny may have a point about how wheels considering that wheel clearly wants him Buried Alive. I fell onto the floor when he missed that kick to the wheel. (Considering his Dad owns a Pizzeria, I wonder how his hatred of wheels shakes out there. I mean, Pizzas are basically wheels you can eat, right?)
POP: Ruthless Friendgression
Worst Friends have a match with Never-Win Ever-Rise and once again Dain tests my patience by cutting off that banger theme song. Match is fine, but the important bit comes when the one that they actually let talk is making Drake watch the other one put Dain in a submission hold. This causes Drake to become so full of furious anger that he loses it, goes Super Saiyan and attacks both of them with a steel chair and causes a DQ.
Drake expects another punch to the face for causing them to lose to the guys who never win, but Dain actually praises him for being violent! Good stuff all around.
Mid: Attitude Adjustment
Earlier Xia had a joint backstage interview with her opponent for tonight, Kacy Catenzaro, where she was giving off real desperate energy and repeating over and over that she “had to win” tonight. Ah, I’m sure she’ll be fine if she loses.
Spoiler, she wasn’t fine. After a match that was fine but nothing to write home about (btw, matches that are just fine followed by “more important” stuff after the match seems to be a continuing theme this week) and also featured Xia behaving more like a heel, for example tying Kacy’s hair up in the ropes (interestingly Boa was nowhere to be seen), Raaquel Gonzalez shows up and Lesnars everyone to make a statement to Rhea Ripley for their match next week at Halloween Havoc. Why her beating up 3 of the lowest tier women’s wrestlers on the NXT roster that are regularly on TV is supposed to intimidate RHEA RIPLEY of all people is beyond me.
Afterwards, Boa gives Xia another Slenderman letter so that’s still going on.
POP: Anything with Cameron Grimes is Gonna Get a POP 9 Times out of 10
We find our hero Cameron Grimes here strolling down the hallway being interviewed by “McKenzie” (sp) in good spirits because he has a match with probable (kayfabe) Serial Killer and noted Kidnapper Dexter Loomis. Odd reaction.
Of course, once Mac informs him that it’s a “Haunted House of Terror Match” his attitude changes a bit. Grimey saying Regal’s thick English Brogue may have caused some miscommunication was my number 1 laugh of the night. As far as what an actual Haunted House of Terror Match is…*shrugs*. WWE doesn’t have the best record with matches that take place in haunted houses but hey, it’s NXT and Cameron Grimes is involved so it’ll probably be fun.
POP: All Io Do Is Win (Win Win)
There’s a cool little atmospheric package where Io just lists all the matches on The Wheel and says she’ll beat Candice. I kinda wish she kept going for like 30 minutes and just literally said every type of match and then ran out and had to start saying board games or something.
BOTCH: Class Conflict
Look man, can we get back to the Timothy Thatcher that sonned Matt Riddle in the Fight Pit. That dangerous, intense badass dude that would ruthlessly tap dudes out? It’s not like the Thatch as Thatch Can Classes are bad or anything, I’m just really sick of them. On top of that lately when he’s in actual matches with guys on the roster that are actually notable he always loses. Honestly, why would these random (I’m assuming) PC guys wanna take classes from a guy who’s usually losing? Can we at least get him in an actual feud or something?
POP: Retribution
The storyline that’s been happening throughout the night has revolved around the NXT Tag Team Championship Match (love it when Wrestling shows do that recurring episode long story thing) and the fate of the Undisputed Era. First we get an Undisputed Era promo (featuring Adam Cole via a monitor that reminds me of Mo Collins’ character on Ned’s Declassified School Survival Guide) saying the usual braggadocios stuff. But then, both Bobby Fish and Roderick Strong are taken out backstage at separate moments.
Kyle has no choice but to (graciously) bequeath the NXT Tag Team title match to 1-2 Punch (but not before Oney and Danny offer for one of them to be Kyle’s partner, again nice to see Tag Team camaraderie…even though I’m not entirely sure how that would work).
The match itself is great. None of these guys are holding back, everyone is at their best. There was a moment during the match where I thought Breezango might be turning heel because Tyler Breeze was acting overly aggressive and ignoring the ref’s count but hey turns out I got swerved! Near the end of the match a Kicker shaped man with a reflective mask and a hoodie shows up to knock Fandango off the top rope. Shit, I guess Retribution is finally invading NXT! They must’ve been the ones attacking UE! And now 1-2 Punch are part of them!
No, not really. What actually happens is Danny hitting a low blow on Breeze and both Danny and Oney hitting their team finish to finally win the Tag Team Championship (which I honestly thought might never happen). Oney and Twoey have gone to the dark side, now all that’s left is to reveal who exactly has been behind the dismantling of the Undisputed Era and helped 1-2 win and well…here’s what I said a couple weeks ago:
“But seriously, I believe he’s implying someone bribed him to take out Adam Cole. Wow, someone paying off NXT Superstars to take out Adam Cole, man it’s gotta be a mystery who it is, I mean who could possibly figure it out, ok I’m 100% sure it was Pat McAfee.”
Yup!
Aren’t you guys excited for more Pat McAfee?
(Jokes aside, if he’s gonna be in a managerial role with 1-2 Punch like the above video implies, I actually don’t mind that at all, the guy clearly knows how to talk and get heat.)
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Next Week on NXT Halloween Havoc:
Rhea Ripley vs. Raquel González
Cameron Grimes vs. Dexter Lumis – Haunted House of Terror Match
Io Shirai (c) vs. Candice LeRae – NXT Women’s Championship Match; stipulation determined by “Spin The Wheel, Make The Deal”
Damian Priest (c) vs. Johnny Gargano – NXT North American Championship Match; stipulation determined by “Spin The Wheel, Make The Deal”
