So, first off some notes.
Yeah this is really late, because in case you are somewhat unaware, some major shit went down in the United States (where I reside) at the U.S. Capitol Building when a bunch of obsessive fans of NBC’s The Apprentice stormed it with weapons and bombs and bad intentions. So it was somewhat hard for me to concentrate on anything else other than that for the rest of the week. But hopefully now I can take your (and my own) minds off with some jokes about this live action anime show in a wrestling ring.
The NXT Year-End Awards were swept by Undisputed Era and Io Shirai, Player Oney & Player Twoey retained their Tag Team Championships, the return of the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic was announced, Xia is beating up Boa for some reason, Johnny Badluck was able to break the Gargano Curse, Mercedes Martinez escaped Monday Night RAW, and Lucha House Party hid in her trunk so they could show up on NXT.
This Week: NEW YEAR’S EVIL, BAYBEEEEEEEEE
(Industrial) Light & Magic
Ok I have to talk about this opening for a second and its implications. Why is Dexter operating the lights if he is just supposed to be the Host? If he is supposed to be operating the lights, why did no one show him before tonight? Is the light switch magic, because as soon as he flipped it, his wardrobe changed and the audience magically appeared….is Dexter magic?
That tux is fresh as hell though.
BOTCH: Is Time Up Yet?
I was kinda excited for Kross vs. Priest but for some reason, I just did not care for this match. Karrion Kross has great presentation and a killer entrance but between this match and his match with Keith Lee, I’m just not feeling it. Maybe it’s me, but he just seems so meh to me in the ring. It’s weird because his moves look great and legit but it’s doing nothing for me as far as actual ring work.
I don’t really have any complaints about Priest. Maybe that inevitable Kross/Ciampa program can get started soon.
POP: Party Up (Up in Here)
There’s a moment in this match where Metalik pulls off a dope springboard moonsault onto Santos, and Dorado fans him off with a towel, and that basically represents how I felt about this match.
It’s wild how NXT literally makes anyone who drops by from the main roster look so much better than they usually do. This isn’t a shock to anybody in the know (or anyone who watched SmackDown last year) but Metalik is really fucking good. It’s ridiculous LHP are usually chasing the R-Truth Champion instead of killing it in the tag team division every week.
Hopefully we get to see more of LHP in NXT for the DRTTC.
BOTCH: Flawed And Lame
Pro Wrestling is weird. There’s this constant very thin line between just the right amount of goofy, and way too goofy to take seriously, and then there’s another line there where not taking it seriously can either hurt or help your enjoyment of it.
This didn’t work for me.
I usually love the more out there gimmicks and weird characters, but honestly, this wasn’t even THAT weird. It was just lame to me.
So, we get at least 2 Months of build up, videos of Xia and Boa being kidnapped and tortured (they both seem to have healed up nicely…also I guess they must’ve been well fed), for an entrance using Karrion Kross’ leftover props, a wardrobe change, and the worst Mummy from the worst Mummy movie watching from the stage. Boa didn’t even factor into the match, why is he here? Xia looked fine in the match, but it was a squash match anyway so, it doesn’t matter that much.
In a word this was…
Injury Report
Unfortunately, the Fight Pit Match was canceled due to Thatcher getting injured during training. Here’s hoping he gets better soon.
POP: R n’ R Severity
Some folks aren’t big fans of Last Woman/Man Standing matches because they feel the 10 count really breaks up the flow of the match. In some cases that is absolutely a fair point, but me personally, i’ve never had an issue with these kinds of matches and I absolutely loved the one Raquel and Rhea had here.
They took this match all over the CWC and backstage. That spot where Rhea handcuffs Raquel to the fencing (a lot of handcuffs in WWE lately) so she rips it off and then uses the fencing as a weapon was crazy as hell. Then backstage when Rhea hit a Swanton on Raquel, and Dakota runs in to help but winds up getting stuffed in a locker had me on the floor. I’m pretty sure that’s the first time a hero has stuffed a villain into a locker (nice touch with the “neener” taunt Bully Ripley).
Raquel taking the win here and setting their record at 1-1 was the right move here and I can’t wait to see what comes next of this storyline.
Side note: Raquel keeps claiming she was only pretending to be Rhea’s friend, but if that’s true, getting a tattoo to keep up the fake friendship is true dedication to the plan. Maybe she’s gonna reveal her’s is just sharpie. Now that would be diabolical.
… hello?? Anyone?? @TripleH @RaquelWWE y’all leave??
— ℭ𝔥𝔞𝔯𝔩𝔦𝔢 𝔊𝔦𝔯𝔩 (@DakotaKai_WWE) January 7, 2021
uh oh
POP: Big Bad Booty Johnny
The Way is heading towards the CWC (with a police escort, not like we have enough wrestlers with police escorts showing up on WWE these days) for their big celebration for Johnny breaking the Gargano Curse.
They’re at full Ham mode right now and the members of The Way really mesh well together, which is interesting because I don’t think most people would ever think to put these guys together. They do make for a very entertaining stable though, just by being total dorks.
Johnny announces that he’s gonna be in the Dusty Classic, which brings out Shotzi who still has beef to settle with Candice. After shooting some guy in the balls (hilarious), she damn near effortlessly takes out the rest of the Way, and when Johnny is about to get in her face, Kushida comes out to get her back (I guess his new thing is just to help out any babyfaces in need). Dexter appears and rings the bell and instantly makes a mixed Tag Team Match. I guess he is magic as he also just happened to have a drawing ready for the occasion. Maybe he can tell the future.
For some reason The Way don’t decide to just bail and actually go through with the match which is pretty fun. Even if WWE style Mixed Tag matches still have that thing where if the guy from one team tags in, that means the other one is automatically legal, but for some reason, the NXT version of these matches always flows a little better.
Following yet another nut shot (lol), Kushida gets the win with a roll up pin on Gargano. Hey, can we chill with using police sirens in wrestling by the way? Because that always makes me assume Scott Steiner is about to come out and I get all excited, and then 9 times out of 10 it’s not Steiner and I get disappointed.
POP: Classic Equality
Fuck yeah. I wonder how they’re gonna fill up the brackets though. Probably a good amount of NXT UK talent and maybe even some calls from indy surprises. Or I guess some Women Teams from the main roster, they’re probably not that busy.
Speaking of Tag Teams, it appears we have another entry into the Male DRTTC.
POP: Jaws 2, The Revenge
Yes, I know it was the 4th Jaws movie that had that subtitle but this is their 2nd match not 4th, just let a joke be funny
Main Event Kyle and Finn Bálor once again brought it to another classic NXT Championship match. I think this one may have even been better than the last. These two are really, really good at looking like they are truly trying to hurt each other as much as possible to win or retain that title.
Finn spent most of the match focusing on Kyle’s jaw (still upset about that injury I guess) after kicking the rope into his mouth, while Kyle is doing anything he can to fight from underneath and even focus on the past arm injury of Finn’s from the dark days of his WWE Career.
Ultimately, Kyle’s hurt jaw played into the finish (good) when Finn caught him in a submission hold and was forced to tap out. That final image of Finn wearing a crimson mask while holding the NXT Championship was perfect. It’s incredible how coming back to NXT has completely revitalized him and caused people to remember why Prince Devitt was the hottest talent in NJPW.
That’s it for NXT New Year’s Evil. A mostly good show that surprisingly did not have Dexter Lumis do much. 2021 may have had a very shaky start, but here’s hoping it gets better from here.
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Peace.
Next Week:
Undisputed Era vs. Breezango – Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic
Ever-Rise vs. Grizzled Young Veterans – Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic
