Gutteridge’s NXT Hit List: Samoa Joe’s rampage continues, Hideo Itami vs. Lince Dorado, Asuka vs. Liv Morgan, Tye Dillinger vs. Angelo Dawkins, and Ember Moon vs. Mandy Rose

By Darren Gutteridge

NXT Hits

Samoa Joe: As predicted, week one of Samoa Joe vs. The World was great. The Ealy Brothers were probably hoping for a better debut than being beaten up simultaneously by a guy a full foot shorter than them, but they were an acceptable casualty here. Long may this continue.

Perfectly Glorious: Talk about taking out several birds with one stone. Dillinger and Roode are getting cheered universally, despite both being heels (I suppose Tye is now a babyface, but that’s solely due to the fact creative couldn’t ignore the cheers anymore). So why not put both together in a babyface team and half the problem? Now instead of having two matches on any given card that fans hijack, you’ll give them one where their cheers are wanted. Plus, you know, it’s an excellent pairing based on gimmicks alone. It’s a perfect (glorious) storm.

Ember Moon vs. Mandy Rose: We’ve all been wowed by Moon so far in NXT, and she will almost certainly be the next NXT Women’s champion down the line. However, Mandy Rose was the one I came away with more food for thought over. She had her first ever match in January, and she is already 100 times better than Eva Marie. I’m not saying she is good, or that she’s not just going to become Failed Model Experiment No. 347, but I think NXT may have a very moldable piece of clay on their hands.

NXT Misses

Hideo Itami vs. Lince Dorado: This match wasn’t as silky smooth as you may have expected it to be. I’m not sure who was at fault, but as a result the match never found it’s groove. The Cruiserweight Classic wrestlers not named Kota haven’t enjoyed a great start to their NXT career, have they? Even the beatdown at the end with Austin Aries attacking Itami felt unimportant.

Asuka vs. Liv Morgan: “Nobody is ready for Asuka!” You’re not kidding. No one in this division, outside of Ember Moon, will be ready to realistically challenge Asuka for months at the current speed they are establishing new players. The division will be dying a slow death until they find someone.

Authors of Pain: Not only was the squash match a rinse and repeat deal, Paul Ellering then cut a lifeless, vague promo. The Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic may help this slump, but it could also expose the Authors of Pain’s shortcomings in longer matches.

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