By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
NXT Hits
“MSK” Wes Lee and Nash Carter vs. Danny Burch and Oney Lorcan for the NXT Tag Titles: A good television main event and title defense for MSK, who beat the former champions who didn’t lose the titles in the ring. The post match angle with Pete Dunne and Ridge Holland attacking Burch and Lorcan was concerning. WWE has cut some older NXT veterans this year and I’m not really sure what this means for the former tag champions. Meanwhile, MSK have burned through the top contenders. Could Dunne and Holland be next in line following that long distance staredown they had with Lee and Carter in between the match and the beatdown?
Ember Moon vs. Kay Lee Ray: This was terrific use of Moon in a very good opening match. It still means something to beat Moon and therefore this was a good introduction of Ray to fans who are unfamiliar with her work in NXT UK. Moon stating later in the show that she knows what she has to do to break out of her funk left me intrigued and optimistic that she’s on the verge of a resurgence.
Carmelo Hayes vs. Santos Escobar: Another strong match and a good showing for Hayes despite him taking the loss. I like that Elektra Lopez was established as a ringside threat and isn’t just there to counter to Hit Row’s B Fab. I remain shocked that Escobar wasn’t called up to the main roster following Vince McMahon’s visit to the WWE Performance Center.
Julius Creed and Brutus Creed vs. Chuckie Viola and Paxton Averill: A fun debut for the Creed Brothers. We didn’t learn anything about their ability to bump or sell because this was an all out squash, but it was definitely entertaining. The original version of Diamond Mine had talent, but it felt a little on the dry side. While the Creed brothers are presumably a work in progress, it will be fun to watch their development and they have breathed some life into the faction.
Io Shirai and Zoey Stark vs. Kayden Carter and Kacy Catanzaro for the NXT Women’s Tag Titles: Old Guy Complaint Alert: I liked the team of Carter and Catanzaro until they started calling themselves the TikTok tag team. Now that I have that out of my system, this was an enjoyable match with the champions working together in the end to overcome the challengers. The post match attack by Mandy Rose’s crew was fine. Did Rose seek out Sheamus’s advice on face shields?
Dexter Lumis and Indi Hartwell bachelor and bachelorette parties: A guilty pleasure. I can’t blame anyone who feels this belongs in the Miss section, but I’d be lying if I said that I wasn’t entertained by these oddball segments.
NXT Misses
Mei Ying vs. Virginia Ferry: The match was what it needed to be in terms of Ying showing no weakness in her debut. My issue with the act is that I’m having a hard time seeing how Ying will flip the switch from being dominant in squash matches to working more competitive matches when the time comes. This feels like an act that was fun throughout the origin story explanation, yet may not actually fit in now that she has to actually wrestle. I hope that I’m proven wrong about this one.
I’m fine with Kacy and Kayden calling themselves the TikTok tag team, as long as they don’t try making TikToks in the ring during a show, a la Sammy Guevara trying to Vlog during his matches last year.
With the creed brothers I get that steiners, lesnar/shelton, american alpha feel to a point.
With Santos yes him going to the main roster would good, they compare him andrade but Santos can talk and Andrade always needs a manager to talk for him Zelena, Chavo etc.
Yeah Don’t care for the tik tok name either, but other than that Kacy and Kayden are a really good team.
Kacy and Kayden can make allllllllll the TikToks they want as far as I’m concerned