By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
NXT Hits
Carmelo Hayes vs. Noam Dar for the NXT Championship: On a night filled with bad acting and rough mic work, Carmelo Hayes, Trick Williams, and Noam Dar were exceptions. The verbal exchange that set up the match was fun and the match delivered. The post match attack by Baron Corbin on Hayes was a welcome surprise. Corbin has become a joke on the main roster. The time away will do him some good and he can definitely contribute in NXT.
Wes Lee and Tyler Bate vs. Jagger Reid and Rip Fowler: It was good to see the creative forces ditch the silly story of Lee being upset with Bate for having interest in his championship. They wrapped it up quickly and got the duo back on the same page for this match. The surprise of Mustafa Ali showing up was fun and I’m curious to see where it goes. Lee and Bate going over was hardly a surprise given the uncertain future of Reid and Fowler in NXT, but it’s not like I would have expected the heel duo to win this match even if they had never asked to be released from their contracts.
Gigi Dolin vs. Jacy Jayne in a weaponized steel cage match: Promotions booking garbage matches just for the sake of having garbage matches does nothing for me. In this case, the feud reached a point where it felt like the hardcore approach was justified. This match wasn’t pretty, but the effort was there and it was physical and gritty. I’d still prefer a straight up cage match without the weapons, but I get that labeling it a weaponized cage match is a stronger hook because cage matches have been run into the ground.
Blair Davenport revealed as the mystery attacker: The Hit is all about Davenport returning. It was an odd choice to have Dani Palmer start the segment and then be attacked by Davenport. Why not make it someone the fans are invested in rather than a wrestler who just started working NXT television matches?
Cora Jade vs. Ivy Nile: More of an in the middle for Jade going over while Nile was protected by a distraction finish.
NXT Misses
Tiffany Stratton’s “Tiffybration” segment: This segments overstayed its welcome. I have no doubt that Stratton will be a main roster star. She has the look and sensational athletic ability. But her promos are still a work in progress. She’s actually playing the role of rich daddy’s girl fairly well, but it just feels so one dimensional and even phoney. The character needs to mature and become less cliche, especially now that she’s champion.
Joe Coffey vs. Channing “Stacks” Lorenzo: Yawn. The Gallus trio have struggled to connect with the audience, and Stacks has always felt like a miscast henchmen for Tony D’Angelo. If the plan is to reveal that Stacks is snitching on D’Angelo, then I guess his character went to the extreme to keep his secret by accusing Gallus of being the narks and then foolishly trying to fight all three men by himself.
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