Powell’s NXT Hit List: Trick Williams, Ethan Page, Je’Von Evans, and Shawn Spears contract signing for the NXT Title match at NXT Heatwave, Michin vs. Jaida Parker in a street fight

By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)

NXT Hits

Trick Williams, Ethan Page, Je’Von Evans, and Shawn Spears contract signing for the NXT Title match at NXT Heatwave: Trick and Page carried the bulk of the talking before things took the usual physical turn. I like that Williams and Evans got the better of the heels, and the tension that was created between the two by Evans staring at the NXT Championship and reaching out to grab it before Williams snatched it away. On a side note, it was not a good look when the camera shot showed fans rushing for the exits at the end of this angle.

Michin vs. Jaida Parker in a street fight: A solid WWE hardcore style match. Best of all, this wasn’t a situation where the developmental wrestler on the rise was put in position to gain something in defeat to a main roster mid-card wrestler. Rather, Michin worked hard to make Parker shine before putting her over clean.

Pete Dunne and Tyler Bate vs. Hank Walker and Tank Ledger: In this case, Walker and Ledger actually did gain a little something in defeat. While Jaida Parker is featured as a rising star, Walker and Ledger have been cast as green rookies who show a lot of heart. I just hope we eventually get to the point where Walker and Ledger start winning matches when the time is right and they are not just stuck in permanent undercard roles like Edris Enofe and Malik Blade seem to be.

Wendy Choo vs. Carlee Bright: A soft Hit for a solid showcase for Choo. Someone needs to tell Chipper Cheerleader No. 2 that if she wants to connect with the fans, she should actually acknowledge their existence rather than focusing entirely on the cameras during her entrance.

Jasmyn Nyx defeated Karmen Petrovic: A soft Hit. The distraction finish served a purpose as they attempt to establish the on-air alliance between Nyx and Jacy Jayne (and perhaps Fallon Henley). Furthermore, it set up the need for Petrovic to seek revenge, which led to the announcement of her teaming with Arianna Grace to go against the heel duo. Grace’s line earlier in the show about being more Canadian than Petrovic was a gem.

Oro Mensah vs. Myles Borne: A soft Hit for a decent match. It feels like Mensah displaying more of a mean streak should have coincided with the end of Meta Four. Lash Legend and Jakara Jackson are solid together, but Mensah would be better off flying solo, especially now that Noam Dar is sidelined with a major injury.

NXT Misses

NXT Women’s Champion Roxanne Perez and Lola Vice meet face-to-face: The live crowd was far too kind when Vice struggled to muster up genuine emotion while telling her story. The effort was admirable, but Vice’s acting left a lot to be desired.

Izzy Dame vs. Brinley Reece: A rough match made worse by Tatum Paxley’s oddball character showing up. At least Chipper Cheerleader No. 1 took the loss. Although some landed in the Hit section, there were too many matches involving newcomers that fans are not invested in. These wrestlers obviously have to start somewhere, but it’s tough for the new faces to stand out when there are so many of them on the same show.

Mr. Stone and Stevie Turner: NXT never bothered to explain why Ava went from cult leader to authority figure, nor did they explain why Stone and Turner became her advisors or understudies. So I guess it’s only fitting that Stone and Turner bicker with one another without explanation.