By Don Murphy, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@DonThePredictor)
NXT presents its annual Halloween Havoc event on Saturday night in Prescott Valley, Arizona, at Findlay Toyota Center. Six matches round out the card. From my standpoint, it’s a bit of a mixed bag. Several matches make sense from a storyline standpoint, but there are also several instances of shoe-horning AAA talent onto the show, as well as a couple of cases where matches were built to fit the Halloween theme of the show. At the end of the day, it’s fine. The event has been known for things like that through the years. It will just be interesting to see how far away they veer from storylines to make a spectacle event. Let’s run down the card!
Ricky Saints vs. Trick Williams for the NXT Championship. This is a straight-up, no frills title defense for Saints, as well as his first. Logically, Trick is the right opponent for Saints, and the build has been fine. Whether or not Saints can be the face of the brand in the long term remains to be seen. I struggle to identify credible challengers for him moving forward, but let’s see how things shake out after the event. For Williams, I have to think that this is his NXT swansong, as there really isn’t much left for him to do on the brand. This leads to the question of the main roster. There’s no doubt he can talk, so I can see him fitting on either show. His in-ring work is solid, but there’s always the question of whether he’ll stand out or get lost in the shuffle. Time will tell.
Don Predicts: Ricky Saints retains the NXT Championship.
Jacy Jayne vs. Tatum Paxley for the NXT Women’s Championship. I had no interest in this match until this past Tuesday’s segment on NXT TV. I thought Paxley delivered a good babyface promo that was a step up from the “weird girl that plays with dolls” character that she plays. I was also surprised that she took the pin in the tag team match with Izzy Dame against Jayne and Reid, but in a way, I like that the creative team veered away from the predictable trope of having the loser of the title match pin the champion on TV. In the end, I think we’ll see Paxley on the verge of winning the title, only to be screwed by Dame. That will set up a nice feud, and if Paxley delivers more promos like she did on Tuesday to build that feud, I’m in for it.
Don Predicts: Jacy Jayne retains the NXT Women’s Championship.
Matt Hardy and Jeff Hardy vs. two members of DarkState (Dion Lennox, Osiris Griffin, Saquon Shugars, Cutler James) in a Broken Rules match for the NXT Tag Team Titles. Given the promo at the Hardy compound on NXT TV, it left fans wondering if this would be an actual match in the arena or if it would be a filmed cinematic segment from the compound. It will be an arena match, but I can’t rule out that it includes cinematic elements. For whatever reason, creative sees something in the DarkState that viewers like me have not seen yet. Given that the match is only for the NXT Tag Titles, I think DarkState wins the belts back here, which will set up a tag team feud with Leon Slater and Je’Von Evans. As you may recall, DarkState ruined the Slater vs. Evans match for the X Division Title at TNA Bound for Glory, so this would make sense and should be fun.
Don Predicts: DarkState wins the NXT Tag Team Titles.
Zaria vs. Blake Monroe for the NXT Women’s North American Championship. While Sol Ruca’s injury is unfortunate, I am glad the creative team kept to the story they have been telling with Ruca and Zaria having tension, rather than determining another challenger through either a tournament or battle royal. I think the plan was always to have Monroe take the title, so that’s what we’ll go with here. I’ll be interested to see where they go when Ruca comes back. Does Zaria’s loss cause her to snap and turn heel, leading to a showdown with Ruca? Another scenario, which I think would be a mistake, would have Ruca turning heel upon her return, citing anger at Zaria for losing the title she promised to defend. Interesting possibilities for sure.
Don Predicts: Blake Monroe wins the NXT Women’s North American Championship.
Ethan Page vs. Hijo Del Dr. Wagner Jr. in a Day of the Dead match for the NXT North American Championship. Page has been doing the best work of his career, but this is what I meant in the opening when I said some matches were created to force a Halloween-themed gimmick and, in two cases, get AAA talent on the show. I am sure it will be fine, but I am looking forward to Page moving on to his next challenge.
Don Predicts: Ethan Page retains the NXT North American Championship.
Leon Slater and Je’Von Evans vs. Mr. Iguana and La Parka. This will likely open the show, and it will be fun. I’m not invested in Iguana and La Parka as they make sporadic appearances on WWE TV, but the Slater and Evans team is exciting. They’re on track to challenge for the NXT Tag Titles, and I am looking forward to them running back their singles match from TNA Bound for Glory.
Don Predicts: Leon Slater and Je’Von Evans defeat Mr. Iguana and La Parka.
Join John Moore for his live review of Halloween Havoc. John’s same-night audio review will be available exclusively for Dot Net Members (including our Patreon patrons).
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