By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
NXT Hits
Oba Femi vs. Dragon Lee for the NXT North American Championship: Only time will tell whether Femi is ready for this, but it made for a really fun surprise in the moment.
Dragon Lee vs. Lexis King for the NXT North American Championship: A decent match with a surprisingly clean finish that made a lot more sense after Oba Femi cashed in. I’m not sure what it is, but there’s something about Lee’s version of Destino that fails to pop like Tetsuya Naito’s version.
Bron Breakker and Baron Corbin vs. Wolfgang and Joe Coffey in a Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic tournament match: Normally, I might complain about a makeshift team of singles wrestlers beating a regular tag team. It’s not like the Gallus crew has clicked in NXT, so I have no problem with them taking the loss. Breakker and Corbin are a compelling team. While I can’t rule them out from winning the tournament, my guess is that they will be the big obstacle that the winners will overcome in the finals.
Tiffany Stratton and Fallon Henley at the horse stable: I’m normally not into this type of campiness, but the performances of both wrestlers impressed me. Stratton’s over the top snobby rich girl persona was perfect for this throwback stipulation. Henley continues to shine in the personality department. I have no idea what Henley’s actual background is in terms of whether she has spent any time on a farm, but she came off as a down to earth country girl who seemed right at home while running through their long list of chores.
Tony D’Angelo and Channing Lorenzo vs. “OTM” Bronco Nima and Lucien Price for the NXT Tag Titles: This was the best OTM match to date. The finish looked a little clunky. It seemed like the idea was supposed to be that Rizzo saved D’Angelo and Lorenzo by tripping Scrypts while he was on the top rope. In execution, it didn’t seem like she did anything to Reggie, who then dove onto one of his own men. Nevertheless, this was OTM’s longest match and they looked good for the most part, which is also a testament to the work of D’Angelo and Lorenzo.
Blair Davenport vs. Nikkita Lyons: A spirited show opening brawl in the parking preceded the actual match. The match felt competitive and Lyons was given a bit of an out for losing due to Davenport targeting her surgically repaired knee.
Cora Jade vs. Gigi Dolin: A decent match between a pair of wrestlers who lack storyline direction. Jade has been picking up wins since she returned. Will they actually lead to a sustained push?
Axiom and Nathan Frazer vs. Hank Walker and Tank Ledger in a Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic tournament match: A soft Hit predictable first-round match with the more experienced duo going over.
NXT Misses
Lyra Valkyria and Lola Vice segment: While it’s good to see Valkyria get some needed reps, she is still a work in progress. There’s nothing distinctive about Valkyria’s personality that makes her stand out from the pack. NXT is developmental and I hope she improves over time, but it continues to feel like she was given the NXT Women’s Championship before she was ready.
Josh Briggs vs. Oro Mensah: A soft Miss. This was a simple win for Briggs over Noam Dar’s sidekick, which gives Briggs some juice heading into his rematch for the NXT Heritage Cup. The Miss is due to the Meta Four faction becoming a turnoff. Perhaps I’m in the minority on this one. I get that they are meant to be obnoxious and there are times when I enjoy Dar’s antics, but they have started to strike me as channel changers.
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