NXT - Post NXT Takeover discussion in progress

[Nick James]

You may want to put that post in spoiler tags.

[WyattSheepMask]

Absolutely insane Powerbomb spot in the AOP/TM61 match this week. So much could have gone wrong with it, and why they're doing a spot like that on the TV show is mind-boggling

[HarmonicGenerator]

I know they’re probably still going with Shayna, but I wouldn’t mind having Bianca Belair vs Ember Moon at the next Takeover.

The Ciampa segment was really good, but was stopped from being great by the twats chanting “Johnny sucks” just to be contrary which killed the entire point of the thing, which was “everybody hates Tommasso”. Not every chant has to duel, you slavvering idiots.

Dain vs Black didn’t really click for me. I enjoy Dain in big multi man brawls but he doesn’t really sustain my interest in singles matches at the moment.

Edited March 8, 2018 by HarmonicGenerator

[TildeGuy~!]

Abbey Laith and Sage Beckett have been released from their NXT contracts.

Edited March 9, 2018 by TildeGuy~!

[Statto]

2 hours ago, HarmonicGenerator said:

The Ciampa segment was really good

That it was. They seem to be going with the “Gargano will always haunt Ciampa if he doesn’t fight & beat him” route to get to the match in New Orleans.

[ThumpSquids]

While I love new talent coming through, I thought Bianca Belair looked awful this week. Not just scrappy, but ugly in her movements, and looking at the floor whilst facing the hard-cam, and at all other times. The match was poor also. Just a bad week, I hope, because I'd really like her to get somewhere. 

[Mr.Showtime]

Not fond of her finisher but everything else I'm happy with. The matches have not been great so far but, like above, hoping she progresses. Love the prancing about and the slow twirl!

[Loki]

She's far from the finished product, but that's what development is for, I guess.  I don't think squash matches are the way to go for her though, she doesn't have the physical presence to make them seem impressive.

Where are the Iconic Duo?  Does it really take this long to get your boobs done?  The women's division feels really low-key at the moment apart from Bazler who continues to be better in promos than almost any other woman in WWE.  They should really think about getting her to talk for Ronda Rousey.

[TildeGuy~!]

I reckon we won’t be seeing them in NXT again, call ups for them after Mania? 

[Snitsky's back acne]

Abbey Laith [the former Kimber Lee], Sage Beckett [the former Rosie Lottalove] and Chinese recruit Gu Guangming have all been released.

Guangming only worked live events and Laith and Beckett were in the MYC but never made regular NXT TV as far as I am aware.

 

 

[BomberPat]

Abbey had a couple of appearances on NXT, I remember her facing Ruby Riott at the beginning of Ruby's feud with Nikki Cross. A real shame that those two didn't get to work together in NXT/WWE, as they were absolutely killing it just about everywhere else they wrestled.

There's a lot of rumours going around about why Kim was released - the majority don't really ring true with me, I think it's just people clutching at straws as to why they would release someone who came in with a good indie pedigree. I just think the women's division in NXT is incredibly competitive right now, and anyone without a USP is going to struggle to find a spot, and unfortunately Kim doesn't have a big immediate "this is why you should push her" - it was always clear Ruby would get a better shot when they both signed, purely because she has a more distinctive look.

I also get the impression that they seem to be shifting focus away from putting the spotlight on women that they have brought in from the independents, and towards "homegrown" talent - beneath the top ranks of the women's division, which I'd say right now is just Ember, Shayna and Kairi, the main focus seems to be on Lacey Evans and Bianca Belair, who are both far more "WWE products" than indie standouts. That's really just a hunch, though.

[Guest]

Seems a tremendous waste to release Abbey without trying anything, I suppose they have Dakota and Candice with a similar likeability factor that will be pushed quicker, but there's nothing wrong with her waiting her turn

Belair needs to lose the Alley Oop, but she's awesome. Great look, awesome theme, like the EST shtick, the hair whip is awesome AND being kept special. Really exciting prospect seeing as she probably hasn't had 50 matches yet.

Echo the "Johnny sucks/Psycho Killer" contrarians really spoiled that Ciampa segment. What absolute mouthbreathers they are - play the bloody game like. Otherwise I loved that, Ciampa was fantastic.

[mim731]

19 minutes ago, BomberPat said:

 Unfortunately Kim doesn't have a big immediate "this is why you should push her" - it was always clear Ruby would get a better shot when they both signed, purely because she has a more distinctive look. 

1

This was it for me, I'd not seen her before the MYC, and while she was impressive in the tourney, she doesn't have a very WWE-stye look (she's perhaps not got that fitness model appearance that they go for when it comes to physique) , and I think that was always going to work against her. It's a shame because she was a cracking babyface in those tournament matches. 

[The Dart]

44 minutes ago, sj5522 said:

Belair needs to lose the Alley Oop, but she's awesome. Great look, awesome theme, like the EST shtick, the hair whip is awesome AND being kept special. Really exciting prospect seeing as she probably hasn't had 50 matches yet.

71 (according to CageMatch)

[BomberPat]

She's a superb wrestler - I actually don't think the MYC was anything like her best work - but it was my worry as soon as she got signed; she's an attractive girl, but she's not a swimsuit model, and not "unique" enough in any other aspect to make a gimmick of it. It shouldn't matter, but invariably it still does, particularly when most of the other women on the roster have a more obvious hook.

 

Echoing the hate for the "Johnny sucks" lot in the Ciampa section. I very much doubt any of them honestly dislike Gargano, they're just being knobbers, and ruining the segment, which otherwise was gold. Mauro Ranallo saying, "I can't even bring myself to say his name" was one of the best calls of his NXT run. Ciampa's about as convincing a heel as they've managed to create in years, and he's not even wrestled once since the turn, it's great.

Otherwise, thought it was a bit of a dodgy episode. Dain vs. Black never felt like it got going, and seemed to end rather abruptly - both went through the motions and hit their big spots, and then it was time to take it home, felt like there should have been more match to come. Surprised it was a clean finish, too, as both men have been so well protected. TM61 vs. Authors Of Pain was similar - just felt like it ended too soon, like there should have been more to it. Really surprised they took TM61 out of the equation so early on, given how strongly they've hyped their return. There must be something else they have in mind for them.

 

Pete Dunne facing up to Adam Cole was fun - those "press conference" bits with Regal are always unintentionally hilarious anyway, as if there's a gaggle of reporters waiting for a ten second non-statement from William Regal on a taped show, but Pete telling Adam Cole he hadn't won anything since being in NXT was great, because for a supposed invading top heel stable, Undisputed Era have been a proper damp squib, and sometimes you need to just admit to these things and rebuild from there.

I had thought, given that last week Mauro had started openly discussing Tyler Bate's losing streak, that we might see him turn heel to bring British Strong Style to NXT - putting Dunne up against Cole makes me think that's even more likely, as it's giving them a trio to go up against. Saying that, I think Kyle O'Reilly's hurt, so unless they sub someone else into the stable, perhaps not.