So I finally got caught up on NXT. I had to start all the way back to the NXT episode after wrestlemania because I was so far behind. I probably should have started even further back but I figured the week after wrestlemania was a good place to start. I’ve seen a lot of people on social media talk about how NXT just isn’t the same anymore or it’s not as good as it once was. & well honestly they’re sort of right…. Allow me to explain:
80% of the WWE universe was truly introduced to NXT when the network rolled around and it was the Era of Paige, Summer Rae, Seth Rollins, Neville, Emma and so on right? and then NXT became even BIGGER when those guys made they’re way to the main roster and the new generation of Charlotte, Sasha, Becky, Bayley, Finn, Kevin Owens, Sami Zayn, and so on came to the forefront. This generation was incredible. Beyond incredible. And because we got that to start with I think anything after it is going to be expected to live up to it and that might just not be possible. BUT they don’t have to. This current generation of NXT Stars are incredible in their own way and it’s unfair for any of us to expect them to be like what we started out with.
Here are a few new guys ( at least to me ) that I became of fan of so far:
As I was catching up I certainly understood the craze behind Alister Black. The guy is incredibly good in the ring, and that entrance is fanastic. It seems to be that they aren’t sure where to go with Almas as a character but I certainly am a huge fan of his in ring talent. Oney Lorcan and Danny Burch were also getting in a few matches that I watched and those guys were wicked good too. Eric Young. I watched him before he came to NXT, which is rare for me, but I think I like him even more. This whole sanity thing is working for him, I’m certainly loving it. And those are just to name a couple.
Then you have the guys that I already knew I liked…
DIY… even thought they aren’t going to be DIY anymore, both guys, Johnny and Tommaso were great as a team but they’re also great on their own. I’m excited to see where that goes now. Authors of Pain, I hated them when I first saw them. They didn’t do anything for me, I was disappointed they won the Dusty Rhodes classic but since them they’ve really proven themselves to me. From the NXT Takeovers, I’m impressed. I’m slightly worried about how it’ll go if they ever move up to the main roster but for now, it actually is working. Drew McIntyre, I was so happy to see him come back to the WWE. Leaving was GREAT for him and now he can come back with so much more under his belt and be the main event guy most of his fans in the WWE already knew he could be. Bobby Roode. Like with Eric Young, I knew of him before NXT and loved him. Now that he’s in NXT I love him even more. I’m obsessed with the entrance like most people are, the whole character and robe thing. Absolutely fantastic. No Way Jose. I loved this guy before I stopped watching weekly. I love that he’s a great combination of Fun and Serious.
I do have one serious grip with this current version of NXT.
The treatment of the Women. I’m not totally sure how to word it but I feel like they haven’t been given the TV time or development that they used to have. Yes I know Asuka is the champion and she’s been the champion for literally forever and yes I know she’s had competition in the likes of Billie, Peyton, Ruby, Ember and Nikki Cross but I still feel like there hasn’t been much of a chance for development. I know it’s only an hour show and I’m sure they’re getting time to develop on the NXT Live shows but I still feel bad they haven’t had much chance to do it on TV. And it’s not like they don’t have the talent, because they do. I probably sound hypocritical considering what I just said about how it’s not fair to compare this generation to the first but as far as the women go, NXT gave us the likes of Charlotte, Becky, Paige, Bayley, Sasha, Alexa and more. On top of that was there ever more than MANY one week where the women didn’t have something happening on an NXT episode? feel free to correct me if i’m wrong but I don’t think so.
Right now The NXT womens division has struck gold with the iconic due of Billie and Peyton. I liked them both before they were even put together as a tag team and my gosh they have sky rocketed with being a bad girl team. Nikki Cross is literally crazy and it plays out so well. She’s unbelievable. I personally am such a big fan of Liv Morgan. I love her look and her style and her in ring ability gets better and better every time she’s on and she can only get better from here. Ember Moon is just as as good as everyone said she was, shes amazing actually. Aliyah I’m not quite sold on yet but I do think she has a lot of potential but she’s young so she’s got plenty of time to figure herself out. I have gotten quite a liking to Ruby Riot. I do have a problem with her half shorts have pants thing but other than that I love her look. Daria or as she’s known as now Sonia Deville i’ve always liked. She’s obviously still new to the game but I also see some serious potential in her, I also love her who “put your hair up and square up thing”. As far as Mandy Rose goes? I didn’t think much of her back in the tough enough days, I actually hated her and didn’t expect her to stick this out… but she has. And i’ve only seen her in the ring a couple of times she’s not completely awful and I think she’ll get better and better, she certainly has this whole golden goddess thing down which I will admit that I do like. I saw some photos of Lacey Evans on NXT instagram and then a few matches during my catching up and I LOVE her pin up look! You know how sometimes you can just look at someone and just be like yup i’m gonna like them? that’s kind of exactly how I feel with her, we’ll have to see. I’ve also noticed that Asuka has done a fine job of growing a huge ego. She’s incredibly cocky, which she’s the longest reigning champion and she’s still undeafeted so she has a right to be, she’s playing it great. I’m still not her biggest fan, she’s one of those wrestlers that you know is good and you enjoy watching but it doesn’t go much farther than recognizing she’s talented. And then there are all the other women that they keep bringing in such as Rachel Evers, Kimberlee, Bianca Blair and more. The women’s division in NXT is full of talent I guess I just wish it got shown more on TV.
I do love how much it has come to be that NXT is truly a brand of it’s own. It’s not necessarily a developmental space, they are they’re own brand, they are just simply NXT, and I think that’s fantastic. I’m excited to see where everyone else goes from here, NXT has a really great roster of incredible talent and I’m going to try much harder to watch every single week.
Miss Raee 