It’s only been two weeks since NXT Take Over: Rival, but Sami Zayn’s absence is starting to take on tangible significance - the episodes feel less important, less emotionally driven without him.
This wouldn’t be anything approaching a problem if the in-ring action was consistent, the theatrics populated with interesting characters. But the past few weeks have felt almost experimental - trying out new stars and featuring untested talents in prominent places on the card at a time when the brand was eliciting consistent praise for the proven roster that got it so much attention in the first place.
Read MoreLike some classic songs, fine foods, or abstract art many pro-wrestlers are acquired tastes. It’s rare that I’ll ever instantly like a pro-wrestler. It’s especially rare that I’ll ever instantly feel like the talent I’m seeing could easily become a favorite of mine the first time I see them perform.
Read MoreFirstly, I apologize to my regular readers for being a couple days late with The NXT Report. I’ve started work at a new 9-5 job in the real-world, and have yet to figure out the best schedule for writing an adequate review of the WWE’s best show.
The Raw Review will arrive as usual on Tuesday, but I'm still deciding exactly when The NXT Report will be written and posted.
For now, I’m happy I had a few days to process what took place at NXT Take Over: Rival.
Read MoreNXT offered an episode that was even better than usual this week, building upon the various top rivalries and serving up a variety of excellent pro-wrestling matches.
Wesley Blake & Buddy Murphy, a team that’s made occasional appearances, scored an upset victory over Tag Champs The Lucha Dragons. The match wasn’t particularly memorable apart from the fact that Blake and Murphy were victorious. The win isn’t dissatisfying because Blake and Murphy don’t deserve the win because they haven’t been on-screen much. It’s mostly a dissatisfying win because The Lucha Dragons didn’t have a very impressive run.
Read MoreNXT, the WWE's farm-league show, is the right length of time combined with the right cast of characters combined with a focus on the most fundamental truth of the pro-wrestling fiction (that pro-wrestling is a legitimate sport, not a form of entertainment). This makes for a show that would entertain almost anyone - from the most jaded smark to the most inexperienced wrestling viewer.
Read MoreThis was another strong week for the WWE'S strongest hour, NXT, on the WWE Network.
Coming off of NXT Take Over R-Evolution, this episode needed to push the top narratives forward, but also serve as epilogue to the events of last week’s remarkable pay-per-view. The result was an unexpectedly superb main event, where the intensity of last week both winded down to a simmer, but also contributed to the mythos of Kevin Owens.
Owens’ debut last week, both at the start and conclusion of R-Evolution, is the most impressive debut I’ve had the privilege to see live. And while there are many other wrestlers on the roster who’ve been in NXT longer and conceivably have a claim to the main event and the NXT Championship, Owens instantly feels like the right fit for top heel. And, from the character’s perspective, he deserves that top spot above any of the WWE’s home grown, performance center talents due to all of his work on the independent circuit. And, because of his natural charisma and power, it's hard to deny he's better than a lot of guys on the roster.
Read MoreIt's hard to believe that NXT's next special is less than a week away. The "pay-per-view" has only existed in name for three weeks and it doesn't seem as though it has been represented too much outside of NXT.
Last week was a slow week that didn't particularly expand upon the top rivalries or storylines, focusing more on building the midcard.
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