Today on WWE NXT we get closer and closer to the 100th episode. As such, more NXT alums are coming out of the woodwork to compete. This week, returning from NXT Season 2, Alex Riley goes one-on-one against Michael McGillicutty! Of course, the competition to be a breakout star goes on as well. Who will move forward between Derrick Bateman, Darren Young, and Titus O'Neil?
I know I say it every week, but they really need to change that intro. Maybe after NXT 100?
Ha. Even Mathews sounds unsure that this show will end any time soon.
Don't think we've seen Bateman vs. Young yet (at least not in a while). Should be a good mix of styles.
Is it bad that I kind of miss when they trashed NXT? It was entertaining in its own terrible way.
I don't share Striker's enthusiasm for McGillicutty. He's basically dropped off the map since Otunga split off from him.
Kind of glad Regal's back. Smart guy and good ring general.
I could take him a lot more seriously if he was doing much of anything these days.
Now here's the guy I think could be the breakout star from Season 2. It seems a bit odd that Striker would bring out the bad guy instead of the fan favorite.
Riley seems to be growing as a performer. His "Varsity Villain" gimmick could have easily floundered as being too goofy. Thank goodness it didn't.
Right into a fight. I like it.
Maybe Regal's stumbling over his actual last name, Hennig.
It's a throwback to his previously mentioned heel gimmick.
Riley's got some spunk as a babyface. Good to see.
McGillicutty could honestly be the most expendable Superstar on the roster given how little he stands out as a character and performer. I don't dislike him, but I can see why he's being used to enhance others in non-TV matches.
McGillicutty does have some swagger, though. You'd pretty much have to to be successful with that name. Sheesh.
Was that a Paul Burchill reference? Now that was a guy that stood out.
This is becoming kind of "paint by numbers".
Now things are kind of picking up.
I feel bad for not knowing the history of the Saito suplex.
Nice move from the top rope.
And just as McGillicutty was showing what he can do, he goes out to Riley's finisher. Not really impressive.
Riley on the other hand might have something. Nice charisma and fan friendliness.
I wonder what Regal would have thought of last week's Bateman/Curtis match.
I also wonder what Bateman and Maxine's parents think of where things are going. Where's Curtis' mom or dad?
Derrick Bateman and Kaitlyn would be an entertaining couple in their own odd way.
Curtis looks like a creep and Maxine looks downright sinister.
Hahahahahaha. Ok then.
It's pretty amazing that people are talking fairly highly of Kaitlyn and Maxine given that one of their matches last year was considered by some to be one of the worst EVER. They've come a long way from then.
Maxine reminds me of someone but I can't think of who... Sensational Sherri maybe?
How many different looks is Kaitlyn going to try out?
Eeehh. Good effort at least.
NICE counter into the submission move. Damn. She's on NXT and Alicia Fox is feuding with the Champion?
Kaitlyn's still kind of a work in progress. We've seen some impressive spurts from her in the past (the Lotus Lock, the Bubba Bomb, and the sitout side slam for instance), but this outing wasn't as solid. Fortunately she's still getting training in FCW.
I do kind of miss supernatural Kane. It was something different at least.
That wasn't a bad little backstage segment. Kind of silly, but NXT's more relaxed in tone it seems.
I wasn't even alive when that match happened.
Where's Yoshi's facepaint and mask? They need to be consistent on that or give a reason why he doesn't wear it anymore.
Haha, whoops. Wrong name on the Tron.
By the way, don't play with super glue. There's a reason they use it to seal up cuts.
Trent apparently doesn't care for the announcers talking about how happy he is to be in WWE. It's kind of goofy.
Yes, we should move on.
I get the feeling that WWE Magazine is run by some pretty cool people who appreciate hard work and talent.
Step up enzugiri. Nice.
I can only hope WWE keeps faith in them long enough for them to be employed at 30. They get ADD some times.
Super glue's not so easy to break apart.
Very impressive by Trent.
Hopefully this means WWE likes what Trent can do. Maybe he can team with Seth Rollins? they've got similar looks and (seemingly) their styles would be compatible.
I'm certainly not complaining about Show's short title reign. Friday's going to be a big test for Rhodes and Bryan.
Titus O'Neil, the guy who hasn't been on the show this week or last...
Interesting that Bateman and Young didn't exchange words earlier instead of Bateman and Curtis but it makes sense with Bateman's storyline.
Good little video package. If they were to recap all of the Titus/Young feud, we'd be here all night. Not really sure what it does for the match with Bateman, however.
Also, where's Percy Watson? Why isn't he facing Darren?
Oh... maybe the Gut Check's powerful enough to keep him out for a few weeks now.
The "this is my house" stuff is officially getting old.
And that's the third time he's done the microphone line (at least).
Not sure what not taking days off has to do with taking out Watson and Titus. That line seemed a bit out of place.
I'm guessing Curtis costs Bateman the win?
I like that Bateman's pumped up out of the gate for this one.
I also like the early wrestling acumen.
Wow. Nice little sequence. You'd think these two had worked together fairly frequently.
Solid dropkick.
Also smart to pull Young's arm away from the rope in the cover.
Very smart of Young to lead Bateman to the apron to do some devastating offense. That move looks kind of dangerous, though.
Looked even nastier on the replay.
You can tell these two have more experience than Titus.
Looks like both guys are getting their big moves in, with Bateman's dropkick from the apron.
Wow. Nice swinging neckbreaker.
Costume change!
Nice change of pace for Bateman to not be 100% distracted from his match.
And solid finisher. Best night Darren's had on the show in quite some time.
Nice expressions by everyone to close us out. Thrill of victory, agony of defeat, etc.
Looking forward to the wedding angle. It can't be crazier than Goldust/Aksana, can it?
On to the two-man rankings. 5 means that there aren't any large-scale notable flaws, 4 means that they're on their way to being successful if they continue improving, 3 means they could very well go either way, 2 means they have some very serious problems that need addressing (that eclipse any good), and 1 is so absolutely terrible that they should be sent back to FCW ASAP. Note that a 5 doesn't make a competitor perfect, and a 1 doesn't make them entirely irredeemable.
Derrick Bateman- 5 (last week: 5). Bateman's had some hiccups over his run, but all in all I think he's got what it takes to make it in WWE. A unique look and persona, good offense, ability to get a crowd into what he's doing, and so on. I think he's ready to get another go on Smackdown.
Darren Young- 4 (last week: 4). Darren Young was pretty much a "4.5" this week, which means he's pretty much (if not completely) gained the ground he lost with his suspension and directionlessness. No complaints about his ring work at all, and if it wasn't for his promos he'd be a 5. He's close to that level, and I think he can get there in time. The only things stopping him are his promos. His verbiage is getting repetitive and is a little catch-phrase heavy for my liking. His voice could be his biggest drawback, though, and he can't really help it much. In the vein of a Mike Tyson or Bobby Lashley, he just doesn't sound like the intense and vicious competitor he is in the ring. It's not a deal-breaker, and I could get used to it, but it is noticeable enough to comment on. Either way, if he gets to perform like he did this week (and on Superstars) more often, he'll be moving into 5 territory. Glad WWE's giving him something to work with now.
That's all for this week's NXT. I'll be back for Superstars and Impact Wrestling tomorrow, and a news post will be up later tonight. Thanks for reading!
Very good insights this week. There’s not a thing you mentioned that I’m even partially hesitant about. I know I’ve said this before, but I really like what Young has been bringing to the table. I’ve seen him take it up a notch in terms of aggression lately (on his way to the ring, during the match and mouthing off) and I like it. I don’t really think he’s being held back much anymore. I think Management giving Watson and O’Neil a “week off” because of Young’s attacks (storyline, anyway) instead of coming up with any other excuse proves my point. I do agree that the microphone line is a bit overplayed, but gets the point across.
ReplyDeleteThe “No Days Off” moniker mention is probably more of a persona type deal; I don’t really get too literal about how it applies to the promo. I've kind of gotten used to his mediocre voice, but you're right, it can't be helped, so I don't penalize it much. I mean, Titus is monotoned lol.
Like I said before, it’s more about what you do with each opportunity, and he’s being very efficient with his air time; whether it be cutting promos, taunting, etc.. In that retrospect, he’s a notch ahead of Titus and possibly Bateman. Unless he’s miles and miles away in terms of opportunities (which he’s not), he can capitalize on each opportunity, and he’s done that. It seems more of a level playing field in terms of air time. I agree with you that if he takes it up a notch in terms of aggression, he can be a force in this company for sure.
It will be interesting to see what unfolds next week if Titus returns. It could be what we talked about before about how if Darren, for example, gets one-up on Titus one week, that Titus will return the favor the next. I wouldn’t be surprised if that happened, because of it being common all over the company. But, we will see.
As for Bateman, I like what he brings to the table, but I’m seeing an aggression factor missing from his persona especially lately. You need to be able to bring realism to the situation, and he’s not doing that. Specifically, if your fiancée dumped you for another man, especially someone you dislike, you need to convey ruthlessness and aggression instead of simply sitting in the ring and watching it unfold. I think that is one of the reasons why I don’t think he’s quite ready for the main roster.
I honestly don't think there's ever been a time this season that I've disliked Young. I just think at times he could be better. He's not far from a 5 where he is now. It's rare that you see the kind of thing he brings to the table in the ring.
ReplyDeletePretty clever giving them a week off to sell how devastating his finisher is. I guess they can say that it's the number of times he's hit it that has put them on the shelf (since we've seen him hit it a lot).
The remark seemed out of place in that promo. I'm all for people having catch phrases and personas as long as they don't feel forced or overused.
I'm not really sure whether or not voices can be coached. I imagine it can be improved some at least. Maybe it's from reading "Pygmalion" in high school? Some said Chris Benoit was monotone but I think he cut some pretty good promos when given the chance (though I didn't analyze things as thoroughly then).
I definitely think he's a good deal ahead of Titus in maximizing opportunities: they pretty much tailor things around Titus in segments and matches instead of him taking charge. Bateman's character's not as in-your-face as Young, so he doesn't need to be as aggressive on the mic.
It's all a matter of who they like and want to give opportunities to next week. All the more reason to make your appearances count.
I took that as him selling the magnitude of what was going on. Maybe he's kind of fed up with the whole ordeal at this point and doesn't want them to get under his skin as much as they have in the past. I definitely think he's been aggressive in the ring lately, including stomping Young when Curtis and Maxine were on the ramp. He didn't want them to get in his head and cause him to lose the match, but in the end they got to him and he did. It's possible that the story "was supposed to unfold that way" and he couldn't storm the ramp and attack or anything.
I think with Young mentioning that he's Mr. No Days Off in relation to taking out Titus and Watson was to convey that he doesn't take a day off from aggression and wrestling, so I can see where that would make sense. I definitely agree that people like Young and Kidd definitely know how to take care of business in that ring. Both are sound technically and can do a sufficient amount of power-based moves. On top of that, the aggression and smack talk is always a plus. What was that move Young did to Bateman on the rope apron? I know he does the neckbreaker and backdrop on the apron, but was that just an atomic drop or was it just a way to envoke hurt to Bateman?
ReplyDeleteYou are probably right about Bateman. Good point. I think it was more about the storyline impact than him lacking aggression. We will see in the upcoming weeks if he takes it up a notch, but I'd like to see more intensity from him.
I know with Titus being absent these two weeks, you haven't come up with who to eliminate and grades, but right now, what would you give Bateman and Young? Would Titus still be at a "B" range for you?
Wait... maybe it's a reference to Titus and Percy needing days off from his attack and him not taking any. If so, that's actually pretty genius.
ReplyDeleteI know Punk's a fan of Tyson so maybe he likes Young, too? He's pushing for changes behind-the-scenes (some of which are coming to fruition: Bryan, Ryder, and Beth Phoenix as Champions for instance). With HHH as the VP of New Talent Development hopefully things are going to (continue to) improve with how the company uses its talented performers.
I believe it was just an atomic drop from the apron, which looks like it would really hurt bad. I honestly don't think I've ever seen that before.
I actually totally forgot the grade thing. The no elimination thing was on purpose since Titus hasn't been on-screen. Derrick's probably still at near the A+ mark (meaning ready for the Raw or Smackdown brand, at least working live events with those crews). I'm thinking a B+ for Young (since theoretically an A- would be a 5?). I guess Titus would be at the same place until he appears again?
Also, I don't know if this will happen or not, but with some new names being looked at as coming up from FCW, what would you think of them being added as contestants on this season? Or maybe the former Skip Sheffield, since that would fit with the Redemption idea? I doubt it would happen, but I think they'd end up on the show at some point anyway because of the whole space issue. Once more there's only so much room and so many people they want to use!
Yeah, one thing I dislike about Young's promos is that he can be kind of vague, to the point where you may have to take an educated guess on some of its meaning. But, that could be what he meant by it, so that's good.
ReplyDeleteI would definitely see some positives about adding others to the competition (more competitiveness makes it more of a contest and a chance to see future stars). I also think it is good from the "win and stay on next season" prize for this season, because you can make the argument that all three of these guys deserve it and it may also be a buffer in case they don't like adding more competitors.
Some negatives are that there is only one hour of show time, so it may take time away from of these other guys like Reks and Hawkins. It may also be kind of a confusing way for fans to an already confusing season if they add other competitors. It may kind of take away the integrity of the purpose of the show. But then again, this show throws curveballs time and time again.
Either way, it would make some sense, but I think having sufficient notice and an actual goal and purpose of the season may provide more legitimacy and context. What way would you side on adding more competitors?
That to me is an important flaw. There's a sizable chunk of the audience in the arena that's not going to know what NXT is (and by extension who he is), so he's got to get them into his character. If someone's seeing him for the first time, the last thing he wants is for them to be unsure about who he is and what he does. It's a tough balance.
ReplyDeleteOn the contrary, it was (theoretically) pretty apparent to a first-time viewer what was going on with Bateman, Maxine, Curtis, and Kaitlyn (though there's still the question of whether Bateman's a good guy now). Curtis is a creep and Maxine's manipulative while Bateman and Kaitlyn are more laid back and easygoing. Similar for the characters of Reks, Hawkins, Yoshi, and Trent. One thing that benefited/benefits Titus is that his character is pretty much "strong athlete". Less can be more sometimes.
Anyway, I'm kind of split on them adding competitors. Maybe they could add Sheffield (who might be going by "Ryback" now) because of the Redemption theme. It's all a matter of how far along they think people are and how well they think they could work in this kind of environment.
My "working idea" (in other words, it's in the brainstorm stage and there could be a big flaw I'm not seeing) would be for them to continue to use NXT as the kind of all-purpose show that it is for now. Hypothetically, the WWE Network's launching around the time of WrestleMania. When that happens, they could in essence split Superstars into two shows: one for Raw and one for Smackdown. I don't know about timeslots and all that kind of thing, but NXT would be for one brand and Superstars would be for the other. Each of the shows would be kind of like a cross between NXT and Superstars without the competition aspect. In other words, storylines and matches for people who aren't on the main shows much.
As for the contestants on this season of NXT (and the "extras" who aren't on either brand- Percy Watson and Maxine), at the time of the Network launch, based on whether they're ready for it, they'd be put on either Raw or Smackdown (or back to FCW if they're not ready yet). WWE Management or Striker or whomever could overrule the rule about the winner going to the next season, and Laurinaitis and Long could sign them as they see fit.
As for the competition idea, they could use that on a new WWE Network show. (To me it would make more sense to have the Raw and Smackdown themed shows on the air internationally, with the show styled like NXT on the WWE Network. I don't know if they can just "replace NXT with a different show" internationally, but they can presumably change the concept of it if not the name since they're kind of doing that already).
This WWE Network show would be like NXT has been in past seasons, with Pros and the winner getting a contract. The caveat being that since they'd be taping 3 hours every Monday and Tuesday (NXT or Superstars before Raw and the other one before Smackdown), they wouldn't tape this new show in front of the regular audience. Instead, it'd be filmed either at a house show each week or similarly to FCW.
Also, eliminations wouldn't be on a rigid schedule since sometimes there are times when they need to be sooner and sometimes when it's pretty tough to call. They would be announced a number of weeks in advance, though.
I'm sure it could be tweaked to be better. Maybe it'd be more like the "school" idea I had a while back where they can flunk out to FCW, get passed on to new teachers/Pros, and finally pass to the main roster (since sometimes more than one person is ready).
It's not an easy thing to decide for me obviously...
Yeah, that would definitely make sense to go that route. It would not only give these guys like Reks and Kidd air time, but it would also create more of an ACTUAL COMPETITION, when that actually serves NXT's purpose. I definitely understand it. Hopefully SOME type of scenario where the adjudication process of implementing your suggestions in some light will occur. If it gives those other guys like Kidd air time and has an actual competition, it makes sense.
ReplyDeleteI personally haven't seen any of the FCW guys that have been on house shows and dark matches, so it would be a good way to notice the possible future of the company.
By the way, any idea when the next Tough Enough is happening?
WWE's such a complicated bureaucracy that things are never as easy and straightforward as they should be. Minds are changed at the last minute, things aren't followed through on, and so on. It's really frustrating at times, since they're the top company in the world and can basically do whatever they want with all the great talent they have, but they're not being pushed enough to do it because business remains decent even in decline (due to some degree to gains internationally).
ReplyDeleteHopefully we're in a big transition period where the older names will be used more sparingly and/or to help the young and talented performers grow into the stars they can be. It's been a long time coming. Part of why I get more excited about some talents and less for others is because I'm really ready for that to happen.
I've heard really good things about Dean Ambrose and Seth Rollins. I'd watch their FCW stuff on YouTube but that would make things all the more frustrating if we don't get to see what they can do any time soon. Ambrose's character is said to be really unstable like Heath Ledger's Joker or Roddy Piper. I did see one match he was in. Every little move he made stood out. He wasn't just there to win a match. It's honestly kind of hard to describe, but it was interesting and I took notice.
Rollins is said to be really athletic and agile, with some moves you don't usually see in WWE. Presumably he'd fit in with Trent, Kidd, Bourne, etc. in that regard. Not the same old, same old in other words. FCW has an hour long show (with commercials), and a match he had with Ambrose went the whole length. They've never done that with anyone. WWE might not see the same things in them, though.
Leo Kruger I'm less thrilled with. He was in the same match I saw Ambrose in. I think Husky Harris was in it, too, but I don't remember the fourth guy off the top of my head (which isn't a good sign). I've mentioned that Ambrose stood out, and Harris worked well as the "army tank with the Ferrari engine". Kruger just didn't really impress, and he won the match (and FCW Title). Maybe they felt that the others could get reactions without it. Supposedly he has good promos to make up for it (they'd have to be pretty good...)
I'm sure there are others down there with potential, too, but those are the three who worked on the main roster recently. I could have sworn Damien Sandow had a match recently, too, but I haven't seen/heard much about him.
Anyway, as for Tough Enough, while it's supposedly going to get another season, that's about all that's known. It might be a case of them deciding whether USA will pick it up or if they'll put it on WWE Network. They'd be crazy to not do another season, Andy's lack of success notwithstanding.
The company has been known to make as little sense as possible with its decisions, so that wouldn't surprise me if they completely turn their back on a good idea like that. We'll see, though.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, what are your thoughts on Daniel Bryan possibly turning into a bad guy? I've heard criticism that he can't pull it off, but he did well in that role yesterday. I think it would definitely give him more credibility and personality and prove some naysayers wrong. He will have to earn that, though.
I saw one of your previous posts about either Big Show or him moving into a bad guy role, but I had assumed it would be the Big Show.
I think one of the more intriguing aspects I think it was you that mentioned is that if Bryan does turn into a bad guy, how will Michael Cole react? He has been trashing him from day No. 1, so what kind of credibility and justification would Cole have to simply change his tune purely on the basis that Bryan becomes a bad guy?
ReplyDeleteI'm loving it! I have to add the caveat that some of it has to do with me REALLY not wanting to see the almost 40 Big Show potentially squash the momentum of the rising star who just might have what it takes to break through into the main event echelon. Ditto for me really liking Cody Rhodes retaining against Booker T.
ReplyDeleteThat being said, I think he's really bringing a surprising personality to the role we haven't seen from him in quite some time (if at all). I've heard that he did really well as a heel on the indie scene, but I think some fans are biased towards bad guys as characters.
I'm probably overrating him (and Cody) some because of how they're more young, fresh and (generally) athletic than their opposition. They have to keep that momentum up, but so far they're both doing good jobs of putting themselves on the map and I think they can continue to impress if they're used as well as they could be.
It wouldn't surprise me if Cole did change his tune. I'd probably be ok with it, because that would really seal the deal on Bryan as a bad guy. Hopefully they'll drop the remarks about him being vegan and not owning a TV, because they're pretty ridiculous. I if Bryan can hold his own against people bigger than him the "midget" talk should die with it. I can see Cole liking the change in attitude enough to get behind him. Kind of a "FINALLY this nerd is doing the right thing" idea.
I'm kind of of the mindset that Cole is supposed to be irrational and illogical as the heel announcer. We're hypothetically supposed to disagree with what he says about the traits people have, and get ticked off that he supports cheaters and jerks instead of good guys. I can't really think of a great analogy for this off the top of my head. Hopefully that makes some sense, though.