Reviews by Dave
By David E Houston II
Show air date: November 16, 2021
I’m already having good vibes about this week’s NXT 2.0 since they didn’t start with a talking segment but immediately with a match, even though that match featured the execrable Tony D’Angelo (not the solid wrestler, the terrible gimmick) and Dexter Lumis (a one-trick pony that stopped being interesting a long time ago).
Tony D’Angelo defeated Dexter Lumis
Putting aside how commentary insisted on being horrible from the jump (Barrett couldn’t even call D’Angelo an amateur wrestler in college), the match was nothing. D’Angelo won, and Lumis looked like a goof, being outsmarted by a rookie.
How Does That Make Sense?
Then Lumis got beat up by North American champion Carmelo Hayes and Trick Williams because no one has had enough of that whole thing. Johnny Gargano calls out Hayes and Williams but gets Pete Dunne. Dunne was right: Gargano was trying to worm his way into a title match. Unfortunately, Williams and Hayes come out and Williams got way too much time to talk and the whole thing was a waste of time as Hayes books himself into a three-way title match. TF? How does that make sense?
Odyssey Jones & Jacket Time defeated Diamond Mine
Malcolm Bivens and his Diamond Mine could be a real gold mine. Don’t ruin them by having Joe Gacy anywhere near them.
The Diamond Mine team of Cruiserweight champion Roderick Strong and the Creeds–Brutus and Julius–lost to the team of Odyssey Jones and Jacket Time (ew), KUSHIDA, and Ikemen Jiro and this stupid jacket. It was okay. Strong took the fall, another move that makes no sense. The Cruiserweight title is just meaningless right now.
Xyon Quinn defeated Andre Chase
Xyon Quinn beat Andre Chase with a jackhammer. It was okay. He’s ambushed by Legado del Fantasma, apparently for turning down Elektra Lopez’s offer to join last week. Like the Chase match, it was okay. Those three are some good veterans for Quinn to work with. For some reason, they immediately showed the replay of the attack like we didn’t just watch it. They’re using this show to develop production crew too, I guess.
Not a bad interview with Raquel Gonzalez. She got in her “chiquita” as she does every promo now.
GTFOMFWTBS!
Poker showdown. GTFOMFWTBS.
Kyle O’Reilly & Von Wagner defeated Josh Briggs & Brooks Jensen
Kyle O’Reilly and Von Wagner beat Josh Briggs and Brooks Jensen in a solid tag match. O’Reilly was in main events this summer and looked to be the next champ and now when he comes out, there was no reaction. He didn’t even get the pin for his team. WWE seems ready to write off two different KOs this winter.
Add Grayson Waller and Stir!
How can I dislike the Lash Legend stuff even more? Add Grayson Waller and stir. Vomit will be produced.
Persia Pirotta defeated Gabby Stephens and Jenna Levy
Persia Pirotta had a handicap match against Gabby Stephens and Jenna Levy. She won in a squash. Robert Stone watched from ringside. Don’t worry about it. Good exhibition for the young star.
“Crazy” Dakota Kai doesn’t come off as well as I bet they think it does.
The Whole Thing Was “eh”
NXT champion Tommaso Ciampa comes out and buries the young boys on the roster. Bron Breakker interrupts him, and I guess he’s getting in his challenge for a rematch before Ciampa throws to a clip of his victory in their last match he conveniently had at the ready. The whole thing was “eh” and had that Raw feeling.
Main Event: Raquel Gonzalez defeated Dakota Kai
By DQ
The wait for a good match was over with the main event of Gonzalez vs Kai. This was going pretty well until the wildly overbooked finish that saw Gonzalez win by disqualification when Women’s champion and tag champions jumped Gonzalez as she was menacing Kai with a shovel.
A lot of messy, incoherent brawling took place (Kai airballed the shit out of that kick) with then Cora Jade running down with her skateboard and Io Shirai borrowing one of Zoey Starks’ crutches to beat on some folks. All to announce a War Games for a bunch of people who should not be in War Games.
It wasn’t Tuesday Night Raw this week and that’s a good thing but still not really doing much well. Just a consistently mediocre show.
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