Reviews by Dave
By David E Houston II
Show air date: October 12, 2021
NXT 2.0 got out of the gates fast, slowed down, and sprinted to the finish last week to put on the best episode of this new era. Yes, Hit Row being kidnapped by Legado del Fantasma was ridiculous. WWE doing too much but I liked seeing Legado get back to their (WWE) roots: a Mexican kidnap squad.
Tommaso Ciampa defeated Joe Gacy
As the new Tuesday Night Raw, they start the official show with someone in the ring talking. This week, it was Joe Gacy, reminding people how they are ruining a promising gimmick. Thankfully, it’s not long as he’s set to face NXT Champion Tommaso Ciampa in a non-title match. Gacy says if he wins, he’ll include himself in the NXT title match at Halloween Havoc in two weeks.
Huh? 1.) that’s not how that works and 2.) why wouldn’t he just demand his own title shot at the winner? They write their characters to be stupid all the time. The match was good. Of course, Gacy wasn’t going to win and he didn’t but he looked very competitive with a known star, like Ciampa.
Ciampa then gets lit up by Gunnar Harland, who’s been staring at Gacy the last couple of weeks. The crowd chanted “Who are you?”. Funny. Harland grabbed Gacy but left without hurting him, which made it look like a setup to Ciampa, who shoved Gacy to the floor.
The Beautiful Toxic People
The Beautiful Toxic People came out while Gacy still laying down, did that thing they do in WWE where everyone gets a mic and has lines, blah-blah-blah.
Xyon Quinn defeated Malik Blade
Xyon Quinn being the gentleman he is, just came out for his match while they were still in the ring. I know they’re trying to do something here, but it just comes across like people missing cues on TV. Quinn steamrolled Malik Blade. Nice exhibition.
Ivy Nile defeated Valentina Feroz
Ivy Nile of the Diamond Mine made her in-ring debut, stomping a mudhole in Valentina Feroz, who was all over the place. I liked Nile using a Torture Rack backbreaker as a finish but man, they had Feroz in it too long before the tap. It was like time just stopped. Nile needs to work the rack harder. I could see what they were going for but it’s not as TV-friendly as you would expect from WWE.
Julius Creed defeated Ikemen Jiro
Good promo after by Diamond Mine manager, Malcolm Bivens. Ikemen Jiro came out wearing one of his ugly jackets and got beat up by Julius Creed for bad fashion and bad manners in an impromptu match. KUSHIDA ran out to save Jiro from a Diamond Mine beatdown and got beat down. Not a bad segment at all.
Yeah, Nope
Lashing Out. Nope.
Kyle O’Reilly and Von Wagner defeated Pete Dunne and Ridge Holland
Kyle O’Reilly and Von Wagner beat Pete Dunne and Ridge Holland in a good match that got things back going in the right direction. This felt like something from NXT 1.0 and was a welcome return to form. Such a return to form that Beth Phoenix was particularly bad during this match.
Duke Hudson defeated Grayson Waller
After doing the job to a terribly scripted promo, Grayson Waller Vanilla Iced his way into getting beat by Duke Hudson. The match was okay.
Indi Hartwell and Persia Pirotta defeated Sarray and Amari Miller
I guess they’re over Sarray as she and Amari Miller got beat by Indi Hartwell and Persia Pirotta, Pirotta making her TV debut. Nothing much and I guess they can say they protected Sarray by having Miller take all the beating.
Segment slides downhill fast when tag champs Io Shirai and Zoey Stark come out and do their comedy bit and then The Toxic Dollhouse Attraction comes out and a short scuffle breaks out.
Isaiah “Swerve” Scott (c) defeated Santos Escobar
For the NXT North American Championship
Swerve Scott brought some much-needed intensity to his North American title match against Santos Escobar. He should be pissed and looked like it, taking it to Escobar early. Great match that got a little busy when Carmelo Hayes and Trick Williams (Trick. HA) got into a fight with the other Legado members but for a change, the busy had a purpose.
Carmelo Hayes defeated Isaiah “Swerve” Scott (c)
For the NXT North American Championship
Hayes, conveniently dressed out and with his Breakout contract in hand, blindsided Scott, demanded his title shot, and became the new North American champion in a very well done “cash-in”.
The second hour saved the show as it started good, went to shit, and then became a very good wrestling show. ‘Bout time.
Glad to see that since they’re no longer running opposition, there was no useless overrun.
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