Welcome to this week’s edition of Ringside Intel’s NXT Recap! Every Thursday I’ll bring you a rundown of what happened on NXT the night before, with a bit of my own insights and commentary thrown in. Without further ado, let’s get into it!
After a rather lackluster post-TakeOver episode last week, NXT has returned to Full Sail arena and its usual self. I mean, who doesn’t like it when a show opens with a mysterious backstage attack?
BREAKING: #SAnitY has been ATTACKED outside @FullSail!!! #WWENXT@KillianDain@TheEricYoung@TheWWEWolfe@WWENetworkpic.twitter.com/rAcSEDWYsC
— WWE (@WWE) August 31, 2017
Alright, maybe it wasn’t all that mysterious. SAnitY was also attacked at TakeOver by Kyle O’Reilly and Bobby Fish, so it would only make sense that they’re the culprits. But a solid and intriguing opening nonetheless!
Drew McIntyre’s Mission Statement
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5r8Rm96rV8E]
The show officially opened with new NXT Champion Drew McIntyre (who also has my new favorite entrance music) putting the entire locker room on notice. McIntyre specifically called out O’Reilly, Fish, and Adam Cole – who attacked him following his defeat of Bobby Roode at TakeOver – but made it explicitly clear that he’ll fight anyone so long as they challenge him like men.
And challenge him like a man Roderick Strong did.
Strong vowed to beat McIntyre for the NXT title after he finished with Roode. I’ll be honest, Strong’s promo felt clunky and rehearsed, but I believed him nonetheless. He very much seems like the scrappy underdog to McIntyre’s prodigal son, and it’s always easy to root for an honorable, scrappy underdog.
But I’m a McIntyre fan. Sorry, Roddy.
Peyton Royce (w/ Billie Kay) def. Ruby Riot
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hpPgZsfmpTg]
This match was okay. I personally haven’t seen anything from either Ruby Riot or Peyton Royce that gives me a reason to care about or root for or against either of them, but maybe this feud will change that. Billie Kay gave Riot a devastating big boot to the face outside the ring, so it’s pretty clear that Riot will have to recruit someone to help her defeat the Iconic Duo. The question is who – and the answer to that question will either make or break my interest in this storyline.
Although, I will say that Riot’s reversal of a kick from Royce into a powerbomb was pretty neat.
A Busy Night For William Regal
Last night’s episode of NXT was a busy one for Commissioner William Regal. Not only did he have to track down whoever attacked SAnitY at the start of the show, but when Christy St. Cloud tried to interview him about said attack Kassius Ohno interrupted and asked for a no disqualification match against Hideo Itami next week. And of course Regal gave it to him.
You WANT it? You GOT it! @KassiusOhno will face @HideoItami in a #NoDQ Match NEXT WEEK on @WWENXT! #WWENXT@RealKingRegalpic.twitter.com/YxGPgI7tub
— WWE (@WWE) August 31, 2017
Later, Regal also confronted Lars Sullivan about his recent AGGRESSIVE actions and put him in a 3-on-1 handicap match next week.
The AGGRESSIVE @LarsSWWE will have his hands full when he competes in a 3-on-1 Handicap Match NEXT WEEK on #WWENXT! @RealKingRegalpic.twitter.com/fZ2k2buWos
— WWE Network (@WWENetwork) August 31, 2017
Plus it was revealed that Andrade “Cien” Almas will take on Cezar Bononi. Next week’s card is stacked, y’all.
Heavy Machinery def. Jobbers
A GROUNDING victory for #HeavyMachinery as they make quick work of their opponents! #WWENXT @WWEDozovic @TuckerKnightWWE pic.twitter.com/b0FpZmh0mC
— WWE (@WWE) August 31, 2017
Not much to say here. Heavy Machinery – which is compromised of Otis Dozovic and Tucker Knight – is one of NXT’s newest tag teams. They soundly crushed their jobber opponents, perhaps literally.
Roderick Strong def. Bobby Roode
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E_jD9P0N8rs]
I don’t know why, but last night I wasn’t expecting Strong to get the pin here. Maybe it was because Roode was so vehement last week about getting his title back from McIntyre, but now that I think about it it wouldn’t make much sense to have Roode continue on down in NXT now that he’s debuted on SmackDown. Plus the win makes Strong look, well, Strong, heading into a feud with McIntyre.
If you have the WWE Network I highly recommend you watch this full match. It was a classic good guy vs. bad guy battle, and Roode and Strong both gave it their all. As I mentioned earlier, I wasn’t too impressed with Strong when he challenged McIntyre, but this match changed my opinion of him.
Speaking of McIntyre, he came out to give Strong the ol’ staredown after the match – and was promptly attacked for a second time by Cole, O’Reilly, and Fish.
You NEVER know when @AdamColePro, @KORcombat and @theBobbyFish will show up… #WWENXT @DMcIntyreWWE @roderickstrong pic.twitter.com/pQwJlIcFST
— WWE (@WWE) August 31, 2017
I’m not very happy that McIntyre has done nothing but get attacked since becoming NXT Champion, but this is all obviously leading somewhere. Furthermore, Strong is a Ring of Honor guy; Cole, O’Reilly, and Fish are all Ring of Honor guys. Could they be in cahoots? Notably, Strong didn’t help McIntyre out when he got attacked.
Maybe it means something, maybe it doesn’t. We’ll just have to wait and see.
What did you think of this week’s episode of NXT? Share your comments below!