10 Thoughts on NXT – Bayley, Balor, Nakamura

10 Thoughts, Reviews, Top Story

JT on NXT logo

1. It’s NXT time and we kick off with a recap of the burgeoning feud between Finn Balor and Shinsuke Nakamura. I am looking forward to this one…

2. Our first match is the Perfect 10 Tye Dillinger vs the debuting Oney Lorcan, which is not really a great name. Lorcan is a little awkward in the ring and Dillinger has to work hard to get a semi-decent match out of him. Lorcan gets the upset win with a running neckbreaker, and thus ends Dillinger’s brief push.

3. Interview with Austin Aries, who gives a typically strong interview about losing to Nakamura at Takeover. AA is interrupted by No Way Jose, who offers some positivity in the face of defeat.

4. No Way is up next, taking on Josh Woods, who has lots of tattoos and an MMA background. After some unremarkable offense, Woods eats the pin after Jose hits a spinning full Nelson slam thing.

5. As Jose is celebrating Aries come out to jeers from the crowd. Aries gives Jose props for having fun, then goes to leave the ring. Jose asks him to dance, and Aries joins in for a long-ass time before attacking Jose and leaving him laying on the entrance ramp. As the crowd chant his name AA comes back and locks in the last chancery on the fallen Jose. That’s the dickish Aries we know and love…

6. Regal sets up Nakamura vs Balor for 3 weeks time, and Buddy Murphy interrupts and demands to be treated like a top star. Yeah, that’s probably not going to happen, chief. Nakamura challenges him to a match tonight, which should be amusing at least.

7. Next up Deonna Perozzo is taking on super-face Bayley, inexplicably still in NXT while the main event Women’s scene cries out for new blood. Surely the brand split is her time to shine… Solid match as ever from Bayley, making Deonna look good while maintaining her dominance and picking up the win with the Bayley to Belly.

8. Now it’s time for Nia Jax to take on Liv Morgan, who gets thrown around like a rag doll as Jax works out her Asuka-related frustrations. Morgan gets about half a dozen offensive moves before Jax absolutely kills her with a powerbomb. Good for what it was.

9. Our main event is Shinsuke Nakamura vs Buddy Murphy, who is suitably jacked but somewhat lacking in charisma. Murphy works the arm and Nakamura is as generous as ever, once again demonstrating that a victory over an apparently credible opponent is far more exciting than a squash over a jobber.

10. After what may be the best Buddy Murphy match on record, Nakamura picks up the win with a sick inverted exploder followed by the Kinchasa. Good match saving an otherwise average NXT, ending with the awesome sight of Nakamura rocking out in the ring.

JT is a hot air balloonist, writer and tattoo aficionado. He writes about movies, science, music, video games, action figures and professional wrestling.