10 Thoughts on NXT – Bobby Roode, Ember Moon, Pete Dunne

10 Thoughts, Reviews, Top Story

  1. It’s NXT time and tonight our first match is a triple threat match between Liv Morgan, Peyton Royce and Ember Moon for the number one contendership for the NXT Women’s title!
  2. Billie Kay is in Peyton’s corner but Liv Morgan looks dominant to start despite her diminutive stature. An early ad break sort of breaks the momentum of the match, and when we return Ember Moon is still on the outside after being tossed lightly into the steel steps. And apparently this is a no DQ match, because… reasons?
  1. In some truly crappy booking Ember Moon looks like an absolute chump for most of this match, getting kicked out of the ring every time she tries to enter. A nice tower sunset flip spot wakes up the crowd, then Royce picks up the pin on Morgan with a bridging fisherman suplex. Decent match from Morgan and Royce, total burial of Moon.
  2. Next up we have another match in the U.K. Championship series, with the Bruiserweight Pete Dunne taking on Welsh high flyer Mark Andrews after a couple of good video packages. And in case you didn’t notice last week, Chris Hero is back, and they’re still calling him Cassius Ohno.
  3. Dunne has a nice line in fine joint manipulation and plays an effective heel while Andrews is your face in peril and occasionally does some flippy stuff to keep the crowd interested.
  1. The Bruierweight keeps working the hand (which you don’t see much in the WWE) and basically works like a long lost British cousin of The Revival. Side question: Why are British wrestlers all skinny or tubby? Where are all the jacked guys? I know they have gyms in England…
  1. Towards the end this turns into a pretty great match with some big moves and sweet reversals. Pete Dunne eventually picks up the win with the Bitter End, and the competitors finish with a handshake.
  1. Peyton Royce interview, and she blames Nikki Cross for not already being champ. I wouldn’t be surprised if they put the belt on Royce for a while to let Asuka jump to the main roster and Ember Moon to rebuild after tonight’s disaster. Hey, they’re repacked Patrick Clark again into a Ravishing Rick Rude type. Good luck with that, pal.
  1. Our main event tonight is Bobby Roode vs No Way Jose, who dances to the ring like a man happy just to be there. Roode is glorious as ever, throwing Jose around and acting like the ultimate heel. After a brief hope spot for Jose reality kicks in and Roode picks up the win with the Glorious DDT. After the match Roode continues to beat on Jose until Cassius Ohno runs in to make the save!
  1. Overall a good episode of NXT despite the bizarre booking of the triple threat match and a glorified squash for the main event. Good to see Hero/Ohno back, and immediately declaring his desire for the NXT title is a good way to set up a feud with Roode.
JT is a hot air balloonist, writer and tattoo aficionado. He writes about movies, science, music, video games, action figures and professional wrestling.