5 things WWE NXT got right this week: Tommaso Ciampa enters title picture again; Carmelo Hayes retains
Dolph Ziggler and Robert Roode appeared on WWE NXT for a tag team match against Bron Breakker and Tommaso Ciampa. It was one of the biggest matches booked for this week's show.
Carmelo Hayes was also looking to defend his North American Championship against Pete Dunne in the show's main event. The Bruiserweight was looking to make an impact and win a top title on the brand after a long time.
Two matches were scheduled for the Women's Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic Tournament. Von Wagner also got ready to return to the ring with Robert Stone by his side.
This week's show had a few good matches that built towards next week's NXT Roadblock. Take a look at the five things WWE got right on NXT this week.
#5. Tommaso Ciampa and Bron Breakker picked up a big win on WWE NXT
Robert Roode came out to his "Glorious" theme with Dolph Ziggler on WWE NXT for the tag team match. Their opponent Tommaso Ciampa walked out in the same singlet as Bron Breakker for the contest.
The heels targeted Ciampa and Breakker early and looked to take control of the contest. The Blackheart got a hot tag, but the heels continued to work over their opponents and keep them grounded.
Both teams exchanged some good moves to keep the action going. After some double-team maneuvers, Ciampa finished off Ziggler with the Fairy Tale Ending.
Backstage, The Show-off talked Breakker into adding Ciampa to their WWE NXT Championship match next week at Roadblock. It was a good match that saw all four men perform well. Roode was outstanding and felt more comfortable wrestling on the brand again.
Breakker has worked well with Ciampa since the beginning, and WWE wants to keep them together for as long as possible. It will be interesting to see who takes the pin next Tuesday.
#4. Von Wagner returned to defeat Andre Chase
Von Wagner arrived with Robert Stone for his match against Andre Chase on WWE NXT. Bodhi Hayward hyped up the latter before the match and gave him some confidence.
Chase started strong and cornered Wagner with some big strikes. He drove him back into the corner and dominated early. Wagner fought back with some kicks and a clothesline in the corner to get back in the contest.
The Professor broke free from a headlock and got some big moves on Wagner. He had him on the ropes, but Stone ran a distraction, allowing Wagner to take Hayward down outside the ring. Wagner finished off Chase with a slam for the win.
The match wasn't anything of note. Chase did well to keep the action going, but Wagner was awkward throughout. However, it's good to see him back in the ring with Stone by his side. This could be his final chance in WWE as he has a big opportunity to improve in the ring and on the mic.
#3. Gunther handed Solo Sikoa his first loss on WWE NXT
Solo Sikoa was looking to make a statement on WWE NXT with a match against Gunther. The former NXT United Kingdom Champion was unmoved by Sikoa's threat and looked forward to punishing him.
Sikoa tasted a few early chops from Gunther to warm up. He pushed back and hit some strikes to get back in the contest. The Ring General dominated him with strength and kept him grounded for some time.
The Samoan Superstar got back up to deliver a few more strikes to stay in the match. He stunned Gunther with a dropkick and superkick to gain the upper hand for some time.
After a couple of near falls, Gunther connected a chop to the back of Sikoa's head. He locked in a sleeper hold to slow Sikoa down before hitting a couple of powerbombs for the win.
It was surprising to see him pick up a big win over the undefeated Sikoa. It looks like the Samoan Superstar will be taking a step back while Gunther will be rebuilt as a force on the brand.
Fans can expect a couple more matches between the two powerhouses in the weeks to come. While Sikoa is not yet main event-worthy, The Ring General is ready to win the WWE NXT title soon.
#2. Raquel Gonzalez and Cora Jade worked together to win their first Dusty Rhodes Classic match
Raquel Gonzalez and Cora Jade got together to take on Yulisa Leon and Valentina Feroz in the WWE NXT Women's Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic. The latter duo tried to work on Gonzalez's arm but could not damage the former NXT Women's Champion.
Later, they managed to take out Gonzalez with a couple of good moves to the floor. Jade was left alone to fight for her team. She went after her opponents but tried to stay away as much as possible to avoid any double-team maneuvers.
She fought through and tagged an angry Gonzalez waiting to get back in the ring. Raquel came in and hit a Chingona Bomb on Feroz. Jade tagged in and hit a splash on Feroz for the win.
Gonzalez and Feroz worked well together in the contest. WWE gave them enough spots to showcase their unique skills in the ring.
Meanwhile, Dakota Kai and Wendy Choo defeated Indi Hartwell and Persia Pirotta in their match. It would be great to see the two winning teams come face-to-face in the tournament.
#1. Carmelo Hayes retained his North American Championship against Pete Dunne on the main event of WWE NXT
Pete Dunne challenged Carmelo Hayes for the NXT North American Championship in the main event Tuesday night. The two men exchanged lariats before Trick Williams distracted Dunne.
Melo took over and delivered some stiff strikes. Dunne caught him in an armbar, and Hayes had to use the ropes to break it up.
The A Champion countered the Bitter End into a cutter and took the fight back to him. Dunne broke Trick's fingers to get him out of the equation but was distracted for too long. Melo took him down and hit a diving leg drop to pick up the win.
After the match, Melo announced that he would defend his title in a ladder match at NXT Stand & Deliver. The two superstars delivered an excellent title match to cap off the night. The entire episode needed to be lifted after a strong opening match.
WWE NXT badly needs an authority figure like William Regal to announce big matches. The hype isn't the same when the superstars announce the match themselves.