5 things WWE NXT got right this week: Main roster team challenges for tag team titles; #1 contenders crowned
Another loaded episode of WWE NXT took place just weeks before Halloween Havoc. A new theme took over the show as the superstars tried to maintain the same quality and delivered their best during each match and segment.
Butch and Ridge Holland arrived from the main roster to lay down a challenge for the tag team champions. Von Wagner and Andre Chase competed in an NXT North American Championship qualifying match.
Meanwhile, Alba Fyre looked to do some damage to Mandy Rose during the show. Ilja Dragunov also sent a warning to his opponents for Halloween Havoc.
A few segments during the episode did fall apart. However, the superstars delivered a good show overall. Take a look at the five things WWE NXT got right on this week’s episode.
#5. Carmelo Hayes scored a win over Oro Mensah on WWE NXT
Oro Mensah was looking to score another big one on this week’s WWE NXT. He took on Carmelo Hayes to gain some momentum for the North American Championship Ladder Match.
Melo was overconfident early and paid the price by taking a kick to the face from the newcomer. He was sent outside the ring where Trick Williams helped him by stopping Mensah in his tracks and allowing Carmelo to strike his opponent in the face.
A springboard clothesline earned Hayes a near fall before he locked Oro in a submission hold. The newcomer broke out and hit a German suplex and a big kick before getting a moonsault that nearly earned him the win.
Williams once again ran interference and stopped the newcomer from hitting his finisher. The distraction allowed Melo to hit his top rope leg drop for the win.
Carmelo Hayes proved himself as The A Champion during his previous North American Championship reigns. The momentum will help him come across as the favorite to win the title back at Halloween Havoc.
#4. Jason Kemp got himself a stipulation match for Halloween Havoc
Julius Creed asked his brother Brutus Creed to remain backstage during his match with Duke Hudson to avoid a disqualification. Hudson was looking to gain prominence on WWE NXT once again with a big win.
Julius was just too good during the contest and unloaded with a barrage of slams and lariat attacks on his opponent. He hit a big spine buster before finishing Hudson off with his signature rolling lariat to get an easy win.
After the match, Damon Kemp showed up with a message for The Creed Brothers. He demanded a stipulation match against Julius to solve his issue with the brothers.
Kemp said that if Julius lost the match at Halloween Havoc, Brutus would have to leave the company. The latter instantly accepted on behalf of his brother before Julius said that he wanted to make it an Ambulance match.
The rivalry between Damon Kemp and The Creed Brothers is getting more interesting on NXT. WWE could pull off a swerve and have Julius lose the match, so his brother exits the brand for some time. It would give the creative team a chance to build him as a singles competitor and move him to the main roster.
#3. Von Wagner progressed to the NXT North American Championship Ladder Match
A spot in the NXT North American Championship Ladder Match for Halloween Havoc was on the line as Von Wagner took on Andre Chase. The entire Chase U was behind their teacher for the clash and was looking to get a spot in the title match.
Wagner took control of the match early and hit some big strikes before sending Chase into the corner. The Chase U leader came back with a couple of dropkicks to take the big man off his feet.
Andre hit Chase Stomp before Robert Stone got on the apron to run interference. Thea Hail attacked Mr. Stone as Chase tried to roll up his opponent for the win.
An angry Wagner returned the favor by hitting a lariat before getting a modified Olympic Slam to punch his ticket to Halloween Havoc. After the match, Wes Lee attacked Carmelo Hayes, who was on commentary.
It wasn’t the best of matches, but it did give Wagner a chance to move into the title picture after not doing much for some time. Many fans expected Andre Chase to progress to the ladder match. However, Wagner will be able to provide some better spots to make the match a success.
#2. Nikkita Lyons & Zoey Stark became the new #1 contenders for the NXT Women’s Tag Team Championship
The WWE NXT parking lot remained the most dangerous place for superstars as an attack by Alba Fyre turned an originally scheduled Six-Woman Tag Team Match and created a No. 1 Contenders clash for the NXT Women’s Tag Team Titles.
Zoey Stark and Nikkita Lyons came out to take on Gigi Dolin and Jacy Jayne in the tag team match. The two teams exchanged roll-ups and submission moves early on before Lyons took control of the contest.
A double-team superkick/suplex combo helped the heels get back in the game and Dolin got a near fall before she isolated Stark. The babyface took some punishment before coming back with a sequence of moves and dropping Jayne from the apron.
After an explosive string of attacks, she hit Gigi with the GTS neck breaker to nearly get the win. Lyons came back into the ring and hit her signature leg drop to pin Dolin for the win.
It was an exciting contest that could have gone either way. It was great to see Stark and Lyons move into the NXT Women’s Tag Team Championship picture once again. They will likely win the titles sooner rather than later as it will be best to keep them away from the women’s title picture.
#1. Imperium cost The Brawling Brutes their title match on Tuesday night
WWE NXT kicked off with Pretty Deadly appearing in colonial British-era dressing. They mocked the NXT tag team division and said that they should be allowed to hold the tag team titles forever.
The Brawling Brutes arrived from the main roster to confront Elton Prince and Kit Wilson. They said that the champs had to prove themselves before attacking them and sending them out of the ring.
The main event saw the two teams go head-to-head for the NXT Tag Team Championship. Ridge Holland took control of the contest early and tagged in Butch for a double-team move.
The Bruiserweight worked on his opponent’s small joints and unloaded with Sheamus’ signature chops on Wilson. Ridge used his strength to overpower the champs before Butch returned to stomp Wilson in the face.
The challengers did a phenomenal job before Imperium showed up for no reason and attacked Butch. The distraction cost The Brawling Brutes as the champions took them down and hit their finisher on Holland for the win.
The creative team did a great job at giving Pretty Deadly some good competition from the main roster. Imperium’s distraction helped The Brawling Brutes from a clean loss while giving them a chance to prove themselves as a top team.