5 things WWE NXT got right this week - Finn Balor forms a partnership; top Champion returns
The Dusty Rhodes Classic continued to light up WWE NXT this week. A couple of matches were scheduled for the men's teams, while the Women’s Dusty Rhodes Classic also kicked off.
The Fight Pit match between Tomasso Ciampa and Thimothy Thatcher was also on the cards for this week’s WWE NXT, adding a special touch to the show. Finn Balor was looking to get back at Pete Dunne and his men, while the WWE NXT Women’s Champion was expected to make a return.
Karrion Kross competed in yet another squash match, and it seems like the creatives will need to think of another way to build the dominant Superstar going forward.
Tyler Rust tried to continue his impressive run in a match against Bronson Reed, but The Colossal One was able to take out the newcomer with ease after a good match.
A few surprising decisions helped WWE NXT score a better overall grade, and it looks like Curt Stallion will be joining Gran Metalik and Lince Dorado to take down Legado del Fantasma.
Let’s take a look at the 5 things WWE NXT got right on this week’s show.
#5 Johnny Gargano and KUSHIDA continued their rivalry on WWE NXT
The Way’s Johnny Gargano and Austin Theory were overconfident this week on WWE NXT as they made their entry into the Dusty Rhodes Classic. KUSHIDA and former NXT North American Champion Leon Ruff came out to compete in their first match of the tournament.
Theory was impressive at first and Gargano became far too confident after he came into the match. Both men soon learned from their mistakes, as their opponents continued to deliver some impressive strikes and technical offense.
Theory and Gargano decided to isolate Ruff for the middle part of the match, but the young Superstar fought through. He kicked out of a Spinning Neckbreaker and hit a Springboard Cutter to find an opening and tag KUSHIDA in.
The action between Gargano and KUSHIDA was intense and allowed fans to get a glimpse of what to expect in the future from the NXT North American Championship scene. After some more drama, the Japanese Superstar pinned The Rebel Heart clean with a Hammerlock Suplex.
The match was good and allowed Ruff and KUSHIDA to shine. While the faces picked up the victory, it was Gargano and Theory who impressed more. The two seem to have the chemistry to make a good tag team, and The Rebel Heart seems to be the perfect mentor for Theory, who has now been in several different partnerships.
KUSHIDA was allowed to pin the NXT North American Champion and it’s now more clear than ever that he must be the next challenger to Gargano’s title.