5 things WWE NXT Roadblock got right: RAW Superstar returns, champion collapses
WWE NXT Roadblock had some fun matches and segments scheduled. Grayson Waller invited Shawn Michaels to appear on The Grayson Waller Effect and have a face-to-face showdown with the loudmouth.
Dijak faced off against Tony D’Angelo in a Jailhouse Street Fight on the show. It was the former’s opportunity to show that he could make it to the top of the roster sooner rather than later.
Meanwhile, Jacy Jayne and Gigi Dolin were set to face off in a grudge match on the show. Pretty Deadly and Gallus also had a showdown in the ring to take their rivalry forward.
The main event saw Roxanne Perez take on Meiko Satomura in one of the best matches of the night. The show helped build towards the upcoming NXT: Stand & Deliver show.
Take a look at the five things WWE NXT Roadblock got right on this year’s show.
#5. Channing "Stacks" Lorenzo sacrificed himself to help Tony D’Angelo defeat Dijak
Tony D’Angelo and Dijak kicked off WWE NXT Roadblock with a Jailhouse Street Fight. The former found the baton early on and used it on his opponent.
They fought around the jail cell before making their way back to the ring, where Dijak hit his opponent with a chokeslam onto a steel chair. Tony returned the favor and sent the former main roster star into some chairs with a slam.
Dijak put The Don through the table and took control of the situation before Channing "Stacks" Lorenzo got involved. He protected his leader, allowing The Don to mount a comeback and get hold of a crowbar.
Stacks ate Feast Your Eyes before D’Angelo struck him with the crowbar and sent him into the cell to pick up the win. The match was good and showcased how much Stacks is ready to put on the line for The D’Angelo Family.
Dijak made his return, and it looked like the creative team would strap a rocket to his back. However, the losses against Wes Lee and D’Angelo have certainly chipped away at his credibility once again.
#4. Bron Breakker and The Creed Brothers took down Jinder Mahal and Indus Sher
Bron Breakker joined The Creed Brothers for WWE NXT Roadblock to take on Jinder Mahal and Indus Sher. The match got going before the opening bell, and both teams went hard at each other.
Breakker worked well with the brothers to put pressure on Indus Sher before Mahal mounted a comeback for his team. Brutus connected with the Brutus Bomb and an Olympic Slam before the NXT Champion tagged back in.
He wiped out Sanga before The Creed Brothers came in and hit their finisher on Veer for the win. It was a good contest that allowed Brutus and Julius to come back into the game. They needed a win over Indus Sher to shrug off the previous setbacks.
Bron Breakker worked well with the duo and later called out Carmello Hayes. A match between the two men was booked for the NXT Championship at Stand & Deliver.
#3. Shawn Michaels brought back Johnny Gargano to silence Grayson Waller on WWE NXT
Grayson Waller came out on WWE NXT Roadblock and invited Shawn Michaels to the Grayson Waller Effect. The legend cut to the point and asked the heel why he hated him. Waller said that he was the number one talent on the brand, and HBK was holding him back.
The Australian Superstar made excuses about all the times he lost in big matches, but Shawn said that Waller just wanted to blame someone for his shortcomings. Waller took shots at HBK, and his role on the brand and the legend stopped him before things got out of hand.
Shawn Michaels said he would love to take Waller down at NXT Stand & Deliver, but there was someone who wanted to face the heel instead. Johnny Gargano made his way out and rushed into the ring as the segment ended.
Waller was the one who seemingly ended Gargano’s NXT career and sent him on a hiatus. It’s great to see the RAW Superstar return to NXT for a big match, especially since he has no feuds for WrestleMania 39.
#2. Gigi Dolin got revenge on Jacy Jayne with a win
Gigi Dolin went hard on Jacy Jayne as soon as their match got going at WWE NXT Roadblock. Jayne tried to escape through the crowd, but Dolin dragged her back into the ring.
Jayne got back in the game and tried to use a steel chair, but Dolin turned the tides instead. She kept control for some time and hit a few kicks before getting a senton for a near fall.
Gigi came back with a roundhouse kick and survived a neck breaker. She kicked out of another senton before hitting the Cobra Twist Slam for the victory.
After the match, Jacy Jayne attacked Dolin from behind. She wrapped a steel chair around her neck before officials came out to stop her from doing more damage.
The match wasn’t great, but it told the story well. Both women want to prove that they are better than the other and will go to any extent to end each other’s careers. The ending signals a rematch between them at Stand & Deliver.
#1. Roxanne Perez pulled off her most memorable title defense on WWE NXT
Roxanne Perez defended her NXT Women’s Championship against Meiko Satomura at Roadblock. The legendary performer got the first takedown and put pressure on Perez early on.
Satomura locked in a knee bar and punished her opponent before Perez broke out and hit a few big strikes. The champion struggled to stay on top but continued to hit some big moves whenever she could.
Perez looked set to hit a rope-assisted powerbomb but missed. Meiko got a dive from the top, but Perez countered it and got her knees up in time.
Satomura attempted the Axe Kick, but the champion countered and rolled up her opponent to retain her title. After the match, Meiko gave the NXT Women’s Title to Perez to show her respect. However, Roxy collapsed in the ring, and medical professionals had to be called out to take her away on a stretcher.
The match was great and showcased why Perez is the champion. The finish showed that Meiko might be the better wrestler, but the champion had the presence of mind to roll her up for the win. WWE will probably keep her out of the competition and build some challenges for her.