NXT: 5 Points to Note (26 July 2017)
As the week has progressed, the quality of wrestling has improved. Battleground was a snoozefest; Raw had its moments; SmackDown Live was good, but NXT was excellent. While the main roster has set things in motion for Summerslam, those in the developmental brand have their own version of Summerslam in sight: NXT Takeover: Brooklyn III!
This week, many plots that were set in motion over prior months came together to create an engrossing show. We bring you 5 highlights from the show that particularly caught our fancy and detail them to you in this countdown.
#5 Itami finally went full heel
The main event this week was an absolute slugfest, as one would assume with competitors as tough as Kassius Ohno and Hideo Itami. Weeks of frustration in Itami exploded in the main event, as the two battle hardened veterans collided this week. While it was impossible to determine which man would have come out on top, Itami put a full stop on things with a kick to Kassius Ohno's nether regions. While the announcers argued about whether or not it was intentional, Itami delivered two GTSs in unison, completely dismantling Ohno.
Does this kind of screwy finish imply that the two men will meet again in Brooklyn? Only time will tell for sure. What is heartening is the fact that Itami has a renewed character to portray, and he can now attempt to re-establish his name all over again. As we had seen in Chicago, he was not connecting with fans as a babyface and many doubted his future in NXT and even within the United States. This gives Itami a fresh coat of paint to start over again and make his mark.