Jeremy’s WWE NXT Review 9.21.21

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Hello there, NXT fans! Welcome to the second week of NXT 2.0. I’m Jeremy Thomas, as usual, and after last week’s fairly successful relaunch we get to see how the show’s going to (hopefully) settle in a bit as it looks to its future. Tonight we’ll see Kushida back in action as he defends the NXT Cruiserweight Championship against Roderick Strong, plus likely more in the saga of Bron Breakker and whatever else might be on the agenda. Here’s hoping they keep the momentum going.

It’s been a busy week around the old Thomas household, as I’m deep into my Hooptober viewing challenge for 2021. This far I’ve enjoyed Revenge of Frankenstein, The Blood on Satan’s Claw, The Burning, and Kandisha, thought Fulci’s The Black Cat was fun but not great, and less enjoyed Cherry Falls, Things Heard & Seen and Graduation Day. I’m also knee-deep in the Overwatch League 2021 playoffs that kicked off tonight and now reading the one and only Mistress of the Dark Elvira’s autobiography which, off the first half a chapter, is already off to a great start. Queer horror icons FTW!

Anyway, we’re gonna have a lot to cover tonight so let’s hop right in.

As a reminder, the GoFundMe for Larry’s daughters is still active and if you can make a donation, that would be awesome. Thank you so much to everyone who’s done so thus far.

We start off with a recap of last week’s relaunch with evil brunette Mandy Rose, all the new stars, Carmelo Hayes’ heel turn, and all the rest. And then the attack on Kyle O’Reilly, the ascension of Von Wagner, and the coronation of Tomasso Ciampa as new NXT Champion.

DOWN SOUTH SLANG! (a.k.a. the new intro)

We start off with a bunch of the young talent in the ring as (Odyssey Jones, Bron Breakker, Carmelo Hayes, etc.) Tomasso Ciampa makes his way out with his beloved, Goldie. Ciampa says that it took him 908 days but he climbed the top and took back the title he never lost in the first place. He says it was worth it every second for this moment to stand in the ring and say to everyone that once again, Tomasso Ciampa is YOUR NXT CHAMPION!

He listens to Goldie for a moment as the crowd chants and hushes everyone, telling Goldie “I missed you too.” He says he missed it, he loves it and what a time it is. NXT 2.0, contagious energy, fresh faces — and the crowd is chanting 2.0. Ciampa says you should like this because the young talent is busting their asses day in and day out and are ready to show the world just how good they are. He calls out Hayes, Jones, Breakker, and then says there’s him and he is, was, and always will be Mr. NXT.

He says they can give themselves a fresh coat of paint but what hasn’t changed is what makes this place so special. He looks around and sees Alicia, she’s NXT. The commentators, they’re NXT. And the talent in the ring? You bet your ass they’re NXT. And the fans, they’re the heartbeat and soul of this place. They’re the reason he can stand in the ring and do what he does. The crowd chants NXT and he says he’s so damn happy to have them back and to represent the brand. With Ciampa holding the title, “NXT 2.0 just became the A show!” He tells the crowd to dig down deep and let the fans know that “WE! ARE! NXT!”

And it’s Grimes Time! Cameron Grimes says all the energy has got him fired up, and what’s going to help the fire is that championship, which is the rocket fuel he needs to go to the moon. Joe Gacy says that as charitable as it would be for Ciampa to give Grimes an opportunity —

And here comes LA Knight, who says it’s a lot of hot garbage in the ring and all the incels in the crowd should be chanting “You deserve it” at him. Jones cuts him off and says Knight lost twice in the same day.

And now Pete Dunne and Ridge Holland are out here! Dunne has a mic as they get into the ring and Ridge stares off with guys. Dunne says here we are, NXT 2.0. All the fresh faces, and he’s going to give them advice: make a name for yourself. But all he does is look around and see a bunch of geezers who are scared to throw the first punch. So Ciampa does so and it quickly becomes a brawl as more talent runs in to brawl. It ends with Bron Breakker and Ciampa brawling with Dunne and Holland, both of whom get toessed to the outside. Bron and Ciampa stare off with the two as we go to the back…

Where Kay Lee Ray, B-FAB, and two others are in the middle of a huge argument and altercation as we go back to the ring where Dunne and Holland are knocked back out of the ring. Breakker gets a mic and says that the fans want to see this keep going, and challenges Dunne and Holland to a tag match against Bron and Ciampa.

Thoughts: That was more of the super-chaotic stuff I didn’t love from last week, but it did accomplish a lot in just a 15 minute segment. It felt longer than that, but I do appreciate how it set some things up nicely for the episode.

NXT Cruiserweight Championship Match
Kushida vs. Roderick Strong

Strong rushes in to start but Kushida stops him cold. They go into a lockup and counter-wrestling, with Kushida fighting out of a body scissors and getting to his feet. Lockup and Kushida with a takedown, they end up mat wrestling and Strong gets a standing headlock. Strong into the ropes, Kushida takes him down with a hip toss. Kushida begins to work over the arm and twists it up, dropping back to the mat to wrench it. Strong rolls out of the ring as we go to break.

We’re back and Strong was in control during the break, he goes for an Olympic SLam but Kushida counters with an arm drag. Clotheslines by the champion, inverted atomic drop and a hip toss into a dropkick. Hard right hand by the champ, he goes for a kick but Strong dodges and hits Kushida hard. Strong puts Kushida on the top and climbs, but Kushida counters with an armlock and leaps off to slam Strong down. Big kick to the elbow and the champ runs into a big boot. Strong with a backbreaker and belly to back suplex, cover gets two. Strong off the ropes with a forearm, a second off the ropes with an elbow but he’s hurt. Kushdia counters a charging Strong into a Hoverboard lock attempt, he rolls Strong into the center but Strong gets up — Kushida humps on and locks in the Hoverboard! Bivens pulls Strong’s foot onto the rope and calls attention to it. Bivens is distracting the ref as all of the Diamond Mine wipe out Kushida and roll him in, leaping knee and Strong hits his finisher for the win.

Winner: Roderick Strong (9:00)
Rating: ***
Thoughts: Great match with a suspect finish. I’m fine with Strong winning but the interference was rushed and didn’t come off as good as it could have. It’s one of those things that people will look at as an example of NXT becoming too much like Raw. All in all it was a good effort by both men though.

After the match, Grayson Waller comes out and says “Let’s hear it for the new champ, yeah?” He says that after what happened to Drake Maverick last week, he is realizing that NXT 2.0 is a jungle, but no one is built to survive in the jungle like him. He challenges Strong to a match for the Cruiserweight Championship next week.

Bivens excoriates Waller for interrupting the champion’s celebration. Bivens and Strong talk and Bivens says next week, Diamond Mine shows him why they run NXT.

* Tony D’Angelo is at the docks talking about how his family has had many interests across the Atlantic Coast, but they have always been focused on business and family. And when it comes to those, they’re dead serious. And a third item can be added to that list: his success in WWE.

* Josh Briggs and Brooks Jensen talk about how they first met when they got in a fight at the bar after Briggs lost in the NXT Breakout Tournament. They say that the tag team division is in trouble and it doesn’t matter which team starts the fight, because Briggs and Jensen are going to finish it.

Kay Lee Ray vs. Amari Miller

We get a quick pre-tape promo from Miller before the match starts. Ray attacks at the bell but Miller ducks and lays in the strikes, then whips Ray into a neckbreaker for a one-count. Ray counters a short-arm whip and takes Miller down, she kicks her off the ropes and starts kicking away. Cover by Raw for one and then a front suplex by the former NXT UK Women’s Champion.

Ray picks Miller up, Miller fights back but gets cut down. Miller with a jawbreaker, she goes for a side kick, Ray catches it and turns it into the KLR Bomb for the pin.

Winner: Kay Lee Ray (1:36)
Rating: N/A
Thoughts: RIP Miss Miller.

* McKenzie is backstage with Bron and asks him about tonight’s match. He says it’s a big night for him and he heard Ciampa’s words tonight. Ciampa comes up and asks if he’s ready to swim with the big fishes. He says he is, and who better to do it with than the champ?

* Up next: Dante Chen debuts, WWE’s first Singaporean superstar.

* Some guy is walking up to the CWC earlier today and talking them up. He opens the door for them but someone tries to cut. He lets the ladies through and slams first guy into the door.

Trey Baxter vs. Dante Chen

Lockup to start and Chen backs Baxter into the corner. Baxter manages to come out of the corner and ducks a clothesline, hitting a suplex. He goes up top on the opposite side but Chen cuts him off. Baxter leaps off the top, Baxter goes for an inside cradle but Chen catches him, picks him up and slams him down for the pin.

Winner: Dante Chen (0:58)
Rating: N/A
Thoughts: RIP Trey Baxter.

* Andre Chase is opening ip Andre Chase University, a place of higher learning. He says the first lesson is about Odyssey Hones and how he failed to get ahead by losing in the NXT Breakout Tournament finals. He makes fun of Jones making a covers in the finals match and someone raises their hand for a question. Steve says didn’t Jones beat him in the opening round? Chase asks who Steve ever beat and tells him to get the **** out.

* Up next: Cameron Grimes.

* We’re back in the ring with Joe Gacy who says the ring is a safe space where differences are settled. He’s not going to use his male privilege and a bunch of other buzzwords. Yeah, this character’s going to go over well.

Cameron Grimes vs. Joe Gacy

They start off with Grimes locking in a wristlock. Gacy backs him into the ropes and backs off, Grimes with an armdrag into an armlock. Gacy turns it into a headscissors but Grimes slips out. Grimes with a big kick to Gacy and then a shot in the corner. Gacy whips Grimes into the corner and hits a belly to belly suplex. Rear chinlock by Gacy, Grimes gets to his feet and fights out. Gacy charges but Grimes ducks, hits a big forarm and then another off the ropes. Gacy ducks a clothesline, handstands into a clothesline and a nearfall cover. Gacy goes for a powerbomb but Grimes lips out. Pump kick by Gacy, Grimes nails Gacy with the double stomp and gets the pin.

Winner: Cameron Grimes (2:41)
Rating: N/A
Thoughts: Yep. That happened.

After the match, Gacy offers a handshake and then a hug but gets shoved off. Gacy rolls out and leaves.

* We get a recap of the InDex wedding. Next week we get the honeymoon. What was that we heard about NXT becoming more edgy and risque? (I keed, I keed. I think.)

* Elekra Lopez is in action next.

* We get a vignette with Von Wagner where he says last week didn’t go his way and you can either bitch or put in the work. He’s an unconventional man and his work in NXT has just begun..

Elekra Lobez vs. Anna Scheer

Lopez takes her time getting her jacket off and then stomps Anna in the gut. She brutalizes Anna and knocks her down off the ropes a couple of times. Lopez manhandles Anna and yells “YOU ARE NOBODY!” Big bodyslam, and Anna is fighting back. She leaps but Anna gets caught, big slam and then a suplex into a powerslam for three.

Winner: Elekra Lopez (1:31)
Rating: N/A
Thoughts: Another quash match, not much to say about it.

Afterward, Santos says Elekra is class, elegance, sophistication, power and more. And it’s all under the umbrella of one word: familia. Elekra completes Legado. Elekra says that what she did tonight is just a taste of what the first lady of Legado is going to unleash on B-FAB and NXT 2.0. She calls out B-FAB and says she can keep talking, but we all know that’s all it is. And if she doesn’t like it, she can get her skinny ass out here.

So of course, here comes Hit Row. B-FAB comes in from behind and attacks Elekra while the lest of Legado just kind of awkwardly stands in the ring. Hit Roe pull B-FAB out and separates the ladies, as much as B-FAB wants some of Elekra.

* Backstage, Cora Jader is looking all over for Trey Baxter. She tells him to chin up and gives him a kiss before leaving.

* Franky is walking with her posse and are confronted by Raquel González, who says that the match is set for next week. Lash Legend approaches and says that her talk show debuts next week and that’s something to talk about.

Odyssey Jones vs. Cary Millman and Darren Ciapetta

Odyssey is facing two guys in a handicap match and they do their best to take his own, to no luck. Jones is dominating both men and wipe them bout as Andre Chase comes out to talk trash to Odyssey. That allows the two to get an advantage briefly, but he leaps onto both of them with a crossbody. Jones picks one of the Ciapetta, shoulderbreaker without difficulty and then gets Millman jumping jumps his back, but Jones just slams him onto his partner. Jones then goes up to the second rope, leans down onto both men and pins them both.

Winner: Odyssey Jones (2:41)
Rating: N/A
Thoughts: Another squash, nothing more to say about it.

Chase comes in with a char and tries to hit Jones with it, but the chair breaks on Jones and does nothing.

* Backstage, Grayson Waller is approached by Carmelo who tease potentially cashing in his title shot next week after the Cruiserweight Title match.

* We get a look at Ikemen Jiro’s wardrobe and learn that his name means handsome man, and that’s why he needs his jackets. Sure, okay.

* Toxic Attraction are in the ring with Mandy with a mic. She says when she came to NXT 2.0, she came to be a gift for NXT. She realized that the division needed a woman like her, someone who the fans would never be with but could have someone to look at. She asks where all the fans were when she was attacked and her face was messed up. She says it’s disgusting how the fans made fun of her and apparently became a GIF. She realized that we treated her like they do with Gigi and Jacy. But the girls don’t care about what anyone things, and they helped Mandy realize that there’s a beast inside her. She says this is what the NXT women’s division is going to be like.

Gigi says the pain of her past has always fueled her and that she knew if they could do the same with Mandy than they could be unstoppable. Jacy says that they’re not just pretty faces in the crowd. and they want a shot at the NXT Women’s Tag Titles. .

* The champions are backstage and McKenzie asks about Toxic Attraction’s challenge. Io says she doesn’t like them and wants to face her. Zoey says they should have talked about it. But she’s fine with it. Persia approaches and says Indi will want another shot at the titles when she gets back from her honeymoon.

* Set for Next Week:
– NXT Women’s Tag Team Title Match: Zoey Stark & Io Shirai vs. Toxic Attraction
– NXT Women’s Title Match: Raquel Gonzalez vs. Franky Monet
– Cruiserweight Title Match: Roderick Strong vs. Grayson Waller

Pete Dunne & Ridge Holland vs. Bron Breakker & Tommaso Ciampa

Dunne and Ciampa start off, Ciampa comes off the ropes for a sunset flip but Dunne escapes it. Ciampa stars off with Holland and then backs off, they stare off and Holland and Bron tag in. Lockup by both and Breakker gets the first shot but Holland with a Euro uppercut and then a bodyblock but Bron gets back in control and hits a bodyblock on his own. He picks up Holland and slams him down, Dunne comes in and gets bodyslammed. Breakker slams Holland into the corner and tags in Ciampa who splashes Holland in the corner, bulldog to Holland and then a headlock and knife-edge chop. Dunne gets the tag and comes in to take Ciampa down. He starts to work over the shoulder of Ciampa and twists and torments the arm. He twists the arm around and manipulates the joints rather viciously. Dunne goes for a wristlock, Ciampa tries to fight out but Dunne goes right back into working over the left arm and shoulder.

Big forearm from Dunne and he knocks Bron off the corner. Ciampa is fighting back, he goes to the outside and slams Holland into the ringpost before sending Dunne into the commentary booth, but Holland takes him out as we go to break.

Back from break and Ciampa fights off Dunne and goes for the tag, but Holland cuts him off. Holland with a suplex attempt countered by Ciampa, who hits a suplex of his own. Ciampa tags in Breakker who takes out Dunne and then hits a charging shoulder block on Holland. Belly to belly to both Dunne and Holland! Bron with a Camel Clutch on Dunne in the center of the ring! Dunne is trying to break the hold, and he manages to get out. Dunne immediately goes to assault Bron’s joints and tags in Holland, HOlland with an Alabama slam, cover and Ciampa breaks it up. Dunne and Ciampa trade blows and Ciampa with a knee to the chin, he comes off the ropes into a shot but fires back. Holland tosses Ciampa and Breakker does the same to Dunne! Bron and Ridge stare off in the ring and start repeatedly striking each other, double clothesline takes both men down! Dunne tried to get the sap in but Ciampa breaks it up before being tossed to the outside. Holland goes out to get the sap but Kyle O’Reilly takes Holland out! Ciampa with a DDT through the topes on Dunne, powerslam by Breakker and he gets the win!

Winner: Bron Breakker & Tomasso Ciampa (X:XX)
Rating: *** 1/2
Thoughts: Great match to main event the show. They really want to push Bron hard and I get it, he has star written all over him.

After the match, Bron teases not letting go of the NXT Title but he does and Ciampa and Bron celebrate in the ring.

And with that, we’re done for the night!

6.0

The final score: review Average

The 411

Last week, NXT needed to be a chaotic jumble because it had a lot to accomplish. I absolutely got that. We had more of the same this week and it still accomplished a lot, but it also made me wonder if this is going to be the norm. There will need to be a point where the show needs to calm down and this wasn't bad -- we got plenty more names established and next week is pretty stacked -- but this pace can't keep going.