PWP Nation contributor Doug Turrington details five things we learned from the April 3, 2019 episode of NXT.
Last week, we were left with hyped-up Dusty Tag Team Classic winners, Aleister Black and Ricochet, facing off with the dominant NXT Tag Team Champions, the War Raiders. This week’s NXT was the black and yellow brand’s last chance to build up any more hype before NXT: TakeOver New York goes down.
A few matches and promos set up this Friday’s event and for NXT’s “next season.” So with everyone’s favorite NXT-brand PPV less than 48 hours away, what did we learn?
#5 – Candice LeRae vs Aliyah is official
With the week after TakeOver usually made up of TakeOver pre-show matches, it looks like Candice LeRae vs Aliyah will be one of them. We were enjoying a nice LeRae promo when Aliyah and Vanessa Borne interrupted. Aliyah taunted LeRae, telling her that she’s destined to fail like her husband Johnny Gargano. LeRae is poised to make a big babyface run as the TakeOver story lines wrap up. Gargano will be launching a championship run or making the jump to main roster, so LeRae can finally blossom into being more than Mrs. Gargano.
Aliyah is an anomaly to me. I don’t think she’s ever made the same entrance more than twice. She’s been given new music a few times, wore cat ears, didn’t wear cat ears, acted like belly dancer, acted like a belly dancer that didn’t like people and it goes on and on. It’s been a bit much. It reminds me of early Diamond Dallas Page, trying everything in the book to get over. Now, if she can get a DDP in his prime comparison in a couple years, she’ll be in good shape.
The new snobby character isn’t anything revolutionary and it doesn’t really work for me. She is working hard and doing her best, but nothing has really clicked yet. Her struggling to find a character might very well end up being a good babyface storyline one day. She’s young and has plenty of time to figure it out, but hopefully this match is a good crowd warm-up ending with a LeRae victory.
#4 – Street Profits vs Aicher & Barthel is official
I don’t have much to tell you on this one. There’s not a big backstory to bring this match together, but it could be the beginning of a feud. Fabian Aichner and MarcelBarthel have been featured on NXT: UK as a tag team and the Street Profits seem to be stagnant after enjoying some early crowd momentum.
It should be an entertaining match, but if Street Profits are going to get any sort of run versus a team like War Raiders or potentially Black and Ricochet, they could use a win over a team with some muscle to throw around, if this is just a one-off match.
#3 – Keith Lee & Domink Dijakovic have another shot to electrify
Ask anyone who has seen Keith Lee and Dominik Dijakovic work outside of “the E.” This feud has slobber-knocker written all over it. The two have faced off under the NXT brand already a few weeks back, but it ended indecisively with a double count out.
The two had to be separated at the Performance Center in recent weeks with both men unsatisfied with how things were left. William Regal has since sanctioned another match and they will finally clash again in two weeks. Do not miss these two behemoths clash.
#2 – WWE PC makes amazing videos
If you watched this episode’s promo video for the WWE Performance Center YouTube account or follow the account, you know how many awesome videos they have done. From Matt Riddle arriving at NXT, to various Superstars leaving the PC for the main roster such as Nikki Cross, to Ricochet and girlfriend, Kacy Catanzaro sharing a moment after her Royal Rumble debut, to so many others. They really capture the emotion of the moment for the performers themselves.
If you don’t follow them, I highly recommend it. Check ‘em out here.
#1 – NXT: TakeOver New York should be another classic
I feel like every few TakeOver events that go by, there’s a card that feels a bit under hyped, but ultimately delivers on a high level. I think that’s this card. From open to finish, we should see five outstanding matches, but I feel most of them don’t have a lot of heat on them. Pete Dunne called out Walter, voluntarily. The stakes are high, but it’s not a blood feud. Anytime there’s a fatal four-way match, like with the NXT Women’s Championship match, there’s usually not a lot of one-on-one heat, just everyone going after the same championship. High stakes, no blood, again.
Velveteen Dream and Matt Riddle is a candidate for match of the night, but again, high stakes, not a big build. Ricochet and Black are facing their opponents after winning a tournament, no blood there and really, not big stakes for a team that seems to be staying on the main roster permanently. The main event will be a classic too, but Adam Cole being thrown in because Tommaso Ciampa needed surgery wasn’t the plan. It’s a shame too, because Ciampa vs Gargano is the epitome of long-term storytelling.
Don’t get it twisted. This is going to be a phenomenal show. We’re talking if it were at the Tokyo Dome, some 7.5-star type stuff. But, unless we get a Johnny Gargano victory to close the show, I feel it’s going to run the risk of falling flat at the end, which would be a new way to end a usually fan-friendly show. There’s no big payoff for anyone except for him, so if we’re going for memorable moments, unless there’s a surprise, his victory should be the easy choice. Even if that doesn’t happen, that certainly doesn’t mean we aren’t going to be treated to two-and-a-half hours of amazing wrestling.
What match do you think will steal the show? Are you as hyped for this show as past NXT:TakeOver specials?
Follow me on Twitter: @DougTurrington
For more exclusive content, follow us on Twitter: @PWPNation
