The Authors of Pain Squash
Not much to talk about her besides MAYBE 2 minutes of total action? That is giving them the benefit of the doubt. Powerful, intense and extremely green in the ring. They have a ways to go, but this works more with a hardcore fanbase of 200 over a crowd of 10,000 on RAW. What I mean by this is that this stage is for the squashes, not RAW or Smackdown. There could be a time and place for it, but I don’t completely hate this in NXT. Braun and Nia need to get moving. Thankfully, Nia seems to be moving along faster and with some vision in mind.
Bobby Roode vs. No Way Jose
Via WZ Live Coverage:
Roode whips Jose over with a headlock takeover and proclaims that what he just did was glorious! Roode locks in a side headlock. Jose lands a few elbows to Roode’s gut, but Roode floors him with a shoulder block. Jose surprises Roode with a few arm drags, followed by a body slam. Roode and Jose trade chops. Jose clotheslines Roode over the top rope. Jose goes out to the apron and double axe handles Roode.
After a short break, Jose decks Roode. Jose hits the ropes and walks right into a spine buster by Roode. Roode beats Jose from corner to corner before laying Jose on the second rope and choking Jose. Roode rakes Jose’s back before taking Jose over with a stalling vertical suplex. Roode locks in a side headlock. Roode sets up another suplex, but Jose reverses it. Jose lands a few strikes, followed by an airplane spin for a two count. Jose calls for his knockout punch, but Roode reverses it into a neck breaker. Roode hits an implant DDT for the win.
Bobby Roode finally debuts on NXT Television and picks up a very good win over a solid opponent. I liked the energy from both men, really feeding off of their unique gimmicks. It started fun and pandered to the crowd. It turned into a more technical match and a few splash moves. You needed to get JUST ENOUGH of Bobby Roode’s offense, but not the entire thing. I liked it.
As for No Way Jose, the guy can actually work and that is something that will benefit him heading into an interesting point in his career in NXT. Is he going to be more than Adam Rose? A gimmick with no direction? I think so because I think he is going to be managed closer to the vest in terms of long storylines and critical losses. Yes, he has lost recently but he still has the appeal and his gimmick connecting to the crowd. There is plenty of time for him to be used in a higher capacity, but right now is a glorious time to be a former TNA superstar in NXT.
@JoshIsenberg4 on Twitter. WWE NXT Rating:
