Isenberg Reacts: WWE NXT “Strikers Strike and Sanity Stalls”

June 22, 2017

Aleister Black vs. Kassius Ohno

Results via Lovell Porter’s WZ Live Coverage:

After the break, Ohno obliterates Black with a boot to the face. Ohno gets a two count. Ohno traps Black’s arm and applies a rear chin lock. Black gets to his feet but Ohno slams him back-first down to the mat. Ohno crushes Black with a running senton. Black kicks out. Ohno sits cross-legged in the ring. Black looks at Ohno like he pooped in his cereal. Black kicks Ohno in the back. Black tries another kick but Ohno catches Black’s foot and slams him face first on the mat. Ohno immediately follows that with a kick to the face. Black manages to kick out once again. Ohno tries to punch Black in the face but Black catches Ohno’s fist. Ohno hits the ropes. Black blast Ohno with a standing double foot stomp. Springboard moonsault by Black. Black calls for the Black Mass but Ohno ducks. Black pivots and catches Ohno with a head kick all the same. Ohno kicks out.

Black kicks Ohno in the chest. Ohno grabs Black’s leg and knees him in the face. Ohno hits the ropes but Black boots him in the face. Ohno bounces off the ropes and lands a boot of his own. It’s still not enough to keep Black down for the count. Ohno sets up a neck breaker. Black counters it into a pin. Ohno kicks out. Black lands a strike combo. Ohno hits an enziguri, followed by a head kick. Black kicks Ohno in the head. Ohno elbows Black in the face. Black knees Ohno in the face. Ohno picks up Black and release vertical suplexes him. Ohno calls for the roaring elbow. Before Ohno manages a full rotation, Black hits the Black Mass. Ohno is out.

This was an excellent showcase of two strikers striking hard and often. Both men are viewed as main event caliber and it showed why tonight. I wasn’t sure if they would let Kassius Ohno be the guy who beats Black for the first time, but NXT falls in love with undefeated streaks more than any other show. Tonight’s main event was refreshing to see because NXT also provides so many squash matches and not enough drama on a weekly basis. I was also surprised they went the clean decision here and not an interruption from Hideo Itami. Smart move and a good booking decision.

Aleister Black vs. Drew McIntyre at NXT Takeover: Brooklyn. Please book it. Have both men really develop and bring two undefeated streaks to New York.

WZ 8

@JoshIsenberg4 on Twitter. WWE NXT Rating:

WZZ 6.5

Josh controls most of the creative writing and ideas for the show on a weekly basis, as well as an on-air talent.
Aside from working with WrestleZone, Isenberg began his career in Broadcast Journalism interning at ESPN and worked with CBS Radio for three years. He has also had the opportunity to interview some of the best athletes and performers alive, including Andrew McCutchen, Ben Roethlisberger, Chris Jericho, Billy Gunn, Karl Anderson, Matt Hardy, Steven Strasburg and others.
Currently, Josh Isenberg works for Major League Baseball in their Advanced Media Productions. He grew up in Pittsburgh and went to Point Park University, which is where Chair Shot Reality is filmed each week.
His life outside of his obsession with wrestling include being a savant for Seinfeld, NFL, NBA, MLB and many television shows. He also has an undying love for musicals, which includes many shows he was a part of in high school. Some of his favorite wrestling moments can be linked to such superstars as Edge, The Rock, Bret Hart, Shawn Michaels and The Great Khali.

Follow @JoshIsenberg4