NXT ‣

Looking Glass · Aug 17, 2023

NEWS & NOTES ‣
NEW MATCHES FOR NXT TAKEOVER: HIGH STAKES. INTERNAL NEWS ON THE NXT BRAND. NXT SUPERSTAR CALLED UP TO SMACKDOWN. NXT SUPERSTAR RETURNS AS PART OF DIAMOND MINE.

The card for NXT Takeover: High Stakes continues to take shape with the Lucky 7 Ladder match being announced. Nigel McGuinness confirmed that the match would work similarly to the Money in the Bank match but with an added risk and reward system. Seven Superstars will qualify to enter the match and compete to obtain one of three briefcases - the first will grant the recipient a shot at the NXT Championship, with the second allowing the recipient to challenge for any other title they'd be eligible for. The final briefcase will terminate the contact of the holder with immediate effect. The wrestling community took no time in commenting how the match stipulation 'borrowed' from Impact Wrestling/TNA's Feast or Fired match, but it is understood that there are no ill feelings between the two companies over the matter. Interestingly, the legitimacy of the fired briefcase has not been confirmed.

Earlier in the week, McGuinness announced that both Finn Bálor and Samoa Joe automatically qualified for the Lucky 7 match, following their exhibition match that saw Joe turn on the "The Prince" in the closing moments of the show. This week, Kyle O'Reilly returned to action to defeat Roderick Strong to claim the third spot. Next week's episode of NXT will see Pete Dunne battle against Timothy Thatcher for the fourth spot, while there's speculation that Bobby Fish versus Cameron Grimes will feature at some point, following their interactions in the last week.

Additionally, next week's NXT will feature a women's tag team gauntlet match to determine who will face The Way at the premium live event. It was previously reported that NXT Women's Tag Team Champion, Candice LeRae, was not medically cleared to compete, which left many confused as to why she was booked for this past week's episode of NXT Evolve. LeRae ang tag team partner, Indi Hartwell, defeated Amari Miller and Zayda Ramier in a non-title match that saw plenty of shenanigans by "The Poison Pixie" but not a lot of ring-time. Her status for the PLE is currently up in the air, though she continues to turn up weekly as part of segments.

Kushida is also expected to defend his NXT Cruiserweight Championship. This past week, Nigel McGuinness booked the champion to team with Ari Sterling to face Fabian Aichner and Marcel Barthel of Imperium. If Imperium win, they will both face "The Time Splitter" in a triple threat match. If Kushida and Sterling are successful, they will square off in singles action. However, it is unknown whether this will take place at Takeover. McGuinness had previously teased a 'mystery opponent', who had to be put on hold for Kushida, while this situation played out.

NXT Takeover: High Stakes will take place on Sunday 22nd August, broadcasting live on Peacock and the WWE Network.

- Internal talks suggest that the powers that be are happy with the relaunch of NXT. It was previously reported that Vince McMahon wanted to utilise the entire NXT brand to return to its roots of building new stars, while still maintaining star quality and the essence of the show that drew fans in the first place. NXT Evolve was introduced as a way to shift the momentum of talents, who struggled to feature on the weekly NXT show and to 'widen the net' to allow talents that weren't cruiserweights to feature more prominently (hence the decision to bring 205 Live to an end). Evolve has also been used as an additional platform to build stories previously featured on both 205 Live and NXT.

Since its debut nearly a month ago, the show has reintroduced Carmelo Hayes, Arturo Ruas, Zayda Ramier and Kona Reeves to programming, while debuting talents such as Dante Chen, Ru Feng, Edris Enofe and Malik Blade. While there's no hard brand split in place, there is a feeling of a tier system, with some newer talents using the show to get reps under their belt, while some others will trial feuds with the intention of getting them ready for NXT, which will continue to feature veteran talents. Samoa Joe was recently brought back following his initial release from the main roster, which inside sources claim to be a result of Triple H's vision to balance the NXT roster. It is thought with NXT UK returning to screens that there are plans for to utilize the brand to further feed into the main roster once travel restrictions have eased.

- It is officially confirmed that former NXT Champion, Karrion Kross, alongside Scarlett, are now officially part of the SmackDown roster. While "The Devil of Monterrey" was seen as a dominant force of the brand and one of their feature stars, it seems that Kross was seen as someone that needed to be brought to the main roster while he was still hot. Kross lost the NXT Championship to current champion, Bronson Reed, at NXT: End of the Line in what was his first pinfall loss.

Kross made an immediate impact on the blue brand by attacking WWE Hall of Famer, Edge, during his main event tag match. "The Rated R Superstar" required medical attention following the ambush.

- This past week's episode of NXT Evolve saw the reintroduction of "The Brazilian Tiger" Arturo Ruas as the mystery figure featured in the revamped Diamond Mine vignettes. It was previously confirmed that plans had been changed to accommodate Ruas' return to the roster. The MMA Fighter was previously tipped for a singles push in December 2019, though this was quietly cancelled for unknown reasons. As indicated by the vignettes, the Lion's Den structure - now known as the Diamond Mine - is expected to feature in Ruas' return to action as a way of the brand experimentation with different concepts, recently seen with the Three Strikes and Lucky 7 match types (as well as the positive response to the larger scale Fight Pit match back in 2020). The Lion's Den match - most often associated with Ken Shamrock - is held in an octagonal structure and can only be won be knockout or submission. However, the official rules and Ruas' first opponent have yet to be named.

UPCOMING SPECIAL EVENTS ‣

NXT TAKEOVER: HIGH STAKES [TAKEOVER #36] ‣ SUNDAY 22 AUGUST, 2022
SAM'S TOWN HOTEL & GAMBLING HALL ‣ LAS VEGAS, NEVADA

CONFIRMED MATCHES:

CHAMPION vs. 'CHAMPION':
WINNER TAKES ALL MATCH FOR THE NXT, NORTH AMERICAN & MILLION DOLLAR CHAMPIONSHIP
BRONSON REED vs. LA KNIGHT

THE LUCKY 7 LADDER MATCH:
HIGH RISK. HIGH REWARD.
SAMOA JOE vs. FINN BÁLOR vs. KYLE O'REILLY vs. 4 SUPERSTARS TBD

TAG TEAM MATCH:
FOR THE NXT WOMEN'S TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIPS
THE WAY [CANDICE LERAE & INDI HARTWELL] w/ PERSIA PIROTTA
vs. WINNER OF THE TAG TEAM GAUNTLET MATCH

Looking Glass · Aug 20, 2023

NXT [EPISODE #467] ‣ "WHAT'S NeXT" PREVIEW

What's up, everyone? I'm McKenzie Mitchell and welcome to "What's NeXT", the show where we look ahead to everything coming up on NXT. We are now well and truly on the road to NXT Takeover: High Stakes, with another Lucky 7 qualifier set to determine who will be going to Vegas. Meanwhile, we have not one but TWO championship contender matches and the Million Dollar title is once again up for grabs. Let's take a look, shall we?

"It was confirmed heading into last week's main event that the number one contender, LA Knight, would be defending the Million Dollar Championship once more against another rising star. Knight has taken every opportunity to remind the NXT Universe that he is a fighting champion, seemingly trying to get under the skin of his Takeover opponent, Bronson Reed. However, I can exclusively confirm that the NXT and North American Champion will be joining Vic and Wade on commentary this week to help call the match. Is "Aus-Zilla" getting lured into Knight's mind games or is it the champion the one trying to unnerve his opponent ahead of the premium live event? Tune in this week to see if someone's Million Dollar dreams will come true of if Knight will still have a title to defend come High Stakes."

Pete Dunne versus Timothy Thatcher was confirmed to be the second qualifying match, to determine who will enter the Lucky 7 match at Takeover. Both men are hungry for the opportunity to move their careers forward and claim championship gold, with "The Bruiserweight" declaring himself as the sole King of NXT and taking a more self-centred approach, while Timothy Thatcher has impressed in his recent bouts across NXT Television. Critics would say that these two men are some of the finest technical wrestlers on the planet, so strap yourselves in, this is going to be one you don't want to miss."

"Raquel González's war against Tian Sha continues to rage on into this week. The NXT Women's Champion previously challenged any member to face her, culminating in an attempted ambush by "The Noble Man" Boa, who was later joined by Xia Li. Mercedes Martinez managed to even the odds, but "Big Mami" is now on the warpath as she demanded this rare intergender bout. Nigel McGuinness made the decision to ban Martinez, Li and Mei Ying from ringside to even the odds but will Raquel be able to avenge the blinding of Dakota Kai or will she continue to be haunted by Tian Sha?"

"Kushida has dominated the cruiserweight division since winning the title back in April, creating a bigger target on his back with every defence made. This week he finds himself in a precarious position as teams with Ari Sterling to battle Fabian Aichner and Marcel Barthel of Imperium. Nigel McGuinness laid out the unique stipulation that if Imperium were to win the match, both Aichner and Barthel would challenge the champion in a triple-threat match at a later date. However, if "The Time Splitter" and Sterling win, "The Exclamation Point" - who has his own desire for the title - will be the one to challenge. Regardless of the outcome, Kushida will have a brand new challenger after Tuesday, but just who will it be?"

"Tensions amongst the women's division reached an all-time high last week, with the rivalry between Toni Storm and Sarray, continuing to affect the whole dynamic of the locker room. Additionally, this past edition of NXT Evolve saw Nigel McGuinness fight back against Candice LeRae's reluctance to wrestle or defend her tag team championship by declaring a tag team gauntlet match that will determine who will face her and Indi Hartwell at Takeover. Each team have been assigned colours that will be drawn at random to decide the running order but with so much animosity within the division, who will walk out as number one contenders?"

"And finally, having not been seen since losing their trios match against Hit Row at NXT: End of the Line, things have been suspiciously quiet within the Ledgado del Fantasma camp. However, we've come to learn at "What's NeXT" that Santos Escobar, Joaquin Wilde and Raul Mendoza have actually been granted a leave of absence to return to Mexico City. The NXT Universe has been invited to join them on their spiritual journey back to Mexico. What lies ahead for them and what does this mean for their future? Tune in to find out more."

And that's it for this week's show! Remember to get involved across all of our socials and let us know your thoughts on all things NXT. For now, I've been McKenzie Mitchell, I'll see you next week.

Looking Glass · Jan 24, 2024

AUTHOR'S NOTE: It's the return that no one asked for. Honestly, I had set a target for myself to get to High Stakes at the very least. I really love this project but match writing - not so much - as I find that I can't do it in a way that isn't bloated and taxing for me to do on a consistent basis. I thought to try and meet my goal and give this a fighting chance, I'd try something less match heavy and full disclosure, I drew inspiration from my old writing buddy The EC/HOSS and his entertaining WCW/TEW project (go check it out if you haven't already!). I'm not saying it's any shorter but it definitely felt easier to write and as much as I love the E-fed style character moments and all the titantron stuff, I might leave that for special events to give it a sense of occasion.

Ironically, I saw that the Three Strikes Match at NXT: End of the Line was nominated. I didn't think I had a lot of traction/engagement here so while I have zero expectations at all, to be acknowledged is an unexpected compliment, so thank you to whoever put it forward, it's much appreciated.

NXT [EPISODE #467] ‣ TUESDAY 27 JULY, 2021
CAPITOL PERFORMANCE CENTER ‣ ORLANDO, FLORIDA

It had been two weeks since the official relaunch of NXT. While the initial internal and viewer feedback appeared to be positive, the proof of the brand's success, the proof would be in response to their next premium live event (PLE), High Stakes, which marked the first time that a Takeover event would be held in Nevada. Furthermore, it would mark the first Takeover outside the Capitol Wrestling Performance Centre since Takeover: Portland in a year and a half due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

One of the key attractions of the event was the first-ever Lucky 7 match - what many had surmised was NXT's attempt to piggyback off of the success of the long-established Money In The Bank formula and the (kayfabe) brainchild of new General Manager, Nigel McGuinness, whose introduction was used as a platform justify some of the sudden creative changes signed off behind the scenes. While the announcement of the match garnered a positive response from the fans (for the most part), the 'feast or fired' aspect popularised by one-time rivals TNA, was seen as the company 'copying homework'. Nonetheless, it was excused given the gambling theme that High Stakes presented.

Three names had already been established for the match; returnees Finn Bálor and Samoa Joe for their performance at NXT: End of the Line, and Kyle O'Reilly, who had returned to the squared circle for the first time since End of the Line to defeat former Undisputed Era bandmate, Roderick Strong. "Cool Kyle" didn't have much time to celebrate before being interrupted by "The Samoan Submission Machine", who made his presence known from the entrance ramp. Although the two men had words previously in the night, with Joe claiming to have opened the doors for independent wrestlers to come into NXT, the former NXT Champion did not get physical in the closing moments of the show.

This animosity would be revisited later on in the show when Kyle O'Reilly interrupted Samoa Joe in the interview pit to tell him that he wasn't going to be pushed around anymore. Having sent Adam Cole out of the company (seemingly for real if the rumours were true), O'Reilly claimed that he came second to no one and no one opened any doors for him, but instead, he had to kick them down. Joe tried to laugh this off but as he went to exit, Finn Bálor blocked him and told him that he was lucky there was a no-contact clause in their match contract. Joe retorted that they (O'Reilly and Bálor) were the lucky ones and stopped himself from pushing past "The Prince", choosing to walk by him instead.

Later in the show a town hall segment was announced, which would see the first 4 men to qualify for the match come together for the first time.

Tonight would be the turn of two technical pros, looking to make their way up from the midcard. While he had only been with WWE for a year, Timothy Thatcher was a 16-year veteran at this point, whose only thing left to learn was the 'style' of sports entertainment that the company had prided itself on for decades. Thatcher had previously campaigned for title opportunities and his in-ring success appeared to be paying dividends at last.

Meanwhile, Pete Dunne, despite being a decade younger than his opponent, had also been wrestling for 13 years at this point. Dunne came into NXT having already forged a legacy in the UK territory as WWE/NXT United Kingdom Champion but was looking to similarly establish himself overseas as a singles competitor. Dunne also had momentum on his side, leaning into his new moniker as "King of NXT" following the absence of Pat McAfee, the injuries of Ridge Holland and Danny Burch, and his recent dismissal of Oney Lorcan, Dunne was once again a lone wolf, free of the 'dead wood' that weighed him down.

Thatcher had pointed out on the previous week's edition of NXT Evolve that his opponent had bested him during their previous encounters. A theme that would continue in the opening match of episode #467. While the match was everything you would expect it to be, "The Bruiserweight" was able to punch his ticket and become one of the Lucky 7 after swatting a dropkick attempt and executing the Bitter End for the three-count. Following the match, "The Beast of Belfast" Killian Dain was seen looking out from the newly constructed mezzanine level of the NXT set. While Dain was a man of few words, he had seemingly taken an interest in Timothy Thatcher since running into him in a tense exchange backstage and further interrupting Thatcher's interview segment with a vignette of his own. How Thatcher would respond to his loss and this new threat, would remain to be seen.

Following the commercial break, Oney Lorcan was asked to give his thoughts on Dunne's victory. Lorcan had been dropped from "The King of NXT's" circle, following his inability to defeat Dexter Lumis in an unforgiving Extreme Rules match (this is after Lorcan had claimed Lumis had kidnapped him). Lorcan started that while he was previously aligned with Dunne et al, he had always been on his own and that he now had an opportunity to regroup and decide what he wanted from his career. Lorcan confirmed that he would be competing in next week's Lucky 7 qualifier and that there would be nothing he'd love more than to show Pete Dunne that he was the star of the group. When McKenzie Mitchell asked who his opponent would be, "The Boston Brawler" seemed to be in the dark - however things soon became clear when Austin Theory bounced into the interview pit. Lorcan looked disgruntled and shocked as Theory presented McKenzie with a doctor's note, officially clearing him to return to the ring. Turning serious, Theory told Lorcan that it would take more than a pipe to keep him down and next week, karma would be collecting.

The women's tag team division had come into focus over the past couple of weeks, with Candice LeRae and Indi Hartwell seemingly M.I.A., save for backstage segments with their stablemates (including Indi's 'friend from home', Persia Pirotta). However, The Way had pushed their luck too far when they fulfilled Nigel McGuinness' demand to return to the ring, only for Candice to barely feature in the match until she collected the pin for herself. Not one to be outdone, McGuinness announced a tag team gauntlet match to determine who would face LeRae and Hartwell at the PLE. The confirmed teams included Zoey Stark and Sarray, who were at odds with The Brand, who would be represented by Aliyah and Jessi Kamea, the newly introduced team La Vision (Yulisa and Valentina), managed by Elektra Lopez, Kayden Carter and Kacy Catanzaro, who had made it their business to call out The Way's ducking and diving on in-ring competition and finally, Tegan Nox and Shotzi - two singles competitors, who had found themselves drawn together by their mutual dislike for Dakota Kai in previous months.

Candice, Indi and Persia joined Wade Barrett and Vic Joseph on commentary as Kacy Catanzaro and Kayden Carter started things out with La Vision, introducing us to the ring prowess of Yulisa and Valentina in a debut they hoped would catapult them to the top of the contender's list. Valentina - a mixed martialist - and Yulisa, who had received gold medals for powerlifting, used their sports background to their advantage while they wily Lopez tried to garner the advantage where she could. It wasn't long before this behaviour drew the ire of the referee, who ejected "La Madrina" from ringside. Once the numbers were evened, Team Ninja (a name both created and loathed by the IWC) were able to overcome the newbies to advance to the next round.

The Brand would be out next, with Franky Monet seemingly allowing her cohorts to go it alone in this match. The action ran through the commercial break but ultimately resulted in a blind tag spot that allowed Jessi Kamea to hit a spinning heel kick on Catanzaro to extinguish the hopes of Kacy and Kayden, much to the delight of the NXT Women's Tag Team Champions. With little time to celebrate, The Brand then were faced with Stark and Sarray, who were baying for blood following their recent encounters (most of which resulted in some form of ambush or brawl). "The Warrior of the Sun" had remained undefeated in singles action and continued to impress the NXT Universe alongside, Zoey Stark, who was slowly but surely building her fan base. The faces were able to decisively score a victory when both of them were able to hit their finishers on Aliyah and Jessi to score synchronised pins.

Nox and Shotzi would enter as the final participants in an even contest that took up the majority of the extended match time, illustrating that the powers that be wanted to pay attention to the ailing women's tag team division and give prestige to the championships. The ending moments of the match saw The Brand appear once again, squaring up to Zoey Stark on the outside. Stark battled Jessi and Aliyah off once more, only for Franky Monet to strike with a thunderous slap (all out of the referee's sight). Monet seemed to regret the slap almost immediately and ran to the back, followed by Zoey Stark, leaving Sarray on her own as she looked for the tag. The referee had spotted Aliyah and Jessi, issuing the second ringside ejection of the match as Toni Storm climbed up on the apron and struck Sarray with her Mae Young Classic trophy.

While Nox and Shotzi did not seem best pleased, refusing to immediately go for the cover, they ultimately finished Sarray off with a Shining Wizard/Diving Senton combination that earned them the number one contender's title. Following the match, Shotzi and Nox squared up to Storm, who made a hasty exit. Meanwhile, Candice LeRae went quiet on commentary, leaving Indi Hartwell reassuring herself that they would be ready for their new challengers. The segment ends as Zoey Stark re-emerges in a state of shock, her success seemingly depleting week by week.

The tag team division on the men's side was also proving especially competitive, with Tony Nese and Ariya Daivari bragging to Hit Row about their victory on NXT Evolve the previous week. While Swerve Scott and Co. weren't having any of it, they were further dismissed by the arrival of Johnny Gargano and Dexter Lumis. Since returning to NXT, Lumis had managed to win over his former foe and secure a place in The Way. However, when Gargano and Lumis put their names on the map, Top Dolla and Ashante Adonis were quick to point out that The Way was a brand new tag team also, therefore they needed to earn their stripes. To add to the tension, the NXT Tag Team Champions MSK, appeared and put all three teams on notice, reminding them of how they beat Ever-Rise on last week's episode, extending their record to 12-1. Wes Lee put over Hit Row's impressive performance and felt like they deserved the opportunity but Nash Carter pointed out that Daivari and Nese were also climbing the ranks.

An outraged Gargano disputed this to the point where all four teams erupted into a classic backstage brawl. As opposed to running scared, B-Fab was all too quick to throw off her earrings and jump on the back of Dexter Lumis., digging in her nails as she raked his back. Nigel McGuinness would enter the shot and demand silence, claiming to have heard the dilemma and proposed that as Hit Row would face the team of Ikemen Jiro and August Grey,(despite the fact that Daivari and Nese had already beaten them) with the winner becoming one of two teams to challenge Lee and Carter for the belts.

Hit Row began to cheer, liking their chances given the dysfunction going on with their opponents (predominantly on NXT Evolve) as the other two teams began to appeal to McGuinness. Nigel would then confirm that the second match would see The Way face Nese and Daivari to determine the second team to fill the spot. MSK embraced the challenge, despite the rising odds as the exited.

Later in the evening, Gargano attempted to motivate Lumis when he looked over to see the recently returned Austin Theory alongside Candice LeRae, Indi Hartwell and Persia Pirotta. Theory ran towards Gargano, throwing his arms around him before hesitantly patting Lumis on the back. Gargano assured 'the family' that they were now complete and nothing would stop them from being the pinnacle of the NXT tag team division. As the scene came to a close, Indi curiously asked Lumis how he got all those scratches on his back...

"The Infamous" Bobby Fish was a new character concept that saw the ROH veteran and former NXT Tag Team Champion adopt the persona of a thespian, believing that wrestling was his art and the ring was his stage. This character work seemed to bode well for Fish, who had been respected for his in-ring work but often subjected to minor acting roles during his tenure with WWE. Fish had taken issue with Cameron Grimes, ever since "The Carolina Caveman" had interrupted his match review. Fortunately for Grimes, his fortunes had improved after claiming a victory on last week's NXT Evolve (against Tyler Rust). In this segment, Fish broke down the closing moments of Grimes' match, where he was able to take advantage of the disruption caused by Rust's manager, Malcolm Bivens, to hit a Cave-In for the pinfall.

Fish picks holes in Grimes' technique and says that he lacks star quality, giving him an overall star rating of a measly 1/5, which would undoubtedly further tensions between the two in weeks to come.

Speaking of characters, it would appear that Legado del Fantasma were heading in a new direction as they invited the audience into their 'journey to self-discovery' in Mexico. True to their word, the segment was shot in Mexico City, Mexico (with plenty of establishing shots to drive home the point), where Joaquin Wilde and Raul Mendoza were just as confused about their trip. Despite their recent losses, the powers that be were high of all three men and the budget allocation on this segment alone appeared to indicate that the win/loss ratio was only to further drive the story being told. In the short segment, Santos Escobar says that they have come home to be reborn, that they would need to relearn everything and return to NXT revived. While this wasn't indicative of a face turn, it seemed that we would find out throughout several further segments just exactly what direction the trio were going in.

The cruiserweight division had become a particular highlight of Tuesday nights following the impressive showing of its champion, Kushida. Having battled through most of the division, including several guest stars, the 108-day champion needed a new contender. Ari Sterling (better known as Alex Zayne on the independent scene) had frequented 205 Live in the past two months but was rarely seen on the black-and-gold brand. Part of the decision to axe the land of the Cruiserweights was to properly integrate the division into regular programming, which boded well for "The Exclamation Point", who not only had his eyes on the title but found himself an ally to the champion following an attack by Imperium.

Continuing to try and reinvent the wheel, Nigel McGuinness had booked a tag team match which stipulated if Kushida and Sterling won, the latter would be able to challenge for the NXT Cruiserweight Champion at a later day. Whereas if Marcel Barthel and Fabian Aichner won, the two of them would be able to challenge as part of a triple threat match at a later date - Barthel now being able to challenge as the weight limit had been increased to 215lbs in a bid to broaden the pool of challengers.

Despite professing that the ring was sacred to them, the Europeans made every attempt they could to dominate Kushida, believing that if they wore down the champion now, they would simply need to 'pick the bones' at their eventual title match - although once again Vic Joseph made an interesting point at the dynamic of a triple threat match involving tag team partners.

In the end, Kushida had the Hoverboard Lock on Barthel, prompting the Italian to make the save with a stiff running knee. Fortunately, Sterling was able to tag himself in on time to remove Aichner from the occasion, finishing Barthel off with a 630 senton for the three-count victory, while earning himself some fans due to his impressive aerial ability.

While Kushida appeared irritated at Zayne's blind tag initially, he could not argue with the way his new contender handled business and raised his hand as a mark of respect. Once the NXT Cruiserweight title was handed back to the "Time Splitter", Sterling couldn't help but look longingly at it. Despite the initial awkwardness, the two men would shake hands, promising that their eventual bout would be without the typical animosity.

The feud between Tian Sha and NXT Women's Champion, Raquel González, raged on despite mixed reactions online. As expected, some found the stable led by 1,000-year-deity, Mei Ying, to be farfetched, despite their appreciation for other 'out-there' gimmicks such as NXT alumni, The Wyatt Family. Regardless, the formation of the group had given a sense of menace to "The Special Girl" Xia Li and "The Noble Man" Boa, two roster members who had been painted as bland and generic in their early showings.

The champion, who had undertaken a slow turn to babyface without Dakota Kai at her side had challenged any member of Tian Sha to face her, only for Boa to attempt an attack with a foreign object, leading to the penultimate match of the evening. In a rare intergender showing, a confident González came out to a good response from the crowd alongside Mercedes Martinez, a former foe but mutual enemy of Tian Sha. Boa was wrestling his first match since the 2019 Breakout Tournament (in which he was eliminated in the first round), for the occasion, he donned a new look with white face paint marked with a black cross.

The match was a short affair with "Big Mami" unleashing her wrath and neutralising another member of Tian Sha. "The Mother" Mei Ying was nowhere to be seen since being suspended for previously blinding Dakota Kai, potentially ending her in-ring career. González hit a Chingona Bomb for the three count as "The Brass City Badass" Martinez applauded her newfound friend.

Raquel would take the microphone and point out that she had eliminated yet another member of Tian Sha and that there would only be one left - Ying herself. Xia Li then made her way out to confront González and Martinez with a surprising invitation to a Chinese Tea Ceremony with all of Tian Sha. The champion appeared confused, wanting to send a message rather than sit down for tea but "The Special Girl" assured her that she would get everything she wanted if she showed up with respect. Smelling a rat, Mercedes tried to intervene, but despite this, the champion accepted in a segment that was later confirmed to take place on NXT Evolve.

One of the hottest takes from recent weeks had been the ascension of LA Knight, the new number one contender to the NXT Championship. The former Eli Drake-turned-Million Dollar Champion had risen to the main event scene, declaring himself "The New People's Champion", a nod to the IWC's comparisons The Rock. With so many boxes ticked, it was hard to doubt that Knight was a viable contender that could legitimately dethrone NXT Champion, Bronson Reed, who had only won the title back at NXT: End of the Line.

The winner takes all aspect of the match - in which either Reed or Knight would take the NXT Championship, the Million Dollar Championship and Reed's North American Championship - had added an additional layer of intrigue to the match. Furthermore, "Big" Bronson's appearance on an episode of Main Event the previous month encouraged speculation that Reed could follow in the footsteps of his predecessor Karrion Kross in making his way to the main roster.

It was previously confirmed that Knight would been competing in another Million Dollar Dreams match - a bout that typically saw the Million Dollar Championship defended against younger talents under the guise of making them a 'star'. Knight had previously defeated Demetri Jackson three weeks ago and Cal Bloom the week prior and tonight was set to face Josh Briggs, who despite having a won his only television match on 205 Live at the start of June, had gone largely unnoticed by the WWE Universe.

Earlier in the evening, McKenzie Mitchell interviewed the NXT Champion asking for his thoughts on comments made by Knight about not being a fighting champion. Reed would argue that Knight needed all the tuning up he could get for High Stakes because he didn't need to be turned into a star, reminding us that he was already champion. Reed would continue to put himself over, getting some much needed time on the mic to really get himself over as champion with the fans when Cal Bloom appeared and thanked Reed for having his back last week. Acknowledging that the second generation giant had approached Knight the previous week ahead his match, Reed empathised and recited the old adage of 'not meeting your heroes' before the segment came to a close.

As you'd expect, the match itself was largely in Knight's favour, although similarly to Bloom's performance the week before, Briggs was able to get some offence in and play to the limited crowd - including a point where he attempted a chokebomb on the champion, though Knight would muscle out and shove his opponent into senior official, Jason Ayres, causing enough commotion to allow Knight to hit a low blow followed by a BFT driver for the three count.

While Wade Barrett applauded Knight for using his cunning once again to 'teach the newbies how it's done', his broadcast colleague lambasted his performance in disbelief that the man who had to cheat against a relative newcomer would be challenging for the brand's top prize.

As Ayres handed Knight his Million Dollar Championship, he looked down at it and then back up to Briggs who recovered in the corner. Knight would proceed to establish himself as a top heel on the brand by attacking Briggs with the title before demanding that Alicia Taylor fetch him a sharpie from ringside. However, before he could do anymore damage, the familiar tune of "Battle Tested" cried out, playing in the arrival of the champion.

Reed hit the ring as the fans egged both men to fight. However, much like the Lucky 7 contenders, Nigel McGuinness had made them sign a 'no contact' contract - a move that was being utilised to build tension and excitement so that the audience would buy into the PLE. Knight played up to the fact that the NXT and NA Champion couldn't touch him when Cal Bloom hit the ring!

Both Reed and Knight look surprised to see the young superstar but it slowly dawned on LA Knight that there was no ban on physical contact between himself and Bloom and after last week's post-match antics, Bloom was justified to seek vengeance.

The fans chomped at the bit to see the rookie humble the number one contender, but in a shock turn of events, Bloom turned round and floored the NXT Champion with a Big Boot! Josh Briggs tried to remind the crowd he was there by interjecting but Knight and Bloom teamed up to hit an impressive sequence in which Bloom would boot Briggs into a crucifix driver by the Million Dollar Champion.

Knight demanded that Bloom dispose of Briggs, who willingly obliged as Knight presented the sharpie to the WWE Universe and grabbed Reed's head, SIGNING HIS AUTOGRAPH! The crowd booed as Vic Joseph demanded someone intervene. Jason Ayres called for back up officials but Knight had already he had his fun as he backed off but not before reaching down and collecting the NXT and North American titles as he raised all three belts above his head, with Bloom at his side. A new alliance forged.

With Reed now embarrassed not just by his opponent but a newcomer, his future as champion looked to be in doubt but how he would respond to these events would remain to be seen until next week.

Pete Dunne def. Timothy Thatcher in a Lucky 7 Qualifier Match
Tegan Nox & Shotzi def. La Vision (Yulisa & Valentina), Kayden Carter & Kacy Catanzaro, The Brand (Aliyah & Jessi Kamea) and Sarray & Zoey Stark in a Gauntlet Match to become the No. 1 Contenders to the NXT Women's Tag Team Championships
Kushida & Ari Sterling def. Imperium (Fabian Aichner & Marcel Barthel)
Raquel González def. Boa in an intergender match
LA Knight def. Josh Briggs to retain the Million Dollar Championship

Jam · Jan 26, 2024

YOU'VE BEEN HIT BY!
YOU'VE BEEN STRUCK BY!
A JAM REVIEW!

Hell yeah, LG. Good to see this back.

First of all, TNA shout out! Hahah.

After reading the first segment of the show, I can already tell I’m going to enjoy this type of writing moving forward. A strong opening to the show with three of your biggest stars going back and forth. Joe was the star of this segment, having strong words against both Balor and O’Reilly. The announcement of a town hall segment sounds like a fun segment waiting to happen as well.

I like how you gave us a short history lesson for Dunne and Thatcher. Always good to be reminded of things that have happened in the past. Dunne being on his own once again seems to be a good direction for him. Dunne qualifying for the Lucky 7 match is cool. Another big name to add to the match. That match is truly star-studded and with only so many prizes up for grabs, it creates more intrigue for the match. Dain possibly going to align with Thatcher? Guess we’ll see.

Can’t help but root for Lorcan here even though he’s probably losing to Theory. Makes sense though as Theory’s star is only just rising at this point while Lorcan should be able to make Theory look good in the match.

The match writing was easy to read despite many people being involved in the match. Enough detail is given so that we know exactly what every teams’ motivations were and how they were eliminated, which is pretty much what we need to know anyway. I’m glad you’re working on the women’s tag division as it definitely needs work and this match shows the potential the division has. Not very familiar with La Vision, but they seem interesting enough. This is automatically match of the show because you had Shotzi win… and Tegan, but mostly Shotzi

The men’s tag team division getting some love with this segment as well – awesome! I’m liking the logic of the booking for everything in this segment. I’m a fan of MSK, so them embracing the challenge of defending their titles against two other teams will always be fun to watch. The Way are seemingly all getting pushed, so I wouldn’t be surprised to see The Way claim one of the spots here. Fun stuff here with Lumis and Indi as well.

I absolutely love this gimmick for Bobby Fish. It’s giving me Deonna Purrazzo Virtuosa vibes. He could be the Virtuoso! Haha. Fish breaking down Grimes’ technique was brilliant. This’ll be a fun feud.

Interesting development for Legado Del Fantasma. Will they return as luchadors complete with masks? I can dig that. Looking forward to seeing more.

Yeah, the motivations between this match with Kushida/Sterling vs. Imperium was good. Interesting stipulation given to Imperium here. Hinting at a possible break up down the line? Sterling getting the win for his team here makes for a good dynamic as he now is able to face Kushida one on one.

Wyatt Family shout out! Yeah!

Intergender match, interesting. Definitely don’t see that often in WWE. Kudos to you for wanting and continuing to use Tian Sha. Not sure if this’ll be the end of them when Raquel’s done feuding with that group. But if so, not a huge loss. I know in previous talks with you, you mentioned that you enjoyed the Chinese tea ceremony segments that happened irl, so I’m looking forward to seeing how you put your own spin on it. Martinez being a little too buddy buddy with Raquel so far. Expecting that to change as soon as Raquel’s done with Tian Sha.

Not sure if this was intentional but the coding for Karrion Kross’s name – does that mean he moved on to Smackdown? I forget if that was mentioned or not. If so, very nice touch.

I’m a fan of the Million Dollar Dreams match stipulation with Knight getting his reps in and the new guys trying to make a name for themselves. Again, another good reminder of your past shows.

I like how you mentioned Reed needed more mic time to really establish himself as the Champion. I don’t think many were expecting Reed to be in this position, but with Kross moving on to the main roster, there wasn’t much choice.

Involving Riggs and Bloom here is another genius move, giving them air time with the bigger stars of the brand. I’m not particularly a fan of Bloom, but I understand why he’s being given a shot. Knight and Bloom should be a formidable duo and I’m looking forward to seeing how they’re booked – if it’s the classic student/teacher dynamic, big star/body guard dynamic, or whatever else.

Overall, a very enjoyable episode. The writing style made it so easy to understand everything going on and I’m a fan. I hope you continue to write your shows like this. I’m sure High Stakes will be written a bit differently as it’s a big show, but if you were to write it the same way as this show? I wouldn’t mind at all. Obviously, I couldn’t end this review without complimenting the graphics. They’re so good and it just looks very organized, adding to my overall enjoyment of the show.

Looking Glass · Jan 27, 2024

NXT EVOLVE [EPISODE #4] ‣ "WHAT'S NeXT" PREVIEW

Drake Maverick thought he found his tribe when he aligned himself with August Grey and Ikemen Jiro but it soon became clear that his effort to help the duo was doing more harm than good. This all came to a boil last week when Maverick's intervention cost Grey and Jiro the victory, causing "Retro AG" to unleash a brutal attack on the British Superstar. Unsurprisingly, Maverick was quick to ask for an opportunity to face Grey one-on-one, a challenge that he was all too happy to accept! Now going solo one more, can Drake Maverick prove that he wasn't the thorn in the side of the pair and what will August Grey's new attitude mean for his partnership with "Japan's Most Handsome" ahead of a big title contender opportunity next week?

Following months of anticipation, the Diamond Mine was finally unveiled by Arturo Ruas. An unforgiving steel structure - not too dissimilar from the Lion's Den of years gone by - seemingly Ruas' stomping ground. This week the Diamond Mine opens its doors as the Brazilian-born Martial Artist invited the NXT roster to step into his playground. "All Heart" Trey Baxter has since answered the call, looking to make an immediate impact by beating his opponent at his own game, but will the high-flyer overcome the odds or get tangled into Ruas' web?

"The Franky Monet Experience premiers on NXT Evolve this week! While many might have been distracted by Monet's style, charisma, or even her underhand tactics, this week she intends to showcase her dominance when she returns to singles action in the squared circle. The Brand's 'working relationship' with Toni Storm has seen them cause havoc for Zoey Stark and Sarray, but Chilean-born Katrina Cortez claims she will put an end to the mean girl antics when they face-off. Will "La Diva del Ring" be able to back up her claims or will "The Perfect Woman" steal the spotlight once more?"

NXT Women's Champion, Raquel González, has made it her mission to wipe out the sinister Tian Sha since its leader, Mei Ying, blinded her friend and tag team partner, Dakota Kai. Having retained her title against "The Special Girl" Xia Li at NXT: End of the Line and a dominant performance over "The Noble Man" Boa this past Tuesday, González called out "The Mother" to complete the collection. However, in a bizarre turn of events, Ying instead sent Li out to invite the Women's Champion (and her new-found ally Mercedes Martinez) to a traditional Chinese Tea Ceremony. Despite Martinez's warning, "Big Mami" proceeded with caution, so when the two sides collide this week, will they finally be able to make peace or are Tian Sha's intentions more sinister?

Hoss · Jan 28, 2024

I think this writing style suits you quite well pal. And, its benefits are kinda twofold, because it's also allowing you to include information that I need to know to be caught up to speed.

I really like the looks of High Stakes and how you're leaning into the theme with the matches you're booking so far. The Lucky 7 having the Feast Or Fired element to it is perfect for this event, and perfect for NXT because someone getting booted from NXT doesn't have to equate to being completely fired... it can be a segue to the main roster. The field is looking very strong right now, especially with the addition of Pete Dunne. I'm thinking Theory wins next week's, but I'd favor Lorcan.

Your booking of women has always been a strong suit and I feel like the women's tag gauntlet is emblematic of that. I enjoy reading about all these interweaving stories you have going across the division already. Both Shotzi and Nox vs. The Way and Storm vs. Sarray sound promising. And on that some note, I found the bits involving B-Fab attacking Lumis and Indi later asking why his back was scratched up to be amusing and a fun little detail to throw in.

The rework of Fish's character definitely works for me. I think you've come up with something really great for him. It is both fitting for his style and a creative concept. Well done.

I'm here for Alex Zayne aka Ari Sterling getting some love in this project. Same goes for Trey Baxter. In fact, glancing over this project and reading this latest show, I'm reminded how deep this roster was in this era :lol

Strongly support the choice of doing the intergender match. I think TNA/Impact have proven that it's a viable option for a major company. You'd obviously want to be selective about who you use in one, but Raquel mowing down an underling like Boa fits the bill. Very intrigued what the Chinese Tea Party will entail.

And finally, the build for Reed and Knight was all super well-executed. I'm a mark the big guys so I was happy to see Reed carrying the brand. Of course, LA Knight's star quality is undeniable and he would make a very valid champion as well. Pulling off the swerve and forming an alliance between Knight and Bloom was a great piece of booking, and of course it's going to benefit Bloom a lot to have Knight's charisma to piggyback off of.

All in all, highly entertaining edition of NXT here and I feel it did a great job bringing me into the know of things and getting me looking forward to High Stakes. I really appreciate your dedication to the small details, that even though you aren't writing the shows out in full as you've previously done, I'm still able to visualize much of what's happening. Very nice, LG.

Deco90 · Jan 30, 2024

Firstly, it's been a long time since I came onto this forum but of course, I got the notification for your thread and totally had to check it out as I always enjoy your work, LG .

Really good to see you back writing and pushing forward with another NXT episode!

Review time:

- Really good opening! I like the introduction which set the scene and takes us back to the point of time you're booking from here, not far removed from the horrible covid era, and how big of a deal this is for NXT to have a TakeOver in Vegas. I know I've told you before but the idea of the whole Vegas/gambling theme with the lucky seven match is great; I really dig that.

- Lets go Bruiserweight! Really glad to see Dunne progress and this new style and match format works for me. I think it will hopefully stop you being bogged down by the match writing which is less enjoyable, and can also save it for the Pay-Per-Views.

- Theory with the Doctors note, I don't know why but that popped me. I can totally picture his facials while showcasing the note Haha! Sets the tone for next week though.

- Good job with this next match man and looking to showcase some of the tag teams. Some good progression with potential stories and different things set up. Cool with Nox & Shotzi getting the win. Toni Storm using the Mae Young trophy was good stuff.

- Minor, minor criticism but I maybe wouldn't have had back to back tag team showcases I guess, for the lack of a better word. I know they're completely different divisions with it being female & male, but I'd have maybe just spaced it out a little but that's probably minor preference. Man, I miss MSK together. I really like the way you're using the Way (See what I did there? Didn't actually notice till I read it back ) and the stuff between Indi & Lumis was good here.

- Your portrayal of Bobby Fish with this new character arch is for sure one of the highlights of your whole thread to me. it's so good and different. I really like it. Intrigued to see how far you can push this character but it's already given Bobby a new lease a life in a time period where he doesn't have the Undisputed Era to fall back on.

- LE-GA-DO! Interesting segment. I like the idea of them returning to Mexico to be reborn, and I look forward to seeing how this develops even more in the coming weeks.

- Nice job with the next match! Really nice showing and use of Ari Sterling. I've said before but you're so good as using the less favourable and doing something with them, making them interesting or given them a new direction. Mark of a real good booker in my opinion man. We can all a book the horsewoman, but using people like Shotzi & Nox for example, that's the benchmark for a good booker in my opinion. I liked the dynamic and stip on this match too. A little different but it worked. Oh and I almost forgot, something so small but makes a difference - the little acknowledgement that the Cruiserweight Championship weight limit had been upped to broaden the field was nice.

- Great outing for 'Big Mami Cool' by defeating Boa and with Raquel being such a powerhouse, it's not unthinkable that she couldn't beat him so that helps with suspending reality which didn't really need to do in this situation. I like Mercedes being involved too! Big fan of hers and again, using people that were not complete standouts on the Black & Gold brand.

- Did I like the ending scene to your NXT? Yeeaaaaaahhh! This was good stuff man! I don't think it's been picked up, but maybe was intentional but while LA Knight is facing these "rookies" - he's also facing pretty big guys with "Big" Bronson to come. Wondered if he might make mention of that down the line, maybe. Blood as LA Knights bodyguard is also an interesting choice. The megastar feels even more like a star with his own bodyguard. I like it.

Overall; This was a good episode man, really enjoyable and an easy read too. I think the new format works well and suits you, hopefully as I said previously - this way won't bog you down with trying to motivate yoiurself to write matches and can hopefully allow you to keep progressing and pumping out shows. As always man, I'll be reading along!

Looking Glass · Feb 2, 2024

NXT EVOLVE [EPISODE #04] ‣ THURSDAY 29 JULY, 2021
CAPITOL PERFORMANCE CENTER ‣ ORLANDO, FLORIDA

The reaction to NXT Evolve had been positive on the whole - fulfilling the brief of providing a space for new talent to get in front of an audience. Although the offerings weren't quite on the scale of the champion vs. 'champion' feud between Bronson Reed and LA Knight or the Lucky 7 qualifiers, Cal Bloom's attack on the NXT Champion was symbolic that the brand was committed to both building and integrating new talent. No one was surprised that the B-show wasn't getting the same numbers as its companion show but the comparisons to classic editions of Heat had won over plaudits, who appreciated the time and attention given to stars like Leon Ruff, Carmelo Hayes and Drake Maverick.

Unlike 205 Live (at least the majority of its run), the aim was for Evolve to be more episodic, featuring additional segments from NXT storylines to provide value but also providing the opportunity to be more experimental and gauge audience feedback before making any commitments. Episode #4 featured two examples of this experimental nature, the first being the debut of the 'Diamond Mine Match', an invitational hosted by Brazilian-born mixed martial artist, Arturo Ruas - a modern-day retelling of the Lion's Den match that was made famous in the late 90s. The other, set up on Tuesday night was the Traditional Chinese Tea Ceremony held by Tian Sha, in which Raquel González's challenge to Mei Ying was met with an invitation to a sit-down discussion.

Ahead of the opening match, a clip of the women's tag team gauntlet match, in which "The Perfect Woman" Franky Monet lured Zoey Stark backstage allowing Toni Storm to ambush Sarray with the Mae Young Classic trophy, putting an end to their NXT Women's Tag Team title hopes. Stark joined McKenzie Mitchell backstage, with "The Warrior of the Sun" being noticeably absent. Stark confirmed that Sarray had to receive medical attention following the attack by Storm when McKenzie asked for her thoughts regarding the antics of the past couple of weeks. Stark answered that the gauntlet match was her ticket to compete in front of her home crowd (Las Vegas) at a Takeover event but Franky Monet and Toni Storm had to make it all about them. Closing the interview, Stark says that while she doesn't know where she goes from here, her main goal now was to wipe the smile off of that "Regina George-looking b*tch".

Heading to the ring, Dennis Arnell introduced Katrina Cortez, the Chilean Luchadora (who competed briefly as 'Catalina' on Raw between 2019 and 2020). A quick picture-in-picture showed "La Diva del Ring" cut a babyface promo backstage in which she called herself the true Reina de Reina (a nod to Monet's history as champion AAA) and that tonight she would introduce the WWE Universe to the true art of Lucha wrestling. Production spared no expenses for Monet's entrance as she came to the ring for her first singles match in a month - proof that the division had become so bloated that it had become increasingly challenging to get everyone on the card.

Of course, wherever Franky was, The Brand weren't far behind with Aliyah and Jessi Kamea setting up their VIP booth on the newly constructed mezzanine set that overlooked the ring. Monet would take the microphone and tell Cortez that she had heard rumblings that a 'certain someone' had been running their mouths backstage. "The Perfect Woman" would chastise Cortez in Spanish and tell her that the smartest thing that "La Diva del Ring" had ever done was wear a mask because once she had finished with her, she was going to want to hide every last scar on her face. Cortez would reach her limit and strike Monet before a brawl broke out between the two.

Even from the VIP Lounge, Aliyah and Jessi would attempt to distract Cortez, who put on a solid effort but would ultimately prove no match for the former Taya Valkyrie, who would take advantage of a Cassadora Bulldog attempt by the Chilean and turn it into a Glam Slam for the three count.

Post-match, Monet barely had any time to relish in her victory before Zoey Stark rushed the ring! Fortunately, The Brand were on hand to help once more, warning their leader as Franky made a desperate scramble to the back. Aliyah and Jessi would mock Stark from the VIP Lounge as she looked on, seething with rage.

Two tenured stars who had received attention as part of the new era of NXT were Timothy Thatcher and Killian Dain. "The Beast of Belfast" and Thatcher had come face to face on a previous episode of Evolve but it was becoming apparent that the former Sanity member had taken an issue with the Thatch-as-Thatch-Can Master. Dain's new look was indicative enough of the momentum gathering behind him, cementing him as a legitimate singles star following a lengthy run as part of a faction (and later tag team). Thatcher had previously competed in the week in a losing effort to "The King of NXT", Pete Dunne, with Dain watching on from afar after the match. In a backstage segment, the drama continued with a defiant Thatcher angrily shouting that he had faced many beasts and many monsters, pointing out that he was still living to tell the tale.

Thatcher outlined his goals - in an Evolve exclusive, he stated that he had spoken to Nigel McGuiness, who had told him that he (alongside others who had lost their qualifying matches) would enter a second chance fatal four-way match for the final spot in the coming weeks. Then, once he had achieved that, he would silence "the lullaby of woe" and cut down the giant.

Oney Lorcan was also featured having previously been announced as one of the competitors for the next Lucy 7 qualifier, against none other than the recently returned Austin Theory, who had put on the shelf. While certainly not main event ready just yet, Lorcan had found himself somewhat of a sleeper hit, despite being in the shadow of his former ally and stablemate, Pete Dunne. "The Boston Brawler" was seen as a consistent worker, who had a good approach to recent changes in booking and direction following the breakdown of The Kings of NXT stable (mostly due to injury). Acknowledging this in his interview, Lorcan said that this was the opportunity he was long overdue to break out on his own. Over the past few months, he had been 'held back' by an obnoxious brat (Dunne) who had kept him in line only for him to be abducted by Dexter Lumis and tormented by The Way....allegedly. Lorcan states that he has the strongest strikes in the game and says that next week he'll put Theory on the shelf for good and quite literally PUNCH his ticket to Las Vegas.

Tian Sha's Traditional Chinese Tea Ceremony was a running thread throughout the show. Backstage, Mercedes Martinez approached the NXT Women's Champion, Raquel González, whom she had aligned with due to their shared dislike of the trio of heels. "The Brass City Badass" asked González if she was ready and reminded her that she had her back. "Big Mami Cool" assured Martinez that she would be fine and said that she had to do this - to avenge the blinding of Dakota Kai. Martinez's intentions were soon made clear as she supported González's thought process but firmly said that she should continue to help her take down Tian Sha but would expect her to remember this - i.e. grant her a championship opportunity down the line.

Later on in the evening, the duo would be seen on location as they attempted to enter a tatami room, only to be stopped by "The Noble Man" Boa. There was a moment of tension between the NXT Women's Champion and Boa following their match earlier in the week but as Mercedes went to intervene, he held up a pair of slippers for the two to wear as Xia Li appeared with traditional dresswear. The two women would look at each other before accepting graciously to end the second scene.

Li and Boa would show the pair to be seated as "The Special Girl" began pouring tea. Martinez would hold her hand up only for "The Special Girl" to pour her a cup regardless. Turning, they would see "The Mother" herself, Mei Ying.

González would break the silence and repeat her challenge to Ying, using her terminology to say that 'the obstacle' had knocked off her minions but now it would have to end with her. Ying would beckon Li in as "The Special Girl" would relay the message that the fate awaiting 'the obstacle' would be far worse than 'the bad seed' (Kai). González would stand to her feet only for Boa to step in the way. Raquel offered to put her championship on the line, causing Xia's eyes to sparkle but Ying would whisper once more to Li to end the third scene.

In the final scene, Xia Li reminded González that years ago Mei Ying had to sell her soul and complete a tumultuous trial before she returned a warrior and defeated her brother in order to ascend. Raquel was told that if she wanted to ascend she too would need to face a trial and defend her honor (and her title) in a Warrior's Way match. Before Mercedes could even question what the stipulation entailed, Raquel hastily accepted. The segment ended with an uneasy exchange where the champion held out her hand to make the deal as Ying calmly accepted.

The audience would be treated to a brief recap of the mounting tension between Carmelo Hayes, Leon Ruff and Kona Reeves. Ruff and Hayes would compete in the first-ever match on the premier episode of NXT Evolve, where Reeves appeared, seemingly scouting the talent - Hayes in particular. While 'Melo didn't seem to accept "The Finest's" offer, Ruff had a chip on his shoulder and challenged Reeves to his first match since returning from injury. Despite an impressive display, the former NXT North American Champion was able to pull of the victory with a surprise roll-up, humiliating the Hawaiian-born Superstar. In a display of bad sportsmanship, Reeves would slap Ruff across the face before exiting the ring.

Carmelo Hayes - who had been nothing short of impressive since his debut - then appeared stating that he didn't appreciate the lack of respect that "The Finest" displayed last week. Hayes said that the display was not fine at all and that he should make amends for his cowardice next week by stepping into the ring with him, "The Top Talent". The segment is left open-ended as 'Melo shows no signs of fear.

Following much of the intrigue of the cinematic Chinese Tea Ceremony segments that were interwoven throughout the night, the Diamond Mine match also proved to be divisive. Away from the Capitol Wrestling Center (or so it appeared), Arturto Ruas was already standing inside the Diamond Mine - an octagonal cage with no ceiling - surrounded by selected members of the WWE Universe (who in reality were ushered to the area to provide live reaction but disguised with low lighting). It appeared that the higher-ups were invested in showcasing Ruas' legitimate fighting ability following several stop-starts in his WWE career - the most recent being last year during the Raw Underground segments.

Ruas' opponent was Trey Baxter, who was introduced retaining his "All Heart" moniker. Ahead of his entrance, the former Blake Christian was seen getting a good luck kiss from real-life girlfriend and fellow NXT Superstar, Cora Jade, before making his way through the curtain (an obvious plant that their relationship would play a part on-screen). Unsurprisingly, the shoot-style match didn't go on for long, with Baxter using the steel structure to gain some elevation to perform some impressive moves, earmarking himself as a potential star in the cruiserweight division but the fly was soon caught by the spider (or tiger in this case). Ruas would catch Baxter following an elevated impact DDT attempt but instead threw him onto his feet and striking with a stiff forearm. The crowd seemed genuinely concerned for Baxter, who sold the move perfectly but before the referee could check, "The Don of the Diamond Mine" would forcibly drag "All Heart" up and execute a striking combination that culminated with a cartwheel into a knee strike. This time, Darryl Sharma got in between the men and confirmed that Baxter had been knocked out, declaring Ruas the winner.

Post-match, Ruas exited the Diamond Mine structure as Cora Jade ran out to check on Baxter, alongside medical staff. Ruas dismissed the commotion in the background in favour of having his photo taken before being given a microphone and saying that the Diamond Mine was open for business, welcoming all challengers.

Kevin Patrick and Wade Barrett would remind us of the tag team tension from earlier in the week, resulting in Nigel McGuinness booking an unofficial mini-tournament to determine MSK's new challengers for NXT Takeover: High Stakes. The first match would see Johnny Gargano and Dexter Lumis of The Way take on Tony Nese and Ariya Daivari, and the second would feature Ikemen Jiro and August Grey going against two members of Hit Row.

One team that wouldn't be in contention was Ever-Rise, the Canadian duo of Chase Parker and Matt Martel. Management had wanted to promote the tag team but much like the women's division, it had found itself stacked with talent and not enough television time to showcase it. This meant that Ever-Rise were perfect for NXT Evolve and had currently found themselves in a storyline with Malcolm Bivens, who had been trying to get the duo on his books at the expense of ignoring his sole client, Tyler Rust.

Martel and Parker were backstage pitching ideas for segments for Ever-Rise Live, which they were hoping to bring back to NXT Evolve over the coming weeks. The two tried to one-up each other with pitches, each one more ridiculous than the last as they looked for their intern to bring them coffee only to question if they even had an intern in the first place. It was clear that despite their occasionally obnoxious demeanour, the two had a certain charm that was worth tapping into.

Bivens would appear and offer his services only for Martel to state that he was too old to be an intern. Promising the team the earth, Bivens guaranteed that he could get them a tag team title opportunity within the next month. At first, Parker seemed like he could be swayed but Martel quickly put Malcolm in his place and reminded him that his only client hasn't had a title match yet. Bivens would begin to confide in the pair that he was starting to get cold feet about representing Rust, only for him to charge onto the scene having heard the entire conversation. Wincing at the awkwardness of it all, Parker pitched that they could do an exclusive sit down with the pair to try and mend their relationship but Martel would point out that Rust and Bivens were beyond repair as they tip-toed away leaving Bivens to try and talk his way out of trouble with Rust.

Confirmed for next week's week's NXT - LA Knight and his new associate, Cal Bloom, will open the show following the latter's turn against NXT double-champion, "The Big Boy" Bronson Reed. We are also reminded that there will be a town hall featuring the first four Lucky 7 competitors - Samoa Joe, Finn Bálor, Kyle O'Reilly and Pete Dunne ahead of the fifth qualifier later that evening. Plus, the previously mentioned tag team matches to determine which teams will challenge for the NXT Tag Team titles at Takeover and title action as Raquel González heads into the unknown, defending her Women's Championship against "The Mother" Mei Ying in a Warrior's Way Match.

Before looking ahead to their tag team match on NXT, August Grey had a score to settle with Drake Maverick - who despite being a loveable underdog to many was perceived as a nuisance to "Retro AG", he would also appear ahead of his main event match alongside his tag team partner, Ikemen Jiro, who seemed conflicted about what was going to unfold in the main event. Grey listed off all the things he disliked about the former GM of 205 Live - both personal and professional - including their recent losses. "Japan's Most Handsome" still seemed unsure leaving Grey to 'reluctantly' tell him that he didn't want to have to make him choose between the two of them, especially ahead of an important match next week. Grey would go to head into his match alone but a guilty Jiro would comply and follow, prompting a smirk from "Retro AG".

Maverick would enter the match with the fans firmly on his side as Grey received a mixed reaction, namely due to him still not fully integrating into the roster with a solid character (despite a strong look) but the ones who did recognise him weren't best pleased with his recent actions. The wearer-of-jackets, Ikemen Jiro, did get some positive responses from the fans but put on a more cautious approach during his entrance, not wanting to get involved in the breakdown between his friends. Maverick would get a PIP promo where he was at a loss of why Grey turned on him last week.

Drake acknowledges that his efforts to support them had backfired but stresses he only ever had Grey and Jiro's best interests at heart. Beginning to doubt himself, he begins to identify with Grey and wonder if he is a curse to them. Nonetheless, he states that what happened last week was 'not cool' and that it put Jiro in an awkward spot between them. He proposes that tonight they go out and vent their frustrations, feeling optimistic that it could put things right.

Surprisingly, the match was given a good 10 minutes to unfold with the natural charisma of Maverick getting the live crowd on his side while Grey appeared more muted but visibly annoyed at the situation. Even at the start of the match, Maverick would extend his hand as a mark of respect, which Grey would accept after a pregnant pause.

The time allotted allowed the fans to get into the dynamics more with more subtle nuances such as Grey catching Jiro clapping along with the WWE Universe when they cheered for his opponent. There was also a moment where Grey began to remove the top turnbuckle only for Jiro to act as the angel on his shoulder.

The match also served as a reminder that despite his character work, Drake Maverick was a good cruiserweight wrestler, much in the same way that Trey Baxter had impressed earlier in the night. In the final moments of the match, Grey would return to the turnbuckle only for Jiro to hop up onto the apron again as the referee tried to warn "Japan's Most Handsome" to get off the apron. Meanwhile, unbeknownst to everyone, a masked figure came down and began to unbuckle the turnbuckle from the other side of the ring! Hopping back down, the figure exited as quickly as they arrived.

"Retro AG" would turn back around forcing Maverick to his feet but playing possum, the Brit would soon get into position for an Underdog (a springboard cutter) but Grey would push him forward straight into the exposed turnbuckle! Before the referee would have a chance to notice, Grey would mirror his actions from last week and hit a Doctor Bomb for the victory.

Following the match, Jiro would enter the ring, noticing the exposed turnbuckle and trying to question Grey, who pleaded his innocence. The tension between the pair seemed to continue as Jiro opted to check on Maverick in the ring rather than leave with his tag team partner, who walked to the back alone.

As for the mystery figure, we'd have to wait - at least for now - to find out who it was and what their motivations were.

Looking Glass · Feb 3, 2024

NEWS & NOTES ‣

*NEVADA MASK MANDATE TO BE ENFORCED AT SUMMERSLAM AND TAKEOVER*	In the wake of the CDC’s updated mask guidelines, the state of Nevada reinstated its mask mandate, which could impact both WWE SummerSlam and NXT Takeover: High Stakes events, which are scheduled to take place in Las Vegas. Within hours of the CDC’s recent recommendation that both vaccinated and unvaccinated people wear masks in public to curb the spread of COVID-19 and its variants, the state of Nevada reinstalled a state-wide mask mandate that could have serious repercussions for the company's upcoming events. Starting on Friday, July 30, Nevada will require face coverings to be worn indoors in public in counties with “substantial or high transmission.” At the time of writing, 12 of Nevada’s 17 counties meet that criteria, including Clark County, the home of the state’s most populous metropolitan area, Las Vegas. On August 21, the Allegiant Stadium in the Las Vegas suburb of Paradise will play host to WWE’s 34th annual SummerSlam pay-per-view event. Despite being a large stadium designed to predominantly host NFL games, the newly-built Allegiant Stadium is classified as an indoor stadium due to its domed roof. Meanwhile, Sam's Town will play host to NXT's 36th Takeover event and the first under its new era. If not lifted between now and August 21, which seems unlikely, Nevada’s mask mandate is going to give WWE brass a big headache. The state may issue special exemptions to the mandate for entertainers. If this happens, WWE talent could be exempt from having to wear face coverings while in the arena which would make the whole situation a lot easier to manage. Fans will need to be prepared to wear a mask if they plan to attend either event. *Source:* WrestlingNewsBlog NXT Takeover: High Stakes will take place on Sunday 22nd August, broadcasting live on Peacock and the WWE Network.
*LUCKY 7 MATCH UPDATE - LAST CHANCE MATCH CONFIRMED*	As confirmed on this past week's episode of NXT Evolve, there will be a Last Chance Lucky 7 Qualifier match - likely to take place on the 17th August edition of NXT, assuming that the remaining matches continue airing each week. Samoa Joe, Finn Bálor, Kyle O'Reilly and Pete Dunne have all qualified, while Austin Theory and Oney Lorcan will compete for the fifth spot next week. As of writing, Timothy Thatcher and Roderick Strong will make up the Last Chance Fatal Four Way.
*SENIOR VP RELEASED*	PWInsider’s Mike Johnson reported that WWE Senior Vice President of Talent Development Canyon Ceman was released by the company on Friday. Before his release, Ceman had been with WWE for the past nine years and had been the Vice President of the company’s Talent Development department since August of 2015.
*PRAISE FOR "THE INFAMOUS" BOBBY FISH*	Bobby Fish's new theatrical "Infamous" character has been receiving praise both backstage and across social media. The former NXT Tag Team Champion has been held in high regard for showing willingness and experimenting with new gimmicks. Fish had appeared in a series of vignettes before returning to the ring on the 13th July edition of NXT, where he was victorious over Andre Chase and was more recently seen critiquing Cameron Grimes' performance. The 44-year-old talent is likely to become a prominent fixture across the NXT brand over the coming months.
*BACKSTAGE NEWS ON LEGADO DEL FANTASMA SEGMENTS*	The Legado del Fantasma 'discovery' segments have been filmed in Mexico City, Mexico. It's understood that COO, Paul Levesque, was keen to add some diversity to the segments featured across NXT television. Despite some countries operating on a traffic light system for travelling as part of the attempts to reduce the spread of COVID-19, Mexico's travel restrictions were not as strict. That being said, Santos Escobar, Raul Mendoza and Joaquin Wilde would all have to provide proof of vaccination and/or a negative test before they could enter the country. The trio are expected to remain in Mexico as part of their ongoing angle, which is considered to be part of a change of direction for them. It is unknown whether includes the introduction of masks. Escobar had previously worn a mask on the brand upon his debut as El Hijo del Fantasma.
*TITLE REDESIGNS TO DEBUT AT TAKEOVER?*	New championship belt designs have been discussed internally. To commemorate the move away from the black and gold era, the NXT, Women's, Cruiserweight and Tag Team titles are expected to have minor tweaks made (including a white strap for the Women's Championship) and colour added to the center plates. It is unknown whether the North American or Women's Tag Team Championships will be included in the re-design. If plans are accepted, these belts could be introduced at the NXT Takeover: High Stakes premium live event.
*MAIN ROSTER CALL-UPS RUMOURED*	Rumours from the main roster indicate that several talents may be called up in the future. While names have not been confirmed, Austin Theory, Indi Hartwell, Aliyah and Performance Center prospect, Odyssey Jones, had all previously been invited to take part in try-out matches. NXT and North American Champion, Bronson Reed, and Dakota Kai had also previously competed in the dark matches earlier in the year.

UPCOMING SPECIAL EVENTS ‣

NXT TAKEOVER: HIGH STAKES [TAKEOVER #36] ‣ SUNDAY 22 AUGUST, 2022
SAM'S TOWN HOTEL & GAMBLING HALL ‣ LAS VEGAS, NEVADA

CONFIRMED MATCHES:

CHAMPION vs. 'CHAMPION':
WINNER TAKES ALL MATCH FOR THE NXT, NORTH AMERICAN & MILLION DOLLAR CHAMPIONSHIP
BRONSON REED vs. LA KNIGHT

THE LUCKY 7 LADDER MATCH:
HIGH RISK. HIGH REWARD.
SAMOA JOE vs. FINN BÁLOR vs. KYLE O'REILLY vs. PETE DUNNE vs. 3 SUPERSTARS TBD

TAG TEAM MATCH:
FOR THE NXT WOMEN'S TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIPS
THE WAY [CANDICE LERAE & INDI HARTWELL] w/ PERSIA PIROTTA
vs. TEGAN NOX & SHOTZI

Looking Glass · Feb 4, 2024

NXT [EPISODE #468] ‣ "WHAT'S NeXT" PREVIEW

The WWE Universe was stunned last week when up-and-comer, Cal Bloom, attacked the NXT Double Champion, Bronson Reed - the same man who saved him from a beating the week prior. To add insult to injury, Bloom seemingly has aligned with "The New People's Champ" and Number One Contender, LA Knight, showing that the Million Dollar Champion is seemingly one step ahead of "The Big Boy" in the battle of the minds. In a Digital Exclusive, we were able to catch up with Cal Bloom, who said he would be at the Capitol Wrestling Center this Tuesday alongside LA Knight, to set the record straight. Many are predicting this to be something of a gloating ceremony by Knight as he gears up for his Winner Takes All Match against Reed at NXT Takeover: High Stakes, but how will the charged-up "Aus-Zilla" respond following this betrayal and will there be consequences to pay?

The battle between the NXT Women's Champion, Raquel González, and Tian Sha could be about to reach its climax following the agreement at the Tea Ceremony that took place on NXT Evolve. If you missed it, "The Mother" Mei Ying told "Big Mami Cool" that she would need to prove herself as a warrior by facing a trial, as she did herself many years ago. While it appears that no one other than Tian Sha knows the implications of the Warrior's Way stipulation, judging by their history, this one could ugly really fast. Has the champion bitten or more than she can chew in the quest for vengeance? And will Tian Sha be able to complete the prophecy and claim what they believe to be theirs?

The fifth entrant into the Lucky 7 Ladder Match at High Stakes will be determined as Oney Lorcan collides with the recently returned Austin Theory. To say that these two have history is an understatement, with Lorcan being the man who put the Atlanta-born Superstar on the shelf. "The Boston Brawler" looks determined to make a name for himself on his terms after the dissolution of his alliance with Pete Dunne, but will he be able to follow in his former friend's footsteps and book a ticket to Las Vegas or will Theory's return see him walk out with the spot at Takeover and the taste of sweet revenge?

Speaking of the Lucky 7 Ladder Match, Nigel McGuinness has confirmed there will be a town hall meeting between the first four entrants to ease some tension. It'll be interesting to see just what will unfold, with a strict no-contact clause signed as part of the contract for the match and Samoa Joe making himself public enemy number one, surely this one can only go south?

By the end of the evening, MSK will know who they're defending their NXT Tag Team Championships against at Takeover, with not one but two matches on this week's NXT. Two members of Hit Row will square off against the team of August Grey and Ikemen Jiro. Fresh off of NXT Evolve, the dysfunction between Grey and "Japan's Most Handsome Superstar" could spell trouble in this all-important match. The two will need to make sure they're on the same page if they hope to take down the harmonising unit of Hit Row. Will they be able to put aside their recent dramas or will Swerve and co. continue to rise through the ranks of NXT?

The second of the NXT Tag Team Championship Contender bouts will see the newly formed team of Johnny Gargano and Dexter Lumis against Ariya Daivari and Tony Nese. The former gatekeepers of 205 Live believe that they are entitled to a title opportunity after carrying the land of the cruiserweights and their recent success on NXT Evolve but Gargano - a former NXT Tag Team Champion himself - is on a mission to adorn The Way with gold. Will the former foes be able to turn their newfound chemistry into a tag team title opportunity or will Nese and Daivari finally get their wish?

Hoss · Feb 4, 2024

This episode of NXT Evolve seem to really achieve its purpose of advancing "main NXT" storylines and developing some of the lower profile stars like Ever-Rise, Trey Baxter, Carmelo Hayes and all three guys in the main event segment.

I loved the concept of the Chinese Tea Party, I've always been a big fan of creative skits in wrestling. It was a big part of what drew me into Impact pretty heavily when I was getting back into wrestling around 2017, with all the LAX vs. OGz and Undead Realm stuff they did. I'm curious what the Warriors Way match will entail.

On that same note, great call on the Diamond Mine match. I think there's a place for these kinds of matches in wrestling as well, as the Fight Pit in NXT and whatever that Wardlow vs. Hager match in AEW was. It's definitely one of the best ways you could get me to really care about Arturo Ruas.

I look forward to the next episode of NXT, it seems like a really stacked edition you've got lined up.

DTP · Feb 7, 2024

WWE NXT - July 27, 2021:

It's been quite some time, and that's not a bad thing - it's a good thing! A break can always refresh the creative mind. Hopefully you're able to pick up where things left off.

NXT High Stakes is shaping up to be a solid line-up, and I do like the amount of hype that's going into the fact that it's the first time an NXT show will be presented outside of Florida. Las Vegas will be a good place for things to unfold.

Pete Dunne advancing for the Lucky 7 Ladder match was the right call, and honestly, I feel he should be a favourite to win it. Timothy Thatcher would have done an excellent job with him, and I do feel that Thatch definitely does have a rightful place in this incarnation of NXT. There's just so much you can do with a role like his. I see you are revitalising Killian Dain, though I can't see it going too far beyond a brief detour for talents en route to the top.

The women's tag team gauntlet achieved exactly what was needed in not only providing exposition to a lot of underutilised and newcomer talents, but also providing further development of what is a division created sheerly out of the creation of the NXT Women's Tag Team Championship. Shotzi and Tegan Nox getting the win did make sense as perhaps the most established stars of the bunch, but really any of the teams could have gotten the win here.

I continue to enjoy what is being done with Bobby Fish, and I suspect his segment with Cameron Grimes sets us up for what should be a fun little storyline. You just have to wonder what legs a forty-something year-old guy like Fish has in the 2.0 incarnation of NXT.

Legado del Fantasma's segment enhanced them as serious participants, which certainly helped. I still see Joaquin Wilde and Raúl Mendoza as the geeks they were before Santos Escobar came along, sadly. But this was fine as it reminded me of what AEW has done more recently with La Facción Ingobernable.

It's good to see Ari Sterling get fair shake, considering he was here one second and gone the next. I like that with 205 Live gone now, we've seen the NXT Cruiserweight Championship limitation weight rise. I'm not as keen on Marcel Barthel and Fabian Aichner fitting this category, but it does allow for greater competition for Kushida. I hope Kushida finds something that can really make and help his career further.

Oh God, this Tian Sha angle that played out in real life was the worst. It gave Raquel González the win, but I hope the NXT Women's Champion is able to get away from this scene in a hurry. I guess it gave Mercedes Martinez justifiable cause to get involved.

LA Knight's promo was really good, and I liked it as a means to set things in motion for the situation building up towards NXT High Stakes. Bronson Reed is an interesting NXT Champion by design, but against a challenger like Knight, he is sadly overshadowed. Nice twist with Cal Bloom's involvement - not the biggest fan of that name in practice, but it's still miles better than Von Wagner. One day I'm certain Josh Briggs can be a big star here.

Overall, I really like this new presentation you're going for. It's infinitely easier to read, though I wouldn't mind seeing the quick results implemented better to allow ease of access. Sometimes I had to read paragraphs to understand the matches that played out on this show, and while the intention is to cut down on match detail in favour of important angles and events, it made things slightly trickier in that sense.

That said, the writing was excellently formal (perhaps there is some room to be had here to introduce a little comedic flare that suits the NXT aesthetic here?) and the graphics, as always, are amazingly done.

NXT EVOLVE - July 29, 2021:

I do enjoy the fact that with 205 Live no longer, you've successfully managed to keep the color scheme. It works for the former EVOLVE, and I do like this a lot better than I do LVL Up. In all intents and purposes, it should work as exactly what we have here - an NXT to NXT, almost.

Katrina Cortez has so much potential to be a break-out star, and it's a shame she never had that opportunity. I think the transition to NXT 2.0 really dampered her efforts to be that, as well as the mass cuts, of course. Franky Monet getting a better run here is for the better, as she too got a raw deal in being hired, relocated and fired. Monet should be a future contender for the NXT Women's Championship. I like the trio of herself, Aliyah and Jessi Kamea. Zoey Stark has more potential in a heel role, so really this worked for what it was designed to do - but I anticipate more substance for her in the future.

Timothy Thatcher and Killian Dain could be a real monster battle, and that I look forward to seeing come to fruition as we close in on NXT High Stakes.

I'm glad that the convenience of injuries has allowed Oney Lorcan to gain an opportunity as a singles competitor, even if I don't see too high a ceiling for the poor guy.

Segments like the Traditional Chinese Tea Ceremony, in my mind, are better suited for the main NXT show - particularly after seeing Raquel González and Boa have a match on Tuesday. It was a unique plot device that set us up for Xia Li getting a shot - but again, I'm simply not vibing with this angle. González deserves better, and I generally consider the Mei Ying experiment to be the worst thing about NXT's final year in black and gold.

Arturo Ruas is an interesting character, and one I suspect will be a prominently featured competitor moving forward. Nice work against Trey Baxter, who has a way to go but will no doubt be a future frontrunner in the NXT Cruiserweight division. The right person won. I do like Cora Jade as the love interest of Baxter. I had no idea they were an item.

I'm hopeful of Ever-Rise getting a good run, as everything they do is can't-miss as far as I'm concerned. Fun segment here, though I don't know if I vibe with Malcolm Bivens in their corner. Maybe the chemistry of Matt Martel and he could gel really well.

August Grey getting the win over Drake Maverick made sense, and it wasn't a bad match. I don't know how it fared as a main event considering everything else that took place on it, but considering it's the B-show, it just makes sense. I liked Ikemen Jiro sticking around to show remorse for Drake.

Pretty good week, I'm glad to see this back and hitting the ground running.

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