WrestleRant
  • Home
  • Columnist Corner
  • Reviews
  • Interviews
  • WRR
  • Audio
  • Videos
  • Photos
  • About
    • Contact
Picture

WWE NXT Review - July 20, 2016

7/20/2016

0 Comments

 
PictureBayley goes high risk against Nia Jax.
By Graham "GSM" Matthews

​NXT Champion Samoa Joe def. Rhyno (Non-title)

I realize Rhyno may not be too much of a threat to the top guys these days, but he's much more credible than a typical enhancement talent, so he serves his purpose in putting over the younger stars on NXT. Plus, he can always be counted on for a competent contest and this match was no exception. Granted, a large part of that was due to Joe and how he's been on an absolute roll lately, but Rhyno held his own as well. I liked Joe going over in decisive fashion and now we look forward to him moving into his next title program, presumably next week.


​The Authors of Pain def. American Alpha

Other than one short-lived squash match late last month, we really haven't seen much of The Authors of Pain in the ring. Thus, this match was a true test as to how they would fare against a team much better than them, and I'd certainly say they passed with flying colors. Their presence alone is intimidating, but they backed it up in this match with a dominant performance. They garnered good heat beforehand by attacking the babyfaces from behind, American Alpha were on the verge of victory on a few different occasions, and Authors of Pain scored the big victory as they should have. Solid stuff all around.

PictureSamoa Joe lays waste to Rhyno.
Austin Aries def. Patrick Clark

Anyone who watched Tough Enough would recognize Clark from last year's sixth season. Having had experience on the independent scene, I really thought he should have won the competition, but he ended up with a developmental contract anyway, so I suppose it's a moot point. This was essentially a showcase for Aries and his feud with No Way Jose was well-furthered afterward. On a side note, Clark's all-patriotic attire was something else. I believe he portrays a heel on the house show circuit, so it was weird for him to be paired with a heel Aries here.


Bayley def. Nia Jax

I was not a fan of the match these two had in London back in December and enjoyed their rematch in May significantly more, but this was their best bout to date in my opinion. I still say Jax is far from main roster ready, but she has no doubt improved in the ring in the nine months she's been in NXT and has been nicely protected for the most part. Bayley can get a crowd rallying for her like no one else, so she had the audience solidly behind her throughout the bout. Furthermore, I liked the finish a lot with Bayley just barely scoring the victory by hitting the Bayley to Belly off the top rope (a crucial mistake made by Jax that cost her the contest). If this was Jax's final match in NXT before getting called up, she went out on a high note.


Overall Show

NXT promoted this episode as "Fight Night" with three marquee matches by the show's standards, and it lived up to the billing in my opinion. Not all four matches may have been blockbusters, but each of them were meaningful in their own way. Joe continued his reign of terror, Authors of Pain had an impressive outing, Aries picked up a nice win, and the main event was entertaining, making this an enjoyable edition of NXT on the whole as the road to TakeOver: Brooklyn heats up.

0 Comments



Leave a Reply.


    Categories

    All
    #AskGSM
    Battle Of The Belts
    Cruiserweight Classic
    Halftime Heat
    Hidden Gems
    Lists/Rankings
    Mae Young Classic
    Mixed Match Challenge
    News
    NJPW
    NWA Shockwave
    Opinion
    Previews
    Retro Reviews
    Reviews
    RJ's Two Cents
    Satire
    Slammy Awards
    SummerSlam Recall
    The Deadly Draw
    The World Is A Vampire
    Tribute To The Troops
    Women's Eliminator
    Worlds Collide
    WrestleMania Recall
    WWE Draft
    WWE Network Specials
    WWE Starrcade


    Archives

    November 2023
    October 2023
    September 2023
    August 2023
    July 2023
    June 2023
    May 2023
    April 2023
    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011
    July 2011
    June 2011
    May 2011
    April 2011
    March 2011
    February 2011
    January 2011
    December 2010
    November 2010

    RSS Feed

©2023 WrestleRant. All Rights Reserved.
  • Home
  • Columnist Corner
  • Reviews
  • Interviews
  • WRR
  • Audio
  • Videos
  • Photos
  • About
    • Contact