WWE NXT Review - November 15, 2017

By Graham "GSM" Matthews

The Street Profits def. Tino Sabbatelli and Riddick Moss

I liked how this bout was subtly built up over the last few weeks through video packages and pre-taped backstage encounters, which is something that NXT does better than any other brand in WWE. The match itself wasn't too much of note from an in-ring standpoint, but it was a fun opener while it lasted and a nice way to ensure The Street Profits continue building momentum.

Lars Sullivan def. Raul Mendoza

Sullivan is an absolute freak of nature and I always enjoy watching him beat a dude (or dudes) up. This wasn't quite as entertaining as his squashes against Oney Lorcan and Danny Burch, but it did showcase his dominance and put him over as a force to be reckoned with. Sullivan vs. Kassius Ohno was already announced for TakeOver: WarGames, but their post-match face-off effectively furthered their feud heading into the event.

Ember Moon def. Mercedes Martinez

Martinez really impressed me during the Mae Young Classic and I'm glad she'll apparently be used as an extra on the brand going forward (assuming she isn't already signed to a developmental deal). I was also glad she was able to score some offense on her and have a competitive outing with Moon. They worked well together, but in the end, it was important for Moon to pick up a win ahead of challenging for the vacant NXT Women's Championship at TakeOver.

Andrade "Cien" Almas Attacked NXT Champion Drew McIntyre

Almas isn't the strongest talker (without Zelina Vegas, that is) and it can sometimes be difficult to understand him, so I thought it was for the best that he instead stormed the ring after McIntyre's promo and laid him out with a little help from Vega. There is no doubt in my mind that McIntyre is walking out of Houston still the NXT Champion, but I appreciate that they've made Almas out to look like a legitimate threat to the title.

Overall Show

As I've said before, the build to TakeOver: WarGames has been exceptional since the start and the card has come together quite well. This was a successful go-home show in that it got me excited for the event in addition to setting up two matches for next week's show (Ruby Riot vs. Sonya Deville and Pete Dunne vs. Johnny Gargano for the WWE United Kingdom Championship). There were also video packages hyping up the WarGames match as well as Aleister Black vs. The Velveteen Dream, so every advertised bout received attention at one point or another and the hour flew by as a result.