 NXT Tag Team Champions Axiom and Nathan Frazer by Disqualification vs. The Street Profits Ended in a No ContestI can't believe it's been almost exactly five years since the Profits were last in NXT. I'm bummed we couldn't get Axiom and Frazer vs. The Rascalz, but the Profits weren't weak replacements. This was a very enjoyable outing with the two teams working super well together. Obviously, the Profits were never going to win, but The Bloodline showing up to attack them was a pleasant surprise. I wouldn't mind seeing Jacob Fatu have a match on an upcoming episode of NXT. Giulia def. Chelsea GreenIt was smart to have Giulia's NXT in-ring debut immediately follow the opener, especially with the first 30 minutes being commercial-free. I realize Green is a SmackDown Superstar, but I'm surprised this lasted as long as it did. Green is used to being an enhancement talent, so she could've afforded the quick loss. Either way, it was a solid showcase for Giulia. She just arrived and already feels like a massive star. NXT Heritage Cup Champion Charlie Dempsey def. Je'Von EvansI know being "bouncy" (which feels weird to type) is part of Evans' shtick because he bounces around the ring, but he's also been bouncing from feud to feud without much direction. He consistently looks credible in defeat, but I'd like to see him start winning matches that matter or even capture gold soon. High-fliers tend to make these Heritage Cup matches more interesting and that was the case here. Tavion Heights returned by attacking Evans right before the finish. NXT North American Champion Oba Femi def. Hammerstone (Non-Title)It was extremely cool to see Hammerstone in NXT. I started watching and reviewing MLW regularly three years ago this month and Hammerstone vs. Fatu was one of the first main events of theirs that I saw. Thus, it's awesome both of them appeared on the same episode of NXT. Hammerstone has been a nice pickup for TNA, but he belongs on a bigger stage. These two had a well-worked match and Femi winning decisively was expected, but I wish they got more time. Ridge Holland def. Duke HudsonI dig Holland's new look. I really dug his vignette last week, too. He floundered his first few months back in NXT, but he may have finally found his footing now that he's a full-fledged heel. Chase U are big fan favorites, so he'll get easy heat by working with them. This was a solid match and the booking of Holland was perfect. Not only did he win, he also destroyed Hudson afterward. TNA Knockouts World Champion Jordynne Grace def. Sol Ruca by DisqualificationIt was heavily implied ahead of time an NXT star would answer the open challenge. What would be the point of having two TNA talents face each other on a WWE show? Ruca was an excellent choice as she's a top prospect in the women's division and you can always count on her for a quality contest. What we got was good before the non-finish. Grace was attacked by Rosemary and Wendy Choo, who are also feuding with Tatum Paxley and Lyra Valkyria at the moment. Does this mean Grace vs. Rosemary for the Knockouts title is the plan for Bound for Glory? Trick Williams def. Pete Dunne in an NXT Championship No. 1 Contender's Last Man Standing MatchI don't remember NXT holding too many Last Man Standing matches over the years, so this felt special. This gradually progressed into a great match with some big spots down the stretch. Williams winning was the most logical outcome, but he had to work for it. Williams vs. Ethan Page for the NXT Championship is officially set for NXT's debut on The CW on October 1st. Overall ShowThis was an above-average edition of NXT. I was excited coming into it given what was advertised and they delivered a strong show. TNA had a presence throughout the night, the opener and the main event were a lot of fun, Giulia's in-ring debut was notable, and the build toward the CW premiere continued. Unlike most NXT episodes, this one didn't feel like it had any filler. The brand is riding a wave of momentum right now and the timing couldn't be better with the CW premiere right around the corner.
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