WWE NXT Review - September 19, 2018

By Graham "GSM" Matthews

Lacey Evans and Aliyah def. Dakota Kai and Deonna Purrazzo​

I'm still not a fan of Aliyah and I don't think she has much to offer, but I will say she held her own fairly well here. Evans is also a work in progress and is obviously in the process of being pushed as one of the division's top heels (probably being groomed for the spot Shayna Baszler currently has once she gets called up to the main roster). Kai and Purrazzo carried their opponents to a competent contest that served as a nice showcase for NXT's women's division.

Jaxson Ryker def. Humberto Carrillo

Personally, I never cared too much for Ryker during his run as Gunner in TNA, but I'm willing to give him a chance to impress me in NXT. It looks like the other two members of The Forgotten Sons will mainly be competing in the tag team ranks while Ryker will be on his own. This was a dominating performance from him and it was smart to keep this short and sweet. I wasn't blown away by any means, but I appreciated the intensity he showed and thought he made a solid first impression.

NXT North American Champion Ricochet vs. WWE United Kingdom Champion Pete Dunne Ended in a No Contest

Ricochet vs. Dunne on paper was a blockbuster and it absolutely lived up to the hype. The first half or so had a good pace and then they just went all out during the second half, delivering an absolutely exceptional main event where the crowd was with them every step of the way. The in-ring action was amazing, the atmosphere was electric, and their chemistry was incredible. This could have headlined a TakeOver special and no one batted an eyelash. Sure, fans won't be happy with the non-finish, but it made sense on the road to WarGames and allowed both men to keep their titles.

Overall Show

That main event is one of the best television matches you'll see all year on WWE/NXT TV and, needless to say, is must-see. Just spectacular stuff and is why I love professional wrestling with a passion. In addition, the rest of the show was decent with Ryker receiving a squash win and Evans and Aliyah picking up a victory. It was also announced that Lars Sullivan will wrestle on next week's show in addition to Tommaso Ciampa taking on Otis Dozovich.