WWE NXT Review - September 27, 2017

By Graham "GSM" Matthews

Eric Young Addressed Adam Cole

It's rare that NXT kicks off with a talking segment, so when it does, you know shit is about to go down. Young's promo was short, sweet and was exactly what it needed to be by progressing SAnitY's program with The Undisputed Era and hyping up his main event match against Cole later in the night. Nothing too much is different about SAnitY now that they're apparently babyfaces, but I like it that way.

Lars Sullivan def. Oney Lorcan

Sullivan is an absolute freak of nature, which you just know means he's going to be a big deal eventually. It helps that, while he's still green, he's aware of his strengths and works within his limitations. As I discussed in my review of the NXT live event I attended last week, Sullivan and Lorcan had a super fun match on that show and this was equally entertaining. The only difference was that the house show occurred in Boston, where Lorcan is from, and the crowd was much louder for him there. Even still, this was a blast and Danny Burch coming to Lorcan's aid afterward would indicate he's Sullivan's next victim.

Heavy Machinery def. Demitrius Bronson and Patrick Scott

As always, Heavy Machinery were a treat to watch as they dominated their unknown opponents in enjoyable fashion. They find new ways to make me laugh with every one of their outings as their offense never ceases to engage the audience. Heavy Machinery are slowly starting to build momentum again after failing to defeat The Authors of Pain for the NXT Tag Team Championship a few months ago, and squash matches like this one will help with that.

Liv Morgan def. Vanessa Borne

I honestly feared for the worst when I saw that this match was announced after Borne stunk up the joint in her last appearance on NXT and Morgan is notoriously bad in the ring, but this actually wasn't tremendously terrible. Both women held their own and Morgan especially impressed me more than usual. That isn't to say I want to see her competing for the NXT Women's Championship at TakeOver: Houston, but it appears she's improving, so good on her.

Kassius Ohno def. Fabian Aichner

It was a smart idea to air some highlights of Aichner from last year's Cruiserweight Classic because almost everybody (myself included) forgot he was a part of it. I can't believe I didn't remember him because he had a hell of a showing here. He came out to his own entrance music and everything, so I'm curious as to whether he has signed a developmental deal or not, and if so, that's a great get. He and Ohno bought the best out of each other and this was a terrific sprint for as long as it lasted.

Adam Cole def. Eric Young

Cole's pre-match promo was perfect in establishing what he and the rest of The Undisputed Era are all about, and I'm surprised it wasn't advertised in advance that he would be breaking his silence on this show. As for the match itself, Cole and Young weren't given a ton of time to work with, but it was a solid main event nevertheless with both guys putting forth a commendable effort. Needless to say, it was imperative that Cole emerged victorious in his in-ring debut for the brand.

Overall Show

There was one too many matches on this edition of NXT for my liking, but at least each of them were successful in showcasing the talents involved. Not only did up-and-coming talent pick up key victories, but the groundwork was laid for the coming weeks of NXT TV. The Undisputed Era and SAnitY furthered their feud, the road to crowning a new NXT Women's Championship got underway, Drew McIntyre and Roderick Strong clash for the NXT Championship next week, and Johnny Gargano and Andrade "Cien" Almas will face off in a rematch from TakeOver: Brooklyn III the week after that. All things considered, NXT is firing on all cylinders right now.