Author Topic: WWE NXT Thread (Read 2179 times)

nightrain · « **Reply #15 on:** April 17, 2010, 08:52:40 am »

THE NXT rookies didn't just talk about sleep on this week's episode — we were nearly sent to the land of nod following one of the most bizarre wrestling shows ever.

All eight men were given banal subjects with half a minute to talk about them - creating one of the most curious incidents I've ever sat through live.

This 'talk off' was eventually won by Englishman Wade Barrett, as voted for by the live crowd, but the segment's impact was wider reaching than its victor.

It took up 20 minutes of the NXT show, and was hardly captivating for a live audience who have turned up to see wrestling.

However, if we are right in assuming that the rookies were not told their subjects in advance, then it was a fascinating experience in their ability to think on their feet and improvise.

It may not be a quality that the NXT pros consider in their fictional vote, but the WWE powers-that-be will have taken note of the reactions of the up-and-comers.

Twenty minutes of my and the other thousands of people in the O2 Arena's lives is of little consideration in the great scheme of things as far as WWE creative go.

Yet the disappointment of this week's NXT, from a live perspective, did not end there.

England's William Regal was given little fanfare, but when placed in a match with his real-life protégé and friend Daniel Bryan, there was hope for a classic.

But it lasted two minutes.

A head-scratching decision, frankly, to underuse these men in such a fashion.

Luckily Smackdown, taped directly afterwards, was a far better spectacle.

London was treated to a world title match, with Teddy Long placing Jack Swagger in a triple threat encounter with Edge and Chris Jericho for the big gold belt.

In the end, Swagger prevailed, capitalising on an Edge spear on Jericho to retain and go on to face Randy Orton at Extreme Rules.

It was a solid and satisfying main event, and although Swagger's win was a result of capitalising on someone else's doing, it was still basically a clean victory and played up his character well.

We were also treated to a surprisingly good six-man tag match featuring the Hart Dynasty teaming with Rey Mysterio to take on CM Punk, Luke Gallows and Darren Young, with David Hart Smith getting the pin over Punk.

The rest of Smackdown was fairly standard fare.

Michelle McCool, with assistance, beat Mickie James, but when she and Layla ganged up, Beth Phoenix emerged to save James, and they uneasily acknowledged each other.

The Dolph Ziggler push continued with a win over R-Truth with another sleeper, Matt Hardy interfered in a Kane v Drew McIntyre match to draw a DQ and JTG beat Caylen Croft to basically no reaction, with former partner Shad attacking post match.

It might not sound all that inspiring, but Smackdown live in the O2 was a good experience, and a welcome one after an NXT which left us a little like some of the rookies in the contest — speechless.

Read more: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/wrestling/2935756/NXT-debacle-puts-us-to-sleep.html#ixzz0lLFSI85k

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Author Topic: WWE NXT Thread (Read 2179 times)

nightrain

Re: WWE NXT Thread