Last Month in NXT (January)
Standout Stars
Lacey EvansI'll admit that I'm personally not the biggest fan of Lacey Evans but it's evident she has a great deal of potential, the company is high on her and good things are too come in her career. Throughout her time with the WWE so far we have seen a few really strong performances from her but it was this month that we saw things really develope for Lacey. Booked in slightly longer matches Evans was able to establish her character more witch then allowed fans to have a better opinion of her. She has got a very cool unique character that with the right direction could really really work and go far. She's verbally attacked the whole NXT Women's division and while she lost a match to Nikki Cross last week she's making her way up and Lacey Evans is a name to keep watching.
Johnny Gargano
The star of the month just has to be Johnny Gargano. No doubt about it. From start to finish January was the month of Johnny Gargano and he has more than kick-started twenty eighteen on a high. His match against Andrade Cien Almas at NXT Takeover: Philadelphia for the NXT Championship was hands down one of the best matches I have seen in a long time! A five star rated match it's this that has set the bar extremely high for everyone else to follow this year and topping it is going to be close to impossible! On the night, while he didn't get the victory Gargano established as Johnny Wrestling once and for all. He is the heart of NXT and the peoples champion. Matches against Cien Almas and the Velveteen Dream have put him right at the top and with Tommaso Ciampa back on the scene things are about to get very interesting with Gargano remaining a strong focal point in NXT.
Shayan Baszler
As far as the NXT Women's division goes, it's Shayna Baszler who has been on top. Okay, she didn't walk out of NXT Takeover: Philadelphia the NXT Women's champion but she did turn heads and get people talking and that's exactly what she has been doing all month long. The new bad ass of NXT Baszler has been taking out women in the division left, right and center becoming the bully of the division. It made for a simple yet effective story between her and champ Ember Moon and their clash at NXT Takeover was a solid contest. You can check out what I thought of that match and every other match on the card in my review and reactions post which will be linked bellow. After attacking Ember following her loss at Takeover, Baszler has made it clear she is far from done with Moon and her eyes remain firmly fixated on the championship. The WWE has been very smart with Shayan's booking and how they have used her and the next few months look very promising for the new star.
Velveteen Dream
And finally, we have to mention the Velveteen Dream. One of my favourite things in pro wrestling right now, Dream is the man we all cannot get enough off. Forever proving himself to be far more than just character Dream has established himself as a true fan favourite and someone we would all love to see with the NXT championship firmly around his waist. Working a brilliant match against Johnny Gargano and then yet another fantastic performance against Kassius Ohno at NXT Takeover. The Velveteen Dream is everything you want in a WWE Superstar. The dedication he has to his role is amazing and he truly is a talent we all just cannot get enough of! He's the one superstar I'm excited to see develop and grow in time and the future looks extremely bright for this young up and comer.
Standout Matches
Velveteen Dream vs Johnny GarganoAt the end of December, Velveteen Dream was originally booked to compete in a fatal four way to determine the number one contender and superstar to face Andrade Ciena Almas at NXT Takeover: Philadelphia for the NXT championship. However, after being pulled from the match Dream missed out on a huge opportunity and upon his return to action, he challenged Johnny Gargano for a spot in the NXT Championship match at Takeover. A simple story and a dream match. These two easily took part in one of the best matches of the past month and I found myself glued to the screen from start to finish. Their chemistry wasn't anywhere near the level of Dream and Black but the pair complemented each other massively in the ring. This was wrestling magic at its finest. Dream once again showed himself to be a fantastic in-ring performer and I was so glad to see him booked in these strong matches that have a good length and against superstars at the top of their game. He may not have got the win but the booking decision was right and Dream remained a huge fan favourite and talking point.
Tyler Bate VS Roderick Strong
Up next we have a match that aired on the very last day of the month but come on, we had to include it in this post today. Taking place on the night of NXT Takeover: Philadelphia, Tyler Bate and Roderick Strong went one on one in the hopes of getting a shot at the United Kingdom championship. Now, I'm not the biggest fan of American superstars challenging for the UK title but it puts a focus on the championship and I know for a fact that Pete Dunne vs Roderick Strong will be one that will not disappoint. Bate and Strong had fans in attendance chanting "this is awesome" and everyone at home on the edge of their seat. This was simply good viewing. If the match was longer it would have been ten times stronger but for the time they had these guys killed it. Bate had his fantastic athleticism and agility on display while the heart of Strong was clear for everyone to see. Roderick has had a difficult journey since arriving on the scene. This was yet another match to add to the list of epic performances from the former ROH star but he is more than worthy of a title shot and after action that was jam-packed full of close calls and impressive moves left, right and center I cannot wait to see him clash with the champ, Pete Dunne.
Kassius Ohno vs Rahul Mendosa
The final match we are going to be discussing in today's blog post took place right at the start of the month and grabbed my attention straight away. Kassisus Ohno is one heck of an in-ring performer. It's evident whenever he steps in the ring that he is an experienced competitor and when he faced off against former Cruiserweight classic star Rahul Mendosa at the start of January he proved that point once again. While Rahul is still very fresh on the scene and yet to develop a real connection with fans he continues to impress in these little matches here and there. I don't see him getting a push to the stars any time soon and even though I hate to say it the same goes for Ohno however, the two took advantage of an opportunity they had and competed in one heck of a contest. Stiff hard shots, intensity, fast-paced, and brutal this was a brilliant contest and I honestly could have watched them go at it for much longer. I am hoping to see more of Rahul and with Ohno forever working these awesome matches I'm interested in seeing what his booking looks like in the months to come.
Moments
The Return of TM61 and NXT TakeoverWhile we haven't seen much of them in NXT due to injuries I have mentioned in the past that TM-61 is one of my personal favourite tag teams in the WWE right now. This month a series of videos were shown telling us their story in their own words this was a chance for fans to create a more personal connection with these guys. We were able to understand their journey a little more and when the pair returned to action last week I was super excited! Twenty eighteen has kick-started strong for these two and I cannot wait for them to really get started and hopefully, a nice big push is waiting for them! They truly deserve it.
And finally, we have NXT Takeover. My full review of the show will be linked below but I have to say that this was yet another awesome showing from the NXT talent. Takeover shows never disappoint and this was no different. Every match delivered in one way or another, new talent got what they needed, the booking made sense, we had new faces and stars like the Velveteen Dream, Johnny Gargano, and Andrade Cien Almas delivered performances we will be talking about for months to come! As always any recent posts will also be linked bellow including all my Royal Rumble reviews! Finally, you can get involved and tell me what you thought of last month in NXT by leaving a comment bellow or by tweeting me over at @TezangiVictoria.
Recent Blog Posts:
NXT Takeover: Philadelphia Review and Reactions
2018 WWE Royal Rumble PPV Highlights
2018 Mens Royal Rumble Highlights
First Ever Women's Royal Rumble Highlights
Five Stars the Cruiserweight Division Needs
7 Doors First Ever Women's Royal Rumble Opened
Last Week in Wrestling
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