Welcome to NXT Future Five on Last Word On Sports, where each week we analyze the latest episode of World Wrestling Entertainment Network’s hottest program, NXT and rank the five performers who made the biggest impact.
Highlights of the Night
- Bayley vs Emma: It was good to see Bayley back in action, and it was even better to see her against an opponent the likes of Emma. These two solid performers put on a match that demonstrated despite the exodus of Charlotte, Becky Lynch, and NXT Women’s Champion Sasha Banks, the NXT women’s division still has a few competitors that can carry it into the future. Bayley was victorious after the referee removed Dana Brooke from ringside, and Bayley managed to hit her Belly-To-Bayley Suplex for the victory
- Finn Balor and Kevin Owens Contract Signing: With Balor scoring a decisive victory in Japan, I was intrigued to hear the main event of their next live special would be Balor vs Owens III. Using logic, Owens should have a rematch clause granting him the contest, so that makes sense, but I was curious how they would try to build it from there. This was a good first step, with both men taking a less is more approach to their barbs and a simple but effective brawl at the end with a shocking result in which Kevin Owens flipped the table and punched NXT General Manager William Regal. It was a shocking moment for me watching at home. Owens later apologized to Regal in a backstage video for WWE.com, but I hope it plays a role going forward in the build.
NXT Future Five: Week of July 22, 2015
The Future Five
5. Cassie: WWE made a smart choice in assigning Cassie as the first opponent for the returning Eva Marie. Eva Marie was heading into a match where she was going to be scrutinized more than any female debuting in NXT simply because of her exposure on Total Divas. Cassie showed some skills during the contest that likely overshadowed her returning opponent. While some might view that as a negative, I would say she got herself over while putting someone else over. That’s a good skill to have in the world of WWE. If she develops a personality or gimmick that can connect with the folks at Full Sail University, then I see a bright future for Cassie.
4. Baron Corbin: At first, I wasn’t comfortable giving Corbin the fourth spot on the list this week, considering his match was yet another squash that was over in less than 30 seconds, but the reason I reconsidered was two-fold. First, there weren’t a whole lot of other performers that I thought deserved the spot more. Secondly, although Baron wasn’t out there long, he did make it very clear what side of the fence he was on, and being able to establish that kind of presence through body language alone is a great tool in the kit of a heel. It seems each week that I see this heel persona from Baron Corbin, the more I enjoy watching his arrogance grow. Plus, a win in 30 seconds is still impressive, even if it’s been done to death.
3. Samoa Joe: Joe still seemed to fall flat with the crowd this week, just not as flat as last week. Fans need to remember who Joe can become, and hopefully he will make them remember with his advertised match against the Man-Beast Rhyno in two weeks. As for this week’s performance, it was much of the same as we’ve seen recently. Nothing has impressed me as much as his debut match against Scott Dawson. In that match, despite the fact that I knew Dawson was being served up on a platter to Joe, the match looked and felt like a competition. There was an intensity there that has been lacking with Joe lately, and I hope he finds it again soon.
2. Bayley: Two women made their return to the ring on this week’s episode, but only one of them is worth talking about. Bayley wasn’t sidelined for long, but it still felt great to see her in action again. She has a special connection with the crowd and you can tell the love affair is mutual. Her performance against Emma was strong and her challenge spoke volumes not just about herself but about how earnest NXT is trying to present their women’s division. Bayley stated that she was going after the NXT Women’s Championship, but to do so would need to beat Charlotte first. I was confused for a moment until I realized what she was saying. There’s a pecking order in NXT that one must follow in order to get to the top. Bayley wanting to prove herself in this way only made her more endearing and deserving of a top spot.
1. Kevin Owens: Originally, I had Bayley slotted for this spot, but the more I thought about it, the more I realized that Owens should be here. He didn’t win a big match, but at the end of the night, the moment I was thinking about was his punch to the face of William Regal. The utter chaos that he caused, and the magic he was pulling on the microphone. Finn Balor may has sent him scattering, but Kevin Owens out smarted Balor in the final segment of the night and came out looking like a man crazed and desperate, which is a good angle to take in the upcoming rematch. When it comes right down to it, Kevin Owens made me excited for the live special, which should be the job of every NXT superstar.
Final Thoughts:
Once again, NXT leaves me feeling unimpressed, but not so much for me to dislike the episode. This week did have more purpose than last week’s episode, with both Bayley and Eva Marie returning, and the Kevin Owens vs Finn Balor match getting some heat thrown on it too. Everything else was pretty forgettable, which is a shame given the talent featured on the show, and I’m not just speaking about the superstars. Performers like Mike Rollis, Cassie, Angelo Dawkins and Sawyer Fulton are impressing me just as much as the superstars some weeks; and while that is great news for the future of NXT, it makes me question what they could be doing to make sure I feel that way about the stars of today.
