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. This is Aaron Wrotkowski filling in for Adam Contant.
NXT Future Five: Week of October 21
Highlights of the Night
- “Last Week on NXT” package: A pretty decent video showing the most important action to occur in the battle royal. Enzo Amore made a big elimination, Samoa Joe was screwed by Tyler Breeze, Baron Corbin double crossed his tag partner Rhyno and Apollo Crews won the battle royal by eliminating Corbin. It was a good way to put some of the storylines in motion for this week’s episode.
- Billie Kay vs. Asuka: Billie Kay is like a pro wrestling version of Olivia Munn. Someone did a good job coaching her because she slows things down between her strikes better than most men in the WWE (or in the indies). Asuka was definitely the fan favourite with a great entrance, crazy ring gear, tight kids and a sadistic smile. It feels like someone from WWE took notes from how WCW originally pushed Chris Benoit as a small hoss. I wish Rich Brennan and the rest of the commentary team put her facials and mannerisms over better.
- Tyler Breeze Selfie Video: Breeze is basically an anime villain and I love it. He’d fit perfectly into trying to ruin the life of a Pokémon trainer. Good job following up his actions from last week.
- Eva Marie promo: That was garbage. Just pure garbage. I get what she’s doing. I get she’s trying to be condescending and facetious. It’s terrible. Get her off television and get her properly trained. And get her acting lessons.
- Danny Burch vs. James Storm: Is Burch a big Bushwhacker fan? Maybe he always wanted to be in the Truth Commission? Either way, SORRY BOUT YOUR DAMN LUCK! “The Cowboy” James Storm makes his unexpected debut in NXT. I never expected James Storm to be signed by the WWE, even to work in NXT. NXT likes to claim to be a development promotion but when you sign guys polished like Storm is, it’s hard to keep that argument. James Storm is more polished than 90% of the WWE roster. He’s a better seller, better striker, better storyteller and far more charismatic than most of the WWE/NXT roster. He’s on such a higher level than most of NXT as well, and honestly stood out in his “WWE Superstars” style squash more than Samoa Joe did for me. Despite lacking a great physique at his age, he just wrestles at a higher level. It’ll be good for the greenhorns, but it’s also going to expose anyone not ready for primetime.
- Apollo Nation vignette: Adam did a great article about the dangers of Apollo Crews becoming too much of a Rocky Miavia blue chipper. This vignette did no favours. It’s a nice life story though, don’t get me wrong. I personally want Crews to succeed in every way. The problem is it doesn’t add any dimension to who he is as a pro wrestler. Hopefully they catch on that before the crowd loses interest.
- Nia Jax video: Short and sweet. WWE found their Kharma replacement.
- Baron Corbin vs. Rhyno: Main event time. Why am I dealing with a commercial break between a main event on an over the top service? Probably because they needed to do something to wake up viewers. Earlier I complimented Billie Kay for slowing things down, but it’s important to slow things down in between doing something interesting. Baron Corbin has hardly improved since I first saw him in NXT, despite the rocket push the company continues to give him in development. What’s the difference between Big Cass and Baron Corbin? One got picked to be a comedy big man and the other got a cool entrance. Corbin can’t sell, can’t strike, can’t bump, can’t execute and despite a legitimate fighting background, looks like the least legitimate male fighter on the roster (because folks like Alexa Bliss exist). Corbin kicks out of the Gore. I’m supposed to be impressed. Instead I just feel bad for Rhyno. End of Days. Corbin wins.
- Samoa Joe promo: This might be Samoa Joe’s best promo in years. He almost went into a Rock schtick at one point. Anyone else think he was going to tell him to shine it up real nice and stick it straight up Breeze’s candy ass? Either way, one minute of Joe was more convincing than an entire wrestling main event of Baron Corbin. Shows you who is developing and who is evolved.
The Future Five
5. Billie Kay: According to Wikipedia, Kay spent seven years in SHIMMER and other independent promotions before getting signed by the WWE. It certainly shows. There’s a lot of polish to her and I can certainly see her potential if she can build a character for herself. She did a good job showcasing herself.
4. Peyton Royce: The former KC Cassidy is another Aussie and similar to fellow Aussie Emma, trained at the Lance Storm Wrestling Academy. What I really liked about her was that not only did she do her job in making Alexa Bliss look good (which is difficult when Bliss puts on wrestling holds like she’s doing it to water balloons), but she made a great argument to not needing much more development in the ring. I was really impressed with her poise and technique on everything she did. It was either tight and snug with little room for disbelief or it was just crisp. If NXT ever creates a Women’s tag division, I’d love to see Kay and Royce together.
3. Samoa Joe: Did Joe wrestle? Nah. Did Joe appear for more than a minute? Only if you count the flashback from last week? Did Joe talk? Yes he did. In one minute of talking at the end of the show he sold me on next week’s match against Tyler Breeze. Breeze might be on the WWE main roster now, but that doesn’t mean he escapes the Nation of Violence.
2. Asuka: Asuka is to the NXT Women’s division what Finn Balor is to the NXT Men’s division. I don’t know what else to say. From her entrance to the way she carries herself in the ring, she’s an absolute treat to watch.
1. James Storm: The Cowboy was the franchise of TNA Wrestling, and due to that, spent close to a decade wrestling in front of Florida wrestling crowds. They know him quite well there. He’s a guy who can do everything in the ring, from singles to tag competition. I like seeing a guy like him in NXT because not only does he bring a lot to the table, he brings a different flavour to the roster. That southern/country flavour that Storm brings hasn’t been seen since Audrey Marie departed. NXT is currently in a crossroads as to whether it wants to be a development territory or its own unique brand to compete for wrestling attention. Adding guys like Storm and women like Asuka remove it from its development roots. It might not be good for the long term, but it certainly makes better television in the short term.
Final Thoughts
I thought it was a good show overall. They packed two women’s matches, a tag match, a men’s main event match, several vignettes and promos and kept seeing Eva Marie to a bare minimum. While watching Baron Corbin for any extended length of time is cruel and unusual punishment, seeing is he’s a walking week old fried chicken drumstick (and just as charismatic), it didn’t make me want to stop watching NXT but merely had me lose my undivided attention. They also made me want to see next week for Breeze vs. Joe and the next appearance of Nia Jax. Last week, Adam said he was intrigued by what will happen next and what the fresh faces bring with a new opportunity. I think this week showed they plan to bring quite a lot.
