Becky is back!
It seems like the roof came off of Full Sail when Becky Lynch showed up. But the fact that Rhea Ripley got just as much as a reaction when she came out shows that Ripley is truly reaching new heights as a star. It’s amazing to see how much she’s progressed in the couple of years she’s been with NXT.
Grade: A
Becky Lynch vs Rhea Ripley
I was expecting a non-finish since War Games and Survivor Series are this weekend so I won’t take anything off because of it. However, these two had a great match and worked very well together. I’d love to see another match or even a program between the two of them where there’s some more build up and time for proper finishes.
Winner: No contest
Grade: B+
Matt Riddle vs Ricochet
Technically Riddle was supposed to face Kona Reeves but Ricochet happened and we got this instead, not that I’m complaining. They put so much into this match that you almost can’t believe it was less than five minutes long. I would have more to say about the short match but the subsequent brawl featuring Shinsuke Nakamura, Cesaro, Roderick Strong, and Finn Balor saved the day.
Winner: Matt Riddle
Grade: B+
Undisputed Era (O’Reilly and Fish) vs The Revival
If you forgot about NXT-era Revival or this is your first time seeing them not on the main roster, this is the perfect match! Scott Dawson and Dash Wilder really excel when given the proper time to do so…and don’t have any wacky interruptions to worry about (looking at you, itching powder). They also played babyface to the established-heel team of Kyle O’Reilly and Bobby Fish, which was an interesting dynamic. This match was fantastic and as a lover of tag team wrestling, my favorite of the night.
Winner: Undisputed Era
Grade: A
Kay Lee Ray vs Dakota Kai
The match was a little on the shorter side, but it was good exposure for Kay Lee Ray as some fans may not be as familiar with her. As with the prior Riddle-Ricochet match, the brawl that came afterwards really elevated this segment. I quite enjoyed the tease between Kairi Sane and Io Shirai!
Winner: Kay Lee Ray
Grade: C+
The Viking Raiders vs The Forgotten Sons
This match was pretty good, but I had the feeling that it was placed here as sort of a cool down match. I also feel like there was just a little too much interference from the outside man of the Sons but I can’t complain too much.
Winner: Viking Raiders
Grade: C
Adam Cole vs Dominik Dijakovic-Ladder Match
I didn’t know if they would be able to live up to the women’s ladder match from last week, but these lads knocked it out of the park! This was a great main event and though these two are not wrestlers I’d generally pair together I think they worked well. Another successful one-on-one television ladder match in the books for NXT!
Winner: Adam Cole
Grade: B+
Go-home brawl!
After the ladder match, we had yet another brawl! You would think three brawls would be too much in one episode, but nah. The ending tease between Tomasso Ciampa and Seth Rollins was just icing on the cake.
Grade: A
Final Thoughts
War Games and Survivor Series is upon us! I am genuinely more excited for Survivor Series than I have been in the last couple of years and I think a lot of that has to do with the involvement of NXT. It’s a fresh take and also solidifies NXT as its own brand with its own stars, not just a developmental territory.
Overall Grade: A-
