Keith Lee vs Cameron Grimes-North American Championship
This was a fun little defense for Lee, giving the champion time to shine without having high stakes. Grimes was okay as well, but I highly doubt that’ll be enough to dampen the disdain of the crowd. I also liked the bait and switch after the match with Damian Priest attacking Lee with a nightstick but scampering off and Lee thinking it was Dominik Dijakovic. I’m not sure if Spirit Bombing Dijakovic necessarily counts as a heel turn but we shall see what happens.
Winner: Keith Lee
Grade: B-
Mia Yim vs Dakota Kai-Qualifying Match for the Number One Contender’s Ladder Match
Okay the match itself was fairly good. I’m still not really buying Kai as a heel or as the brains of this partnership with Raquel Gonzales. I think Yim was the smarter choice as she has proven her greatness in ladder matches. But with losing, Kai lost some of that momentum she had gained from her feud with Tegan Nox. That’s probably why they had Gonzales powerbomb Yim, just for good measure.
Winner: Mia Yim
Grade: C+
Kushida vs Raul Mendoza
This was a little on the short side and didn’t spark much joy for me. It mostly just seemed like an opportunity to get Kushida a W. Can you believe Kushida slid onto the backburner that fast?
Winner: Kushida
Grade: C
Flash in the pan
Tyler Breeze called Austin Theory a flash in the pan. I don’t what it is about Tyler Breeze and his almost grade school comments but somehow they work for him.
Not Graded
“I made here.”
Charlotte Flair putting over Rhea before immediately knocking her down a peg, locking her in the Figure Four, and then standing over her was the highlight of the night for me. This is easily the match I’m most looking forward to. Also Flair was killing it while fighting in those thigh-high boots.
Grade: A
Another NXT kidnapping?
Some dudes in masks rolled up and kidnapped Raul Mendoza. This is the second or third time someone’s been kidnapped from the Performance Center. Security there sucks.
Not Graded
Tegan Nox vs Deonna Purrazzo-Qualifying Match for the Number One Contender’s Ladder Match
Short, sweet, and to the point. Maybe with all these losses, Purrazzo will find herself a personality because she risks becoming another Aliyah if she doesn’t find something that clicks.
Winner: Tegan Nox
Grade: C
Always been Adam?
I was a little confused by Velveteen Dream’s proclamation that his attention has always been on Adam Cole. That seems like it glosses over the fact that Roderick Strong was the one that put him out of action and buries the weird psychological games that have been going on but I digress. I don’t write the show.
Grade: B-
Broserweights vs Undisputed Era
I do feel like we rushed through earlier matches in order to give this match a proper time but it wasn’t in vain. The Takeover was objectively better but no one was a slouch in this match. The Broserweights have really gelled into a fantastic team and an established team like Kyle O’Reilly and Bobby Fish is always a great way to test their mettle. The Grizzled Young Veterans also just won’t stay so I predict we’ll be seeing them in Tampa.
Winner: Broserweights
Grade: B+
Final Thoughts
I have to say it was a bit of an average show for me. It wasn’t bad but I wasn’t all that invested other than the confrontation between Charlotte and Rhea. Also I don’t know what I expected from the Performance Center layout but it didn’t look bad at all. It seems like everyone there had a good time. I do think that the fact that they had to hold it at the Performance Center because Full Sail had a prior engagement is proof that NXT should go on the road. They don’t have to do the whole country, but maybe do a little southern circle.
Overall Grade: B-
