There’s nothing in wrestling quite like the fire ball. Naraku used it to great effect here before the advertised contract signing. Why do I bring this up? Besides the fact that it became the crux of this episode, it spoke to NXT going a bit old school to reestablish itself.
Sometimes the old ways are the best ways.
NXT is always at its best when it keeps things simple. The matches can get as complex as possible, but the stories and emotions need to keep it basic. Tony D’Angelo’s opponent burned his face with a fireball. Tony spent most of the episode in a “medical facility,” only to reemerge looking like a bootleg phantom of the opera:
The crowd reaction didn’t say they were overly enthused to see the champ, but I liked the image of a misshapen bandage covering up his “burnt” face with either blood or burns seeping through. It made him look tough and a little psychotic.
That keep it simple vibe ran through Orlando. All of the stables are going through drama that’s simple to understand and very human. The feuds are very personal and not just about “opportunities.” And even the title matches some personal stakes involved besides the obvious.
This wasn’t the most exciting episode of NXT but it was consistently entertaining. That’s exactly where they want to be as they prepare for The Great American Bash.
Like I said, not the most exciting episode but an entertaining one that handled the basics very well. And it got me excited for The Great American Bash, which means job well done, Heartbreak Kid.
What say you, Cagesiders?