Post by ThankGodForSidJustice on Dec 6, 2021 6:59:19 GMT -5
Had to work so I just finished watching it now. Awesome show. Really exceeded my expectations. The tag title match was match of the night for me. Had me on the edge of my seat the whole time. Aichner really had a breakout performance.
Both wargames delivered. With the women's one it was strange with the heels at the disadvantage and having to play catch up and I think would've been better if they did it the other way around. However it was still good and everyone was used well within the match. KLR and Dakota starting was a good choice with both of their experience and them just having a good match last Tuesday. Gigi I thought really stepped up and did well. Jacy was hidden well which was probably for the best as she's been kind of spotty in ring so far. They kind of took her out early and used her as the fall girl for the heels which is fine as she was the low woman on the heel team. Io getting snuffed out immediately was odd but she got some good shine spots later. Raquel was fine as the babyface clean up hitter, coming in last for her team and hitting her power spots. Mandy was also fine in her role as the main villain. Saving herself for last and then trying to prey on the injured Cora both made sense for her character. Cora was kind of the question mark going in and she ended up doing great and was put over big. She did a great job selling the shoulder. Io popping it back into place was great. As was the KLR heel turn tease. I really bit on that. I'm sure a lot of people didn't like the finish but I kind of enjoyed. Not every match has to have some big dramatic finish. It also played into Cora's character of being a smart babyface who is wise beyond her years. Like hey one of the heels is down and not moving and nobody else is around yeah I think I'm going to cover her.
Men's one was a lot of fun too. Gargano and Carmelo starting was no surprise with them being the two smallest most workrate guys on their respective teams. Both kind of seemed to blend into the background it seemed though at least until the last few minutes. Waller was really the pleasant surprise as he really worked his ass off and took some huge bumps. Dunne was solid as always. D'Angelo held his own enough and not surprisingly was entertaining with his character stuff. LA Knight showed good face fire which was surprising as until recently he had been a heel his whole run so far. Breakker and Ciampa were both presented well as the two aces of their respective teams. I liked Breakker breaking in with the bolt cutters as it was yet another call back to the Steiner Brothers which they love to do. At Starrcade 1990 the Steiners used bolt cutters to break into the ring to save Sting when he was getting beat down in a cage by the Four Horsemen. I liked all the NXT 2.0 guys taking out their Black and Gold counterparts. Waller jumping off the cage with an elbow through a table on LA Knight, D'Angelo outsing Dunne with the tire iron, Carmelo lowblowing Gargano, and then Breakker hitting his finish on Cimap to win the match. Breakker going over was the right move but getting there was kind of clunky. I get that they were trying to make out like Gargano was sacraficing himself but it made no sense for Ciampa to him when he had clear shot at Carmelo's head too where he wouldn't have even had to hit Gargano.
Grimes/Hudson and Strong/Gacy were both good. They were the two matches on the card I looking forward to the least but both were good and were effective cool down matches. Overall though I really enjoyed the show and thought it was great. I've been a fan of NXT 2.0. since it's relaunch so I'm glad they delivered and proved that despite the inexperience of a lot the roster that they could put on a good show.
Both wargames delivered. With the women's one it was strange with the heels at the disadvantage and having to play catch up and I think would've been better if they did it the other way around. However it was still good and everyone was used well within the match. KLR and Dakota starting was a good choice with both of their experience and them just having a good match last Tuesday. Gigi I thought really stepped up and did well. Jacy was hidden well which was probably for the best as she's been kind of spotty in ring so far. They kind of took her out early and used her as the fall girl for the heels which is fine as she was the low woman on the heel team. Io getting snuffed out immediately was odd but she got some good shine spots later. Raquel was fine as the babyface clean up hitter, coming in last for her team and hitting her power spots. Mandy was also fine in her role as the main villain. Saving herself for last and then trying to prey on the injured Cora both made sense for her character. Cora was kind of the question mark going in and she ended up doing great and was put over big. She did a great job selling the shoulder. Io popping it back into place was great. As was the KLR heel turn tease. I really bit on that. I'm sure a lot of people didn't like the finish but I kind of enjoyed. Not every match has to have some big dramatic finish. It also played into Cora's character of being a smart babyface who is wise beyond her years. Like hey one of the heels is down and not moving and nobody else is around yeah I think I'm going to cover her.
Men's one was a lot of fun too. Gargano and Carmelo starting was no surprise with them being the two smallest most workrate guys on their respective teams. Both kind of seemed to blend into the background it seemed though at least until the last few minutes. Waller was really the pleasant surprise as he really worked his ass off and took some huge bumps. Dunne was solid as always. D'Angelo held his own enough and not surprisingly was entertaining with his character stuff. LA Knight showed good face fire which was surprising as until recently he had been a heel his whole run so far. Breakker and Ciampa were both presented well as the two aces of their respective teams. I liked Breakker breaking in with the bolt cutters as it was yet another call back to the Steiner Brothers which they love to do. At Starrcade 1990 the Steiners used bolt cutters to break into the ring to save Sting when he was getting beat down in a cage by the Four Horsemen. I liked all the NXT 2.0 guys taking out their Black and Gold counterparts. Waller jumping off the cage with an elbow through a table on LA Knight, D'Angelo outsing Dunne with the tire iron, Carmelo lowblowing Gargano, and then Breakker hitting his finish on Cimap to win the match. Breakker going over was the right move but getting there was kind of clunky. I get that they were trying to make out like Gargano was sacraficing himself but it made no sense for Ciampa to him when he had clear shot at Carmelo's head too where he wouldn't have even had to hit Gargano.
Grimes/Hudson and Strong/Gacy were both good. They were the two matches on the card I looking forward to the least but both were good and were effective cool down matches. Overall though I really enjoyed the show and thought it was great. I've been a fan of NXT 2.0. since it's relaunch so I'm glad they delivered and proved that despite the inexperience of a lot the roster that they could put on a good show.