NXT was terrific this past week

[Gertner]

Probably the best written show in the WWE. The storylines are simple and coming along slowly. Reks and Hawkins were fired two weeks ago, didn't show up at all last week, and this week showed up in the front row with "Down with Regal", "Fire Regal" signs. Tyson Kidd is now in a program with Johnny Curtis and of course have been having great matches.
The show ended with a nice little cliffhanger involving Alex Riley, Micheal McGillicutty and Percy Watson. Watson and Mcgillicutty had a great match, as did a tag match with Kidd/Riley vs Curtis/JTG. JTG is getting a makeover next week by Alicia Fox (his character has been the same since he started, so I have no objections)


Here's the video for those who care to watch.

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[Shisen Kopf]

Everytime I see NXT im like, "I'd like to buy a vowel". Where is the E? It's wrong.

[Gertner]

Get the "F" out

[Asmo]

NXT has been a fun watch over the last few months. The Kidd-McGillicutty feud was/is one great feud, and helped both the guys involved. Good, well paced wrestling, and decent, believable promos as well.

[Volare]

Hey look, it's A-Ry.

[Nicky Fives]

McGillicutty is on the verge of being a mid-card star..... Kidd should already be there.....

[Lock Jaw]

NXT is a strong contender for "TV Show of the Year".

[CSL]

Johnny Curtis, man of the year

[XCaliber]

It's been good as of late no doubt but with the gradual call up of the new talents can't help but wonder if the show will lose some of it's momentum.

[St. Jimmy]

These jobbers need to quit, go back to working at WalMart.

[Gertner]

Probably, they don't have enough workers to serve your fat ass free food samples.

[Mr. Nerfect]

So Gertner hates indy guys and St. Jimmy hates C-show guys? Could be a pay-off in there, somewhere.

Thanks for posting the vid, Gertner. I read the recap and decided to give it a miss this week, just because it didn't read like great television. I should know by now that reading spoilers does not do justice to a show.

[SlickyTrickyDamon]

C-Show guys will become indy guys soon enough when they are fired and Gertner will hate them again.

[Mr. Nerfect]

That was a thoroughly enjoyable watch. William Regal and Matt Striker are two of my favourite speakers in the entire WWE, and I'm glad they get the chance to do so on NXT.

I've gone on the record before and said that I think JTG could be money down the track. This was back in the Cryme Tyme days, anyway. For the past year or so I just haven't cared about the man, however. But gosh-darnit if people didn't pop when he came out and said that they want to see more JTG. The guy has a natural energy and charisma that cannot be taught. His character make-over could be just what the doctor ordered.

Tyson Kidd is fucking amazing in the ring. He's less charismatic and worse on the mic than Daniel Bryan, but he's got the same magic spark in his ring work. The dude could be something, but I really think he needs a manager or something. They were trialling that out on Superstars for a while, but I think they actually need to go forward with it. Even if they just give him Natalya as an on-screen charge.

Johnny Curtis is the man.

Alex Riley still has all the tools to be a major attraction in the WWE. He obviously needs some polish, but he's nowhere near as bad as #1-wwf-fan would have you think. I could really get into an angle where Michael McGillicutty turns him against Percy Watson.

And holy crap was that main event pretty amazing. Watson is fantastic as a plucky babyface. McGillicutty is really coming onto his own as a heel persona, too. Something Regal said as the guys were making their entrances stuck with me though: Regal said that he needs to hire someone to take care of the backstage area. I've always thought that Regal should be giving Ezekiel Jackson work on NXT, given their history together. Big Zeke would make a pretty great "backstage enforcer" for Regal.

[Mr. Nerfect]

Where the fuck is Trent Barreta, though? I love that guy. I also want more Heath Slater on my yellow show.

I'd be interested to see if NXT could make me care about Jinder Mahal as well.

[Mr. Nerfect]

I would really enjoy it if NXT sort of took something from TNA, and used NXT to elevate guys to RAW and SmackDown! through some sort of trial match against a main card performer every now and then.

For example, bring in Dolph Ziggler to work with Percy Watson as Watson's big opportunity to earn a RAW or SmackDown! contract.

[XCaliber]

For some reason i'd like to see Hennig and Curtis form a tag team they're both starting to finally grow on me.

[Mr. Nerfect]

I'd absolutely love it if it turned out that Johnny Curtis was also an amazing magician who could escape from handcuffs any time he wanted and was behind the attacks.

[#1-norm-fan]

Alex Riley still has all the tools to be a major attraction in the WWE. He obviously needs some polish, but he's nowhere near as bad as #1-wwf-fan would have you think.

*cough*yes he is*cough*

[#1-norm-fan]

He's surrounded by some of my favorite guys now on NXT though so let's see if he can not fuck up and they can give him the illusion of being entertaining to me. Who knows.

[#1-norm-fan]

Johnny Curtis, man of the year

Call Time Magazine. The search is pretty much over.

[#1-norm-fan]

These jobbers need to quit, go back to working at WalMart.

If you don't see that this is Sam Walton's ghost trying to inject some energy into the greeter position, you don't understand Wal-Mart.

[#1-norm-fan]

I'd absolutely love it if it turned out that Johnny Curtis was also an amazing magician who could escape from handcuffs any time he wanted and was behind the attacks.

Johnny Curtis could make Phantasio a main event gimmick.

[XL]

For some reason i'd like to see Hennig and Curtis form a tag team they're both starting to finally grow on me.
Nah. Need to team MM with Ted DiBiase.
I'd absolutely love it if it turned out that Johnny Curtis was also an amazing magician who could escape from handcuffs any time he wanted and was behind the attacks.
Thought they should be doing some kind of "illusionist" gimmick for a while. Have the guy appear in a poof of smoke in the ring, complete with a finisher called The Prestige.

[dronepool]

The only good thing about NXT was Daniel Bryan and Kaval.

http://27.media.tumblr.com/avatar_6feb8634e3d0_128.png

[Kane Knight]

I keep wondering if this is some sort of late April Fool's joke.

*cough*yes he is*cough*

To be fair, you're a bit biased about your own estimation.

[#1-norm-fan]

HOW DARE YOU, SIR!

[#1-norm-fan]

With these implications and allegations and such.

[Kane Knight]

Apologies, sir.

[Rammsteinmad]

Good show, and that tag match was awesome. Seriously, Tyson Kidd does something different to impress me each week. Probably gonna rank him as the #1 in-ring wrestler in the WWE today.

[Gertner]

If only he were passible on the mic.

[whiteyford]

He's about as passable as Benoit and look how that ended...












He was world champion is what i was getting at.

[Gertner]

Benoit was much better than Kidd on the mic, even though Benoit is over-rated in terms of popularity by the IWC

[whiteyford]

I dont think Kidd's that bad,i think the problem is the promos are too scripted and always feel forced,same problem alot of guys have. That and he rarely gets a chance to cut any.

[Gertner]

He just sounds "geeky".

You know who Kidd reminds me of: Crash Holly.

[Gertner]

I'd absolutely love it if it turned out that Johnny Curtis was also an amazing magician who could escape from handcuffs any time he wanted and was behind the attacks.

Doesn't Curtis look like a smaller Mike Awesome?

[whiteyford]

Kidds never gonna bulk up to 400lbs though.

[Gertner]

lol I was watching NXT this past week and that just popped into my head: the way he grins, the way he speaks.

[whiteyford]

I miss Crash :(

[Evil Vito]

<font color=goldenrod>They've implied that Regal has been scouting talent and that new guys will be appearing on NXT shortly. Looking forward to seeing who comes up. Husky Harris, Eli Cottonwood, Conor O'Brian, and Byron Saxton are all NXT alums and still in FCW, so I guess bringing them back would make some sense even if they aren't debuts, per se. I'd love it if Husky brought in his Bray Wyatt character.

Xavier Woods and Richie Steamboat seem like they would be fun additions to the show. I'd throw Seth Rollins in there too - he's incredible in the ring but his promos always seemed lacking, being on NXT would be a nice place to start him off. Dean Ambrose I hope goes straight to Raw or SD instead, ditto for Kassius Ohno once he's ready for the call up.</font>

[Mr. Nerfect]

I'm not against Husky Harris or anything, but I just can't stand it when guys that are second or third generation don't get to acknowledge it. Even more frustrating is when they do, but then play an entirely irrelevant character. Bring in Husky Harris with his new character, by all means, but why not have him use the "Rotundo" name? Am I alone in being so frustrated by that?

A lot of the guys you mentioned, Vito, would be great for NXT. Seth Rollins, who is amazing in the ring, would get a lot from being able to work alongside Tyson Kidd. Dean Ambrose getting a pass straight to either RAW or SmackDown! would probably be better for him, but if they wanted to make NXT mean something, have Seth Rollins and Dean Ambrose debut against each other in an "NXT tryout match." Rollins wins that cleanly and then the following week, Ambrose runs out in street clothes and shoves Rollins off the top rope in a match against JTG or something. Cue awesome Ambrose vs. Rollins feud, until something opens up for one or both on the main rosters.

Xavier Woods would be pretty fun on NXT. I'm not sure how the guy is as a promo. For some reason, I think Richie Steamboat would find a better place on SmackDown! than NXT, but I would not be against him showing up and having a few matches. Kassius Ohno could actually thrive on NXT, but I do get the point about him being better off on SmackDown! or RAW from the start.

I'd kind of mark out if Byron Saxton came in as a representative of a different agency to A.W., and the two agencies went to war. Saxton's group would be the babyfaces, and then he could speak for Tyson Kidd. Conor O'Brian isn't ready for RAW or SmackDown! yet, and could be an interesting addition on NXT. Perhaps he and Ezekiel Jackson could be the "backstage enforcers" Regal is looking for?

Bo Rotundo has been travelling with the SmackDown! roster -- so he's a possibility. Bo is the youngest talent in the WWE, I believe. He's got quite a good look and is apparently a fairly talented guy. He might not be ready for the big leagues, but a few matches on NXT against Johnny Curtis would do the man good. I don't know why they just don't put the Rotundo brothers together as a tag team, though.

[Mr. Nerfect]

Oh, and although I don't like Eli Cottonwood as an in-ring talent or a character, his size alone makes him a bit of a spectacle. A while ago I had this idea that Cottonwood could return under a mask. Call him "Monolith" or something. In my original idea, Michael Cole would manage him claiming to have found "the next breakout star." For all the hate Cole gets, he's over as a heel (even if his act has dialled down), and he's a good speaker. People might actually tune in for a 7'0, 313lbs masked man Chokeslamming people on NXT.

I always thought that Cottonwood looked a bit like a clown too, however. You could put a giant clown outfit on him and have him terrorise children like a Monster Evil Doink.

[#1-norm-fan]

It could just be the mustache promo and how awkward he is but Eli Cottonwood is not nearly as intimidating to me as he should be for a man his size.

[Mr. Nerfect]

That he is absolutely not.

[Mr. Nerfect]

He just didn't have presence, despite his actual size.

[#1-norm-fan]

Benoit was much better than Kidd on the mic, even though Benoit is over-rated in terms of popularity by the IWC

Benoit was so unlikable on the mic. Even as a face. Hated him.

Atleast Kidd comes off as laid back and not so annoying with the "look at my puffy neck, so angry!" thing Benoit had.

[Volare]

Oh come on, even I liked Benoit's "Coffee" promo.

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[Fignuts]

Trying to understand how all these vanilla midgets are any different from the vanilla midgets gertner usually hates.

Drawing a blank.

[loopydate]

They have WWE contracts.

[Dukelorange]

Persoanlly I dig Maxine... I don't care tii much for the ring attire, but that dragon sleeper looks painful...

[#1-norm-fan]

They have WWE contracts.

To be fair, Gertner does seem to call all small white guys "vanilla midgets" regardless of whether they're under contract with WWE. (CM Punk, Daniel Bryan...)

[Gertner]

Becuase the IWC circle jerks and tries to pull the armchair book these guys who have no business headlining

[#1-norm-fan]

Punk COULD headline with the right booking.

[#1-norm-fan]

I mean, by that theory you could have called HBK a vanilla midget.

[Gertner]

Punk COULD headline with the right booking.

No he most certainly could not

[Gertner]

I mean, by that theory you could have called HBK a vanilla midget.

HBK had a ton of personality.

[#1-norm-fan]

As does Punk

[#1-norm-fan]

And Punk has proven that he can headline short-term. I think once that's accomplished, it shows that good booking could lead to him getting over long-term. Do some require better booking than others? Sure. But he's certainly capable.

[#1-norm-fan]

Daniel Bryan on the other hand...

I mean, I'm of the belief that most guys with at least SOMETHING going for them could headline with amazing booking. I can't fathom what it would take for Daniel Bryan to be a headliner. It would take a ridiculously magic formula to me.

Punk had the tools though.

[KyleEmmott]

REKS AND HAWKINS FOR LIFE!

[Mr. Nerfect]

Punk and Bryan are both main eventers. Maybe not headliners, but they are main eventers. Daniel Bryan is the perfect heel you want making your top stars look good.