NXT Preview - August 8, 2020
NXT continues their march towards August 18th and TakeOver: Brooklyn. With most of the matches in place, the NXT Championship picture is the only one yet to really be decided. Will that be resolved tonight? Only one way to find out!
First, a recap of the August 8th episode.
- Heavy Machinery over The Mighty, after a distraction from the Street Profits
- Moustache Mountain in a squash. After, they demand their rematch for the tag titles at TakeOver: Brooklyn!
- EC3 over Kona Reeves
- Shayna Baszler over Candace LeRae. Baszler continues the assault after, and Kairi Sane makes the save.
- Tommaso Ciampa cuts a promo. Aleister Black makes his entrance, but Johnny Gargano runs past him. As Ciampa retreats, and Gargano claims he’s the only reason he’s champ, Black hits Gargano with a Black Mass.
As always, I’m Parker Love - here with your weekly NXT Preview!
Note: Read at your own risk: Spoilers are available on Win Column Sports.
The Main Event
It’s simple math:
The best physique + the best in the ring + the best on the mic = The Greatest Sports Entertainer of All Time
— BLACKHEART (@ProjectCiampa) August 2, 2020
Just your weekly Ciampa twitter appreciation post.
After he cost him the NXT Championship, Johnny Gargano will take on Aleister Black in singles action tonight. Black levelled Gargano with a Black Mass - which, sidenote, is still probably my favourite finisher in NXT - last week, after Gargano not only lost him the title - but he also sprinted past Black mid-entrance to attack NXT Champion Tommaso Ciampa. Anti-hero Black rules.
WWE.com’s official preview is alluding to the winner of this match becoming #1 contender. While Black should technically have his rematch, Johnny Wrestling does have a win over Black. Can he get another?
I remind you: this main event is on free NXT TV. I love this promotion.
Other Segments
Keith. Lee. Get ready to bask in his glory. Lee makes his televised NXT debut tonight against what is likely to be an unnamed jobber. I don’t joke when I say that he’s one of the biggest signings in NXT. This guy is totally unique, and if you can, you have to tune in tonight. Clearly, WWE thinks highly of his debut with the above video package. I believe this guy is a future world champion.
Ricochet is also in action tonight ahead of his TakeOver match. Last week, William Regal made it official: Ricochet will challenge for the NXT North American Championship against Adam Cole. Despite Cole’s initial refusal, there’s nothing he can really do now. The only thing these two can do now is send a message. Personally, I expect Ricochet to lose this match, but it should be an absolute clinic.
The women’s division continues to shine, as Vanessa Bourne takes on Taynara Conti. Despite the constant turnover of the roster, NXT has always produced a stellar women’s division with meaningful storylines and secondary story-lines, and matches with stakes. The winner of this match goes onto the Mae Young Classic. While a step down from the stars such as Sasha or Becky, televised matches will continue to help these two competitors grow.
The Championship Scene
After a strong win over Candace LeRae, Shayna Baszler is looking great heading into her matchup with the Pirate Princess, Kairi Sane. The rubber match for these two is set for the title in Brooklyn, and with any luck, will continue their trend of strong matches. I’m on board for this feud, and I do wonder who’s gonna walk away with the title here! That’s always great.
Cole vs Ricochet. ‘Nuff said. Barnburner. Whoever wins, the fans win.
My pick for Match of the Night though will be the rematch between Moustache Mountain and The Undisputed Era. Every battle between these two teams have had has been fantastic. I have no doubt this’ll be the best yet, although it’s yet to be officially announced. It seems that Moustache Mountain is always adding a new move or two into their repertoire. How good has Roderick Strong been since his heel turn? Man, I hope this feud continues for a long, long time.
My Thoughts
- Get well soon Aleister. Rumors are out that Black is dealing with a groin injury that may jeopardize his status for Brooklyn if he’s to make it there after tonight’s episode.
- With a clean loss to EC3, is that a sign that Kona Reeves gimmick as “The Finest” is over? I’ve given it a shot, but I’m past it now.
- I miss Lars Sullivan destroying nameless foes.
That’s it for tonight! What do you think about tonight’s episode? Let us know by commenting, or by following us on FaceBook and Twitter! Thanks for reading, and see you next week!
Last 5!
- Smackdown Live Preview - August 7
- ICYMI: More Names Announced for MYC
- The Win Column Sports Wrestling Mid-Season Awards
- Monday Night Hayden: Preview of the 06/08/18 RAW
- BREAKING: Matt Riddle Signs With WWE
