3 Ups And 2 Downs From NXT (December 14)

Downs...

2. Percy Watson - Oh No!

Percy Watson
WWE.com

Corey Graves is a man in demand - and one is left with the sinking feeling that NXT’s new three man booth is but a temporary measure to ease Percy Watson into the colour role on a full-time basis. The problem is that, minutes after NXT 368 faded to black, nothing Watson said lived long in the memory. Less charitably, it was easy to forget at times that he was actually there.

It didn’t help that Graves was at his mercurial best, hilariously effusive in his praise of man-crush Bobby Roode. “I like Oney Lorcan,” he said plaintively, expertly setting up a bait and switch. “But the problem is that he isn’t glorious.”

As anonymous as Watson was last night, what must be remembered is that NXT is a platform on which to develop talent. That philosophy extends from the ring to the booth. Encouragingly, Watson was one of the few highlights of NXT in its bizarrely counterproductive first dawn.

Endearingly hyperactive, Watson seems a natural fit for the commentary desk. He’s already better than Byron Saxton, so there’s that.

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Contributor
Contributor

Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and current Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!