1 Up & 4 Downs From WWE NXT (January 4, 2016)

by Michael Sidgwick

Ups...

1. A Very Good Tag Team Offering

TM61 DIY
WWE.com

The match pitting the DIY tandem of Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa and the TM61 team of Shane Thorne and Nick Miller was damn good; carried by a buoyant crowd in thrall of all four men, the content just about matched the atmosphere, even if it was presented frivolously in the opening third. It was a house show, after all. Stalling and goofing off is the acceptable price we pay for there being no off season.

And, proving that innovation within the tag teams ranks is not the exclusive preserve of The Revival, Gargano, in the match’s most scintillating sequence, broke up Miller’s pin attempt on Ciampa by hurling Thorne at him. It neatly encapsulated the wider narrative, which saw DIY succumb to increased desperation in their attempts to retain their belts opposite TM-61 and the third man that was the Melbourne crowd.

All that said, the epilogue was unjustifiably histrionic - unearned. After TM-61 soaked in the cheers from their home country crowd, DIY retreated back into the ring to pay tribute to their efforts. The match wasn’t quite good enough to warrant the scene. It felt forced, unworthy - much like the show itself.

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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!