11 Ups & 7 Downs For NXT In 2018

1. Evil Johnny Gargano

That 'Johnny Wrestling' transformed into 'Johnny Pantomime' soon after Shawn Michaels' arrival at the Performance Center is no coincidence. 'HBK' made melodrama an artform, and while his acting was often hammy and on-the-nose, it's one of the main reasons he became such a gripping performer in the first place.

Here's the thing, though: Shawn Michaels was good enough to pull it off. Johnny Gargano, unfortunately, is not.

Gargano was the best babyface in wrestling at the start of the year. Performances against Andrade 'Cien' Almas and Tommaso Ciampa established him as that, but while his in-ring showings remain stellar (see: TakeOver: War Games), the same can't be said for his character work. 'Evil' Johnny is the dirt worst.

Rather than presenting him as the layered Joker expy he's trying to be, Gargano's overwrought acting is impossible to take seriously. There's no subtlety at all. In promos like this monstrosity, the fallen hero is found wanting in every department, with his lip-smacking delivery and big, goofy smirk betraying everything the character is supposed to be, undermining not only Gargano as a performer, but his once-awesome long-term storyline with Tommaso Ciampa as well.

Fingers crossed for a return to the persona that made Johnny so compelling in the first place, or at least something better suited to his skillset. This Michael Bay-level acting bullsh*t won't do.