12 Live Observations From NXT Download Festival

11. Roman's Not The Guy Here Either (But Baron Corbin Was)

Literally minutes into the NXT live experience on Saturday, Roman Reigns had the misfortune of being named checked, and that was enough to launch a tide of boos. It wasn't quite the venomous reaction The Guy elicits elsewhere - with a genuine tongue-in-cheek edge - but it represents something unfortunate for WWE.

Their top guy isn't just widely hated, he's now transcended to the next level: he's a pantomime villain, inspiring camp boos and hisses even when he's not in residence.

At least it doesn't really have a negative impact. TNA's Magnus reflected recently on "grown adults" turning up to boo Reigns (or John Cena) and ruining the experience of the younger element who worship them. That was never going to be an issue at Download, as there simply weren't any kids around the place (they're welcome at the fest, there just doesn't tend to be many). it's actually quite surprising: you'd have thought that Robert Trujillo's twin would go over better at a metal fest...

Baron Corbin meanwhile went down exceptionally well on the Friday in particular (perhaps because he looks more like an everyday rocker)? It's probably more to do with his willingness to get extreme when the crowd bayed for it. Inevitably Bayley, Asuka, Shinsuke Nakamura, Tye Dillinger, Samoa Joe and Bobby Roode shared most of the biggest pops.