2 Ups & 3 Downs From WWE NXT (Jan 11, 2017)

Ups...

2. Almas-t Getting There

Andrade Almas II
WWE.com

The match between Andrade ‘Cien’ Almas and Oney Lorcan wasn’t particularly great - it existed as little more than a showcase for the former - but it helped him attain the relevance curiously missing since his debut at TakeOver: The End, at which he debuted in a bizarre, Double J Jeff Jarrett-esque ensemble.

It threatened to devolve from average to ludicrous in the opening exchanges, which saw Lorcan ascend the steel stairs and flatten Almas with a diving somersault neckbreaker onto the protective matting below. An ostensibly devastating move, it was used here as a transition to a…slap to the chest, which Almas sold more than the hard shot he just received to the cranium. When he was rolled back into the ring, Lorcan barely managed to put him down for a two count, despite striking him with a move that would make a New Japan headliner blush.

But, with that silliness out of the way, Almas emerged from the wreckage to underscore his new heel persona in a match which, at least, was better than the two squash matches which preceded it.

Channelling the La Sombra of Los Ingobernables - the man WWE were compelled to sign in the first place - he cast himself as the disrespectful and hate-fuelled tour de force he should have debuted as from day one.

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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!