3 Ups & 2 Downs From WWE NXT (Jan 25)
Ups...
3. Better Showcase Matches
The opening match, between Ember Moon and Liv Morgan, started out badly. In a transparent attempt to position the two women on an even keel, they exchanged a very awkward-looking rolling pin sequence, which fell apart when they clumsily fell into the ropes. Not inconspicuously, it picked up some momentum when Ember Moon, the far superior talent, assumed the advantage.
It's important to bear context in mind when watching NXT. Morgan has been wrestling for all of two years. It would be unfair to expect anything beyond minor advancement, but unlike Riddick Moss, she is showing signs of improvement. The camera work was choice here; as Ember Moon ensnared Morgan in a crossface, it shot the action from a low angle, drifting across the apron, creating an illusion of expanse in which Morgan looked helpless. For all its faults, WWE is absolutely peerless in the production department. Ember Moon looked monstrous when she reversed Morgan's guillotine by simply throwing her over the top rope like a sack of sh*t.
Less effective was Eric Young's squash win over Chris Atkins, which might as well have taken place in a library. Young barely generated a reaction in what was a muted performance, but his mimicry of Tye Dillinger's "Ten!" chants at least played into a sequential story.
Young's gear was brilliant too, which isn't as superficial a comment as it may seem. Wardrobe is critical in establishing the tone of an act- just imagine if Steve Austin wore bright blue. Both of Young's knee pads looked like they belonged to entirely different wrestlers, hinting at the fractured psyche within.