3 Ups & 5 Downs From NXT 403

Downs...

3. Ember Moon Vs Lei'D Tapa

Ember Moon NXT 403
WWE.com

This was a short match designed to continue establishing Ember Moon and especially her finisher, the Eclipse, as a viable threat to Asuka's crowd. Lei'D Tapa actually looked as a dangerous as Moon herself, a strapping Tongan who could function as a great Bull Nakano-esque monster in the Nia Jax mould but was instead handed as fodder to the championship build-up.

The match didn't achieve its aims. Tapa started out looking stronger than Moon, and crucially, the Eclipse that ended it was executed way too clumsily to make it the mythical game-ended it's being portrayed as.

Ember Moon got some mic time after the match. While she didn't say anything very interesting, she at least had a chance to speak for herself. She still needs building to make her seem the equal of Asuka if their TakeOver match is to have genuine drama behind it.

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Ben Counter is a fantasy and science fiction writer, gaming enthusiast, wrestling fan and miniature painting guru. He was raised on Warhammer, Star Wars and 1980s cartoons that, in retrospect, were't that good. Whoever you are, he is nerdier than you.