4 Ups & 2 Downs From Last Night's WWE NXT (Feb 28)
1. Ode To Johnny Jobless
Raw and SmackDown's show-opening talky-talk segments are a grind, but last night's NXT closer was a success.
NXT Champion Andrade 'Cien' Almas and Zelina Vega hit the ring soon after Baszler vs. Sane. Gloating was their only goal, and with Johnny Gargano signing his NXT release earlier in the evening, that's precisely what they did.
Vega put her charge over as the greatest champion in developmental history, then trashed Johnny and his supporters for thinking her stood a chance. Soon, it was Almas' turn, and while his delivery isn't as polished as his manager's, he still came off like someone you want to slap in the face. He's an excellent douchebag, and his 'Johnny Jobless' quip went over well.
Their part was soon interrupted by Aleister Black, and then Killian Dain. The burly duo brawled as Almas and Vega fled, and after butting heads a couple of weeks ago, the European hopefuls look set to collide in a contendership bout. This continues the smart, logical booking that brought them together in the first place, and no matter who wins when Dain and Black inevitably wrestle, TakeOver: New Orelans' main event should be fantastic.