5 Ups & 1 Down From Last Night's WWE NXT (Feb 21)

Farewell, Johnny Wrestling.

Johnny Gargano Candice LeRae
WWE.com

Just under four weeks after delivering WWE's first five-star match in close to seven years, Johnny Gargano and Andrade 'Cien' Almas reprised their stunning in-ring rivalry last night, with their huge NXT Championship vs. Career match dominating much of the episode.

We opened with a quick video package recapping the story so far. From there, NXT brought two short, succinct singles matches, with Velveteen Dream and Nikki Cross scoring important victories, along with a big Dusty Rhodes Classic announcement. There interviews and other snippets too, but for the most part, this was all about the champion, his challenger, and a certain 'Blackheart.'

The match was fantastic, but you probably already knew that. Almas and Gargano are magic together, and while we'll save the deeper analysis for later on, it's safe to say they met expectations.

As a whole, the episode was sublime. Developmental's hot streak continued with 55 near-flawless minutes, highlighted by a big-time main event, and supported by an effective undercard. Unlike last week, it didn't quite warrant a perfect score, but it was still one of the best shows of the year so far.

Let's dive into it...

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Andy has been with WhatCulture for six years and is currently WhatCulture's Senior Wrestling Reporter. A writer, presenter, and editor with 10+ years of experience in online media, he has been a sponge for all wrestling knowledge since playing an old Royal Rumble 1992 VHS to ruin in his childhood. Having previously worked for Bleacher Report, Andy specialises in short and long-form writing, video presenting, voiceover acting, and editing, all characterised by expert wrestling knowledge and commentary. Andy is as much a fan of 1985 Jim Crockett Promotions as he is present-day AEW and WWE - just don't make him choose between the two.