Lio Rush earned unwelcome attention in 2017 for a spot in which he no-sold a powerbomb from a ladder through a table. It was a bizarre and unnecessary show of fighting spirit that got him the wrong notoriety ahead of a planned signing with WWE later in the year.
That said, a position as the brand's most dynamic jobber would quickly restore admiration in the talented young flier. Rush has lots to learn - that much is apparent - but he's in the best place to do it. Big Lars was on fire again, laying down a mouth-watering challenge to Killian Dain in the aftermath. NXT hasn't previously had a dominant giant as Champion, but Sullivan looks set to break another mould.
Paradoxically, his giving display against the typically fantastic Sullivan here will have done more for his reputation in the eyes of those that matter than one of last year's viral sensations.
Michael is a writer, editor, podcaster and presenter for WhatCulture Wrestling, and has been with the organisation nearly 8 years. He primarily produces written, audio and video content on WWE and AEW, but also provides knowledge and insights on all aspects of the wrestling industry thanks to a passion for it dating back over 35 years. As one third of "The Dadley Boyz" Michael has contributed to the huge rise in popularity of the WhatCulture Wrestling Podcast and its accompanying YouTube channel, earning it top spot in the UK's wrestling podcast charts with well over 62,000,000 total downloads. He has been featured as a wrestling analyst for the Tampa Bay Times, GRAPPL, GCP, Poisonrana and Sports Guys Talking Wrestling, and has covered milestone events in New York, Dallas, Las Vegas, Philadelphia, London and Cardiff. Michael's background in media stretches beyond wrestling coverage, with a degree in Journalism from the University Of Sunderland (2:1) and a series of published articles in sports, music and culture magazines The Crack, A Love Supreme and Pilot. When not offering his voice up for daily wrestling podcasts, he can be found losing it singing far too loud watching his favourite bands play live. Follow him on X/Twitter - @MichaelHamflett
