5 Ups & 2 Downs From Last Night's WWE NXT (Mar 28)
Ups...
5. Unsanctioned
The Worst Man In The Universe, Tommaso Ciampa, didn't make it into Full Sail University last night. Tormented by boos as he passed hordes of fans waiting to enter the arena, he blew the media off, but was accosted by William Regal. He yelled at his boss for letting Johnny Gargano attack him the previous week, but the former 'Real Man's Man' had no time for his bulls***, informing Ciampa that he was booked to face his former partner in New Orleans, and that if he lost, 'Johnny Wrestling' would be reinstated.
While not as memorable as recent angles involving the fractured DIY duo, this segment accomplished everything it needed to. WWE furthered Ciampa's anger by parading him in front of a hateful audience, and they successfully booked the TakeOver match, making the segment a complete functional success.
Gargano vs. Ciampa will be a war. The 'unsanctioned' stipulation all but guarantees violence, and NXT have done an outstanding job in building what might be WWE's finest piece of long-term storytelling this decade. Here's hoping for a contest befitting the feud, regardless of the outcome.