5 Ups & 2 Downs From NXT: The Great American Bash

Ups...

5. Great American Push

I've done about 800 'This Booking Is Basic But Good' entries in this column over the last few months, and while it might feel like it's damning with faint praise (it isn't) our opening match showed you precisely why you do it. Short-term feuds designed purely to elevate bigger stars don't exactly set the pulses racing, but you need them to bring the relevant stakes to marquee matches. Matches, like this.

Candice LeRae and Mia Yim have excelled on the platform that's come with the Gargano/Feud, and Nox looked like a star when facing off against Sasha Banks and Bayley a few short weeks ago, but it was Dakota Kai who's looked the biggest emerging threat to the NXT Women's Championship. She's recorded 3 wins in as many weeks leading into this match.

She looked like the easy favourite to win here and, in a match that repeatedly took the breath away, the groundwork felt like it was perfectly laid for her push to continue. However, having Nox ultimately overcome her capitalises on the momentum of both women were enjoying.

Nox vs Io would have been a throwaway TV match a few weeks ago, but the work put in leading to this Fatal-4-Way means it's a mouthwatering prospect now, with a Nox victory a believable prospect.