5 Ups And 4 Downs From Last Night's WWE NXT (June 24)

Ups

5. Dusty Tribute

Last night, all of the rookies were assembled on the entrance ramp behind Triple H, the figurehead and driving force of the brand, to pay their own tribute to the legend that was the American Dream. It seems only fitting that a fortnight of Dusty Rhodes tributes would be capped off at NXT. He was heavily involved in the WWE's developmental system as a trainer and, for a time, as the show's head writer and creative director. He was tasked with helping the rookies, a lot of whom were taking their first steps in the industry, fashion their characters and learn the fundamentals of storytelling, highly appropriate, considering that the Dream was one of the best in the world at holding a crowd in the palm of his hand. Triple H delivered a moving address, describing the roster as Dusty's 'NXT kids', and the crowd as his 'NXT family', before the bell tolled ten times. The crowd held up signs adorned with polka dots (as Rhodes used to wear on his trunks and singlets) that read 'Thank you Dusty'. Also revealed later in the night, during his tag match, Enzo Amore had had his hair cut, partially shaved in the pattern of polka dots. A touching tribute to a great man.