5 Ups And 5 Downs From WWE NXT 2.0 (Jan 18)

1. Strong Match Soured By "Gunther"

After refraining from crossing the pond and joining up with NXT UK's parent brand for years, WALTER finally made the call to move stateside recently. And how was the Ring General rewarded for this long-awaited arrival on WWE's main developmental show... with one of the most baffling alterations in the history of this deeply unsettling company.

Take nothing away from the contest that preceded it, however, as WALTER and Roderick Strong beat seven lumps of sh*t out of one another in their quest to be the better man and the former's goal of making Macolm Bivens regret his words on Imperium earlier in the week. Massive chops were sent in either direction, Roddy continually tried to chop down this monstrous Austrian tree, and WALTER replied by audibly eviscerating his rival's chest. It was savage beauty personified.

But then, following on from a powerbomb-induced victory for NXT's latest full-time arrival, one of the last real attractions in wrestling was gifted the new moniker of "Gunther". That same "Gunther Stark" that WWE trademarked this week. And the same title used by the infamous Nazi U-Boat commander in the Olympia Crew of the Kriegsmarine. How can you be this thick?

Nothing should come as surprise at this point, but stripping away WALTER's name and replacing it with something as disturbing and ignorant as this takes the cake. Whatever the future holds for Diamond Mine and Imperium, this isn't a good look for Vinnie Mac's company in any way, shape or form.