5 Ups And Downs For WWE NXT Takeover: Rival

1. Pure Heel Vs. Pure Babyface

Earlier, an item criticized the decision to change the NXT Championship via referee stoppage. While that was listed as a mild €œdown,€ this is the other half of the equation. Kevin Owens beating Sami Zayn to a pulp (minus the bloody part) was easily one of the most basic €“ and effective €“ wrestling themes that we just don€™t see much of anymore. The last real beatdown like that was Brock Lesnar dismantling John Cena, but even that didn€™t carry the same weight because everyone expects Cena to Rise Above Beatdowns But Owens manhandling Zayn to the point that Sami can only kick out of pins but can€™t defend himself is tremendous in-ring storytelling. Zayn already has been established as one of the biggest babyfaces in NXT. Owens, while making an impact during his first two months in the company, needed to make a statement if he was being inserted into the NXT title picture this quickly. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qtl1I862jRQ And boy did he ever make a statement. Beating the champ until he can€™t continue is one way to establish yourself as a dominant heel. Posing over Zayn€™s fallen body with the NXT Championship just turns the jerk factor up to 11. Some might disagree about the title changing hands in this manner, but the character and storyline developments that have resulted are undeniable. Kevin Owens is the new bada** on the block in NXT, and he€™s got the title to prove it.