6 Ups & 1 Downs From Last Night's WWE NXT (Jan 17)

5. A Spirited Sprint

It's always good to see the criminally underrated Fabian Aichner on NXT. The former Cruiserweight Classic competitor's talents are matched only by his impeccable baldness, and after packing on 20-25lbs of mass since signing full-time, he looks better than ever. A push will come eventually, but for now, he's here to put others over, and it's a job he does extremely well.

Aichner's match with Roderick Strong was a four-and-a-half minute belter. They worked a brisk pace, and while the whole thing was set up to make Roddy look good, big Fabian got plenty of shine. He never looked like winning, but he worked his hide off regardless. That springboard into a backbreaker spot? Incredible, and it had just as much to do with Aichner's bump as it did Roddy's timing.

Strong, who always looks great between the ropes, put Aichner away with his Stronghold submission. Then, he signed his own death warrant. The former Ring Of Honor star grabbed the microphone, spat a few lines about "a force [he] wants to destroy," and called out Lars Sullivan, which should be fantastic. Roddy's always excellent, and his target has taken to his monster role as seamlessly as Braun Strowman on the main roster, so here's hoping we get to see it sooner rather than later.