6 Ups & 2 Downs From Last Night's WWE NXT (Feb 7)

1. Johnny Loser

Though the show was primarily marketed around Sanity vs. Undisputed, Johnny Gargano's advertised appearance was just as intriguing. His bout with Andrade 'Cien' Almas was an instant modern classic, and the ex-DIY man's loss was absolutely heartbreaking, with the three-count hitting with the weight of a dropped anvil.

How 'Johnny Wrestling' would respond to this was always going to be interesting, particularly after Tommaso Ciampa's re-emergence, and fortunately, we got to the next stage last night.

Gargano spoke of earning the crowd's respect at TakeOver, then set his targets on Ciampa, which drew Almas and Zelina Vega from the back. The heel manager had no goal other than to rub "Johnny Loser's" face in the muck. She ripped into his performance, and while Candice LeRae came out to even the score, Gargano was goaded into accepting a "loser leaves NXT" title rematch in the process, much to Andrade's delight.

Fire, passion, and humility were present throughout Gargano's opening diatribe. Vega's bullying only amplified his sympathy levels, too, and the rematch announcement pushed all the right buttons. The fans, like LeRae, are now worried for Johnny's future, and rightly so.