6 Ups & 2 Downs From Last Night's WWE NXT (July 27)
2. Up - The Golden Star
The main event of NXT - and the best match on the show - was a very special bout, as it featured the NXT debut of former IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion (and one of the most talented wrestlers in the world) Kota Ibushi. Ibushi has been competing in the Cruiserweight Classic and is considered one of the favorites to win it, but this match insinuated that he's one step closer to actually signing with WWE.
Ibushi took on Buddy Murphy, with the story that Murphy was trying to outdo the poor performance of his ex-partner, Wesley Blake, earlier in the evening. The former NXT Tag Team Champion got the heat on Ibushi and managed to use his size to his advantage, but Ibushi's hard kicks and athleticism helped him made a comeback. He landed on his feet after Murphy avoided a moonsault, then used a Last Ride Powerbomb to pick up the win.
Ibushi was treated like a major star on the broadcast, with announcers hyping up both his talent and his odds of winning the CWC. Even if he doesn't take the tournament, chances are that he'll be a part of WWE's roster soon.