6 Ups & 2 Downs From Last Night's NXT (July 22)

Downs...

2. Vacant d. Keith Lee To Become NXT North American Champ

Got to caveat this with the statement 'I Love Wrestling Tournaments And Think This One Will Rule', but... we kick off NXT this week with a video package telling us that Keith Lee was relinquishing the North American Championship and that is Very Bad.

Relinquishing a title is always a dent in its lineage, so doing it when you don't have to is very strange move. There are a million ways you can have Keith Lee drop this belt without denting his credibility as NXT Champion, so to open the show with what amounts to "yeah, I don't want it" demonstrates such a damning lack of imagination.

Let's not forget here, Lee challenged Cole for both belts. Regal might have put the triple-threat qualifier in there as a hurdle, but this all came about because the two reigning champions squared up backstage. What was the point in all of that if he's just going to give the thing up after one TV defence.

Again, 'I Love Wrestling Tournaments And Think This One Will Rule', but what an anti-climax it is in getting there.