6 Ups & 4 Downs From Last Night's NXT (Jan 15)
Downs...
4. No Nigel McGuiness
It's maybe a little harsh this one but such is Nigel McGuiness's importance to this broadcast that his absence is, whatever the reason, always going to be a problem. We were told during the show that, following his resounding work calling NXT UK TakeOver Blackpool II, he'd been given some "well deserved R 'n' R". Nobody's going to argue that he doesn't deserve that, but nonetheless it makes for a weaker NXT.
That McGuinness has carved out such an important role for himself since the inaugural United Kingdom Championship tournament is one of WWE's genuine and uncynical success stories. The man never wrestled a match for the company (despite signing for them), is not a particularly big name to casual fans in North America (despite his amazing run in Ring of Honor) and is... well... British. WWE's best colour commentator is, probably quite predictably, the least WWE-style guy they have.