6 Ups & 1 Down From Last Night's WWE NXT (Aug 3)
6. Up - Joe Doesn't Get Mad, He Stays Mad
The second match on the show wasn't much of a match at all. Chris Atkins was already in the ring when Mojo Rawley, who's been drafted to Smackdown, came out. After just a few seconds of scuffling, Rawley hit a pounce, but before he could go for the cover, he was attacked by NXT Champion Samoa Joe.
Joe beat up both men, then started cutting a promo about how unfair it was that Shinsuke Nakamura was named the number one contender to his title. Before he could finish, though, Rawley attacked him, seeking retribution. The former NFL star knocked Joe down, but ultimately, the NXT Champion got the better of him. He took Rawley down on the ramp, then locked him in the Coquina Clutch until he was out.
With only an hour of TV time each week, programs are sometimes forgotten about for an episode of NXT or two. Given how big this match is, though, either Joe or Nakamura (or both) needs to appear on TV each week until TakeOver: Back to Brooklyn. This was an effective cameo from the dominant champion.