6 Ups And 1 Downs From WWE NXT (Dec 16)

5. Tyler Rust Arrives

Last night, Tyler Rust found himself going one-on-one with the formidable foe he attempted to sabotage during his match on last week's black and gold show - Tommaso Ciampa. Clearly sensing it would only be a matter of time before Timothy Thatcher made his way to the ring to kick up a fuss, the former NXT Champion seemingly welcomed this intrusion by planting a chair on the ramp with a "Thatch-As-Thatch-Can" shirt draped over it.

As the match got underway, Rust, a 15 year veteran in his own right, quickly showcased some of the lessons he'd learned under the menacing watchful eye of Thatcher. However, as the pair grappled back and forth, Ciampa's recent sparring partner soon arrived on the scene looking as unimpressed as usual.

Then, just when it looked like Thatcher had been given an invitation to lamp his TakeOver conqueror after Ciampa was sent flying into him, Rust accidentally nailed his coach with a boot to the face. Thatcher was then escorted out of the arena after squaring up to the bearded b*stard, paving the way for a seriously competitive battle between the NXT forefather and Thatch Academy alumni.

In the end, though, Ciampa was able to find a way to get the job done, kneeing Rust in the head before following up with a vicious looking Willow's Bell.

Though the pointless post-match exchange between Ciampa and a seriously brassed off Thatcher - despite the fact his own student clocked him during the bout and not his bitter enemy - threatened to take the shine off this gritty contest, Rust announced himself on the NXT brand in a big way here.

Did Rust just become the most compelling part of a feud he's not even at the centre of?