7 Ups And 2 Downs From Last Night's NXT (Aug 26)

3. Masking For Trouble

Another championship contest that could have easily found a home on the TakeOver card, the rubber-of-sorts contest between Santos Escobar and Isaiah "Swerve" Scott was, in truth, probably match of the night this week. It didn't make a whole lot of sense to give 'Swerve' a title shot after his team's comprehensive defeat last week, but we'll let that slide for now.

A technical masterclass from two men who are quietly emerging from a chaotic 2020 for NXT, the good work done in establishing Wilde and Mendoza in recent weeks meant that by having Swerve overcome them both to get a clear path to Escobar he looked as strong as he ever has in this match. Even in defeat.

For his part, Escobar's finding the right balance between a bonafide ruthless heel, the leader of a faction, and a man who'll resort to any lengths to steal a victory. I know I always mention J&J Security here, but the usage of Escobar these past few week shows everything that was wrong with Seth Rollins' weasel-heel run; you never bought the idea he could win on his own.

The Lucha Mask Headbutt (presuming there's a horseshoe in there?) is certainly a unique idea. Time will tell if it ends up feeling a bit hokey but, in the here and now, it provided an interesting ending, and means Swerve deserves another crack at this belt somewhere down the line.