8 Ups And 0 Downs From WWE NXT (Sep 7)

Ups...

8. Kay Lee Ray Eclipses Ember Moon

After making a point of running down just about every credible name in the division a week ago, Kay Lee Ray was held accountable for her words by one of the brand's former NXT Women's Champions in Ember Moon.

The two collided last night in the show's opener, and though it may not have boasted the title stakes of matches elsewhere on the card, it still made for one of the most gripping encounters Tuesday night had to offer. With Lee Ray's savage stylings masterfully meshing with Moon's explosive high octane offence, the chemistry these two talented workers possessed was evident from the off.

Lee Ray's attempts to isolate and torture the one-time "main roster" star's arm were countered by Moon's ability to regularly fire back with sudden bouts of creative violence; seen brilliantly in her impressive top rope Codebreaker and casual dumping of the former NXT UK Women's Champion over the top rope.

Yet, there was surely only ever going to be one winner here, with any other result being baffling even by NXT's recent standards. And in the end it was Lee Ray walking away with the victory after a brilliant reversal out of a pinning predicament into a Gory Bomb.

As Lee Ray looks hell bent on prising the NXT Women's belt away from Big Mami Cool in the not too distant future, the question now turns to what in the hell Moon's current direction is on the black and gold show? In the wake of old partner Shotzi Blackheart being suddenly transitioned to Friday nights (and used expertly ever since, right?) Moon has seemingly been floating around the division with no sign of an endgame in sight. Here's hoping she finds a new intriguing goal sooner rather than later, or even a much-needed attitude change as her backstage interview later in the night suggested.