By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
NXT Hits
Joe Hendry and Trick Williams contract signing for the TNA Championship match at NXT Battleground: I could have done without Ava rolling her eyes once things got heated between the two wrestlers. And I really could have done without the needless Ava nameplate on the table. But the actual verbal exchange between Hendry and Williams was effective hype for the title match.
Myles Borne vs. Ethan Page: An enjoyable match, even if the one-sided stipulation was a groaner (more on that later). This was a good win for Borne heading into his title shot.
Oba Femi vs. Charlie Dempsey in a non-title match: A solid non-title win for Oba while his next challenger watched from ringside. Dempsey looked good in defeat. He has also acted jealous of Myles Borne getting a title shot, so it will be interesting to see if a No Quarter Catch Crew split is in the works.
Wes Lee vs. Tony D’Angelo: You had to know that Stacks was going to play a role in this, and having him cause a distraction via the big screen made for a weak ending to the match. Even so, the bad finish was enough to move an otherwise good match out of the Hit section.
Sean Legacy promo: Legacy was charismatic and seemed at ease while delivering his online promo. Here’s hoping that he doesn’t get stuck in Evolve because they are using him as a hook to lure NXT viewers to watch the Tubi show.
NXT Misses
Stephanie Vaquer and Jordynne Grace vs. Fallon Henley and Jacy Jayne talking segment: It started with a rough verbal segment. It’s asking a lot to have Vaquer deliver live in-ring promos when she’s still learning English. Grace was never a great talker in TNA, but she was adequate. For some reason, she comes off more scripted and wooden in NXT than she did during the last couple of years of her TNA run. Henley and Jayne are solid on the mic, and they are both good in the ring. Unfortunately, they haven’t been pushed consistently, so they felt out of place in the main event. I continue to hope that the miscast Henley will revert to her natural babyface role soon.
Myles Borne puts his NXT Championship match on the line: Borne came through with a nice promo in which he acknowledged his partial deafness. He came off really well while talking about how he wants to be judged based on his ability rather than his disability. The Miss is for the ridiculousness of Borne agreeing to put his shot at the NXT Championship on the line without asking for anything in return. There’s a fine line between a character showing confidence and being a moron.
Thea Hail vs. Tatum Paxley: The match was a Miss with the quiet live crowd even though it included the popular Hail. Perhaps it’s because the fans have no idea how they’re supposed to react to the oddball Paxley character. On the bright side, that shouldn’t be an issue going forward given the way that Paxley gouged the eyes of Hail after the match. I hope this is a fresh start for the talented Paxley, who is in dire need of a character reboot.
Both columns show as hits.