NXT 2.0 Review

Highlights Of The Night

With championship implications, there was a lot at stake on the October 12 edition of NXT 2.0. There was a lot at stake for the rookies as well, as we saw the debut of Ivy Nile and the second match of Von Wagner's career. Were the two able to keep their momentum going? Find out in the 'Highlights of The Night'.

TOMMASO CIAMPA VS. JOE GACY

Joe Gacy cut a promo on Ciampa, saying he will beat the walking example of toxic masculinity for a championship privilege. Gacy does the liberal psychopath thing well and calls the fans his snowflakes. They don't want him as their representative, though.

Ciampa had no patience for his BS and dominated the early portion of their match. The two work well together in the ring, delivering a solid, entertaining contest. Ciampa won, so Gacy wasn't added to the title match at Halloween Havoc. Harland, who observed Gacy last week, tackled Ciampa, but Gacy stopped him before he could do more damage.

Gacy has been growing in popularity with this new gimmick, and it's not hard to see why. It's current and something we haven't seen before. Harland has been someone anticipated, but I don't believe anyone expected this sort of role. It'll be interesting to see how this story progresses.

THE DIAMOND MINE

Ivy Nile has a look no other woman in WWE possesses. I can see her being a big player down the road, but in the changing landscape of the wrestling industry, looks will only get you so far. Ivy was dominant and strong in her debut, as expected. She bent her opponent in half as a submission like Lex Luger's Torture Rack finisher.

There was nothing that stood out to me from the rest of the pack other than her muscular figure. A lot of brute and strongman characters like to emphasize their strength when they first start. I've always taken it to mean a lack of true character. Ivy is new, though, and has plenty of time to sink her teeth into her persona to really bring it to life.

Julius Creed, the smaller of the two brothers, had a confrontation with Iceman Jiro after Ivy's match. This is the first time I've heard Julius speak, and I was impressed with his confidence on the mic. So far, he has the most charisma among the brothers. Creed is bested at first but manages to overpower Jiro quickly, tossing him around like a rag doll. It wasn't a one-sided match, though, as Jiro got a good offense. He's very charismatic himself and has become a crowd favorite. Julius put Jiro down for the win in an okay match.

O'REILLY/WAGNER VS. DUNN/HOLLAND

Von wasn't in the ring very much for this bout. Kyle put up most of their offense and took most of the battering. Von mainly caught the hot tags to put up fast-paced wrestling against the Brits. His in-ring work is okay. It's clear that the rookie was paired with O'Reilly to make him look strong and bring him up to speed to the WWE style, as they have clearly put a rocket on his back.

Wagner got the pin for his team in what is probably Ridge Holland's last match on NXT. So far, since the former football player's debut, Von has been placed in prominent spots on the show. He's slowly becoming a fan favorite, but I don't see anything special about him. As fine as his move set may be, he is devoid of anything to garner my interest.

Like Ivy Nile, he is new and has time to develop. But Ivy is more of a silent killer, though, and can be afforded more patience if Malcolm Bivens continues to hype her and her performances are domineering in nature. Von is being set up as a top face, but it feels like too much, too fast.

ISAIAH "SWERVE" SCOTT VS. SANTOS ESCOBAR

The long-standing war between the two rivals ends in this fast-paced fight for the North American Championship. Swerve was all fire as he took the fight to Escobar. The two combatants fought with all the pent-up hatred they had built over the summer as they threw everything they had at one another.

Swerve received some unlikely allies in Carmelo Hayes and Trick Williams, who fought off Legado del Fantasma when Hit Row could not, helping Swerve retain his title. However, he will not be taking the gold to SmackDown as he had thought.

To capture the red strap, Carmelo drops the champion and cashes in the contract he won from the breakout tournament. It makes sense for Hayes to take the title, as no one saw it coming.

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Dakota Mayes is our resident wrestling expert at The Pyrrhic. Be sure to keep on top of all the latest in news, previews, and reviews in the world of professional wrestling right here with Dakota at thepyrrhic.com

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