Samoa Joe and William Regal
Samoa Joe talks about how he injured and took out NXT Champion Shinsuke Nakamura last week. He tells the crowd that the champion is going to be out 6 or more weeks, which prompts William Regal to come out. They jaw back and forth, with Samoa Joe wanting Shinsuke to be stripped of the NXT Championship and given to him. William Regal does not do that and Joe threatens him that if he does not, the rest of the roster will look like Nakamura.
Samoa Joe is a heel who can carry a feud with little interaction from his counter part. I am not in love with the injury angle, but it is a way for WWE to keep Nakamura off of NXT television for a few weeks to build the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic. I just wonder if this is what they should be doing, especially with live events and wanting to drive more casual fans to the WWE Network. There is not a bigger star on NXT than Nakamura. Joe is an excellent heel with easy ways of getting heat, but was this the right call for the entire NXT product right now? I do give credit to both men for continuing to be at odds with one another and how Regal constantly tries to stand up for himself and the NXT crowd. I can see Regal taking some shots from Joe in the future.
Austin Aries vs Oney Lorcan
Austin Aries lays across the top rope and taunts Lorcan to get the action going, but gets slapped in the face. Austin Aries escapes to the ropes and goes to the apron, trying to release a headlock. Lorcan does not oblige, and Aries has to fight out of it. Aries slaps him back and hits a few punches. A back suplex and some uppercuts gives Lorcan the upper hand. Aries tossses Oney to the outside and dives onto him to head to a quick break. Aries manages to hit a running dropkick in the corner and then picks up Lorcan for a suplex. He connects with a knee to the face and turns it into Last Chancery for the win. After the match, he calls out Hideo Itami. Itami comes out, but Aries runs out on him.
A good match that showcased a lot of Lorcan’s ability. He looks generic, but fights with force and intensity. Tonight was more about a good match with Austin and then Aries being able to prolong the physical aspect of the feud with Hideo Itami. I do love the pairing of these two men, especially since a reintroduction of Itami is best for him. Pair him with a guy who is so good at getting the best character out of his counterpart. I would keep the physicality to a minimum between the two, with a few altercations over the next few weeks. They can build it vocally, with Aries leading the way and becoming the dastardly heel that he plays so well.
