Don’t Go Back-Breaking My Heart: WWE NXT (1/17/2018)

Will Donovan Dijak finally debut to beat Lars Sullivan? Will Nikki Cross get to beat up Adam Cole? How quickly will the Authors of Pain destroy the Street Profits? All these questions and more answered on this week’s Rogues Portal Wrestling NXT Recap.

Steaks and Weights (Heavy Machinery vs. Tino Sabatelli and Riddick Moss(W))

Shoutout to the piercing scream that greeted Sabatelli and Moss when they took the stage. I don’t know who it was, and we never get a camera on them, but they are, without a doubt, the real MVP of this week’s show. Otis picked a fight with the money boys when he tried to move their car (with his bare hands, of course). Sabatelli and Moss are really doing the heavy lifting with feuds in the tag division. This match with Otis and Tucker proves the money boys deserve these matches.

Otis hits the caterpiller (shoutout as well to Scotty 2 Hotty) but the Sabatelli and Moss still manage to eke out a victory. Somehow I don’t think this is the last we’ll see of this match-up, though.

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Adam Cole Isn’t Afraid of Aleister Black

He’s gonna mangle Aleister Black! He’s gonna murderlize him! Adam Cole goes full Scrappy Doo in the lead-up to his TakeOver Extreme Rules match with the dark artist himself. Hopefully, it turns out a little better for him than Scrappy Doo.

Roddy vs. The Next Level (Roderick Strong vs. Fabian Aichner)

Roderick Strong’s music sounds like someone did a rock cover inspired by the Shinra Mansion in Nibelheim. He faces off against the world’s strongest cruiserweight, Fabian Aichner, who isn’t quite beefy enough to make Roderick really look like an underdog here. This match is alright. Roddy’s backbreaker continues to look absolutely brutal, but if Fabian can kick out of it, what’s it gonna do to Roddy’s next target — Lars Sullivan? How many backbreakers does it take to get a Jack Kirby drawing to tap to the Stronghold?

TM61 ARE BACK, HASHTAG BLESSED

Shane Thorne and Nick Miller took a while to catch on in NXT, and an unfortunate injury sidelined them right when their momentum seemed to be peaking. This week’s NXT features a charming retrospective about their friendship and eventual tag-team partnership. Something so heartwarming you’ll immediately be consumed by miserable flashbacks of Tommaso Ciampa being in Johnny Gargano’s wedding party. Oh no.

Bring Back Aaliyah’s Cat Ears (Lacey Evans vs. Aaliyah)

Also, just let Lacey Evans go full Sailor Scout. If she’s not a Sailor Moon fan, make her watch it and convince her to go full Sailor Scout. What Aaliyah lacks in physical stature she makes up in sheer enthusiasm, desperately going for anything she can to try to get the win — her passion isn’t enough though, and a solid right hook from Lacey Evans gets the Lady of NXT the win.

Then she opens her mouth, and uh, things get a little … problematic. Lacey sets her sites on ‘psycho’ Nikki Cross and ‘whatever she is’ Ember Moon. Shayna Baszler turns up to scare her off amidst a cavalcade of boos. Not to be outdone for petty choices by the Lady, Shayna puts her clutch on Aaliyah and knocks her out just because she can.

Ember Moon runs in to save the day and announces, filled with the burning fiery passion of a thousand suns worth of embers. She announces she’s going to beat Shayna’s ass when Shayna’s ready to go — and so our women’s championship match for TakeOver: Philadelphia seems to be set, given William Regal signs off. (Against his better judgement, he says he’ll acquiesce.)

In the Meantime …

The incredible Zelina Vega turns up to defend the honor of the Velveteen Dream, convincing William Regal to talk to Johnny Gargano about a number one contender’s match against the Dream so that Andrade Almas can have a ‘worthy opponent’ for TakeOver: Philly.

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In response, Johnny Wrestling appears to announce that it’s his time — no one is going to stop him! No one! Not the Dream, not Andrade, certainly not the ghosts of the past that haunt him relentlessly and the unresolved and dark betrayal of his very best friend in this world (to whom he isn’t married). Johnny takes the match, and if the Dream is down, Johnny’s fired up and ready to go next week.

THE SULTANS OF SWEET TAGS (Street Profits vs. Authors of Pain (W))

The Street Profits emerge confident and raring to go for their tag team number one contender’s match, looking extremely cool in their new gear. This is an extremely fun match that shows off the Profits’ athletic bona fides against the most devastatingly powerful tag team in the NXT tag division right now. Unfortunately, the fun doesn’t last for long: the Authors of Pain hit a Supercollider and leave the Profits down for the count, giving AOP the title shot in Philadelphia.

The Street Profits have had an amazing run as of late. Though, they absolutely earned this match. Hopefully, this won’t be the last title shot they get.

There’s only one show left before TakeOver: Philadelphia. All of our matches seem to be shaking out nicely. We’ll be here for it, covering any last minute surprises NXT throws into the works before the big show.