NXT Minus 6: A Cage Match or Match In A Cage?

This week, we got a match in a cage…and we also got a cage match. What’s the diff?

6. In February 2019, I wrote, “If I was in charge, I’d repackage it as the Dusty Rhodes Everyman Classic. It’s a tournament for 8 mid card guys & jobbers, and the winner gets a title shot. That’s how you pay homage to the American Dream.” NXT stole my idea! Or it was so obvious that we came up with it concurrently. Either way, if the rest of the tournament is as good as the first match, give me the Dusty Rhodes Everyman Classic every year.

5. Joaquin Wilde looked good. He’s a plucky, high flying, resilient babyface. His background story is cool. Hard to deny a man who cheated death. He’ll find a home on 205 Live, or based on his ring attire, in a stable with Mustafa Ali and Max Moon. But Angel Garza…

4. Wow! Angel Garza is a star. They need to figure out another classification for NXT because I’m not sure what Angel is developing. He would be great in any ring in the world. His finisher is wicked awesome. It’s been called a butterfly stunner or butterfly buster. Think Bubba Bomb chest to chest instead of chest to back. Bonus points: his cousin is Humberto Carillo.

3. Keith Lee delivered the Pounce of a lifetime. If the ropes didn’t stop him. Jobby McJobberson would have landed in the third row. Ridiculous times two. Yes, Mr. Lee, this is your NXT. Silly squash on tv, battling the champ in house shows. I’m feeling the Earth moving under your feet, Mr. Lee, and I like where it’s going.

2. Screw the Man. Io Shirai has balls. Her moonsault off the top of the cage was crazy bananas. I don’t care that we all saw it coming. Not to be overlooked, Candace Lerae absolutely pancaked Jessamyn Duke with her own leap off the top of the cage. It was a 4 star match with a 5 star ending.

1. This week’s That’s Why I Love Wrestling Award goes to the cage match. I focus strictly on the merits of NXT, but today it’s hard not to compare cage matches. At Stomping Grounds, Dolph Ziggler & Kofi Kingston had a match in a cage. They could have had the same match in a regular ring. I never got the feeling the cage made a difference or was necessary. This week, Shayna Baszler & Io Shirai had a cage match. They left no doubt that the cage was a major player in their brawl. The high impact moves involved the cage. The ending…what a beautiful ending…was all about the cage. Ladies, that is how you cage match. Thank you for your efforts.