Opinion
NXT Minus 6 Year End Superlatives: Unsung Classics
As fans look back at the top matches of 2019, Bradley Jay points out the unsung classics that will undoubtedly get overlooked.
As fans look back at the top matches of 2019, Bradley Jay points out the unsung classics that will undoubtedly get overlooked.
More wrestlers from more promotions are working harder than ever for our eyes and hearts. With so much talent consistently putting on great matches, competition for the 2019 Match Of The Year will be fierce. It also means a lot of matches will go unrecognized. Here are 6 from the NXT Universe that won’t show up on any best-of list but are absolutely worth your time.

6. Angel Garza versus Joaquin Wilde, June 19, NXT TV
This was the first match of the Breakout Tournament and the best. If NXT wanted to showcase how much talent they had in the pipeline and get us excited for the rest of the tournament, mission accomplished. It introduced us to Garza, a bona fide star. It also revealed that wrestling fans are surprisingly excited to watch a man take his pants off. Who knew? 4.5 stars

5. Jack Gallagher versus Chad Gable II, 205 Live, June 26
Their first match was good but indecisive, ending in a countout. The rematch started off with solid chain wrestling and ended in a knocker of slobber. Gable is a tough-as-nails little man cut from the same cloth as Shawn Michaels. Gallagher is entirely unique and a joy to watch. Kudos to both men for working their asses off in front of a Smackdown crowd that couldn’t have cared less. They deserve better, which is why they made the list. 4.6 stars

4. Arturo Ruas versus Anthony Henry, Evolve 131, July 13
This was Takeover-worthy. These 2 have history, and that was obvious from the opening seconds. Ruas and Henry did a great job of mixing their respective martial arts and MMA backgrounds into the match. This fight felt very real. In the end, Ruas delivered what was one of the most unexpected, brutal and quick strike finishers I saw all year. 4.7 stars

3. Trent Seven versus WALTER, NXT UK TV, July 24
This was a savage chapter in the saga of Imperium versus British Strong Style. Combine WALTER’s ability to eviscerate human flesh with Seven’s ability to fall like a sack of wet cement and this match was brutal, at times uncomfortable to watch. More importantly, it was the stepping stone to what would be a Match Of The Year candidate. Bonus points to Seven for skipping his pre-match mustache stroking, because that’s not what you do in a blood feud. Storytelling. 4.7 stars

2. Noam Dar versus Trent Seven, NXT-TV, October 24
It was a simple and compelling story: was this the end of British Strong Style? Absolutely nobody bumps better than Seven, but I chose this match for Dar. He deserves all the praise he can get. If he was 3 inches and 30 pounds heavier, he’d be a star on the main roster. Guy is that good. It’s also a great touch that Seven’s finisher is called the Birming Hammer. In the end, Seven channels the spirits of Pete Dunne and Tyler Bate to secure a victory and prove BSS isn’t dead yet. 4.7 stars

1. Cesaro versus Ilja Dragunov, NXT UK Takeover Cardiff
When you want to showcase a new talent, who do you call? The Swiss Cyborg. This felt like an old school, “rough up the new guy for real” kind of match. Cesaro really stretched the kid, but Dragunov more than held his own. When given the time, Cesaro always proves why he’s one of the most universally respected wrestlers around. As for Dragunov, there’s something quirky and weird about him; he has a very bright future. The show of respect from Cesaro at the end was well deserved and genuine. And by the way, a 40 Swing! 4.7 stars
Next week, we’ll look at 6 wrestlers who need to come home to NXT in 2020.
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Opinion
Chris King: The Wyatt Sicks’ Wasted Potential By WWE
Chris King takes a look at the WWE and their wasted potential of Uncle Howdy and the Wyatt Sicks faction.
Chris King takes a look at the WWE and their wasted potential of Uncle Howdy and the Wyatt Sicks faction.
It’s that time of the year again, folks; it’s unfortunate and downright awful that so many WWE superstars got released today. I’m not going to list all of them, but I am going to talk about one of my favorite factions,
The Wyatt Sicks. Nikki Cross, Joe Gacy, Erik Rowan, and Bo Dallas (Uncle Howdy) were something special. After Bo’s brother Bray Wyatt’s tragic passing, WWE felt like there was a hole that needed to be filled. Wyatt was one of the most creative and brilliant characters, and Bo would be taking over his brother’s concept and bringing it to life. In 2024, at the end of an incredible documentary highlighting Wyatt’s career and struggles, Bo appeared on the screen portrayed as Uncle Howdy. The last time Uncle Howdy was seen on-screen was at the 2023 Royal Rumble, where Wyatt defeated LA Knight in a Pitch Black Match. Howdy jumped off a structure onto Knight.
This post-credit scene sparked so much speculation and excitement that Wyatt’s brother would carry on his legacy and possibly debut the faction that was Wyatt’s concept. On the June 17th episode of Monday Night Raw, The Wyatt Sicks made their dramatic debut ,destroying the backstage area as well as “murdering” Chad Gable. It was such an iconic arrival for Howdy as he made his menacing walk from the back into the audience who were chanting “Holy Shit.” The Sicks and American Made (Chad Gable and The Creed Brothers) battled for months, with The Sicks being victorious. On the September 9th episode of Raw, The Sicks defeated them, with Howdy getting the win with Sister Abigail.
The following year, The Sicks would move over to Friday Night SmackDown, and it seemed like WWE had a plan in place. They would win the tag team championships from The Street Profits and start to look dominant. Now, what should have happened next is Howdy should have won the United States title. The Sicks could have held all the gold over on the blue brand, but it never happened. The Sicks entered into a never-ending feud with The MFT’s (Solo Sikoa, Tama Tonga, Tonga Loa, JC Mateo, and Talla Tonga.) It started off exciting, and the WWE Universe was red-hot for their interactions.
After months of repetitive matches and The MFT’s stealing their lantern, the feud grew tiresome and boring. Even Tama asked Solo why they are still holding onto the lantern, as it was destroying them as a whole. Finally on the SmackDown before Mania, Tama
gave the lantern back to Howdy against Solo’s wishes. Please explain to me why both factions fought almost every single week instead of just having one final blowoff match at WrestleMania.
It should have been either a massive street fight or a falls count anywhere match on the grandest stage of them all. Instead, it turned into a meaningless week-after-week extravaganza that benefited no one. The MFTs won the rivalry, and The Sicks don’t even work for WWE anymore. This was the same criminalized creative process that Wyatt dealt with during his first run in the company.
We’ll never know how much of a dangerous force The Wyatt Sicks could have been in the WWE. For all their careers’ sake, I hope they stay far away from the company for as long as possible. Every superstar that was cut deserves better!
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Opinion
Chris King: Bloodline Saga: Is This the Right Call For WWE?
Chris King questions the WWE’s logic in setting up Jacob Fatu as the next challenger for World Heavyweight Champion Roman Reigns
Chris King questions the WWE’s logic in setting up Jacob Fatu as the next challenger for World Heavyweight Champion Roman Reigns
Roman Reigns is once again World Heavyweight Champion after his dominant win over CM Punk at WrestleMania 42. On the following night on Monday Night Raw, The OG Bloodline came back together as a well-oiled machine as The Usos stood side by side with Roman. With the WWE Universe asking who would be the first to challenge “The Tribal Chief,” Jacob Fatu shocked the world by answering the call.
Fatu is running hot after his impressive win over Drew McIntyre and feels like he is ready to become the new world champion. This bloodline segment ended Raw, and it picked right back up on SmackDown with even Solo Sikoa and the MFTs involved. This is now two shows that have been centered around The Bloodline saga, and it’s made me question whether or not WWE should be retelling this story.
The Bloodline (Roman Reigns, The Usos, and Solo Sikoa) ran WWE for over four years as Reigns’ henchmen, doing his dirty work to retain his title. Even though Roman has declared he doesn’t want Jey and Jimmy to serve him, it sure seems like WWE are spinning their wheels. Fatu could add a whole new chapter into the story, even if he’s not able to beat Roman at Backlash. “The Samoan Werewolf” could be forced to do the same thing as Jey did all those years ago and fall in line.
In my opinion, I feel like Fatu should be challenging for the Undisputed WWE Championship because that’s a title I feel like he should win. I understand standing up to your blood and trying to prove you’re the best, but I don’t think this is the right move. It feels like 2022 all over again, as The Bloodline is the central focus on both shows. If Fatu doesn’t win, what happens to all his momentum he’s been building over the last two years?
Why did WWE make this the best choice for storyline purposes? Why couldn’t creative have come up with a different challenger for Roman? There are so many other superstars that could challenge The Tribal Chief, such as Rusev, Bron Breakker, Gunther, or even a returning Sheamus.
I just can’t help but question WWE’s logic here, and it kind of reminds me of all the times The Shield reunited. Could WWE be pushing the same storyline too many times here? Could the WWE Universe get tired of this rinse and repeat cycle of The Bloodline Saga?
Are we about to see all the weekly episodes solely focused on The Bloodline again? Will it be cinema… Yes. Is there still money in The Bloodline… Yes. Was it the right call? That’s to be determined!
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