NXT Minus 6: A “Fight Forever” update

Is Bradley Jay willing to accept a new “fight forever?” Find that out, and more, in this edition of the WWE NXT Minus 6!

Last year, I declared the Fight Forever chant was exclusive property of Keith Lee & Dominik Dijakovic. Now, the torch has been passed. But to who? Or whom?

6. Poor Indi Hartwell always seems out of step. She’s awkward in matches. She’s awkward when the Way is cutting promos. The other day she was eating a salad and stabbed herself in the nose. On the bright side, she’s got a clear runway to win Most Improved Wrestler of 2021. 

5. The No Look High 5 is easily the coolest tag team thing since the 5 Second Pose. That’s right. I said it. The Way is such a cool name for a stable I can’t believe it’s never been done before. And if the kid can get his head straight, there is absolutely zero change Austin Theory doesn’t main event WrestleMania. He’s got a ceiling higher than Rob Van Dam. Zzzzzzing! 

4. Speaking of cool names, NXT Minus 6 has officially rebranded Karrion Kross as Doomsday Saito. So much cooler. There is something appealing about watching Saito destroy people in five minutes or less, but after that I lose interest. Saito is the new Goldberg.  

3. Of course a big name free agent is going to impress in their first match. Keith Lee. Matt Riddle. KUSHIDA. But Tyler Rust? I’m not sold on the name, but he’s earned his spot on the roster.  His might be the most surprising debut since Pearl Jam 10. I’m digging the pairing with Malcolm Bivens. Wrestling needs more good managers.  

2. Now about this whole “Rhea Ripley is getting buried” thing. Not every loss means a wrestler is buried. Ripley lost to a former women’s champion via interference. That is the absolute opposite of getting buried. On the flipside, if Ripley won every match, the same fans would complain that she’s untouchable and never loses. Sometimes we are our own worst enemy. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: nobody hates the thing they love as much as wrestling fans. 

1b. Last year, I declared that the “fight forever” chant could only be used during a match with Keith Lee and Dominik Dijakovic. Now that those two are gone, the “fight forever” torch has been officially passed to Pete Dunne and Kyle O’Reilly. I don’t fully trust anybody who doesn’t like dogs. I don’t fully trust any wrestling fan who doesn’t want to see Dunne & O’Reilly in the ring. 

1a. Dunne beat O’Reilly in the Dusty Classic and the War Games advantage ladder match. O’Reilly beat Dunne in War Games and the #1 contenders match. Series is tied at 2-2. The only logical solution is for O’Reilly to beat Finn Balor for the title and then give Dunne a title shot for the tie breaker.