With last week’s episode of NXT ending with NXT Champion, Karrion Kross choking out enforcer, Samoa Joe after Kross’s match with Johnny Gargano for the NXT Championship, it was finally time to see the aftermath and result of Kross’s actions this week on NXT. We would also see former Undisputed ERA members Roderick Strong and Bobby Fish battle in tag team action and more on another great episode of the black and yellow brand.

So, without further ado, I am Bodeen Green and I am here once again to look at the good and do my best to ignore the bad and the ugly as I bring you my top 5 moments from this week’s edition of NXT.

5. NXT General Manager William Regal tries to calm down a furious Samoa Joe to open the show 

After NXT Champion, Karrion Kross choked out special guest referee Samoa Joe next week, revenge would be on the mind of the Samoan Submission Machine as he opened the show to call out Karrion Kross. Unfortunately for Joe, William Regal would come out and tell Joe to calm down and told him that he wanted things to be settled peacefully as Samoa Joe was actually a referee last week and not an enforcer, thus meaning his rule about being allowed to attack someone after he has been provoked didn’t mean anything.

A furious Samoa Joe told William Regal that Regal could not control Kross, referencing Kross’ appearance on Monday Night Raw the night before. Joe told things that we would end things tonight out of respect for the NXT General Manager but Joe could not promise that things would end peacefully between the two men.

This was an amazing segment as Samoa Joe proved once again why he is one of the best of the mic. The fact WWE released Samoa Joe feels so weird considering how good Joe is at everything he does. While he may have more matches behind him than in front of him, Joe still is amazing on the commentary table and has also proven he is great on the mic as an authority figure.

4. Former Undisputed ERA members collide as Bobby Fish teams up with Kushida to take on Diamond Mine  

Former Undisputed ERA members, Bobby Fish and Roderick Strong would get a chance to face off against each other as Fish teamed with the NXT Cruiserweight Champion, Kushida to take on  Roderick Strong and Tyler Rust of The Diamond Mine with all 4 men putting on a strong match (pun intended). Before the match could start Fish and Kushida attacked The Diamond Mine, getting into the head of Strong and Rust which proved to be effective as Kushida and Fish were able to control Strong and Rust until Strong hit a backbreaker on Kushida to turn the tides.

After a great showing of technical wrestling between all 4 men involved Kushida and Fish would be victorious after Kushida managed to lock the hoverboard lock in on Tyler Rust with Roderick Strong being nowhere to be found after Strong and Fish brawled outside the ring, forcing Rust to tap out.

This was a great example of hitting 2 birds with one stone, not only were NXT able to advance the storyline between Strong and Fish, but they were also able to push Rust and make him a potential future threat for Kushida somewhere down the line.

3. A huge upset win is ruined as LA Knight forces Cameron Grimes to attack Drake Maverick  

Last week on NXT, Cameron Grimes would be forced to become LA Knight’s personal butler. Despite being in a weak position, Grimes managed to make LA Knight regret his decision to make Grimes his personal butler has Grimes smiled and laughed every insult off as he managed to humiliate The Million Dollar Champion by sending him into his own pool. Unfortunately, for Grimes, LA Knight would have payback on his mind this week. Early in the night, LA Knight forced Grimes to carry multiple bags for him. Drake Maverick tried to help Grimes but LA Knight told off Drake prompting a match between the two men later in the night.

During his entrance Knight told Cameron Grimes to stop interacting with the crowd, giving more orders to his butler as he told Grimes to hold the Million Dollar Championship up to the crowd at the start of the match. Maverick used this opportunity to attack Knight but Knight managed to turn it around. Knight tried telling Grimes to hold the belt again, allowing Maverick to get back into the match yet again and hit a crossbody on LA Knight for a close nearfall. Late in the match, Knight told Grimes to hold the Million Dollar Championship up yet again, but the third time would prove to be the charm for Drake Maverick as he managed to hit dropkick Knight headfirst into the belt, following it up with a roll-up for a shock upset victory. Grimes warned Maverick to leave the ring after the match but Knight managed to intercept Maverick before he could leave the ring as Knight beat down Maverick, telling Grimes this was his fault as Grimes began to feel guilty for putting Maverick into this position.

A beat down wasn’t enough for The Millian Dollar Champion, as he then instructed Grimes to punch Maverick with Grimes having no choice to punch Maverick as Grimes felt more guilty. This was an amazing segment and continued to help Grimes look like such a sympathetic babyface that fans can get behind. This, without a doubt, is one of my favourite storylines in wrestling right now as LA Knight and Cameron Grimes have great charisma and chemistry together and it has been entertaining to see both men try to get into the head of the other man.

2. Kyle O’Reilly finds his killer instinct against Austin Theory as the way starts to drift apart  

During the night Johnny Gargano and Austin Theory were interviewed about Gargano’s loss to the NXT Champion, Karrion Kross last week on NXT. After telling interviewer, McKenzie Mitchell that the loss was tough but Gargano was ok, Kyle O’Reilly walked in and addressed Austin Theory’s comments on Twitter about Kyle O’Reilly as he challenged Theory to a match which Theory accepted. Gargano told Theory that he would be on his own tonight as Papa John left Theory to take on Kyle O’Reilly alone.

Both men would go back and forth in an amazing match. While Theory may not have the best win record, just like Johnny Gargano he manages to look strong in defeat and somehow looks better after every single match. During the match, Wade Barrett talked about his interview with Kyle O’Reilly last week and how Kyle O’Reilly wanted to find his killer instinct. Late in the match, Theory looked to have the match won hitting a TKO in the ring for a close nearfall, frustrating Theory. A furious Theory sent O’Reilly outside the ring. Theory tried using the steps against Kyle but decided not to, however, this would prove to be a mistake for Theory as Kyle found energy out of nowhere and unloaded multiple strikes out his opponent outside the ring as the steel steps made Kyle remember the moment Adam Cole hit a brainbuster on him on the steps. After bringing Theory back into the ring, Kyle hit the flying knee drop on Theory and followed it up with a heel lock with Kyle not letting go of the submission even after the bell was rung.

This was an amazing match between Theory and O’Reilly that made both men look strong. The story of O’Reilly finding the killer instinct he had at NXT TakeOver: Stand And Deliver were great to watch and it is fun to see Kyle go from being a cool, charismatic character to a brutal submission machine. Later in the night, things went downhill for The WAY as the group argued back and forth with Indi Hartwell accidentally mentioning Dexter Lumis’s name. As the group continued to argue. A sad Theory walked away from the group, teasing a potential split between the group as Johnny Gargano continues to look more like a babyface while Candice LeRae continues to be a heel, not allowing Indi to have interactions with Dexter Lumis.

1. Karrion Kross sends a message to Samoa Joe and takes out William Regal to close the show

After Joe called out the NXT Champion earlier in the night, Karrion Kross would get the last laugh, sending a sadistic message to Joe. After the match for the NXT Women’s Championship match between Xia Li and Raquel Gonzalez, Samoa Joe came out and called out the NXT Champion once again but Joe would regret his words as the NXT Champion appeared on the Titantron screen, Kross told Joe that NXT has now different and that Kross now runs NXT, saying that he can do whatever he wants to anyone he wants as he then moved the camera he was holding to reveal NXT General Manager, William Regal knocked out on the floor as the show finished with Karrion Kross driving away as a furious Samoa Joe ran outside to chase Kross.

This was a great series of segments between the two men as well as William Regal. It is very rare for William Regal to be involved inside storylines in NXT, apart from segments where he is announcing a match, so Kross attacking Regal in such a devastating way has some great storyline potential, especially when with William Regal who will be conflicted with the choice of staying professional or sending Joe out to attack Karrion Kross for revenge. Kross also looked good in this segment as he managed to find a little bit of redemption after his terrible debut on Monday Night RAW against Jeff Hardy.

In a Youtube segment, tensions would also continue with Samoa Joe and Pete Dunne, after both men stared at each other after Samoa Joe checked on William Regal in the medical room. While this could be teasing a match somewhere down the line between the two men I would not be surprised with Dunne sides with Joe to taking on Kross due to Kross’ actions against William Regal.

These were my top 5 moments from this week’s edition of the black and yellow brand. What were your top 5 moments from NXT this week and how excited are you to see a match between Samoa Joe and Karrion Kross for the NXT Championship? Let us know in the comment section down below.