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DeMarco: Top 5 Fears About WWE NXT 2.0 After WrestleMania Weekend

After WrestleMania season dies down, it’s time to look at WWE NXT 2.0, which could see changes. Are they ready? Greg DeMarco has some concerns.

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After WrestleMania season dies down, it’s time to look at WWE NXT 2.0, which could see changes in the coming months. Are they ready? Greg DeMarco has some concerns.

WWE NXT 2.0 was always going to be a big more fluid, but we could be embarking on a very fluid period for the paint splattered WWE developmental brand. And that has me worried.

Worried about what? Read on and see!

Are Fans Turning On Bron Breakker?

Bron Breakker opened up the first WWE NXT 2.0 after Stand & Deliver, and the fans were…not welcoming their hero. Quite the contrary, they were chanting “We Want Ziggler!” and Bron didn’t have the wherewithal (or the freedom?) to respond, he just had to pause, and stick to the script. On top of that, when Gunther came out, they didn’r react nearly as much. Now, Imperium changed their music, and the old music definitely got a reaction.

Hopefully this crowd was an anomaly, because the NXT crowds have tended to be positive for anyone not named MSK. All WrestleMania weekend we didn’t have the snarky crowd–it was mostly the WWE loyal mainstream fanbase.

Regardless, Bron didn’t get called up (I expect it in the fall), and he’s moving on to a feud with Joe Gacy. Can he keep the crowd behind him? Or is the NXT faithful treating him like Roman Reigns?

Where is Roderick Strong?

I know Roderick Strong is currently active in NXT UK, pushing a mini feud with Ilja Dragunov. But he’s been out of sight, out of mind in NXT 2.0, to the point where there is no mention of him when Diamond Mine is on screen. That is most concerning.

What if Roderick Strong returns to the states and gets called up to the main roster? Is he Drew Gulak? Akira Tozawa? Or is he Daniel Bryan? Well, his promo skills aren’t Daniel Bryan–he needs a mouthpiece. Is there one to give him? Can he get over?

I’m torn, and that’s rough as Roderick Strong has long been one of my favorites dating back to 2005 Ring Of Honor. But he might be on the brink of a main roster run, or closer than we think to a 90 day vacation that ends in Jacksonville and the Undisputed Elite.

Can The Call-Ups Be Successful?

It seems likely that several talents will be called up. We have Imperium–probably just Gunther and Marcel Barthel after this week’s NXT 2.0. You also have the likelihood that Dakota Kai and Raquel Gonzales move to the main roster as well. Finally, what about an LA Knight, who is turning 40 later this year.

Imperium had a great chance for main roster success, but the loss of Fabian Aichner could be a bigger deal than we think. He was the workhorse of the group, and carried the promos as well. And will Imperium have the same intimidation on TV? Gunther is 6’4″, huge by independent and NXT standards. On the main roster? Sheamus is 6’3″, Baron Corbin is 6’8″. Gunther is a special talent, but will what makes him special work on Raw or Smackdown?

Dakota Kai and Raquel Gonzales can easily see early success as a tag team on the main roster–a place with so few women’s tag teams. They would likely win the titles and fly under the radar for a bit, and could have a long reign. But then what? Same deal–they break up, and Raquel becomes the star.

What if they don’t win the titles at all? How did that go for Tegan Nox and Shotzi Blackheart?

There is no guarantee that LA Knight will be called up to the main roster. But why not? The man is going to be 40 years old this year, and when he has a mic in his hand he makes everyone else in 2.0 appear amateur. He’s main roster ready, and has been for years. If he’s given the chance, he can easily get over and have a run before it’s too late. But is he even being called up? We will know soon enough.

What’s Going On With Fabian Aichner?

Fabian Aichner is an unsung hero of NXT 2.0. He’s been carrying Imperium both as the workhorse in the ring and when cutting promos. He’s 31 years old, so he does have some time. My biggest fear is what happens after he’s without Imperium. What’s his gimmick? Does he go back to randomly wearing a vest? Does he get to maintain the same stature and attitude he had while serving The Ring General?

He’s essentually a more charismatic Cesaro, and with the right push (and maybe a manager–but it’s not 100% necessary), he could be a big success. I would love to see him get a run with Bron Breakker and a run with the NXT Championship.

Will he? Once again…time will tell.

Are The New “Top Guys” Ready?

I could have listed Carmelo Hayes (with Trick Williams) among those getting called up, but I think we’ll see him back in a few weeks. He has top guy potential, and while I think he was turned heel too soon, I do think he’s ready.

Grayson Waller is in the perfect place in NXT. He has it all, just needs to be given time to be ready. The gimmick, the heavy–it all works. Just don’t rush it.

Toxic Attraction is money–another act not to mess with. I could see them getting drafted in October, and then I would worry. But this is Mandy Rose’s best work by far, and if kept together they can be a force on Raw or Smackdown.

Santos Escobar and Legado Del Fantasma are a strange case for me. I would have assumed they get moved up, but instead we seem to be headed to a showdown with Tony D’Angelo. Escobar is 37, so his clock has to be ticking as well. I have high hopes–we’ll see.

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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.

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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 

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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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SATURDAY - The Mindless Wrestling Podcast

SUNDAY - 30 Mindless Minutes

CHAIRSHOT RADIO NETWORK PODCAST SPECIALS

Attitude Of Aggression Podcast: The Big Five Project (chronologically exploring WWE's PPV/PLE history) Unidentified History (Ufology) & Game Gone Wrong (Game of Thrones Universe)


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