April Wrestling Thread/NTWT Weekend Edition/WM April 10th 2021

B Sox said:
Eyeconics are best for business :pimp:
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youngogjosh said:
I'm hype for NXT tonight
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NXT preview (Mar. 20, 2019): Calling an Audible
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NXT returns tonight (Mar. 20) with the first episode from the final set of tapings prior to TakeOver: New York.

Advertised for tonight;

  • Triple H addresses the NXT Championship
  • Keith Lee vs. Donovan Dijakovic
As per usual, here are our five questions about NXT tonight:

1) The title is getting vacated, right?

This seems like a no-brainer, but WWE’s announcement about Triple H’s “return” to NXT gave nothing away. They haven’t announced that Tommaso Ciampa had to relinquish his championship due to his spinal surgery. Which is why it’s getting asked here.

We’re still looking at a 95% chance that a vacant title is coming our way. The most generous estimates have Ciampa at least three months away. And again, that’s very generous. Six to nine months is probably more reasonable.

If they knew for sure it would be a couple months, maybe they’d try to get away with an angle where the champ refuses to relinquish the title, and they use their block taping schedule to buy themselves time. But with that time table of return too unpredictable, they probably have no other choice but to crown a new champion in Brooklyn in a few weeks.

Tonight, we’ll likely find out how they go about that.

2) Is this in essence the end of the Ciampa/Gargano story?

This isn’t going to be answered tonight. The answer to this question will unfold for months on NXT TV and maybe the main roster if that’s in Johnny Gargano’s future.

With that varied time table of return from neck surgery, they can’t keep Gargano in a holding pattern until Tommaso is finally back so they can blow off the story.

This story is probably never truly going to be over. It’ll probably be akin to Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens’ wonderful relationship. This history will be referenced again, whether it’s in NXT or on the main roster. But it’s entirely possible this chapter of it is finished without the conclusion they were planning.

3) Is Johnny going to be blamed for Tommaso’s neck injury?

The angle they closed NXT with last week actually works rather well when it comes to trying to explain the champ’s neck injury.

After #DIY lost in the Dusty Classic to Aleister Black and Ricochet (because Johnny faked a knee injury, forcing Ciampa to go it alone), the Blackheart once again tried to slam his buddy’s head into the LED screen on the entrance. But this was all part of Gargano’s plan, and Johnny Wrestling revealed that he was playing his old foe this time around. He instead tossed Ciampa into the screen and kicked him in the face for good measure.

This can be used as the reason that Ciampa got injured. Sure, WWE announced the surgery prior to this episode airing. But we can go ahead and forget about that to make the story work. Because if the story is over here, this could be a decent conclusion. Johnny finally realized who Ciampa was and then manipulated the manipulator. Is it as good as Johnny winning the title from Ciampa in New York? No. But unfortunately, that’s not in the cards.

If we look at this as Johnny’s revenge, taking the title from Ciampa by means of injuring him, then he can go ahead and win it on Sunday having put Tommaso behind him. Again, it wouldn’t be the same. But it would be pretty good.

4) Are they going to make the Forgotten Sons more interesting this week?

Next week, the Forgotten Sons face Aleister Black and Ricochet in the finals of the Dusty Classic. That means they’re just one win away from a TakeOver title shot against the War Raiders.

Unfortunately for the biker trio, there hasn’t been much development of their characters. Or really any. Three biker dudes. There you go. You’re caught up.

Being so close to a marquee match, we should really care more about them at this point. NXT (and WWE in general) is very good at the video package treatment, allowing the audience to learn more about wrestlers who are lacking character. Tonight would be a good time to show us one of those to get us invested in next week beyond “Man, I hope the Forgotten Sons don’t advance because that would be boring.”

5) Is Lee/Dijakovic actually happening?

Last week, and weeks prior, NXT advertised Keith Lee vs. Dominik Dijakovic for tonight. However it’s not on their preview page on WWE’s website.

Perhaps they just opted to focus on the big story, which is the fate of the NXT title. But it’s also possible they decided not to run this match tonight. Perhaps both men will be involved and whatever is decided for the likely vacant title. Or maybe they just don’t want to run this match tonight and instead want to give both up-and-comers more of a showcase spot at TakeOver
 


Kento Miyahara vs. Naoya Nomura

Future Ace of All Japan going up against the current Ace. Whatever AJPW does these next couple of years will be on the backs of these two men. Nomura is 25 years old and getting his first title shot. Think of him as a young Kobashi in this. He's had several breakout matches last year, but this is his true star-making performance.

@D Fly
@Case
youngogjosh youngogjosh


@PLVN did you watch yet?
 
dangerousg said:


Kento Miyahara vs. Naoya Nomura

Future Ace of All Japan going up against the current Ace. Whatever AJPW does these next couple of years will be on the backs of these two men. Nomura is 25 years old and getting his first title shot. Think of him as a young Kobashi in this. He's had several breakout matches last year, but this is his true star-making performance.

@D Fly
@Case
youngogjosh youngogjosh


@PLVN did you watch yet?
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I assume Miyahara is a big Kingdom Hearts fan :rofl:
 
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