BRM Reviews the 6/29/2016 NXT (very good)

[Big Red Machine]

ALEXA BLISS! vs. CARMELLA- 5.5/10
I was really happy to see these two (well… mostly Alexa) actually given time to have a real singles matches (they went close to ten minutes). Carmella’s selling has definitely improved, while Alexa was awesome as always. She does a great job of combining her heel gimmick and facial expressions with her newly-found more heelishly technical side.
WWE has renamed some of her moves to fit in with her heelish persona, which hopefully means there is a push coming for her in the near future. The Glitz Flip got a front double kneedrop to the stomach tacked on before it and that combination is now called “Insult to Injury” while the Sparkle Splash is now “Twisted Bliss” (which is a much more clever name for it).
Speaking of moves with names, I totally marked out for the Glitter Blizzard, although it wasn’t called as such. I’ve been hoping that someone in WWE will use Wikipedia or our database for something and pick this up, but it hasn’t happened yet. One day… one day I will leave my lasting mark on the world, dammit! If my entire legacy is coming up with that name for that move, it will have totally been worth it (then again, based on the above trends, it seems highly unlikely that such a thing will happen before Alexa turns babyface, which won’t be any time soon).

SHINSUKE NAKAMURA INTERVIEW ABOUT HIS MATCH WITH BALOR- good.

KATHY INTERVIEWS BAYLEY- Good segment
Bayley cuts a good promo saying she wants another shot at the title. Then Alexa Bliss! showed up and said that she deserves a title shot, not Bayley because Bayley had her shot and she failed. Also, Alexa bragged about being up Bayley’s best friend.

NOAH POTJES vs. ANDRADE CIEN ALMAS- 4/10
Apparently we saw this Noah Potjes guy in action last month. I have no memory of this. The match was very smooth but ultimately little more than an extended squash

ANDREA INTERVIEWS AUSTIN ARIES ABOUT ATTACKING NO WAY JOSE- it was a really great promo… except that the whole narrative of being rejected by the fans and people chanting “AUSTIN SUCKS!”… when did that ever happen? You can’t just make sh*t like that up and tell us it happened when we never saw it.

FINN BALOR INTERVIEW ABOUT HIS MATCH WITH NAKAMURA- fine

Alexa Bliss! vs. Bayley next week.

HYPE BROS. vs. JOHNNY GARGANO & TOMMASO CIAMPA- 6.5/10
This was really good, to the point where I really found myself rooting for the Hype Bros. It was a great babyface vs. babyface match, but for some reason this match got me really into the Hype Bros. as a babyface tag team act.

POST-MATCH SEGMENT- very good
Gargano notes that he and Ciampa beat The Revival right before they won the tag titles so they want a title shot. Then American Alpha came out and said they wanted their rematch and they deserve their rematch first and they are going to win the titles. I could be wrong, but I think this is was the first real in-ring talking segment American Alpha have been involved in (also, they want revenge on the Authors of Pain, but they want to get their titles back first).
Then The Revival came out and they said that they decide who gets a title shot and when. Then Regal came out and reminded everyone that he decides who gets a title shot and when. Regal says that American Alpha will get their title shot first… and they’re getting it next week! In a 2-out-of-3 Falls Match!
Ciampa and Garnago shook hands with American Alpha and they started to leave. Then the Authors of Pain came out through the crowd and jumped American Alpha from behind. Ciampa and Gargano hesitated for a moment before trying to help but they got their butts kicked. This let American Alpha make a short comeback with Jordan even suplexing one of the monsters, but they got cut off and beaten up again.

A very fun show from NXT.