Tried so hard, and got so far – NXT Recap – 7/19/2017

Before we get into this NXT recap, The Dark Match mourns the tragic loss of Chester Bennington, the voice of Linkin Park.  He was a pivotal part of my formative years.  I’ve long known that he battled depression and sadness just from interviews and things, but didn’t know it was this bad.  Not to harp on the same thing that you’ve undoubtedly heard a thousand times already this year, but if you know anyone who is suffering from depression or has indicated any inclination towards suicide, please, don’t stay quiet and “let them work through it.”  Help is out there.  You could save a life if you can steer people towards the right help for their problems.

Tonight’s NXT episode was an effort to get us Number One Contenders for NXT TakeOver Brooklyn III, as Asuka and Bobby Roode both need opponents (and we don’t need to know who the Authors of Pain are going to face because they are just going to slaughter them anyway).

• Ruby Riot vs Ember Moon to determine the Number One Contender to the NXT Women’s Championship:  So, I’m going to just tell you that Ember Moon wins via pinfall following the Eclipse.  You knew that was going to happen, but I’ve got to discuss this one a little bit because it bothers me the way NXT is booking things now.  Look, I understand being high on a competitor, but you can’t just stomp all over any build or push that anyone else has been getting.  Ruby Riot is the only one of the three competitors they even talk about in the conversation over who will face Asuka (uh…what about Kay or Royce?  Geez, NXT) who hasn’t faced the Empress of Tomorrow in singles competition for the belt.  That’s fine if you’re going to delay the inevitable, but the only thing you accomplish here is demanding that Ember beat Asuka at TakeOver.  If Ember fails again, you’ve just created an environment where both Ember and Ruby are hurt by the booking.  Ember has to take the belt at TakeOver, even if it is just so Asuka can play a role at Summerslam and move to the main roster.  It has to happen.  This was by no means a bad match, it was actually a pretty solid match for both competitors, but it has to be booked correctly or it hurts them on the continuity front (I know, continuity isn’t something I should be this passionate about).
• Oney Lorcan vs Danny Burch:  Do you like matches where two European dudes try to knock each other’s teeth out?  Yes.  Well this match is for you.  This match was fun to watch.  So check it out.  Oney Lorcan wins via submission with a Half Boston Crab.
• No Way Jose vs Cesar Bononi:  Remember what I said about booking?  No Way Jose wins via a Super Punch because that’s a believable thing.  Anyway, Bononi picked up a win over Almas in his first match.  He’s also a beast who clearly spent time in an Octagon.  Why would this then become something between Jose and Almas?  They had Bononi lose, get kicked a few times by Almas, and then all the fallout here was about Jose and Almas.  It was weird, in a way that having Miz just sort of disappear during the Nakamura entrance at Smackdown after Mania was weird.
• Killian Dane vs Drew McIntyre to determine the Number One Contender to the NXT Championship:  This was the opposite of my complaints above.  As both were undefeated, it really didn’t matter one way or the other.  But this match crowned Drew McIntyre Number One Contender following a pair of Claymores, while at the same time making Dane look insanely strong.  He ate a Future Shock and kicked out after one.  The first Claymore and Dane was right back up.  This was a big match between big guys, and I see them actually letting McIntyre take the belt from Roode.  This guy is going to be huge.  They could basically just run with it and have him as the Scottish Roman Reigns.  You’ll see it next time you look at him.

Anyway, that’s your NXT.

RIP Chester.