Results and Review: WWE NXT Episode 340 (15.6.2016)

Now that we have witnessed the end of the beginning of NXT, have we now entered the middle? That question was never answered….

Authors of Pain vs ????

I didn’t catch the names of the jobbers, but their names weren’t important. I didn’t catch the names of either Authors, but I guess that isn’t too important, is it? This was a typical squash match.. It’s hard to tell from one match, but the Authors look a little green (especially one of them…but I don’t know their names!). We had to see them in action after they destroyed American Alpha at Takeover. I’ll leave it another match or two to judge them fully. But form this match, they wrestled distinctly average…

WINNERS: Authors of Pain 

VERDICT: 3/10. Typical squash match with little to differentiate itself from other squash matches. Next match, please!

INTERVIEW: Andrade ‘Cien’ Almas was interrupted by Tye Dillinger, who claimed Almas’ victory was a fluke. They set up a rematch later on, to which Almas reacted by taking his braces off. For some reason…

Carmella vs Tessa Blanchard

Three or four matches in, Tessa Blanchard has yet to show any potential. She seems acquainted with the basics, but anything more is beyond her. Carmella did her usual stuff, which is just alright. I do like her submission finisher though. Matches like this make me wonder what will become of the NXT’s Women’s Division. There’s hardly any decent (and over) talent left. After Asuka’s inevitable rematch with Bayley, who is fit to fight Asuka? And Blanchard hasn’t won a match yet…

WINNER: Carmella 

VERDICT: 4/10. A below average match that showed, once again, that Tessa Blanchard is still green. It also showed that Carmella shouldn’t be carrying lesser talent in matches.

INTERVIEW: This was recorded after Takeover. Samoa Joe said he was willing to sacrifice everything for the NXT Championship. He asked (maybe rhetorically?) what ‘you’ (who was he referring to?) would be willing to sacrifice.

INTERVIEW: Blake and Murphy said that they resolved their issues. They were about to face TM61…

Blake and Murphy vs TM61

A decent match? Oh yes! Since TM61 debuted against Ciampa and Gargano a few weeks back, I’ve been waiting to see them in action again. Once again, they put on an entertaining match (probably the match of the night!). Blake and Murphy are not reliable in the ring, but here they showed the goods in perhaps their final match as a tag team. The pace was fast, TM61 are full of high-flying moves, and the end was in doubt. Would Blake and Murphy win and reconcile? Would TM61 score their first victory? Blake and Murphy knocked into each other in the closing moments. TM61 hit their awesome finisher, the ‘Thunder Valley’ for the victory. It was far too short-lived, and an extra five minutes would have been appreciated.

WINNERS: TM61 

VERDICT: 7/10. Short, but entertaining and fast-paced. TM61 are a tag team to watch out for in the future!

INTERVIEW: This was recorded after Takeover. The Revival bragged about being the first two time NXT Tag Team Champions. I can’t wait for the rematch between them and American Alpha…

INTERVIEW: Bayley said that she’ll find out if she can wrestle next week after a doctor’s appointment. Do I hear Bayley vs Asuka? I think so!

Andrade ‘Cien’ Almas vs Tye Dillinger

A rematch from Takeover, but a rematch that didn’t live up to their pretty good original match. The winner, once again, was never in doubt. Almas looked sharp and excellent once again. The crowd seemed to be more into Dillinger than Almas, no matter how hard the latter worked to gain their affection. His high-flying antics reaped the cheers at Takeover, but he did even more precise high-flying stuff here and the crowd didn’t dig it. The match was even shorter than their first match, which hampered the story telling. Almas’s finisher came quickly and out of nowhere, without any build up. Still worthy watching, but only just…

WINNER: Andrade ‘Cien’ Almas 

VERDICT: 6/10. A few levels below their first match, but Almas still looked great in the ring. 

IN-RING SEGMENT: Finn Balor delivered perhaps his best promo in NXT ever, giving us a brief history of his time in NXT. He asked ‘what’s next?’ The crowd chanted ‘Balor Club,’ but the lights went out…and out came Shinsuke Nakamura! The crowd went crazy, and so did I! Nakamura said (in his best promo yet) that Balor was an idol, and to be the champion first he has to beat the icon. What a great moment! The handshake signalled that the match is on…so at the next Takeover, presumably we’ll get Balor vs Nakamura. Oh yes!

OVERALL VERDICT: 6/10. The first two matches were worthless, but the second two offered plenty of entertainment. Storylines were progressed, the repercussions of Takeover: The End were felt, and we got an awesome confrontation between Balor and Nakamura. The entire show was worth it just for that!

Leave your thoughts/comments below!

Click here for my review of WWE NXT Takeover: The End (8.6.2016)