The North American Championship headlined Wednesday's NXT, as Johnny Gargano, fresh off a main roster debut, defended against the most focused Velveteen Dream we have seen thus far in his young career.
Would Johnny Wrestling emerge from the hotly anticipated battle with his title intact, or would Dream pull off the highest-profile victory of his career, winning a belt that has been moved all around the roster since its inception a year ago at WrestleMania 34?
Throw in a match between two of the best wrestlers in the world, as Aleister Black squared off with Undisputed Era's Roderick Strong, and the latest appearance by Mia Yim, and you have another star-studded episode of the WWE Network staple.
Aleister Black rode victories over Elias and Andrade on Raw and SmackDown Live this week into Wednesday's episode of NXT, where he battled Undisputed Era's Roderick Strong in a wrestling fan's dream match.
An overzealous Strong tried to take the match to the mat from the opening bell in hopes of negating Black's striking ability, but the former NXT champion thwarted it. What he did not, though, was escape a well-designed attack to the back perpetrated by The Messiah of the Backbreaker.
Strong used the steps and ring apron to soften up the back of his opponent in hopes of scoring a signature singles victory.
Black fought back into the match, stunning his opponent with some strikes before dropping him with a brainbuster for two. Strong recovered and delivered a nasty torture-rack backbreaker on the top rope that sent The Dutch Destroyer to the arena floor.
Strong continued to control the bout, nearly putting away his opponent, but Black obliterated him with Black Mass to score the victory from out of nowhere.
After the match, Undisputed Era attempted a sneak attack on Black until Ricochet made the save.
Result
Black defeated Strong
Grade
B+
Analysis
Black sold like crazy for Strong, reminding fans of just how dangerous and skilled a wrestler the former tag team champion is when left to compete on his own. He went over, which was the right call, and the post-match events set in motion a tag team showdown between Black, Ricochet and The Undisputed Era.
Perhaps as soon as the just-announced 2019 Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic, which will begin on March 6.
Mia Yim returned to NXT TV after a few weeks on the sidelines and found herself squaring off with Xia Li, who made quite an impression during her short run in this year's Royal Rumble match.
The Superstars traded roll-ups early and then strikes. Li won the striking round and scaled the ropes. She tried for a kick, but Yim dodged it and dropped her with a spinning backfist.
Moments later, Yim delivered Protect Ya Neck (so named by Mauro Ranallo) for the pinfall victory.
After the match, Shayna Baszler, Jessamyn Duke and Marina Shafir attacked Yim. This brought out the young members of the NXT women's division, such as Jessie Elaban, Lacey Lane and MJ Jenkins. Their save was thwarted by three of the Four Horsewomen of MMA, who stood tall to close out the segment.
Result
Yim defeated Li
Grade
C
Analysis
The match was a nice sprint, but the post-match beatdown was ridiculous.
Yes, Baszler, Duke and Shafir are legitimate badasses, but to believe they could take out the rush of women who hit the ring in defense of Yim is a bit far-fetched. The heels stood tall, further establishing themselves as the unstoppable force of the division.
Except, we already knew they were the measuring stick. With that said, nothing was really accomplished here, other than setting up a non-title match between Yim and Baszler for next week's show.
Velveteen Dream cashed in the title opportunity he earned by way of his victory in the Worlds Collide tournament, challenging Johnny Gargano for the North American Championship in the main event of the Wednesday telecast.
Early chain wrestling gave way to a slap to the face from Dream, which popped the crowd and infuriated Johnny Wrestling. Gargano answered the insulting strike by playing mind games with his challenger, but again he was greeted with a slap.
This time, Gargano wrested control of the bout, working the head and neck of his opponent while simultaneously slowing the pace of the match. He almost arrogantly brushed the side of Dream's head with his foot before shifting his focus to the shoulders of the challenger.
Dream continued to search for his opening, but Gargano cut him off and answered everything. A series of strikes, a big clothesline over the top rope and a double ax handle from the challenger made up his first sustainable offense since the opening bell.
Gargano escaped a Dream Valley Driver from the top rope and leveled Dream for a near-fall.
The champion delivered a superkick on the apron and tried for the slingshot DDT, but Dream intercepted him with a nasty right hand. Gargano recovered and delivered a suicide dive that wiped out his opponent at ringside.
Back inside the ring, Dream delivered a spinning DDT for another breathtaking near-fall. More near-falls ensued as the crowd erupted into a "this is awesome" chant. Dream tried for another top-rope assault to the floor, but Gargano caught him with a superkick, followed by a snap suplex on the steel ramp. Back inside, he followed with the slingshot DDT but was unable to keep the challenger's shoulders on the mat.
Gargano teased his DIY kick, but Dream countered, delivered one Dream Valley Driver and followed with a second. The Purple Rainmaker followed, and Dream won his first championship under the WWE umbrella.
Result
Dream defeated Gargano to win the North American Championship
Grade
A+
Analysis
There is no Superstar in WWE more capable of going to the ring and delivering a show-stealing match on any given night than Johnny Gargano.
In a time when everyone is quick to label WRESTLER X and WRESTLER Y "the best," Gargano continuously delivers the in-ring goods that would suggest he is most deserving of that moniker.
Velveteen Dream has been fantastic, too. There is no denying that. His work with Aleister Black last year was an announcement to the entire world of just what he is capable of. Everything since has earned him the respect and adulation of the fans. More importantly, it earned him the attention of management, who decided to put the title on him now Gargano is destined for even bigger things on the main roster.
The match was phenomenal and created some incredible drama that the fans inside the NXT Arena were eager to invest in. The reaction to the victory was stellar and created a legitimate moment for Dream, Gargano and the brand as a whole.
Here's to a quality run for the breakout Dream, continued greatness for Gargano and more astonishing in-ring product for WWE's most consistently great brand.
