Photo Credit: Tom Gibson // Shinsuke Nakamura, WWE NXT St. Augustine

Isenberg Reacts: WWE NXT “Who Steps Up In San Antonio?”

January 19, 2017

Nikki Cross Makes Her Case

Nikki Cross

When the picking gets slim, NXT has to expedite the development process. Thankfully, Nikki Cross is up to the task. A woman that is the most unique in terms of character on NXT picked up an easy win tonight, showing she can go in the ring. Yes, it was a quick bout, but the quick offense and get attitude in the ring is fresh. She, along with Peyton Royce and Billie Kay, will face off against Asuka in a Fatal Four Way match at NXT Takeover: San Antonio. While Royce and Kay continue their sisterhood, Cross will be the wild card. Asuka will be up against three heels, so what happens in the match with Cross?

She SHOULD be booked as a heel, but I can see her somewhat fending off Royce and Kay to go face to face with Asuka. However the match is booked, I do think NXT knows Asuka can defeat these three women and continue her dominance. It will be all about who steps up to Asuka in two weeks. NXT needs more “star” power for women in NXT, so we shall see who floats and who sinks in the main event spotlight.

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TM-61 defeated The Revival

A solid tag team bout on NXT featured The Revival taking on TM-61. Dawson chop blocks Thorne in the ring and then hits a body slam. Wilder tags in, drops Thorne with a body slam and a leg drop. Quick tags in and out for the former NXT Tag Team Champions. Miller gets the blind while The Revival hit the Shattermachine on Thorne. Miller dropkicks Dawson and hits a back suplex onto Wilder. Wilder moves out of the way of a splash in the corner, hitting a Spinebuster by Wilder. Dawson tags in and tries to put Miller in the inverted figure four. Wilder goes up top, but Thorne grabs Wilder’s leg. Miller rolls up Dawson for the win.

The biggest question remains about the future of The Revival. TM-61 is a solid NXT Tag Team, with plenty to prove on Wednesday nights. I can see them, when healthy, having great tag team matches against #DIY. Those guys are just starting to get going and NXT will be able to give them the platform for success. As for The Revival, they have done everything and more in NXT. I really want them to hit Smackdown Live with a massive impact, attacking the champions and immediately becoming contenders. There is nobody else that can really fill the shoes and take on American Alpha on the Smackdown Live roster. Tonight proved, once again, that The Revival are built for success. No matter who they have faced, they have given us solid feud and stronger matches.

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Josh controls most of the creative writing and ideas for the show on a weekly basis, as well as an on-air talent.

Aside from working with WrestleZone, Isenberg began his career in Broadcast Journalism interning at ESPN and worked with CBS Radio for three years. He has also had the opportunity to interview some of the best athletes and performers alive, including Andrew McCutchen, Ben Roethlisberger, Chris Jericho, Billy Gunn, Karl Anderson, Matt Hardy, Steven Strasburg and others.

Currently, Josh Isenberg works for Major League Baseball in their Advanced Media Productions. He grew up in Pittsburgh and went to Point Park University, which is where Chair Shot Reality is filmed each week.

His life outside of his obsession with wrestling include being a savant for Seinfeld, NFL, NBA, MLB and many television shows. He also has an undying love for musicals, which includes many shows he was a part of in high school. Some of his favorite wrestling moments can be linked to such superstars as Edge, The Rock, Bret Hart, Shawn Michaels and The Great Khali.