Parts Unknown #110: NXT

NXT has quietly become one of the best wrestling shows on TV (well, it doesn't air on TV, but you know what I mean).  Most of us remember it as a kayfabe competition where green indie names pretended that they were fighting for something really, really important.  In the grand scheme of WWE's furnishings, the first season was the only showboat to produce a coterie of future stars.  Granted, the dire mishap that was Season 3 gave us A.J. Lee, but it didn't take long for NXT to cannibalize itself.  It was unwatchable.  Credit Triple H for debugging the developmental system.

As it stands, NXT is basically FCW on steroids.  I can forgive it for violating the wellness policy.  Does its mixed roster of major-league midcarders and minor-league abecedarians ply enough untapped talent to serve up an hour's worth of spiffy sports entertainment?  Read this necropsy of the Halloween episode to find out.  NOTE: I believe that this was the 10/30 installment of NXT, but you'll have to allow for a week-sized margin of error.

PROS

~ The Uso's kick off the festivities with a clean victory over Michael McGillicutty and Johnny "Fandango" Curtis.  Now this is what I like to see!  Rikishi's pups click with the cramped crowd, as they flaunt their well-oiled double-team methodology.  We get a post-match staredown between the stylin' Samoans and The Ascension.  Who are The Ascension?  They remind me of a modern day Brood.  I would expect them to debut on either Raw or Smackdown in the spring of 2013.

~ I will readily admit that I don't know much about Leo Kruger, but he impressed the hell out of me.  His menacing "hunter" gimmick smacks of The Stalker.  Without the wonky make-up.  Actually, he strikes me as a photogenic evolution of Waylon Mercy.  I approve.

~ Dusty Rhodes sets up a fatal four-way main event for next week involving Drew McIntyre, Jinder Mahal, Bo Dallas and Justin Gabriel.  It's interesting that they ignore 3MB.  It's almost as if NXT exists in a parallel universe.  The promos are lukewarm, but I'm listing this as a pro because The American Dream still rocks.

~ Roman Reigns has a tremendous look.  He was previously known as Leakee in FCW, and it's obvious why officials were eager to repackage him.  Yet another Samoan.  Man, those guys take bumps in the uterus.

~ The US Championship match between Antonio Cesaro and Tyson Kidd.  Yep.  Needless to say, the technical mat wrestling kicks ass, and both men hit every mark.  Fucking perfection.

CONS

~ I dig Big E. Langston, but he desperately needs to refine his mic skills.  I had no idea what he was babbling about.  And the whole "five count" thing?  No.  Just no.  That's an insult to King Kong Bundy.  In my opinion, they should pair Big E. up with a manager.  Or slit his throat.  Whichever.

Do what you can to catch an episode of NXT.  I had to download a torrent, but I suppose that subscribing to Hulu is a viable option.  Ah, fuck it; download this bitch.  It's a cool show.