I've just sat down to my regular Thursday night ritual, finishing work at eleven, getting home around half past, grabbing something of a treat (be it a Pizza, a glass of Cognac, or tonight, a tub of Ben & Jerry's), and catching this week's NXT Show on the WWE Network (for only $9.99). I'd been looking forward to tonight's show for a while, as not only does it herald a return to the show's usual audience at Full Sail University, but it also introduces Eric Young, the World Class Maniac, to a WWE ring for the first time.
I have to sit back and pause for a moment, and drink in the fact that just 14 minutes in to this week's show, I've seen EY, Samoa Joe and Austin Aries, all together on the WWE Network, and it's not too long since James Storm was there, and only a month since Bobby Roode was filmed in the crowd. Back to the matter at hand.
I'm a huge fan of Eric Young, or at least I was a couple of years back when I first started getting back in to Pro Wrestling. You see, I love EY as a Babyface, still crazy and unpredictable but lovably so, doing goofy stuff but still coming to the aid of his friends when they needed him. Kind of like Dean Ambrose, but funnier. As the Heel he's been playing for the last Year and a half or so, he's been actually a lot more predictable, and came across as whiney, whenever something didn't go his way he'd throw a tantrum and just look stupid and childish in the process.
His entrance was interesting. His music sounds very upbeat, unlike the hard rock from his TNA days, and the way he smiled at the crowd, not to mention calling out Samoa Joe, the Heel champion, all says Face turn to me. But an angry, crazy Face. That being said, I suppose walking on to a WWE show for the first time and hearing the pop that he got, it would be hard not to smile. I also think it's interesting how he's still wearing his TNA jacket, covered in patches from things like Star Wars, Attack on Titan, Transformers and The Misfits. I'd think that would be something that the WWE would want rid of, to avoid copyright issues.
Heading into his match with Joe now, and I'm surprised it's moving so quickly. I can't see EY beating Joe, even on his debut, as this is Joe's first match as champion. Eric looks great, he's in grey tights, not the pink or turquoise trunks he's been wearing and his in ring style is a lot more intense than it has been lately, probably spurred on by a crowd that actually gives a shit. It's great to see Joe and EY together again too.
The match was great, as predicted Joe dropped Young with a Muscle Buster and a Coquina Clutch, but what was interesting was that EY did actually go for a Piledriver, his TNA finisher, but Joe reversed it. Piledrivers, with the exception of the relatively safe Tombstone and Michinoku Driver, have been outlawed in WWE for a long time after a number of neck injuries, the most high profile of which involved the late Owen Hart breaking the neck of, temporarily paralysing and shortening the career of Stone Cold Steve Austin. That being said though, I'm surprised that the Muscle Buster is still allowed after what happened with Tyson Kidd.
I really enjoyed this. I hope Eric Young actually signs with NXT, as I'd love to keep watching him. It's sad that TNA is seemingly in the throes of death right now, because I care for a lot of the wrestlers there, and where the majority of them end up going once Dixieland finally caves in will ultimately dictate what I watch to replace Impact every week, be it ROH, NJPW, GFW or LU. Now I just need NXT to sign The Wolves. And Lashley and Roode. And Jeff Hardy. And Mark Andrews. Oh, and Rockstar Spud. Bram. Gail Kim. And EC3 too. Can't forget Zema Ion, and Tigre Uno. Trevor Lee. Grado...
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