-- 2/23 NXT TV Reax

Justin Shook of Columbia S.C. (7.0): A cool concept and a nice change up from the usual. This show will actually allow the rookies and the "pros" like R-Truth to get some much-needed exposure. So I assume Cole is trying to be heel now? Well guess what? He sucks at that too. He came off like an idiot during the main event. Cole was really the only negative this show had. WWE needs establish how this competition is going to work. Do wins matter? Are there eliminations? Viewers need these questions answered pretty quickly. Also I just want to say that Chris Jericho makes Raw, Smackdown, and now NXT that much better. I hope Vince realizes what an asset Jericho is.

Brad Meyer, Torch reader (7.0): The concept for NXT is fantastic. I'm wondering if WGN is feeling like it's getting the shaft here. This is a great way to give young stars a rub and have an easy bridge to Raw or Smackdown. That being said, I have serious reservations from there. Shouldn't Sheamus be on this show instead of WrestleMania main event conversations? Elsewhere, WWE has a roster full of under-utilized ex-ECW stars. We need a crop of NXT guys now? How about using more of Bourne? Swagger? Burchill? Or longer-term guys like Chavo, Primo, Haas, etc.? NXT's success won't be measured by ratings, but its long-term execution.

Arturo R. Garcia of San Diego, Calif., freelance writer (7.0): Interesting first week, but I still got the sense NXT could backfire on WWE's intentions. Danielson, as anyone who watched his ROH Title run knows, is one good heel promo away from becoming Zbyszko to Miz's Sammartino. Darren Young must now be rehabbed after that (botched) squash loss to Dave Otunga. And as fun as it might be for Michael Cole (and by extension, Vince McMahon) to outright antagonize people rooting for the rookies, how does it benefit the company to make the lead announcer on its #1 show a heel?

Matt Reibsamen of Mason City, Iowa (4.5): Best Match: Daniel Bryan vs. Chris Jericho. Worst Match: Christian/Heath Slater vs. Carlito/Tarver. I'm really a little lost on how this show is supposed to work. Are there judges that are yet to be introduced? Does the "WWE Universe" make the final choice on the winner? While I'm still on the topic of being confused, what's the deal with Michael Cole feeling that respect needs to be shown to the Miz? I thought that was Lawler's bit? As far as the matches went, I see what they are trying to accomplish with David Otunga, but I want to see what these guys are capable of in a solid match. The finisher that he landed didn't even look impressive. The tag match with Christian/Heath Slater against Carlito/Tarver was lacking something. I really would have rather seen Slater or Tarver getting the pinfall. If WWE is just going to use this show as a way to give their lower card guys airtime, then this show is going to be a big flop. The problem that C.M. Punk seems to have with not only the idea of doing this show, but the rookie he has been paired with, has me somewhat intrigued to see what's going to happen between these two. Possibly Darren Young will be forced to conform to the straight-edge lifestyle. Probably the most interesting point of the show is the great heat that's building between Miz and Daniel Bryan. Even though I have seen Daniel Bryan in ROH, it's been a while. He looked very solid and crisp in his match with Jericho. I'm glad they actually allowed him to put in a decent amount of offense against the new heavyweight champ. All in all, WWE has a good idea that needs to be tweaked and ironed out. Only time will tell if they can accomplish that.

We welcome your 0-10 score and comments on this show for an "NXT TV Reax" feature in the Torch Feedback section of PWTorch.com. Just to add a twist to this feature, include not just your hometown, but also your occupation (mechanic, lawyer, stay-at-home-dad, college student, etc.) so readers get a flavor for what everyone does as "day jobs." To contribute your thoughts on NXT, click here.

[Torch art credit Grant Gould (c) PWTorch.com]

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