{"id":50384,"date":"2017-11-03T00:33:00","date_gmt":"2017-11-03T05:33:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/?p=50384"},"modified":"2017-11-08T12:57:00","modified_gmt":"2017-11-08T18:57:00","slug":"111-nxt-hits-misses-build-takeover-houston-war-games-mcintyre-vs-almas-nxt-title-match-contract-signing-gargano","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/2017\/11\/03\/111-nxt-hits-misses-build-takeover-houston-war-games-mcintyre-vs-almas-nxt-title-match-contract-signing-gargano\/","title":{"rendered":"NXT HITS &#038; MISSES 11\/1: Build-up to Takeover Houston and War Games, McIntyre vs. Almas NXT Title match contract signing, Gargano"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"pwtor-3776207356\" class=\"pwtor-before-content pwtor-entity-placement\"><hr \/><b>SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)... <\/b>\r\n\r\n<iframe src=\"https:\/\/widget.spreaker.com\/player?show_id=3076978&theme=light&playlist=false&playlist-continuous=false&autoplay=false&live-autoplay=false&chapters-image=true&episode_image_position=right&hide-logo=false&hide-likes=false&hide-comments=false&hide-sharing=false&hide-download=true\" width=\"100%\" height=\"140px\" frameborder=\"0\"><\/iframe>\r\n<hr \/><\/div><h3><b>HITS<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><b>Drew McIntyre and Andrade \u201cCien\u201d Almas\u2019s Contract Signing<\/b>:\u00a0 Throughout this week\u2019s show, the contract signing between McIntyre and Almas for the NXT Championship has been hyped up with Twitter posts and a visual of McIntyre signing the contract in William Regal\u2019s presence. The buildup thus far has been lackluster, but it was elevated by Almas\u2019s attack of the champion on the entrance ramp.\u00a0 It showcased Almas\u2019 viciousness as kicked and beatdown of McIntyre to be followed by him signing the contract and sticking it onto McIntyre by using Zelina Vegas already chewed gum.\u00a0 This segment for the first time made Almas seem as a viable threat to possibly take the championship away from McIntyre, adding to the continued build up to Takeover: Houston.<\/p>\n<p><b>Sanity vs. The Authors of Pain (NXT Tag Team Title Match)<\/b>: As a rematch to their NXT Takeover: Brooklyn III, neither team held back any punches.\u00a0 The match all throughout was very hard hitting and rugged.\u00a0 Both teams had their time of controlling the match as the Authors of Pain dished out heavy levels of punishment while Sanity showcased their in the ring skills with stellar tag team continuity.\u00a0 Alexander Wolfe was getting the brunt of it during the middle of the match until Eric Young got the hot tag and the tides turned.\u00a0 Later, the Authors of Pain regained controlled and seemed to be on their way to victory and regaining the tag team championships only to be attacked by the Undisputed Era, concluding the match as they attacked both teams.\u00a0 Killian Dane came to the ring to try to make the save, but caught a beating as well.\u00a0 It looked like it was about to get more brutal as Roderick Strong came to the ring to where it seemed as though he was going to become the newest member of the UE, only to attack them and make the save for the Authors of Pain.\u00a0 It was then that William Regal came out to announce that the Authors of Pain and Roderick Strong will be added to the War Games Match at Takeover: Houston, truly hyping this match as one for the ages, or possibly one to live up to the standard that was set basically 20 years ago.<\/p>\n<p><b>**EXTRA**<\/b><\/p>\n<p>This is a little something that I\u2019d like to call the \u201cB-Side.\u201d \u00a0It is a mention of something that did not happen on this week\u2019s show, but exists because of it.\u00a0 What I am talking about are the three promos for the War Games match at NXT Takeover: Houston\u2019s three participants.\u00a0 It serves as a true build up as each team makes their claims on how dangerous the match can be and how they will be victorious.\u00a0 What made it so great is that it highlighted exactly what each team brings to the table through their characteristics.\u00a0 Sanity\u2019s promo was one that was very cryptic and strange, only to match their personalities as the Undisputed Era\u2019s was very calculated, serving the same purpose.\u00a0 But it might have been the Authors of Pain and Roderick Strong\u2019s promo.\u00a0 Even though none of them did any talking, Paul Ellering, speaking from first hand experience, did a fantastic job painting a picture of how destructive this match could be and how they will be victorious.\u00a0 Now to be honest, I&#8217;ve been very critical of how NXT cuts its promos, but this time, they hit it right on the head as it truly builds up anticipation for one of the greatest stipulated match formats in the history of wrestling.<\/p>\n<h3><b>MISSES<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><b>Taynara Conti vs. Nikki Cross<\/b>: When Taynara Conti first attacked Nikki Cross at the Mae Young Classic, then again, a couple of weeks ago at the latter\u2019s triple threat qualifying match for the Fatal 4-Way NXT Women\u2019s Championship match, it appears this possible feud had potential.\u00a0 This week\u2019s match proved just the opposite.\u00a0 From the onset, it was all Cross.\u00a0 She was highly aggressive and controlled most of the match except for a couple of moments that Conti was able to get in a takedown and a couple of kicks.\u00a0 That was the end of her offense as she went for a submission move only to have it countered and she never recovered.\u00a0 Cross hit Conti with a swinging fisherman neck breaker to conclude the match.\u00a0 The question is, what was the point of this feud?\u00a0 This match was not competitive, nor did it elevate the status of either wrestler.\u00a0 If anything, it lowered any possible momentum that Conti may have had up until this point.\u00a0 One cannot see this feud going any further as Cross continues her championship pursuit while Conti is left just drifting in the wind.<\/p>\n<p><b>Mercedes Martinez\u2019s Promo<\/b>:\u00a0 Besides it being a weak and scripted promo, there was no actual point.\u00a0 Martinez was questioned about last week\u2019s women\u2019s battle royal and who will win the Fatal 4-Way match for the NXT Woman\u2019s Championship.\u00a0 Her response was that she did not know who was going to win, but she knew who wasn\u2019t, Ember Moon.\u00a0 She went on to say that Moon could not win the big matches when they count.\u00a0 Where did all of this come from?\u00a0 What is her exact issue with Moon?\u00a0 Martinez was not eliminated by Moon during the battle royal, in fact, Moon was not even in the battle royal.\u00a0 Maybe this is foreshadowing a possible feud in the future, but as of right now, it just seemed out of place and rather forced.<\/p>\n<p><b>Johnny Gargano vs. Fabian Aichner<\/b>:\u00a0 Overall, this was a very good match.\u00a0 Both cruiserweights showed off their talents with excellent technical moves that entertained the crowd.\u00a0 As the case of late, Gargano once again came up short.\u00a0 This has one to question, what does NXT have planned for Johnny Wrestling?\u00a0 For the most part, week after week we see Gargano losing in close matches to where he is bewildered afterwards.\u00a0 This is not to take away any praise of him as an outstanding in the ring performer, but if they are making him out to be an underdog, he must win more matches in an impressive fashion to really live up to that standard.\u00a0 Ever since the dissolution of DIY and being attacked by his former partner Tommaso Ciampa, Gargano seems as though he is just caught in a purgatory as of late with no true end in sight.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><strong>NOW CHECK OUT LAST WEEK&#8217;S COLUMN:<\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/2017\/10\/27\/nxt-hits-misses-1025-mcintyre-interview-womens-battle-royal-velveteen-attacks-aleister-strong-vs-almas\/\">\u00a0NXT HITS &amp; MISSES 10\/25: McIntyre interview, Women\u2019s Battle Royal, Velveteen attacks Aleister, Strong vs. Almas<\/a><\/p><div id=\"pwtor-3103599779\" class=\"pwtor-content pwtor-entity-placement\"><div align=\"center\" data-freestar-ad=\"__336x280 __336x280\" id=\"pwtorchcom_test_300x250\">\r\n  <script data-cfasync=\"false\" type=\"text\/javascript\">\r\n    freestar.config.enabled_slots.push({ placementName: \"pwtorchcom_test_300x250\", slotId: \"pwtorchcom_test_300x250\" });\r\n  <\/script>\r\n<\/div><\/div>\n<div class=\"pwtor-end-article-groups pwtor-entity-placement\" id=\"pwtor-2243983167\"><div id=\"pwtor-911631591\"><div align=\"center\" data-freestar-ad=\"__336x280\" id=\"pwtorchcom_medrec_3\">\r\n  <script data-cfasync=\"false\" type=\"text\/javascript\">\r\n    freestar.config.enabled_slots.push({ placementName: \"pwtorchcom_medrec_3\", slotId: \"pwtorchcom_medrec_3\" });\r\n  <\/script>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\nTHANK YOU FOR VISITING<\/div><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<div class=\"mh-excerpt\"><p>HITS Drew McIntyre and Andrade \u201cCien\u201d Almas\u2019s Contract Signing:\u00a0 Throughout this week\u2019s show, the contract signing between McIntyre and Almas for the NXT Championship has been hyped up with Twitter posts and a visual of <a class=\"mh-excerpt-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/2017\/11\/03\/111-nxt-hits-misses-build-takeover-houston-war-games-mcintyre-vs-almas-nxt-title-match-contract-signing-gargano\/\" title=\"NXT HITS &#038; MISSES 11\/1: Build-up to Takeover Houston and War Games, McIntyre vs. Almas NXT Title match contract signing, Gargano\">[&#8230;]<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":25128,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"episode_type":"","audio_file":"","podmotor_file_id":"","podmotor_episode_id":"","cover_image":"","cover_image_id":"","duration":"","filesize":"","filesize_raw":"","date_recorded":"","explicit":"","block":"","itunes_episode_number":"","itunes_title":"","itunes_season_number":"","itunes_episode_type":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[52,28,27],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-50384","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-opnionandanalysis","category-specialists_hitsandmisses","category-specialists"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/post\/2016\/07\/CienAlmas_3x2TG.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/50384","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=50384"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/50384\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":50666,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/50384\/revisions\/50666"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/25128"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=50384"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=50384"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=50384"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}