The August 5, 2020 episode of WWE NXT aired live on the USA Network from Winter Park, Florida at Full Sail University.Â
WWE NXT Results (8/5)
- Dakota Kai def. Rhea Ripley
- Bronson Reed def. Shane Thorne
- Damian Priest def. Ridge Holland and Oney Lorcan
- Keith Lee def. Cameron Grimes.
- Tegan Nox def. Indi Hartwell.
- NXT Tag Team Champions Marcel Barthel and Fabian Aichner def. Kyle O’Reilly and Bobby Fish
Here are the takeaways from this week’s show:
Ladder Match Spot
A triple threat match that featured Damian Priest vs. Oney Lorcan vs. NXT UK Superstar Ridge Holland doing battle for the second Ladder Match spot at NXT TakeOver: 30 to crown a new North American Champion took place.
So far there have been three of these matches and this one was the least entertaining. They all worked hard, but something was lacking. It was interesting to see Holland in there as he hadn’t been used on NXT television in the past.
The finish saw Priest hit Lorcan with his finisher to get the win.
As a result, Priest now joins Bronson Reed as the other competitor in the match. More stars will be added to the bout in the coming weeks.
NXT Tag Team Championship Match
NXT Tag Team Champions Marcel Barthel and Fabian Aichner vs. Kyle O’Reilly and Bobby Fish was booked in the main event.
As expected, this match delivered. With the challengers being distracted by the argument between Pat McAfee and Adam Cole at ringside, the champions hit their finisher for the win.
Some could argue that WWE should’ve saved this contest for the NXT TakeOver: XXX event that is slated to take place in a few weeks.
WWE hadn’t given this match much build especially considering that NXT is lacking tag teams right now. That hadn’t been an issue in the past, but we’re in a different era of NXT compared to what it was when it was a one-hour program on the WWE Network.
Rhea Ripley vs. Dakota Kai
We now know who is next in line for a title shot in the women’s division as Rhea Ripley vs. Dakota Kai was booked in a #1 Contender’s Match.
The back and forth match was quite entertaining with both stars getting a chance to shine in a competitive bout. The finish saw Kai get the pinfall when Rhea was taken out with a big boot by Mercedes Martinez.
After the match, Martinez laid out the former NXT Women’s Champion. It appears that is the new direction for these two stars.
As a result, Kai has earned the right to challenge NXT Women’s Champion Io Shirai for the strap at the NXT TakeOver: XXX event. Either one would’ve been a fine choice.
Ripley clearly is one of the two top stars in the division. On the flip side, Kai has been built up by management over the past few months as someone that fans should take notice of.
Non-Title Match
NXT Champion Keith Lee vs. Cameron Grimes in a non-title match was booked with what many felt as just filing time while also advancing the storyline with Lee and Karrion Kross.
WWE actually gave Grimes some offense and made him look serious, which was a surprise. Lee went over with a powerbomb.
After the match, Kross was seen on the big screen and had laid out several people in the backstage area.
Of course, Grimes had interrupted Lee last week, which led to him getting laid out. The match was very much one-sided and rightfully so.
Grimes is a comedy guy with a limited shelf life in this current gimmick. While he’s talented and gets the job done, some could argue that he’s not being allowed to hit his full potential in a somewhat limited character role.
Pat McAfee Appears
Former NFL punter and current sports personality Pat McAfee made an appearance in order to address his confrontation with former NXT Champion Adam Cole last month.
Cole was a guest on “The Pat McAfee Show” and things got heated between the two men. After trading some jabs, Cole finally snapped when called short and dropped a couple of F-bombs before he shoved McAfee’s co-host. Cole has since then apologized for his actions.
WWE did a storyline where McAfee had made up with Cole earlier in the night. He joined Tom Phillips on commentary for the last 30 minutes of the show. This includes the main event for the tag team titles. During it, he was taking jabs at Cole.
Cole came over and threw water on Pat. They were separated. Shawn Michaels and Triple H appeared to break it up. All of a sudden, Pat laid him out with a kick to the head.
