The Don vs. The Menace
So, we are sitting here in mid-June, and the NXT locker room is currently shaking in its boots because Tony D’Angelo is staring down the barrel of a match with Naraku at the Great American Bash. If you have been living under a rock or just tuned out after the latest NXT Champion update, the Don is calling his opponent flat-out evil. It is the kind of old-school promo heat that makes you want to see if the kneecap-shattering tactics hold up against someone who isn't playing by the mob rulebook.
The IWC is split right down the middle
The threads are popping off. You have the purists who are absolutely eating this up. One guy on the subreddit posted, "Tony D is the only guy who can make a feud about mob morality feel genuine in 2026," and honestly, he has a point. It is refreshing to see a champion actually sell their opponent as a tangible threat rather than just generic "I want your title" filler. These people love the character work because it feels like a gritty crime drama playing out over 3-minute television slots.
Then, you have the cynics. These are the folks who see the "evil" descriptor and roll their eyes into the back of their skulls. Another user chimed in saying, "If Naraku just shows up, does a dark pose, and loses in 10 minutes, this whole 'evil' build is just a waste of TV time." They are tired of the supernatural-adjacent tropes. They want to know if Naraku can actually go in the ring or if he is just another guy with a spooky entrance and zero work rate.
My take on the mess
Look, the frustration from the cynical side is valid. We have seen the "scary challenger" cycle a thousand times. But here is why the pro-Tony camp wins this argument: the Don has earned his spot at the top. He isn't selling a gimmick; he is selling a personality. When he talks about Naraku being evil, he isn't speaking in metaphors. He’s speaking like a guy who knows he is going to have to take a few extra lumps to keep that gold around his waist.
However, let’s be critical for a second. The booking of Naraku has been vague at best. Wrestling fans deserve better than just being told someone is evil without seeing the body count to back it up. If they want us to buy into this for the Great American Bash, we need to see actual carnage. Not just a lights-out spot. I want to see a chair shot, a reckless dive, or at the very least, enough intensity to blow the roof off the Performance Center.
The bottom line
Ultimately, this feud is a litmus test for the show's direction. Are we moving toward a more character-driven, narrative-heavy NXT, or are we just spinning our wheels until the next big PLE? The fans are clearly engaged because they actually care what happens to the Don. Apathy is the real killer in this industry, and nobody is apathetic about a guy holding a lead pipe and calling his challenger a sociopath. Whether Naraku delivers or ends up being a total dud, at least people are talking.
I will be watching with a cold beer and low expectations, hoping for a barnburner. If the match goes under 12 minutes and ends on a DQ, you have my permission to riot. But for now, let's see if the "evil" label holds up under the weight of a crowbar-wielding mobster.
