The Tuesday night hangover

Look, I spent my Wednesday morning nursing a massive headache and re-watching the final ten minutes of Tuesday’s NXT. If you missed it, you genuinely hate yourself. The brand is currently operating with a level of chaotic energy that makes main roster booking look like a boardroom meeting at a mid-sized insurance firm.

We just watched a title match close out the July 21 broadcast that left the air heavy with genuine possibility. WWE didn’t waste any time cooling off the momentum either. According to the latest scheduling updates, next week is already packed tighter than a subway car in Manhattan during rush hour.

The North American Title stakes

Let’s talk about the North American Title picture. We have a fresh slate of challengers being lined up for the July 28 episode, and frankly, some of these guys need to put up or get out of the way. It is one thing to look good in a performance center ring; it is another thing to handle the heat when the lights are bright and the crowd expects a 4.5-star classic.

My biggest gripe here? The reliance on the same predictable interference spots. We saw it blow out the finish on Tuesday night. If I have to watch one more guy get blindsided by a chair or a mystery tag-team partner right as the referee checks the pin, I’m going to lose my mind. We need clean finishes, or at least finishes that make sense in a vacuum.

The Santana factor

Seeing Mike Santana show up last week wasn't just a fun pop. It was a statement. As I noted when he first appeared, NXT doesn’t usually target guys with his specific brand of street-fighting grit. He brings a level of intensity that borderlines on reckless, which is exactly why he fits in with the Don of NXT. 

Tony D’Angelo has been playing mob boss for months, but Santana feels like the guy who actually knows where the bodies are buried. Watching them share space on a screen isn't subtle, and that’s a good thing. Subtlety is for mid-card feuds that last three weeks and end with a whimper. This feels like it might actually stain the canvas.

Predicting the inevitable failure

I am legally obligated by my own curmudgeon nature to point out the flaws. The division is bloated. They have too many hungry guys vying for the same television time. When you have a roster this packed, someone always gets pushed to the back of the bus.

I expect the July 28 broadcast to start at a breakneck pace, but I fear the middle segments will drag. If they lean too hard on backstage skits, they are going to lose the rhythm established by the opening bell. Give me bell-to-bell action, maybe two intense promos, and keep the comedy to a minimum. NXT is at its best when it feels like a fight club, not a sitcom.

We are looking at a critical juncture for the mid-card talent holding up the North American title scene. If they stumble next Tuesday, they lose the audience. And once you lose the Tuesday night crowd, you don't get them back. I want to see technical proficiency, sure, but I want to see dudes who look like they actually want to rip each other’s heads off for that piece of gold.

If you aren't checking the official lineup updates before the show hits the air next week, you’re doing it wrong. I'll be in my regular spot at the bar, probably drinking another overpriced IPA, waiting to see if Santana blows the roof off the place or just hides in the back. Place your bets, folks.