What’s up everybody?! Welcome to a very special spooktacular (first and last time I’ll ever say that) edition of the NXT Redux! This week, we’ve got Carmella taking on Emma in just her second televised match ever, but can the holy messiah of fabulousness take down the punny dancing queen?
Let’s scroll on down to find out!
Bubbles! Dancing! It’s time for the Divas of NXT to shine once again as Emma struts down the entrance ramp and flails her hands around before juuuuust barely flipping into the ring.
It’s time.
F-A-B-U-L-O-U-S
I immediately start busting a move, as out struts Carmella. And she has a microphone! She asks Emma how she’s doin’, before introducing herself as the princess of not only Staten Island, but NXT. Carmella is sure Emma’s never met a chick like her before, so she betta watch her back… Bada Bing — hottest chick in the ring!~
Carmella removes her coat as the bell dings and we get underway with some dance moves and a lockup. Carmella scores a quick roll up, but Emma fights out and applies a headlock. She’s sent off the ropes and hits a shoulder tackle takedown, before playing some mind games with Carmella to take her down. Emma tries to keep the control, but Carmella counters and knocks her down a peg, but just for a near fall. Emma hits a shot to the abdomen, followed by her insanely cool slingshot-esque kick as Renee Young references both Veruca Salt and Violet Beauregarde in the same sentence, thus proving her true brilliance in life.
Emma charges towards Carmella, but the Staten Island Princess dodges out of the way and slams her into the corner. She then starts choking Emma in the ropes WHILE checking her nails, before taking her down once again and locking in a leg scissors. The best part of this? She grabs Emma’s hand and looks disgusted with her manicuring abilities. Emma tries to bridge into a pin, but Carmella flips back into the hold. Finally, with the crowd on her side, Emma fights out and tosses Carmella down in a spinebuster!
Emma starts to mount a comeback, shoving her back and scoring with some shots to the face. She follows it up with the dilEMMA! After being forced to break on a five count, she rolls through and nails the Emmamite Sandwich! The dancing queen garners just a two count, then targets the legs, but Carmella fights out and applies her leg submission! Emma taps! Carmella takes the impressive second match victory, as Emma lives to fight another day.
Backstage, we hear who I think is Devin Taylor ask Bayley what happened with Becky. Bayley claims her friends have turned on her before, but she honestly didn’t expect it with Becky. Our Bay thinks The Boss Brainwashed The Becks, but if the two of them want to come to Full Sail together… she’s got a little friend up her sleeve as well in Charlotte!
Thoughts: I thought the match between Emma and Carmella was solid, and a much better judgment of how well Carmella is coming along. For being someone trained in NXT from scratch, she is so on point in every factor. Between the charisma, innovative finisher, and general presence in the ring or on the mic (not to mention the fact she can also land on her comedic chops which isn’t easy), I just think she has such potential to become a huge Diva for years to come if she doesn’t get stuck in a stagnant role kind of like her opponent unfortunately did on the main roster.
Emma feel sort of just there to me anymore. I still like her, but I think it’s time for her to end the dancing. I was probably one of the biggest supporters of it, however, I think enough time has passed on the main roster for us to see that it just isn’t working for her and I don’t want to see her just be that extra spot if she isn’t going to get to show anything. Perhaps, in my opinion, it would be best to turn her heel and have her story be set around the fact that she was under the impression if she had a good time out there and did fun things, it would get her liked by the fans… but what are the fans to her if she’s not going to be getting title shots? Why should she sacrifice her career for them? Or, you know, WWE could do a comedy segment where she gets whacked over the head with something and suddenly turns into an intelligent face who recalls no memory of dancing. I can almost see the skits in my head now where AJ or Bayley asks why she doesn’t dance anymore, to which she seems confused and they sort of mimic it but she tells them to stop because it looks kind of stupid and lame.
Either way, Justice for Emma!
As far as the Bayley/Sasha/Becky storyline goes, I’m glad it was at least acknowledged, but I just kind of hope it leads to something for Bayley. They never capitalized on her feud with Charlotte the first time this happened to her, and while it turned Charlotte into a star, even when the two feuded it was hardly ever brought up. It kind of feels like we’re going in a circle only this time with Becky Lynch as Charlotte, and while I’m personally happy for Becky getting an opportunity to shine, I just hope they keep it going each week and really make it lead to something. I wouldn’t be opposed to maybe seeing a fatal 4 way at TakeOver 3, or maybe even two singles matches since WWE has been doing well with putting double the Divas on Raw over the past few months.
That’s it for this week, check back again when we catch Sasha Banks and Becky Lynch take on Charlotte and Bayley (and hopefully this time Bayley can trust her),
Bobby
