WWE NXT Results: Highlights, Analysis, and Grades for January 4

NXT Championship Steel Cage Match

Samoa Joe vs. Shinsuke Nakamura (c)

Result: Shinsuke Nakamura defeated Samoa Joe via pinfall

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

In the words of the late, great Yogi Berra, “It’s like deja vu all over again.”

Last week, we got the rerun of a championship match between Nakamura and Joe from Osaka. Tonight, we’re getting the rerun of the rematch that aired the following week, only in an extended uncut edition. Who knew WWE NXT was going to start having bonus features?

When I wrote about this match in its edited form, my big complaint was that the cage was mostly useless. It was hardly used, the match was won via pinfall – take the cage away and you have almost the same match.

Tonight, the material that had been cut at least makes the cage seem like it had a role. Joe, especially, used the cage as a weapon, tossing Nakamura into it repeatedly. It still wasn’t a major factor, in my opinion. One or two possible escape situations is pretty lame.

The extra footage also makes the whole “Nakamura won’t walk out the door” thing make more sense. With the cut material back in, we see Joe more vicious than a few weeks ago. He used the cage a bit to rough Nakamura up. So Shinsuke decides to forego an easy victory, and instead go back in and wallop Joe with a pair of Kinshasas to seal the deal. It comes across better this week.

Here’s the thing, though: Four of the past five episodes of NXT have featured Nakamura and Joe in these two title matches. Three of the four episodes put the match in the main event. It’s basically sending the message that these are the only two guys in NXT who matter.

Look, I’m like most people who have been clamoring for either or both of these guys to head to Raw or SmackDown. I don’t know how imminent it is for either one, but if this has been a farewell tour, it could have used a few less stops.

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What did you think of this week’s episode of WWE NXT?