WWE: 5 possible dream feuds for Shane Strickland in NXT
Shane Strickland vs. Johnny Gargano
Johnny Gargano’s run with NXT has been tremendous. When all is said and done, he will go down as one of the best to wrestle for the brand. He has had so many great matches recently that it would be easier to ask: Is there anyone he can’t have a good match with?
With that said, Shane Strickland would make a great opponent. The two wrestled during Strickland’s first run with Evolve back in 2015. They’ve both grown a lot as performers since then and it would be exciting to see how they match up four years later.
The beauty of NXT is that it manages to capture the feel of indie wrestling under a corporate umbrella. That sounds like an oxymoron but somehow WWE has managed to pull it off. Strickland vs. Gargano seems like a decidedly independent wrestling match in the same way that Pete Dunne vs. Walter sounds like a match fans would’ve expected from a promotion like Progress a few years ago.
NXT is great at recreating those kinds of matches with higher production value for a new audience. There’s a fair argument to be had that the company is essentially doing high-quality covers but it would be dishonest to say they’re not entertaining.
Revisiting Shane Strickland vs Johnny Gargano now that both have reached the biggest stage in professional wrestling has to be appealing for even the most cynical smarks. There’s a lot for new fans to like about this matchup as well.