WWE NXT on USA Network: Live Results, Highlights, and Grades for Sept. 18

Velveteen Dream vs. Roderick Strong – North American Championship

Look, I understand that this is technically just a regular episode of TV for WWE NXT. Historic or not, it’s not a TakeOver or other major event. So I get why Dream came down to the ring in his standard attire, with no bells or whistles.

But OH MAN what a missed opportunity to theoretically tone him down for tonight. He’s a guy you HAVE to be all in on, especially if you’re introducing him to an assumedly larger audience — substantially larger, by most estimates. Throw him out there dressed like Shawn and/or Gus from Psych, or one of the Chrisleys who isn’t in trouble with the Feds, or Pearson from, uh, Pearson? GET THAT NETWORK SYNERGY, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.

Once this one finally got going, it was a VERY different match from the opener. Not that it’s a BAD thing, but it’s great for all wrestling fans to be able to tune into one show and see a lot of different wrestling. Raw and SmackDown don’t really offer that; most matches are the same basic formula with the parts interchangeable. AEW may be in position to do this, but until their weekly program starts, it remains to be seen.

(It should be noted that AEW ran an ad during hour one of NXT because of course they did, and Vince will probably try to do the same on AEW’s premiere because of course he will.)

But this championship bout began with a little more brawling than the opener offered, maintaining a bit of a slower pace. Personally, I like that for a championship singles match — both superstars demonstrating how important the match is to them, so they don’t want to make any mistakes by going too fast.

Resthold Roddy made an appearance after the first commercial break, really slowing things to a crawl to sap Dream’s energy. And once the backbreakers kicked in, Roddy was fully in charge. Not sure why the crowd kind of died out once Strong started his run of backbreakers, they’re really a thing of beauty.

After the final commercial break, things picked up big time for me. Roddy spent the match working Dream’s back, and what happened? The damage done made it incredibly difficult for Dream to hoist Roddy up into the fireman’s carry for his finisher. It’s simple storytelling, folks.

But the longtime champion fought tirelessly to hang on to his gold, like all great champions do. Roddy threw everything he had at him, and Dream kept fighting back. Half a dozen running forearm shots while you’re tied up in the ropes? Not enough. Roughly 60 seconds trapped in the Stronghold? Nope, Dream made it to the ropes after an eternity in agony.

The rest of the Undisputed Era came down to ringside, and it just so happened that referee Drake Younger was inadvertently knocked down. Cue the interference by UE, but Dream still kicked out of the End of Heartache, shocking everyone but the system.Dream looked poised to retain, but — once again, UE got involved, and Adam Cole knocked Dream off the top turnbuckle. Another End of Heartache sealed the deal, and just like that all of the gold in NXT belongs to the Undisputed Era.

Winner (and new NXT North American Champion): Roderick Strong

Rating: 3.75 out of 5 Stars

You knew UE was going to get involved, but you still hate to see it. Dream losing clean wouldn’t have made it any less impressive a victory for Strong. Still, the visual of Cole, Fish, O’Reilly, and Strong all holding a championship is mighty nice, and it heralds in the new age of NXT on a high note.