WWE NXT on USA: Results, Highlights, and Grades for Oct. 2

Pete Dunne vs. Danny Burch

In “Matches I Didn’t Know I Needed To See Until They Happen,” here’s the Bruiserweight against Danny Burch, and hot damn how has this taken so long to see? Whoever decided to book this may be the best agent in all of pro wrestling, if I’m being completely honest.

Dunne/Burch is a prime example of why I – and so many other fans – love WWE NXT so much. There is literally something for everyone on the show. It’s not like RAW or SmackDown, where nine out of ten matches follow the same basic template. Things are different for different superstars.

Take tonight’s card – Cole/Riddle was your super main event, put on a show-stealer banger. Shirai and Yim had a nice little match that showed off what both can do. Gargano and Thorne established Thorne as a competitor, and confirmed Gargano as the face of NXT. Candice and Shayna was the perfect underdog story, even if the underdog falls short.

And then there’s two lovely Brits just beating the ever-loving tar out of each other.

You hear the phrase “British Strong Style” a lot these days, thanks to young Peter and his Mustache Mountain buddies. But this is one of the first real examples outside of NXT UK where you actually saw it – the sound on the lariat Dunne hit Burch with before the commercial was unbelievable. And that was a lariat, not even a strike.

Burch put up a hell of a fight, but Dunne is the next big thing, so he managed to come back and hit a Bitter End to earn the win.

Winner: Pete Dunne

Rating: 2.25 out of 5 Stars

After the match, Damian Priest made his presence felt as he attacked Dunne. I guess that’s a program in the works, and honestly I’m not sure how I feel about it. Gonna have to sit and stew on that one for a while to give it a thumbs up or a thumbs down.