Shore's WWE NXT Hitlist: The Miz and Daniel Bryan feud intensifies, Heath Slater gets revenge on Carlito, and Justin Gabriel vs. Wade Barrett

WWE NXT Hits

The Miz and Daniel Bryan vs. R-Truth and David Otunga: The best match of the night opened the show. All the wrestlers looked fair to good in the ring, and the story with Miz and Bryan continues to be the most compelling part of the show. A lot of people killed Otunga in the forums for botching moves, and he botched his fair share to be sure. But he’s no worse than Kozlov, Ezekiel Jackson, or other guys his size when they first came in. Hell, he’s only mildly worse than Batista, and he’s a veteran. He has work to do, but I stand by what I said. He is the total package of charisma, size, and skill and can be a star if he cleans up the edges.

Miz and Bryan verbal exchange: It was very short, but it was the best mic work we have seen from Bryan since he debuted. It was completely believable, and had the right level of intensity. This feud is going to be the driving force behind this show the rest of the way, and I applaud WWE for pairing these two together.

Heath Slater vs. Carlito: This is a mild hit. The match was kind of ho hum. It had some sloppy spots, and Carlito was exposed a little by not being able to carry Slater. Slater is still very raw, and his character is very weak. Still, the match entertained, and it was nice to see Carlito lay down for the rookie.

Overall Show: When it was announced that the show would be centered around new stars, I was concerned. I wasn’t sure how these guys could carry a full hour. Yet they have done just that for three straight weeks. There are problems in the ring, and some of the guerilla interviews from Striker can be rough, but it is still compelling wrestling TV that should garner better ratings than it does.

WWE NXT Misses

Justin Gabriel vs. Wade Barrett: This is not a knock on these guys as much as it is a knock on the way the match was setup. Two nights in a row we had the rough English heel beat down the little guy for the entire match, just to have the little guy hit one move and then his finisher for the win. That doesn’t tell a story, and if WWE wants to get these guys over, they have to tell a story. The Jericho run in saved the last few moments of the show, but he shouldn’t have to save the show. The rookies should be able to close the show by themselves if they are to succeed on a brand.