Five Recent Moments That Felt Like an NXT Sendoff

There was a time when you could argue that NXT was the hottest brand in WWE. Hell, at one point, you could’ve said NXT was the coolest brand in all of wrestling. With an imminent restructuring on the horizon, however, it definitely feels like the end of an era. The NXT of old seems to be coming to an end, and there have been a few moments over the past month or so that have felt like a series finale, or sendoff, for the NXT brand that fans knew and loved.

Cameron Grimes and Ted DiBiase Storyline Resolution

“That damn Ted DiBiase!”

That line was repeatedly uttered throughout the summer on NXT. We saw the Million Dollar Man Ted DiBiase return to outbid GameStop stock rich guy Cameron Grimes and outsmart him in some really fun vignettes. Every time DiBiase outsmarted Grimes, the latter would angrily exclaim, “That damn Ted DiBiase!” This eventually marked the revival of the Million Dollar Championship, which was won by LA Knight who was feigning respect toward DiBiase.

Grimes and DiBiase started out as rivals in what felt like a very old school storyline. DiBiase eventually became a mentor for Grimes, who lost a match that led to him becoming LA Knight’s butler. This led to one more match between Grimes and Knight, with the caveat being that if Grimes lost, then DiBiase would become Knight’s butler. Grimes prevailed, becoming the Million Dollar Champion in the process and severing his responsibilities as Knight’s butler.

In what marked the final moments of this storyline, Ted DiBiase hopped in his limo and handed the Million Dollar Championship over to Cameron Grimes — except it wasn’t the real Million Dollar Championship. No, in one final prank, DiBiase gave Grimes a replica title belt from WWE Shop. The closing moments of this angle saw DiBiase ride off in his limo, laughing like a maniac. Meanwhile, Grimes looked on as his mentor whose respect he’d gained drove off and said, one more time, now with a smile on his face, “That damn TedDibiase.”

It was a heartfelt finale to one of the more entertaining wrestling storylines of the summer.

Samoa Joe Wins the NXT Championship

Samoa Joe made history when he went on to become the first-ever three-time NXT Champion at NXT Takeover 36. He battled Karrion Kross in a tough match-up that felt like NXT’s past versus its present in Kross, who was immediately called up to the Raw brand following his defeat.

In becoming NXT Champion, Samoa Joe now represents the brand as the standard bearer. He’s the guy all the other wrestlers should be gunning for. And because he’s a veteran in the business, he comes off as an established talent leading the charge.

Joe’s victory was a feel-good moment for a lot of fans who felt the Samoan Submission Machine was unceremoniously let go from the main roster following WrestleMania. And though NXT will be going in a new direction moving forward, seeing Joe as champ one more time in the brand he helped establish as a legit alternative to Raw and SmackDown seems like a fitting way to cap off NXT as we know it.

Raquel Gonzalez vs. Dakota Kai for the NXT Women’s Championship

For a long time, NXT has had one of the strongest women’s divisions in all of pro wrestling. It was great, then, to see dominant NXT Women’s Champion Raquel Gonzalez put the title up against her former friend and tag team partner Dakota Kai at NXT Takeover 36.

Though the actual buildup to this feud was pretty short, fans could see the writing on the wall for a very long time. It was only a matter of time before Dakota Kai turned on her friend. It felt personal, and it was a brief though heated rivalry that felt pretty old school.

Though the match was a little bit shorter than a lot of us would’ve liked at just over 12 minutes, it was still a good showcase of in-ring storytelling between two of the top ladies in NXT. Kai and Gonzalez put on a fine show, and it’ll be interesting seeing what the future holds for both of them.

WALTER vs. Ilja Dragunov for the NXT UK Championship

This is what you call a match of the year candidate. Though Ilja Dragunov had challenged WALTER for the NXT UK Championship in the past, the stakes just felt higher this time at NXT Takeover 36. Dragunov was out to show that the second time around, things would be different.

The match was about as brutal as you could expect, with both Walter and Dragunov showing off that hard-hitting European style and fighting spirit. Both men looked exhausted and beat up by the end of the contest, with the ultimate winner being Ilja Dragunov, who was sporting some gnarly abrasions on his chest from WALTER’s vicious chops.

WALTER vs. Dragunov was everything fans could’ve expected and more. It was brutal, bloody, and entertaining as hell. And though this specific title is typically defended on the NXT UK brand, it was definitely Takeover-worthy and was a perfect fit on the match card.

Tommaso Ciampa vs. Ridge Holland

The August 31, 2021 edition of NXT saw the show close out with brand mainstay Tommaso Ciampa taking on relative newcomer Ridge Holland (formerly from NXT UK). The match was a violent affair that saw both men attempt to destroy one another in a very fun and enjoyable outing.

Ciampa picked up the victory in what was very clearly a hard-fought battle that felt like a series finale for NXT as we know it. This is bittersweet because as the brand goes in a different direction, it’s hard to tell where and if Ciampa will fit in the future. Meanwhile Holland has everything to one day be a star: the look, some cool moves, and unlimited potential.

If this victory is one of Ciampa’s last hurrahs in the current incarnation of NXT, then it’s great to see him wrestle one hell of a match and come out on top.