Adrian Neville is the *new* NXT champion!

[Sheamus' Suntan]

In light of all the wrestlemania, Daniel Bryan and Batista stories floating around comes a minor yet significant piece of news. That news is that Adrian Neville (aka PAC) has won his second piece of gold in the WWE.

He defeated the 260 day champion, Bo Dallas, in NXT's first live event, in a ladder match to gain his heavyweight championship. It is only NXTs fourth champion, all other title holders have held the title for masses of time.

I'm personally glad and somewhat surprised they ever gave Neville a shot. I'm a big fan of his, and have often said, If given half a shot in WWE he'd go a long way. HHH has gone so far as to say he'd like to face him (in a q and a session hours before the show), showing that Neville has potential to go far. He's also said he won't be bringing Neville up to Raw or SD until he has something of value to do on either show.

If you don't know Neville, he is a highflier from Newcastle, England. I genuinely think that in this age where wrestling talent is starting to factor into how over someone is, Neville can be huge. However, his accent may let him down. He will need, when he's in the WWE, a manager to voice for him as his accent is strong and not the easiest to understand. His accent will be lost on the american crowd.

I'm glad for him though. Only a handful of men have been allowed to hold the title. They've built the NXT title like a meaningful title. They've not hotshotted it or thrown it onto the flavour of the month. In many ways, while it doesn't hold the prestige of the WWE title, to be picked for the NXT title is almost as special as its been given only to the elite since its inception, and those men are viewed as very special in the eyes of the WWE; ergo Seth Rollins and Big E.

So well done and congrats to Adrian Neville, your new NXT champion.

 

[mr_dna]

I watched NXT Arival and loved it but i have been following NXT for a while and think its one of the best shows about Inc WWE,ROH & TNA . Just love watching the talent develop week in week out

The ladder match was great loved the red arrow onto the ladder and how he jumped over Bo onto the ladder

Bo Dallas was just plan boring know why they let him hold the strap for so long is beyond me he had some good matches with Zayn be he looks nothing more than a jobber and his voice shut the hell up lol

Back to Neville i can see him just wowing everyone and someone of the matches we have to look forward to both on NXT and when he hits the main roster


P.S being British i love how NXT is getting Brits in the top spots Neville and Paige and hope it starts to be that way on Main Roster soon

 

[Jack-Hammer]

I've been impressed with Neville since his arrival in NXT. Since hearing of him, I looked up some of his older matches on the indie scene and his agility is damn near superhuman. Triple H has stated that he thinks Zayn & Neville are the future of WWE, both guys have been extremely impressive, though Zayn is much stronger on the mic. Given that this was NXT's first live show and that it was during the week of the WWE Network, it was a given that Neville would take the title. He's been chasing it for a while and this was the most opportune moment for him to take it.

When Neville ultimately makes it to the main roster, I'm not sure how Vince will feel about him. When you watch NXT and watch it long enough, you can tell some of the more obvious differences in the booking choices between Triple H & Vince. Compared to Orton, Cena, Batista, Ryback & Big E; Zayn & Neville don't have that sort of superhuman look or quality that Vince does like. Don't get me wrong, I'm not one of these fans who thinks that Vince only cares about how a wrestler looks, which is an asinine claim to make, but he's someone that's much more hung up on cosmetic image than Triple H.

 

[Rich the UK WWE Fan 2k14]

Bo Dallas was pushed to the moon for the same reason they're pushing his Brother Bray Wyatt on the main roster, IRS is his Dad.

 

[Thriller Ant]

When Neville ultimately makes it to the main roster, I'm not sure how Vince will feel about him. When you watch NXT and watch it long enough, you can tell some of the more obvious differences in the booking choices between Triple H & Vince. Compared to Orton, Cena, Batista, Ryback & Big E; Zayn & Neville don't have that sort of superhuman look or quality that Vince does like. Don't get me wrong, I'm not one of these fans who thinks that Vince only cares about how a wrestler looks, which is an asinine claim to make, but he's someone that's much more hung up on cosmetic image than Triple H.

I have to disagree with you a bit here. I can't argue about Neville not having a superhuman look (although the dude is ripped), but when he gets into the ring, he definitely does have a superhuman quality. I watch a lot of indy wrestling, so I've seen plenty of wrestlers that are know for flying around the ring, but I have never seen anyone who does it as effortlessly as Neville. Add in the fact that he can wrestle very good matches even without flying around, and Neville definitely has a solid future on the main roster.

As for the title change, they've done a pretty good job of building up Neville and ending Bo's reign was a guaranteed massive pop in that arena. He doesn't feel like a long-term champion, but we'll see how the reign goes.

 

[Sheamus' Suntan]

I agree with thriller. You look at Jeff hardy. He didnt have a superhuman body and Neville is a lot more ripped, and he was pushed because he was superhuman in other ways. Vince just loves the larger than life wrestlers, hence big bodies, big moves, big personalities and big spots. You can do one of those things, youre in the e for the long haul.

 

[Justin Satiable]

Congratulations to Neville. I had the pleasure of watching him for Dragon Gate when they toured the UK and he was sublime in the ring. Funnily enough I was sat in front of an old couple who repeatedly asked their younger companions whether it was time for "Ben's" match. I had a good chuckle to find out that their "Ben" was actually the show-stealing PAC.

He was selling a rib injury in his match and had lost his title belt in his luggage while travelling, but he still put on a hell of a show. You can't not be impressed by a corkscrew 450 splash.

I haven't had a chance to watch much NXT but I think I will have to catch up and start watching as "The Man Who Gravity Forgot" made a huge fan of me that night.

 

[Gibby]

He's a cracking wrestler and think he could go a long way in the business - but I would like to see a light repackaging before promotion. I don't know how the name plays in the States but 'Adrian Neville' sounds like someone who works in insurance. Adrian is, perhaps because of the Adrian Mole books, the name of someone particular pedantic, dull or dorky. Like 'Eugene' is in the US.