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THE BUILD TO HALLOWEEN HAVOC BEGINS

By Kendall Jenkins on 2021-10-12 18:08:00

With the WWE undergoing a facelift for its third brand or developmental territory – a stance that changes with each day of the week it seems, NXT has recently gone under the knife and in doing so, an element of cosmetic surgery has taken place.

Surgery that comes with a much brighter outlook, as the yellow and black of the Triple H era has been replaced by a smorgasbord of colour and with that the birth of NXT 2.0 was announced just weeks ago.

A move that came from who else but Vince McMahon and with the wrestling mogul deciding that playing second fiddle to AEW in the midweek wrestling wars was not for him, he and cohort Bruce Pritchard have decided to press a rather considerable reset button.

One that sees the mindset change in terms of recruitment and with independent stars no longer being courted by McMahon in his pursuit to mould the next generation, it is now more about look rather than talent.

Something that may return the WWE to more of a production line and a look to repeat their mid-2000’s halcyon era, as their then link with OVW was one that moulded the likes of John Cena, Brock Lesnar and Dave Batista.

Now whether lightning can strike in a bottle that many times remains to be seen and although McMahon would nothing more than a slew of stars to be ready for Monday or Friday night action, it may be some time before such creations are replicated.

Which means the focus will be shifted on to who is on the current NXT roster and with Bron Breakker being the man who is generating the most discussion as of late, the son of Rick and nephew of Scott Steiner will be hoping to make an impact at this year’s Halloween Havoc.

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Without question, Breakker has been the measuring stick in the latest iteration of NXT and although championship gold may not be around his waist at the moment, an opportunity will soon be afforded to him.

An opportunity that will see him go toe to toe with current champion Tomasso Ciampa and with the 36-year-old installed in the role of grizzled veteran, it is the former foe of Johnny Gargano who recently claimed the recent NXT title for himself.

With Samoa Joe scooping the title during his recent comeback, the submission machine then had to vacate the belt due to a legitimate injury – although if reports are to be believed, it was only ever going to be a short-term reign anyway.

Which means the new era of the once Wednesday, now Tuesday brand is truly upon us and with Halloween Havoc just around the corner, the prospect of Ciampa’s first defence is one that has the internet purring with anticipation.

Not only that but it also has the betting community rather intrigued and with punters looking to test their acumen against those who set the odds, you can assume that BetOnline sportsbook and their counterparts will be busy collecting wagers over the next few weeks. 

Because there is no doubting that Breakker has all the credentials needed to go to the very top and if a rocket is strapped to his back, there is no reason why he cannot be headlining Wrestlemania within the next 3-4 years.

The question now is whether or not, Ciampa is seen as nothing more than a transitional champion by the powers that be and although many would like to see the current king disposed, it may be too early to hand over the reins.

There is absolutely no doubt that the man who possesses Steiner family lineage is in the right place to get better, its just the fear that he could be given too much too soon and if there is one thing that Vince McMahon prefers when it comes to eventual ascension, it is caution.

Caution that will likely see the current status quo remain as is and although a defeat for Breakker will be a bitter pill to swallow, one must remember that he has only been training for just over six months.

A period of time that is nothing at all in the grand scheme of wrestling things and with parallels being drawn to Brock Lesnar, a mentorship from the Beast Incarnate himself may end up being worth its weight in eventual gold.

Because these genetic freaks only come round once in a generation and with Lesnar treading that path before, he will be well placed and versed in telling Breakker what is required to be the absolute best.

It is certainly set to be an enthralling meeting between Ciampa and the first challenger to his latest reign as NXT Champion and although you would expect the current holder to come out on top, let’s just say stranger things have happened within the mad world of the WWE universe. 

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