3 Big Takeaways from NXT - April 11, 2023

The third brand is officially in the midst of the Carmelo Hayes Era now, but some fallout from the last couple of weeks has left a lot of unanswered questions

With a new NXT Champion now firmly entrenched at the top of the brand, the WWE Universe was eagerly anticipating some answers to a few questions as we head toward Spring Breakin'.

Ladies' tag team action was on the agenda, as well as narrowing down who would be facing the new titleholder in a few weeks. Carmelo Hayes is already looking the part of the face of the franchise, and it's clearly a new era in NXT.

Triple H has announced that there will be a massive WWE Draft coming soon, so some of the more polished stars (like Bron Breakker) are expected to be a part of the selection process. That means the usual turnover in the developmental territory. thus leading to opportunities for a new batch of prospects.

It was another big Tuesday Night of action for NXT, so here's a look at three big moments that stood out on this week's episode:

#1- Carmelo Hayes set the table with his opening promo

The new NXT Champion came out to cut a promo, and he immediately discussed the attack by Bron Breakker from last week's episode. He then said that he wanted Breakker to be one of the men who he would be facing for his title.

That brought out a bevy of contenders including Dragon Lee, JD McDonagh, and Grayson Waller. It's pretty clear that 'Melo has a huge target on his back, with plenty of opponents lined up to start things off with his current run.

It's reasonable to believe that after everything shakes out that Waller will end up being Hayes' number-one nemesis. The new champ has developed into one of NXT's most exciting and entertaining performers. Having a long list of 'bad guys' for him to battle will only add to the luster of his reign.

Especially in the eyes of the WWE Universe, who have learned that when he shoots, he doesn't miss. It makes perfect sense that the irritating Waller ends up being his main rival before this title reign is over.

#2 - Bron Breakker continues his brutal assault

In a segment featuring Chase University, Duke Hudson received the Most Valuable Player of the group. There were balloons and all the pageantry. It was a slow segment until the former NXT Champion showed up. And he just happened to have the same type of attitude that he displayed the previous week.

As soon as Hudson wrapped up his acceptance speech, he led the crowd in spelling out the group's name. However, Breakker cut them off.

Bron explained that he wasn't going to be in the four-way match for a title shot, because he now considered the belt a burden. He also insulted the fans, saying we would be seeing a new side of him. Breakker offered Hudson his spot in line for the title, but then attacked.

Breakker having a heel run would have made a lot of sense about six months or a year ago. But after two championship runs and basically being ready for prime time, it's still a curiosity why he hasn't just been promoted to the main roster already. It could simply be waiting for the WWE Draft to accelerate him forward, or else his push may be stalled for a while. Hopefully, he isn't being punished for his father's actions over WrestleMania weekend, because for Bron to toil in NXT much longer isn't really necessary.

Grayson Waller is in full effect

The best heel in all of NXT right now is also the next in line to face the champion. Echoing earlier sentiments that Grayson Waller makes the perfect foil for Carmelo Hayes? Well, we are going to get that right away, rather than have to play a waiting game.

Waller is well-spoken, good-looking, cocky, and HIGHLY underrated as an in-ring performer. He might be an example of a guy who is so known for doing promos, that people sometimes overlook his skill.

But make no mistake: He's the real deal and should be a sensational superstar for WWE. He can serve a lot of different roles, from not only being a wrestler but also serving as a manager or color commentator. It's likely that WWE will take advantage of that versatility as his career unfolds.

In a really good bout, all four performers really gave a terrific effort that got the crowd into it. But it wasn't just pure adrenaline from bell to bell. These guys told a story in there, which is often pretty difficult to do in a muti-man match. And while the entire group looked great, Dragon Lee was a shining star in this one. He's really standing on the cusp of something special, it appears.

But the night belonged to Grayson Waller, who seems like he's coming to the party a little early on this one. It's hard to tell if Hayes would drop the championship this quickly. But if he does? There's no better candidate than Waller. Their match at NXT Spring Breakin' will definitely be one worth keeping an eye on. It will have implications for not only the third brand but possibly even the main roster, also.

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