Whoever said rock ‘n’ roll was dead, think again. Without an electric guitar or amplifier, NXT newcomer Eric Bugenhagen awoke the genre’s spirit. A noted fan of Aerosmith and Freddie Mercury, to name a few, the walking livewire turned NXT into the rock ‘n’ swoll show immediately upon his arrival, all as 205 Live’s Drew Gulak watched with disdain. The Philadelphia Stretcher brought his campaign to the black-and-gold brand, hoping to enliven the NXT Universe with pure, scientific wrestling. Taking on Bugenhagen, the submission specialist’s plans were held up by pure, glittering rock energy. At one point, Bugenhagen locked Gulak in an abdominal stretch and used his exposed ribs for a quick air guitar rendition. However, Bugenhagen’s showmanship would prove to be his weakness, as Gulak bounced back and trapped him in the Gulock for the finish.
Despite scoring the win, the self-proclaimed “Best Submission Specialist in WWE” felt disrespected by his opponent, reminding the NXT Universe of his résumé before jeering: “And you feed me Ben Stiller from ‘Dodgeball’ in this ring?” Moments later, Matt Riddle hit to stage to grant Gulak what he yearned for: tougher competition.