Bobby Roode vs. Andrade Almas: Winner, Reaction from NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn II
Bobby Roode's televised NXT in-ring debut was a successful one Saturday night at NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn II, as he defeated Andrade "Cien" Almas.
Roode finished Almas off with the Glorious Bomb and celebrated his win in style, as seen in this GIF from WWE:
The veteran competitor also made an incredible first impression with an entrance to remember:
Roode's match was the culmination of a long build toward his official integration into the NXT brand. He appeared in the crowd at NXT TakeOver: Dallas in the days prior to WrestleMania before being seen backstage during an NXT TakeOver: The End segment.
General manager William Regal eventually announced the former two-time TNA world heavyweight champion as NXT's newest signee, and Roode made his first appearance as a member of the roster three weeks before TakeOver: Brooklyn II.
Roode cut a lengthy promo about NXT and insisted he has long been the missing ingredient, according to WWE NXT's official Twitter account:
The Canadian Superstar also made it clear he intends to usher in a new era of NXT, tabbing himself as the biggest building block:
While Roode is likely at the back end of his career at age 39, his arrival is huge for NXT in terms of adding another credible veteran to the roster.
Several former TNA stars have made the leap to NXT over the past year or so, including Samoa Joe and Austin Aries. Additionally, AJ Styles is a major player on the main roster.
NXT is largely about developing younger talent and getting them ready to make a difference on Raw or SmackDown, but it is difficult to do that without experienced, well-rounded performers to help show them the way.
Roode has been in the business for nearly two decades, and of all the free agents on the market, he was arguably the best fit for NXT, especially in the wake of top stars such as Finn Balor and American Alpha moving on to the main roster.
It has taken Roode less than a month to become one of the top heels on the NXT roster, and while one can argue he should have put the 26-year-old Almas over, a villain of Roode's caliber needs to be kept strong.
Roode is now in position to take on top faces such as Shinsuke Nakamura and Hideo Itami, or he could potentially be in line for a call-up to WWE proper of his own.
Regardless of how WWE opts to use Roode moving forward, Saturday marked a solid in-ring debut and a great way to establish him as a top-of-the-card threat.
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