The most obvious outcome from last week's main event happened this week: A triple threat match between Trick Williams, Oba Femi, and Eddy Thorpe at New Year's Evil. This is the typical "controversial" championship win that necessitates this type of thing. However, it ignores the fact that Eddy put hands on Shawn Michaels. It's kinda weird rewarding the guy who assaulted the guy who runs the territory. That aside, I'm glad Oba mentioned that Eddy invoked his heritage in a lie to get a championship match. It was a nice moment that someone needed to call out because I know I did.

Trick setting the match is a nice wrinkle. Usually, this is a GM move or one of the challenger. A champion making the match that gives him terrible odds at retaining speaks to the "haters" that Trick feels on his back. I do wish we got more of the haters and the doubters he talks about because I don't see much of that in NXT. Being a fighting champion is one thing but doing all of this because of perceived naysayers is a horse of a different color. It's character development I wish NXT showed rather than told, and Trick would benefit from a little of that.

I'm still not looking forward to the Eddy Thorpe part of this equation. It makes the match feel hastily put together for reasons I still can't comprehend. Not how I'd kick off 2025 but it's not my brand or my company.

NXT on Christmas Eve was a lot of backstage segments to buttress the in-ring action, and a final segment that didn't do the third wheel on the bicycle (Eddy Thorpe) any favors. Fine wrestling throughout though, so they had that going for them.

What say you? And how are you spending your holiday?!