I'm not enraged by Kaval being paired with LayCool. You could see something like that coming since the WWE likes to make the most serious guys work with the more playful or arrogant people. Hopefully it will be amusing at least, but I won't get my hopes up for anything other than jobber treatment for another wrestler I happen to like.

Way to go and rename Joe Hennig and Windham Rotunda. They didn't rename Ted Dibiase, Cody Rhodes, DH Smith, or Randy Orton into something unrecognizable...

I guess the WWE was thinking putting Miz/Bryan on Raw furthers their storyline while keeping the focus on the rookies "still in the hunt" on NXT.

We all know that had they put that match on NXT we'd be talking about that and not Wade Barrett.

But I do agree that once Bryan was eliminated it was a forgone conclusion that Barrett was walking away with it.

Kev - beyond Hennig's bad name ... any idea why WWE changes these guy's ring names between FCW and WWE? Hennig had been going by his real name in FCW, and I think I read a couple of the other guys had new names.

Haven't these guys spent time in the "minors" working on their character/name/gimmick? Why change it when they get to the big show?

RESPONSE FROM KE: Supposedly WWE doesn't want it to be so obvious that so many on the roster are second- and third-generation stars. I can sort of understand that, but surely there are better names than Mike McGuillity and Husky Harris.

i'm loving that we english may finally have a WWE superstar we can be proud of in Barrett, we've spent far too many years having to cheer Regal in the wait for our next bulldog. it was interesting that Barrett talked about becoming heavyweight champ, it could be just a future ambition, but the thought that Orton many not be available for F4W just makes me wonder, though logic says it would be too soon. I have to admit that Barrett's promo had me in stiches, i loved the bit about the Great Khali having more impressive balance and poise in the ring than Otunga.

Regal getting upset just before the announcement of the winners seemed a little random to me at first. Then he made a comment about Otunga's wife, and challenged someone to fight him. Was this supposed to be an opportunity for Otunga to grab the mic and defend his wife (as part of the 'reality' aspect of the show)? It almost seems like that, otherwise it might've been done just to chew up a couple of minutes.

I think Vince and the backstage agents might have told Josh to tone the criticism of Gabriel down. He is supposed to be a face announcer after all, putting guys over, especially compared to Michael Cole. And I think Gabriel eventually finds a spot on the WWE roster as a lower mid-card talent, so no need to bash him unlike some of the guys I don't see cutting it like Michael Tarver and Skip Sheffield.

Love this Wade Barrett guy. I really think with steady in-ring improvement, he can be a main event star. He has all the tools, good size, and is still in his 20s, which gives him plenty of time especially in wrestling years.

I am interested in Season 2 of the show. Hopefully they learn from some of their mistakes. The only guy who didn't interest me right off the bat was Titus O'Neil, but with Zach Ryder as his pro it should be interesting. Perry Watson looks like he could be hilarious and Eli Cottonwood has great size (but can he work?). Alex Riley is an early favorite.

Wade Barrett won, but I am willing to bet money he will fade very fast in the WWE. I enjoyed the first NXT season. However I do not think wrestlers should speak on people personal lives are real families. I also did not like the seen with CMPunk and my man Ray M. Families to me is just off limits!!! The wrestler him are herself should be more than enough. I love the sports and have been a fan and watching for over twenty years. I still believe David Otunga will go on and become a big star in the WWE.

My guess is that Barrett goes to RAW with Regal by his side.
(looks like Jericho could be in line for a face turn soon as RAW kinda needs a #2 right now).

It would be best if they had Barrett go after Truth for the US title as Truth could benefit from a fresh opponent and Barrett can get his feet wet and build a program rather then having a squash match with Cena then get buried within a month after that..

I thought they actually had technical difficulties in that last segment, as the screen was shown, but not the winners at first. It seemed to me like Regal and the other Pros improvised some dialogue until the glitch was fixed.

I also think Kaval is the favorite going into Season 2, and I don't think he'll booked to lose like Daniel Bryan was. Booking Daniel Bryan to lose at least felt a little believable because Bryan looked like he could play the part of a loveable loser. On the other hand, Kaval looks like a no-nonsense bada**. I think he'll be fine. I can see an angle where he calmly and quietly puts up with Laycool, only to snap, turn on them, and kick their heads off.

I enjoyed NXT. When I first saw the pro-rookie pairings and I saw that Brian Danielson was with The Miz I thought WWE was crazy because miz isn't that good of a wrestler. However, soon I saw that miz and Bryan made a good pair for TV purposes and entertainment value.

When Bryan was eliminated I knew it would come down to otunga and barrett. At that point I didn't know who would win, even though it was obvious that Barrett is way better than Otunga, simply because major stars in WWE don't have to have good ring skills ( Khali, Cena, even Orton as of late, who shows me the same exact thing every match) you can have a big body and you'd be set, much like what Daniel Bryan said in his promo after being cut. And even if otunga has the "it factor," he only got that far because he's engaged to Jennifer Hudson. I was so happy to see Wade barrett win because a guy with that skill and talent deserved it if daniel Bryan wasn't gonna win.

NXT was getting a little boring after awhile, but when Bryan was back and ignited his fued with michael Cole and miz, that made it go back up in entertainment value. And we've all been waiting for Michael Cole to get beat or Bryan to attack miz, and letting that play out on raw was a good idea so it wouldn't take the attention away from Wade Barrett.

Overall, NXT Season 1 was good, and I'm looking forward to season 2. But I don't like the fact that Joe henning change it to mike McGillicuddy, or that Windham Rotundo became Husky Higgins. Their ring names before wouldve worked a lot better.

The names for the new rookies are so bad that I wonder if they aren't somehow part of the show. I mean, one or two groaners are understandable, but six? Only Alex Riley and Kaval are decent names. Anyway, you're right that the smarks are screaming about Kaval and Laycool. Personally, I like the pairing, but I get a kick out of Laycool's whole "Mean Girls" gimmick.

I've not seen the guy yet, but I'd bet my life savings that Eli Cottonwood will be the first NXT rookie to win a world championship. We all know how Vince feels about size.

"Another guy to keep an eye on is McGuillity, who is the son of the late “Mr. Perfect” Curt Hennig. Why WWE would want to give the kid such a horrible ring name is anyone’s guess."

All of the names are horrible, Kevin. They sound like they were written for a sitcom episode about wrestling.

Eli Cottonwood? Husky Harris? Lucky Cannon? Who is coming up with this s--t?!

And what the hell is Percy Watson supposed to be? Holy crap, that guy's promo was weird, brutal, strange, etc. It sounds like he's gonna try to be a ladies' man character but he came off as the gay Damon Wayans character that did movie reviews on In Living Color. He is clearly the most annoying person on NXT already.

I think I'm going to go to bed a little bit earlier on Tuesday nights starting next week. I will be relying on Ring Posts if I want to know anything about NXT Season 2.

It's McGuillicutty, not McGuillity. Either way its an awful name.

I have high hopes for Kaval, despite being paired with LayCool. I can't wait to see how that absurd combo plays out next week.

Am I the only one who thinks that this Perry Watson chap should have Goldust as his pro?

Wade Barrett winning was a foregone conclusion. The last bit where he verbally b**chslapped Otunga was absolute gold.

Who was the idiot who re-named Hennig and Rotunda? If you are going to re-name them for some reason, at least take the time to come up with something creative. Must be the same lack-of-creative department that re-named Trevor Murdoch.

I am really looking forward to seeing Kaval win NXT. He is the most exciting professional wrestler I have ever watched. I am a bit disappointed he isn't going to TNA, because I think the best possible opponents for him would be RVD and Samoa Joe. But, I look forward to potential matches with CM Punk and Rey Mysterio (give me a time machine and I would match him against Dynamite Kid).
Living in Central Florida, I have gotten to see most of the NXT guys live or on TV. Kaval is the cream of the crop. Hennig is pretty good as a face or a heel and looks like he is headed for the big-time.
I went to a CWF event in Orlando last year, and Alex Riley was tearing tickets at the door. He was such a nice guy that I had trouble for a long time taking his heel role seriously. He is an entertaining showman.
There is still enough talent in CWF to make a good Season Three of NXT. Brett Dibiase has big-time potential. And there is a 7-footer named Jackson Andrews who is already much more polished than Eli Cottonwood, who I don't think is close to being ready for NXT.
Final note- don't write off Heath Slater. Even though Wade Barrett deservedly won Season One, Slater got far more heat at any of the live events I have attended than Barrett or Justin Gabriel. When he starts to look a bit older, I still believe he will be the biggest star of the initial group.

"RESPONSE FROM KE: Supposedly WWE doesn't want it to be so obvious that so many on the roster are second- and third-generation stars. I can sort of understand that, but surely there are better names than Mike McGuillity and Husky Harris."

I think there can be a case to be made for that, but it kind of defeats the purpose when the renamed wrestler describes themselves as "wrestling royalty" and mentions their father and grandfather by name.

The pros' segment before the winner was announced was awkward at best. I thought for a second that all six guys were going to pummel Regal.

When Regal was making fun of Jericho for having "two moves" and referring to Christian as Benjamin Button, someone should have told him it's funny that every time he gets a push he seems to ruin it with a Wellness Policy violation. I can't believe he's still announced as the 2008 King of the Ring.

I've been a big fan of the Bryan vs Miz/Cole feud since the show started (and unlike a lot of people, I think the been booked perfectly so far - number one rule of showbusiness, always leave the people wanting more!), but I'm glad that it took a back seat on this particular show. The season finale needed to be about the final three competitors.

I'm glad to see that the WWE didn't throw a last minute curve ball - with Barrett at the top of the poll for the last few weeks I was half expecting Otunga to overtake him on the last show. As it is, the best man in the competition won. Barrett looks comfortable in the ring and impressive on the mic - his promo on Otunga sealed it for me. The guy carries himself like a true star - cocky, confident, and between his look and his accent he has something of a real menacing, threatening, dangerous air which we haven't seen in many WWE heels in a long time. Book him as a wolfish heel - brutal, cunning and ruthless - and he'll be a real asset to whichever brand he ends up on.

I can see a number of potential feuds for him down the line - if he keeps improving then a feud with a jealous Jericho could work (or he could turn on his mentor and go his own way - could be the catalyst needed to turn Jericho face again). As far as his title shot is concerned, I'd love to see him go straight after Cena but a challenge for Kofi's title seems likely as the Intercontinental Title has no other real contenders at the moment. R-Truth's US Title could also work if they want to keep Jericho and Barrett together on RAW, but the emergence of the Uso Brothers would seem to put a challenge for the Hart Dynasty's title out of the equation.

Onto Series 2. Great to see the Miz back - alongside a guy who looks like a carbon copy of himself. The polar opposite of his relationship with Bryan. Morrison and Kofi will bring some star power to the show, and I'm very interested to see Kaval paired with LayCool. I reckon pairing the two Divas with the no-nonsense martial artist could be a lot of fun.

Buy seriously WWE.. what's with the rookie's names? I mean come on, Lucky Cannon? Michael McGillicutty? Eli Cottonwood? Is someone just running his finger down a telephone directory or something? Poor Joe Hennig looked like he was squinting to read his name of a damn cue card! It's hard enough for newcomers to get over in the WWE as it is without being saddled with the world's least impressive superstar names! Maybe that's one of the reasons the WWE has had such a high turnover rate in their new talent; instead of letting their up and coming stars be themselves, they're forcing them into a role they're unfamiliar with. In front of thousands of people. On Live TV. And then they wonder why it doesn't work. Hell, "Harris" and "McGillicutty" are even being billed as the sons of Mike Rotundo and Curt Hennig, so at least let them use their real names!

Highlights of season one for me:

- Miz/Cole/Bryan feud
- Emergence of Wade Barrett as a guy with real superstar potential
- Anything and everything CM Punk did.

Looking forward to in season two:

- Miz/Morrison potentially renewing their rivalry
- Kaval and LayCool
- JOE HENNIG

I too first thought that the argument between the pros may have been improvised but I think it was actually just Regal missing his cue. CM Punk walking off in the background was great.

Barrett winning was obvious but I am glad they didn't try and surprise everyone by making it Otunga.

You mention Kev that you think Otunga has the most charisma, I have to disagree, I see absolutely nothing in him. The "face off" promos at the end showed Barrett was the clear winner. It seems Barrett will be paired with Regal which could be OK for a little while but I hope it is not long term otherwise he will never have the opportunity to shine and will automatically become a jobber.

Daniel Bryan's storyline has become the best thing about this series but I think the writers have done too much damage, I don't see him having much success in the company.

My thoughts on this series? A big let down and I don't see the second series being much different.

RESPONSE FROM KE: Supposedly WWE doesn't want it to be so obvious that so many on the roster are second- and third-generation stars. I can sort of understand that, but surely there are better names than Mike McGuillity and Husky Harris.

There probably are, but don't call us Shirley.

I'm so pleased that Barrett won NXT, although I was never in any doubt about it in the first place. I really hope he does well.

This wasn't a particularly great show, and the announcement of the Rookies and Pros for Season 2 was the most interesting thing on it. I have just one huge problem about it already - the ridiculous ring names that WWE insists on giving these guys. I don't know why WWE just doesn't let them keep their real names if they sound good enough. I mean Joe Hennig sounds like the perfect name for a professional wrestler. And we all know that he's the son of the late Curt Hennig, so why does WWE feel the need to label him with such a bizarre ring name? And he's not the only one. I mean, Lucky Cannon? Husky Harris? I already can't take these guys seriously because of their idiotic names. It's the same with Dolph Ziggler on Smackdown; if he was allowed to use his real name, Nick Nemeth, then I think he would be taken a lot more seriously by the fans. Come to think of it, Wade Barrett is a pretty stupid name too, particularly for a British person. I'm from England, and I've never even heard anyone with the name Wade over here. The use of his real name, Stu Bennett, would be a lot more appropriate.

You know what I've decided I really hate about pro wrestling? The stupid names. Why would you take someone with the pedigree, and last name, of one of the greatest performers of all time and name him Mike McGuilicuty? Husky Harris is no better. Vance Archer, Tara, Braden Walker, Daniel Bryan....it just gets worse and worse. Either let some of these wrestlers keep their real names, especially when you have a last name like Hennig, or come up with a better fake one.

New for WWE Fatal Four-way: Tag champions Hart Dynasty versus Chris Jericho & Wade Barrett!

BTW, Kevin, I loved the name of this article as soon as I saw it. Naming it just "WWE NXT: And the winner is ..." would have been completely pointless because (as you said at the outset) it was a foregone conclusion to anyone following the program. The way you posted the title strengthens your point perfectly.

They are wild and young, Kevin!

These could be the best days of their life, alright? Alright, alright?

I thought Otunga's promo was better than mediocre. "Moves can be learned. Did I mention I went to Harvard?"

although yes, Barrett's promo was extraordinary.

The cross-talk with Regal was interesting; not sure exactly what was going on there, but I love hearing from Regal. Calling Matt Hardy "Eugene," priceless.

NXT was on live, so the pros may have needed to stall at the end so as not to end the show early.

Wade Barrett should go to Raw, but I think he would be used better on SmackDown since they have a less crowded world title scene.

Regal was PRETTY funny? He was downright hilarious. It was priceless when he kept calling Matt Hardy "Eugene" and when he told Jericho, "I've always enjoyed your two moves," I almost had a heart attack. At times I've wondered how Regal has been such a mainstay for so long, but seeing him on a live mic reminded me why.

Punk walking away while the rest were bickering was also gold, as was Barrett's two letters in front of "IT" comment.

Barely has the paint been allowed to dry on the first series of NXT, before the yak starts on series two! I want to acknowledge all the rookies in series one and thank them for a great series. Can all of them progress through to one of the big brands immediately? I think not. Barrett's place is guaranteed, and I am convinced that the WWE have great plans for him. I believe he is the 'wind of change' he is talking about, and we are going to see this. Justin Gabriel deserves his place, too, along with Darren Young and Heath Slater. I do not agree with your reasoning, Kevin, that David Otunga will automatically progress along with Barrett. I suspect that the WWE have seen the light on Otunga, and that his 'celeb' cachet, by association with his wife, is now dead in the water. There are better options like Gabriel, Young and Slater, who deserve to go through before him. I love your column by the way.

McGuillity would be a ridiculous name. His name appears to be McGillicutty though. Marginally better but still atrocious.

RESPONSE FROM KE: Thanks to all who pointed out my total butchering of the name. I will correct it.

Hey Kevin-how much do you think Vince Russo would love to book the LayCool and Kaval pairing?

While on the subject of name changes, let's not forget that Kaval was also given a new moniker by WWE. I thought the name he used on the Indy scene, Low Ki, was much better.

Isn't there something where you determine your porn star name by using your first pet's name followed by the name of the city you lived in as a child (yes, I would be Banjo Baltimore)? Maybe WWE is using a similar technique to choose the new names of its wrestlers.

And kudos to the previous post who mentioned CM Punk simply getting up and strolling off stage while the other pros argued. I almost fell out of my chair laughing. Great in-character move!

Otunga is garbage. Unless he has a Mike Mizanin-esque work ethic, he will be a failure. The Miz was another Hollywood name that really only got a shot because of his ties, but he has now turned into a very entertaining character. I don't think Otunga will. I don't even enjoy watching him get his a** kicked, which is a bad sign for him. Although, I'm sure they will put him on Raw so he can suck up to other D-list celebrities and take airtime away from actually talented performers....

Such is life.

Why would they rename Windham Rotundo and Joe Hennig, if their fathers didn't even go by their real names? The general population know their fathers as Mr. Perfect and IRS.

Wouldn't it create more suspense if just the loser was announced each week and not the whole poll? That way the viewers would not be sure who the front-runners were.

Will LayCool get two votes in the pro's poll or each get half a vote?

Doesn't the WWE get some kind of licensing benefits when they re-name the performers as opposed to letting them keep their real names? The reason for giving them stupid names I have no clue.

I still disagree about Otunga having charisma. I have always found him boring. Might have something to do with the fact I had never heard of either him or his wife before this show.

I think I know why they've changed these rookies names. They simply don't want their real names to become marketable in the WWE and then have them leave to go someplace else (TNA, MMA) and benefit further from the name.

As for Regal approvingly nodding, everytime Bryan mentioned that he's a far better wrestler than Miz, I think the reason behind that is that Regal just feels very appreciated and proud that an accomplished wrestler like Bryan Danielson who's being described as "THE best technical wrestler in the world" said in his very first promo on NXT, how much he feels sorry that William Regal is not his Pro.

I know it's a slightly forgotten topic, but I was just thinking about that.

What do you think, Kev?

Mike McGillicutty? I wonder if the WWE writers were trying to make a subtle reference about the valet Beulah from ECW. The writers did a similar deal by referencing Gorilla Monsoon with the Santino Marella name, so I wouldn't put it past them.

You're overlooking the bad news buried in all that information: they expect Zach Ryder to still be around a year from now

I loved seeing the pros unscripted and with live mics.

Not only does it make for highly entertaining television but it shows us which of them is quick witted and can speak off the cuff and which of them rely on the scriptwriters for their lines.

Regal's 'Eugene' line to Matt Hardy was brilliant, as was his 'Kermit' line to Miz.

A nice touch seeing CM Punk just walk off, too.

Matt Hardy and R-Truth were shown up as guys incapable of impromptu speaking, but i guess that's no surprise given neither is a great talker.

Overall i've enjoyed NXT more than i have any wrestling show in a long time and i cannot wait for season two.

Maybe for NXT Season 3, they can have a Rookie Diva. I don't think this show would benefit from two divisions running concurrently, like MTV Tough Enough, but still, I'd like to see the NXT Divas get some TV exposure.

For now, I am very glad that there is one inter-gender Pro/Rookie tandem.

Wishes for the future: Never to see or hear from Otunga again - he is a plank!
NXT 2 - Drop the theme song, drop Striker,leave the rookie names alone or at least give them less cheesy ones. Also more unscripted stuff from the Pros. Great work Kev.

I believe that Wade Barrett should not become a WWE Pro Wrestler. If his actions last night on Raw was any way that he will fight others later, than he is a COWARD......
Just like the rest of them...... If they can't fight one on one with the champion, than they need to get out of the business, cause the WWE don't need COWARDS, they need real men..........

WWE is not only a physical game but also a mind and strategic game. Wade Barrett nailed it.

become a WWE Pro Wrestler. If his actions last night on Raw was any way that he will fight others later, than he is a COWARD......
Just like the rest of them...... If they can't fight one on one with the champion, than they need to get out of the business, cause the WWE don't need COWAR