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While NXT 2.0 is on its way to the grave, at least in some capacity, with the brand set to go back to being WWE NXT while also dropping the colorsplash color scheme, the roster is unlikely to change. Since last year, those who stuck with or came around to the current NXT product have gotten attached to the new style of wrestling presented by 2.0, as well as the cast of characters that the brand has brought to life.
With women's standouts like Toxic Attraction, Cora Jade, and Tiffany Stratton, and a number of big players for the men too, with Carmelo Hayes looking more and more like a future main event player every day, the roster has seen a number of talent truly breakout from when they arrived. One such name is Tony D'Angelo, the Sopranos-style parody character that has been a staple act of NXT 2.0 since late 2021. For many in the fanbase, D'Angelo is one of the most polarizing acts on the show.
Tony D'Angelo Is A Genuinely Funny Part Of NXT
Easily, Tony D'Angelo's most appealing characteristic in terms of his on-screen persona is his comedic ability. Being able to deliver the lines he has been given over the past year, not everyone could make it work. When playing things in a more campy style than serious, D'Angelo has shined and often gotten great reactions from the NXT 2.0 crowd.
However, whenever the company has tried to present him in a more serious light, it just feels entirely underwhelming. With a gimmick that feels so dated and old-school, it is hard to take serious, which has been a case for a number of other NXT stars, including Joe Gacy's turn from an interesting portrayal of online Cancel Culture and political discourse, into a cheap knockoff of Bray Wyatt. While Tony D has maintained his sense of humor and comedic timing, the booking of his character has not always shown that off.
Tony D'Angelo Is Not A Great Wrestler
Whether it be with NXT's own top champions, Bron Breakker and Mandy Rose, or those in the divisions beneath them like Nikkita Lyons and Tony D'Angelo, one aspect of NXT 2.0 that has left many longtime fans either burnt out or scratching their head, is the shift from producing some of the best wrestling in the world, to putting on matches that often do not feel like they belong on national television. While there have been some standouts, such as the Creed Bros, Roderick Strong, Tiffany Stratton, and Carmelo Hayes, there have been so many others that have been pushed and put onto this platform sooner than they should have been.
While D'Angelo's commitment to his character has been admirable to some degree, the man has failed to make many strides as a wrestler since his debut in late 2021. Outside the ring, he is a fine character, but when it comes to the actual wrestling, Tony D'Angelo leaves a lot to be desired.
Tony D'Angelo's Gimmick Feels Like It's Ripped From The Early 2000s
While some may be nostalgic for early 2000s wrestling, with that also being in line with NXT 2.0's demographic as it has skewed older than most would seem to expect, the fact remains that in 2022, wrestling should not be trying to emulate that era. Concerning Tony D'Angelo however, it feels as if his character and gimmick was plucked directly out of that time period, with both his style of wrestling and the overall presentation of the character. When they are having Tony and his accomplice killing another wrestler in storyline, you know that it has jumped the shark and gotten to a level of camp that is going to leave audiences split.
As NXT 2.0 has put less of an emphasis on in-ring skills, and more of a focus on creating larger-than-life characters, it is clear as day why Tony D not only got the push he did, but also why the crowd seemed to be taken with him in the beginning. Starting out, he simply came off as more of a meme than a serious character, but as time went on, this would change as Tony would be featured more and more, eventually being put into a top storyline against Santos Escobar, which D'Angelo would even win.