“WWE NXT’s” Great American Bash event was, by all accounts, good. The matches were solid across the board, with great lock-ups and story moments to satisfy even the tougher wrestling critics. There weren’t many surprises on Saturday’s “NXT” card, but the surprises Shawn Michaels and his team did execute were just grounded enough to keep the Atlanta crowd engaged for the entire two-hour-and-some-change event without being overly gratuitous. That is, except for the Darkstate interludes.

Okay, I think “hated” might be a strong word, but we have a formula to keep up. I don’t hate Darkstate, but I am still at a loss for what exactly they do. It’s my understanding that Darkstate show up, are creepy, and occasionally run the numbers game on some babyfaces before heading home. Darkstate has little to no impact on the overall diverse, fast-paced, stand-out-or-stand-aside “NXT” ecosystem. This faction is kind of like a group of guys with some cool vibes, but they ultimately are still unemployed and just loiter around buildings all day with their friends. I’m not saying that this is a bad thing — if you are in between opportunities, I get it — but why did we have to make space for them on an otherwise very clean, very organized Great American Bash card?

Darkstate’s shenanigans first started with a weird, creepy glitch message during an opening backstage segment between Zaria and “NXT” Women’s North American Champion Sol Ruca. When I make the unemployed, “what does he even do” jokes about Darkstate, I’m referring to this. Like, Darkstate had no involvement in Ruca’s North American title defense against Izzi Dame, and while I thought they might be trying to recruit Zaria for whatever reason (her vibe could feasibly mesh with theirs), they didn’t even try and confront her — not in the ring, not after the match, not in a weird backstage segment, nothing! What are they doing here with these Wyatt Sicks-adjacent segment interruptions? It’s not something that I despise, but it’s something that I can’t help but find myself wishing away. What’s all the hubbub about?

Darkstate’s tomfoolery continued to the end of the TNA contract signing between Trick Williams, Joe Hendry, and Mike Santana (which my peers have plenty of opinions about). At least here, they were a bit more involved as they attempted to corner Hendry and Santana. Still, what exactly does Darkstate do? I don’t see them getting super involved in the Williams/Hendry/Santana feud, for the sheer reason of seven being an utter crowd. If they’re going to feud with any one of those men, why not wait until after the TNA debacle is all said and done with? We’d have the resources and the time to make that Darkstate feud a good one.

That’s what it comes down to: resources and time. I don’t know why “NXT” is stretching themselves thin by trying to insert Darkstate everywhere, when they can cut Darkstate for the time being and focus on elevating an already solid Great American Bash card.

Written by Angeline Phu