Shirai won it for her team with a hop-up moonsault.
– Matt Riddle defeated Dominik Dijakovic
This was one of the best singles matches in recent history on the Florida loop.
Dijakovic overpowered Riddle early, using overhead and rag-doll throws while controlling the pace. It broke down in to a strike exchange with loud chops and Riddle throwing kicks. Dijakovic kicked out of the Bro to Sleep and bridging German combo but wasn’t able to avoid the running knee before tapping out to the Bromission.
– Johnny Gargano defeated Humberto Carrillo
There was a split crowd for this one with “Johnny Gargano Did Nothing Wrong” chants followed by “Yes He Did/Johnny Sucks” chants.Gargano raised Carrillo’s head with his foot like Aleister Black does and hit a superkick to win it.
After the match, Gargano took the mic and said that he’s the good guy here and the hero. Black’s music hit and Gargano ran off. Black then kicked Carrillo to send a message to Gargano.
– Undisputed Era (Adam Cole, Kyle O’Reilly & Bobby Fish) defeated The Mighty & Saurav Gurjar
The crowd loved Undisputed Era here. O’Reilly and Fish got the win with Total Elimination.
– Mia Yim defeated Chelsea Green
Green kept going for her lipstick to put on herself and Yim. Yim won with a package sit-out powerbomb, which the crowd loved.
– NXT North American Champion Ricochet defeated Kona Reeves (w/ Vanessa Borne) to retain his title
There were a lot of distractions by Borne in this one, but Ricochet survived and the referee finally threw her out of ringside. Ricochet hit the Cradle Shock to retain.
– Humberto Carrillo & Raul Mendoza defeated The Mighty
This match got plenty of time. The Mighty controlled the smaller men, but Mendoza got the hot tag and ran wild before tagging in Carrillo for a double-team wheelbarrow Code Red for the win.
– Kavita Devi defeated Reina Gonzalez
Devi won with a Bubba Bomb.
– Mohammed Fahim vs. Mansoor Al-Shehail ended in a no contest as Lars Sullivan destroyed them both with the Freak Accident. Sullivan then issued an open challenge.
– Lars Sullivan defeated Babatunde Aiyegbusi
A hoss fight of all hoss fights. They went at each other with chops and shoulder blocks, but Sullivan was just too much for the giant Babs. Sullivan hit the Freak Accident for the win.
– Vanessa Borne & Kona Reeves defeated Kacy Catanzaro & NXT North American Champion Ricochet
Borne had her feet on the ropes to steal the pin on Catanzaro.
– Adam Cole defeated Stacey Ervin Jr.
Cole hit the Last Shot to the back of the head to pick up the win.
– Io Shirai & Kairi Sane defeated Chelsea Green & Lacey Evans
Green was doing the Hot Mess act with smeared lip stick and a lace veil. Evans went around ringside with Purell and even tried to use it on Sane before getting slapped.
Shirai and Sane used stereo submissions for the win.
– Kassius Ohno defeated Saurav Gurjar
Ohno won with the rolling elbow.
– Aleister Black & War Raiders defeated The Forgotten Sons
This had Excellent action. Black hasn’t missed a beat and is ready for his TakeOver match. Everyone looked great and hit ring-rattling moves. Black hit the Black Mass for the victory to send everyone home happy.
A surprise return with a cliffhanger ending highlighted a show billed as having a double main event on episode #473 of NXT. Aleister Black returned wanting answers from Nikki Cross in an angle that closed the show.
Cross for weeks was ranting that she knew a secret. Her return match with Bianca Belair ended in a no contest when Black made his surprising return.
In the other half of a double main event, Undisputed Era defended their NXT Tag Team Championship against The War Raiders. Bobby Fish returned to action doing a run-in for a disqualification. The tag team title match opened the show.
War Raiders (Hanson & Rowe) defeated NXT Tag Team Champions Undisputed Era (Kyle O’Reilly & Roderick Strong) via disqualification
Bobby Fish ran in swinging a chair at War Raiders for the DQ. War Raiders were dominating in the story of the match despite sleek teamwork by Undisputed Era. They tried to double-team Hanson at the outset. He made his own comeback and sent Undisputed Era scrambling. Rinse and repeat in a similarly effective formula throughout the match.
Undisputed Era targeted Rowe’s knee and worked him over. The tag champs proverbially cut the ring in half — which has become a staple of their offensive strategy. Despite the efforts of Undisputed Era in trying to block a tag, Hanson was able to make a switch as he tagged in to clean house. Hanson proceeded to mow down Undisputed Era before getting a near fall.
O’Reilly twice saved Strong from Hanson making pinning attempts. Rowe jumped back into the fracas as War Raiders began showcasing double-team power moves. Rowe assisted Hanson in delivering a springboard lariat. Adam Cole out of nowhere ran down to presumably cause a DQ and save the titles. Hanson blocked a punch and decked Cole to neutralize the interference. The referee let the match continue.
The slight distraction allowed for O’Reilly to execute Ax and Smash for a two count. Rowe fought back only to get trapped in a heel hook applied by O’Reilly. Hanson suplexed Strong onto O’Reilly to break up the submission hold. War Raiders launched into tandem offense heading into the finish. Hanson dispatched both Strong and Cole with a tope suicida. Rowe then assisted Hanson in dropping a guillotine legdrop on O’Reilly. Bobby Fish then ran in to attack War Raiders for a DQ.
Fish doing a run-in saved the titles for Undisputed Era. While Fish was present for promos and other appearances, he has been out of action recovering from surgery; him running in marks his return to active competition. War Raiders fed their backs as Fish waffled them with a chair shots. Undisputed Era afterwards posed standing over the wreckage.
Shayna Baszler defeated Britt Baker
Baszler won in seconds via referee stoppage. Baszler quickly took Baker down to the mat and tied up an arm. Baszler stomped on the arm to injury the appendage. Baker sold big as she screamed in agony. The ref stepped in to stop the match. He raised the hand of a smirking Baszler — but she was not yet finished. Baszler sadistically rushed in to deliver a leaping knee strike that laid out Baker. Baszler flashed a sadistic smile before leaving.
William Regal was pacing in his office when a reporter peppered him with a question about what Nikki Cross might know. Regal was unsure what Cross knows about the attack on Aleister Black, but Regal was sure that Black was returning soon. Regal said he needed answers so he plans to talk to with Cross after her match later on.
Oney Lorcan & Danny Burch defeated Tian Bing & Rocky
Lorcan pinned Rocky after a double-team implant DDT. Bing at the start was able to out-maneuver Lorcan. Lorcan soon found himself trapped by Rocky in a full nelson. Lorcan escaped to tag out. Burch was a house of fire before making a quick tag. He assisted Lorcan in setting up an implant DDT — and Lorcan then scored the pinfall.
Nikki Cross vs. Bianca Belair ended in a no-contest
The surprise return of Aleister Black caused the match to end without a finish. This was a rematch of a previous meeting that also ended in a similar non-finish. The match itself between Cross and Belair was intense in building anticipation for a return match — hopefully with an actual finish the next time. The angle with Black as a plot twist was significant enough to compensate for the match not having a finish.
Cross and Belair rushed in at the start and a brawl ensued. The fight spilled out of the ring. Cross sent Belair colliding into the ring steps. The melee continued back in the ring. Belair stomped on Cross, and then she grounded her with a neck vise. Belair displayed her mean streak to counter the manicial character of Cross. Belair had on a lot of body glitter. Soon everything else in the ring was also covered in glitter as the match progressed.
Belair did a forward flip into a standing moonsault for a two count. Cross fought back with forearm shivers. Belair applied a double chicken wing, but Cross countered into a victory roll near fall. Cross trapped Belair in the tree-of-woe. After a running bulldog on Belair, a crazed Cross climbed the turnbuckles for a flying crossbody. Belair kicked out at two.
Belair answered back with a forearm shiver that dropped Cross. Belair then speared Cross for a near fall. Belair kept trying for pin covers and Cross continued to kick out. Belair executed a deadlift powerbomb. She was in disbelief when Cross still kicked out.
An enraged Belair shoved Cross and yelled at her to stay down. Cross answered with a smirk. Belair slapped her and Cross sneered. Belair lifted Cross into a military press. Cross escaped to give Cross a reverse DDT for a near fall. Cross again climbed the turnbuckles and leapt off the top rope. Belair whipped Cross in mid-air with her braid. The fighting continued as they set up Cross giving Belair a superplex.
Both were down selling when the lights went out. Ominous music began playing as darkness engulfed the ring. The lights came on and Black was sitting crossed-legged in the ring. The crowd gasp. Belair seemingly disappeared from the ring. Black was face-to-face with Cross. A “holy s***” chant gave way to the crowd chanting “Nikki’s got a secret.”
Black wanted Cross to tell him what she knows. Cross whispered something into Black’s ear. Black bowed his head for a moment. His seething then turned to rage as the show faded to black.
Aleister Black officially won’t be wrestling at NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn IV later this month.
WWE released a video this afternoon where William Regal confirmed that Black is off the show. Regal announced that NXT Champion Tommaso Ciampa will now defend his title against Johnny Gargano in a last man standing match at TakeOver.
Black suffered a legitimate injury that required surgery after being crotched by Ciampa at an NXT house show in Las Vegas on July 28. Ciampa defending against Black and Gargano in a triple threat match was originally supposed to be the main event of TakeOver: Brooklyn. It was announced on last night’s episode of NXT, but WWE then wrote Black out of the match by shooting an angle where he was attacked in the parking lot at Full Sail University.
Ciampa defeated Gargano in a street fight at TakeOver: Chicago in June and won the NXT Championship from Black on a TV episode in July. At TakeOver: New Orleans in April, Gargano defeated Ciampa in an unsanctioned match.
TakeOver: Brooklyn will be held at the Barclays Center on August 18. Here’s the updated card:
NXT Champion Tommaso Ciampa defending against Johnny Gargano in a last man standing match
NXT Women’s Champion Shayna Baszler defending against Kairi Sane
NXT North American Champion Adam Cole defending against Ricochet
NXT Tag Team Champions Kyle O’Reilly & Roderick Strong defending against Tyler Bate & Trent Seven
WWE has seemingly acknowledged Aleister Black’s injury by running an angle after NXT went off the air tonight.
In the video posted on WWE’s YouTube page, Regal was talking about the triple threat match that had just been confirmed for TakeOver. At that moment, an assistant came up to Regal and said something had happened in the parking lot. As he passed by Johnny Gargano entering the building, then saw Undisputed Era driving away in a car, Regal found Black laying on the ground unconscious. Officials tended to Black as the video ended.
It was reported this weekend that Black suffered a groin injury during a match against Tomasso Ciampa at a NXT house show in Las Vegas. It wasn’t known if it would be an injury that he could heal from before the triple threat match at TakeOver. The angle would give him an out if he wouldn’t be able to get cleared before then.
Tonight’s NXT established a triple threat match for TakeOver pitting former champion Aleister Black against Johnny Gargano and new champion Tommaso Ciampa. The three have been feuding with one another over the last several weeks, with Gargano inadvertently costing Black the title after striking him with the NXT title, allowing Ciampa to pick up the victory and the title.
Tommaso Ciampa is set to challenge for Aleister Black’s title on an episode of NXT television later this month.
It was announced on last night’s show that Black vs. Ciampa for the NXT Championship would be taking place on the episode that airs on July 25. That will be taped when NXT returns to Full Sail University on July 18 for the last set of TV tapings leading into TakeOver: Brooklyn IV.
Whatever happens in Black vs. Ciampa should help set up the card for Brooklyn. An angle leading into last month’s TakeOver: Chicago special saw Ciampa attack Johnny Gargano and take him out of a match with Black before Gargano was supposed to challenge for the title on TV.
After being defeated by Ciampa in Chicago, Gargano hit the same draping DDT that Ciampa used to beat him as the finish of his match with EC3 on last night’s episode. The storyline is that Gargano’s rivalry with Ciampa is continuing to turn him into what he was fighting against.
Ciampa interrupted a promo from Black on the June 29 episode of NXT TV to set him up as the next challenger for the title. That was after Black retained against Lars Sullivan in Chicago.
TakeOver: Brooklyn will be held at the Barclays Center on August 18 as part of SummerSlam weekend.
Submitted by Chris Roberts from Friday night’s house show in Evansville, Indiana
– War Raiders defeated TM61
Good choice for a starting bout. It was a basic War Raiders match like they’ve been doing on television, with some heel shenanigans by TM61.
– Candice LeRae defeated Aaliyah
LeRae got a decent reaction. It was another basic match. Aaliyah missed hip drops in a comedic fashion.
– A promo aired with Fabian Aichner confronting Raul Mendoza backstage. Aichner dissed Mendoza and a local pizza place in the area, and promised that he’ll buy the crowd pizza if Mendoza manages to pull off the victory.
– Fabian Aichner defeated Raul Mendoza
The hook got people into the match, including lots of “We want pizza” chants. Mendoza showed off his athleticism and got the crowd more into it. Aichner kept cutting him off and shaking his arm, yelling “No pizza.”
Aichner got the victory after some near falls and a nice Spanish Fly by Mendoza, who was really impressive here.
– NXT Tag Team Champions Kyle O’Reilly & Roderick Strong defeated Oney Lorcan & Danny Burch to retain their titles
The crowd wasn’t too familiar with the challengers and booed them for the most part, while cheering the Undisputed Era. The match went 15-20 minutes, with Undisputed Era using cowardly heel tactics. The audience wasn’t very receptive to Lorcan and Burch’s technical style at first, but lots of teamwork and near falls got them into it.
The crowd applauded Lorcan and Burch after the match. They challenged O’Reilly and Strong back into the ring for more, then got double submissions on and held the belts high heading into intermission.
As usual, Cross was being very wacky before this started. The match didn’t gel together at all, with them getting the heat on Sane for far too long.
– NXT North American Champion Adam Cole defeated Kassius Ohno to retain his title
It was a toss-up between this and the Tag Team title match for best bout. Cole was very over, with the crowd indifferent to Ohno.
They did lots of grappling to start, then lots of hard hits throughout the match. After the loss, Ohno mentioned this being his 20th year in wrestling, thanked the fans, and brought up his early days at the Evansville Coliseum in IWA:MS fighting the likes of Necro Butcher.
– Aleister Black & EC3 defeated Lars Sullivan & Velveteen Dream
An e-mail was sent out still advertising Ricochet in EC3’s place, so I think the crowd was less enthused about the match when they realized that EC3 was the new partner. It was very strange seeing him work as a face. Velveteen Dream was pretty over, but Sullivan wasn’t as much. Dream was wearing a Ricochet shirt to mock his opponent for TakeOver.
There were spots where Dream wanted to bail but Sullivan threw him back in the ring, where he would be double teamed by the faces. Then most of the match was the heels getting the heat on EC3, with Dream sneaking tags in from Sullivan. Black got the hot tag, Dream wanted to bail, but Ricochet’s music hit and they brawled. Dream retreated into the ring and was hit with Black Mass for the finish.
As the faces celebrated, Ricochet got on the mic and apologized for being unable to compete two hours from his home. He assured us that he’ll be ready for TakeOver.
Black said Sullivan will fall again in their title match. EC3 took the NXT Championship when the referee brought it in, as did Ricochet, then Black finally took it back, teasing future feuds.
Overall, this was a good show but not a great one.
– NXT North American Champion Adam Cole defeated Raul Mendoza
– NXT Tag Team Champions Kyle O’Reilly & Roderick Strong defeated Oney Lorcan & Danny Burch
– Velveteen Dream defeated Kassius Ohno
After the match, Velveteen Dream cut a promo telling us that we were too poor to afford the WWE Network because $9.99 is too expensive for Kentucky. I thought it was odd since the cheapest tickets were $20.
Ricochet came out and said if Dream can do anything he can do, do a flip out of the ring. Dream said you have to pay $9.99 to see that. Ricochet then thanked everyone for coming out and apologized that he wasn’t wrestling.
Submitted by Robbert Goey from NXT’s house show in Antwerp, Belgium yesterday
– They advertised Ricochet and Steffanie Newell, but neither wrestled on the show. Ricochet looked like he may have been hurt at Monday’s show in Paris but celebrated with Johnny Gargano after teaming together.
He tweeted about the tour today and was still hyping his match against Velveteen Dream at TakeOver: “On the plane about to head back to the states. An amazing and my first overseas tour for @WWENXT is all wrapped up! Thanks to all who came and made it possible! Now time to get ready for my spotlight at #NXTTakeOverChicago.”
Newell suffered what appears to be a minor knee injury at one of NXT’s Download Festival shows.
– Heavy Machinery defeated Marcel Barthel & Fabian Aichner
This was a nice opener to get the crowd going. Barthel was doing a good job playing the crowd by talking in German. The Belgians/Dutch understand the German language pretty well, so the interaction between him and the crowd kept going almost the entire match.
– Wolfgang defeated Steve Cutler (w/ Wesley Blake)
They had a pretty basic match. Cutler mostly tried to use holds on Wolfgang, but Wolfgang overpowered him with ease.
Kai got the pin on Evans after hitting her sunset flip backstabber finisher. It was a decent tag match, with Evans and Belair dominating LeRae for most of it. Kai used all of her signature kicks after getting the hot tag.
– An interview with Kyle O’Reilly and Roderick Strong played on the video screen, with them getting booed for trashing the Belgian soccer team ahead of the World Cup. Nikki Cross then crashed the interview and announced her vs. Shayna Baszler for the NXT Women’s Championship.
– NXT North American Champion Adam Cole defeated Zack Gibson to retain his title
A pretty good match and the longest one so far. Cole is so over — his name (including the “Bay-Bay”) got chanted almost the entire match. You could see Cole loved it. This guy has so much charisma, he’s bound to be one of the top guys in WWE. He almost put up the Too Sweet gesture as well
Gibson worked the left arm of Cole during most of the match and had some nice suplexes. Cole sold the arm nicely. Cole also had some good offense, hitting his signature fireman’s carry neckbreaker twice on Gibson and winning with the Shining Wizard
– NXT Tag Team Champions Kyle O’Reilly & Roderick Strong defeated Oney Lorcan & Danny Burch to retain their titles
Undisputed Era retained after a double-team leg sweep by O’Reilly and clothesline from Strong. It was a pretty good tag team match and was given a fair amount of time.
Even though the Undisputed Era were the heels, they were still over as faces. Strong and O’Reilly worked on one of their opponents until the hot tag. Lots of great moves were done and they picked up the pace until the finish. After the champions left, Lorcan and Burch still got some applause.
– NXT Women’s Champion Shayna Baszler defeated Nikki Cross to retain her title
Baszler won by submission. This was an okay, short match. Cross was over as a face and got some offense in, but a few knees from Baszler and the Kirifuda Clutch made Cross tap out after a minute or longer in the move. The finish was unfortunately a bit underwhelming due to random “Let’s go Cena/Cena sucks” chants being done by the crowd.
– NXT Champion Aleister Black, WWE United Kingdom Champion Pete Dunne & Johnny Gargano defeated Lars Sullivan, Velveteen Dream & Tommaso Ciampa
Gargano submitted Ciampa with the Gargano Escape for the finish. This was an odd pairing since they were all advertised for singles matches until Ricochet not wrestling changed the card. The crowd was expecting those and hated the six-man tag idea at first, but with the names in the match, this couldn’t be messed up.
They had a good long main event where everybody got plenty of offense — even a table was used. Dream and Gargano had the most time in the ring, but everyone showed some great moves. There were lots of chants for the faces and for Dream. Ciampa was booed a lot. They actually teased not doing Ciampa vs. Gargano for five-10 minutes until Ciampa tagged himself in when Gargano was down.
The finish was Sullivan going through the table after a Black Mass, Dream getting superkicked by Dunne and Gargano, and then Gargano submitting Ciampa.
Black talked a bit to the crowd in Dutch after the match, telling us we are NXT and asking if they should come back next year. The show ended after some post-match celebration.
