After five months away from WWE television, Bobby Fish made his return on tonight’s episode of NXT.
Kyle O’Reilly defeated Oney Lorcan on tonight’s NXT but was attacked by Pete Dunne and Lorcan after the match. Fish then came to O’Reilly’s aid and fought off Dunne and Lorcan. Fish cleared the ring of Dunne, then O’Reilly dropped Lorcan with a kick.
O’Reilly thanked Fish for helping him, but he told Fish that he’s doing his own thing now. Fish said he has his own scores to settle too and will see O’Reilly when he sees him.
This was the first time Fish has appeared on WWE TV since Undisputed Era (Adam Cole, O’Reilly, Roderick Strong & Fish) defeated Pat McAfee, Dunne, Lorcan & Danny Burch in a WarGames match at TakeOver: WarGames last December. Fish had to undergo triceps surgery following that match.
In the time Fish was out of action, Undisputed Era imploded when Cole turned against O’Reilly at TakeOver: Vengeance Day this February. O’Reilly defeated Cole in an unsanctioned match at TakeOver: Stand & Deliver last month. There was also an angle last month where Strong resigned from NXT following the breakup of Undisputed Era.
Bobby Fish is expected to be out of action for several weeks after undergoing surgery following NXT TakeOver: WarGames.
Fish teamed with his Undisputed Era stablemates (Adam Cole, Kyle O’Reilly & Roderick Strong) to defeat Team McAfee (Pat McAfee, Pete Dunne, Oney Lorcan & Danny Burch) in the men’s WarGames match at TakeOver this past Sunday. On his post-TakeOver conference call, Paul “Triple H” Levesque said Fish suffered a laceration on his elbow during the match and was being checked out to make sure it was just the elbow.
On this week’s episode of NXT, it was announced that Fish underwent surgery to reattach his triceps after TakeOver: WarGames. Dave Meltzer reported in the latest edition of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter that Fish is expected to return in about eight weeks.
“Bobby Fish had triceps surgery on 12/7 but it was minor, not a tear and is expected back in about eight weeks,” Meltzer wrote. “In his case it was said to be a freak accident. A piece of the cage pierced his elbow and severed the triceps.”
It was also confirmed on this week’s NXT that Candice LeRae suffered a broken arm during the women’s WarGames match at TakeOver.
The final build to TakeOver: WarGames takes place on tonight’s go-home edition of NXT.
The advantage for the women’s WarGames match will be on the line as Shotzi Blackheart faces Raquel Gonzalez in a ladder match tonight. It will be Team Shotzi vs. Team Candice in WarGames on Sunday.
Blackheart, Ember Moon, and Rhea Ripley have been confirmed for Team Shotzi. There’s still one member of the team left to be announced. Candice LeRae, Dakota Kai, Gonzalez & Toni Storm will be on Team Candice.
Sunday’s men’s WarGames match will be Undisputed Era (Adam Cole, Kyle O’Reilly, Roderick Strong & Bobby Fish) vs. Team McAfee (Pat McAfee, Pete Dunne, Oney Lorcan & Danny Burch). Dunne won the advantage for Team McAfee last week by defeating O’Reilly in a ladder match.
Leon Ruff defending his NXT North American Championship against Johnny Gargano and Damian Priest in a triple threat match is also set for TakeOver, along with Dexter Lumis vs. Cameron Grimes in a strap match. WWE will continue building to those matches tonight.
Plus, tonight’s show will feature Timothy Thatcher presenting a Thatch-as-Thatch-can session. Our live coverage begins at 8 p.m. Eastern time.
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The show began with somber moment. The roster and others like Triple H and Shawn Michaels were gathered onstage to honor Pat Patterson. Then a tremendous music video with Frank Sinatra’s “My Way” highlighted the career of Pat Patterson. Great tribute, and the clips included Pat singing “My Way”, as he loved to do.
Angles before the show on social media set up the opening match. Johnny Gargano was also at ringside on guest commentary.
El Legado del Fantasma attacked Curt Stallion before the show. He was apparently supposed to team with Leon Ruff. So Priest laid out Joaquin Wilde in another skit before the show. That led to Priest replacing Stallion in teaming with Ruff, and they face El Legado del Fantasma.
The story is Priest wants to protect Ruff ahead of their title match this Sunday. Priest and Gargano challenge Rufff in a triple threat match at TakeOver.
NXT North American Champion Leon Ruff & Damian Priest defeated Santos Escobar & Raul Mendoza
Ruff pinned Mendoza, after a Reckoning by Priest during the finish.
Priest was running roughshod when he spotted someone in the crowd dressed in a Scream costume. Gargano remarked on commentary it was cool a fan dressed up the character. Priest was distracted by the Scream mask, and Escobar blindsided him with a tope. That sandwiched Priest into the chainlink barricade.
Though Priest was there to protect Ruff, Priest was ironically the one that got worked over by the heels. The rudos with heat on Priest through a commercial break. Priest fought back, but he was outnumbered. Ruff was down in the corner selling a knee strike from earlier in the match.
Ruff slowly crawled back on the apron, though he was stelling the strike from early on. Meanwhile, the rudo team targeted Priest’s leg. Priest came back with a big flatliner on Mendoza, and he tagged Ruff.
Ruff was running wild after a hot tag, yet he was unaware of a blind tag. Ruff was able to tag out. Priest back in like a house of fire mere moments after selling for minutes on end. Priest was going for his finisher when Ruff made a blind tag. Priest delivered The Reckoning, and Ruff followed with a frog splash. Ruff then covered Mendoza for a pinfall.
A mini-doc hyped War Games. Excellent stuff.
Team Candice was backstage for a promo. Candice LeRae vowed her team will win War Games, and Raquel Gonzalez said after night their team will have the advantage. Gonzalez says Blackheart will feel like she got run over by a tank.
Cameron Grimes defeated August Grey
Grimes pinned Grey after a Cave In in a showcase match. Grey got in some offense, but Grimes dominated the bout.
Grimes after the match cut a promo on Dexter Lumis ahead of their strap match this Sunday. Grimes then took a leather strap and used it in a demonstration. He hooked the strap to the arm of Grey, and Grimes whipped him with the strap.
All the while, Grimes is talking trash about Lumis having no place to run in their strap match. The joke being that Grimes has done all the running away in their ongoing feud. As Grimes was yapping in the direction of the hard camera, Lumis had replaced Grey. Lumis was now attached to the strap, and he stalked Grimes.
Grimes freaked out when he saw Lumis was behind him. Lumis pummeled him, and he whipped him with the strap. Grimes ran away fleeing the scene.
Jake Atlas defeated Tony Nese
Atlas pinned Nese after a cartwheel DDT. This was a good match, and Atlas dedicated the match to Pat Patterson. Yet it still seemed like filler. Atlas after the match at least got to cut a promo in a post-match interview.
Neither got an entrance, and the match was joined in progess like a house show bout on an old episode of Prime Time Wrestling. The show came back from a commercial break, and the bell sounded to start the match with no introductions.
During the match, there was a split screen like when the NWO would arrive to Nitro during an undercard match. Tonight it was Pat McAfee and company arriving to the building in a yellow Hummer limousine.
Atlas in cutting a promo after the match said this was just the beginning. He will keep moving forward towards his goal of getting another shot at the NXT Cruiserweight Championship.
Pat McAfee is a heckuva talker
McAfee and his crew came to the ring for an in-ring promo. Continuing to prove he is a helluva talker, McAfee in a great speech build up his team in War Games. Before running down Undisputed Era, McAfee at the beginning of his promo paid tribute to Pat Patterson.
McAfee deserves some sort of award for being so great on interviews. He for sure should be inducted into the Matt Cleary Memorial House of Awesome on the B&V Show. McAfee is so dang good on the mic.
Xia Li and Boa in a skit were the subject of a ritualistic training session.
Grizzled Young Veterans were supposed to wrestle Ever-Rise (Chase Parker and Matt Martel). Imperium attacked Ever-Rise before their match could start. Imperium laid out Ever-Rise, and they stole their match. Imperium challenged Grizzled Young Veterans to a fight.
Grizzled Young Veterans (James Drake and Zack Gibson) vs. Imperium (Marcel Barthel & Fabian Aichner) went to a no-contest
Ever-Rise ran in and jumped both teams, and the match was thrown out.
The match itself was good, but it lacked defined protagonists. With two antagonist tag teams against each other, not sure who the viewers should want to win. Might be shades of grey, but at least Grizzled Young Veterans could have gotten some wins on television beforehand. We might have more reason to care more about them in this match. Then came a lame finish.
They went back-and-forth, leading to an Aichner dive to the outside. Ever-Rise ran down to ringside to attack both teams. The referee called for the bell, and he threw out the match.
Ever-Rise during a commercial break left the building like Earl Hebner after the Montreal Screwjob. Parker & Martel hurried out of the building, and they got into a waiting car.
“Ever-Rise rules,” they yelled while speeding away in their getaway car.
Back in the ring for another session of Thatch-As-Thatch-Can hosted by instructor Timothy Thatcher. He says today’s lesson is on distractions. Some people could have used this advice in earlier matches on the show.
Thatcher turned out to address one his students, and he was shocked to see Tommaso Ciampa standing in the ring next to him. Thatcher told Ciampa to already had a student, who was also in the ring with them.
Ciampa said he was there to learn, he was there to teach. Thatcher reiterated he had no issue or problem with Ciampa. As Thatcher went to leave the ring, Ciampa called him a disappointment. Thatcher turned around to confront Ciampa.
Thatcher said he knew Ciampa was trying to goad him. He again said he wanted no trouble, and then Thatcher shot on Ciampa with a leg dive. Ciampa knocked him down with a forearm. Thatcher’s student in a sneak attack jumped Ciampa. That allowed Thatcher to attack Ciampa, and Thatcher choked out Ciampa. He put him to sleep and left him laid out. Thus concluded the lesson on distractions.
Thatcher in a backstage interview threatened Ciampa ahead of their match at TakeOver. That match is now official for TakeOver.
Announced for the TakeOver pre-show is Ariel Helwani. He joins Wade Barrett and Sam Roberts as co-hosts on the kickoff show panel.
Shotzi Blackheart defeated Raquel Gonzalez in a ladder match to win the War Games advantage
Blackheart won the match after a bunch of run-ins. Team Shotzi now has the advantage headed into War Games this Sunday.
The ladder quickly became involved. Gonzalez was getting the better of Blackheart, until Blacheart with a wrecking ball dropkick sent the ladder smashing into Gonzalez. Blackheart leapt off the apron into a flying crossbody. Gonzalez caught her, and then slammed her down on a ladder.
Blackheart rode with a sleeper hold, but she was posted. She moments later sidestepped a charge, and then Blackheart targeted a leg. Coffin drop off the barricade, and Blackheart crashed into Gonzalez.
They fought through a commercial break, and when the show returned they were having a tug-o-war with a ladder. Blackheart went for another crazy apron spot. It didn’t really work, and Gonzalez soon threw Balckheart into the ring steps, and Gonzalez picked up the ring steps. She then hit Blackheart with the steps.
Gonzalez climbed up one side of the ladder, and Blackheart climbed the other. They both took a bump off the ladder. After taking turns pulling each other off the ladder, it was soon tipped over.
A tilt-a-whirl headscissors by Blackheart led into a running senton. Blackheart jumped off the top rope with a meteora to the outside. She and Gonzalez crashed to the floor, and both were down selling when the heel War Games team ran down to ringside. They had been watching the match from a scaffold overlooking ringside. The babyface also ran down in tow shortly behind the heels.
Indi Hartwell, still wearing a neck brace, set up a ladder in middle of the ring. Blackheart rushed into the ring to hit Hartwell with a kick. Blackheart turned around into a lariat from Gonzalez. When Gonzalez went to climb the ladder, Io Shirai suddenly ran into the ring. Shirai jumped on the back of Gonzalez as she was climbing the ladder, and Shirai applied a sleeper.
Shirai did a moonsault off the top out of the ring onto everyone. Blackheart was left alone in the ring. She climbed a ladder to grab the briefase, thus winning the match. The babyface team with the advantage going into the women’s War Games match. That is not usually how War Games psychology works.
Maybe there will be an injury angle, or possibly even a turn of some sort. Otherwise, the babyface team was the advantage headed into War Games. TNA did something like that in the past. Hopefully NXT does it better.
Seems to go against the logic of almost every War Games match in history, but let’s see what happens on Sunday. What would Dusty do? Likewise, what would Pat do?
A Tag Team title match is set for tonight’s episode of NXT.
Breezango will put their NXT Tag Team titles on the line against Undisputed Era’s Roderick Strong & Bobby Fish on tonight’s show. Strong & Fish became the number one contenders to Breezango’s titles by defeating Oney Lorcan & Danny Burch last week.
Breezango have been NXT Tag Team Champions since winning the titles from Imperium’s Marcel Barthel & Fabian Aichner this August.
Two other matches have also been announce for tonight’s show. Tommaso Ciampa, Kushida, and Velveteen Dream will face off in a triple threat match. Isaiah “Swerve” Scott, Jake Atlas & Ashante “Thee” Adonis will team against Legado del Fantasma (NXT Cruiserweight Champion Santos Escobar, Raul Mendoza & Joaquin Wilde) in a six-man tag.
WWE will also continue setting the stage for next week’s Halloween Havoc episode of NXT. Three matches have already been announced for next Wednesday: Io Shirai vs. Candice LeRae for the NXT Women’s Championship, Damian Priest vs. Johnny Gargano for the NXT North American Championship, and Rhea Ripley vs. Raquel Gonzalez. Halloween Havoc host Shotzi Blackheart revealed last week that Shirai vs. LeRae and Priest vs. Gargano will have stipulations chosen by Spin the Wheel, Make a Deal.
Our live coverage begins at 8 p.m. Eastern time.
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The show opened with a three-way dance.
Kushida defeated Tommaso Ciampa and Velveteen Dream in a triple threat match
Kushida pinned Ciampa in an exciting match. This was a wild brawl even before the opening bell. Ciampa attacked Dream during his entrance, and the fight was on. Kushida soon joined the brawl. Dream got pummeled, and Ciampa stomped on his hand in a cast. Dream begged off.
Ciampa executed a double DDT to plant both Kushida and Dream. Ciampa in firm control until Kushida got a two count with a sunset flip. Dream cut off Kushida, and he attacked both Kushida and Ciampa. However, Dream instead took a big bump after a forearm by Ciampa.
The pace quickened into a great series of sequences, and then the show cut to commercial. Kushida was running wild when the show returned from the break. Kushida applied an armbar on Dream at ringside, targeting the hand in a cast. Ciampa stomped on them both to break the hold.
Kushida gave Ciampa a shoulde breaker on the floor, and then Kushida went to work on the arm. Kushida applied an armbar, but Dream break it up with a flying elbow drop out of nowhere. Dream countered a Pedigree, but still got rolled up by Ciampa for a near fall.
Ciampa went to argue with the referee, but he ate a superkick from Dream. Kushida jumped in to break up a pinfall. Kushida and Ciampa teamed up to beat up Dream, and then they began to fight. Kushida exploded into a series of several flip dives over the rope. Ciampa cut him with Widow’s Bell, but the pin was broken up.
The closing minutes were really good. The action was back-and-forth. Ciampa with an O’Connor Roll on Kushida, and Kushida kicked out. Dream hit Ciampa with the cast, and Ciampa fell backwards into a German suplex from Kushida. Holding on to the bridge, Kushida pinned Ciampa.
Undisputed Era cut a promo backstage ahead of their tag team title match later on. Adam Cole joined them virtually via a tablet.
Wade Barrett challenged Vic Joseph to a Halloween costume contest for next Wednesday.
A video package hyped Rhea Ripley vs. Raquel Gonzalez for next week on the Halloween Havoc episode.
Ember Moon defeated Jessi Kamea
Moon submitted Kamea in a showcase match.
Moon taunted Kamea at the outset, and Kamea surprised her with a two count. Moon turned up the intensity, leading to a standing moonsault for a near fall. Moon then applied a crossface. She also applied an ankle lock.
Kamea with a counter to break the hold, and Kamea with a comeback. A springboard flying elbow drop netted Kamea a near fall. Moon came off the ropes to cut her off with a flying codebreaker. Moon tied Kamea in a new submission finisher, and Kamea tapped out.
Dakaot Kai ran in after the match to attack Moon. Kai laid her out with a kick, and she fled the scene.
Bobby Fish was apparently attacked backstage, but he says he did not see his attacker. This seems to happen a lot in NXT. Anyway, Fish with the injury was removed from the tag title match later on. Kyle O’Reilly will take his place to team with Roderick Strong in the championship bout.
Bronson Reed defeated Austin Theory…Twice
Reed pinned Theory in back to back matches. The first went a few minutes, and the second match laster seconds.
Theory worked over Reed momentarily, until Reed came back with a powerslam. Reed then flattened him with a senton. Theory tried to cut off Reed, but Theory instead took a Nestea Plunge off the top rope. Reed followed with a big splash off the top rope, and he covered Theory for a pinfall.
Theory after the match cut an angry promo saying he was the future of WWE. He challenged Reed to get back into the ring. Theory wanted to fight him until Theory beat him.
Reed got back into the ring, and he pinned Theory in seconds after a Samoan Drop.
Xia Li and Kacy Catanzaro were backstage in a face-to-face interview ahead of their match later on. Li said it was the biggest match of her career and she has to win.
During the commercial break, Austin Theory said he quit. He threw his bag into an SUV, and he sped away.
The bell rang to start the match, and Legado del Fantasma ducked out of the ring like they were Jay White or KENTA in G1. The babyface trio went out after them, and a brawl erupted on the floor. The babyfaces cleaned house, the action returned to the ring.
Atlas with a Three Amigos in tribute to Eddie Guerrero, which I always love to see. Atlas kept shining with cool set of lucha moves. Adonis faked out the heels teasing a dive, and then Swerve with a corkscrew flip dive off the top to the floor.
The show cut to the commercial with the babyfaces standing tall. The heels were in control when the show returned from break, and they worked over Adonis. A dropkick created separation, and Adonis able to tag out.
Atlas like a house of fire after a hot tag. Escobar cut him off, but Swerve jumped in to fight Escobar as they’ve been in a program. The match broke down briefly as they set up a stunt, with a flip dive/Spanish Fly spot.
Swerve got a near fall on Mendoza. Momenta laters, Mendoza countered to send Adonis colliding into Swerve. Esobar sailed through the ropes with a tope. Atlas caught Escobar with a cartwheel DDT on the floor. Meanwhile, Mendoza & Wilde double team Adonis. Wilde then covered Adonis to score a pinfall.
Johnny Gargano and Candice LeRae were at their kitchen table. They had a wheel, and LeRae wanting to practice spinning it ahead of their “Spin the Wheel, Make the Deal” matches next week. Gargano freaked out after spinning it twice. The first time it was a buried alive match, and the second time the wheel stopped on a casket match. Gargano was distraught, and he stormed off.
Ever-Rise (Chase Parker & Matt Martel) defeated Drake Maverick & Killian Dain via disqualification
Maverick used a chair to break up a submission hold, causing the DQ.
Ever-Rise got heat on Maverick, as they worked him over for a few minutes. Dain after a hot tag mauled Ever-Rise. Parker with a chop block on Dain, and then Dain was trapped in a half crab.
Maverick fired up after being taunted by Martel at ringside. He grabbed a steel chair, and used it hit Parker. That caused a DQ, and Maverick ran off Ever-Rise while swinging the chair. Dain at first looked upset like he usually is with Maverick, and Maverick looked worried about it.
Dain was happy, though. He screamed that it was awesome how Maverick used the chair to hit Ever-Rise. They are finally friends! Their wacky theme song started playing. That was too much for Dain, and he left the ring. One day at a time.
The show cut backstage like a TNA “to the back” segment, and Roderick Strong was laid out. O’Reilly left to go check on his friends at the hospital. Oney Lorcan & Danny Burch will now replace Undisputed Era in the tag team title match later on.
Kacy Catanzaro defeated Xia Li
Catanzaro cradlled Li for a flash pin in a short match. An angry Li attacked Catanzaro after the match. Kayden Carter came down to the ring, and Li attacked her too.
Raquel Gonzalez ran in out of nowhere and leveled Li with a lariat. Gonzalez presslammed Catanzaro, and she threw her on to Carter. Gonzalez gave Carter a chokeslam, and then she cut a promo threatening Rhea Ripley.
Cameron Grimes was great in a backstage interview. He was cocky until finding out his match next week against Dexter Lumis was a “Haunted House of Terror” match. That scared Grimes, but he would not admit it.
Timothy Thatcher was back with a Thatch-As-Thatch-Can seminor, and this session was live in the arena. Thatcher asked his student what is name was, and he replied that it was Anthony. Thatcher called him “Andrew”, and the stretching soon began. This was great! Stu Hart would love this.
“Andrew” was grew angry after Thatcher tortured him with a hold. Thatcher said that is how you learn. On with the seminor, where “Andrew” shot on Thatcher. Smirking at “Andrew”, Thatcher invited a referee into the ring. Thatcher then dropped “Andrew” with a cheap shot forearm. A bell rang, and match was on…
Timothy Thatcher defeated “Andrew”
Thatcher punished “Andrew”, and then he submitted him with a half crab. Thatcher after the match kicked him out of the ring. “Class dismissed,” Thatcher said into the camera.
A vignette hyped Johnny Gagarno challenging NXT North American Champion Damain Priest.
Danny Burch & Oney Lorcan defeated Breezango (Tyler Breeze & Fandango) to win the NXT Tag Team Championship
Burch pinned Breeze to win the titles after outside interference by Pat McAfee under a mask. They were having a good match, although it was not very eventful until the finish.
Breezango caught Lorcan & Burch with stereo superkicks. Fandango went to the top turnbuckle. A masked man wearing a silver face covering — who apparently was hiding under the ring — got involved to shove Fandango off the top rope.
Breeze walked into a low blow from Burch. Fandango was then given an assisted draping DDT, and Burch covered Breeze for a pinfall.
The masked man got into the ring to raise the hands of the new champions. He then unmasked to reveal himself as Pat McAfee. He is apparently now aligned with Burch & Lorcan.
Undisputed Era’s Roderick Strong & Bobby Fish are the new number one contenders to the NXT Tag Team titles.
In the opener of tonight’s episode of NXT, Strong & Fish defeated Oney Lorcan & Danny Burch in a number one contenders match. Strong & Fish will challenge for Breezango’s NXT Tag Team titles on NXT next Wednesday.
Strong pinned Lorcan at the end of tonight’s match after hitting a jumping knee strike. Lorcan had assisted Burch in hitting an elevated DDT on Strong leading into the finish, but Fish broke up the pin. Fish sent Lorcan into Burch and knocked Burch off the apron, then Strong hit the knee strike to get the win.
The Strong & Fish vs. Lorcan & Burch number one contender’s match was set up by Strong & Burch teaming together last month to defeat Fabian Aichner & Raul Mendoza. In storyline, Fandango pitched a match where one member of Undisputed Era would team with one member of Lorcan & Burch against one member of Imperium and one member of Legado Del Fantasma. The winners would then face off in a tag team match to determine Breezango’s next challengers.
Breezango have been NXT Tag Team Champions since winning the titles from Imperium this August.
It also appears that Xia Li will be in action on NXT next Wednesday, though her opponent hasn’t been announced. There was a backstage segment on NXT tonight where Li and Boa lobbied for NXT General Manager William Regal to give Li a match next week. Regal said he would take it under consideration.
Breezango’s next challengers will be determined on this week’s episode of NXT.
WWE has announced that Oney Lorcan & Danny Burch will face Undisputed Era’s Roderick Strong & Bobby Fish in a tag match on NXT this Wednesday. The winning team will become the number one contenders to Breezango’s NXT Tag Team titles, though WWE has yet to announce when they’ll be getting their title shot.
The number one contender’s match was set up when Strong & Burch teamed together to defeat Fabian Aichner & Raul Mendoza on NXT three weeks ago. In storyline, Fandango pitched the match to NXT general manager William Regal. The stipulation was that one member of Lorcan & Burch would team with one member of Undisputed Era against one member of Imperium and one member of Legado del Fantasma. The winners would then advance to face each other in a number one contender’s tag match.
Breezango have been NXT Tag Team Champions since winning the titles from Aichner & Barthel on the August 26 episode of NXT. They’ve had one title defense since then, defeating Imperium in a rematch last month.
Lorcan & Burch vs. Strong & Fish is the first match that’s been announced for this week’s NXT.
Three matches have been announced for next Wednesday’s episode of NXT:
– NXT North American Champion Keith Lee puts his title on the line against Johnny Gargano and Finn Balor in a triple threat match
The winner will advance to face NXT Champion Adam Cole in a winner-take-all title vs. title match on the July 8 episode of NXT.
– Karrion Kross vs. Bronson Reed
Reed quickly defeated Leon Ruff on NXT tonight and then issued a challenge to Kross. It will be Kross’ first match since his dominant win against Tommaso Ciampa at NXT TakeOver: In Your House.
On last week’s NXT, Scarlett sent a warning to Cole on behalf of Kross. She placed an hourglass in the ring and turned it over, signifying that Cole’s time as NXT Champion is coming to an end.
– Damian Priest vs. Cameron Grimes
Priest defeated Killian Dain on NXT tonight. Later in the show, Priest found his tires slashed in the parking lot. Grimes then drove by and mocked Priest.
Priest punched Grimes last week after Grimes did an interview where he called Priest a loser for not defeating Balor at TakeOver: In Your House. Grimes tried to get out of his match against Balor later in the show by faking that he may have broken his jaw, but NXT general manager William Regal made Grimes still wrestle. Balor defeated Grimes in the match.
WWE has revealed how they’re handling the NXT Tag Team title situation.
During his appearance on WWE’s The Bump this morning, NXT general manager William Regal announced that Matt Riddle and Pete Dunne will find a temporary partner for Riddle to team with while Dunne is currently unable to travel amid the coronavirus pandemic. Riddle and his temporary partner will defend the titles against The Undisputed Era on NXT tonight.
Roderick Strong & Bobby Fish will be the Undisputed Era team in tonight’s match.
In storyline, it was said that the decision for Riddle and Dunne to find a temporary partner was made after a long conversation between Regal, Riddle, and Dunne. When Dunne is able to come back, he’ll return to holding the titles with Riddle.
Riddle & Dunne were put together as a team for this year’s Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic. They won the tournament and then defeated Undisputed Era (Fish & Kyle O’Reilly) for the NXT Tag Team titles at TakeOver: Portland.
Here’s the updated list of what’s been announced for tonight’s NXT:
Two title matches are taking place on tonight’s special episode of NXT from the WWE Performance Center.
With Full Sail University unavailable due to their annual Hall of Fame week, tonight is fan appreciation night at the Performance Center. Keith Lee will defend his NXT North American Championship against Cameron Grimes on the show, while Matt Riddle & Pete Dunne will defend their NXT Tag Team titles against former champions Kyle O’Reilly & Bobby Fish.
After winning this year’s Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic, Riddle & Dunne defeated O’Reilly & Fish for the NXT Tag Team titles at TakeOver: Portland.
Lee has been NXT North American Champion since winning the title from Roderick Strong in January.
Another participant for the number one contender’s ladder match at NXT TakeOver: Tampa will also be decided as Mia Yim and Dakota Kai face off in a qualifying match tonight.
Chelsea Green became the first wrestler to qualify for the ladder match by defeating Shotzi Blackheart last week. NXT Women’s Champion Rhea Ripley is defending her title against Charlotte Flair at WrestleMania 36, and the winner of the ladder match will get the first title shot against Ripley or Charlotte.
Our live coverage begins at 8 p.m. Eastern time.
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The show tonight from the Performance Center was a fresh look just being away from Full Sail, but the crowd still looked small in comparison to that promotion on the other channel.
Crowd sizes may be almost nonexistent in some places for the time being. By some strange chance, running a live telecast from the PC may prove prophetic. Could we see more shows presented in-house in the coming weeks?
NXT tonight opens with a title match.
NXT North American Champion Keith Lee defeated Cameron Grimes to retain his title
Lee pinned Grimes after his modified jackhammer finishing move after a good TV match.
There was some cat-and-mouse games in the early portion, and Lee caught Grimes on some dives. Lee has Grimes reeling, and he even threw down the man’s hat. That sir, is an outrage!
Grimes tripped up Lee, and Grimes then leapt into a flying crossbody before a commercial break.
Lee with a fiery comeback after the break, and he mowed down Grimes with a crossbody block. Grimes was able to fight back, and he hooked Lee for a German suplex and a bridge for a close near fall.
Grimes countered a suplex into a tornado DDT. Lee kicked out again.Grimes went for his double stomp finisher, but Lee blocked him. Grimes with a superkick, and Lee answered back with a pounce. Lee then delivered the Big Bang Catastrophe to score the pinfall and retain his title.
Damien Priest jumped Lee after the match in a sneak attack. Priest hit Lee several times with a baton, and Dominik Dijakovic ran down to make a save. Dijakovic ran off Priest, and then he picked up the North American title belt.
Dijakovic almost in a daze was looking at the belt when Lee was getting to his feet. Lee suddenly picked up Dijakovic for a Spirit Bomb.
Mia Yim defeated Dakota Kai (w/ Raquel Gonzalez) to qualify for the ladder match at TakeOver
Yim pinned Kai after interference from Gonzalez backfired on them. Yim in winning qualifies for the number one contender’s ladder match at TakeOver in Tampa.
Yim was firing up on Kai when Gonzalez interfered by giving Yim a Snake Eyes on the apron. The show went to commercial, and Kai was working over Yim when the show returned from the break.
Yim soon made a comeback that led to a shotgun dropkick and a cannonball in a corner for a near fall. Kai cut her off and hit her with kicks, and then the Kai-ropractor. Yim kicked out and moments later blocked a face wash. Yim with a powerbomb for two.
Gonzalez was causing a distraction at ringside, which allowed Kai to roll up Yim. The referee was busy warning Gonzalez and missed the pin.
Yim escaped, and Kai walked into Protect Ya Neck. Yim then covered Kai for the pinfall. Yim advances to the ladder match at TakeOver.
Gonzalez got her heat back after the match as she attacked Yim to leave her laying. Yim had taken a chokeslam from Gonzalez and left for dead, but Yim still got to her feet as the crowded her name.
Tommaso Ciampa quickly passed up an interview as he walked with purpose into the building. Meanwhile, Undisputed Era was warming up backstage ahead of their match against the Bro-serweights.
Kushida defeated Raul Mendoza
Kushida submitted Mendoza with a cross armbreaker in a fast paced thriller.
They wasted no time as they exploded into action. Mendoza went to run down a rope into but Kushida knocked him out of the air with a right hand. Kushida followed with a tope con giro.
Mendoza turned the tide with a corkscrew brainbuster and a quebrada. Kushida came back with a handspring back elbow and a flurry that led into the basement dropkick.
They were fighting on the turnbuckles when Kushida applied a Kimura. They both turned a flip and landed on the mat where Kushida had tranisitioned into a cross armbreaker, and Mendoza tapped out.
In a pre-tape interview, Tyler Breeze was being asked about being back in the PC when Austin Theory interrupted to introduce him to Breeze. They traded insults so expect a match between the two.
NXT Women’s Champion Rhea Ripley came to the ring for a promo. She said Charlotte Flair would be knocked on her ass at WrestleMania. Flair then interrupted to confront Ripley. Flair also heeled on the crowd, and the crowd chanted “go back to Raw” at her.
Flair vowed to beat Ripley at WrestleMania. She was going to drowned the fast rising star. A brawl erupted and Flair hit Ripley with a high kick, and went for the Figure Eight. Ripley countered, but Flair was able to trip up Ripley. Flair wrapped Ripley’s leg around a ring post, and then she applied the Bret Hart fighure-four around the post until more officials poured out to break up the hold.
A feature on WALTER was great. The vignette teased an upcoming match with Finn Balor.
An SUV sped into the paring lot. Two masked men exited the vehicle and abducted Raul Mendoza. They forced him into the SUV, and got in. The driver then floored it.
Tegan Nox defeated Deonna Purrazzo to qualify for the ladder match at TakeOver.
Nox pinned Purrazzo after using the Shiniest Wizard. Nox moves on the number one contender’s ladder match at TakeOver.
Purrazzo took most of the match as Nox sold. Purrazzo was going for a Fujiwara armbar when Nox fired up and delivered the shining wizard to score the pinfall.
Undisputed Era sauntered to the ring for their match. Two were scheduled for a tag team match. Some people had other ideas.
Velveteen Dream appeared in the eagle’s nest perched above the PC, and he began to cut a promo on NXT Champion Adam Cole and Undisputed Era. Cole then cut a promo on him, and Cole also said that next week he becomes the longest reiging NXT Champion. This whole confrontation seemed very forced, but Cole cut a great promo.
NXT Tag Team Champions Bro-serweights (Matt Riddle & Pete Dunne) defeated Undisputed Era (Bobby Fish & Kyle O’Reilly with Adam Cole & Roderick Strong) to retain their titles
Riddle & Dunne retain their titles when Dunne pinned O’Reilly. This match was as great as it should have been given the location. There was only so much heat to generate in that setting.
After some early exchanges and grappling, the stallions began to run wild, bro. They freaking cleaned house, bro. Then the show cut to commercial.
Fish & O’Reilly got heat on Riddle after the break. They proverbially cut the ring in half. That built to a hot tag, and Dunne running wild.
Dunne trapped O’Reilly in a triangle, and the other members of Undisputed Era interfered from the outside the help break the hold. Riddle jumped off Dunne’s back into a flip to the outside. Cole rolled into the ring, and Dunne pulled an Eddie Guerrero trick.
Dunne went down like Cole struck him. Cole pleaded his case, but the referee ejected Cole and Strong. Riddle & Dunne then did the Toru Yano shrug before the show cut to commercial.
Fish & O’Reilly were worked over Dunne as the show returned from break. Riddle soon ran wild with suplexes after he tagged back into the match. A fisherman’s buster netted him a two count on O’Reilly.
Bro-serweights both landed on their feet on attempted German suplexes. They then hit Undisputed Era with stereo kicks.
Dunne and O’Reilly were trading strikes when they went into a double down.
There was a blind tag spot that set up O’Reilly doing a bombs away Bobby Eaton knee drop. Dunne jumped in to break up the pinning attempt. O’Reiily flew off the apron with a knee drop on Dunne.
Fish & O’Reilly were looking to finish the match, but Riddle fought back against a double team assault.
The Grizzled Young Veterans in full suits came out to cause a distraction at ringside. That allowed O’Reilly to get a near fall on a roll-up attempt. The Veterans were soon wiped out when Fish has backdropped on to them.
Riddle & Dunne then hit O’Reilly with a double-team knee strikes, and Dunne covered O’Reilly to score the pinfall.
Tommaso Ciampa is closing the show with a promo. He called out Johnny Gargano — who appeared on the video screen to offer a rebuke.
Ciampa was having none of that. He stormed into the room Gargano was in and a brawl enused. They knocked a large hole in some drywall, and the fight spilled over a table. This feels like such a Memphis angle. Studio wrestling lives!
They fought around the building, including into the trainers’ room. The fight continued into the gym area. In a way this was giving us a nice tour of the PC.
Like Shawn did to Marty, Gargano threw Ciampa through a glass window. In this version, Ciampa crashed into the window of an office door instead of a barber shop.
Ciampa sold big, and Gargano showed no remorse. Gargano kept pummeling Ciampa around the gym. Ciampa fought back using free weights as a weapon.
Ciampa heaved a large weight at Gargano — who moved out of the way. The weight shattered a mirror, and they fought on.
They brawled into the grandstands and fought in the crowd. Ciampa dragged Gargano to the announce desk, and they ended up in the platform perch above the desk.
Gargano was able to apply the his crossface submission hold while on the perch, and he let go of the hold only to punch a referee.
This was built to a stunt where Gargano teased senting Ciampa off the platform.
Ciampa was playing possum as he leapt into action and hoisted Gargano for an Air Raid Crash off the eagle’s nest on to the announce desk below. The announce table crumbled beneath their weight.
Two title matches are set for next week’s episode of NXT.
NXT North American Champion Keith Lee will defend his title against Cameron Grimes on the show. There will also be an NXT Tag Team Championship match, with Matt Riddle & Pete Dunne defending their titles against former champions The Undisputed Era (Kyle O’Reilly & Bobby Fish).
The North American title match was announced during a segment where Grimes interrupted Lee on tonight’s NXT. O’Reilly & Fish defeated Oney Lorcan & Danny Burch on tonight’s show and then cut a promo about wanting the NXT Tag Team titles back.
Riddle & Dunne came to the stage and said they’re down to give O’Reilly & Fish a rematch. The Grizzled Young Veterans (Zack Gibson & James Drake) then attacked Riddle & Dunne. Gibson said he couldn’t care less about O’Reilly & Fish’s rematch clause. He said — as far as the NXT Tag Team titles are concerned — it’s out with the old and in with The Grizzled Young Veterans.
Before interrupting Lee tonight, Grimes defeated Dominik Dijakovic on NXT last week. Damian Priest attacked Dijakovic’s leg with a nightstick behind the referee’s back during the match. It was teased that Dijakovic was going to lose by countout because of that, but he made it back into the ring just in time. Grimes then hit a double stomp and pinned him.
Lee became the NXT North American Champion by defeating Roderick Strong in January. He retained his title against Dijakovic at NXT TakeOver: Portland last month.
After winning this year’s Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic, Riddle & Dunne defeated O’Reilly & Fish for the NXT Tag Team titles at TakeOver: Portland.
A tag team match has been added to the lineup for tonight’s NXT.
The Undisputed Era’s Kyle O’Reilly & Bobby Fish will face off with Oney Lorcan & Danny Burch on tonight’s episode. The announcement was made via a tweet from NXT general manager William Regal last night: “In addition to two cage matches tomorrow, we are going to have a knock down drag out match in the tag division with The #UndisputedERA’s @KORcombat and @theBobbyFish taking on @_StarDESTROYER and @strongstylebrit #WWENXT”
Tegan Nox vs. Dakota Kai and Velveteen Dream vs. Roderick Strong are the two steel cage matches that will be taking place on the show.
O’Reilly & Fish lost the NXT Tag Team titles to Matt Riddle & Pete Dunne at NXT TakeOver: Portland last month. Video of a backstage segment with Undisputed Era aired on NXT last week. O’Reilly & Fish cut a promo on Riddle & Dunne, saying they got lucky at TakeOver and O’Reilly & Fish aren’t going anywhere.
Lorcan & Burch lost a non-title match against Riddle & Dunne on NXT two weeks ago.
The NXT Tag Team Champions are set to face off with the champions from NXT UK this Wednesday.
WWE has announced that the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic first round match between The Undisputed Era (Kyle O’Reilly & Bobby Fish) and Gallus (Mark Coffey & Wolfgang) will take place on this week’s episode of NXT.
The Dusty Classic is kicking off on Wednesday’s show, with The Forgotten Sons (Wesley Blake & Steve Cutler) also facing Imperium (Marcel Barthel & Fabian Aichner) in a first round match.
The Forgotten Sons vs. Imperium and Matt Riddle & Pete Dunne vs. Mark Andrews & Flash Morgan Webster are the opening round matches on the left side of the tournament bracket. The right side has Undisputed Era vs. Gallus and The Grizzled Young Veterans (Zack Gibson & James Drake) vs. Kushida and a partner who has yet to be revealed.
Keith Lee vs. Dominik Dijakovic vs. Damian Priest vs. Cameron Grimes has also been announced for Wednesday’s NXT. The winner will become the number one contender to Roderick Strong’s NXT North American Championship.
– With Mauro Ranallo missing the episode after the tweet Corey Graves sent during TakeOver: WarGames, Tom Phillips filled in on commentary during tonight’s NXT and called the show with Nigel McGuinness and Beth Phoenix.
Phoenix noted that Ranallo wasn’t there and said they were looking forward to seeing him next week. WWE didn’t give an explanation for his absence. As a cover for Ranallo not appearing at Survivor Series after Graves’ tweet, Michael Cole had said that Ranallo blew out his voice calling TakeOver but would be back on NXT this week.
On the episode of his After the Bell podcast that was released today, Graves said that he never meant to offend, disrespect, or disparage anyone with his tweet and apologized if it was taken that way. Graves had posted during TakeOver: “Just for the record guys, I know you wouldn’t know it, but there’s actually a WWE Hall of Famer AND a former Ring of Honor Champion on commentary. I’d imagine they have a lot to offer. #NXTTakeoverWarGames”
– After taking a press slam from the ring to the outside onto Kyle O’Reilly, Bobby Fish was removed from the Tag Team title match on tonight’s NXT due to injury. The move happened near the start of the match, with Roderick Strong coming out in street clothes and replacing Fish during a commercial break.
O’Reilly & Strong retained the titles by defeating Keith Lee & Dominik Dijakovic.
– It was announced after tonight’s show went off the air that — starting on Friday — referee Jessika Carr is moving from NXT to SmackDown. Carr gave a farewell speech to the crowd:
NXT’s Twitter account posted a tweet thanking Carr: “An inspiration for women everywhere. Thank you for everything, @WWELadyRefJess. We’ll miss you. #ThankYouJess #WeAreNXT #WWENXT”
Two title matches and the brands fallout from TakeOver: WarGames and Survivor Series are set for tonight’s NXT.
NXT Tag Team Champions Kyle O’Reilly & Bobby Fish will defend their titles against Keith Lee & Dominik Dijakovic. The match comes after Team Ciampa (Tommaso Ciampa, Lee, Dijakovic & Kevin Owens) defeated The Undisputed Era (Adam Cole, Roderick Strong, O’Reilly & Fish) in Saturday’s WarGames main event.
Lio Rush retained his Cruiserweight Championship in a triple threat match against SmackDown’s Kalisto and Raw’s Akira Tozawa on the Survivor Series pre-show. Tozawa wasn’t pinned in that match, and he’ll challenge for Rush’s title tonight.
Rush’s win was one of NXT’s four brand vs. brand vs. brand victories at Survivor Series. NXT won the night, with Shayna Baszler also defeating Bayley and Becky Lynch, Strong defeating Shinsuke Nakamura and AJ Styles, and Team NXT winning the women’s elimination tag match.
Rhea Ripley got the win for her team both at WarGames and Survivor Series. Dakota Kai turned heel and attacked Tegan Nox during the WarGames match, and WWE is teasing whether or not Kai will explain her actions tonight.
Our live coverage begins at 8 p.m. Eastern time.
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On the eve of American Thanksgiving let us be thankful for another night of live pro wrestling.
The show opened with hip hop artist Josiah Williams leading a slew of the NXT roster to the ring with a live rap song. The crowd got involved with call and response as video highlights from TakeOver: War Games were mixed in with the live performance at Full Sail.
Undisputed Era interrupted the concert to scold and malign everyone celebrating. They were not responsible for success, the credit instead goes to Undisputed Era according to NXT Champion Adam Cole. Those celebrating were claiming “we are NXT”, when Cole claimed Undisputed Era is the reason for NXT’s success.
Tommaso Ciampa stopped Cole’s speech. Ciampa was flanked by Keith Lee, Matt Riddle and Dominik Dijakovic. Ciampa cut a promo where he announced that Lee & Dijakovic would be challenging Kyle O’Reilly & Bobby Fish for the NXT Tag Team Championship.
Ciampa then addressed to the NXT Championship as he called it by his pet name.
“Goldie, I told you that you had to wait because daddy was going to war,” Ciampa said. “Well, war’s over, and daddy won.”
Ciampa went on to say no one in Undisputed Era is standing in his way. Ciampa continued issuing a warning to Cole before Finn Balor entered the scene. Balor walked past Undisputed Era and said to Ciampa, “It looks like I’m standing in your way.”
Ciampa then challenged Balor to a match tonight, and Balor accepted the challenge. The match is apparently on for later tonight.
Keith Lee then gave Ciampa a vote of confidence before ordering Fish & O’Reilly into the ring for their match because it was “basking season” on NXT.
Cut to a shot of the announcers where Beth Phoenix welcomed viewers to the show. She announced that Mauro Ranallo was not there, but they were looking forward to seeing him next week . He was replaced on commentary by Tom Phillips to join Phoenix alongside Nigel McGuninness.
Undisputed Era (Roderick Strong & Kyle O’Reilly) defeated Keith Lee & Dominik Dijakovic to retain their titles
Strong as a replacement pinned Dijakovic to retain the titles. Bobby Fish started the match, but he was soon replaced by Strong.
Lee press slammed Fish over the ropes outside of the ring on to O’Reilly before a commercial break. Roderick Strong during the break replaced Fish. Strong was wearing street clothes such as jeans and shoes.
Fish was taken out of the match for “medical reasons”, and Strong was allowed to replace him because of the Freebird rule. That was the explanation for Fish leaving the match. Nigel on coommentary speculated on a possible knee injury.
The match continued while they figured everything out. Before long Dijakovic was suplexing Lee on top of Strong & O’Reilly. Strong a moment later targeted Dijakovic’s knee.
Strong was working the knee was the show went to another commercial break. This time no split screen. The show returned from break with Undisputed Era still working the leg.
Lee eventually cleaned house after a hot tag. He smashed O’Reilly & Strong with splashes and strikes. They tried to double-team him, but Lee tossed them over his shoulder. Lee teased a dive, and Strong clipped his leg. O’Reilly then delivered a flying knee off the apron.
Lee was weakened, but he soon tagged out. Dijakovic ran wild. He went for a chokeslam, but O’Reilly caught him in a triangle. Dijakovic powered out with a deadlift powerbomb while also grabbing Strong for a chokeslam at the same time. This popped the crowd and led to a close near fall.
Dijakovic went for his finisher, but O’Reilly escaped. Lee was again chop blocked at ringside, and Dijakovic made a save with a flip dive to the outside. Dijakovic with a double chokeslam in the ring as Cole tried to run-in. Lee met him with a pounce that sent Cole flying into planted fans sitting at ringside.
Dijakovic was distracted by the run-in, and he fell victim to the high low. Strong covered him to score the pinfall.
Cathy Kelley interviewed Candice LeRae about the actions of Dakota Kai. LeRae was upset that Kai turned on Tegan Nox — who is like a sister to LeRae. So LeRae issued a warning to Kai ahead of their match later on.
Mansoor defeated Shane Thorne
Mansoor pinned Thorne after a slingshot neckbreaker in the finish of a short match.
Mansoor with the shine early on, but Thorne caught him on an attempted tope. Thorne then suplexed Mansoor on the floor.
Thorne worked over Mansoor, and he also dashed some a hope spot. Mansoor still made a comeback as he this time connected with the tope. Mansoor followed with a slingshot neckbreaker to score the pinfall.
Candice LeRae defeated Dakota Kai via disqualification
Kai hit LeRae with a knee brace for the DQ. Kai before the match had carried Nox’s knee brace with her to ring like a trophy.
LeRae started strong in the match and she flew through the ropes with a tope. LeRae with a step-up senton for a two count.
Kai cut off LeRae and posted her. Kai was waylaying LeRae with kicks to the face as the show cut to commercial. Kai missed a charge after the break, and LeRae started a comeback.
As LeRae was firing up, Kai cuaght her with a sit-out powerbomb for two. LeRae went to suplex Kai on the apron, and they both crashed to the floor for a bad landing. There was another awkard spot when LeRae leapt off the top for a tornado DDT.
A double down led into them teasing a sunset bomb. Kai went to use Nox’s knee brace, but for some reason she was unable to do so. LeRae just powerbombed her instead for a near fall.
LeRae missed a springboard quebrada, and Kai hit her finisher. LeRae still kicked out at two and a half. LeRae moments later executed La Mistica and turned that into the Gargano Escape.
Kai rolled out of the ring where she retrieved the knee brace she brought to the ring. LeRae was going for a tope when Kai hit her with the brace for the DQ.
Kai continued to attack LeRae after the match. She sent her smashing into the ring steps and the barricade. Kai grabbed a chair and looked to use it when Rhea Ripley ran down to make a save.
Tommaso Ciampa — during a backstage interview with Cathy Kelley — cut a promo on Finn Balor.
A great vignette hyped Cameron Grimes.
NXT Cruiserweight Champion Lio Rush defeated Akira Tozawa to retain his title
Rush pinned Tozawa after two frog splashes in a hard-hitting match.
There was some fast paced exchanges to a stalemate at the start. They continued to grapple until Tozawa struck with a senton on the apron before a commercial break.
Rush somehow recovered, and he was back in control after the break. Not for long as Tozawa answered back with a somersault senton off the apron. Tozawa followed with a missile dropkick for a near fall.
There was some cool video game reversals, which led to a double down where they both kicked each other. The fight spilled onto the apron.
Tozawa gave Rush a German suplex to the floor. They teased a double count-out, but both leapt back in the ring to break the count.
There may have been a mishap when Tozawa ate a kick. His mouth guard fell out of his mouth, his knees buckled and he briefly went down to the mat. Rush went for a his springboard cutter, but no one was home. The referee checked on Tozawa, but let the match go.
Tozawa fired up for get a two count with bridging German suplex. Rush got his knees up on an attempted senton by Tozawa.
Rush executed two frog splashes before covering Tozawa for the pinfall.
Finn Balor cut a promo on Ciampa during a backstage interview with Cathy Kelley.
Xia Lee defeated Vanessa Borne
Lee pinned Borne in short match that was the backdrop for a larger story. The backstory heading into the match was Borne wanted revenege for a kayfabe injury suffered by her tag partner Aliyah at the hands of Lee.
The match was just getting underway when NXT Women’s Champion Shayna Baszler and the Horsewomen walked on stage. Lee landed a spin kick and pinned Borne.
Jessamyn Duke and Marina Shafir rushed into the ring to attack Lee. She was fighting with off when Baszler struck. Lee was simply outnumbered. The Horsewomen held Lee so Baszler could deliver a kick.
Baszler then cut a promo saying everybody was taking credit for NXT’s success over the weekend, but no one had a better weekend than her. Baszler put over how she defeated both Smackdown Champion Bayley and Raw Champion Backy Lynch in the same match.
The crowd heckled Baszler with chants for Rhea Ripley. Interrupting Baszler’s speech, Ripley then made her way to the ring. Baszler and the Horsewomen powdered.
Ripley said she had something to tell Baszler face-to-face, so Baszler went back to the ring to confront Ripley.
Ripley congratulated Baszler, but reminded Baszler that Ripley beat her. Next time she beat her, Ripley vowed the match would be for the title.
Baszler answered back saying she will tap and nap like the rest of them. Ripley asked, “Then why don’t you do it now?”
Baszler walked away as Ripley said of Baszler stepped into the ring that Ripley would drop her.
Announced for next week on NXT is Damian Priest vs. Killian Dain.
Finn Balor defeated Tommaso Ciampa
Balor pinned Ciampa after interference by Adam Cole.
This was billed as the first match between the two. The match was back-and-forth during much of the early portion. That is until Ciampa catapulted Balor into a ring post before a commercial break. The split screen was also back for the main event.
Balor cut off Ciampa during the break, and Ciampa made a comeback when the commercials were done. Balor crashed into the barricade when Ciampa knocked him off the apron with a knee strike. Another knee strike by Ciampa netted him a near fall.
Balor answered back with a sling blade. He sent Ciampa out of the ring, a shotgun dropkick also sent Ciampa into the barricade.
Ciampa delivered an Air Raid Crash on the floor. Balor teased getting counted out, but he made it back into the ring. Project Ciampa led to a near fall, but Balor kicked out at the last second.
Balor with a double stomp and a shotgun dropkick set up Balor climbing the turnbuckles. Ciampa thwarted him to deliver an avalanche Air Raid Crash. Balor still managed to kick out.
Cole ran in to cause a distraction, and Balor with a schoolboy got two. Cole had dropped his championship belt into the ring when he had jumped on the apron. Balor went to use it — but to no avail as Ciampa countered with a roll-up.
Balor executed a reverse DDT on the belt, but was not DQ’d because the belt being in the ring was apparently ruled accidental. Ciampa kicked out on a cover.
Cole then interfered as he hit Ciampa with a kick, and Balor hooked him to deliver the 1916. Balor covered Ciampa for the pin as Cole looked on with a smirk.
Posing over a prone Ciampa after the match, Cole clutched his championship and flashed the Undisputed Era hand sign. Balor displayed the finger guns as Cole went to pat him on the back. Balor suddenly dropped Cole with a Pele kick out of nowhere. Balor stood alone as the show faded to black.
