Tag: ember moon

Women’s title match added to NXT TakeOver: In Your House

Posted on by Joseph Currier

Ember Moon will be the next challenger for Raquel Gonzalez’s NXT Women’s Championship.

WWE has announced that Gonzalez will defend her NXT Women’s Championship against Moon at NXT TakeOver: In Your House on Sunday, June 13. Moon called out Gonzalez on NXT tonight following an angle on last week’s show where Moon was forced to watch Gonzalez lay out her tag team partner Shotzi Blackheart.

Moon & Blackheart defeated Gonzalez & Dakota Kai in tag team action on NXT last week, but Gonzalez knocked Moon down after the match and attacked Blackheart. Gonzalez told Kai to make Moon watch her lay out Blackheart. Gonzalez powerbombed Blackheart into the plexiglass surrounding the ringside area, powerbombed her into the ring post, and then dropped Blackheart onto the barricade. Gonzalez warned Moon that she would be next.

On tonight’s NXT, Moon told Gonzalez to come out to the ring and said she wasn’t going to let what Gonzalez did to Blackheart slide. Moon brawled with Gonzalez and sent her outside of the ring, but Kai then ambushed Moon from behind and beat her down.

Moon vs. Kai is set for next Tuesday’s NXT. The episode is NXT’s go-home show for TakeOver: In Your House.

Gonzalez won the NXT Women’s Championship by defeating Io Shirai at TakeOver: Stand & Deliver this April. In her first title defense, Gonzalez retained against Mercedes Martinez last month.

Moon previously held the NXT Women’s Championship from November 2017 to April 2018.

Here’s the updated lineup for TakeOver: In Your House:

  • NXT Champion Karrion Kross defends against Kyle O’Reilly, Pete Dunne, Johnny Gargano, and Adam Cole in a fatal five-way match’
  • NXT Women’s Champion Raquel Gonzalez defends against Ember Moon
  • Cameron Grimes vs. LA Knight
  • Mercedes Martinez vs. Xia Li

Two matches, ‘Million Dollar Face-Off’ added to next week’s WWE NXT

Posted on by Joseph Currier

WWE has announced a few additions to the lineup for next week’s NXT.

Shotzi Blackheart & Ember Moon will face NXT Women’s Champion Raquel Gonzalez & Dakota Kai in a tag team match on NXT next Tuesday. The show will also feature Bobby Fish’s return to in-ring action as he faces Pete Dunne.

Plus, there will be a “Million Dollar Face-Off” segment with Cameron Grimes and “Million Dollar Man” Ted DiBiase on NXT next Tuesday. DiBiase distracted Grimes tonight and caused him to lose a match against Jake Atlas. DiBiase had appeared in videos each of the past three weeks where he used his wealth to upstage Grimes.

Blackheart & Moon and Gonzalez & Kai are looking to get the first shot at Candice LeRae & Indi Hartwell’s NXT Women’s Tag Team titles. Gonzalez & Kai were the inaugural NXT Women’s Tag Team Champions, but they lost the titles to Blackheart & Moon on the same night that the titles were introduced. LeRae & Hartwell became NXT Women’s Tag Team Champions by defeating Blackheart & Moon in a street fight two weeks ago.

Gonzalez retained her NXT Women’s Championship against Mercedes Martinez on NXT last week. In a post-show video, Gonzalez went to Martinez and told Martinez that she respects her. Kai appeared to be angry that Gonzalez did that. Gonzalez and Kai accused interviewer McKenzie Mitchell of trying to start things when she asked them about it tonight. Kai said they can agree or disagree and still be friends.

Next week will be the first time Fish has wrestled since undergoing triceps surgery following the WarGames match where Undisputed Era defeated Pat McAfee, Dunne, Oney Lorcan & Danny Burch at TakeOver: WarGames last December.

Fish returned to NXT TV last week and saved Kyle O’Reilly from an attack by Dunne and Lorcan. O’Reilly thanked Fish for saving 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. Fish was interviewed on NXT tonight and said last week had little to do with O’Reilly and everything to do with getting revenge on Dunne and Lorcan for injuring him.

When asked about his goals during an interview on tonight’s NXT, Dunne said it’s time for him to go after the NXT Championship.

Here’s the updated lineup for next Tuesday’s NXT:

  • NXT Champion Karrion Kross defends against Finn Balor
  • Franky Monet’s in-ring debut
  • Shotzi Blackheart & Ember Moon vs. Raquel Gonzalez & Dakota Kai
  • Bobby Fish vs. Pete Dunne
  • Cameron Grimes-Ted DiBiase Million Dollar Face-Off

WWE NXT video highlights: Women’s Tag Team title street fight

Posted on by Joseph Currier

Image: WWE

New NXT Women’s Tag Team Champions were crowned in the main event of last night’s NXT episode.

The Way’s Candice LeRae & Indi Hartwell defeated Shotzi Blackheart & Ember Moon in a street fight to win the NXT Women’s Tag Team titles. For both LeRae & Hartwell, this is their first title win in WWE.

After Hartwell took Moon out with a springboard elbow drop through a table on the outside, LeRae gave Blackheart a Wicked Stepsister stomp on a steel chair to get the win.

Paul “Triple H” Levesque tweeted after last night’s main event: “Broken tables, snapped ladders, fire extinguishers, one HELL OF A STREET FIGHT and NEW #WWENXT Women’s Tag Team Champions!!! @indi_hartwell @CandiceLeRae”

LeRae & Hartwell are the third team to hold the NXT Women’s Tag Team titles since they were introduced this March. Dakota Kai & Raquel Gonzalez became the inaugural champions when they were awarded the titles, but Kai & Gonzalez lost the titles to Blackheart & Moon that same night.

More coverage from last night —

WWE NXT video highlights —

Falls count anywhere match: Leon Ruff vs. Isaiah “Swerve” Scott

Johnny Gargano and Austin Theory try to meet with William Regal

Cameron Grimes vs. Asher Hale

Kayden Carter & Kacy Catanzaro want an NXT Women’s Tag Team title shot

Tommaso Ciampa & Timothy Thatcher vs. The Grizzled Young Veterans

Challengers line up for NXT Champion Karrion Kross

Sarray vs. Zayda Ramier

WALTER reprimands Imperium

Diamond Mine teaser

LA Knight vs. Jake Atlas

Toni Storm says Zoey Stark doesn’t deserve to breathe the same oxygen as her

Kushida issues a challenge to Santos Escobar

Raquel Gonzalez-Mercedes Martinez side-by-side interview

Ted DiBiase again upstages Cameron Grimes

Street fight: Blackheart & Moon vs. LeRae & Hartwell for the NXT Women’s Tag Team titles

NXT fallout: Shotzi Blackheart & Ember Moon embrace after their Tag Team title loss

NXT fallout: Gargano and Theory return after LeRae & Hartwell’s win

NXT fallout: The Grizzled Young Veterans say Ciampa & Thatcher stole a win from them

Candice LeRae & Indi Hartwell win NXT Women’s Tag Team titles

Posted on by Bryan Rose

New NXT Women’s Tag Team champions were crowned in the main event of tonight’s NXT.

The Way (Indi Hartwell and Candice LeRae) captured the NXT Women’s Tag Team titles, defeating Ember Moon and Shotzi Blackheart to win the titles for the first time. It was under street fight rules with tons of weapons used, including Blackheart jumping off a ledge into a table. However, LeRae picked up the win for her team, pinning Blackheart after a foot stomp into a steel chair.

This marks the end of Moon and Blackheart’s run with the titles. They held the titles for 55 days, defeating inaugural champions Dakota Kai and Raquel Gonzalez on the March 10 edition of NXT.

Moon and Blackheart challenged The Way after a match between them and the team of Aliyah and Jessi Kamea ended before it could even begin, with The Way attacked Moon and Blackheart before the match began, leading to tonight’s street fight.

The other members of The Way, Johnny Gargano and Austin Theory, left the arena before the main event after attacking Karrion Kross earlier in the show.

Finn Balor returning to WWE NXT next week, two matches announced

Posted on by Joseph Currier

Next week’s episode of NXT will feature Finn Balor’s first appearance since losing the NXT Championship.

WWE has announced that Balor will make his return to NXT next Tuesday. Balor will speak on the show for the first time since Karrion Kross defeated him to win the NXT Championship at TakeOver: Stand & Deliver night two earlier this month.

“Viva Mexico! Recharged, refreshed & refocused. Next Tuesday, Finn is back,” Balor wrote on social media.

Prior to losing the title to Kross, Balor had been NXT Champion since September of last year. Balor defeated Adam Cole to win the then-vacant title after Kross had to relinquish the championship due to injury. Kross won the NXT Championship from Keith Lee at TakeOver XXX last August but suffered a separated shoulder during the match.

Two stipulation matches have also been announced for next Tuesday’s NXT. The NXT Women’s Tag Team titles will be on the line as champions Shotzi Blackheart & Ember Moon face Candice LeRae & Indi Hartwell in a street fight. Rivals Leon Ruff and Isaiah “Swerve” Scott will also face off in a falls count anywhere match.

Two tag team matches added to WWE NXT

Posted on by Joseph Currier

Two tag team matches have been added to tonight’s episode of NXT.

NXT Women’s Tag Team Champions Shotzi Blackheart & Ember Moon will be in action tonight as they face The Robert Stone Brand’s Aliyah & Jessi Kamea in a non-title match. Drake Maverick & Killian Dain will also take on Imperium’s Marcel Barthel & Fabian Aichner on tonight’s show.

WWE uploaded an interview with Robert Stone, Aliyah, and Kamea ahead of tonight’s NXT. Stone vowed that Aliyah & Kamea would defeat Blackheart & Moon and become the official number one contenders to the NXT Women’s Tag Team titles. Aliyah said she and Kamea can’t wait to show the world that they can defeat Blackheart & Moon twice.

Indi Hartwell said on last week’s NXT that William Regal had agreed to give her and Candice LeRae a shot at Blackheart & Moon’s NXT Women’s Tag Team titles, but when Hartwell & LeRae will be getting their title shot wasn’t announced.

Barthel & Aichner defeated Ever-Rise on NXT last week. After being attacked by Imperium earlier this month, Dain came out to ringside and confronted Imperium’s Alexander Wolfe during Barthel & Aichner’s match against Ever-Rise. But when Maverick then ran out and went to fight with Wolfe, Dain carried Maverick away. Dain and Maverick argued in a post-show video and Maverick asked Dain if he was going to join Imperium. Dain told Maverick no and walked away.

Dain and Wolfe were formerly stablemates in SAnitY.

Here’s the updated lineup for tonight’s NXT:

  • Sit-down interview with Adam Cole
  • Bronson Reed vs. Austin Theory (if Reed wins, he gets a future shot at Johnny Gargano’s NXT North American Championship)
  • Mercedes Martinez vs. Dakota Kai
  • Kushida & MSK (Wes Lee & Nash Carter) vs. Legado Del Fantasma (Santos Escobar, Raul Mendoza & Joaquin Wilde)
  • Shotzi Blackheart & Ember Moon vs. Aliyah & Jessi Kamea
  • Drake Maverick & Killian Dain vs. Imperium (Marcel Barthel & Fabian AIchner)

Two matches added to NXT TakeOver: Stand & Deliver

Posted on by Joseph Currier

WWE has announced a couple of new additions to the lineup for NXT TakeOver: Stand & Deliver.

Pete Dunne vs. Kushida has been announced for TakeOver: Stand & Deliver night one. At TakeOver: Stand & Deliver night two, NXT Women’s Tag Team Champions Shotzi Blackheart & Ember Moon will defend their titles against Candice LeRae & Indi Hartwell.

In the main event of tonight’s NXT, Dunne and Kushida simultaneously eliminated each other from the battle royal to determine the participants for the Gauntlet Eliminator match at TakeOver: Stand & Deliver night one. Kushida then refused to let go of a Hoverboard Lock that he had Dunne locked in.

 There had been a segment earlier on tonight’s NXT where Dunne interrupted an interview with Kushida. Dunne took exception to Kushida calling himself the best technical wrestler in the world last week. Dunne said he already holds that crown and dared Kushida to answer his challenge and try to prove him wrong.

The NXT Women’s Tag Team title match was announced for TakeOver: Stand & Deliver after a challenge that was issued by LeRae & Hartwell tonight. LeRae & Hartwell defeated Gigi Dolin & the debuting Zayda Ramier (formerly known as AQA) on tonight’s show and then challenged Blackheart & Moon to an NXT Women’s Tag Team title match at TakeOver. Blackheart & Moon came out in Blackheart’s tank and accepted the challenge.

Blackheart & Moon defeated LeRae & Hartwell in the semifinals of the women’s Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic last month. In the finals, Blackheart & Moon lost to Dakota Kai & Raquel Gonzalez. Kai & Gonzalez later became the inaugural NXT Women’s Tag Team Champions when they were awarded the titles, but Blackheart & Moon defeated them to win the titles that same night.

TakeOver: Stand & Deliver is taking place on Wednesday, April 7 and Thursday, April 8. Night one will air live on the USA Network and will also simulcast live on Peacock in the United States and on the WWE Network everywhere else. Night two will be live on Peacock in the United States and live on the WWE Network everywhere else. Here are the updated cards for the event:

TakeOver: Stand & Deliver night one —

  • NXT Women’s Champion Io Shirai defends against Raquel Gonzalez
  • NXT United Kingdom Champion WALTER defends against Tommaso Ciampa
  • Triple threat match for the vacant NXT Tag Team titles: MSK (Wes Lee & Nash Carter) vs, The Grizzled Young Veterans (Zack Gibson & James Drake) vs. Legado Del Fantasma (Raul Mendoza & Joaquin Wilde)
  • Gauntlet Eliminator match to determine NXT North American Champion Johnny Gargano’s challenger for TakeOver: Stand & Deliver night two (Leon Ruff, Isaiah “Swerve” Scott, Bronson Reed, Cameron Grimes, Dexter Lumis, and LA Knight are the Gauntlet Eliminator participants)
  • Pete Dunne vs. Kushida

TakeOver: Stand & Deliver night two —

  • NXT Champion Finn Balor defends against Karrion Kross
  • Unsanctioned match: Adam Cole vs. Kyle O’Reilly
  • Ladder match to determine undisputed NXT Cruiserweight Champion: Jordan Devlin vs. Santos Escobar
  • NXT North American Champion Johnny Gargano defends against the winner of the Gauntlet Eliminator match from night one
  • NXT Women’s Tag Team Champions Shotzi Blackheart & Ember Moon defend against Candice LeRae & Indi Hartwell

Martinez replacing Kamea in NXT Women’s Tag Team title match

Posted on by Joseph Currier

WWE has announced a change to tonight’s NXT Women’s Tag Team title match.

NXT Women’s Tag Team Champions Shotzi Blackheart & Ember Moon will now defend their titles against Aliyah & Mercedes Martinez on tonight’s show. It was originally announced that Blackheart & Moon would be facing The Robert Stone Brand’s Aliyah & Jessi Kamea.

In a video that WWE uploaded this afternoon, Robert Stone said Kamea was injured while training for tonight’s match. Stone and Aliyah approached Martinez and offered her the “life-changing opportunity” to challenge for the NXT Women’s Tag Team titles with Aliyah tonight. When Martinez saw how much money Stone was offering her, she told Stone that would only be half of her pay. Martinez said she expects to be paid the other half after tonight’s match. When Martinez left, Stone said he doesn’t have any more money.

Martinez was formerly part of The Robert Stone Brand prior to her call-up to the main roster last year. She was written out of the group by being served with a restraining order from Stone after losing a steel cage match to Rhea Ripley last September. After briefly being part of RETRIBUTION on the main roster, Martinez returned to NXT in December.

This will be Blackheart & Moon’s first NXT Women’s Tag Team title defense. The titles were introduced two weeks ago and awarded to women’s Dusty Classic winners Raquel Gonzalez & Dakota Kai, but Gonzalez & Kai lost the titles to Blackheart & Moon that same night.

The Robert Stone Brand had interrupted an interview with Blackheart & Moon on last week’s NXT and challenged them to a Women’s Tag Team title match.

Here’s the updated lineup for tonight’s NXT:

  • NXT Women’s Tag Team Champions Shotzi Blackheart & Ember Moon defend against Aliyah & Jessi Kamea
  • NXT Women’s Champion Io Shirai & Zoey Stark vs. Raquel Gonzalez & Dakota Kai
  • Karrion Kross vs. Oney Lorcan
  • NXT Cruiserweight Champion Jordan Devlin vs. Kushida in a non-title match
  • NXT United Kingdom Champion WALTER vs. Drake Maverick in a non-title match
  • Bronson Reed vs. LA Knight
  • NXT general manager William Regal will address Adam Cole and Kyle O’Reilly
  • Regal will also give an update on the situation with the vacant NXT Tag Team titles

Kyle O’Reilly to kick off WWE NXT, Blackheart & Moon vs. The Way set

Posted on by Joseph Currier

– An appearance by Kyle O’Reilly will open tonight’s TakeOver: Vengeance Day fallout edition of NXT.

After he was involved in the show-closing angle at Sunday’s TakeOver event, WWE has announced that O’Reilly will kick off tonight’s show. TakeOver: Vengeance Day ended with Adam Cole laying out NXT Champion Finn Balor and O’Reilly with superkicks.

Balor retained his NXT Championship against Pete Dunne in the main event of TakeOver: Vengeance Day but was attacked by Oney Lorcan and Danny Burch after the match. Lorcan, Burch, and Dunne beat down Balor until Undisputed Era (Cole, O’Reilly, and Roderick Strong) ran down to make the save.

O’Reilly then helped Balor up and told him how much he respects him. Undisputed Era posed in the ring and Balor was about to do his own pose, but Cole gave him a superkick. Cole then superkicked O’Reilly after O’Reilly argued with him about what he did to Balor. Strong looked conflicted between his Undisputed Era stablemates as the show went off the air.

WWE uploaded video of what happened after TakeOver ended. Balor asked O’Reilly who he trusts — and O’Reilly responded by saying he doesn’t trust anyone right now. Balor said he doesn’t know if he trusts O’Reilly either. Balor told O’Reilly to be careful because he isn’t going to clean up O’Reilly’s mess.

– WWE has also announced that Shotzi Blackheart & Ember Moon vs. The Way’s Candice LeRae & Indi Hartwell will take place on NXT tonight. Blackheart & Moon defeated LeRae & Hartwell on NXT last Wednesday to advance to the finals of the women’s Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic. Dakota Kai & Raquel Gonzalez then defeated Blackheart & Moon at TakeOver: Vengeance Day to become the first-ever women’s Dusty Classic winners.

WWE will follow up on Kai & Gonzalez and MSK’s Dusty Classic wins tonight. As the women’s Dusty Classic winners, Kai & Gonzalez will get a shot at Nia Jax & Shayna Baszler’s WWE Women’s Tag Team titles at some point. MSK will also get a shot at Lorcan & Burch’s NXT Tag Team titles. WWE hasn’t announced when either of those matches will be happening.

Plus, WWE is advertising that NXT North American Champion Johnny Gargano will be searching for Austin Theory’s whereabouts after Theory was abducted by Dexter Lumis at TakeOver: Vengeance Day. Gargano retained his North American title by defeating Kushida at TakeOver.

Karrion Kross vs. Santos Escobar has been announced for tonight’s show but isn’t currently listed on WWE.com’s preview.

Women’s Dusty Classic winners crowned at WWE NXT TakeOver

Posted on by Bryan Rose

Image: WWE

Raquel Gonzalez and Dakota Kai are the winners of the first ever women’s Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic.

Gonzalez and Kai defeated Ember Moon and Shotzi Blackheart in the opener of tonight’s NXT TakeOver: Vengeance Day event. In what was a vicious back-and-forth match, Gonzalez scored the win for her team, pinning Blackheart with a one-armed powerbomb. 

The two exited the ring and celebrated with the trophy near the entrance as confetti filled the air. As a result of their tournament win, they will now face WWE Women’s Tag Team champions Nia Jax and Shayna Baszler at a later date. Lana and Naomi recently won a triple threat match on Raw that earned them a future title match.

During the tournament, Gonzalez and Kai defeated Aliyah and Jessi Kamea as well as the team of Kacy Catanzaro and Kayden Carter to advance to the finals. Moon and Blackheart defeated Marina Shafir and Zoey Stark and The Way (Candice LeRae and Indi Hartwell) to also advance to tonight’s finals.

Women’s Dusty Classic finals set, winning team to receive title shot

Posted on by Joseph Currier

Image: WWE

Shotzi Blackheart & Ember Moon are headed to the finals of the first-ever women’s Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic.

Blackheart & Moon advanced to the finals of the women’s Dusty Classic by defeating Candice LeRae & Indi Hartwell on tonight’s NXT. Blackheart & Moon will face Dakota Kai & Raquel Gonzalez in the finals at NXT TakeOver: Vengeance Day this Sunday.

It was announced on tonight’s NXT that the team that wins the women’s Dusty Classic will receive the Dusty Cup and a shot at the WWE Women’s Tag Team titles. Nia Jax & Shayna Baszler are the current Women’s Tag Team Champions. The titles can be defended on WWE’s main roster brands and in NXT.

Blackheart & Moon defeated Marina Shafir & Zoey Stark in the first round of the women’s Dusty Classic and LeRae & Hartwell in the semifinals. Kai & Gonzalez defeated Aliyah & Jessi Kamea in the first round of the tournament and Kacy Catanzaro & Kayden Carter in the semifinals.

Here’s the updated card for TakeOver: Vengeance Day:

  • NXT Champion Finn Balor defends against Pete Dunne
  • NXT Women’s Champion Io Shirai defends against Toni Storm and Mercedes Martinez in a triple threat match
  • NXT North American Champion Johnny Gargano defends against Kushida
  • Men’s Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic finals: The Grizzled Young Veterans (Zack Gibson & James Drake) vs. MSK (Wes Lee & Nash Carter)
  • Women’s Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic finals: Shotzi Blackheart & Ember Moon vs. Dakota Kai & Raquel Gonzalez

Semifinals set for WWE NXT women’s Dusty Classic

Posted on by Joseph Currier

Following this week’s episode of 205 Live, the women’s Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic semifinals are fully set.

Shotzi Blackheart & Ember Moon defeated Marina Shafir & Zoey Stark (Lacey Ryan) in the final women’s Dusty Classic first round match on 205 Live tonight. Blackheart & Moon will face Candice LeRae & Indi Hartwell in the semifinals. LeRae & Hartwell booked their spot in the semifinals by defeating the debuting team of Gigi Dolin (Priscilla Kelly) & Cora Jade (Elayna Black) in the opening round on 205 Live last week.

Moon submitted Stark to get the win in tonight’s match. Stark was making her WWE debut in the tournament.

Dakota Kai & Raquel Gonzalez vs. Kacy Catanzaro & Kayden Carter is the semifinal match on the other side of the women’s Dusty Classic bracket. That match will be taking place on NXT this coming Wednesday.

Kai & Gonzalez defeated Aliyah & Jessi Kamea in the first round of the tournament, while Catanzaro & Carter defeated Toni Storm & Mercedes Martinez.

The women’s Dusty Classic finals are expected to be held at NXT TakeOver on Sunday, February 14.

WWE 205 Live results: Moon & Blackheart vs. Shafir & Stark 

Posted on by Chick Fritts

Ariya Daivari defeated August Grey and Jake Atlas 

A three-way staredown eventually broke down into a fight that momentarily favored Daivari. After Daivari established a lead, both Grey and Atlas targeted him, leaving Daivari to retreat to the outside. Grey then landed a tope to keep him there.

Back inside, Grey and Atlas had a typical wrestling exchange. Daivari tried to make a splash by diving on his competitors, but he missed both. Grey and Atlas continued their grappling. Daivari interrupted Atlas on the top rope. A superkick left Daivari back in control. 

Daivari controlled both of his opponents before a belly to back suplex from Grey left him laying. Atlas tried to steal a pin, rekindling a prolonged three-way fracas. All three men had significant offense, followed by near falls.

Daivari tried for and failed a hammerlock lariat before being ejected to the outside. A stunner followed by a cartwheel DDT left Atlas in a winning position. Daivari pulled Atlas to the outside and blindsided him with chain-wrapped knuckles. Daivari then crawled into the ring and hit Grey with the hammerlock lariat for the pinfall victory. 

This was a good match with decent structure and plentiful action.  

Women’s Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic: Ember Moon and Shotzi Blackheart defeated Marina Shafir and Zoey Stark 

Stark got the best of Blackheart in the opening moments. Moon hit the ring but also lost an exchange to Stark. Shafir and Stark began trading tags, picking apart Moon. Moon finally escaped, hitting a kick alongside Blackheart before tagging out. 

Blackheart connected with a barrage of strikes before an illegal kick from Stark stopped the momentum. Stark and Shafir began trading tags again to chip away at Blackheart. A knee strike forced Moon to save Blackheart from a pin.

Blackheart connected with a boot prompting a hot tag. Moon followed the tag with a double underhook suplex to establish match advantage for the first time. A top rope double knee facebuster forced Shafir to break up a pin attempt, triggering a Blackheart/Shafir brawl. Moon then locked in a modified stepover sleeper, causing Stark to tap out. 

This match was a little awkward at times. Not saying the match was horrible or anything close to that, but it did lack polish. Also worth noting, Stark had a few shining moments in her performance. In the end, the last of round one played out exactly how one would expect.

Women’s Dusty Classic match announced for WWE 205 Live

Posted on by Joseph Currier

The first round of the women’s Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic will conclude on 205 Live tonight.

WWE has announced that Shotzi Blackheart & Ember Moon will face Marina Shafir & Zoey Stark in the final women’s Dusty Classic first round match on 205 Live tonight. Stark is Lacey Ryan’s new WWE in-ring name. She’s making her WWE debut in the tournament. Ryan has been based on the West Coast and also appeared on Impact Wrestling twice last year.

The team that wins tonight’s match will advance to face Candice LeRae & Indi Hartwell in the women’s Dusty Classic semifinals. LeRae & Hartwell defeated the debuting Gigi Dolin (Priscilla Kelly) & Cora Jade (Elayna Black) in the first round of the tournament.

On the other side of the bracket, Dakota Kai & Raquel Gonzalez will face Kacy Catanzaro & Kayden Carter in the women’s Dusty Classic semifinals. That match will take place on NXT next Wednesday.

Kai & Gonzalez defeated Aliyah & Jessi Kamea in the first round of the tournament. Catanzaro & Carter defeated Toni Storm & Mercedes Martinez.

Jake Atlas vs. August Grey vs. Ariya Daivari is also set for tonight’s 205 Live. The episode premieres on the WWE Network at 10 p.m. Eastern time.

Finn Balor to kick off WWE NXT, two matches set

Posted on by Joseph Currier

A few announcements have been made for tonight’s post-TakeOver WarGames episode of NXT.

An appearance by NXT Champion Finn Balor will kick off tonight’s show. Balor hasn’t wrestled since suffering a broken jaw during his match against Kyle O’Reilly at TakeOver 31 this October. This will be Balor’s second in-person appearance since that event.

Two matches have also been announced for tonight. Tommaso Ciampa will face Cameron Grimes and Ember Moon will take on Raquel Gonzalez. Moon vs. Gonzalez will be tonight’s main event.

Ciampa and Grimes were both in action in singles matches at TakeOver: WarGames this past Sunday. Ciampa defeated Timothy Thatcher, while Grimes lost a strap match to Dexter Lumis. Gonzalez and Moon were on opposite sides of the women’s WarGames match.

Tonight’s NXT will feature a special look at the “Casualties of WarGames.” In the men’s WarGames match, Undisputed Era (Adam Cole, O’Reilly, Roderick Strong & Bobby Fish) defeated Team McAfee (Pat McAfee, Pete Dunne, Oney Lorcan & Danny Burch) when O’Reilly pinned Lorcan. The women’s WarGames match saw Team Candice (Candice LeRae, Dakota Kai, Gonzalez & Toni Storm) defeat Team Shotzi (Shotzi Blackheart, Moon, Rhea Ripley & NXT Women’s Champion Io Shirai) when Gonzalez pinned Shirai.

On his post-TakeOver media call, Paul “Triple H” Levesque said LeRae suffered a possible broken arm in WarGames and Fish suffered a laceration on his elbow. Levesque said other injuries at the show looked to be limited to bumps and bruises.