NXT Champion Trick Williams and rising star Je’Von Evans team up tonight as they attempt to get revenge on the Gallus faction.
Last week, Evans came to Williams’ defense when he was attacked by Gallus. But the numbers advantage ended up being too much, and Williams and Evans were both laid out.
Gallus returned to NXT two weeks ago, and they have been on a warpath since. Likewise, Joe Coffey set his sights on both the NXT Championship and NXT North American Championship.
Tonight has Williams & Evans vs. Joe & Mark Coffey in a tag team match.
The road to Battleground continues tonight as WWE reveals Roxanne Perez’s NXT Women’s Championship challenger for the June 9 event. Two more qualifying matches will also take place to decide who will compete in the inaugural NXT Women’s North American title ladder match at Battleground.
Hip hop artist Sexyy Red stops by NXT for an appearance tonight. Plus, Ridge Holland takes on Riley Osborne.
Join us for live coverage starting at 8 p.m. Eastern time.
Opening the show is NXT General Manager Ava, and she introduces Sexyy Red. She is put over as a star. Sexyy Red joins Ava in the ring, where Red announces that she is set to host for Battleground.
Red and Ava then unveil the NXT Women’s North American Championship belt. Gold medallions accented with red on a white leather strap, Red held it up for the audience to see. Tatum Paxley comes crawling into the ring, and she tries to take the belt away from Red.
As a tug-of-war ensues over the belt between Red and Paxley, Michin runs in to save Red. Michin begins to brawl with Paxley, which leads into the opening match.
Michin defeated Tatum Paxley to qualify for the NXT Women’s North American Championship ladder match
Michin pinned Paxley to win the match. In winning, Michin qualifies for a spot in the championship ladder match at Battleground.
Jaida Parker walks down to ringside as the match is underway. Parker provides guest commentary, joining Booker T and Vic Joseph at the announce desk. Meanwhile, Michin and Paxley wrestle through a split-screen commercial break.
The match really picked up in the closing moments. They did a spot where Paxley is trying to play mind games, so Michin gets on her level… literally. Michin lands in the ropes tranquilo style, while Paxley bends herself backwards in a creepy pose. Michin then crouches down and crawls to met Paxley face to face. Michin does the too sweet hand sign, and then they start trading counters. Michin gets a two count with an inside cradle, and they head home. Michin ducks and catches Paxley with her finisher. Michin then covers Paxlet for a pinfall.
Three of the Meta-Four confront two of Gallus in a backstage skit. Lash Legend, Jakara Jackson and Oro Mensah together look to accuse Mark and Joe Coffey of attacking Noam Dar. Gallus denies the accusation, and they storm off. Mensah then says it must be Trick Williams, but Legend is again adamant he did not do it.
In another skit, Arianna Grace tries to reason with Lola Vice about accepting the challenge for an Underground match at Battleground. Grace cautions Vice about such a match against Shayna Baszler. With the setting, the bad acting, and the outfits, it came off silly. Vice did sort of save the skit at the end with a warning that she too is dangerous in the cage. Grace then dropped a curse word, but it was bleeped out. The point of all this is to set up a match for later on with Vice against Grace.
Ridge Holland defeated Riley Osborne (with Thea Hail, Andre Chase & Duke Hudson)
Plodding along at first, both spill to the outside. Osborne takes an ugly bump on the floor as they spilled out of the ring. With both down selling at ringside, the show cuts to a commercial break.
Holland cuts off Osborne when he attempted a dive. Holland then goes to use the ring steps, but Thea Hail uses a Jedi mind trick to talk Holland out of using the steps as a weapon. The fight continues in the ring. When Osborne goes to jump off the middle rope, Holland trips him up with a kick. Osborne crashes into the ring, and Holland goes for a finisher. Holland executes The Redeemer, and Holland scores a three count.
This was supposed to settle the issue between Holland and Osborne, or so Chase U thought it did. Holland helps Osborne to his feet, and Holland offers a handshake. Osborne instead storms off and leaves in a huff. Bless his heart, he must be a sore loser.
Kelly Kincaid interviews The Good Brothers, where Karl Anderson & Doc Gallows cut promos on the NXT Tag Team Champions Nathan Frazier & Axiom. They accuse the champs of ducking them.
There is a phantom attack backstage in a Tonya Harding angle of sorts. Cut to Oro Mensah, who was apparently ambushed in a sneak attack by an unknown assailant.
Malik Blade & Edris Enofe (with Brinley Reece) defeated Karl Anderson & Doc Gallows
Anderson pinned Enfoe after a Magic Killer. Not only did this match help set up a a tag title match, it continued whatever storyline they are doing with the bad luck gimmick.
The streak of bad luck continues for Enofe. Blade collides with Enofe on the apron, and Enofe is sent crashing on Reece. She take a bump on the floor, and Enofe calls for the referees to check on Reece. They help Reece to her feet, and she is carried away as the show cuts to a commercial break.
Blade is being worked over as the show returns from the break. Hot tag to Enofe, and he runs wild. He is cleaning house on The O.C., until there is no water in the pool on a leap off the top rope. Gallows then delivers a chokeslam. Tag to Anderson. Good Brother execute Magic Killer, and Anderson covers Enofe for a pinfall.
The tag champs, Axiom & Nathan Frazier, run in after the match. The champs jump their perspective challengers. After the brawling stops, Frazier & Axiom cut a promo where they accept the challenge issued earlier in the show. The O.C. against Axiom & Frazier for the NXT Tag Team Championship is set for Battleground.
Dante Chen is the focus of a video package, which plays off his upset win last week over Lexis King. In a locker room skit, King and Chen set up a rematch for tonight.
Trick Williams and Je’Von Evans are preparing in the locker room for their match tonight. Sexyy Red twerks her way into the scene and she wishes them luck on their match. Evans asks Red to be in their corner for the match, and Red agrees.
TNA Knockouts Champion Jordynne Grace revealed as the opponent for Roxanne Perez at Battleground for the NXT Women’s Championship
Perez enters the ring for a monologue, where she talks about being the only champion truly committed to the NXT title. She has been preparing for nine years to become NXT champ. She does not care about Raw or Smackdown, she wanted to be NXT Women’s Champion. Before her reign the title meant ” future greatness instead of present greatness,” but she is true greatness.
Perez finds it disrespectful to have to find out her next opponent this way. As the best women’s champ in wrestling, Perez demands respect. Out comes GM Ava to interrupt Perez, since seemingly every monologue in NXT must be interrupted by someone. At least this was worth the payoff.
Ava then introduces Perez’s opponent as TNA Knockouts Champion Jordynne Grace. She enters to a big pop, and Grace gets in the ring to confront Perez. Grace cuts a promo that concludes with her saying she is prepared to leave Las Vegas as a double champion.
Eddy Thorpe is featured in a vignette with fire. Thorpe is cleansed in the fire, and he is reborn.
Tensions flare within Chase U in a backstage skit. Riley Osborne still does not trust Ridge Holland, and Duke Hudson agrees with him. That upsets Thea Hail, and she storms off muttering about having a “whole ass match next week” to prepare for with Jazmyn Nyz. Holland walks up, and Chase tries to no sell the drama.
Lola Vice defeated Arianna Grace
Vice pinned Grace in a short match. This was basically an enhancement match to build up Vice, while also leading into the post-match angle with Shayna Baszler.
Grace got some early offense, and she even got a two count with a backslide. Vice would soon begin to pummel Grace. Although Grace fights back, Grace cuts her off back fist. Grace then covers her for a pinfall.
Vice dances to celebrate, and then she cuts a promo on Baszler. Vice says Baszler has two options in the Underground match, either tap out or get knocked out. Vice concludes, “You choose, bitch!”
Out comes Baszler, teasing a brawl. Security geeks and officials pour out to separate the two, and they are held back. Good post-match angle.
Carlee Bright is the focus of a vignette that focused on her background as a competitive cheerleader.
Natalya is in the locker room with Bright and others when up walks Izzi Dame. Words are exchanged, and Dame insults Nattie. Natalya’s partner, Karmen Petrovic, takes exception to Dame disrespecting Nattie. Petrovic brawls with Dame, seemingly setting up a match between the two.
Dante Chen defeated Lexis King
Chen wins again in this rematch. The bout itself was rather short, and the finish was sudden. Although not a fluke, Chen basically caught King out of nowhere. King delivered a jackhammer for a near fall. King argues with the referee over the cover, allowing Chen to catch him with a crucifix. Chen scores another clean three count on King.
Angry over a second loss to Chen, King attacks Chen after the match. King stomps on Chen and slaps him. King drags Chen out of the ring, and King pulls the protective mat to expose the concrete. King then executes The Coronation on the floor. Chen is left laid out.
Josh Briggs is the focus of a video package. This plays on his journey in NXT, but he is not sure who he is now. Repacking maybe?
Kelani Jordan defeated Wren Sinclair to qualify for the NXT Women’s North American Championship ladder match
Jordan pinned Sinclair after a split-legged moonsault. In winning, Jordan becomes the final woman to qualify for the championship ladder match at Battleground.
Fallon Henley is at the announce desk to provide guest commentary throughout the match, but she does not play into the match. Jordan does give her a smirk after the match.
A skit in Ava’s office sets up a match for next Tuesday with Jordynne Grace against Stevie Turner in non-title singles match. Turner was in Ava’s office alongside Mr. Stone. Turner is upset that Grace is getting a title shot ahead of her. In walks Grace to confront Turner, and Grace challenges Turner to a match next week.
Kelly Kincaid interviews Wes Lee, when in comes NXT North American Champion Oba Femi to interrupt. Lee and Femi exchange words.
NXT Champion Trick Williams & Je’Von Evans (with Sexyy Red) vs. Mark & Joe Coffey
Williams pinned Mark Coffey to win the match. Sexyy Red got involved during the match in a spot with Joe Coffey
The tag match itself goes through a commercial break. Just before the break, Red twerks as Williams and Evans pose. This is after they cleaned house. The tide turns during the break, and Evans is getting worked over when the show returns.
Hot tag to Trick, and he is on fire. Double uranage by Trick on both members of Gallus. Williams tries to cover both, but they kick out at two. The match continues with a two count on Williams. The babyfaces rally, leading to a double down in the ring.
Williams and Mark Coffey are exchanging strikes in the ring. After a near fall on Trick, Mark motions to Joe Coffey. Joe tries to takes the NXT Championship belt, but is met by Sexyy Red. She grabs the belt, and there is a tug-of-war. This is the second such tug-of-war for Red tonight, and she is again saved by a babyface character. Evans leaps through the ropes to wipe out Joe. Meanwhile in the ring, Trick drops Mark with Trick’s signature running knee strike. Trick the covers Mark for a pinfall.
Red is celebrating with Williams & Evans when out comes Lash Legend. Red and Evans leave the ring so that Legend can speak to Williams. Legend asks Williams if he attacked Noam Dar and Oro Mensah. Williams begins to speak when the arena lights go dark.
Ethan Page debuts in NXT with a sneak attack on Trick Williams
The lights come up and Ethan Page is in the ring for a sneak attack on Williams. Vic Joseph on commentary at first wonders who is attacking Williams. Joseph then identifies Page by name.
“Wasn’t he in A-E…” Joseph wonders aloud, but he trails off as Page grabs a microphone. Page identifies himself as the assailant that attacked both Dar and Mensah. Page then delivers a hip attack on Williams, and he poses with the NXT title belt as the show goes off air.
