Serving as a replacement for the injured Joaquin Wilde, Noam Dar picked up a victory in his WWE Speed debut.
A new Speed episode premiered on Friday with Dar defeating Lexis King in a number one contender’s tournament match. Pitting two NXT wrestlers against each other, the match was taped at the Performance Center on Tuesday after Wilde’s injury forced WWE to change up its plans. Dar connected with Elbow Galactico to defeat King with 18 seconds remaining of the three-minute time limit.
Dar vs. Berto (Humberto Carrillo) will now take place on Speed next Wednesday with the winner earning a title shot against WWE Speed Champion El Grande Americano (Chad Gable). That will be the first title defense Americano has made since dethroning Dragon Lee for the belt.
In NXT, Dar is the current Heritage Cup Champion.
It was originally supposed to be Wilde vs. King in the first round of the Speed tournament. Their match was being filmed before Raw on Monday when Wilde was knocked out cold, causing the bout to end in a no contest.
It was revealed on NXT that Lince Dorado has replaced Wilde in the upcoming six-man tag match that takes place this Saturday in Los Angeles. It will now be Dorado teaming with Cruz Del Toro and Dragon Lee to take on Aero Star, Octagon Jr., and Mr. Iguana. The latter three were shown in the crowd during Tuesday’s show at the WWE Performance Center.
UPDATE – After his injury last night, Joaquin Wilde has been pulled from WWE Worlds Collide and replaced with Lince Doradopic.twitter.com/QURwdBHo9o
Joaquin Wilde is “good” after being knocked out during a match.
The LWO member was wrestling Lexis King in a WWE Speed match that was taped right before Raw went on the air. Fan footage showed Wilde being checked on by WWE’s medical staff as the match came to a stop.
Joaquin Wilde seems to have gone down to an injury during his #WWESpeed match before #WWERaw
Wilde and tag team partner Cruz Del Toro have only been used sparingly on main roster programing, with both of their last appearances being part of the Andre the Giant battle royal back in April. Another LWO member, Rey Mysterio, is out of action after suffering a groin injury on the same show.
Del Toro and Wilde are currently scheduled to team with fellow member Dragon Lee to face Octagon Jr., Aero Star, and Mr. Iguana at Worlds Collide this Saturday.
Though he was raised by a single mother, Joaquin Wilde is using newly discovered advice from his late father to guide his life in the ring.
The LWO member shared an emotional social media post today revealing that he was recently able to hear his father’s voice in cassettes that were recorded prior to his death. Wilde always knew the tapes existed but did not know where they were located before his brother found them. In his message to his son, Wilde’s father told him to always give 100 percent effort to earn respect. It’s advice that Wilde now thinks about before every match he has.
“Never really knew my father. Right before he died, he recorded himself talking on cassette tapes, basically saying goodbye and im sorry to each of his kids. Apologizing for the difficult lives we were going to live because we would all grow up without a father,” Wilde wrote. “Never listened to the tapes but always knew they existed. Also had no clue where my mom had put them after so many years.
“Well my brother found them. So i got a digital cassette player, threw the audio in Ableton to clean it up and for the first time in my life, i was able to hear my dad’s voice and listen to him speak directly to me. Yeah sh*t was super sad and I cried alot. He gave me some fatherly advice though. One thing he said to me was, no matter what I’m doing, dont half-ass it and always give 100% because people will respect you for that. For some reason that simple piece of advice resonated and made me think about wrestling. Because the reality is, i dont get to have matches on TV every week. So whenever i am blessed with an opportunity to have a match in the WWE ring, i treat it like my life is on the line. I take big risks, i maximize my minutes and I put all of my energy into every choice that I make. And I think about my dad’s words before all my matches now too. Many things are out of my control, but one thing I can control is my effort. So I will always give 100% and all I can hope is that eventually people will recognize it and respect me for it.”
The risk-taking attitude of Wilde was on display last night on Raw, earning praise from Paul “Triple H” Levesque for a spot where he launched off Cruz Del Toro and Julius Creed and hit a dive onto Brutus Creed on the outside.
The LWO (Wilde, Del Toro & Dragon Lee) lost to El Grande Americano (Chad Gable) & The Creed Brothers in a six-man tag last night. It was announced that a singles match between Rey Mysterio and El Grande Americano will take place at WrestleMania 41.
A former X-Division Champion for TNA, Wilde previously wrestled as DJZ and Zema Ion.
Wilde said in a 2023 interview that his father was a French man who lived in the United States — and his parents got married after trading romantic letters when his father was one of his mother’s suitors as a mail-order bride. His parents were married for five years before his father passed away. Wilde called his Filipina mother’s strength an inspiration, saying she is the bravest woman he knows.
On WWE Speed today, a new tournament began to decide the next challenger for Andrade.
Joaquin Wilde defeated NXT Tag Team Champion Axiom to secure his spot in the next round. Wilde hit a 450 splash from the top rope and pinned Axiom just as the three-minute time limit was about to expire. In the second round, Wilde will face off against either Pete Dunne or Julius Creed.
The Dunne vs. Creed match is airing on WWE Speed this Friday.
Austin Theory vs. Montez Ford and Je’Von Evans vs. Ashante “Thee” Adonis are the other first-round matches in the eight-man tournament, which will play out on WWE Speed over the next several weeks.
The tournament winner will become the third wrestler to challenge Andrade for the WWE Speed Championship. He dethroned Ricochet this June and has made successful title defenses against Xavier Woods and Baron Corbin.
Wilde is a member of the LWO and is tag team partners with Cruz Del Toro. The LWO are members of the WWE Raw roster.
This week’s WWE Main Event was taped at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana before Monday’s episode of Raw.
Akira Tozawa defeated Joaquin Wilde (5:25)
This was a high energy sprint that was a lot of fun to watch and marked Wilde’s Main Event debut.
Tozawa is both a safe pair of hands and also the ideal opponent for someone trying to make a mark. He was giving here and allowed Wilde plenty of time to dominate and show off his skill.
Wilde was able to get in snap suplexes, head scissors takes downs and even a suicide dive. As always, Tozawa sold really well and this meant that as he was in peril, the crowd rallied behind him.
I’m never a fan of the rest hold in these short matches, but it served its purpose here as Tozawa was able to come from behind and fight his way out. They did a false finish as Wilde got in a DDT, but once Tozawa kicked out he hulked up, tore the shirt and they went home.
Tozawa nailed Wilde with an enzuigiri and then went up top and hit his senton to get his arm raised.
The Authors of Pain w/Paul Ellering defeated The Creed Brothers (6:13)
While The Creed Brothers are a huge highlight every week on this show, it felt like a backward step to beat them here and, equally, to humble them against such stiff opposition at this stage in their run wasn’t ideal.
In the first few minutes, it was all quick tags as Julius and Brutus took early control, eventually dumping Rezar and then Akam. Julius dived over the top rope with a cross body, much to the crowd’s joy and we went to a very early break.
It was then all about the hot tag after the ads. Julius was in trouble for a long time here as they cut the ring in half and wore him down with a series of power moves and basic, slow ground and pound.
Akam eventually got too cocky, missing a charge to the corner so that Julius could use an enzuigiri before finally giving the hot tag to his brother. Brutus ran wild, finishing with a standing moonsault on Akam but Rezar had to come in and break up the pin and make the save.
Rezar quickly nailed Julius off the apron and after hitting Brutus with a Rock Bottom, he and Akam combined to use the Last Chapter to get the win.
The Authors of Pain angrily refused to let the ref raise their hands and insisted on Paul Ellering doing it for them instead. They mounted the ropes at either corner in front of the hard cam and Ellering stood between them in a perfectly shot, dominant pose to finish the match.
At the start of NXT tonight, we’ll find out Bron Breakker & Baron Corbin’s challengers for Stand & Deliver.
WWE has announced that The LWO (Joaquin Wilde & Cruz Del Toro) vs. Axiom & Nathan Frazer vs. Luke Gallows & Karl Anderson is kicking off tonight’s NXT episode. The winning team advances to Stand & Deliver this Saturday to challenge Breakker & Corbin for the NXT Tag Team titles.
Wilde & Del Toro, Axiom & Frazer, and Gallows & Anderson all won qualifying matches over the past few weeks to advance to tonight’s triple threat.
After winning the 2024 Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic, Breakker & Corbin defeated Tony D’Angelo & Stacks for the NXT Tag Team titles this February.
The Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia is hosting NXT Stand & Deliver this Saturday afternoon. Airing live on Peacock, the main card has a start time of noon Eastern.
Here’s everything that’s been announced for tonight’s NXT:
On tonight’s NXT, Bron Breakker teams up with the man who he defeated to win the NXT Championship.
Breakker & Tommaso Ciampa will face Legado del Fantasma’s Raul Mendoza & Joaquin Wilde on tonight’s show. The match comes after Ciampa stood side-by-side with Breakker last week to save him from a beatdown by Legado del Fantasma.
An NXT Championship match with Breakker defending against Santos Escobar looks to be on the horizon, but Escobar has said that they’ll do things on his time.
A big six-man tag match is also set for tonight, with Diamond Mine’s Roderick Strong & The Creed Brothers taking on Imperium’s Gunther, Marcel Barthel & Fabian Aichner.
Plus, Cora Jade vs. Raquel Gonzalez and LA Knight vs. Joe Gacy will take place tonight. Gonzalez has refused to team with Jade in the women’s Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic, denying her requests over each of the past two weeks.
Our live coverage begins at 8 p.m. Eastern time.
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The show opens with the entrance of Gunther and the NXT Tag Team Champions. Imperium is here, ready for a trios match against Diamond Mine.
Imperium (Gunther, Marcel Barthel & Fabian Aichner) defeats Diamond Mine (Roderick Strong, Julius Creed & Brutus Creed with Malcolm Bivens and Ivy Nile)
Gunther pins Brutus Creed to win a six-man tag team slobberknocker.
Gunther blindsided Strong before the bell with a boot to the face, kicking off a melee between the two factions. Strong sold the sneak attack for several minutes.
Marcel Barthel and Fabian Aichner are hopefully well paid, because they sure earned their money here tonight. The Creed brothers appeared to be harvesting potatoes. Then Gunther tags in, and he shut that down.
Hot tag to Strong, and he runs wild right up until the commercial break. Strong is cut off as the show cuts to commercials. During the break, Strong fires up. Still selling the big boot from earlier, a disoriented Strong wilts in the ring.
Just as stiff with themselves as others, the Creed Brothers slap each other in the face. Double team powerbomb by the Creeds for a near fall. Gunther in to break up the count, and he squares off with Strong.
Strong is able to chop and knock down the tree that is Gunther. Soon thereafter another melee develops. Smoke settles and Gunther is attempting to catch Brutus Creed in a sleeper.
Creed escapes the sleeper, but Gunther blocks a lariat with an overhand right. Gunther chops down Brutus, and Gunther follows up with a powerbomb. Gunther then covers Brutus for a pinfall.
LA Knight in a pre-tape skit is cutting a promo on Grayson Waller when he is confronted by Joe Gacy and Harland. Gacy offers Knight to help him with the restraining order against him. So, Knight cuts a promo on them too.
Housekeeping by commentary team as they plug tickets for the Raw after WrestleMania. Vic Joseph and Wade Barrett also mention NXT airing on SyFy the next two weeks.
Kay Lee Ray confronts Toxic Attraction
NXT Women’s Champion Mandy Rose is flanked by the NXT Women’s Tag Team Champions, Gigi Dolan and Jacy Jayne, as Toxic Attractions enter the soundstage for an in-ring promo.
Dolan and Jayne cut promos on their challengers for Vengeance Day, who are Indi Hartwell and Persia Pirotta.
Kay Lee Ray, carrying an aluminum baseball bat, interrupts the speech. KLR goes to get into the ring while pointed the bat in a threatening manner.
Mandy Rose promises KLR that the tag champs will leave the ring, but only if KLR puts down the bat. KLR does, so her and Rose are one-on-one in a face-to-face showdown.
KLR tells Rose that KLR herself is the longest reigning women’s champion of the modern era. Rose scoffs, saying she does not care about any of that. Rose would rather talk about herself.
Rose says she is used as part of international marketing campaigns, including seven magazine covers. Rose also says she is a bikini world champion.
KLR again puts over her own title reign, and she buries Rose for sucking face with Otis.
All of the talent in the world will never replace this,” Rose says as she points to her own body.
KLR says she will get her title match booked by the end of the night. Rose scoffs. KLR slaps Rose in the face. Toxic Attraction run in to save Rose.
During a commercial break, Toxic Attraction is leaving the building. They are stopped for an interview, and they remain arrogant. Dolan and Jayne get into the back of a SUV. Rose tries to open the driver’s side door, but it is locked. The window rolls down, and KLR is behind the wheel. She speeds away, seemingly kidnapping the Women’s Tag Team Champions.
Raquel Gonzalez defeats Cora Jade
Gonzalez pins Jade to win the match, but Jade manages to win the respect of Gonzalez in the process.
The backstory is Jade wants to prove to Gonzalez that Jade would make a good tag team partner in the Dusty Classic. So, they have a singles match against each other where Gonzalez bullies Jade. Not exactly the best team building exercise, but it somehow works to bring them together in the end.
The match is all Gonzalez until Jade eventually counters her way into a comeback. Jade leapt off the top rope into the waiting arms of Gonzalez, who went for a Black Hole Slam. Jade with a counter catches Gonzalez in a Black Widow.
Gonzalez breaks the hold, but she misses a high risk move. Jade with another counter to roll up Gonzalez for a two count. Jade fires up, and she springboards into a hurricanrana.
Jade was on a roll, but not for long. Gonzalez catches Jade in mid-air, and Gonzalez then drives Jade down to the mat with a powerbomb. Gonzalez pins Jade, but the story is not yet over.
Before leaving, Gonzalez grabs Jade by the hand and tells her, “Let’s go win this.” Looks like Gonzalez and Jade will team together in the women’s Dusty Classic tournament.
Sarray defeats Kayla Inlay
Sarray pins Inlay in what is Sarray’s triumphant return to NXT.
This was mostly a showcase for Sarray, although Inlay did get some offense. Sort of relaunch for the Sarray character, and she wins handily as the crowd chants her name.
Cameron Grimes confronts Trick Williams and Carmelo Hayes
NXT North American Champion Carmelo Hayes is joined by Trick Williams for an in-ring promo. Williams and Hayes are great together.
Cameron Grimes interrupts their promo. Grimes get into the ring, and he trades barbs with Williams. Hayes gets serious as he threatens Grimes ahead of their title match at Vengeance Day.
Grimes concludes the segment by getting in his catchphrase, as they continue the build to Vengeance Day.
Malik Blade and Edris Enofe are backstage trying to think of a team name. They throw out some ideas, and Enofe says they should ask Mandy Rose. Blade has a crush on Rose, so Enofe asks Blade what he would say to Rose if she walked in right on.
Blade beings to think what he might say. Suddenly, a panicked Rose bursts through a door, and she falls into the arms of Blade. A thrilled Blade thanks the good Lord above.
Rose tells Blade she needs help. Kay Lee Ray with a bat in hand enters the room, and she attacks Rose. They fight there way out of the room.
Enofe tells Blade they should follow them. Blade implies he cannot get up because he has an erection. That was supposed to be comedy.
Grizzled Young Veterans interrupt a backstage interview with Diamond Mine. Lots of trash talk.
Joe Gacy (with Harland) defeats LA Knight
Gacy pins Knight after outside interference by Grayson Waller and his bodygaurd.
Knight was a house of fire at the start, but he gets cut off. Gacy works over Knight for a while.
Knights begins a comeback when Grayson Waller’s new bodyguard appears at ringside. It was a trap as Waller runs in to deliver a cutter on the floor. Knight is laid out.
Knight barely gets back into the ring to break a ten count. He is met by Gacy doing a handspring into a clothesline like he was Kushida. Gacy then hooks a leg and covers Knight for a pinfall.
Waller gets into the ring after the match, and he cuts a promo on Knight while standing over him. Knight fires up on Waller, but Knight is given a chokeslam by the bodyguard, who is named Sanga.
Waller reveals the name when he says Knight will face Sanga in a match next week.
Robert Stone gives off Harvey Wippleman vibes while dressed with style like Slick. Stone cuts promo alongside his new charge, Von Wagner.
Wendy Choo defeats Amari Miller
Choo pins Miller after Miller is distracted by Tiffany Stratton.
Stratton, who is feuding with Choo, encourages Miller to “take out” Choo tonight in the match. Stratton told Miller would take her shopping afterwards as a reward, but Stratton gave Miller a credit card in a skit before the match.
In the match they do a lot of spots based around Choo sleeping on the mat. This gimmick reminds of something out of the New Generation era alongside such luminaries as The Goon and TL Hopper.
Choo uses a sleeper hold, because of course she does. Miller counters to deliver a cobebreaker for a near fall.
Stratton comes to ringside, which distracts Miller. Choo with a Tito Santana flying forearm smash, and she covers Miller for a pinfall.
An angry Stratton demnds that Miller return Stratton’s daddy’s credit card, but Miller no longer has the card. Wendy Choo now has the card, and she leaves with it. Off to buy more pajamas no doubt.
A vignette hypes the upcoming debut of Nikkita Lyons, who’s gimmick is she is a singer.
Sarray is being interviewed backstage when Dakota Kai interrupts Sarray. This appears to set a singles match between the two.
Andre Chase (with Bodhi Hayward) defeats Draco Anthony
Chase pins Anthony in what is probably the most boring segment on the show.
Chase fights from underneath, playing on what he calls a “teachable moment.”
Hayward is ringside waving a Chase University sign. Anthony takes the flag from Hayward, and Anthony stomps on the flag.
Despite not being an accredited university, Chase takes great pride in his flag. He hulks up on Anthony. Chase executes a hammerlock flatliner, and Chase covers Anthony for a three count.
Chase screams into a handheld camera at Von Wagner. Chase declares that next week he will give Wagner a “Chase University-size ass whopping.”
Mandy Rose is still running from Kay Lee Ray. Rose ends up in a kitchen somewhere in the Performance Center. A decorated cake with frosting, but no inscription, sat on the table. You might can already see where this is headed.
KLR sneaks into the kitchen, and she dumps a bowl of spaghetti on Rose. KLR then smashes the cake into the face of Rose. Not exactly a concession stand brawl in Tupelo, but a food fight of sorts. This apparently builds to a title match.
Matches announced for next Tuesday on NXT:
Dusty Classic semifinal: Grizzled Young Veterans vs. Creed Brothers
Dusty Classic semifinal: MSK vs. Malik Blade & Edris Enofe
LA Knight vs. Sanga
Wendy Choo vs. Tiffany Stratton
NXT Champion Bron Breakker & Tommaso Ciampa defeat Legado del Fantasma (Raul Mendoza & Joaquin Wilde with Elektra Lopez & Santos Escobar)
Brekker pins Mendoza to win the match. Good match, and the story of the bout continues the build to a title match between Breakker and his first challenger, Santos Escobar.
Ciampa and Breakker at one point lift their opponents for stereo vertical suplexes. The babyface team is firmly in control as the show cuts to a commercial break.
Escobar at ringside interferes by sending Breakker crashing into the ring steps. The heels then begin to work over Breakker.
Hot tag to Ciampa, and he cleans house in the ring. For some tandem offense, Ciampa catapults Wilde into a spinebuster delivered by Breakker.
Escobar jumps on the apron to distract Breakker. Mendoza nails Breakker with a missile dropkick. Mendoza then executes a beautiful Phoenix Splash for a near fall on Breakker.
Mendoza misses a springboard, and he is gored by a spear from Breakker. Wilde breaks up a subsequent pinning attempt.
A brief melee erupts. Wilde climbs to the top turnbuckle. He looks ready for a dive, but is seemingly facing the wrong way. Except it was the right way for a spot, as Ciampa shoves Wilde off the top turnbuckle. Wilde crashes into the announce desk.
Meanwhile, Breakker lifts Mendoza into a gorilla press. Breakker then drops Mendoza into a powerslam. Breakker then pins Mendoza to win the match, much to the dismay of Santos Escobar.
The show ends with an angle unrelated to the main event, but it concludes story that develops throughout the episode.
Kay Lee Ray chases Mandy Rose to the ring. They brawl in the ring with KLR pummeling Rose.
KLR agrees to drop the baseball bat. Instead of using the bat, KLR opts to give Rose a Gory Bomb. The show closes with KLR holding the women’s title belt over a fallen Rose.
Kyle O’Reilly & Von Wagner will face Legado del Fantasma’s Raul Mendoza & Joaquin Wilde on NXT this Tuesday night. The match was announced after the two teams went back and forth on social media.
WWE posted a tweet over the weekend asking fans who they’d like to see be the first team to challenge for Imperium’s NXT Tag Team titles. When Wagner said he and O’Reilly should get the title match, Mendoza called Wagner out for wanting a title shot when he’s only been in NXT for “five minutes.”
O’Reilly responded by pointing out that he’s the only three-time Tag Team Champion in NXT history. Mendoza then tweeted that this isn’t 2018 anymore and Legado del Fantasma will show O’Reilly & Wagner who the best tag team right now is.
The partnership between O’Reilly & Wagner started to form after Wagner made the save for O’Reilly when he was attacked by Pete Dunne and Ridge Holland on the premiere of NXT 2.0 in September.
Imperium’s Marcel Barthel & Fabian Aichner won the NXT Tag Team titles by defeating MSK in a Lumberjack-O’-Lantern match at Halloween Havoc last week.
Here’s the updated lineup for this Tuesday’s NXT:
Johnny Gargano & Dexter Lumis vs. NXT North American Champion Carmelo Hayes & Trick Williams
Kyle O’Reilly & Von Wagner vs. Raul Mendoza & Joaquin Wilde
Tony D’Angelo will appear on Lashing Out with Lash Legend
Cameron Grimes will enter Duke Hudson’s Poker Room
Women’s Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic: Candice LeRae & Indi Hartwell defeated Gigi Dolin & Cora Jade
205 Live’s first women’s match began with a typical tag team open; a headlock and a pair of quick tags. Jade gained control over LeRae. LeRae took advantage following a Hartwell distraction. Hartwell tagged into the match, landed a sidewalk slam, and tagged LeRae back in.
Jade rocked LeRae with a forearm and secured the hot tag. Hartwell tagged in only to be on the receiving end of Dolin’s leg kicks punctuated with a punt. Jade then rejoined the match, but Hartwell immediately retook control.
LeRae, now legal, and Jade traded back and forth rollups. Jade’s last kick out sent LeRae crashing into her own corner, allowing Hartwell to tag back in. Hartwell then dropped Jade with a spinning sidewalk slam and pinned her.
This was a wholly ordinary match. It was entirely by the numbers with nothing special going on, but seeing as it only exists to further the tournament, it could have been worse.
Men’s Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic: Timothy Thatcher & Tommaso Ciampa defeated Tony Nese & Ariya Daivari
Thatcher started the match by taking Daivari straight to the mat. After being contorted in one hundred ways, Daivari managed to tag Nese into the match; Thatcher then took Nese straight to the mat. Ciampa tagged in and continued the ground work on Nese.
Nese forced Ciampa into his corner, and with aid from Daivari, took the advantage for his team. A quick takedown left Ciampa tied up against the turnbuckle post; Daivari relentlessly whipped the legs of Ciampa into the metal beam. A Daivari figure-four leglock in the middle of the ring left Ciampa in deep water.
Daivari lost control of the legs, which allowed Ciampa to gain a quick tag. Nese tried to maintain control for his team, but Thatcher hit the ring with ferocity. Suplexes and uppercuts left both of his opponents downed, but eventually, the numbers proved to be too much. Nese connected with a running hotshot followed by a moonsault. Daivari then hit the Persian splash for a near fall.
Following the kick out, Thatcher reached the corner for a tag. Ciampa then took on both of his opponents, just as Thatcher did moments prior, and again the numbers proved to be too much. This time things played out differently; however, as Thatcher joined in even the odds. After a quick locking of eyes and a look of understanding between Ciampa and Thatcher, Ciampa hit Willow’s Bell on Nese and pinned him in the middle of the ring.
This was a strong match. It played well off of everyone’s strengths and came together under a nice bow.
WWE has announced which two matches will be taking place on the first 205 Live episode of 2021.
Mansoor vs. Jake Atlas is set for tonight’s New Year’s Day edition of 205 Live. Curt Stallion & Ever-Rise (Chase Parker & Matt Martel) vs. Ariya Daivari & The Bollywood Boyz (Sunil & Samir Singh) is also set for tonight’s show.
Mansoor is undefeated on 205 Live. He defeated Raul Mendoza on last week’s show.
Atlas was most recently in action when he lost to Isaiah “Swerve” Scott on NXT last week. That was a rematch after Atlas had won their previous meeting. Scott refused a handshake after that match and then used a headbutt to help him get the win in their rematch.
Stallion became the number one contender to Santos Escobar’s NXT Cruiserweight Championship by winning a fatal five-way match on 205 Live in November. Stallion has yet to get his title shot. Escobar is defending the Cruiserweight title against Gran Metalik on NXT New Year’s Evil next Wednesday.
Ever-Rise and The Bollywood Boyz have recently been feuding with each other. Parker defeated Samir Singh in a singles match on 205 Live last week.
205 Live airs on the WWE Network at 10 p.m. Eastern time on Fridays.
Tony Nese & Ariya Daivari defeated The Bollywood Boyz (Sunil & Samir Singh)
Nese started the match by driving Sunil Singh into his corner. Daivari tagged in, but the momentum soon shifted in favor of the Singhs as Samir joined the fray. A Bollywood Boyz double suplex punctuated the Singh lead; Nese then provided a distraction, allowing for a Daivari-favored shift.
Daivari reigned in fists from the mount to further his advantage. Nese looked to further this lead after a tag, but instead planted Daivari with an accidental dropkick. Sunil tagged in and was free to land a ton of offense on the now distraught Nese. A double superkick sent Nese to the outside as Daivari re-entered as the legal man. Both Singhs then set Daivari up for and connected with the Bollywood Blast. Nese broke up the pin.
Nese dragged Sunil to the outside both to gain Samir’s attention while also buying time for Daivari. Davarii then caught a distracted Samir with an uranage. Daivari climbed to the top rope and hit the Persian splash for the win.
This match was quick, opting for a tried and true formula while not overstaying its welcome.
Curt Stallion, Ashante “Thee” Adonis & August Grey defeated Legado del Fantasma (Santos Escobar, Raul Mendoza & Joaquin Wilde
A lockup ultimately favoring Ashante Adonis started the match. Raul Mendoza, the other legal starter, was hit with two arm drags, inciting Legado interference. Adonis single-handedly dispatched both Joaquin Wilde and Santos Escobar before they could touch a hair on Adonis.
A passionate Curt Stallion tagged into the match. With his sights set on flying, Stallion hit the ropes; a kick from Mendoza stopped Stallion mid flight. Legado Del Fantasma was now in complete control. Knees and chops left Stallion in a heap of his own person.
The cocksure nature of the Legado beatdown allowed Stallion to steal a quick tag, allowing August Grey to make up some previously lost ground. A powerbomb left Grey with a near fall on Wilde. Grey tried to maintain his control over Mendoza, but Escobar pulled the ropes causing Grey to crash to the mat.
Legado utterly dismantled their opponents for a significant amount of time before a devastated Grey eventually landed the hot tag, allowing Stallion to re-enter the fold. Stallion then took on both Mendoza and Wilde in a great show of heroics. After every move he landed, Stallion made eye contact with Escobar. Stallion even locked eyes with the Cruiserweight champion during a near fall.
Mendoza broke up a Stallion pin attempt causing all six men to hit the ring. Legado emerged from the exchange with a man advantage, but Grey from the outside tripped Mendoza, allowing Stallion to roll up Wilde for a surprise pin.
Following the match, Legado Del Fantasma attacked Stallion. Adonis and Grey ran them onto the apron, and a forearm from Stallion cemented the Legado retreat.
This match was great. Every second felt as if its inclusion was necessary, and everyone made their presence felt.
A six-man tag match has been added to the lineup for tonight’s episode of NXT.
WWE announced this morning that Isaiah “Swerve” Scott, Jake Atlas & Ashante “Thee” Adonis will face Legado del Fantasma (NXT Cruiserweight Champion Santos Escobar, Raul Mendoza & Joaquin Wilde) on NXT tonight. The match was set up after Atlas and Adonis faced off on NXT last week.
Mendoza and Wilde distracted Adonis during his match against Atlas last week, which led to Atlas using an inside cradle to pin Adonis. Mendoza and Wilde went to attack Adonis after the match, but Atlas took Mendoza and Wilde out with a dive. Escobar then joined his Legado del Fantasma stablemates, but Scott came into the ring with steel chairs. Scott, Adonis, and Atlas stared down Legado del Fantasma until they backed off.
Escobar retained his NXT Cruiserweight Championship against Scott at TakeOver 31 earlier this month. When Mendoza and Wilde got involved in the match, Adonis appeared and helped fight them off. Escobar got the win after sending Scott’s head into exposed steel on the bottom turnbuckle.
Breezango defending their NXT Tag Team titles against Undisputed Era’s Roderick Strong & Bobby Fish is also set for tonight’s NXT. Plus, Tommaso Ciampa, Kushida, and Velveteen Dream will face off in a triple threat match.
205 Live kicked off this week with an Ariya Daivari promo. Daivari, in a boat and on a body of water, called out all of the notable cruiserweights: Santos Escobar, Tony Nese, Drake Maverick, etcetera. Ultimately, Daivari made it clear that he intended to return to 205 Live.
Joaquin Wilde and Raul Mendoza (with Santos Escobar) defeated Tony Nese and Isaiah “Swerve” Scott
On the and only first match of the show, two of the only 205 Live storylines came to ahead. Tony Nese took the lead as the first legal man, perhaps in a show of responsibility to his newfound ally. Likewise, Raul Mendoza began the match for El Legado del Fantasma. Mendoza and Nese traded holds in an opening grappling exchange that set a good opening pace. The two continued to up the pace in the mere seconds that followed. Nese avoided an attack from Mendoza with a flip which led to a quick set of strikes. A bested Mendoza was then forced to tag in the pristine Joaquin Wilde. Isaiah Scott tagged in to challenge Wilde.
Scott and Wilde grappled back and forth after becoming legal. The two both gained an advantage on the mat. After an extended portion of mat control by Wilde, Scott used head scissors to create separation. Wilde, not allowing Scott to follow up, grabbed the hair of Scott to initiate a referee forced break. Scott grew enraged by this dishonorable act. This led to Scott thoroughly unloading on Wilde in the corner; Scott was showing a real sense of urgency combined with unfamiliar brutality.
Scott sent the still dazed Wilde to the outside. Instead of maintaining a sense of focus for the match at hand, Scott turned his attention to NXT Cruiserweight Champion Santos Escobar who had accompanied his underlings to the ring. After a staredown with the champion Scott returned to the ring, Escobar seemed to be unphased by the passion of Scott. Escobar then coached Wilde with an intriguing calmness. Said coaching caused Wilde to storm the ring with an intensity of his own. Scott tagged out as he was soon forced into his own corner.
Nese stifled the attempted momentum of Wilde with a takedown. Nese tagged in Scott once more, this time the two launched a short two-man attack on Wilde. The double team offense continued as Nese and Scott traded tags. The budding partnership of Nese and Scott had seemingly left Wilde far behind in the match.
Wilde’s break came after Mendoza slammed Scott to the mat while the referee was not looking. Wilde dropped Scott chin first onto his knee and tried in vain for a pin. Wilde tagged in Mendoza. Wilde and Mendoza then delivered a double Alabama slam followed by a double dropkick to Scott. Scott kicked from the pin attempt that followed. Mendoza was able to land some offense on Scott before tagging in Wilde again. Scott was immediately able to gain separation after Wilde became legal.
Scott successfully went for the hot tag which allowed Nese to reenter the fray with ferocity. Nese initiated a brilliant sequence that he punctuated with a pump handle driver and a believable near fall. Nese locked in a deep Boston crab in the center of the ring. Before Mendoza was able to break up the submission, Scott landed a takedown on the would-be interferer and tried for an armbar. Wilde was able to push Nese into Scott from the bottom of the crab, breaking up both submissions.
Wilde now had Nese grounded for the first time. Wilde climbed to the top rope but was uppercut immediately by Nese. Nese tried to crawl for Scott’s tag after the uppercut but Wilde, who was still seated on the top rope, grabbed the hair of Nese. Nese then without hesitation jumped for a rana on his highly elevated opponent to break his grip. With Wilde flat on his back, Nese was able to tag in Scott.
Scott hit the ring with a burst of energy. A clothesline hit the mark as Wilde tried to return to his feet. Mendoza tried to intervene but was met with a back-body drop as soon as he entered the ropes. This allowed Scott to show off with a quick ground sequence and a German suplex. Scott tried to end the match with a strong kick to the head but Wilde kicked out of the pin that followed.
Scott tried to maintain his control, but Mendoza grabbed at his ankle from the outside. Wilde was able to break free from Scott and connect with a DDT. Mendoza tagged in before landing a springboard moonsault. Nese broke up the pin attempt that followed. At this point, a four-way brawl ensued. Nese and Scott gained the upper hand as they sent their opponents crashing to the outside. Nese and Scott then dove onto their opponents. Scott sent Mendoza back into the ring and connected with a double foot stomp but Wilde was able to break up the pin just before the referee’s count of three.
Nese tagged in and hoisted Mendoza onto his shoulders. Scott climbed to the top rope. The two were setting up for something big. Before said setup could be actualized Escobar climbed the ring steps and stood on the apron gaining the attention of the referee, Nese, and Scott. Wilde pushed the now distracted Scott into the floor from the top rope. Nese tried for a rollup in the moments that followed, but Mendoza had sneakily tagged in Wilde. Wilde was then able to connect with a double knee face breaker on the confused Nese. This allowed Wilde to hold Nese in place for a Mendoza enziguri. Nese was then pinned by Wilde.
This match was good. Just as it began feeling long-winded, it came to a close. Storywise it succeeded in further establishing the current cruiserweight hierarchy; El Legado del Fantasma is at the top, everyone else is playing catch up.
Also worth noting is crowd response. Early in the match, the crowd seemed quite loud, at least speaking in terms relative to the empty arena WWE shows. Whether this was a rather fervent set of attendees or a change in mixing, it’s hard to say.
After angles where they were abducted by masked kidnappers in the parking lot, Mendoza and Wilde were revealed as the masked men who helped Santos Escobar defeat Drake Maverick in the finals of NXT’s Cruiserweight Championship tournament.
Legado del Fantasma (Escobar, Mendoza & Wilde) will face Maverick & Breezango in a six-man tag match at NXT’s Great American Bash night two on Wednesday. That was set up when Breezango saved Maverick from Legado del Fantasma at Great American Bash night one.
Isaiah “Swerve” Scott vs. Ever-Rise’s Matt Martel is also set for tonight’s 205 Live. Scott defeated Tony Nese on 205 Live last week and said he wants a shot at Escobar’s title.
