Tag: karrion kross

A no disqualification match headlines tonight’s episode of NXT.

Karrion Kross and NXT Cruiserweight Champion Santos Escobar will face off in a no DQ match tonight. Though Escobar’s NXT Cruiserweight Championship isn’t on the line, the match has a stipulation where Escobar will be stripped of the title and suspended indefinitely if he doesn’t show up tonight. Kross vs. Escobar was originally supposed to take place last week but was pulled from that show due to medical reasons.

A video aired last week where Escobar said the match would happen on his time. Kross and Scarlett later responded and said there’s no way for Escobar to escape his fate.

NXT Women’s Champion Io Shirai and NXT North American Champion Johnny Gargano are also set for non-title action tonight. Shirai will face Zoey Stark, while Gargano will take on Dexter Lumis. Plus, Xia Li will face Kacy Catanzaro and The Grizzled Young Veterans will face Drake Maverick & Killian Dain.

After turning against Kyle O’Reilly and attacking NXT Champion Finn Balor, Adam Cole has promised to explain his actions tonight. Our live coverage begins at 8 p.m. Eastern time.

**********

After a canned intro, the show opened with Dexter Lumis crawling toward the camera. Next was the entrance of Johnny Gargano and The Way. 

Dexter Lumis defeated NXT North American Champion Johnny Gargano (with Candice LeRae, Austin Theory & Indi Hartwell) in a non-title match

Lumis submitted Gargano after interference backfired on The Way. The champion lost a non-title match, setting up a potential title match. Decent enough match.

The early portion had Lumis in control. Gargano begged off, but he also baited Lumis out of the ring. Lumis looked in trouble, but he countered Gargano to hot shot him on the apron. Candice LeRae jumped off the apron attempting a hurricanrana, but Lumis blocked the move and set her back on the apron. 

A distracted Lumis was hit with a Gargano tope through the ropes on to outside. The show went to a picture-and-picture commercial break with Lumis down on the floor. Lumiis fought back during the commercial break, but Gargano cut him off.

Lumis came back after the break, and he hit Gargano with several haymakers. Lumis bulldogged Gargano, and he followed with several near falls. The pace quickened when Lumis missed a double stomp. They traded strikes, and Gargano got a near fall after a Lumis ate a superkick. 

Austin Theory slid a folding chair into the ring when Gargano gave him marching orders. Lumis negated the chair, but Gargano rocked him with an enzuigiri. Theory grabbed the chair and acted as if he was going to hit Lumis.

Lumis glared at Theory, and Theory has second thoughts. LeRae was hollering at them, but Theory just stood there. Gargano charged at Lumis, but he moved out of the way. Gargano ran into Theory, knocking Theory off the apron.

Lumis locked in an Anaconda Vice. Gargano went to sleep, and Lumis defeated the champion in a non-title match.

Wade Barrett was on as remote correspondent. He joked to send help because he was in Lumis’ basement. Beth Phoenix and 

A profile on MSK highlighted them being Dusty Classic winners. Great stuff with them talking about their journey on the way to the winning the Dusty Cup. Carter talking about his late father, and how it  Very moving video package. 

Grizzled Young Veterans a few minutes later would attack MSK when they were doing an interview segment. The Vets laid them out with chairs. 

In an advertising tie-in, Shotzi Blackheart  was featured in the Burger King Superstar Profile. 

Leon Ruff vs. Tyler Rust (Malcolm Bivens) went to a no contest (I think)

The matched ended before it really began when Ruff was attacked at the start by Isaiah “Swerve” Scott. Bivens still raised Rust’s hand.

In a pre-tape skit, Biven was hiding the training room waiting to hear Ruff was cleared to wrestle. When the trainer told Ruff he was cleared to compete, Bivens popped up to challenge Ruff to match against Rust.

Bivens in a pre-match promo in the ring called Ruff the son he never had that he didn’t want. He said Ruff was getting the “opportunity of a lifetime” in facing the “Diamond in the Rust.”

Isaiah “Swerve” Scott before the match could start ran in to attack Ruff. He dragged Ruff to the announce desk, and Scott said he wanted some opportunities. Scott with a Death Valley Driver sent Ruff spine first into the side the ring apron. 

There was a prodcution snafu during a Zoey Stark promo.

PSA honoring Black History Month aired after a commercial break.

Cameron Grimes on a tablet was watching classic footage of the Million Dollar Man. Ted DiBiase was doing the famous skit with the little kid dripping a basketball. Grimes had his own basketball. He found a guy backstage, and Grimes challenged the guy to dribble the basketball ten times.

The joke was on Grimes. He had not watched the whole video where DiBiase kicks the ball away. The guy backstage just dribbled the ball ten times, and then he took Grimes money. Grimes looked like a complete goof. This was the worst thing they have done with him since his gimmick makeover. 

NXT Women’s Champion Io Shirai defeated Zoey Stark in a non-title match

Shirai pinned Stark. The match started off rocky, but it was pretty good by the end.

Some hiccups between them until Shirai tied her up in a cobra twist. Zoey blocked a Tiger Feint Kick, and she kicked Shirai off the apron. Shirai countered a dive to deliver a kick of her own. Stark knocked Shirai off the top rope, and Shirai fell to the floor before a commercial break.

Shirai was firing up as the show returned from the break. They traded strikes, and Stark got a near fall. Stark had to roll through on an attempted splash, and then the two collided with each other when both went for a crossbody. 

Stark with a release Dragon suplex for a close two count. Shirai came back with a flurry of offense. Tiger Feint Kick and Shirai went to the top rope. Missile dropkick and a near fall for Shirai. Stark was able to kick out.

Super Frankensteiner by Shirai sent Stark to the mat. Stark still came back a moment later with a suplex for a two count. Shirai eventually countered Stark. Double running knee strike and a moonsault press by Shirai. 1…2…3. 

Tony Storm after the match came out on stage to cut a promo on Shirai. Storm claimed Shirai was scared of her, and she said Shirai could not beat her. Shirai begged to differ. Looks to be a title match in the works.

Johnny Gargano was yelling at Austin Theory about what happened earlier.

Cameron Grimes had now watched the whole video. He found what he thought were marks. He challenged someone to dribble the basketball ten times. Grimes was going to kick the ball, but the person dribbled around him. They got game. Grimes lost another $1,000. What a geek. He somehow blamed DiBiase, and he cut a promo on him. What was this? It did Grimes no favors.

Xia Li defeated Kacy Catanzaro (with Kayden Carter)

Li won via ref stoppage after Li inujured Catanzaro’s knee.

Catanzaro was babyface-in-peril much of the match. She was beginning to fire up when Li threw her into the barricade, and then she smashed her into the ring steps. Li stomped on Catanzaro’s knee. Catanzaro screamed in pain selling her knee.

Li dragged Catanzaro into the ring by her hair, but Catanzaro could not fight back. The referee called for the bell. Officials poured into the ring to break them up. Carter was mad. She tried to confront the mystical figure on the stage, but Boa blocked her path. Meanwhile, Catanzaro was being helped to her feet by officials. Li then dropped Catanzaro with a roundhouse kick.

A great vignette hyped the title match next week for the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship. Shayna Baszler & Nia Jax defend against Dakota Kai & Raquel Gonzalez

The Grizzled Young Veterans (Zack Gibson & James Drake) defeated Drake Maverick & Killian Dain

Drake pinned Maverick to win the match.

Maverick worked over until Dain made a save. Dain hiptossed Maverick over the ropes into a flip dive on the heels. The show then cut a commercial. Dain cleaned house after the break. Vieweres missed all the heat, and basically just saw Dain making a hot tag.

Dain lifted both the heels for a double fallaway slam. Maverick ran wild for a moment, but he was soon double-teamed. Dain broke up a pinning attempt, but he was taken out by a tope.

Maverick took a Ric Flair press slam off the top rope, and then Maverick took a Ticket To Mayhem. Drake covered Maverick to score the pinfall.

Karrion Kross (with Scarlett) defeated NXT Cruiserweight Champion Santos Escobar in a non-title no DQ match

Kross won after pinning Escobar clean. This was similar to an AAA street fight without all the blood and graphic violence, and then it settled into a WWE-style no hold barred match.

Escobar arrived in a SUV. He was waitng in the vechile for his entrance. I guess he was going straight from the vechile into the ring. Kross attacked Escobar attacked before they could even get to the ring. The fight then began in the parking lot. Both were dressed in street clothes like a bunkhouse match. 

They fought outside like they were on the corner of Swanson and Ritner in front of The Arena. A cargo truck was used as a prop for them to fight in and around. Escobar looked himself in the cab of the truck. Kross found a pick ax to strike the door. Escobar fled the truck. Raul Mendoza and Joaquin Wilde tried to interfere, but they took bumps on the truck instead. However, their distraction allowed for Escobar to hit Kross with a trash can. 

Legado del Fantasma ganged up on Kross three-on-one. They were pummeling him and Kross was rammed into the side of the truck. Mendoza and Wilde carried Kross into the building, and the three rudos assaulted Kross again.

Kross hulked up on Mendoza and Wilde. Kross threw them through the barricade like Hulk Hogan did to those henchmen on an old episode of the A-Team. Finally in the ring, Escobar ate a high kick. They did not stay in the ring long. After one bump, the fight spilled outside again. Legado del Fantasma again caused a distraction. This time Escobar hit Kross with a chair. 

Kross was rammed into the ring steps before the show cut to a picture-in-picture commercial break. Heat on Kross during the break. Kross after the break took the EVIL chair spot into the post, and Kross sold his arm. Escobar worked on the arm, but he also DDT’d Kross on the floor.

Escobar continued to work the arm. Kross was attempting a comeback when he was posted by Escobar. Kross still managed to counter Escobar. Kross suplexed Mendoza and Wilde on the floor. Kross then gave Escobar a Saito suplex on the announce desk. 

One more Saito suplex in the ring. Kross measured Escobar, and he clubbed him in the back of the head. Kross then pinned Escobar.

LA Knight in a cellphone promo said he was debuting when he was ready.

Adam Cole explains his actions

Cole addressed his attack last week on Kyle O’Reilly. Cole said he had very intention of explaining himself. After watching the footage, Cole claimed he was sick to his stomach. He was mad in recent weeks, but that does not excuse his actions. Cole said he was ashamed of himself.

Cole told O’Reilly he wished they could talk man-to-man, but they cannot because of Cole. He injured O’Reilly. Cole was sad about what he had done. Cole said he made a stupid mistake, and he hates himeslf for it. Cole said he was sorry. He is going to fix this, and if he cannot then Cole said “damn it I am going to try.” 

Roderick Strong interrupted Cole. Strong was not buying it. Strong was seething as he cut a promo on Cole. The Undisputed Era was built on trust and brotherhood according to Strong. They had each other’s backs. Strong basically said Cole betrayed them. Strong told Cole that O’Reilly, but Strong said he could not save Cole from O’Reilly.

NXT Champion Finn Balor interrupted the confrontation. Balor pushed Strong aside as he rushed the ring. Balor began brawling with Cole. Strong went after Balor, allowing Cole a chance to hit Balor with a superkick.

Cole tried to tell Strong he was sorry, but Strong hit him with a colthesline. Strong was upset with himself for doing what he did. Cole kept saying he was sorry while on bended knee. Strong knelt down to console Cole. Strong said he was sorry. He called Cole his brother, and Strong said he loved him.

They embraced, but Cole then suddenly gave Strong a low blow. Cole ripped off the Undisputed Era pendant necklace from around Strong’s neck like it was Andre ripping off the Hulkster’s crucifix. Cole called Strong stupid, and then he superkicked Strong.