Tag: keith lee

Carmelo Hayes’ challenger for Heatwave is set to be determined tonight on NXT.

Wes Lee battles Dijak in an NXT Championship number one contender’s match on tonight’s show. The winner will get their shot against Hayes on the special Heatwave edition of NXT next Tuesday.

Gold will be up for grabs as The Dyad challenge Tony D’Angelo & Stacks for the NXT Tag Team titles in tonight’s opening match. It’s the first defense for D’Angelo & Stacks since they won the championships from Gallus at Great American Bash.

Mustafa Ali is on a campaign to challenge Dominik Mysterio for the NXT North American Championship. Tonight, Ali has stated that he has an important announcement to make.

Ahead of facing Ilja Dragunov at Heatwave, Trick Williams will be in action against Drew Gulak tonight. Dana Brooke vs. Blair Davenport and Tyler Bate vs. Joe Coffey have also been announced.

Our live coverage starts at 8 p.m. Eastern time.

A tag team title match opens the show live from a soundstage at the Performance Center in Orlando. 

NXT Tag Team Champions The Family (Tony D’Angelo & Channing “Stacks” Lorenzo) defeated The Dyad (Jagger Reid & Rip Fowler with Joe Gacy, Ava and The Schism) to retain their titles

D’Angelo pinned Fowler after outside interference by masked assailants presumed to be the Creeds. 

Joining The Dyad at ringside were Joe Gacy and Ava as usual, but they are also joined by a bunch of Schism members wearing masks that surround the ring like de facto lumberjacks. That would play into the finish.

Stacks got to shine a lot in the early portion of the match, including him doing a swan dive over the ropes. He was later cut off and sent crashing into the announce desk, just before the show cuts to its first commercial break.

The match goes through the split-screen break, with Stacks being worked over throughout. The heels continue to work over Stacks when the show returns from the break. Stacks gets a visual pin in a hope spot, but the referee is distracted by Tony D. 

They build to a hot tag that brings in “The Don” to clean house. The Dyad bump and feed. Tony D is cut off after a blind tag by The Dyad. Suddenly, out comes Ivy Nile. The Schism lumberjacks form a line to block Nile from getting into the ring. Meanwhile, two other masked men hop the barricade, and they jump The Dyad. They appear to be the Creed Brothers, judging by the suplex they did and context clues. The Don then covers Fowler for a pinfall.

Eddy Thorpe is the focus of a great vignette that plays to his Native American heritage. Thorpe also cuts a promo about Dijak, who is he is currently feuding with in storyline.

Wes Lee interrupts an autograph signing with NXT Champion Carmelo Hayes. Lee remains a subtle heel as they banter back-and-forth.

Tension within Chase U continues with a skit. Once the most enthusiastic student, Thea Hail is still bitter with Andre Chase. She complains to him, and Duke Hudson somewhat agrees with her. Chase says he only wants Hail to be happy, and she shoots back by telling him to not throw in the towel next time.

Blair Davenport defeated Dana Brooke (with Kelani Jordan)

Davenport pinned Brooke the win the match. Jordan got involved at one point, trying to keep Brooke honest. 

Brooke grabbed the ring bell shortly before the finish to seemingly use as a weapon. Jordan takes the bell away from Brooke, and Jordan seems shocked Brooke would stoop to such tactics. 

After some clunky exchanges between Brooke and Davenport, Brooke is rocked by a knee strike. Davenport then delivers a second knee strike, and Davenport covers Brooke for a three count.

NXT Champion Carmelo Hayes is still signing autographs when he is interrupted again. This time it was Dijak interrupting Hayes, and they have words. 

Trick Willaims defeated Drew Gulak (with Charlie Dempsey & Damon Kemp)

Williams pinned Gulak after a windmill kick. Dempsey and Kemp interfered during the match, but Josh Briggs and Brooks Jensen run down to even the odds.

Kemp distracted the referee at one point, allowing Dempsey to interfere. Dempsey gives Williams a German suplex on the floor. Gulak then goes on to work over Williams.

Comeback by Williams, and Dempsey tries to interfere again. That backfires as Williams drops both Dempsey and Kemp on the floor. They try to attack Williams, but out runs Briggs and Jensen. The country boy babyfaces make a save by neutralizing Dempsey and Kemp. The two teams brawl at ringside as Williams and Gulak go home in the ring. 

Dabbo-Kato is the focus of a vignette. He fought his way out of the shadows, and he vows to cast his own shadow when he soon returns to NXT. It was indeed soon, as he actually returns this week for a run-in later in the show.

Von Wagner challenges Baron Corbin to a match at Heatwave

Baron Corbin is heading to the ring for a monologue. Oh joy. Corbin brags about running an Olympic gold medalist out of NXT (referring to Gable Steveson). Corbin then refers to the rest of the locker room as “soft ass little bitches.” Is he doing a CM Punk gimmick?

Corbin says he is ushering in a new era of himself. He places is place “back into the main event” where he claims to belong. Out comes Mr. Stone and Von Wagner to interrupt and confront Corbin.

Corbin tries to make fun of Stone, but Stone turns that around on Corbin. Stone then puts over Wagner. Corbin wants Wagner to talk instead of Stone. Corbin then tries to make fun of Wagner. 

Corbin tells Wagner he needs to learn how to “talk on the stick.” Corbin cuts a promo on Wagner about his lack of speaking ability. Wagner responds by saying Corbin talks too much, which guarantees the two a spot on an upcoming episode of Botchamania. If you know, you know.

Wagner cuts a promo making fun of Corbin’s various gimmicks. Wagner then challenges Corbin to a match next week at Heatwave, and Wagner vows to table Corbin. Corbin goes to cheap shot Wagner, but Wagner clotheslined Corbin over the ropes on the side of the ring with the announce desk.

Wagner teases putting Corbin through the announce desk, and they have a pull-apart brawl. Looks like a grudge match is now set for next Tuesday.

WWE World Women’s Champion Rhea Ripley and her main squeeze, NXT North American Champion Dominik Mysterio, are in a locker room for a promo. Ripley challenges Dragon Lee and Lyra Valkyria to a mixed tag match at Heatwave.

Mustafa Ali in a vignette gives a stump speech like he is campaigning for the North American title. Ali delivers a speech that plays on populism and patriotism. Where have a seen that before?

Wes Lee defeated Dijak in a number one contender’s match

Lee pinned Dijak, which makes Lee the next contender for Hayes’ NXT Championship. Good match. Eddy Thorpe got involved at one point, although he never physically interfered.

Cat-and-mouse game early on, with Lee floating like a butterfly and stinging like a bee. Lee targets Dijak’s leg with kicks and holds. Dijak cuts off Lee, and Dijak works an arm. Hope spot dashed by Dijak, and he posts Lee. Back to work on the arm.

Dijak dashes another hope spot when he catches Lee on an attempted tope. Dijak lawn darts Lee into a ring post, just before the show cuts to a split-screen commercial break. Dijak continues to work over Lee during the break, still targeting the arm.

After the show returns from the break, Lee counters Dijak to deliver a tornado DDT that spikes Dijak. Moments later, and Lee powerbombs Dijak. Lee then gets a near fall. 

Lee crumples to the mat when his injured shoulder gives out. Dijak looks to capitalize with his finisher, but Dijak injured leg buckles. Lee then deliver a pump kick, but Dijak answers back with a chokeslam into a sit-out powerbomb for another near fall. 

The fighting spills outside, where Dijak throws Lee over the barricade. Dijak looks to use the steps as a weapon, but out comes Eddy Thorpe. Dijak is distracted by Thorpe, and they face off. Thorpe ducks a lariat, and Lee leaps off the barricade to give Dijak a Frankensteiner. It was not pretty, but Dijak crashes into the ring steps. Lee acts like he pops his shoulder back into place, and Lee then jumps back into the ring to deliver a Cardiac Kick. Lee follows up with a twisting corkscrew senton, and Lee covers Dijak for a pinfall.

Dragon Lee and Lyra Valkyria in a backstage skit accept the challenge from Rhea Ripley. So, Ripey and “Dirty Dom” against Dragon Lee and Valkyria in a mixed tag match at Heatwave.

Ilja Dragunov cuts a promo on Trick Williams in a video package hyping their match next Tuesday. 

Tyler Bate vs. Joe Coffey (with Mark Coffey & Wolfgang) ends in a no-contest

The match was going pretty well, as the two work really well together. They do some British style spots and such, and things were just beginning to heat up when in runs Dabbo-Kato. He boots Bate with a high kick and he attempts to guzzle Coffey. The rest of Gallus drag Coffey out of the ring. So, Dabbo-Kato sets his sights back on Bate. Sit-out tree slam by Dabbo-Kato, as he leaves Bate laying in the ring. 

Baron Corbin and Bron Breakker have a confrontation in the parking lot. Breakker says he will be watching Corbin’s match next week against Wagner (who Breakker has recently feuded with). Corbin tells Breakker he is not intimidated by him.

Hard Hitting Home Truths with Nathan Frazier is a wacky skit where Frazier’s talk show is interrupted by Meta-Four. They are on video chat, and Noam Dar bickers with Frazier over the Heritage Cup. Frazier is the rightful holder of the trophy, but Dar has a replica. They will apparently have a match at Heatwave to decide the real Heritage Cup Champion. 

Jacy Jayne defeated Thea Hail (with Andre Chase & Duke Hudson)

Jayne pinned Hail, after Andre Chase tries to save Hail. Dissension remains within Chase U, as Hail is upset by her loss. She is also still very upset with Andre Chase. 

The match itself goes through a commercial break. Hail was in control before the break, but Jayne is working over Hail when the show returns.

A turnbuckle cover comes off to expose the metal turnbuckle. Chase jumps on the apron to save Hail from smashing into the exposed buckle. Instead of gratitude for Chase, Hail yells at him to get off the apron. Hail then turns around, and she is cradled by Jayne in a small package for a pinfall. 

Hail yells at Chase again after the match. Hails blames Chase for the loss, and she storms off afterwards. 

Angel Garza and Humberto Carillo are the focus of a great video package that plays on their family history.

NXT Champion Carmelo Hayes is almost done with his autograph signing when in walks Wes Lee, who has a contract in hand for Hayes to sign. Hayes congratulates Lee on winning his match earlier, but Hayes gives Lee back the contract before saying he will see him next Tuesday.

Lee does not like being blown off by Hayes, and Lee flings a bunch of 8×10 photos off the table. Lee gets into Hayes’ face, and Lee tells him that he is not waiting until next week. Lee then drags a table off screen, seemingly heading for the ring. Looks like an impromptu contract signing is closing the show.

Before the closing angle, Tiffany Stratton is featured in a hype video. She returns to the show next Tuesday at Heatwave.

Lee is in the ring standing behind a table he dragged out earlier. Out comes Hayes. Notably missing is Trick Williams, as he is getting a singles push of his own.

Hayes and Lee begin to bicker. Lee makes some cracks about Hayes’ luxurious lifestyle as champion. Hayes admits being champ comes with perks, but it also comes with responsibility. Hayes says Lee has not walked in his shoes, so Lee cannot talk to him about how easy it is. 

Hayes says that Lee takes a few losses and he “starts to fold like a chair on an Alabama boardwalk.” That is a great pop culture reference based a recent events in Montgomery. 

Hayes is not convinced Lee can be him. Lee scoffs, remarking how he was told many times he could not do something. Lee talks about his time in the military, where he was called crazy for wanting to be a pro wrestler. Fast forward to now, and here comes more doubters telling Lee he cannot do something.

Lee talks about how to came to NXT and “set up shop,” before he eventually lost his tag team partner (who was released from WWE). Lee runs down all the reasons he was told he could not accomplish his goals. Lee says he became the greatest North American champ ever.

Lee goes on ask who he won the North American title from (referring to Hayes). Hayes responds by admitting that Lee won that title, but Hayes reminds Lee that he did not actually beat Hayes himself to win the title.

Hayes claims he put the North American title on the map with his reign with banger matches across two reigns as champ. But Hayes says this is not about that title. This is about the NXT Championship. Hayes says he agrees with 90% of what Lee is saying, but Hayes claims Lee “can’t” defeat him.

Lee chimes in by saying there goes the “can’t” again. Someone telling him he cannot do this or that. Lee has turned doubters into believers before, and Lee admits he is his own biggest doubter. But no more, as Lee vows to win the NXT title. Lee signs the contract, and he tells Hayes to do that same.

Hayes quotes a lyric from a classic R&B song by TLC about not chasing waterfalls. Hayes says next is not “Melo don’t miss.” Hayes says “Melo can’t miss.” Hayes signs the contract and poses with his NXT title belt.

Lee responds by leaping into the air and breaking the table with a stomp. Lee then tells Hayes he will see him at Heatwave.