A triple threat match in the main event of last night’s NXT set the stage for a winner-take-all title vs. title match.
Keith Lee defeated Finn Balor and Johnny Gargano on last night’s show to retain his North American Championship. With that result, it will now officially be Adam Cole vs. Lee on the July 8 episode of NXT with Cole’s NXT Championship and Lee’s North American Championship both on the line.
Lee hit the Big Bang Catastrophe on Gargano near the end of the triple threat match. Balor jumped off the top rope with a Coup de Grace in an attempt to break up the pin, but Lee moved and Balor only hit Gargano. Lee then hit the Big Bang Catastrophe on Balor to get the win.
Cole came down to the ring after the match and had a staredown with Lee as the episode went off the air.
It was announced last night that the Great American Bash is returning for the next two weeks of NXT. Next Wednesday’s show will have Dakota Kai vs. Tegan Nox vs. Candice LeRae vs. Mia Yim in a fatal four-way number one contender’s match, Rhea Ripley vs. Aliyah & Robert Stone in a handicap match, and Dexter Lumis vs. Roderick Strong in a strap match.
If Ripley loses, she’ll have to join the Robert Stone Brand.
With Keith Lee retaining his North American Championship tonight, the participants for NXT’s winner-take-all champion vs. champion match are now official.
Adam Cole will face off with Lee on the Wednesday, July 8 episode of NXT. Cole’s NXT Championship and Lee’s NXT North American Championship will both be on the line in the match.
In the main event of tonight’s NXT episode, Lee defeated Finn Balor and Johnny Gargano in a triple threat match to retain his North American title. Lee hit the Big Bang Catastrophe on Gargano near the end of the match. Balor jumped off the top rope with a Coup de Grace to break up the pin, but Lee moved out of the way and Balor only hit Gargano. Lee then hit the Big Bang Catastrophe on Balor to get the win.
Cole came out to the ring after tonight’s main event and went face-to-face with Lee. They each held their respective title belts up in the air as the show ended.
The July 8 episode of NXT will go up against the second night of AEW’s Fyter Fest.
Three of NXT’s top stars are set to face off in a triple threat match with the North American Championship on the line.
Keith Lee defending his North American Championship against Finn Balor and Johnny Gargano will headline tonight’s episode of NXT. It will set the stage for a winner-take-all champion vs. champion match, with the winner facing NXT Champion Adam Cole with both titles on the line on the July 8 NXT episode.
For the first time since his dominant win against Tommaso Ciampa at TakeOver: In Your House, Karrion Kross will be in action on tonight’s show. Kross will face Bronson Reed, who issued a challenge to Kross last week after quickly defeating Leon Ruff.
Kross also has his eyes on the NXT Championship. Two weeks ago, Scarlett warned Cole that his time as champion is running out.
Damian Priest vs. Cameron Grimes will also air tonight. Priest defeated Killian Dain last Wednesday but — after punching Grimes the previous week — found his tires slashed in the parking lot later. Grimes then drove by and mocked Priest.
Our coverage begins at 8 p.m. Eastern time.
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The show opened with an angle from “an hour ago” in the parking lot at Full Sail. Cameron Grimes had apparently attacked Damian Priest, and Priest was slumped over the seat of his car with his legs hanging out the open door. He was selling his back. Referees rushed to his aid, and one asked Priest where it hurt. Priest screamed it was his back in an unintentionally funny line as he was obviously already selling his back.
Cameron Grimes was seen gloating about the incident as he went inside the building, and he would also be opening the show in the ring. He cut a promo on Priest claiming that he no-showed the biggest match of his career. Grimes lied and said Priest slashed his own tires last week, and now he is acting like someone beat him up in the parking lot. Grimes said he wrestled Finn Balor with a broken jam after Priest punched him several weeks ago.
Grimes claimed Priest was afraid to wrestle him, and Grimes insisted that a referee declare him the winner of his scheduled match with Priest. At that moment, Priest hobbled to the ring with officials trying to dissuade him from getting into a fight. Priest has his ribs and back taped, and he still rolled into the ring. Grimes attacked him as Priest was rollimg inside and the match was on.
Cameron Grimes defeated Damian Priest
Grimes pinned Priest with the Cave-In after working over his back in a short match. Priest fought valiantly, but the injury from the sneak attack “an hour ago” was too much to overcome.
Grimes targeted the back, and Priest would fight back. Grimes powdered and waved off the match as if he was leaving the scene. Priest went to give chase, but it was a trap. Grimes would target the back again as he sandwiched Priest into the ring apron. Priest shot back with a kick, amd then he went for a Razor’s Edge on the floor. Grimes countered the move and delivered a double stomp to Priest’s back. Back in the ring, Grimes used to Cave-In to pin Priest in the middle of the ring.
Robert Stone was trying to convince Rhea Ripley to join the Robert Stone Brand. He told Ripley that her putting him in a trash can last week hurt his heart as well as his body, but he thought it was tough love. Stone said Aliyah has already signed with his stable, and Stone had a “golden ticket” for Ripley that allowed her a second chance to come aboard. He used a train metaphor and then started repeatedly hollering “choo choo”. So Ripley punched him in the gut, and threw him into a dumpster. Aliyah ran up to angrily confront Ripley before slapping her. Ripley no sold the slap and smirked. Ripley said Aliyah just got a “golden ticket” for a match later on.
Next was a vignette that was the second installment of aTimothy Thatcher training seminar. Much like the first installment, Thatcher stretched and tortutred some wrestlers like he was Stu Hart in The Dungeon.
NXT Cruiserweight Champion Santos Escobar (with Raul Mendoza & Joaquin Wilde) defeated Jake Atlas in a non-title match
Escobar pinned Atlas clean despite Atlas looking strong down the stretch.
Atlas got to shine early on as he had Escobar on the ropes. Mendoza & Wilde caused a distraction that allowed Escobar to shove Atlas off the apron into the dasher boards before the show cut to commercial. After the commercial break, Escobar was working over Atlas.
Escobar was working more of a WWE style than when he was under the mask as Fantasma for his first few bouts in NXT. The WWE storyline is he unmasked because he wanted to be more than a lucahdor. Of course, Escobar had already previously unmasked in Mexico in an apuesta match working for AAA. Escobar also now wears an armband as part of his gear. The armband has a symbol representing his new heel stable, because apparently that is what heel stables in WWE do ever since Nexus.
Atlas made a comeback and started to clean hosue on Escobar with a flurry of moves. That included a standing moonsault for a two count. Atlas moments later also moonsaulted to the floor so he could wipe out the henchmen at ringside. Atlas springboarded back into the ring, and he soon caught Escobar with a headlock DDT for a near fall.
Soon thereafter Atlas was cut off while climbing the turnbuckles. Escobar then executed the Phantom Driver, and he covered Atlas for the pinfall.
An Undisputed Era skit was a sequel to their hijicks last week. This time Roderick Strong faced his fear and got in the trunk of a car after he was talked into at the kayfabe doctor’s office. Adam Cole told Strong he was face Dexter Lumis in a match tonight, and Strong suddenly looked worried.
Malcolm Bivens was with Indus Sher. He cut a promo on Danny Burch & Oney Lorcan. This looks to set up a match soon between the two teams.
A great video package hyped the upcoming champion vs. champion match in a few weeks on NXT.
Dakota Kai & Raquel Gonzalez defeated Kacy Catanzaro & Kayden Carter
Kai submitted Catanzaro to win the match.
Gonzalez was playing monster heel at the outset as Catanzaro & Carter used teamwork to try and take Gonzalez off her feet. They used some nifty double team moves, but Gonzalez was still able to tag out. The double team offense by the babyfaces continued as Carter catapulted Catanzaro into a Thesz press on Kai for a two count.
Kai cut off Catanzaro, and the heels got heat on Catanzaro. Carter jumped in to break up a pinning attempt at one point. Carter then soon ran wild after a hot tag, and she got some near falls on Kai. The babyfaces again went for the catapult into the press, but this time it was on Gonzalez and she was too powerful. She caught Catanzaro for a huge powerbomb. Kai then tagged in to apply her new submission hold, and Catanzaro tapped out.
Kai looked into the camera after the match and called out NXT Women’s Champion Io Shirai. That could possibly be Shirai’s first title program was champion as Kai is set for a fatal four way next week to determine a number one contender.
Reed was a house of fire at the start, but Kross quickly cut him off. Kross gave Reed an exploder suplex, but Reed got up to fight back. Reed answered back with a German suplex, and then they went into a Frye-Takayama sequence.
Kross took some splashes in a corner from Reed, but that only served to light a fire in him. Kross with a Northern Lights suplex into a floatover and a lariat. Next came a Saito suplex, and that was followed by the Kross Jacket for the submission.
McKenzie Mitchell in an interview backstage asked NXT Champion Adam Cole which challenger he would like to face out of the triple threat match later on. A smug Cole said he would face whoever. He called the question stupid before saying he was making room on his mantle for one more championship.
A vignette hyped the return of Mercedes Martinez. She is awesome, and I hope she gets a push.
Rhea Ripley defeated Aliyah (with Robert Stone)
Ripley tossed around Aliyah like a ragdoll. Aliyah tried some heel tactics, but Ripley cut her off easily several times. Ripley applied her standing scorpion submission hold, and was seemingly on the verge of victory when Stone threw his shoe at her.
Ripley chased Stone around the ring, and she caught him the ring where she ripped off his sports jacket. Stone fled and rolled out of the ring as Aliyah went to roll-up Ripley — only Ripley blocked her attempt and delivered the Rip Tide. Ripley then covered Aliyah for the pinfall.
Ripley looked strong in winning, but she went from feuding with Charlotte Flair — who at the time was the most pushed women’s wrestler in the company — to now in a comedy feud with a male manager that is doing a loser gimmick. I was hoping this match would be the end of it, but nope. More to come on this later.
Dexter Lumis defeated Roderick Strong (with Bobby Fish) via countout
Strong would get in the ring aiming to lock up, but then fear would overcome him and he would bail out of the ring. Fish tried to encourage him, but Strong was having none of it. Lumis went after Strong as he slowly stalked him. Strong trippe himself at ringside, and then he ran into the plexiglass as he tried to flee. Strong got to his feet and he ran out of the building. The referee counted him out.
Fish was left at ringside, and Lumis locked him in his sleeper hold. Fish escaped his clutches, and he fled the scene as well. Undisputed Era really kind of looks like geeks in this feud.
Stone and Aliyah were video chatting with William Regal. Stone said they deserved a rematch with Ripley next week. Regal agreed they both deserved a match, so he booked a two-on-one mixed handicap match with Stone & Aliyah against Ripley in a match next Wednesday on NXT. Ripley entered the picture and she agreed. The match is on for next week. If Ripley loses, she has to join the Robert Stone Brand.
Also announced for next week is a fatal four way number one contender’s match to decide a challenger for the NXT Women’s Championship with Mia Yim vs. Tegan Nox vs. Candice LeRae vs. Dakota Kai.
A gimmick match was also announced for the next epiosde with Roderick Strongs meeting Dexter Lumis in a strap match.
The episode next week is also being branded as “The Great American Bash” based around Independence Day in the United States. The Bash name originated from a series of summer events from Jim Crockett Promotions in the mid-1980s, and the name was later used for PPVs in WCW until 2000. WWE would also use the name for PPVs before retiring it several years ago. Now it’s back for a NXT show that goes head-to-head with the first week of Fyter Fest.
NXT North American Champion Keith Lee defeated Finn Balor and Johnny Gargano in a triple threat match to retain his title
Lee pinned Balor to retain in the exciting conclusion of a great triple threat match.
Although the handicap match was booked for next week, this first half of this match was basically turned into a handicap match with twos Davids against a Goliath.
The first part of the match was a showcase for Lee to look like a powerhouse. Balor and Gargano bumped and fed for him before the show cut to commercial. Lee was still striking them down as the show returned from the commercial break. The two smaller wrestlers both tried to ride Lee while applying sleeper holds. Lee threw them off his back, but just as soon as he could throw one then the other other would jump on his back.
Lee finally went down with Balor applying a sleeper, but Lee powered out to break the hold. He was back to his feet and back to power moves. Gargano and Balor were trying to take Lee off his feet when he snatched them both in his clutches before supexing both them over his head.
Balor again applied a sleeper, and Gargano simultaneously applied a leglock — but neither were to no avail. Lee flung Balor off of him like a school kid would toss a backpack off his shoulders, and then he mowed down Gargano with a forearm strike.
The fight spilled outside the ring, and Balor struck with sling blade to Lee on the floor. Gargano followed with a rolling senton off the apron on Lee. Before the show cut to its final commercial break, Lee was sent crashing into the steps and he was down selling. Balor and Gargano were fighting in the ring as the show returned from the break. They picked up the pace.
Balor with a tope con giro flying over the ropes onto Lee, and then Balor followed that with a Final Cut on Gargano for a near fall. Balor with a sling blade looked to set up his finishing sequence. In a call back to a previously infamous spot, Lee rose up on the apron into the camera frame behind Balor. Lee took out both Balor and Gargano with a slingshot crossbody.
Lee was smashing them both, when Balor suddenly struck with a double stomp out of nowhere. Balor went for the 1916, but Lee broke it up and picked up Balor in an electric chair. Balor escaped to apply a sleeper. Gargano jumped back into the fray, and he executed a slingshot DDT on Balor for a near fall. Lee broke up the count, and Gargano caught him in a guillotine. Lee took a tornado DDT, and he rolled outside.
Gargano flew through the ropes with a tope on Lee. Gargano then went for a tope on Balor, but he was blocked. Balor teased giving Gargano the 1916 on the floor (which was a call back to the spot where Gargano legit suffered an injury many months ago). Lee broke them up with a Monty Brown pounce.
Lee went to powerbomb Balor, but Balor countered into a delivering a double stomp. Gargano intercepted Balor only for Gargano to take a shotgun dropkick that bounced him off of Lee, and Lee fell on Gargano in another call back to a spot from a few weeks ago. Balor climbed the turnbuckles, and Lee got him in a guzzle. Gargano jumped in to strike Lee, which also crotched Balor. Gargano then rolled up Lee and put his foot on the middle rope for illegal leverage. Lee still managed to kick out.
Lee fired up to flatten Gargano with the Big Bang Catastrophe. Balor jumped off the top with a Coup de Grace on Gargano to break up the subsequent pinning attempt. Balor the ran into Lee, and Lee with another Big Bang Catastrophe. Lee then covered Balor for a clean pinfall.
NXT Champion Adam Cole had a staredown with Lee after the match where each held up their respective title belts. They meet in two weeks time in a title-for-title champion vs. champion match that runs head-to-head with week two of Fyter Fest on July 8.
Three matches have been announced for next Wednesday’s episode of NXT:
– NXT North American Champion Keith Lee puts his title on the line against Johnny Gargano and Finn Balor in a triple threat match
The winner will advance to face NXT Champion Adam Cole in a winner-take-all title vs. title match on the July 8 episode of NXT.
– Karrion Kross vs. Bronson Reed
Reed quickly defeated Leon Ruff on NXT tonight and then issued a challenge to Kross. It will be Kross’ first match since his dominant win against Tommaso Ciampa at NXT TakeOver: In Your House.
On last week’s NXT, Scarlett sent a warning to Cole on behalf of Kross. She placed an hourglass in the ring and turned it over, signifying that Cole’s time as NXT Champion is coming to an end.
– Damian Priest vs. Cameron Grimes
Priest defeated Killian Dain on NXT tonight. Later in the show, Priest found his tires slashed in the parking lot. Grimes then drove by and mocked Priest.
Priest punched Grimes last week after Grimes did an interview where he called Priest a loser for not defeating Balor at TakeOver: In Your House. Grimes tried to get out of his match against Balor later in the show by faking that he may have broken his jaw, but NXT general manager William Regal made Grimes still wrestle. Balor defeated Grimes in the match.
The NXT Championship and North American Championship will both be on the line in a winner-take-all title vs. title match next month.
It was announced tonight that Keith Lee will defend his North American Championship against Johnny Gargano and Finn Balor in a triple threat match on NXT next Wednesday. The winner will advance to face NXT Champion Adam Cole in a winner-take-all title vs. title match on the July 8 episode of the show.
Cole cut a promo on NXT tonight and addressed those who are coming after his title. He said Karrion Kross was impressive at TakeOver: In Your House, but he’s been on the brand for five minutes and has a long way to go before he earns a shot at Cole’s title.
Cole then mentioned Lee. He said Lee has his eyes on the NXT Championship — and Cole has his eyes on Lee’s North American title too. Cole reminded everyone that he was the first-ever North American Champion and called himself the greatest North American Champion there’s ever been.
Lee then came out to the ring, but Gargano’s music hit before he could say anything. Gargano said he pinned Lee in last week’s mixed tag match and wants the North American title. Gargano also said it’s about time that he gets the NXT Championship reign he deserves.
Balor was out to the ring next. He said he’s held titles all over the world, but he’s never been North American Champion. Balor warned that he’ll take the North American Championship and then come right for Cole’s NXT title.
NXT general manager William Regal appeared on the video screen and announced Lee vs. Gargano vs. Balor for the North American title next week, with the winner advancing to face Cole in the winner-take-all match on July 8.
For the first time in more than 20 years, In Your House makes its return tonight in the form of an NXT TakeOver special.
Three title matches are set for the show. The NXT Championship will be up for grabs as Adam Cole puts his title on the line against Velveteen Dream in a Backlot Brawl. If Dream loses, he can’t challenge for the NXT title again as long as Cole is champion.
The NXT Women’s Championship will be on the line in a triple threat match between Charlotte Flair, Rhea Ripley, and Io Shirai. Charlotte has been champion since winning the title from Ripley at WrestleMania 36.
NXT North American Champion Keith Lee is also defending his title against Johnny Gargano. On NXT last week, Candice LeRae & Gargano defeated Mia Yim & Lee after Gargano stabbed Lee in the eye with his car keys.
Karrion Kross (w/ Scarlett) will make his TakeOver debut against Tommaso Ciampa, Finn Balor is taking on Damian Priest, and Yim, Tegan Nox & Shotzi Blackheart will face LeRae, Dakota Kai & Raquel Gonzalez in a six-woman tag match.
The event starts at 7 p.m. Eastern time. There will also be a 30-minute pre-show prior to that.
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NXT TakeOver: In Your House pre-show:
Former WWE announcer Todd Pettengil appeared the pre-show. He hosted many of the original In Your House pay-per-views in the mid-’90s.
Scott Stanford, Sam Roberts and Pat McAffee hyped up the show early on. McAffee was off-set, sitting at his own desk.
Before they started, Sam Roberts explained that right now is the “golden era” for NXT and then compared the current scene to the idea of social darwinism. Yikes. Not the best term to use on television around these days.
The announce team continued running down tonight’s card. They showed a short clip of Tomasso Ciampa walking outside the venue.
Pat McAffee talked about the Keith Lee vs. Johnny Gargano match later on. He Gargano a scumbag and made fun of his clothes and his recent heel-ish behavior of late.
A promo montage aired for Adam Cole vs. Velveteen Dream. They aired clips from the angle lead-up and included the segment where commissioner William Regal explained the stipulations to Cole over Skype. Dream vowed to capture the belt in tonight’s Backlot Brawl.
Sam Roberts said that Bret Hart vs. Hakushi from the first In Your House was his all-time favorite match of the series.
A promo montage aired for Adam Cole vs. Velveteen Dream. They aired clips from the angle lead-up and included the segment where commissioner William Regal explained the stipulations to Cole over Skype. Dream vowed to capture the belt in tonight’s Backlot Brawl.
Sam Roberts said that Bret Hart vs. Hakushi from the first In Your House was his all-time favorite match of the series.
A package of Johnny Gargano and Candace LeRae aired next, followed up with more clips from NXT TV forwarding the current angle between Gargano and Keith Lee, or Gargano/LeRae vs. Lee/Mia Yim.
Stanford explained how Lee was still angry over Gargano using his car keys on Lee’s eyes. Roberts explained that this would be the first time we’ve seen Garagno “like this,” as a heel, and that his recent mean-streak would help him beat Lee tonight. Announcers then went over the women’s trios match of LeRae’s team vs. Mia Yim’s team.
A package for Finn Balor vs. Damian Priest was next. “Attack the guy, get the push,” Balor explained. Roberts said that this might the “low-key most important match tonight.”
The final montage on the pre-show focused on Charlotte Flair vs. Io Shirai vs. Rhea Ripley for the NXT Women’s title tonight. In the voiceover narration, it was explained to the audience that this was a “battle for valor.”
NXT TakeOver: In Your House
Todd Pettengil reappeared. He did the voiceovers for tonight’s show and sounds exactly the same. I feel like I’m watching an episode of WWF Mania.
Code Orange performed next.
NXT TakeOver: In Your House
*****
Six-woman tag team match: Mia Yim, Shotzi Blackheart & Tegan Nox defeated Candace LeRae, Dakota Kai, & Raquel Gonzalez
The venue was designed to look like an In Your House event in the ‘90s. It worked in a setting like this.
There was a “this is awesome’ chant before the match by staff behind the plexiglas in the crowd. Forcing chants here isn’t necessary.
Yim and LeRae were the first in, though LeRae tagged out before the two even touched. Reina Gonzalez was in next.
Nox and Kai were really good together in this. Kai clearly relishes the heel role she’s in these days.
Shotzi Blackheart did a dive to the floor but Gonzalez caught and ragdoll’d her. Yim followed up with a dive, then LeRae did a springboard plancha. Nox did a somersault senton from the top onto all wrestlers.
Employees in the crowd chanted “N-X-T!” once this part of the match wrapped.
Kai, and later Gonzalez, worked over Blackheart back in the ring.
Blackheart finally tagged out to Yim after taking a beating for a few minutes. Yim pinned LeRae with a bridging dragon suplex for two. LeRae responded with a release German suplex and the two were out for a few moments.
After Gonzalez used a falling power bomb on Nox, LeRae and Yim ended up brawling on the floor and into the backstage area. This allowed Blackheart and Nox to take out Gonzalez; Nox then pinned Kai clean with the Shiniest Wizard running knee-strike.
Finn Balor defeated Damian Priest
Balor jumped Priest before the bell and landed a shotgun dropkick that sent Priest to the floor. The bell rang soon after, and Priest was able to shift the momentum early. Early on, he started throwing the steel steps around ringside, as though he had a plan for them. He sidewalk-slammed Balor onto the apron from one of those steps next. Balor going above and beyond for Priest in this match.
Priest taunted Balor while he used a half-nelson facelock on him. Balor countered out of it with a jawbreaker. He landed a perfect flying forearm next, then brought the match back out to the floor. Balor went nuts with stomps on Priest, who was prone against the crowd barricade.
Priest used a gigantic Broken Arrow (aka Falcon Arrow) on Balor. Balor rallied back with a standing double stomp and the two were both out.
Priest did a box jump onto the apron towards the end of this. He then grabbed Balor and did a Razor’s Edge onto the edge of the apron.
Balor made another comeback late and took Priest out with a Slingblade. Priest countered with a few high roundhouse kicks. Balor came back at Priest with another shotgun dropkick, but when he went for the Coup de Grace off the top, Priest grabbed him by the throat, climbed to the ropes, then did a huge flying sit-out chokeslam … for two.
The employees chanted a lot while both sold for a minute after the nearfall. The final spot saw Priest try using another Razor’s Edge on Balor, this time to the floor on the aforementioned steel steps, but Balor escaped and kicked him, which knocked Priest to the floor. I think the idea here was for Priest to land flat onto the steel step, but because it was in a horizontal position, Priest landed on the middle and lower part of his back. It made a loud thud when he hit the steel and it looked rough, more like something you’d see on MTV Jackass.
Balor took care of Priest back in the ring, and finally put him away with the Coup de Grace diving double-stomp for the win. Balor stared Priest down after the match.
NXT U.S. Championship match: Keith Lee (c) vs. Johnny Garganno
Before Gargano got to the ring, we saw him inside the In Your House set, designed like the interior of an actual house. There was a framed picture of Dok Hendrix hanging inside the place, which Gargano shot a thumbs-up gesture to before heading to the ring.
The backside of Keith Lee’s tights read “BLACK LIVES MATTER” in pink and black letters.
Keith Lee threw some high roundhouse kicks early on in the match but missed. Since Gargano couldn’t get an early advantage on Lee, he rolled to the floor. Lee went after him, which is where Gargano got a few sneaky licks in. When he tried kicking Lee’s head off but missed, he kicked the steel steps. Him and Lee then had a funny staredown, Gargano in the role of chickensh*t heel.
Gargano ran away and tried going back into the house, which was apparently locked. Lee krept up on him and we saw the scene from the “security cam” point of view, in black and white, as if we were also inside the house. Cool idea here.
Garganno did a great job making Lee feel invincible. He chipped away at Lee back in the ring by climbing on top of him in the corner and laying in punches, then tried wearing Lee down to the mat with a cobra clutch.
When Gargano went for a slingshot spear, Lee stepped to the side and dropped a knee on Gargano in response.
The two lots traded forearms next. Lee went for a pop-up power bomb, but Gargano held on and turned the hold into an armbar. Lee used a Rampage Bomb to break the hold. He took Gargano’s head off with a standing lariat for a close two.
Lee went for Bg Bang Catasrophe but Gargano countered it into a sunset flip pin. Lee landed what Tom Phillips called a “one-armed spinebuster” which is also known as a chokeslam.
Gargano finally spiked Lee headfirst on the floor with a flying tornado DDT, but he had trouble getting Lee back into the ring because he was too big, so Gargano rolled back into the ring and broke the count, which the ref scolded him for.
Gargano went back to the floor to get Lee back into the ring, but Lee was back up. He used a pounce that sent Gargano flying through the plexiglass near the audience area.
Candace LeRae came out to distract Lee, but Mia Yim followed her out. When those two started fighting, Gargano gouged Lee’s eyes again with keys. Two-count. Before Lee could get up, Gargano superkicked Lee in the head. Two-count.
After landing a Spirit Bomb, then a power bomb into Big Bang Catasrophe for the emphatic win.
Backlot Brawl for the NXT championship: Adam Cole (c) defeated Velveteen Dream
Adam Cole came to the match in a giant truck with a slick Undisputed Era design painted on the sides. He cut a short promo on top of the truck until Velveteen Dream rolled up in a yellow Lamborghini. He dressed like Negan from The Walking Dead and carried with him a baseball bat not unlike Negan’s “Lucille.” Dream also had a picture of Hulk Hogan airbrushed on his jacket.
This was a part wrestling, cinematch. HD cameras were in use. It looked kind of cool, honestly.
The black NXT ring was in the center of a circle of parked cars. Each of the car’s lights were turned on, lighting up the ring. There were also spotlights shining down from the “neighborhood” set they filmed on. It’s an interesting arrangement, much better seen than read about.
Cole went to smash Dream with his belt before the match, but Dream rolled him up for two.
Cole then shouted “I’m leaving!” and rolled out of the ring with his belt and into a car. Dream started hitting the car with his bat until Cole got out.
The two were brawling in the lot when an SUV rolled into the scene.
“Did anyone order an Uber?” A female voice came from inside the vehicle. Dream tried throwing Cole into the Uber, but they ended up on the ground soon. Uber was gone after this.
The two walked and brawled around the set until Cole escaped from the lot. Dream shouted “Come out, come out, wherever you are!” like he was in Cape Fear.
Cole doused Dream with a fire extinguisher when he jumped out from behind a door. He was hiding. Cole yelled at Dream and called him stupid.
Dream rallied back and landed a double ax-handle off the apron to the ground. We could see a lot of extra production staff around ringside trying to keep things lit.
Dream brought out a ladder planned on jumping off it until the rest of Undisputed Era showed up in a sedan. They honked their horn then went after Dream, who was still on the ladder. Then, Cole’s three teammates started tossing him folding chairs to use on Dream.
“Tortured Artist” Dexter Loomis then appeared from nowhere and took care UE, scaring them to the back after pounding on them for a bit.
Cole’s arm was scarred, bleeding and filled with glass by the end of this. When he went for the Panama Sunrise back in the ring, Dream countered it into the Dream Driver.
Next, Dream landed the Purple Rainmaker flying elbowdrop onto Cole, who was sitting on a chair. Two-count.
Cole landed a low blow on Dream while Dream trash-talked him, then used the Panama Sunrise onto a pile of steel chairs for the win. Cars honked their horns, then Cole celebrated on top of his Undisputed Era truck. “Nobody can beat me for this! Nobody!” It wasn’t perfect, but it felt fresh, if anything.
Todd Pettengil spoofed his old 1-900-WWE-SHOP segments from back in the day; it was actually an ad for WWE Shop online. DX then appeared and pretended like they didn’t know how to use a computer, joking around that they’re old. It was hokey but so were the original events. It was clever.
Ciampa landed elbows early on, but Kross no-sold them, then landed a hard standing front kick into Ciampa’s face in the corner. Kross then launched him from the corner with a uranage-stype suplex.
On the floor, Kross picked Ciampa up with two hands and slammed him back-first against the apron. Kross tossed Ciampa twice more with his overheard arm-clutch suplex, then washed Ciampa’s face with his knee in the corner. Mauro Ranallo made a UWFi in reference to Kross’ style.
Ciampa tried chopping his way out of harm’s way, and after a bit of effort, he was able to plant a running knee into Kross’ face, then tried pinning him after a draping DDT for two.
Kross returned Ciampa’s attack, first spinning him into the air with an inverted F-5, then forced Ciampa to pass out in the Kross Jacket, a modified neck crank submission. The referee called for the bell once Ciampa was out.
“Karrion Kross just routed Tomasso Ciampa!” Great call from Tom Phillips after the match.
This was probably the best match on of the night, or at least the most effective, and Kross truly came across like a monster. IMPACT really should have let him use more of his shoot-style offense, because in 2020, that’s the kind of stuff that will help guys get over inside the ring, not just the size.
Io Shirai defeated Charlotte Flair (c) and Rhea Ripley in a Triple Threat match to become NXT Women’s champion
Flair rolled to the floor and insisted that Shirai and Ripley start the match off. Ripley went after Flair on the floor, so Shirai went after Ripley. From here, the match was underway.
Flair took over early on, chopping both her opponents and talking trash at them until they both fought out. No alliance here, though, as Shirai and Ripley went right back after each other.
Ripley went for a somersault senton off the apron but missed when Flair side-stepped out of the way. Flair then smashed Ripley into the barricades ringside.
Shirai shot back with a frankensteiner off the apron to the floor on Flair.
Flair had a Boston crab on Shirai for a while. Ripley finally returned to the match and took out Flair. Shirai landed a 619 to Flair next; Ripley had been knocked to the floor again.
Flair took Ripley and Shirai out with a double spear for two separate two-counts. She then went for a double moonsault but took too long: Ripey moved and Shirai got her knees up while Flair was on her way down.
The three then exchanged high spots and submissions. Shirai landed a big springboard dropkick on Ripley, then landed the Bullet Train knees attack. As Shirai celebrated, Flair caught her with Natural Selection, then locked Shirai into the figure eight until Ripley dragged Flair to the floor.
Shirai then landed an absolutely perfect plancha onto Ripley.
Flair took Shirai and threw her into the event monitors on set. Ripley smashed a plant on Flair.
Shirai then did a goregeous-looking cross body block from the top of the In Your House doorway. She got great hangtime.
Shirai tried a top-rope Frankensteiner but Ripley blocked it; Flair then ran over and booted Ripley in the face. Ripley fought back and landed the Riptide to Flair from off the ropes. Shirai broke up the close two-count.
Ripley caught Shirai in the Prism Lock, but Flair broke it up when she brought a kendo stick into the ring and whacked both Ripley and Shirai with it. She then put Ripley into the Figure Eight leglock, but before Ripley could tap, Shirai landed a moonsault off the top onto Ripley and pinned her. Since Flair was still entangled inside the Figure Eight, she couldn’t break the pinfall attempt. Shirai “didn’t quite get all of it” with regard to that final moonsault, but it’s negligible, as much of this match was really good.
Final thoughts:
No show today will come close to perfect due to world’s condition right now; real fans aren’t even allowed to attend yet.
But if you’ve been jonesing for a solid night of modern wrestling, this was a pretty much a success.
It wasn’t the greatest night of pro wrestling ever, but it did the trick. And there weren’t any bad matches, which is still par for the course for TakeOver shows.
I imagine the most-talked about match might be the Backlot Brawl. As mentioned earlier, it wasn’t a perfect match, but it felt and looked fresh, which is what every company needs right now the plan is to continue running empty venues. The match itself wasn’t great, but was creative enough to keep me distracted from Dream’s wrestling.
The main event triple threat was really good, but of course would have been that much better with a crowd. Flair was outstanding in this. Shirai was perfect aside from the weird landing on the moonsault finish. Ripley felt like a natural in this, which is impressive since three-way matches never feel smooth. It was well put-together.
Overall, it was a solid supercard from the NXT crew, with Io Shirai’s title win as the only real surprise of the night.
The card for NXT TakeOver: In Your House is up to five officially confirmed matches.
NXT’s Instagram account announced last night that Keith Lee will defend his North American Championship against Johnny Gargano at TakeOver: In Your House. Lee and Mia Yim have recently been feuding with Gargano and Candice LeRae.
Yim and LeRae will face off on next Wednesday’s episode of NXT.
Lee has been NXT North American Champion since winning the title from Roderick Strong in January. Gargano previously held the title in early 2019.
TakeOver: In Your House is taking place on Sunday, June 7. Here’s the updated card for the show:
NXT Champion Adam Cole defending against Velveteen Dream
NXT Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair defending against Rhea Ripley and Io Shirai in a triple threat match
NXT North American Champion Keith Lee defending against Johnny Gargano
Tommaso Ciampa vs. Karrion Kross (w/ Scarlett)
Finn Balor vs. Damian Priest
Cole vs. Dream has a stipulation where, if Dream loses, he can’t challenge for the NXT Championship again as long as Cole is champion.
WWE has also been building up an NXT Tag Team title match between champions Imperium (Marcel Barthel & Fabian Aichner) and Oney Lorcan & Danny Burch, but when that will be taking place hasn’t been announced.
The North American Championship was on the line in the main event of last night’s NXT.
Keith Lee overcame Damian Priest’s attack from last week and successfully defended his North American title against Priest last night. After the angle where he hit Lee in the throat with a nightstick last week, Priest again tried to use the weapon. But Lee blocked a nightstick shot, gave the weapon to the referee, and hit two Spirit Bombs to win the match.
NXT also set the stage for a loaded episode next Wednesday. Adam Cole will defend his NXT Championship against Velveteen Dream, Io Shirai will challenge for Charlotte Flair’s NXT Women’s Championship, Johnny Gargano will take on Dominik Dijakovic, Karrion Kross and Scarlett are set to officially arrive, and Finn Balor will call out the person who attacked him last week.
The North American Championship will be up for grabs on tonight’s episode of NXT.
NXT North American Champion Keith Lee is defending his title against Damian Priest on tonight’s show. Priest attacked Lee while he was teaming with Velveteen Dream against the Undisputed Era on NXT last week, hitting Lee in the throat with a nightstick and taking him out of the match.
A video also aired on last week’s NXT where Priest accused Lee of avoiding him. Priest got a title shot on NXT four weeks ago, but that was in a triple threat match with Dominik Dijakovic. Lee pounced Priest out of the ring at the end of the match and then pinned Dijakovic to retain his title.
NXT Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair is set for non-title action tonight. In her first match on NXT since defeating Rhea Ripley for the NXT Women’s Championship at WrestleMania 36, Charlotte will face off with Mia Yim.
Last week, Charlotte said Yim helped make her a star when they faced each other five years ago. She then gave Yim a backhanded compliment by saying Yim has always been “a good hand.”
The interim NXT Cruiserweight Championship tournament will also continue with a Group A match between Drake Maverick (0-1) and Tony Nese (0-1).
Our coverage begins at 8 p.m. Eastern time.
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Tom Phillips from inside Full Sail welcomed viewers to the show. Mauro Ranallo and Beth Phoenix were also on commentary. Unlike with Phillips there was no live shot of Ranallo and Phoenix, so they could possibly be doing the show remotely.
The Make-A-Wish logo was prominently displayed on LED screens as part of the set.
The show is opening with a Group B match in the ongoing cruiserweight round robin tournament.
Isaiah “Swerve” Scott defeated El Hijo del Fantasma in an Interim NXT Cruiserweight Champiobship tournament match
Scott pinned Fantasma with a cradle to get his first win in the tourney. Both Scott and Fantasma are now 1-1.
Things were fairly even at the start until Fantasma hit Swerve with a enzuigiri on the floor. Fantasma looked to take advantage, but Swerve springboarded into a Super Frankensteiner.
Fantasma with a hurricanrana sent Swerve outside the ring, and Fantasma rolled out after him. Swerve leapt on the apron and hit Fantasma with a running kick before the show cut to commercial.
Swerve had control as the show returned from break. Fantasma reversed a sunset flip and nailed a dropkick to create separation. Fantasma with a Super Frankensteiner of his own, and he followed with a frog splash for a two count.
A chop fest led into Swerve missing a Fosbury Flop, and Fantasma flew through the ropes with a tope. Fantasma went for a his finisher, but Swerve countered with a lucha move as he used la casita to cradle Fantsama for the pinfall.
In a post-interview with McKenzie Mitchell, Swerve cut a promo where he first put over Fantasma. He then said he needed this win. He said when the game is on the line, give him the ball and he will score. He noted he was 1-1 and had one more match to go and it will be “Swerve’s house”.
During the commercial break, two masked men again tried to kidnap Fantasma and he again fought them off.
Dominik Dijakovic cut a promo on Johnny Gargano ahead of their match next week on NXT.
Candice LeRae (with Johnny Gargano) defeated Kacy Catanzaro
LeRae pinned Catanzaro in a showcase match for LeRae to display her new heel character. She wrestled a more aggressive style.
“Pint Sized Poison” appears to be her new nickname. Gargano acted as ring announcer introduced his wife like Jim Cornette used to do for the Midnight Express.
Catanzaro got to shine at points during the match, but LeRae would cut her off.
LeRae at one point arrogantly went for the Gargano Escape and Catanzaro cradled her for a near fall. That was a good spot with the previous match on the show ending that way.
LeRae executed her new curb stomping finisher — the Wicked Stepsister — and covered Catanzaro for the pinfall.
After the match LeRae was leaving when she turned around to go back into the ring. She applied the Gargano Escape as Gargano beamed with pride.
Damian Priest cut a promo on Keith Lee building up their match later in the show.
NXT Tag Team Champions — Matt Riddle and Timothy Thatcher — were out next for the “Newly-Bros Show”. This was something that would fit before on Tuesday Night Titans. It was a game show segment patterened after The Newlywed Game.
Byron Saxton played the role of a wacky game show host. He asked them a series of questions, and a laugh track played when there were supposed to be a joke.
WTH was this crap? Pure gaga. This isn’t Tuesday Night Titans. I could have done without it, but it led to an angle to set up a tag match.
Thatcher played straight man, and Riddel acted like a stoner. Byron asked Thatcher what Riddle had for breakfast. He scoffed saying he had no idea. He was correct because Riddle wrote his answer as “no idea bro”.
Saxton asked Thatcher what was his favorite TV show. Thatcher said he didn’t own a television. Saxton asked a follow-up question about whether Thatcher would consider buying a TV. Thatcher said if the price was right. Riddle wrote down “The Price Is Right” as that was correct.
Next question was where is the craziest place you’ve done it as a wrestler. He said he had a triple threat in a laundry mat. Riddle wrote down his answer as “3 sum on a washer” so that was also correct.
Next was the speed round. Riddle said speed was not his thing. Fabian Aichner & Marcel Barthel suddenly rushed on stage to jump Riddle & Thatcher in a sneak attack. They put a beatdown on the tag champions, which would seem to set up a match between the teams.
There was a video package and plug urging viewers to donate to Make-A-Wish.
NXT Champion Adam Cole cut a promo on Velveteen Dream plugging a title match between them, so they are finally doing that one.
NXT Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair defeated Mia Yim in a non-title match
Flair submitted Yim in a good match.
After some back-and-forth, Yim fired up with a series of kicks and a cannonball into a corner. Yim was tranquilo when she hung in the ropes at one point. She went for a dive, but Flair cut her off with a elbow smash before a commmercial break.
Flair was working over Yim as the show returned from break. Yim fought back to lock in a tarantula, but Flair again cut her off.
Flair taunted Yim, which only served to fire up Yim. She struck with Sole Food, and Flair cut her off again.
Yim with a Code Red for a two count. Yim went for her finisher, but Flair countered to apply a Liontamer.
They traded near falls. Flair went for the figure-four, and Yim countered with an inside cradle for two.
Flair escaped Protect Ya Neck to apply the Figure-Eight, and Yim tapped out.
Io Shirai came out to confront Flair after the match. She screamed at her in Japanese before saying to Flair in English that “next week you are mine!” There appears to be a title match between them on the next episode. Shirai previously won a ladder match to win a title shot.
A vignette hyped Karrion Kross.
Finn Balor was announced for next week on NXT. This is coming off the angle last week where he went missing following a supposed attack.
Dexter Lumis defeated Shane Thorne
Lumix won after a referee stoppage. Thorne passed out in an arm triangle and referee Aja Smith stopped the match. This seemed to be a match aimed at getting Lumis over for what it’s worth. The tried but to me this seemed like a channel-changer.
NXT North American Champion Keith Lee cut a promo on Damian Priest ahead of their title match later on. Lee was selling his throat and said he had a bruised larynx stemming from the attack last week by Priest.
Drake Maverick defeated Tony Nese in an Interim NXT Cruiserweight Championship tournament match
Maverick founght from underneath to pin Nese with a super bulldog. Maveruck improved to 1-1 in Group A block of the tourney. Nese falls to a 0-2 record.
Nese beat down and put the boots to Maverick at the outset. Maverick’s selling was really good. Nese bullied him.
Maverick was a babyface in peril as the show cut to a commercial break. Nese was still in control after the break as he coninued to taunt him.
Maverick suddenly came alive and was a house of fire. He delivered a missile dropkick.
Nese gave Maverick a German suplex into a corner as he looked to regain control. Nese pulled down his knee pad and went charging into the corner. Maverick sidestepped him and used a cutter to get a near fall.
Maverick missed a flying elbow drop, but he was still able to trip up and crotch Nese on the top turnbuckle. Maverick then used a super bulldog off the top to score the pinfall.
In a post-match interview Maverick cut an impassioned promo saying he was ready to face Kushida in his next tourney match.
Announced for next week on NXT:
Io Shirai vs. Charlotte Flair for the NXT Women’s Championship
Johnny Gargano vs. Dominik Dijakovic
Velveteen Dream vs. Adam Cole for the NXT Championship
NXT North American Champion Keith Lee defeated Damian Priest to retain his title
Lee gained revenge after pinning Priest in this grudge match.
Lee kept cutting off Priest at the outset. He clotheslined Priest over the ropes, and the fight spilled outside. Priest tried to hop the guardrails, and Lee kelped him out by knocking him over the barricade.
Lee with a press slam tossed Priest over the guardrails onto the apron. Priest was reeling when he moved out of harm’s way as Lee crashed through the guardrails. Lee was down selling as the show went to its final commercial break.
Priest was in control after the break. Lee tried to reverse a suplex, but Priest escaped to deliver a hangman’s neckbreaker.
A pounce by Lee led into a double down. Lee dived over the ropes with a torneo splash. Back in the ring Priest kicked out at two.
Lee with a Western Lariat for another two count. Priest fought back and grapped Lee with a goozle, and Lee gozzled him in return.
Priest with a series of kicks, and he then exectued the Broken Arrow (Falcon Arrow). Lee rolled out of the ring, and Priest leapt over the ropes with a swan dive dive on Lee.
Priest with flying spin kick off the top for a near fall. They built to Lee doing a deadlift superplex for another near fall. Priest with a chokeslam, and Lee kicked out again.
After grabbing the title belt, Priest also retrieved an expandable baton that he used on Lee in the angle from last week. The title belt was a red herring. When the referee confiscated the belt and turned his back, Priest went to hit Lee with the baton.
Lee blocked the baton strike, and Lee defiantly declared to Priest that he was “limitless”. Lee chopped down Priest and twice delivered the Spirit Bomb to score the pinfall.
One title match has been announced for next week’s NXT, while another champion is set for non-title action.
NXT North American Champion Keith Lee will defend his title against Damian Priest next Wednesday. NXT Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair will also face Mia Yim in a non-title match on next week’s episode.
Lee saved Velveteen Dream from the Undisputed Era at the start of tonight’s NXT, setting up Dream & Lee vs. Adam Cole & Roderick Strong for the main event. But Lee was taken out during the match when Priest attacked him and hit him in the throat with a nightstick. Dexter Lumis joined the match and teamed with Dream to defeat Undisputed Era.
A video also aired earlier in the show where Priest said Lee is avoiding him.
Yim defeated Jessi Kamea on NXT tonight. After saying she wanted a match with Yim last week, Charlotte then appeared and wanted an answer. Yim accepted the challenge.
Charlotte said Yim helped make her a star when they faced each other five years ago. She then gave Yim a backhanded compliment by saying Yim has always been “a good hand.” Charlotte said she gets to help finally make Yim a star next week.
In an interview with CBS Sports after WrestleMania 36, Charlotte spoke about why she wants a match against Yim: “My very first dark match at NXT, they brought in Mia Yim to have with me. I was the girl who had no experience and didn’t know what I was doing, and Mia Yim obviously did. To see where our careers have gone, with her going to NXT, our paths can cross now four-and-a-half or five years later with myself a completely different person. I’m excited for that. I’ve been rooting for her this whole time, I just had to catch up.”
This will be Charlotte’s first match on NXT since she won the NXT Women’s Championship from Rhea Ripley at WrestleMania. Io Shirai is the number one contender to Charlotte’s title.
A triple threat North American Championship match was the first TakeOver: Tampa bout to take place on NXT television.
Keith Lee retained his North American title against Dominik Dijakovic and Damian Priest in last night’s main event. Priest tried to use a nightstick in the match, and Dijakovic hit his knee on it when hitting Feast Your Eyes on Priest. Lee then sent Priest over the top rope and pinned Dijakovic after giving him the Big Bang Catastrophe.
The show also featured Dakota Kai winning a second chance gauntlet match to determine the final participant for next week’s number one contender’s ladder match. Shotzi Blackheart eliminated the first four wrestlers, but Kai defeated Blackheart after she was distracted by having to fend off interference by Raquel Gonzalez.
Chelsea Green, Mia Yim, Tegan Nox, Io Shirai, Candice LeRae, and Kai will be the wrestlers in the number one contender’s ladder match. Tommaso Ciampa vs. Johnny Gargano is also airing on NXT next week.
Tonight marks the start of some matches that were originally scheduled for TakeOver: Tampa airing on NXT.
NXT North American Champion Keith Lee will defend his title against Dominik Dijakovic and Damian Priest in a triple threat match. The match was announced after a brawl between the three wrestlers on NXT last week.
The number one contender’s ladder match that was set for TakeOver will air on NXT next week. Tonight, a second chance gauntlet match will determine the final participant for the ladder match. Dakota Kai, Kayden Carter, Xia Li, Aliyah, Shotzi Blackheart, and Deonna Purrazzo will face off to determine who gets the last spot.
Chelsea Green, Mia Yim, Tegan Nox, Io Shirai, and Candice LeRae have already qualified for the ladder match. The winner will challenge either Rhea Ripley or Charlotte Flair for the NXT Women’s Championship at some point in the future.
Velveteen Dream vs. Bobby Fish is also set for tonight. Last week, Adam Cole sent in a video message, said Dream doesn’t deserve a shot at his NXT Championship, and challenged him to face Fish.
Our coverage begins at 8 p.m. Eastern time.
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Tom Phillips and Sam Roberts are on commentary. Roberts was playing heel.
Velveteen Dream defeated Bobby Fish
Dream pinned Fish with the Dream Valley Driver. This match went through a few commercial breaks, but still wasn’t that long. Dream is working his way through the Undisputed Era faction as he chases NXT Champion Adam Cole.
Dream got to shine until Fish countered a suplex into a sleeper. Fish peppered Dream with strikes, and Dream powdered. Fish gave chase, and Dream cut him off.
After springboarding into a flying ax handle, Dreams moments later climbed the turnbuckles. Fish rolled outside, and Dream came off the top with an ax handle to the floor.
Fish smashed Dream into a guardrail at ringside just before the show cut to its first commercial break.
Fish started working a leg when the show returned from break. The show went to commercial again not long after being back.
When the show returned again Fish was applying an ankle lock. Dream escaped to catch Fish in a fireman’s carry, and Dream was seemingly going for one of his finisher. Fish escaped amd applied a sleeper.
Dream countered the sleeper, and Fish ran into a DVD out of nowhere. Dream then covered him for the pinfall.
Dream cut a promo after the match saying if Cole put down his video games and opened his third eye, then he realize that play time is over. Dream warned Cole that he will work harder than ever.
Malcolm Bivens introduced viewers to his “associates” from Bivens Enterprises. They are Rinku and Saurav. They are a new monster heel tag team. :Last week they attacked Matt Riddle and left him laying.
Dexter Lumis defeated Jake Atlas
Lumis submitted Atlas in an enhancement match.
Lumis was billed as being from an “undisclosed location”. Maybe he’s from the same place that AEW is taping Dynamite. Lumis entered the ring with possessed look on his face. I guess his gimmick is he is like Dexter from the drama of the same name.
Lumis pummeled Atlas from the start. Roberts on commentary referred to it as a dissection.
Atlas made a comeback as he fired up on Lumis. Atlas flew through the ropes with a tope, but Lumis soon cut him off. Lumis ended it shortly thereafter. A side slam set up a chokehold that led to the submission.
A spooky vignette hyped Killer Kross.
A re-air of a previous segment showed Tommaso Ciampa and Johnny Gargano wrecking the Performance Center in a wild brawl from three weeks ago. There were actually fans there when this was taped. It seemed like ages ago.
Ciampa and Gargano meet in a match next week on NXT that they are billing as “Black Heart vs. Rebel Heart: One Last Beat”. And then the next match on the show had a “Blackheart”. No relation.
Dakota Kai won a gauntlet match over Shotzi Blackheart, Deonna Purrazzo, Kayden Carter, Xia Li and Aliyah
Kai in winning becomes the final entrant in the women’s number one contender’s ladder match. Blackeart looked to run the entire gauntlet — until Kai dashed her hopes thanks to interference by Raquel Gonzalez. Blackheart looked strong despite losing in the end.
Shotzi Blackheart defeated Deonna Purrazzo
They grappled at the start, and Purrazzo went on to take most of the offense. By WWE logic that meant she was losing, and she did. Blackheart shoved her off the turnbuckles, and followed with a senton off the top rope to score the pinfall. Purrazzo was eliminated.
Xia Li ran down as the next entrant, and she went right to work on Blackheart before the show cut to commercial.
Blackheart defeated Xia Li
Blackheart submitted Li with hold similar to cattle mutilation. Li was rocking Blackheart with kicks, but Blackheart cut her off to eliminate Li via submission
Blackheart defeated Aliyah
Blackheart used the same submission hold on Aliyah after a chicken wing suplex.
Blackheart defeated Kayden Carter
They were having a back-and-forth match, but Blackheart pinned her after a senton off the top rope.
Dakota Kai quickly ran down to attack Blackheart as the next mactch in the gauntlet began.
Dakota Kai (w/ Raquel Gonzalez) defeated Shotzi Blackheart
Kai worked over Blackheart, and Gonzalez would also interfere behind the referee’s back. Blackheart would make a comeback. She did a dive on to Kai and Gonzalez, and then howled like a wolf.
Gonzalez plucked her off the apron, but Blackheart escaped her clutches to send Gonzalez crashing into the ring steps. The distraction still allowed Kai to strike. She delivered her Go 2 Kick finisher, and covered Blackheart. She advances to the ladder match next week.
A great video package was a hard sell for the NXT Women’s Championship match at WrestleMania. Rhea Ripley defends the title against Charlotte Flair on the two-part card that airs this weekend.
Kushida defeated Joaquin Wilde
Kushida submitted Wilde in a fun match to watch.
Kushida with a flurry of his uniquely cool offense in the early portion. Wilde was able to ground him before a commercial break.
Wilde after the break got a few near falls, but Kushida would kick out and soon fought back. A handspring back elbow led into a cross armbreaker for the submission.
Keith Lee defeated Dominik Dijakovic vs. Damian Priest in a triple threat match to retain his NXT North American Championship
Lee pinned Dijakovic to win the match after Priest used a baton on Dijakovic just before of the finish. This was good, but it was far from how great a match at TakeOver would likely have been received. It was still good for what it was.
A melee at the start led to a standoff before the show cut to commercial.
Lee was outside selling after the break, which left Priest and Dijakovic in the ring. They ran through some spots, and Dijakovic was sent outside. Lee got back in the ring to square off with Priest.
Dijakovic jumped back in and picked up Lee in an electric chair. Priest then with a spin off off the top connected with Lee for a modified Doomsday Device. That left all three down selling.
Priest and Dijakovic gave Lee a double chokeslam. Priest with a Razor’s Edge sent Dijakovic sailing over the ropes into the arms of Lee. Priest followed with a springboard into a flip dive to the outside, and that highspot led into the last commercial break of the show.
Dijakovic went to suplex Priest, but Lee caught Priest in mid-air. Lee then used Priest as a battering ram to hit Dijakovic, and Lee powerbombed Priest onto the back of Dijakovic. Priest took a Spirit Bomb that netted Lee a near fall. Dijakovic broke up the pinning attempt.
Lee dispatched Dijakovic with a chokeslam from hell. Priest would give Lee a Super Frankensteiner. Dijakovic then struck with a flying elbow drop on a prone Lee.
Priest and Dijakovic knocked out each other with kicks. They both fell in a heap on to Lee for a two count, and Lee kicked out.
Dijakovic with a corkscrew moonsault press for a near fall on Lee.
Priest retrieved an expandable baton from underneath the ring. Dijakovic went for Feast Your Eyes, but Priest was able to use the baton to block it. Dijakovoc sold his knee.
Lee swooped in to deliver the Big Bang Catastrophe, and he covered Dijakovic to retain his title.
Two title matches are taking place on tonight’s special episode of NXT from the WWE Performance Center.
With Full Sail University unavailable due to their annual Hall of Fame week, tonight is fan appreciation night at the Performance Center. Keith Lee will defend his NXT North American Championship against Cameron Grimes on the show, while Matt Riddle & Pete Dunne will defend their NXT Tag Team titles against former champions Kyle O’Reilly & Bobby Fish.
After winning this year’s Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic, Riddle & Dunne defeated O’Reilly & Fish for the NXT Tag Team titles at TakeOver: Portland.
Lee has been NXT North American Champion since winning the title from Roderick Strong in January.
Another participant for the number one contender’s ladder match at NXT TakeOver: Tampa will also be decided as Mia Yim and Dakota Kai face off in a qualifying match tonight.
Chelsea Green became the first wrestler to qualify for the ladder match by defeating Shotzi Blackheart last week. NXT Women’s Champion Rhea Ripley is defending her title against Charlotte Flair at WrestleMania 36, and the winner of the ladder match will get the first title shot against Ripley or Charlotte.
Our live coverage begins at 8 p.m. Eastern time.
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The show tonight from the Performance Center was a fresh look just being away from Full Sail, but the crowd still looked small in comparison to that promotion on the other channel.
Crowd sizes may be almost nonexistent in some places for the time being. By some strange chance, running a live telecast from the PC may prove prophetic. Could we see more shows presented in-house in the coming weeks?
NXT tonight opens with a title match.
NXT North American Champion Keith Lee defeated Cameron Grimes to retain his title
Lee pinned Grimes after his modified jackhammer finishing move after a good TV match.
There was some cat-and-mouse games in the early portion, and Lee caught Grimes on some dives. Lee has Grimes reeling, and he even threw down the man’s hat. That sir, is an outrage!
Grimes tripped up Lee, and Grimes then leapt into a flying crossbody before a commercial break.
Lee with a fiery comeback after the break, and he mowed down Grimes with a crossbody block. Grimes was able to fight back, and he hooked Lee for a German suplex and a bridge for a close near fall.
Grimes countered a suplex into a tornado DDT. Lee kicked out again.Grimes went for his double stomp finisher, but Lee blocked him. Grimes with a superkick, and Lee answered back with a pounce. Lee then delivered the Big Bang Catastrophe to score the pinfall and retain his title.
Damien Priest jumped Lee after the match in a sneak attack. Priest hit Lee several times with a baton, and Dominik Dijakovic ran down to make a save. Dijakovic ran off Priest, and then he picked up the North American title belt.
Dijakovic almost in a daze was looking at the belt when Lee was getting to his feet. Lee suddenly picked up Dijakovic for a Spirit Bomb.
Mia Yim defeated Dakota Kai (w/ Raquel Gonzalez) to qualify for the ladder match at TakeOver
Yim pinned Kai after interference from Gonzalez backfired on them. Yim in winning qualifies for the number one contender’s ladder match at TakeOver in Tampa.
Yim was firing up on Kai when Gonzalez interfered by giving Yim a Snake Eyes on the apron. The show went to commercial, and Kai was working over Yim when the show returned from the break.
Yim soon made a comeback that led to a shotgun dropkick and a cannonball in a corner for a near fall. Kai cut her off and hit her with kicks, and then the Kai-ropractor. Yim kicked out and moments later blocked a face wash. Yim with a powerbomb for two.
Gonzalez was causing a distraction at ringside, which allowed Kai to roll up Yim. The referee was busy warning Gonzalez and missed the pin.
Yim escaped, and Kai walked into Protect Ya Neck. Yim then covered Kai for the pinfall. Yim advances to the ladder match at TakeOver.
Gonzalez got her heat back after the match as she attacked Yim to leave her laying. Yim had taken a chokeslam from Gonzalez and left for dead, but Yim still got to her feet as the crowded her name.
Tommaso Ciampa quickly passed up an interview as he walked with purpose into the building. Meanwhile, Undisputed Era was warming up backstage ahead of their match against the Bro-serweights.
Kushida defeated Raul Mendoza
Kushida submitted Mendoza with a cross armbreaker in a fast paced thriller.
They wasted no time as they exploded into action. Mendoza went to run down a rope into but Kushida knocked him out of the air with a right hand. Kushida followed with a tope con giro.
Mendoza turned the tide with a corkscrew brainbuster and a quebrada. Kushida came back with a handspring back elbow and a flurry that led into the basement dropkick.
They were fighting on the turnbuckles when Kushida applied a Kimura. They both turned a flip and landed on the mat where Kushida had tranisitioned into a cross armbreaker, and Mendoza tapped out.
In a pre-tape interview, Tyler Breeze was being asked about being back in the PC when Austin Theory interrupted to introduce him to Breeze. They traded insults so expect a match between the two.
NXT Women’s Champion Rhea Ripley came to the ring for a promo. She said Charlotte Flair would be knocked on her ass at WrestleMania. Flair then interrupted to confront Ripley. Flair also heeled on the crowd, and the crowd chanted “go back to Raw” at her.
Flair vowed to beat Ripley at WrestleMania. She was going to drowned the fast rising star. A brawl erupted and Flair hit Ripley with a high kick, and went for the Figure Eight. Ripley countered, but Flair was able to trip up Ripley. Flair wrapped Ripley’s leg around a ring post, and then she applied the Bret Hart fighure-four around the post until more officials poured out to break up the hold.
A feature on WALTER was great. The vignette teased an upcoming match with Finn Balor.
An SUV sped into the paring lot. Two masked men exited the vehicle and abducted Raul Mendoza. They forced him into the SUV, and got in. The driver then floored it.
Tegan Nox defeated Deonna Purrazzo to qualify for the ladder match at TakeOver.
Nox pinned Purrazzo after using the Shiniest Wizard. Nox moves on the number one contender’s ladder match at TakeOver.
Purrazzo took most of the match as Nox sold. Purrazzo was going for a Fujiwara armbar when Nox fired up and delivered the shining wizard to score the pinfall.
Undisputed Era sauntered to the ring for their match. Two were scheduled for a tag team match. Some people had other ideas.
Velveteen Dream appeared in the eagle’s nest perched above the PC, and he began to cut a promo on NXT Champion Adam Cole and Undisputed Era. Cole then cut a promo on him, and Cole also said that next week he becomes the longest reiging NXT Champion. This whole confrontation seemed very forced, but Cole cut a great promo.
NXT Tag Team Champions Bro-serweights (Matt Riddle & Pete Dunne) defeated Undisputed Era (Bobby Fish & Kyle O’Reilly with Adam Cole & Roderick Strong) to retain their titles
Riddle & Dunne retain their titles when Dunne pinned O’Reilly. This match was as great as it should have been given the location. There was only so much heat to generate in that setting.
After some early exchanges and grappling, the stallions began to run wild, bro. They freaking cleaned house, bro. Then the show cut to commercial.
Fish & O’Reilly got heat on Riddle after the break. They proverbially cut the ring in half. That built to a hot tag, and Dunne running wild.
Dunne trapped O’Reilly in a triangle, and the other members of Undisputed Era interfered from the outside the help break the hold. Riddle jumped off Dunne’s back into a flip to the outside. Cole rolled into the ring, and Dunne pulled an Eddie Guerrero trick.
Dunne went down like Cole struck him. Cole pleaded his case, but the referee ejected Cole and Strong. Riddle & Dunne then did the Toru Yano shrug before the show cut to commercial.
Fish & O’Reilly were worked over Dunne as the show returned from break. Riddle soon ran wild with suplexes after he tagged back into the match. A fisherman’s buster netted him a two count on O’Reilly.
Bro-serweights both landed on their feet on attempted German suplexes. They then hit Undisputed Era with stereo kicks.
Dunne and O’Reilly were trading strikes when they went into a double down.
There was a blind tag spot that set up O’Reilly doing a bombs away Bobby Eaton knee drop. Dunne jumped in to break up the pinning attempt. O’Reiily flew off the apron with a knee drop on Dunne.
Fish & O’Reilly were looking to finish the match, but Riddle fought back against a double team assault.
The Grizzled Young Veterans in full suits came out to cause a distraction at ringside. That allowed O’Reilly to get a near fall on a roll-up attempt. The Veterans were soon wiped out when Fish has backdropped on to them.
Riddle & Dunne then hit O’Reilly with a double-team knee strikes, and Dunne covered O’Reilly to score the pinfall.
Tommaso Ciampa is closing the show with a promo. He called out Johnny Gargano — who appeared on the video screen to offer a rebuke.
Ciampa was having none of that. He stormed into the room Gargano was in and a brawl enused. They knocked a large hole in some drywall, and the fight spilled over a table. This feels like such a Memphis angle. Studio wrestling lives!
They fought around the building, including into the trainers’ room. The fight continued into the gym area. In a way this was giving us a nice tour of the PC.
Like Shawn did to Marty, Gargano threw Ciampa through a glass window. In this version, Ciampa crashed into the window of an office door instead of a barber shop.
Ciampa sold big, and Gargano showed no remorse. Gargano kept pummeling Ciampa around the gym. Ciampa fought back using free weights as a weapon.
Ciampa heaved a large weight at Gargano — who moved out of the way. The weight shattered a mirror, and they fought on.
They brawled into the grandstands and fought in the crowd. Ciampa dragged Gargano to the announce desk, and they ended up in the platform perch above the desk.
Gargano was able to apply the his crossface submission hold while on the perch, and he let go of the hold only to punch a referee.
This was built to a stunt where Gargano teased senting Ciampa off the platform.
Ciampa was playing possum as he leapt into action and hoisted Gargano for an Air Raid Crash off the eagle’s nest on to the announce desk below. The announce table crumbled beneath their weight.
Two title matches are set for next week’s episode of NXT.
NXT North American Champion Keith Lee will defend his title against Cameron Grimes on the show. There will also be an NXT Tag Team Championship match, with Matt Riddle & Pete Dunne defending their titles against former champions The Undisputed Era (Kyle O’Reilly & Bobby Fish).
The North American title match was announced during a segment where Grimes interrupted Lee on tonight’s NXT. O’Reilly & Fish defeated Oney Lorcan & Danny Burch on tonight’s show and then cut a promo about wanting the NXT Tag Team titles back.
Riddle & Dunne came to the stage and said they’re down to give O’Reilly & Fish a rematch. The Grizzled Young Veterans (Zack Gibson & James Drake) then attacked Riddle & Dunne. Gibson said he couldn’t care less about O’Reilly & Fish’s rematch clause. He said — as far as the NXT Tag Team titles are concerned — it’s out with the old and in with The Grizzled Young Veterans.
Before interrupting Lee tonight, Grimes defeated Dominik Dijakovic on NXT last week. Damian Priest attacked Dijakovic’s leg with a nightstick behind the referee’s back during the match. It was teased that Dijakovic was going to lose by countout because of that, but he made it back into the ring just in time. Grimes then hit a double stomp and pinned him.
Lee became the NXT North American Champion by defeating Roderick Strong in January. He retained his title against Dijakovic at NXT TakeOver: Portland last month.
After winning this year’s Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic, Riddle & Dunne defeated O’Reilly & Fish for the NXT Tag Team titles at TakeOver: Portland.
Dijakovic won with Feast Your Eyes. The crowd was really into Priest’s entrance.
– Bianca Belair defeated Kayden Carter
Belair got a nice pop from the crowd.
– Dexter Lumis defeated Rik Bugez
Lumis was cool and mostly dominated the match. He won with a roll-up while hooking the tights.
After the match, Bugez did his air guitar routine with the referee and ring announcer.
– Dakota Kai & Raquel Gonzalez defeated Mia Yim & Tegan Nox
The heels got the win with a roll-up while having their feet on the ropes. Nothing special in this one.
– Finn Balor defeated NXT North American Champion Keith Lee by DQ
The crowd exploded when Balor’s music hit. The fans were pretty split during the match, but I thought Balor was more over.
There was a cool spot in this match where Balor countered the Spirit Bomb into a double stomp. The fans turned on Balor when he hit a low blow after a ref bump. He grabbed the North American title belt, but Dijakovic came down, took the belt away, and superkicked Balor. The ref saw Dijakovic with the belt and disqualified Lee.
Lee and Dijakovic had a staredown and the crowd was booing Dijakovic as he walked away.
– Kushida defeated Cameron Grimes
Kushida won by submission. The match was okay but not great.
– NXT Women’s Champion Rhea Ripley defeated Chelsea Green to retain her title
Green had a bit of offense, but this felt like a longer squash match. Ripley got a big pop.
– Tommaso Ciampa, Velveteen Dream & NXT Tag Team Champions Matt Riddle & Pete Dunne defeated The Undisputed Era (NXT Champion Adam Cole, Roderick Strong, Kyle O’Reilly & Bobby Fish)
There were some fun spots in this one, including all four members of Undisputed Era taking a superkick at the same time. Everyone got time to shine. Ciampa hit the Fairytale Ending on Fish for the win. As he usually is in Minnesota, Velveteen Dream was very over.
After the match, Ciampa thanked the fans, roster, and Triple H on NXT’s 10th birthday. He then led the crowd in a happy birthday song.
