Two more participants have qualified for the number one contender’s ladder match at NXT TakeOver: Tampa.
Mia Yim and Tegan Nox both won qualifying matches on tonight’s episode of NXT. Yim defeated Dakota Kai, while Nox defeated Deonna Purrazzo.
Raquel Gonzalez’s interference ended up backfiring in Yim vs. Kai. Gonzalez attacked Yim in a post-match angle, but — after Gonzalez and Kai left — Yim got to her feet and the crowd chanted for her.
On last week’s NXT, Chelsea Green became the first wrestler to qualify for the number one contender’s ladder match by defeating Shotzi Blackheart.
The ladder match will feature six participants in total. Another qualifying match has been announced for next week’s NXT, with Candice LeRae set to face off with Mercedes Martinez. WWE hasn’t revealed who will be in the other two qualifiers.
The Amalie Arena is scheduled to host NXT TakeOver: Tampa on Saturday, April 4. With Rhea Ripley defending her NXT Women’s Championship against Charlotte Flair at WrestleMania 36, the ladder match is taking place at TakeOver instead of a title match. The winner will be the number one contender to either Ripley or Charlotte after WrestleMania.
A TakeOver: Tampa qualifying match has been added to the lineup for tonight’s NXT.
Mia Yim and Dakota Kai will face off tonight, with the winner being added to the number one contender’s ladder match at NXT TakeOver: Tampa. Chelsea Green became the first wrestler to qualify for the match by defeating Shotzi Blackheart on NXT last week.
TakeOver: Tampa is being held at the Amalie Arena on Saturday, April 4. With Rhea Ripley defending her NXT Women’s Championship against Charlotte Flair at WrestleMania 36, the number one contender’s ladder match is taking place at TakeOver instead of a title match.
After Kai’s heel turn at TakeOver: WarGames, she faced off with Yim on the December 11 episode of NXT. Kai won that match after sending Yim head-first into an exposed turnbuckle, but they brawled in a post-match angle and Yim put Kai through two tables with a back suplex off of a tech area.
Kai defeated Tegan Nox in their steel cage match last week due to interference from Raquel Gonzalez.
With Full Sail Live not being available tonight due to Full Sail University’s annual Hall of Fame week, tonight’s episode of NXT is taking place at the WWE Performance Center. Keith Lee will defend his NXT North American Championship against Cameron Grimes on the show, and Matt Riddle & Pete Dunne will defend their NXT Tag Team titles against Kyle O’Reilly & Bobby Fish.
The NXT UK Women’s Champion will be in action this Saturday at WWE’s Worlds Collide.
WWE announced Tuesday that champion Kay Lee Ray will face Mia Yim on the Worlds Collide pre-show, scheduled for 6:30 PM Eastern Saturday night, available on the Network, WWE.com, YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter.
While not specifically referenced, it’s assumed the match is not for Ray’s championship.
The Worlds Collide event will take place at the Honda Center in Houston, Texas, in lieu of an NXT TakeOver, featuring talent from NXT, NXT UK, and 205 Live going head to head.
The current card on WWE Network is as follows:
NXT Women’s Champion Rhea Ripley vs. Toni Storm title match
NXT Cruiserweight Champion Angel Garza vs. Isaiah Scott vs. Jordan Devlin vs. Travis Banks in a fatal four-way title match
Finn Balor vs. Ilja Dragunov
Imperum vs. Undisputed Era eight-man tag match
Johnny Gargano/Tommaso Ciampa vs. Tyler Bate/Trent Seven
Changes to the NXT TakeOver: WarGames card prior to the show’s start foreshadowed a turn during the broadcast.
Mia Yim was shown laid out backstage during the TakeOver preshow. As she was being put in an ambulance, NXT GM William Regal asked team captain Rhea Ripley what she would do. Ripley turned to Dakota Kai, who was ready to leave in the ambulance with Yim, and told her she was in. Originally, Kai was passed over by Ripley for inclusion in the team in favor of Yim.
Kai later turned on her team when it was time for her to enter the match. Kai instead destroyed Tegan Knox, laying her out and ramming the door of the cage they were kept in into one of her previously injured knees. Knox has spent the last couple of years on the shelf following a number of ligament tears in both knees.
This left Shayna Bazler’s team with a 4 on 2 advantage. Despite this, Rhea Ripley and Candice LeRae were able to score the victory after Ripley landed the riptide on Baszler through a number of chairs that were already set up.
A ladder match with WarGames implications is set for tonight’s episode of NXT.
Mia Yim and Io Shirai will face off in a ladder match on NXT tonight. It will decide which team gets the advantage in the women’s WarGames match at TakeOver.
Team Ripley (Rhea Ripley, Tegan Nox, Candice LeRae & Yim) will face Team Baszler (Shayna Baszler, Bianca Belair, Shirai, and a partner) at TakeOver: WarGames on November 23. The men’s WarGames match will be Tommaso Ciampa, Keith Lee, Matt Riddle, and a partner vs. The Undisputed Era (Adam Cole, Roderick Strong, Kyle O’Reilly & Bobby Fish).
After The O.C. (AJ Styles, Luke Gallows & Karl Anderson) appeared last week, WWE is teasing whether or not tonight’s show will feature any involvement from Raw or SmackDown wrestlers.
A Cruiserweight Championship match is also set. After Angel Garza defeated Tony Nese in a number one contender’s match last week, he’ll challenge for Lio Rush’s Cruiserweight title tonight.
Our live coverage begins at 8 p.m. Eastern time.
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The show is opening with a title match.
NXT Cruiserweight Champion Lio Rush defeated Angel Garza to retain his title
Rush pinned Garza after two frog splashes in a match that was action packed. This was a typical WWE match in many ways, and in other ways in was unlike most WWE matches on the main roster. They did some unique spots, but the match followed a WWE pattern. Still a really good match.
Rush’s wife and childern were sitting front row ringside for the match. Garza heeled on them in the early portion of the match as he hopped the guardrail, and then he did the Latin Lover gimmick where he rips his pants off. He did this in front of Rush’s wife and kids. Rush torpedoed through the ropes with a tope suicida seeking revenge.
Rush was a house of fire, but Garza countered a second tope into a powerslam on the floor. The show cut to commercial, and Garza dominated through the break. He did a slingshot reverse suplex at one point, but we only got to see with in small split screen with no sound as a commercial blared. This split screen gimmick during commcerials is really so annoying.
Garza dashed some hope spots during the break, but Rush made a comeback when the show returned from commercial. Rush did a handspring back elbow for a two count. Garza soon cut him off as they began trading strikes. Rush springboarded off the bottom rope attempting his finisher, and Garza got him with a vicious shotgun dropkick for a close near falll.
Garza missed a quebrada, and Rush capitalized with a cool swinging Unprettier for two and half. They did an avalanche spot where Garza did a fallaway slam moonsault. Rush moments later cut off Garza with Rush Hour (running Spanish Fly).
Rush hit his finisher — the Come Up — and then he went for second attempt. Garza countered that into his finisher — the Wing Clipper. Rush still managed to kick out.
Garza was going for an avalanche version of his finisher when Rush countered into a Frankensteiner. Rush then executed a frog splash for two. With Garza draped in the ropes, Rush did a second frog splash to score the pinfall.
Rhea Ripley and Tegan Nox were laid out in a hallway selling an attack by mystery assailants. Officials poured in to check on them as they show went to commercial.
Xia Lee defeated Aliyah (w/ Vanessa Borne)
Lee pinned Aliyah after a roundhouse kick in a short match. This was as showcase for Lee, but not sure it accomplished what they wanted it to. accomplish. They seemed green.
Borne caused a distraction at one point. That allowed Aliyah to gain a momentary advantage, but not for long. Lee fired up. Aliyah raked the eyes — only to get mowed down with a roundhouse kick.
Aliyah was treated in the ring for a bloody nose, as a towel was brought into the ring and held to her face. The announcers played it up so not sure if that was work. The kick sure looked legit.
The next segment established a new feud and furthered existing feuds. First there was Finn Balor coming to the ring to cut a promo on NXT. He asked condescending questions about what happened to his NXT. He used to love this place, and now he thinks its a joke.
Balor claimed he built this place, and then a “bunch of little boys moved in.” They cry on social media about being injured. Balor name dropped Matt Riddle. Suddenly, Riddle ran in to attack Balor. They brawled around ringside and Balor fled the scene through the crowd.
Riddle cut a promo on Balor and called him a “putz”.
Undisputed Era like a pack of wolves came out to surround Riddle. Tomasso Ciampa and Keith Lee stormed out to have Riddle’s back.
Adam Cole started cutting a promo on them when Lee shut him up. Lee then called out Cole. Roderick Strong chimed in and said Cole needed a night off. Strong then told Lee to fight him. Lee accepted the challenge, and the match was on after a commercial break.
Keith Lee defeated NXT North American Champion Roderick Strong in a non-title match
Lee pinned Strong with a jackhammer in a really good match with a lot of run-ins.
Lee dominated the match at the outset using his power advantage. Strong cut him down with kicks to the legs, but he couldn’t knock down Lee with shoulder tackles. Lee rose to his feet and absorbed some chops. He then laid out Strong with a double overhead chop.
Strong cut off Lee before a commercial. After the break, Strong had Lee reeling as he brought the fight to him. They fought at ringside where Strong delivered a wrecking ball dropkick. A sick kick netted Strong a two count. Strong grounded Lee briefly until taunts fired up Lee.
Lee mounted a comeback as he bieled Strong across the ring. Strong still kicked out. Moments later they did a superplex, and Lee kicked out.
Strong went for the Boston crab, but Lee powered out. They traded strikes. Strong was hitting his running forearms when Lee turned him inside out with a lariat.
Undisputed Era came to ringside. They were attacked by Ciampa and Riddle. Cole hit Ciampa with a dropkick on the floor. Riddle did a flying forearm on the floor. Balor ran in to attack Riddle as he gave him a slingblade on the outside. Balor stomped on him and dropkicked him into the steps.
Lee was distracted by the run-ins. That allowed Strong to deliver a jumping knee strike followed by an Olympic slam for two. Lee then countered to deliver the jackhammer for a pinfall.
Undisputed Era jumped into the ring to attack Lee after the match. Ciampa and Riddle rushed into the ring to make the save, but the babyfaces were still outnumbered by the heels.
Dominik Dijakovic ran down to even the odds. He cleaned house on Undisputed Era. He executed a double chokeslam, and then he picked up Cole to deliver Feast Your Eyes. Dijakovic insinuated that he wanted on the War Games team. Dijakovic and Lee had a brief staredown teasing their ongoing rivalry, but they put their differences aside for the sake of War Games.
Candice LeRae was apparently attacked outside the building by an assailant(s). The who-done-it mystery continues.
Isaiah “Swerve” Scott defeated Bronson Reed
Swerve pinned Reed after the House Call.
Reed used his size advantage to ground Swerve. He suplexed Swerve out of the ring at one point — only for Reed to get posted before a commercial break.
Swerve made a comeback after the break. Swerve popped up into a leaping flatliner for a near fall. They teased doing an avalanche tombstone, but Swerve countered into a draping DDT.
Reed cut off Swerve for a two count on a piledriver. They were trading counters until Swerve delivered the House Call to score the pinfall.
Cathy Kelley made an announcement that changed the TakeOver card. Finn Balor now faces Matt Riddle in a singles match at TakeOver. Also on that card, Dominik Dijakovic replaces Riddle in the men’s War Games match.
A vignette hyped The Forgotten Sons.
Pete Dunne vs. Killian Dain never started
Damian Priest attacked Dain on the stage during his entrance. Priest was wearing pants that looked to have came out of Diesel’s closet in 1994. There was even silver and black fringe. Real nice.
Dunne joined the fight and all three brawled around ringside. During the pull-apart brawl, Priest springboarded into a flip dive that wiped out everyone. This continues the build towards a triple threat.
Cathy Kelley was interviewing Mia Yim when Dakota Kai confronted her to stay she had Yim’s back no matter what happens tonight. Kai also said there was no hard feelings between them after Yim was chosen over Kai for the women’s War Games team.
Announced for next week is a men’s ladder match for the War Games advantage with Adam Cole against Dominik Dijakovic.
Io Shirai defeated Mia Yim in a ladder match
Shirai won the match to give her team the numbers advantage at War Games. Kay Lee Ray ran in to help Shirai win the match. Yim was busted open during the match,
Early on they both went for the ladder. Shirai did a tope to the outside. She was also the first to take a bump on the ladder as Yim dropped her with a wheelbarrow. As the fight continued on the floor, Shirai kicked the ladder into Yim face.
Yim targeted a hand, but Shirai soon cut her off. Shirai charged forwards with the ladder, but she missed. They brawled at ringside as each fought to grab the ladder.
Yim suplexed Shirai onto the ladder before a commercial break. The split screen was back for the main event. They teased throwing each other into the ladder that was propped in a corner. This led into a double down.
They were trading strikes when the show returned from break. Shirai did the Tiger Feint Kick as they cotinued fighting over the ladder. Yim countered a charge by suplexing Shirai, and Shirai clipped the ladder taking an ugly bump.
Yim was the first to set up the ladder in an attempt to climb it to victory. Yim seconds later was sent crashing into the ladder. Shirai sandwiched her between the ladder. Shirai then brought a second ladder into the match.
Shirai springboarded into a missile dropkick into the ladder that Yim was holding. Yim was busted open, and she bled heavily. The match ground to a halt as referees came into the match to direct traffic while also checking on Yim.
Slightly off-camera, a trainer tended to Yim in the ring. Meanwhile, Shirai slowly set up the ladder and even more slowly she began climbing. Yim rushed in to pull her off the ladder. The Baddie was back. Shirai gave her a suplex off the ladder.
They fought while perched on the turnbuckles, and Yim was shoved off as she tumbled to the floor. Dakota Kai came down to ringside to check on Yim. Just as Kai helped Yim to get back on her feet, Shirai leapt off the middle turnbuckle with a moonsault to the outside.
Shirai was climbing the ladder when Kai jumped into the ring to cut off the climb. Kai gave Shirai a sit-out powerbomb, and then she rolled Yim back into the ring.
NXT UK Women’s Champion Kay Lee Ray suddenly ran in to attack Kai. She sent her crashing into the ring steps. Kay Lee Ray then pushed over the ladder, and Yim took a bump over the ropes onto a ladder bridge. Ray helped Shirai climb the ladder, and Shirai pulled down a briefcase to win the match.
Kay Lee Ray appears to possibly be the unnamed fourth member of the heel women’s War Games team. She was celebrating afterwards with Shirai and Bianca Belair when NXT Women’s Champion Shayna Baszler walked on to the stage to take in the scene.
Smackdown Women’s Champion Bayley suddenly appeared for a sneak attack on Baszler, and Bayley proceeded to hit her with a chair shot to the back. The show abruptly went off the air with Mauro Ranallo shouting about the ambush.
The theme tonight on NXT was sneak attacks. Everybody is doing them!
Two matches have been confirmed for next week’s episode of NXT.
Mia Yim and Io Shirai will face off in a ladder match on next week’s show, with the winner earning the WarGames advantage for their team at TakeOver. Angel Garza will also challenge for Lio Rush’s Cruiserweight Championship on NXT next Wednesday.
Yim will be on Team Ripley in the first-ever women’s WarGames match, while Shirai will be on Team Baszler. The match will be Rhea Ripley, Tegan Nox, Candice LeRae & Yim vs. Shayna Baszler, Bianca Belair, Shirai, and a partner.
Yim was announced as the final member of Team Ripley after coming out with a kendo stick and making the save for Ripley, Nox, LeRae, and Dakota Kai during a brawl on tonight’s NXT. In a backstage segment later in the show, Kai was disappointed when she wasn’t chosen to be the final member of Team Ripley.
The WarGames match at TakeOver will begin with a member of each team facing off. The advantage will decide which team gets to have their next member enter first.
TakeOver: WarGames is being held at the Allstate Arena in Rosemont, Illinois on Saturday, November 23.
Garza defeated Tony Nese in a Cruiserweight title number one contender’s match tonight. Rush came out to the stage and offered Garza a handshake after, but he slapped Rush instead.
All four members of Rhea Ripley’s team for NXT TakeOver: WarGames have now been revealed.
On tonight’s episode of NXT, Mia Yim was announced as the final member of Team Ripley for the first-ever women’s WarGames match. The match will be Ripley, Tegan Nox, Candice LeRae & Yim vs. Shayna Baszler, Bianca Belair, Io Shirai, and another partner.
Baszler defeated Dakota Kai on NXT tonight, with the match being set up by Kai saying she wanted to prove herself and get the final spot on Team Ripley. A brawl broke out when Baszler, Marina Shafir, and Jessamyn Duke attacked Kai after the match. Yim came out with a kendo stick and made the save for Ripley, Nox, LeRae, and Kai.
Ripley announced Yim as the final member of her WarGames team during a backstage segment later on tonight’s show. Ripley told Kai that she didn’t make the cut. Kai said she understood but looked disappointed and walked away.
The Allstate Arena in Rosemont, Illinois is hosting TakeOver: WarGames on Saturday, November 23. Survivor Series will take place at the arena the next night.
There will also be a men’s WarGames match at TakeOver.
A fourth participant has been added to the number one contender’s match for next week’s live episode of NXT.
It will now be Mia Yim vs. Bianca Belair vs. Io Shirai vs. Candice LeRae in a fatal four-way match next Wednesday (September 18). The match was originally announced as a triple threat prior to LeRae being added.
There was a segment on this week’s NXT episode where LeRae went into William Regal’s office and asked him to explain why he keeps rewarding Shirai’s behavior. Regal agreed with LeRae and made the match a fatal four-way.
Regal said he might change it to a fatal five-way if Ripley defeated NXT Women’s Champion Shayna Baszler in their non-title match in this week’s main event. Baszler won by disqualification when Ripley stopped Baszler from using a steel chair and used it herself instead. Marina Shafir and Jessamyn Duke had come down to the ring and distracted Ripley before that.
WWE has yet to announced when the winner of the number one contender’s match will challenge for Baszler’s title.
For the September 18 and September 25 episodes of NXT, the first hour will be live on USA Network and the second hour will be live on WWE Network. NXT will then move to airing live on USA Network for the full two hours starting on October 2.
Velveteen Dream defending his North American Championship against Roderick Strong has been announced for the USA Network portion of next week’s episode, while a street fight between Matt Riddle and Killian Dain will be on the WWE Network part of the show.
During this week’s NXT episode, it was also teased that The Street Profits (Angelo Dawkins & Montez Ford) will challenge for Kyle O’Reilly & Bobby Fish’s Tag Team titles next Wednesday.
The North American Championship will be on the line when NXT debuts on the USA Network in two weeks.
WWE has announced that North American Champion Velveteen Dream will defend his title against Roderick Strong on the debut of NXT on USA Network on Wednesday, September 18.
For the first two weeks of NXT on USA, the first hour will air live exclusively on USA Network. The second hour won’t be on USA and will instead air live on WWE Network.
The first two-hour NXT episode on USA will be on Wednesday, October 2, which is the same night that AEW debuts on TNT.
Dream retained the North American title by defeating Pete Dunne and Strong in a triple threat match at NXT TakeOver: Toronto last month. After Strong hit the End of Heartache on Dunne, Dream broke up the pin and then pinned Dunne to retain his title.
Every member of Undisputed Era aside from Strong is currently a champion in NXT. Adam Cole holds the NXT Championship, while Kyle O’Reilly & Bobby Fish hold the NXT Tag Team titles.
A triple threat number one contender’s match has also been announced for September 18, with Mia Yim, Bianca Belair, and Io Shirai facing off to determine a challenger for Shayna Baszler’s NXT Women’s Championship. It wasn’t specified that Yim vs. Belair vs. Shirai would be part of the USA Network broadcast.
Here are some notes from tonight’s NXT TakeOver XXV, which took place at the Webster Bank Arena in Bridgeport, Connecticut.
A short vignette aired during the program highlighting Damian Priest’s incoming arrival to NXT television. Formerly Punishment Martinez in ROH, Priest has been working NXT events since last November, when he was signed to a deal. There’s no word of when he’ll be making his debut.
Two matches were taped tonight before TakeOver started. These will likely air on next week’s episode of NXT:
Keith Lee defeated Kona Reeves with the ground zero. Lee was said to have gotten a major reaction from the crowd.
Mia Yim defeated Bianca Belair via a rope assisted protect ya neck. Match was said to be longer than the previous bout, but not as heated.
NXT’s next TakeOver event will take place the day before SummerSlam on August 10. Their next television tapings will take place on June 12.
Sorry for the delay everyone! It is the penultimate episode of the Mae Young Classic. Next week is the season finale, with the finals taking place at WWE Evolution on October 28.
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Meiko Satomura defeated Lacey Lane in a quarterfinal match
From the start, Michael Cole was pushing that it would be the biggest upset in the history of women’s wrestling if Lane won. Satomura tried to play nice early and showed sportsmanship by offering her hand during a break. Lane refused, so Satomura turned her foe into five feet of lumps. Lane missed a kick that would have missed by three feet if Satomura hadn’t ducked.
Lane got out of an armbar attempt and countered with a series of strikes, which got the fans behind her. Satomura battled back with a head kick and picked up the win with a Death Valley Driver! So much for the biggest upset in the history of women’s wrestling.
Lane shook hands and bowed in respect after the match.
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Io Shirai defeated Deonna Purrazzo in a quarterfinal match
It was the return of “The Virtuosa” drinking game — because if you took a drink every time someone said “The Virtuosa” in regards to Purrazzo, you would have liver damage.
The match started slow with them feeling each other out, but the pace changed just as quickly. Shirai hit her suicide dive and, just like last time, I was afraid she was going to come up short and land on her head. Shirai stood on Purrazzo in the corner and counted along with the referee before breaking at four.
Purrazzo had trouble stringing together multiple moves in a row until she got in two hard chops. She followed with a hip toss and her basement dropkick. Purrazzo locked on the armbar, but no one believed Shirai would tap out. Shirai used the 619 and a springboard dropkick for a near fall. Purrazzo used the rolling German suplexes, which haven’t been seen in a while.
Shirai got locked in another armbar — and this one the fans actually bought as the finish — but Shirai somehow got out of it and turned it into a crossface. Shirai used her running double knees and what amounted to a back flip headbutt (as opposed to a moonsault) for the win!
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Rhea Ripley defeated Tegan Nox via referee stoppage
This was the match that unfortunately had the injury during it. Nox hit a suicide dive 20 seconds into the match and landed awkwardly on her knee on the ramp. They tried to continue, and it made me think of the Trish Stratus vs. Lita match where Lita blew out her knee. Ironically, this was Nox’s knee that wasn’t injured last year.
The trainer came out and they did allow it to continue for some reason. It went maybe a minute or two until they did a spot that culminated with Ripley hitting a dropkick. Nox went down and couldn’t get back up. The referee waved the match off and the crowd went deathly silent.
We got polite applause when Ripley was announced as the winner, which was followed by a standing ovation when Nox was carried to the back. They showed women crying in the crowd.
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Toni Storm defeated Mia Yim in a quarterfinal match
This match only had about eight minutes, but it was a fantastic eight minutes.
Yim learned from her last match and didn’t start this one by throwing strikes with her injured hand. She concentrated more on holds to wear down Storm and attempting to submit her. Storm, however, was content wailing away on her injured foe with hard strikes and high impact moves.
When submissions didn’t work for Yim, she decided that what was good for the goose was good for the gander and she began to kick at Storm. However, Storm then kicked her right in the injured hand, followed by a headbutt that put both wrestlers down.
They fought to their knees and exchanged a series of open handed slaps and chops. Yim hit a Saito suplex and a powerbomb for a pair of near falls. Storm blocked Seoul Food and hit Storm Zero to score the pin!
The semifinals are set. Next week it is Shirai vs, Ripley and Storm vs. Satomura. Who is going to the finals on October 28? We’ll find out next Wednesday. Until then, thank you for reading and I’ll talk to you again next week!
In the first round Shirai blitzed Xia Brookside en route to an easy win, while Zeuxis had a harder go of it, but still defeated Aerial Monroe. Shayna Baszler, Jessamyn Duke and Marina Shafir were at ringside for this bout.
Io finally faced her first consistent bit of disadvantage as she went for a springboard, but Zeuxis forearmed her and then slid into her arm and shoulder with a baseball slide dropkick. Shirai didn’t stay down long, as she made her comeback. It included a Suicide Dive where I legitimately was concerned that she hadn’t dove out far enough and was going to land on her head. Thankfully she was a-ok and the match continued.
Zeuxis missed a moonsault and Shirai went for one, but got tripped up on the top rope. Shirai blocked a top rope spanish fly and hit a frankensteiner and a moonsault for the win. Shirai will face the winner of the next match in the quarterfinals.
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Deonna Purrazzo submitted Xia Li in a second round match
There is a chance that if you take a drink every time someone calls Purrazzo “The Virtuosa”, you will have liver poisoning by the end of the tournament. Ricochet, who 20 minutes prior to this retained the NXT North American Title (read about it in the NXT report), was at ringside watching on. Purrazzo defeated Priscilla Kelly, while Li got the win over Karen Q in their respective first round matches.
We had some nice mat wrestling early on, but Li got tired of that and decided to start her kickboxing training, as she used Purrazzo as a heavy bag. Li used a jumping kick from the middle rope, which did NOT shatter her leg. Purrazzo got tired of being kicked, so she returned the favor, concentrating on the arm of Xia Li. Li came back and managed to use the three limbs Deonna wasn’t concentrating on to make her black and blue. Li dove from the middle rope…but got caught in a Fujiwara armbar for the tap out!
Deonna Purrazzo now faces Io Shirai in the quarterfinals.
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Tegan Nox pinned Nicole Matthews in a second round match
Since last seen beating Isla Dawn, Matthews has been in the news after being banned from the United States for five years due to visa issues. Not reading the spoilers in advance, but something tells me Nicole will not be at WWE Evolution. Tegan Nox, who is Michael Cole’s favorite, defeated Zatara in the first round. This is the match that Renee Young previewed by calling a “Pound For Pound Hardway Match”, whatever that is.
Matthews worked over Nox with chops, kicks, dropkicks and grinded the elbow in when covering. Nox returned the favor, which made Matthews make the shocked face. Nox’s offense didn’t last long, as Matthews just enjoyed delivering strikes to her foe. Nox fired up, screamed to the crowd and almost got locked in a Liontamer. Thankfully she avoided that, hit a cannonball and a shining wizard outta nowhere for the sudden victory!
Now disposed of the sobbing Matthews, Nox faces Rhea Ripley next.
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Mia Yim submitted Kaitlyn in a second round match
The former Impact Knockouts Champion vs the winner of NXT Season 3 and former WWE Diva’s Champion. Mia beat fellow Impact alumna Allysin Kay and Kaitlyn polished off Kavita Devi in the first round.
Mia had her hand taped, so of course she used that hand to chop Kaitlyn, which hurt her more than it did her foe. Kaitlyn used a cannonball in the corner and then did a wacky cover for a 1 count. It was like she meant to jackknife Mia, changed her mind, but she was already in position, so she had little or no weight on the shoulders.
Since she couldn’t use her right hand, Mia used her foot and kicked at the hamstrings of Kaitlyn before using a standing figure four leglock. Mia forgot her hand hurt and swung for the fences at her grounded foe, but Kaitlyn moved and Mia punched the mat. Kaitlyn channeled her inner Marty Scurll and locked on a hand hold, twisting it around, trying to force a tap out. Kaitlyn’s leg bruises were shining through as she threw her entire body at Mia.
Mia begged for mercy, but Kaitlyn was merciless. Kaitlyn kicked out of Sole Food (Eat Defeat) and hit her spear, which the entire crowd bought as the finish, but Mia kicked out. Finally Mia locked in a kneebar for the submission win! This was a very good match, easily the best match of the night, but not quite as good as the two matches from last week.
Mia Yim will now go one on one with Toni Storm in the quarterfinals.
So that does it for another week here at the Mae Young Classic. We start the Round of 8 next week and until then, thank you for reading and remember to say your vitamins and take your prayers.
