Tag: nxt takeover: phoenix

Matt Riddle vs. Kassius Ohno set for NXT TakeOver: Phoenix

Posted on by Joseph Currier

Matt Riddle and Kassius Ohno are set to face off at their second straight TakeOver special.

WWE has announced Riddle vs. Ohno for NXT TakeOver: Phoenix. The special is taking place at the Talking Stick Resort Arena in Phoenix, Arizona on January 26, which is the Saturday of Royal Rumble weekend.

Riddle defeated Ohno at TakeOver: WarGames II in November, though their match wasn’t announced in advance. The finish was Riddle hitting a knee strike and defeating Ohno in six seconds. Their feud has continued since, with a match between them airing on the first NXT episode of 2019. Riddle caught Ohno in the Bromission to win, then there was a post-match angle where Ohno faked that he was going to show Riddle respect by giving him a fist bump. Ohno laid out Riddle and threw him into the ring steps multiple times.

Ohno defeated Keith Lee on this week’s NXT TV after hitting a low blow and a rolling elbow. The story was that Riddle wasn’t cleared after Ohno beat him down. Riddle couldn’t be in Lee’s corner, but he came down after the match to check on Lee. Ohno bailed when Riddle came out.

Here’s the updated card for NXT TakeOver: Phoenix:

  • NXT Champion Tommaso Ciampa defending against Aleister Black
  • NXT Women’s Champion Shayna Baszler defending against Bianca Belair
  • NXT North American Champion Ricochet defending against Johnny Gargano
  • NXT Tag Team Champions Kyle O’Reilly & Roderick Strong defending against War Raiders
  • Matt Riddle vs. Kassius Ohno

Ricochet vs. Johnny Gargano official for NXT TakeOver: Phoenix

Posted on by Joseph Currier

Another title match is official for NXT TakeOver: Phoenix.

Via a tweet from William Regal, WWE announced on Wednesday that Ricochet will defend his North American Championship against Johnny Gargano at TakeOver: “At #NXTTakeOver Phoenix, @KingRicochet will defend his North American Championship against @JohnnyGargano.”

Gargano defeated Humberto Carrillo in a match that aired on this week’s episode of NXT television. After he won, Gargano looked into the camera and challenged Ricochet to show up on next week’s episode.

The storyline for Ricochet vs. Gargano began on the final NXT TV of 2018. NXT Champion Tommaso Ciampa suggested that, instead of going after Ciampa’s title, Gargano should challenge for the North American Championship. While saying he wasn’t aligning with Ciampa again, Gargano set his sights on Ricochet’s title and cut a promo the next week vowing to become a champion in 2019. Gargano said he still wants the NXT Championship and called Ciampa a “piece of trash.”

Gargano laid out Ricochet with a cheap shot in an angle on last week’s NXT TV.

This is the fourth match to be confirmed for TakeOver: Phoenix. Ciampa will defend the NXT Championship against Aleister Black at the event, Bianca Belair is challenging for Shayna Baszler’s NXT Women’s Championship, and Kyle O’Reilly & Roderick Strong are defending their Tag Team titles against War Raiders.

TakeOver: Phoenix is taking place at the Talking Stick Resort Arena in Phoenix, Arizona on Saturday, January 26.