After a challenge that was issued last week, a new match has been officially confirmed for NXT TakeOver: In Your House.
Finn Balor vs. Damian Priest has been made official for the Sunday, June 7 TakeOver special. The announcement was made during Priest’s appearance on The Pat McAfee show this morning.
On NXT two weeks ago, there was an angle where Priest attacked Balor and cost Balor his match against Cameron Grimes. Priest gave Balor The Reckoning on a steel chair and then revealed that he was the person who attacked Balor in the NXT locker room last month. Priest said he wants his name to live forever and attacking Balor was part of that.
A promo from Priest then aired on NXT last week. He said Balor put NXT on the map, and that’s why he’s coming for Balor. Priest challenged Balor to a match at TakeOver.
Three matches have been confirmed for TakeOver: In Your House thus far. NXT Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair will defend her title against Rhea Ripley and Io Shirai in a triple threat match at the show, and Karrion Kross (w/ Scarlett) will make his TakeOver debut against Tommaso Ciampa.
The NXT Women’s Championship will officially be on the line in a triple threat match at TakeOver: In Your House.
WWE announced via TVGuide.com today that Charlotte Flair will defend her NXT Women’s Championship against Rhea Ripley and Io Shirai in a triple threat match at the Sunday, June 7 TakeOver special. The announcement comes after Charlotte interrupted Ripley vs. Shirai in the main event of NXT this week and laid both of them out.
Her match against Shirai on NXT this Wednesday was this first time Ripley has wrestled since losing the NXT Women’s Championship to Charlotte at WrestleMania 36. WWE has been building to the triple threat match since Ripley made her return to NXT television after Charlotte got disqualified in a title defense against Shirai on the May 6 episode of NXT.
“Having the opportunity to be in the ring with two of the brightest stars, in my opinion, who have just started their future… I’m really excited to be a part of it,” Charlotte told TV Guide.
Tommaso Ciampa vs. Karrion Kross is the only other match that’s been officially announced for NXT TakeOver: In Your House so far. Damian Priest cut a promo challenging Finn Balor to a match at the special on NXT this week, and NXT North American Champion Keith Lee also issued a challenge to Johnny Gargano.
On tonight’s SmackDown, Charlotte will face SmackDown Women’s Champion Bayley in a non-title champion vs. champion match.
Karrion Kross’ first TakeOver match is now official.
It will be Tommaso Ciampa vs. Kross at NXT TakeOver: In Your House. That was confirmed when Ciampa confronted Kross on NXT tonight.
Kross and Scarlett kicked off tonight’s NXT episode. Kross had his second match for the brand, quickly destroying enhancement wrestler Liam Gray and submitting him with the Kross Jacket. Ciampa then came down and officially introduced himself to Kross. Ciampa told Kross that NXT is his home, but he said Kross already knew that. Ciampa said that’s why Kross made a point by attacking him.
Ciampa said Kross is special and stands out even in a locker room full of the best professional wrestlers in the world. But Ciampa said he’s special too, and that’s why he had to come out, look Kross in the eyes, and let him know it will be Ciampa vs. Kross at TakeOver. Ciampa welcomed Kross to the main event.
Tonight was the first time Ciampa has appeared on NXT since being attacked by Kross at the end of the April 15 episode of the show.
Kross made his NXT in-ring debut two weeks ago by defeating Leon Ruff.
NXT TakeOver: In Your House is taking place on Sunday, June 7. Ciampa vs. Kross is the first match confirmed for the show.
On Wednesday’s edition of NXT on USA, it was announced that Sunday, June 7th will see the return of an old WWE pay-per-view name with NXT TakeOver: In Your House, live on WWE Network.
Flanked by Shawn Michaels and Road Dogg, Triple H said Thursday marks the 25th anniversary of the first WWE In Your House pay-per-view and because so many people are spending time in their houses, they wanted to bring the action to the fans. Michaels and Dogg were joking as Triple H didn’t want to talk about his first IYH match which was a hog pen match against Henry Godwinn at In Your House 5.
The last TakeOver was scheduled for WrestleMania weekend, but was canceled due to the pandemic. Before that, the last such event was held in mid-February in Portland, Oregon.
The first In Your House was held on May 14, 1995, in Syracuse, NY. At the time, the then-WWF held four PPVs a year and the IYH shows were two hour PPVs for slightly less money than the Big Four. The IYH name lasted for 29 events over four years, ending in February 1999.
WWE has revealed their plan for the matches that were originally scheduled for NXT TakeOver: Tampa.
It was announced via Sports Illustrated today that several of the matches that were planned for TakeOver: Tampa will air on NXT television over the next few weeks. It will start with the Wednesday, April 1 episode of NXT.
Sports Illustrated wrote that Triple H will appear on tomorrow’s NXT as part of the announcement.
Chelsea Green, Mia Yim, and Tegan Nox had already qualified for the number one contender’s ladder match that had been announced for TakeOver. Candice LeRae vs. Mercedes Martinez was originally announced for last week’s NXT, with that set to determine one of the three remaining spots in the ladder match.
Adam Cole vs. Velveteen Dream for the NXT Championship was also being built up for TakeOver: Tampa, along with Tommaso Ciampa vs. Johnny Gargano. An advertisement that aired during Raw last night hyped that Ciampa and Gargano would have to answer to Triple H on NXT this week after their brawl at the Performance Center.
Sports Illustrated’s article also mentions a potential title defense for NXT North American Champion Keith Lee.
Before being canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic, TakeOver: Tampa had been set to be held at the Amalie Arena on Saturday, April 4.
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.
Chelsea Green is the first wrestler to qualify for the number one contender’s ladder match at NXT TakeOver: Tampa.
Green qualified for the ladder match by defeating Shotzi Blackheart on NXT tonight. Green pinned Blackheart after hitting her I’m Prettier finishing move.
Robert Stone has been Green’s manager on NXT television since January, with Green being billed as the first signee of the Robert Stone Brand.
With Rhea Ripley defending the NXT Women’s Championship against Charlotte Flair at WrestleMania 36, the ladder match is taking place at TakeOver: Tampa instead of a title match. The winner will become the number one contender to either Ripley or Charlotte.
It was noted that the participants for the ladder match will be “determined through a series of qualifying matches over the next several weeks.” WWE hasn’t revealed who will be in the other qualifying matches.
TakeOver: Tampa is being held at the Amalie Arena on Saturday, April 4. WrestleMania 36 will take place at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa the next night.
The number one contender’s ladder match is the first match that’s been announced for TakeOver.
With Rhea Ripley defending her title against Charlotte Flair at WrestleMania 36, WWE has announced the NXT women’s division’s plans for TakeOver: Tampa.
It was announced during tonight’s NXT that a number one contender’s ladder match will take place at TakeOver: Tampa. The winner will become the number one contender to Ripley or Charlotte’s NXT Women’s Championship.
The participants for the ladder match will be determined by qualifying matches that will take place on NXT over the next several weeks. WWE hasn’t revealed any of the qualifying matches yet, though it was noted that they’ll begin next Wednesday.
Ahead of challenging Ripley at WrestleMania, Charlotte was in action on NXT tonight for the first time since 2015. She defeated Bianca Belair in the main event and went to attack Belair’s leg with a steel chair in a post-match angle. She put Belair in the Figure Eight until Ripley came down to the ring.
The number one contender’s ladder match is the first match that’s been announced for TakeOver: Tampa. The show is being held at the Amalie Arena on Saturday, April 4, which is the night before WrestleMania.
Tommaso Ciampa will challenge for the title that he never lost as NXT TakeOver: Portland takes place at the Moda Center tonight.
Adam Cole will defend his NXT Championship against Ciampa at the show. Ciampa was forced to vacate the title after undergoing neck surgery last March, and he’s been focused on Cole since returning in October.
Three other title matches are also set for tonight. Bianca Belair will challenge Rhea Ripley for the NXT Women’s Championship. The winner of that match will potentially have a title defense against Charlotte Flair at WrestleMania 36.
After winning the title from Roderick Strong last month, Keith Lee will put his NXT North American Championship on the line against Dominik Dijakovic. Dusty Classic winners Matt Riddle & Pete Dunne will also challenge Undisputed Era’s Kyle O’Reilly & Bobby Fish for the NXT Tag Team titles.
Two grudge matches round out tonight’s card. Johnny Gargano will take on Finn Balor, and Tegan Nox faces Dakota Kai in a street fight.
Tonight’s pre-show begins at 6:30 p.m. Eastern time. The main card starts a half hour later.
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The pre-show opened with the panel of hosts welcoming us to the show. Charly Caruso was joined by Sam Roberts and Mansoor on the panel. Roberts immediately heeled on the town as he insulted the fans of Portland. Mansoor and Roberts would go on to bicker with each other as they ran down the card.
The live crowd booed Roberts any time her began to speak, and they cheered Mansoor upon his retort.
Recording artist Poppy — and what was described as her zombie band — arrived to the building in black SUVs. Poppy wore her gear to the building so she is ready. Always bring your gear. That’s a veteran move. She and her band are performing a song on the show later on.
Doing things a little different than most WWE telecasts, the introductions of the commentary team was shown on the air just minutes before the main card was set to begin.
The show opened with a canned intro, and then Poppy performed “Fill the Crown” from her new studio album titled I Disagree.
The opener is a hoss match.
NXT North American Champion Keith Lee defeated Dominik Dijakovic to retain his title
Lee pinned Dijakovic after the Big Bang Catastrophe. This was a fantastic opener. The bar is set very high from the start.
Dijakovic wore to the ring a hooded sweatshirt with a tribute to Kobe and Gigi Bryant. Nigel McGuinness got in a reference to legendary late Portland promoter Don Owen saying he would have loved this match.
The crowd seemed hot from the start. They marveled at the spots early on as the big bulls locked horns. Lee with a hurricanrana popped the crowd first, and then they ran through a series of spots that popped them even more.
Dijakovic went for a dive, but Lee caught him to attempt a powerbomb. Dijakovic escaped and a moment later he suplexed Lee on the apron. Lee went on to sell as Dijakovic worked him over in the ring.
Lee powered out of an attempted suplex. He struck down Dijakovic and got a two count on a release German suplex.
Dijakovic fought back with a cyclone kick and a corkscrew moonsault. They continued to trade strikes in a fighting spirit exchange. They threw a ton of lariats at each other. Both went down to a knee, and both rose back to their feet still locked in combat.
Dijakovic with an avalanche Death Valley Driver off the top rope, and the crowd came unglued. Lee with a pounce sent Dijakovic flying into a corner, which looked to turn the tide.
They were brawling near the announce desks. The crowd was chanting “we want tables” when Lee shushed them. They arena went silent so that Lee’s chops on Dijakovic could echo through the building.
Dijakovic with a superkick sent Lee into a seated announce chair. Dijakovic then did a springboard senton off the top rope onto Lee in the chair at ringside. Dijakovic looked to finish Lee, but Lee would fight back.
Lee took a chokeslam, and got up. Dijakovic twice took a Spirit Bomb, and kicked out both times.
Dijakovic with a Spanish Fly off the top for a close near fall. He went for his finisher, but his back gave out. Lee then executed his finisher — which is a fireman’s carry into a jackhammer that is now called the Big Bang Catastrophe.
Not sure if this was a blow off to their feud, but it sure seemed like it. Great way to go out, and they shook hands in a show of respect after the match.
Dakota Kai defeated Tegan Nox in a street fight
Kai pinned Nox after interference from Raquel Gonzalez. This was a wild brawl from the start and stiff as hell. Great weapons brawl that would fit on any ECW card in the 1990s.
Kai in a sneak attack jumped Nox during her enrtance. They brawled to the ring and the weapons came out early on from underneath the ring. Trash cans, lids, tables, chairs, a cricket bat, and more would be used as they fought in and out of the ring.
They took some crazy bumps in this match. Kai took a German suplex onto a trash can that looked particularly nasty.
Nox with a chokeslam off the top in honor of Kane, and then she did a Molly Go Round in honor of Molly Holly.
Kai fired up on Nox, and she kicked a chair in the face of Nox. Kai duck taped Nox to the ring post, and then measured her for several kicks. Nox blocked one attempt, and then targeted the knee brace on Kai. She hit her in the leg with a lap top.
Nox then got chain from underneath the ring, and used it on the knee. Nox took a chair and Pillmanized the leg. She delivered a Shining Wizard, and then Nox set up a table in the ring.
Nox laid Kai on the table and put her neck in a chair, and she teased jumping off the top on to the table. Suddenly, Raquel Gonzalez ran in to attack Nox. Gonzalez threw Nox backwards off the top on to the table — which didn’t break. Kai rolled over to cover Nox for the pinfall.
Finn Balor defeated Johnny Gargano
Balor pinned Gargano in one helluva great match. Balor won clean and looked like a contender in doing so. Gargano is such a great babyface. Probably the best in NXT history no less.
The crowd was electric for this from start. The grappled in the early moments doing some great exchanges as Balor heeled and taunted Gargano. Balor displayed a great mean streak.
Balor began to work over Gargano as he shined me up for a comeback where Gargano speared Balor on the apron. Later on Gargano would take a sling blade on the floor.
Balor soon cut off Gargano and grounded him again. Gargano got trapped on the top rope where Balor executed a dragon screw. Balor then targeted the leg of Gargano.
As Balor continued to work the leg and knee, Gargano created some distance at one point for a hope spot with a small package. Balor went back to working the leg as he tied Gargano in a leglock.
Gargano fought back with step-up enzuigiri, a roundhouse kick and a lariat. Gargano went for a tope through the ropes, but Balor caught him. Balor teased going for the 1916 on the floor — which previously injured Gargano months ago.
Gargano with a somersault senton off the apron.
Gargano sent Balor into the ring steps to block the move. Gargano with a slingshot spear as he began a comeback. Balor soon cut him off — but not for long. They traded big moves down the stretch.
There was a double down after a DDT. They were trading strikes when both hit the same high kick. Gargano then avoided a double stomp to deliver a slingshot DDT for a near fall.
There was stand-off before they launched into a closing minutes. Gargano was measuring Balor for a superkick, and Balor hit him with a sling blade. Superkick by Gargano and another sling blade by Balor.
Balor went for his double stomp finisher, but Gargano rolled away and then went for his submission finsiher. Balor escaped, but Gargano applied it seconds later. Balor got a rope break.
In callback to their brawl from months ago, Gargano measured Balor with pistol guns and then hit him with a shotgun dropkick into the barricade for a recepit.
Balor gave Gargano a gourdbuster on an announce desk. Balor then ran down annouce desks to give Gargano a shotgun dropkick to the floor.
Balor with the Coup de Grace, and then he delivered the 1916 DDT befoer pinning Gargano clean as a sheet in the middle of the ring.
Cathy Kelley was backstage interviewing Undisputed Era when Roderick Strong cut an impassioned promo, and then Adam Cole told Kelley to leave.
NXT Women’s Champion Rhea Ripley defeated Bianca Belair to retain her title
Ripley pinned Belair clean with the Rip Tide finisher. Charlotte Flair ran in after the match to attack Ripley. Charlotte also said she agrees to face Ripley in a match at WrestleMania.
Belair’s gear honored Black History Month. She looked great in the match, and was not hurt in losing.
Belair was aggressive from the start, and Ripley soon fired up too. Ripley hit Belair with a series of chops. Belair herself returned fire and looked to punish Ripley.
Belair with a standing moonsault. They appeared to twice try a vertical suplex of some sort — maybe delayed. Belair turned it into a brainbuster and the match went on.
Ripley with a sit-out facebuster for a two count. Ripley then applied her standing leglock submission hold, but Belair escaped to get a roll-up for two. A spingbuster netted Belair another two.
They traded hard slaps, and Belair hit Ripley with her hair braid. Belair with a gorilla press slam, and then she did a handspring into a moonsaullt. Ripley got her knees up. and Ripley blocked a KOD.
After a double down, they traded strikes and kicks. Belair with a high backdrop sent Ripley over the ropes to the floor. Belair followed with a running flip dive to the outside.
Ripley at ringside sent Belair into the steps. They were fighting on the turnbuckles when Ripley was able to execute Rip Tide to score the pinfall.
Flair with sneak attack jumped Ripley after the match. Charlotte got a microphone and said she accepted Ripley’s challenge to a match at WrestleMania. Flair grabbed the NXT title belt and posed with it before leaving the ring.
On her way out Flair also attacked Belair, and she sent her into the ring steps. Maybe Belair will remain involved in this angle in some way, but Flair vs. Ripley nonetheless looks all but official for WrestleMania.
Matt Riddle & Pete Dunne defeated Kyle O’Reilly & Bobby Fish to win the NXT Tag Team Championship
The Broserweights earned the title shot after winning the Dusty Classic. Riddle & Dunne rode out in their tricked out golf cart. Riddle led the crowd in singing his jingle about Bobby Fish frying fish.
Undisputed Era grew increasingly more angry before they ran out of the ring to attack Riddle & Dunne in the aisle. A melee erupted before the bell could even sound.
The match eventually moved to the ring. Undisputed Era proverbially cut the ring in half as they began working over Dunne.
Riddle cleaned house after a hot tag. He ran wild on Undisputed Era looking like a true superstar. Dunne and Riddle both climbed the turnbuckles. Dunne with a moonsault to the floor, and Riddle with a Floating Bro in the ring.
O’Reilly and Riddle with a fantastic series of exchanges and both fell in a heap. Fish tagged in and chop blocked the knee of Riddle. Undisputed Era with double team moves, but Riddle was able to tag in Dunne.
Dunne targeted the joints. Both Riddle & Dunne both applied ankles locks at the same time on their foes.
Everybody went down in a spot, and that also served to hype the crowd even more.
Dunne & Riddle were going for a Doomsday Device when they got tripped up.
Riddle got trapped in a leg bar, but Dunne leapt off the ropes to make a save.
Dunne inadvertently knocked Riddle off the apron. Moments later Riddle tried to make a save, but that backfired.
Chasing the Dragon let to a near fall for Undisputed Era.
They fought on and suddenly the Broserweights were executing their tandem finisher. Stereo jumping knee strikes out of a fireman’s carry led to the pinfall and the title change. Broserweights are the new NXT Tag Team Champions.
NXT Champion Adam Cole defeated Tommaso Ciampa to retain his title
Cole pinned Ciampa after Gargano turned heel where he interfered in the match.
Gargano hit Ciampa with a belt shot in the finish of a long match that was great up until a referee bump.
They started slow building to a fever pitch later on. This felt like an updated version of the early stages in an old school NWA title match from back in the day. Then it got even better from there.
Ciampa showed fire and aggression as Cole tried to counter the onslaught of Ciampa. The fight spilled outside the ring, and Ciampa fired up on Cole when Cole started taunting him.
Cole was begging off, and Ciampa kept laying in the offense. Cole was reeling as Ciampa manhandled him around the ring and at ringside.
Ciampa on the floor with a leg lariat on Cole would pop the crowd.
As they fought by the announce desk, Cole with a wheelbarrow suplex sent Ciampa into the table neck first. That was crazy.
A lungblower got Cole a near fall, and Cole went back to work on working over Ciampa.
Ciampa countered and fought on to block a Panama Sunrise.
Ciampa exploded with a series of lariats and a German suplex. A Torture Rack bomb by Ciampa led to a near fall.
Cole cut off Ciampa to deliver an ushigoroshi.
Ciampa with an avalanche Air Raid Crash for a very close near fall and a callback to earlier in the feud.
Ciampa powerbombed Cole on an announce desk, and then he did it again. The table broke on the second attempt.
Cole threw a superkic, but he ate a lariat from Ciampa. Cole took Project Ciampa and somehow kicked out.
They traded strikes in the center of the ring, and Ciampa took some kicks that sent him out of the ring. Cole for the first time in NXT — as noted by Mauro Ranallo — went for a tope. Ciampa with a knee lift made Cole crash and burn.
Cole seconds later used another ushigoroshi for another near fall.
Cole hit the Last Shot, but Ciampa rolled over to get in the ropes — thus blocking any pin attempt.
They teased a Canadian Destroyer on the apron, but Ciampa instead gave Cole an Air Raid Crash on the apron.’
Not to be out done, Cole jumped off a table for a Panama Sunrise pn the floor.
Ciampa miraculously hulked up for the best near fall of the night.
They traded crossfaces, until Ciampa had it locked in deep. Cole crawled over to get a rope break.
Roderick Strong ran in to cause a distraction. O’Reilly & Fish ran in to jump Ciampa. Cole covered Ciampa as Undisputed Era looked on. Ciampa kicked out, and he would soon run wild. He flew through the ropes with a dive.
Cole cut him yet again and Ciampa kicked out again.
O’Reilly threw the title in the ring. They bumped the referee, and he went flying out of the ring. Ciampa with a Jay Driller but no ref to count.
Johnny Gargano caem to ringside, and he grabbed the title belt away from Ciampa. He was seemingly in the corner of Ciampa…or was he? Gargano hit Ciampa with a belt shot to turn on him.
Cole covered Ciampa for the pinfall as the crowd showered Gargano in jeers. The announcers played it up like the loss to Balor earlier on had flipped a switch on Gargano.
Cole retained the title, and the rivalry between Gargano and Ciampa is born again.
Thus ened a fantastic card from top to bottom. This was a really great show from start to finish.
The card for NXT TakeOver: Portland is now up to six matches.
NXT North American Champion Keith Lee will defend his title against Dominik Dijakovic at the TakeOver special. The match was announced after Dijakovic defeated Killian Dain on NXT tonight.
On last week’s NXT, Dijakovic defeated Damian Priest after both interrupted Lee and wanted the first shot at his title.
Tonight’s Dijakovic vs. Dain match was set up by an angle where Dain confronted Dijakovic at the Performance Center over who should be next in line for a shot at the North American title.
Lee came out to the stage and went face-to-face with Dijakovic after he defeated Dain tonight. Lee and Dijakovic then shook hands ahead of their title match at TakeOver.
Lee became the North American Champion by defeating Roderick Strong for the title on NXT two weeks ago.
The Moda Center in Portland, Oregon is hosting TakeOver: Portland on Sunday, February 16. Here’s what’s been announced for the show:
NXT Champion Adam Cole defending against Tommaso Ciampa
NXT Women’s Champion Rhea Ripley defending against Bianca Belair
NXT Tag Team Champions The Undisputed Era (Kyle O’Reilly & Bobby Fish) defending against Matt Riddle & Pete Dunne
NXT North American Champion Keith Lee defending against Dominik Dijakovic
WWE Now announced Saturday that Dakota Kai and Tegan Nox will square off in a street fight at NXT TakeOver: Portland.
The two had a match on last Wednesday’s NXT TV show which Nox won after she hit Kai, distracted by Candice LeRae, with her knee brace followed by the Shiniest Wizard for the pin.
The rivalry between the former tag team partners goes back to November’s NXT TakeOver: WarGames when the two were part of Team Ripley. Kai’s spot to come out of the cage came up and instead of going to the ring, she turned around and booted Nox, viciously attacking her and focusing on her surgically repaired knees.
As it stands now, here’s the entire Portland, Oregon, card, set for Sunday, February 16th:
– NXT Champion Adam Cole vs. Tommaso Ciampa
– NXT Champion Rhea Ripley vs. Bianca Belair
– NXT Tag Team Champions The Undisputed Era vs. Pete Dunne/Matt Riddle
– Finn Balor vs. Johnny Gargano
– Dakota Kai vs. Tegan Nox street fight
Matt Riddle & Pete Dunne are the winners of this year’s Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic.
The finals of the tournament headlined tonight’s NXT, with Riddle & Dunne defeating The Grizzled Young Veterans (Zack Gibson & James Drake) to win the Dusty Cup. In addition to getting the trophy, Riddle & Dunne will challenge for Kyle O’Reilly & Bobby Fish’s NXT Tag Team titles at TakeOver: Portland.
Riddle & Dunne were put together as a team for the Dusty Classic. They defeated Mark Andrews & Flash Morgan Webster in the first round of the tournament, Imperium (Marcel Barthel & Fabian Aichner) in last week’s semifinals, and The Grizzled Young Veterans tonight.
This was the fifth Dusty Classic tournament that NXT has held. Samoa Joe & Finn Balor, The Authors of Pain, Undisputed Era (Adam Cole & O’Reilly), and Aleister Black & Ricochet were the winners in previous years.
The Moda Center in Portland, Oregon is hosting NXT TakeOver: Portland on Sunday, February 16. Here’s the updated card for the special:
NXT Champion Adam Cole defending against Tommaso Ciampa
NXT Women’s Champion Rhea Ripley defending against Bianca Belair
NXT Tag Team Champions Undisputed Era (Kyle O’Reilly & Bobby Fish) defending against Matt Riddle & Pete Dunne
Bianca Belair is next in line to challenge either Rhea Ripley or Toni Storm.
In the main event of tonight’s NXT, Belair won a battle royal to determine who will challenge for the NXT Women’s Championship at TakeOver: Portland. The match came down to Belair and Io Shirai, with Belair eliminating Shirai by throwing her out of the ring with the K.O.D.
Storm is challenging Ripley for the NXT Women’s Championship at Worlds Collide on Saturday, January 25. That will be Ripley’s first televised title defense since winning the championship from Shayna Baszler last month.
Baszler was a surprise entrant in tonight’s battle royal but was eliminated by Shotzi Blackheart, who came back into the ring after having not been eliminated. Belair then eliminated Blackheart to bring the match down to its final two wrestlers.
The returning Kacy Catanzaro was also a surprise entrant.
The battle royal was the first time Mercedes Martinez has wrestled for NXT since signing with WWE. She was eliminated by Baszler.
Tegan Nox was in action for the first time since the angle where Dakota Kai turned against her at TakeOver: WarGames. Kai wasn’t an entrant in the battle royal but got involved and caused Nox to be eliminated.
The Moda Center in Portland, Oregon is hosting TakeOver: Portland on Sunday, February 16. Finn Balor vs. Johnny Gargano is also set for the show.
Johnny Gargano vs. Finn Balor looks to be set for TakeOver: Portland coming out of last night’s NXT.
A promo segment with Gargano and Balor on last night’s show ended with Balor telling Gargano that he’ll face him at NXT TakeOver: Portland. Balor said he’ll give Gargano a match at TakeOver — if Gargano can make it that far — and told him to go talk to NXT general manager William Regal about it. WWE has yet to officially announce the match.
Gargano vs. Balor was originally scheduled for NXT TakeOver: WarGames, but Gargano had to miss the show due to a neck injury.
Gargano made his return three weeks ago, costing Balor an NXT Championship match against Adam Cole and then attacking him with a steel chair in a post-match angle.
TakeOver: Portland is being held at the Moda Center in Portland, Oregon on Sunday, February 16. A battle royal on next week’s NXT will determine who will challenge for Rhea Ripley’s NXT Women’s Championship at TakeOver.
WWE has revealed ticket details for NXT’s next TakeOver special.
It was announced today that tickets for NXT TakeOver: Portland will go on sale to the general public at 10 a.m. Pacific time this Friday. A pre-sale will begin the day before that, with it starting at 10 a.m. Pacific on Thursday.
TakeOver: Portland is being held at the Moda Center on Sunday, February 16. This will be the first time that a US TakeOver special has taken place on a Sunday.
NXT UK’s next TakeOver event is also set for a Sunday. The Empress Ballroom in Blackpool, England will host UK TakeOver: Blackpool II on January 12.
Instead of a TakeOver show, there will be a Worlds Collide special on the Saturday of Royal Rumble weekend. It’s taking place at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas on January 25, with the theme of it being NXT vs. NXT UK.
