Tonight, WWE will determine Ethan Page and Roxanne Perez’s challengers for NXT No Mercy.
Pete Dunne, TNA star Joe Hendry, and the newly heel Wes Lee are competing in a triple threat number one contender’s match tonight. The winner gets their NXT Championship shot against Page at No Mercy on Sunday, September 1. The PLE is taking place from Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado.
A gauntlet eliminator match is set to decide the No Mercy challenger for Perez. Jaida Parker, Karmen Petrovic, Wren Sinclair, Kendal Grey, Sol Ruca, and Adriana Rizzo are the participants.
After their NXT Tag Team title win last week, Chase U will hold a celebration for Andre Chase & Ridge Holland tonight. Luke Gallows & Karl Anderson vs. Hank Walker & Tank Ledger, Lola Vice vs. Wendy Choo, and Ashante “Thee” Adonis vs. Dion Lennox have also been announced.
Join us for live coverage starting at 8 p.m. Eastern time.
**********
The show begins with footage from “earlier today” where Karmen Petrovic is attacked by Izzi Dame. Referees and officials pulled Dame away, but Petrovic’s status for the gauntlet match tonight is now in question.
Chase U opens with the show from the sound stage at the Performance Center in Orlando, and members of the student body enter through the crowd. Thea Hail, Riley Osborne, Duke Hudson, and the new NXT Tag Team Champions — Andre Chase & Ridge Holland — come through the studio audience on their way to the ring to celebrate winning the tag titles.
Andre Chase says it is a new year for Chase U, with new students, new classrooms, and new champions! Thea Hail is proud of Holland. Duke Hudson congratulated them, while also giving Holland a back hand compliment. Chase also gives Holland props, and Chase thanks him on behalf of the entire student body.
Since something like this in NXT cannot go uninterrupted, out come the former tag champs — Nathan Frazier & Axiom. The dethroned champions offer Chase U a mild congratulations. While the former champs do say Chase U were the better team on that day, Axiom contends Chase U is not the better team everyday. Axiom proclaims he and Frazier as the best team in NXT. Frazier & Axiom with their tone and demeanor are the antagonists here, though not really heels.
Frazier is about to ask for a rematch when Holland interjects. Holland cuts a promo on Chase U being the little engine that could. That is what they taught him. He came to NXT to find himself, but he found himself more lost. But Chase U stood by his side. Holland continues giving props. Holland says he busted his ass for six years and he is finally a champion, but last week was about more than him. Their mission statement is mission accomplished.
Frazier still insists on a rematch for the titles, but Osborne speaks up to say they will have go through himself and Hudson. Axiom & Frazier are then challenged by Hudson to a tag match. If the former champs win, they “maybe” get a rematch at No Mercy.
Frazier & Axiom accept the challenge from Hudson, and they go to leave. Hudson stops them by saying Chase U is always ready. Hudson & Osborne then rip off their tearaway pants like they are Latin Lover, and Chase U is in their wrestling gear ready for a match. Good thing Frazier & Axiom were already in their gear. Hope they stretched beforehand, as their match begins posthaste.
Nathan Frazier & Axiom defeated Duke Hudson & Riley Osborne (with Chase U)
Axiom pinned Osborne, which sets up a tag title rematch at No Mercy.
The match goes through a commercial break. Osborne does a flip dive over the ropes, and Chase U is jubilant as the show cuts to a break. The action continues after the break, with the former champs getting heat on Osborne as the show comes back from the break.
Hot tag to Hudson, and he cleans house. Hudson gets a near fall, and Osborne soon tags back in. Together they do a combo move that ends with Osborne giving Frazier a blockbuster-type move. Axiom jumps in to break up the subsequent pinning attempt. Osborne goes for a shooting star press, but Frazier moves. Osborne rolls through, and he runs through a wicked sequence with Frazier. They both springboard for an inverted Spanish fly of sorts.
Phoenix splash by Frazier. Nobody home. Frazier comes back with a superplex and float over for a combo where they then execute ReDRagon’s Enter the Dragon finisher. Frazier then leaps over the ropes to dive on Hudson, while Axiom hooks a leg to cover Osborne for a pinfall.
Cut to a backstage skit in GM Ava’s office, where Stevie Turner and Robert Stone are bickering again as they try to impress Ava. Izzi Dame enters the office, and she assumes she is taking Petrovic’s place in the match later. Instead, Ava says Brinley Reece is added to the match.
After a commercial break, Reece is in the locker room is excited for her match. Wren Sinclair chimes in, and she summons No Quarter Catch Crew.
Wendy Choo defeated Lola Vice
Choo pinned Vice after using a loaded pillow. The underhanded finish clearly sets up a rematch, with Vice looking to get her win back. NXT North American Women’s Champion Kelani Jordan did a run-in, only to get clocked inadvertently by a back fist from Vice. Jordan falls to the mat, and Vice checks on her. Meanwhile, Choo grabs the loaded pillow. Choo smacks Vice with the pillow before scoring the pinfall.
Despite Choo having a campy zombie gimmick, they have a serious match. It was very physical at time, and the match goes through a commercial break. Vice look strong before the break, but Choo is working her over when the show returns from the break. Vice makes a comeback just before Jordan runs in.
Jordan was attacked the previous week by Choo, and Choo stole Jordan title belt. Jordan challenged Choo to a title match at No Mercy. Jordan and Choo are about the brawl when Choo grabs the loaded pillow. Jordan ducks the pillow and grabs it away from Choo. Jordan pulls the North American title belt out of the pillow case to reveal it as the loaded object. Jordan poses with the belt as she stands over a fallen Choo.
Wes Lee is interviewed by Kelly Kincaid. They then cut a split-screen promo with Sarah Schreiber interviewing Joe Hendry. Lee and Hendry meet in a match later, which Hendry calls the biggest match of his career. Hendry vows to win and become number one contender.
A video package focuses on the new trio dubbed Fatal Influence, which consists of Fallon Henley, Jacy Jayne and Jazmyn Nyz. Henley and Jayne are upset they toiled on the indies for a break, while spoiled college athletes were courted by WWE. The only person that listened to Jayne and Henley was Nyz. So, they are a trio now.
Jaida Parker wins the number one contender’s gauntlet match
Parker is the sole survivor, and she also survived some potatoes. She also dished out her fair share. They all are still green, but they managed to pull this off. Props for that, but there is still plenty of room for improvement. In winning, Parker earns a title shot against NXT Women’s Champion Roxanne Perez at No Mercy.
Sol Ruca and Wren Sinclair square off to start the match as he first participants. While this is a “gauntlet match,” it is also similar to the Royal Rumble. After a countdown, new participants enter the ring. Adriana Rizzo is next to enter the gauntlet. She starts off strong, only for Rizzo to be the first eliminated from the match. Ruca does a wacky powerbomb, and she covers Rizzo for the elimination.
The match continues through a split-screen commercial break, with Brinley Reece having entered the bout as the show returns from the break. Kendall Grey enters the match, basically making it a fatal four way for a moment. Grey runs wild, and she pinned Reece for an elimination. Back down to three in the ring.
Ruca puts Grey in a Romero Special, and Sinclair was supposed to bulldog Grey as Grey powers out. But it was mistimed. Ruca later press slams Grey over the ropes on Sinclair. Ruca follows it with a quebrada. Ruca got to shine a lot throughout the match.
Jaida Parker enters the gauntlet, and she is a powerhouse. Parker goes on to pin Grey after a gourdbuster, and Grey is eliminated. Sinclair tried to cradle Parker for a pinfall, but Ruca breaks it up with a springboard into a cutter. Ruca then eliminates Sinclair via pinfall.
Final two are Ruca and Parker. The studio audience rises to their feet, and they are buzzing as the last two face off. Parker blocks a springbaord, and Parker powers Ruca into a Falcon Arrow for a near fall. Small package by Ruca for two as they trade near falls.
Parker appeared to have the wind knocked out of her. Ruca counters a powerbomb, and she falls on top of Parker. There was talking in the ring, but the match continues. Parker is able to get up and walk through a high spot where she sidesteps a springboard by Ruca. Parker takes a straight jacket German suplex. Ruca springbaords into flying body press, but no water in the pool. Parker runs the ropes and delivers a stiff hip attack. Parker then scores the deciding pinfall.
Parker, flanked by OTM, cuts a promo after the match where she vows to be the next women’s champion.
NXT Champion Ethan Page is being interviewed when he is confronted by Pete Dunne, who threatens Page.
Hank Walker & Tank Ledger defeated Karl Anderson & Luke Gallows
Hank pinned Anderson for the upset win. Gallows is posted just before they go home. Hank & Tank then do a tandem finisher, which involves Tank giving Anderson a spear as Hank executes a powerslam. The match was decent, but the finish was quite a surprise.
Hank & Tank celebrate with Vic Joseph at the announce desk. Hank & Tank are rowdy, so out comes security. They merely join in the party, as they celebrate with Hank (who in storyline was once a part of the security team).
Shawn Spears is talking backstage with Malik Blade & Edris Enofe. A brawl breaks out when Spears insults Brinley Reece, and Blade gets angry. Enofe & Blade then brawl with Spears. The camera is knocked over while Spears supposedly is given a chair shot. Spears sells his arm as referees pour in to break up the melee.
Ava got to attend a Slipknot concert and meet the band Slipknot. There was some cross-promotion here, as the announcers on commentary plug Slipknot’s tour.
No Quarter Catch Crews are in the ring to celebrate Charlie Dempsey regaining the Heritage Cup for the faction. Dempsey is trying to cut a promo, but Wren Sinclair keeps interrupting him. Dempsey quotes Lou Thesz and Billy Robinson as he begins his promo. Sinclair interjects. She is not familiar with “Billy Thesz or Lou Robinson.” However, if “Charles” says they are good people, then they must be good people.
Dempsey goes back to boasting as he vows to make the Heritage Cup the most valuable title in NXT. Sinclair again interrupts. She says “Charles” will defend “our” Cup against anyone in an open challenge. The theme music for Oba Femi blares, and out comes the NXT North American Champion. Sinclair is aghast, and she immediately apologizes to Dempsey.
Femi cuts a really good promo as he threatens Dempsey. Out comes Tony D’Aneglo for yet another interruption. Dempsey assumes “The Don” wants a rematch for the Cup. D’Angelo instead blows off that notion. The Don glares at Femi. D’Angelo adds he and The Family do not forget. The Don snaps his fingers, and The Family jumps No Quarter Catch Crew. Meanwhile, The Don is still glaring a hole through Femi. The melee between faction sets up a mixed trios match for next week.
Femi brawls with D’Angelo. Femi hoists him up for a powerbomb, but The Don counters to escape. The Don then gives Femi a spinebuster. D’Angelo grabs the title belt and he places it on a fallen Femi.
Ashante “Thee” Adonis defeated Dion Lennox
Adonis pinned Lennox after a superkick. I can understand wanting to get over Adonis, but did they have to do it at the expense of a debuting Lennox?
They did a skit before the match where three women fawned over Lennox, much to the chagrin of Adonis. Lennox does the Clark Kent gimmick as he wears glasses to the ring. He removes the glasses like Clark Kent turning into Superman, and Lennox is suddenly fired up to wrestle. Or something like that. Regardless, he still lost clean in his in-ring debut on NXT television. So much for being Superman.
They have a competitive match, and Lennox got some offense. Adonis did a corkscrew tornillo splash at one point. Lennox hulked up after being slapped across the face by Adonis. Lennox gets a near fall after an Arn Anderson spinebuster. Before the near fall, Lennox also delivers a receipt by slapping Adonis across the face.
Adonis with an eye poke to counter a suplex. Adonis goes on to trip up Lennox after he climbed the turnbuckles. Lennox takes a Hot Shot on the top rope, and Adonis tunes up the band like he is Shawn Michaels in 1996. Adonis measures and delivers Sweet Chin Music. Adonis then covers Lennox for a pinfall.
Lexis King bickers with Lash Legend and Jakara Jackson in a backstage skit.
Joe Hendry defeated Pete Dunne and Wes Lee in a triple threat match to become the number one contender for the NXT Championship
NXT Champion Ethan Page provided guest commentary for the match, and he would factor into the finish. Trick Williams also runs in for the finish to ambush Dunne, which costs Dunne the match. Lee was odd man out at the finish, despite being heavily involved in the action itself before then. While Lee got to shine at times, this match was more about getting Hendry over as the next challenger. The Trick run in seems to also add more to a potential grudge match with Williams against Dunne. Likewise, Zachary Wentz jumps Lee while looking for a measure of revenge.
The match goes through a commercial break. Hendry stands tall before the break, and he fires up again when the show returns from commercials. Hendry does a feat of strength where he does a double fallaway slam on both Dunne and Lee, or at least he sort of does it. Studio audience still loves Hendry. The crownd claps along and chants for Hendry.
Lee does a lionsault press on both Dunne & Hendry, leading to a triple down. Moments later, Dunne traps both Hendry and Lee in a double joint lock. Dunne also gets a near fall. Lee also gets a near fall, after he spiked Dunne with a tornado DDT. They do what appeared to be a Tower of Doom spot, but the show cut to a wide shot (so possibly the spot was slightly botched). Nevertheless, Lee gets another near fall, only to have his fingers snapped by Dunne moments later.
Hendry with a chokeslam on Dunne, and Hendry goes for a cover. Page pulls the referee out of the ring like he is the NWO on Nitro in 1998. An angry Hendry takes his frustrations out on Lee, as Hendry chokeslams Lee on the announce desk (which did not break). Back in the ring, Hendry delivers another chokeslam. This time on Dunne, but Hendry cannot go for a pin because Page is blocking a new referee from entering the ring.
Hendry is distracted by Page, allowing Dunne to sneak in for a Bitter End. Suddenly, Trick Williams runs in and hits Dunne with a knee strike. Dunne is out cold as Hendry rolls over to drape an arm over Dunne. One. Two. Three. Page saw what was happening, but he was too late in jumping in break up the count. Hendry scores a pinfall to win the match. Hendry is now the number one contender.
Wentz runs in to attack Lee after the match. Security pours into the ring to pull Wentz off Lee as the show ends.
