Tag: raquel gonzalez

AJ Styles is headed to NXT tonight and appears to be set for a confrontation with Grayson Waller.

The appearance was announced after Waller mocked Styles on social media. Waller made fun of Styles’ hair and called him out for riding Omos’ coattails. Waller said he loved Styles when he was a kid, but Styles has hung around too long.

Waller has laid out Johnny Gargano and LA Knight on NXT over the last two weeks.

Styles’ partnership with Omos came to an end on Raw last night after dissension between them. Omos gave Styles a press slam when the two fought after their loss to Rey & Dominik Mysterio.

The rivalry between Raquel Gonzalez and Dakota Kai will come to a head as they face off in a street fight tonight. Pete Dunne vs. Tony D’Angelo, Dexter Lumis vs. Trick Williams, and The Creed Brothers vs. The Grizzled Young Veterans are also set for the show. Plus, Von Wagner will be in action.

Our live coverage begins at 8 p.m. Eastern time.

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The show opens with NXT Champion Tommaso Ciampa in the ring for a promo. Ciampa says as the NXT Champion is hunted, with all eyes on the champion. Ciampa is different than past champions, because Ciampa says he does the hunting. Ciampa says that last week Bron Breakker becomes the hunted. 

Ciampa goes on to say Breakker will soon interrupt him, but he does need to do that. Instead, Ciampa invited Breakker to the ring. Out comes Breakker, and he goes to get a microphone. Ciampa tells Breakker he does not need a mic. 

Ciampa talks about Breakker pinning the champ at the WarGames match last month. Ciampa says Breakker earned another shot at the title. Ciampa basically challenges Breakker to a title rematch on January 4 at New Year’s Evil. Ciampa chides Breakker by saying don’t “drown” like he did last time, bringing up Breakker losing to Ciampa in a title match in October at Halloween Havoc.

Breakker stares a hole through Ciampa as Ciampa tells Breakker he is not ready to be a champion in Ciampa’s NXT. Although Ciampa says Breakker is doing great, Ciampa tells him that he is not ready. Too much too soon. Ciampa goes on to mock the Breakker about Breakker winning the title. Ciampa throws in a Steiner reference without actually saying the word Steiner.

Ciampa’s tone changes, and he gets into Breakker face. Ciampa snarls at Breakker before slapping Breakker. Ciampa screams at Breakker. Breakker cannot take anymore, he grabs Ciampa by the throat and picks him up with a gorilla press. But Breakker puts him down. Breakker grabs the belt and says at New Year’s Evil there is blood in the water.

“This shark is going to eat you alive,” Breakker says to Ciampa. Breakker says he will see Ciampa in two weeks, and then Breakker leaves the ring.

Grayson Waller cut a promo on Instagram burying AJ Styles. 

Dakota Kai ambushes Raquel Gonzalez

Raquel Gonzalez is backstage getting ready to go out to the ring. Dakota Kai tries to ambush Gonzalez with a crate, and the fight is on between the two. They were fighting backstage, but there match apparently was yet to start because neither made it to the ring. So they were basically having an impromptu Boiler Room Brawl. 

They fight with props scattered around backstage. Kai tries to flee and throw stuff at Gonzalez to block her path like a low budget slasher movie. Gonzalez still manages to put Kai in the face with a high kick. Kai superkicks Gonzalez after hitting her with objects. Gonzalez is down selling as Kai tries to set up a table. Gonzalez ran into Kai with a cart, and then sends Kai crashing into a door. 

The fight spills outside the building as the show cuts to a split screen commercial break. During the break, they brawl their way to the ring. The match finally begins. 

Raquel Gonzalez defeated Dakota Kai in a street fight

Gonzalez pins Kai in what appears to a blow off to their feud. 

There might have been more weapons used in the ring than during the brawl backstage. No rolling carts, though. They left the carts backstage. The ring and ringside area were littered with chairs, kendo sticks, and trash cans. Tables soon came into play as well, but nobody went through one set up in a corner.

They teased a spot through a table before Kai gives Gonzalez a hurricanrana, which sends them both out of the ring. A trash can is placed over Gonzalez’s head, and Kai leaps onto the trash can with a double stomp off the apron. Gonzalez soon counters Kai, giving Kai a powerbomb on the ring steps. 

Back in the ring, Kai takes a powerbomb onto a trash can. Gonzalez then pins Kai for a three count. 

Gonzalez grabs a mic to cut a promo where she calls out NXT Women’s Champion Mandy Rose. Gonzalez challenges Rose to a title match right here and now, and the show cuts to a commercial as we await an answer.

Tony D’Angelo in a pre-tape promo disrespects Pete Dunne. They meet later in match tonight. 

Meanwhile, Gonzalez is still in the ring calling out Rose. Out comes Cora Jade instead.

Jade, with one arm in a sling, tells Gonzalez that she deserves a rematch with Rose. Jade says wants Toxic Attraction to pay for injuring her, and Jade says the way to do that is cut the head off the snake. 

Gonzalez responds by basically telling Jade to not get in her way. Gonzalez says she will go through anybody to get her title back. Jade says not if she gets there first. 

Mandy Rose interrupts them by appearing on the video screen. Rose was poolside wearing a swimsuit while also wearing her championship belt. Rose says the champ is speaking, and enough whining. Rose announces at New Year’s Evil she will defend her title against both Gonzalez and Jade in a triple threat match.

Jacy Jayne amd Gigi Dolan of Toxic Attraction hit the ring to blindside Gonzalez and Jade with a sneak attack. The heels were hitting the babyfaces with kendo sticks. Jade is sent outside, as Gonzalez tries to fight off the two heels by herself. Double-teamed and outnumbered, Gonzalez is beaten down. The table set up a corner earlier on was finally used when Toxic Attraction send Gonzalez crashing through it.

Gonzalez is laid out with the table crumbled over her as the heels leave the ring.

Joe Gacy in a promo apologies to Brian Kendrick on behalf of Harland, who threw Kendrick down a flight of stairs last week. Somehow, Gacy manages to blame Kendrick for the incident.

Grizzled Young Veterans were trying to act tough about their match with the Creed Brothers later on. This was an attempt at comedy I think.

Persia Pirotta and Indi Hartwell were backstage when Grayson Waller confronts them. Hartwell is mad at Waller for what he did to Dexter Lumis. Waller insults Lumis, and Pirotta has to hold Hartwell back from attacking Waller.

Creed Brothers (Brutus & Julius Creed with Malcolm Bivens) vs. Grizzled Young Veterans (James Drake & Zack Gibson) went to a no-contest

Huge brawl between four teams, two from the match and two at ringside, led to the bout being thrown out.

The Creed Brothers with an early advantage as they work over Gibson. Brutus does not notice when Drakes makes a bling tag, which allows Gibson and Drake to take over. Jacket Time (Ikemen Jiro and Kushida) enter ringside carrying a mock announce table. Jacket Time becomes the impromptu Japanese announce team. Kind of spoof on the Bill and Buddy Show from Memphis wrestling from 30+ years ago (Google it kids as it’s highly entertaining). 

Heat on Brutus as Grizzled Young Veterans work him over. Josh Briggs and Brooks Jensen came down the aisle to watch the match from ringside. Hot tag by the Creed Brothers, but Brutus is soon cut off by tope from Gibson. A tease of powerbombing someone through the mock announce table. Jacket Time get up and get into the face of the Creed Brothers. Grizzled Young Veterans shove Creed Brothers into Jacket Time, kicking off a huge brawl. 

All of the various teams both in the match and at ringside all begin to fight. 

McKenzie Mitchell, wearing a holiday sweater featuring The Rock, interviews NXT North American Champion Carmelo Hayes, who is wearing a Santa hat. Hayes and Trick Williams cut a promo on Dexter Lumis.

Dexter Lumis defeated Trick Williams (with Carmelo Hayes)

Lumis submits Williams. Match was not particularly good. To try and hide that, there was a lot of other stuff going on. Like much of this show, too much as going on. Very Russo, bro. 

Lumis was in solid control until outside interference by Hayes. NXT Cruiserweight Champion Roderick Strong attacks Hayes to even the odds. Malcolm Bivens and Ivy Nile of Diamond Mine watch from a perch above the ring. Strong and Hayes brawl to the back.

Williams capitalize on the distraction to get heat on Lumis. Come back by Lumis. Williams tries to hit Lumis with a shoe. Lumis blocks the shoe and applies his signature sleeper hold. Williams passes out, and Lumis wins the match.

Grayson Waller from behind and out of nowhere hits Lumis with a chair. Waller lays out Lumis with chair shots. AJ Styles is seen arriving to the building in an SUV, and he is heading to the ring.

AJ Styles confronts Grayson Waller

After a commercial break, Waller is still in the ring. He is cutting a promo on the fans. The entrance of AJ Styles interrupts Waller’s promo. Thank goodness. The crowd goes crazy because Styles is a true superstar. 

Styles tells Waller to shut up. Styles then cuts a promo on Waller. They go back-and-forth on the mic for a moment. Waller says Styles is here because his partner turned on him last night (which happened on Monday Night Raw). Waller insists that Styles wants Waller to be his new tag partner, which of course is not true. Waller says he is more of a singles guy.

Styles says Waller is calling him out because Waller wants a rub. Styles notes that Waller wrestles with gear, like his gloves for example, that is rip off of Styles. AJ responds by basically burying Waller, insinuating he is not yet ready to be a real superstar.

Waller threatens Styles. Waller says this is his ring, and Waller says he can “end” Styles right now. Styles dares him to do it. Styles says Waller thinks he is a superstar after three weeks, but Styles has been a star for twenty years.

Waller takes off his shirt, and teases a fight with Styles. Ever the heel, Waller instead leaves the ring. He tells Styles that Omos can have Styles firsy, and Waller has next. This seems to set up a match with Styles in a few weeks.

Another wackly skit with MSK and Matt Riddle where Riddle gives them Randy Orton merchandise. Riddle then reveals that next week MSK will call out Imperium, and Riddle vows to be at their side when they do so. MSK and Riddle then ride away on scooters, but they are hit by a vehicle. Suddenly, MSK wake up at the bus stop. Was it all a dream? They think so until they find a Riddle hat in their fanny pack. Riddle then appears, and they ride away on scooters. Riddle stops them to look both ways before they ride away. 

Edris Enofe defeated Von Wagner

Enofe surprises Wagner by pinning him after a counter.

Enofe tries to attack Wagner at the bell, but to no avail. Wagner begins to pummel him. Continuing the theme of this show where people watch a match from ringside, Robert Stone looks on from the aisle. He is apparently scouting Wagner.

Wagner goes for a powerbomb (which is a move used and/or teased throughout this show), but Enofe counters with a sunset bomb. Enofe then scores a three count to win the match.

Wagner attacks Enofe after the bell, and Wagner beats him down to leave Enofe laid out. This seems to lead towards a rematch.

NXT Champions Imperium cut a promo on MSK in foreign languages. Finally, in English they say that MSK may have a shaman, but Imperium has a general. An obvious reference to WALER, so he could possibly be in the champs’ corner opposite MSK and Riddle.

Matches made official for two weeks time at New Year’s Evil:

• Tommaso Ciapma defends the NXT Championship against Bron Breakker in a rematch
• Mandy Rose defends the NXT Women’s Championship against Cora Jade and Raquel Gonzalez in a triple threat match

On her way to the ring, Elektra Lopez cuts a promo on Io Shirai. Lurking in the background unnoticed by Legado del Fantasma is Xyon Quinn.

Io Shirai defeated Elektra Lopez (with Legado del Fantasma)

Shirai pins Lopez after a bunch of gaga involving Xyon Quinn.

Lopez gains an early advantage, but Shirai soon fires up. Lopez cuts off Shirai when Shirai went for a moonsault. 

Xyon Quinn storms onto the scene as he comes down to ringside. Raul Mendoza and Joaquin Wilde try to stop him, but Quinn throws them aside like rag dolls. Quinn puts a mistletoe into his mouth as he climbs on the ring apron. 

Quinn holds the mistletoe overhead as Lopez approaches him. Lopez grabs the mistletoe out of his hands as Santos Escoabr enters the scene to pull Quinn off the apron. Quinn reverses a whip and sends Escobar crashing into the ring steps. 

Meanwhile, the match is still ongoing. A distracted Lopez is easy prey for Shirai. Palm strike by Shirai followed by a moonsault press. Shirai then covers Lopez for a three count.

Backstage, Carmelo Hayes accepts the challenge for a title vs. title against Roderick Strong at New Year’s Evil.

Brian Kendrick is wearing a neck brace as he cuts a cellphone promo on Joe Gacy and Harland. Kendrick takes off the brace while saying he resigned as a coach in NXT. He also signed a waiver. Kendrick challenges Gacy and Harland to apologize to his face.

Announced for next Tuesday on NXT:

• Contract signing for the unification match between North American Champion Carmelo Hayes and Cruiserweight Champion Roderick Strong (hosted by Wade Barrett)
• Dexter Lumis vs. Grayson Waller
• NXT Women’s Tag Team Champions Toxic Attraction (Gigi Dolan & Jacy Jayne) vs. Raquel Gonzalez & Cora Jade in a non-title match

Pete Dunne defeated Tony D’Angelo

Dunne pins D’Angelo after a Bitter End. This was easily D’Angelo’s best singles match so far in NXT. D’Angelo gets his heat back after the match by attacking Dunne to lay him out.

Good sequences in the opening moment of the match. Dunne also kicked D’Angelo right in the side of the head at one point, which looked like it hurt.

The match goes through a commercial break as Dunne targets the fingers of D’Angelo. Dunne with joint manipulation as the show returns from the break. 

D’Angelo cut off Dunne, and D’Angelo went for a float over. Dunne traps D’Angelo in a triangle, yet D’Angelo escapes the hold by powering out with a suplex. D’Angelo follows with an exploder suplex into a corner. 

Comeback by Dunne with series of strikes and a near fall. Dunne stomps on D’Angelo, but Dunne collapses in a heap. Double down leads into them trading strikes. D’Angelo counters with a falcon arrow for a near fall.

D’Angelo grabs a crowbar that was hidden at ringside. He goes to hit Dunne with the crowbar, but Dunne counters him. Dunne transitions into applying an armbar. D’Angelo escapes and he takes out Dunne mouthpiece. Dunne soon counters again, and he snaps the fingers of D’Angelo. Bitter End by Dunne, and he covers D’Angelo for a pinfall. 

D’Angelo attacks Dunne after the match, and D’Angelo gives Dunne a twisting fisherman’s buster on the floor at ringside. D’Angelo again grabs the crowbar. He puts the bar in Dunne’s mouth, and D’Angelo wacks Dunne in the hand with a shot from the crowbar. The show goes off the air with Dunne selling his arm.