The build to Battleground continues on tonight’s edition of WWE NXT. Taped last week, this episode determines more contenders for championship matches.
A triple threat match airing tonight will determine the next challenger for Oba Femi’s NXT North American Championship. Wes Lee, Josh Briggs, and Joe Coffey are competing for the title shot on the episode that airs tonight.
Originally announced as Lee vs. Briggs vs. Ivar, but Ivar is out of action due to a serious injury. He was written off the show with an injury angle that also returned a return. That aired as a cliffhanger that ended last week’s episode.
Gallus made their return to NXT last week in an angle where they laid out Lee, Briggs, and Ivar. After that, Lee and Briggs both requested that Coffey be added to tonight’s match so they can get their revenge.
Thea Hail vs. Fallon Henley and Jaida Parker vs. Brinley Reece will decide the next two participants for the inaugural Women’s North American Championship ladder match. That title match is set for Battleground, with Lash Legend and Sol Ruca having already qualified for the bout. Battleground is taking place from the UFC Apex in Las Vegas on Sunday, June 9.
Also airing on the episode tonight, Natalya & Karmen Petrovic team up against Shayna Baszler & Lola Vice in a tag match.
Our coverage starts at 8 p.m. Eastern time.
Opening the show is a qualifying match for the upcoming championship ladder match.
Fallon Henley defeated Thea Hail (with Andre Chase, Duke Hudson, Riley Osborne & Ridge Holland) to qualify for the NXT Women’s North American Championship ladder match at Battleground
Henley pinned Hail in a good match. Holland and Chase U are ejected from ringside, thanks to a ploy by Henley. Henley would use another ploy for the finish, before delivering a shining wizard. Jazmyn Nyz runs in after the match for a sneak attack on Hail.
Hail made an early comeback in the match, before the fight spilled outside. At that point, Hail launched herself through the ropes with a wild dive. The crafty heel then plays a trick to shift the momentum back into her favor.
Henley gets a metal folding chair from underneath the ring. She did so in plain view of Chase U and Ridge Holland, but apparently unseen by the referee. He turns around a moment after Ridge Holland takes the chair away from Henley, and the ref sees Holland holding the chair. The ref then ejects Holland and the Chase U faction. Henley blows them a kiss as the show cuts to a commercial break.
Hail fires up again after the commercial break. She shows a lot of fire, along with a mean face. That angry determination would eventually cost her the match. Henley tries to slingshot herself off the middle rope into a suplex on Hail, but Hail counters with a submission hold. Hail catches Henley in the Kimura lock.
Moments before going home, Henley gator rolls out of the ring with the Kimura lock still locked in. Henley finally breaks the hold by driving Hail into the barricade. After breaking the hold, Henley uses Hail’s anger against her with another heel trick.
Hail hulks up and chases Henley into the ring, where Henley meets her with a shining wizard. Henley then hooks a leg and covers Hail for a three count. In winning, Henley qualifies for the championship ladder match at Battleground.
With her Chase U pals being ejected earlier in the match, Hail is alone in the ring after the bell. Jazmyn Nyz ambushes Hail in an attack. A beat down ensues.
Kelly Kincaid interviews Gallus. Joe Coffey cuts a menacing promo ahead of his triple threat match later on. Mark Coffey, alongside Wolfgang, also chimes in to warn everyone that Gallus is back.
NXT Tag Team Champions Nathan Frazier & Axiom defeated The D’Angelo Family (Luca Crusifino & Channing “Stacks” Lorenzo with Tony D’Angelo & Adriana Rizzo) to retain their titles
Frazier pinned Stacks with a small package, following a run in by No Quarter Catch Crew. They attack Tony D’Angelo. The O.C. also run in for a post-match beat down on the champions, probably setting up a tag title match.
Lots of high spots and flying in this tag title bout. Stacks and Crusifino turn the tables as the show cuts to a commercial break. They take control with some high spots of their own. Frazier is cut off from tagging out, and he is in trouble. Frazier then moonsaults into a Scorpion drop, and he is finally able to tag out.
Hot tag to Axiom, and he is a house of fire. Stacks is able to kick out of a few near falls after taking big moves from the champions. Crusifino cuts off the champs, then he and Stacks execute a tandem slam on Frazier. Axiom is able to make a save to break up a pinning attempt.
In the closing moments, Stacks gives Frazier a superplex for another near fall. Crusifino tries to leap off the top rope, like they were doing the old Power & Glory finish. However, Axiom makes another save. He superkicks Crusifino and wipes him out.
The No Quarter Catch Crew of Charlie Dempsey, Damon Kemp and Myles Borne run in just before the finish. They gang up on Tony D’Angelo and attack him. Meanwhile, Frazier catches Stacks in a small package for a the deciding pinfall. Stack immediately bails out of the ring to join the brawl at ringside. Crusifino joins in the melee, and they all brawl their way off set.
The O.C. (Good Brothers) run in to jump the champions. Karl Anderson & Doc Gallows attack Frazier & Axiom, and the champs are laid out. Good Brothers pose with the tag title belts, as they stand over the actual champs.
Mr. Stone and Lexis King argue in a skit. NXT General Manager Ava breaks up the argument, and she books King against a mystery opponent for later tonight.
Riley Osborne and Ridge Holland get into an argument backstage over the finish in Thea Hail’s match. Chase tells them to settle it in the ring, thus setting up an upcoming singles match.
NXT North American Champion Oba Femi enters the sound stage ahead of the triple threat match, which determines his next challenger. The champ will watch the match from ringside while doing guest commentary.
Wes Lee and Joe Coffey declared co-winners of the triple threat match against Josh Briggs to determine the next challengers for the NXT North American Championship
Instead of determine one top contender, there ends up being two. Briggs is odd man out, although he did work hard to have a good match with the other two. Briggs is able to save face as he is attacked by Mark Coffey & Wolfgang, which took him out of the match.
Lee fires up and launches himself into a dive on Coffey, just before Briggs is jumped by Gallus. Lee then climbs the turnbuckles, and jumps off. Coffey dodges Lee, and Lee lands on his feet. Lee then springboards off the middle rope. Lee and Coffey collide like two rams butting heads. They both fall on top of Briggs, and the referee counts a pinfall.
Lee and Coffey would later be announced as co-winners. In a skit later in the show, Ava tells Oba Femi he will defend against both Lee and Coffey in a triple threat match at Battleground.
Natalya & Karmen Petrovic offer some encouraging words to each other in a backstage interview.
Brinley Reece is preparing for her match in a locker room skit. Edris Enofe & Malik Blade are unsure of being in Reece’s corner because of Enofe’s string of bad luck.
Jaida Parker defeated Brinley Reece to qualify for the NXT Women’s North American Championship ladder match at Battleground
Parker pinned Reece after a hip attack, called “The Tear Drop Hip Check” on commentary. The other qualifying match had a better story, but this match was not without its stories. More like Days of Our Lives than mat classic, though. Enofe & Blade watch from the aisle, which is apparently close enough for Enofe’s bad luck to cost Reece the match, or something like that. Parker still looked strong in winning, as she thwarted a comeback by Reece.
A vignette shows someone waking up from a nap and putting on their slippers, which plays into recent teasers that depicted an alarm clock. Leads me to speculate it is possibly Wendy Choo.
NXT Women’s Champion Roxanne Perez is the focus of a video package. She cuts a promo as a highlight reel plays. After that airs, Ava hints at the next challenger for Perez. She is on the phone with an unknown caller, basically teasing it will be someone from outside NXT. The mystery challenger will be revealed next week.
Dante Chen defeated Lexis King
Second match on the card with an inside cradle for the finish. Chen cradled King with a small package to win the match. It was played up like an upset, as Chen is victorious on his surprise return to NXT.
King cuts a cocky promo before the match, which is interrupted by Mr. Stone. He then introduces Chen as King’s opponent. Chen gets a grand entrance, clearly getting a push.
NXT Champion Trick Williams is introduced before the live studio audience, and he enters the ring wearing street clothes. His title belt is around his waist. All business on this episode, Williams insists he gets serious. That led to Williams denying he attacked Noam Dar in angle from last week.
Meta-Four (minus Dar) interrupt Williams. Jakara Jackson and Oro Mensah cut promos insulting Williams. They accuse Willaims of attacking Dar. Lash Legend chimes in to defend Williams. Mensah questions which side Legend is on, and Williams in turn threatens Mensah.
Joe Coffey comes out for another interruption. Coffey bets Williams is wondering why the person (Coffey) who won a title shot at the North American title is talking to the NXT Champion. Turns out to be a distraction so that Gallus could jump Williams with a sneak attack.
Mark Coffey and Wolfgang attack Williams, and Joe Coffey rushed into the ring to join in. They are hanging up on Williams when Je’Von Evans runs to help Williams. Evans valiantly tries to fight off Gallus, but he is soon overwhelmed and outnumbered. Williams hulks up, but he is outnumbered as well. Williams is laid out, and Gallus stand over him. This angle sets up a tag match for next week, which is announced later in the show.
Mr. Stone and Ava both congratulate Chen on his win. Chen leaves, and Ava congratulates on Stone on making a star.
Hip hop artist Sexyy Red is advertised for an appearance next week on the show. Also announced for next Tuesday on NXT:
- A reveal of who is the next challenger for Roxanne Perez’s NXT Women’s Championship
- Michin vs. Tatum Paxley in a NXT Women’s North American Championship qualifier
- Kelani Jordan vs. Wren Sinclair in a NXT Women’s North American Championship qualifier
- Ridge Holland vs. Riley Osborne
- NXT Champion Trick Williams & Je’Von Evans vs. Gallus
Karmen Petrovic & Natalya defeated Shayna Baszler & Lola Vice in a tag team match
Petrovic pinned Vice after a Hart Attack finisher. Following the match, Vice turned on Baszler. They then have a brawl, which sets up an Underground match between at Battleground.
This was put in the main event slot, and it was played up as such on commentary. Although maybe not a marquee match, it still leads to an angle afterwards where Vice turns on Baszler.
Vice and Baszler wore matching gis to the ring, but there is friction apparent beforehand. In a locker room skit before the match, Baszler takes exception at Vice dancing. Baszler cautions her not to dance in their match tonight. That would play into the finish, and the angle after the match.
Petrovic is worked over during the match, which goes through a split-screen commercial break. Hot tag to Natalya, and Nattie cleans house.
Vice is being double teamed when Baszler makes a save. There is a tease of another inside cradle finish, but it was a near falls this time. Baszler escapes an attempted sharpshooter, only for Baszler to get knocked out of the ring. Vice with a back fist for a near fall, as Petrovic makes a save.
Nattie runs into another back fist from Vice, who then teases applying the sharpshooter on Nattie. Vice dances and shakes her hips, and Vice slowly attempts to apply the leglock. Nattie reverses the application, and Nattie has Vice trapped in the sharpshooter. Baszler breaks up the hold by attacking Nattie. Petrovic leaps off the top rope into the arms of Baszler, and Baszler applies the Kirifuda Clutch. Petrovic counters to send Baszler crashing outside the ring.
For the finish, Nattie & Petrovic do the old Hard Foundation finisher. Nattie holds Vice so that Petrovic can clothesline her with The Hart Attack. Petrovic then covers Vice for a pinfall.
Vice turns on Baszler after the match, and Vice boots her with a roundhouse kick. Vice dances on the apron in celebration (even though she lost the match). Baszler rises to her feet and sees Vice dancing yet again. An enraged Baszler catches Vice in the Clutch. Referees pour out and separate them. The women pull apart and keep brawling, which leads to GM Ava coming out to book a match between them at Battleground. Baszler then grabs the microphone to shout add an Underground stipulation. The melee continues as the show goes off the air.
