Tag: zoey stark

Nikkita Lyons & Zoey Stark are getting another chance to become Women’s Tag Team Champions tonight on NXT.

Lyons & Stark are challenging Katana Chance & Kayden Carter in a return match for the NXT Women’s Tag Team titles. The teams previously faced off for the titles two weeks ago. 

In their prior tag title match, Stark seemingly had gotten the win for her team by pinning Chance, but the decision was reversed due to the referee missing an unseen tag. Chance & Carter then went on to retain their titles by pinning Lyons.

Last week on NXT, Stark lost her temper in a singles match. That cost her the match, despite Lyons attempting to calm her down. Stark was later apologetic over the incident in a backstage skit.

Tonight’s NXT also features a talk show segment. Before Von Wagner challenges Bron Breakker for the NXT Championship next week, Breakker and Wagner will both be guests on The Grayson Waller Effect tonight.

Plus, Brutus Creed takes on Damon Kemp in a five-minute challenge, Axiom faces JD McDonagh, Charlie Dempsey returns to the ring against Andre Chase, Hank Walker will be in action against Stacks, and Cameron Grimes battles Joe Gacy.

Grimes vs. Gacy is opening tonight’s show. It will be Ava Raine’s ringside debut as The Schism accompany Gacy.

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

**********

The show opens with the entrance of Joe Gacy and The Schism. The team of The Dyad is alongside Ava Raine in flanking Gacy on his way to the ring.

Cameron Grimes enters the soundstage in Orlando with a stern look on his face, looking determined ahead of the opening match on tonight’s card.

Joe Gacy (with The Schism) defeats Cameron Grimes

Gacy pins Grimes after interference by Ava Raine. The Dyad also interfere throughout the match, but Grimes thwarts most of their attempts to help Gacy. It was Raine that eventually costs Grimes the match.

Gacy is wrestling in trunks and boots, ditching his previous gear of street clothes. It is a much better look, especially since Gacy is such a good wrestler. He also looks like a wrestler with the new gear.

They match goes through a commercial break. Grimes has to fight off Schism. Despite their interference, Grimes makes a comeback. His rally continues, despite Schism trying to cut him off.

Schism tries to interfere again, but that backfires. Gacy takes a poison rana, and Grimes signals for his finisher. The Dyad help Gacy to powder out of the ring. Undaunted, Grimes leaps over the top rope with a flip dive on Schism.

Grimes climbs the turnbuckles, and Ava Raine shoves him off the top rope. Gacy then hits Grimes with the Upside Down World, and Gacy scores a three count.

Axiom is waiting outside the trainer’s room for Nathan Frazier, who tells Axiom it will be a few more weeks before Frazier is cleared to wrestle again. Their conversation is interrupted by JD McDonagh.

McDonagh sarcastically guesses that Frazier has a herniated disk. Axiom takes up for Frazier, and he banters with McDonagh. This sets up a match between Axiom and McDonagh.

Carmelo Hayes and Trick Williams are back at the barber’s shop for a vignette. Hayes wants his North American Championship back, and Hayes notes he was not pinned in losing the title. He lost the strap in a ladder match, where Wes Lee won the North American title.

Hayes has some respect for Lee, but Hayes claims Lee is not the true champion until he beats Hayes. Williams calls a Lee a “transitional chump,” and everyone has a big laugh at Lee’s expense.

A barber named Josh gives Lee some props, much to the astonishment of the group gathered in the barber shop. Josh asks Hayes how long he will let Lee hold the title. “Two weeks” is the answer from Williams.

Hayes announces that next week there is a contract signing where he and Lee make the match official. This was a good segment, and very unique in the presentation.

Scrypts interrupts the show with another cryptic message warning everyone of his arrival.

Elektra Lopez defeats Sol Ruca

Ruca is running wild when Lopez pulls her off the top rope. Ruca takes a bump onto the mat, and Lopez then executes a sit out choke bomb. Lopez then covers Ruca for a pinfall. 

After the match, Indi Hartwell runs in to attack Lopez. There is a pull-apart brawl. Hartwell’s sneak attack is a receipt for Lopez jumping Hartwell last week in a similar manner. This is clearly building to a match between the two.

Duke Hudson hypes Andre Chase in a pep talk for the ages. Thea Hail is also hyped for Chase’s match.

NXT Women’s Champion Mandy Rose is facetiming with Jacy Jayne, and Jacyne is attacked by Alba Fyre. She was apparently posing as a “mall cop” when Fyre attacks Jayne. Fyre then gives Rose a warning that she is coming for her too.

Charlie Dempsey defeats Andre Chase (with Thea Hail & Duke Hudson) 

Dempsey wins after Hudson throws in the towel to stop the match.

Dempsey keeps getting the better of Hudson in grappling exchanges. Nevertheless, Chase is able to do a Garvin Stomp as the live studio audience spells out C-H-A-S-E-U. 

Dempsey ties Chase in a crossface. Hudson is at ringside cringing at the hold, and Hudson could finally take no more. Hudson grabs a towel, and he attempts to throw it into the ring. Like Helen Hart at Survivor Series in ’94, he misses at first as the towel awkwardly lands on the middle rope. Hudson throws it a second time, and the referee then sees it on the mat.

A confused Hudson wonders what happened, saying he did not quit. Hudson checks on Chase, and Hudson also glares at Dempsey. Chase has a look of bewilderment.

Kaina James and her assistant go to Fallon Henley’s dive bar. Briggs and Jensen are also there as James scouts the place looking to buy the property. Henley does not wish to sell the place, as it has a rich history in her family. James makes her final offer, and Henley again declines to sell. Henley then orders them to leave.

Channing “Stacks” Lorenzo (with Tony D’Angelo) defeats Hank Walker 

Lorenzo pins Walker in a match where both guys wrestle in pants.

When making a comeback, Walker rips his shirt off like he pulling a strap down on his singlet. Walker then hulks up. Lorenzo counters with an eye poke for a near fall.

Lorenzo follows up the near fall with a knee drop curb stomp. Lorenzo then hooks a legs and covers Walker for a pinfall.

The Grayson Waller Effect with Bron Breakker and Von Wagner

As part of the segment, there is a bunch of graphics on the screen. It is very busy. The set includes fake ferns like the show is hosted by Zach Galifianakis, except there are more than two ferns.

NXT Champion Bron Breakker sits across a desk from Von Wagner and Mr. Stone. Grayson Waller is seated between them. They proceed to have a boring talking segment where they banter back and forth. Things eventually heat up.

Building to a title match next week, Wagner cuts a promo on Breakker. In response, Breakker jumps to his feet and challenges Wagner to an impromptu fight. They get face to face and have a staredown. Mr. Stone is aghast, but he is kicked aside.

McKenzie Mitchells interviews NXT North American Champion Wes Lee, who brings up what Carmelo Hayes said earlier in the barber shop. Lee vows to retain his championship against Hayes.

Cora Jade in a vignette cuts a promo on Wendy Choo, which hypes a match next week with Jade against Choo.

JD McDonagh defeats Axiom

McDonagh wins via referee stoppage after targeting Axiom’s knee.

Fast paced match at the start, as things heat up. The match goes through a commercial break, and the paces has slowed when the show returns from the break. 

McDonagh works a leg, but Axiom nonetheless launches into a comeback. Despite selling his knee, Axiom springboards into a quebrada to the outside. Back in the ring, McDonagh again targets Axiom’s knee. Axiom counters for a near fall.

Trapped in a Boston crab, Axiom struggles and claws for a rope break. They go on to trade strikes, with both landing big blows. McDonagh drops Axiom with a strike.

McDonagh attempts a moonsault press, but Axiom has a counter, Axiom catches McDonagh in a triangle. McDonagh goes for a deadlift powerbomb while looking to break the triangle. Axiom counters the counter, and he executes a hurricanrana for a two count.

In a final hope spot, Axiom was another counter when McDonagh goes to again target the leg. Axiom applies a rear naked choke, and McDonagh tries to escape. Axiom transitions into a Fujiwara armbar, but McDonagh block it by barring the injured knee. 

McDonagh cranks on Axiom’s knee, and the referee jumps in to pause the action. Booker T on commentary screams that he heard Axoim’s knee pop. Axioms sells big, but he pleads with the ref to not stop the match. Trainers come over to check on Axiom. The ref and the trainers rule that Axiom cannot continue, and the match is awarded to McDonagh.

McDonagh cuts a post-match promo saying his match was a lesson to the rest of the roster. McDonagh then issues a warning to Apollo Crews.

A plug for next week announces that Shawn Michaels will “issue a statement” related to Deadline, which is the next NXT supercard.

Damon Kemp defeats Brutus Creed (with Julius Creed & Ivy Nile) via disqualification

Brutus is disqualified after using a chair before his five minute are up. 

The gimmick to this match is Brutus gets five minutes with Kemp, based on Julius Creed winning a stipulation match a few weeks ago at Halloween Havoc.

The first few minutes are all Brutus, as he pummels Kemp from pillar to post.

Kemp eventually cuts off Creed around the three minute mark. Kemp then grabs a metal folding chair from ringside, and Kemp brings the chair into the ring. Creed blocks a chair shot, and Creed fires up.

Brutus smash. Creed then picks up the chair, and he contemplates using it as a weapon. He hits Kemp with chair shots to the back, and the ref disqualifies Creed.

Creed stands over Kemp, and then Creed again picks up the chair. Creed hits Kemp with the chair one more time for good measure.

This may be a blow off for now to the angle with Kemp, based on a post-match staredown. Veer & Sanga from a perch overlooking the ring stare at Diamond Mine. 

A vignette teases the return of Dijakovic, or whatever name he is going to use. He is no longer T-Bar, and he takes about dishing out justice. Whatever that means.

Roxanne Perez stops Indi Hartwell backstage to ask if she is okay. Earlier in the show, Hartwell cut a heelish promo. Her heelish behavior continues, as she dismisses Perez’s concerns. 

NXT Women’s Tag Team Champions Kayden Carter & Katana Chance defeat Zoey Stark & Nikkita Lyons to retain their titles 

Carter pins Stark to win the match. Stark turns on Lyons after the match. 

The champs clear the ring midway through the match, and they stand tall as the show cuts to its final commercial break. The challengers are fighting back as the show returns from the break. 

Chance is cut off from her Carter, and Chance falls prey to Lyons. Stark tags in, and she lands a kick on Chance for a near fall. Meanwhile, Carter wipes out Lyons with a dropkick on the floor.

Starks almost crashes and burns on a Phoenix Splash, but she is able to roll trough. Stark attempt to suplex Chance, but Chance counters her. Starks takes a stunner. 

All four are down on the mat selling in the final moments of the match. They head home as Stark almost collides with Lyons. They stop short of each other. Lyons then takes a bullet for Stark. Lyons pushes Stark aside, and Lyons is hit with double superkicks. 

Stark springs into action with a superkick on Carter. Chance counters Stark to deliver a tornado DDT. Chance and Carter then execute their tandem finisher, and Carter covers Stark for the deciding pinfall.

Seemingly in a show of sportsmanship, Stark and Lyons present Carter and Chance with the title belts after the match in a symbolic gesture. 

Just as the challengers are handing over the belts to the champs, Stark smacks Lyons with a title belt. Stark follows up with dropkick on Lyons, and Stark stands over a fallen Lyons as the show fades to black. Looks like Stark is going heel.

The fallout from Halloween Havoc takes place on NXT tonight.

NXT Champion Bron Breakker and NXT Women’s Champion Mandy Rose kept their titles at Halloween Havoc, while Wes Lee was crowned the new NXT North American Champion. We’ll see if new challengers emerge tonight.

Tonight’s show is also Tag Team Title Tuesday. The women’s and men’s Tag Team titles will both be on the line. Zoey Stark & Nikkita Lyons are challenging NXT Women’s Tag Team Champions Katana Chance & Kayden Carter. NXT Tag Team Champions Pretty Deadly are defending their titles against Malik Blade & Edris Enofe.

After hosting Halloween Havoc, Shotzi will be in action against Lash Legend. Legend tried to interrupt Shotzi and Quincy Elliott at Saturday’s event, but Shotzi put a stop to that by laying her out with a DDT.

The newest member of Schism will also be unmasked tonight. Our live coverage begins at 8 p.m. Eastern time.

**********

After a highlight recap of Halloween Havoc, the show is opening with a tag team title match. The participants are already in the ring for the pre-match introductions.

NXT Women’s Tag Team Champions Kayden Carter & Katana Chance defeat Nikkita Lyons & Zoey Stark to retain their titles

Chance pins Lyons for the champs to retain. A Dusty finish teased a title change, but the match is restarted. The champs then go on to retain the belts.

The defending champions continue to adopt what on commentary is called a “more aggressive” style. They still do flashy moves, but they are subtle heels in this bout between two babyface teams. Shades of grey, or something like that.

The challengers look strong as the show cuts to a commercial break. The champs regain control during the break, but Lyons comes back when the show returns. She is soon cut off, but not before she give Chance a hard slam.

Hot tag to Stark, and she is a house of fire. Starks gets a few near falls before she clotheslines Carter over the ropes. They seemingly were both supposed to go over the ropes like a Cactus Jack clothesline, because Stark jumps over the ropes after not initially going over. This was so she could skin the cat back into the ring, where Stark rolls up Chance with a schoolgirl. Stark scores a pinfall, but it would count.

Stark & Lyons celebrate in the ring, as a second referee comes into the ring to overturn the call. The second ref, who is apparently the “head referee,” informs Taylor of the Dusty finish. Taylor announces the match must continue because of an unseen tag. 

The match restarts with a slugfest, and the fight is on again. Lyons gets a near fall that is broken up, and Lyons then takes Carter & Chance’s tandem finisher. Chance covers Lyons for a deciding pinfall, and the champs retain their titles.

Ilja Dragunov cuts a promo on JD McDonagh in a vignette. This builds to Dragunov against McDonagh in a bout tonight, which comes off both failing to win the NXT title at Halloween Havoc in a triple threat match.

T-Bar is getting a new gimmick, as a clip shows him burning his mask. Formerly in NXT under the Dominik Dijakovic moniker, he is set to return to the developmental brand.

R-Truth cameo appearance sets up match for next week

New NXT North American Champion Wes Lee heads to the ring for his first appearance since winning the title last Saturday.

The live studio audience chants that he deserves it. Lee thanks the fans for their support, and he talks about some of his struggles in his journey to the championship.

Lee talks about being grateful, and he thanks the fans. Lee goes on to talk about his plans, but he is interrupted by Grayson Waller.

Waller gets into the ring to confront Lee, but there is another interruption. R-Truth enters the soundstage to a big pop. He does the “what’s up” call and response with the studio audience.

Truth welcomes everyone to Halloween Havoc, which is a joke since that took place on Saturday. Waller interrupts Truth, and Truth compliments his British accent. That is another joke, as Waller is Australian. 

Waller informs Truth that Havoc happened three days ago. Truth busts out laughing, but Lee assures Truth the card was days ago. Truth clowns on Waller for losing in casket match on Saturday.

Waller challenges Truth to a match next Tuesday, and R-Truth accepts the challenge. Waller tries a cheap shot on Truth, but Waller is thwarted by Truth and Lee. Truth tosses Waller out of the ring, and Truth tells Waller he will see him next week.

Edris Enofe tries to hype up of Malik Blade with lyrics from an Eminem song. It works, as they are hyped to get a tag title match later on tonight.

McKenzie Mitchell interviews Apollo Crews, and Crews is putting Grayson Waller behind him (after Crews beat Waller on Saturday in a casket match). Crews says NXT Champion Bron Breakker returns to the show next week, and Crews is interested in what Breakker has to say. Previously, there was a tease of Crews challenging Breakker. That looks like a possible direction.

Shotzi Blackheart defeats Lash Legend 

Blackheart pins Legend in a short match. 

Quincy Elliott is at ringside, after being involved in an angle that set up this match. He briefly gets involved with a staredown with Legend when teh fight spills outside the ring

Balckheart delivers her DDT finisher called “Never Wake Up,” and she covers Legend for a pinfall. Elliott celebrates with Blackheart after the match.

Julius & Brutus Creed are heading to the ring, as Brutus is supposed to get five minutes against Damon Kemp (based on a stipulation from a match on Saturday).

The Creed Brothers get in the ring for a promo. Julius talks about being in pain after his win on Saturday when he defeated Damon Kemp. Julius’ hands are bruised and swollen from the match.

Brutus thanks his brother for what he did, as Brutus’ career was on the line. Julius won, so his brother thanks him for it. Brutus then yells that it is now his turn, and Brutus calls out Kemp.

Kemp appears on a video screen. This is a swerve, as Kemp informs the Creeds he is not medically cleared to compete tonight. Suddenly, there is a sneak attack. 

Veer & Sanga ambush the Creeds with a blindside attack. Veer & Sanga beat them down. Sanga pauses briefly, as if he is second guessing the attack. Sanga then attacks again, and he delivers a chokeslam. 

Veer & Sanga leave the ring with the Creeds down selling the attack. Ivy Nile walks out to confront Veer & Sanga. Nile yells at them, “Why?” Nile then goes to check on the Creeds.

Toxic Attraction are facetiming each other. NXT Women’s Champion Mandy Rose announces that next week they will celebrate the one year anniversary of her title reign.

NXT Tag Team Champions Pretty Deadly (Kit Wilson & Elton Prince) defeat Edris Enofe & Malik Blade 

Wilson pins Blade to win the match.

The challengers start off strong with a flurry of offense at the start. The champs cut them off, but the challengers soon fight back. The challengers are standing tall as the show goes to a commercial break.

Having turned the tide, the champs are working over Enofe when the show returns from the break. Hot tag to Blade, and he runs wild. Blade then does a huge dive over the ropes to the floor. 

Blade gets a near fall after flying crossbody. Blade is soon cut off following a bling tag by Pretty Deadly. The two teams continue to trade near falls.

“Boo/yay” chants during a slugfest, and the trading of near falls goes on. Pretty Deadly attempts their Spilt Milk finisher, but Blade counters for a good false finish.

For the finish, Enofe is neutralized. That left Blade alone in the ring, and he takes Spilt Milk. Wilson then cradles Blade for a pinfall, and the champs retain the titles.

JD McDonagh in a vignette cuts a promo on Ilja Dragunov ahead of their match tonight. 

McKenzie Mitchell interviews Zoey Stark in a locker room. Stark is upset over losing the title match earlier in the show. Nikkita Lyons rushed in to apologize for the loss, but Stark assures her it was not Lyons’ fault. Stark vows to win the titles in a rematch.

Here comes The Schism. Oh joy. Anyway, they all get into the ring wearing drama masks. Joe Gacy takes off his mask, and he begins to cut a promo. He usually talks a lot, but he keeps it short tonight as The Dyad also say a few words before the unveiling of the newest member of their group. Their promos play on the words written on their respective mask.

This all leads to the newest member of Scism being revealed as Ava Raine (Simone Johnson). 

Sol Ruca is doing an interview backstage when she is interrupted by Indi Hartwell. This leads to a match up next.

A voice message left at the Performance Center has an ominous warning from someone named Scrypts, who threatens to rip NXT apart. The voice reminds me of the Black Scorpion in WCW.   

 Indi Hartwell defeats Sol Ruca

An aggressive Hartwell pins Ruca in a short match. Hartwell shows a lot of fire and viciousness. 

Elektra Lopez runs in after the match, and she attacks both Hartwell and Ruca. Lopez lays out Ruca, and Lopez says warns the roster she is back.

Chase University is the setting of a pre-taped skit. Bodhi Hayward is absent from a class, but Duke Hudson is there to take his seat, much to the chagrin of Thea Hail. Andre Chase is giving a lecture when Hail’s pen stops working. Hudson gives her his pen. Chase yells at him for not having a pen to take notes. Hail tries to take up for Hudson, but he insists in taking the heat. Hudson then steals another student’s pen. 

Roxanne Perez in a vignette reflects on her grudge match against Cora Jade, where Perez defeated Jade at Halloween Havoc. 

JD McDonagh defeats Ilja Dragunov 

McDonagh wins via referee stoppage in what is by far the best match on the show. An injured Dragunov is caught in a submission at the finish, but he refuses to tap. 

Dragunov jumps McDonagh before the bell sounds to start the match. This leads to them exchanging chops and strikes. Dragunov goes into the match with taped ribs, and McDonagh targets the injury during the bout.

Sent sailing off the apron, Dragunov crashes into the announce desk. He lands on his injured ribs, and medical staff rush in to check on him. Dragunov is pleading with them to let him continue the match as the show goes into its final commercial break.

McDonagh is working over Dragunov as the show returns from the break. Dragunov fights back, but he continues to sell his ribs. Dragunov fights through the injury, and he executes a superplex. 

Dragunov briefly falls to his knees selling his injury. He rises to his feet with a look of rage in his eyes. He charges towards McDonagh, only for McDonagh to counter him. McDonagh applies a crossface that also targets the injured ribs. Dragunov refuses to tap, but the referee stops the match. Despite Dragunov being bloody, he never quit.

Dragunov is carried from the ring on a stretcher as the show closes.