Former NXT Women’s Tag Team Champion Zoey Stark has undergone surgery for the injury that she suffered at Halloween Havoc.
Stark posted a tweet today confirming that she suffered a torn ACL and torn meniscus at Halloween Havoc. In storyline, Stark blamed the injury on being attacked by Toxic Attraction’s Gigi Dolin and Jacy Jayne on last week’s NXT.
Stark noted that surgery went well and she’s already started her post-surgery rehab.
“Sadly, I tore my ACL/Meniscus due to Toxic’s attack. Here’s the bad news for the ‘champs’. Surgery went great and I’m already rehabbing,” Stark tweeted. “I’ll be back BETTER & STRONGER with three targets in mind! Until then @shirai_io @KacyCatanzaro @wwekayden kick their ass tonight! @WWENXT”
Dolin & Jayne defeated Shirai & Stark and Indi Hartwell & Persia Pirotta in a triple threat Scareway to Hell ladder match to win the NXT Women’s Tag Team titles at Halloween Havoc on October 26. Dave Meltzer reported last week that Stark would be undergoing surgery after suffering a knee injury in the match.
Shirai, Kayden Carter & Kacy Catanzaro are facing Toxic Attraction (Mandy Rose, Dolin & Jayne) in a six-woman tag match on NXT tonight. The match was set up when Carter and Catanzaro saved Shirai from a beatdown by Toxic Attraction on last week’s show.
Rose is the NXT Women’s Champion.
Stark wrestled under the name Lacey Ryan before signing with WWE this January.
Former NXT Women’s Tag Team Champion Zoey Stark is set to undergo knee surgery.
Dave Meltzer reported in the latest edition of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter that Stark will be undergoing knee surgery shortly. The type of knee injury that Stark suffered or how long she’ll be out of action weren’t noted.
Stark suffered the knee injury during the triple threat Scareway to Hell ladder match at NXT Halloween Havoc on October 26. Toxic Attraction’s Gigi Dolin & Jacy Jayne defeated Io Shirai & Stark and Indi Hartwell & Persia Pirotta in that match to win the NXT Women’s Tag Team titles.
On this week’s NXT, there was an angle where Stark was attacked backstage by Dolin and Jayne. Post Wrestling’s John Pollock reported on Wednesday that the angle was due to Stark dealing with a legitimate injury.
Shirai, Kayden Carter & Kacy Catanzaro will face Toxic Attraction (NXT Women’s Champion Mandy Rose, Dolin & Jayne) in a six-woman tag match on NXT next Tuesday. Carter and Catanzaro saved Shirai from a beatdown by Toxic Attraction on NXT this week.
Stark made her WWE debut in NXT’s women’s Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic this January. She wrestled using the name Lacey Ryan prior to signing with WWE.
Former NXT Women’s Tag Team Champion Zoey Stark is currently out of action due to injury.
John Pollock of Post Wrestling reported today that Stark is dealing with a legitimate injury. Pollock wrote that he’s told WWE internally lists Stark as being injured, but he hasn’t confirmed the severity of the injury Stark is dealing with or how long she’ll be out of action.
There was an angle on last night’s NXT where Stark was attacked backstage by NXT Women’s Tag Team Champions Gigi Dolin & Jacy Jayne. Stark’s tag team partner Io Shirai then confronted NXT Women’s Champion Mandy Rose in the ring, which led to her being beaten down by Toxic Attraction. Kayden Carter and Kacy Catanzaro made the save for Shirai.
Shirai, Carter & Catanzaro will face Toxic Attraction (Rose, Dolin & Jayne) in a six-woman tag team match on NXT next Tuesday.
Dolin & Jayne won the NXT Women’s Tag Team titles by defeating Shirai & Stark and Indi Hartwell & Persia Pirotta in a triple threat Scareway to Hell ladder match at Halloween Havoc last week. Shirai & Stark had been NXT Women’s Tag Team Champions since winning the titles at July’s Great American Bash.
WWE has revealed the stipulation for the triple threat NXT Women’s Tag Team title match at Halloween Havoc.
During tonight’s NXT, it was announced that Io Shirai & Zoey Stark vs. Indi Hartwell & Persia Pirotta vs. Gigi Dolin & Jacy Jayne for the NXT Women’s Tag Team titles at Halloween Havoc will be a “Scareway to Hell ladder match.” Halloween Havoc is a special episode of NXT that’s taking place next Tuesday.
WWE announced yesterday that the NXT Women’s Tag Team title match at Halloween Havoc would be a Spin the Wheel, Make the Deal match. Tonight’s episode of NXT featured a triple threat match between Shirai, Pirotta, and Jayne to determine who would spin the wheel to reveal the stipulation for next week. Shirai pinned Pirotta to get the win after Jayne was taken out of the match due to suffering an injury.
Raquel Gonzalez vs. Mandy Rose for the NXT Women’s Championship at Halloween Havoc will also be a Spin the Wheel, Make the Deal match.
Here’s the updated card for Halloween Havoc:
NXT Champion Tommaso Ciampa defends against Bron Breakker
Spin the Wheel, Make the Deal match: NXT Women’s Champion Raquel Gonzalez defends against Mandy Rose
Scareway to Hell ladder match: NXT Women’s Tag Team Champions Io Shirai & Zoey Stark defend against Indi Hartwell & Persia Pirotta and Gigi Dolin & Jacy Jayne
Spin the Wheel, Make the Deal match: NXT Tag Team Champions MSK defend against Imperium’s Marcel Barthel & Fabian Aichner
WWE has announced that the triple threat NXT Women’s Tag Team title match at Halloween Havoc will now be a Spin the Wheel, Make the Deal match. Io Shirai & Zoey Stark are defending their titles against Indi Hartwell & Persia Pirotta and Toxic Attraction (Gigi Dolin & Jacy Jayne).
Halloween Havoc is a special episode of NXT that’s taking place on Tuesday, October 26. Before that, one member of Shirai & Stark, Hartwell & Pirotta, and Dolin & Jayne will face off in a triple threat match on this week’s NXT. The winner of that match will spin the wheel to determine the stipulation for the NXT Women’s Tag Team title match at Halloween Havoc.
Raquel Gonzalez vs. Mandy Rose for the NXT Women’s Championship at Halloween Havoc will also be a Spin the Wheel, Make the Deal match.
Here’s the updated card for Halloween Havoc:
NXT Champion Tommaso Ciampa defends against Bron Breakker
Spin the Wheel, Make the Deal match: NXT Women’s Champion Raquel Gonzalez defends against Mandy Rose
Spin the Wheel, Make the Deal match: NXT Women’s Tag Team Champions Io Shirai & Zoey Stark defend against Indi Hartwell & Persia Pirotta and Gigi Dolin & Jacy Jayne
Tegan Nox returned to NXT tonight at the Great American Bash, causing a distraction that helped crown new NXT Women’s Tag Team Champions.
Towards the end of the title match between The Way (Candice LeRae and Indi Hartwell) and the team of Zoey Stark and Io Shirai, the battery seen charging up in vignettes over the last several weeks hit 100%. Nox then appeared, causing a distraction for LeRae and Hartwell. Stark used the opportunity to lay out Hartwell and pin her to win the titles for her team.
LeRae and Hartwell had held the titles for 63 days, defeating Ember Moon and Shotzi Blackheart back on the May 4 edition of NXT.
Nox had been out of action since last August, when she injured her ACL. She underwent surgery the following month. It was the third time that she had injured her ACL since signing with WWE in 2017. On Monday, she wrestled Toni Storm in a dark match prior to Raw in her first match back since being injured.
Two new title matches have been made official for NXT Great American Bash.
NXT Women’s Tag Team Champions Candice LeRae & Indi Hartwell will defend their titles against Io Shirai & Zoey Stark at the Great American Bash next Tuesday. It’s also been announced that LA Knight will defend his Million Dollar Championship against Cameron Grimes at the Great American Bash. If Grimes loses, he’ll have to become Knight’s butler.
Shirai & Stark became the number one contenders to LeRae & Hartwell’s titles by defeating NXT Women’s Champion Raquel Gonzalez & Dakota Kai and Shotzi Blackheart & Ember Moon in a triple threat tag team match on NXT tonight. The finish of the match was Shirai pinning Kai after hitting a moonsault.
Knight defeated Grimes in a ladder match at NXT TakeOver: In Your House earlier this month to win the Million Dollar Championship. Knight is the first Million Dollar Champion since 2010.
Knight turned against “Million Dollar Man” Ted DiBiase and attacked him on the post-TakeOver: In Your House episode of NXT. Grimes then made the save for DiBiase. On tonight’s show, Grimes challenged Knight to a Million Dollar Championship match next Tuesday. Knight initially declined before adding the stipulation that Grimes will have to become his butler if he loses.
This is the second straight year that WWE has presented a special Great American Bash edition of NXT. Here’s the updated card for the episode:
Adam Cole vs. Kyle O’Reilly
NXT Tag Team Champions MSK defend against Tommaso Ciampa & Timothy Thatcher
NXT Women’s Tag Team Champions Candice LeRae & Indi Hartwell defend against Io Shirai & Zoey Stark
Million Dollar Champion LA Knight defends against Cameron Grimes
NXT’s final build to the Great American Bash takes place tonight.
NXT Women’s Tag Team Champions Candice LeRae & Indi Hartwell will be putting their titles on the line at the Great American Bash next Tuesday. Tonight, Io Shirai & Zoey Stark, Raquel Gonzalez & Dakota Kai, and Shotzi Blackheart & Ember Moon will face off in a triple threat match to determine their challengers.
An NXT Tag Team title match between MSK and Tommaso Ciampa & Timothy Thatcher has been made official for the Great American Bash. The two teams will take part in a face-to-face segment tonight.
Mercedes Martinez will team with Jake Atlas tonight as they take on Tian Sha’s Xia Li & Boa in a mixed tag team match. Cameron Grimes will also be in action tonight.
Plus, NXT will follow up on last week’s debut of the Diamond Mine. Roderick Strong, Tyler Rust, and Hideki Suzuki are part of the faction and are being managed by Malcolm Bivens. Strong attacked NXT Cruiserweight Champion Kushida at the end of last week’s show.
Our live coverage begins at 8 p.m. Eastern time.
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Io Shirai & Zoey Stark defeated Raquel Gonzalez & Dakota Kai vs. Shotzi Blackheart & Ember Moon in a triple threat number one contender’s tag team match
Shirai pinned Kai to win the match, earning Shiari and Stark a title shot at the NXT Women’s Tag Team Championship against The Way at The Great American Bash.
One wrestler from each of the three teams in the ring at once, so three wrestlers were legal at a time.
The match breaks down into a melee with everybody involved, leading to a parade a dives before a commercial break. All the babyfaces flew. Shirai with an Asai moonsault, Blackheart did a tope suicida, Moon off the middle rope with a somersault senton, and Stark springboarded into a flying cross body.
Gonzalez looked to be dominate after a commercial break, but Shirai and Blackheart fought back and tagged out. Stark, Moon and Kai traded near falls after tagging in. Stark and Shirai teamed up to target Kai. Shirai springboarded into a missile dropkick for another near fall. Blackheart broke up the pin with a senton. Blackheart & Moon with momentum on their side were in control.
Blackheart applied cattle mutilation on Kai, but Gonzalez was able to make a save. Babyfaces ganged up on Gonzalez. She was seemingly out out of the way for a tower of doom spot. Gonzalez jumped back in to break up the tower of doom. Gonzalez ragdolled and mowed down the babyfaces. Shirai was finally able to cut off Gonzalez.
Kai off the top rope with double foot stomp on Blackheart. Kai then turned around into a double knee strike from Shirai. Kai countered a crossface, and she superkicked Shirai. Kai could not capitalize, and Shirai struck with a butterfly backbreaker. Gonzalez again jumped in for a save. This time Gonzalez covered Kai, taking the proverbial bullet for her. Shirai with a moonsault press on Gonzalez & Kai.
Blackheart with a senton bomb on Gonzalez. Stark with a modified GTS on Blackheart. Eclipse by Moon on Stark. Got To Kick from Kai to Moon. Kai countered Shirai for a roll up that netted a two count. Kai was then dropped by a plam strike, and Shirai executed a moonsault press. Gonzalez was not there to make a save this time. Shirai then covered Kai for the deciding pinfall.
To the back! Johnny Gargano attacked NXT Champion Karrion Kross, and there was a pull-apart brawl. Lots of screaming, as Kross was very upset by this sneak attack.
A video package retrospective looked back on the Breakout Tournament from 2019. In 2021, the Breakout Tournament returns in two weeks time on NXT.
NXT North American Champion Bronson Reed was backstage when McKenzie Mitchell asked him about the tournament. Reed was in the tourney in 2019. So was Isaiah “Swerve” Scott. He interrupted Reed, and Scott was flanked by Hit Row. Scott challenged Reed to a title match tonight. Reed accpeted the challenge, setting the stage for a North American title match.
NXT Champion brawls with The Way
NXT Champ Karrion Kross stormed to the ring, and he dared Johnny Gargano to face him. Gargano confronted Kross, setting up a grudge match. This was also a distraction by Gargano as Austin Theory ran in to attack Kross. Despite the sneak attack, Kross easily fought off Theory.
Kross then went after Gargano, and Kross attempted to bash Gargano with the ring steps. Officials poured out for a pull-apart. They pried Kross away from Gargano. As security held back Kross, Gargano with a cheap shot superkicked Kross. Even the security team took a bump on that one. Superkick, indeed.
Gargano and Theory feld the scene. Kross told Samoa Joe he was doing a helluva job. Not sure who are the protagonists here, but it was pandemonium nonetheless. During a commercial break, Gargano and Theory did the Earl Hebner gimmick of speeding away from the building in a waiting vechile.
Roderick Strong (with The Diamond Mine) defeated Asher Hale
Strong submitted Hale in a short match. First match for the Diamond Mine on NXT stable since they debuted together last week. In winning Strong looked… well, very strong.
In Strong’s corner were Malcom Bivens, Tyler Rust and Hideki Suzuki. This was a showcase match for Strong, who has slightly changed his look. He is still great in the ring. Also great to finally see Bivens in a featured role. He was very vocal at ringside.
Bivens in a promo after the match declared that Diamond Mine is “open for business, and this is just the beginning, baby!”
Up next was another enhancement match like this was an episode of Superstars from the 1990s.
Cameron Grimes defeated Ari Sterling
Grimes pinned Sterling after a Cave In. Fun match while it lasted.
Sterling got to shine getting some offense on Grimes, including a wicked springboard moonsault where he jumped from inside the ring over the ropes. Grimes fought back, but Sterling continued to look strong. Sterling missed a 450 splash, and Grimes struck with a Cave In. Grimes then covered Sterling for a pinfall.
New Million Dollar Champion LA Knight interrupted Grimes’ celebration. Knight said nobody gave a damn about Grimes. Then why is Knight trolling him if nobody gives a damn? Anyway, Knight went on to call Grimes a “natural born loser.”
Grimes proceeded to cut a promo on Knight, and Grimes challenged Knight to a match next week for the Million Dollar title. Knight at first declined the offer, until Knight added another stipulation. Knight would put the belt on the line, but if Grimes loses, then Grimes has to become Knight’s butler. Looks like the match is on for The Great American Bash.
The NXT Women’s Tag Team Champions — Candice LeRae & Indi Hartwell — confronted their challengers. Io Shirai & Zoey Stark were being intervied backstage when they were interrupted by LeRae & Hartwell. LeRae warned Stark that Shirai is a sore loser, teasing Shirai would turn on Stark when they lost. Shirai shot back at LeRae to say LeRae had naver beaten her, and Shirai vowed her and Stark would win the titles. “We’ll see about that,” LeRae exclaimed, and she stormed off with Hartwell in tow.
Kyle O’Reilly and Adam Cole face-to-face
Cool Kyle comes to the ring for a monologue. He was actually cutting a really great promo, but this is WWE so somebody seemingly always has to interrupt promos like this. Out comes Adam Cole. They are joined by Samoa Joe.
Cole and O’Reilly cutting promos on each other seemed like old hat at first, but business picked up when Cole insulted O’Reilly wife. O’Reilly was overcome with rage at Cole mentioning his wife. They were about to brawl when Joe stepped in between them. Joe said not now, but Cole would not listen.
Cole charged at O’Reilly, and they go to the mat. O’Reilly catches Cole in heel hook, and Cole screamed in pain. Cole begged Joe to stop O’Reilly. Much like Cole ignored Joe, then Joe in turn ignored Cole’s pleas. Joe left the ring with Cole still pleading for mercy as O’Reilly cranked on the hold. Finally, Joe ordered the security team to break up the fight.
Tian Sha vignetted highlighted the faction before their upcoming mixed tag match tonight.
Hit Row bumped up Swerve ahead of his title challeneg later on.
The charging battery is now above 70%.
Xia Li & Boa defeated Mercedes Martinez & Jake Atlas in a mixed tag team match
Li & Boa won after a referee stoppage. Martinez was rocked by a kick, and the match ended soon thereafter. The ref stopped the bout, ruling Li & Boa as the winners.
The match started with a wild brawl. Of course, the men and women only faced off against each other as per usual in a WWE mixed tag. Mei Ying watched from her throne at the top the stage. Martinez yelled at her before a commercial break.
Li hit Martinez with a roundhouse kick at one point. Martinez went down like she was knocked silly, and Li went for a cover. Martinez got her shoulder up, but she looked out of it. The referee backed Li away, and Martinez rolled out of the ring. Off camera, the ref checked on Martinez, and then the ref stopped the match.
MSK face off with Timothy Thatcher & Tommaso Ciampa
Everyone brought a steel folding chair to the ring, and they had a literal sit down. There was tension, but things seems rather cordial at first. They soon grew angry with each other. Honestly, I had trouble with my television feed during this segment. When things cleared up, the two teams were no longer seated. They were in each other’s faces.
MSK wanted the challengers to put some respect on their name. Lee was cut a great promo, and Carter then slapped Thatcher. “Toothless Timmy”, as Ciampa called him, was incensed by the slap. Thatcher lunnged at Carter, but Ciampa held Thatcher back. Ciampa told MSK to bring their pride and their titles next week at GAB. Ciampa vowed he and Thatcher will take both. This week MSK got a free shot on Thatcher, but Ciampa said next week they would not be so lucky.
General Manager William Regal was being interviewed by McKenzie Mitchell when Regal was approached by Sarray. She wanted a match against Toni Storm, and Regal basically said he would consider it.
Johnny Gargano did not leave the property despite speeding off in a SUV earlier in the show. Gargano instead stayed around to attack Karrion Kross in the parking lot. Kross was leaving in his car when Gargano attacked him, seemingly leaving Kross laid out on the ground. Gargano was gloating when Kross caught him in a Kross Jacket sleeper, and Gargano was choked out by Kross. Samoa Joe would later step in to pick up Gargano like a child in trouble as recess. Joe remarked to Gargano that he possibly pushed Kross to far.
Great American Bash lineup for next Tuesday on NXT:
NXT Women’s Tag Team Champions Candice LeRae & Indi Hartwell defend against Io Shirai & Zoey Stark
LA Knight defends the Million Dollar Championship against Cameron Grimes (if Grimes loses, then he becomes Knight’s butler)
NXT Tag Team Champions MSK defend against Tommoso Ciampa & Timothy Thatcher
Cole-O’Reilly II
Isaiah “Swerve” Scott (with Hit Row) defeated NXT North American Champion Bronson Reed to win the title
Scott pinned Reed to win the title after interference by Hit Row. Really good match, even despite the distraction at the end. The finish was very WWE, but it allowed Reed to save face. Scott becoming a champ is also really great for nis new faction. They continue to get over.
Reed displayed his power at the outset, and Reed manhandled Scott. There was a spot before the commercial break that must be seen to be truly appreciated. Scott went for a sunset flip off the ring apron. Reed countered by squishing Scott with a sit-out splash on the apron.
The tide turned during the commercial break. Scott gained the upper hand, and Scott leapt off the apron with a missile dropkick on the floor. Scott with a near fall after using the ropes for an assisted German suplex.
Scott caught Reed with a flatliner for another close near fall. Reed countered Scott’s signature kick, and they trade strikes. Scott rolled through seemingly going for another flatliner, but Reed with a counter to deliver a Spicolli Driver. That led into a double down.
Reed with a Dusty Rhodes tribute by using a bionic elbow. Scott is mowed over with a belly splash. Reed signals for his tsunami finisher as he climbed the turnbuckles. Top Dolla caused a distraction at ringside, diverting the referee’s attention. Ashante “Thee” Adonis then interfered by pulling Reed off the turnbuckles. Reed retaliated by throwing Top Dolla through the plexiglass barricade. Adonis is also tossed over the barricade as well.
Scott catches Reed trying to get back into the ring, and Scott nailed him with a kick. Scott followed up with a 450 splash, and Scott hooked a leg while covering Reed for a pinfall. Scott becomes the new NXT North American Champion.
A triple threat tag team match on next week’s NXT will determine Candice LeRae & Indi Hartwell’s challengers for the Great American Bash.
WWE has announced that Io Shirai & Zoey Stark vs. NXT Women’s Champion Raquel Gonzalez & Dakota Kai vs. Shotzi Blackheart & Ember Moon will take place on NXT next Tuesday. The winning team will challenge for LeRae & Hartwell’s NXT Women’s Tag Team titles at NXT Great American Bash on Tuesday, July 6.
The number one contender’s match was announced for next week after a brawl between Shirai & Stark, Gonzalez & Kai, and Blackheart & Moon broke out on tonight’s NXT. After Shirai & Stark defeated Aliyah & Jessi Kamea on tonight’s show, there was a confrontation between LeRae & Hartwell and Shirai & Stark. Gonzalez & Kai and Blackheart & Moon then also appeared and argued that they should get the next Women’s Tag Team title shot.
Here’s the full list of what’s been announced for next Tuesday’s NXT:
Number one contender’s match: Io Shirai & Zoey Stark vs. Raquel Gonzalez & Dakota Kai vs. Shotzi Blackheart & Ember Moon
Mixed tag match: Mercedes Martinez & Jake Atlas vs. Xia Li & Boa
NXT Tag Team Champions MSK will go face-to-face with Tommaso Ciampa & Timothy Thatcher ahead of their title match at the Great American Bash
A pre-show match has been added to the card for NXT TakeOver: Stand & Deliver night one.
WWE has announced that Toni Storm vs. Zoey Stark will take place on the pre-show for TakeOver: Stand & Deliver night one this Wednesday night. The pre-show will begin at 7 p.m. Eastern time and will air on Peacock in the United States and the WWE Network everywhere else, along with airing on WWE’s social media platforms.
This will be the first time Storm has wrestled since unsuccessfully challenging for Io Shirai’s NXT Women’s Championship on the March 10 episode of NXT.
Stark (formerly known as Lacey Ryan) made her WWE debut by taking part in the women’s Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic earlier this year. On last week’s NXT, she lost to Raquel Gonzalez. Gonzalez is challenging for Shirai’s NXT Women’s Championship in the main event of night one of TakeOver: Stand & Deliver,
Sam Roberts, Mickie James, MMA commentator Jimmy Smith, and former LA Times, ESPN, and Sports Illustrated writer Arash Markazi will be the panel for both nights of the TakeOver Stand & Deliver pre-show.
Night one of TakeOver: Stand & Deliver will air live on the USA Network and Peacock in the United States. It will also air live on the WWE Network elsewhere. Here’s the updated card for the show:
NXT Women’s Champion Io Shirai defends against Raquel Gonzalez
NXT United Kingdom Champion WALTER defends against Tommaso Ciampa
Triple threat match for the vacant NXT Tag Team titles: MSK (Wes Lee & Nash Carter) vs, The Grizzled Young Veterans (Zack Gibson & James Drake) vs. Legado Del Fantasma (Raul Mendoza & Joaquin Wilde)
Gauntlet Eliminator match to determine NXT North American Champion Johnny Gargano’s challenger for TakeOver: Stand & Deliver night two (Leon Ruff, Isaiah “Swerve” Scott, Bronson Reed, Cameron Grimes, Dexter Lumis, and LA Knight are the Gauntlet Eliminator participants)
Pete Dunne vs. Kushida
Pre-show match: Toni Storm vs. Zoey Stark
Night two of TakeOver: Stand & Deliver is taking place this Thursday. It will air live on Peacock in the U.S. and the WWE Network elsewhere. Here’s what’s been announced for night two:
NXT Champion Finn Balor defends against Karrion Kross
Unsanctioned match: Adam Cole vs. Kyle O’Reilly
Ladder match to determine undisputed NXT Cruiserweight Champion: Jordan Devlin vs. Santos Escobar
NXT North American Champion Johnny Gargano defends against the winner of the Gauntlet Eliminator match from night one
NXT Women’s Tag Team Champions Shotzi Blackheart & Ember Moon defend against Candice LeRae & Indi Hartwell
Gonzalez & Dakota Kai defeated Shirai & Stark in a tag team match on NXT last week. After pinning Stark to get the win, Gonzalez attacked Shirai and slammed her onto the announce table.
Shirai vs. Gonzalez for the NXT Women’s Championship will be the main event of TakeOver: Stand & Deliver night one. The two-night event is taking place on Wednesday, April 7 and Thursday, April 8. Night one will air live on the USA Network, while night two will be live on Peacock in the United States and live on the WWE Network everywhere else.
Last week, there was a backstage segment where NXT Women’s Tag Team Champions Shotzi Blackheart & Ember Moon were confronted by LeRae & Hartwell.
Tonight’s NXT will also include a Prime Target special feature building up Adam Cole and Kyle O’Reilly’s unsanctioned match for TakeOver: Stand & Deliver night two. Here’s the updated lineup for tonight’s show:
12-man battle royal to decide the six participants for Gauntlet Eliminator match at TakeOver: Stand & Deliver night one (Dexter Lumis, Bronson Reed, Roderick Strong, Kushida, Leon Ruff, Jake Atlas, Pete Dunne, LA Knight, Cameron Grimes, Isaiah “Swerve” Scott, Austin Theory, and Tyler Rust will be the battle royal participants)
Raquel Gonzalez vs. Zoey Stark
Candice LeRae & Indi Hartwell in tag team action
Kacy Catanzaro & Kayden Carter vs. Tian Sha
Roderick Strong vs. Cameron Grimes
Prime Target special feature: Adam Cole vs. Kyle O’Reilly
Once tonight’s battle royal gets down to the final six, the order of elimination will determine the entry order for the Gauntlet Eliminator match. The winner of the Gauntlet Eliminator match will challenge for Johnny Gargano’s NXT North American Championship at TakeOver: Stand & Deliver night two.
WWE has announced two new additions to the lineup for tonight’s episode of NXT.
Zoey Stark vs. Dakota Kai will take place on NXT tonight. WWE has also announced that Breezango will face Legado Del Fantasma’s Raul Mendoza & Joaquin Wilde in tag team action.
This will be the third match that Stark (formerly known as Lacey Ryan) has had in NXT. She made her WWE in-ring debut by teaming with Marina Shafir in the women’s Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic. They lost to Shotzi Blackheart & Ember Moon in a first round match on 205 Live.
In her NXT debut, Stark defeated Valentina Feroz last month. Stark then lost a non-title match to NXT Women’s Champion Io Shirai the following week. Shirai shook Stark’s hand after the match and they showed respect to each other.
Kai & Raquel Gonzalez were the winners of the women’s Dusty Classic. They were awarded the newly created NXT Women’s Tag Team titles last week but lost the titles to Blackheart & Moon later in the night. Also on last week’s NXT, Shirai retained her NXT Women’s Championship against Toni Storm. Shirai confronted Gonzalez later in the show and said she wants to face her next.
There was an angle on NXT two weeks ago where Mendoza & Wilde attacked Breezango as they were making their entrance for a match against Ever-Rise. Breezango then got payback last week by attacking Mendoza & Wilde after Mendoza & Wilde defeated The Grizzled Young Veterans. MSK distracted The Grizzled Young Veterans during that match, with MSK and Breezango then celebrating together after taking out The Grizzled Young Veterans and Mendoza & Wilde.
How NXT’s COVID-19 outbreak will affect tonight’s show remains to be seen. Dexter Lumis vs. Austin Theory, LA Knight’s NXT in-ring debut, and an appearance by NXT Cruiserweight Champion Jordan Devlin are also listed on WWE.com’s preview for tonight’s show. Tommaso Ciampa & Timothy Thatcher vs. Imperium’s Marcel Barthel & Fabian Aichner and Leon Ruff vs. Isaiah “Swerve” Scott were announced for tonight’s show last week but aren’t currently listed on the preview.
Stark (Lacey Ryan) made her WWE debut in the women’s Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic. She teamed with Marina Shafir in the tournament, with them losing to Shotzi Blackheart & Ember Moon in a first round match that aired on 205 Live. Stark made her NXT debut by defeating Valentina Feroz last week.
WWE posted a video on Wednesday night with NXT general manager William Regal praising Stark’s performance in her debut and informing her of the opportunity to face Shirai in a non-title match on NXT this week. Regal said that — after Stark’s debut — there’s nothing he’d like to see more than Shirai vs. Stark.
Shirai retained her NXT Women’s Championship by defeating Mercedes Martinez and Toni Storm in a triple threat match at TakeOver: Vengeance Day earlier this month. As Storm was about to pin Martinez, Shirai flew in with a moonsault and pinned Martinez to retain her title. There was then an angle on NXT last week where Storm attacked Shirai while Shirai was taking part in a photoshoot.
Here’s the updated lineup for this week’s NXT:
After turning against Kyle O’Reilly and attacking NXT Champion Finn Balor, Adam Cole will explain his actions
Non-title no DQ match: Karrion Kross vs. NXT Cruiserweight Champion Santos Escobar
Non-title match: NXT Women’s Champion Io Shirai vs. Zoey Stark
Non-title match: NXT North American Champion Johnny Gargano vs. Dexter Lumis
Xia Li vs. Kacy Catanzaro
The Grizzled Young Veterans (Zack Gibson & James Drake) vs. Drake Maverick & Killian Dain
A three-way staredown eventually broke down into a fight that momentarily favored Daivari. After Daivari established a lead, both Grey and Atlas targeted him, leaving Daivari to retreat to the outside. Grey then landed a tope to keep him there.
Back inside, Grey and Atlas had a typical wrestling exchange. Daivari tried to make a splash by diving on his competitors, but he missed both. Grey and Atlas continued their grappling. Daivari interrupted Atlas on the top rope. A superkick left Daivari back in control.
Daivari controlled both of his opponents before a belly to back suplex from Grey left him laying. Atlas tried to steal a pin, rekindling a prolonged three-way fracas. All three men had significant offense, followed by near falls.
Daivari tried for and failed a hammerlock lariat before being ejected to the outside. A stunner followed by a cartwheel DDT left Atlas in a winning position. Daivari pulled Atlas to the outside and blindsided him with chain-wrapped knuckles. Daivari then crawled into the ring and hit Grey with the hammerlock lariat for the pinfall victory.
This was a good match with decent structure and plentiful action.
Women’s Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic: Ember Moon and Shotzi Blackheart defeated Marina Shafir and Zoey Stark
Stark got the best of Blackheart in the opening moments. Moon hit the ring but also lost an exchange to Stark. Shafir and Stark began trading tags, picking apart Moon. Moon finally escaped, hitting a kick alongside Blackheart before tagging out.
Blackheart connected with a barrage of strikes before an illegal kick from Stark stopped the momentum. Stark and Shafir began trading tags again to chip away at Blackheart. A knee strike forced Moon to save Blackheart from a pin.
Blackheart connected with a boot prompting a hot tag. Moon followed the tag with a double underhook suplex to establish match advantage for the first time. A top rope double knee facebuster forced Shafir to break up a pin attempt, triggering a Blackheart/Shafir brawl. Moon then locked in a modified stepover sleeper, causing Stark to tap out.
This match was a little awkward at times. Not saying the match was horrible or anything close to that, but it did lack polish. Also worth noting, Stark had a few shining moments in her performance. In the end, the last of round one played out exactly how one would expect.
The first round of the women’s Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic will conclude on 205 Live tonight.
WWE has announced that Shotzi Blackheart & Ember Moon will face Marina Shafir & Zoey Stark in the final women’s Dusty Classic first round match on 205 Live tonight. Stark is Lacey Ryan’s new WWE in-ring name. She’s making her WWE debut in the tournament. Ryan has been based on the West Coast and also appeared on Impact Wrestling twice last year.
The team that wins tonight’s match will advance to face Candice LeRae & Indi Hartwell in the women’s Dusty Classic semifinals. LeRae & Hartwell defeated the debuting Gigi Dolin (Priscilla Kelly) & Cora Jade (Elayna Black) in the first round of the tournament.
On the other side of the bracket, Dakota Kai & Raquel Gonzalez will face Kacy Catanzaro & Kayden Carter in the women’s Dusty Classic semifinals. That match will take place on NXT next Wednesday.
Kai & Gonzalez defeated Aliyah & Jessi Kamea in the first round of the tournament. Catanzaro & Carter defeated Toni Storm & Mercedes Martinez.
Jake Atlas vs. August Grey vs. Ariya Daivari is also set for tonight’s 205 Live. The episode premieres on the WWE Network at 10 p.m. Eastern time.
