Tonight's episode of NXT kicked off with footage of Nakamura in his native Japan as he prepared for his championship match against Samoa Joe before we skipped ahead to footage of his title match with Joe from last week's episode of NXT, as he regained his NXT Championship.
We then skip ahead to footage of Regal informing Nakamura after the match that Joe had asked for a rematch, and this match would be inside a steel cage and the last match in their feud.
The first match of tonight's episode came to us Melbourne, Australia.
Shinsuke Nakamura (C) vs Samoa Joe (Steel Cage match for the NXT Championship)
The Aussie crowd were hot as the challenger and the champion made their way out to the ring, chanting Joe's name and singing along to Nakamura's theme as he made his way down to the ring.
The two men squared off as they circled each other in the beginning as Nakamura hit a single-leg takedown to take Joe down to the mat. Joe then used his strength to break out and get up, pinning Nakamura into the ropes and the corner. Nakamura then taunted a livid Samoa Joe before kneeing him in the gut and hitting the Good Vibrations in the corner.
Joe then showed his incredible power as he launched Nakamura back-first into the steel cage before launching himself at Nakamura as he was pinned between the cage and the ropes.Nakamura then hit back with a spinning left heel kock before repeatedly kneeing Joe in the gut before looking for an inverted Exploder Suplex.
Joe avoided the Exploder Suplex but got hit by a devastating German Suplex instead. However, as Nakamura looked to finish Joe off with a running knee, Joe hit a snap Powerslam to take Nakamura down.
Both men then traded forearms in the middle of the ring before Joe stunned Nakamura with a series of open hand strikes. Joe then locked in the Coquina Clutch but Nakamura managed to use the turnbuckle to break out of the hold before Joe could lock it in properly.
Nakamura then caught Joe with a sliding knee strike to the head for a nearfall. Nakamura then made the first attempt to climb out of the cage but Joe met him on the top turnbuckle and attempted a top-rope Muscle Buster. Thankfully for Nakamura, he brke out of it and smashed Joe's face against the cage before hitting a top-rope Powerbomb.
Nakamura then climbed back up to the top turnbuckele and balanced himself on the top rope before hitting a flying Kinshasa to Joe. It looked devastating.
Both men were down on the mat as Nakamura willed himself towards the open cage door. Nakamura shut the cage door and turned towards Joe and hit another Kinshasa as the crowd chanted "one more time". Joe got back on his feet somehow as Nakamura hit another Kinshasa before finally pinning Joe to pick up the win. An epic battle to end an epic feud. That was intense.
Shinsuke Nakamura def. Samoa Joe
Peyton Royce and Billie Kay are backstage. They say that they don't want to be associated with losers like Daria Berenato after what happened in Toronto.
At this point, Berenato shows up herself. She said that she didn't want to be a part of their future plans anymore. However, she did want to hurt one of them on next week's episode of NXT before walking away.
Tye Dillinger vs Eric Young (Qualifying match for the Fatal-4-Way #1 contenders match)
Tye Dillinger came out first to a massive ovation from the audience. He was followed out by Eric Young, who was flanked by the rest of Sanity minus Sawyer Fulton.
Young charged out of the gates as soon as the bell rang and drove Dillinger into the turnbuckle. Dilinger soon reversed it and followed it up with punches of his own before exploding out of the corner with a perfect clothesline. He followed it up with the 10-count punches in the corner as the crowd chanted "ten" after every punch.
Young was down in the corner as Dillinger followed it up with the 10-count stomps. He then took out Alexander Wolfe who'd climbed onto the apron before exposing his knee and signallng for his finisher. At this point, Nikki Cross jumped him from behind as the referee called for the bell as Dillinger won by DQ.
Young got Cross off Dillinger before clotheslining his head off. Dillinger followed it ou by wiping out all 3 members of Sanity before Big Damo attacked him from behind and laid him out.
Tye Dillinger def. Eric Young by DQ
No Way Jose vs Andrade 'Cien' Almas (Qualifying match for the Fatal-4-Way #1 contenders match)
Jose and Almas locked up as soon as the bell rang as both men went back and forth. Both men taunted each other before No Way Jose planted Almas face-first into the mat before before trapping Almas in an Airplane Spin which be finished off with a rolling senton.
Jose followed it up with knife-edge chops in the corner and Almas replies with kicks and strikes of his own. He followed it up with a snapmare and a running boot to the face. He then locked Jose into a headlock but Jose eventually broke out of it with a snapmare before hitting an armdrag and a pop-up forearm for a 2-count.
Almas then reversed another Airplane Spin attempt and hit a modified underhook DDT to pick up the surprise win.
Andrade 'Cien' Almas def. No Way Jose
Elias Samson vs Roderick Strong (Qualifying match for the Fatal-4-Way #1 contenders match)
Elias Samson started off with an impromptu vocal performance on the stage and the crowd didn't respond well to him. He was followed out by one of NXT's newest Superstars - Roderick Strong.
Strong started the match impressively as he took the fight to Samson immediately. He hit a heel kick and a trademark backbreaker before Samson hit him with a cheap shot to take control.
Samson hung Strong up in the corner before driving him face first into the map. He followed it up with a running knee before attempting a modified headlock. Strong broke out of it and hit a picture perfect dropkick which he followed by a running knee to the corner.
Strong then had Samson in his crosshair as he hit a modified Gut Check followed by a Sick Kick to the face to pick up the win.
Roderick Strong def. Elias Samson
Oney Lorcan vs Bobby Roode (Qualifying match for the Fatal-4-Way #1 contenders match)
We got a glorious ending to this week's episode of NXT as Oney Lorcan faced off against the 'glorious' Bobby Roode.
Roode started working on Lorcan's arm as soon as the match began but Lorcan soon manoeuvred out of it to lock in an armlock of his own. Roode soon powered out of it and repeatedly slapped Lorcan in the face.
An irate Lorcan replied with a train of running elbows to the corner before launching Bobby Roode with a beautiful Northern Lights Suplex. He followed it up with a back body drop before attempting a Full Nelson Suplex from the top rope.
Roode managed to elbow Lorcan in the face and throw him off his game, sending him neck first into the top rope before stomping a mudhole in him. He then choked Lorcan with the ring apron before hitting him with double axehandles.
Roode then went for an inverted neckbreaker but Lorcan reversed it with a backslide into a pin. Roode kicked out easily and Lorcan followed it up with a series of running strikes before hitting a running Blockbuster for a 2-count. Lorcan then attempted a flying Blockbuster from the top-rope but Roode dodged it and immediately hit one of his trademark spinebusters. Roode sensed that the end was near and hit a Glorious DDT to Lorcan to pick up the win.
Bobby Roode def. Oney Lorcan
What makes Sting special? His first AEW opponent opens up RIGHT HERE.
