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The WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships were on the line during this week’s NXT. Dakota Kai and Raquel Gonzalez were all prepared to get their hands on their first titles in WWE. On the other hand, Women’s Tag Team Champions Shayna Baszler and Nia Jax were confident of knocking over the competition with ease.
A backstage altercation between the team of Timothy Thatcher and Tommaso Ciampa and the NXT Tag Team Champions set up towards a big non-title match this week. Oney Lorcan and Danny Burch wanted to leave a mark on NXT early in the night.
Ember Moon picked up a victory over Aliyah, while Legado del Fantasma attacked Breezango and Ever-Rise before their match could get started.
However, all eyes were on The Prince of NXT once again as he wanted to call Adam Cole out and finish things for good.
NXT was filled with some good matches and surprises this week. Let’s look at the five things WWE got right on this week’s episode.
#5 Imperium cost Timothy Thatcher and Tommaso Ciampa on WWE NXT
WWE NXT Tag Team Champions Oney Lorcan and Danny Burch competed in a non-title match against Timothy Thatcher and Tommaso Ciampa after a backstage spat between the two teams earlier. It was good to see Lorcan and Burch finally compete.
Thatcher went after his opponents early and grounded both men with his usual technical attacks. Ciampa came in to keep control of the match and complimented his partner well.
While Ciampa and Thatcher looked to be in complete control of the match, Imperium decided to make their presence felt. They appeared on the NXT stage and watched the two teams.
This distracted The Blackheart from getting the tag and allowed Lorcan and Burch to hit a combination DDT on Thatcher to pick up the win. After the match, Thatcher was unhappy with how Ciampa was stunned by the Imperium’s arrival and cost them the match.
While Walter is yet to appear on NXT, it was great to see Ciampa get in a storyline with Imperium immediately. The NXT UK Champion could end up facing The Blackheart for the title and help him get back to the main event picture.
It was also good to see Lorcan and Burch compete against a tag team that could have taken them down. The NXT Tag Team Champions have not defended their titles for a long time, and WWE needs to build some challengers for them.
#4 Finn Balor decided to face his demons on WWE NXT
Roderick Strong demanded that Adam Cole come out in the ring and answer him. He wanted to meet his former Undisputed Era ally face to face and find out what was going on with him.
Instead, NXT Champion Finn Balor walked out. He told Strong to get greedy in order to get what he wanted. He then called out Cole and offered him a shot at the NXT Championship.
The two men in the ring weren’t finished with each other, and Strong blamed Balor for Undisputed Era’s split on NXT. He claimed that everything was alright until The Prince came into the picture.
Balor mocked Strong and derided his lack of leadership. The two men came to blows before officials separated them.
The segment was intense and helped build towards a potential match between The Prince and Cole on NXT next week. That’s not all, as Strong also got a good push out of this. It will be interesting to watch what The Messiah of the Backbreaker does to stay relevant in this storyline.
Balor and Strong were then booked to face each other in the main event of NXT this week.
#3 LA Knight addresses the WWE Universe; Cameron Grimes steals a victory on NXT
LA Knight stepped into the WWE NXT ring for the first time with a mic in his hand. He had a lot to say about his future on NXT and saw himself at the top of the lot. When Knight was done running his mouth, Bronson Reed arrived for his match against Cameron Grimes, and Knight was happy to leave.
Grimes was put in the match after William Regal found him gambling backstage and wanted to punish him for attacking an NXT crew member last week. The rich Superstar tried to buy his way out of the match, but The Colossal wasn’t interested in his money.
The two men traded some early blows, but Reed was on top. A dive through the ropes impressed the NXT Universe as The Colossal Reed continued to show-off his athleticism.
While Reed had the match under control, Knight reappeared to knock Reed off the top rope during a Tsunami splash attempt. This allowed Grimes to hit the Cave-In and pick up a big victory.
It’s sad to watch Reed fall down the ladder once again after impressing the NXT Universe. The Superstar should be in the NXT North American Championship picture instead of building storylines for other Superstars. However, the ending could lead to a big rivalry between Reed and Knight that can help both Superstars get over.
#2 Adam Pearce ruined the Women’s Tag Team Championship match on WWE NXT
Dakota Kai and Raquel Gonzalez were prepared for their big Women’s Tag Team Championships match against Nia Jax and Shayna Baszler on WWE NXT. Kai came into the match confident but struggled to take down Baszler early in the contest.
Jax came into the match next and kept Kai down in an attempt to keep her from tagging in Gonzalez. The Captain of Team Kick fought back on NXT and made her way to her partner. Once Gonzalez came into the match, the entire landscape turned on its head.
She took down The Queen of Spades easily to show her dominance. Jax wasn’t too keen on facing Gonzalez in the ring. Yet, the two heavyweights traded some blows which led to them going over the announce table.
Inside the ring, Baszler caught Kai with the Kirifuda Clutch after the referee was knocked down. The Captain of Team Kick wasn’t legal, but Adam Pearce sent in another official to call the match.
The match ended controversially as the Champions retained their titles even though Kai wasn’t the legal woman in the match. Backstage, William Regal was furious at Pearce and both men were seen exchanging some words.
While Kai and Gonzalez deserved to become the WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions on NXT, it seems the right call to keep them away from the titles for the time being. Fans could end up watching the two women invade RAW and attacking Jax and Baszler to earn a rematch, one that could take place at WrestleMania 37.
#1 Finn Balor and Roderick Strong put on a good main event on WWE NXT
After their confrontation earlier in the night on WWE NXT, Finn Balor and Roderick Strong were prepared to take each other down. Strong blamed Balor for breaking up the Undisputed Era, while Balor wanted to send Adam Cole a message during the match.
Balor kept Strong down for the initial part of the contest, but the former Undisputed Era member got back in with his signature offense. Strong did not slow down from there on and continued to hit the NXT Champion with a few backbreakers. He then continued with some top moves including an Olympic slam and a double-underhook powerbomb.
Strong nearly scored the victory at one point and showed the WWE Universe that he too was NXT Championship material.
Balor came back into the match and took down Strong with a Slingblade before falling prey to a flying dropkick and the Strong Hold.
The Prince reversed Strong’s End of Heartache and finally took him down with the Coup de Grace followed by the 1916 DDT to pick up the victory. After the match, Cole walked into the Capitol Wrestling Center and stared down the NXT Champion.
Fans will watch a showdown between Balor and Cole on next week’s NXT. However, the match could lead to an even bigger one after seeing some interference. Strong did a great job against Balor, and will likely move up the ladder once again on NXT.
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