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Reviving the iconic events of yesteryear seems to be a new trend for NXT in 2020. The most recent NXT special was Halloween Havoc, which aired for the first time in twenty years complete with the wheel and an obnoxiously huge inflatable pumpkin. Even though it only lasted minutes before Johnny Gargano slashed it.
Halloween Havoc was an eventful night, to say the least. Fans saw a title change, zombies, monsters, and some seriously scary bumps. The uber charismatic Superstar, Shotzi Blackheart, hosted the show live from the new Capitol Wrestling Center.
As expected, Halloween Havoc was one of the most entertaining NXT events of the year so far. Let's take a look at what happened at this momentous occasion.
#5. The Gargano's have a new mystery ally in NXT
Johnny Gargano took part in the opening match of Halloween Havoc. At the event, he challenged NXT North American Champion, Damian Priest, in a Devil's Playground match as decided by Spin the Wheel, Make a Deal.
The first match-up on the card turned out to be a big one. A live band played Priest to the ring, and Gargano entered dressed like the Pumpkin King himself, Jack Skellington. The match itself took the pair all around the Capitol Wrestling Center. The pair brawled in and out of the ring, using steel pipes and trash cans to gain the upper hand.
The bout came to a head when the duo ended up at the top of the set. A mystery man, dressed as Ghostface from the Scream movies, knocked Priest down with a pipe and passed Gargano a tombstone. Then, Johnny Wrestling used it to send Priest crashing from the platform to the floor, and The Archer of Infamy to become the new NXT North American Champion.
The mystery man made another appearance in the main event of Halloween Havoc. During the NXT Women's Championship match, the figure appeared to help Candice LeRae, who like her husband, was also donned in Nightmare Before Christmas inspired ring gear and makeup, up the ladder to try and reach the title belt.
Afterward, the figure never revealed themselves. It will be exciting to see how this angle could develop over the coming weeks on the black and gold brand.
#4. The NXT women's division is stronger than ever
The NXT women's division dominated the revival of Halloween Havoc. The event was hosted by fan-favorite Shotzi Blackheart, who was perfectly suited for the role.
After spending months at one another throats, Rhea Ripley and Raquel Gonzalez came to blows in a match that really stood out on the card. The animosity between the pair became apparent as they clashed with one another. The two women were well-matched as easily countered one another's big moves.
After hitting a huge Riptide, Rhea Ripley managed to secure the win as a Gonzalez raged on.
Additionally, the NXT Women's Championship match headlined the event as Io Shirai and Candice LeRae took part in a Tables, Ladders, and Scares Match. The duo produced an amazing main event where both women put their bodies on the line in a truly incredible face-off.
Shirai came to the ring once again with a pop-metal superstar, Poppy, and they were met with a raucous reaction from the crowd. The main event of Halloween Havoc further cemented Io Shirai and Candice LeRae as two huge stars.
#3. Cinematic matches are still going strong on NXT
Peppered between the first few matches on the card for NXT: Halloween Havoc, fans saw segments where a terrified Cameron Grimes prepared for a match against Dexter Lumis.
Later, Grimes was taken to a van and driven to a rundown, spooky-looking house. Grimes took his time to explore the place. He even got tricked by a shadowy figure in the shower, which turned out to be a terrifying zombie.
Grimes later fleeing from the haunted house, but he wasn't alone. He made his way back to the Capital Wrestling Center but zombies chased him down and followed him back.
Lumis managed to catch up to Grimes and attack him in the ring surrounded by zombies. The zombies didn't seem to phase Lumis in contrast to Grimes, who spent pretty much the entire match whimpering in fear. Lumis eventually used the zombies to his advantage, and later applied The Silence to Grimes, forcing him to pass out.
NXT upped the ante in this most recent cinematic match. The use of multiple locations before the match came back to the Capital Wrestling Center gave the concept a refresh. It also further established Grimes and Lumis in their roles. Grimes was a cowardly, comedic character, and Lumis was a frightening force to be reckoned with.
#2. Pete Dunne returned to NXT to join a new faction
A half an hour into Halloween Havoc, Pat McAfee came to the ring, flanked by the new NXT Tag Team Champions Danny Burch and Oney Lorcan, to cut a long and vicious promo. Throughout, he dismissed online wrestling fans, the audience, and his rival Adam Cole. The former NFL player revealed that he was the mastermind behind Ridge Holland's attack on Cole.
Kyle O'Reilly then made his way down the ring, followed by the shock return of Pete Dunne with a steel chair in each hand. The former NXT UK Champion seemingly came to the aid of the sole member of The Undisputed Era. However, The Bruiserweight attacked him with a steel chair once O'Reilly turned his back, knocking him to the ground and aligning himself with McAfee. The four men then unleashed their fury on a lone O'Reilly.
Pete Dunne hasn't been seen on NXT programming since March. He recently had a brief stint on NXT UK during the Heritage Cup Tournament. Aligning The Bruiserweight with Pat McAfee and the NXT Tag Team Champions is a great way to establish new rivals for The Undisputed Era. It will be interesting to see where this new faction goes next.
#1. Io Shirai is becoming one of the strongest NXT Women's Champions that we have seen
Since Io Shirai won the NXT Women's Championship in the main event of NXT TakeOver: In Your House, the star has been a shining star of the brand. So far, Shirai has defended the title against Tegan Nox and Dakota Kai in some great TakeOver matches. Most recently, The Genius of the Sky fended off Candice LeRae, who was also her challenger in a rematch at Halloween Havoc.
Due to the Spin the Wheel, Make a Deal gimmick, the bout at Halloween Havoc became a Tables, Ladders, and Scares Match. Shirai and LeRae wasted no time attacking one another as the bell rang to start the match. They immediately began using several weapons against one another.
In one spot, LeRae knocked Shirai clean off the announce table when she launched a laptop at her face, sending the champion falling to the floor. Despite a mysterious, masked figures attempt to come to The Poison Pixie's aid, Shirai overcame the odds. In a scary spot, she pushed her ladder over, leaving LeRae to plummet into two ladders below. Then, she climbed to the top of the ladder and grabbed the belt to retain.
Shirai has had a strong showing as NXT Women's Champion. So far, her engaging reign has been filled with some excellent title defenses, and there are several possibilities for where it will go next.
