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Tommaso Ciampa vs Timothy Thatcher at NXT TakeOver: WarGames
Timothy Thatcher succeeded in bringing Tommaso Ciampa down to the mat, but Ciampa managed to counter a heel hook, locking in a chin lock. Ciampa went to his game here, battering Thatcher and repeatedly bouncing Thatcher's knee and ankle off the mat. Thatcher turned things around when he caught the former NXT Champion in between the ropes with an uppercut to the jaw at WarGames.
Tommaso Ciampa fell like a sack of potatoes, and it looked like the referee may end the match early. Of course, Ciampa wouldn't allow that. Thatcher hit a few more uppercuts before tossing Ciampa overhead with a half hatch suplex. Thatcher worked over Ciampa's surgically repaired neck, and the Psycho Killer struggled to get a breath in, much less any offense off at WarGames.
The NXT veteran was brutalized by the Thatch-As-Thatch-Can master for several minutes. Of course, Ciampa was able to fight through the pain as the two traded punches. Both men went for a headbutt, leaving them down on the mat. Ciampa was up first and began to build steam. A series of clotheslines left Thatcher dazed, confused, and unable to keep up with Ciampa at WarGames.
Ciampa took Thatcher to the top, looking for a sky-high superplex. Thatcher couldn't block it, but Ciampa's neck took some damage during the fall. Thatcher kicked out at two. Thatcher managed to catch Ciampa in that standing guillotine, the same thing that put Ciampa to sleep in NXT last week. This time, Ciampa was able to counter, driving Thatcher and himself to the floor at WarGames.
Ciampa avoided a throat chop, hitting one of his own followed by two running knees to the head. A chokehold left Thatcher scrambling in the middle of the ring. Blood gushed out of Thatcher's ear as Ciampa increased the pressure, but he stood up and made it to the ropes, then immediately spiked Ciampa with a German suplex. Another one connected, but Ciampa blocked a third on the apron.
As Ciampa set up for Willow's Bell, Thatcher yanked his arm through the ropes, again damaging the neck. Ciampa countered a punch with a backslide, and when Thatcher escaped up the ropes, he found himself right in line for Willow's Bell and get the win at WarGames.
Results: Tommaso Ciampa defeated Timothy Thatcher via pinfall on NXT TakeOver: WarGames.
Grade: A
Timothy Thatcher and Tommaso Ciampa never took their eyes off of one another even as the former left the ring at WarGames. This isn't over, not by a long shot. Fingers crossed, this NXT feud isn't over already.
