NXT started off this week with footage recorded prior to the show. We see Asuka walking to the arena after a media appearance when she gets jumped by Billie Kay and Peyton Royce. Kay distracts Asuka as Royce attacked her from behind. They double teamed Asuka before sending her back-first into a van. Royce then kneed Asuka in the gut before Kay poured water all over Asuka and humiliated her. The Aussie duo then left as Asuka lay on the ground.
Billie Kay and Peyton Royce vs Macey Evans and Sarah Bridges
Evans and Kat start us off. Royce immediately distracts Evans which allows Kay to blindside her and take her down. She followed it up with a quick tag to Royce who came in and hit Evans with repeated knees to the gut. The Aussies rotate tags and punish Evans before she dodges a spin kick from Royce to crawl and tag in Sarah Bridges. Bridges comes and hits a double dropkick to Royce and Evans before hitting Kay with a dropkick.
Bridges threw Kay into the ropes and triesd to pin her but Royce came in to break it up. She had the referee distracted as Kay raked Bridges in the eye. She then quickly tagged Royce back in and Royce hit Bridges with a jumping facebuster right into Billie Kay’s knee. Bridges was out cold as Peyton Royce covered her up for the 3-count.
Billie Kay and Peyton Royce vs Macey Evans and Sarah Bridges
Royce and Kay call out Asuka after the match, taunting Asuka and telling her they were the dominant force in NXT’s women’s division and they announced that they were coming after the NXT Women’s Championship. Asuka then came out with referees trying to stop her. Kay and Royce pounced on an already injured Asuka as soon as she came into the ring. At this point, Nikki Cross came out from the back. She chased out both Kay and Royce from the ring and screamed at them from atop the turnbuckle.
When Asuka finally got back up, Nikki Cross hit her with a massive dropkick and signalled her intention to go after the NXT Women’s Championship, making a statement of her own.
Elias Samson vs Jonathan Crews
Samson came out singing and playing his guitar. He was met with chants of “You can’t sing” and a wall of boos. The only time he got a cheer was the moment he stopped singing.
Samson powered Crews into the corner as soon as the match began. Samson then worked on Crews’ arm but the smaller Crews’ wouldn’t back down. Crews tried a number of pinning combinations on Samson but couldn’t get the 3-count. He followed it up with a Hurracanrana but Samson hit back with a devastating clothesline.
Samson then used the steel ring-post to bend Crews’ body and he followed it up by smashing Crews’ face into the apron. ‘The Drifter’ followed it up with a running knee before taking the action back into the ring. Crews’ unsuccessfully tried to mount a comeback before Samson hit him with a big boot. Samson followed it up with his spinning neckbreaker and covered him for the pinfall.
Elias Samson def. Jonathan Crews
Andrade ‘Cien’ Almas vs Oney Lorcan
Almas was met by a mixture of cheers and boos. Almas’ recent heel turn has done wonders for him. Lorcan beat Almas during NXT’s tour of Japan, with this being the rematch.
“Oney” chants filled Full Sail as the bell rang. Almas and Lorcan went back and forth in the beginning before Almas did his trademark taunt where he hangs from the middle and top rope. Lorcan didn’t take to this kindly and dropkicked Lorcan right out of the ring. Lorcan followed it up with a Blockbuster off the steel steps and onto the floor at ringside. Lorcan rolled Almas back in the ring but Almas fought back with a head-to-knee combo followed by a modified Final Cut.
Almas then teased the running knees into the corner by stopped at the last minute and slapped Lorcan across the face. He followed it up with kicks and stomps in the corner. Lorcan tried to mount offense of his own but Almas took him back down with a dropkick followed by a side-armbar. Lorcan hit a running uppercut off an Irish Whip into the ropes as he tried to fight back and followed it up with a corner splash.
Almas dodged an attempted Blockbuster and went for a Powerbomb. Lorcan reversed it into an Alabama Slam right into the turnbuckle. Lorcan continued hitting Almas but the referee stopped him at the 5 count. Almas used the distraction to hit Lorcan with a dropkick before finishing him off with the Hammerlock DDT out of nowhere to pick up the win.
Andrade ‘Cien’ Almas vs Oney Lorcan
Interview with Shinsuke Nakamura
Tom Phillips is backstage with the ‘King of Strong Style’. Phillips starts off by congratulating Nakamura for winning his rivalry. Nakamura replied that his matches with Joe were very tough and he was happy that he had won the NXT Championship. Nakamura then added that he liked Bobby Roode when asked about their upcoming match. He said that Roode was one of the world’s best wrestlers but Roode wasn’t a ‘King’ and wouldn’t be NXT Champion.
Phillips adds that Roode had declined an interview earlier in the day but he had given Phillips something to give to Nakamura. It was Roode’s ticket stub from NXT TaleOver: Dallas. Nakamura just asked “He kept this?” before smiling as the interview ended.
#DIY (C) vs The Revival (for the NXT Tag-Team Championships)
The Revival come out to a massive response from the fans, despite being heels. They are followed out by the champions, DIY, who come out to a hero’s welcome from the fans at Full Sail.
Gargano and Dawson started us off tonight. They locked up with Dawson overpowering Gargano and pushing him into the corner. Her followed it up with an uppercut that almost knocked Gargano’s lights out. He followed it up with a shoulder tackle but Gargano hit back with an Atomic Drop before making the tag. Ciampa came in throwing forearms to both Dawson and Wilder before DIY hit stereo dropkicks to both members of The Revival before clotheslining them out of the ring.
We came back from commercial to see Gargano in control of Dawson’s arm. Gargano then looked to hit a Reverse Atomic Drop to Dawson who made a tag in midair. Wilder came in from behind and took out Gargano’s knee. He then relentlessly attacked Gargano’s knee before tagging Dawson back in. The Revival continued to work on Gargano’s knee and routinely traded tags, even smashing Gargano’s knee into the steel ring post.
They continued isolating Gargano in their corner, who briefly tried to roll Wilder up for a sneaky pinfall attempt. Gargano finally fought back by sending Wilder face-first into the steel ring post. Dawson tackled Gargano as he looked to make the tag. The Revival then hit the legdrop from the turnbuckle as the referee was busy with Ciampa.
We came back from another commercial break to see Gargano reach the ropes and break out of a submission hold. Wilder then got tagged in and he came and slapped Gargano across the face, repeatedly and disrespectfully. Gargano hit back with an enzeguiri and went for a tag. Dawson tried to block it but Gargano somehow made the tag.
Ciampa came in and hit a running knee to Dawson and followed it up with the Triple german Suplexes. Ciampa then hit Dawson with a running knee but Dawson kicked out at 2. Dawson made the tag as The Revival double-teams Ciampa as Wilder pinned him off a clothesline from Dawson for a nearfall. The Revival then looked to hit the Hart Attack, only for Gargano to hit Dawson with a superkick as Ciampa locked in the armbar on Wilder.
Gargano then came in and hit Dawson with the rolling kick. He then looked for the midrope spear but Dawson caught him and The Revival looked for their Shatter Machine finisher. Luckily for DIY, Ciampa came in and took Wilder out. Dawson then tried to roll Gargano up but only got a nearfall. Gargano then hit a suicide dive on Dawson before Wilder sent Ciampa crashing into the timekeeper’s area. Gargano rolled Dawson back in the ring and tagged Ciampa in. They looked for the superkick/running knee combo but Wilder pulled Gargano out the ring.
Wilder then hit Ciampa with a Stun Gun which Dawson followed up with a DDT, for a nearfall. Wilder then headed to the top rope but Gargano knocked him off just as Ciampa hit Dawson with a jumping knee strike. Gargano took Wilder out with Enzeguiri. DIY then hit both members of The Revival with the superkick/running knee combo at the same time. They then simultaenously covered their opponents to pick up the win.
#DIY def. The Revival
The Authors of Pain blindsided DIY after the match and hit their trademark double Powerbomb. They laid out the champions and sent a clear message to them. At TakeOver: San Antonio, it’s going to be #DIY vs The Authors of Pain.
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