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Another week, another blockbuster episode of NXT. This week’s show featured the long awaited return of Johnny Gargano. This is the first time we’ve seen Gargano since his ex-tag team partner Tomasso Ciampa turned on him and attacked him at NXT TakeOver: Chicago. This week’s show also featured the NXT debut of a former ROH Television Champion.
This week’s episode was main-evented by the Authors of Pain and Heavy Machinery as they battled over the NXT Tag-Team Championships.
Aleister Black vs Bobby Fish
NXT kicked off with Aleister Black taking on the debuting Bobby Fish. The former Ring of Honor star came out to a massive ovation from the fans in Full Sail.
Black and Fish started off going back and forth before Fish briefly got the upper hand. He had Black on his heels going for the defence. Black hit back with a strike-backfist combo to floor Fish before hitting him with a sliding knee strike.
Fish rolled to the outside and Black taunted him with his trademark springboard backflip; Fish replied with a sleeper hold from the apron before sweeping Black off his feet. The action then cut to a commercial.
Fish was still unloading on Black when we cut back from the commercials as he took Black down with a snapmare takedown. Bobby started to work on Black’s ankle and leg, as he hit an inside low kick before taking Black down with a Dragon Screw Leg Whip. Fish followed it up with a Single-Legged Boston Crab but Black reversed it into a roll-up for the 2-count.
Black tried to get up and fight on one leg but Fish locked in a sleeper hold. Black drove Fish back first into the turnbuckle to break free. Black followed it up with a high kick but Fish immediately hit him with an Exploder Suplex into the corner.
The two men traded right hands before Black rocked Fish with a flurry of kicks followed by a springboard moonsault. Black then connected with a jumping knee strike to take Fish down. Black prodded Fish back to his feet before hitting the Black Mass for the finish.
Aleister Black def. Bobby Fish
Vanessa Borne vs Jayme Hachey
Jayme Hachey clearly had the superior power as the two women locked up. She took Borne down with a sidewalk slam before driving her knee into Borne’s back. Borne made her way back to her feet before backing Hachey into the corner and hitting her with a double chop. She followed it up with a pretty poor dropkick. Borne made her way back to her feet before backing Hachey into the corner and hitting her with a double chop. She followed it up with a pretty poor dropkick.
Borne then hit Hachey with a left footed kick after and Irish Whip before hitting Hachey with a pumphandle bomb for the win.
Vanessa Borne def. Jayme Hachey
We got a backstage segment with Bobby Roode and NXT GM William Regal. Regal told Roode that the undefeated Drew McIntrye and Killian Dain were showing interest in his championship.
Roode replied that he was sure that he would beat both of those men and suggested that Dain and McIntyre should face each other instead.
Regal replied he agreed with Roode but the winner would face Roode at NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn.
Johnny Gargano returns to NXT
Johnny Gargano was given a hero’s welcome by the fans in Full Sail. Gargano returned to NXT for the first time since his former tag-team partner Tomasso Ciampa’s vicious attack at NXT TakeOver: Chicago.
Fans chanted “Johnny Wrestling” as Gargano entered the ring. Gargano replied on the mic by saying that he missed the chants. He said that the fans and the ring was irreplaceable. He then went on to say that whenever he heard DIY’s music he used to get excited but that wasn’t the case anymore. He added that he’d been trying to rationalize why Ciampa would attack him before adding that he would probably never understand why.
Gargano then added that he was back to look forward to the future but not to look back. He then added that he had to be a part of NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn before saying that he needed to go back to being who he was, Johnny Gargano.
Authors of Pain (C) vs Heavy Machinery (for the NXT Tag-Team Championships)
Tucker Knight and Akam started the match as the locked up. Knight pushed Akam into the ropes but he gets free after an elbow to the back of the head. Both men made tags after this and Otis and Rayzar came in and went nose-to-nose which sent the fans into a frenzy. Otis took Rayzar down before all 4 men faced off as we cut to commercial.
The Authors were on top when we came back from the break. Rayzar worked on Tucker’s neck but the crowd fired the big man up. Rayzar still kept control and tagged Akam in. Tucker Knight tried to reach his partner again but failed in the process.
AOP traded tags and worked on Tucker till he clotheslined The Authors and tagged Otis Dozovic in. Otis took down Akam before hitting Rayzar with a belly-to-belly suplex. He followed it up with a powerslam before Heavy Machinery hit an assisted body slam. The ensuing cover only got a 2-count.
Akam took out Dozovic and The Authors hit the Last Chapter to pick up the sudden win.
Authors of Pain def. Heavy Machinery
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