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This week's episode of NXT saw Killian Dain taking on Drew McIntyre to see who would be facing Bobby Roode at NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn III.
We also saw Ember Moon taking on Ruby Riot in a match that was set up with a backstage segment last week.
Ember Moon vs Ruby Riot
NXT kicked off with Ember Moon taking on Ruby Riot. Both these women think they should be the #1 contender for the NXT Women’s Championship.
The two women traded pinning combinations soon after the bell rang but none of them managed to get the other down for the 3 count. The two women locked up and Ember hit a head scissors. Ruby Riot replied with a monkey flip after bouncing off the ropes. Ember Moon landed on her feet as fans started to chant “This is wrestling”.
The two women locked up in a test of strength and Ruby got the better of it and hit a couple of deep armdrags followed by a spinning hurracanrana. Ruby followed up with a headlock but Ember got free and tripped Ruby Riot before locking in a Bow and Arrow submission.
Riot got free and drove Ember’s face into the turnbuckle. She followed it up with a Saito Suplex for the 2-count. Ember replied with a flurry of kicks followed by a beautiful backbreaker/flatliner combo. As Ruby Riot struggled to get back to her feet, we headed into a commercial break.
When we came back. Ruby Riot was on the top rope and she flew off and hit a Senton. She followed it up with a cover but it was still just a 2-count. Riot’s right leg looked hurt as she charged in to hit Ember with a running knee but ended up running into the turnbuckle. Ember hit her with a spinning side slam before heading up to the top rope, looking for the Eclipse.
Riot got on her feet and hit Ember with a forearm before hitting a Frankensteiner from the top rope. However, she still just managed a 2-count.
Ember made her way back up to her feet and countered a kick with a rolling discus forearm. Riot looked to hit back with a clothesline but Moon dodged it and hit a Shotgun Kick to Ruby Riot’s jaw. Ember followed it up with a running forearm to the corner before heading to the top rope and hitting the Eclipse for the 3-count.
Ember Moon def. Ruby Riot
An incredible match to kick off this week’s episode of NXT.
We got a backstage segment where we saw Hideo Itami interrupting Kassius Ohno who was in the middle of an interview for asking for a match with him.
Itami looked physically angry as he kicked a trash can and walked away.
Danny Burch vs Oney Lorcan
The two brawlers faced each other in the second match of the night. Lorcan took down Burch with a headlock takedown before both men circled each other again. Lorcan drove Burch into the corner before the referee separated them.
Burch replied with a stiff right hand as Lorcan was backing off. He then hit a dropkick from the middle rope before doing a kip-up and charging at Lorcan who got a boot up. Lorcan himself headed to the top rope after this but Burch caught him with a right hand and hitting a Tower of London with Lorcan leveraged on the top turnbuckle.
Lorcan somehow kicked out at 2 and replied with a running blockbuster. He followed with a running forearm two the jaw. Both men made their way to their feet and traded European Uppercuts before Lorcan caught Burch with a series of slaps. Lorcan looked to bounce off the ropes after this but Burch caught him with a clothesline, sending him inside out. Burch followed it up with a powerbomb for a nearfall.
Burch looked to capitalised and took Lorcan to the top rope. Lorcan hit Burch with a right hand, sending him crashing to the mat. Lorcan then jumped off and landed on his feet before transitioning into a single leg Boston Crab. Burch started tapping almost immediately.
Oney Lorcan def. Danny Burch
Danny Burch asked for one more match from Oney Lorcan. Lorcan agreed and we’ll have to wait to see these two brawlers meet once again.
No Way Jose vs Cezar Bononi
Bononi made a name for himself after beating Andrade ‘Cien’ Almas a couple of months ago in NXT. Today, he looked to take on NXT fan favourite, No Way Jose.
Jose started with a deep armdrags before Bononi caught him by the hair and tossed him into the turnbuckle. Bononi followed it up by stomping Jose in the corner and a standing dropkick. He followed it up with a couple of knee strikes before Jose recovered and got in some offence of his own.
Jose hit an armdrag before taking Bononi down with a clothesline. Jose then hit the pop-up Fastball Punch to pin Cezar Bononi.
No Way Jose def. Cezar Bononi
We saw Andrade ‘Cien’ Almas at ringside with a female friend. He got into the ring and attacked Bononi. No Way Jose ran back in to drive Almas off.
Drew McIntyre vs Killian Dain (for the #1 contendership to the NXT Championship)
McIntyre started the match the stronger of the two, hitting a series of right hands and a running forearm in the corner before landing a flying forearm off the top rope. Dain replied with a running crossbody to wipe out McIntyre as we headed to a commercial break.
We came back from commercial to see Dain in control, whipping McIntyre into the turnbuckle. Dain followed it up with big right hands before dragging McIntyre back to the middle of the ring and hitting a trio of elbow drops.
To put the cherry on the cake, Dain hit a running elbow drop. He then dragged Drew back to his knees and clubbed him across the back.
Dain then locked in a nasty looking chin lock but Drew slowly made his way back up to his feet. McIntyre hit a desperate jawbreaker but Dain exploded out of the corner with a clothesline.
Dain then placed McIntyre on the top turnbuckle and climbed up himself. It didn’t end well for Dain as McIntyre hit him with a Powerbomb for a nearfall.
Both men got back to their feet at the same time and traded punches before Drew hit a high kick to send Dain reeling into the corner. Drew then hit a flying clothesline before getting back to his feet with a kip up. McIntyre then hit a seamless Air Raid siren for another nearfall.
McIntyre looked for the big boot but Dain caught him with a Belfast Blitz and followed it up with a Vader Bomb for a nearfall of his own. Dain then got McIntyre up in the electric chair position, looking to hit the Ulster Plantation but McIntyre wriggled out of it. Dain hit a Powerbomb, but it still wasn’t enough for the 3-count.
Dain’s answer was to hit Fisherman Suplex but McIntyre managed to kick out once again. McIntyre hit a Future Shock DDT out of nowhere but Dain kicked out at 1 as McIntyre looked on in disbelief. McIntyre followed it up with a running boot but Dain still got back up. McIntyre followed it up with one more Claymore kick and the Beast of Belfast was finally silenced.
Drew McIntyre def. Killian Dain
