Asuka (C) vs Peyton Royce (for the NXT Women’s Championship)
Peyton Royce won the triple threat match last week to win the right to challenge Asuka for the NXT Women’s Championship and she got her title match tonight against the dominant Asuka who’s been NXT Women’s Champion for 333 days.
“Asuka’s gonna kill you” chants filled Full Sail as the match began. Both women started off at a frantic pace before backing off and reevaluating the situation. They then traded headlocks before Asuka unloaded on Royce with right hands. The two women then dodged each others signature spin kicks before facing off once again.
Asuka then tauted Royce before hitting her with multiple hip attacks, the latter of which sent her crashing off the apron. When Asuka joined Royce outside, Royce oppurtunistically drove Asuka shoulder-first into the turnbuckle before rolling her back into the ring and took control.
Royce continued her offence with repeated kicks to Asuka before moving on to work on Asuka’s shoulder with a standing armbar. She continued to apply pressure in the hammerlock position.
As Asuka went down, Royce made the mistake of slapping Asuka across the head. A ferocious Asuka, hit back with a spin kick to the gut and followed it up with a snap suplex. Asuka tentatively felt out her injured shoulder before the two women started trading forearms, a battle Asuka won easily. Asuka then hit a dropkick from the middle rope before landing a vicous knee strike to Royce’s face. Asuka then hit a series strikes to Royce’s head before hitting a Shining Wizard for the 2-count.
A desperate Royce hit a Jawbreaker. The duo then traded rolling pin attempts before Royce hit an elbow drop for a 2-count. Royce hit her trademark spinning head kick but the end was near for her as Asuka locked in the Asuka Lock right after this and Royce tapped out in no time.
Asuka def. Peyton Royce
Billie Kay jumped Asuka after the match as she and Royce sent Asuka shoulder-first into the turnbuckle. At this point, Ember Moon’s music hit and she came in and cleared the ring. Asuka then got up and waved her title in Ember’s face as the two stared each other down. It looks like we’ll finally get Asuka vs Ember Moon at NXT TakeOver: Orlando.
After a vignette of last week’s showdown between Bobby Roode and Kassius Ohno, William Regal annoucned that he’d booked a NXT Championship match between Roode and Ohno in two weeks time.
