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NXT started with a video package highlighting the tension between Samoa Joe and Karrion Kross in the past month. Last week, things boiled over, with the NXT Champion putting Joe to sleep. The NXT Enforcer has been provoked and he is out for revenge!
Our main event was a major title match, as the NXT Women's Champion Raquel González will defend against Tian Sha's Xia Li. We'd also see Diamond Mine's Roderick Strong and Tyler Rust in action as they took on Kushida and Bobby Fish. With Strong and Fish being former Undisputed Era allies, there was a lot of spice to this one.
The NXT Breakout Tournament continued as well. Odyssey Jones, who ran through 205 Live's Grayson Waller a few weeks ago, would look to advance tonight. All that and so much more on this week's NXT.
We started things off with the Samoan Submission Machine himself, Samoa Joe.
Samoa Joe calls out the NXT Champion
Samoa Joe came to the ring, only not dressed in a suit and tie as per usual. Joe was in the mood for a fight. William Regal tried to calm the former NXT Champion down, reminding him of the rules of their agreement.
Joe said that Kross provoked him and that he is completely out of control. Regal said that Kross was on his way to the CWC and expected the issues to be resolved peacefully.
Joe held back and said that because of his respect for the NXT General Manager, it would end tonight. However, it wouldn't be peaceful.
What will happen between Kross and Joe tonight?
We saw a vignette of Xia Li who vowed that tonight she'd make history. After defeating Raquel González, she'd become the first Chinese-born NXT Women's Champion.
Li reminded González just how easily she dispatched of Mercedes Martinez. This version of Xia Li with the help of Tian Sha may be the one to finally slay the NXT Women's Champion.
Diamond Mine vs Bobby Fish and Kushida on NXT
As Diamond Mine were on their way to the ring, they were attacked by Bobby Fish and NXT Cruiserweight Champion Kushida. Roderick Strong and Tyler Rust fought back, and it seemed that they weren't as prepared as they needed to be.
After the break, we returned to Bobby Fish mauling his former Undisputed Era brother, Roderick Strong. Fish and Kushida pelted Strong with stereo kicks. Strong eventually got to his partner Tyler Rust.
Unfortunately for Rust, the former NXT Tag Team Champion was firing on all cylinders. A series of kicks was set up for the tope atomico. Rust turned things around when Kushida tagged in, bringing him to Diamond Mine's corner.
Rust and Strong tagged in and out, dropping Kushida with a series of suplexes. The NXT Universe was screaming for Bobby Fish at this point. Strong pelted Kushida with a series of chops and cut off an offensive flurry with a single underhook suplex.
Rust was the one to lose the upper hand, and Fish tagged in to lay him out with a sliding clothesline. A series of knees worked Rust's ribs, but Strong was able to hold onto him to prevent the exploder suplex.
Fish was driven into the apron with a back suplex as we cut to another break.
We went back to Malcolm Bivens' sly grin as Rust and Strong were working over the veteran. Fish threw some punches and knees to Strong's midsection, forcing his way close to his corner. Strong took him down with a leg trip and hammered his back with knees.
Rust tagged in for a series of roundhouses to the chest. Fish responded with a huge spinebuster, and finally got to the NXT Cruiserweight Champion. Strong tagged in as well but fell to Kushida, who came in like a house on fire.
A series of strikes, including a basement dropkick, earned Kushida a near fall. He took Strong down with a running armbreaker but missed a running kick to the elbow. Rust tagged in only to be dazed with the step-up enzuigiri.
Rust escaped an O'Connor roll, leading to a trade of forearms between the two. Rust hit his finish on Kushida for Fish to break the pin. Fish and Strong fell to the floor while Kushida hit Rust with a running elbow kick.
The Hoverboard Lock was synched in and Rust had no choice but to submit.
Results: Kushdia and Bobby Fish defeated Diamond Mine via submission on NXT.
Grade: B
Franky Monet w/The Robert Stone Brand vs Jacy Jayne on NXT
NXT's undefeated Franky Monet started things off with a stiff running elbow but missed a basement roundhouse. Jacy Jayne rocked Monet with a step-up enzuigiri and running boot.
Monet recovered in the corner, avoiding a cannonball senton and hitting a running double knee strike. She followed with a few mounted punches and a nasty kick to the ribs.
As she choked out Jayne, Mandy Rose came down to ringside to have a seat on the NXT announcer's desk. Franky Monet was intrigued, but not distracted enough to lose sight of the task at hand.
Jayne rocked Monet with another strike and followed with a running leaping neckbreaker. Monet kicked out at two. In the end, though, Monet planted her with the Road to Valhalla.
Results: Franky Monet defeated Jacy Jayne via pinfall on NXT.
Grade: B-
After the match, Mandy Rose disappeared, opting not to take away Monet's spotlight. What's all that about?
We saw some footage from earlier in the day where Kyle O'Reilly confronted Austin Theory. Apparently, Theory made fun of Kyle, prompting him to lay down the gauntlet. Theory accepted but was told he would get no help from Johnny Gargano.
"Wanna be like Papa Johnny? Well, you're going at it alone, champ."
Former NXT North American Champion Bronson Reed was interviewed by Wade Barrett in a pre-recorded session. He said he was disappointed in how short his title reign was, but The Colossal One needed to move on. Next week, he'd face Adam Cole in singles action, hoping to prove himself yet again.
Kyle O'Reilly vs Austin Theory on NXT
Austin Theory came out with some new music, which is a good sign for the 23-year-old superstar. Theory overpowered Kyle O'Reilly, breaking away from an arm wrench with a suplex.
Kyle O'Reilly got back to his feet, but Theory managed to avoid multiple takedown attempts. Finally, Cool Kyle broke away from Theory and sent him to the floor. It didn't take long, though, for NXT's personal himbo to regain momentum.
A rolling blockbuster drove O'Reilly into the mat for a two-count. A rolling fisherman suplex planted O'Reilly, but it still wasn't enough. O'Reilly finally began to fire off with a series of knee strikes to the stomach and chest. A roundhouse laid out Theory, and the former NXT Tag Champion followed with a flying forearm.
A flash knee and running boot set up for an armbar in the middle of the ring. Theory escaped but was sent to the corner with an elbow. He avoided a strike and planted Cool Kyle with an alpine spinout powerbomb. An ushigoroshi spiked O'Reilly as well, but he still kicked out.
They fell to the floor where Kyle bounced Theory off of the steel steps. Back in the ring, Theory was hammered with a series of knees and a rolling elbow to the jaw. After that, O'Reilly hit the diving knee to the ankle. With that, he locked in the heel hook.
Results: Kyle O'Reilly defeated Austin Theory via submission on NXT.
Grade: A-
Legado Del Fantasma Mariachi Madness Musical on NXT
Former NXT Cruiserweight Champion Santos Escobar said he was going to give us the best music in the world, but decided against it. Legado Del Fantasma said they weren't lowering themselves to entertain the crowd.
They weren't HitRow and weren't going to come out and vomit up music like Scott and his crew did a few weeks back. Escobar called himself the true champion and vowed to take the NXT North American Title.
Speaking of which, Isaiah "Swerve" Scott and HitRow came out. HitRow took turns verbally running down Santos, Joaquin Wilde, and Raul Mendoza. Scott said in 2020 it took the whole Legado to prevent Swerve from taking Santos's NXT Cruiserweight Championship.
Well, he's got his own group now. He was going to take down Santos Escobar, and took it a step further, claiming that "in ten years the apple won't fall too far from the tree."
It looked like we were set for a showdown between Legado and HitRow...and that's exactly what we got. Top Dollah and Ashante "Thee" Adonis took out Santos's henchmen. B-Fab saved Swerve from a guitar shot, and Scott caught Escobar with a right. The NXT North American Champion grabbed the guitar but missed as Escobar ducked out.
Unfortunately, Joaquin Wilde couldn't avoid that fate. After the Long Kiss Goodnight from Adonis, Swerve shattered the guitar over Wilde's back.
Backstage, The Way were all arguing amongst one another. Hartwell was fed up with Candice constantly interfering in her love life. Candice brought up Theory and Gargano's recent losses, leading to Johnny TakeOver and the former NXT Women's Tag Champions arguing.
Theory said the family was falling apart, and when he offered his hand to Gargano for the high five, Gargano was too busy arguing to notice. He left, dejected.
Backstage, NXT GM William Regal was attempting to keep Samoa Joe calm. NXT Champion Karrion Kross was still not in the building.
NXT Breakout Tournament Opening Round: Andre Chase vs Odyssey Jones
Odyssey Jones shook off a clothesline from Andre Chase, but was taken down with kicks to the knee. He got back to his feet and sent Chase over the ropes with a clothesline of his own. Chase hit a slingshot crossbody and sent Jones into the ring post.
Back inside, Chase got a two-count. A moonsault to a standing Jones earned him another near fall. All that was for naught, though. The powerful Odyssey Jones was able to pick up the win with one big move.
Results: Odyssey Jones defeats Andre Chase via pinfall on NXT.
Grade: C
Pete Dunne and Oney Lorcan set up a match for NXT next week. Tommaso Ciampa and Timothy Thatcher called them out last week after Dunne claimed himself to be the toughest and most technical competitor in NXT.
Drake Maverick vs LA Knight w/Cameron Grimes on NXT
Drake Maverick hit LA Knight with a basement dropkick to the knee and another to the face. However, the NXT Million Dollar Champion responded with a backdrop, quickly taking over.
After being distracted by the crowd cheering for Cameron Grimes, Knight was sent across the ring with a hurricanrana. Maverick followed with a flying crossbody. Knight stopped a second attempt, flipping Maverick overhead with a release fallaway slam.
Knight demanded Grimes hold his championship up high. Maverick took advantage, dropkicking Knight headfirst into the gold. With that, he rolled up Knight for the three-count.
Results: Drake Maverick defeated LA Knight via pinfall on NXT.
Grade: C
It was a major upset for Maverick on NXT. Unfortunately, Knight attacked Maverick after the match. To make things worse, he told Grimes to join in. Being his butler, Grimes had no choice.
He laid out Maverick but was furious with himself.
NXT Women's Championship Match: Xia Li vs Raquel González (c) w/Dakota Kai
While the NXT Women's Champion had Dakota Kai by her side, Xia Li opted to come to the ring without Tian Sha. No Boa, no Mei Ying, she was doing this for herself.
Xia Li almost caught Raquel González with a sunset flip. The champion blocked it, though, and sent Li into the corner. González knocked a flying Li out of the air, sending her to the floor. She then launched Xia like a lawn dart into the ring post, cracking her head and shoulder in the process.
González missed a boot, however, and Li wrapped her leg around the ring post. She slung it into the steel repeatedly before driving González into the steps. In no time at all, Xia Li was on top.
During the break, Li kept up the pressure, refusing to let González get to her feet. At that point, González was left with one good wheel. Raquel's knee was hung up in the ropes, and Li hammered it with a series of dropkicks. It seemed that the NXT Women's Champion was in dire straits for the first time in her run.
When she did get off the mat, González fired up with a fallaway slam, clothesline, and dropkick for a two-count. Li battered González with a series of chops but was slammed with a spinebuster. The champ moved up for a slingshot twisting elbow drop, earning a near fall.
However, the medical staff and the referee began checking on Li, who hadn't moved since the elbow drop. It seemed that she was seriously injured. After several minutes, Li stood up only to receive the Chingona Bomb.
Results: Raquel González defeated Xia Li via pinfall on NXT.
Grade: C
Unfortunately, it looked like something horrible happened there. Hopefully, Xia Li will be okay.
Samoa Joe ran down to the ring to call out the NXT Champion. Karrion Kross appeared on the screen, saying that the NXT Championship meant he could do anything he wanted, go wherever he wanted and hurt whoever he wanted.
With that, we saw that he had attacked William Regal. Joe rushed to the parking lot just as he drove off, with Regal still not moving.
One of Samoa Joe's colleagues had harsh words for him HERE
