This week’s edition of WWE NXT finally gave us the #1 contender to Shinsuke Nakamura’s NXT Championship after an excellent fatal-4-way elimination #1 contender’s match. We also got an update on NXT’s women’s and tag-team divisions.
Without further ado, let’s get to the action.
Billie Kay vs Daria Berenato
This match has been building since the episode of NXT after TakeOver: Toronto. The match was finally announced last week when Berenato challenged either Kay or Royce to a match last week on NXT.
Billie Kay came out accompanied by her partner-in-crime Peyton Royce, as usual. Berenato followed them out and looked like she was in no mood for games. Royce and Kay looked terrified as Berenato threw shadow punches after entering the ring.
Berenato went for a takedown as soon as the match started and followed it up with a sliding knee to Billie Kay’s back, causing her to crawl away to the ropes as she regrouped with Royce advising her. A distraction by Royce after Kay got back up caused a nearfall on Berenato but Berenato hit back with another takedown before hitting Kay with a volley of punches.
This caused Royce to drag Kay outside the ring and the two of them proceeded to walk away. This led to Berenato chasing them and clotheslining Royce before dragging Kay back into the ring. As Berenato looked to re-enter the ring, Royce jumped her room behind and sent her spine first into the ring before rolling her back in.
Kay then hit her with a running boot before picking up the pinfall.
Billie Kay def. Daria Berenato
Kay and Royce cut a promo after the match, warning the NXT women’s division not to mess with them. They then called out Asuka, which will surely be a mistake in the long run.
Authors of Pain vs Anthony Bowens and Jon Ortagun
The Authors of Pain started the match by hammering Bowens. Ortagun looked to leave as soon as he saw that and looked to run away, only to be cut off. The Authors of Pain then Powerbombed them into each other, before driving them into the mat.
As the Authors of Pain looked to inflict more punishment on Bowens, the referee called for the bell.
Authors of Pain def. Anthony Bowens and Jon Ortagun
Paul Ellering got on the mic after the match saying that all roads led to San Antonio. He added that he didn’t care who his Authors would face next, DIY or The Revival before signalling their intentions of becoming NXT Tag-Team Champions.
We then get an interview with Asuka who’s backstage. Asuka reiterates that there’s no competition left for her in NXT as the camera panned to Nikki Cross staring at Asuka with a manic look on her face. She then laughed and walked away.
Bobby Roode vs Andrade ‘Cien’ Almas vs Roderick Strong vs Tye Dillinger (Fatal-4-Way Elimination #1 contender’s match)
The crowd were firmly n the corner of Tye Dillinger as the match began. Roode rolled out f the ring as the bell rang but he was met outside by Strong and Dillinger. Strong took out Roode as Dillinger got taken out by Almas. Strong then hit a running sliding dropkick through the ropes to Almas.
Back in the ring, Almas hit Strong with one of the loudest knife-edged chops that I’ve ever heard. He followed it up with a running dropkick and a snapmare, getting a 2-count afterwards. Almas then chopped Dillinger as he looked to come back into the ring before teasing the running knees into the corner on Strong. He stopped at the last moment and slapped him across the face.
Strong tried to hit back with a gut buster but got body slammed before Almas headed to the top rope, looking for a moonsault. He was met there by Dillinger but he got elbowed in the face and landed next to Strong. Almas then looked for the double moonsault on both men but they both rolled away with Almas somehow landing on his feet and immediately flipping for a standing moonsault attempt on Strong.
Strong got the knees up, however, and Almas got hit by a dropkick from Dillinger. Strong and Dillinger then faced off inside the ring and they both got taken out by Bobby Roode. Roode then worked Strong in the corner but Roddy hit back with backbreaker before hitting a dropkick to Dillinger and another to Almas.
Roode then worked on Strong inside the ring, choking him against the middle rope. Roddy finally hit back with a back suplex, causing Roode to roll out of the ring. Strong then hit an over-the-top-rope plancha to Roode, Dillinger and Almas.
We came back from commercial to see Bobby Roode all over Roderick Strong, again. Roode then hit a vertical suplex to Dillinger but only got a 2-count on the ensuing cover. Strong then hit Roode with a Gord Buster before hitting the running knees to the corner. He then took Roode to the top rope and looked for a superplex. Almas then joined the fray and looked to hit an electric chair on Roderick Strong as her hit his Superplex. Dillinger the came in and powerbombed Almas as he hit his electric chair to Strong, who in turn hit his Superlex. Amazing spot.
Dillinger remained the last man standing, more accurately shaking and sitting leant up against the turnbuckle as the other three men lay laid out. Dillinger then hit forearms and chops on Almas before Strong held up Dillinger from behind as Almas headed to the top rope. Dillinger ducked as Almas hit a missile dropkick and he hit Strong. Dillinger then rolled up Almas but only got a 2-count.
Almas and Dillinger then traded forearms before Almas booted Dillinger into the corner and hit the running knees to the corner. As Almas dragged Dillinger to the middle of the ring to pin him, Strong hit him with the sick kick and eliminated.
Andrade ‘Cien’ Almas is eliminated
Strong then went to work on Dillinger and hit him with a reverse back body-drop. Dillinger somehow hit the Tye Breaker on Strong after this and pinned him.
Roderick Strong is eliminated
Dillinger and Roode remained the last two men as the crowd chanted “this is awesome”. The two men traded punches before a fired up Dillinger hit a jumping clothesline followed by the Perfect 10 boots to the corner. Dillinger then looked to hit the Tye Breaker but Roode blocked it. Tye then rolled Roode up for a nearfall as the crowd got ready to explode.
Roode then blocked a superkick and hit back with a clothesline. He then went to get a steel chair from ringside. As he entered the ring, Dillinger hit him with a superkick and covered him for another nearfall. Roode then went to the top rope but Dillinger caught him there and looked for a Tye Breaker. Roode somehow broke out and hit his trademark Spine Buster. Roode then looked for his Glorious DDT but Dillinger reversed it into a Tye Breaker for the nearest of falls as the crowd unanimously groaned after Roode kicked out.
Dillinger sat in the corner, with a look of disbelief on his face as the fans egged him on. He then took Roode to the rope again in one last desperate attempt to finish him off. He looked for a top rope Tye Breaker but Roode elbowed him in the face forcing him to stop his attempt. Dillinger then went for another Tye Breaker but Roode reversed it and deposited Dillinger on the top turnbuckle. He then hit the Glorious DDT as Dillinger got off and back on his feet before covering him to pin him.
Tye Dillinger is eliminated
Bobby Roode def. Tye Dillinger, Roderick Strong and Andrade ‘Cien’ Almas
Dillinger lay in the corner, stunned and hurt as Bobby Roode became the #1 contender for the NXT Championship at NXT TakeOver: San Antonio.
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