The show began with a tribute to the recently deceased George ‘The Animal’ Steele. We saw a video package promoting the big Number 1 Contender Triple Threat Match for the show for Asuka’s title between Ember Moon, Liv Morgan and Peyton Royce. We were geared up and raring to go! Let’s take you to the heart of the action.
Full Sail University was geared up as always for the show, loud and raucous. We saw another match being advertised for the night, this time between two other UK Tournament participants Pete Dunne and Mark Andrews. We also came to know that NXT Champion Bobby Roode would be facing No Way Jose, for this week’s main event.
Ember Moon vs. Liv Morgan vs. Peyton Royce (Triple Threat Number 1 Contenders Match)
Ember Moon and Liv Morgan got babyface reactions, as expected, during their entrances. Nigel McGuinness picked Peyton Royce as his favourite to win the match. The women squared off, and after an initial flurry of offence, Liv Morgan seemed to be in control.
Royce tried to hit Morgan with a kick, but she bridged into a Matrix move, in what could be construed a tribute to Trish Stratus. Morgan went for the first pinfall attempt on Royce, but the latter would kick out and toss Morgan out of the ring.
Ember Moon entered the fray and hit Royce with a drop kick that sent out outside the ring. Moon jumped over the ropes right onto Morgan, but soon enough Royce would drive her into the steel steps on the outside.
Coming back from commercial, Royce was in control of proceedings. Morgan kicked out of a pinfall attempt and Royce kicked Moon on the outside, recovering from hitting the steps. Morgan tried to counter into a cover, but Royce kicked out.
Royce then tied Morgan to the ropes with her long legs. Ember Moon tried to enter the match again but was thrown off the ring apron by Peyton Royce. Another attempt by Moon to enter the ring was thwarted with a baseball slide.
Peyton had controlled most of the match. This allowed Morgan to counter again before Royce would regain control and kick Moon out of the ring once again. Another attempt at a counter by Morgan was foiled by Royce who seemed firmly in control.
With a drop toehold and a double stomp, Morgan regained a semblance of control countering Royce with a Bulldog. Ember Moon entered and broke up a cover. Ember Moon would be sent out of the ring again, this time by a Tilt A Whirl Headscissors move from Liv Morgan.
Liv Morgan and Peyton Royce were on the top rope before Moon got her first bit of offence in, slamming both women from the top rope to the mat. While Ember Moon would go up to the top rope to deliver the Eclipse, Billie Kay would get involved and be the recipient of the move.
This would allow Liv Morgan to send Ember Moon out of the ring, and Peyton Royce to deliver a bridging Fisherman’s Suplex and win.
Result: Peyton Royce def. Liv Morgan and Ember Moon
Peyton Royce is the new Number 1 contender for the NXT Women's Championship.
We saw a video package introducing the NXT Universe to both Mark Andrews and Pete Dunne. Their match was up. Before that, we saw a video package promoting former NXT star Kassius Ohno.
Mark Andrews vs. Pete Dunne
Both the competitors got a rousing ovation from Full Sail University. Pete Dunne started working on Andrews’ arm with an impressive technical submission move. In the next sequence of moves, Dunne would put Andrews into some painful looking submission manoeuvres, including one where Dunne bent his nose while Andrews would counter with some athletic moves.
Dunne went to the outside, almost countered Andrews’ moonsault into a powerslam, but Andrews would take Dunne down with supreme agility. Dunne would pick up momentum and put Andrews in a whole barrage of submission manoeuvres, paying tribute to his wrestling idol Daniel Bryan.
Andrews countered and attempted a moonsault on the outside that he missed but impressively landed on his feet. Dunne hit him square in the face with a really hard blow. Dunne then stomped Andrews’ fingers on the steel steps and slammed his back on the ring apron. He was in control heading into a commercial break.
Coming back from commercial, Dunne was well in control with a very painful looking submission. Andrews reversed an attempt to toss him out of the ring on the ropes and delivered a move apparently called Stomp 182.
Another flurry later, Dunne kicked out of a near pinfall attempt. A springboard was countered into a hard blow from Dunne and Andrews actually managed to kick out of the X Plex. As Dunne would try to deliver the bitter end, Andrews would counter and both men would go into an impressive sequence of Enziguris and reverse Ranas.
A very near fall followed with Dunne just kicking out in the nick of time. Another attempt at the Bitter End was countered into a near fall. The crowd began with the ‘This is awesome’ chants. Soon enough a Stundog Millionaire followed from Andrews who ascended to the top rope, but Dunne got his feet out in time and managed to eventually deliver the Bitter End, picking up the win.
A very hard fought, exceptional match indeed.
Result: Pete Dunne def. Mark Andrews
We went backstage for an interview with the rather giggly Billie Kay and Peyton Royce, who explained in three facts that they’d already own the titles if it wasn't for ‘crazy Nikki’ and that next week when Royce won the championship, they'd take the title ‘down under’!
We then saw a video package of the Patrick Clark experience, live next week. We believe he said the words ‘Velveteen Dream’. We saw two advertisements for next week, promoting the two title matches. #DIY vs. Authors of Pain as well as Peyton Royce vs. the undefeated Asuka.
Tye Dillinger was backstage and said that while SAnitY’s numbers game could be difficult, No Way Jose and Roderick Strong had his back, and now he had theirs as well. He ended his promo by saying he has an agenda too, and it doesn't involve SAnitY. Ummm, okay.
Bobby Roode vs. No Way Jose (non-title match)
The crowd was on fire as No Way Jose made his way to the ring. They were dancing, singing and having a blast. And the fun continued when Roode’s music hit, with the crowd singing along.
Even when the music stopped, they began chanting ‘Shiba Inu’ for Roode. There was a lot of showboating at the start, with neither man seeming to gain the advantage really. Jose took advantage with some jabs that Roode countered into a spine buster. Roode held the advantage, going into a break.
Coming back from commercial, Roode delivered a blow to the back of Jose’s neck. A suplex followed with a cover, but Jose kicked out at 2. With the crowd egging him on, Jose mounted a comeback. Jabs and blows followed.
Roode would regain control and attempt to deliver a Glorious DDT, but Jose countered that by slamming Roode to the mat. Roode kicked out. Roode went to the second rope but was caught by a vicious forearm to the face by No Way Jose. Roode rolled out of the ring then and when Jose rolled him back, Roode delivered the Glorious DDT to pick up a massive win.
Result: Bobby Roode def. No Way Jose
Roode was up the ramp leaving and then made an about turn, coming back to attack No Way Jose. Roode got Jose into a single leg Boston Crab and then Kassius Ohno’s music hit. Roode rolled out of the ring and asked Ohno who the hell he thought he was, interrupting the champion.
Ohno looked at the crowd and said they knew who he was. He said he is Kassius Ohno and he is nothing to mess with. Ohno added that he has always grabbed and taken whatever he’s wanted and Bobby had what he wanted- the NXT Championship.
Roode said they didn’t have to wait and they could have a match right then. When Ohno’s back was turned, Roode attacked his leg and went to work on it. Ohno countered with some devastating blows and tossed Roode out of the ring. On that note, the episode ended.
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