With less than two weeks away from NXT TakeOver: Orlando, we got another blockbuster of NXT to set us up for ‘Mania weekend. This week’s episode took place from the CFE Arena once again.
The card shaped up nicely as more matches got added to the show this week and we ended the episode with a huge debut, that could reshape the NXT women’s division following TakeOver.
Without further teasers, let’s head straight to the results.
Oney Lorcan vs. Andrade ‘Cien’ Almas
One thing that becomes further evident everytime I see Andrade ‘Cien’ Almas is the fact that he has ‘star’ written all over him. From the way he carries himself to his in-ring ability, it’s all top notch. The only thing Almas now needs is a better grasp of English to cut promos.
Almas faced Oney Lorcan on tonight’s episode of NXT and it was easily the best match of the night. Almas started off by dodging Lorcan’s offence before doing his trademark pose on the mat. Almas then left the ring as Lorcan chased him around it before the action returned to the squared circle once again.
Back in the ring, the two of hit each other with stiff strikes and chops before Lorcan hit Almas with a running lariat to the back of the head which sent Almas rolling out to ringside once again. Almas got back into the ring and hit Lorcan with a modified neckbreaker followed by double boots in the corner. Almas then teased the running knees but hit Lorcan with a slap instead.
Lorcan wasn’t happy and lifted an incoming Almas over the top rope before heading to the steel steps and attempting a crossbody. Almas reversed it into a Powerslam as we headed to a commercial break.
When we came back from the break, Almas was in complete control as he planted Lorcan face-first into the top turnbuckle. He followed it by driving his knee into Lorcan’s head as Lorcan rested against the middle rope. Almas then locked in a chin lock but no for long. Lorcan broke out and hit a clothesline followed by a running blockbuster for a 2-count.
Lorcan then hit Almas with a series of European uppercuts which sent Almas crashing to ringside once again. The former-Biff Busick then headed to the top rope and hit a Senton to take back control. He followed it up with running Back elbows back in the ring followed by the Half And Half Suplex for the nearfall.
Almas regrouped and a somersault double kick but Lorcan immediately hit back with a running big boot. Almas immediately responded with a clothesline for the nearfall. He then hit Lorcan with right hand strikes in the corner followed by his trademark double knees. Lorcan was finally where Almas wanted him, as Almas hit the Hammerlock DDT for the pinfall.
Andrade ‘Cien’ Almas def. Oney Lorcan
Later in the show, we learnt that Andrade ‘Cien’ Almas will face the debuting Aleister Black at TakeOver: Orlando.
Asuka vs Priscilla Zuniga
Asuka will defend her title against Ember Moon at NXT TakeOver: Orlando and she used this match to make a statement. She took to the mic before the match started, calling out Ember and showing her what fate had in store for her.
She followed it with a kick to Zuniga’s head, taking her down. An unforgiving Asuka followed it up with more kicks as chants of “Asuka’s gonna kill you” broke out. Zuniga made the mistake of slapping Asuka across the face and the Empress replied with a jumping hip attack followed by a flurry of kicks to Zuniga’s chest. Asuka stalked her opponent before hitting her with a nasty German Suplex followed by a Buzzsaw Kick to the head.
The Empress then covered Zuniga but broke the count herself before the 3-count. She followed it up with knees to the chest followed by the Asuka Lock. Zuniga tapped out almost immediately but Asuka only broke the hold when she was finally satisfied.
Asuka def. Priscilla Zuniga
SAnitY vs Tye Dilinger, No Way Jose and Roderick Strong
This feud has been brewing for a while on NXT. Matters came to head tonight with a 3 on 3 tag-team match between Eric Young, Killian Dain and Alexander Wolfe taking on Tye Dillinger, No Way Jose and Roderick Strong. The action started even before the bell rang as the babyfaces dragged Wolfe and Young to ringside and started landing blows on them. The match finally started with Dain and Strong in the middle of the ring.
Dain easily overpowered Roddy and drove him into the corner before tagging in Alexander Wolfe. Wolfe and Strong traded strikes before Dillinger tagged himself in. The babyfaces were in control as the rotated the tags and worked on Alexander Wolfe. Strong eventually tagged himself in and hit Wolfe with a massive dropkick which sent him rolling out of the ring. Roddy followed it up with a dropkick to Dain who was on the apron and a clothesline to Eric Young. He followed it up with a corkscrew diver over the top rope onto Dain and Wolfe as we headed to one last commercial break.
The babyfaces were in control once again when we got back from commerical as No Way Jose got tagged in. Jose was all over Alexander Wolfe who finally managed to drag Jose to his corner and tag in Young. Eric Young was soon on the backfoot however, as he was forced to tag Wolfe back in while Jose tagged in Dillinger. Dillinger tagged Jose back in as he went back to work on Wolfe. With Jose on the apron, Nikki Cross grabbed onto his leg which gave Wolfe the chance to hit him with a big boot. This gave Wolfe the chance to tag Dain back in.
The big man went to work on Jose, stomping him in the corner. He followed it with clubbling blows across the back followed by a series of elbow drops. Dain then tagged in Wolfe once again as Wolfe hit Jose with a running elbow. Jose fought back with a jawbreaker as both men made tags. Strong and Young were the legal men as Strong hit a series of backbreakers. He followed it up with a running knee to Young before hitting a reverse backdrop. Strong went on to cover Young but Dain broke it up with a Senton Drop.
Dillinger came in started throwing fists as a melee broke out in the middle of the ring which forced the referee to call for the bell.
Match ended by referee
Dillinger and Young were the only two men left in the ring at this point, as Dillinger looked to set Young up for the Tye Breaker. Nikki Cross came in at this point and jumped onto Tye Dillinger to try and throw him off his game.
A massive shock came at this point as the debuting Ruby Riot, who was known in the indies as Heidi Lovelace, and attacked Nikki Cross. She planted Cross face-first onto the mat before hitting a modified enzeguiri. Jose, Dillinger and Strong cleared the ring of the SAnitY members as the show went off air.
A phenomenal end to this episode of NXT. This could lead to a 4-on-4 match at TakeOver.
