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Another week, another brilliant episode of NXT. The show was headlined by the match between Hideo Itami and Kassius Ohno. This episode also featured an appearance by Raul Mendoza and the NXT debut of a former Impact Wrestling star.
Ember Moon vs Lei'D Tapa
Ember Moon kicked off NXT once again as she faced former Impact Wrestling star Lei'D Tapa who was making her NXT debut. Tapa is a former women’s football player and a former MMA fighter and she took the fight to Ember Moon as soon as the bell rang, using her superior size and strength to toss Moon across the ring.
She followed it up with a big headbutt as the fans got behind Ember Moon. Tapa looked to follow it up with a running forearm to the corner but Ember met her with a boot and hit her with a vertical suplex. Ember followed it up with a flurry of kicks to ground Tapa and headed to the top rope.
Ember hit The Eclipse from the top rope and that was all she wrote for Lei'D Tapa. It looked like Lei'D Tapa was in control but Ember just exploded out of nowhere to pick up the win.
Ember Moon def. Lei'D Tapa
Ember took to the mic after the match and demanded that she face Asuka at NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn. She promised to give Asuka all the competition she desired.
Authors of Pain vs Timothy Bumpers and David Ramos
As the Authors came out to meet their opponents, Nikki Cross stopped them on the entrance ramp. Meanwhile, Alexander Wolf and Killian Dain took out Bumpers and Ramos as they signaled their intentions to challenge for the NXT Tag-Team Championships.
The two teams met in the ring, and this time, the Authors got the better of SAnitY, forcing Wolfe and Dain to scramble.
All this looks like it will lead to a Authors of Pain vs SAnitY match at Brooklyn and personally, I can't wait for that match.
Velveteen Dream vs Cezar Bononi
The undefeated Velveteen Dream took on the Brazilian Cezar Bononi next. The rough and tough Bononi looked at little less than at east at Velveteen’s unorthodox style.
Dream locked up as soon as the bell rang, hitting Bononi with an uppercut followed by a series of clubbing blows and kicks. Bononi hit back with multiple right hands followed by an Atomic Drop and an immediate dropkick. Bononi showed off what he could do as he followed up with a Falcon Arrow.
Bononi looked to follow up with a Powerslam but Velveteen maneuvered out of it and hit a reverse Death Valley Driver. Dream made his way to the top rope and hit his trademark flying elbow for the win.
Velveteen Dream def. Cezar Bononi
We caught up with William Regain after the match and he confirmed that Asuka would be defending the NXT Women’s Championship against Ember Moon at NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn III.
Drew McIntyre’s message for Bobby Roode
Drew told fans that there were only 4 weeks left until it was time to head to Brooklyn and he reaffirmed his firm belief that he would leave TakeOver with the NXT Championship. He refused to reflect and talk about how he got to this point, saying that he would rather look forward.
McIntyre then spoke about his first run in the WWE where he just expected opportunities presented to him on a platter. He added that he only realized how hard he needed to work after he’d left WWE. He then said during his run on the independent scene, he became one of the hardest workers in the world.
McIntyre then revealed that he signed for NXT because the guys and girls in NXT were the hardest workers in the industry, everyone but one person – the champion Bobby Roode. He added that all he saw when he looked into Roode’s eyes was entitlement. McIntyre then sent a clear message to Bobby Roode, this wasn’t Roode’s NXT, it was the fans’ NXT.
Raul Mendoza spoke ahead of his match with Johnny Gargano next week. Mendoza said that next week may end up being about Raul Mendoza instead of being about Johnny Gargano’s return.
Hideo Itami vs Kassius Ohno
Kassius Ohno received a massive pop from the fans in Full Sail as he came out to face Hideo Itami. The crowd were split down the middle as the match started and the two men locked up.
Ohno imposed his will early with his strength advantage but Itami countered with a leg-trip before both men made their way back up to their feet. Itami hit Ohno with a forearm with Ohno hitting back with a chop. Itami wasn’t happy and he clubbed Ohno with forearms. Ohno immediately hit back with a knife-edge chop which he followed by a kick to the chest. Ohno then floored Itami and hit a basement dropkick. He followed it up with a pump kick to Itami when the latter made his way back up to his feet.
With Ohno on the apron, Itami blocked a kick and slapped him across the face. He followed it up with kicks to the chest with Ohno hung up against the middle rope.Itami then went to the top rope and hit a Guillotine Leg Drop. Ohno rolled out to ringside as we headed to our last commercial break.
Itami was in control when we headed back from the break. He kicked Ohno across the back and the sound from the shot resonated throughout Full Sail. A frustrated Itami, kicked Ohno across the head and taunted him before hitting a neckbreaker for the 2-count.
Itami followed up with a rear chin lock before driving his knee into Ohno’s back. As Ohno tried to get up, Itami continued the flurry of kicks to the chest before locking in another chin lock. Ohno finally managed to get back to his feet as he broke out of the chin lock and chopped Itami across the chest. Itami hit back with a tornado neck snap off the top rope.
Itami headed back to the top rope and this time Ohno met him with a forearm. Ohno followed it up with a series of clotheslines followed by a Shining Wizard. Ohno then hit a spinning Cyclone kick followed by a Senton for a nearfall.
Ohno then looked to his a running splash in the corner but Itami dodged it and hit Ohno with a spinning kick to the midsection. Itami followed it up with a Fisherman suplex followed by a running low dropkick in the corner.
As the fans chanted GTS, Ohno maneuvered of Itami’s attempted GTS. As Ohno looked to hit the Discus Clothesline, Itami hit Itami with a low blow. The referee rang the bell as Ohno won by DQ but Itami wasn’t done yet.
Kassius Ohno def. Hideo Itami (by DQ)
Itami continued the attack after the match, destroying Kassisu Ohno in the corner, hitting him with repeated stiff kicks. Itami then got Ohno up and hit him with not one, but 2 GTS’. NXT went off air with half the crowd booing Itami and half of them chanting for one more GTS.
Itami looked like he was walking away but he pulled Ohno out of the ring and planted him face-first into the steel stairs.
This can be counted as Itami's heel turn.
