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NXT ended last week with NXT Champion Karrion Kross laying out General Manager William Regal. Earlier in the show, Regal had told Samoa Joe to handle his issues with Kross in a nonviolent manner. Needless to say, things were going to change this week.
The NXT Women's Champion Raquel González would also address the division tonight. With nobody, save for Dakota Kai, left to challenge for the gold, what's next for her?
Pete Dunne had called himself the toughest man in NXT and the best technician on the brand. A tag team that boasted both of those qualities, Tommaso Ciampa and Timothy Thatcher, called him out on his claims. That led to this match tonight.
Timothy Thatcher and Tommaso Ciampa vs Pete Dunne and Oney Lorcan on NXT
Timothy Thatcher and Pete Dunne started the opening contest. These two were bonded together, sort of, by Riddle. The BroserWeights, Riddle, and Dunne captured NXT Tag Team Gold in 2020 before the pandemic hit. With Dunne unable to compete in the US, he called on Timothy Thatcher to fill in. A week later, Thatcher cost Riddle and Dunne the titles.
The match kicked off with a stalemate, as these two technicians were evenly matched. Thatcher blocked a triangle choke, countering into a single-leg Boston Crab. Dunne rolled through to synch in a heel hook, with Thatcher countering into a pinfall attempt.
Tommaso Ciampa tagged in, as did Oney Lorcan. The former NXT Champion was taken to the corner, but he shrugged off chops for a series of his own.
A flying knee knocked Lorcan to the floor, and Ciampa stared daggers into the eyes of the Bruiserweight all the while.
Thatcher and Ciampa took turns battering the Boston-born bruiser. Eventually, Ciampa let Lorcan go to his corner to bring in Dunne. The former NXT UK Champion hammered Ciampa with a decapitating clothesline, but Ciampa recovered to lock Dunne in a seated chin lock.
Dunne grabbed hold of the fingers, looking to snap the digits of Ciampa. The Psycho Killer of NXT escaped, taking Dunne to the floor. Ciampa and Thatcher tossed both of their opponents into the barricade and patted themselves on the back.
During the break, Dunne and Lorcan took over, wearing down Timothy Thatcher in their corner. They focused on the leg of the Thatch-as-Thatch-Can instructor with various heel hooks and knee breakers.
Lorcan and Thatcher traded uppercuts and slaps, with Oney seemingly getting the better of his opponent. However, a flying enzuigiri allowed Thatcher enough time to tag out. Ciampa and Dunne were in, with the former going off on both of his opponents. A series of running uppercuts pelted Dunne and Lorcan as the CWC fired up alongside Ciampa.
A discus lariat turned Lorcan inside out, leaving Dunne in the ring one-on-one with Ciampa. A German suplex and double stomp to the hands set Dunne up for the Bitter End. Ciampa blocked, turning it into a Fujiwara Armbar. Lorcan tried to pull him off but was taken to the floor by Thatcher's ankle lock.
However, before they could secure the win, Thatcher was laid out by a returning Ridge Holland. Thanks to the distraction, Ciampa was planted with the Bitter End.
Results: Pete Dunne and Oney Lorcan defeated Tommaso Ciampa and Timothy Thatcher via pinfall on NXT.
Grade: A
Dunne and Locan forced Ciampa to watch as Ridge Holland demolished Timothy Thatcher. After that, a hellacious headbutt left Ciampa in a heap.
NXT North American Champion Isaiah "Swerve" Scott and HitRow were trash-talking Santos Escobar and Legado del Fantasma. However, they weren't the only ones on the radar of the group. Imperium had been sizing them up for some time now, and they'd square off with HitRow later tonight.
Samoa Joe wants the NXT Champion
Samoa Joe came down to the ring, grabbed a table and steel chair, and tossed them into the ring. He also had a contract with him. Joe got on the mic, claiming that the NXT Champion was too much of a coward to be in the building this week. It was fine, though, as he wasn't needed.
He invited NXT GM William Regal down to the ring. Joe said he knew Regal was going to fire Kross tonight, but he had a better solution. He wanted to satisfy everyone's needs in three easy steps.
- Samoa Joe resigns from his position under NXT management, effective immediately.
- Samoa Joe is reactivated as a member of the active roster in NXT.
- Samoa Joe challenges Karrion Kross for the NXT Championship at NXT TakeOver: 36.
William Regal, with that classic Regal sneer on his face, signed all the documents laid in front of him. The NXT fans chanted "Thank you, Regal," while Joe smiled and shook the hand of the GM. It's official, folks. Joe and Kross at TakeOver: 36.
NXT Million Dollar Champion LA Knight and Cameron Grimes were golfing, where Grimes was seen washing Knight's golfballs. Knight asked Grimes for a driver, and Cameron responded that he is the driver.
Knight gave the HillBillionaire a lesson on clubs, and Grimes offered a $5,000 bet that the Million dollar Champion would hit the ball into the trees. Knight didn't agree to the bet, though he did slice it right into the trees.
NXT Breakout Tournament: Carmelo Hayes vs Josh Briggs
Josh Briggs slammed Carmelo Hayes and told him to leave the ring. Hayes refused, pelting the giant with elbows and chops. Briggs caught the flying Hayes but lost his grip with more elbows to the head. A pump kick drove the big man into the corner, and a dropkick to the knees chopped him down.
Briggs shook it off, sending Hayes high over the ropes to the floor with a back body drop. Somehow, Carmelo quickly regained momentum with a springboard reverse leg drop on Briggs. A guillotine was locked in, but Briggs broke away from the hold. Out of nowhere, a running forearm floored Hayes, giving Briggs control of the match as we went to break.
When we came back, Duke Hudson was at the NXT announcer's desk. Briggs flattened Hayes with a splash for a two-count. Hayes countered a powerbomb with a hurricanrana and rocked him with an enzuigiri. A second one connected, and Hayes hit a springboard lariat.
Hayes avoided a chokeslam and nearly pinned Briggs with a Codebreaker. However, all that seemed for naught. A big boot turned Hayes inside out, and Briggs squashed Hayes with a chokeslam. Yet somehow, Carmelo kicked out.
Hayes caught Briggs with a flying ax kick-like leg drop, pulling off an upset over the big man.
Results: Carmelo Hayes defeated Josh Briggs via pinfall on NXT.
Grade: B-
Hayes will go on face Duke Hudson in the next round of the NXT Breakout Tournament.
Back on the golf course, NXT Million Dollar Champion LA Knight was struggling. He hit a ball into the water, and Cameron Grimes laughed it up. Knight told him to go after it, and when he did so he was met by the Million Dollar Man.
Ted Dibiase told Grimes that he wasn't born to be a butler. He was born to be a champion, and the Cameron Grimes he knew was a fighter.
Raquel González addresses the NXT Women's division
Raquel González said that he crushed one of the most dangerous women in NXT last week in Xia Li. So the question was...who was next? It didn't matter to the champion. Keep them coming.
Dakota Kai said that González was the most dominant champion in NXT history. Kai said Big Mami Cool was better than Rhea Ripley, Charlotte Flair, Shayna Baszler and Ember Moon. None of them stood up to our current NXT Women's Champion. Kai said that this division was great, and it was for one woman.
TakeOver:36 is four weeks away, so who would be challenging Raquel González? Kai and González asked for anyone to come out and challenge the champ, but nobody did. Kai said that as long as she had her back, González would always be champion.
The champ celebrated in the corner, but when she turned around she was blasted with Kai's big boot. Kai laid out her now former best friend, stating that she was coming for the NXT Women's Championship.
Adam Cole cut a promo on former NXT North American Champion Bronson Reed. Cole said the reason he lost the title was because he simply wasn't good enough. And tonight, Adam Cole Bay-bay will prove that.
The NXT Women's Tag Team Champions were struggling to create a relationship. Io Shirai was in the Performance Center training by herself when she was found by Zoey Stark. The NXT newcomer stated that they were partners, and should get to know each other. Shirai didn't like her, but with Stark being relentless, she agreed.
Mandy Rose, Gigi Dolin, and Jacy Jayne were seen having a private conversation in the back. Is a new NXT stable on the way?
Kacy Catanzaro and Kayden Carter vs Jessi Kamea and Franky Monet w/Robert Stone on NXT
Kacy Catanzaro's speed gave her the advantage over the still green Jessi Kamea. But when Kayden Carter tagged in, a nasty big boot laid her out. Franky Monet tagged in but was rocked with a step-up enzuigiri.
Monet shook it off and rocked Carter, taking her to the corner for a running double knee strike. Kamea tagged in for a flying forearm and a near fall. However, when Monet tagged back in Robert Stone tossed in his purse. He tried to get Monet to use it, but it only distracted her.
Thanks to that, Kayden and Kacy hit the neckbreaker/450 splash combination.
Results: Kacy Catanzaro and Kayden Carter defeated Franky Monet and Jessi Kamea via pinfall on NXT.
Grade: C
Monet was furious after Robert Stone cost them the match.
NXT original and commentator Wade Barrett interviewed Roderick Strong and Malcolm Bivens backstage. Strong told Wade just how great he truly is, and Bivens knew that as a fact. When the name Bobby Fish came up, Bivens asked Wade if he liked money. Roderick Strong vs Bobby Fish was definitely a big money match-up, and we'll see next week.
HitRow w/ Isaiah "Swerve" Scott and B-Fab vs Imperium on NXT
Former NXT Tag Champions Imperium insulted HitRow's music and their lack of respect for the mat, leading to this match tonight. Marcel Barthel and Fabian Aichner worked over Ashante "Thee" Adonis in the early goings.
However, Adonis caught Aichner with some stiff strikes before tagging in Top Dollah. A leaping knee laid out Aichner, and HitRow hit an impressive dropkick/back suplex combination. However, Aichner was able to plant Adonis with a back suplex of his own, tagging in Barthel.
Before Imperium could hit their tandem basement dropkicks in the corner, the NXT North American Champion and B-Fab distracted the duo. This allowed Adonis to spike Barthel with a spinebuster.
When we came back from the break, Imperium had finally gained control. After hitting their tandem dropkicks in the corner, Adonis was saved from a loss by Top Dollah. The former NXT Tag Champions followed up with a European Bomb attempt, but Adonis sent Aichner to the floor with a hurricanrana.
Barthel pulled Adonis back, synching in an ankle lock. Imperium seemed to have everything in control until Adonis sent both to the ground below. Top Dollah finally tagged in and ran through both men with big shoulder blocks.
A big boot and running knee blasted Barthel. Aichner, the legal star, was flattened with a splash. A one-armed sidewalk slam and elbow drop earned the big man a big two-count. Santos Escobar appeared, sending Legado del Fantasma after HitRow.
Adonis tagged in as Top Dollah laid out Legado del Fantasma. However, it allowed Imperium to hit the European Bomb for the win.
Results: Imperium defeated HitRow via pinfall on NXT.
Grade: B
Legado laid out Top Dollah after the match, but they were sent packing by Isaiah "Swerve" Scott, who was brandishing a steel chair.
The Way were frustrated at the loss of Austin Theory, who hadn't been seen since last week. They got some mail, and it was a picture Dexter Lumis drew for Indi Hartwell. What was it? Lumis as a new member of The Way, in the spot Theory used to occupy.
Johnny Gargano and Candice LeRae were furious, but Hartwell had a great idea for the First Family of NXT. A match next week between Lumis and Gargano. If Lumis won, they had to give him a chance with Hartwell. If Dexter lost, that was the end of InDex.
Former NXT UK Tag Champions the Grizzled Young Veterans were also on the golf course, trying to play through LA Knight and Cameron Grimes. Knight's butler stood up for him as best he could. At this point, Knight owed Grimes $10,000, and GYV offered to double that bet if Knight could hit a hole in one.
Knight failed, giving Grimes a chance to do better. Knight stood in a poor spot and was caught between the greens on the backswing. When Grimes followed through, he hit the ball but caught Knight on the head. Though Grimes hit a hole in one, he'd accidentally attacked his boss. Grimes told Knight that it was the Grizzled Young Veterans, and the NXT Million Dollar Champion chased them off the course.
Bronson Reed vs Adam Cole on NXT
Adam Cole went after the knee of the Colossal One, hitting a chop block and placing the knee in the ropes. Bronson Reed shook off the pain, knocking a leaping Cole out of mid-air. A military press and elbow drop left Cole rolling to the ropes in pain.
Reed followed the former NXT Champion to the top, but Cole slipped through and hit a kick to the back of the knee. Reed bounced off the middle rope, landing on his head and forcing him to roll to the floor. The NXT Triple Crown Champion brought Reed back in, again focusing on the left knee.
Reed fought back with big forearms and chops and flattened Cole with a splash in the corner. A running senton crushed Adam Cole for the two-count. Cole responded with an enzuigiri but was caught with an incredible show of strength. Reed picked up Cole for a suplex before turning it into a death valley driver. Still, Cole kicked out.
Reed hammered Cole with more shots, but the Panama City Playboy caught Reed with a flying knee for a near fall. Reed caught Cole's superkick, pelting him with a series of chops. However, he was caught with a Panama Sunrise. Somehow Reed kicked out, and Cole was left distraught.
After narrowly escaping the Last Shot, Reed drove Cole into the mat with a powerbomb. Cole avoided the Tsunami, catching Reed with the superkick. The Last Shot blasted Reed, putting the big man away.
Results: Adam Cole defeated Bronson Reed via pinfall on NXT.
Grade: A
As the former NXT Champion celebrated, he was blindsided by Kyle O'Reilly, who wrecked him with a steel chair. Cool Kyle flipped the steel steps over, looking to send a message to Cole.
He did just that, with a suplex to the steel steps. Much like how Eddie Guerrero drove Rey Mysterio into them sixteen years ago, O'Reilly left the so-called "Face of NXT" in bad shape.
