This week’s episode of NXT was headlined by the in-ring return of former NXT Champion Shinsuke Nakamura. The show also featured a #1 contender’s match for the NXT Women’s Championship between Asuka and Ember Moon.
Another interesting note from the show as that this episode of NXT did not take place in Full Sail University but emanated from the CFE Arena instead.
Let’s head straight to the results.
Tye Dillinger vs Eric Young
Tye Dillinger came out first and was received warmly by the fans in attendance. He was followed out by Eric Young who was accompanied by the rest of SANITY. It looked like Young was asking the rest of SANITY to head to the back so he could take on Dillinger without interference but they resurfaced with a beaten down Roderick Strong.
Dillinger went to check on Strong and was joined by No Way Jose. Incensed by the situation, Strong and Jose attacked SANITY regardless of the numbers disadvantage and they were promptly laid out by the SANITY members.
Wolfe and Dain laid Jose out with a dropkick/powerslam combo while EY hit Dillinger with the Wheelbarrow Neckbreaker. SANITY then walked away without the original match startimg.
Match never started
The opening match was followed by a video of Peyton Royce and Billie Kay in the WWE Performance Center, looking for a place to hang the plaque for NXT Breakout Star of the Year for 2016.
They eventually ran into Ember Moon and it led to a verbal altercation between them.
This led to the announcement of #1 Contender’s match between Billie Kay and Ember Moon later on in the show.
This was followed by a vignette hyping up the debut of the man formerly known as Tommy End. End will make his NXT debut soon under the ring name Alistair Black.
Ho Ho Lun vs Andrade ‘Cien’ Almas
The match starts with Ho Ho Lun going for a quick rollup while Almas was distracted as chants of "Let's go Ho Ho” filled the arena. Almas wasn't too happy at being blindsided and his reply was brutal. He replied with stomps and strikes which he followed up with nasty knees in the corner.
Almas continued to beat down Lun who tried to fightback in brief spurts but Almas kept coming back to punish him. He followed it up by grounding Lun and pounding him. Almas then hit a clothesline before hitting his trademark Hammerlock DDT for the finish.
Andrade ‘Cien Almas’ def. Ho Ho Lun
Billie Kay vs Ember Moon
This match was technically a #1 contender’s match to see who would face Asuka at NXT TakeOver: Orlando.
Ember started the match strong, hitting an early springboard crossbody. Kay looked to escape from the ring after this as Royce looked to help. Ember pulled her back in but the distraction from Royce cost her as Billie Kay clubbed Ember from behind. Kay followed it up by slinging Ember neck-first into the middle rope before hitting her trademark boot-drop.
Kay was in complete control at this point as she looked to build on her early success by clubbing Ember across the back and neck. Ember tried to regroup but Kay took her down with a spinning lariat for a 2-count.
Ember successfully fought back after this and hit Kay with a strike-kick combination followed by an enzeguiri. She followed it up with a running boot to the face as and a running knee as she smelt victory.
Ember headed to the top rope and hit The Eclipse to a groggy Billie Kay and picked up the win.
Ember Moon def. Billie Kay
Kay looked in bad shape after The Eclipse. She was holding her neck as she was helped up by the referee, trainer and of course Peyton Royce.
The Revival vs The Ealy Brothers
The Ealy Brothers were about to enter the ring when the Authors of Pain jumped them from behind and wiped them out – something that The Revival clearly enjoyed. When the Authors entered the ring, Dawson and Wilder ran out into the crowd leaving the Authors to hit one of the Ealy’s with the Last Chapter.
Match never started
Following the match, William Regal announced that Ember Moon would be facing Asuka at NXT TakeOver: Orlando for the NXT Women’s Championship.
Shinsuke Nakamura vs TJ Perkins
Shinsuke Nakamura was finally back in action as he faced former WWE Cruiserweight Champion TJ Perkins.
The duo squared off and started the match off by throwing tentative low kicks at each other. Perkins immediately went for Nakamura’s injured knee but Nakamura fended him off. Perkins replied with a head kick that Nakamura dodges before shooting a massive grin.
The crowd started to sing as Nakamura had TJP in a clinch. TJP broke out and threw a kick before taking Nakamura down with an unique head scissors. Nakamura kip upped out of a lock before mocking TJP's dab.
Perkins followed it up with a hurracanrana that sent Nakamura crashing out of the ring. Perkins then went for the springboard dropkick to the outside by he crashed on the apron after Nakamura dodged it. Nakamura capitalized and hit his trademark running knee on the apron.
We came back from the commercial break to see Nakamura in control as TJP avoided an attempted Kinshasa before hitting Nakamura with an elbow drop on theinjured knee. Nakamura wasn't happy and he hit back with an enzeguiri before hitting TJP with the "Good Vibrations" in the corner.
Perkins hit back with a neckbreaker as he tried to wrest back control. He followed it up with a strike combo before hitting his patented springboard dropkick. TJP followed it up with a springboard dropkick from the apron before attempting a cover on Nakamura for the 2-count.
Nakamura hit back with a flurry of strikes before missing an attempted running knee in the corner. This was followed by an incredible sequence where Nakamura and TJP traded armbars and kneebars before Perkins locked in a low-angle Texas Cloverleaf.
Nakamura follow this up with a series of strikes. He followed it up with a running knee to the corner which he followed up with a single leg backstabber. Nakamura hit a reverse Exploder Suplex.
As Perkins got back to his feet, Nakamura hit him with the Kinshasa. Nakamura followed it up with a cover to pin TJ Perkins for the victory.
Shinsuke Nakamura def. TJ Perkins
