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We kicked off the show with the new NXT Champion, Karrion Kross, who was in a sling. At NXT TakeOver: XXX, Kross ended Keith Lee's reign to become the 18th man to hold the gold.
Scarlett and Kross made their entrance as usual, but something felt off. Scarlett handed Kross the microphone.
"I told you again and again that I would be NXT Champion. And I warned you that on the way there everyone would suffer."
At TakeOver: XXX, Karrion Kross kept good on his promises. However, he said, when one goes to war, you should expect casualties on all sides. His shoulder is indeed separated. Though he loved the pain, he knew he would have to give up the NXT Championship. He left the belt in the ring as Scarlett placed an hourglass.
Though Kross is leaving without the title, this changes nothing. Doomsday is still coming. Whoever is the champion when he returns will surely have Doomsday thrust upon them.
As Kross left, Vic Joseph introduced their guest commentator for the night, Wade Barrett, who also had to relinquish a title due to a shoulder injury. Barrett wished Kross all the best in his recovery.
NXT Tag Team Championship: Breezango (Tyler Breeze & Fandango) vs Imperium (Marcel Barthel & Fabian Aichner) (c)
Breezango didn't give the NXT Tag Team Champions a chance to finish their entrance, attacking them from behind. Fandango started things off with Fabian Aichner. A sudden tag from Barthel caught Fandango off guard, and Barthel was able to take over.
Barthel kept Fandango in the corner, allowing Aichner to come back in and start wearing him down. Imperium kept up the pressure, tagging in and out while Fandango kept scratching and clawing for Tyler Breeze.
A knee/clothesline combination nearly put Fandango down. Breeze would eventually get the tag and knocked Aichner off the apron with a Supermodel Kick. Barthel stunned Breeze with a European uppercut, but came off the top into a Beauty Shot from Breeze, just barely kicking out.
Barthel countered the Unprettier, and rocked Breeze with an enziguri in the corner. Barthel tagged in Aichner, who was immediately plasted with a leaping roundhouse. Breeze tossed him into Fandango with the slingshot. Fandango hit him with an elbow and followed up with a diving leg drop as Aichner was left on Breeze's knees.
Aichner was saved from the pin, though, as Barthel pulled him to the floor. Fandango went for a dive but was laid out by the NXT Tag Team Champions. Aichner hit a moonsault on Fandango back in the ring while Breeze was planted by Marthel on the floor.
Fandango stunned Aichner with a jawbreaker, but Breeze was nowhere to be found. As Fandango turned around, he was met with a spinebuster/penalty kick for another two-count.
Fandango had an opportunity to tag in Breeze, who countered an European Bomb with a superkick. Another superkick to Aichner left both members of Imperium on the mat. Fandango tagged back in for the Last Dance, hitting both men. 1-2-3 and Breezango have finally captured tag team gold.
Results: Breezango defeated Imperium to capture the NXT Tag Team Championship.
Grade: A
Breezango posed on top of the commentary desk, with Vic Joseph and Wade Barrett smiling in the background.
Backstage, Damian Priest brushed off an interview before being met by Timothy Thatcher. The Thatch-as-Thatch-Can wrestler called Priest an embarrassing and pathetic champion, and demanded a title shot, claiming that Priest was unequipped as a wrestler. Priest laughed and patted the NXT North American Championship, stating that he was very well equipped.
Next up was the return of the Psycho Killer, Tommaso Ciampa. We haven't seen the former NXT Champion since his utter destruction at the hands of Karrion Kross back at TakeOver: In Your House. Unfortunately for Jake Atlas, he had to face an even more unhinged Ciampa.
Jake Atlas vs Tommaso Ciampa on NXT
Tommaso Ciampa stomped out Jake Atlas and quickly dropped Atlas with Willow's Bell. 1-2-3.
Results: Tommaso Ciampa defeated Jake Atlas via pinfall on NXT.
Grade: D
Following the match, Ciampa continued to destroy Jake Atlas. The Cruiserweight was launched into the steel steps repeatedly before Ciampa was pulled away by referees. As Atlas struggled to get off the mat, Ciampa laid him out again and drove his face into the underside of the ring with a catapult.
They brought out a stretcher for Atlas, and Ciampa finished the job with Willow's Bell from that, spiking Atlas right on his head.
Bronson Reed was interviewed backstage about wanting to challenge Damian Priest. However, he was interrupted by the returning Austin Theory.
Looks like we'll get a feud between two of the future stars of NXT. That'll be fun.
Mia Yim was in the ring and Robert Stone came out to deny her an opportunity against Mercedes Martinez. Shotzi Blackheart, knowing just what to do, ran Robert Stone over with her tank before entering the NXT ring.
Mia Yim vs Shotzi Blackheart on NXT
Shotzi Blackheart had Mia Yim early, as Yim was not prepared to face the Tank Girl of NXT. Yim blocked a Codebreaker and the two traded pinfalls. Blackheart howled but got punched in the throat by the HBIC.
Yim caught two of Blackheart's kicks and tossed her with a double dragon screw. Blackheart was trapped in a bow & arrow lock. Eventually, Blackheart escaped but was shot into the corner with a dropkick.
Blackheart responded with a splash in the corner and a bulldog. A rolling elbow and question mark kick set Yim up for a saito suplex. Blackheart earned a near fall. As Yim made it back to her feet, she caught Blackheart with a snap dragon suplex.
The HBIC of NXT hit a running boot in the corner, but was yanked off the corner. Blackheart finished her with the diving senton for the win.
Results: Shotzi Blackheart defeated Mia Yim via pinfall.
Grade: B-
William Regal was in the ring with the NXT Championship, going over the details regarding Karrion Kross and the title. Regal said that he handled the situation as best as he could, and wished Kross best wishes on his long and painful recovery.
As far as the NXT Championship is concerned, what's the plan? Well, next week, we'll have a Fatal-4-Way for the NXT Championship featuring four former champions. It'll be Adam Cole vs Johnny Gargano vs Tommaso Ciampa vs Finn Balor. It won't just be a Fatal-4-Way, however. It'll be a Fatal-4-Way 60-minute Iron Man match.
NXT Cruiserweight Championship Match: Isaiah "Swerve" Scott vs Santos Escobar (c)
Isaiah "Swerve" Scott had Santos Escobar on the ropes in the beginning, sending the NXT Cruiserweight Champoin to the floor with a springboard armdrag. We went to commercial as Escobar recovered.
Back from the break, Escobar had taken over. Escobar had Scott trapped in a headlock, but the contender escaped and brought Escobar down with a deadlift suplex for a two-count. As Swerve moved in for an armbar, Escobar rolled outside, where he was able to launch Scott into the plexiglass.
A toss into the steel steps left Scott in agony, as Escobar began to grin. He slowed it down here, pelting the NXT Break Out Star with kicks and stomps. Scott was able to leap to the second rope, as was Escobar, who countered a springboard hurricanrana with a powerbomb. Swerve kicked out at two.
Escobar insenced Swerve, who fired up and lit the NXT Cruiserweight Champion up with a series of strikes and a diving uppercut to the back of the head. On the floor, Escobar was met with an apron kick. Scott followed up with a Fosbury Flop, and back inside planted Escobar with a rolling flatliner.
Legado Del Fantasma rushed the ring for a distraction, allowing Escobar to hit Swerve with a dirty roundhouse. Swerve kicked out, and Breezango came down to even the odds. Swerve blasted Escobar with a running knee and planted Escobar with a German suplex that kept the champ down for two.
House Call connected, but Escobar again kicked out. Escobar was caught in the corner with Scott's pop-up Michinoku Driver. Escobar grabbed the ropes and moved to the floor.
The NXT Cruiserweight Champion then donned a mask and headbutted Scott, removing it before the ref could see it. That was all it took to pin Scott.
Results: Santos Escobar defeated Isaiah "Swerve" Scott to retain the NXT Cruiserweight Championship.
Grade: B+
Johnny Gargano cut a promo about his opportunity next week. He nearly lost his career last week, and next Tuesday, he'll finally be able to take NXT back. He's been the Iron Man of NXT for years. Next Tuesday, he'll have the gold to prove it.
Finn Balor cut a promo on next week's NXT Super Tuesday. While some Fall & Pray, the Prince rises to the top. It's the four cornerstones of NXT facing off for the NXT Championship, but Balor isn't a cornerstone. He's the centerpiece. Next week, everyone gets what they want, and that's Finn Balor as NXT Champion.
Kyle O'Reilly w/Undisputed Era vs Drake Maverick on NXT
Drake Maverick was fired up following what Undisputed Era did to him last week. He came in like house on fire, rocking UE's perennial striker with a series of punches and kicks. Kyle O'Reilly rushed him but was sent flying through the ropes with a dropkick to the knees.
Maverick moved up top for a dive, but only hit Bobby Fish and Roderick Strong. Back inside, O'Reilly rocked Maverick with a series of mounted strikes. The former NXT Tag Team Champion was overly cocky, though, and got caught by a snapmare for a kick to the back. Maverock followed up with a running elbow and bulldog into a senton.
Again, O'Reilly cut him off with a knee to the gut. Maverick responded to an armbreaker with a right to the jaw. O'Reilly won this striking trade, though, as a kick to the back of the knee dropped Maverick to the mat.
Maverick managed to stun O'Reilly and went for the Underdog, but O'Reilly countered it. A double leg-locked heel hook forced the submission victory.
Results: Kyle O'Reilly defeated Drake Maverick via pinfall on NXT.
Grade: B
After the match, Fish and Strong tried to attack Maverick. O'Reilly attempted to hold them off, but Killian Dain rushed the ring to break it all up. With a chair in hand, he sent UE packing before setting his sights on Maverick.
Maverick thought that he'd found a friend in the Hound of Ulster, but the former NXT Tag Team Champion laid out Maverick with a big clothesline instead.
Finally, Adam Cole addressed the match next week. All competitors in the match are the Mount Rushmore of NXT. Cole says he's ready to reclaim his NXT Championship.
Io Shirai & Rhea Ripley vs Dakota Kai & Raquel Gonzalez on NXT
Rhea Ripley and Raquel Gonzalez didn't take long to square off. However, a big right from Gonzalez sent Ripley into her corner where Io Shirai hit a blind tag. The NXT Women's Champion launched Gonzalez to the floor with a diving hurricanrana, but a distraction from Dakota Kai allowed Gonzalez to get back in the match.
Kai tagged in as Gonzalez held Shirai, transitioning between the ropes for a modified arm wrench and boot to the face. Gonzalez and Kai took turns working over the champ, leaving Rhea Ripley upset. A big clothesline laid out Shirai, but she countered a pop-up powerbomb with a hurricanrana for a two-count.
As Gonzalez kicked out, she sent Shirai into the corner where Kai tagged in. Kai tried to keep Shirai away from her corner, but was caught in a victory roll for a double stomp.
Ripley ran in and hammered Kai with cravat knee strikes. Gonzalez saved Kai from a big slam, and the duo worked to bring Ripley down to the floor where Gonzalez bounced Ripley off the plexiglass.
Back inside, Dakota Kai nearly got a win with a schoolboy. Kai wrenched Ripley's arm, but the Captain of Team Kick quickly lost control. Shirai tagged in,a nd the NXT Women's Champion managed to take on her competitors in a two-on-one situation. A double running knee in the corner for Gonzalez and a 619 to Kai set Shirai up for a springboard dropkick, hitting Kai with pinpoint accuracy.
Kai avoided the tiger driver, and hit a scorpion kick. The Kairopractor was countered for a knee to the jaw. Luckily for Kai, Gonzalez broke up the pin. Kai and Gonzalez hit a running boot/powerslam combination, but couldn't put Shirai away.
Shirai tagged Ripley, but the referee didn't see it. As the referee was distracted with Gonzalez, Kai, and Shirai, Mercedes Martinez took out Ripley. Still, Ripley managed to save Shirai from Kai's running boot, only to get crushed by a big boot from Gonzalez.
A pumphandle powerbomb bounced Ripley off the mat, and that earned Gonzalez and Kai the win.
Results: Raquel Gonzalez & Dakota Kai defeated Rhea Ripley & Io Shirai on NXT.
Grade: A
Episode Rating: A
We are all set for an incredible episode next week while the NXT North American title scene is also getting heated.
What makes Sting special? His first AEW opponent opens up RIGHT HERE.
