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NXT came out with guns blazing tonight, giving us two incredible title bouts. Adam Cole and Finn Balor opened the show with one of the best NXT Championship bouts of the year, and we finished the night with a tense and emotional brawl for the NXT Women's Championship. Sandwiched between were several fantastic matches that could've main evented any other night.
We kicked off the night with the NXT Championship. Last week, Finn Balor faced Keith Lee and Tommaso Ciampa in an incredible and highly rated Triple Threat match. In what was a jaw-dropping moment, Balor connected with the Coup de Grace on Lee as he planted Ciampa with the Spirit Bomb, narrowly escaping with the title opportunity.
Adam Cole claimed that 2019 would be the year of the Undisputed Era. The Undisputed Prophecy came true a few months back, and the Panama City Playboy hoped to continue their dominant run through 2020. In order to do that, he'd have to face the longest reigning NXT Champion ever, Finn Balor.
NXT Championship Match: Finn Balor vs Adam Cole (c)
Both men jockeyed for position before Balor earned the first real shot of the match, rocking Adam Cole with a dropkick out of a sunset flip attempt. Balor followed Cole around the ring, chopping him in every corner.
Cole escaped to the outside, but couldn't get away from an incredible shotgun dropkick through the ropes. However, as Balor set up for a kick on the apron, Cole took his leg out from under him with a superkick to the shin. Back inside, Cole battered Balor after synching in a full mount. Balor tried to get back to his feet but was trapped in a side headlock in the middle of the mat.
Cole got a two-count following a neckbreaker. Further targeting the neck, he locked in a figure-four neck lock. Balor countered it into a pinfall, but Cole kicked out and followed up with a clothesline. Balor exploded out of the corner with a dropkick and a series of clotheslines.
A reverse DDT almost crowned a new champion, but Cole kicked out. A backstabber from the NXT Champion earned him another nearfall. Balor escaped the Ushigoroshi but responded with a step-up enziguri. Balor hit the slingblade, but was met with a superkick as he rushed in for the shotgun dropkick. Balor kicked out again.
A striking trade saw Cole rock Balor with two boots, but the "Prinxe" responded with the pele kick. Cole fell onto Balor for the pinfall, only for Balor to kick out again. Both men made it back to their feet where Cole set up for the Panama Sunrise. Balor nearly countered into the 1916 but Cole turned it around once again for the Ushigoroshi.
Balor took Cole down with a double leg takedown, following up with a jumping double stomp. The shotgun dropkick bounced Cole off the turnbuckle, setting up the Coup de Grace. Cole knocked him off the top, though, sending him tumbling to the floor below. With Balor in the perfect position, Cole went for an outside Panama Sunrise. Balor countered with a back drop and hit the shotgun dropkick into the barrier.
On the inside, the Coup de Grace missed and Cole connected with the Last Shot. Balor kicked out. A second Last Shot was countered with a discus lariat. Another shotgun dropkick set up for the Coup de Grace, which finally connected.
The 1916 would've hit had Balor not been distracted by the returning Johnny Gargano. The ref turned his back to the action, allowing Cole to hit a low blow and rock Balor with another Last Shot.
Results: Adam Cole defeated Finn Balor via pinfall.
The Undisputed Prophecy was not only fulfilled, but it would continue on into 2020. As Cole left, Gargano rolled in with a steel chair. Balor struggled to regain his composure, but when he looked up, he tried to plead with the man he put on the shelf all those months ago.
Gargano wasn't having any of it, battering Balor with several chair shots. Balor was chased off by Johnny Takeover, who ended the segment triumphantly.
Over the past few months, three of NXT's toughest Superstars have been waging a war against each other. Pete Dunne, Killian Dain, and Damian Priest tore each other apart week in and week out, leading to a triple threat at TakeOver: WarGames. Dunne won the encounter, earning a title shot in the process.
Still, things were not over between Priest and Dain. Tonight, the two monsters tried to prove which was the more destructive powerhouse in NXT.
Damian Priest vs Killian Dain
Killian Dain took over early, connecting with the Divide almost instantly. He continued to target Priest's damaged ribs with elbow strikes and a bear hug. Two brutal dropkicks to the ribs sent Priest crashing to the floor outside.
Dain followed up, catching Priest with the Barn River Boot and sending him into the barricade. Back inside, the Beast of Belfast continued to tear into the Archer of Infamy's ribs. A lifting gutbuster and Dain's patented running senton cracked Priest's ribs further.
Priest was sent outside again with a running dropkick. Dain continued the punishment through the commercial break. However, Priest was able to get some breathing room when he fought out of the corner with a boot. A lifting flatliner planted Dain, finally giving Priest some real offense.
Dain was met by a leaping back elbow and a kicking combination finished off by an axe bomber. A second leaping back elbow in the corner set up for a suplex. Priest's ribs seemed to injured for it, but the third attempt saw him succeed, bringing Dain across the ring. Dain rolled out to avoid a dive, but was met by a tope con hilo. Back inside, Priest spiked him with South of Heaven.
Dain avoided the Reckoning and dropped Priest with a Jackknife style powerbomb. Following up with an elbow drop to the ribs, Dain earned a two-count. Priest countered the Ulster Plantation and connected with the cyclone kick. He couldn't get Dain up for a powerbomb, allowing the Hound of Ulster to drop him to the mat for a Vader Bomb.
Priest set his knees up, blocking and finally hitting the Reckoning.
Results: Damian Priest defeated Killian Dain via pinfall.
Even with battered ribs, Priest was able to overcome Dain in an incredible hoss fight. Heading into 2020, could the Archer of Infamy be next in line for a title shot?
The Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic has officially been announced. We'll find out who the competitors will be on the New Years' edition of NXT, with the tournament taking place later on in 2020.
Cameron Grimes vs Kushida
Kushida latched onto Cameron Grimes at the beginning, out wrestling the NXT Breakout Superstar. Grimes escaped his grasp, only to get caught in a hip toss into a cross armbreaker. Kushida connected with a vicious armbreaker, sending Grimes outside where he was met with a dropkick through the ropes.
An octopus stretch on the inside further damaged Grimes' shoulder. Grimes eventually got some offense in after countering another armbreaker, slamming Kushida's head on the mat. He and Kushida traded strikes, leading to a chain of arm drags which saw Grimes dumped to the floor. He rushed back in and turned Kushida inside out with a mid-air powerslam.
Grimes battered Kushida for quite a while, focusing on his spine. A bow and arrow backbreaker and a stretch left the Time Splitter in a serious amount of pain. However, he was able to get back into the bout quickly with a handspring back elbow. A tilt-a-whirl reverse DDT set up for the cross armbreaker. Grimes rolled to the ropes.
Kushida continued to wear down the arm, but was caught in another tilt-a-whirl for a spin out sidewalk slam. A deadlift German suplex earned Grimes a nearfall. Kushida evaded the Cave In and sent Grimes out once again with a handspring double heel kick. A rolling senton from the top sandwiched Grimes between the floor and Kushida.
On the inside, Grimes fought off the Hoverboard Lock on the top rope. Kushida rushed in with another handspring double heel kick. Instead of locking in the Hoverboard Lock again, he and Grimes spiraled down to the mat with a victory roll slam. Grimes kicked out and was able to connect with the Cave In.
Results: Cameron Grimes defeated Kushida via pinfall.
Io Shirai vs Santana Garrett
Io Shirai was nearly pinned early, and Santana Garrett countered a choke with a springboard arm drag. Shirai escaped a headscissors but was rocked by a superkick. However, Shirai used the ropes to hang Garrett up and followed that with a flapjack facebuster.
In the corner, Garrett avoided the double knee strike. A boot Shirai stumbling backward and a Russian leg sweep brought her down for a two-count. Shirai shook her off, but a handspring right hook sent the Joshi Judas into the corner. Shirai was brought down for another pinfall, but when she kicked out, Garrett immediately locked in the Last Chancery.
Shirai made it to the ropes and tripped Garrett up, sending her throat first into the top rope. A double knee in the corner set up for the moonsault.
Results: Io Shirai defeated Santana Garrett via pinfall.
Pete Dunne vs Travis Banks
Pete Dunne caught Travis Banks with a crucifix early. Banks kicked out and brought Dunne in for his own pinfall attempt. Dunne kicked out but was met by a running kick to the side of the head. They set up near the ropes, where both men traded strikes, with Dunne getting the upper hand following a series of chest chops.
A stomp to the hands and a kick to the back of the head sent Banks rolling outside. An X-plex dropped Banks on the apron. Back inside, Dunne snapped several fingers and joints and cut off a comeback with a dropkick to the knees. Banks tripped up Dunne in the corner, sending him face-first into the middle turnbuckle.
A series of kicks and a running cannonball forced Dunne outside to catch his breath. Banks rushed out with a suicide dive. Dunne went inside but wasn't safe. A missile dropkick sent him into the corner where a delayed double stomp picked up a two count for the Kiwi Buzzsaw.
Dunne recovered, countering Banks' Slice of Heaven with an elbow to the jaw. An X-plex gave the Bruiserweight a nearfall. Banks moved to the top for a sunset flip powerbomb. Dunne landed on his feet and hit the step up enziguri in the corner. The Bitter End was countered with a DDT.
Slice of Heaven missed again, this time with the Bruiserweight trapping his legs for a curb stomp. Banks avoided another Bitter End and hit the Kiwi Crusher. Dunne kicked out at two. As Banks went for another delayed double stomp in the corner, Dunne countered with a powerbomb. Banks cut him off as he moved to the top, but Dunne turned it into an Avalanche X-Plex.
Finally, the Bitter End hit for the win.
Results: Pete Dunne defeated Travis Banks via pinfall.
Backstage, Dakota Kai was interviewed about her win over Mia Yim. Though she was victorious, she came out worse for wear as Yim put her through two tables and left her with eight stitches in her head. Kai said that it didn't matter, and at the end of the night, her arm was raised. She'll continue to defeat every woman in the division and capture the NXT Women's Championship.
NXT Women's Championship: Rhea Ripley vs Shayna Baszler (c)
Shayna Baszler took Rhea Ripley down quick for the elbow stomp, but the Mosh Pit Kid was simply playing possum, catching her boot and scaring the champ with a fake right hand. A boot sent Baszler to the ground, and the Queen of Spades rolled outside after being launched into the corner.
Ripley was caught in the ropes, however, allowing the champ to get back in the match. Baszler punished Ripley, tearing at her arm with a shoulder breaker. Ripley's left arm was nearly torn out of its socket during the commercial break, with Baszler hoping to ruin the opportunity of a Riptide later on in the match.
Baszler was caught in an electric chair drop in the corner, getting planted face first on the turnbuckle. However, she took out her challenger's leg with a rolling sweep. The two Superstars began trading shots, with Ripley getting the better of the MMA star.
Ripley brought Baszler down with a superplex, getting a two-count. A German suplex dumped Baszler on her head. Before Ripley could continue, Marina Shafir and Jessamyn Duke ran in. Ripley knocked them to the floor, and took them out with a rolling senton. Baszler came in for a running knee as she stood up, and as Ripley used the steps to get up, the NXT Women's Champion stomped her elbow into the steel.
Back inside, Baszler entered the full mount and snapped Ripley's fingers. Ripley's blood curdling screams could be heard throughout the arena. Baszler then dumped her outside as we went to the final commercial break.
During the break, Shafir and Duke forced Ripley's shoulder into the steel ring post. While the ref didn't see it, they were kicked from ringside. Baszler had Ripley knelt over in the ring, pelting her with kicks to the arm. Ripely finally caught her leg and stunned her with a strong right.
Baszler fought out of the Riptide but was hit with a dropkick. Sadly for Ripley, Baszler was sent crashing into the ref, knocking him out before Ripley could hit the Riptide. Baszler rolled outside and avoided a dive from the apron. The Kirifuda Clutch was nearly locked in, but Ripley fought her off, driving Baszler into the barricade and apron.
Baszler went for a chair and planted Ripley on it with a DDT in the middle of the ring. The ref turned around just as the chair was disposed of. Ripley kicked out, stunning the champion and getting a huge reaction from the crowd.
The Nightmare that was Rhea Ripley fought out of another Kirifuda Clutch and looked for her modified Cloverleaf. Baszler escaped and finally trapped her challenger in the Kirifuda Clutch. Ripley squirmed towards the ropes for minutes, but Baszler was able to keep her locked in the middle of the ring.
The ref checked Ripley's arm, which saw Ripley yank his shirt out of pure anger and spite. She rolled over, stomping Baszler's face in and finally locked in the Cloverleaf, called the Prism. Baszler escaped and took Ripley to the top rope after a strong knee to the jaw.
Ripley rocked Baszler with a headbutt and delivered an avalanche Riptide to defeat Baszler, finally dethroning the Queen of Spades.
Results: Rhea Ripley defeated Shayna Baszler via pinfall.
With that, Rhea Ripley became the first woman to hold both the NXT and NXT UK Women's Championships. Ripley celebrated in the ring with the Full Sail fans, ushering in a new era for NXT as we enter a new decade.
