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NXT TakeOver: WarGames was certainly action-packed, as two of the most gruesome WarGames matches took place on Sunday. The Undisputed Era and Team LeRae both emerged victoriously, and we got a new NXT North American Champion in Johnny Gargano.
However, the real takeaways from Sunday surrounded the NXT Championship. Finn Balor revealed that he would be here tonight, and look to further prove his dominance on his brand. We also saw a terrifying message warning us of the return of Karrion Kross.
Following a highlight package showing us all the great ups and downs from NXT TakeOver: WarGames, Finn Balor opened NXT this week.
Finn Balor addresses NXT and any potential challengers
The NXT Champion said that the time for team sports is over. Bragging rights? Nobody cares. The NXT Champion is back to do what he does best.
Balor said that some loved him and some hated him, but if they wanted to do anything about it all they had to do was come to the ring. Pete Dunne, almost instantly, took advantage of the invitation. The Bruiserweight stared down The Prince from the stage to the ring. Dunne said that they were cut from the same cloth.
Still, it's all about the gold. It was only a matter of time before Balor was back on the shelf and Dunne was holding the gold. He was interrupted by Kyle O'Reilly, the man who injured Finn Balor and nearly won the gold only a few months ago.
O'Reilly said that Pete Dunne was tough, but once again The Undisputed Era dominated. The Top Air Guitarist of NXT said that, though Balor won their match, he was left at home eating through a straw. O'Reilly wanted his rematch.
Out next was Damian Priest, who walked right by Dunne and O'Reilly to challenge the NXT Champion. The Archer of Infamy said it wasn't something that he wanted, it's something that Balor wanted as well. Balor grinned wide, and his three challengers began talking trash. Balor left the ring, and said on January 6th he'll defend the NXT Title at New Year's Evil. But who is he gonna defend against?
Karrion Kross' music hit just as Balor hit the stage, and Scarlett Bordeaux, covered in spikes, stared down the champ. Balor wouldn't let her say a word, saying "Let me guess. Tick Tock? Tell your boy that when he's ready, I'm ready." However, Balor wasn't the only one throwing down the gauntlet. Damian Priest also challenged the former NXT Champion.
Scarlett simply laughed and walked away.
Backstage, Pete Dunne said he wasn't intimidated and was gunning for the NXT Champion. Before he could continue, he was attacked by the returning Killian Dain, the man that Dunne put on the shelf last month.
Jake Atlas vs Isaiah "Swerve" Scott on NXT
Isaiah Scott avoided some of Jake Atlas' offense early on. The more aggressive Atlas got a little cocky and was sent to the floor where an apron kick knocked him to his knees. Scott rolled in, but Atlas responded with a running hurricanrana.
Swerve avoided the springboard crossbody. Though he missed the first rolling flatliner, the second one caught Atlas out of a pin attempt, giving Swerve the close call. Isaiah Scott was stunned with a superkick and rolling knee strike. A clothesline set up for a falcon arrow bomb and a near fall.
Atlas failed to keep the pressure up, and the House Call connected. Swerve set up for his finish, but Atlas rolled through. Scott turned it into a cross armbreaker and was nearly caught in a pin. Atlas broke away from a German Suplex and rolled Scott up for the three.
Results: Jake Atlas defeated Isaiah "Swerve" Scott via pinfall on NXT.
Grade: B-
After the match, Atlas tried to shake Scott's hand. Swerve pushed on by.
Former NXT Champion Tommaso Ciampa had his eyes set on a new fish now. After beating Timothy Thatcher at NXT TakeOver: WarGames, Ciampa's new prey turned out to be Cameron Grimes. Tonight, he faced the loudmouth.
Ever-Rise vs Imperium vs Grizzled Young Veterans on NXT
Ever-Rise ran to the floor, but all four of their opponents looked to get some revenge after the beatdown from NXT last week. Zack Gibson and Fabian Aichner demolished Matt Martel before focusing on one another. Imperium was the first to really gain any sense of control.
Marcel Barthel battered Gibson with a series of uppercuts. However, Matt Martel yanked the hair of Barthel, allowing the Grizzled Young Veterans to take over. Gibson tagged out to James Drake, and some tandem offense knocked both Martel and Barthel to the floor.
The former NXT UK Tag Team Champions took turns demolishing Marcel Barthel as Ever-Rise sat on th outside. Eventually, Barthel hit an Olympic Slam on Drake to catch a breath. At least, that was the plan. Ever-Rise finally came in the ring, attacking Drake and Barthel.
The leg trip/step-up elbow drop connected on Drake, who kicked out at two. Aichner and Gibson tagged in as Martel again ducked to the floor. Gibson backed Aichner to GYV's corner, but as Drake tagged in, he was nearly decapitated with a clothesline from Martel. A double facebuster on the turnbuckle nearly earned Ever-Rise a massive upset, but Fabian Aichner broke the pin up.
The former NXT Tag Team Champions set up for a spike DDT. Gibson dragged Barthel to the floor as Drake went after Aichner. Imperium were able to fight it off, and a wheelbarrow slam/diving DDT combo would've got the win if Ever-Rise didn't interfere again.
Once the smoke cleared, The Grizzled Young Veterans dropped Chase Parker with Ticket to Mayhem.
Results: Grizzled Young Vets defeated Ever-Rise via pinfall on NXT.
Grade: B
We got a highlight package of the two NXT TakeOver: WarGames matches. All sixteen competitors talked about how intense the bout was, and we heard that Bobby Fish was on the shelf thanks to a torn triceps, which he's already gone under surgery to repair.
Toni Storm was bragging about her victory backstage and claimed that she'd be the next NXT Women's Champion. Io Shirai came in and said that she didn't have a problem with Toni Time. She just didn't like her. The Genius of the Sky then attacked Storm, and they brawled to ringside.
Ember Moon rushed Storm, sending her into the steps before tossing her in the ring for Shirai's Over the Moonsault. The NXT Women's Division is absolutely stacked, but who will be the first to challenge the Joshi Judas?
Cameron Grimes vs Tommaso Ciampa on NXT
The former NXT Champion locked up with North Carolina's favorite son, working over Cameron Grimes' arm. However, another spectator quickly found a front-row seat for the match...Timothy Thatcher. Much like what Tommaso Ciampa did for Thatcher, the Thatch-As-Thatch-Can teacher came out to intimidate and distract the Psycho Killer.
Intimidate? Probably not. Distract? More likely. Ciampa followed Grimes to the floor and fought off a few comebacks. However, Ciampa couldn't take his eyes off Thatcher, allowing Grimes to catch him with a knee in the gut. Grimes worked over Ciampa from this point on, battering him in the corner.
Any time Ciampa got back in the fight, the presence of one of NXT's most dangerous competitors would draw his attention away from the task at hand. Grimes planted Ciampa with the tilt-a-whirl sidewalk slam before locking in a chinlock.
After breaking way, though, Ciampa delivered a series of clotheslines, dizzying Grimes. They traded some blows back and forth, leading to Grimes catching Ciampa with his patented running moonsault slam. As Grimes moved up top, Ciampa knocked him to the floor.
One of Thatcher's students rushed the ring trying to distract Ciampa. "That's not your opponent" screamed Thatcher, as Ciampa took a nasty roundhouse. Still, he avoided the Cave In and caught Grimes in the ropes for Willow's Bell.
Results: Tommaso Ciampa defeated Cameron Grimes via pinfall on NXT.
Grade: B+
Ciampa and Thatcher stared one another down as the former walked away. Cameron Grimes tried to speak his mind, and Thatcher gave him one chance to walk away. He didn't, so Thatcher snapped his ankle.
Raquel Gonzalez was backstage, bragging about her pinfall victory over Io Shirai and promising to make Ember Moon pay. At NXT TakeOver: WarGames, Moon drove Dakota Kai into two chairs with the Eclipse, and now Kai is on the shelf. Gonzalez promised to make Moon regret ever coming back to the Black and Gold brand.
Xia Li and Boa were seen training and or getting tortured again. Their master demanded that they get beaten harder, that they strike faster, and we saw both NXT stars screaming in agony.
Slowly but surely, their screams were silenced and they began to grow emotionless to the experience. The mystery woman appeared again, this time only her eyes with red paint crossing over them.
The Garganos celebrate their NXT TakeOver: WarGames victories
Johnny Gargano is now the first-ever three-time NXT North American Champion. Candice LeRae led her team to victory in their WarGames match. Both Indi Hartwell and Austin Theory helped the couple in securing victory Sunday. Tonight, they came to NXT to rub it in.
The Gargano Way worked at TakeOver. Johnny Gargano sent Indi Hartwell to get a surprise for his beloved wife. Hartwell, still in a neckbrace, grabbed a statue for LeRae. Gargano asked Hartwell and Theory to give them a drum roll. Hartwell tried her best. Theory tried...to flex his chest.
Gargano tore the cover off the trophy to reveal a doll head looking similar to Shotzi Blackheart. LeRae said that she was sad she didn't get Gargano a trophy. Gargano was fine with that, because the only trophy he'd ever need...was his title.
Damian Priest came out to get some revenge on Austin Theory, but before he could get to the ring he was attacked by Karrion Kross. The former NXT Champion seemingly accepted Priest's challenge. A powerbomb through the stage left Priest out cold as Kross made his way out the building.
Tyler Rust was tracked down by NXT's Mckenzie Mitchell, but she was interrupted by Malcolm Bivens. Bivens was impressed and hoped to do business with Rust.
Pete Dunne vs Killian Dain on NXT
Killian Dain rushed the Bruiserweight, completely overpowering the former NXT UK Champion. Pete Dunne struggled to get out of the starting blocks, as Dain shook off all offense, responding with even stiffer strikes. A series of pump kicks took Dunne to the floor.
A third knocked Dunne out on the ground. Dunne tried to drive the Hound of Ulster into the ring post but struggled to overpower him. Still, Dunne avoided a headbutt, leading to Dain cracking his own skull against the steel.
Back inside the ring, Dunne kept the pressure up, targeting the head. The former NXT Tag Team Champions continued to brawl, with Dunne getting the best of Dain. After a rebound German suplex, Dunne jumped on Dain's hands as we cut to break, leaving the Beast of Belfast writhing in pain.
Back to the broadcast, Dunne had Dain's neck in the ropes, standing on his head. Dain countered a sleeper with a backpack slam, following up with a few corner running body splashes. Dain clubbed Dunne down to the mat and spiked Dunne with a uranage slam. A tope atomico connected, as did a powerbomb and elbow drop. Dunne managed to kick out.
Dunne managed to lock in a triangle choke, but Dain countered it, again slamming Dunne with a powerbomb. A shotgun dropkick launched Dunne into the corner, and Dain ran in for the cannonball senton.
Dunne rolled away and stomped the face of the NXT veteran. Dunne moved up top, but couldn't escape the big man. An avalanche fisherman suplex dropped the Bruiserweight for a near fall. A fireman's carry slam dropped Dunne, and Dain set up for the Vader Bomb. The NXT Tag Team Champions rushed the ring but were fought off by Dain's "friend" Drake Maverick.
Maverick battered Oney Lorcan and Danny Burch with a chair but was overtaken by the numbers game. Dain sent them packing, but when he moved back inside, a punt kick caught Dain in the jaw. Dunne planted him with the Bitter End for the win.
Results: Pete Dunne defeated Killian Dain via pinfall on NXT.
Grade: A
Johnny Gargano and Austin Theory interrupted an interview with Leon Ruff and McKenzie. Damian Priest was supposed to team with him to take on Gargano and Theory next week, but he'll clearly be too injured to be there.
Not to worry, though, because Kushida was there to join Ruff. Kushida and Ruff will now face Theory and Gargano next week on NXT.
Raquel Gonzalez vs Ember Moon on NXT
The former NXT Women's Champion was at a clear disadvantage against the amazon Raquel Gonzalez. The stick-and-move approach only worked for a few moments before Gonzalez caught Ember Moon and bounced her repeatedly off the mat.
Every time Moon got in a little bit of offense, Gonzalez crushed the Shenom back down to the mat. Eventually, avoiding a boot and hanging Gonzalez on the ropes allowed her to hit a series of kicks on the giantess. Gonzalez was planted with a low flatliner but rolled immediately to the floor.
Moon caught her coming up on the apron, knocking her back down with a spear through the ropes. Through the commercial break, Gonzalez quickly regained control, and when we came back, Moon was knocked out of the air with a nasty big boot.
Moon played possum, drawing Gonzalez in for a head-scissor into the turnbuckle. A tornado suplex took Gonzalez down, giving Moon some time to breathe. Another kicking combination rocked Gonzalez, but she quickly got back to her feet.
NXT's new resident powerhouse avoided a splash in the corner but was spiked with a tornado DDT. Again, it didn't keep her down. As she moved to the floor, she was blindsided by a suicide dive, sending her into the NXT announce desk.
Moon began to climb a truss by the table but was yanked off by Gonzalez and driven head first into the ring post. Back inside, a kick out at two-and-a-half.
Gonzalez countered another dive, this time the Eclipse, and dashed Moon's hopes with a big strike to the jaw. Her powerbomb was countered at first, but a second one nearly drove Moon through the mat for the win.
Results: Raquel Gonzalez defeated Ember Moon via pinfall on NXT.
Grade: A
Twice in one week, Raquel Gonzalez has knocked off Shirai and a former NXT Women's Champion. Toni Storm moved down to the ring, but before she could attack Moon, she was scared upright by Rhea Ripley.
The Nightmare pulled Moon to the floor to save her and stepped up to face Storm. This old NXT UK rivalry may be reignited soon, but not now. Raquel Gonzalez sent Storm away, and we got a staredown between her and Ripley.
