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We're less than a week away from NXT TakeOver: Portland, and we've still got a ton to get through before we're ready for the PPV. Last week saw the return of the Vainglorious One, Velveteen Dream, who managed to take out the Undisputed Era all by himself. We also witnessed an incredible meeting between Bianca Belair, Charlotte Flair, and Rhea Ripley.
We kicked off the night with Roderick Strong, who had something to say to Dream, especially after the former champion's disrespectful tights that he wore last week.
Roderick Strong rushed to the ring and threatened to hurt Velveteen Dream. He called out his longtime rival for an apology but was quickly interrupted by Bronson Reed.
The big man was taken out last week when the Undisputed Era was going on a rampage looking for Ciampa. Tonight, the Resident Thicc Boi was looking for revenge.
Roderick Strong vs Bronson Reed
Reed bulldozed Strong with a running body attack, steamrolling the Messiah of the Backbreaker to kick the match off. Strong made it back to his feet to trade strikes with the big man around the ring.
A sidewalk slam planted Strong in the middle of the ring. Reed tied his opponent's shirt over his head and clubbed his chest with giant strikes. Strong threw his shirt into Reed's face, following up with a few punches to the jaw.
Reed shook off the pain, bringing Strong down with more overhand strikes. Strong had a hard time getting away from the bear like hands of Reed, and was caught in a 30-second delayed brainbuster.
Strong moved to the floor but was again met by Reed, who flew off the apron for a flying shoulder tackle. However, he finally got the upper hand when he sent Reed into the steel steps. Back inside the ring, he worked over Reed's midsection.
Reed wasn't down long, as a seated senton to the chest took the air out of Strong's lungs. A fireman's carry stun gun and the King Kong Lariat nearly put Strong away, but he kicked out at two. A powerslam and a running senton set up Reed for a dive from the top. Strong caught him at the top, bringing him down with a massive superplex.
Reed kicked out at two, but Strong quickly followed up, sending him outside for a wrecking ball dropkick. Before he could capitalize, Velveteen Dream's iconic "OW" and purple lighting distracted Strong. Reed dove onto him, flying over the ropes, but Strong recovered inside the ring, catching Reed coming off the top with a jumping knee.
Results: Roderick Strong defeated Bronson Reed via pinfall.
After the match, we saw Velveteen Dream reminding Roderick Strong what he and his cohorts did to the Dream. Because of that, Dream plans on taking something from him. Specifically, his family.
Dream said that, should anything happen to Strong, he'd be there to make sure Marina Shafir's dreams were taken care of and their son Troy had someone to look after him.
We saw some footage from a road trip featuring the Broserweights. Pete Dunne's driving cost them their car, as it turns out that neither he nor Matt Riddle have a license. We're left on a cliffhanger, wondering how the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic winners would make it to Portland.
And yes...it was incredible.
Backstage, Angel Garza was talking to Cathy Kelly about his upcoming match with Lio Rush. The Man of the Hour quickly cut him off, stating that he wasn't the same man that lost the belt before. Tonight, the two former champions will prove once and for all who deserves the first shot at Jordan Devlin.
Next up was a grudge match between Dakota Kai and Candice LeRae. The two have been feuding since TakeOver: WarGames, where Kai turned her back on LeRae, Rhea Ripley, and her best friend Tegan Nox.
Candice LeRae vs Dakota Kai
Kai caught LeRae with a running face wash in the corner, but LeRae responded with an enziguri. Four dives on the outside left Kai flattened on the floor. Rolled back inside, Kai was caught with a missile dropkick, but she kicked out at two.
LeRae lost control following a kick to the nose. Kai threw several boots into the face of LeRae, who's nose began to trickle blood. Both women moved to the top rope, looking to superplex one another to the floor on the outside.
Kai was knocked off but responded with a boot that dropped LeRae, who kicked out of a pinfall at two as we cut to commercial break.
When we returned, LeRae dropped Kai with LeRae's Wild Ride. A pumphandle German suplex and the Garga-No-Escape nearly earned LeRae the win, but Kai countered with a roll-up.
Results: Dakota Kai defeated Candice LeRae via pinfall.
Kai was attacked after the match by her former best friend Tegan Nox, who she'll meet in Portland on Sunday.
Cameron Grimes and Johnny Gargano got into a heated debate backstage prior to NXT. Due to that, William Regal set up this matchup, just days ahead of Gargano's match with Finn Balor.
Johnny Gargano vs Cameron Grimes
Grimes was outclassed by Gargano, with a series of arm drags and submission holds wearing down the NXT rookie. Gargano quickly trapped him in the Garga-No-Escape. Grimes struggled, eventually getting to his feet and doubling Gargano over with a kitchen sink knee to the gut.
On the outside, Gargano responded with a rolling senton off the apron. Back on the inside, the slingshot DDT was captured, as Grimes caught him for a release forward suplex and a decapitating lariat.
A German suplex bounced Gargano, but Johnny Wrestling responded with a striking combination, gourdbuster, and a lariat that turned Grimes inside out. A slingshot spear gave Gargano a nearfall.
Gargano was caught in a tilt-a-whirl position, getting spun out into a swinging sidewalk slam. Gargano eventually nailed the tilt-a-whirl DDT and trapped Grimes in the Garga-No-Escape one final time.
Results: Johnny Gargano defeated Cameron Grimes via pinfall.
Another Broserweights Road Trip clip saw the duo struggling to think of a way to get to Portland. Eventually, Riddle got an idea, though Dunne wasn't too sure about whatever crackpot scheme he had in his head.
Robert Stone cut a promo on Kayden Carter on behalf of Chelsea Green. He said that next week we'd get a rematch between the two, and it would officially be the relaunch of the Robert Stone Brand.
Next week, we'll also get the in-ring return of Velveteen Dream, as he faces Roderick Strong in singles competition.
Lio Rush vs Angel Garza
Garza wasted no time, tearing his tights off immediately. Both men attempted to outmaneuver one another, leading to an incredible running dropkick from Garza that caught Rush in mid-air.
Rush was kicked around on the apron, as Garza set up for a powerbomb. Rush escaped, kicking the knee out of Garza's leg. However, Garza caught Rush and drove him spine first into the ring post and ring steps. Rush was then hung up on the barricade and clobbered with a stiff kick to the spine.
A hurricane kick to the side of the head put Rush back in the match. Garza was pelted with kicks to the upper body. A spinning heel kick caught Garza on the jaw, but he responded with a superkick. Rush's Come Up was countered with a dropkick to the back.
Garza planted Rush with a package spin-out facebuster, but only garnered a two. He took Rus to the top for an avalanche Wing Clipper, but Rush turned it into an avalanche Come Up. Garza bounced all the way to the floor on the outside, more than likely saving the match for him.
Rush didn't allow him time to breathe, hitting the FInal Hour on the floor. Garza countered the second one on the inside of the ring, but the Wing Clipper was turned into a roll-up.
Results: Lio Rush defeated Angel Garza via pinfall.
Jordan Devlin met Lio Rush at the top of the stage, congratulating him on becoming the new #1 contender. However, he doesn't think his title will be going anywhere anytime soon. After all, you never bet against an Ace.
Mark Henry narrated an incredible video package highlighting two of the greatest big men in the wrestling industry, Keith Lee and Dominik Dijakovic. Both men have the power of Kane and the agility of Rey Mysterio. At TakeOver: Portland, we'll bare witness to the next installment in their action packed rivalry.
Bianca Belair vs Santana Garrett
Santana Garrett was laid out with a deadly spear. Bianca Belair followed up with a standing moonsault and a Glam Slam onto the turnbuckle. The K.O.D. put Garrett out in a minute.
Results: Bianca Belair defeated Santana Garrett via pinfall.
After that squash, Belair picked up a mic to remind Rhea Ripley that she's got a title bout at NXT TakeOver: Portland. The Est. of NXT feels overlooked, as the NXT Women's Champion has been too busy with Charlotte Flair.
Ripley came out to address Belair, stating that she overlooked no one, especially Belair. But at Portland, she'll be going right through her and onto WrestleMania 37. Belair planted Ripley with the K.O.D., laying out the champion ahead of their exciting title bout this Sunday.
Matt Riddle, Pete Dunne, and the trophy found themselves a "private" plane that Riddle promised he'd personally secured them. He urged Dunne to help store the trophy in the plane, then shoved Dunne in, following him in order to stow away on what turned out to be the private plane of none other than Triple H. As it took off, Riddle could be heard screaming "We're going to Portland!"
Tommaso Ciampa cut a promo on his journey to this night. He said that he was scared last year, because that may have been his last shot to work WrestleMania weekend, especially as the NXT Champion. But now, he's four days away from getting back to that spotlight that was unfairly ripped away from him.
If Adam Cole wins, he may go onto become the longest-reigning NXT Champion in history. Though...what if it's Ciampa? What if Ciampa gets back Goldy? Well, he moves onto TakeOver: Tampa on WrestleMania weekend, where he should've been last year.
Adam Cole vs Kushida
Kushida took Cole to the mat early, chasing the champion out to the floor. That's where Cole took over, sending Kushida into the steps. However, Kushida caught Cole dropping off the apron for an axe handle with a leaping armbar.
On the inside, armbreakers and kicks weakened the arm of the Panama City Playboy. Cole found himself on the apron again where he was met by a handspring double kick, but as Kushida followed, a running boot leveled the Time Splitter.
Cole slowed the match down here, keeping Kushida off his feet with a side headlock. Kushida managed to break away and caught Cole with a handspring back elbow. A dropkick to the face and a handspring double kick to Cole set up for a Hoverboard Lock on the top rope.
Cole fought him off but was dropped with a leaping rolling DDT, following up with a cross armbreaker. Cole's leg was on the rope, breaking the submission.
Cole managed to block the Hoverboard Lock and rock Kushida with a shining wizard. The two traded strikes, ending with Cole dropping Kushida with two Ushigoroshis. Kushida kicked out at two. Cole's Last Shot was avoided by Kushida, but a superkick sent him to the mat. Still, he kicked out again.
Kushida managed to counter the Panama Sunrise, instead locking in the Hoverboard Lock. Cole was on the verge of tapping as Kushida's knee bounced off his head. He eventually turned it into a pinfall, leading to a trade of pins between the two men.
A pele kick rocked Cole, and Kushida followed up with Kawada kicks. However, Cole caught Kushida coming back fro a handspring back elbow with a superkick, and finally hit the Last Shot for the win.
Results: Adam Cole defeated Kushida via pinfall.
After the match, Cole's celebration was cut short by the music of Tommaso Ciampa. He stared a hole through Cole, circling the ring for a moment before making his move. Cole stated that he wasn't afraid of the Psycho Killer.
Ciampa vowed that he'd be taking his life, and Goldy, back in Portland. Cole's response? "Not over my dead body."
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