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The NXT Champion finally returned from the Adam Cole Bay-Bay Championship Tour and put his title on the line tonight against a surprise opponent.
Kushida's undefeated streak holds strong, and a former NXT Superstar decided to come back to the Black & Yellow brand to face the Time Splitter. Apollo Crews was the next man to step up to face the Super Junior. Would he be the first man to succeed, or would Kushida continue his incredible run on NXT?
The NXT Breakout Tournament continued as well. So far, Cameron Grimes, Jordyn Myles, and Angel Garza advanced to the semi-finals. The fourth and final competitor to advance would be revealed tonight when Bronson Reed faced off against Dexter Lumis.
Tonight, we kicked off NXT with Arturo Ruas taking on Matt Riddle. Ruas had an incredible showing at Evolve's 10th Anniversary special, knocking out Anthony Henry.
Matt Riddle vs Arturo Ruas
Ruas managed to bring Riddle down to the mat, but the King of Bros was able to escape his grasp, making it back to his feet where the two men traded shots at each other. Riddle was picked up and slammed by the Capoeira Master, and attempted to lock in the armbar. Riddle escaped again, countering with his own armbar attempt.
Ruas turned the hold into a pinning attempt, forcing the hold to be broken. Riddle shot for the leg, but was brought down with a leg scissors takedown from Ruas, who continued to stay ahead of the Original Bro in the match. Riddle blocked a roundhouse kick and booted Ruas to the ground, but was met by the Capoeira Kick that finished Henry on Saturday.
It wasn't enough for Riddle, though, who responded with the Final Flash Knee and pounded him into the ground, forcing the referee to stop it.
Results: Matt Riddle defeated Arturo Ruas via TKO.
Following the match, a masked man attacked Riddle, completely dismantling him. He quickly revealed himself to be Killian Dain, and continued to annihilate Riddle, launching him into the ring post and following him to the ground.
In between heavy handed punches, Riddle was met by a few running sentons courtesy of the Beast of Belfast. The final senton drove Riddle through the stage at the top of the entrance ramp, leaving him writhing in pain as Dain walked away.
A Street Profits vignette was shown with Angelo Dawkins and Montez Ford sitting on a couch, calling out the Undisputed Era for disrespecting them. Dawkins said that whenever they want the smoke, all they have to do is come find them.
Video footage was shown of Mia Yim assaulting Marina Shafir near her car. Yim is next in line for a shot at Shayna Baszler's NXT Women's Championship and looks to rid herself of any outside interference.
The first round in the NXT Breakout Tournament continued tonight, with Dexter Loomis taking on the Australian Bronson Reed. This match was a contest between two monstrous men, and whoever emerged victorious would surely become a favorite in the next round.
Dexter Lumis vs Bronson Reed
Reed brought Lumis in for a side headlock. When shot off into the ropes, he dropped Lumis with a pair of shoulder tackles. However, the Psychotic Superstar took Reed outside with an elbow strike, following him with a rolling senton over the top ropes, landing on his feet.
Reed avoided the attack and squashed him into the ground with a running crossbody. Back inside, however, Lumis gained control after dropping Reed neck first onto the bottom ropes. He brought the big man into the middle of the ring, where he delivered a series of elbow strikes before locking in a head cranking chin lock.
Lumis licked the face of Reed, which angered him enough to break out of the hold. He caught Lumis coming off the ropes with a snap powerslam, and followed up with a pair of running elbow strikes. Another running body attack took Lumis down to the ground where Reed landed on top of him with a running senton splash.
Reed attempted a belly-to-back suplex, but Lumis avoided, dropping him with a back suplex and a spinning leg drop. Reed kicked out of the pinfall and avoided a Senton Bomb. A spin-out release powerbomb spiked Lumis and allowed Reed to finish him off with a body splash from the top rope.
Results: Bronson Reed defeated Dexter Lumis via pinfall.
In the next round of the tournament, Bronson Reed will face off against Cameron Grimes, while Angel Garza will take on Jordyn Myles.
Backstage, Tyler Breeze was met by the Forgotten Sons. Breeze toyed with them and claimed that Jaxson Ryker was at one point known as Buddy Murphy. Murphy's former tag team partner Wesley Blake warned him about angering the leader of the trio, as Ryker is an incredibly dangerous man. Breeze seemed unfazed, as he walked off, leaving the three men seething.
Kushida vs Apollo Crews
Apollo Crews got a huge ovation upon his NXT return, with each member of the Full Sail crowd on their feet. Crews was able to defend against Kushida's quick pace early on, bringing him in for a mat slam. Kushida got on top, bringing him around with a gator roll before attempting a pin. Crews kicked out.
Kushida shot Crews off into the ropes where he was met by a shoulder block and, after some impressive handsprings and leapfrogs, a standing dropkick to the jaw of the Super Junior. Crews followed Kushida outside, who got back in the ring and caught Crews on the apron, knocking him off with a handspring ax kick.
Crews blocked the Hoverboard lock and caught Kushida coming off the ropes, driving him into his knees via fireman's carry gutbuster. A stalling suplex lasting over ten seconds only awarded Crews a one-count. Kushida tried to fight out of Crews' grasp but was taken down by a quick running forearm strike. A belly-to-belly suplex gave Crews another pinning attempt, but Kushida kicked out at two.
Kushida was launched into the corner by Crews only to avoid the running body splash. Crews lifted himself on top of the turnbuckle, hoping for a tilt-a-whirl headscissors. Kushida caught him, kicking him in the sternum. A basement dropkick left Crews stunned in the corner. Kushida spiked him with a tornado DDT.
At this point, Kushida softened up Crews' left arm with an armbreaker and a few kicks to the shoulder. Crews blocked an armbar attempt and sent Kushida to the mat with a massive bicycle kick to the jaw. A trifecta of deadlift German suplexes set up Crews for a standing shooting star press. Kushida, somehow, kicked out.
Crews attempted a military press, but his left arm buckled, allowing Kushida to send him into the corner. An overhead kick connected to Crews, only for him to reply with an enziguri. Crews was the first man to his feet and went to the top rope. Kushida followed, trying to bring him back down to the Earth.
Crews knocked him down to the mat but a rolling double heel strike rocked Crews, allowing Kushida to bring down Crews with a top rope flying armbar. Crews tried to drag himself to the ropes, but the Hoverboard Lock was synched in, forcing Crews to tap out.
Results: Kushida defeated Apollo Crews via submission.
Crews and Kushida shook hands following the match, with the crowd roaring with praise for both men.
Keith Lee was asked about his progress over the past year. The Limitless One said that he feels looked over by all the newcomers that came after him. The NXT Breakout Tournament is a great example, as eight new superstars were given the opportunity at a championship match.
Along with Damien Priest and Kushida, he feels that he needs to prove that he deserves to be talked about. Speaking of Priest, he'll be taking on the Archer of Infamy next week.
Adam Cole made his return to Full Sail following the Bay Bay Championship Tour. He claimed that there was an "Undisputed Power Flip" in NXT, with the other three members of the Undisputed Era looking for gold. Cole also said that he was a fighting champion, and would be defending his championship tonight.
He then introduced Twan Tucker, one of the men that Gargano met at Absolute Intense Wrestling. However, Tucker instead offered the opportunity to Johnny Gargano, who rushed the ring and sent Cole scrambling following a superkick.
Cole attempted to escape over the barricade, but Gargano chased him up the bleacher stairs, hammering him with a series of right hands. A chop/punch combination sent Cole back down, where he was sent careening into the barricade by the former Champion. Gargano slammed Cole's head repeatedly into the concrete floor.
Several refs tried to pull Gargano away. However, when Cole tried to hold his championship above his head, Gargano leaped onto him with a crossbody. The two men brawled back into the ring, where Cole capped Gargano's knee. The Last Shot was countered by a superkick, and Cole was placed in the Gargano Escape, forcing him to tap out for half a minute.
As Gargano walked back up the ramp, he demanded the third match in their series, and it looks like he may get that at the next TakeOver event.
