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With only a few weeks until NXT TakeOver: Toronto, tonight's NXT was all about setting up the event. Johnny Gargano will challenge Adam Cole for the NXT Championship in a two-out-of-three falls match. Tonight, both men will pick one stipulation, with NXT General Manager William Regal picking the third.
Velveteen Dream also addressed the situation regarding his NXT North American Championship. The Vainglorious One has a lot of superstars looking to steal his spotlight, but one man has stood out among the rest, Roderick Strong. And with Adam Cole's prophecy seemingly coming true, it looks like the Messiah of the Backbreaker could be the one to dethrone Dream.
We kicked off this week's episode with the continuation of the NXT Breakout Tournament. The first semi-final match pitted Jordan Myles against Angel Garza, two men who impressed the WWE Universe with their incredible speed.
Jordan Myles vs Angel Garza
Garza offered his hand at the beginning but walked away as Myles came in. The two tied up, with Myles catching Garza in a waist lock. Garza escaped, taking Myles to the mat and trapping him in the headscissors. Myles broke away as both men made it back to their feet. A wrist lock brought Garza to his knees, but he utilized the ropes, taking over with a wrist lock of his own.
Myles took Garza to the mat, grinding his knee into his head while synching in the hammerlock. Garza broke out and looked to attack Myles, but Myles avoided with a hand stand and hit a picture-perfect standing dropkick, sending Garza outside.
Garza lured Myles to the apron where he dropped him face first, allowing him to roll back inside and await the ref's ten-count. Myles made it back inside where Garza met him with a series of strikes. A double underhook stalling backbreaker left Myles bouncing off Garza's knee to the mat.
Myles' back was the focus of Garza here, locking in a camel clutch. He powered out of the submission hold, and countered a seated senton with a roll-up. Garza quickly broke out, though, and met Myles as he got back to his feet with a superkick. Myles crawled to the corner where Garza slammed his face repeatedly into the turnbuckles.
Garza taunted Myles before driving his head into the top turnbuckle, frustrating him and allowing him to counter. Myles beat his chest in with a series of roundhouse kicks, then brought him out for a leg trip, setting up a running dropkick to a kneeling Garza.
The running discus in the corner left Garza laid out below the turnbuckle. Myles went up, but his opponent rolled away. When Myles set up for a springboard attack, Garza countered with a dropkick. Myles broke out of the pinfall and connected with another running discus clothesline. A deadlift German suplex was enough to knock Angel Garza off.
Results: Jordan Myles defeated Angel Garza via pinfall.
Myles advanced to the finals tonight, where he would face either Bronson Reed or Cameron Grimes. During his celebration, Shane Thorne returned, taking Mauro Ranallo's headset, airing his grievances with NXT, a brand that opted to focus on eight new superstars instead of him.
Gargano revealed his stipulation for his match with Adam Cole in Toronto. The NXT Champion's first fall must come by the way of a street fight.
Xia Li vs Bianca Belair
Belair rushed Li, shoving her into the corner and beating her into the bottom turnbuckle with a series of boots. Belair continued to batter her and picked her up for the Glam Slam. Li's punishment wasn't done here, as a handspring moonsault left her grabbing at her back as she rolled to the apron.
Li tried to get some offense in, but was caught as she ran in for a crossbody. A release fallaway slam sent her crashing onto her back. A stalling suplex, with squat thrusts, was countered as Li escaped her predicament. A series of kicks sent Belair into the corner. Belair cut her off again, however, bowling her over with a shoulder tackle. The K.O.D. put Li down for good.
Results: Bianca Belair defeated Xia Li via pinfall.
Belair demolished Li, an impressive competitor in her own right, with ease. Will the Est of NXT force her way back into the Women's Championship scene sooner rather than later?
Killian Dain spoke about his assault on the Original Bro Matt Riddle last week. Dain said that he wasn't going to attack anybody from behind, but Riddle wasn't just anybody. And in his world, he may be one of the toughest around. However, in Dain's world, there's nobody more dangerous than the Beast of Belfast.
Security footage at the Performance Center saw Mia Yim assault Marina Shafir after a training session. She left Shafir screaming in agony after crushing her shoulder in a locker.
The HBIC continued to rid Shayna Baszler of the rest of the Horsewomen, hoping to challenge the NXT Women's Champion in a true one-on-one match at NXT TakeOver: Toronto.
Velveteen Dream made his way down the ramp next. There are several people on the roster hoping to get a shot at the Dream's NXT North American Championship, but the Undisputed Era's Roderick Strong has forced his way to the front of the line as of late.
Dream likened losing to Strong a few weeks back to living through his own personal hell. He knows that the Messiah of the Backbreaker is incredibly talented and one of the most dangerous competitors in NXT, but he isn't big enough to share the spotlight with the Dream.
Strong came out to confront the champion, claiming that Velveteen Dream was scared of him. He said that there's no one more deserving of a shot at the North American Championship on the continent than him. Demanding a match at NXT TakeOver: Toronto, Strong said that the Dream will die on that day.
Before Dream could answer, Pete Dunne emerged. The former United Kingdom Champion was met by a roar of cheers from the crowd, who were all standing on their feet as he made his way to the ring. Strong tried to get in his face, but quickly had his fingers snapped by the Bruiserweight. He then stood face-to-face with Dream, eying the North American Championship. Dream backed down, leaving with his title in the air as Dunne's music played.
Roderick Strong grabbed a cameraman, pulling him towards William Regal's office. Strong said that he pinned Dream fair and square, and he's earned an opportunity at Dream's title. Regal said that, yes, it should have been Strong vs Dream in a one-on-one match. However, Johnny Saint, NXT UK's GM, lent the Bruiserweight to Regal for a while, and now he's been added to the match.
Strong demanded a match with Dunne next week, hoping to eliminate him before they could get to NXT TakeOver: Toronto.
Kacy Catanzaro vs Io Shirai
Shirai didn't give Catanzaro a chance to start, launching her into the bottom turnbuckle with a shotgun dropkick. A running double knee strike in the corner set her up for the double underhook backbreaker. As Catanzaro rolled out the ring, Candice LeRae rushed Shirai, assaulting her and forcing her to back up the ramp after LeRae grabbed a chair.
Results: Io Shirai defeated Kacy Catanzaro via DQ.
LeRae tried to goad Shirai back inside the ring, but she simply walked away.
Adam Cole cut a promo on William Regal's decision to add Pete Dunne to the NXT North American Championship match. However, it doesn't matter, as Roderick Strong is one of the greatest wrestlers in the world today.
The Undisputed Era are also set to capture the Tag Team Titles when Bobby Fish & Kyle O'Reilly challenge the Street Profits for the NXT Tag Team Championship.
As far as his bout with Johnny Gargano, Cole decided to counter his rival's choice with a classic one-on-one wrestling match, something that he's beaten Gargano at a handful of times now.
Next week, Tyler Breeze will take on the leader of the Forgotten Sons, Jaxson Ryker, next week. After antagonizing them last week, Prince Pretty has found himself the main target of the trio. Strong vs Dunne was also made official for next week.
Keith Lee vs Damien Priest
Priest tried to bring Lee down with side headlock. The Limitless One shoved him off into the ropes, stopping his momentum with a shoulder tackle. It didn't take the Archer off his feet, though, and he sent Lee away with a series of high kicks. Lee and Priest measured each other up, and the two men dodged each other's lightning-fast strikes.
Priest ducked a leaping roundhouse, but another shoulder tackle was enough to send Priest to the mat. The monstrous Lee twisted Priest's wrist, picking him up in an impressive show of strength. Priest escaped, forcing Lee into the corner, sending him face-first into the bottom turnbuckle with a kick. Lee managed to block Falcon Arrow but after a few of his clotheslines were blocked, a clothesline from Priest dropped him.
Lee got back to his feet, and blocked another Falcon Arrow attempt. Priest found himself on the outside, and though he was caught in a wrist lock, climbed the ropes for a huge crossbody, getting a near fall on Lee. He connected with several right hands to Lee, who only grew stronger with every strike. After the third hit, Lee hulked up, sending Priest into the corner for a rolling forearm. As Priest came out he was met by a running clothesline.
Priest countered a piledriver, sending him away with a back elbow and a big boot. The third time was the charm, as a Falcon Arrow planted Lee in the middle of the ring. Still, he kicked out at two. Priest picked him up, and the two traded their own patented strikes. A pounce from Keith Lee sent Priest spiralling into the corner.
As Lee set up to finish Priest, the newest giant of NXT rolled outside to avoid further damage. Lee sent him back inside, but as he got on the apron was met by a running knee. Priest leapt over the apron for a senton, only to be caught in a powerbomb position. Priest jumped out of Lee's grasp, sending him into the steps with a bycicle kick.
Lee managed to get back up, and chased Priest back inside the ring. Priest pulled the referee in front of him to prevent Lee from getting his hands on him. Lee moved the ref away, allowing Priest to connect with the rolling roundhouse kick followed by the Reckoning.
Results: Damien Priest defeated Keith Lee via pinfall.
