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Welcome to another episode of NXT, ladies and gentlemen. Tonight's episode featured two championship bouts. NXT Women's Champion Io Shirai would put her title on the line against Rhea Ripley. Would The Mosh Pit Kid finally regain what she felt was rightfully hers?
Johnny Gargano also had a chance to erase that heinous mark on his record last week. In an NXT North American Championship rematch, he looked to prove the importance of the Gargano way while demolishing Leon Ruff.
We also saw a Blindfold Match featuring Cameron Grimes and Dexter Lumis. Could Grimes finally rid himself of Lumis once and for all? Would the Tortured Artist give Grimes another reason to fear him?
Finn Balor returned to NXT tonight as well. What's the status of the NXT Champion? Read on to find out.
We kicked off the show with the NXT North American Championship. After Leon Ruff entered the ring, we got a video package of the underdog, but it was interrupted by Johnny Gargano.
Mr. NXT claimed that Ruff was just there to embarrass him, and it was all Damian Priest's plan. Ruff is a joke, and tonight the joke ends. He laid the NXT North American Champion out with a cheap elbow smash prior to the bell.
NXT North American Championship: Johnny Gargano vs Leon Ruff (c)
Gargano battered Ruff laying into him with rights and bouncing him around the corners. The first-ever NXT Triple Crown Champion was steaming after his embarrassing loss last night and looked to make an example of Ruff. However, the NXT North American Champion had other ideas, bouncing around the ropes to evade Gargano's offense and hitting an incredible triple jump hurricanrana.
A dropkick took Gargano to the floor, and he followed with a big dive. However, when Ruff went for the crucifix pin, Ruff was caught, and Gargano nearly took his head off with a clothesline. Two lawn darts into the corner left Ruff struggling to stand.
Gargano set up for his DIY superkick, but a distraction from Damian Priest allowed Rush to nearly get a win with a schoolboy. A rebound clothesline laid out Gargano, and Ruff moved up for a senton bomb.
Gargano avoided, though, and planted that superkick right on the jaw of Ruff. A powerbomb bounced Ruff off the mat, and Gargano finished it with the One Final Beat. Ruff was pulled out of the ring by Damian Priest, who apologized before knocking him out with a right hand.
Results: Leon Ruff defeated Johnny Gargano via DQ on NXT.
Grade: B
Johnny Gargano was beaten by Leon Ruff two weeks in a row. Priest laughed in the face of Johnny Wrestling, holding up a basically unconscious NXT North American Champion.
Cameron Grimes bragged about his bravery, stating that he wasn't afraid of Dexter Lumis anymore. After winning the Blindfold Match tonight, Grimes would put Lumis in his rearview mirror and go straight to the moon.
NXT Blindfold Match: Cameron Grimes vs Dexter Lumis
Cameron Grimes leaped in Dexter Lumis's direction as soon as the bell rang, but only caught air. Lumis didn't move an inch, as Grimes more or less kicked his own tail by running into ropes and turnbuckles. The loudmouth of NXT didn't let that get him down, though, as he was determined to strike Lumis first.
Grimes nearly hit the referee, thinking that he'd bumped into the Tortured Artist. The ref continued to dodge Grimes, but eventually got hit by Grimes. He thought he'd caught Lumis, and battered him into a pancake. He took his blindfold off, but Dexter Lumis was still able to avoid the Cave In.
After taking a right hand, Grimes reached up and accidentally removed the blindfold. Lumis knocked Grimes around the ring with a series of punches before planting him with a bulldog.
Grimes fought out of Lumis's submission and ran to the floor. Lumis, much like any 80's slasher villain, quickly caught up to his prey and took his time torturing Grimes. Repeatedly bounced off the barricade, chairs, and whatever else he could find, Grimes struggled to get any offense in at all.
Grimes managed to hop the barricade and run away. Lumis stared on. Clearly, this wasn't over, but the match was put off for the moment. Would Lumis get his hands on Grimes before the end of NXT tonight?
Damian Priest was getting chewed out by NXT GM William Regal for the interference in the opening match. Priest said he was having fun, and that it was a joke. Leon Ruff heard Priest and was angered at the thought of everyone not taking him seriously. Priest apologized, and Regal assured him that if he was a joke, he wouldn't have an NXT contract.
Ruff agreed, but didn't leave before slapping the taste out of Priest's mouth. Whether that was a smart choice or not, Ruff refuses to be mocked. Gotta admire his attitude, even if it may get him destroyed by the Archer of Infamy.
We got a Shotzi Blackheart vignette, showing the Tank Girl of NXT making another tank. On December 6th, they'll be going to war! WarGames, that is, as NXT WarGames returns on December 6th.
Looks like we may be getting Team LeRae vs Team Blackheart. Which NXT Superstars will they add to their sides of the war?
Candice LeRae and Indi Hartwell vs Kacy Catanzaro and Kayden Carter on NXT
Hartwell started this NXT tag match off with Kayden Carter, who held the upper hand early on. Carter and Kacy Catanzaro worked over Candice LeRae's protege, laying her out with some impressive tandem offense.
Once LeRae tagged in, though, she took over. The Poison Pixie tossed Catanzaro into her team's corner, and she and Hartwell took turns stomping out the Ninja Warrior.
Catanzaro found a way to tag in Carter, who lit up LeRae and Hartwell with a series of kicks. A superkick to LeRae earned a two-count. However, LeRae avoided a boot, managing to hit a brainbuster to set up Wicked Stepsister. Indi Hartwell kept Catanzaro on the floor, knocking her out with a big boot.
Results: Candice LeRae and Indi Hartwell defeated Kayden Carter and Kacy Catanzaro via pinfall on NXT.
Grade: B-
We got a vignette showing Arturo Ruas, a member of the RAW roster who'd appeared on NXT and RAW Underground over the past year. He was in action up next. Unfortunately, he was up against Kushida.
Arturo Ruas vs Kushida on NXT
The BJJ and capoeira fighter hoped to take NXT's Time Splitter down quick, going for a takedown at the start. Arturo Ruas succeeded, but knew he couldn't keep Kushida on his back for long. Ruas took a page out of his opponent's playbook, severely weakening the left arm. Kushida had to end things quickly if he was going to escape with a win.
Kushida threw away the ground game, instead focusing on a fast-paced striking strategy. Ruas took some heavy blows but countered a roundhouse. At that moment, Kushida leaped on Ruas for the Hoverboard Lock, but couldn't lock it in.
Ruas nearly locked Ruas in a heel hook, but Kushida kept his footing, turning it into a pinfall for a quick win.
Results: Kushida defeated Arturo Ruas via pinfall on NXT.
Grade: B-
This one was short, but there's definitely a lot to explore should we get a feud out of these two.
Ember Moon and Toni Storm were backstage, and getting ready to put Dakota Kai and Raquel Gonzalez down for good. Once they were finished there, they'd both set their sights on the NXT Women's Championship. This tag team match was up next.
Ahead of the NXT Women's Championship match, the majority of the NXT roster predicted that Io Shirai would walk out with the gold. However, Triple H, Shawn Michaels, and Road Dogg all voted for Rhea Ripley. Beth Phoenix chimed in, agreeing with D-X.
Dakota Kai and Raquel Gonzalez vs Ember Moon and Toni Storm on NXT
Toni Storm was quickly overpowered by Raquel Gonzalez. Dakota Kai tagged in for a nasty running boot in the corner. The Captain of Team Kick took her time washing the face of the former NXT UK Women's Champion, embarrassing Storm as best he could.
Storm trend things around with an inverted atomic drop and a headbutt. A basement dropkick connected, and Storm dropped Kai for two with a suplex. Ember Moon tagged in, with she and Storm sending both of their opponents to the floor. During the break, Kai was able to get the better of Storm to tag Gonzalez back in.
Gonzalez hammered Storm with boots, clotheslines, and big slams, wearing down the Mae Young Classic finalist. However, back from the break, Moon managed to get back in the match and light up Gonzalez and Kai.
Moon hit a series of kicks on Gonzalez and stunned her with a Codebreaker for a near fall. A distraction from Kai would put an end to her flurry, as Gonzalez kicked her head off with a boot.
The former NXT Women's Champion escaped a Gory Special but was pounced across the ring for a two-count. Kai was back in but failed to keep up the pressure. Toni Storm planted NXT's Captain of Team Kick with a trio of German suplexes and a running hip attack. A fisherman suplex nearly put Kai away, but Gonzalez broke up the pin.
Storm booted Kai but was driven into the ring post by Gonzalez. Moon took her out with a suicide dive, leaving Kai to pick up the pieces. Storm rolled up Kai with a small package, though, earning both she and Moon the victory on NXT tonight.
Results: Toni Storm and Ember Moon defeated Dakota Kai and Raquel Gonzalez on NXT.
Grade: A-
After the match, the victors were blindsided by Candice LeRae and Indi Hartwell. They sent both women into the ring, feeding them right to Raquel Gonzalez. Looks like we know the team for Candice LeRae at NXT TakeOver: WarGames.
Pat McAfee's group drove up to the CWC, eager to hear what Finn Balor had to say. Will they try to attack the NXT Champion?
Timothy Thatcher vs August Grey on NXT
August Grey nearly got a win over Timothy Thatcher with a to backslide pin. NXT's Thatch-as-Thatch-Can instructor took offense to that and spent a long time bruising Grey.
Thatcher looked to teach Grey, and the rest of the NXT locker room, a lesson in trying to get one over him. In no time, grey was covered in massive welts. Thatcher looked for a heel hook, but Grey hammered his foot into the face of his former teacher. A series of right hands lit up Thatcher, and "Retro" August Grey seemed to be on his way to a victory.
That is until Thatcher caught him in a guillotine. Grey was in the middle of the ring and knew there was no way to escape. An immediate tap gave Thatcher the win.
Results: Timothy Thatcher defeated August Grey via submission on NXT.
Grade: C
After the match, Thatcher said not to pick a fight with someone you can never beat. He put Grey in another guillotine but was stopped when he heard the music of former NXT Champion Tommaso Ciampa. Thatcher said he had no problems with the Psycho Killer, and left the ring.
Tommaso Ciampa was met at NXT backstage and laid it out quite clearly. He wants to fight Timothy Thatcher. That should be, in the words of a WWE Hall of Famer, quite a slobber knocker.
An NXT North American brawl
Damien Priest was out next for a match, but before he could get to the ring, he was blindsided by Johnny Gargano. They brawled around ringside, but both men found themselves on the receiving end of some offense by the NXT North American Champion.
Leon Ruff managed to take out both Gargano and Priest. maybe Ruff isn't quite the joke they thought he was.
Both men rushed the ring, but couldn't catch Ruff.
NXT GM William Regal went to Boa's house, claiming that he'd not been at the PC in a week. Boa, looking exhausted, said that he and Xia Li were both hiding. Someone was coming, but he never said who.
Backstage, Regal confronted Ruff, asking if he had a death wish. Ruff said that he's tired of being considered a joke, and will face both Priest and Gargano.
NXT Women's Championship Match: Rhea Ripley vs Io Shirai (c)
Rhea Ripley took Io Shirai to the corner, but the NXT Women's Champion managed to take The Nightmare down with a dropkick. Shirai pelted Ripley with chops to the chest and set up for a sunset flip. Ripley stopped it, dropping Shirai with a shoulder block.
Shirai responded with a dropkick that sent the inaugural NXT UK Champion to the floor. Ripley countered a suicide dive with an elbow and dropped Shirai on the apron with an electric chair facebuster.
Throughout the break, Ripley took her time with Shirai but did enough damage that the ref had to make sure she still wanted to continue. When we returned from commercial, the Joshi Judas began to fire up, only to get planted with a wheelbarrow facebuster. A massive suplex planted Shirai for a near fall.
Shirai was able to avoid a superplex, turning it into a German suplex off the second rope. She followed up with a Tiger Driver attempt, but couldn't connect. A palm strike and a victory roll set up for a double stomp. A basement delayed dropkick almost put her challenger away.
Ripley's ear was destroyed in the process, with blood pouring out of it. Shirai worked over the arm with a series of armbreakers. An arm wrench drove Ripley's shoulder right into the apron, and Shirai followed that by launching the former NXT Women's Champion shoulder first into the steps. Ripley screamed out in agony as Shirai turned up the heat.
During the break, Ripley found herself on the top rope with Shirai again. This time, Ripley refused to let Shirai slip out of her hands. A superplex took the NXT Women's Champion to the mat for a two-count.
The cravate knee strikes and a snapmare set Ripley up for a basement dropkick for a close call. Ripley locked in The Prism, but Shirai refused to quit. Somehow, Shirai was able to crawl to the ropes for the break, but the damage may have already been done. Ripley set up for the Riptide, only for Shirai to roll over her challenger's shoulders for a cross armbreaker.
Ripley attempted a powerbomb counter, but Shirai rolled through, keeping the hold in tact. Ripley, just barely, reached the ropes with her foot. She avoided the 619, twice, but was battered with a series of palm strikes. This time the 619 hit, and Shirai moved up for a missile dropkick. 1-2-no! Ripley kicked out.
Ripley avoided the moonsault, and turned Shirai inside out with a heavy clothesline. Shirai was still able to counter Riptide again, spiking Ripley with a tilt-a-whirl DDT.
Shirai caught Ripley on the apron, driving her through the announcer's desk with a powerbomb. The ref began the count, and Ripley just barely made it back inside. Just as she rolled through the ropes, though, Shirai hit the moonsault for the win.
Results: Io Shirai defeated Rhea Ripley via pinfall on NXT.
Grade: A+
Both women embraced after the match, but rushed to the back as Finn Balor entered the ring. The NXT Champion said that the last time we saw him, he successfully defended his title with a broken jaw in two places. Before he could continue, he was interrupted by Pat McAfee, Pete Dunne, and the NXT Tag Team Champions.
McAfee said that a lot has changed since he's been here. Balor had to know what's happened sine he's been on the shelf. He ran down their list of accomplishments over the past month. Drake Maverick, Killian Dain, Breezango and Undisputed Era? They've all been taken out by the latest faction in NXT.
He followed that, saying that if Balor had respect for NXT, he would hand his NXT Championship over to them. Balor revealed that he wasn't alone, and all four members of The Undisputed Era rushed the ring. Bobby Fish, Kyle O'Reilly, Roderick Strong, and Adam Cole took the fight to all four men.
We ended with Cole landing a mafia kick on Pat McAfee while the six other men brawled around ringside.
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