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Following NXT Halloween Havoc, we had a new NXT North American Champion, and Johnny Gargano revealed what was next for the belt later on in the night. Candice LeRae also looked to get some revenge after failing to win the NXT Women's Title last week.
Shotzi Blackheart challenged Toni Storm to a match, leading to a high-octane contest, and our main event saw Tommaso Ciampa take on The Velveteen Dream. Would The Vainglorious One finally manage to get a much-needed win?
We kicked tonight off with two top Superstars from the NXT women's division.
Ember Moon vs Dakota Kai w/Raquel Gonzalez on NXT
Ember Moon took Dakota Kai down to the mat early in this NXT opener. However, the presence of Raquel Gonzalez did distract the Shenom on several occasions.
Kai was dropped with a leg sweep, with Ember following up with a running stomp and a senton. Kai evaded an attack in the corner and drove Moon's shoulder into the ring post. She focused in on that, delivering some nasty kicks to the joint and attempting to dislocate the shoulder.
A modified armbar was locked in far away from the ropes, but the former NXT Women's Champion escaped with sheer brute strength, picking Kai up for a powerbomb. Moon rocked Kai with a series of kicks, including a springboard savate kick. Another leg trip set Kai up for a boot on the apron.
Kai fell to the ground, where she was hit with a suicide dive. She avoided a second one, though, sending Moon into the barricade. It didn't take long before Moon recovered, planting Kai with a rolling spinebuster. Kai responded with a victory roll facebuster, but couldn't grab the win.
Moon and the Captain of Team Kick traded rights before Moon trapped Kai in the crossface. Kai turned it into a pin attempt, leading to a series of trading pinfalls. Eventually, Kai caught Moon with a Fujiwara armbar on the injured shoulder.
Moon managed to make it to the ropes and fired upon Kai with a series of stiff elbows and knee strikes. However, a distraction from Raquel Gonzalez allowed kai to stun her with a big boot. The Go To Kick knocked Moon out, giving Kai a big win over a former NXT Women's Champion.
Results: Dakota Kai defeated Ember Moon via pinfall on NXT.
Grade: B+
Backstage, Cameron Grimes shook off his loss to Dexter Lumis and the horde of zombies. He's got a match against Kushida up next.
That is if he could get over those zombies and everything else he saw from last week...
Shotzi Blackheart was backstage and said for hosting NXT Halloween Havoc, William Regal allowed her to pick her opponent for tonight. That's why Blackheart called out Toni Storm, as the former NXT UK Women's Champion was someone she's wanted to face for a while. They'll go face-to-face later on in the night.
Cameron Grimes vs Kushida on NXT
Kushida squared off with Cameron Grimes, and Grimes was still struggling with the effects of his match with Dexter Lumis last week. Grimes caught Kushida in a heel hook and followed up with a stomp to the face.
As Grimes bounced off the ropes, Kushida turned him over with a leaping cross armbreaker. Kushida managed to prevent Grimes from getting to the ropes, locking up both arms for an armbreaker.
Grimes struggled to get away from Kushida's grasp but was able to catch the Time Splitter in a tilt-a-whirl attempt, dropping him hard against the top rope. Grimes took over as NXT went to break.
Throughout the break, Grimes beat Kushida down, but a handspring back elbow set Kushida up to build some offense. The hip toss/dropkick combo connected, and a peel kick rocked Grimes. Kushida sent Grimes to the floor with the handspring double kick and followed that with a crossbody for a two-count.
Grimes rocked Kushida with a forearm and planted Kushida with a powerbomb for two. As Grimes took Kushida to the top, he lost his balance, and a hammerlock armbreaker from the top nearly snapped Grimes' arm in half.
Grimes escaped a German and crushed the referee with Kushida. When Kushida locked in the Hoverboard Lock, Grimes immediately tapped out. Kushida begged the ref to get back in the ring and turned into a Spanish Fly. Kushida was out for the three but, again, the ref wasn't there to count.
The "zombie" referee from the Haunted House of Terror Match came down to make the count, and Grimes was too terrified to pin Kushida. Due to that, Kushida locked in the Hoverboard Lock for the win.
Results: Kushida defeated Cameron Grimes via submission on NXT.
Grade: B
Drake Maverick and Killian Dain vs Ever-Rise on NXT
Killian Dain refused to dance to their music, again, but was ready to stomp out Ever-Rise in this NXT tag team match. Drake Maverick and Dain took the fight right to Chase Parker and Matt Martel. A leg trip from Maverick set up a running senton from Parker.
Dain slammed Maverick on Parker for the two. However, when Martel distracted Maverick, Ever-Rise took over. Parker and Martel took turns wearing down the former 205 Live GM, keeping him on their side of the ring.
Dain stunned Parker with a boot and sent him to the floor. Instead of tagging Dain, though, he focused on Parker. That was a grave mistake, and Ever-Rise quickly regained control. While that took place, Pat McAfee and his stable showed up at the Capitol Wrestling Center. Oney Lorcan, Danny Burch, and Pete Dunne rushed the ring, attacking both teams.
Results: No contest.
Grade: C
The Kings of NXT easily demolished Ever-Rise and Drake Maverick, then all three men set their sights on Killian Dain. Pete Dunne, Oney Lorcan and Danny Burch planted Dain with the elevated Impaler DDT to end the beatdown.
The Kings of NXT reign supreme
The Kings of NXT were in the ring when we came back, with Pat McAfee saying that this was the greatest four-man group in the history of this business. They're men of class, they're professionals. Being the new group on top, they decided to hang the banner of The Undisputed Era in the rafters to commemorate their run before it was crushed by McAfee, Dunne, Lorcan, and Burch.
McAfee ran down their history together before letting Pete Dunne explain his actions last week. The Bruiserweight said that he learned from Roderick Strong that you need to learn to trust the right people, and taught that lesson to Kyle O'Reilly at NXT Halloween Havoc.
Oney Lorcan and Danny Burch were tired of being told that they'd never reach the level of The Undisputed Era. Now, they're the new standard bearers in the tag team division. As they began to raise the Undisputed Era's banner, McAfee decided to put it to a vote. None of the men in the ring wanted to do it, and they decided to put the banner in the trash can where it belonged.
Dunne poured some gasoline in the can before they lit the banner on fire. As they left the arena, though, Pat McAfee was attacked by Killian Dain.
The Hound of Ulster didn't get much time with McAfee before the NXT Tag Team Champions and Dunne laid him out. Dunne crushed Dain's head in the car door before they left and he was lying in a pool of blood.
We got a promo from Johnny Gargano who was inside his house. The two-time NXT North American Champion went over his resume, proving that he's the constant in making history in NXT. Next week, he'll defend the title against a worthy opponent.
"Ghostface" was seated next to Gargano, as they played Life. Gargano won, again, bragging in his guest's face.
Toni Storm vs Shotzi Blackheart on NXT
Shotzi Blackheart rushed the ring, no tank this time around, as it was apparently missing. Toni Storm started off strong with some boots and took advantage when Blackheart slipped off the top rope going for a springboard. Still, Blackheart recovered, hitting an enziguri and tossing Storm into the turnbuckle with a springboard headscissors takedown.
Storm avoided the cannonball in the corner, rocking Blackheart with a running hip attack to the jaw. Blackheart kicked out and was rocked with another boot. Storm dominated the NXT Tank Girl from here on out. Blackheart struggled to get any offense in, as Storm wore her down with headlocks and suplexes.
Back from the break, Blackheart caught Storm in the ropes with a leaping senton. Storm ducked an enziguri and sent Blackheart overhead with a German suplex. Blackheart fought out of a second, but couldn't hit the Sliced Bread No. 2.
Storm countered with another German. Blackheart responded with a Saito suplex for a near fall, but was rocked with a headbutt from the former NXT UK Women's Champion for a two-count.
Storm moved up for a dive and was met by Blackheart. Storm was sent to the apron, where she was pelted with a series of strikes. Blackheart then spiked Storm with a springboard DDT to the apron.
Blackheart was able to get back in the ring but was distracted by Candice LeRae appearing on the screen. Storm caught Blackheart with a bridging pin for the win.
Results: Toni Storm defeated Shotzi Blackheart via pinfall on NXT.
Grade: B+
LeRae stopped a hummer from running into Shotzi's tank, before deciding to run it over herself. Shotzi screamed from the ring as LeRae and Ghostface stared back from the Hummer. LeRae said that the were now even, as that was payback for Shotzi intervening in the NXT Women's Title bout last week.
Jake Atlas pulled up on Legado Del Fantasma, attacking Joaquin Wilde and Raul Mendoza with a pipe. As he drove away, NXT Cruiserweight Champion Santos Escobar wore a smile on his face.
Timothy Thatcher hosts Thatch-as-Thatch-Can live on NXT
Timothy Thatcher worked over another CWC recruit, showing the perfect way to counter a chokehold, like the one he was caught in by Anthony Green last week. He turned a chokehold into a top wrist lock.
He allows the student to try out his reversal, but just as he goes to end it, Thatcher turns it into an ankle lock. Anthony Green, now known as August Grey, attacked Thatcher from behind.
As Thatcher tried to get back in the ring, he was sent to the floor with a superkick.
Xia Li was asked about the letters she's been receiving, and refused to share any details regarding their meaning. NXT GM William Regal handed her another letter, and Li demanded a match with Raquel Gonzalez next week. Regal wasn't sure about it, but Li was defiant.
Next week, Johnny Gargano will defend the NXT North American Championship against a mystery opponent. One-Two will also represent the Kings of NXT, defending the NXT Tag Team Championships against Breezango in a rematch from two weeks prior.
Velveteen Dream vs Tommaso Ciampa on NXT
Velveteen Dream, still with a cast on his arm, tried to get a cheap shot in on the former NXT Champion. Tommaso Ciampa saw it coming, ducking the shot and brought Dream down in an attempt to reinjure his arm.
On the floor, Ciampa drove the cast into the announce desk, further damaging the Vainglorious One's left arm. Dream attempted to leave the arena, but was dragged back to the ring for more punishment.
Ciampa continued to try and break the cast, and arm, of the former NXT North American Champion throughout the last commercial break. Eventually, Dream fought back catching Ciampa with a boot to the jaw, and gouged his eye to finally take over.
Dream rocked Ciampa with a series of right hands, and planted the Psycho Killer of NXT with a spinebuster. He grated the face of Ciampa with his mask, further damaging the eye.
When Dream dropped Ciampa with an atomic drop, Ciampa used the rebound off the ropes to lay out Dream with a series of clotheslines. A top-rope superplex planted Dream for the near fall.
Dream avoied the Fairy Tale Ending, but couldn't hit the Dream Valley Driver. A boot to the face dazed the NXT veteran, sending him to the floor. A dive connected, and Dream brought Ciampa back in for an over the rope suplex. A superkick stunned Ciampa, and Dream brought a chair in to distract the ref.
Ciampa saw it coming, countering the cast shot with a jumping knee. Willow's Bell and the Fairly Tale Ending both spiked Dream, putting him down for three.
Results: Tommaso Ciampa defeated Velveteen Dream via pinfall on NXT.
Grade: B+
