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With a new NXT Champion, NXT is now moving onto their next big event. Earlier today on Twitter, WWE revealed that we'd be getting another NXT TakeOver event on October 4th, just a few short weeks away.
With that, NXT GM William Regal stated before the show that we'd have two major announcements tonight.
Tonight's NXT also featured two championship bouts, with both the NXT Tag Team Titles and the NXT North American Championship on the line.
We started the night off with the Women's Champion Io Shirai, who took on Shotzi Blackheart in an exhilarating non-title match.
Shotzi Blackheart vs Io Shirai on NXT
Shotzi Blackheart offered her hand, looking for a showing of sportsmanship before the match. Io Shirai slapped it away, kicking off a brief back-and-forth showing, with both women trading pinfalls.
Shirai kicked out of a powerbomb/jackknife pin combination and went in for the armbar. Blackheart broke away, and locked in a modified double armbar on the NXT Women's Champion. Shirai just barely made it to the ropes, but the damage was done. It took some time for Shirai to shake out the feeling in her arms.
Blackheart missed the wrecking ball dropkick and was caught with a springboard moonsault. Shirai brought Blackheart inside for a two-count. Throughout the break, Shirai worked to ground Blackheart, trying to drain the energy of NXT's Tank Girl.
Shirai missed a running attack in the corner and was hit with a shotgun dropkick. Blackheart followed up with a spinning bulldog and a knee to a kneeling NXT Champion. They traded blows, with Shirai getting the advantage, bringing Blackheart to the mat with a crossface
Like Shirai, Shotzi just barely made it to the ropes. She avoided the 619 and rocked Shirai with a step-up enziguri and the running senton on the ropes. Shirai held onto the ropes, trying to block a German suplex. Blackheart trapped her arms, turning it into a tiger suplex with a bridge.
Shirai kicked out but Blackheart held onto the arms, turning it into Cattle Mutilation. Shirai again broke away and planted Blackheart with a flapjack. The 619 connected this time, and Shirai moved up. The Genius of the Sky hit a missile dropkick, getting a near fall
As Shirai moved up top again, she was caught with a super hurricanrana. She nearly got a win over the NXT Women's Champion. They moved to the apron where Shirai was able to hit a nasty bridging German suplex, dropping Blackheart headfirst on the apron.
Back inside, somehow, Blackheart kicked out. She was unable to do so, though, when she was hit by the Over the Moon Moonsault.
Results: Io Shirai defeated Shotzi Blackheart via pinfall on NXT.
Grade: A+
After the match, Shotzi Blackheart and Io Shirai shook hands and praised one another. It was a star making performance by Blackheart and another incredible showing from our NXT Women's Champion.
We got a Tommaso Ciampa vignette, with the Psycho Killer watching the footage from his assault on Jake Atlas.
Next week, there will be a No.1 Contender Battle Royal to crown Io Shirai's newest challenger. Eleven of NXT's best Superstars will vie for the opportunity to dethrone the Joshi Judas.
Desmond Troy vs Tommaso Ciampa on NXT
Desmond Troy was taken right to the mat by Tommaso Ciampa following a big knee to the jaw on NXT. A double ax handle and a corner clothesline left Troy sitting in the corner. Ciampa shot him face-first into the bottom turnbuckle with a slingshot.
Troy crawled to the apron, where he was spiked with the Willow's Bell.
Results: Tommaso Ciampa defeated Desmond Troy via pinfall on NXT.
Grade: D
Before Ciampa could attack Troy, Jake Atlas came to the stage. He said he doesn't attack men from behind. He's here to challenge Ciampa man-to-man to a match next week. The former NXT Champion seemed excited about the opportunity, which is either good news or bad news for Atlas.
Drake Maverick was interviewed on his way to the building, and stated that he and Killian Dain would be a great team tonight. Despite the fact that Dain hasn't answered his messages and has hit him in the face several times, they'll be able to take down the Undisputed Era...hopefully.
Finn Balor cut a pre-taped promo. He said that Adam Cole is definitely Undisputed, but there's only one Prince. Balor has been asked many questions. In his first run as NXT Champion, it was all about building the brand. Now, it's about Finn Balor.
Austin Theory came out and called himself a guaranteed first-ballot WWE Hall of Famer. Last week on NXT, Bronson Reed got a fluke win. This week it'll be different, and he's here to prove himself against anyone.
Who was his surprise opponent? The Time Splitter himself, Kushida.
Austin Theory vs Kushida on NXT
Before the bell even rang, Kushida rocked Theory with an Enziguri. Theory struggled to shake Kushida, as the master technician immediately went for the arm.
Theory was able to create some space with a stun gun on the ropes, following up with a clothesilne. A snap suplex earned him a one-count. Kushida managed to avoid a standing moonsault, though, and caught Theory with a hip toss into a dropkick, sending him to the floor with a handspring double kick on the apron.
Theory went to punch Kushida, but missed and hit the ring post. Kushida targeted that arm, dropping him with an arm breaker on the floor. Back inside, he trapped Theory in the Hoverboard Lock for the win.
Results: Kushida defeated Austin Theory via submission on NXT.
Grade: B-
The Gargano Family cut a promo from their guest bedroom. Candice LeRae and Johnny Gargano were still upset about how Tegan Nox treated them on NXT last week. After all, she broke their TV.
Okay...well...Candice broke it when she threw a shoe at Tegan. Still, Tegan is to blame somehow. Candice went on to say that she'd be competing in a Battle Royal next week where the winner would face Io Shirai for the NXT Women's Championship at NXT TakeOver on October 4th.
NXT Tag Team Championship Match: Imperium vs Breezango (c) on NXT
Before the bell, Imperium jumped the NXT Tag Team Champions. When the ref got a hold of the situation and started the match off, Fabian Aichner dropped Fandango in the ring while Marcel Barthel took Tyler Breeze off the apron, securing the advantage against Breezango early.
Fandango struggled to get away, as Imperium continued to dish out a beatdown on the veteran. Aichner hit a high-angle belly-to-back suplex that dropped Fandango on his head. A devastating clothesline nearly decapitated Fandango, but he kicked out at two.
Imperium dragged Fandango to their corner, where Barthel hit a nasty European uppercut to the back of the head. Imperium followed up with their patented double running dropkick in the corner as we cut to a break on NXT.
Fandango dropped Barthel with a back elbow and hit a nasty discus clothesline that turned Barthel inside out. Fandango and Barthel tagged out, and Tyler Breeze came in like a house on fire. Running forearms, superkicks, and a heel hook into a single leg Boston Crab left Aichner in a lot of pain.
Fandango took Barthel to the floor while Breeze worked on Aichner. A distraction from Fandango allowed Breeze to hit a Cheeky Nandos kick. Barthel broke the pinfall just in time.
As Breeze moved up, Barthel shoved him into Aichner's arms for a catching delayed suplex. Breeze broke up, and was dragged to his corner by Fandango, who made the tag.
Fandango took Imperium to the floor and laid both men out with a pair of superkicks. Back inside, Aichner avoided The Last Dance. Barthel rocked Fandango with a kick to the jaw and Aichner hit a deadlift German suplex for a nearfall.
Aichner was spiked with a tornado DDT. Breeze and Barthel tagged in. Imperium planted Breeze with the spinebuster/penalty kick and set up for the European Bomb. Fandango shoved Aichner into Barthel where Breeze was able to knock him off to the floor. A hurricanrana allowed Breeze to roll up Aichner for the win.
Results: Breezango defeated Imperium via pinfall on NXT.
Grade: A
Jessi Kamea & Xia Li vs Kacy Catanzaro & Kayden Carter on NXT
Kayden Carter and Xia Li started things off, with Carter able to outwrestle and outmaneuver Li. Kacy Catanzaro tagged in, leading to a drop toe hold/sliding dropkick combination for a two-count from one of NXT's brightest young teams.
Li managed to turn things around, lighting Catanzaro up with a series of lightning fast kicks. Kamea and Li tagged in and out, working over Catanzaro. However, Carter managed to tag in, rocking both women with some impressive kicks of her own.
Catanzaro tagged back in, and she hit a pump kick on Li as she was held in a crucifix by Carter, leading to a double pin.
Results: Kacy Catanzaro & Kayden Carter defeated Xia Li & Jessi Kamea via pinfall on NXT.
Grade: C+
Drake Maverick finally found Killian Dain backstage, and was excited to talk about the playbook for their match. Dain said that they weren't friends and he didn't plan on helping him tonight. Maverick was still sure he'd see Dain join him.
Undisputed Era (Bobby Fish & Roderick Strong) vs Drake Maverick & Killian Dain on NXT
Drake Maverick went to the ring without Killian Dain, leaving the cruiserweight on his own against the former NXT Tag Team Champions. Maverick was overwhelmed by the Undisputed Era, with Bobby Fish and Roderick Strong pummeling him for minutes on end.
Maverick had Strong stunned for a few seconds but ran into a big boot. Fish tagged in and was sent into the middle turnbuckle with a low dropkick. A pump knee to the back set up for a dropkick from the top rope. Fish kicked out at two and got back in the match when Strong distracted their opponent.
Strong tagged in, hitting a series of backbreakers on Maverick. The former NXT North American Champion trapped Maverick in a front face lock, driving his knee into the spine of Maverick. A uranage backbreaker cut Maverick off from the beginning of a momentum building assault as Killian Dain watched on from the back.
After the break, NXT GM William Regal came up to Killian Dain, seemingly talking some sense into him. Dain left for the ring as Drake Maverick was launched to the floor by the Undisputed Era.
Dain came in just to tell Maverick to take his beating like a man. However, when Roderick Strong called Dain fat, he incured the wrath of the Hound of Ulster.
Killian Dain demolished Roderick Strong, mauling him in the corner. Bobby Fish grabbed a steel chair and caught Dain in the gut.
Results: Killian Dain & Drake Maverick defeated The Undisputed Era via DQ on NXT.
Grade: C
After the match, Maverick saved him Dain from another chair shot, and the Beast of Belfast sent the Undisputed Era packing. Maverick was a little bit too excited about their win, hitting Dain in the chest and claiming to be a great team. Dain responded by clocking him in the jaw with a big right hand.
Jake Atlas was asked about his upcoming match against Tommaso Ciampa. Atlas said he wanted to prove that Ciampa lit a fire under him. That better be the case, as Ciampa attacked Atlas from behind.
Security and, oddly enough, Kyle O'Reilly put a stop to it, with O'Reilly saying to cut out the parking lot drama and save it for next week's NXT.
William Regal made an announcement regarding the NXT Championship picture. Now that we have a new champion in Finn Balor, it's time to decide the challenger. To do that, several of NXT's best and brightest will compete in a new match that Regal has dubbed the "Gauntlet Eliminator."
It will start with two men in the ring. Then, every four minutes another competitor will appear. NXT Superstars can only be eliminated by pinfall or submission. The last man standing will be Finn Balor's #1 contender.
NXT North American Championship Match: Timothy Thatcher vs Damian Priest (c)
Timothy Thatcher looked to bring the Archer of Infamy down to the mat. Damian Priest's left arm was trapped, but Thatcher was taken down by Priest, turning him over again with an arm drag.
Thatcher eventually accomplished his goal, taking Priest down with a side headlock. Priest wasn't down for long, though, and stood up for a big shoulder block. The two men traded strikes, leading to Priest going for a springboard from the apron. Thatcher caught him with an uppercut before he could, sending the NXT North American Champion to the floor.
Priest set up Thatcher for a Razor's Edge to the steps but was stopped. Thatcher launched Priest into the steel before tossing him overhead with a double under hook suplex. Back inside, Thatcher countered the running hip attack with an uppercut. Priest was again forced to fight from under Thatcher.
Thatcher withstood an aggressive assault by Priest, but a slap to Priest woke him up. The NXT North American Champion hit a strong combination followed up by a stiff clothesline. This time, his corner hip attack connected. A release falcon arrow earned Priest a two-count.
Priest goozled Thatcher but was nearly turned into an armbar. Priest escaped and hit a few roundhouse kicks. A springboard senton was avoided, and Thatcher set up for the Fujiwara Armbar. Priest stood up, managing to avoid it for the moment.
Another trade of strikes saw Thatcher take a lot of punishment. He caught a roundhouse, though, and took the big man down for a standing heel hook. Priest shoved him away but was locked in a single leg Boston crab. Priest managed to escape again, but a clothesline was turned into the Fujiwara Armbar.
Priest managed to reach the ropes with his leg. He then caught Thatcher with a jumping flatliner followed by the South of Heaven chokeslam. Still, Thatcher kicked out. Priest blocked another Fujiwara Armbar attempt and hit the Cyclone Kick. A top rope spinning heel kick dazed Thatcher, who was then planted with The Reckoning.
Results: Damian Priest defeated Timothy Thatcher via pinfall on NXT.
Grade: A
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