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Tonight's NXT marked a new era for the Black & Gold brand. Tonight began the Era of the Time Splitter. Kushida would finally make his debut for the company in a one-on-one matchup against the Knockout Artist Kassius Ohno.
The freakish monstrosity that is Dominic Dijakovic was also in action tonight, as he faced off against the high-flying Mansoor in singles action tonight. Dijakovic has said that he wants to take advantage of the opportunity he found in America, and that includes running through any and everyone that's unfortunate enough to find themselves in his way.
Tonight, though, we started off with six-man tag team action. Oney Lorcan & Danny Burch teamed up with Humberto Carrillo to take on the Forgotten Sons. Last week, Carrillo took on Jaxson Ryker in singles action, which was ended in a no contest after Ryker continued to assault the young star outside of the ring. Lorcan & Burch saved him from any further injury, holding off the sons with chairs.
Oney Lorcan, Danny Burch, and Humberto Carrillo vs The Forgotten Sons
Steve Cutler and Oney Lorcan started off the match. Cutler was near twice the size of Lorcan but the Star Destroyer's speed and striking ability allowed him to knock out his opponent and Wesley Blake. Burch and Carrillo knocked Ryker off the ropes, allowing Lorcan to dive onto all three of the Sons.
Cutler was brought back in wher he was left in his opponent's corner. Burch tagged in, followed by Carrillo, who pelted Cutler with stiff strikes followed by a rolling moonsault. Cutler tagged Ryker before being launched across the ring with a springboard armdrag, allowing the leader of the group to spike him with a spinebuster. As he choked out Carrillo in the ropes, Cutler Blake tagged in. Cutler launched his tag team partner onto Carrillo's back.
Blake wrestled him down to the middle of the ring with a side headlock. He dragged the cruiserweight to his corner where he and Cutler dropped him with a double neckbreaker, followed by Ryker who connected with a diving headbutt.
Carrillo was locked in a sleeper hold, but nearly snuck away with a pin. Ryker broke out but missed a headbutt, allowing Carrillo to tag in Burch. The veteran leveled all three members of the trio. A tagged in Cutler was met by a German suplex, a clothesline in the corner, and a missile dropkick.
A crossface almost gave him the win for his team, but Ryker broke up the hold. As he beat down Burch, a missile dropkick from Carrillo took him off his feet, leaving him outside. Lorcan and Blake found themselves outside, where Ryker pushed Blake out of the way, forcing Carrillo to dive into Lorcan with a suicide dive.
Burch found himself in a three-on-one situation against the Sons. He put up a valiant fight, but their combined force was too much to bear. Two powerbombs from Ryker into the knees of Cutler could've finished the match, but they made a statement by dropping Burch and Carrillo with a dual Lost and the Damned.
Results: The Forgotten Sons defeated Danny Burch, Oney Lorcan, & Humberto Carrillo.
Footage shown from earlier shows Cathy Kelly asking Shayna Baszler if her recent assaults on Io Shirai were out of frustration, as the Genius of the Sky holds a pinfall victory over the NXT Women's Champion.
Footage from earlier in the day showed Bianca Belair and Mia Yim get into a heated altercation at the Performance Center. Afterward, it was revealed that the HBIC would take on the EST of NXT next week.
Mansoor vs Dominic Dijakovic
Mansoor avoided an early discus boot from Dijakovic, trying to wear down the big man with a headlock. Dijakovic forced him into the corner. Mansoor continued to escape his clutches and sent him into the corner with a hurricanrana.
A running boot to the corner stunned him. However, Dijakovic caught a diving Mansoor, connecting with a backbreaker before tossing him outside the ring like a bag of trash. Back inside, a release suplex saw Mansoor sent nearly across the entire ring. The young upstart kicked out of the pinfall, but that only extended his punishment. Several elbow strikes and chops in the corner were followed up by a delayed high angle backbreaker.
Dijakovic stood atop the middle rope, diving onto Mansoor with a body splash. After he kicked out, Dijakovic locked him in a rear chin lock. Mansoor broke out but was beaten down for his trouble.
Mansoor managed to get back in the match after a kick in the corner. Another high angle backbreaker was countered, with Mansoor landing on his feet and connecting with two enzeguris to the head. Mansoor went up for a springboard maneuver, but was stunned with a superkick. A striking combination finished with a discus lariat was probably enough to finish him off, but Dijakovic ended it with the Feast Your Eyes.
Results: Dominic Dijakovic defeated Mansoor via pinfall.
After the match, Velveteen Dream was rolled out on the stage. He then recited his own version of the National Anthem, which we're dubbing the Velvational Anthem. While his singing leaves a lot to be desired, the Vainglorious One ran down his recent accomplishments, including defending the NXT North American Championship against Matt Riddle and Buddy Murphy. After taking away Dijakovic's thunder, he finished with, "Dream Over."
The Undisputed Era cut a promo on next week's matchup between Adam Cole and Matt Riddle. Cole said the group only focuses on the future, but after calling out Roderick Strong for "dropping the ball" the week prior, the Messiah of the Backbreaker stormed off. Bobby Fish followed after him while Kyle O'Reilly and Cole stood confused.
Kassius Ohno vs Kushida
Kushida offered his hand in respect to Ohno. Ohno kicked it away, continuing to disrespect everyone he comes into contact with. Kushida was overpowered early, dropped on his face with a mat slam.
Ohno locked him down with a side headlock, but Kushida flipped out into a wrist lock. Ohno continued to try to overpower Kushida, but the Time Splitter managed to outwrestle him. Kushida avoided a leg drop from Ohno, countering with a dropkick to the face. A standing moonsault was countered into a cravate. Kushida escaped and both men found themselves ready to throw hands in the middle of the ring.
Ohno knelt down and offered him respect finally. Kushida shook his hand and was met with a big boot for his misplaced trust. On the ropes, an enziguri from Kushida stunned Ohno, allowing him to come in with a springboard tomahawk chop. Ohno avoided a roundhouse kick, bringing Kushida down from on high with an electric chair facebuster. With possibly a broken nose, Kushida fired up, driving Ohno face first into the second turnbuckle with a flatliner. A springboard dragonrana nearly gave him the win, but Ohno kicked out.
Kushida matched the Knockout Artist strike for strike. After a massive kick, Kushida went for a handspring elbow, but a rolling elbow nearly ended the match for the newest NXT star. Kushida kicked out, and brought Ohno down with the windup punch.
Kushida tapped Ohno out with the Hoverboard Lock.
Results: Kushida defeated Ohno via pinfall.
Kushida's debut on the Black & Yellow brand was successful. What does the future hold for him?
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