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Last week's NXT saw a hellacious war between Tommaso Ciampa and Johnny Gargano, ending with a disgusting turn by Candice LeRae, who baited Ciampa in by kicking her husband in the groin. Gargano was wearing a cup, however, and LeRae's real target was the Blackhearted One.
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When Gargano and LeRae left the building, the WWE Universe saw two people watching from afar. Who were in the vehicle, and why are they focused on the former DIY?
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Tonight was the beginning of the Interim Cruiserweight Championship Tournament. With Jordan Devlin stuck in the UK due to the coronavirus, NXT would be crowning a new champion until he could resume his regular duties in the US. The round robin tournament kicked off with an absolutely incredible competition between Akira Tozawa and Isaiah "Swerve" Scott.
We started the night off with The Prince, Finn Balor. A while back, Balor went to NXT UK in order to vanquish the Hatchet Man, Alexander Wolfe. Tonight, he had his sights set on another member of Imperium.
Finn Balor vs Fabian Aichner
We saw a pretty even contest between Finn Balor and Fabian Aichner, with both men trading holds on the mat. Aichner rolled Balor over with a sunset flip but was met with a dropkick instead.
Aichner caught Balor coming off the ropes but was dropped with a Final Cut. When Marcel Barthel attempted to get in Balor's face, the Prince managed to keep his focus on his opponent, laying him out on the floor with a wrecking ball dropkick.
The numbers game would catch up with Balor, however, as another distraction allowed Aichner to drop him with a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker. A series of strikes followed by a big lariat put Balor down for a two-count.
As Balor was sent to the floor, Aichner distracted the referee allowing Barthel to dish out some more damage to the former NXT Champion. Still, Balor was able to avoid the running knee on the steel steps by Aichner.
Barthel was met with a sling blade and a shotgun dropkick through the barricade for his trouble. Aichner attempted to take advantage, tossing Balor back inside for the triangle moonsault. Balor avoided it and launched Aichner into the corner with the shotgun dropkick.
A Coup de Grace and 1916 put Aichner down, giving Balor another victory over Imperium.
Results: Finn Balor defeated Fabian Aichner via pinfall.
Grade: B+
Ten days ago, Charlotte Flair dethroned Rhea Ripley at WrestleMania to become the new NXT Women's Champion. Tonight, Flair made a pretty impressive claim. She planned on becoming the first competitor to dominate three generations of WWE Superstars.
During her first run in NXT, she defeated Natalya to become the first-ever NXT Women's Champion. On the main roster, she knocked off Nikki Bella and Paige and even forced WWE Hall of Famer Trish Stratus to tap out.
During her time on RAW and SmackDown, she dominated the current generation. Becky Lynch, Bayley, Sasha Banks, Alexa Bliss, Naomi, Asuka and were forced to bend the knee when they stepped into the ring with Charlotte.
As far as NXT is concerned, the next generation, there's a long list of credible opponents for The Queen. The first woman she plans on taking on? Ironically, her first opponent in NXT years ago, Mia Yim. However, the winner of the #1 contenders ladder match, Io Shirai, may have something to say about that.
Aliyah vs Xia Li
Xia Li rushed the ring to get some revenge on Aliyah, who cost Li her shot at the ladder match weeks ago. Aliyah hid in the ropes, using the rules to her advantage in order to catch Li with a pump kick that knocked Li on her back.
Li was able to get back in the bout with some wicked strikes. A series of kicks to the face of Aliyah reminded fans of the night where Aliyah broke her nose last year. Once she was in control, Li made quick work of Aliyah, ending her night with the windmill kick.
Results: Xia Li defeated Aliyah via pinfall.
Grade: C
Backstage, Stallion Riddle was talking to Stallion Pete on the phone about who his tag team partner was. Apparently, the Bruiserweight knew and was keeping it a secret from the King of Bros.
We kicked off the Cruiserweight Championship Tournament tonight with two members from Group B, which consists of El Hijo del Fantasma, Jack Gallagher, Akira Tozawa, and Isaiah "Swerve" Scott.
Isaiah "Swerve" Scott vs Akira Tozawa
It didn't take long for this one to break down to a striking contest. After some brief mat wrestling, both competitors stood up to trade chops and strikes. Tozawa caught Scott with the fake right, following up with a pump kick that sent his opponent to the floor.
Tozawa continued to boot Scott in the head before setting up a possible dive to the floor. Scott countered, launching Tozawa overhead with a leaping hurricanrana. On the inside, "Swerve" continued to work over Tozawa, wearing him down with a chin lock. Tozawa fought him off, sending him overhead.
Scott avoided a dive, but Tozawa caught himself before diving to the floor, setting up on the apron for a rolling senton into the barricade. Back inside, Scott was met with a missile dropkick. 1-2-kick out by Scott.
Tozawa trapped Scott in the Iron Octopus, hoping for a submission victory in the tournament. Scott broke out but was caught in a dragon sleeper. Again, Scott escaped, and again he was latched in another submission, this time a guillotine. He finally broke free, dropping Tozawa with a brainbuster.
Still, Tozawa rolled up Scott for another near fall. Scott kicked out and began to build up steam, stopping Tozawa's striking combination for a German suplex and the House Call. Tozawa kicked out.
Tozawa caught Scott running in the corner and dumped him on the turnbuckle with a overhead belly to belly. A windmill kick and a Senton Splash from the top rope put "Swerve" away.
Results: Akira Tozawa defeated Isaiah "Swerve" Scott via pinfall.
Grade: A
Tozawa was interviewed after the match, simply saying he'll be Cruiserweight Champion again.
Next week, we'll continue the Cruiserweight Championship Tournament. It will also be the NXT debut of El Hijo del Fantasma, a Superstar the WWE Universe has been anticipating for months.
Could this luchador be behind the recent kidnappings on NXT? With the henchmen all wearing luchador masks, it's definitely left Fantasma in the list of suspects.
Tegan Nox vs Raquel Gonzalez w/Dakota Kai
Raquel Gonzalez overpowered Tegan Nox early, dropping the Girl with the Shiniest Wizard with a backbreaker before driving her knee into her spine while pulling her hair.
Gonzalez continued to quell any attempts at a comeback from Nox, refusing to get tossed into the turnbuckle. Gonzalez's smashmouth offense was a lot to handle. Gonzalez hung Nox up on the turnbuckle and distracted the ref, allowing Kai to rock her with a big boot.
Shotzi Blackheart rushed down to take out Kai with her helmet. The distraction allowed Nox to roll up Gonzalez with a schoolboy for the win.
Results: Tegan Nox defeated Raquel Gonzalez via pinfall.
Grade: C
We saw another video giving us some backstory on another current NXT Champion, the North American Champion Keith Lee. The Limitless One revealed that his grandmother introduced him to the sport, but the rest of his family weren't excited about his dream. He had even gotten kicked out of the house for a while.
Lee said it took thirteen years for people to get him. "You're too big, you don't wrestle like us." He was looked down upon by many. However, in NXT, he shot straight to the top, becoming the Breakout Superstar of 2019 and capturing his title, knocking off one of the best Superstars on the roster, Roderick Strong.
Whatever's next, Keith Lee is ready.
Dexter Lumis vs Tehuti Miles
Miles rushed at Lumis and was immediately knocked down to the mat. However, he was able to get in a few dropkicks, stunning Lumis. That didn't last long, though, as a Double A spinebuster planted Miles firmly in the middle of the ring.
The sit-out uranage into the Anaconda Vice quickly forced a submission victory.
Results: Dexter Lumis defeated Tehuti Miles via submission.
Grade: C-
It had been teased all night that Adam Cole and Velveteen Dream would meet face to face tonight. However, a pre-taped video was sent in, showing Adam Cole relaxing at his house. The NXT Champion said it was important to focus on reality in a time like this, and the reality is there's nobody on the Black & Yellow brand worthy of challenging him.
Tonight's about the Undisputed Era, with Bobby Fish & Roderick Strong looking to pick up the NXT Tag Team Titles tonight. After that, they're only one piece away from being truly Undisputed.
Velveteen Dream came out to call out Adam Cole. He knew that Cole thought highly of himself. He may be the longest-reigning NXT Champion, but he's also the last remaining champion of the Undisputed Era.
Before he could continue, he was interrupted by Finn Balor. The Prince was insulted that Dream called Cole the greatest NXT Champion of all time, and threatened that ignorant comments would get him a date with Balor.
Dream accepted, setting up a match next Wednesday.
Backstage, Malcolm Bivens and Indus Sher were waiting to see who would join Matt Riddle in the NXT Tag Team Title match tonight. It didn't matter who joined Stallion Riddle, or who won the match. Regardless, those belts are coming right to Bivens Enterprises.
Pete Dunne introduced Matt Riddle's partner on the titantron, revealing it would be someone that liked to break jaws as much as the Bruiserweight. It was none other than recent NXT signee Timothy Thatcher that would join the King of Bros in his fight against the Undisputed Era.
NXT Tag Team Championship: Undisputed Era (Bobby Fish & Roderick Strong) vs Matt Riddle (c) & Timothy Thatcher
Matt Riddle teased Bobby Fish with the "How much Fish" joke, leading to Fish rushing the champion. Riddle took Fish to the mat and nearly locked in a rear-naked choke. Fish made it to the ropes, forcing the break.
Fish and Riddle battled back and forth in a showing of mat prowess before RIddle dumped FIsh to the floor with an exploded suplex as we cut to break. When we came back from commercial, Thatcher and Strong were in the ring.
Thatcher trapped Strong in a bow and arrow stretch, forcing Strong to pull himself to the ropes. Fish tagged in, and the numbers game hindered Thatcher for a moment, but once Fish and Thatcher moved to the mat, the British Messiah picked up where he left off, hammering Fish.
Strong tagged in again and was rocked with an uppercut. Riddle tagged in for a butterfly suplex/penalty kick combo. Strong kicked out at two and was hit with a Broton. A series of gutwrench suplexes sent Strong across the ring. Thatcher ran in when Fish tried to break it up, leading to a pair of Gutwrench suplexes.
Riddle motioned Thatcher to get close and hold his hands together, allowing Riddle to bounce off of him for a moonsault. As Thatcher moved to the outside, he was sent into the barricade by a waiting FIsh.
From here on, the Undisputed Era tore apart Riddle. Backbreakers and back suplexes wore down Riddle. On the floor, the Era battered Riddle and tossed him into the steel steps. However, when they looked up, Dexter Lumis was gazing from afar.
As Lumis looked on, Riddle battled back against the former champions. However, Fish caught a roundhouse attempt, allowing Strong to drop him with an Olympic Slam. Fish continued to torture Riddle, hammering him with precise shots. However, an attempted triple suplex attempt allowed Riddle to drop him with a fisherman suplex on the third attempt.
Riddle finally tagged in Thatcher, who dropped both members of the Era with multiple belly to belly suplexes. With Strong as the legal man, Thatcher battered him in the ropes and connected with a step-up enziguri. The Fujiwara Armbar was nearly locked in.
Strong blocked a butterfly suplex and connected with two stiff kicks to the head. Fish tagged in for a running crossbody that only earned him a two.
Strong tagged in and Riddle leapt into the fray to stop the High Low, taking out Fish with a knee. Thatcher then caught Strong in the Fujiwara Armbar, retaining the belts for the BroSerweights.
Results: Timothy Thatcher & Matt Riddle defeated Undisputed Era via submission.
Grade: A
After the match, Tommaso Ciampa addressed Johnny Gargano, Candice LeRae, and the NXT Universe. Ciampa said he was done with this, done with all of it. He congratulated Gargano on being the better man, but before he could continue was laid out by Killer Kross, with a mysterious pair of boots standing next to the injured Blackheart.
