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A Karrion Kross vignette aired, with both Kross and Scarlet warning of the arrival of Doomsday. Last week on NXT, Kross demolished Damian Priest. Tonight, he returns to the ring.
During the break, Malcolm Bivens went to the ring to build up Tyler Rust. Bivens said that Rust was a star, and told him to pick his head up. Looks like Bivens believes Rust can be a big player in NXT and wants to go along for the ride.
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Just before the No. 1 Contender's Match took place, the NXT Tag Team Champions were assaulted by Killian Dain and Drake Maverick, Undisputed Era, and Breezango. Pete Dunne and Kyle O'Reilly were left all alone for what was set to be the match of the night.
No. 1 Contenders Match for the NXT Championship: Kyle O'Reilly vs Pete Dunne
Dunne and O'Reilly completely ignored the chaos outside of the ring. Dunne outwrestled the multi-time NXT Tag Team Champion early, locking him in several unique submissions.
O'Reilly managed to break away, managing to mount Dunne for some shots to the face before going for the cross armbreaker. Dunne rolled through, and the back and forth truly began with both men looking to lock in the perfect hold to pick up an early submission victory.
When that stalemate was over, Dunne threw out the first real offense of the match, rocking O'Reilly with a clothesline. On the floor, Dunne missed a moonsault but landed on his feet. A boot rocked O'Reilly. They brawled at ringside to the nine-count before rushing back in the ring to continue the slugfest.
O'Reilly hit a nasty combination that worked over Dunne's leg, sending the former NXT UK Champion to the apron for a kick to the spine. During the break, though, Dunne got the upper hand working over O'Reilly's...hand.
Back from the break, a rebound German suplex and x-plex planted O'Reilly. Dunne knelt in O'Reilly's hand, slowly looking to break it piece by piece. The body manipulation continued with a leaping stomp hyper extending O'Reilly's arm. Dunne continued to pelt Kyle with kicks and elbows.
O'Reilly finally got an opening after catching Dunne with a knee to the gut. A pop-up roundhouse set up for another strong striking combination, capped off with a leg sweep that left Dunne in the corner. Dunne escaped a shoulder breaker, but was tossed overhead with two clenching butterfly suplexes capped off with an elevated butterfly DDT. Dunne kicked out at two.
Both men battled on the top rope. Kyle O'Reilly's spider German failed as Dunne landed on his feet. A series of kicks and a leaping dropkick left O'Reilly nearlyout cold.
Following another break, O'Reilly and Dunne were stuck on opposite sides of the ring post pulling one another into the turnbuckle. Dunne planted O'Reilly with a sit-out powerbomb for a nearfall. O'Reilly was then caught in an odd angled armbar, as his body was contorted in a gruesome way. Somehow he made it to the ropes.
They traded ankle locks, armbars and more, leading to Dunne going for a Kimura Lock. O'Reilly held his own tights stopping the hold. A brainbuster spiked the Brusierweight of NXT, giving O'Reilly some time to breathe.
Dunne was rocked by a jumping knee that knocked his mouth guard out, and dropped him on his head with a leg trapped high angle back suplex. Somehow Dunne kicked out. He was punished with some heavy kicks to the jaw, but jumped up to his feet to stomp on O'Reilly's fingers. In the ropes, Dunne snapped O'Reilly's hand before going for the Bitter End on the apron.
O'Reilly countered into a suplex off the apron to the floor. With Dunne left hanging in the ropes, a diving knee from O'Reilly smashed his face into the mat. 1-2-3, Kyle O'Reilly will be heading to NXT New Year's Evil.
Results: Kyle O'Reilly defeated Pete Dunne via pinfall on NXT.
Grade: A+
Far and away, that was the best match of the week. We're getting O'Reilly/Balor II, folks. It's going to be a banger in two weeks on NXT.
