Mercedes Martinez and Toni Storm cut a promo on their opponents in the NXT Women's Dusty Cup tonight, claiming that they were going to knock Kacy Catanzaro and Kayden Carter out of the tournament because this isn't about friendship. It's about two tough women dominating NXT.
NXT Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic Opening Round: Lucha House Party vs Imperium
Lince Dorado started things off with Marcel Barthel, bringing down the cruiserweight to work over his arm. Dorado sent Barthel overhead but was brought down by a double throat chop from the former NXT Tag Team Champion.
Gran Metalik got the tag, however, and LHP hit Barthel with an assisted body splash. Their run was cut short, though, as Fabian Aichner was next. The powerhouse demolished Metalik, flattening him into the mat with clubbing blows.
A backbreaker snapped Metalik in half, but he was able to kick out. A reverse slingblade planted Aichner, and LHP kicked off another offensive run. With Imperium sent to the floor, Dorado went for a suicide dive. Aichner caught him, driving him spine first into the apron before planting him with a powerslam.
Metalik was hung upside down, allowing Imperium to meet in the middle with a pair of running basement dropkicks. Throughout the break, Imperium kept up the pressure, with Metalik on the apron as Dorado was stretched and beaten on the wrong side of the ring.
Dorado found himself on the top rope and managed to grip Barthel's head, spinning around the ropes for a tornado DT. Aichner and Metalik came in, and The King of The Ropes proved why he earned that nickname.
A tightrope walking hurricarnana and a double jump moonsault earned Metalik a near fall. Aichner's powerslam was stopped, but Barthel managed to tag in for Imperium to spike Metalik with a wheelbarrow implant DDT.
Imperium took Dorado up for the toss suplex. Metalik escaped to tag out, and a sunset flip/dropkick combination nearly put Aichner away. Barthel saved his partner but was tossed out for his trouble.
Barthel sent Dorado into Aichner for the toss suplex and caught Metalik diving, turning it into a death valley driver. Aichner got the two-count on Dorado. A spinebuster/penalty kick combination set up for the Imperium Bomb. However, Dorado countered Aichner with a rolling facebuster. Metalik sent Barthel into Aichner with a springboard hurricanrana.
With Metalik sending Aichner to the floor, Dorado left Barthel on the mat with a superkick. A Shooting Star Press landed perfectly across Barthel, sending Lucha House Party to the next round.
Results: Lucha House Party defeated Imperium via pinfall on NXT.
Grade: A
Lucha House Party pulled out a huge upset over Imperium. When they went to walk up the ramp, Alexander Wolfe was standing on the stage. Aichner and Barthel were seemingly terrified, and the former NXT Tag Champs straightened up for the Axeman of Imperium.