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What a difference a week makes. On the January 22nd edition of NXT, the Undisputed Era's dominant death grip on the Black and Gold brand was released when Keith Lee tore the North American Championship away from Roderick Strong. Over the weekend, the Undisputed fell further, taking a loss to Imperium, even though they had a 4-3 advantage in the match.
Beth Phoenix was at the commentary table tonight with Mauro Ranallo and Nigel McGuinness, despite the brutal beat down her husband received at the hands of Randy Orton on Monday. Phoenix said she wished she was at Edge's side, but the Rated-R Superstar told her to do her job tonight.
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We kicked off the night with Finn Balor and Trent Seven. Last night, Balor assaulted Seven in the parking lot as payback for Tyler Bate interfering in the Prinxe's assault on Johnny Gargano at Worlds Collide. Seven didn't take the attack laying down and looked to put Balor in his place tonight.
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Finn Balor vs Trent Seven
Before Seven could roll into the ring, Balor sent him to the floor with a baseball slide. He made it back inside the ring, though, forcing the ref to start the match. Balor continued to brutalize the former tag team champion.
Balor focused on the neck injury, a bruised larynx Seven received from the former NXT Champion last night, attemptingt choke the life out of him. Seven finally got some offense in, turning Balor's chest beet red with a series of chops. A slingblade, though, turned it back in Balor's favor.
Throughout the break, Balor kept the aggression up, hammering the Don with elbows and kicks to prevent his opponent from building up any kind of momentum. A DDT finally gave Seven a chance to respond, and a snap half nelson suplex set up for the Seven Stars Lariat.
Balor managed to kick out, just barely, before rolling to the apron. Seven brought him back inside, but took to long climbing to the top. Balor dropped him on his neck from the turnbuckle. As Seven stood up, he was launched into the corner with the shotgun dropkick.
The Coup de Grace and 1916 put Seven away.
Results: Finn Balor defeated Trent Seven via pinfall.
The Broserweights were interviewed about their chances in the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic Finals by Cathy Kelly. Matt Riddle promised that he and Dunne were going to celebrate in a big way once they captured the trophy, and we'd see that the former UK Champion is actually the life of the party.
Dunne only promised snapped fingers and bones, which Riddle thought was a little extreme.
Tegan Nox and Dakota Kai will finally face off on NXT tonight.
Prior to the next match, a strange short vignette aired. Not much was revealed, though it seemed like the date of a possible debut was shown? 02/05/20 would be the date of next week's NXT. What does this all mean?
Shotzi Blackheart vs Deonna Purrazzo
It's important that I point out that Shotzi Blackheart came out in a tank. She's the best.
Deonna Purrazzo caught Blackheart coming off the ropes for an arm breaker. The Virtuoso continued to focus on the arm hoping to lock in the Fujiwara Armbar. Blackheart was able to get back in the match with a series of strikes. A spinning back elbow and the Question Mark Kick earned the newcomer a two-count.
A lungblower left Purrazzo on the mat, allowing Blackheart to hit the Senton Splash from the top rope for the win.
Results: Shotzi Blackheart defeated Deonna Purrazzo via pinfall.
Shotzi Blackheart's star continues to rise with another big victory over a rather tough opponent. It's only a matter of time before she starts looking for gold.
Next up was the new NXT North American Champion, the Limitless Keith Lee. The Full Sail crowd erupted and rocked along to Lee's theme as he made his way to the ring.
"Oh Bask in his Glory" chants rang out as Lee pulled out a microphone. He introduced himself as the "Limitless NXT North American Champion" before recounting a promise he made to the Undisputed Era a few months back. Lee promised to take all the gold from the group, it was just a matter of which one he went after first. He's a moment maker, and now he's a prophecy ender.
Before he could continue, Damian Priest made his way to the ring. The Archer of Infamy said he's used to taking whatever he wants, and that includes Lee's new shiny toy. He was quickly interrupted by Lee's rival Dominik Dijakovic. Though he congratulated Lee and stated that he deserved it more than anyone, he felt that he deserved the first crack at the new champion.
Dijakovic called Priest a "Bootleg Marilyn Manson" before the two came to blows. With a ref rolling into the ring, the match was on.
Damian Priest vs Dominik Dijakovic
Priest made first blood with a series of strikes but was caught in a pendulum backbreaker. Dijakovic followed up with a second rope splash, getting a two-count. Priest rolled out and goaded Dijakovic in, dropping him on the apron with a crucifix bomb as we cut to commercial.
Back from the break, Priest avoided a chokebomb with the bell clap to the ears. A lariat set up for a lifting flatliner that gave Priest a two-count. Dijakovic was able to get to his feet quickly and move in for Feast Your Eyes. Priest caught Dijakovic's knee, only to get caught in a chokebomb instead.
Priest rolled out once again just to be hit with an Asai moonsault from the big man. As Dijakovic set up for a springboard on the inside, Priest caught him with a chokeslam. Both men stood up in the corner, going in for their patented discus moves, Dijakovic's cyclone boot and Priest's hurricane kick.
The Archer of Infamy was the first to his feet and ascended the turnbuckle. Dijakovic went to stop the dive, only to be spiked with an avalanche reverse hurricanrana for the near fall.
Dijakovic reversed the Reckoning with Feast Your Eyes, putting away Priest in an incredibly hard hitting hoss fight.
Results: Dominik Dijakovic defeated Damian Priest via pinfall.
Tommaso Ciampa was asked who he thought would be challenging Adam Cole for the NXT Championship at TakeOver: Portland. Ciampa responded by saying Goldie was coming home in Portland, and tonight he'd make sure of it as he walked off with a bat.
As we come back from commercial, we're treated to a pretty horrific scene. Outside of Full Sail, Bobby Fish, Kyle O'Reilly, and Roderick Strong were knocked out cold. Tommaso Ciampa dropped his bat and continued on through the building to ringside carrying a table.
As he set up the table and spray-painted an "X" on it, Adam Cole was directed to the ring, looking for revenge. Ciampa said tat tonight, Cole was going to walk down to the ring, get beaten down by him, and get sent through the table. "X marks the spot."
William Regal rushed out and revealed that he had already talked it over with Cole, and that the champion didn't care who he fought, so he was actually on his way to give Ciampa the contract anyway.
Cole attempted to defy Ciampa's orders but was driven trough the table anyway with a powerbomb. Ciampa then signed the contract with his blood after the fans, oddly enough, chanted "Use the blood."
At NXT TakeOver: Portland, Adam Cole will face his biggest threat to his throne when he defends his title against the most dangerous man on the roster, Tommaso Ciampa.
Tegan Nox vs Dakota Kai
Tegan Nox tossed her knee brace at Dakota Kai, surprising her with a right hand. The former Team Kick members brawled into the corner, where Kai rocked Nox with a face wash. Nox was spun around on the apron for a strong boot to the side of the head before getting dumped into the fans.
Kai lost control, getting her face smashed against a railing, but recovered with a boot to the nose as they got back to ringside. Nox stopped a chair shot with a kick to the gut. On the inside, Kai attempted to hit Nox with the knee brace, but Nox ducked and dumped her outside with a German suplex.
Kai tried to hit Nox with the chair again, but Candice LeRae rushed down to tear it away from Kai's grasp. As Kai rolled back in, with the referee distracted, Nox bashed her over the head with her knee brace. Following the Shiniest Wizard, Nox finally got some revenge on her former best friend.
Results: Tegan Nox defeated Dakota Kai via pinfall.
Nox and LeRae celebrated at the top of the ramp as Kai tried to shake herself back into reality.
Chelsea Green w/Rob Stone vs Kayden Carter
Immediately as the bell rang, Kayden Carter shot Chelsea Green into the corner with a running dropkick. Green responded with a dropkick of her own and an Irish whip into the middle turnbuckle.
A curb stomp into the bottom turnbuckle left Carter dazed. However, Carter was able to connect with a pair of superkicks that nearly got her a shocking victory. Green stood up as Carter bounced off the ropes and seemingly ended her momentum with a bicycle kick.
As Green walked over to pin her opponent, Carter rolled her up for the victory!
Results: Kayden Carter defeated Chelsea Green via pinfall.
Kayden Carter has been facing a series of tough opponents as of late, losing to Io Shirai, Mia Yim, and Bianca Belair. The first win of the year was an impressive one and could spell big things for Carter's future.
As for the Robert Stone brand and his #1 talent? Things aren't looking good. Between a quick elimination from the Royal Rumble and a loss tonight, nothing is going Chelsea Green's way.
Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic Finals: BroserWeights (Pete Dunne & Matt Riddle) vs The Grizzled Young Vets (Zack Gibson & James Drake)
Pete Dunne started off the main event with James Drake, snapping his fingers early with a stomp. Matt Riddle tagged in, leading to a double elbow popper. Riddle nearly trapped Drake in the ankle lock, but he was left in the ropes, forcing a break.
James Drake tagged in, taking Riddle by surprise. A gutwrench suplex, though, put the BroserWeights back in the match. Dunne and Drake got back in, leading to the Bruiserweight hammering Drake with a hard forearm before landing on Gibson on the outside with a moonsault.
Drake knocked Dunne to the floor and goaded Riddle inside, forcing the referee to turn his back. Gibson and Drake then hit a double spike piledriver on the outside as we cut to commercial.
Back from the break, the Grizzled Young Veterans were unable to stop Dunne from tagging in Riddle, who lit up Gibson with a striking combination and a penalty kick before getting a two-count off a bridging German suplex.
Drake tagged in only to get split in two with a spear. The BroHammer took Gibson out, and Dunne tagged in for a powerbomb/knee combination. Drake managed to kick out just in time. Riddle tagged back in only to be caught in a sit out powerbomb/neckbreaker combination, giving Zack Gibson the near fall.
Liverpool's #1 booted Riddle in the face before tagging in Drake for the chop block/dropkick. They set up for another tag team maneuver, but Dunne rolled in, allowing the BroserWeights to respond with a pair of jumping knees. A powerbomb and Final Flash knee strike nearly put Drake away.
A series of Brotons to Drake failed to put the former tag team champion down. A DDT spiked Riddle, leading to both Dunne and Gibson tagging in. This led to the two men trading cops and punches, which saw Dunne follow up with a rebounding German suplex and a double stomp to Gibson's hands.
Dunne and Riddle locked Gibson and Drake, respectively, in ankle locks. Eventually the Vets shook them off, sending them to the floor. Drake slammed Riddle on the apron with a back body drop while Dunne set Gibson up for a diving attack.
Gibson caught Dunne out of mid-air with a throat thrust. A lariat earned him a two-count. The Vets set up for the Doomsday Device, but Dunne punched Drake out of the air. Dunne was knocked off the top turnbuckle by Drake, who was then launched over the ropes to take out Riddle.
Dunne was hit with the Ticket to Ride but kicked out. The Shankly Gates were then locked in .Drake yanked the ropes away from Dunne, then tried to prevent Riddle from breaking up the submission. Riddle, with Drake on his back, speared Gibson off of Dunne.
Gibson was sent out to the floor as the BroserWeights hit the Withered End. Drake kicked out. Dunne was knocked off the turnbuckle and set up in the electric chair on the outside. Drake dove through, hitting the Doomsday Device on the floor.
At this point, it was a two-on-one affair, with GYV taking Riddle out with the Helter Skelter and 450 Splash. Riddle kicked out.
Dunne somehow managed to recover, and after Gibson was dumped to the floor again, the BroserWeights hit the Withered End for the win, winning the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic Trophy in an incredible contest.
Results: The BroserWeights defeated the Grizzled Young Vets via pinfall.
