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WWE delivered an action-packed episode of NXT tonight, as we were treated to two title matches. The Broserweights would defend the NXT Tag Team Titles against the Undisputed Era's Kyle O'Reilly & Bobby Fish, while Cameron Grimes challenged Keith Lee for the NXT North American Championship.
We also continued the qualifying matches for the women's ladder match at NXT TakeOver: Tampa. The Head Baddie in Charge took on the cruel Captain of Team Kick, Dakota Kai.
Tonight's episode of NXT took place in the WWE Performance Center, and we kicked off with the NXT North American Championship match!
New Champs in WWE! More RIGHT HERE
NXT North American Championship: Cameron Grimes vs Keith Lee (c)
Cameron Grimes rushed in for a boot but was tossed 360 degrees by the Limitless One. Lee was able to block any attempted takedowns by his challenger and nearly caved his chest in with the Grizzly Magnum chop.
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A few kicks caught Lee off guard and sent him to the floor, but he recovered and caught Grimes diving off, nearly powerbombing him on the ramp. Grimes held onto the ropes and stomped on Lee's face, but a second dive saw Lee catch him with ease.
Grimes avoided a second Spirit Bomb but was cut off the apron, crashing to the floor. Lee continued to clobber him inside the ring, taking him to the corner. While he set up for a superplex, Grimes escaped and kicked him off the turnbuckle. A high angle cross body took Lee off his feet for the first time in the match.
Lee was flustered here, and Grimes was constantly able to avoid any big impacts thrown out by the champion. Lee bounced off the turnbuckle, allowing Grimes to trip him up and work him over with a rear chin lock.
Grimes connected with a series of chest kicks and locked in an octopus stretch. Lee was able to break out simply by standing up, and cut Grimes in half with a cross body block. Grimes escaped both the Big Bang Catastrophe and Spirit Bomb, and rocked Lee with a superkick and roundhouse kick. A bridging German suplex earned the challenger a two-count.
A tilt-a-whirl DDT also nearly dethroned Lee. Grimes set up for the Cave In but was instead caught in another powerbomb attempt. Though Grimes broke away, the Pounce launched him nearly out of the ring. Big Bang Catastrophe dashed all hopes of Grimes' title hopes.
Results: Keith Lee defeated Cameron Grimes via pinfall.
After the match, Lee was blindsided by Damian Priest, who hammered the champion with a nightstick. Before he could dish out anymore damage, he was chased off by Dominik Dijakovic. However, Lee didn't see who attacked him, so when Dijakovic attempted to pick him up, he was met with a pop-up powerbomb instead.
Mia Yim vs Dakota Kai w/Raquel Gonzalez
Dakota Kai shot in for a quick single-leg dropkick, but was sent to the mat by Mia Yim. The Blasian Baddie lit up Kai with knee strikes to the gut. An ankle pick and a basement dropkick saw Kai nearly get pinned early in the bout.
Kai was hung up in the ropes after missing a boot, but thanks to Raquel Gonzalez, she had a chance to get back in the match. A snake eyes from Gonzalez dropped Yim face-first on the apron.
As we returned from commercial break, Kai was taken down by Yim with a neckbreaker, and the HBIC battered Kai with a series of boots. However, she was able to hang Yim up on the ropes to set up the Kairopractor and a near fall. Several kicks to the side of the head left Yim in the corner for the running boot, but she ducked and instead planted Kai with a powerbomb.
Gonzalez pulled Yim's leg out as she pinned Kai, forcing the ref to toss her out. The ref distraction allowed Yim to connect with a Code Breaker, sending her to TakeOver: Tampa.
Results: Mia Yim defeated Dakota Kai via pinfall.
Yim wasn't allowed to celebrate after, as Gonzalez rolled in for a massive powerbomb. Gonzalez then consoled Kai as they left the arena.
There are still four members left in the #1 contender's ladder match. One of those slots would be filled later tonight as Tegan Nox took on Deonna Purrazzo.
Another vignette played, again showing some horrifying imagery along with the words "Tick Tock". Wouldn't want to...Kross...whoever may be on there way to the Black & Gold brand. The clock is ticking.
Kushida vs Raul Mendoza
Kushida and Raul Mendoza were matched pretty evenly in terms of speed. A tope con hilo from the Time Splitter, though, took Mendoza to the floor. Back inside, Mendoza avoided a dive and planted Kushida with a spinning brainbuster and a springboard moonsault to follow up. Kushida kicked out at two.
Mendoza's half nelson suplex was blocked, and Kushida rocked him with a handspring back elbow and a cartwheel basement dropkick. As Mendoza recovered in the corner, he avoided a running attack and connected with an enziguri. Mendoza set up for an avalanche maneuver but was countered by Kushida, who took him to the mat with a cross armbreaker.
Results: Kushida defeated Raul Mendoza via submission.
It's been a rocky first year for Kushida in NXT. An injury in late 2019 halted his progression on the brand after a great match with Walter. Though he's been used sparingly since then, hopefully 2020 has a lot more in store for him
Austin Theory interrupted an interview with Tyler Breeze, who was going into the importance of the Performance Center. Theory said he was a huge fan, and it was too bad that Breeze never got to "superstardom". Breeze took a picture and stated that Theory looked great for a flash in the pan.
Rhea Ripley came out to the ring to talk about her upcoming match with Charlotte Flair. The NXT Women's Champion said that it was, without a doubt, the biggest match in her career. Before she could continue, Charlotte's music hit.
The Queen received "You Don't Go Here" and "Go Back to RAW" chants as she talked about what Ripley should expect at WrestleMania. The Triple Crown Champion said that in Tampa, she'd drown the fasting rising Superstar in the WWE.
The two brawled for a moment before Charlotte went for the Figure-8. Ripley fought her off, but se continued the attack, driving Ripley's leg into the ring post. She then trapped her in a Figure-4 using the post. The refs rushed in to stop it, but the damage had already been done. Charlotte stood atop the champion while Ripley held her damaged knee.
Finn Balor cut a promo on Walter, hinting that he may be taking a trip across the pond to answer the UK Champion's challenge.
Mia Yim was walking to her car when she witnessed Raul Mendoza get kidnapped by two masked men. They drove off before anyone could stop them. What's happened to Mendoza?
Tegan Nox vs Deonna Purrazzo
Deonna Purrazzo whipped Tegan Nox shoulder first into the mat, attempting to weaken her for the Fujiwara Armbar. A snap exploder suplex gave her a two-count.
Nox recovered, sending Purrazzo into the corner for the canonboar. However, Purrazzo's knees went up, allowing her to boot Nox in the shoulder. The Fujiwara Armbar was locked in, but Nox managed to roll Purrazzo over for a pinfall. While she kicked out, Purrazzo was met by the Shiniest Wizard, sending Nox to TakeOver.
Results: Tegan Nox defeated Deonna Purrazzo via pinfall
With that, half of the field for the six-woman ladder match is set. Chelsea Green defeated Shotzi Blackheart last week, becoming the first to enter the match. Now with Mia Yim and Tegan Nox winning their qualifying matches, there are only three competitors left to find.
Next up was our main event, the NXT Tag Team Championship match. However, after the Undisputed Era entered, the music of the Velveteen Dream hit. The Vainglorious One said that it's always been about Adam Cole, and he never cared about Roderick Strong or his family. After all, they're "just tights."
While Dream stated that he and Cole were destined to fight at TakeOver: Tampa, Cole reminded him that he lost last week and has, in no way, earned a title bout. Next week, Cole and the Era will hold a celebration, as the Panama City Playboy will become the longest-reigning NXT Champion in history.
Cole and Strong were torn between going after Velveteen Dream and sticking around for the title match against Matt Riddle & Pete Dunne, but ultimately decided to stay ringside.
NXT Tag Team Championship: Undisputed Era (Kyle O'Reilly & Bobby Fish) w/Adam Cole & Roderick Strong vs The BroSerweights (c)
Fish took Riddle to the mat, but the amatuer wrestling background of Riddle allowed him to turn it around, slamming Fish. A series of gutwrench suplexes dumped Fish. O'Reilly rushed in to stop the second only to get caught by Pete Dunne, who sent him over with a gutwrench suplex of his own.
As we came back from the break, Riddle was left in a poor position with the Undisputed Era tearing him apart two-on-one. The three-time tag team champions cut the ring in half while connecting with stiff kicks and forearms.
A pele kick rocked Fishh, who tagged O'Reilly in. However, he wouldn't be able to stop Riddle from getting to his corner. Dunne took out O'Reilly's knee with a second rope dropkick and locked in a triangle choke. Fish pulled O'Reilly away from trouble, and Riddle dove on all four of the Undisputed Era.
Riddle tossed Cole in while the ref was distracted. Dunne clapped his hands and fell to the floor When the ref turned around, all he saw was Cole standing over Dunne. Riddle rushed in and said that Cole caught his partner with a superkick, forcing the official to throw Cole and Strong out.
O'Reilly tossed Dunne to the floor and tagged in Fish. When Dunne was in between the ropes, a dragon screw leg whip and a leg sweep from the Era took the Bruiserweight to the mat. The Era spent the entire commercial break tearing apart the legs of Dunne.
Dunne blocked a slingshot senton with his knees, making it to Riddle. The Original Bro lit up Fish and O'Reilly with exploder suplexes, Brotons, penalty kicks, and a fisherman buster to O'Reilly for a near fall.
O'Reilly and Fish attempted tandem German suplexes, but the champs landed on their feet and connected with kicks to the side of their opponents' jaws. Dunne dropped O'Reilly with a powerbomb, but he kicked out.
Dunne and O'Reilly were taken out by a striking trade, forcing Fish and Riddle to tag in. O'Reilly tagged Fish just as he was spiked with a German suplex, dropping onto a bridged Riddle with a knee drop. Dunne broke up the pin.
Dunne was sent into the barricade as Fish and O'Reilly hit Chasing the Dragon on Riddle. He kicked out and lit up both challengers. Avoiding the High Low, a double leaping clothesline took out the Era. Just as Riddle and Dunne recovered, the Grizzled Young Vets rushed to the ring.
A cheap shot from Zach Gibson nearly cost Riddle and Dunne the titles. Riddle kicked out and the champs sent Fish into the Vets. The BroSerweights hit their finish on O'Reilly, retaining the titles.
Results: The BroSerweights defeated the Undisputed Era via pinfall.
Tommaso Ciampa was standing in the middle of the ring when we came back from the final break. He demanded Johnny Gargano come out and explain his actions. Gargano appeared on the titantron, stating that he didn't forget what Ciampa did to him and NXT over the past three years, even if te NXT fanbase may have.
Gargano asked where Ciampa's apology was. He was instantly forgiven, and it was something that he just didn't understand. By the time he'd gotten to that point, Ciampa had already left the ring and rushed to Gargano. Chairs, laptops, crutches and more were destroyed as Ciampa mauled his former best friend.
Gargano moved to the gym area, where he and Ciampa took turns bouncing each other off equipment. Ciampa was blinded by some kind of spray, allowing Gargano to drive him headfirst through a window Shawn Michaels style. The first-ever NXT Triple Crown Champion picked up a weight, intending to bash it over Ciampa's head. The Blackhearted One avoided it, driving it into Gargano's gut.
Gargano narrowly avoided a thrown weight and moved to the ringside area. Ciampa followed as best he could wihle Gargano took potshots. A running knee to Gargano's head sent he and Ciampa through the guard rail.
They made their way to an elevated stage, where Gargano set up for an Air Raid Crash through the announcer's desk. Ciampa fought out, but was trapped in the Garga-No Escape.
Ciampa recovered and took Gargano off the stage through the table with the Air Raid Crash, bouncing off the remnants of the table.
