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It's the go-home show before NXT TakeOver: Stand & Deliver. Tonight would set the final card for the event as a battle royal would determine the six competitors in a Gauntlet Match on Night One. The winner would go on to challenge for the NXT North American Championship on night two.
Raquel Gonzalez would main event the first night, challenging NXT Women's Champion Io Shirai. They'd go at each other a few times tonight, hyping up what is one of the most anticipated matches in the Joshi Judas' title reign so far.
Last week on NXT, Cameron Grimes aggravated Roderick Strong by bringing up The Undisputed Era. Strong laid him out, leading to their match tonight.
Grimes brought out "Grimes the System" merch and a custom "Grimes the System" theme song, which only further angered the former NXT North American Champion.
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Roderick Strong vs Cameron Grimes on NXT
Roddy rushed Grimes before he even got to the ring, assaulting him before the bell rang.
In the ring, he mauled Grimes who struggled to get his jacket off. However, a well-placed back elbow to the jaw was all that Cameron needed to take over. NXT's Thousand Dollar Man got a little cocky, though, to the surprise of no one, leading to a big running boot from Strong that nearly took his head off.
A leaping single-leg dropkick and a clothesline set Grimes to the floor where a wrecking ball dropkick nearly launched him into the ramp.
During the break, though, Grimes got in Strong's head with his custom shirt, allowing him to send Strong spine first into the barricade. Grimes controlled throughout and cut off a comeback with a nasty leaping forearm.
Strong caught Grimes out of the air and hit a devastating backbreaker before bringing his opponent up top for a sky-high superplex. Somehow, Grimes was able to withstand that and Strong's running forearms to hit the Collision Course.
A Cave-In would be enough to put Strong away after he was distracted by an UE armband.
Results: Cameron Grimes defeated Roderick Strong via pinfall on NXT.
Grade: B
NXT Cruiserweight Champion Santos Escobar stated that he was the emperor of the Cruiserweights and that he was hoping to send a message to Jordan Devlin tonight.
At NXT TakeOver: Stand & Deliver Night Two, he'd fight Devlin to unify the Cruiserweight Titles in a ladder match.
Tyler Breeze answered Escobar's open challenge, and was hoping to prove why he's considered one of the greatest workhorses in the brand's history.
Santos Escobar w/Legado Del Fantasma vs Tyler Breeze on NXT
Escobar blindsided Breeze with a kick to the gut and took him to the corner. However, Breeze responded with a running dropkick that bounced Santos off the ropes. A second one sent the Cruiserweight Champ head first into the bottom turnbuckle.
Breeze wrapped Escobar's leg around the ring post, opening up a big weak spot to focus on. After laying out Legado Del Fantasma, he caught Santos looking for a dive, hitting a leaping kick that nearly knocked him out on his feet. Breeze was in control.
During the commercial break however, Escobar took over, and dropped Breeze over his knee with a Fireman's Carry Gutbuster. He followed up with a surfboard stretch.
Breeze responded with a hurricanrana takedown and a series of rights. Multiple knee breakers further weakened Escobar's leg, something that the Irish Ace of NXT would certainly love to see continue.
Breeze trapped Escobar with a Sharpshooter in the middle of the ring. Eventually, the NXT Cruiserweight Champion would escape, and he finished the bout with the Phantom Driver.
Results: Santos Escobar defeated Tyler Breeze via pinfall on NXT.
Grade: A-
Legado Del Fantasma looked to finish off Breeze, but they were stopped by the returning MSK. Wes Lee and Nash Carter chased the trio up the ramp before they were all cut off by the Grizzled Young Veterans.
These three tag teams would face off for the NXT Tag Team Titles next week in what would certainly be a show stealer on Night One of TakeOver: Stand & Deliver.
A New Superstar is coming to NXT
We saw a dog outside the CWC hinting the arrival of a new star. Who could it be?
The Way vs Gigi Dolan and Zayda Ramier on NXT
Indi Hartwell kicked things off in this NXT women's tag match. Gigi Dolan had The Way's favorite protege on the ropes with a series of kicks. However, a whiffed big boot allowed Hartwell to take control with a sidewalk slam. Candice LeRae followed up, but she and Hartwell couldn't stop Dolan from getting to Zayda Ramier.
A spinebuster from Hartwell, though, cut off all momentum. LeRae tagged in and knocked Dolan off the ropes before Ramier was knocked out with the Wicked Step-Sister.
Hartwell got the tag for a Springboard Elbow Drop, giving The Way a big win ahead of what they're hoping will be a shot at the NXT Women's Tag Team Titles.
Results: The Way defeated Zayda Ramier and Gigi Dolan on NXT.
Grade: C
Candice LeRae said that nobody deserved to be a champion more than she did, meaning that she and Hartwell deserved to be NXT Women's Tag Team Titleholders.
They're coming for what's theirs, and they're gonna do it on their time. When would that be? Stand & Deliver, of course.
Ember Moon and Shotzi Blackheart came down to the ring in the tank, looking to shut The Way up. They accepted the challenge before scaring their challengers with a shot from the tank.
NXT Women's Champion Io Shirai met Raquel Gonzalez backstage, coming to blows with her challenger.
We also got another clip of that small dog entering the CWC. Could it be Taya Valkyrie?
We'd see a Battle Royal in the main event of NXT. However, Roderick Strong, one of the twelve competitors, walked out of the CWC. Strong was "done" and refused to be a part of the show anymore.
Next up was Zoey Stark, who would face off against an angry Raquel Gonzalez.
Zoey Stark vs Raquel Gonzalez w/Dakota Kai on NXT
The No. 1 Contender to the NXT Women's Championship looked to make quick work of this rising star. Zoey Stark was unable to escape Gonzalez's grasp, being clobbered with big kicks and punches in the corner.
Stark managed to send Raquel into the corner with a running hurricanrana, following it up with a running dropkick. Gonzalez caught her monkey flip attempt and planted her face-first on the mat for a two-count.
Stark managed to send Gonzalez to the floor, and even though her dive attempt was blocked, she sent Big Mami Cool into the ring post. Dakota Kai hit her with a big right, but she shook it off and sent her over the barricade.
Back in the ring, Stark lit up Gonzalez with a stiff striking combination ending with a sliding knee strike. It was impressive, but not enough for the win. A flying blockbuster off the top-rope earned her another near fall.
All that was for naught, though, as that one-armed powerbomb was enough to put Stark away.
Results: Raquel Gonzalez defeated Zoey Stark via pinfall on NXT.
Grade: B
After the match, NXT Women's Champion Io Shirai rushed the ring to continue their brawl from earlier. Gonzalez, again, got the better of her and sent her crashing into the plexiglass.
Again, that dog was seen in the CWC, this time running across the weight room. Who does it belong to, and what does it mean for NXT tonight?
The NXT Battle Royal in the main event looked to be an exciting match, especially due to a budding rivalry between Kushida and Pete Dunne.
The former NXT UK Champion claimed that he was the greatest technical wrestler in the world, and wanted to prove it against anyone who disputed it. Kushida was one of them. We'd see them face off in that match later on tonight.
We got a stellar video package hyping up the end of The Undisputed Era and the match between Adam Cole and Kyle O'Reilly. It's been a long time coming, and at NXT TakeOver: Stand & Deliver, these former best friends would look to put an end to each other once and for all.
Kayden Carter and Kacy Catanzaro vs Tian Sha on NXT
Xia Li faced off against her former allies in a handicap match on NXT. It was billed as a tag bout for Tian Sha, but nobody joined Li on her side of the ring. Instead, Boa and their leader watched from the ramp.
Catanzaro and Carter took advantage of the numbers game, lighting up Li with a series of tandem strikes. A rolling ax kick sent Li to the floor, but she baited Catanzaro into the barricade. Back in the ring, Li was stunned with a rolling codebreaker by NXT's Ninja Warrior.
Kayden Carter ran out to Li's master but was pulled in by the throat. She choked out Carter and blew smoke into her face, knocking her out.
With nobody in her corner, Catanzaro was unable to withstand the force of Li, who laid out Catanzaro with a vicious and lightning quick-rolling roundhouse to the face.
Results: Xia Li defeated Kacy Catanzaro via pinfall on NXT.
Grade: B-
Backstage, the NXT Women's Champion again attacked her challenger. Raquel Gonzalez was tired of the games and threw her through a wall to finally put an end to it all tonight.
The dog, whose name was apparently Franky, found its owner in the final tease of the night. They would make their debut for NXT on April 13th, their first night on Tuesdays.
Former NXT Champion Tommaso Ciampa addressed his TakeOver opponent, UK Champion WALTER. The Ring General ripped off his necklace last week, something that had a lot of meaning to the Psycho Killer.
Ciampa reminded him and everyone in NXT that though he may have changed in recent years, he's the same dangerous man.
At NXT TakeOver: Stand & Deliver, Ciampa vowed to slay the dragon that is WALTER. Is the Blackheart still there? On night one, WALTER will find out.
NXT North American Championship Gauntlet Eliminator Qualifying Battle Royal
Leon Ruff ran down Isaiah "Swerve" Scott, the man who'd laid him out several times over in recent months. Scott backed down, refusing to get in the ring with the former NXT North American Champion.
Pete Dunne, Kushida, Cameron Grimes, Austin Theory, Tyler Rust, Bronson Reed, Dexter Lumis, L.A. Knight, and Jake Atlas also joined during the final break.
Everyone began to brawl, except for Dexter Lumis who stood in one corner, simply watching the chaos.
Former NXT UK Champ Pete Dunne eyed him but thought against it. Tyler Rust had Atlas on the apron, and Malcolm Bivens held him there, allowing Isaiah Scott to eliminate him.
Scott then sent Bivens' client Rust to the floor, eliminating his second man of the night. Austin Theory focused on Bronson Reed while Kushida attempted to eliminate Cameron Grimes.
Dunne focused on Ruff while Reed sent Theory to the floor, but he landed on his back. He tried to scoot his way to the stairs, then thought of a genius idea. He'd kip-up and walk over!
Of course, that eliminated him from the match. Poor guy.
Knight and Kushida nearly eliminated the Bronson Reed, and the latter took Grimes and Knight down with a handspring back elbow.
Dunne and Kushida took everyone down, leading to a face-off between the two. They laid into one another with forearms. Dunne countered the snapmare dropkick, leading to an armbar attempt.
Both men fought over the ropes, eliminating them both. At that point, we were down to the final six. LA Knight, Bronson Reed, Cameron Grimes, Isaiah "Swerve" Scott, Leon Ruff, and Dexter Lumis were all that were left.
During the break, NXT North American Champion Johnny Gargano joined commentary. Kushida vs Pete Dunne was also added tonight one of NXT TakeOver: Stand & Deliver.
Scott and Ruff fought on top of the turnbuckle but were both eliminated by Bronson Reed. LA Knight took him down with a chop block.
Grimes and Knight tried to team up to take out the big man, but NXT's Thicc Boi was too much for them. However, Dexter Lumis finally made his move, joining them in tossing out Reed.
Grimes pulled out some cash, offering both Knight and Lumis some big money if they eliminated themselves. Knight considered it, but he and Lumis would end up tossing out Grimes.
NXT's latest signing stared down the Tortured Artist, looking for an opening. Lumis ran wild on Knight, sending him into the sky with a big back body drop.
Knight countered a toss over the ropes, but Lumis managed to hold on. LA Knight hung him up on the ropes, and though he missed a shoulder tackle through the ropes, he wasn't eliminated.
Knight yanked Lumis off the apron, officially winning the final spot in the Gauntlet Eliminator Match.
Results: LA Knight wins the Battle Royal.
Grade: B
Io Shirai ran down immediately after the match, calling out her NXT TakeOver: Stand & Deliver opponent. She still hadn't had enough, and Raquel Gonzalez obliged, leading to yet another brawl. The women's locker room tried to separate them but were unable to hold them back.
Shirai and Gonzalez ran wild on the entire locker room while laying into one another. The Women's Champion finally got the best of Gonzalez, leaving her out on the ground as she stood tall heading into their main event match of night one of TakeOver.
