'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
NXT Women's Championship Match: Rhea Ripley vs Io Shirai (c)
Rhea Ripley took Io Shirai to the corner, but the NXT Women's Champion managed to take The Nightmare down with a dropkick. Shirai pelted Ripley with chops to the chest and set up for a sunset flip. Ripley stopped it, dropping Shirai with a shoulder block.
Shirai responded with a dropkick that sent the inaugural NXT UK Champion to the floor. Ripley countered a suicide dive with an elbow and dropped Shirai on the apron with an electric chair facebuster.
Trending
Throughout the break, Ripley took her time with Shirai but did enough damage that the ref had to make sure she still wanted to continue. When we returned from commercial, the Joshi Judas began to fire up, only to get planted with a wheelbarrow facebuster. A massive suplex planted Shirai for a near fall.
Shirai was able to avoid a superplex, turning it into a German suplex off the second rope. She followed up with a Tiger Driver attempt, but couldn't connect. A palm strike and a victory roll set up for a double stomp. A basement delayed dropkick almost put her challenger away.
Ripley's ear was destroyed in the process, with blood pouring out of it. Shirai worked over the arm with a series of armbreakers. An arm wrench drove Ripley's shoulder right into the apron, and Shirai followed that by launching the former NXT Women's Champion shoulder first into the steps. Ripley screamed out in agony as Shirai turned up the heat.
During the break, Ripley found herself on the top rope with Shirai again. This time, Ripley refused to let Shirai slip out of her hands. A superplex took the NXT Women's Champion to the mat for a two-count.
The cravate knee strikes and a snapmare set Ripley up for a basement dropkick for a close call. Ripley locked in The Prism, but Shirai refused to quit. Somehow, Shirai was able to crawl to the ropes for the break, but the damage may have already been done. Ripley set up for the Riptide, only for Shirai to roll over her challenger's shoulders for a cross armbreaker.
Ripley attempted a powerbomb counter, but Shirai rolled through, keeping the hold in tact. Ripley, just barely, reached the ropes with her foot. She avoided the 619, twice, but was battered with a series of palm strikes. This time the 619 hit, and Shirai moved up for a missile dropkick. 1-2-no! Ripley kicked out.
Ripley avoided the moonsault, and turned Shirai inside out with a heavy clothesline. Shirai was still able to counter Riptide again, spiking Ripley with a tilt-a-whirl DDT.
Shirai caught Ripley on the apron, driving her through the announcer's desk with a powerbomb. The ref began the count, and Ripley just barely made it back inside. Just as she rolled through the ropes, though, Shirai hit the moonsault for the win.
Results: Io Shirai defeated Rhea Ripley via pinfall on NXT.
Grade: A+
Both women embraced after the match, but rushed to the back as Finn Balor entered the ring. The NXT Champion said that the last time we saw him, he successfully defended his title with a broken jaw in two places. Before he could continue, he was interrupted by Pat McAfee, Pete Dunne, and the NXT Tag Team Champions.
McAfee said that a lot has changed since he's been here. Balor had to know what's happened sine he's been on the shelf. He ran down their list of accomplishments over the past month. Drake Maverick, Killian Dain, Breezango and Undisputed Era? They've all been taken out by the latest faction in NXT.
He followed that, saying that if Balor had respect for NXT, he would hand his NXT Championship over to them. Balor revealed that he wasn't alone, and all four members of The Undisputed Era rushed the ring. Bobby Fish, Kyle O'Reilly, Roderick Strong, and Adam Cole took the fight to all four men.
We ended with Cole landing a mafia kick on Pat McAfee while the six other men brawled around ringside.
