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NXT stacked the deck tonight in their first official two-hour show on the USA Network, featuring three championship matches.
Shayna Baszler has become, without a doubt, the most dominant NXT Women's Champion in the title's history. Besting the likes of Io Shirai, Kairi Sane, and Bianca Belair, the Queen of Spades has proven time and time again that there's no one quite on her level. Tonight, Candice LeRae looked to prove her wrong. After winning a Fatal-4-Way a few weeks back to determine Baszler's #1 contender, LeRae finally earned an opportunity at the gold.
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The Street Profits, not too long ago, were sitting at the top of NXT's tag division. However, the Undisputed Era managed to dethrone them on the brand's first show on the USA Network. Now, Angelo Dawkins and Montez Ford are seeking redemption, retribution, and a second reign with the NXT Tag Team Titles.
We kicked off the show with the NXT Championship match. The Undisputed Era finally fulfilled the prophecy earlier last month, which was kickstarted when Adam Cole won the title from Johnny Gargano in June.
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Since then, the Panama City Playboy has broken the hearts of the NXT Universe, ruining championship hopes of some of Full Sail's favourite Superstars. Tonight, however, he stood across the ring from the Original Bro Matt Riddle.
After a brutal Street Fight with Killian Dain to determine Cole's #1 contender, Riddle trapped Cole in a Fujiwara Armbar, which wound up breaking the wrist of the champion. That wouldn't deter Cole, though, as he looked to end this momentous night with all four members of the Undisputed Era draped in gold.
NXT Championship Match: Matt Riddle vs Adam Cole (c)
Riddle immediately took Cole to the mat with three takedowns, looking for the Fujiwara Armbar early. Cole wormed his way to the ropes to break the hold. Back to his feet, Cole brought Riddle to the corner where he battered him with boots to the gut and an elbow to the jaw. Riddle responded with a trio of gutwrench suplexes. Cole kicked out at one.
Some heavy kicks to the chest sent the champion to the outside. However, as he reached through the ropes, a jumping enziguri sent Riddle tumbling down to the ground. Cole then launched him into the steel steps before bringing him back inside. He bounced Riddle's face off the turnbuckle and stomped him into the bottom of the corner. Riddle tried to catch him in a fireman's carry position, but Cole escaped and sent him into the ropes, knocking him down with an elbow strike.
A hanging neckbreaker put Riddle down for two. Riddle attempted another high kick, but Cole avoided it and dropped his challenger with the Ushigoroshi neckbreaker. Another two count. Cole attempted to choke out the life in Riddle, wrapping him up in a side headlock before wrapping his legs around Riddle's neck instead. Riddle broke out after countering the hold with a pin, but a bicycle kick left him on his knees.
Riddle got back in the match when trading strikes with Cole, sending him into the corner for a few elbow strikes and an exploder suplex. A Broton and penalty kick gave the Original Bro a nearfall. Cole escaped a powerbomb, but was caught by a ripcord Final Flash Knee Strike. Cole kicked out and was bounced on his head with a deadlift German suplex. Still, the champion kicked out again.
Cole escaped the Bro to Sleep, countering with a backstabber, only for Riddle to break out at the last possible second. The two men traded forearm strikes as they rose back to their feet. Riddle chopped the chest of Cole, but the champion stomped on his bare foot, setting up a superkick. Riddle blocked the first, but a second one stunned him. A Final Flash Knee response rocked Cole, who responded with an enziguri.
Riddle turned it around with another German suplex, but the Ushigoroshi again put an end to Riddle's momentum. Out on the apron, though, Riddle picked Cole up in the fireman's carry position again. Cole used the ropes to escape and sent Riddle to the ground with another bicycle kick. A leaping attack from the apron was stopped thanks to yet another Final Flash Knee. Back inside the ring, A moonsault was blocked as Cole put his knees up, allowing him to hit a picture perfect Panama Sunrise. Still, that wasn't enough to end the match.
The Last Shot was set up for Cole, only for Riddle to fall forward nearly unconscious. Another Panama Sunrise was stopped, though, and the Bro To Sleep connected. A powerbomb into yet another Final Flash Knee gave Riddle the chance to hit the Floating Bro. And somehow, some way, Adam Cole found whatever he needed in himself to kick out.
Riddle ascended the turnbuckle again, leading to Cole cutting him off at the top. The two men jockeyed for position, ending when a chop sent Cole tumbling to the ground below. Riddle went to the apron but as he attempted a slingshot, was taken out by a pair of superkicks. Another Panama Sunrise set up for the Last Shot. Riddle countered with the Bromission.
Cole sent himself over Riddle's body, turning the submission into a roll-up. Riddle broke it up and locked in the Fujiwara Armbar. Cole escaped it and another attempt. Thanks to the cast on his right arm, he stunned the challenger with a shot to the face, finally finishing him with the Last Shot.
Results: Adam Cole defeated Matt Riddle via pinfall.
Adam Cole wasn't able to celebrate for long, as he was interrupted by the returning Finn Balor! Balor hasn't been in an NXT ring in years, and after his match with the Fiend at SummerSlam, no one knew what would be next for the former Universal Champion.
However, it looks like Balor has set his sights on the leader of the Undisputed Era. Balor was drowned in applause and "Too Sweet" chants as he revealed that this wasn't just a one-off moment. No, Finn Balor is back for good.
Velveteen Dream was brought out on stage by a bevy of beautiful women while on top of a loveseat. Dream said that he's not one to complain, and has never been one to gripe about taking on more than one man at a time. So now, he's challenging the Messiah of the Backbreaker for the NXT North American Championship.
However, this time he wants a one-on-one championship bout, no Undisputed Era. Dream said that when he gets that opportunity again, he and the rest of the WWE Universe know how it will all end; Dream...Over.
A few weeks ago, Lio Rush earned the spot as #1 contender for Drew Gulak's Cruiserweight Championship. After besting Oney Lorcan, the Man of the Hour gets a chance at some championship gold. All he has to do is best the Philadelphia Stretcher.
Io Shirai vs Mia Yim
Yim attempted to shake Shirai's hand, leading to the Genius of the Sky shoving away the HBIC. Yim dumped her repeatedly with arm drags before connecting with a Yakuza Kick in the corner. An atomic drop sent Shirai outside as she was then sent into the barricade thanks to a baseball slide.
Knife edge chops battered Shirai's chest, and some stiff punches nearly sent her over the barricade. However, as she was sent into the ring, she responded with a double boot shot to the jaw. Back inside the ring, she stomped a mudhole in her opponent, leaving Yim at the bottom of the turnbuckle.
Yim was dumped in the middle of the ring with a snapmare and locked in a surfboard stretch. Shirai let go of the hold and sent Yim into the ropes where she connected with a knee to the gut, following that with a suplex. Yim kicked out at two. An abdominal stretch left Yim struggling to break away from Shirai. Thanks to an armdrag, she was able to end the submission. However, a kick was blocked, and a dragon screw leg whip allowed Shirai to hit a huge running basement dropkick to Yim's back.
Shirai choked Yim out in near the ropes but was forced off by the referee. A flapjack facebuster set up Shirai for a handstand knee drop to the gut. Yim kicked out at two. The Tiger Bomb was blocked, though Shirai landed on her feet. Yim responded with an overhead belly-to-belly. A few jabs, a kick to the teeth and a chop block allowed Yim to hit a leaping lariat and a basement dropkick to the face. Shirai kicked out at two.
Yim pelted Shirai with kicks to the chest, but when she bounced off the ropes was caught in a hurricanrana. Yim kicked out and was sent into the middle rope. A Tiger Feint Kick and a springboard missile dropkick gave Shirai the nearfall.
Shirai attempted a German suplex, but was instead caught in the Code Blue. She kicked out but as she rolled out was hit with a suicide dive, leaving both women out on the ground below. They both managed to beat the ref's ten count, and Yim tried to follow up with a pinfall on an exhausted Shirai, who kicked out just in the nick of time.
A Fujiwara Armbar attempt was prevented when Shirai rolled up Yim. Yim broke out after the referee noticed Shirai was holding the tights, allowing her to connect with Protect Ya Neck. Shirai, somehow, kicked out. Yim sat on the mat for a while, stunned that her best shot wasn't enough to put away Shirai.
As she climbed to the top, Shirai knocked her down to the ground below. However, Yim, back inside, stunned her with a jawbreaker and again took to the top rope. Shirai slapped her across the face and took her all the way to the mat with a superplex.
After a sliding kick to the jaw, a moonsault from the Genus of the Sky finally finished off the HBIC.
Results: Io Shirai defeated Mia Yim via pinfall.
Following the match, Kevin Nash and Scott Hall were seen in the front row, celebrating an amazing war between Shirai and Yim.
The Street Profits, accompanied by Bianca Belair, were seen making their way to the arena. Tonight, they hoped to recapture the gold.
A vignette was shown for the returning Tegan Nox, the woman many felt would rise to the occassion and win both Mae Young Classics that she competed in. However, some serious knee injuries took her out of both tournaments. Now, though, Nox is ready to get back to what she does best, and will be returning to NXT soon.
Johnny Gargano vs Shane Thorne
Gargano escaped a wristlock, bringing Thorne to the ground. The Mighty One escaped and avoided a deadly kick, finding himself in the ropes. Back in the middle of the ring, Thorne got away from two attempts of the Gargano Escape and smashed Gargano across the jaw with a vicious uppercut, bringing him down on his neck with a belly-to-back suplex.
Thorne continued the assault, shoving Gargano's face into the turnbuckle. The former champion fought out but was launched into another corner back first. Thorne rolled out and stretched Gargano's neck on the ring post. As he brought Gargano around ringside, his opponent sent him into the barricade with a series of chops to the chest.
As Gargano attempted a tornado DDT, he was caught and dropped on the apron with another back suplex. Back inside, he was battered with a handful of uppercuts and shoulder thrusts to the gut. A suplex took Gargano to the mat where he was caught in a storm of heavy-handed fists to the dome. Thorne trapped him in a chin lock, and when Gargano made it to his feet, stunned him with an uppercut.
Gargano blocked another back suplex with a knee to the jaw. Avoiding a shoulder tackle in the corner, a schoolboy roundhouse kick sent the Black Swan of NXT outside. Thorne stopped a suicide dive with an uppercut, but Gargano bounced off the ropes with another dive. On the inside, the Slingshot Spear nearly put Thorne away.
Thorne caught Gargano in the corner with a leaping leg lariat and a rolling cannonball to follow up. A massive sit-out powerbomb wasn't enough to end Gargano's night. Thorne pelted Gargano with kicks to the chest and a penalty kick to the back. Gargano responded with a series of elbow strikes. Thorne ducked a discus clothesline and hit a leaping kick to the back of the head. Gargano connected with a kick of his own and avoided Thorne's finishing kick, spiking him with the Poison Rana.
The classic #DIY superkick left Thorne out cold.
Results: Johnny Gargano defeated Shane Thorne via pinfall.
NXT Women's Championship Match: Candice LeRae vs Shayna Baszler (c)
Baszler quickly took LeRae to the mat, almost toying with her. However, LeRae responded with an enziguri to the jaw and a baseball slide as Baszler sat on the apron. A springboard crossbody took out Baszler.
Back inside, Baszler was rolled up but quickly kicked out after a neckbreaker. However, LeRae kept up the assault, dropping the champ with a slingshot jawbreaker and a senton. Baszler broke out of a pinfall and finally took over when she grabbed a hold of the challenger's left arm, kicking in the joint manipulation.
LeRae struggled to get to her feet only for Baszler to smash her face off the mat. However, she was able to trap Baszler in an octopus stretch, using her free leg to pelt Baszler in the face with knee strikes. Baszler forced her way to the corner, leading to a rope break. LeRae climbed to the top but Baszler pulled her legs out from under her, seeing LeRae bounce off the top turnbuckle and crash to the apron and ground below.
The challenger was launched shoulder first into the steel steps, softening up her left arm for Baszler's submission based offense. Baszler set LeRae's arm up for a massive stomp through the steps, nearly breaking it in half.
Back inside the ring, Baszler tore at the left arm as the Full Sail crowd was forced to hear the pained wails of LeRae. As she crawled away to the apron, Baszler followed, where she was nearly dumped to the ground with an apron German suplex. Baszler broke away but a leaping flatliner onto the side of the ring sent Baszler to the outside. LeRae followed up with three painful dives. Baszler was left exhausted on the floor.
LeRae rolled her inside and went to the top, only for the champion to connect with a vicious uppercut. She followed LeRae to the opt but was sent down to the mat, landing flat on her back. Again she ascended the ropes, and caught LeRae before she could make another dive, sending her crashing to the mat below with a super gutwrench suplex.
Another gutwrench slam left LeRae crumpled at Baszler's feet, but she managed to kick out at two. A roll-up gave LeRae a nearfall, and as Baszler kicked out she responded with a kick to the jaw. Baszler countered the second kick with a roll-through, tripping LeRae up and kicking her in the jaw.
The challenger avoided an attack from Baszler as she got back to her feet and responded with a rebound German suplex. Baszler responded with the Kirifuda Clutch, but LeRae slipped out and trapped the champion in it instead. Baszler escaped and hung LeRae in a clutch at the top rope. LeRae slipped through again and brought Baszler to the mat with a swinging neckbreaker from the second rope.
Candice LeRae rolled up Shayna Baszler after another Kirifuda Clutch attempt, but after missing her springboard moonsault, Baszler finally locked it in. LeRae refused to quit, nearly standing on her feet with the weight and pressure of the champion on her back. Eventually, though, she fell to the dominant Queen of Spades.
Results: Shayna Baszler defeated Candice LeRae via submission.
Pete Dunne vs Danny Burch
The Guvnor and the Bruiserweight traded position in a catch as catch can showing, leading to Burch trapping Dunne in a wrist lock. Dunne rolled away and avoided a stomp to the hand. Burch did the same, leading to a cross face attempt. Dunne rolled Burch up to counter.
Back to their feet, the two brawlers looked to a different game plan...brawling, of course. Dunne caught Burch coming off the ropes with a huge running clothesline and took him outside for a little walk around ringside. On the steel steps, Burch's arm was crushed by Dunne's vicious stomp. Back inside the ring, Dunne followed up with another stomp attempt, cracking the left arm of the veteran.
Dunne was knocked back after a boot and had his leg picked as he attempted a crossbody. Burch connected with a missile dropkick from the second rope, taking Dunne all the way to the other side of the ring. He decided to pull a page out of the former UK Champion's playbook, going for joint manipulation. Dunne responded with a few chops, leading to a striking battle between the two.
After a series of european uppercuts, Burch sent Dunne into the corner. The Bruiserweight leapt over Burch and connected with a step up enziguri followed by a leaping stomp to the hand. A sit-out powerbomb gave him a nearfall. Burch sent Dunne into the corner again, but waited for Dunne's usual spot, headbutting him in the back of the skull. After a powerbomb, the rope hanging DDT gave Burch an impressive nearfall.
The two men traded strikes again, but Dunne caught Burch's first for a wishbone snap of the fingers, finishing him off with the Bitter End.
Results: Pete Dunne defeated Danny Burch via pinfall.
As Dunne celebrated in the middle of the ring, most of the lights in the arena went out, leaving only a spotlight. As he turned around, he was met by a right hand from the Archer of Infamy, Damian Priest. Priest laid out Dunne with the Reckoning.
Backstage, Adam Cole was interviewed about the opening of NXT tonight where, not only did he retain his NXT Championship, but was then met by the returning Finn Balor. Before he could get into that, the rest of the Undisputed Era showed up. Cole said they needed to focus on tonight, and not some hasbeen like Balor.
The Street Profits were escorted to the ring by Wale, as the three of them partied with the Full Sail crowd and a wave of red solo cups.
NXT Tag Team Championship Match: Street Profits vs Undisputed Era (c)
Dawkins attempted to wrestle O'Reilly to the ground early on. O'Reilly escaped a body slam but was dropped with a shoulder block. Fish tried to jump in to assist, but the champs were met by both Dawkins and Ford.
O'Reilly tagged in Fish, who was immediately taken to the Profits' corner. Ford focused on the arm of Fish with an arm wrench. Fish fought out but was stunned with a knee to the gut. Rolling outside, he attempted to formulate a gameplan with O'Reilly. Back inside, Fish & Ford traded punches, leading to Fish getting the upper hand. O'Reilly came in off the tag and trapped Ford in the middle of the mat with a side headlock.
Ford managed to tag in Dawkins who knocked O'Reilly around the ring with shoulder blocks and an incredible powerslam. O'Reilly had trouble breaking away from the grasp of the big man, but did manage to bring in Fish. He didn't have much luck, as Dawkins brought him down with a double leg takedown. Ford was back in here, with Fish unaware until he was met with a beautiful standing dropkick.
The Profits tagged in and out working over the left arm of Fish, attempting to beat it out of its socket. He was trapped in an arm wrench by Ford, who led him around the ring with ease. However, a right hand broke up the hold. Ford escaped the corner and took out both Fish and O'Reilly with a pair of high angle standing dropkicks. However, Fish got back in with a rough shot to the jaw, bringing Ford back to the corner of the Undisputed Era.
O'Reilly trapped Ford in the middle of the ring where he battered the ribs with sliding knee strikes. Dawkins distracted the air-guitar genius, allowing Ford to get back up. However, O'Reilly decided to forgo a striking contest, instead going for a double leg takedown. Back to their feet, a striking combination and a leg sweep saw Ford land hard on his back, knocking the wind out of him.
Fish tagged in and hit a tope atomico off the apron. Back in UE's corner, the Era sent Ford over with a double suplex. O'Reilly's pinfall gave him a two-count. O'Reilly entered full-mount, battering Ford's face with palm strikes. After a break from the punishment, Ford found himself in the ropes. However, he wasn't given too much time to recover and was sent back to the ground with a knee to the gut. Fish tagged in, and though Ford put up a valiant effort, was taken out with three snap suplexes.
O'Reilly tagged in again and the champions derailed another one of Ford's comeback with a pair of high kicks to the chest. Ford was trapped in a seated abdominal stretch. Fish re-entered the match and took the action outside, sending Ford careening into the barricade. Ford was then rolled back inside, where he reached out for his partner. However, he was brought down with a back suplex, and was trapped in a rear naked choke. Fish left in the body scissors while pelting Ford with hammer fists to the chest.
Ford was taken to the corner again where his leg was taken out by a harsh kick to the knee. In the neutral corner, however, Ford dumped the Era outside. O'Reilly tagged in but was slammed on the mat with a Rock Bottom. Before Ford could make it to his corner, though, Ford was taken out by FIsh. O'Reilly used this distraction to dizzy Ford with a series of rolling butterfly suplexes.
A butterfly DDT/German suplex combination nearly ended the Street Profits' dream, but Ford used what may have been whatever was left in his gas tank to kick out. Fish locked him in an abdominal stretch near the UE's corner as Dawkins watched on. The ref didn't notice the first few seconds of the hold where O'Reilly pulled back on Fish's arm, to increase the pain. Ford managed to break out and finally tagged in Dawkins, who cleaned house.
Dawkins ran through a pair of roundhouse kicks to bowl through O'Reilly and spike Fish with a bulldog. In the corners, O'Reilly and Fish were met with spinning crossbody splashes. Dawkins bounced O'Reilly into Fish. WHen he looked for the spear, O'Reilly leapt over him. However, Fish wasn't so lucky, getting cut in half.
Dawkins and O'Reilly traded strikes with the big man nearly finishing him following a massive exploder suplex. A second spear was stopped with a knee to the head. Dawkins was sent to the UE's corner, where Fish tore his leg apart with a dragon screw in the ropes. He dumped O'Reilly onto FIsh, but as he crawled to his corner, Fish leapt off the top for a stomp to the knee.
Fish came in to drag O'Reilly and Ford back as O'Reilly trapped the big man in a leglock. Ford came in for the save only to be trapped in a guillotine. Bouncing off the ropes, Ford drove Fish into O'Reilly, breaking the submissions.
Dawkins sent O'Reilly to his corner with an enziguri. O'Reilly tagged Fish who barely missed preventing a tag to Ford. Ford connected with a frog splash. Fish broke out, but was placed atop Dawkins' shoulders.
O'Reilly took him out with a chop block. The UE tried to escape, only for Dawkins to hold them at bay, allowing Ford to dive on top of them with a massive tope con hilo. However, as Ford took O'Reilly inside, Roderick Strong rushed the ring. Though Dawkins speared the North American Champion, Fish and O'Reilly knocked off Ford and the Profits with the High-Low.
Results: The Undisputed Era defeated the Street Profits via pinfall.
After the match, Adam Cole came to the stage to celebrate with the Era. However, he was interrupted by the returning Tommaso Ciampa, who circled the champion, eying Goldy.
