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Last week's NXT saw Ricochet and Aleister Black defeat DIY to advance to the finals of the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic. Next week they would face off against the Forgotten Sons, hoping to move onto NXT TakeOver: New York where they would challenge the War Raiders for the NXT Tag Team Championship.
We also saw that Tommaso Ciampa attempted to turn on Johnny Gargano one more time. However, Gargano, who faked a knee injury, knew what the Psycho Killer would go for, and would launch his former friend into the screen, just like Ciampa did two years ago. A superkick from the former NXT North American Champion sealed Ciampa's fate, and he shouted to the crowd that "Johnny Wrestling" was back.
With that, it seemed that we'd get an NXT Championship match between the two former members of DIY. Sadly, that wouldn't be the case.
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Triple H started off the show holding the NXT Championship. He talked about how dreams are accomplished in the NXT ring. However, for many, a dream can be over at any moment. He then said that the original main event for NXT TakeOver: New York was going to be Johnny Gargano vs Tommaso Ciampa for the NXT Championship. However, due to a severe neck injury that required surgery, Ciampa had to drop the title.
Thus, tonight began the quest to find Johnny Gargano's opponent for the title bout. The main event of the show would feature five of NXT's best superstars in a Fatal-5-Way match for the opportunity to compete for the NXT Championship in New York.
Ricochet, Adam Cole, Aleister Black, Velveteen Dream, and Matt Riddle all had a shot at glory tonight. Only one of these men had held the NXT Championship before, while the rest were still hungry for the company's top prize.
The winner of the match tonight would take on Gargano at TakeOver in a 2-out-of-3 Falls match to determine the new champion.
Backstage, Cathy Kelly got the reaction of NXT superstar Kona Reeves. Reeves said that the match will be alright, but it won't be "The Finest."
The Forgotten Sons said that they've been forgotten by the crew again, as their main event match next week against Aleister Black and Ricochet in the finals of the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic should be what everyone is focused on. However, they hope Black or Ricochet win, because that will mean that their minds are on something else, while the Sons are focused only on making sure everyone remembers them.
Ricochet and Aleister Black responded to the news of the Fatal-5-Way. Both men said that business was business, and tonight was every man for himself. Velveteen Dream, holding the NXT North American Championship, said that the outcome of tonight's Fatal-5-Way was simply...Dream Over. Dream hoped to become the first ever dual champion in NXT history.
NXT showed footage of Tommaso Ciampa's pre-op interview by himself and his doctors, followed by footage of the surgery and Ciampa's reaction after he woke up.
The former champion was told that everything went perfect, meaning good things in the future for Ciampa. This was the third surgery he had undergone since joining NXT, having his knee and both shoulders operated on before his comeback last year.
A video package was shown of Matt Riddle's highlights throughout his short tenure in NXT. Riddle then responded to the news of his inclusion in the Fatal-5-Way match tonight. Riddle said that nothing was stopping his undefeated streak, and at NXT TakeOver, he will become the next NXT Champion.
Adam Cole was the final man to react to the announcement. Flanked by the rest of Undispured Era, he said that nobody deserved a shot at the championship more than him. Not only that, it's meant to be, as he made his debut at the Barclays Center back at NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn II. At the Barclays Center this year, he'll defeat Johnny Gargano and finally wrap the NXT Championship around his waist.
Io Shirai and Kairi Sane were interviewed about their match against Shayna Baszler at NXT TakeOver: New York. Baszler will defend the NXT Women's Championship against them and Bianca Belair in a Fatal-4-Way match, giving the Queen of Spades her most difficult challenge to date.
Belair interrupted them, reminding them that if it wasn't for Baszler, she would've earned a one-on-one opportunity at the title last week.
Fatal-5-Way Match: Adam Cole vs Ricochet vs The Velveteen Dream vs Matt Riddle vs Aleister Black
"All these guys" chants broke out at the beginning of the match. Dream and Riddle went outside while Black and Ricochet targeted Cole. Dream sent Riddle into the guardrail and joined the rest inside. Cole and Ricochet moved out while Dream rolled up Black. Black kicked out.
Black took Dream down with a stomp from the corner. Dream avoided a dive and a leg sweep, setting up for the DVD. Black rolled him up but the North American Champion kicked out. A boot from the Dutch Destroyer leveled him, but before Black could follow up, he was pulled out by Cole.
Ricochet went at Dream, turning him inside out with a headscissors and a dropkick. Riddle rushed the ring and went after the One and Only former champion, dropping him with three gutwrench suplexes. Cole came in and connected with an enziguri to the King of Bros. Playing to the crowd proved troublesome, as Black and Ricochet took him out.
Now in the ring by themselves, the tag team partners stared each other down. They shook hands then circled the ring. Cole interrupted, sending Ricochet into Black. The former NXT Champion tumbled out while Cole dropped Ricochet with a neckbreaker. Dream went to break it up but Cole knocked him off the apron. A snap suplex nearly gave Cole the win, but Ricochet kicked out.
Cole brought Ricochet down on his neck with a belly-to-back driver, but he kicked out again. Dream came in again, stunning Cole. Cole sent him into the ropes and he slid to the outside, catching Cole across the jaw with a right. A double ax handle rocked Cole. He rolled inside and was nearly met by the Purple Rainmaker, but Riddle caught him with a German Suplex.
Black came in to put an end to Riddle, but he locked in the Bromission on him. Ricochet broke it up.
Black and Dream were again the only ones left in the ring and Black leveled Dream with a kick. Cole came in and Black took both men down with a springboard moonsault. Cole rolled to the outside while Black set up for the Black Mass. The Undisputed Era's leader pulled him out, though, and slung him into the steel steps. Back inside, Cole met Riddle.
Riddle threw chops while Cole threw elbows, and stomping on Riddle's bare feet nearly set up a superkick. Riddle countered and locked in the Bromission. The Velveteen Dream broke it up.
Riddle, Dream, and Cole, all on their knees, traded stiff shots. They fought to their feet and Dream was the last one standing with a superkick to Cole who had stunned Riddle with a knee. Ricochet caught Dream with a handspring enziguri and was rocked with a superkick from Cole.
Riddle dropped Cole with a jumping knee, and Black and Riddle traded high kicks to their jaws, leaving all five men staring up at the lights. Ricochet was the first to his feet and went up top for the 630. Cole met him, followed by Dream, then Black, and finally Riddle. A tower of doom launched Ricochet across the ring and left the rest of the competitors struggling to get a breath.
Everyone rolled outside except for Black and Dream, the latter of whom was pelted with strong strikes, following up with a meteora and a German Suplex with a bridge. Riddle broke it up with the Broton Splash. A fisherman driver nearly gave him the win, but Cole broke it up and superkicked Riddle, following up with a suplex shoulderbreaker. Ricochet stopped his pinning attempt and traded heavy kicks with him before sending the former champion outside with a reverse hurricanrana.
Ricochet then dove onto Cole with a tiger drop to the outside, leaving Dream and Riddle back inside. Riddle attempted a powerbomb, but Dream looked to counter into his DDT. Riddle countered that with a high knee followed by the Bromission. Cole pulled the ref out before he tapped out.
Black dropped Riddle with the Black Mass, and Dream planted him in the middle of the ring with the DVD. As he went to the top, Ricochet sent him onto Black and Cole with a super hurricanrana. A Shooting Star Press to Riddle nearly gave him the win, but the Last Shot from Cole stopped him and gave the Undisputed Era their biggest win of 2019.
Results: Adam Cole defeated Ricochet, Matt Riddle, Aleister Black, and The Velveteen Dream via pinfall.
Adam Cole will face Johnny Gargano for the NXT Championship in a 2-out-of-3 Falls match at NXT TakeOver: New York.
