Belayed recap time! I’m Jordan Huie, you’re here at 1Z1 Pro Wrestling and I’ll be giving you the blow-by-blow of the September 30th edition of WWE NXT! It’s not live, I got to it when I had the time, but it’s still important to have this archived. And I also didn’t watch this until now, so it’s all new to me!
We got women’s action to open up the show.
Shotzi Blackheart vs. Dakota Kai
Dakota with a facewash at the start, just to disrespect her. Shotzi double legs her, Kai kicks her away. Whip reversal exchange, Kai tries a Monkey Flip in the corner but it’s blocked. Back to the center, exchange of waistlocks. Kai trips her up, misses a PK, Shotzi with a roll-up for 2. Kai with a Jacknife Cover for 2. Oklahoma Roll from Shotzi gets another 2. Blackheart with a double leg, and then the Legal Low Blow ensues! Wristlock, series of arm drags, Armbreaker!
Up kicks to the gut, rolls her through for a 2 count. Shotzi trips her up, hooks in a version of the Cloverleaf. She’s laying on her back as her legs are Cloverleafs, grabs the wrists and stretches the arms. This is actually like a reverse Surfboard, I like it. Kai reverses into a headlock but Shotzi escapes quickly. Kai takes her to the corner, chokes her with her boot.
Exchange of forearms. Kai with a neckbreaker for a 2 count. Chokes her in the ropes. Shotzi with a drop toe hold into the ropes. Shotzi hits the ropes, Gonzalez pulls her out of harm’s way and hops up to the apron for the distraction. Kai with a roll-up for 2, commercial break. When we come back, Shotzi with a dropkick takes her to the corner. Charging avalanhce, Inverted Slingblade! Pump knee to the face! Takes her into the ropes for her Backflip Cannonball! Half-N-Half Suplex for a nearfall!
Dakota with the knees up on a corner charge! Hip toss, cover for a nearfall. Kai hoists her up but Shotzi escapes, Kai takes her to the corner, fight comes out to the apron, Shotzi kicks Kai’s leg out from underh er and she falls right onto the apron! Forearm exchange. Kai wins out, tries a Pump Kick but Shotzi blocks it, Swinging Kick to the face! SHE KICKS OFF THE TURNBUCKLE CABLE FOR A SLICED BREAD ONTO THE APRON!
Both are laid out on the floor after that, we have a pause in the action here. Shotzi does make it into the ring, hits the ropes for a dive but Gonzalez trips her up! And now in comes Rhea Ripley to attack Gonzalez from behind, slamming her into the apron! Dakota is back in the ring in time to bicker with her. She tries for her charging big boot but Shotzi dodges it and rolls her up and that is that.
Winner: Shotzi Blackheart
Scary bump there, glad they both seem to be okay.
Split-screen interview with Santos Escobar and Swerve Scott. Scott says he’s had opportunities before but he really finds it hard to believe they were fair. He still believes he’s the better competitor, he’s still the only man in WWE that has pinned Santos Escobar. So when they step into the ring at TakeOver this Sunday, he’ll come out on top. Escobar laughs. Tells Swerve he’s a parasite that he can’t get rid of. It doesn’t matter what he does, he continues to linger. He hates things that linger, Swerve is a loose end. Instead of being a man he wants to complain about what’s fair or what’s not. At Takeover, things will be fair. Swerve questions this, says there’s always something going on whether Legado del Fantasma is interfering or there’s a loaded lucha mask hidden under the ring for him to hit him with. Santos calls these excuses. Says when it really counts, when it really matters, he can’t deliver.
Swerve says what he calls excuses are just reality and he adapts to reality. He adapts to everything that comes to him, he’s ready for what he tries to throw at him. Says he’s ready to showcase to the world what he’s truly capable of and he wants to showcase to the world that the Cruiserweight Champion is a fraud. Santos says that’s the difference between them, Swerve made this all about himself. Claims he built the entire Cruiserweight division in his image, and built it out of the lucha libre culture where the style originated from. Claims Swerve has no respect for this culture. What he calls a bag of tricks, Escobar calls centuries of tradition.
Another mystery vignette. Robotic voice again talks about going back home. The figure is driving around on a motorcycle. They will be appearing at TakeOver 31.
We get a character piece on Kyle O’Reilly. This is a couple years late, eh? He says even if he never made it to NXT, even if he were still wrestling for five dollars every weekend he’d still be doing it because it’s his love and his passion. Undisputed Era is the best thing that ever happened to him, professionally and personally. Adam Cole puts over O’Reilly, endorses him as NXT Champion. Kyle says his whole career, it’s all been building up to this Sunday at TakeOver 31. Big training montage. Says this is the second coming of the prophecy.
Backstage with the Garganos. Johnny says you break their TV, Candice breaks your ACL, that’s how it goes. Says destiny is on it’s way, to become the first married couple to become champions at the same time in NXT. Candice says it just starts tonight and at Sunday they finish it.
Cameron Grimes comes out to the ring and says the Gauntlet Eliminator couldn’t have been Mr. Regal’s idea, he could come up with something way better! But Cameron Grimes can cheer up, he’s got a match of his own. Proposes the…
Cameron Grimes Invitational Stepping Stone To The Moon match!
He hand-picked his opponents and ask for them to come on down. Out comes ‘Joey Pistachio’ who he gives a glowing introduction, claims he was a champion wrestler from the 80lbs weight class. He steps into the ring and gets hit with an immediate Cave-In, pinned in moments.
Winner: Cameron Grimes
Next up is ‘Joey Strong’, I guess they were all gonna be called Joey. But Ridge Holland is brutalizing him on the way out. Grimes tries to get him to back down, says he hasn’t gotten to meet Ridge yet but he’s a big fan of his work, he’s not part of the Invitational though. He will accept a handshake though. Holland takes his hand and headbutts him! Bell rings!
Ridge Holland vs. Cameron Grimes
Holland batters him, clubbering blows! Stomps him to the mat relentlessly! Referee has to call for the bell eventually.
Winner: Cameron Grimes (by DQ)
Well that was the start of a feud I think I’ll get a lot of enjoyment out of.
Interview with Austin Theory backstage. He says that he hasn’t struggled, the loss last week shouldn’t have happened. Claims he should’ve been in the Gauntlet Eliminator. Says it took Kyle 15 years to get an NXT Championship match. 15 years is more than half his lifetime. He was 20 years old at WrestleMania, and people are calling Kyle the future now?
Kushida with a promo in subtitles. He says it’s time to show the world the real him. He hasn’t gotten a chance at a title shot which made him impatient. It’s made him ballistic. He claims that Velveteen Dream is going to be a stepping stone for him and he will ‘dance into the core’. Kushida is VICIOUS!
Kushida then makes his way out for his next match.
Kushida vs. Tony Nese
Kushida with a brutal enziguri to open up! Kawata Kicks! And then a running soccer kick to the arm! Nese holds onto the ropes off a whip, throat thrust, leaping Hot Shot! He pulls him from the ring, wants to whip him but Kushida reverses and sends him arm-first into the ringpost! Back in the ring, Nese momentarily takes over with a Pumphandle but Kushida escapes, Fujiwara Armbreaker! And then he gets it again! Grabs both wrists, stomps onto the chest! And then into the Hoverboard Lock for the quick submission!
Winner: Kushida
As Kushida celebrates, the lights turn purple. Velveteen Dream appears on the tron and asks if the real Kushida could please stand up. Says it doesn’t matter which one shows up this Sunday because the spotlight will be too bright for him. But the Dream always puts on his best performance under the brightest spotlights. So see you this Sunday.
Cameron Grimes is backstage holding a cloth to his eye, complaining about how he doesn’t care about Ridge Holland, he just wants to see William Regal. He comes face-to-face with Dexter Lumis for an awkward staredown. Grimes asks if he knows where Regal is. No response. Grimes leaves, calling Lumis a freak.
Adam Cole in the ring says for three years, they’ve dominated. The Prophecy came true, they say they’d win every championship they could and that’s exactly what they did. But more importantly, people in that locker room knew if you crossed the Undisputed Era, you would pay. Fast forward, the Prophecy ended. Somewhere along the way, they lost the titles and suddenly people felt that they changed. They felt that you could say whatever you want to UE and get away with it.
Well they haven’t changed, they’re the same Undisputed Era that won the first ever WarGames match in WWE history, the same that has dominated this brand like nobody ever has. Says if Austin Theory wants to run his mouth about Kyle O’Reilly, maybe he can come down here and say what he said to him. Theory comes out to the ramp asking why he’s gotta be so mad. Cole says Option 1 is Theory comes down and faces him. Option 2 is the whole group jumps him and makes him wish he picked Option 1.
Adam Cole vs. Austin Theory
Cole chops him into the corner! Forearm batters him around the ring, stomps him into the mat. Cole with some pump kicks drops him! Picks him up, Neckbreaker! Theory shoves him away to try and get some distance, but he still pulls him back up. Whip to the ropes, Theory holds onto the ropes on a whip, escapes to the outside. Cole goes out there, HUGE Pump Kick and Theory sells it big. Cole pulls him up, slams him facefirst into the apron. Resets the count, whips him shoulder first into the steps! Throws him into the ring, Theory tries to catch him on the way back in but Cole stops him with an enziguri!
Cole enters the ring, Rude Awakening for a 1 count. Stomps him in the chest. Theory’s chest is beet reed already. Cole with a snap suplex, says he picked the wrong guy at the wrong time. Clubbering blow to his back. He’s just having his way with him, tight side headlock. Cole tries to get Theory to give up, Theory says Undisputed is crap. Fights to his feet, body blows to escape, hits the ropes, Cole stops him with a back elbow. Throws him right into the corner. Forearm to the face. Whip reversed to send him into the corner, Theory escapes to the apron, Roll-Through Dropkick for a 2 count! Commercial break.
We come back to see Theory stomp Cole into the corner, tells him to show him he’s Undisputed. Leaping stomp to the chest, Half Chickenwing Crossface hold. Cole tries to fight out, Theory throws him to the mat. Standing Moonsault for a 2 count. Cole with a back elbow off a charge, boot up as well, series of back elbows, big boot drops him! Pulls him into a waistlock, Theory escapes behind him, Cole breaks the hold for an enziguri, Backstabber for a nearfall! Cole hoists him onto his shoulders, Theory elbowsh is way free but Cole nails him with a Pump Kick, Ushigoroshi for a nearfall! Cole goes up top, wants Panama Sunrise, Theory stands his ground, escapes it, Thrust Kick to the back of the head! Hoists him up onto his shoulders for the Spin-Out Blue Thunder Bomb! Close nearfall!
Theory keeps trash talking, exchange of forearms as they fight their way up. Cole wins out, hits the ropes but Theory with a back elbow, hits the ropes, Cole with a wicked Superkick, sold spectacularly! Takes Theory to the apron, he Hot Shots him, rolls through but Cole with another Superkick! Hits the original Last Shot, before following up with the Shining Wizard version of the Last Shot and that’s that!
Winner: Adam Cole
Good stuff. Cole tells the camera that Kyle O’Reilly is about to shock the world but he’s not going to shock him.
Damian Priest and Io Shirai with an interview backstage. Priest says being a power couple, that’s cute. Garganos can keep that because at TakeOver, they keep their titles. Calls themselves rockstars and they’ll do their business. Io cuts a promo in Japanese and just notes, “rock star” with some devil horns.
Kayden Carter vs. Xia Li
Exchange of cradles and pinning combinations. Slight show of respect. Waistlock, reversals. Kayden wants an O’Connor Roll, Xia breaks out but eats a Basement Dropkick for a 2 count, Xia bails. Kayden comes over, Xia trips her up, spins her into a forearm to the face! Then she pulls her out of the ring, rough landing on the floor! Xia enters the ring, waits for her to get in. Stomps her to the mat. Pulls her up, knee strikes to the gut, one to the face, covers three times off of this. Kayden kicks her away, brings the forearms as she tries to fight back, Victory Roll-Through, thrust kick to the face! Cover for 2. Xia with a sunset flip for 2, Carter rolls through, elaborate pin gets the win!
Winner: Kayden Carter
After the match, Xia shoves Kayden to the mat. Kacy gets in her face and Xia yells at her.
Shawn Michaels curates a face-to-face between Kyle O’Reilly and Finn Balor. Shawn asks for a handshake, gets it. Finn congratulates Kyle on winning the gauntlet, he has the utmost respect for him as a competitor and he’s lookign forward to that match at TakeOver. Kyle says the feeling is mutual. HBK says Finn has told everyone recently and he agrees, that we’re seeing the best Finn Balor we’ve ever seen. But he’s facing a guy that he’s said for a long is maybe the best kept secret in wrestling in Kyle O’Reilly. How do you prepare? Finn says he doesn’t consider him a secret at all. He knows how good Kyle is. He’s proven himself all over the world as a singles competitor. He knows exactly how good Kyle is.
Kyle says he likes him, he’s a fan of Finn Balor. He’s so good at stroking his own ego, he thinks he can beat him. That’s what a fighting champion is, defends the title even when defeat is absolute certain and that’s what this is. Finn asks if he’s gonna show up with Undispued Era or will he show up like a man? Kyle says one hand watches the other, that’s what Undisputed Era has always been about but this Sunday is about Kyle O’Reilly and Kyle O’Reilly’s moment.
HBK wants to address the elephant in the room, the conflict that might arise between him and Adam Cole if he loses the title. Kyle calls this laughable. Old Grimey might have had a point last week saying he’s nothing like Adam Cole, I mean look at him, he’s a beautiful man. His ears don’t match, he’s got freckles… Finn says he’ll knock those freckles off him at TakeOver. Kyle likes this. Says he doesn’t want him making any excuses when he beats him.
Finn says there will be no room for excuses. Kyle says this is the biggest match of his career, the biggest moment of his life. Finn says he needs to understand the difference between a main event that lasts for one night and one that’s life-altering, not just for him but everyone who sees it. Kyle says this is his first big defense, no one ever loses that right? But the fact that he’s considering the underdog is bullsh*t. Finn’s never stepped in the ring with him or anyone like him. He knows he thinks he’ll win but he’ll change his mind. Something about the sound of a kneecap exploding tends to do that. Finn says Kyle is witty, has charisma, is really good in the ring, he has everything it takes to be NXT Champion and he would be if this title was on anybody else but Finn Balor.
I liked that. It was a bit all over the place but that just helped it feel unscripted, and it may honestly have been.
Main event time!
Mixed Tag: Johnny Gargano & Candice LaRae vs. Damian Priest & Io Shirai
Champs rush the ring, battle it out quickly with their oncoming challengers before the bell! Garganos powder. Priest and Johnny start. Gargano ducks a line, high kick nailed. Priest throws him into the corner but Johnny reverses on him, chops to the chest, avoids his strikes but on a charge Priest gets him with a big boot! Batters him into a neutral corner! Power whip to the opposite side, Johnny bounces off into a Side Walk Slam from Priest! Candice yells at Priest, wants the tag. Damian tags first.
Io and Candice come face to face. Candice with a series of blows, whips her to the corner. Charges, Io sidesteps to the apron, Shuriken nailed, goes up top! Leaps at her, Candice avoids it but Io lands on her feet, exchange of waistlocks, Candice rolls her up for a 2 count. Io with a Flapjack, dropkick to the ribs! Charges but Johnny steps in front of it stop her!
Priest rushes into the ring, roundhouse kick! Flying elbow to Johnny, Meteora to Candice! Both Garganos bail. Priest picks Io up, standing on his shoulders! Assisted Tope, Io wipes them both out! Commercial break. We come back, Candice has taken over on Io. During the break Johnny took a Tiger Feint Kick on Candice’s behalf which let her take over with a Neckbreaker. Back in real time, Candice pulls her up but Io surprises her with a Shotei! Big German Suplex!
Io makes the tag, Priest gets Gargano with a series of clotheslines, Roundhouse Kick, huge Lariato! Leaping Elbow in the corner, Broken Arrow nailed for a nearfall! Hoists him up for the Razor’s Edge, Gargano slips out, Tornado Flatliner! Priest ducks a roundhouse kick, leg kicks, Gargano with an enziguri, Io blind tags in, Missile Dropkick to Gargano! Candice comes in, eats some shoulder blocks, hoists her for a Tiger Driver but Candice escapes, Io ducks an enziguri and cinches in a Crossface!
Johnny grabs Io by the leg to save Candice. Priest comes over, wants the South of Heaven but Johnny escapes to the apron for a thrust kick, Io knocks him to the floor! Candice takes over though, sends her to the canvas, senton to the back! Lionsault, Io evades and Candice crashes and burns! Io with a Butterfly Backbreaker! Io goes up top, Johnny rolls Candice out of the ring. Priest with a Bell Clap to Johnny, roundhouse kick drops him, Io with her Over The Moonsault onto Gargano! Priest tags in, looks for the Reckoning – Candice slips in behind Priest and hits a low blow as the referee was dealing with Io! Io chases Candice up the ramp but Gargano nails One Final Beat to Priest and that’s that!
Winners: Johnny Gargano & Candice LaRae
Good stuff, solid heel win. Io Shirai gives Gargano a piece of her mind but Candice attacks from behind with a Backstabber! Challengers get the momentum big. Johnny takes up the two titles and the husband and wife celebrate with them! And that’s the show.
