They finally did it! They moved NXT! And that means I’ll be watching it live every week and recapping it as well~! Stay tuned for the NXT Recap.
Chant of “NXT” as the NXT Recap begins, Karrion Kross and Scarlett Bordeaux make their way out. Kross says time always comes full circle. Like two dudes chant “You Deserve It”. Says it was only a matter of time ’til he stood here with his title again. As for Mr. Balor, without a shadow of a doubt, one of the best to ever set foot in this ring. Says when he had this belt he went on a tear but he believed that his emotions were a weakness. But he didn’t understand that anything can become a driving force when you learn how to control it and Kross controls everything.
Says now that time has allowed the course to correct itself, he is in command of NXT until he says so. There’s a funny saying, when you’re at the top there’s nowhere else to go but down. But that is a complete and total lie. Nobody will out-train him or out-wrestle him. NXT has the hungriest guys and girls in this brand but he’s starving and he is insatiable. Says if you want his title, step right up and roll the dice and he will roll everyone off their heads. He doesn’t care what you think you’re entitled to or what you make in your checks, he will fold them all. Everyone pays the toll.
Lengthy TakeOver recap video plays. MSK are introduced as the NXT Recap rolls on! Our opening match is…
NXT Tag Team Championships: MSK (c) vs. Killian Dain & Drake Maverick
Dain and Carter start out, he overpowers him to the mat, Maverick tags in and gets a pin combo for a 2 count. Lee tags in, leapfrog, clips him by accident and pretends it was on purpose. Pounds on him for a bit, Maverick dropkicks him into the corner. Back elbow, goes up top, Whisper In The Wind for a 1 count. Maverick taken to the corner, Carter tags in, Lee with an enziguri, holds Maverick in place for a Cannonball from Carter, and a Bronco Buster! Pulls him out for a nearfall.
Quick tags from MSK as they take it to Maverick. Now Dain tags in but they’re quick to bring him to the floor. Tope Suicida but Dain catches Carter and slams him into the barricade! And a brutal crossbody flips Wes Lee, hot damn!
Commercial break, NXT Recap will resume when the show does.
Maverick taking Lee down as we come back but he leaps for the tag! Carter’s a house of fire, rolling snapmare into a PK! Baseball slide takes Dain to the floor, Deadlift German throws Maverick! Lee tags back in, they do the crazy Shooting Star Shove, Dain breaks up the count. Wants to slam Lee but Carter saves him, they kick him to the mat, Carter with a senton! Dain shoves him away, drop toe hold takes Dain to the middle rope. Tiger Feint Kick/Dropkick combo, Spiral Tap for a nearfall!
Carter with a sunsetflip, Lee wants a Superkick to cap it off but Dain catches the leg – Michinoku Driver sends Lee onto his partner! Maverick with an Around-The-World DDT! Double kick to Carter in the corner, Dain with a big Powerbomb! Now he powerbombs Maverick onto Carter – Lee pulls him out of the way at the last second! Lee with a Pullover Cutter! Dropkick takes Dain to the floor, Maverick with a sudden inside cradle for a nearfall! Wes Lee tags in, Carter holds Maverick up for the Blockbuster and then takes out Dain with a tope as Lee covers Maverick for the win!
Winners: MSK
MSK is a spectacle to watch for sure.
Alexander Wolfe comes into the ring to meet up with his old buddy Dain, but it’s a distraction – Aichner and Martel rush the ring and gang attack Dain. Wolfe doesn’t partake himself but goes along with the pose.
Robert Stone talks about getting his charges their title shot. Mercedes demands to know where her money is. Stops to choke out Aliyah to threaten Stone until Jessi Kamea comes up to stop her. They agree to a match later in the night.
NXT Recap continues, we see a recap of Cole vs. O’Reilly. It includes footage of Cole being loaded into the ambulance and O’Reilly collapsing backstage. Seems he needed an ambulance as well. Cole curses at Kyle as they’re wheeled down the hallway.
Up next on the NXT Recap…
Mercedes Martinez vs. Jessi Kamea
Kamea takes her down, axe kick. Whip, dropkick. Big stomp! Chokes Martinez in the ropes. Pulls her up, biel toss! Corner flying forearm, throws her to the mat. Leaping stomp! Martinez side-steps a charge, avoids a crossbody, High Knee to the face drops her! Hoists her up, Air Raid Crash for the win!
Winner: Mercedes Martinez
Afterwards, Mercedes chases Stone down and pins him to the barrier until he gives her the money. She goes to the announce table and yells that she’s coming for Raquel Gonzalez.
The Way are backstage, Johnny talks about they’ll show the world ‘the way’ to handle business. Austin Theory says tonight he gets his revenge with Lumis. Candice says Shotzi and Ember got lucky at TakeOver and they’ll show them that tonight. Indy wants Lumis around so she can handle her business with him but Johnny corrects her, their only business is in the ring!
Santos Escobar and his boys are walking backstage, he’s got an open challenge coming up as the NXT Recap rolls on.
Swerve Scott with a promo at The Lab. Says he had a star making performance in the gauntlet eliminator match. Proof once again that your boy’s a star, eliminated Cameron Grimes and former North American Champion Leon Ruff. Tonight it’s time for Swerve to move on but he can’t do that until he takes Leon down. After tonight, they’re done.
Now out comes Escobar. Says one year ago, this was the title of a forgotten division. No more! Legado del Fantasma was born and what was the sideshow became prime time. Main events, Takeovers, they stole the show at Stand & Deliver. And now Santos Escobar is the undisputed Cruiserweight Champion! Just like his father was, just like his son will be. They are warriors, they never back down. Which is why tonight he will lay out an open challenge.
Kushida interrupts! Oh wow!
NXT Cruiserweight Championship: Santos Escobar (c) vs. Kushida
Kushida with an immediate dropkick taking him out of the ring before the bell. He comes back in, lock up as the bell rings. Takes him down, drop downs and leap frogs, neither can get an advantage, both missing shots. Santos with a sunset flip, Kushida pulls him into the Hoverboard Lock, Escobar grabs the bottom rope for the break. Kush hooks the arm in his legs, spins wrench the arm! Escobar powders, Kushida poses as we go to commercial break. NXT Recap will resume when the show rolls on!
As we return, Escobar hurls Kushida by the legs into the steps! Boston Crab on the steps, grinding his chest into the ringpost! Throws him into the ring, kicks to shoulder, Basement Dropkick for a nearfall! Escobar working on the arm. Yells about what a loser Kush is as he kicks him in the chest, takes him to the corner and chops him! Charges for a double knee to the torso!
Takes him up top. Escobar scales to the top rope, Super Rana! Nearfall.
Santos with an arm stretch, Kush fights his way up with shots but Santos stops him with a charging single leg dropkick! Wants the Phantom Driver but Kushida breaks it, Atomic Drop, Arm Drag, cartwheel, Basement Dropkick! Running kick to the arm! Looking for the Hoverboard but Escobar breaks it. Kushida with a charging Shotei! Takes him up top now, Santos with a right hand drops him but Kushida with a running enziguri to the arm! Goes up with him, Butterfly Superplex and he holds on!
Front flips into a crazy Inverted Chickenwing, but Escobar’s leg gets on the ropes for the break! Kushida leaps onto Escobar for the Hoverboard Lock but Escobar breaks it, enziguri – Kush responds with a Pele Kick and they’re both down! Round kicks as they fight their way up, Santos whips him, Kushida tries the Handspring Elbow but Escobar counters with a Backstabber! Phantom Driver attempted but Kushida with a sunset flip, exchange of pinning combinations – Kushida gets the last one and gets the pin!!
Winner: Kushida
Great stuff and so cool to finally see Kushida get a title in WWE.
Timothy Thatcher and Tommaso Ciampa say the Dusty Classic tested their strength as a team. WALTER tested his toughness. Says they haven’t won every battle but they come out the other side stronger. They make clear their intent to go after MSK.
Kushida gets his congrats from William Regal backstage. Jordan Devlin applauds as he walks in. Says he’s a 6-time IWGP Junior Champ and now NXT Cruiserweight champ. Beat Escobar, that makes him the man. Except, who did he ever beat? Climbing a ladder faster doesn’t make you the better man. Tells him that the travel Gods are smiling down on him ’cause he won’t be here for a while but he will be back and he’ll be coming for him.
Raquel Gonzalez and Dakota Kai make their way to the ring.
Raquel says a year and a half ago was the biggest night in NXT history, going live on USA. She was supposed to have her big debut. But she wasn’t ready. She swore that would never happen again. So she busted her ass and trained harder and now she stands here as the NXT Women’s Champion. And she says it wouldn’t have happened without Dakota Kai.
Kai says for fourteen months, they dominated the best women’s division in the world. Raquel says all the respect to Io Shirai, she was a great champion. But the Raquel Gonzalez era has officially begun. Lights go out.
Out comes Franky Monet, pup in hand!! She introduces herself to the world, she is Vera Loca! The best division just got shinier, bougier and a lot better. And now you’ll be seeing a whole lot more of her. Raquel says she’s lucky she caught her in a good mood. If she comes up to her again, she’ll shove her cute poochie right down her grill. Monet goes to the apron and tells her off.
Now Rhea Ripley makes a sudden appearance! And so does Bianca Belair?!
The Raw and SmackDown Women’s Champions come down to the ring. We see a picture of them together from a few years ago flash up on the screen behind them and they all raise their titles up. Big “NXT” chant.
Pete Dunne with a promo backstage says it’s finally time to get what he came back to NXT for: championship gold.
William Regal talks about new signing Saree, makes her sound like a huge deal. She will debut next week. Regal interviewed and says this has taken a few years but he’s very excited about the signing.
Steps into a room, sees Roderick Strong and Marina Shafir I think. Roddy hands him an envelope and says he’s done. Regal asks if he’s sure and he nods. William says he’s had a lot of issues with him and UE but he’s a consummate professional and he’s welcome back anytime.
Up next on the NXT Recap…
Isaiah Scott vs. Leon Ruff
Ruff attacks him, double legs, Scott throws him away but Ruff catches a kick and trips him, dropkick to the back! Takes Ruff to the apron, chop drops him. Pulls him into the ring, body slam. Scott to the second rope, Flying Elbow to the back! Cover for 2. Ruff with a dropkick, charging forearm. Scott with a reversal on a whip, Ruff with a few axe handles, leaping stomp! Forearm, charges, leaps from rope to rope to avoid Scott but when he leaps up top, Scott leaps up with him for a big Russian Legsweep! Takes him to the outside, charging kick to the face!
Commercial break, NXT Recap will resume.
Scott with a big chop as we come back. Takes Ruff to the corner, nails him with another! Yells at him that they’re done. Another loud chop but Ruff fires up! Returns several chops, hits the ropes, lariato! And another! Headlock, bulldog but Swerve shoves him away, Ruff leaps off the second rope but Scott counters with a submission only for Ruff to roll out of the way, diving stomp, up top for the Corkscrew Cutter! Scott powders, Ruff leaps to the top rope for a flip tope!! Throws him into the ring, Missile Dropkick for a nearfall!
Leon Ruff pulls Swerve up top from opposite sides of the buckles. Scott fights to the top but Ruff with an enziguri, goes up with him. Leaps for a WILD Super Rana and Scott goes flying across the ring! Cover for a nearfall! Exhcange of blows, Swerve with a charging uppercut! Ruff fights back, rebounds off the ropes wildly for a shot but Swerve with a huge lariat! Ruff with a sudden rana for a nearfall! They fight up top – Swerve drops Ruff onto the top buckle! Pulls him in, Storm Cradle Driver for the win!
Winner: Isaiah Scott
Great stuff as expected.
Zoey Stark talks about her big match with Toni Storm and how she wants to be NXT Women’s Champion. Mercedes confronts her and reminds her that she’s ahead of her in line.
Swerve Scott backstage very happy about his win but Leon Ruff jumps him! Shoves a rolling case into him! Yells at him that it’s not over until he says it’s over. Officials ward him away.
Up next is our main event of the NXT Recap…
Shotzi Blackheart, Ember Moon, Bronson Reed & Dexter Lumis vs. The Way
Dexter starts with Theory. Theory powers him into the corner for shoulder thrusts. Whip to the corner reversed, floats over, Lumis with a Thesz Press! Candice wants a tag and she comes in. Ember rushes in for a dropkick! Shotzi tags in for an elbow drop, 2 count. Indy comes in but gets blasted! Ember tags back in and hoists her up for a Powerbomb, Gargano makes the save but Shotzi and Ember assault him, Reed with an elbow, Ember with a Discus Elbow! Lumis tags in and now Johnny’s legal. Lumis with an uppercut!
Whip, Gargano blocks a back body drop with a kick, gets nailed with a Pop-Up Uppercut though! Lumis knocks Theory off the apron, stares down Indy and she’s enchanted. Indy’s about to kiss him until Candice pulls her off the apron and Gargano jumps Lumis as we go to commercial break. As we come back, Reed tags in and is pounding on Theory. Big body block! Gargano comes in, Reed ducks a line and body blocks him too! They end up in the corner together and Reed with a big avalanche!
Hoists Theory onto his shoulders, pulls Gargano up too and he Samoan Drops them simultaneously! The girls have to break that up, Shotzi and Ember in the ring to brawl with them. Indi with a Spinebuster to Ember, Blackheart with a Flying DDT to Indi, Candice with a thrust kick! Goes up top. Reed gets in front of her to stop her, Candice with a crossbody and she bounces off of him obviously. Theory takes out Reed, Lumis with a Spinebuster to Theory, Ember with a Tope Suicida to Gargano, Candice with a tope flying DDT to Lumis! This is wild.
Reed hoists Shotzi up by request and military presses her onto the pile!
Now Reed hits the ropes – but Johnny hits him with a Superkick! Lumis in the ring, Uranage into the Silence! Indi rushes in but she can’t bring herself to hit Lumis to break it up. So instead she just drops to the mat and plays dead. Lumis notices her and breaks the hold to try and tend to her, until Theory hits a charging kick to the head! He’s taken to the outside, Indi again plays dead on the apron. So he takes her up into his arms and carts her off and she turns to give a thumbs up to the camera! Theory gets nailed by Reed, Ember with a wild Eclipse to Theory as Reed goes up top but Gargano attacks Reed! Reed throws Johnny onto Theory! Cnadice leaps up to try and superplex Reed, believe it or not this does not work. Reed throws her onto Theory as well! Now he hits his Frog Splash for the win!
Winners: Bronson Reed, Dexter Lumis, Ember Moon & Shotzi Blackheart
Fun stuff! Wacky but well done match. Reed holding Ember and Shotzi up on his shoulders to celebrate. And that’s the show!