Tuesday brings us another edition of the black-and-gold brand. Stay tuned for the NXT Recap.
Kyle O’Reilly opens the show. He says in life we face constant struggles and challenges and at TakeOver he faced a big one. Asks for them to turn the lights up, remembers he’s wearing sunglasses. Says he beat Adam Cole and it feels good. He’s never been one to thrust himself into the spotlight because his work and ability in the ring speaks for itself. He says he found a killer instinct at TakeOver. You have to be willing to go to the extremes and sacrifice anything to achieve your goals.
But what are his goals? What’s his next objective? Does he want to keep proving he’s the guy here? Go for the workhorse title and take the North American Championship? Or does he take this killer instinct and go after the most dominant force in NXT. Well he has all the time, must be talking about you Karrion Kross.
But he’s interrupted by Cameron Grimes!
Grimes congratulates him on his win. Says he really stood and delivered! He actually won a lot of money on DraftKings betting on him! Says they saw him as an underdog but he saw him as a top dog. Chums up with him, wants to partner with him. Get some Cool Kyle merch. “Cool Kyle” chant, Grimes says that’s atleast two of them sold right there! Says together they can go to the moon, Kyle says it with him!
O’Reilly says he loves it. Is glad to be business associates with him. And says he just found out that today he’s officially cleared to compete! Grimes is pleased and they both look around for his first opponent. Kyle says it’s definitely not Grimes, they’re business associates! But then he puts on his sunglasses again and realizes it IS him and punches him out. C’mon now, Grimes did nothing to him!
Sarray arrives in the parking lot.
Zoey Stark wants to be the first up to challenge her in her debut and Regal is quick to make the match.
LA Knight backstage in his Scott Hall vest talking about how what goes around comes around. Tonight he has Dexter Lumis. Promises to off his on switch.
That match is up next on the NXT Recap.
Dexter Lumis vs. LA Knight
Lock-up. Dexter powering him towards the corner, Knight reverses on him. Clean break. Lumis ducks a shot and takes over with blows. Headlock, Lumis shoots him off, Knight with a shoulder block, jacknife cover for a 1 count. Lumis with an uppercut. Whip, Knight with a kick off a back body drop. Lumis no sells, nails him with a lariato! Knight shoves him away, drops him with a big boot! Lumis gropes at him, Knight scrambles to the floor to get some space.
Knight with a Hot Shot on his way back in, Pullover Shoulder Block! Nice. Tries to whip him but Lumis reverses, Back Body Drop! Lumis drops onto the mat and gets face-to-face. Knight crawls backwards so quickly that he somehow crotches himself on the post. Lumis charges in a corner but Knight ducks a shot, drops him with a Neckbreaker. Throws him to the outside. Commercial break, NXT Recap will resume when the show does.
We come back in time to see Lumis start his comeback with a Spinebuster!
Lumis with a series of clotheslines, Running Neckbreaker, Back Suplex, kip up into a big leg drop! Rebound Suplex for a nearfall. Knight powders. Lumis pursues and Knight trips him into the barricade! Drives him into the apron. Lumis crawling around on the floor afterwards. Knight pulls him up but eats an uppercut! Lumis sees Indi Hartwell on the other side of the barrier. They gaze longingly at each other. Knight attacks Lumis from behind and throws him into the ring.
Knight starts flirting with Indi, Lumis surprises him with a tope! Throws Knight inside. Lumis continues staring at Indi, she might be the most naturally distracting ringside presence of all time they’re literally taking turns being mesmerized by her. As Lumis gets back in the ring, Knight surprises him with a Spike Draping DDT for the win.
Winner: LA Knight
That was okay but man that finishing sequence was goofy. Afterwards, Indi and Lumis stare each other down until the Way appears and drags her away.
Leon Ruff backstage talks about his attack on Swerve Scott last week and promises to finish him the next time they meet.
Beth Phoenix is talking with Io Shirai backstage.
She shows us TakeOver: In Your House where Io first won her title. Shirai says that was the biggest night of her life. Holding that title means she’s the best wrestler in the world. We then see the big boot and powerbomb onto the floor from Raquel. Io says it hurt and felt like she had no energy when that happened.
We see the reign come to an end. Io says Raquel was her biggest and toughest challenge. When the time is right she will get her rematch. Beth asks what’s next for her and she says rest! She defended her title for over 300 days and her body needs time so she can come back and overcome the challenge.
Doggo walks upon the table and in comes Franky Monet, apologizing for her pup and introducing herself. Congratulates Io on her title reign and says she’s been watching Beth since she was a kid! Phoenix looks uncomfortable with this. Tells Io they could be best friends and better enemies. Shirai stands up and yells at her. Tells her she likes cats and walks off.
Breezango in the ring dressed as redcoats. Grizzled Young Veterans come out furious at their antics and deride them as jokes. They hope MSK are watching. Up next on the NXT Recap…
Grizzled Young Veterans vs. Breezango
Breezango fend off a pre-bell attack and send them to the outside. GYV take over as the match begins, Gibson with a snap suplex to Fandango, rear chinlock. ‘Dango breaks it, takes him outside, Breeze tags in, Drake gets stun gunned and falls to the outside. Baseball slide wipes them out! Commercial break, NXT Recap will resume when the show does.
As we come back, Drake is up top, Fandango charges, Drake leaps over him and twists his ankle on the landing. Ref is tending to him. Gibson is looking concerned. Thumbs Fandango in the eye behind the ref’s back! Drake suddenly gets better and starts pounding on him, GYV with a Hart Attack variant. Gibson has Fandango in a front facelock, Fandango snapmares him to break. Waistlock to try and keep him from making the tag, Fandango breaks out, Discus Clothesline! Gibson makes the tag to Drake before ‘Dango gets over to Breeze, grabs the ankle but Fandango leaps forward for the tag!
Breeze is a house of fire now, nailing both men with kicks, stomping Drake in the corner and hitting an enziguri on Gibson! Tope to Drake, throws Gibson into the barrier! Lariat to Drake in the ring, Russian Legsweep, covers but has to thwart Gibson’s run-in. Drake with a roll-up for 2. Numbers catch up to Breeze, Ticket To Mayhem gets the win for GYV.
Winners: Grizzled Young Veterans
Solid.
Backstage, The Way confronts Bronson Reed during an interview. Theory says he already went to Mr. Regal and the only way he’s getting another title shot is if he beats himself! So get back in line. Johnny asks what’s wrong with him, says he pinned him last week, squished him! Gargano pokes Theory’s tummy and he’s clearly still sore.
Cameron Grimes backstage is angry, says that no good Kyle O’Reilly will end up back in the hospital! Says he’s got an NFT. Reads it out, they thank him for his high bid. But unfortunately they received a very high bid after the auction had expired and had no choice but to accept it. Grimes hollers DiBiase’s name in rage as he storms away.
And now up next on the NXT Recap…
Sarray vs. Zoey Stark
They lock hands at the bell, Stark wins a test of strength momentarily, presses on her ribs with the boots until she drops. Sarray powers her back up though, monkey flip from the mat to take over! Stark with a trip but Sarray slides out of a cover Riho-style, Basement Dropkick and stomps on her back! Yanks her around and cinches in a Cloverleaf! Stands with it, springs backwards for the Muta Lock! Stark crawls over and grabs the bottom rope for the break.
Sarray batters her in the corner, whip to the adjacent, Stark floats over, elbow to the face drops her, Sliding Lariat for a nearfall! Dramatic stomp, snap suplex for a 2 count! Stark grinds on her, cover for a 2 count. Stomps her into the corner. Stark with a snapmare, double chickenwing. Sarray fights up but gets taken to the corner. Sarray sends Stark with the apron, dropkick clips her legs out from under her to take her to the floor! Fight goes back to the ring, exchange of shots, Sarray wins out with forearms! Hits the ropes but Stark stops her with a Kitchen Sink knee! Hits the ropes but Sarray with a wicked running dropkick! And another! Fisherman’s Suplex, bridge for a nearfall!
Pulls her up but Stark surprises her with a spinning heel kick! Half-N-Half Suplex! Kip up, Sliding Knee for a nearfall! Goes up top. 450 misses, Sarray leaps at her for a cradle for a nearfall! Stark surprises her with a Superkick for a nearfall! Covers again to make her kick out again. Stark wants a Back Suplex but Sarray flips to the mat, Spinning Heel Kick, forearm, Overhead Saito Suplex for the win!
Winner: Sarray
Very good match! That was actually my first time personally seeing either of these two, extremely impressive stuff.
Handshake afterwards, Stark is making her way up the ramp as Sarray celebrates but in the background we see Toni Storm jump Stark! Sarray has to chase her away.
Backstage, Dakota Kai and Raquel Gonzalez promise that she wants to have an even better reign than Io. Dakota says Mercedes wants a title match and she wants to study witchcraft at Hogwarts, we don’t all get what we want.
As the NXT Recap rolls on, Candice LaRae talks to Indi backstage about her behavior, says they’re the ones who deserve to be champions. She confronts Ember and Shotzi and talks about how they’re not even really a team, she and Indi are family. They ask what Indi thinks. Candice turns around and Indi’s ditched. LaRae tries to run but they grab her and drag her into their locker room, presumably to murder her.
Now out comes Kushida! He says last week he won the title in an open challenge. Tonight he will give the same opportunity. Who wants a title shot?!
NXT Cruiserweight Championship: Kushida (c) vs. Oney Lorcan
Nice! Fight goes to the mat right away, grapevine, Lorcan with a headscissors. Kushida rolls him over, deathlock, Lorcan reverses and hooks his legs, rips at his mouth. Kushida fights up, leg kick, grinds the nose himself. Lorcan avoids a kick, side headlock. Kushida shoots him off, leaps at him to spin him to the mat in a great Cross-Armbreaker, Lorcan scrambles to the mat for the break!
Kushida charges but Lorcan with a big kick, goes up top, Kush with an enziguri sends him to the floor! Commercial break, NXT Recap will resume when the show does! As we come back, we see during the commercial Lorcan landed a kitchen sink knee. Arm stretch, Kushida fights to his feet and breaks it. Round kicks, Handspring Elbow attempted but Lorcan dodges, Charging Uppercut for a nearfall! Another Kitchen Sink knee for a nearfall. And covers again for another 2 count.
Kush fights back, big clothesline. Shotei in the corner, series of kicks. Lorcan reverses an Irish Whip, charges into a back elbow to the face! Kushida goes up top, Double Footstomp to the arm! Wants the Cross Armbreaker but Lorcan fends him off, another charging uppercut, Blockbuster for a nearfall! Lorcan with a loud as FUCK chop! And another and another, Kush’s chest is quickly red but he fires back anyway, hip toss, cartwheel dropkick! Kick to the elbow, leaps at him for the Hoverboard Lock! Cinches it in and gets the tap!
Winner: Kushida
Such strong stuff. Feeling like people don’t talk about this division enough.
As Kushida celebrates, Santos Escobar makes his way out slowly. As Kush is distracted, the rest of Legado del Fantasma ambushes him! Mendoza and Wilde drag him out of the ring and clobber him against the announce table. Escobar seems to be gearing up for a dive through the table when MSK come out to make the save! The faces drive the heels away.
Martinez with a promo. Says Raquel is ducking her, she’s scared! Had a chance to say something during that interview but she didn’t, Dakota did. Even being the champ, she’s in her shadow. Kai barks the orders and she’s her good little lapdog. Says she’ll do Raquel a favor and take Dakota out, then nothing will stand between her and the title.
Johnny and Theory talking backstage as Gargano wants an explanation as to what he said to Regal. Candice walks in and her shirt is all torn up. She has gum on her too I guess. Indi also walks in and asks what happened to her. Says she too was talking to Regal and they got a tag title match! Everyone celebrates except LaRae who is still very unhappy.
Up next on the NXT Recap…
Ever-Rise vs. Imperium
Aichner with a big elbow at the bell, starts with Martel. Blasts his back, charging elbow in the corner, back suplex! Jawbreaker, Chase Parker tags in, leaps for a crossbody but Aichner catches him for a Fallaway Slam! Tags in and out for Imperium, Bartel sets Parker up in the ropes for a charging double dropkick! Killian Dain walks down the ramp and confronts Wolfe at ringside. Drake Maverick rushes down to attack Wolfe but Dain holds him back, doesn’t want him doing it. Meanwhile, Imperium with a double team move for the win.
Winner: Imperium
Definitely interesting to see them play to the history of Dain and Wolfe, given how long they’ve been apart with so little mention of Sanity.
Kyle O’Reilly walking backstage, Karrion Kross is watching him…
Up next is the main event of the NXT Recap.
Kyle O’Reilly vs. Cameron Grimes
Kyle with a wristlock, takes over quick. Grimes reverses and trips him, heel hook. O’Reilly rolls him over, grabs an arm. Chinlock cinched in. Grimes slips between his legs, grabs him in a double wristlock. Pulls him up, O’Reilly reverses. Side headlock takeover. Grimes takes over, reverses and grinding the knuckles in Kyle’s face. O’Reilly fights him up, shoots him off, Grimes with a shoulder block but Kyle with a clothesline. Grabs the arm, torques on the shoulder.
Grimes fights back up, uppercut. Hits the ropes but O’Reilly stops him with a knee to the face! Slap nails him. Pulls him up for a Hammerlock Trip! Kick to the face, round kick to the chest. Leg kick. Grimes with a forearm, and a chop! Whip reversed, Grimes with a sunset flip but O’Reilly counters with a Cross Armbreaker! Grimes blocks the whole of it but O’Reilly rolls to the other arm and gets it this time! Grimes rolls to the ropes for the break. O”Reilly pulls him up, wants a kneebreaker, Grimes scampers away…
Backflip into a Deadlift German Suplex! O’Reilly has to powder!
Commercial break, NXT Recap will conclude when we come back. We return to see Grimes nail a lariato. Grimes with a chinlock. O’Reilly fights back, Kitchen Sink knee – very popular this show – takes him over. High knees to the face, round kicks, legsweep! Kyle with a leg kick flips Grimes. Wants another but Grimes avoids it, back elbow, hoists him up for a Sit-Out Blackhole Slam but Kyle counters into a Guillotine! Grimes fades… PK from O’Reilly! O’Reilly wants to finish him but Grimes counters with a Sit-Out Blackhole Slam for a nearfall! Grimes with a roll-up for a nearfall, big boot, charges but O’Reilly pops him up for a high knee! Forearm from Grimes, Ax hits but Smash is avoided, Grimes with a big forearm again, Kyle with the rebound but Grimes with the Collision Course for a nearfall!
Leaps at him for the Cave In but O’Reilly with a big boot blocks that. Pumphandle blocked, Grimes with a Superkick – Rebound Lariat from O’Reilly! Ax and Smash! Hooks him for the Brainbuster! Goes up top… Flying Knee Drop to the back for the win.
Winner: Kyle O’Reilly
Good main, no surprise there. And that’s the show.