All images courtesy of the WWE Network streaming service

OFFICIAL RESULTS

• Heavy Machinery VS Tino Sabbatelli & Riddick Moss; Sabbatelli & Moss win.
• Fabian Aichner VS Roderick Strong; Strong wins.
• Aliyah VS Lacey Evans; Lacey wins.
• WWE NXT Tag Team Championship #1 Contenders Match: The Street Profits VS The Authors of Pain w/ Paul Ellering; The Authors of Pain win and will face The Undisputed Era at TakeOver: Philadelphia.

PLAY BY PLAY

Heavy Machinery VS Tino Sabbatelli & Riddick Moss!

The human bulldozers, Tucker Knight & Otis Dozovic, are always hungry for #Steaks&Weights, but the Blue Chip Boys are always confident money is the best thing in life. Which tandem will take the next step towards the NXT Tag Team Championships?

“Dozer” starts against Tino as the bell rings. They tie up, Otis powers Tino down and shows the true power of #Steaks&Weights. Tino grins, and surprises Otis with a dropkick. He puts Otis in a corner and boasts with Riddick, but Otis just gets mad. He stares Tino down, and runs him over! Otis keeps moving, things speed up, and Otis catches the crossbody to then slam him down. Corner squash in the corner, then tag to Tucker. Tucker goes to the side, and with some help from Otis, hits a superheavyweight slingshot senton!

Cover, TWO, so Tucker puts Tino in a facelock. Otis cheers him on as he brings Tino up, and swings Tino around!

Tucker lets him go and Tino dizzily staggers around. Riddick tags in, but Tucker is right on him. Riddick gets a ropebreak before he goes swinging, then gives a cheap shot to Tucker. Tucker gets him down on the mat and back in the facelock, and swings Riddick!

Tucker tags Otis, and they go after Riddick together. They march, then meet in the middle with the belly bump! Riddick staggers and falls down, now things really fire up as Otis does the “Caterpillar” elbow drop! Tino breaks the cover, but Otis knocks him back. Otis scoops Riddick but Tino saves him, Riddick chopblocks Otis’ leg. Tag to Tino, Tino clobbers Otis and rains down rights while fans boot. Riddick tags back in, he unleashes hands on Otis. The fans rally for Otis while Riddick puts him in a chinlock. Otis gets to his feet and back suplexes Riddick down! Both men are down from exhaustion, the fans keep rallying as they crawl for their corners. Tag to Tucker, he rallies on Riddick! Big hip toss for Riddick, bigger dropkick for Tino! Tucker pumps the horn and squashes Riddick in a corner. Tino runs into a hip toss and then gets clothesline’d out, but Riddick rolls Tucker up, with his feet on the ropes!

Moss & Sabbatelli win! They’re ecstatic but Heavy Machinery are furious! Will this cheap win help the Blue Chip Boys go for gold?

The Undisputed Era speaks.

“Let’s get real, boys.” TakeOvers belong to them. They arrived at a TakeOver and won at a TakeOver. So when Adam Cole fights Aleister Black at TakeOver: Philadelphia in an Extreme Rules match, he won’t be afraid. There are a million ways to win, and a million ways to hurt. It doesn’t matter how he does it, Cole promises to defeat Aleister. As for O’Reilly & Fish, it doesn’t matter if it’s Street Profits or Authors of Pain, the constant is “everyone wants at the NXT Tag Team Championships.” But what everyone fails to realize is that “this is The Undisputed Era”, and you all just live in it. “Gentlemen, what it is that you’re competing for is the right to step up, and get dropped” by reDRagon, NXT’s “Undisputed” Tag Team Champions. Will the Undisputed TakeOver Streak continue through the City of Brotherly Love?

Aleister Black has a message for Adam Cole.

The Embodiment of the End tells Cole that he brought this upon himself. Extreme Rules, the invention of ECW. “I do not require extensions of myself, as I was born into this world a weapon.” Adam Cole brought Aleister “to this realm”, and now Aleister will show strength by exploiting Cole’s weakness. Aleister will “rip you through that veil” and become “The Embodiment of Extreme” while Cole will simply #FadetoBlack.

Fabian Aichner VS Roderick Strong!

The Italian Tank wants to still reach the #NXTLVL, can he do it against the Messiah of the Backbreaker here tonight?

The bell rings, the two circle while the fans chant for “Roddy! Roddy!” They tie up, Strong gets the headlock but Aichner reverses into the hammerlock. Strong switches the hammerlock onto Aichner, then shifts to a wristlock. Aichner pushes Strong but Strong holds on. Aichner tries again but Strong reverses, so Aichner runs him over. Things speed up, Strong goes up and over and knocks Aichner over with a calf kick! Cover, TWO, but Strong keeps focus. He brings Aichner up, Aichner drives in a knee. Aichner whips Strong to a corner, Strong elbows back and goes for the full-nelson lift but Aichner slips out and behind. Aichner shoves Strong back to the corner, Strong goes up and over. Strong jumps, Aichner catches him and then shifts to a powerslam!

Strong writhes and Aichner catches his breath while we go to break.

NXT returns and Aichner now has Strong in a standing abdominal stretch. Fans rally for Strong, he powers out and arm-drags Aichner away. Strong chops, haymakers, but Aichner shoves Strong back to hit another powerslam! Cover, TWO, and Strong gets to a corner. Aichner stalks over and stands Strong up for a chop of his own! Aichner then stomps a mudhole into Strong before the referee backs him off. The Italian Tank stomps back over an dbrings Strong up into a powerbomb position, but Strong slips off. Strong throws hands and backs Aichner down. He whips but Aichner reverses, Strong still hits the leaping lariat. Strong goes at Aichner with shoulders and chops, then runs from the adjacent corner for the forearm smash! Strong lifts Aichner for the Olympic Slam but Aichner counters with an arm-drag! Aichner goes to boot Strong back but Strong blocks it, and pulls Aichner into the cradling backbreaker!

Cover, TWO! Strong is surprised, but he isn’t deterred. He gets up and brings Aichner up. Aichner holds the ropes, then flings off to hit Strong with a strong uppercut! Strong keeps moving, but he runs right into Aichner’s tilt-o-whirl backbreaker! Both men are down, but Aichner sees his opening. He gets himself to a corner while fans rally. Aichner climbs while Strong stands up, then springboards, only to get caught in the half-nelson backbreaker!

Strong puts on the Strong Hold!

Aichner taps, Strong wins! Strong seems to be on that #NXTLVL, can he use this to approach the NXT Championship Level?

Roderick Strong speaks in the ring.

“Last week, someone came out here looking for a fight. And his words just keep echoing in my head, because I feel the exact same way.” Ever since Strong joined NXT, he has “ran through all the competition thrown at me, just like him.” Strong never felt something like this man, “but that brings me joy, because that is a force that I want to destroy.” Strong calls out Lars Sullivan!? The Strongest Workhorse wants the strongest opponent possible, but is he reaching past his limits?

NXT takes a look at the returning TM61.

Nick Miller & Shane Thorne share a bit of their Australian “lingo”, which is mostly “cuss words and headbutts.” That aside, Miller & Thorne are The Mighty, and The Mighty Don’t Kneel.
Growing up, there wasn’t a lot of professional wrestling in Australia. They met in their late teens, in Explosive Pro-Wrestling. Shane was “enthusiastic” while Nick was quiet, yet they became great friends from training, traveling, and wrestling together. Their natural chemistry makes them a great team, in the ring at least. They started as adversaries, brought out the best in each other, and teaming made sense. They quickly became EPW Tag Team Champions, then went to the Harley Race Wrestling School. Harley Race supported The Mighty in their attempts at the Performance Center. The stars of NXT were their inspiration, but they knew they needed to grow more.
So, The Mighty went to Japan, and went through training as “Young Boys”. They worked hard for little money, but they gained a greater appreciation. Even then, Harley Race was behind them. The Mighty became GHC Tag Team Champions, but the important element was gaining respect. Then they came back to NXT, and were red hot, until an injury to Shane Thorne slowed them down again. Now that they’re back this third time, will third time be the charm?

Aliyah VS

The Alluring Ailurophile (lover of cats) and the Lady of NXT return to NXT TV to see who can take one step forward in the NXT Women’s Division and Ember Moon’s coveted NXT Women’s Championship.

The bell rings, the two circle and tie up. Aliyah pushes Lacey but Lacey wrenches the arm so Aliyah cartwheels and reverses the wrench. Lacey slips out and puts the wrench back on Aliyah, Aliyah rolls but Lacey yanks her back down. Aliyah gets back up, Lacy gets her by the ear. They break, Aliyah trips Lacey up, jackknife but the bridge to the back slide but Aliyah slips out. Aliyah rocks Lacey with a forearm, then to the ghost pin, TWO. She keeps on Lacey but her whip is reversed. Lacey runs in but she’s put on the apron, so she goes after Aliyah’s hair and grinds her face on the top rope! Aliyah breaks free but Lacey trips her up, then hits a slingshot elbow drop!

Cover, TWO! Lacey is frustrated but she keeps on Aliyah, putting her right in a corner for a buckle bump. She wrenches Aliyah’s elbow on the top rope, lets go at 4, then stomps a mudhole into her. The Model Soldier then runs in for a wrecking ball bronco buster!

Lacey drags Aliyah for the cover, TWO! Aliyah fights back with forearms, and an uppercut, before running to the corner. She hops up and flies out for a lariat! Aliyah keeps going, Northern Lights and bridge, TWO! Lacey gives Aliyah a jawbreaker that staggers her back, and now both women are in opposite corners. Aliyah runs over but into a rocking right hand! Lacey covers, Lacey wins! Even Lacey is surprised at the power of her punch, can that be her ticket to the top?

Lacey Evans picks up a mic.

“How can Mr. Regal continue to allow the lowest forms of societal trash to just walk around the NXT Women’s Division?” The Lady of NXT says a “proper, sophisticate, powerful woman” is going to clean house. That starts with classless crazies like Nikki Cross or the confused “whatever she is” Ember Moon. Or maybe the “pathetic pirate–” Before Lacey can continue her rant, a certain Queen of Spades comes out.

Shayna Baszler glares at Lacey Evans, steps down the stairs, but Lacey takes her leave. Shayna doesn’t mind, she has prey in the ring. She puts Aliyah in the Kirafuda!

Shayna shows no mercy, she holds on even as Aliyah taps out, then fades to unconsciousness. Ember Moon appears for the save yet again!

Ember runs Shayna out of the ring again, but dares her to come back in. Shayna again smirks and takes her leave. The fans cheer for Ember, and then Ember speaks. “You wanna bully someone, Shayna?” Ember dares Shayna try it with her. Get in the ring so they can do this NOW! Shayna looks tempted, but she uses her excuse that she’s not dressed. “I’ll do it when it’s for your title.” No gear? No motivation? Name the time and the place, Ember will bring that title, so long as Shayna remembers her gear. Then, Ember will “beat, your, ass!” Fans chant “Beat That Ass!” while Shayna decides on TakeOver: Philadelphia! Do we have our NXT Women’s Championship match made?!

REMEMBER: The NXT Year End Awards 2017 polls are open!

Make sure to vote so that your favorite matches, events and superstars win!

Backstage interview with NXT General Manager, William Regal.

What are his thoughts on the exchange between champion Ember Moon and would-be challenge Shayna Baszler? “It’s against my better judgement”, but if Ember wants it, she’ll get it. We will get Ember Moon VS Shayna Baszler for the NXT Women’s Championship at TakeOver: Philadelphia!

Then Zelina Vega enters.

She is glad to find Regal in his office, and allows the news crew to stay. Everyone knows Johnny Gargano has “zero chance” at winning against Andrade Almas. Gargano was “carried” in his tag team, lost to Almas twice before Almas was champion, and just has zero chance. Plus, Velveteen Dream had a good point that he is more deserving. If Gargano wants to prove things to everyone, he should put his shot on the line against Velveteen Dream. Regal doesn’t think so. Of course not, because Regal knows just like everyone knows Gargano will lose. “Johnny Wrestling” is a shame and a loser. But if Regal wants to be humiliated, Almas and Zelina are happy to oblige. What will Regal’s final decision on the matter be?

No Way Jose is back on NXT!

His 2017 had its ups and downs but it was all fun! So there’s no way Jose won’t continue the fiesta in 2018! Can the Fighting Fiesta conga-line his way to the top!?

Johnny Gargano appears at ringside!

Johnny Wrestling wishes to respond to the words of La Gerente Zelina Vega. “I hear the buzz, I know what everyone’s saying, I hear everyone talking behind my back.” Zelina Vega, Velveteen Dream, and maybe even William Regal, doubt Gargano’s ability! Gargano is done with being doubted! He is not broken, he is not a loser, and he is not a fluke! “This is my time” and no one will stop him. The fans cheer, and he asks if they can “hear that”! Velveteen Dream, if you want Gargano’s shot, you’ve got it next week! Fans cheer “Johnny Wrestling!” on as he says that “for teh first time in a very long time”, Gargano knows who he is: Johnny FREAKING Wrestling! “And I am the next NXT Champion!” Gargano is fired up like never before, but will he keep from flaming out?

WWE NXT Tag Team Championship #1 Contenders Match: The Street Profits VS The Authors of Pain w/ Paul Ellering!

Angelo Dawkins & Montez Ford have the #CurseOfGreatness (and great new threads) but will it be enough to overcome the dominance incarnate that are Akam & Rezar?

The fans are on the Street Profits’ side as the bell rings. Ford and Akam start and tie up. Ford gets a headlock, but Akam powers out and runs Ford over with a shoulder! Akam roars and stares Ford down, Dawkins coaches Ford back into things. Ford kip-ups and runs, only for Akam to run him over again. Akam drags Ford up and throws him to the ropes, Ford ducks under and jumps, but is caught and brought to the AoP corner! Akam puts Ford on the top as Rezar tags in, and both Authors hammer away while Ford is stuck on the top shelf!

The Authors drag Ford off, Rezar covers, TWO. Rezar keeps on Ford with body shots and knees, and even trash talk. The fans boo and jeer while Rezar drags Ford up and Akam tags back in. Akam mugs Ford, Ford fights back but gets clobbered back down. Akam puts Ford in a full nelson, fans duel “Let’s go Montez!” “A O P!” Ford fades from the power behind that hold, but Akam shows no mercy as he turns it into a full nelson slam!

Cover, TWO, and Dawkins is relieved. Akam drags Ford back over, tag to Rezar, the Authors continue to isolate Ford in their half of the ring. Tag to Akam, the Authors stomp on Ford, and then Akam puts Ford in another full nelson as we go to break.

NXT returns again, and now Akam hammers away on Ford. Cover, TWO, and the Authors grow annoyed. Tag to Rezar, he stomps on Ford some more. Rezar brings Ford up in a front facelock, like a standing guillotine hold. Ford fades again, but Dawkins and the fans keep rallying for him. Rezar grinds Ford to the mat, but Ford refuses to give in. Rezar puts as much weight on Ford as he can, but fans keep cheering. Ford gets up, reaches, but Rezar holds steady. Ford still tries, one step at a time getting closer to his corner! Rezar lets go to swing at Dawkins, Dawkins dodges, and now Ford slips past Rezar to tag Dawkins in! Dawkins rallies on Rezar and even Akam, dropkick for Akam and lariats for Rezar! Dawkins and Rezar both run, Dawkins rocks Rezar with a running uppercut! Fans fire up as Dawkins hits the spinning splash and tags in Ford. Ford climbs up while Dawkins lifts Rezar, the Street Profits hit a missile dropkick spinebuster!

Cover, but Akam breaks it up. Dawkins goes after Akam but gets clobbered by that clothesline! Akam fires up and gets Rezar back into things. They take one Profit each and run in from opposite ends for the Super Collider!

They’re not done, either. The Authors pick up Ford as the legal man, and give him the Last Chapter!

Rezar covers, The Authors of Pain win! The Authors are again #1 contenders, will they again become NXT Tag Team Champions?

My Thoughts:

Another very full and very good episode of NXT. It went right into action to start as Heavy Machinery and Sabbatelli-Moss look to settle things. Good showings from both teams, and the Blue Chip Boys grow their Heel power with that cheated win. I’m sure both teams will have another match with each other soon, and I wouldn’t mind if Tucker & Otis return the favor just to give Sabbatelli & Moss a taste of their own medicine. Aichner VS Strong was great stuff, Aichner continues to impress even in losses. Strong wanting after Lars while Lars wants after “Big Damo” Killian Dain, I now want a triple threat where Strong tries to conquer two monsters at once, and somehow does. It would obviously come through Lars and Damo doing so much damage to each other that Strong can capitalize, but I’d still love it. Then Strong can return to the NXT Championship scene against whoever it might be for an even more amazing match.

I enjoyed Lacey suddenly turning herself Heel with how she wrestled Aliyah tonight then called out all the atypical female characters. I think she will do very well putting on this “Proper Lady” Heel act while going against great talents like Nikki Cross and Kairi Sane. Shayna coming out to scare her off was great, too, I almost thought their respective Heel personas were going to be undone should Shayna have gone after Lacey. Instead, Shayna attacks a vulnerable superstar twice in a row, perhaps a little too soon since it all leads to Shayna VS Ember at TakeOver. I think this would’ve been better left until the go-home, just for pacing. The TM61 biography promo was great, and No Way Jose returning sounds great, I really hope they all have better 2018’s than 2017’s. Gargano puts his spot on the line against Velveteen Dream, I hope this doesn’t “backfire” where Dream takes that championship chance from him. The main event was short but still great, but I knew it was too soon for The Profits. I don’t think Akam & Rezar will win those titles back, but a great match between them and reDRagon can be a great send-off before the AoP go to main.

My Score: 8/10