The EST goes down with injury, so the odds go up for Mrs. Wrestling, the Pirate Princess and the Loony Lass to win and challenge the NXT Women’s Champion!

All images courtesy of the WWE’s official Twitter

OFFICIAL RESULTS

• Dakota Kai VS Lacey Evans; Lacey wins.
• Kassius Ohno VS Rick Ramirez; Ohno wins.
• NXT Women’s Championship #1 Contender Triple Threat: Candice LeRae VS Nikki Cross VS Kairi Sane; Kairi wins and will challenge Shayna Baszler for the NXT Women’s Championship at TakeOver: Brooklyn IV.

PLAY BY PLAY

Dakota Kai VS Lacey Evans!

The Captain of Team Kick has gotten over her fear, but that doesn’t mean she’s gotten past being looked down on. Will the Lady of NXT use her Woman’s Right to knock Dakota out of the Women’s Division? Or will Dakota kick Lacey to the curb?

The bell rings and Lacey starts by mocking Dakota’s kicks. She then pie-faces Dakota, so Dakota trips her up and jackknife covers. ONE but Dakota throws Lacey around with arm-drags. Dakota runs and dropkicks Lacey, then whips her into a corner. Lacey reverses but Dakota goes up and over to then slip up and around for a roll up. TWO, but Dakota keeps on Lacey with a snapmare and kick! Dakota runs, for another kick! Cover, TWO! Lacey flounders to a corner but Dakota takes aim. Dakota runs Around the World, but misses! Lacey retaliates with her own kick, then sets Dakota up in the Tree of Woe. She ties Dakota in with the tag rope! Dakota is trapped but Lacey backs off at 4, to come back with the swinging bronco buster. Dakota is freed but Lacey mocks her while she’s on the mat.

Lacey watches Dakota crawl to ropes, then says “What’re you gonna do? Nothing.” Dakota stands while Lacey mocks the kicks. Lacey throws Dakota down to stomp her out. Fans boo and jeer as the Model Soldier covers. TWO, and Lacey gets frustrated. Lacey drops knees into Dakota’s back, then pulls her up by her hair. The ref reprimands her, and Dakota kicks back. Dakota rolls Lacey, TWO. Dakota kicks but Lacey blocks, takedown and gut punch! Lacey yanks Dakota around for an elbow drop. She keeps on that leg with a deathlock, then pulls on Dakota’s head and neck. Lacey pulls Dakota back, then slaps her on the side. Dakota endures while fans rally up. Lacey grimaces, then grinds her chin into Dakota’s head for added attack. She switches to her forearm across Dakota’s face, but stops at 4. Fans keep rallying for Dakota, and Dakota pries her way out.

Lacey comes back with a kick, then grinds Dakota back down in the arm-half of a surfboard. She grinds Dakota into the mat, then drops knee after knee into the back. Dakota refuses to quit, and fans rally up again. Dakota fights her way out with her legs, but Lacey pulls harder with full extension of her leg. Lacey uses both feet, but Dakota stands up to make it a cover! TWO, and Lacey kicks away on Dakota’s back. Dakota endures the stretching and bending, so Lacey just slingshots her down. Lacey sits for a cover, TWO. She drags Dakota up, then over to ropes to give her a knee and a sweep. Lacey slingshots out for more stomps. She literally walks all over Dakota, then salutes herself. Dakota rolls in but Lacey slingshots for the elbow drop.

Cover, TWO! Lacey grows further frustrated, and makes Dakota pay for it with stomps. Lacey climbs up, but her moonsault flops! Dakota grits her teeth and drags herself up. Fans fire up for her as she aims at Lacey. Lacey hits hard with that body shot, but Dakota kicks and kicks and kicks back! Dakota takes aim as Lacey crawls away. Kiwi Around the World! Then ANOTHER! Dakota scrapes her foot on Lacey’s face over and over, then gives the boot wash! Cover, TWO!!

Lacey makes sure her jaw is still there, but Dakota is on her again. Dakota’s kick misses, and Lacey pumphandles to a scoop slam! Lacey can’t cover, because her face hurts too much. Dakota slowly stirs while Lacey drags herself back up. Fans fire up again, and Dakota scorpion kicks! Dakota runs but into a drop toehold. Lacey grabs the leg and ducks the enziguri to hit the Woman’s Right! Cover, Lacey wins!

Winner: Lacey Evans, by pinfall

That’s all it takes for things to go the Model Soldier’s way. Then she gets in Dakota’s face, shouting “You will NEVER be a lady! I AM a lady!” Lacey wins big, but with the contenders match tonight, how long will she have to wait for her chance at the NXT Women’s Championship?

Backstage interview with Ricochet.

The One and Only lost to the Undisputed Era a couple weeks ago in a Six Man Tag with Mustache Mountain. Mustache Mountain then lost to the Undisputed Era 2v2 with the NXT Tag Team Championships on the line. Ricochet speaks up there. It’s no secret he doesn’t like the Undisputed Era, but he knows they’re still fighting champions and will defend those belts again. In fact, the Undisputed Era loves to do just that. Except for Adam Cole, who barely defends his North American Championship. Ricochet was this close to being the NAC, but Cole stole it out from under him. Cole hides behind his title and his team, everyone knows it. But Ricochet will not stop until he gets 1v1 with Cole, and then you’ll see the next NXT North American Champion.

The Street Profits return!

And they return home, too. They ball on the court. “You dust yourself off, you get back up.” That’s how Deangelo Dawkins & Montez Ford do. They’re motivated by what The Mighty did to them the last time they faced off. They won’t fall for those tricks again. The #CurseofGreatness is on its way back, will they give Shane Thorne & Nick Miller the payback they deserve?

NXT Media catches up with EC3.

The Top One Percent made his entrance just as Velveteen Dream was celebrating a win, what was that about? Just a “non-friendly reminder” that EC3 isn’t about to forget the betrayal at the Royal Albert Hall tag match against Ricochet & Aleister Black. It also means EC3 is always watching. A fan wants a selfie, EC3 is nice enough to give it to him. EC3 gets a compliment and gives a compliment back. He even gives away a free EC3 t-shirt, just like the one on sale at the WWE Shop! EC3 doesn’t need this guy’s money, he’s already rich.

But then The Finest, Kona Reeves, comes along. He admits that random “dirtbag” is right, EC3 has a really nice outfit. Custom? Yes. Of course, yes. But it’s not The Finest. But that watch, sick watch. Just not The Finest. And that tan, that’s real good. Though, Kona’s is all natural. Yes, okay, we get it, it’s not The Finest. But look at him with those glasses covering up those “dead, creepy eyes” while wearing the buy-one-get-one suit, and is that cubic zirconium? How many arcade tickets did it take to get that chain? If Kona is gonna banter, bring your “A” Game or else EC3 will chew you up, spit you out and feed you to his cats! Do you understand him?

The Finest should just fight the Top One Percent. Do it, fight him. Fight him, fight him. Kona doesn’t want to. Yeah, because he knows he’d get a Top One Percent beating! EC3 leaves The Finest behind, but only now does Kona man up. Kona was thinking they’d be the Finest Friends, but now they’re worst enemies. Who will put their money where their mouth is with a win?

NXT takes a look at Aleister VS Ciampa.

The Embodiment of the End makes his opponents #FadeToBlack, but the Psycho Killer has darkness in his heart. The champion defeated the Leviathan the same night Ciampa brutalized and cheated his former friend out of victory. “And now you have something that I want.” Aleister believes how you deal with adversity is what makes you a champion. Ciampa believes that in Aleister’s case, the belt makes the man. Ciampa got to main event two TakeOvers in a row, but wants the “boy” to be careful waht he says. He then took his shot with a sneak attack and draping DDT.

Aleister says that Ciampa may see himself as a devil, but Ciampa knows nothing of the devil on Aleister’s back. Ciampa brushes that off as smoke and mirrors. He promises to snuff out the mystique like a candle. Aleister tells Ciampa he’s lost and confused, but Ciampa has his path to the title. Whose darkness will envelope the other to take the NXT Championship for their own?

Kassius Ohno VS Rick Ramirez!

The Knockout Artist returns! He hasn’t had the best string of matches lately, but that won’t slow him down. Will he get back on track tonight against an impressive looking prospect?

The bell rings and fans are behind Ohno as he approaches Rick. They circle, and Rick gets a waistlock. Ohno standing switches and tosses Rick down. Ohno barrels in with the discus! Cover, Ohno wins!

Winner: Kassius Ohno, by pinfall

That was fast! Ohno looms over Rick, as if he didn’t want to do what he just did to the younger wrestler. Will this be the first of many wins that help Ohno get back towards the NXT Championship?

The Undisputed Era speaks.

The NXT Tag Team Championships are back where they belong. Was there any doubt. Just look at them! North American, Tag Team and Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic, they might as well be champions of the world! The loss to Seven and Bate no longer counts. Cole asks if they want to hear a joke. Sure. “Ricochet.” He talks smack about being so close to being a champion. “This close, this close”, who talks like that? They don’t speak loser. Cole is a champion and Ricochet isn’t. But Cole is a fighting champion, because when you anger the Undisputed Era, you’ll regret it. Ricochet needs to back off before he gets hurt. And that’s Undisputed. Will Cole keep Ricochet frozen out of the North American Championship scene? Or will GM William Regal have something to say about it?

NXT looks at the 21st century Vikings, the War Raiders.

Hanson & Rowe have come, and “the raid has begun.” Their warpath has already steamrolled Heavy Machinery and made The Mighty fall. “There’s no secrets, there’s no tricks, it’s the same story everywhere we go!” From Japan to Mexico to the UK and all over the United States, they’ve been tag team champions. Back in 2014, they were on opposite sides of a tournament. They were in the business 10 years each before this, without ever meeting, but in that first encounter, they “beat the snot” out of each other. There is no respect greater. And then they thought, what if they took that fight to everyone else? And thus, one of the most powerful tag teams was born!

This alliance changed their lives forever. Through blood, sweat and tears, respect was earned around the world. Rowe & Hanson shocked, destroyed, and dominated ever since. Their inspiration was the Viking culture that took what they wanted when they wanted. They embodied that in every promotion they ever competed in, and there’s no one on Earth who can stop them. In fact, it was only a motor cycle wreck that could’ve ended Rowe’s life that stopped them. His arm was rebuilt, and he overcame fear. With that behind them, no one can overcome these two. They bring that same spirit to NXT now, and defy expectations. Rowe has strength beyond his size, while Hanson has agility beyond his. They’ve earned the right to raid NXT’s Tag Team Division, and they’ve only just begun. “We take gold, we break EVERYONE!” The war is here, who can hope to survive?

Velveteen Dream sets the scene.

The Experience hears it. He hears the people buzzing about what the next experience will be. TakeOver: War Games, the people and Aleister Black said his name. Philadelphia, Dream had a knockout performance. New Orleans, the Dream rose to unimaginable heights. Chicago, a MOTY candidate to say the least. And come Brooklyn, the spotlight will still shine on Dream.

NXT Women’s Championship #1 Contender Triple Threat: Candice LeRae VS Nikki Cross VS Kairi Sane!

This was meant to be a Fatal 4 Way, but Bianca Belair is unfortunately not medically cleared to compete. Her bad luck becomes good luck for the other three, who go from having a 25% chance to a 33% chance of winning. Will it be a rematch between The Queen of Spades and Mrs. Wrestling, the Loony Lass of SAnitY, or the Pirate Princess?

Nikki is rocking in a corner while fans cheer her on. But then Shayna Baszler makes her presence known, and Nikki smiles with wild eyes. Nikki waves at Shayna as the champion joins commentary. The bell rings and we begin.

Kairi and Candice aren’t sure what to make of Nikki, but then she blasts out of the corner at the two of them! Candice sends her into Kairi then rolls Nikki up, TWO. Kairi rolls Candice, TWO and Nikki rolls Kairi. TWO, and Candice throws Nikki with an arm-drag. Kairi arm-drags Candice, but then Nikki runs in again and crossbodies Kairi! Candice runs in but Nikki puts her on the apron. Candice hits Nikki away, but then Kairi runs in, and Nikki sends her into Candice! Kairi dodges Nikki to give double chops while fans duel between all three of them. Kairi keeps on Nikki in a corner, chop after chop after chop, then she runs in. Nikki dodges Sliding D to swing Kairi sideways! Kairi hits the post, and Nikki grins.

Candice gets back in the ring, builds speed, and DIVES on Nikki! Nikki seemed to welcome that. But Candice isn’t done, she builds speed again, but runs into Nikki’s elbow! Nikki puts Candice under the apron skirt and–after snuggling up to her like a kitten–clubs away on Candice’s back! Shayna says she doesn’t care who wins, she’s beaten all of them at least once. Nikki rams Candice off the apron while fans duel again. Nikki thrashes and grinds Candice into the mat, then hooks the nose. Cover, TWO, but Nikki keeps on Candice with a Rings of Saturn! Candice rolls but ends up in a crucifix, TWO!

Nikki puts Candice on the top rope and into a Tree of Woe for manic mudhole stomps! Kairi comes in and SPEARS Nikki! But Kairi goes after Candice with the Woe Stomps! Cover, TWO! Kairi keeps on Candice with the Anchor Lock! She bridges back and bends Candice, but Nikki breaks it up. Nikki hops on Kairi with a psycho sleeper hold, but Candice dropkicks them both down! Candice crawls after Nikki and chops away. She fires off furious htis from both sides, then runs in for a back elbow. She CANNONBALLS onto Kairi! Candice drags Kairi up while fans chant “NXT! NXT!” Nikki goes after Candice on the outside, for an inverted DDT on the ramp! Candice hits steel, and Nikki crawls away, only for Kairi to hit a flying kabuki elbow! “This is Awesome!” but Shayna is not amused.

Kairi stands first, all fired up, and she puts Nikki in the ring. Kairi prepares that elbow as she climbs up top. Nikki hits Kairi first, then climbs up to fight her on the top rope. Kairi fights back, but Candice returns to add on! TOWER OF DOOM!! All three women are down but the fans are fired up to a fever pitch. Kairi gets to ropes while Nikki and Candice slowly sit up. Candice hits Nikki, but Nikki hits back. Kairi comes over while those two brawl, and then joins in with her own forearms. Nikki hits Kairi, but Candice hits Nikki. Nikki hits back but Kairi does, too.

They all stand, Candice ducks and sends Nikki at Kairi. Candice enziguris Nikki, but Kairi backhands Candice! Kairi goes at Nikki but Nikki headbutts. Candice grabs them both, DDT and Complete Shot, 2-for-1! Candice springboards, LIONSAULT! Cover, but Nikki drags her off by the hair! Nikki gives Candice a draping, swinging neckbreaker!! Candice hits the floor while Nikki fires up. Nikki goes at Kairi in the ring, but she takes her time letting the madness take over. She drags Kairi up, and hits a back suplex. She drags Kairi up again, for another! Then another! Nikki gets a hat trick but she’s not done yet. She grins as she drags Kairi up one more time. Nikki has the fisherman, but decides to up the ante!

They go to the top rope again, but Candice crawls back in. Nikki stomps Candice then drags her up, small package! TWO! Nikki kicks but is blocked into the Unprettier! LIONSAULT! INSANE ELBOW! KAIRI WINS OUTTA NOWHERE!!!

Winner: Kairi Sane, by pinfall; challenges Shayna Baszler for the NXT Women’s Championship at TakeOver: Brooklyn IV

The Mae Young Classic finals are revisited once more, as this will be the tiebreaker between Pirate Princess and Queen of Spades. This rematch will mean so much more with the title on the line, who finishes the series with the gold?

My Thoughts:

What a great NXT! Not much time was wasted getting to the opening match, and it was really good. Lacey has really improved during her time as this Lady of NXT character, and she gets a surprising win over Dakota. As said earlier, Lacey will have to wait a bit before challenging the NXT Women’s Champion, but she will definitely reach that some day. Dakota will, too, even though she’s currently jobber to the stars. Good promos from Ricochet and the Undisputed Era, as well as videos from the Street Profits, EC3 and Kona Reeves. I am so excited EC3 is going to face Kona and more certainly beating him, in both the ring and in gimmick.

That War Machine/Raiders video package was great, and it drives home the point that those two are aimed right at the NXT Tag Team Championships. That makes for more great ROH-in-NXT action that will certainly please the fans. Ohno surprises with that extra fast squash of “Rick Ramirez” who has Rayne on his pants. I wouldn’t mind if this leads to either an edgier or even full Heel Ohno, he needs something that either brings him up to title contention or finally to main roster. The Aleister-Ciampa package was also great, as was Dream’s stylized video promo. The NXT Championship match is going to be great, as will Dream VS anyone in Brooklyn. Then the Women’s Triple Threat was incredible, and just when I thought Candice was getting her shot, Kairi literally comes in outta nowhere. Shayna VS Kairi 3 is going to be great and can go either way.

My Score: 8.5/10