The NEW NXT Champion is the Psycho Killer, Tommaso Ciampa! He plans on addressing the fans tonight, what will he have to say about his Blackheart Reign?

All images courtesy of the WWE’s official Twitter

OFFICIAL RESULTS

• Heavy Machinery VS The Mighty; Heavy Machinery wins.
• Mustache Mountain VS Matt Knots & Bradley Taylor; Mustache Mountain wins.
• EC3 VS Kona Reeves; EC3 wins.
• Shayna Baszler VS Candice LeRae; Shayna wins.

PLAY BY PLAY

NXT honors the memories of Nikolai Volkoff and Brian Christopher Lawler.

NXT reviews the shocking turn-of-events in last week’s championship main event.

Aleister Black defended against Tommaso Ciampa, even after the Psycho Killer blindsided the Dutch Destroyer backstage. Ciampa kept repeating that all he’d need was “one moment” to become champion. No one wanted to believe him, especially not Aleister. Darkness clashed with darkness toe to toe and move for move to a degree worthy of the NXT Championship. But Ciampa being the devil he is, wanted to up the ante. It would seemingly backfire, but would instead work to Ciampa’s advantage. Even Johnny Gargano’s interference on the NXT Universe’s behalf would help Ciampa. And in the end, the words “and NEW NXT Champion” were uttered. Ciampa made good on his word, and it was all bad for the NXT Universe. Is Ciampa’s moment going to become a reign of terror?

Heavy Machinery VS The Mighty!

Tucker Knight & Otis Dozovic have had it with Nick Miller & Shane Thorne cheating to win matches against them. From using the ropes to attacking Tucky backstage to leave Dozer in a handicap match, the weighty weightlifters promise to make Miller & Thorne pay for it all. The Mighty may not kneel, but will they be steamrolled here tonight?

The Mighty start by throwing their jackets at Heavy Machinery, but Heavy Machinery just throws them back! Tucker & Otis then attack while Miller & Thorne can’t see! Dozer bulldozes Thorne while Tucky haymakers Miller out of the ring. Tucker chases Miller while the bell rings. Miller runs into Otis to get run over, leaving Thorne alone. Thorne throws hands but they do nothing to the dense Dozer. Thorne pie-faces Otis, but pays for it with swatting haymakers! Miller tags in but runs into a spinning, spinning, spinning scoop slam! Dozer is dizzy but he fires back up. Thorne dropkicks Dozer down then stomps away, then puts him in the Mighty’s corner. He throws haymakers, then tags in Miller.

Miller throws haymakers of his own, then chokes Otis and rakes his face. He taunts Tucker, then drags Otis up for a chop. Otis chops back! Otis tries but fails to fight out, and Thorne tags in. The Mighty work together to lift Otis, and manage a double back suplex. Cover, TWO! Miller goes after the arm now, then stomps Otis’ head. Fans rally up for Otis while Thorne knees and stomps Otis back down. Thorne chokes Otis on the ropes now, then backs off at 4. He drags Otis over, and Miller tags in. The Mighty stomp on Otis, then Miller wraps on a chinlock. Otis endures as fans rally up. Otis fights out with elbows, but Miller grabs hair to deny a tag. He pays for it with a back suplex from Otis!

Both men are down, hot tag to Tucker! Tucker rallies with clubbing ax handles, then throws Thorne in. He double clotheslines and double sidewalk slams them both! And he even gives Thorne a dropkick! Miller comes back but gets his arms trapped, and Tucker throws him over head! Fans fire up with Tucker as Tucker runs in, but Thorne saves Miller. Tucker just adjusts and goes to the apron for a CANNONBALL! Tucker puts Miller back in, but Thorne grabs his foot. Thorne is kicked away, but Miller chopblocks! Miller takes Otis out, then tags Thorne. But here come the Street Profits from the crowd!

Angelo Dawkins & Montez Ford throw an instant party, but that distracts the Mighty. Tucker tags Otis! Otis bulldozes Thorne, then scoops Miller. He back drops Thorne right out of the ring without even dropping Miller! Tucker comes back in, for the COmpacter! Cover, Heavy Machinery wins!

Winners: Heavy Machinery, Otis pinning

Give a shout out to Street Profits, but Tucker & Otis still got the job done. The Mighty finally fall for someone else’s trick, will they fall in the NXT Tag Team Division’s ranks? And when will the Profits get their chance at revenge on Thorne & Miller?

Mustache Mountain VS Matt Knots & Bradley Taylor!

Trent Seven & Tyler Bate were NXT Tag Team Champions after winning in the Royal Albert Hall during the NXT UK launch event. However, they lost it back to the Undisputed Era here in Full Sail when Seven was pushed past his physical limits and Bate was pushed past his emotional limits. But the mustached mentor and his prodigy pupil are far from through with Kyle O’Reilly & Roderick Strong, as they made clear last week with their surprise return. Can Bate & Seven climb back up to the top of the tag team mountain?

Bate starts against big Matt Knots at the bell. Knots mocks Bate’s hand waving before tying up with him. Bate powers Knots back but then Knots pushes Bate away. Knots mocks the waving again, but Bate grins as they circle again. They tie up, and Bate gets around behind Knots. Bate baits Knots to then go up and under and around. Bop up, BANG hits! Bate tags Seven, and Seven fireman’s carry and slam, Bate knee-board sentons! Cover, TWO, but Seven keeps on Knots with chops and forearms. Knots kicks the bad leg, then brings Seven over to tag in Bradley Taylor. Knots scoop slams Seven, Taylor adds an elbow. Taylor steps to Bate, but then shrugs him off. Taylor stays between Bate and Seven, but runs into Seven’s knee!

Seven chops and forearms, then gives some to Knots for good measure. Seven fires up, ducks a swing and Snap Dragon Suplexes Taylor down! He dares Taylor to get up, then clotheslines Taylor into a corner. Bate tags in, and runs corner to corner to kick down Knots! He gives the same kick to Taylor, then kips up to tag in Seven. Bates gives Taylor a standing Shooting Star while Seven dropkicks Knots down. Seven goes back to Taylor and Bate climbs up. Seven lifts Taylor in a torture rack, and Bates adds a knee drop to the Burning Hammer!! Seven covers, Mustache Mountain wins!

Winners: Mustache Mountain, Seven pinning

British Strong Style conquers two big-in-size opponents, proving why they’re championship tag team material. Bate & Seven pick up mics to speak.

“We’re back at Full Sail!” And to be honest, the last time didn’t go the way they expected. Seven apologizes to Bate and to the fans, but what happened happened. Bate & Seven spoke to GM William Regal, and now Mustache Mountain has a plan. Those “Undisputed Era boys” went after them, trying to literally tear Seven apart. Bate threw in a towel, because Seven’s health means the world to him. But Seven’s all good and they’re both on a mission to get the titles back! And via the rematch clause, it happens at NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn 4! Fans like the sound of that! Will this title tiebreaker battle be the best of all?

EC3 VS Kona Reeves!

The Best Here, the Best There and the Best Anywhere didn’t take too kindly to The Finest questioning his quality of… Well, everything. The Top One Percent vows to show Kona what it really means to be the finest both in and out of the ring. Will EC3 continue to rack up #VictoryAfterVictory?

Fans are strongly behind “NX3! NX3!” as the bell rings. EC3 wants Kona to bring it, but Kona says EC3 will pay for rejecting NXT’s Finest! Kona and EC3 tie up, and Kona gets the headlock. He spins around to a hammerlock then a headlock takedown, but EC3 gets a headscisosrs. Kona pops out but ends up in EC3’s headlock. He can’t power his way out, even after three tries. Fans cheer on EC3’s top one percent headlock. EC3 grinds Kona but Kona pulls hair. He powers out but EC3 runs him over with a shoulder. EC3 gets moving again, and blocks the hip toss to give a hip toss. He scoop slams Kona, then gives him an EC3 elbow drop! Kona flounders to the apron but EC3 is upon him, only for Kona to hotshot EC3! Kona runs for a big boot! Cover, ONE.

Kona keeps on EC3 in a corner with haymakers and stomps. Fans boo and jeer but Kona backs off at 4. He drags EC3 up for a suplex, then brings EC3 up in a cobra clutch. EC3 stands up but is swung out for a back elbow. Kona puts on another “Kona Klutch”, but fans rally up for EC3. EC3 stands up and arm-drags out. He side steps and sends Kona out, to then block and counter the haymakers. EC3 gives jab after jab, then the Top One Percent punch! He chops Kona, then hits a corner forearm smash! EC3 rolls Kona out for a somersault neckbreaker! But here comes Velveteen Dream!

The Patrick Clark Experience feels he owes EC3 for ruining his celebration a few weeks ago. EC3 watches Dream closely as Dream needs to “get something straight.” There’s someone in the building who has a grudge over Royal Albert Hall. EC3 wants to talk about it, but he has to go to Dream’s world. And if EC3 is lucky, he might just be able to bask in the Experience. And back to your regularly scheduled match. HAWAIIAN DROP!! Cover, TWO!! Kona is shocked that his Finest finisher didn’t do it! And now he’s angry. He glares at EC3, telling him to stay down. EC3 doesn’t, and he gets Kona with the One Percent TKO! Cover, EC3 wins!

Winner: EC3, by pinfall

Not even a distraction can stop EC3 from racking up #VictoryAfterVictory. What will his response to the Dream’s invitation be?

Backstage interview with EC3.

The Top One Percent is cooling down after his win, but what IS his response to Dream? “What kind of man puts out an invitation like that?” Did EC3 not just beat The Finest? The answer is yes, so yes, EC3 will play Dream’s game, drink Dream’s Kool-Aid, take Dream’s Purple Pill and join Dream in his Experience. Dream wants a conversation, but even Dream knows it’ll become a fight. Everyone knows EC3 is the Best Here, There & Anywhere, the BDE of NX3! In other words, challenge accepted. Who will be the one basking in the spotlight after this #TopOnePercentDream match happens?

Shayna Baszler VS Candice LeRae!

The Queen of Spades always speaks words as harsh as her fighting style, but she was especially personal with Mrs. Wrestling. To Bully Baszler, Candice should stick to being a housewife to her broken down husband, but that only served to rile up the fighting spirit within the small but mighty superstar. Can Candice make Shayna eat her words ahead of her NXT Women’s Championship defense?

The bell rings and the two circle. Shayna laughs at Candice, not taking her serious. Shayna has beaten Candice before, back in the inaugural Mae Young Classic tournament, so she doesn’t think Candice can win here. She even gives Candice a chance to leave now before anything happens. Candice refuses to give the bully what she wants, and she dropkicks Shayna out of the ring! Shayna moves to deny Candice a dive, but Candice still gives her a baseball slide dropkick! Candice fetches Shayna into the ring, then shoulders her way in. She gives Shayna a step-in jawbreaker and then arm-drags. Candice dropkicks Shayna again! Cover, TWO! Candice keeps on Shayna with a wristlock, then attempts an arcobatic arm-drag, only for Shayna to pull her off balance and onto ropes!

Candice crashes down but Shayna comes out to fetch her. Shayna drags Candice up to put her into steel steps! Shayna leaves Candice to the mercy of the count, but fans rally up for Mrs. Wrestling. Candice clutches her shoulder while dragging herself up and into the ring at 9. Shayna goes after her again with a cover, ONE. Now Shayna goes after the bad arm, and tortures it with sharp bending and sadistic stretching. She even sits on Candice to put her weight on her body. Candice powers up while fans rally, but she gets thrown shoulder first into buckles! Shayna grounds ‘n’ pounds, then hammerlock stomps like she’s done before! Candice writhes but Shayna toys with her. Shayna corners Candice, but Candice SLAPS Shayna!

Shayna roundhouses the bad shoulder, then Kimura hammerlocks it! She bends and pulls it in all directions, but Candice refuses to quit. Candice feeds off the fans’ rally, and she puts Shayna into buckles now. Shayna comes back and stomps Candice more, but Candice still enziguris back! Shayna staggers around, Candice comes back with that one arm to chop, haymaker and grind her forearm into Shayna! Candice gives a back elbow, then a snapmare. She climbs up and aims at Shayna, for a flying Complete Shot! Cover, ONE! Shayna rolls away, but she’s still reeling. Fans rally and Candice builds speed, to DIVE! Candice hits, but she puts Shayna in quick. Candice climbs, then hits a tornado DDT! Cover, TWO!! Shayna survives but is stunned.

Candice keeps her cool as she goes back to the corner. She works to get that bad arm moving again as she climbs up. Shayna stops her with a right hand, then climbs up to join her. Shayna wants a gutwrench but Candice holds on with that good arm. Candice fights Shayna off, then adjusts, for the leap! But she ends up in the Kirafuda Clutch!! Flashbacks to MYC! But this time, Candice gets a ropebreak! Shayna has to let go, and both women gasp for air. Candice small packages, TWO! She mule kicks, but misses, to go back into the Kirafuda! Candice rolls out, and double stomps Shayna! Candice keeps going, for the Unprettier! She’s not done, LIONSAULT! But she misses! Big knee, then Kirafuda! Candice flails, but she taps, Shayna wins!

Winner: Shayna Baslzer, by submission

Fans boo the bully, but the bully still beat the underdog. The Queen of Spades shows no mercy, she puts the Kirafuda BACK ON! Candice taps but it doesn’t matter this time! The referee calls for back-up and they rush the ring. They get Shayna to let go, but here comes Kairi Sane! The Pirate Princess wants a piece of the Queen of Spades already. Fans are on Kairi’s side, but Shayna takes her leave. Or so it seems, as she pounces on Kairi the moment she turns around! Shayna doesn’t like being defied, but she leaves again as Kairi tries to attack back. Fans want to “Let Them Fight!” but Shayna says they all have to wait until Brooklyn. Will the Pirate Princess dethrone the Queen of Spades in their MYC rivalry tiebreaker?

NXT Media catches up to Mustache Mountain.

They ask about the rematch at TakeOver: Brooklyn, do they have any tricks up their sleeves? That’s the problem with the Undisputed Era, it’s all about tricks up sleeves because that’s how those guys do it. Bate & Seven are men, they don’t need tricks. Royal Albert Hall will happen again at the Barclays Center.

But then the War Raiders walk over. Hanson & Rowe made it very clear last week. It doesn’t matter who leaves Brooklyn with the belts, because they’ll take the titles for their own. The message has been sent, will this get in the minds of Mustache Mountain?

GM William Regal has an announcement.

Whether or not EC3 accepted Velveteen Dream’s invitation, the match will happen at TakeOver: Brooklyn. And given the encounters between Ricochet and Adam Cole, they will also have a match for the NXT North American Championship! Two major matches just made, who will gain the most momentum before Summerslam Weekend?

Tommaso Ciampa heads to the ring.

Fans boo and jeer as they always do, but now they do it with even more vigor because Ciampa holds the NXT Championship belt. Ciampa makes sure everyone sees the side plates that officially confirm he’s champion. Fans refuse to call him champ, they call him “A**hole!” and chant “You Suck!” That only makes Ciampa happier.

While fans chant “NO! NO!” Ciampa hears the title (and contrarians) chanting “YES! YES!” The belt says Ciampa deserves it? Ciampa agrees, he DOES deserve the belt. They make such a beautiful couple! “This is MY NXT now!” Fans boo and jeer but Ciampa wants them to think about it. He vowed he just needed one opportunity, and he is clearly a man of his word. Ciampa wants everyone to take a breath but fans tell him to “Shut the Hell up!” Ciampa says he looks so good with the title. So good! He deserves it! No one has been more deserving! The fans need to take a moment, take a deep breath, and soak it in. This is what it feels like when the most dangerous man in NXT takes his “rightful place at the head of the table!”

Ciampa makes sure all the fans chanting “NO” get an up close look at him. Ciampa especially looks at the old lady in the front row understands this is his moment, and he is “YOUR NXT Champion!” Fans let him know “You’re an A**hole!” Ciampa returns to the ring as he says the icing on the cake is that not only did he beat Aleister Black, but Johnny Gargano proved he is a failure once again. Gargano once again loses while Ciampa wins.

And think about this: Aleister and Gargano, two of the top talents in the entire world, both lost to Ciampa. Ciampa ended “Johnny Freakin’ Wrestling” with his hands cuffed together, and he put the final nail in the coffin of Aleister’s mystique. Ciampa was the first man in NXT to pin Aleister. Those two can go fight about who is second place to Ciampa. There is the biggest gap between second place and first place ever! The title is proof that Ciampa is our champion, but also is proof that NXT is now the A-Show with the greatest sports entertainer of all time on top! Ciampa sits down cross-legged, but here comes Aleister!

The former champion storms his way down but Gargano flies past him to tackle Ciampa! Gargano keeps on Ciampa with right hands and forearms, then he clotheslines Ciampa out. Ciampa retreats, but Gargano shouts after him. “This is not YOUR NXT! Not while I’m still breathing!” The only reason Ciampa won is because of Gargano! Gargano repeats this over and over, until Aleister gives him a BLACK MASS! Aleister also understands Ciampa only won because of Gargano, and fans let Gargano know “You Deserve It!” Aleister speaks for himself when he sits down and tells Gargano, “I guess you’re right. The only reason he’s NXT Champion is because of you.” The Embodiment of the End stands up and leaves Gargano down and out. There is more than one grudge in this championship scene, but which one will be settled on this Road to Brooklyn?

My Thoughts:

A pretty great episode for NXT tonight. We got a great recap package to open the show to help plug the ending segment, then a pretty fun tag team opener. I like that Street Profits gave The Mighty a taste of their own medicine to then help Heavy Machinery out. I’m going to guess Street Profits VS The Mighty will be part of the NXT “After” TakeOver card to settle their feud. Mustache Mountain has a great win tonight, and it’s great to hear they’re challenging for the tag titles at TakeOver to settle their own story. I’m still going to guess Undisputed Era finds a way to win so that it’ll be Heels VS Faces with the War Raiders. Then Mustache Mountain moves over to NXT UK to go after those tag titles.

Great to see that “NX3” is capable of both wrapping up a side story while plugging a bigger one. EC3 beats Kona, as he should, and is given a match with Velveteen Dream at TakeOver. The #TopOnePercentDream match can go either way, but I’m actually thinking Dream shoudl get the win this time. Otherwise he runs the risk of a Bray Wyatt or Dolph Ziggler “jobber to the stars” route. EC3 can take a loss and still look good, now that there’s the North American Championship. Ricochet VS Cole will make for a great match and could go either way from what I can tell. The winner of that can then face EC3 for a great program for the Fall.

Candice VS Shayna was great, and it did a good job bringing up action from their Mae Young Classic match. Shayna still wins because she needs to look strong for her match, and because Candice has time before getting her title shot to get stronger. Then that entire Ciampa segment was great because he is such a great Heel. And I actually like that Aleister kicked Gargano down, as did the fans. It makes sense Aleister would have something against Gargano for his interference, and helps set up no less than Aleister VS Gargano for who gets first shot at Ciampa at Brooklyn. Of course, I’m hoping for it becoming a Triple Threat so that no matter who wins, everyone can look strong.

My Score: 8.5/10