Golden opportunities up and down the card!

NXT has a tag team Fatal 4 Way, the Men’s Speed Tournament finals, and a North American Championship match, all on one night!

OFFICIAL RESULTS

• Lola Vice VS Kelani Jordan; Lani wins.
• Cutler James w/ Dion Lennox VS Tony D’Angelo; Tony wins.
• NXT Tag Team Championships #1 Contenders Fatal 4 Way: OTM VS The Culling VS Hank ‘n’ Tank VS Swipe Right; Swipe Right wins and will challenge DarkState for the titles.
• Men’s Speed Tournament Finals: Elio LeFleur VS Eli Knight; Time Limit Draw, both men will challenge Jasper Troy for the title in a Triple Threat.
• NXT North American Championship: Ethan Page VS Shiloh Hill; Ethan wins and retains the title.

PLAY BY PLAY

Lola Vice VS Kelani Jordan!

This grudge has been heating up NXT for months now, and it might just burn the house down tonight! Time and time again, Miss Miami Vice has tried to capture gold here in NXT, and time and time again, someone’s gotten in her way. Meanwhile, The Standout wants to prove she stands atop this mountain, but she herself is still climbing up the ranks. Who not only settles the score once and for all, but positions herself as a top choice for the top title?

Well, Lola doesn’t wait for Lani to get in the ring, she rushes her at the ramp! Lani dodges one kick, but not the next! Lola spin kicks again and again, but then Lani mule kicks back. Lani tries to get space but Lola runs up to KICK her down! The ref reprimands but the fans are fired up. Lola has a bad hand courtesy of Lani, but she uses the good hand to get Lani in the ring. The bell rings and Lola SPINEBUSTERS Lani! Then she ground ‘n’ pounds with the good forearm. Lani shoves Lola away, but Lola mule kicks! And KICKS! And KICKS again! Lani hobbles to a corner but Lola fires a body shot! Lani shoves Lola away, then blocks a shot to trap the arm!

Lani grinds Lola’s face with a forearm, then short arm LARIATS! The fans duel as Lani scoops Lola for a SLAM! Lani pushes Lola down, SLAMS the bad hand off the mat, then SLAMS it again! Lani drags Lola around, steps on the bad hand, then KNEE DROPS it! The fans rally and duel as Lani pushes Lola down again. Lani steps on the bad hand for another KNEE DROP! Lola clutches her wrist but Lani grabs the arm for a top wristlock. Lani bends fingers, but Lola reaches up to headscissor! Lani fights around, but Lola gives a version of Devil’s Kiss! Lani endures, moves around, and jackknife bridges! TWO, but Lani runs to SPLASH! But Lola rolls through to a cover, TWO!

Lola has the ARMBAR! Lani fights around while the fans rally, and she shifts around to high stack! TWO, and Lola KICKS Lani again! Lola whips Lani to then KICK low! Lola shakes the hips and the fans cheer. Lola whips and KICKS Lani again! Lola dares Lani to go after her hand again, she’s still got her feet. Lola whips, Lani blocks, then Lani wrenches and hammerlocks the bad arm! Lani RAMS the arm into the buckles! Then NORTHERN LIGHTS on the bad arm! Lola writhes, Lani covers, TWO! Lola toughs it out but Lani drags her around. Lani SLAMS the arm off the mat again while the fans duel. Lani steps on the hand again, but Lola avoids the knee drop!

Lola SOBATS Lani to the corner, then runs up, but Lani dodges! Lola turns back around to BOOT Lani down! Lola then stands Lani to KNEE, KNEE, and KNEE! Lola runs, uses the ropes, and slingshots to arm-drag! Lani staggers up, but Lola BODY BLOWS! But that was the bad hand! Lola shakes it off to SOBAT Lani outta the ring! Lola goes to the apron, but Lani YANKS the apron skirt! That trips Lola up and Lola takes a hard landing on the apron! Lani BOOTS Lola now! Lola is against steps, and Lani KNEES her into the steel! The fans are torn, but Lani stomps away on Lola! The ref reprimands, Lani digs her boot in, and she pulls the wrist brace off!

Lani SLAMS the bad hand on the steel! The fans are booing a bit more than cheering, but Lani taunts Lola while NXT goes picture in picture.

Lani drags Lola up to SLAM the bad hand off the apron! Lola goes around the way, but Lani stalks her to CLUB away! Lani then puts Lola in the ring and stalks her to ropes. Lani CHOKES Lola on the ropes, then bends the fingers against the ropes! The ref counts, Lani stops at 4, then she stalks Lola to a corner. Lani ROCKS Lola, whips her corner to corner, just to YANK the bad arm! Lani then KICKS Lola down! Lani clamps onto Lola and bends the bad hand back! Lola endures, even as Lani leans on the arm. Lola fights up and arm-drags free! Lani staggers up, runs in, but into an ELBOW! Lola then BOOTS from the corner!

Lola rolls Lani up, ONE, but Lola KNEES low! And again! Lola whips but Lani reverses, sending Lola into the corner! Lani sits Lola down to then run and BOOT WASH her! Lani goes outside, removes the sleeve on a crossbar, and she grabs at Lola’s bad hand. Lola resists but Lani HAMMERS the hand into the mat! Then she puts the bad fingers through the gap! the ref counts as Lani bends the fingers! Lani stops at 4, and Lola gets out of the corner. Lani stalks Lola to center, then grabs the bad arm for a double wristlock! Lola endures, even as Lani pushes on the elbow! Lola fights up, fires body shots, but Lani KNEES low.

NXT returns to single picture as Lani SLAMS Lola’s hand off buckles! Lani whips, Lola reverses, but Lani goes up, up, and leaps into a SLEEPER! Lani flails as Lola squeezes tight! The fans fire up and duel again while Lani drops down. Lani rolls it back to a cover, TWO! Lola just barely lets go in time, but Lani has the bad hand! Lani SLAMS it off the mat again! Lani then snarls as she storms up on Lola, but Lola drop toeholds her onto ropes! Both women are down but the fans continue to rally. Lola and Lani rise up, and Lola bobs ‘n’ weaves! Lola JABS, JABS, and JABS! Lani rebounds into a KICK! And KICK! And KICK!

Lola fires SPIN KICK after SPIN KICK on Lani! Then the LIGHTNING KICKS! Lani falls into a corner, and the fans fire up with Lola! Lola reminds us, “I’m a Latina~!” But Lani runs up! Lola dodges, GERMAN SUPLEX! Lani is back int he corner, and Lola HIP ATTACKS! Then again and again and again! Lola drags Lani up, reels her in, but Lani fights the lift! Lani bends the fingers again, but Lola kicks low! Lola reels Lani in, SAIDO! Cover, TWO! Lani survives but the fans continue to rally up. Lola drags Lani up, lifts her, but Lani sunset flips it! But Lola sits on it, TWO! Lani stands, ducks a kick, then bails out of the ring!

Lola chases Lani, and SEATED SENTONS to the floor! The fans fire up as Lola shakes it up! Then she SOBATS! Lani staggers away, Lola runs up, BACKHAND through the wall! Lani avoids disaster, then she hurries to get Lola in the ring. Lani goes up the corner, takes aim, and 450 SPLASH into a TRIANGLE HOLD!! Lani flails as Lola has her caught! The fans fire up and duel as Lani fights around! Lani rains down fists, then pushes down on the bad hand! Lani STOMPS it! Lani is free of the triangle, and she goes after Lola’s hand! Short Arm Scissor on that bad hand!! Lola screams in pain but the fans cheer her on! BUT LOLA TAPS!! LANI WINS!!

Winner: Kelani Jordan, by submission

Lani lets Lola go, her game plan working from start to finish. Lola’s hurt hand ended up her Achilles’ Heel, but is this where the grudge ends? Or are we going to double down on this Road to WrestleMania?

Tony D’Angelo speaks.

“DarkState, when you got to NXT, you targeted me. And now I got all four of you looking over your shoulders. And Cutler James, I’m not surprised that you were the one that stepped up to the plate, given your amateur wrestling background. And yeah, you had success on the mats at Duke University, but then you got involved with the wrong crowd. And unfortunately for you, I don’t care. I want you to make sure that the leader, Dion Lennox, is watching tonight. DarkState, you took everything from me. And starting tonight, I do the same to you.”

DarkState is watching this.

Saquon Shugars says all good. Dion says Tony takes nothing tonight! Cutler says they already sent Tony packing once, so tonight, he tortures Tony and makes him regret ever coming after them tonight. Saquon says to Osiris that nobody wants that smoke in tonight’s Fatal 4 Way. Osiris says yeah, they’ve got this. Dion tells Saquon & Osiris to stay back and watch that tag match, he and Cutler can handle Tony. The game plan is set for DarkState, but will they be able to execute? Or will the man who was once The Don make sure Cutler doesn’t see the light of day?

Ricky Saints arrives.

The Absolute is- JUMPED BY JOE HENDRY! No one even said his name yet he appeared to put a hurting on Ricky! Security hurries out there to stop these two, and while Hendry wants revenge, Ricky gets away. Will the Prestigious NXT Champion make sure Ricky believes and then some?

Backstage interview with Shiloh Hill.

Sarah Schreiber is a bit thrown off by the LFG Season 2 Champion wearing his Jason Vorhees style hockey mask. She asks him about his match tonight against Ethan Page for the NXT North American Championship. What is his game plan going into a match against a dominant champion like Ethan? Shiloh says his mind is racing, feeling the #ToothlessAggression creeping in. But he’s done his research. Ethan is cocky, talks a big game, but the annoying part is he can back it up, too. Fortunately, Shiloh’s been watching every single title defense. Every move of Ethan’s, Shiloh has a counter move. Every trap he sets, he-

Well, Hank ‘n’ Tank step in, all fired up for young Shiloh. They know he is ready, Freddie! He’s got a Stanford mind and he thrives under pressure! Shiloh says that’s just applied physics. This might be more like quantum entanglement. Now, when that bell rings, his destiny and that championship are going to be linked across space and time. No matter what Ethan does, there is one constant, one solution, one resolution: SHILOH HILL AS CHAMPION, BABY! WOOHOO!! Shiloh’s all fired up with his wild laugh, and the Big Belly Boys do their best to laugh along. Shiloh heads out and Tank nervously says he was thinking the same.

Hank says Tank had no idea what Shiloh was saying, huh? Not a word. But Hank, Shiloh’s a good weird. Now, it’s ’bout dat time. Hank ‘n’ Tank start preparing for their own golden opportunity, will the former NXT Tag Team Champions be headed back to those titles? Will #ToothlessAggression be running wild over All Ego?

Joe Hendry heads to the ring!

We already knew he was here, and the NXT Champion storms right down the ramp to get a mic. He tells Ricky Saints, “You wanna jump me last week? Well here I am! Cuz guess what! I’m not in a singing mood, I’m not in a dancing mood, I’m in a kicking Ricky Saints’ ass all over this arena type of mood!” The fans cheer that! Hendry dares Ricky to leave security backstage, get out here, and they can settle this right now! But Saints appears on the perch as he says, “Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. What’re you upset for, huh? This is the champ that y’all wanted, huh? The guy attacking me in the parking lot!” We just “love” that about Hendry, huh?

Saints says the problem with Hendry is that he’s got it twisted. He stands there with the title and it makes Saints sick! Hendry stole the title from Saints and no one seems to be talking about it! Cuz the fans all like Joe Hendry, that’s why! That’s kinda the funny thing about all this in wrestling nowadays. It doesn’t matter how good you are, so long as you got a song that the fans can sing along to, or as long as you make them feel like they’re part of the show. It camouflages everything, doesn’t it? Saints sees through all of that. Hendry brings NXT and that title notches down! This place creates and builds stars, and yet we’ve got a meme as champion!

That championship was held by a WWE superstar, Ricky Saints, and now it’s just a social media star, and we’re supposed to be okay with that? The fans boo Saints but he says all y’all love Joe Hendry because they can relate as losers and “the everyman.” But being an everyman doesn’t make you worthy of having a title, having talent does! Being the best, being attractive, that’s what makes a champion, and Hendry has none of that! Hendry says there Ricky goes with his ego and opinions. But the difference between Ricky and Hendry is that Hendry deals in facts. And it is a fact that Hendry is something Ricky’s not, and that is a champion!

The fans cheer Hendry, and he says last time he checked, that makes him the best in NXT! Saints asks Hendry what he’s really the best at. He’s best at marketing. He has everyone singing his songs, saying he’s so funny, tied up in the Hendry Hype, and he parlayed that into a Royal Rumble entrance, a WrestleMania moment, and even a 2K DLC! Congrats, partner! But Saints is the number one guy here cuz he is damn gifted. Hendry says yes to everything! He comes out in his little shirt, no style, and gives all the best fluff answers. Hendry loves NXT, everyone’s so nice, everyone gets along, Hendry would love to have a match with everyone.

Brother, the people don’t need a fake answer! They need a real answer, and it’s standing right here! The real answer is Ricky Saints as NXT Champion! The fans boo harder but Saints say she has worked too hard to elevate NXT, and he’ll be damned if he lets Hendry ruin it for him! Hendry says if Ricky’s half as great as he thinks he is, then he’d come down here and prove it, instead of standing up there like a whiny little b*tch! The fans cheer Hendry on, and Saints says since Hendry loves marketing so much, how about this? Saturday, March 7th, Vengeance Day! Let it be Joe Hendry VS Ricky Saints for Ricky’s NXT Championship!

Hendry says he’s on! And it’ll just be the same as always: Ricky whining, crying, complaining, blaming his problems on everyone else, while everyone in the arena will be chanting, “We Believe!” And Ricky, Hendry wants him to hear this! Hendry has no problem kicking Ricky’s punk ass at Vengeance Day!! The fans are just as fired up, but who will prove they are THE NXT Champion?

Izzi Dame watches Tatum Paxley’s message.

The Women’s North American Champion chuckles as she hears Tatum claim Tatum was drowning because of her. Shawn Spears & Niko Vance step in, and The Chair Man asks what’s going on, Izz. Izzi says she’s just laughing at the fact Tatum is still trying to convince herself and everyone else that there was some mystical final form that no one’s seen before. There’s not, by the way. Tatum is incapable of change. She forever and always will be stuck as the stubborn girl they met her as. Niko says that is why they had to cut ties. Izzi says exactly. So it doesn’t matter what version of Tatum shows up at Vengeance Day, every version ends with Izzi keeping this title.

Spears tells Niko it is now their turn. The NXT Tag Team Championships will end up with them. This is what they’ve worked so hard for. This is what all the pain has been for. Niko says they were supposed to have a clear path to DarkState, but Robert Stone ruined that. Spears says the tag titles are a hot commodity. Every team wants them, so… Niko must be a variable no one can prepare for. Niko will be the reason the future bends, calculated and controlled, to benefit The Culling. They will be #1 contenders. And that just Iz What it Iz. The Culling is confident as ever, but will it all come crashing down around them?

Cutler James w/ Dion Lennox VS Tony D’Angelo!

DarkState’s Blue Devil stepped up to the threat of Tony D, promising to stop his quest for revenge before it gets started. But will “Cutty” cut down the man who was The Don? Or will he just be the first checked off the hit list?

The bell rings and Cutler runs up, but Tony slips around to CLUB and TENZAN PLEX Cutler! Cutler goes to a corner, Tony fires LARIAT after LARIAT in the corner, then he stomps a mudhole in! The ref counts, Tony backs off, and that lets Cutler BOOT him away. Cutler then storms up to UPPERCUT Tony to a corner and stomp a mudhole in return. The ref counts, Cutler stops, to then FLAPJACK HOTSHOT Tony! Cutler RAMS Tony into a corner again and again, then he climbs up to CLAW Tony’s face! The ref reprimands, Cutler stops, but Tony ROCKS him! Tony fires hands, then whips Cutler back into the corner.

Tony runs and LARIATS Cutler int he corner, then GERMAN SUPLEXES him! Cutler staggers back to his feet, for another GERMAN SUPLEX! And another GERMAN SUPLEX! Cutler flounders, Tony runs, but Cutler KNEES low! Tony rebounds to SPEAR Cutler! The fans fire up as Tony hits the BADA BOOM! Cover, Tony wins!

Winner: Tony D’Angelo, by pinfall

But then Dion Lennox attacks! Dion has Tony in the ropes for crossface forearms! The fans boo but then Dion goes to help Cutler back up. Only for Tony to TACKLE Dion! And he LARIATS Cutler outta the ring! Tony TOSSES Dion, then RAMS him into the barriers! The fans fire up for Tony, and he drags Dion up to THROW into the steel steps! Dion scrambles but Tony scoops him! POWERSLAM on the base steps! Dion writhes as his legs take the brunt of that! Tony picks up the top steps, but Cutler drags Dion to safety before Tony can crush those legs! Refs rush out here to stop Tony, but clearly he won’t stop until he’s destroyed DarkState!

Ethan Page talks with The Vanity Project.

All Ego says he appreciates Jackson Drake, Brad Baylor & Ricky Smokes have all taken to his advice fantastically. And tonight, another opportunity to get one step closer to gold, just like Ethan and Drake. But then Myles Borne steps in behind Ethan. Ethan says he knew Myles would come talk to him. And how did Ethan know it was him? Call it championship intuition, another thing Myles just doesn’t have. Ethan heard what Stone said to him, too, and Ethan wants Myles to know: It doesn’t matter what Myles does going forward, Ethan will never change his mind, and he’ll never give Myles a shot at the North American Championship.

Ethan’s already given Myles enough, such as the advice Myles completely ignores. Ethan told Myles to show killer instinct, not take Ethan’s title and hit him over the head with it! That was just frustration. Now, these gentlemen here- Myles has Ethan hold on. He’s saying there’s no way Myles can convince Ethan of a title shot? Well, we’ll see about that. Myles heads out and Ethan wonders what that means. Vanity Project thinks he’s not just hard of hearing, he literally just can’t learn. Ricky Saints then steps in and says that guy was rude. The rudest dude he’s ever met in his life. Smokes says what Hendry did to Saints was so weak.

Saints says yes, but he still get what he wanted, and that was a shot at the NXT Championship. And after Vengeance Day, all of them will be champions! But first and foremost, Ethan Page will break the record! Why? Because he’s All Ego. Ethan says Saints is absolutely right. They shake hands, and Ethan says this is great, isn’t it? A massive collection of arrogance has formed in NXT, but will any of them get what they want on the Road to Stand & Deliver? Or only what they deserve?

NXT Tag Team Championships #1 Contenders Fatal 4 Way: OTM VS The Culling VS Hank ‘n’ Tank VS Swipe Right!

The NXT Tag Division has once again gotten hot, but only the team that can stand the heat will win! Will it be Lucien Price & Bronco Nima, Shawn Spears & Niko Vance, the Big Belly Bandits, or Brad Baylor & Ricky Smokes head for Vengeance Day?

NXT returns with OTM and Swipe Right already in the ring, and The Culling making their entrance. That leaves Hank ‘n’ Tank for last but certainly not least. In this form of Fatal 4 Way, only two teams are legal at once, and Price makes sure to step to Spears. The fans cheer OTM while Spears circles around Price to taunt the other teams. Spears then fire sup, ties up with Price, but Price SHOVES Spears down! Spears holds out a hand but Swipe Right doesn’t want in on that. Price scoops Spears, Spears slips free to waistlock, but Price bucks the O’Conner Roll. Spears runs back up, ducks ‘n’ dodges, but Price HEADBUTTS him down!

The fans fire up as Price tags in Nima! Nima runs to SLIDING LARIAT! Cover, TWO! Nima drags Spears up, but Spears CHOPS! Nima frowns and brushes that off. Spears wants Nima to calm down, but Nima guzels him instead. Spears breaks free with a JUMP KNEE! Now Brad Baylor tags in, he he tags Smokes, then he taunts Nima. Nima swings on Brad but Smokes CLUBS Nima! The fans boo as Smokes fires off, but Nima shoves him back and LARIATS him on the return! The fans fire up for that one! But then Tank Ledger reaches out to tag in off Nima! Tank storms up but Smokes RAMS low and BOOTS Tank down!

The fans boo but Smokes runs, only for Tank to ELBOW him down! Tank bumps Smokes off buckles, tags Hank Walker in, and they wrench, crisscross, and whip Smokes into the corner! Hank then scoops Smokes, holds him up, then SLAMS him down by the ropes! Tag to Tank and he slingshots to SPLASH! Cover, TWO! Smokes toughs it out but Tank drags him up. Tank whips Smokes to ropes, Niko tags in before the BACKDROP! Niko DECKS Tank, eggs everyone on, so Price tags in off Tank! The fans fire up as Price and Niko circle. These big men RAM shoulders, stare down, then RAM again! Niko rebounds to RAM, Price rebounds to RAM, and repeat!

The fans chant, “No bread, no water, just MEEEEAT~!” Booker T appreciates that as Price then RAMS Niko again. Niko BOOTS Price, but Price RAMS then LARIATS Niko! Spears runs up but Price DECKS him! The Culling bails out, Price BLASTS Hank down to join them! Nima BLASTS Tank, but Swipe Right sneaks up? They guzel OTM? The fans laugh at that, and OTM guzels Swipe Right! They DOUBLE CHOKE SLAM Swipe Right out onto the others! The fans are all fired up for OTM while NXT goes picture in picture.

Price steps outside to fetch Niko back into the ring. Cover, TWO! Price stays close and he whips Niko to ropes. Niko reverses but Price ROCKS him! And he stops Hank from tagging in! Price DECKS Hank, but Tank tags in! Tank fires off on Niko, then whips him to the corner. Niko reverses that, but Tank goes up and up, only for Niko to DECK Tank outta the air! Niko stomps away on Tank, then scuffs him. Niko drags Tank up, whips him to the Culling corner hard, then he tags Spears. Spears CLUBS Tank, rains down fists, then stomps Tank’s face! Spears taunts Hank while Tank writhes, but Brad tags in off Spears!

Brad shoves Spears and tells him to go. Brad then drags Tank up, but Tank fires body shots! Brad CLUBS Tank, whisp him, but Tank reverses. Smokes tags in, Brad dodges Tank, and Smokes GAMANGIRIS! Tank staggers into Brad’s FLATLINER! Smokes adds a DOUBLE STOMP! Cover, but Spears breaks it! Smokes KNEES Tank, CLUBS him, then talks trash on Spears & Niko. But he steps too close and Spears tags in! Spears hits Tank with a NECKBREAKER! Cover, TWO! Tag to Niko and he goes up top! DIVING HEADBUTT FLOPS as Tank moves! Tank crawls, reaches out, hot tag to Hank!

Hank BOOTS Niko, LARIATS Spears, then LARIATS Smokes! Hank BLASTS Nima while Smokes tags Brad! But then hank LARIATS Brad, and BOOTS Price! Then a scoop and SIDEWALK SLAM on Brad! Hank hurries up a corner, takes aim, and he FLYING LARAITS Brad down! Hank is feeling it, and he slaps the belly to pump up. Brad stands into a fireman’s carry as NXT returns to single picture. Hank gives Brad an AIRPLANE SPIN, but The Culling mugs Tank on the outside! Hank hits a T K O on Brad, but then he DIVES onto Spears! Hank and Niko brawl, Niko RAMS him into the apron! OTM mugs Smokes!

Nima RAMS Smokes into the apron, runs up, but only gets the POST! But then Price THROWS Brad at Smokes! The fans fire up with Price but Niko tags in! Niko HEADBUTTS Hank, HEADBUTTS Price, and POP-UP HEADBUTTS Tank! Smokes leaps in, but into a HEADBUTT! Hank staggers up, but Niko fireman’s carries him! Hank fights free while Nima storms in! Niko kicks Nima low, reels him in, but Hank ‘n’ Tank are in the corners! HONK HONK, BIG BELLY SANDWICH on Niko! Nima fires hands on Hank ‘n’ Tank, but Tank bobs ‘n’ weaves to elbow, mule kick, and KNEE LIFT! Tank whips, Nima reverses, and Price is there to STOMP Tank down!

OTM then gets Niko up, double torture rack, DOUBLE RACK SLAM! Cover, EVERYONE ELSE BREAKS IT! All eight men are down and the fans say, “This is Awesome!” The teams all rise up, and then they pair off! OTM has Culling on corners, Hank ‘n’ Tank do the same with Swipe Right! They’re all up top, and we get QUADRUPLE SUPERPLEXES!! The fans are thunderous for “NXT! NXT!” Swipe Right flops out of the ring, but Hank ‘n’ Tank throw off the jerseys to fire themselves up! They egg OTM on, but then Spears storms in! Price DECKS Spears, then the brawl is on! Nima and Tank throw hands while Price ROCKS Hank!

Hank goes to a corner, Price runs in, but Hank dodges! Price POSTS himself! Brad tags off Nima! Hank whips Nima into Tank’s FLYING SHOULDER TACKLE! Brad JUMP KNEES Tank! Hank scoops Brad for the BIG BOSS MAN SLAM! Nima is back to TOSS Hank, but Tank is back to TOSS Nima! But Niko TOSSES Tank! Smokes DUMPS Niko out! But Spears TOSSES Smokes! Spears goes to Brad, but Brad gets him for a cradle! TWO!! Spears escapes, fireman’s carries, C4!! Cover, DRAKE YANKS SPEARS BACK! The fans boo but the Carolina Reaper plays dumb. Not that hard for him, really. But Spears grabs Drake!

But OTM DOUBLE APRON STOMP Spears! Hank ‘n’ Tank YANK OTM down, then DOUBLE BELLY BUSTER through the desk!! Niko CLOBBERS Drake! But Smokes SHOVES Brad onto Spears for the cover! SWIPE RIGHT WINS!!

Winners: Swipe Right, by pinfall (NEW #1 Contenders to the NXT Tag Team Championships)

Brad finally wakes up, and he realizes he and Smokes are now headed for the titles! Is the Absolute’s Golden Prophecy going to come true? Will Swipe Right make it a match with the tag titles? Or will DarkState remind everyone that no matter who you are, ain’t nobody safe?

Keanu Carver speaks.

“Man, what you wanna know? DC was a janky ass city. If you was weak, you wasn’t gonna make it out. I had counselors trying to guide me, teachers trying to guide me, but they ain’t know me. I always thought playing football was cool cuz I could crush somebody and not get in trouble for it. Smashing Running Backs to the ground and watching snot bubbles come out their nose. I guess I was doing something right, cuz I got offered to play football in college. So I signed it cuz I had to eat. I had this coach in college who thought it was really like that, thought that he was really that dude, told me I was tackling wrong, running the plays wrong.

“How you gonna tell me I’m doing it wrong when you gave me money to come to your school? He tried me so I tried him, then I got kicked off the team. My coach tried to control me, but he couldn’t. You can’t control me! NXT can’t control me! And Sean Legacy, you gonna find out next week when you getcho issue in that ring!” Will Super Sean survive the One Man Demolition Crew?

Joe Hendry talks with Robert Stone.

The champion wants the (interim) General Manager to understand, Hendry wants his fight with Ricky Saints, he doesn’t wanna wait ’til Vengeance Day. Stone understands, but he won’t find Ricky tonight, Stone already kicked Ricky outta the building. And to keep things fair, Hendry did attack first, so Stone must ask Hendry to leave for the night, too. Hendry accepts that and Stone thanks him. Sol Ruca steps in and asks Mr. Stone if he’s seen Zaria anywhere. No, sorry. But then Zaria is around the way and Sol hurries over. Sol says she was looking all over, but Zaria tells Sol to just piss off already!

Zaria is just so sick of this! Sol stole Zaria’s championship opportunity last week! Sol asks what she’s talking about, but Zaria says Sol knows exactly what! It’s this thing full of sand! Zaria pokes Sol in the forehead, suggesting Sol’s brain is sand. Zaria says this friendship of theirs has been one-sided this entire time, and last week was the final straw! Zaria is done being used, is done getting nothing, and is done with Sol! Sol can talk to Jacy Jayne & The Fatal Influence by herself. And when she’s done with that, she can go to Hell! Zaria storms off and Sol is speechless. Is #ZaRuca dead and buried? How can Sol focus on a title match after losing a friend?

The Fatal Influence is here!

Just as Zaria aggressively said, Jacy Jayne, Fallon Henley & Lainey Reid are here for a face-to-face with the new #1 Contender to the NXT Women’s Championship ahead of their title match. The Toxic Rockstar, the Toxic Cowgirl, and the Southern Belle get mics, and Jacy says, “Alright, now I bet you all think I’m gonna come out her and complain about having to defend my NXT Women’s Championship against Sol Ruca next week. But it’s actually the complete opposite. See, I’m looking more forward to this match than quite possibly any match throughout my entire career. And I don’t usually do this… But I’m gonna be vulnerable with all of you for once.”

The fans applaud in appreciation, and Jacy says if she’s being completely honest, she is extremely jealous of Sol. Yeah, hard to believe, Jacy Jayne being jealous of anyone, but it’s the truth. Because no matter what Jacy does, or what she’s been through, or how many times she’s fallen and had to pick herself up, or how week in and week out, she comes out here to have amazing match after amazing match… The fans do applaud that… Jacy knows all the fans still look her dead in the face and say that Sol is the bigger star. The fans cheer that, too! Yeah, imagine that.

Last year, Jacy held the TNA Knockouts Championship AND the NXT Women’s Championship at the same time! She held two brands together! She won this NXT title off of Stephanie Vaquer! The same woman who will walk into this year’s WrestleMania as the WWE Women’s World Champion! Fallon then points out, “Who won Female Superstar of the Year? Oh, that’s right, Sol Ruca!” But the last time they checked, Jacy is the reigning Women’s Champion! Yes, the reigning, defending NXT Women’s Champion! She had to sit at home on the couch and watch Saturday Night’s Main Event, John Cena’s final match, a man that Jacy idolized her entire LIFE…!

And y’know who represented NXT that night? Not Jacy! No, no, no, NO! It was SOL RUCA! The fans cheer again, but Jacy says that’s fine, she moved on from that. Because shortly after that, Jacy got the infamous call that she would have her Royal Rumble debut. But the only thing she heard on that 13 HOUR FLIGHT HOME… was that Sol Ruca made the final three! The fans cheer that! Lainey says it doesn’t even matter that Sol didn’t win, because all anyone could talk about here was Sol Ruca. Sol Ruca has been shoved not only in Jacy’s face, but in all of our faces! Shoved down our throats for a whole year! Enough is enough!

Jacy says the only reason Sol even got her shot at this title is because she sacrificed her best friend! And next week, Sol won’t have her best friend by her side, and she damn sure won’t have this title either! See, Jacy didn’t win this title by being flashy or flip every five seconds. No, Jacy won this title because she’s simply the best woman in NXT! And to be completely honest, Jacy might be the most underrated woman in ALL of the WWE today! Sol makes her entrance to stop Jacy there. Sol says we’ve heard enough. Because to be honest, and for the first time ever, Sol totally agrees! There is no one else who is more envious of other people than Jacy!

Jacy’s been doing this since day one, and it is four years later. Jacy may be champion, but she’s still the same ol’ Jacy Jayne. The fans cheer that as Sol steps into the ring. Sol wonders, what would it be like if Jacy stopped comparing herself to others? Maybe then her stock would grow? Who knows. But Jacy can stand here and talk about Sol she wants, but she will not let Jacy talk about Sol’s friendship with Zaria. Jacy says wow, she loves this Sol! This little act that she’s putting on! That Sol is a great and loyal friend! But Jacy sees Sol. Heck, she WAS Sol! She’s been there, done that! But Sol is just now realizing what Jacy did years ago: To get ahead, you have to dump your best friend.

Because in the end, there is only room for one at the top. And Sol, just like your friendship with Zaria has ended, so has Sol’s chances of ever becoming NXT Women’s Champion. Sol says okay, okay, real friends fight. That’s not something Jacy gets, because Jacy’s never had someone strong enough to stand by her side without feeling the need to stand in front of her. Zaria doesn’t stand in Sol’s shadow, she stands in her own light. That’s something Jacy’s never learned to do! Jacy has her little group here, she has her title, but that’s not enough, is it? Jacy wanted this match, and next week, Sol will snatch that soul and become THE NXT Women’s Champion!

Jacy came in here toxic, she turned fatal, but when Sol beats Jacy, it’ll just confirm what Jacy already knows deep down inside: Sol Ruca is better than Jacy Jayne! The fans cheer that! But Jacy SLAPS Sol! And then Fatal Influence mugs Sol 3v1! The fans boo, but Zaria runs out here! The fans cheer, Jacy panics, but Zaria tells them to get Sol up!? WHAT!? Zaria gears up, to SPEAR FALLON!! Zaria tricks the Influence! She then HEADBUTTS Lainey and dodges Jacy! Fireman’s carry, but Lainey runs up! Zaria BOOTS Lainey, then lifts Jacy! Zaria THROWS Jacy out onto Fallon & Lainey! The fans fire up for Zaria, and she looks to Sol.

Zaria helps Sol up, and the fans cheer as the friends hug it out! Will #ZaRuca be stronger than ever? Will they work together to finally humble Jacy Jayne once and for all?

Sean Legacy talks with Eli Knight & Elio LeFleur.

Super Sean is fired up to see these two tear it down tonight to see who faces Jasper Troy for the Speed title. Knight appreciates that, and knows that Jasper is the monster they have to deal with. But Sean’s got some balls going up against Keanu Carver. Yeah, that’s true, and Sean ain’t backing down. LeFleur agrees there. Jasper and Keanu attacked guys like them because they are afraid to face them head-on. But they will slice the sky, and slay the giants! May the best man win. They fist bump, but Knight says it might be him, though. LeFleur says we’ll see. Two high-flyers are about to face off, but who proves they’re worthy in three minutes or less?

Men’s Speed Tournament Finals: Elio LeFleur VS Eli Knight!

NXT returns and there’s no time to waste, both men are in the ring and ready to go! The bell rings, both men run up, and LeFleur blocks a boot! Knight jumps the sweep, ducks the Eddy Gordo kick and KICKS LeFleur! Knight runs but LeFleur LARIATS him down! Knight goes to a corner, LeFleur runs up, JUMP KICK! Knight staggers, LeFleur goes out to springboard in, but Knight avoids the attack! LeFleur turns around to run back in, but into an OVERHEAD SUPLEX into buckles! Knight hurries to cover, TWO! LeFleur gets up but Knight is on him for a suplex. LeFleur knees free, then he suplexes Knight and himself to the outside!

The fans fire up while both men are down. A ring count starts as both men stand, and Knight rushes LeFleur! LeFleur dodges to then WHEEL KICK! LeFleur goes up the corner, and ARIHARA- NO, Knight dodges! Knight goes up to TOP ROPE ASAI MOONSAULT! Direct hit as we hit the two minute orange phase, but Knight clutches his ankle. Knight hurries to get LeFleur up and into the ring. Knight hobbles but he still runs, springboards, and LEG LARIAT! Cover, TWO! LeFleur is still in this but Knight goes to a corner. Knight runs up, but LeFleur catches the leg lariat! LeFleur throws Knight back, reels him in, and short bombs him for a jackknife bridge! TWO!!

Knight has the sunset flip, TWO! LeFleur has a cover, TWO! Ghost pin, TWO! LeFleur steps over, but Knight stuffs the Magistrol into a cover of his own, TWO!! Both men stand and Knight dodges to go up the ropes, only for LeFleur to catch him! GERMAN SUPLEX but Knight lands on his feet! Knight hobbles from the bad foot, but he still SUPERKICKS LeFleur! Knight fires up as we hit the one minute red phase! Springboard and- POWERBOMB COUNTER!! Cover, TWO!! Knight survives but time is ticking away! LeFleur runs up, Knight denies him the DDT! LeFleur ducks a haymaker to SLAP Knight! Knight ducks a shot to SLAP LeFleur!

DOUBLE LARIATS collide but neither man falls! They go to corners, Knight runs up, but LeFleur slips outside! Knight hits buckles as we have THIRTY SECONDS LEFT! LeFleur springboards, FLYING BODY CHECK! LeFleur hurries back up, and 450- NO, he has to roll through! BUSAIKU KNEE!! Knight goes up, TEN SECONDS LEFT!! But LeFleur trips him up! They go up, SUPER DRAGON SUPLEX!! BUT TIME IS UP!!!

Time Limit Draw

The fans want more time, but Suit Man Stone hurries out here to say that unfortunately, the time has expired. Now normally, Jasper Troy would retain his title unchallenged. However, after the performance that these two just put on… Stone will do something new! Next week, for the first time ever, it will be a TRIPLE THREAT SPEED CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH! And because it is three men, we’ll make it a SEVEN MINUTE TIME LIMIT! The fans like the sound of that! But between the time and the odds, will The MonStar lose his belt in the blink of an eye?

Shiloh Hill is hyped up.

He knows his match is next, but then Myles Borne walks past. Shiloh wants to talk with Myles but Myles asks what he wants. Shiloh says he doesn’t know what’s going on with Myles and Ethan, but Shiloh would appreciate it if Myles stays out of things tonight. If Myles wants a title match, Shiloh will gladly give him the first shot once he’s champion. Myles appreciates that, but he needs to prove Ethan wrong. Oh, well, that’ll be hard to do when Shiloh has the title. More like if you have it. Whoa, what’s that supposed to mean? Shiloh can say Myles should stay out of this, but Myles “might not listen” to him.

Well, then Myles will see a side of Shiloh he doesn’t wanna see. Myles says we’ll just have to find out! How about right now? Refs step in and keep this from happening, and they have Shiloh head for gorilla. Will Myles choose patience or violence when it comes to the North American Championship?

Uriah Connors talks with Charlie Dempsey.

Uriah knows Charlie feels stuck, like he deserves more, and that’s because he does! It is in their blood, Charlie! Yeah, but… Working with Lexis? Seriously? Yeah, Uriah gets that, but Lexis understands! He’s making a lot of sense! And c’mon, all their dads were friends, right? This is Uriah he’s talking to! How long have they known each other? A long time. They used to wrestle in Finlay’s ring, the whole nine yards. They are cut from the same cloth. Just think about it, okay? Charlie heads out, and in step Lexis King, Channing “Stacks” Lorenzo, and the NEW TNA Knockouts World Champion, Arianna Grace!

The team cheers Arianna on as she shows off the belt and waves around the Cobra, which she “borrowed” from her father. Lexis says Birthright is gaining ground with each passing week, and ya love to see it! But Uriah, they gotta ask… How’d it go with Charlie? Uriah says Charlie’s thinking about it, but he’s in. Good! Because next week, Uriah has a chance to prove himself. Lexis talked with Stone, and Uriah will have a match against his old pal, Kale Dixon. Really? Sick! Um, but Stacks didn’t prove nothing. Stacks says that’s not wrong. But for one, he’s marrying into it. And what really matters is that his beautiful, exotic queen turned a bad night into a good night!

That’s right! All she needed was a chance to prove herself, and that’s what this will be for Uriah. Uriah knows, he’s got this. The team likes the confidence, but can Uriah really tear down his former friend just to impress his new ones?

Robert Stone talks with Fallon Henley.

He says that after what happened earlier tonight, he wants Fallon to know that a new Women’s Speed Tournament is in the works. Blake Monroe then steps in and formally introduces herself to Stone. Yeah, they’ve known each other for like a year already… Whatever. Blake’s point is, Jaida parker was out of control, and- Yes, Jaida is suspended for striking a referee and security. Oh, Blake likes Stone already! He’s the best GM in the world! Okay, but in all seriousness, she’s also out with a neck injury, she won’t be cleared. It was originally ruled an accident, but Stone’s starting to think otherwise.

Blake plays coy but Fallon gets Stone back on the Women’s Speed Tournament. Right, right, he’s finishing up the bracket, he just needs one more name. Oh, and Blake! You’re perfect for it! Well, The Glamour is a perfect fit anywhere. Then done deal. Next week, the tournament starts with Blake Monroe VS… Thea Hail! Blake laughs, but then she sees he’s serious. Oh, right, he forgot they have a history. Oops. Blake leaves, Fallon mockingly wishes her luck, and she thanks Stone for this. Will the Glamour survive three minutes of playtime with the Grown-Ass Woman?

Dion Lennox talks with Cutler James.

Dion says if not for Cutler, Dion would be on his way to the hospital. Dion thanks Cutty, but he says no problem, they always have each other’s backs. And this is not over with Tony by a long shot. Saquon & Osiris find them and complain about the new kids on the block looking like they fresh outta history class, stealing the win and already having a shot at their tag titles. But it doesn’t matter, DarkState will put some hair on those boys’ chests after they split ’em open. And is Dion alright? Dion says you can’t hit DarkState and not expect to get popped, bruh! Reality will check Swipe Right’s asses real soon!

Saquon says yeah, did everyone forget or something? Because you don’t threaten DarkState! DarkState IS the threat! And when DarkState strikes, ain’t nobody safe! Will Brad Baylor & Ricky Smokes find out real quick how dangerous NXT can be?

ZaRuca regroups backstage.

Sol thanks Zaria for the save, but has to ask… What changed Zaria’s mind? Zaria cooled off and realized what she said was wrong. They make a great team. The reality is, Sol wouldn’t be where she is without Zaria, and Zaria wouldn’t be where she is without Sol. It’s just feels like nothing’s been the same since Sol’s knee injury and she ended her run as double champion. Sol knows, and Zaria says if things are to go back to how they were, that starts with Sol becoming NXT Women’s Champion. Sol leans on Zaria in thanks, and then they see Myles walking by. Sol asks Myles if he’s alright, and he says yeah. He knows exactly what he’s gonna do now. Um, okay…

NXT North American Championship: Ethan Page VS Shiloh Hill!

All Ego always acts like he knows better than everyone else, but he might not know as much as his cryptic and crazy #1 contender. Will Ethan survive to set the record for most title defenses as North American Champion? Or will he have nothing to stop #ToothlessAggression?

The introductions are made, the belt is raised, and we see who is truly the Greatest North American Wrestler Today!

The bell rings and the fans rally as the two stare down. They tie up, Shiloh powers Ethan back, but Ethan wrenches an arm. Shiloh flips using the ropes to then WRING Ethan out! Ethan gets up and goes to the ropes. The fans rally as Shiloh waits on Ethan. Ethan and Shiloh tie up, Ethan headlocks, but Shiloh powers up and wrenches free to then arm-drag Ethan! And then a wrench to a hammerlock! Ethan gets mad, slips around, but Shiloh puts the hammerlock back on! Ethan reaches down, trips Shiloh, but Shiloh boots him away! Shiloh drop toeholds Ethan and has the hammerlock again! The fans cheer while Ethan growls in pain.

Ethan fights up but Shiloh keeps him from ropes. Ethan just goes to the other side for the ROPEBREAK! The ref counts, Shiloh lets go at 4, and Ethan claims there was shoving! Ethan shoves Shiloh, but Shiloh SHOVES Ethan outta the ring! The fans cheer while Ethan is all frazzled. Ethan grabs a chair?! The fans boo, the ref reprimands, but Shiloh slides out to snatch the chair! Shiloh puts it back where Ethan found it, then slides back in. Ethan headlocks, but Shiloh powers up and waistlocks! Ethan fights the lift, pries the hold open, and hits an ELBOW BREAKER! Ethan has the armlock, but Shiloh power sit onto Ethan!

Ethan powers the armlock back onto Shiloh but Shiloh powers it back onto Ethan! The fans cheer Shiloh, but then boo as Ethan puts the armlock back on Shiloh. The two go back and forth, cheers and boos, until Ethan CLUBS Shiloh! Shiloh ROCKS Ethan! Shiloh hits an atomic drop! Ethan staggers, Shiloh runs, but Ethan drops down. But Shiloh turns the hurdle into the Manhattan Drop! Shiloh runs, but Ethan ELBOWS him down! Ethan shakes out the little egos before he goes back to Shiloh. The fans boo as Ethan RIPCORDS, but Shiloh JUMP PUNCHES Ethan! The fans fire up for Shiloh as he then gut wrenches Ethan onto the ropes!

Shiloh CLUBS away on Ethan, then winds up to DOUBLE CHOP! Shiloh then runs side to side for a KNEE LIFT! Ethan tumbles to the floor and the fans fire up! Ethan is frustrated, so he takes his belt and brings it into the ring! But Shiloh already snatches it away to put it back! The fans cheer as the countermeasures continue to work out, but then Ethan BOOTS Shiloh off the apron! Ethan talks trash before he whips Shiloh at the apron. But Shiloh uses that to tiger feint and LARIAT! The fans fire up, but now The Vanity Project storms out here! The ref has Drake, Brad & Smokes all stay back, and NXT goes picture in picture.

Shiloh is distracted for a moment, but he goes back to the ring. Shiloh goes up the corner, and he FLYING LARIATS Ethan down! Cover, TWO! Ethan toughs it out but Shiloh whips him to the corner. Shiloh runs up and RAMS Ethan! Then he brings Ethan out for a HEADBUTT! Ethan falls over, Shiloh covers, TWO! Shiloh stays focused on Ethan with a whip to the corner. Shiloh runs up, but Ethan dodges, sending Shiloh into buckles! Ethan then stomps away on Shiloh, but stops as the ref counts. Ethan catches his breath, then goes back for Shiloh. Ethan ROCKS Shiloh, then CLUBS him on the neck. Ethan reels Shiloh in, but Shiloh fights the lift!

Shiloh trips Ethan to a jackknife bridge! TWO, and Shiloh ducks ‘n’ dodges to sunset flip! TWO and Ethan hurries to DROPKICK Shiloh down! Vanity Project applauds as Ethan rains down fists on Shiloh. Ethan clamps on the chinlock and squeezes tight. Shiloh endures, fights up, and fires body shots. Ethan THROWS Shiloh down by his hair! The ref reprimands but Ethan just soaks up heat from the fans. Vanity Project laughs at Shiloh, and Ethan CLUBS Shiloh in the chest! Ethan stands Shiloh up, but Shiloh fires hands first! Shiloh whips Ethan to a corner while NXT returns to single picture! Ethan goes up and over, then ducks a lariat to BOOT Shiloh down! Cover, TWO!

The fans rally for Shiloh but Ethan hauls him up. Ethan whips, Shiloh reverses, but Ethan BOOTS him away again! And ENZIGIRI! Ethan then hits a SWINGING NECKBREAKER! Cover, TWO! Shiloh survives and Vanity Project grows worried, but they coach up their mentor as he brings Shiloh up. Ethan does his cocky smile, but Shiloh RAMS Ethan into a corner! Shiloh runs up, but Ethan puts him on the apron! Shiloh SMACKS Ethan off buckles first! Shiloh goes up, but Ethan ROCKS him back! Ethan HEADBUTTS Shiloh, climbs up the corner, and he fires headlock punches! Then he drags Shiloh onto his shoulder for the SUPER POWERSLAM! Cover, TWO!!

The fans fire up as Shiloh survives and shocks Ethan! Vanity Project is freaking out on Ethan’s behalf, but he tells them to pull up floormats! The VP does as told, and Ethan TOSSES Shiloh outside! The ref reprimands them all, but Ethan reels Shiloh in! Canadian Rack, and- NO, Shiloh slips free! And he THROWS Ethan down! Shiloh rolls into the ring, Ethan hurries after, and Ethan scowls as Shiloh goes to a corner. Ethan runs up, but Shiloh TACKLES him! Shiloh rains down forearms but Ethan shoves him away! Shiloh runs back up, but Ethan dodges to hit the CONFIDENCE BREAKER! Shiloh falls into the corner now!

But wait! Shiloh reaches into his mouth, and pulls out the tooth! Ethan smiles, but it’s time for Toothless Aggression! Shiloh mocks All Ego’s cheeky grin, then blocks a shot to fire off haymakers! Shiloh DECKS Ethan, DECKS him again, then whips him to ropes. Shiloh runs to SHOULDER TACKLE! The fans fire up as Shiloh then scoops for the SIDEWALK SLAM! The fans fire up for Shiloh, IMPLODER SENTON! Drake gets on the apron, but Shiloh DECKS him! The fans cheer as Shiloh then TOSSES Smokes! Shiloh LARIATS Smokes up and outta the ring! Shiloh goes out to then BACKDROP Brad on the floor!

The fans fire up as Shiloh CLOBBERS Smokes into barriers! Then he gets Drake for a DESK BACK SUPLEX! Randy Orton would be proud of that one! But then Ethan kicks Shiloh low! TWISTED GRIN on the bare concrete!! The fans boo but Vanity Project pays dividends! Ethan puts Shiloh in the ring, reels him back in, and TWISTED GRIN!! Cover, Ethan wins!

Winner: Ethan Page, by pinfall (still NXT North American Champion)

It took help from his new cronies, but Ethan survives to make history! And then they all beat up on Shiloh for pushing Ethan this far! But MYLES is here! He CLOBBERS Smokes, CLOBBERS Drake, and CLOBBERS Brad! then he DECKS Ethan! The fans fire up, but Vanity Project regroups. Drake waistlocks Myles but Myles still BOOTS Brad & Smokes away! Then he ELBOWS free, LARIATS Smokes, and SNAP POWERSLAMS Drake! Vanity Project regroups, and Shiloh says why not! He FLIES out onto the VPs! And Myles gets in Ethan’s face! Myles demands a title match as he throws punch after punch!

Ethan refuses to give in, but Myles asks what is it gonna take! Shiloh slides the chair in! Myles looks to it, and he picks it up! He puts it around Ethan’s leg! He stands on the chair to squeeze the ankle, and he says Ethan better give him that match! Ethan says Myles will never get his shot! Myles says fine! Myles jumps, but Ethan shouts okay! FINE! Myles gets his match! Myles stops short of hitting the stomp, and Ethan says next week, they’ll have the title match. Myles accepts that, goes to leave, and then Ethan has the audacity to say he KNEW Myles would never really do it! Myles snarls and STOMPS the chair after all!!

Ethan writhes in agony as Myles holds the belt up over him and says Ethan wanted Myles do to what it takes! Well here it is! Did Ethan’s ego just write a check that his body cannot cash? Will he even be able to defend the title after what Myles just did to his ankle?

My Thoughts:

Is it great to be alive in Memphis, Tennessee on a Monday night or what?

Elimination Chamber is 12 days away, and now both CM Punk & AJ Lee prepare for a championship homecoming in Chicago!

OFFICIAL RESULTS

• Six Man Tag: LA Knight & The Usos VS The Vision; The Vision wins.
• Women’s Elimination Chamber Qualifier Triple Threat: Asuka VS Bayley VS Natalya; Asuka wins and advances to Elimination Chamber.
• WWE Intercontinental Championship #1 Contender’s Match: El Grande Americano w/ Los Americanos VS PENTA; wins and will challenge Dominik Mysterio for the title.
• Men’s Elimination Chamber Qualifier Triple Threat: GUNTHER VS Dominik Mysterio VS Je’Von Evans; Evans wins and advances to Elimination Chamber.

PLAY BY PLAY

The Usos are in the concourse.

The fans are already fired up, and Jey asks that they please, please hit his music! UH UH, YEET! Memphis fires up as the WWE World Tag Team Champions make their entrance, but wait! Paul Heyman is already interrupting with his introductions?! “Ladies and gentlemen… Ladies and gentlemen… Ladies and… There’s no yeeting! Cut the music! Cut the damn music!!” The fans boo as The Oracle ruins all the fun. Heyman reiterates, “Ladies and gentlemen…” The fans boo harder, but Logan Paul tells them to shut up! Every ounce of wisdom that Heyman has is worth the same as the most valuable trading card, which Logan just sold for 16 MILLION DOLLARS! None of the fans here will ever see that in their lives!

Logan introduces himself a la Heyman now, and he says he has a vision for Monday Night Raw. The vision is to host this great show in the most beautiful city in the United States, and this is NOT it! But hey, the good news is, they’re here! Memphis flexes in the ring but the fans tell him off. Heyman says there’s a piece of footage that will explain his mood tonight, so he’d appreciate it if it was shown right now. As said, the footage plays, and it is the hooded man attacking Austin Theory like he did Bron Breakker at the Royal Rumble! That let LA Knight win a spot in the Elimination Chamber, much to Heyman’s displeasure.

Theory says a masked man attacking someone, “real original.” Everybody knows that that was Theory’s match to win! Especially the bum ass Usos! But Adam Pearce walks out here and says playtime with The Vision is over. The fans cheer and Pearce says clearly babysitter Heyman isn’t doing his job, so let’s all go back to Pearce’s office and talk this out like adults. Theory says if Pearce wants to interrupt him, too, they’re gonna do this here and now. Theory would’ve won the Triple Threat, Pearce knows it, so he screwed Theory out of it! Pearce says no, Theory screwed himself over. And if not for Logan & Bronson, maybe security would’ve handled the masked man for them!

And we’re not having this conversation right now, let’s get the show back on the rails, and let’s go to the office and talk like gentlemen. Heyman says if Pearce wants his show back, he wants Bronson Reed inside the Elimination Chamber and Pearce should make it official right now! Pearce says there it is, what this is all about. All the phone calls Heyman makes, going over Pearce’s head, when Pearce has no problem putting Bronson in the Chamber, if Bronson earns the right. Which is why next week, Bronson is in a qualifier. And now that this is done, let’s all leave the ring and- WAIT! LA KNIGHT IS HERE!

Memphis fires up for the Megastar as he goes right past Pearce to stare The Vision down. The #Unchosen has a mic to say, “LEMME TALK TO YA! The chickens have come home to roost. The guy in the mask, who’s the masked man? It was you (Theory), but look at how it just turns around on ya, and you get screwed by yourself. YEAH!” “YEAH!” “Story is, you’re not going to Elimination Chamber. You’re not going to WrestleMania. Dreams dashed, YEAH! Hopes gone, YEAH! And what that means, Bronson Reed, you’re the next one. And I tell ya what, I’m gonna pray. Is there anybody up there listening?

“Sweet, filthy Lord, please put Bronson Reed in the Elimination Chamber so I can stuff his fat head between those bars and kick him square in his ass, 38 to 40 THOUSAND times! YEAH! Because for everything that you put me through-” Logan interrupts by saying, “Oh! Like the car that he put you through?” The fans boo but Knight mocks Logan. Yeah, Logan, you simple-minded, broccoli haired b*tch! You got one coming, too! They all do! And tell ya what, Pearce, far be it for Knight to tell you how to run the show, but Knight looks at these three turd stains, and he says don’t let The Vision leave.

Cuz even though the Usos and Knight don’t have the best track record, Knight sees it is two Usos and one man with everybody saying L A KNIGHT, YEAH! Pearce asks Memphis what they think, and the fans cheer! Well, Uces, what do you think? YEET! Then it is official! We’ve got a Six Man Tag, and it starts right now! The fans cheer, and we get to run it back! Will The Vision take three the hard way and end up in the Uso Penitentiary?

Six Man Tag: LA Knight & The Usos VS The Vision!

Raw returns and the match is already underway as Knight stomps a mudhole into Logan, “YEAH! YEAH! YEAH!” Knight runs corner to corner and KNEES Logan down! Knight then whips Logan, but Logan KICKS Knight! Tag to Theory but Knight LARIATS him down! Knight wrenches and YANKS Theory’s arm again and again. Tag to Jimmy and he climbs up for an AX HANDLE! #BigJim then wrenches Theory, but Theory body blows! Theory ROCKS Jimmy, fires hands, then LARIATS in the corner! Theory talks trash on Memphis, then whips Jimmy corner to corner, but Jimmy goes up and over!

Jimmy mule kicks, then pops, locks ‘n’ UPPERCUTS! Tag to Jey and they double whip to DOUBLE ELBOW, then they shake hands for the DOUBLE ELBOW DROP! Cover, TWO! Jey brings Theory up, wrenches, then tags in Knight. Jey whips Theory to the corner for Knight to JUMPING NECKBREAKER! Cover, TWO! Knight stays on Theory, but Theory kicks low! Theory throws hands, whisp Knight, but Knight reverses. Theory BOOTS Knight and Bronson tags in. Theory then dodges Knight, and they pinball Knight between forearm and LARIAT! Bronson and Theory then run for the HIGH LOW COMBO!

The fans boo but Logan mocks Knight’s pain. Bronson drags Knight up, ROCKS him with a right, then fires shots into Knight’s back! Tag to Logan and the fans boo even more. Logan CHOKES Knight but the ref counts. Logan stops at 4, but that lets Theory get a cheap shot in. The fans boo but Logan stomps Knight, then rains down forearms! Logan talks trash on Knight but the fans rally up behind him. Logan drags Knight up, gut wrenches and SLAMS, then covers, TWO! Logan tags Theory in and he drags Knight up to throw punches into the side of Knight’s head! Theory stops to talk trash on Jimmy, then he brings Knight up.

Bronson tags in, The Vision mugs Knight, but the fans chant, “Theory Sucks!” Theory and Logan tell them to shut up while Bronson runs the ropes. Knight BOOTS Bronson away, DECKS Theory and Logan, then BOOTS Bronson again! Bronson staggers but Logan and Theory hold Knight in place! Bronson runs up and SPLASHES Knight! Then a scoop for the WORLD’S STRONGEST SLAM! The fans boo but Bronson jumps for the ELBOW DRIPO! Bronson soaks up the heat while Raw goes to break.

Raw returns again and Knight reaches out for The Usos but Bronson holds him back. Knight ROCKS Bronson, reaches out, and repeat! The fans rally harder and harder, and Knight fires a flurry! “YEAH! YEAH! YEAH!” Bronson reels Knight in but he ducks the lariat to BLAST Logan & Theory! Knight turns back around but Bronson catches him! URENAGE! ELBOW DROP! Cover, Jimmy breaks it! The fans cheer, but then Bronson POSTS Jimmy! The fans boo but the ref holds Jey back. Bronson then lines up a shot to SENTON FLOP as Knight moves! The fans fire up again as Knight and Bronson both crawl!

Hot tag to Theory and he runs up on Knight! Knight dodges and Theory hits buckles! Logan tags in and hurries to anchor Knight’s leg! Knight BOOTS Logan away, hot tag to Jey! The fans fire up as Jey LARIATS Logan! And UPPERCUTS Theory! And LARIATS Logan again! Then he ROCKS Logan again and again, “YEET! YEET! YEET!” Wind up and put some stank on it, HAYMAKER! The fans fire up for Jey, “YEET!” HIP ATTACK! Jey drags Logan to a cover, TWO! Logan survives but Jey stays focused. Jey drags Logan up, whips him to ropes, but Logan reverses! Jey ducks ‘n’ dodges to SPEAR! Cover, Theory breaks it!

Knight ROCKS Theory, then LARIATS him up and out! Knight pursues Theory, but Theory fireman’s carries! Knight slips free to POST Theory! B F T to the floor! But Bronson TACKLES Knight through barriers! Memphis goes nuts seeing that, then we see Jey and Logan rise up. Logan shakes out the stars, runs up on Jey, blocks a kick to ZIGZAG! Cover, TWO! Logan is upset that showing off didn’t work. The fans chant for the Usos but Logan lifts for the PAULVER- NO, Jey lands out! Jimmy tags in, and Jey SUPERKICKS! Logan staggers, so The Usos DOUBLE SUPERKICK! Logan staggers around, into a ONE AND DONE! Cover, but Bronson breaks it!

Jey goes after Bronson but Bronson shoves him away. Bronson HEADBUTTS Jey down! Bronson then builds speed!? And he DIVES! A supersized suicide dive takes out both Usos! Then Bronson TOSSES Jey over the desk! Jimmy is fed to the ONE LUCKY RIGHT!! Tag to Bronson and he climbs up! TSUNAMI!! Cover, Vision wins!

Winners: The Vision, by pinfall

A colossal win for The Vision, and even bigger than that, a pin on one of the World Tag Team Champions! Will Auszilla look to not only demolish the Elimination Chamber but the Uso Penitentiary with it? As for Logan, he gets on a spare headset just to talk trash on Michael Cole! The Vision is working! Cole was finally watching instead of talking! But then CURB STOMP on the desk!! The hooded man gets the better of Logan Paul! Then he gets outta there before Theory & Bronson can get him! This vigilante is doing what Knight’s been talking about, but will he complete the set?

A staff member directs Adam Pearce to the loading dock.

It seems a special delivery has arrived. It’s a giant wood box, and has text on the side: “DELIVER TO WWE, DO NOT OPEN UNTIL 02/28/26.” Pearce asks the staff member what it is, and the guy says, “It’s a crate.” Pearce says he knows that, but what’s in it? No idea, they didn’t open it. Why not? Uh, no idea. It just says not to open until February 28th. Yeah, Pearce knows that, too. What’s this guy’s name? Eli. Well, Eli, is Pearce’s name on here anywhere? Nope. Well, we all know that 2/28/26 is Elimination Chamber Saturday. Then what do we do with it? Put it back on the truck, send it to SmackDown and let Nick Aldis handle it.

Eli gets to work, but in step Los Americanos. Pearce asks them what he can do for them. El Grande Americano asks Pearce what is going on. Is he really putting in that El Grande Americano into a qualifier? Don’t mess around, cabron! Pearce tells this El Grande Americano that sorry, the qualifiers are set, no changing them now. Anything else he can do for the three of them? El Grande says Pearce gave that guy something, so give him something! Like what? How about… The Intercontinental Championship? Oh, well, he and everybody else wants a match now that Dominik Mysterio has returned to “grace us with his presence.”

But Pearce can’t just give out a title opportunity. However, he can let El Grande earn that chance tonight. Esta noche? Si, esta noche. This El Grande Americano is pleased, and he heads out. Pearce sighs as he says dios mio, and he looks back at the box. Is this Road to WrestleMania only going to take wilder twists and turns from here?

We hear from Natalya, Bayley, and Asuka.

The Queen of Bloodsport says, “A lot of things have changed since last time I was in an Elimination Chamber match. But mostly me.” The Role Model says, “Last year, my moment on the Grandest Stage of Them All was taken from me. But that stops now, because I’m gonna be doing all the taking.” The Empress of Tomorrow says, “I always make history in WEW. That continues tonight, when I beat Bayley and Nattie and go on to be in the Elimination Chamber.” Nattie doesn’t care if her road goes through Bayley, Asuka, and everyone else… Bayley says respect goes out the window because she’s earning her spot!

Asuka says no one is ready for the Chamber, and no one is ready for Asuka! Nattie says there is a truth they will all learn: Natalya was here to have your back; Nattie is here to break it! Former champions all, but who takes that crucial step back towards the top?

Women’s Elimination Chamber Qualifier Triple Threat: Asuka VS Bayley VS Natalya!

Raw returns as Asuka makes her entrance, followed by Nattie, then Bayley. The bell rings and the three watch each other. Nattie runs up on Bayley, Bayley dodges, and Asuka ELBOWS Nattie! Bayley DECKA Asuka, but Nattie TACKLES Bayley! Nattie HAMMERS Bayley, drags her up, then whips, but Bayley reverses to TOSS Nattie! Asuka runs up, Bayley dodges to ELBOW and snapmare Asuka. Bayley runs to SLIDING LARIAT! Cover, ONE, and Asuka bails out. Nattie is in and she CLUBS Bayley on the back! Nattie gets Bayley’s legs, hooks them up, then gets the arms! ROMERO SPECIAL! Bayley endures, but Asuka DROPKICSK Bayley!

The fans rally as Nattie and Asuka start shoving! They get face to face, then Nattie CLUBS away on Asuka! Asuka shoves back to SLAP, SLAP, SLAP! The fans fire up but Nattie ducks a kick to GERMAN SUPLEX! Asuka flounders, but Nattie drags her up and lifts. Asuka fights that, wrenches and ROUNDHOUSES! But then Bayley SUNSET FLIP BUCKLE BOMBS Asuka! Asuka tumbles out, and Bayley points to the WrestleMania sign. Bayley goes out the side and runs to DAREDEVIL DROPKICK Asuka! Then she reloads, DAREDEVIL- NO, Nattie blocks that and YANKS Bayley out! CATAPULT into the POST! Nattie stands tall while the fans boo, but Raw goes to break.

Raw returns again as Nattie RAMS Bayley in the corner. Bayley BOOTS Back, goes up, and ELBOW DROPS Nattie on the back! Cover, TWO! Nattie survives but Bayley stays focused. Bayley puts Asuka up top now, but then Nattie ROCKS Bayley! DISCUS- NO, Bayley ducks it! Bayley then lifts Nattie up top and into the Tree of Woe! Bayley stomps Nattie, then uses the ropes to springboard and ELBOW DROP! Nattie falls out of the Tree, then Bayley goes up after Asuka! SUPERPLEX! Cover, Nattie breaks it! The fans are torn but Bayley frowns. Bayley drags Asuka and Nattie up to tell them both that she’s going to Chamber!

Nattie SMACKS Bayley, so Bayley ROCKS Nattie back! Asuka ROCKS Bayley, Bayley hits back, and the forearms fly all over! Bayley fires a flurry on Nattie, but Nattie ROCKIS Bayley! Bayley fires off on Asuka but Nattie CLUBS Bayley! Nattie TOSSES Bayely out hard, but Asuka ELBOWS Nattie! Asuka runs, but Nattie LARIATS at the ropes! Nattie runs, but Asuka follows to ELBOW again! Bayley rolls in as Asuka runs, and Bayley ROCKS her! But then Nattie runs up! Bayley ducks, DISCUS LARIAT on Asuka! Cover, but Bayley drags Nattie right up! SAIDO! Nattie floudners away, Bayley drags Asuka into the drop zone!

The fans cheer as Bayley goes up, up, and MACHO ELBOW! Cover, NATTIE BREAKS IT AGAIN! Then Nattie HAMMERS Bayley! They scrap all the way to the apron, and Nattie stands Bayley up. Bayley swings, but Nattie ducks! APRON GERMAN SUPLEX!! Bayley falls in a heap, but Asuka YANKS Nattie into the ASUKA LOCK!! Nattie flails, fights around, rolls it back to a cover, TWO!! Asuka lets go in time, then she BUZZSAWS Nattie down! Jackknife bridge, but Nattie rolls right through!

Nattie lifts Asuka to SIT-DOWN POWERBOMB!! Cover, TWO!! Asuka survives, but Nattie has the legs! Nattie steps through for the SHARPSHOOTER!! Asuka endures, reaches out, but Bayley is back to KNEE Nattie down! Bayley drags Nattie up, HOTSHOT STUNNER! Asuka runs up, EMPRESS IMPACT on Nattie! BAYLEY2BELLY!! Cover, TWO?!? Asuka survives and Bayley is furious! Memphis fires up as Bayley tells Asuka that she’s not stopping Bayley! But Asuka SLAPS Bayley! Bayley ROCKS Asuka, then catches the backfist! Backslide, TWO! Both women are still hooked up as they stand up together.

Bayley spins Asuka, but Asuka shoves her away! Bayley KNEES Nattie down, but Asuka hits the FLYING ARMBAR TAKEDOWN! ASUKA LOCK!! Bayley flails, reaches out, but she TAPS! Asuka wins!!

Winner: Asuka, by submission (advances to Elimination Chamber)

The Empress overcomes the Lowkey Legend and the Role Model, and now she’s headed to Chicago! Four spots filled, two remain, who else will join Asuka, Alexa Bliss, Rhea Ripley & Tiffany Stratton in the Chamber? As for Nattie, MAXXINE DUPRI ATTACKS! She sends Nattie into the LED tron! Then she HAMMERS away on Nattie! Refs separate these two, but it is clear the student wants revenge on her traitorous teacher! Will Maxxine get her chance on this Road to WrestleMania?

Adam Pearce looks over a contract.

That’s because he is talking with free agent, Oba Femi! Pearce says the last thing he wants to do is blow smoke, but Aldis made an offer on Friday. To be honest, The Ruler needs a flagship. Pearce will let Oba look over this contract to compare and contrast with SmackDown’s, but Pearce is pretty sure this one’s better. Oba says we will see. He will need time to decide. Pearce says take all the time you need. Oba appreciates that, then turns to go, only to be face to face with Rusev! The Bulgarian Brute smirks, then scowls again. Oba takes his leave, and now Rusev has his meeting with Pearce. Will Rusev be ready to “welcome” Oba should Oba join Monday Night Raw?

Exclusive interview with Liv Morgan.

Michael Cole sits with the 2026 Women’s Royal Rumble winner, and he says he’s very excited. Liv gets to go to WrestleMania, but who’s she going to pick? But then in steps Dominik Mysterio, surprising even Liv. Dirty Dom says he’s a missing piece in the puzzle. Cole again asks, who will Liv pick for WrestleMania? Liv sighs and says wow, not even any small talk. But that’s okay, because Liv has decided. And what she’s decided is… That she’s not gonna rush the decision! HAHA! She’s just having so much fun watching everyone scramble, wondering who she’s gonna pick. So she’ll take a little longer to decide.

Plus, Liv did not grind for ten YEARS to let this moment pass her by. She will take her time and- Oh, in steps Stephanie Vaquer! Liv asks what they can help her with as La Primera takes a seat, and the Women’s World Champion warns Liv in Espanol. Dom translates as fast as he can that Vaquer calls BS on Liv’s “grind.” Liv got to be here in the WWE, was handed the best of everything! Vaquer was born in Chile, where pro-wrestling doesn’t exist! She did the grind around the world! In Mexico, Latin America, even Japan and Europe to get here. She’s conquered it all! Dom says she’s conquering nothing!

Vaquer says Liv should be ashamed! Ashamed that she hides behind Judgment Day, that she hides behind her man! Vaquer went through Hell and made it hers! Everything she did was to get to the WWE and become champion! This title isn’t just a title, it’s inspiration for all the girls and young women around the world who were never given an opportunity yet overcame anyway. If Liv goes with her, she will regret it, because Vaquer will show her what a REAL champion looks like. Cole tries to get their reaction to this, and Liv looks very shaken. Liv & Dom leave together, but did the Dark Angel just break Liv’s spirit?

CM Punk is here!

Memphis fires up for the World Heavyweight Champion and they sing along with Cult of Personality. They also join in for, “IT’S CLOBBERIN’ TIME~!” Punk then high-fives fans along the ramp and goes to the ring. The Road to WrestleMania is going through Chicago and a title rematch with Finn Balor, what will Punk have to say about that? We find out, after the break.

Raw returns and the fans chant for Punk as he holds the mic. “Is it great to be alive on a Monday night in Memphis, Tennessee or what?!” The fans cheer and Punk says they must be happy to see him. A welcomed change from being backstage, because the “office” is not. Pearce thinks Punk is jeopardizing the main event of WrestleMania. The fans boo and Punk says yeah, boo Adam Pearce! CM Punk VS Roman Reigns, that’s a big deal, but Punk doesn’t think he’s jeopardizing it. In fact, he feels he’s doing what he’s always done, and that’s make everything better. The fans cheer that!

Punk says sports franchises that qualify for the playoffs don’t get to skip regular season games. Punk has talked a lot since winning this title about “deserves” and “earns.” The fans deserve a fighting champion! Finn Balor deserved a title shot in Belfast because of who he is and what he’s done. But now, in a couple weeks, Elimination Chamber in Chicago, Finn gets another shot. Not because Finn deserves it, but he’s earned it! He’s earned these fists and the ass beating Punk is about to give him! The fans cheer that. Punk says Finn jumped him in Toronto a few weeks ago, and unfortunately, Finn ruined what is the last time Punk gets to share this ring with the Phenomenal AJ Styles.

So Finn has earned this beating. But management is upset that Punk is jeopardizing the WrestleMania main event. But Punk has a history of doing and saying things that piss people off. He wouldn’t be CM Punk if he didn’t do or say things that pissed people off! The fans wouldn’t love Punk if he didn’t do or say things that pissed people off! CM Punk wouldn’t be what he is if he didn’t defend this title every chance he got, and what he is, Memphis, is the Best in the World! It’s not Roman Reigns, it’s not Finn Balor, and- WAIT! Finn is here! The fans are torn as The Prince makes his way out, and the fans join in on the classic arms-wide-open pose.

Finn looks back to the entryway, and out walks Dominik Mysterio! AND JD McDonagh! Judgment Day rolls together as they go to the ring, but Punk is ready for them all. Punk promises he’ll make it real bad for Dom especially, but Finn gets a mic. Finn says don’t worry, Punk’s not in trouble. They’re not out here to fight. Finn is just here to make one thing crystal clear. Finn steps into the ring, Dom & JD follow, and Finn says to be the best in the world, you gotta train with the best catch wrestlers in Europe. You gotta learn from the best luchadores in Mexico. You have to survive the toughest dojos in Japan! And to be the best in the world, you gotta show up your first night on Raw and beat Roman Reigns!

Finn says by that definition, the best in the world is standing right here. And in Chicago, at Elimination Chamber, when Finn beats Punk for that title, Finn isn’t “jeopardizing” the main event of WrestleMania. No, the REAL Best in the World will make it even better! Punk thinks on that as the fans cheer him on, and Punk asks Finn, “So what’re these two idiots doing here? See, I know who you are, Finn. Sorry, I misspoke; I know who you were. See, all those great things you did are the reason I gave you a shot in Belfast. But I noticed, among all those great things you did, you did it by yourself.

“I didn’t see Judgment Day by your side in those European dojos or Japan dojos, or when you were taking on all the great luchadores in Mexico. No. You used to mean something, man. I think everybody here in Memphis can agree that Judgment Day has been an anchor around your neck for a very, very long time. And I could say that somebody as skilled as you could bring them up to your level, but they’ve only dragged you down to theirs. I mean, look at this idiot!” Punk points to Dirty Dom. He’s wearing two titles but never defends them! And JD needs help getting in the ring cuz his head’s so big! The fans chant “Bobble Head!”

Punk tells Finn that he’s been accused of being a smart man who does dumb things. And what Punk’s about to do might be stupid, but he doesn’t believe for a second that the three of them didn’t have a plan to come out and jump him. Some things are out of Punk’s control. But he turns around and says go ahead! Finn, JD, Lil’ Mysterio, you wanna prove them right? Go ahead, jeopardize the main event of WrestleMania. But then you jeopardize Finn’s chances of becoming champion at Elimination Chamber. Punk knows he’s the Best in the World, and he doesn’t need help to prove it. Maybe Finn does.

Punk steps out, and Finn holds JD back! The Irish Ace asks if that’s what Finn wants, and then Punk tosses his mic to Finn. Finn still has JD and Dom stand down. We have less than two weeks, will that time be enough for Finn to remember who he is?

Backstage interview with Rhea Ripley & Iyo Sky.

Byron Saxton is with the WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions, and brings up that they have the most difficult Road to WrestleMania out of everyone. We all saw the title defense on SmackDown with Nia Jax & Lash Legend get out of hand. Rhea meanwhile qualified for Elimination Chamber last week, and Iyo will have the same opportunity next week. How are they holding it together? Rhea says the Road to Mania is always a battle, last Friday was no exception. Nia & Lash thought they could just take these titles, but they got a bit carried away and failed. All they managed to do was turn up the heat, so time for #RheYo to put them out.

Iyo says in Japanese then English that she and Rhea will be ready for Nia & Lash, but as far as Elimination Chamber- The Kabuki Warriors walk in, and Kairi Sane is already laughing. The Pirate Princess promises that it will be over. Do you know why? Because Asuka is already in The Chamber! And they will make sure Rhea & Iyo never win! Kairi taunts Rhea & Iyo but Asuka has her cut that out. Kairi says right, sorry, they will make sure Asuka IS the winner! Asuka nods, then she pushes past Kairi to shout at Rhea & Iyo that they are not ready for the Chamber! HAHAHA~! Then she pushes past Kairi as she leaves.

Iyo asks Kairi if she- But then Asuka shouts for Kairi, and Kairi sulks away. Something’s gotta give, but what will it take to break Kairi away from Asuka before Asuka breaks Kairi’s spirit completely?

WWE Intercontinental Championship #1 Contender’s Match: El Grande Americano w/ Los Americanos VS ???

The deal was struck that while one El Grande Americano gets to be in the Elimination Chamber qualifier, the other would get this chance to become a contender! But they forgot to say who he’d be facing. Who else gets a golden opportunity? We find out, after the break.

Raw returns and Grande’s opponent is… PENTA! Memphis fires up, but will #CeroMiedo be greater than El Grande? The bell rings and the two circle. They feel things out, tie up, and El Grande pushes Penta to a corner. Grande pie faces Penta, talks trash, but Penta shoves Grande and talks trash back. Grande CHOPS, Penta CHOPS, repeat! The fans “WOO~” again and again as the CHOPS keep going! The CHOPS fly fast ‘n’ furious, then they DOUBLE LARIAT! Penta SUPERKICKS Grande, but Grande UPPERCUTS! Grande turns to run but Penta reels him in for the BACKSTABBER! But Grande HEADBUTTS in return!

Grande and Penta run, Penta springboards, but we still get DOUBLE LARIATS! Both men flounder around, Bravo y Rayo coach El Grande, but the fans cheer Penta as Raw goes to break.

Raw returns again as Grande has Penta up top. Grande pulls at Penta’s mask! Penta fires elbows to knock Grande down, then he CROSSBODIES! Penta keeps moving, mule kick to a leg for the SLING-DOG! The fans fire up and Grande goes to a corner. Penta GAMANGIRIS, then he sits Grande down. Penta runs up, headstand and SWINGING DROPKICK! Cover, TWO! Grande survives but the fans continue to rally for Penta. Penta drags Grande up, pump handles, but Grande slips free. Grande shoves Penta, and he turns Penta’s tilt-o-whirl into a SLAM! Then Grande hooks Penta up in the CARBONARIA!

The fans rally as Penta endures the modified surfboard stretch! Penta pushes back, rolls to a cover, TWO! Grande is up, Penta ducks ‘n’ dodges, but runs into the ROLLING DEATH VALLEY! Cover, TWO! Grande fires himself up but the fans boo. Grande CHOPS Penta, then he blocks a chop to CHOP again! Grande goes up, up, but Penta YANKS him down! Pump handle and PENTA DRIVER!! Cover, TWO!?! Even Los Americanos is shocked! Penta goes to a corner, but Rayo runs up! Penta dodges to GAMANGIRI! But the RUNNING HEADBUTT hits! Cover, TWO! Rayo distracts the ref, and now Bravo brings out the metal plate!

The fans boo as Bravo swaggers his way over, but then someone under the ring trips Bravo up!? Rayo hurries to save Bravo, but surprise! EL GRANDE AMERICANO ORIGINAL! And he POSTS Rayo before hitting a CHAOS THEORY to the floor! Bravos is up but EGA Original HIP TOSSES him onto the desk! “AH GRACIAS~!” Penta then springboards, MEXICAN DESTROYER!! Cover, PENTA WINS!

Winner: Penta, by pinfall (NEW #1 Contender to the WWE Intercontinental Championship)

Give a small assist to the original El Grande Americano as he makes sure Rayo y Bravo couldn’t cheat this one from Penta! Penta and EGA Original fist bump as a sign they’ve put the past behind them. And then Original fires hands on EGA Nuevo! Original whips Nuevo to then BACKDROP him! The fans fire up as Original runs up, waistlocks, and CHAOS THEORY! “AH GRACIAS~!” And then Original vows to unmask Nuevo! The fans cheer that! Original grabs at Nuevo’s mask, and it’s almost off already! But Bravo y Rayo get him outta there! The fans boo, but Original vows that this identity theft mystery will be solved soon enough!

Judgment Day regroups in the clubhouse.

Dominik consoles Liv for Vaquer’s death threats. He says Liv can take the night off, the boys will have his back. Raquel says yeah, they can have girl time, maybe #touchgrass. Raquel helps Liv up and Dom organizes his chicken nugget pillows while JD tries to talk with Finn about this. Clearly, Punk got into Finn’s head, and now Finn’s headed into Punk’s trap. Do you have any idea how hard it was for JD to just watch from the sidelines when Finn got embarrassed in Ireland? And now, JD comes back, the three of them have Punk surrounded to send him to Chicago more hurt than he is, and-

Finn stops JD there. It isn’t like that. Dom tries to speak up but Finn says he needs to prove to himself that he can do this. He thought JD would understand. JD says he does understand, but he’s trying to help Finn! JD is trying to help Finn become World Heavyweight Champion! Finn says if JD wants to help, if he really wants to help, he’ll let Finn do this alone. Finn heads back out and JD says fine! But then JD storms off. Dom brings up his match, but is Dom gonna have to do this alone?

AJ Lee is here!

Memphis cheers as now Mrs. Best in the World makes her way to the ring. And just like CM Punk, AJ Lee is preparing for her own championship match in Chicago, both her first singles match AND first title match in over a decade. AJ gets a mic and says last week, she walked in for “moral support.” And then she walked out the #1 contender to the Women’s Intercontinental Championship. The fans cheer again, and AJ says she had fun getting under Becky’s skin, because it is so easy to do. But Becky reminded AJ that this is business… when she smashed AJ’s face into the post… And this IS serious business.

AJ Lee has not had a singles match in over a decade, let alone a shot at a title. The last time AJ had a title around her waist, the Women’s Division looked very different. All the women had back then was one sparkly pink butterfly, but she loved that title and she wore it proudly, because she made that title. The fans cheer that, too! AJ says she isn’t modest, she knows exactly who the Hell she is. There was a Diva’s Division before AJ Lee, and there was a Women’s Division after AJ Lee, and that was her gift to all of WWE, you’re welcome. And AJ still wants to get her hands on every single one of them!

She wants to fight Bayley, Lyra Valkyria, Rhea Ripley, Iyo Sky, The Kabuki Warriors, Judgment Day, Charlotte Flair & Alexa Bliss, all the best of the very best. But for now, all roads lead back to Becky. The fans boo, but AJ says she doesn’t know why Becky’s so mad at AJ. Mad that AJ’s back, mad that AJ’s merch does better, mad that the fans like AJ more… The fans cheer that, too! AJ says it ain’t her fault. She gave Becky that ten year head start and she still hasn’t caught up! But AJ is not mad at Becky. No, she is grateful. Because Becky gave AJ a gift. If not for Becky, AJ might not have come back to prove she’s still got it.

And maybe without Becky, AJ wouldn’t have the chance to show she can still be a champion. And if AJ walks out of Chicago victorious, then she sure as Hell will go to WrestleMania the Women’s Intercontinental Champion! The fans cheer again, and AJ says since she knows she’s here, and that she gave AJ just the sweetest gift last week, if “Becky Booboo” wants to come out tonight, AJ’s got something for your ass! Well, speaking of, The Man does make her way out to the ring. Becky has a mic and she says AJ actually thinks this is an opportunity to have a title run. AJ thinks that is what this is?

No, no, “Booboo,” this is an opportunity to gather all of her friends, family, and anyone dumb enough to like AJ in Chicago, and give AJ a sendoff! The retirement match she never had, and honestly doesn’t deserve. The fans boo Becky, but Becky says let them all cry tears while Becky pushes away the hearse. Because AJ is right, there was a division before AJ and there was one after, and AJ’s gift was LEAVING! Because for the last ten years, Becky’s been making history! All AJ did was make comic books! But here’s one for ya: If AJ miraculously makes it through Elimination Chamber, she can dictate to the computer inside her full body cast!

She can dictate that one time she went 1v1 with the greatest of all time, and it’s not just Becky saying it, other people are saying it, Sports Illustrated and Bleacher Report say it! And maybe that little comic book of AJ’s will actually sell! AJ says alright, okay. They can save the title match for Chicago, but why not get in the ring? Theme of the night! Let’s throw hand right now! The fans cheer that, and AJ says yeah, c’mon, right here in Memphis! Becky throws off her giant fluffy jacket as she gets all worked up, but she says she’s not stupid! Does she look stupid to her? You don’t think she knows that when she slides in, AJ sucker punches her?

AJ says she would never. But y’know what, this worked before… Why not come in, and since she loves cheap shots, Becky can take the first swing. Becky storms in, takes off the sunglasses, and she gets real antsy. AJ eggs her on, daring her to swing, Becky, swing! Becky talks a big game when she’s so far away! AJ will even put her hands behind her back! AJ drops the mic and does as she said, but Becky says she knows the game AJ is playing! Becky wants AJ to beat her up so she has an excuse for when she doesn’t get the job done! Or not even make it to Chamber! Becky is still all fidgety, but she says NOPE! Becky bails and the fans boo.

Clearly AJ is winning the mind game by a big margin, but will she win when it matters most? Or will The Man find a way to hold AJ Lee down in her hometown?

Pearce talks with security.

He wants them to make sure they find this masked man before the night is over, and to contact him as soon as they find anything. But then Pearce notices something off to the side. He walks over and sees The Vision waiting by his office door. Pearce looks to Heyman, Heyman looks to Theory, and Theory steps to Pearce to say, “How you gonna let that happen to my brother, Logan Paul?” Wow, brother? Theory asks if this is how he wants to run a show! Heyman calms Theory down and tells them to head to the private jet. Theory & Logan storm off, and Heyman says this is all on Pearce. Pearce says of course Heyman would say that.

Heyman says Pearce still has to do something about this masked man. Pearce knows Heyman won’t believe this, but that masked man is just as big a problem for Pearce as he is for Heyman. Bronson says this guy’s a problem, but Bronson is the problem solver! And when Bronson catches this guy, the problem will be solved. And then when Bronson wins Elimination Chamber, that problem will be solved, too. Pearce thanks Bronson, and Bronson says, “No problem.” Auszilla heads out, will there be a Tsunami headed for Chicago?

We hear from Gunther, Dominik Mysterio, and Je’Von Evans.

Der Ring General says his focus is solely on tonight, when he steps into the ring, marches forward to Elimination Chamber, and takes one step closer to being THE Undisputed WWE Champion at WrestleMania. Dirty Dom says Je’Von and Gunther should be “absolutely terrified to face the King of the Luchadores, your AAA Mega Campeon and Intercontinental Champion.” The Young OG says Dom and Gunther ready for tonight, but you know who else is? Je’Von Evans! And he’s ready to pull into the Chamber, get the W over there, then go to his first WrestleMania. Then once he does that, everyone will know that dat boy is BOUNCY~!

Dom says after winning tonight, he’ll handle business at Elimination Chamber and proceed to collect even more gold for The Judgment Day. Gunther says he killed the careers of WWE’s greats, but that is not enough. Who will have satisfaction in tonight’s main event? Time to find out!

Men’s Elimination Chamber Qualifier Triple Threat: GUNTHER VS Dominik Mysterio VS Je’Von Evans!

Evans and Gunther made their entrances before the break, leaving Dirty Dom Two Belts to enter after the break. The bell rings and the three watch each other. Gunther eggs the others on, but Dom backs up to a corner. Dom decides to step outside, then he flexes. But Gunther steps outside and Dom hurries away. Evans says Dom needs to get his ass in the ring. Dom steps back up to the apron, steps back inside, and the three step up. They feel things out, Gunther asks who wants it, and Evans goes for a leg! Gunther THROWS Evans away, goes for Dom, but Dom runs away again! Evans is back but Gunther clinches with him.

Gunther puts Evans in a corner and CHOPS him down! The fans cheer and Gunther stands Evans back up, but then Dom pushes Gunther aside so he can CHOP Evans! Then Dom runs away from Gunther. Gunther eggs Dom on, but Dom just bails out. The fans boo, but Evans is up to fire hands on Gunther! Gunther shoves Evans, but Evans DROPKICKS! Gunther staggers, Dom runs in, but Evans DROPKICKS him! Evans DROP- NO, Gunther catches him to a BOSTON CRAB! Dom CHOPS Gunther, but Gunther just stands up to stare him down. The fans cheer as Dom CHOPS again, but Gunther isn’t bothered.

Dom CHOPS again, but Gunther CHOPS Dom down! Dom sputters away but Evans UP KICKS Gunther! And DROPKICKS again! Gunther staggers, Evans runs, and he DROPKICKS a leg! Then he DROPKICKS Gunther in the chest! Gunther tumbles out, Evans goes to the ropes, but Dom runs up! Evans dodges with a flip, then he ducks ‘n’ dodges the lariats! Evans RANAS and Dom tumbles! Evans runs up to CHOP Dom! The fans cheer as Evans gets going, BOUNCY- CHOP from Gunther! Then Gunther TOSSES Dom outta the ring! Gunther stalks Dom, Dom wants mercy, but Gunther whips him into barriers instead!

The fans are torn as Gunther storms over to Dom. Gunther drags Dom up, whips him into the barriers again, and Dom sputters on the floor. Gunther stands Dom up, reels him in, but Evans FLIES over the corner! Direct hit on Gunther and Gunther is sent over barriers, into the timekeeper’s area! The fans go nuts for that while Raw goes to break.

Raw returns again as Dom has Evans down in a chinlock. Dom fires crossface forearms, then clamps on tighter. Evans endures while the fans rally up. Evans fights to his feet, fires body shots, then ROCKS Dom! Dom kicks low, THROWS Evans by his hair, and the fans are torn again. Dom flexes, then he drags Evans up and onto the ropes. Dom dial sit up, but Gunther gets him with a SLEEPER! Evans runs up and SUPERKICKS Gunther! Dom swings, Evans dodges, and Evans SUPER PUNCHES! Dom staggers around while the fans fire up for Evans! Evans runs corner to corner to SUPER PUNCH in the corner!

Evans snapmares Dom, then hits the LION’S BARRAGE! Evans whips Dom to then lift, BLUE THUNDER BOMB! Cover, but Gunther snatches Evans into the SLEEPER! Evans fires elbows to get free, but Gunther blocks a kick! Evans SUPERKICKS right back! Evans runs, but into a CHOP! Dom is up, but Gunther kicks him, reels him in, and POWERBOMBS him onto Evans! Gunther drags Evans up and reels him in, GENERAL- RANA!! Evans has a cover, TWO! Gunther is up and he LARIATS Evans down! Gunther hurries to get Evans back up, for the GENERAL BOMB! High stack, TWO!! Evans survives and the fans fire up!

Gunther is frustrated but “This is Awesome!” for Memphis. Gunther storms up and BOOTS Dom back down! Gunther KICKS Evans in the side, then he grins at Dom. CHOP! Dom falls, but then Evans CHOPS Gunther! Gunther CHOPS Evans down! The fans boo but Gunther soaks up the heat. Gunther stands Evans up but Evans fires body shots! The fans remind Gunther he tapped out, and Evans fires more hands! But Gunther just CHOPS him back down! Gunther runs, but Evans SUPERKICKS the lariat! ROUNDHOUSE to the head! But Dom is up and he whips Evans, only for Evans to RED DOT GAMANGIRI!

Evans is up but Gunther clinches him and CHOPS him on the back! Then deadlift GERMAN SUPLEX! But Evans lands out! Evans ducks ‘n’ dodges and BUSAIKU KNEE! Cover, DOM BREAKS IT! The fans fire up while all three men are down! Dom hurries to a corner and climbs up top! Dom has his choice, FROG SPLASH onto Gunther’s knees! Gunther stands, Evans runs up, but Gunther puts him on the apron. Evans CROSS COUNTERS Gunther! then springboards for the FLYING LARIAT! The fans fire up again and Evans is feeling it! Evans goes up the corner, but Gunther CLUBS him on the back!

Gunther climbs up, and he waistlocks Evans! Evans fires elbows and is free again, to then QUEBRADA! Gunther steps back to avoid that, and he catches Evans into the SLEEPER! Evans JAWBREAKERS free! Then up, up, and O G CUTT- NO, Gunther catches him into a REAR NAKED CHOKE! But Dom is up top! FROG SPLASH on Gunther’s back! Gunther hobbles around, Dom DROPKICKS him onto ropes, and time to dial it up! 61- LARIAT! Gunther turns that right around on Dom and the fans boo. But Dom grabs the bell hammer! Gunther storms up on Dom, Dom BOOTS him away, and then he hides the hammer.

The fans rally, Gunther storms up, SLEEPER on Dom! But Evans puts Gunther in a SLEEPER! Gunther slips around, SAIDO! Evans tumbles, Gunther BOOTS Dom down! Then he spots the bell hammer! Gunther takes that from Dom, and he threatens Dom with it?! The fans are torn, but wait! DRAGON LEE CLOBBERS GUNTHER WITH THE RING BELL!! The Boy Wonder says when you mess with a dragon, you get the fire! That’s payback for both himself and AJ Styles! But then that leaves Dom and Evans! Dom hurries to DROPKICK Evans onto the ropes! Dom redials, 6 1 9!! Dom goes up a corner, FROG SPLASH FLOPS as Evans moves!

Evans hurries up, up, and away, O G CUTTER!! Cover, EVANS WINS!!

Winner: Je’Von Evans, by pinfall (advances to Elimination Chamber)

Even Evans is a bit stunned, but he’s going to his first-ever Elimination Chamber to be in his first-ever Elimination Chamber match! Will the Windy City get BOUNCY~? And who else joins Evans, Cody Rhodes, Randy Orton, and LA Knight in Chicago?

My Thoughts:

A great Raw, though maybe just ever so slightly into that territory. Very good opening segment where LA Knight interrupts Adam Pearce, who interrupted The Vision, who were interrupting The Usos. Great move to have the “improvised” Six Man Tag open the show rather than close it as the main event, that’s a tired cliche, and it let the “masked man” be a throughline for the show. Yes, Vision won the match but Masked Man 2 got that stomp on Logan, upsetting The Vision. I bet this masked man who is yet isn’t Seth Rollins will cost Bronson his qualifier, or at least try to. Though, I guess that means Jey Uso qualifies in his place?

I say that because we know that El Grande Americano Original is building his feud with El Grande Americano Nuevo, aka Gable VS Kaiser to see who stays El Grande Americano. Gable helping Penta thwart Los Americanos was great stuff, and now Penta VS Dom is set. I would think Penta finally gets the Intercontinental Championship, because why set this up otherwise? Meanwhile, there’s also the mystery of the big crate that we’re not supposed to open until Elimination Chamber day. Is it for a debut? A return? I’m leaning towards the latter, like this is to set up Seth Rollins returning in dramatic fashion, but it could also be Chris Jericho for the same reasons.

Great interview promo from Liv, Dom, and Vaquer. They didn’t quite mic Dom up well enough, but I was able to get the gist of what Vaquer said. I wanna believe Liv was (kayfabe) shook by what Vaquer said, but I would think she’s still choosing Vaquer for Mania. Liv can perhaps double down and fire up even more to go after Vaquer and it’s all the more reason they have a heated match. Very good promo from CM Punk with Finn, and great to see JD McDonagh back. Between Finn getting his old song, old graphics, and old posing back, that Judgment Day split has to be coming where Finn is slightly more Face afterward.

Very good promo from AJ and Becky to hype their match, and good stuff with Becky being all worked up yet not brave enough to throw down. While Punk certainly retains against Finn to then face Roman at Mania, I feel like AJ Lee could/should win in Chicago, and then she and Becky have a rematch at WrestleMania to really tear it up. Good little bit with Pearce, Oba, and Rusev to tease Oba signing with Raw and even feuding right with Rusev to start. Oba is gonna eat Kit Wilson alive, but he and Rusev can have a real slug fest of a match, so still not sure what that means for which brand Oba will finally choose.

And of course, great stuff with the qualifiers tonight. Great match from Asuka, Nattie & Bayley with a great win for Asuka, and then a great promo from the Kabuki Warriors with #RheYo. I feel like we’re slowly getting back to the dysfunction of Asuka & Kairi, meaning we’re slowly getting back to where Kairi will finally defy Asuka and be her own person. And of course, great main event from Gunther, Dom & Je’Von. Dom was of course not winning since he has the Intercontinental Championship to defend, AND even the AAA title at some point. Then Dragon Lee being why Gunther lost is great, they can have a match for the go-home episode, and then who knows what Gunther is doing for Mania.

Evans in the Chamber is great, that’s a star-studded field for him to have his first Chamber match, but yeah, he’s not winning Chamber. Him possibly hitting an OG Cutter or Five Star Frog Splash from the top of a pod is gonna be spot of the night, though. For that matter, Cody’s “Cody Cutter” isn’t much different, he and Evans could each hit a cutter on somebody for a really cool spot, too.

My Score: 8.8/10