The Blackheart, the Prince and the Limitless!

Tommaso Ciampa, Finn Balor or Keith Lee. Only ONE moves on to next week’s incredible episode to face Adam Cole, BAYBAY!

OFFICIAL RESULTS

• NXT Cruiserweight Championship: Lio Rush VS Angel Garza; Garza wins and becomes the new NXT Cruiserweight Champion.
• Cameron Grimes VS Raul Mendoza; Mendoza wins.
• Travis Banks VS Jaxson Ryker w/ The Forgotten Sons; Banks wins.
• Mia Yim VS Dakota Kai; Kai wins.
• Breezango VS The Singh Brothers; Breezango wins.
• Kayden Carter VS Bianca Belair; Belair wins.
• NXT Championship #1 Contender’s Triple Threat: Tommaso Ciampa VS Finn Balor VS Keith Lee; Balor wins and will challenge Adam Cole for the title next week.

PLAY BY PLAY

Everyone wants to carry the flag for NXT.

But there wouldn’t be a flag without Finn. Grudges are heating up as we get deeper into winter. But Adam Cole wants us all to understand something. A Triple Threat determines Adam Cole’s final contender for 2019, “and it’s absolutely the stupidest thing” he’s ever heard. Finn Balor, Tommaso Ciampa, Keith Lee. Three men who have been thorns in Cole’s side, yet done absolutely nothing to earn this chance. Cole hopes the three destroy each other. The winner only earns a loss against a man “who’s on the run of a freakin’ lifetime that is nowhere close to being finished!” And THAT is Undisputed!

NXT Cruiserweight Championship: Lio Rush VS Angel Garza!

This is going to be a fast and furious start to the show to say the least! The Man of the Hour has had enough of El Latino’s ego, and it’s time to put things to rest! Will the Living Piece of Gold still have his gold? Or will Garza have an even bigger grin on his face after tonight?

The introductions are made, the belt is raised, and the fans are already dueling before the bell. And speaking of before the bell, Lio rushes Garza immediately! The ref pulls Lio off but Garza just laughs it off. The bell rings and now things are a brawl! Roll up, ONE, Lio gets Garza down and throws hands! Garza gets free and goes after Lio, but Lio rolls up again. ONE and Lio ends up on the apron. Garza runs at him but Lio drags him out and they tumble to the floor! They won’t let up, either, as Lio rams Garza into the steel steps! Fans duel as Lio refreshes the count. Lio climbs up to the apron but Garza anchors his feet and YANKS him off! Lio crashes and burns and Full Sail is thunderous!

Garza puts Lio in the ring, covers, ONE. Garza keeps his cool, because he’s about to heat things up with the pants removal. But Lio tackles him down first! Lio rains down rights but Garza pushes him away. Lio runs, redirects, Garza keeps with him but Lio gets under and kangaroo kicks from the mat! Garza runs, Lio dodges, but Garza avoids the Come Up to hit a basement dropkick! Fans are fired up as Garza covers, TWO! Garza drags Lio up and rolls him into position on the second rope, and fans duel. Garza SLAPS away on Lio, but the ref backs him off. Garza runs in and SUPERKICKS Lio down! Cover, TWO! Lio lives and Garza grows frustrated. Garza drags Lio up and clubs away on him, then toys with him. Garza and Lio brawl with haymakers and a SLAP! Lio fires off more forearms but Garza just keeps slapping!

Lio knees Garza and hooks the arms, but Garza powers out. Garza alley-oops Lio up and Lio ends up hotshot’d on the ropes! The ref checks on Lio but Lio bails out of the ring. Garza smirks as he dares Lio to return. NXT goes picture in picture as Lio drags himself back to the ring. But Garza dropkicks him back down! Garza goes out to fetch Lio and basement dropkick him again! Garza drags Lio up and into the ring, then covers, ONE! Lio kicks from the mat again, and gets himself to the ropes. Garza and Lio stand, Garza has Lio on the ropes but Lio holds on. Lio elbows Garza away then walks into a LARIAT! Both men are down but Garza crawls over to cover, TWO! Garza keeps on Lio with a grounded cobra twist and he pulls Lio back hard!

Lio endures as Garza really cranks on his neck. Lio gets an arm free and starts throwing hands on Garza! And then kicks as he’s let loose. Garza CHOPS and SLAPS Lio around, then kicks Lio while he’s down. Garza grabs the legs and turns Lio over for the modified Half Crab, pulling an arm back, too! Lio endures, slips out and kicks Garza away. Garza comes back, to get a jawbreaker! Lio throws haymakers as Garza leans on the ropes. Lio CHOPS and SLAPS Garza back! Lio whips corner to corner, Garza reverses but Garza runs into a boot! Lio runs, but into the spinning powerslam! Cover, TWO! Garza grows further frustrated but also further exhausted. Garza drags Lio up in a full nelson as NXT returns to single picture.

Lio endures and gets to ropes as fans duel again. Garza waistlocks but Lio still holds on. Garza yanks Lio off the ropes but Lio uses the momentum to swing around and roll Garza up! TWO, and Garza swings. Lio dodges, tilt-o-whirls and again, flying headscissors! Fans fire up as Lio mule kicks and PELES! Garza wobbles, Lio runs in, springboard but no huricanrana! Garza brings Lio up, but Lio headscissors Garza out of the ring! Lio then slingshots for a MOONSAULT! It was a close call but he hits his target! Lio puts Garza back in, then aims from the corner. Spinning BUZZSAW! Cover, TWO!! Garza lives and Lio is growing frustrated.

Fans rally up, Lio runs, but Garza reels him in. Lio throws clubbing hands and big body shots. Lio runs again, Garza follows, and STEALS the Come Up! Cover, TWO!! Garza copied the move but didn’t hit as hard, so now he dragon sleepers Lio to lift. Rebound suplex, but Lio makes it a crossbody! Cover, TWO! Lio drags Garza to the drop zone and heads up top. Fans rally as Lio takes aim, but Garza anchors his feet. Lio clubs Garza but Garza enziguris back! Garza climbs up top and brings Lio up, but Lio shoves! Garza flips to land on his feet, get back up fast, and hits a SUPER SPANISH FLY!! Cover, TWO!?! Garza can’t believe it, and Full Sail loses its mind! “This is Awesome!” and it’s just the opening match.

Garza and Lio brawl on their knees back and forth. Fans are divided, Lio SLAPS but Garza SLAPS. It’s a SLAP FIGHT!! They pull hair, Garza headbutts over and over! But walks into a back heel kick! But SUPERKICKS on the return! Both men head for each other, but they both fall flat on their faces first! Full Sail reaches a fever pitch for “NXT! NXT!” Garza and Lio slowly rise as fans duel hard as ever. Garza kicks, underhooks, but Lio resists! Lio slips out, chicken wing underhooks Garza and turns him, but Garza pins through. Lio butterfly underhooks, and STEALS THE WING CLIPPER!! Cover, TWO!?! Lio is furious but he says it is time! Garza anchors a foot but Lio just hammers away! Lio slaps, but Garza avoids the buzzsaw to get the Electric Chair! Garza throws Lio down, but Lio rebounds to COME UP!! Cover, TWO?!?!

But Lio goes up top, leaps, FINAL HOUR!! But he can’t make the cover! Lio grabs for Garza, but Garza’s pants come off! Garza gets away thanks to the tearaways! But Lio doesn’t care, he goes up top and aims at Garza on the ground! SUPER FINAL HOUR gets knees!! Garza drags Lio in, WING CLIPPER! Cover, TWO!?!? Garza has the butterfly again for a thrashing hold! Lio TAPS, Garza wins!!

Winner: Angel Garza, by submission; NEW NXT Cruiserweight Champion

Historic! Christmas comes early for the Garza familia as Garza is bringing home the gold! But with such a powerful performance just to get the title, what more will he have to do to keep the title?

NXT previews Prime Target: Bazsler VS Ripley.

The Queen of Spades is perhaps the most dominant female in NXT history. The first and only two-time NXT Women’s Champion learned from her father that “you can tell a lot about a person by the car they drive.” She has a 1969 Ford Mustang. People want to be in pro-wrestling to be a Tesla, run around and do fancy stuff. But the muscle cars are tried, true and unlike anything else. That’s Shayna. She’s not here to have fans or friends, but to hold titles. The word “momentum” and Rhea Ripley seem to go hand in hand lately. But look at all the other “flavors of the month” out there: Ember Moon, Dakota Kai, Nikki Cross, Bianca Belair, Io Shirai, Mia Yim, Candice LeRae, and both Becky Lynch and Bayley at the same time. They all lost to Baszler, and Ripley will be no different. It’s just a matter of #TapNapOrSnap. But will it be neither when these two face off on the final NXT of 2019?

Finn Balor speaks.

“Regal. Regal, of all the people. After everything I’ve done for this place, puts me in a Triple Threat match?” What does Finn Balor have to prove? Keith Lee has been relevant since three weeks ago at WarGames! Finn Balor was champion for 292 DAYS! And don’t even start with Ciampa. Finn Balor stuck the Blackheart, and will do it again. Ciampa calls the title Finn made famous “Goldie?” Well Finn will tell him something about title gold. Two-time WWE Intercontinental Champion. First-ever WWE Universal Champion. And soon enough, Finn’s future will be his past, when he becomes two-time NXT Champion.

NXT shares Garza’s victory speech from during the break.

“There are four things that I care about in life.” The first: wrestling. Second: the support of the fans. Third: his family. Garza brings his girlfriend to his ring, because she is the fourth thing. But now, he wants to go from girlfriend to wife, as he proposes in the middle of the ring!! A ring in the ring and she says SI! Congratulations to the future Mr. & Mrs. Garza!

NXT shares footage of Cameron Grimes attacking Kushida!

It was just last night in the WWE Performance Center when Grimes savagely attacked Kushida by the lockers, and bounced his head off the steel over and over! The bad wrist was also a target! This all stems from Grimes having lost to Kushida, will Grimes continue to be a sore loser?

Cameron Grimes VS Raul Mendoza!

When it looked like the Time Splitter was going to test the Mendoza Line, the Technical Savage made Raul cave in with that double stomp outta nowhere! But now is the time for Raul’s revenge! Will Mendoza send the Carolina Caveman back to the Stone Age? Or is Grimes the future of NXT?

The bell rings and Mendoza catches Grimes with an enziguri in the corner! Then he throws forearm after forearm and a CHOP! Grimes reverses the whip but gets an enziguri on the run Grimes flounders out of the ring but Mendoza runs and triangle TORNILLO! Fans fire up with Mendoza as he puts Grimes in the ring! Grimes crawls, Mendoza springboards but has to roll through as Grimes evades. They run at each other, JUMPING POWERSLAM! But wait, here comes Kushida! Grimes glares, but Kushida takes aim at his top hat! Mendoza speeds things up as fans chant, “Take the Hat! Take the Hat!” Grimes blocks Mendoza’s leap but Mendzoa slips free to try again, SPIKE-RANA! Cover, Mendoza wins!!

Winner: Raul Mendoza, by pinfall

Kushida divided Grimes’s attention, and yes, he DOES take the hat! Grimes lost the match and lost  his favorite hat, what will he do to get back on track?

Backstage interview with Mia Yim.

She was a surprise return to everyone, especially Dakota Kai. Tonight, Mia gets her chance at revenge. Actually, this goes beyond revenge. Dakota hospitalized Mia and took away the biggest night in her career! “This ain’t going to be just a regular wrestling match.” This is going to be a fight, and Mia vows to send Dakota off in an ambulance.

NXT looks at NXT UK’s Travis Banks.

The Kiwi Buzzsaw hits hard and moves fast with determination. Worlds Collide will see Banks take on NXT’s best, and we preview that next!

Travis Banks VS Jaxson Ryker w/ The Forgotten Sons!

The Buzzsaw is about to run into some heavy artillery! Will Banks be able to cut down the Gunner in this crossover confrontation?

The bell rings and fans are already on Banks’s side, but Ryker pie faces him. Banks forearms and CHOPS, then fires off kicks on the big legs! Ryker kicks low and throws Banks out hard! Wesley Blake and Steve Cutler are told to stay back, but Banks already gets back up on the apron as Ryker heads out. Banks Penalty Kicks Ryker from the apron! Banks then gets in, builds speed and DIVES, but Ryker Polish HAMMERS him down! Ryker puts Banks back in and throws him into buckles hard! Banks writhes, Ryker drags him up and puts him in the corner for heavy hands! Ryker CLUBS Banks then CHOPS him! Banks CHOPS, Ryker body shots! Ryker drags Banks up, rebound suplex SLAM! Ryker slaps Banks around, then clasps on a choke grip. Banks throws body shots but Ryker just shoves, only to get a forearm!

Banks gets to a corner, Ryker runs in, but Banks sweeps the legs! Ryker eats buckles, Banks runs side to side to dropkick him in! Banks keeps moving, another dropkick! Then corner to corner, CANNONBALL to the back! A bloody eyebrow doesn’t bother Banks one bit as he heads up top. Banks leaps, but Ryker gets under to POLISH HAMMER again! Ryker fires himself up, and KNEES Banks into ropes! Ryker drags Banks up from the outside, but Banks enziguris! Banks climbs up top again, leaps again, the missile dropkick hits! Ryker flounders up, Banks runs, SLICE OF HEAVEN! Cover, Banks wins!!

Winner: Travis Banks, by pinfall

Ryker gets out at 3.5, and the Forgotten Sons narrowly miss getting after Banks! They say he got lucky, but is he better off lucky than large?

Mia Yim VS Dakota Kai!

The Head Baddie In Charge is ready kick Captain Kick to the curb with hostility! Will she finally make Dakota pay for the WarGames betrayal?

The bell rings and Mia shotgun dropkicks Dakota immediately! And CHOPS away in the corner! Dakota turns things around to throw forearms but Mia knees low. Mia tosses Dakota by her hair, then again the other way! Dakota pulls hair in return, but her enziguri misses. Mia waistlocks but Dakota elbows out. Things speed up, Mia redirects and chop blocks the leg out! Then basement dropkicks on the return! Cover, TWO! Mia drags Dakota up to whip but Dakota reverses. Dakota runs in but Mia goes up to get the Tarantula! Tajiri would be proud as Mia holds on until 4. Mia hops up, missile dropkick drops Dakota! Dakota hurries to the far corner and she kicks back from below. Dakota gives big ax kick stomps to Mia’s back, then puts her on the ropes. Dakota runs in but is dumped out hard!

Mia goes out, fetches Dakota and throws her into steel steps! Mia then runs in, CANNONBALL! Fans are fired up for Mia as NXT goes to break!

NXT returns as Dakota goes to kick but Mia ducks. Mia chop blocks then dragon screws the bad leg! Cover, TWO, but Mia doesn’t let up. Mia brings Dakota to a corner but Dakota blocks the bump to give a bump! Dakota goes Around the World, BOOT! Cover, TWO! Mia gasps for air but Dakota keeps her cool. Dakota toys with Mia as she scuffs her boot on her face. Mia shoves, blocks the boot and jacks the knee! Mia jabs and jabs, then boots and LARIATS! Roundhouse! Mia brings Dakota around, covers, TWO! Fans rally as Mia drags Dakota up for clubbing forearms. Mia dares Dakota to stand, and then sends her through to overhead suplex! Cover, TWO! Mia grows frustrated but she works on a plan.

Fans rally up as Mia brings Dakota in, but Dakota bucks the Code Blue off. Dakota waistlocks, Mia elbows free, but Dakota grabs hold of the pants waist. Mia mule kicks free then hops on again, CODE BLUE DESTROYER! Cover, TWO!! Mia is losing her cool as Dakota rolls away to a corner. Fans rally up again and Mia runs in, but gets buckles. Dakota blocks boots, brings Mia up, SIT-OUT POWERBOMB! Cover, TWO! Mia survives and Dakota grits her teeth. Fans rally again as Dakota drags Mia up for those fast kicks tot he face! Mia staggers, Dakota runs Around the World again, but misses the boot! Mia kicks the leg, then hits a GERMAN SUPLEX! Bridging cover, TWO! Mia drags Dakota back up, hooks the arm, PROTECT YA NECK! Dakota flops out of the ring and Mia can’t believe it!

Mia drags Dakota back in, Dakota hobbles towards the corner with the knee brace! The ref stops Dakota from using it, Mia runs in but gets a boot! Dakota unties a buckle pad! Mia waistlocks, Dakota standing switches and rams her into the bare buckle! Roll up, Dakota wins!

Winner: Dakota Kai, by pinfall

Captain Kick had a back-up plan and it succeeded! She survives Mia’s revenge, but how long can she keep running? Not long, as Mia goes after her again anyway! Mia clubs Dakota to the row and throws her into a railing! Dakota is dazed, and Mia gets a spare table! Dakota runs away but Mia pursues and they go around the back. They go up into the technical area, and end up on top of the desk. Mia drags Dakota up, fans are freaking out as Mia BACK SUPLEXES Dakota up and over, and down through the tables!! Full Sail loses its mind as referees hurry to get medics. Mia drags herself from the wreckage, was her revenge worth it?

Keith Lee speaks.

“Opportunity was all I required.” Now that he’s out, it’s going to be hard to stop. Lee and Ciampa had their alliance to take on common enemies, but now that they’re facing each other and Finn Balor, Lee will not hesitate to dismantle the Blackheart. Finn may say the business watches him, but the bigger star literally and figuratively has arrived. It will just take one moment for Lee to remind everyone that he is the only one who can pick up both opponents and give them no choice but to #BaskInHisGlory.

Breezango VS The Singh Brothers!

The Fashion Police are now the Fashion DOCTORS! And to keep Full Sail from flat-lining, they’re back for in-ring action. But will they be the ones needing pain killers after having to take on the Bollywood Boys?

The teams sort out and Tyler Breeze starts with Sunil. Sunil kicks low but Breeze knees back! Breeze hits a big forearm in the corner then whips Sunil into the straitjacket backbreaker! Cover, ONE, but Breeze drags Sunil over. Tag to Fandango and Fandango wrenches. Sunil knees and chops and CHOPS and rams his shoulder in. Tag to Samir, and Sunil whips Samir in, only for Samir to miss! Fandango punches Samir and Samir hangs off the ropes, Fandango slingshots for a leg drop! Cover, TWO! Fandango brings Samir over and tags Breeze in. Breezango mugs Samir but Samir powers Breeze to the Singh corner! Sunil tags in but Breeze fights off Samir. Sunil gets in to hit the windmill kick! Sunil fires off punches while he has Breeze in a headlock, then tosses him out of the ring.

Fans boo as Sunil mocks Fandango’s dancing, and Samir gets cheap shots in! Sunil goes out to put Breeze back in and brings him over to tag Samir. Backbreaker and elbow drop, the Bollywood Blast! Cover, TWO! Breeze survives but Samir headlocks Breeze. Fans rally up for Breezango and Breeze fights his way up. Breeze elbows out and hits an enziguri! Both men are down but heading for their corners. Hot tags to Sunil and Fandango! Fandango BOOTS Sunil, then hops up to missile dropkick! Sunil runs but Fandango back drops him! Samir is up top, but Fandango is on him fast, SUPER FALCON ARROW! Fandango goes back to Sunil, drags him up, another FALCON ARROW! Cover, but Samir breaks it!

Breeze throws Samir out hard, then goes out after Sunil. Breeze tackles Sunil down while Fandango gives Samir an apron powerbomb! Breeze catapults Sunil into Fandango’s uppercut! Sunil falls back onto Breeze’s knees and Fandango goes back to the apron. Fandango lines up the shot, HUGE elbow drop! Breezango puts Sunil back in and Fandango climbs up again, SUPER LEG DROP! Cover, Breezango wins!

Winner: Breezango, Fandango by pinfall

The Fashion Doctors are in, and with a win! What fashionable occupation will Prince Pretty and the Lord of the Dance take next as they head up the rankings?

NXT continues their Prime Target preview.

Rhea Ripley went to Real Radio 104.1 in Orlando to talk about her coming title match. She has nerves, but she does what she does. She loves this business, and she’s going to prove she’s the best. Rhea knew she wanted to be a pro-wrestler ever since first watching WWE. She started training at 16, and three years later, she made her debut as part of NXT tryouts in Melbourne. It was obvious to everyone watching that Rhea had what it takes to be champion.

Her first match in the WWE was in the inaugural Mae Young Classic. She was a very different Rhea back then, and returned in the second MYC to begin her transition into the Rhea we see now. And she will forever go down in history as the inaugural NXT UK Women’s Champion! Rhea won the first-ever Women’s WarGames and won the Women’s Survivor Series Elimination Tag. She’s already done so much in her young career, all that’s left is to challenge Shayna. Will history be made again on December 18th?

Kayden Carter VS Bianca Belair!

Two more Mae Young Classic alumni go head-to-head! Will one of these two women be primed for a shot at the women’s title after Rhea and Shayna finish with each other?

The bell rings and Bianca doesn’t take Carter seriously. She throws her jacket at Carter and then runs her over! Bianca takes her earrings off then stomps away on Carter in the corner! The ref backs Bianca off but she comes back to pie face Carter. She whips, Carter rolls off the back, then rolls under to kangaroo kick, followed but a capoeria kick! Bianca is reeling, but she comes back to waistlock. Carter resists, drops under, waistlocks back, then O’Connor rolls. TWO, springboard missile dropkick! Cover, TWO! Carter keeps on Bianca but Bianca blocks the whip. Bianca reverses but Carter tilt-o-whirls and around the other way, but Bianca hits a backbreaker! Bianca carries Carter around and switches to a gutbuster!

Carter crawls to a corner but Bianca toys with her. Bianca drags Carter up and gut wrenches to the Canadian rack. Carter endures the Canadian torture rack, but fans rally up. Carter fights, slips out and jawbreakers back! Bianca staggers, but dodges Carter to ram her shoulder in! Bianca grinds in deeper, then carries Carter to do some squats. The EST brags, but Carter sunset flips! Bianca stays up, brings Carter back up, and throws her down HARD! Bianca covers, TWO! Bianca is surprised Carter survives, but she won’t let up. Fans rally and duel as Bianca knocks Carter down. Bianca dares Carter to do something, so Carter SLAPS her! And CHOPS her! And hits a tornado, but not the DDT! Bianca suplexes, rebounds her and brings her down! And then kips up! Standing moonsault gets knees!

Carter throws forearms on Bianca, but Bianca shoves. Bianca runs but is dumped out! Carter goes to the apron, cartwheels over the clothesline and mule kicks her back! Carter puts Bianca in, runs and spins Bianca around, but Bianca powers out. Carter handsprings, Bianca ducks and SPEARS! Bianca brings Carter up, Argentine torture rack, KISS OF DEATH! Cover, Bianca wins!

Winner: Bianca Belair, by pinfall

Carter came close but the EST is the strongest and meanest around. Bianca surely wants another shot at the NXT Women’s Championship, but who will be holding it come the New Year?

Adam Cole is here!

THE NXT Champion wants to watch his contenders fight it out firsthand so that he can show them all who they’ll be up against next. And that contender’s match is after the break!

Tommaso Ciampa speaks.

“Tonight, Keith Lee will ask that everybody bask in his glory. Tonight, Finn Balor will tell everybody that the Demon is going to stay home but the Prince is coming out to play. Tonight, Tommaso Ciampa will change nothing.” He will simply be focused on the same thing he’s focused on for the last five years! “Tonight is for Goldie, nothing else.” Nine months ago, Ciampa gave that piece away. But now he is on a path back to it, and it will go through Lee and Balor! Tonight, after beating Lee and Balor, Cole needs to take a long, hard look and understand that his days as champ are numbered.

NXT Championship #1 Contender’s Triple Threat: Tommaso Ciampa VS Finn Balor VS Keith Lee!

With Cole watching from the loft, the Blackheart, the Prince and the Limitless do battle! The song says “no one will survive,” but someone has to in order to take Cole on to close out 2019!

Introductions are made, the bell rings, and Balor immediately hits Lee! Ciampa hits Balor then whips, but Lee runs Balor over! Balor bails out and Lee heads out. Balor eggs Lee on, leads him around the way, but Ciampa gets Balor in the ropes! Lee saves Balor from Willow’s Bell, only to drop Balor on the apron! Lee brings Balor back into the ring and Ciampa brings Balor up. Ciampa ditches Balor to go after Lee, but Balor rolls Ciampa up. ONE, Balor brings Ciampa up, Lee slingshots and crossbodies them BOTH! Lee has the edge as NXT goes to break!

NXT returns once again, and Lee has both opponents in corners. Lee whips Balor back into the same corner hard, and then wrenches and whips Ciampa to the other corner. Lee lines up his shots, and hits a big corner splash on Ciampa! Then one for Finn! Lee goes back to Ciampa but Finn follows to dropkick Lee in the back! Balor goes for a leg but Lee clubs him off. Ciampa BOOTS Lee, Finn forearms. Ciampa CLOTHESLINES Lee and himself out of the ring! Balor goes out but Ciampa trips him up. Ciampa goes in to throw hands on Balor and whips for a back elbow! Balor flounders to a corner, Ciampa stomps a mudhole into him! Ciampa bumps Balor off buckles then stomps him more. Side-to-side knee wash!

Ciampa runs again, and knees Lee out! Balor is on the apron, Ciampa drags him in through the ropes. Lee gets back up but Ciampa kicks him. Ciampa brings Lee in through the ropes, and has Finn back up, DOUBLE WILLOW’S BELLS! Full Sail is fired up and Ciampa pats himself on the back. Ciampa drags Balor up and to a fireman’s carry, Air Raid Crash onto Lee! Cover on Balor, TWO! Cover on Lee, TWO! Ciampa scrapes Balor out and CHOPS Lee. Ciampa haymakers and CHOPS, then throws more hands. Lee staggers but stays up, to DECK Ciampa with a left! Ciampa flounders up to BOOT back, and eye poke! Ciampa plays dirty, but now he tries to fireman’s carry!? Lee is too big, he Grizzly Magnum CHOPS Ciampa! And again! Standing splash, but onto knees! 

Ciampa underhooks Lee, but Lee lifts Ciampa with his head! Balor BOOTS Lee, trips and STOMPS Ciampa! Balor manages to trip Lee and STOMPS him, too! Fans are divided as Balor takes aim from a corner. Balor runs in, but Lee just bounces him off! Lee rallies with big hands on both Ciampa and Balor, and has them corner to corner again. Splash, splash repeat! Fans sing as Lee TOSSES Balor into Ciampa! Full Sail fires up as Lee brings Balor and Ciampa together to DOUBLE BACK DROP! Ciampa and Balor writhe, but Lee stacks them before climb up. But Ciampa anchors Lee’s foot and goes after the leg! Ciampa climbs up, and Balor, too, for a DOUBLE SUPER RUSSIAN LEG SWEEP! All three men crash down as NXT goes picture in picture!

The referee checks on all three men but they’re somehow okay to continue. Fans are fired up as the three men stir. The ref watches closely as Finn and Ciampa slowly rise. Balor forearms Ciampa but Ciampa hits back. Balor hits again, Ciampa hits back. They brawl, Ciampa fires off but Balor keeps pace! Ciampa rocks Balor then spins, but into an elbow drop DDT! Balor glares as Ciampa slowly sits back up. Balor dragon sleepers Ciampa, but Ciampa resists the lift. Lee creeps up behind Balor, and brings him up, but no Spirit Bomb as Balor guillotine facelocks! Lee powers up to put Balor on the apron. Balor hits back but Lee DECKS him! Balor tumbles down but Ciampa is up, WILLOW’S BELL to the apron!! Ciampa scrambles up but Balor snapmares and KICKS him down!

Balor takes aim at Ciampa, SLINGBLADE on the outside! Balor leaves Ciampa behind and heads up top. NXT returns to single picture as Ciampa returns to punch and CHOP Balor back! Ciampa climbs up to join Balor, and Ciampa brings Balor back up into Air Raid position. But Lee gets up and adds on! ELECTRIC CHAIR RAID! Full Sail is losing their minds again as all three men are back down! Lee crawls to cover Ciampa, TWO!! Ciampa survives but Lee is too exhausted to be shocked. Fans rally up and Lee gets up to drag Ciampa to a drop zone. Lee climbs up now, for a MOONSAULT! But he FLOPS! Ciampa has Lee, underhooks, but Lee fireman’s carries right out, JACKHAMMER! Balor gets up, Lee fireman’s carries him now, but Balor turns the jackhammer into a cradle! TWO!!

Baor runs at Lee, but no Slingblade, he gets a SPIRIT- STOMP!! Coup de Grace outta nowhere! Lee bails out, Balor clotheslines Ciampa out hard, and then Balor FLIES onto Lee! Balor grits his teeth as fans declare, “This is Awesome!” Balor takes aim at Ciampa, JOHN WOO DROPKICK sends Ciampa flying into railing! Deja vu from what he did to Johnny Gargano! Balor puts Ciampa in the ring and heads up top! COUP DE- No, Ciampa dodges, and Lee POUNCES! Lee is the only one standing as he looks at Ciampa. Lee brings Ciampa up, but Ciampa pops out of the Spirit Bomb to chop block a leg! Ciampa tries to firemen’s carry, and he manages an AIR RAID CRASH on Lee!! Cover, TWO!?! Ciampa can’t believe it, but he should Be-LEE-vit!

Lee gets up but the knee pad comes down. Ciampa runs in, into a SLAM! Lee goes up top quickly, and MOONSAULTS! It hits! Cover, TWO!?! Ciampa shocks us all but Lee won’t let up. Lee brings Ciampa back up, bomb position, but he doesn’t see Balor climb. SPIRIT BOMB ! COUP DE GRACE!! Cover, Balor wins!!

Winner: Finn Balor, by pinfall; NEW #1 Contender to the NXT Championship

The Prince takes victory for his own outta nowhere! Now he takes aim at Adam Cole, making next week’s episode rrrreeeal! The Undisputed Era reinforce Cole as he makes his leave, but they might not even be enough. Will Finn’s future truly be his past?

My Thoughts:

An incredible episode that acts as a go-home to next week’s episode. I don’t think there was really anything bad to say about this episode, though I feel like Breezango VS Singh Brothers was a bit of filler. I did like that Breezango really upped the aggression with those out-of-ring spots. That apron powerbomb looked nasty, and that was pretty awesome that Fandango covered that distance for his elbow drop. It isn’t really clear where the NXT Tag Team Championships are going, but if a story with the Undisputed Era can help bring that more serious side out of Breezango, let’s try that for TakeOver: Portland. Obviously we’re getting more Kushida VS Grimes after the beat down video and Kushida distracting Grimes. It was pretty great for Mendoza to benefit from this, too. He stays afloat but still seems to be just a good worker.

The NXT Cruiserweight Championship opening the night was amazing. Lio VS Garza II was definitely better than the first, and what a great twist for there to be a submission win when both guys have really been more about strikes and splashes. It was also a great personal moment for Garza to propose to his girlfriend, Garza’s winning in all sorts of ways. Banks VS Ryker was pretty good, a nice tease for Worlds Collide. I wonder if Banks ends up with teammates to take on the Forgotten Sons as a whole. Yim VS Kai was pretty good, but the best part was the brawl after. Well, aside from the table spot. That second table didn’t want any part of that, and I hope neither Mia or Dakota is too sore after basically clipping their heads on the edge. I hope they get a No Disqualification match next to be the real blow-off.

Carter VS Belair was pretty good, but it just seemed too obvious Belair would win that. I really hope NXT builds up more of their women, I feel like Xia Li, Kayden Carter and a handful of other currently midcard women get to move up once WWE figures out what is going on with Shayna and the Horsewomen. I really liked what we got out of Prime Target for Rhea and Shayna. Both women are great in the ring and on the mic, and their match next week is going to help the episode feel like a pseudo-TakeOver. I still really hope Rhea takes the title off Shayna, this just has to be the time.

And it feels like almost the time for Keith Lee. He did amazing again in that amazing Triple Threat. I suppose Ciampa winning here would be too obvious, as well as too soon, I think he comes back around for TakeOver: Portland. Since it sounds like Velveteen Dream isn’t ready to return yet, give us Lee VS Strong for the North American Championship, and then give Lee that championship. Cole VS Balor is going to be incredible, and honestly it could go either way. The buzz would be with Balor winning, and we could get Balor VS Ciampa with Gargano returning to get revenge while helping his friend. Either way, it’s all going to be amazing.

My Score: 9.3/10