NXT puts the spotlight on tag team wrestling!

Not only will Imperium defend their NXT Tag Team Championships, but Tegan Nox & Shotzi Blackheart have their shot at the WWE Women’s Tag titles!

OFFICIAL RESULTS

• NXT Tag Team Championships: Imperium VS Breezango; Imperium wins and retains the NXT Tag Team Championships.
• Damian Priest VS Killian Dain; Priest wins.
• Xia Li VS Aliyah; Aliyah wins.
• Kayden Carter w/ Kacy Catanzaro VS Dakota Kai w/ Raquel Gonzalez; Dakota wins.
• Bronson Reed VS Leon Ruff; Reed wins.
• WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships: Bayley & Sasha Banks VS Tegan Nox & Shotzi Blackheart; Bayley & Banks win and retain the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships.

PLAY BY PLAY

NXT Tag Team Championships: Imperium VS Breezango!

There’s no time to waste on tonight’s tag team title double feature! Marcel Barthel & Fabian Aichner vow to uphold Imperium’s solemn principles that the mat is sacred. While Tyler Breeze and Fandango love to have fun before and after the bell, they do agree that it’s time to get serious. Who seriously gets beaten and who gets the gold?

Wait, what’s this? Emporium? It’s Breezango parodying Marcel and Fabian as “Marsupial” and “Fabio!” This isn’t going to help the mood the Impeccable German and the Pride of Italy are in! The introductions are made, the belts are raised, and it’s time to start this night of tag team gold!

The bell rings and Imperium attacks Breezango! This is what they get for making jokes! Fandango is sent out of the ring while Barthel tears Breeze’s track suit off to throw it at him! Barthel drags Breeze up to ROCK with an uppercut and stomp away in the corner! The ref counts, Barthel backs off, but Barthel grinds Breeze with a headlock. Barthel snapmares and KICKS Breeze while he’s down! Barthel clamps on a chinlock but Breeze fights up. Breeze jawbreakers free then throws haymakers. Aichner tags in, Barthel whips Breeze away and Aichner arm-drags Breeze down! Aichner cranks on the arm but Breeze fights his way up. Breeze throws hands and arm-drags, but Aichner holds on to drag Breeze back down.

Aichner cranks on Breeze but Breeze fights his way up. Breeze throws body shots but Aichner headlocks. Breeze powers out but Aichner holds ropes, only for Breeze to crossbody them both out of the ring! Breeze gets up, Barthel looms close but the ref has him back off. But then Fandango comes over, the ref is busy with him, and Barthel sucker punches Breeze! Barthel brings Breeze around to feed to Aichner’s alley-oop! Breeze crashes head first into Plexiglas! Aichner drags Breeze up and into the ring, covers, ONE! Breeze toughs it out but Aichner scrapes his soles on Breeze’s face. Aichner drags Breeze up, whips him to the corner, but the crowd rallies as Barthel tags in. Imperium mugs Breeze in the corner and talks trash, but Breeze hits back. Barthel clubs Breeze down and shouts, “NEIN!”

Barthel drags Breeze up to cravat and snapmare, then sits Breeze up for a keylock sleeper hold. Breeze fights up, fights free, but Barthel CLUBS him back down. Barthel drags Breeze up, back suplexes, but Breeze lands on his feet! Breeze baits Barthel in to send him out! Breeze crawls, hot tag to Fandango! Aichner tags in but gets a BOOT! Fandango leaps to knee Aichner down! Barthel runs into a hip toss neckbreaker! Fandango dodges Aichner for the spinning powerslam! The crowd fires up with the Lord of the Dance, and he uses Barthel to help in the TORNADO DDT! Aichner bails out but Fandango builds speed. Fandango FLIES to take Imperium down at the ramp! All four men are down as NXT goes to break!

NXT returns and Breeze suplexes Barthel up and over! Cover, TWO, but Breeze brings Barthel up. Barthel kicks low then whips him towards the corner. Breeze reverses but Barthel puts him up top. Aichner tags in, Barthel enziguris Breeze, then rocket launches him into Aichner’s BRAIN BUSTER! Cover, but Fandango breaks it! Aichner protests but Fandango goes back to his corner. Aichner drags Breeze back up, tags Barthel in, and then Imperium mugs Prince Pretty. Barthel circles around Breeze like a shark as the crowd rallies up. Barthel talks trash while bringing Breeze up by his ear. Breeze pops free to PELE! Breeze drags Barthel over and tags in Fandango. Catapult to the forearm! Slingshot for the 21st Century Classic! Do Miz and Morrison know about this? Cover, Aichner barrels into Breeze to break it up!

All four men are down again, Breeze and Aichner go back to their corners. Fandango runs in at Barthel at the corner, blocks Barthel’s boot, but gets his kick for it! Tag to Aichner and he reels Fandango in while Barthel goes up. But Fandango back drops to deny the EuroBomb! Barthel leaps into the SUPER MODEL KICK! Fandango SUPERKICKS Aichner! Fandango hurries while Aichner is down, LAST DANCE LEG DROP! Cover, but Barthel breaks it! Breeze returns to run at Barthel but he’s sent out! Fandango clotheslines Barthel out and is alone with Aichner in the ring. But wait, Indus Sher and Malcolm Bivens appear! Rinku and Saurav loom dangerously close to Breeze and Barthel, but the BritAm Bruisers get them first! Oney Lorcan and Danny Burch take the fight to Bivens’ behemoths!

The referee shouts for the uninvited teams to get out but Breeze puts Barthel in. Barthel knocks Breeze onto the brawling four! Fandango rolls Barthel but it’s Aichner who is legal! BASEMENT DDT! Cover, Imperium wins!

Winners: Imperium, by pinfall (still NXT Tag Team Champions)

Barthel & Aichner owe a lot to the chaos at ringside. Oney and Burch kept Indus Sher from ruining things, but they didn’t mean for it to go this way. Are the tag team champions going to be surrounded by contenders hungry for the gold?

Tom Phillips interviews The Velveteen Dream via NXT video.

The Dream did not win at TakeOver: In Your House in the Backlot Brawl, and that means he cannot challenge for the NXT Championship while Adam Cole still reigns. But Dream says that’s the wrong line of questioning. The question should be how Tom Phillips has been in the WWE for ten years and this is the first time they’ve talked. Wait, creeping up behind Dream is Dexter Lumis!! He leaves Dream a message in the form of a drawing while Dream is telling Phillips that Dream has “no recollection” of his loss. Then he sees the calling card left by Lumis. It’s of the two of them… As NXT Tag Team Champions? Well, now this is a misunderstanding, Lumis. Lumis helped Dream against the Undisputed Era, and Dream returned the favor. The drawing means nothing to Dream, because he is a solo act. What will it take for such an eclectic duo to become more than just a far off dream?

Damian Priest arrives at Full Sail.

The Archer of Infamy wants to get himself right, too. Cameron Grimes is creeping in the background, probably making sure Priest doesn’t see him at all. Priest returns to action, after the break.

Damian Priest VS Killian Dain!

The Archer of Infamy may have lost to The Prince, but he hasn’t let that kill his ego. He still vows to #LiveForever, but will he be able to survive the Beast of Belfast?

The bell rings and Dain circles with Damian. They tie up, Dain powers Priest to ropes but Priest powers back. They go along the ropes, Dain has Priest in the corner but Priest powers him back. Dain headlocks, Priest powers out but the two collide with shoulders. Neither falls so Priest eggs Dain on. Things speed up, both men show some agility, but then Priest hurdles, only for his back to spasm. Dain takes advantage with a BIG shotgun dropkick! And then clubbing forearms! Dain goes after the bad back, the leftovers of that fall onto steel! Priest fights off the back suplex with elbows then an ear clap! Priest BOOTS Dain to a corner, then runs in, only to be put on the apron. Priest’s back bothers him again, but he dodges Dain to ROUNDHOUSE him back!

Priest gets in but Dain has him at the ropes to club away over and over! Dain goes to a corner while Priest is stuck, for a GUILLOTINE LEG DROP! Priest is growling in pain but Dain just keeps on his lumbar with forearms and hammering fists. Dain pulls Priest back in a low rider camel clutch. The crowd rallies up and Priest fights up, only for Dain to knee his back. Priest again fights off the suplex but Dain headbutts him back. Priest elbows Dain away, fires off kicks, then fast hands, but Dain ducks the People’s Punch to hit a back suplex! Dain holds on to drag Priest up for another back suplex! And then another, that turns into a sit out facebuster! Cover, TWO!! Priest refuses to stay down so Dain drags him back up. Dain clubs the bad back again, reels him in and suplexes, but Priest makes it a crossbody!

Priest gets to a corner, Dain runs in but only gets buckles! The crowd rallies as Priest pushes through the pain. Dain gets up, Priest fires off haymakers! Dain body shots but Priest bobs ‘n’ weaves to uppercut, forearm and kick away! Priest ROCKS Dain, then CLOBBERS him with that right! The crowd fires up as Priest whips Dain corner to corner. Dain reverses, Priest goes up and leaps to forearm Dain down! Cover, TWO! Dain is tough but Priest won’t lose focus. Priest runs corner to corner for a leaping back elbow! He keeps moving, and hits a corner to corner uppercut! The bad back slows him but Priest wants a third, only to get the DIVIDE! Cover, TWO!! Priest still lives but Dain won’t let up.

Dain drags Priest to a corner, Electric Chair lifts, but Priest fights off Ulster Plantation to a victory roll! TWO, but Priest hits the CYCLONE KICK! Dragon sleeper, RECKONING! Cover, Priest wins!

Winner: Damian Priest, by pinfall

Priest survives a tough fight with a big beast. Priest hasn’t attained the immortality he desires, but will he hit the mark soon enough?

NXT hears from Santos Escobar.

The man formerly known as El Hijo del Fantasma stands with Raul Mendoza and Joaquin Wilde, who were his fellow conspirators all along. “When you turn your back on a legacy, a new future is born.” Now, they rewrite the history of lucha libre in their own words, starting tonight. What do Escobar and his allies have in store for NXT and the Cruiserweight Division?

NXT shares footage from during the break.

Killian Dain was making his exit when he spotted a very distraught, sloven and perhaps drunk Robert Stone leaning on the Plexiglas, practically asleep. Dain BANGED the Plexiglas and Stone fell over! Is Stone okay?

Xia Li VS Aliyah!

It’s time to get spicy as this red hot rivalry returns! Will Xia and Aliyah finally settle the score?

But as Aliyah makes her entrance, she sees the down and out Robert Stone. She goes over to him to help him up. Stone won’t give up his brown paper bag of booze, but he does go with Aliyah to ringside. She wants him to watch her match closely, but how well can he even see with smudged glasses and beer goggles?

The bell rings and Xia ties up with Aliyah. The two go around the ropes, Aliyah arm-drags and hits a Thesz Press! She throws fast hands but Xia gets up to throw fast kicks! Aliyah freaks out and goes on the defensive in a corner! The ref counts, Xia rams into Aliyah then puts her up top. Xia CHOPS Aliyah but Aliyah SLAPS back! Aliyah reels Xia in for a tornado NORTHERN LIGHTS! Bridging cover, TWO! Aliyah is already frustrated and she pushes Xia around. Xia gets mad and hops up to ENZIGURI! Xia kips up and rallies on Aliyah with clotheslines and kicks! Aliyah flounders to a corner, Xia runs in, and hits a SUPER FOREARM! Xia keeps moving, DYANMIC DROPKICK!

Stone flounders up onto the apron in a drunken stupor and waves for a timeout. He also looks ready to hurl, and he DOES!! The ref and Xia are both grossed out, but who isn’t?! Aliyah rolls Xia up, TWO!! Aliyah tries again, and Aliyah wins!!

Winner: Aliyah, by pinfall

Aliyah hopes Robert Stone saw that, but he can’t even see where he’s walking and just falls off the apron! Aliyah may be desperate for guidance, but is she really that desperate?

Timothy Thatcher’s prospective students gather.

“Hello again, gentlemen.” Thatcher welcomes them to the first day of the Thatch as Thatch Can wrestling school. He will teach them about the details of submission style wrestling, “Things no one else will be able to show you.” Thatcher shows off the Fujiwara armbar. If you recline back and pull up, you can get the arm even farther. The wrestler being used as the example is tapping out, but Thatcher goes even deeper and deeper to make his point. Any questions? No. Next, the double wristlock, which Thatcher enhances with a leg over the subject’s head. By the way, it’s still the guy who took the Fujiwara armbar. His other arm suffers from this Kimura, and he rolls the shoulder until, yep, there it is.

“Gentlemen, line up. I said line up!” This was just day one. Next time, the real work begins. Dismissed. And clean up this mess, this guy was crying all over the mat. Will anyone survive to graduate Thatcher’s training?

The Undisputed Era goes to therapy.

Bobby Fish and Adam Cole are definitely worried about Roderick Strong after the trauma caused by Dexter Lumis. Cole says this is going to work. Fish says they have to do it in house, though. They pick up Strong in the limousine but he is in no mood to “Hoo hoo hoo hoo!” Awkward silence and then Cole says that they understand Strong has been through a lot. This therapist is the best, and he can help bring back the Roddy we know and love. It’ll be okay. “Driver, let’s go!”

Strong rests on the couch as his friends assure him of everything. This doctor is the best. They are going to help him feel safe. Surprise! The therapist is Kyle O’Reilly! But he pretends to be “Doctor Lyle von Thurstonburgen.” Tell him about this repressed psychological trauma. It’s Lumis, doc! He’s the worst person ever! He kidnapped Strong and Bobby and shoved them in a car trunk. Then Strong sees Lumis just staring at him through glass. He can’t get that out of his head! The staring! Yes, Cole and Fish admit their mistake in not believing him. Strong gets angry as he vents about people staring at him and how he hates that, but they calm him down. Kyle says this is a safe space, they’re all just here to help him.

Kyle moves things on to the classic Rorschach test to see how Strong’s mind is feeling. Cole and Fish show Strong the first one. Big muscle man! Yeah, like Strong and their old buddy, Troy. Next? OH NO IT’S LUMIS! What? Where? How? The others don’t see it. Skip it. Third? Flip it upside down maybe. OMG the car trunk!! He slaps the paper away! The others try to calm Strong down, but Kyle almost lets it slip it’s him. But this is a breakthrough! It seems the trauma actually stems from the car trunk. Strong needs to confront his fears, and that means facing a trunk. No! Strong needs more time. But they don’t have time! They argue, but Strong gives in. “I’m jumping in that trunk!”

Cole and Fish go with Strong to the parking lot and the limo’s trunk. Strong is anxious, reluctant, and then he runs away! Roddy, no! Get back here, man! No dice. Well, the running away aside, things went pretty well, right? They’ll go pick Strong up with the limo.

Backstage interview with Adam Cole.

The NXT Champion holds onto his belt as he stares at the hourglass left for him by Scarlett Bourdeaux on behalf of Karrion Kross. Also there’s a Sonic milkshake. But what does Cole think about Kross’ hourglass? “I don’t know, I guess they were trying to scare me or something.” But the thing is, we’ve all seen this before. It’s the same movie but with different characters. And at the end of that movie, Cole is still NXT Champion. How many times does he have to say it? But then Keith Lee walks over to have a talk with the champ. Keith came to let Cole know that Kross is correct on one thing: Cole’s time with that title is all but over. But it’s not Kross that will take it. It’ll be Keith. And then he SMASHES the hourglass! Cole smirks and leaves, but Keith says, “Ticktock.” Has the Limitless One just cancelled doomsday?

Adam Cole heads to the ring!

Cole’s undisputed ego is the only thing keeping him from being worried about the new list of challengers lining up behind him. Cole gets a mic and says, “300 and 81 days. Let me say that one more time. 300 and 81 days, I have been NXT Champion.” Not one of those days has he taken it for granted. That’s because Cole knows “without question,” he is the hardest working, greatest champion in this business. For 381 days, people have tried to tear down Cole, and for those 381 days, they have failed. That is why it is beyond mind-numbing that people think they can just throw names in the hat and say they deserve a shot. “It does not work that way, boys and girls.” Just look at Karrion Kross. He came up at TakeOver, very impressive against “one of the baddest men” in Tommaso Ciampa. But guess what? Cole’s been there, done that. Kross has been here five minutes and has a long way to go before he’s earned a match with Cole.

That brings Cole to Keith Lee. Keith said that he has his eyes on Cole’s title? Well guess what! Cole has eyes on the North American Championship. Do not forget Cole was the first-ever and still greatest NXT North American Champion ever. Maybe Cole wants to carry that title for 381 days. Maybe he’ll have two belts on his shoulders. And maybe after Cole beats Keith, Keith and the entire world can refer to Cole as #ChampChampBAYBAY. But speaking of, here comes the Limitless One! The two champions stand in the ring now, and Keith has a mic to respond. But then Johnny Gargano heads to the ring!

“Wow! What a cool moment between you two!” But as much as he hates to interrupt, Gargano doesn’t care about moments anymore. He cares about results. The result last week was Gargano pinning Keith 1-2-3. That means Gargano is coming after the North American Championship again. But then why stop there? Gargano is the first-ever NXT Triple Crown Champion, so it’s about time Gargano gets the reign he deserves. He and Candice vowed to make history as the first ever married couple to reign together at the same time. Then Cole can call Gargano #JohnnyChampChamp. But Keith asks “John Boy” how Candice is doing. Oh she’s doing great, after Keith squishing her! No, after what Gargano did, because it was Keith who was more concerned about her than Gargano was.

And Keith remember specifically, while he was picking up her frail little body, and with a tear almost falling from his eye, she whispered to him, “Thank you, Mr. Limitless. That’s the most action I’ve had all year.” LIAR!! But now here comes Finn Balor! The Prince has a mic to say, “Well now that Finn is here, I guess you fellas can stop being marks for yourselves and go back to being a mark for me.” Keith, did you hear Finn last week? He’ll tell you again. Balor has held titles all over the world, but the North American Championship is one he’s never held. Gargano corrects Balor, he’s not Mark, he’s Johnny. And remind us again, was Balor a Triple Crown? Nope. Balor isn’t like Gargano. He doesn’t wait in lines, he cuts to the front. Balor stares Keith down and tells him, “This isn’t a challenge. This is a warning.” Balor is taking that title, and when he does, he’ll go right after Cole’s.

Cole has been a great “transitional” champion- PFFT! Transitional?! Are you kidding? Cole just beat Balor’s old record! But this is perfect because it’s Balor’s career in a nutshell: He shows up somewhere, is the king for a little while, and then Cole shows up in that same place to pass him by. Balor chuckles, but then crosses Cole out? What is that? Balor says that is where Balor is going to put Cole. But before anything more can be said or done, William Regal speaks on the titantron! He loves this passion, competition, and now he has an idea where everybody wins! Next week, Keith Lee defends the North American Championship against Gargano, AND Balor, in a Triple Threat.

But don’t worry, Cole, Regal didn’t forget him. Because the man who walks away North American Champion moves on to face Adam Cole, July 8th, Champion VS Champion, WINNER TAKES ALL! A MASSIVE move for NXT! By the end of the Summer, one man becomes THE champion of NXT! Will we #BaskInHisGlory? Do things #TheJohnnyGarganoWay? Or have The Prince seated upon his throne?

Backstage interview with Keith Lee.

What does he think of that announcement by Regal? But before he can answer, Candice comes by to confront him about that inappropriate joke. Also, is Keith kidding? There is no way he beats her husband. But then Keith points behind Candice, and she turns around to see Mia Yim! And Mia fires off on Candice all the way down the hall! Mia throws Candice into a shelving unit, then throws the contents of the shelf down onto her! Candice throws them back and then slides Mia along chairs! Security hurries to stop this, but it’s only escalating! Will Regal have a way to help these two settle their own score?

Kayden Carter w/ Kacy Catanzaro VS Dakota Kai w/ Raquel Gonzalez!

Last week, KC helped KC when #CobraKai and the Daughter of the Desperado were beating her down. Though, it didn’t really go their way… But now, Carter takes Dakota on herself! Will KC succeed where KC fell short?

The bell rings and Dakota runs into Kayden’s takedown! Kayden fires off hands but Dakota kicks her away. Kayden dodges Dakota to come back with a crossbody! She fires off more fast hands but Dakota turns it around to waistlock. Kayden breaks free, switches and rolls Dakota, TWO! Kayden sees Raquel lurking and springs away to basement dropkick Dakota down! Dakota bails out then runs away, with #BigMami standing in Kayden’s way. Dakota then comes around to go after Kayden, but Kayden ROCKS her with a right! Kayden puts Dakota back in, but has to handspring over Raquel’s cheap shot! The ref reprimands Raquel but Dakota scorpion kicks Kayden down! Dakota drags Kayden in, covers, TWO!

Dakota keeps on Kayden with pie faces, but Kayden eggs her own. Kayden shoves Dakota then counter punches. Kayden keeps hitting Dakota and starts to rally! The crowd fires up with her as she dropkicks Dakota down! Kayden pulls off the arm bands to whip Dakota. Dakota reverses, Kayden wheelbarrows and MULE KICKS! Cover, TWO! Kayden brings Dakota up, whips her to a corner but Dakota reverses. Dakota runs in but is put on the apron. Dakota rocks Kayden back, steps in but into a knee! Kayden jumps on for a draping facebuster! Raquel shouts at Kayden but Kacy LEAPS at her! But Raquel catches the tiny Ninja Warrior, to toss her at the apron! Dakota rolls Kayden, TWO!! But into the BUTTERFLY STRETCH! Kayden taps, Dakota wins!

Winner: Dakota Kai, by submission

Captain Kota takes advantage of her insurance policy again, and has swept KC and KC. But is this the last we’ve seen of this confrontation?

Scarlett finds the shattered hourglass.

The heartthrob harbinger sees the sand spilled upon the floor, and Kross steps on the broken glass. How will they respond to this bold rejection of their ultimatum?

NXT hears from Mercedes Martinez.

“19 years, I’ve been rugged, thugged, grinding, hustling, and here I am.” No nonsense, all action, and she’s not here to lose. “Every single female better watch their back.” Everyone needs to know who Mercedes Martinez is. And she’ll be back very soon!

Bronson Reed VS Leon Ruff!

Two men who know what Karrion Kross is capable of now meet each other in the ring. Will Auszilla keep focused on the opponent in front of him and now the one that could be lurking up behind him? Or will Ruff rev his engines and get the literally biggest upset in his young career?

The bell rings and Ruff runs to get run over! Reed shrugs and sentons down on Ruff! The crowd goes nuts for the #ThiccBoi as he climbs up top! Ruff suffers the MEGATON SPLASH!! Cover, Reed wins!

Winner: Bronson Reed, by pinfall

A very fast and very damaging defeat for little ol’ Ruff! Reed grabs a mic to say he is not one to forget. That is why he will do what no one has. He is calling Kross out for a match next week! Reed is putting Kross on the clock, but shows Ruff some mercy. Will Mr. Doomsday show either of them any mercy once they cross paths again?

NXT spots Damian Priest in the parking lot.

Someone slashed his tires!? Who would do that? Well, perhaps a certain someone. Cameron Grimes drives by taunting Priest, “You want me to get you an Uber?” Grimes sure is brave as he drives away. Will Priest deflate Grimes’ ego the next time they meet?

Santos Escobar and cohorts head to the ring.

Mendoza and Wilde walk with the NXT Cruiserweight Champion, united under the banner of “Legado del Fantasma.” Escobar takes a mic to say, “El Hijo del Fantasma was known in the Latin culture as the best lucha libre artist ever.” And he means ever. But of course, when you wear a mask, that is all the world sees. A luchador in a mask. For 20 years, that was him. But then he earned his opportunity to join NXT, and he knew that on this worldwide platform, that the “book of El Hijo del Fantasma” would come to an end. Growing up under his father, El Fantasma, he was always told he would be a leader, not a follower. Escobar promises to make Mendoza and Wilde leaders, because he is the leader of leaders. Together, they will leave a legacy. El Legado del Fantasma.

“Congratulation, Santos!” Drake Maverick heads to the ring as he says Escobar fooled everyone. He certainly fooled Maverick, too. People have told Maverick he has more guts than brains, and they’re all absolutely right! Maverick rushes Escobar and takes him down, but Wilde and Mendoza are there! Maverick punches them away, then DIVES to get at Escobar! Wilde and Mendoza keep trying, but he pushes them away again! Escobar hits Maverick then flapjacks him onto the railing! El Legado dumps Maverick over onto concrete and they stomp away on him! They drag Maverick over to a table but he keeps fighting! Escobar uses a monitor to SMACK Maverick in the back! El Legado hauls Maverick up and then Escobar brings Maverick with him, PHANTOM DRIVER THROUGH THE TABLE!!

Escobar cleans himself up and Wilde hands him the title. El Legado has the gold, but have they just put an end to Maverick’s story?

NXT returns as medics help Maverick.

Needless to say, Maverick needed a backboard, neck brace and stretcher. Jake Atlas was among those to accompany Maverick to the ambulance. Will Atlas look to avenge Rockstar Spud?

WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships: Bayley & Sasha Banks VS Tegan Nox & Shotzi Blackheart!

The #GoldenRoleModels made it through Backlash’s Triple Threat with Bliss-Cross and The IIconics, and look to make the birthday week of #BayleyDosStraps a big one! They return to NXT to defend their tag titles, but are they going to underestimate the Shiniest Wizard and wild child?

As both teams get in the ring, lot of trash is talked and Shotzi howls at Bayley. The introductions are made, the tag belts are raised, and it’s time to see if Bayley and Banks can #TCB, take care of business!

Teams sort out and Tegan starts against Sasha. They circle, tie up, and Sasha arm-drags Tegan down to an armlock. Tegan fights her way back up, gets around to a waistlock, but Sasha standing switches. Tegan pries free, switches again, but Sasha backs her to a corner. The ref counts but Sasha elbows Tegan away. The two go again, Sasha throws Tegan down and dusts off her hands. Things speed up, Sasha sees Tegan drop down and hooks her up for a body scissor clutch! TWO, and the two reset. They go again, Tegan backslides, TWO! Sasha swings into a waistlock but she switches. Shotzi tags in and Tegan bucks Sasha off to drop toehold her down! Shotzi Oklahoma Rolls, TWO! Sasha scrambles away and tags to Bayley.

Bayley and Shotzi circle, Shotzi rushes Bayley but Bayley gets away. Bayley comes back and kicks Shotzi low, then clubs her down. Bayley whips Shotzi to ropes but Shotzi holds them to stop herself. Shotzi baits Bayley in and uses the ropes to snap Bayley down. Shotzi kicks Bayley, backslides, but Bayley spins out, only for Shotzi to cradle counter! TOW, and Bayley waistlocks Shotzi to spin her for a headlock. Shotzi pops out but Bayley whips her to a corner. Shotzi goes up and over to roll Bayley up, ONE and Bayley KNEES Shotzi down! The alumni have the advantage while NXT goes to break.

NXT returns and Bayley has Tegan down now in a trapped arm chinlock. The crowd rallies but Bayley knees Tegan in the back. Bayley brings Tegan up but Tegan stomps Bayley’s foot! Tegan uppercuts but Bayley whips Tegan into buckles. Bayley rams her shoulder in over and over, then rolls back for wacky waving, only for Tegan to elbow her back! Tegan SLAPS Bayley on the back and heads for her corner. Bayley pulls Tegan away from Shotzi by her hair, only for Tegan to break free and HEADBUTT! They both fall down and the crowd fires up! Bayley and Tegan crawl, hot tags to Sasha and Shotzi! Shotzi dodges, hits Bayley, goes up and over Sasha then rolls to come back with a corner splash! Shotzi rolls Sasha out to then hit the SLING-DOG! The crowd fires up with Shotzi as she knees and rolling elbows! QUESTION MARK KICK! Shotzi snap SAIDOS Bayley down! Cover, TWO!!

Sasha gets to the apron but Shotzi builds speed. Shotzi dropkicks but Sasha dodges, and Shotzi slips through the ropes to land on her feet. Sasha apron METEORAS! Both crash down but Sasha drags Shotzi back into the ring. Cover, TWO!! Sasha is losing her cool but she drags Shotzi up to tag Bayley. Bayley hits Tegan down then whips Sasha in, but Shotzi dodges the corner Meteora! Sasha knees buckles and Bayley hurries after Shotzi. Bayley puts Shotzi in a corner but Shotzi boots back to then headscissor Bayley into buckles! Tag to Tegan, STEREO CANNONBALLS! Bayley flops out of the ring but Sasha runs at Tegan. Tegan puts Sasha on the apron and choke grips, to CHOKE SLAM Sasha onto Bayley!

Tag to Shotzi and Tegan helps her go up, up and FLY! Double crossbody at the ramp! Shotzi howls right over the champions then gets Bayley up and in. She brings Bayley up, has help from Tegan for the SLICED BREAD! Cover, but Sasha barrels into Tegan and breaks it up! All four women are down but the crowd is thunderous! Teams regroup and hot tags to Tegan and Sasha! Sasha and Tegan fire off fast and furious fists on each other! Tegan ROCKS Sasha then brings her up to whip to the corner. Sasha goes up but Tegan blocks the headscissor for an Electric Chair! Tag to Shotzi and she climbs up. Sasha slips off to POST Tegan! Shotzi still missile dropkicks! Cover, TWO to the ghost pin, TWO! But Sasha gets the BANK STATEMENT! The crossface is on deep! Shotzi pries the hold apart, gets the arms, CATTLE MUTILATION!!

Bayley runs in with a chair but Tegan stops her! The ref spots Tegan with the chair and reprimands her. Bayley uses the distraction to flip Shotzi off the submission! Sasha gets the Bank Statement back, and Bayley tackles Tegan! Shotzi taps, Sasha and Bayley win!!

Winners: Bayley & Sasha Bank, by submission (still WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions)

The “role models” show everyone how to cheat just right, and that keeps the belts with them! Will they be able to do the same to the IIconics this coming Monday Night Raw?

But wait! Io Shirai attacks?! The Evil Genius and NXT Women’s Champion missile dropkicks Bayley down, then German Suplexes Sasha! Shirai gives Bayley a Shinkansen meteora, then does the same for Sasha! The best friends regroup outside, and Shirai fakes them both out! “This is MY NXT!” Shirai defends her home, but Bayley and Sasha claim they are the reason she has a job! Is there something much bigger brewing between the entirety of the WWE Women’s Division?

My Thoughts:

What a great episode! Sandwiching the episode between the tag title matches was a great move, and Imperium VS Breezango was great stuff, even with the other teams showing up. But given the overbooking, naturally Imperium retained. Though, I do feel like Breezango was going to lose either way, because it just doesn’t feel right yet. I do feel NXT is building its way back to a huge multiple team match. The Undisputed Era is always in the running, and as I started to hope, Lumis wants to team with Dream. Dream turned down the offer for now, but I’m pretty sure something moves him to agree to the partnership. The Undisputed Era had a great “therapy” sketch, all four guys have great senses of humor, and it’s always good to see Kyle again. Priest VS Dain was a really good match and a really good win for Priest to rebound with. Priest’s story with Grimes has escalated, and their match next week is going to be really good.

I like the intermingling in stories where Dain is used to point out drunken Robert Stone for the sake of Aliyah’s story. That fake barfing was definitely something unique, and this definitely isn’t how I saw Aliyah finally becoming Stone’s client. Dakota beating Kayden was a given with Raquel by her side. I’m thinking they have a tag team match to settle things, but I feel like Dakota and Raquel still win that. With WWE finally turning the corner on the Women’s Tag Division, it’s good to see teams forming and getting stronger. Maybe one day, Dakota and Tegan cross paths again as they face each other with the tag titles on the line. It’d really bring their story full circle as a team that wanted to have such titles together, only for it to end up like this. There’s also a lot of interweaving stories when it comes to Karrion Kross. Bronson Reed calls him out given that attack three weeks ago, and that will be an interesting approximate to what will surely be Keith VS Kross at some point.

Obviously, I love the big news of the North American Championship Triple Threat that leads to an NXT Winner Takes All. If Kross is after Keith because of the smashed hourglass, sadly time has run out on Keith’s reign. We’ve gotten so much Gargano VS Cole already, I really hope it’s Balor adding the North American title to his legacy, and then giving us a battle of the two greatest NXT Champions ever to finally determine the undisputed best ever. The Women’s Tag main event was great stuff, but sad to say, Bayley and Banks were always going to win. For one, they have a match with the IIconics on Raw to bring that story full circle.

But the great surprise was Shirai going after Bayley and Banks! I really hope that, with Becky Lynch becoming a mother and the grand design for the WWE Women’s Division changing, we get a strange mash-up where three of the Four (NXT) Horsewomen find themselves up against some other great trio *cough* Shirai and Kabuki Warriors */cough* in an epic Six Woman for SummerSlam. It works as it’d involve all past and present champions from across all three brands, with the heart of it being about their respective reigns in NXT.

My Score: 9.3/10