The NXT Champion dares everyone to step up!

Finn Balor let the roster have their fun in WarGames, but now it’s time for all eyes to be on his throne! Who steps up to the Prince’s challenge?

OFFICIAL RESULTS

• Jake Atlas VS Isaiah “Swerve” Scott; Atlas wins.
• Triple Threat Tag: Ever-Rise VS Imperium VS Grizzled Young Veterans; Grizzled Young Veterans win.
• Tommaso Ciampa VS Cameron Grimes; Ciampa wins.
• Killian Dain VS Pete Dunne; Dunne wins.
• Raquel Gonzalez VS Ember Moon; Gonzalez wins.

PLAY BY PLAY

WarGames has come and gone but is there peace?

Tommaso Ciampa showed Timothy Thatcher what “tough” really means, Dexter Lumis gave Cameron Grimes a whipping, and history was made by #JohnnyTakeOver again! Most importantly, the Poison Pixie’s team prevailed and NXT is still Undisputed inside the double-ring double-cage! But now, onward, into the next great chapter of this great brand!

Finn Balor is in the ring!

The NXT Champion has the camera right on him as he says “WarGames is done, and the time for team sports is over. Captains, factions, bragging rights? Pfft. Not interested. It’s Wednesday, and the champion is back!” Fans are fired up as Finn says some people love him, and others hate him. But if you want to know him, come see him in the ring! And answering that call is Pete Dunne! The Bruiserweight doesn’t have, and perhaps doesn’t need, Pat McAfee, Oney Lorcan or Danny Burch with him as he confronts Balor. “Me and you, we’re cut from the same cloth. I came from overseas and I made a name for myself, just like you. So it’s about time we stand face-to-face.”

And y’know what? Dunne’s glad Balor’s back. But Balor better not get used to it. Dunne will put him back on the shelf, and have that title for his own. But wait! The Undisputed Era’s Kyle O’Reilly is here! Kyle apologizes for being late, but his invitation must’ve gotten lost in the mail. He’ll get in on this conversation. “Peter, Peter, pumpkin eater.” Dunne’s tough, we all know that. Kyle and Dunne went to war, but who won that? The Era proved that this is their era and everyone else is just living in it. And surely Balor hasn’t forgotten the man who broke his jaw and took him to his limit. Yes, Balor won the match, but c’mon. Balor is still champion, but he had to eat meals through a straw. There is unfinished business.

Kyle wants Balor to listen to that inner voice. Who does Balor think is worthy? But then DAMIAN PRIEST appears! The Archer of Infamy says he’s been looking to this for awhile. And no offense to Pete and Kyle, but Balor VS Priest for the NXT Championship is marquee. That’s not just something Priest wants, but something Balor wants. Dunne says, “Aren’t you the geezer who couldn’t beat Leon Ruff?” Hah, good one. Isn’t Dunne who got paid by Pat to shut up? Kyle counters by saying isn’t Priest supposed to get paid to win matches? Hasn’t done that. Priest gets paid, but not to take off six months a year.

Balor goes around and leaves while Dunne counters Kyle, “Shouldn’t you be in the hospital visiting your mate, Bobby?” Kyle counters with a mocking British accent, “Shouldn’n you be in tha ‘ospital, visitin’ your mate, Bobby?” Balor’s already made it to the ramp and Priest asks where he’s going. Balor tells them to learn some manners. He wasn’t done. January 6th, New Year’s Evil, Balor defends the title. But who gets the Balor rub? Not his problem. That’s Regal’s job. Wait. That music. And the smoke! Balor sees what’s going on here. And yes, Scarlett is back! She looks the champion over, and is a clear warning sign to the Prince. “Let me guess.” Tick tock, right? Balor has a message for her man. “When he’s ready, Finn’s ready.” Will the Prince take on the apocalypse?!

Priest asks the “smoke show” on stage, “Do you usually tell your boy to wait in the car while you handle his business?” If he wants to come back for a fight, all he has to do is step to Priest like a man. Scarlett sighs and then turns her attention to Priest. That smile is a sinister one. Will not even Priest #LiveForever when Karrion Kross comes back to NXT?

NXT Media catches up with Pete Dunne backstage.

Making his presence known, what’s he got planned? “I didn’t come back to NXT to just wait for an opportunity. I’m gonna make my own.” But Killian Dain is coming up fast! The Belfast Beast is furious that Dunne tried to end him! Oney and Burch back Dunne up and Drake Maverick runs in to keep this from happening just yet! Dain shouts, “You think this is over!?!” Clearly it isn’t! Will Big Damo get to give back what Dunne did to him?

Jake Atlas VS Isaiah “Swerve” Scott!

The rising star of the Cruiserweight Division is aggressive and determined, but that’s what everyone needs to climb the ranks in WWE! Will Atlas carry the weight of the world on his back as he steps into Swerve’s House?

The bell rings and the two tie up. Swerve wrangles Atlas down and has the arm, but Atlas gets up and goes to the ropes. Atlas uses the ropes to flip through, then wrenches, but Swerve still tries to whip. Atlas holds ropes, breaks free and O’Conner rolls, TWO! Swerve avoids the kick, and the moonsault, to trip Atlas up to get the short arm scissor! Atlas kicks and moves around then gets free. Atlas goes out but Swerve goes to the apron, to BOOT Atlas down! Fans fire up as Swerve puts Atlas back in. Swerve sees Atlas go to a corner and runs in but has to block a boot! Atlas breaks free to EuroUpper, and RANA!

Swerve swings but Atlas dodges, Atlas springboards but Swerve gets under! Atlas flops and Swerve kips up, and the fans fire up! Swerve somersaults but into a waistlock! Swerve breaks the hold but Atlas shoves him. Atlas runs into a roll up, but slips out, only for the SOMERSAULT SHOT to hit! Cover, TWO! Swerve keeps his cool as he watches Atlas go to ropes. Swerve CHOPS Atlas right off his feet! He brings Atlas up but Atlas dodges the boot to SUPERKICK! And then a spinning KNEE! Atlas reels Swerve in, but Swerve wrenches free, only for Atlas to waistlock, spin and LARIAT!

Swerve flounders into Atlas’s facelock, suplex to a BOMB! Cover, TWO!! Swerve survives but Atlas throws CHOPS and KICKS of his own! Swerve blocks the punch to then roll Atlas and HOUSE CALL! Swerve doesn’t cover yet, he drags Atlas up and in, to half nelson, but Atlas fights off the rest. Swerve throws body shots, gets the other arm, but Atlas wheelbarrows to victory roll! ONE, Swerve has the short arm scissor! Atlas makes that a cover, TWO! Swerve gets up, fakes Atlas out and trips him, to hook a leg, turn Atlas and waistlock dead lift! Atlas elbows until he’s free, but Swerve gets the arm! Swerve clubs it, La Magistrol, but Atlas turns it into his own! Cover, Atlas wins!!

Winner: Jake Atlas, by pinfall

Atlas swerved Swerve and gets a shocker! Atlas wants to shake hands to show this was all good, but Swerve leaves him hanging! Will Swerve start to sharpen his own edge until he’s back at the top?

Tommaso Ciampa speaks.

“I didn’t expect Sunday to be an easy win. But anything worth fighting for ain’t gonna be easy in this life. So why Thatcher? I had to know. Now, nobody’s safe. It’s time I let the past die in the past, continue to move forward.” Ciampa will be direct because he doesn’t know any other way: Cameron Grimes is the squeakiest whelp in the shed, and it’s time Ciampa changed that. “Loud, brash, ignorant, confident. Maybe. Hell, to be that loud, you’ve gotta be confident. Or maybe, maybe you’re just insecure. Funny thing about insecurity. It often disguises itself as confidence.” Tonight, we find out the truth. Grimes was Silenced at TakeOver, will he be silenced again tonight?

Triple Threat Tag: Ever-Rise VS Imperium VS Grizzled Young Veterans!

Chase Parker and Matt Marthel have been ambushed by both teams the last few weeks, and ended up ambushing them both back to ruin their match against each other! But now to prove Ever-Rise rules, they’ll take on BOTH duos! Will Marcel Barthel & Fabian Aichner or Zack Gibson & James Drake make sure Parker & Marthel learn a lesson?

The teams sort out and in this style Triple Threat Tag, one man from each team is allowed to be in, meaning three men at once. But Ever-Rise uses a loophole that their guy doesn’t have to stay in the ring. Neither Parker or Marthel is in, despite the ref telling them to choose. Imperium and GYV don’t wait and they all go after Ever-Rise! Ever-Rise tries to get in the ring but they get dragged out for 4v2 beatings! Gibson puts Marthel in and whips into Aichner’s BOOT! Aichner and Gibson tie up and Aichner waistlocks to then slam Gibson down! Aichner facelocks, Gibson wrenches out to a wristlock, but Barthel tags in.

Aichner whips Gibson away, Barthel hits an arm-drag and then stomps Gibson’s face! Gibson flounders, Barthel stomps a mudhole, then shouts, “NEIN!” Barthel throws a EuroUpper and then throws Gibson with a half hatch suplex! Cover, TWO! Ever-Rise again keeps out of this as Gibson fights up. Barthel kicks low, whips Gibson to ropes, but Gibson reverses, only for Barthel to knee Gibson away! Marthel grabs at Barthel’s hair but Barthel beats him down! Gibson grabs Barthel for a headlock, tags Drake as Barthel powers out, and Drake dropkicks legs out for Gibson to basement dropkick! Drake keeps going, MAYEHM IN MOTION for Ever-Rise!

Fans fire up with GYV but Gibson checks his eye. Drake drags Barthel up for haymakers and then forearms. Drake throws forearms on Barthel and he tumbles out, tag to Gibson. Gibson scoops Barthel, Drake slingshots, PLANCHA BACKBREAKER! The GYV are fired up again, and they put Barthel in. Gibson wraps on a chinlock, grinds Barthel but Barthel fights up. Drake tags back in, ripcord and FOREARM combo! Cover, TWO! Drake and Gibson coordinate and Drake drags Barthel. Barthel resists, reaches for Aichner, but SAIDO SUPLEXES Drake first! Marthel hurries in to stomp away on Drake and then on Barthel!

Marthel tags Parker and Ever-Rise have Barthel for a crisscross neckbreaker! Cover, but Drake breaks it! Parker tackles Drake to a corner, tags in Marthel and they whip to send Parker in to forearm Drake! Marthel drop toeholds Drake, Parker uses Marthel as the step for the BOOYAH ELBOW DROP! Cover, TWO! Marthel brags like he’s already winning, but Drake gets up. Drake blocks the kick, Barthel clobbers Marthel! Drake DECKS Barthel, tags to Gibson and Aichner! Aichner dodges, fireman’s carries but Gibson fights out. Gibson swings into Aichner’s waistlock but switches. Aichner switches, Gibson powers him back to the corner and Drake tags in.

Gibson keeps Aichner in for Drake to run and back elbow! Gibson clotheslines, and feeds Aichner to Drake’s windmill kick! But Marthel clobbers Gibson out and LARIATS Drake down! Parker tags in, Ever-Rise brings Drake up, DOUBLE FLAPJACK to the buckle! Cover, but Aichner busts in and breaks it up! Aichner throws Parker to buckles, tags Barthel, and Parker is put in the ropes. Imperium meets in the corner with the double dropkicks! Drake staggers into Aichner’s fireman’s carry, and Aichner hits ROLLING SENTON to MOONSAULT! Barthel covers, TWO! Barthel drags Drake up, tags Aichner, and the feed, but Gibson drags Barthel out!

Aichner WRECKS Gibson with a dropkick, Barthel tops it off with a tilt-o-whirl SLAM! Drake swings but misses, Aichner SPINEBUSTERS Drake, Barthel PENALTY KICKS! Imperium coordinates, Aichner hops up and Barthel wheelbarrow lifts Drake, FLYING WHEELBARROW DDT!! But Parker clobbers Barthel, Marthel gets Aichner out and Parker covers Drake! TWO!! Ever-Rise almost stole that one! Parker keeps Imperium out with forearms, then suplexes Drake, but Drake slips out! Drake gut wrenches, Gibson gets in, TICKET TO MAYHEM!! Cover, Gibson and Drake win!

Winners: Grizzled Young Veterans, by pinfall

Liverpool’s Number One and Mr. Mayhem are riding high in the NXT Tag Division! Will they be the ones to go after the One Two, Oney and Burch?

NXT notes the casualties of WarGames.

As Adam Cole puts it, “One of, if not the most brutal matches.” Danny Burch could never have prepared for what WarGames was. Dakota Kai says it was carnage. Rhea Ripley and Candice LeRae actually agree, it was a “symphony of destruction,” and Toni Storm adds it was chaos. Kyle says it’s literally hell. Roderick Strong says this was the most brutal year yet. They’ve been in it before, but Dunne says it’s different. Shotzi says no one comes out of this match the same. It changes you physically and mentally. You lose parts of yourself. Io Shirai in a trash can coming off the top was unforgettable. Shirai herself says you might think she’s crazy, and you might be right.

Cole says Pat McAfee felt exactly what WarGames gives. McAfee, in a neck brace on his podcast, noted how he could barely get up or walk. No one comes out unscathed. Kyle smashed Oney’s face with a steel chair. That is what Burch will always remember. But Dunne feels good about putting Fish in the hospital. Fish himself notes he had surgery to reattach his tricep. And Oney says after all that, just imagine what a team will have to do to take the NXT Tag Team Championships from them now. Dakota of course remembers the Eclipse into chairs and the hammer attack. They are to blame for why she’ll be out for awhile. Cole says WarGames is UE’s match, and that is Undisputed.

Ember admits her team lost. Raquel knew she had the right team, when Candice sacrificed herself to take Shotzi out in return. Candice says she gave life ‘n’ limb for the win! Shotzi says her team still #TCB, Took Care o’ Business! But Raquel says HER being the one to win it for the team, on Io Shirai, proves Raquel deserves a title match. Rhea hearing the 1-2-3, she just wishes she could’ve helped Shirai. Cole says each year escalates, and yet UE isn’t going to say no to another! Kyle says surviving that turmoil makes it all worth while! But will the UE really go for a fifth WarGames next year?

Backstage interview with Toni Storm!

While Team Candice won at WarGames, what we really want to know is why Toni betrayed Ember in the first place. Oh c’mon! Put it together! Ember was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. But Toni made the right decision, because look who won! Now Toni made it very clear that her sights are on the NXT Women’s Championship. But all we hear is “Ember Moon~!” Ember stole her thunder! But that’s fine. Because right here is the NEXT NXT-

Io Shirai walks over to cut Toni off. Now that WarGames is over, Shirai says her title is her only focus. She doesn’t have a problem with Toni, but she doesn’t like her! Shirai goes after Toni, security hurries to break this up but Toni shoves Shirai into cameras! They brawl into another room! And then to ringside! They’re at the ramp as Toni CLUBS Shirai but Shira kicks back! Shirai whips but Toni reverses to send Shirai into boards! Toni puts Shirai in the ring, but Shirai SHOTEIS! Toni is in a corner, Shirai runs in with SHINKANSEN! Then Shirai goes up top, but Toni bails out to avoid the moonsault! But then EMBER attacks Toni from behind! And throws Toni into steps!

Ember says this is the receipt! She puts Toni in, Shirai hits OVER THE MOONSAULT! The Evil Genius and Evolved Shenom just showed Toni it isn’t her time just yet! But who will come out of this a contender to the NXT Women’s Championship?

Tommaso Ciampa VS Cameron Grimes!

The Psycho Killer stated his mission of sifting through the locker room to find the real tough guys on NXT. And though the Carolina Caveman got slapped around and silenced by Dexter Lumis, that braggadocios attitude is still alive and well. Will Ciampa make sure all of that ends tonight?

The bell rings and Ciampa circles with Grimes. They tie up, go around, and Ciampa headlocks and grinds Grimes down. Grimes rolls, ONE, Ciampa wrenches to a wristlock and wrangles Grimes back down. Ciampa drops a knee on Grimes’ arm, then wrenches it again. Ciampa digs a knee into Grimes’ shoulder, fish hooks his face, then wrenches. Grimes rolls, trips Ciampa and has a toehold. Grimes floats, but here comes Thatcher to take a seat, parroting what Ciampa did a few weeks ago! Ciampa fireman’s carry throws Grimes to get a chinlock, and he stares Thatcher down. Grimes fights up but Ciampa cravats to keep Grimes down.

Grimes fights up, puts Ciampa on ropes, but Ciampa turns it around. The ref wants a break, Grimes shoves Ciampa and shouts, “You get off the Cameron Grimes!” Ciampa shoves Grimes so Grimes kicks back! And CHOPS! Grimes whips Ciampa corner to corner hard, then whips him to ropes. Ciampa reverses and elbows Grimes down! Grimes flounders out and Ciampa pursues as fans rally up. Grimes goes around to the ramp and Thatcher is there. Thatcher and Ciampa stare down, but Ciampa sees the sucker punch coming! Ciampa punches Grimes first, whips him but Grimes reverses! Ciampa stops from hitting boards and then he ROCKS Grimes!

Ciampa gets in, Thatcher takes his seat, Grimes kitchen sink knees Ciampa down! Cover, TWO! Grimes scowls as NXT goes picture in picture.

Grimes drags Ciampa up, pulls on his ear, then CLUBS him down! Ciampa is in a corner, Grimes stomps  him, then digs a knee in! The ref counts, Grimes lets off and swaggers about. Grimes brings Ciampa up but Ciampa CHOPS him! Grimes ROCKS Ciampa with a forearm, then whips him to a corner hard! Cover, TWO! Grimes grows frustrated but Thatcher keeps watching. Grimes chokes Ciampa on ropes, stops at the ref’s count, then has Ciampa in a corner to CHOP! Ciampa puts Grimes in the corner to CHOP back! Grimes puts Ciampa back, misses and Ciampa CHOPS! And CHOPS! And stomps away! The ref counts, backs Ciampa off, but Ciampa keeps his cool.

Ciampa drags Grimes up, reels him in and underhooks, but Grimes slips out and spins Ciampa around to scoop, swing and SLAM! Cover, TWO!! Ciampa survives and Grimes is shocked! Grimes grits his teeth and watches Ciampa while Thatcher watches the match. Grimes drops knees and digs the knee into Ciampa’s head! The ref counts, Grimes lets off and then chinbars Ciampa. Grimes wrenches Ciampa’s neck but Ciampa endures, even as Grimes shifts to add an armlock. Ciampa fights up, moves around, but Grimes CLUBS him on the back! Grimes stands Ciampa back up to KICK him in the back! Grimes then clamps back on with the chinbar and wrenches Ciampa’s head.

Ciampa endures, Grimes sets him down and drops an elbow! Cover, TWO! Grimes chinbars again, Ciampa endures again and NXT returns to single picture. Ciampa fights up, Grimes CLUBS him down! Grimes clamps on with a chinlock but Ciampa fights up to fight out! Grimes knees low, whips but Ciampa rolls him up! TWO, and Grimes kicks low! Grimes whips, Ciampa reverses but Grimes reverses only for Ciampa to kick back! Ciampa rallies with clothesline after clothesline, like he did to Thatcher at TakeOver! Ciampa LEAPING LARIATS Grimes down! Fans fire up with Ciampa as he aims at Grimes. Ciampa runs corner to corner to clothesline, then side to side to KNEE! Cover, TWO!

Thatcher stares silently as Ciampa sits Grimes up. Ciampa CHOPS Grimes down, then brings him back up. Ciampa underhooks the arms but Grimes slips out and hurries to ropes. Ciampa grabs Grimes but Grimes BOOTS from below! Grimes gets to the apron but Ciampa drags him through ropes. Grimes steps in, back drops out and sits on Ciampa’s sunset, TWO! Ciampa KNEES Grimes but Grimes SUPER FOREARMS back! Ciampa swings, Grimes dodges, COLLISION COURSE! Cover, TWO!! Fans are fired up as both men are down, and now Thatcher gets antsy. Grimes sits up and he stalks Ciampa to waistlock.

Ciampa fights off the lift by grabbing ropes then elbows Grimes away. Ciampa walks into a scoop, slips out and shoves Grimes into buckles. Grimes elbows back, hops up, but Ciampa CHOPS first! And CHOPS again! Ciampa CHOPS again, but Grimes kicks him. Ciampa SHOVES Grimes to the floor! Thatcher stands up, but Tyler Rust rushes in! Ciampa intercepts with a KNEE, then has Rust in the ropes! Grimes runs in and BOOTS Ciampa! Grimes whips Ciampa but Ciampa bails out to avoid the Cave-in! Ciampa plays cat ‘n’ mouse and KNEES Grimes in the ropes, to then hit WILLOW’S BELL! Cover, Ciampa wins!

Winner: Tommaso Ciampa, by pinfall

Distractions, interference, ambushes. None of it worked on the truly tough! The two stare down as Ciampa makes his way out. Thatcher claims he had nothing to do with Rust showing up, but Ciampa doesn’t believe it. Will the Professor of Pain find a way to break Ciampa down?

Grimes gets mad at Thatcher for coming out here and being ringside! But then Thatcher gets Grimes’ leg and TWISTS it! Grimes writhes and clutches his knee! Will Grimes finally learn to think before he speaks?

Backstage interview with Raquel Gonzalez.

We all saw Raquel get the win for her team at WarGames, but will face Ember Moon 1v1. “WarGames was the biggest night of my career. Not only did we win, but I pinned the NXT Women’s Champion.” As much as Raquel wants to celebrate, the win came at a cost. Dakota Kai is home and hurt because of what Ember did to her! After tonight, Ember will regret ever coming back to NXT. Will Big Mami Cool bring down the Moon before we see another Eclipse?

The brutal training continues.

Xia Li spars with the wooden dummy until her hands and forearms bleed! Shifu demands she hit harder and faster! Boa meanwhile is being hit again and again with kendo sticks. And Shifu demands he take harder and harder hits! She hits, he gets hit, over and over and over. What is going to happen to these two if they continue to endure this torturous training? When will “she” and Shifu be satisfied?

The Johnny Gargano Way is here!

The NEW North American Champion, as well as Candice LeRae, Indi Hartwell, and the newest addition, Austin Theory, are all here to celebrate! Gargano is dancing with the title around his waist because he is the historic THREE-TIME North American Champion! Gargano gets a mic for him and Candice but leave Indi and Austin hanging. “For months, we told you that we were going to show you the way. Well, you’re looking at it.” Not just the present, but the future of NXT! Indi Hartwell, Austin Theory, “General” Candice and the NEW NXT NAC! “Ladies and gentlemen, open your eyes, because we are the way.”

Sunday was the way it’s done! Sunday, they dominated! Gargano became champion! #ThatIsTheWay! Candice won WarGames! #ThatIsTheWay! Yeah, the milky way! Austin, no… Indi says anyway, Austin is just excited for tonight. Gargano says they overcame a lot. Candice broke her arm, and do you know how many stitches are in Gargano’s mouth right now? A lot. There was blood everywhere like a crime scene! Look at his mouth! That’s barely a cut… But he made history again to be the first-ever three-time, three-time, THREE-TIME North American Champion. And then of course, Candice, in back-to-back years, led her team to victory in WarGames. If Johnny is Mr. TakeOver, Candice is Ms. WarGames! Oh stop~!

Gargano points out to everyone that Candice is very humble. Very humble. Gargano tells fans to shut up and understand Candice is humble, and that this is a special moment for them! Just wait for it! Stop making him yell with his stitched mouth! Gargano says he has a surprise for Candice! Oh really? Wow! Indi, is it ready? Yeah? Go get it for her! This was imported from Italy, it’s so expensive! Especially with overnight shipping. Indi carefully sets it down, and Gargano has her and Austin give us a drum roll. “Drdrdrdrdrdrdr” and dancing pecs- Okay, we should’ve rehearsed. But Tim in production give us a good drum roll. TATATATATATAT! TADA~! A bright green trophy! The doll’s head is Shotzi’s head.

Candice is so honored. Johnny says this is for the greatest WarGames general ever! The fans chant, “The Trophy Sucks! The Trophy Sucks!” and Gargano says they’re ruining the moment. Candice says they shouldn’t have. She does deserve it, but now she feels bad because she didn’t get Gargano something. It’s okay. The only trophy he needs is his NXT North American Championship! And after he beat Leon Ruff and Damian Priest with help from his boy, no look high five~! Ruff and Priest are upset, they want a match with Johnny and Austin next week. That’s totally fine, because he has a theory, another no look high-five, that the result will be the same as WarGames! They’re going to show the whole world that if you’re not in The Way, stay out of their way! Get it?

Priest wants everyone to hold on. He has to congratulate Gargano for what he did. And Theory, congrats for his sweet reveal. Does he have the pipe with him? Cuz Priest is gonna shove it up Theory’s ass! Priest heads to the ring but then KARRION KROSS attacks! Kross throws Priest into boards! He obviously heard what Priest said earlier and now he throws Priest into the GIANT X on the stage! And then into the edge of the LED board! And then he stalks Priest to the edge of the stage, and POWERBOMBS Priest through it!! Fans lose their minds but also boo as Kross scowls and storms off. He joins Scarlett in their car and drives off into the night. Will Priest have to choose who he gets revenge on first?

NXT Media catches up with Tyler Rust.

He and Thatcher attacked Ciampa together a couple weeks ago, are he and Thatcher a team? But before Rust can answer, Malcom Bivens walks in and says it’s been a week since he gave Rust his business card. Clearly, Rust has had time to think. Rust showed initiative, so let’s talk business. Rust and Bivens head out, is Bivens Enterprises adding someone new to the client list?

Killian Dain VS Pete Dunne!

Big Damo said he wasn’t done with Dunne, and he was right! This match is because of their confrontation earlier tonight, and that was because of Dunne trying to CRUSH the Belfast Beast with a car door! Will Dain utterly destroy Dunne in return?

The bell rings and the brawl continues from earlier! Dain throws hands on Dunne in a corner, the ref counts but Dain lets off at 4, to TOSS Dunne away! Dunne comes back, but his kick is blocked and Dain RAMS Dunne into buckles! Dain rams in more, the ref pull shim away and Dunne ROCKS Dain with a right! Dain ducks a kick to BOOT Dunne back! Dain dares Dunne to stand and then BOOTS him out of the ring! Dunne gets up, Dain goes out after him and BOOTS him down again! The ref starts the ring count, Dain looms over Dunne at the ramp. “You want to put me on the shelf, huh!?” Dain puts Dunne on the apron and SLAMS his chest on the edge! Then ROCKS him with a right!

Dain gets up but Dunne kicks him back! Dunne goes out but Dain scoops him! Dunne slips off, Dain stops from being posted, and Dunne KICKS the leg! Dunne fires off hands, but Dain grabs Dunne by his chin! Dain goes to headbutt but Dunne moves, and Dain hits POST! Dunne grins as he KICKS Dain down and gets into the ring! The count is 6 of 10 but Dunne goes back out. Dunne brings Dain to the apron and STOMPS his head! Dain flounders into the ring, Dunne puts him in the corner and rains down forearms! The ref counts, Dunne lets off, but then comes back to bring Dain up into a chinbar and neck wrench. Dunne puts Dain’s head down to STOMP it again!

Dain stirs, Dunne kicks him around, then Kowata kicks him! The ref reprimands the hair pulling but Dunne goes after a hand. Dunne twists the wrist and throws more kicks, but Dain just glares back! Dain powers up, reels Dunne in and OVERHEAD SUPLEXES! Dain gets up, stalks Dunne and puts him in a corner for body shots! Dain whips Dunne to the corner, Dunne goes up and over then comes back to ENZIGURI! Dain staggers, Dunne shoves and SNAP GERMANS! Dunne STOMPS the hands, then BUZZSAWS Dain down! Dain gets to the apron again and Dunne scowls at him. Dain talks trash, “Is that all you got?!” Dunne kicks Dain right as NXT goes to break!

NXT returns and Dunne stands on Dain’s head in the corner! The ref counts, Dunne hops off at 4 and Dain checks his jaw. Dunne stalks Dain, wraps on a chinlock and leans his weight on Dain’s head and neck. Dain endures, fans rally up, and Dain fights his way up but Dunne hops on! Dunne smothers Dain with the chinlock but Dain pries free, and BACKPACK SENTONS! Dunne clutches his leg, surely a leftover injury from WarGames. Dain goes after Dunne and corner splashes! And then whips Dunne corner to corner, to run in and splash again! Dain rains down fists but the ref counts. Dain stops at 4, walks it off, and Dunne gets up for Dain to run in. Dunne dumps Dain out but Dain gets on the apron to catch Dunne, for an URENAGE! And SLINGSHOT SENTON!

Fans fire up with Dain as he reels Dunne in! POWERBOMB! And ELBOW DROP! Cover, TWO! Dain seethes but keeps his focus as he looms over Dunne. Dain throws hands, drags Dunne into a corner and digs him into buckles now! Dain then Electric Chair lifts Dunne, but Dunne fights out to get the arm! Dain stays up in the triangle hold, dead lifts Dunne, and SIT-OUT BOMBS! But he can’t make the cover from the damage done to him, too! Dain and Dunne slowly rise, Dain runs to SHOTGUN dropkick Dunne to the other corner! Dain runs in to CANNONBALL but into buckles as Dunne dodges!

Dunne drags Dain into Danielson Stomps in the corner! The ref counts, Dunne lets off to climb up top. Dain gets up to ROCK Dunne first! Dain climbs up, SUPER FISHERMAN BUSTER!! Dain crawls to a cover, TWO!! Dunne survives and fans are fired up for “NXT! NXT!” Dunne manages to sit up but Dain is right on him. Dain drags Dunne up by his chin, but Dunne ENZIGURIS again! Dain wobbles, Dunne has the fingers! Dain breaks free, shoves and LARIATS Dunne! Dunne sits up in a daze, Dain has wild eyes as he fireman’s carries Dunne for the WASTELAND! Dain drops a back senton and heads for the corner, but here come Oney and Burch!

Dunne’s buddies distract Dain, but Maverick is back! Maverick fights those two off with a chair! Rockstar Spud says he’s got this, but then they come back and blindside him! Dain goes out to fight the NXT Tag Team Champions, and now they leave! Dain goes back to the ring but Dunne KICKS him through the ropes! Dunne drags Dain up, pump handles, and hits the BITTER END! Cover, Dunne wins!

Winner: Pete Dunne, by pinfall

A bitter end indeed! Dunne didn’t do it alone, he had the One Two for the assist! But Dunne just shrugs. Will the Bruiserweight have the brawlers backing him up when he goes after Balor?

Backstage interview with Leon Ruff.

After what we saw Kross do to Priest, earlier, is Ruff concerned about next week’s match against #TJGW? But before he can answer, Gargano and Theory come by to answer it for him. They just saw Priest being taken out of here, “ain’t no way he’s gonna be ready.” Priest should shoot those imaginary arrows from his hospital bed! HAH! But Ruff is a “brave little soldier,” so he’ll surely take them on 2v1, right? But before Ruff can answer again, KUSHIDA comes over to volunteer! Ruff accepts with a fist bump! Will the Timesplitter make this his time against Johnny Wrestling?

Raquel Gonzalez VS Ember Moon!

Coming off the biggest win in her career so far, #RickyDesperado wants to wreck the woman who waylaid Dakota Kai! But will Raquel only be the next to learn what Ember’s Law is all about?

The bell rings, Ember avoids Raquel’s grasp and then CHOPS her! And then dodges again to KICK! Raquel is just getting annoyed and wants Ember to take this seriously. Ember is in the corner and then goes up but Raquel dodges the boot! Ember runs, Raquel denies the rana and pops Ember up but Ember lands on her feet! Ember goes up but the Code Breaker is caught! Raquel TOSSES Ember away and Ember lands hard! Raquel drags Ember up to thrash her about with a chin grip! They end up on ropes and then in a corner but the ref counts. Raquel ELBOWS Ember hard at 3, then TOSSES her again!

Ember flounders to a corner, Raquel drags Ember up and TOSSES her back the other way! Ember writhes after landing hard again. Raquel drags Ember up, whips her to a corner, then runs in to corner splash! Raquel shoves Ember around, drags her up and whips her again, but Ember pops through the hip toss, only for her arm-drag to be blocked! So Ember boots from below then sweeps the legs! Raquel reels Ember in but she breaks free and mule kicks! So Raquel throws Ember down by her hair! Raquel drops elbow after elbow then covers, TWO! Raquel seethes while fans rally for Ember.

Raquel drags Ember up, whips her to ropes, but Ember holds the ropes and dodges the boot! Raquel hobbles and Ember throws forearms! Ember dropkicks but Raquel only wobbles! Ember dropkicks again and Raquel leans on ropes. Ember runs in and dropkicks again! Raquel is still up, but the fourth dropkick drops her to a knee! Ember fires up, runs and SLIDING SHOTS! Raquel rolls out to the apron to deny a cover! Ember grows frustrated, but she fires back up and builds speed, to SPEAR Raquel to the floor! Both women crash down as NXT goes picture in picture!

Ember sits up and grins while the ref comes out to check her and Raquel. They’re both okay to continue so the ref starts a count. Ember is in fast but Raquel staggers up at about 5. Raquel is in but Ember is on her with a facelock! Ember cranks on the hold but Raquel stands up. Raquel powers up and RAMS Ember to a corner! And RAMS her again! And again! Raquel digs Ember deep into the corner, lets off at the ref’s count, and then reels Ember into a lift and toss. Ember lands on her feet but Raquel BOOTS her down! Cover, TWO!

Raquel seethes, drags Ember up by her hair, and then whips Ember to a corner. Raquel hurries over to stomp Ember, then she CLUBS Ember down! Ember crawls but Raquel kicks her over! Raquel looms over Ember, then cranks her head with the chinbar! Ember endures, fights up and throws body shots. Raquel clubs Ember again, gut wrenches her up, and has the Canadian rack to a Gory Especial stretch! Ember endures being bent back with her arms and hair, then a chinbar! NXT returns to single picture as fans are thunderous for Ember! Ember endures as Raquel cranks on the arms again!

Ember powers up, Raquel holds on but Ember sunset flips! Raquel stays up, drags Ember up, but Ember jawbreakers back! Ember runs and leaps, but into another BOOT! Cover, TWO! Raquel clamps onto an arm, grinds Ember down and pulls hair, but the ref reprimands. Raquel gets a chinbar again, cranks on neck and arm at the same time as fans rally and duel. Ember fights up, rolls, and boots Raquel away! Raquel just scowls as she kicks Ember. Ember kicks back and Raquel talks trash. Ember reaches up to headscissor Raquel into buckles! Ember hurries up top, aims at Raquel and BOOTS her, to then reel her in, for a TORNADO SUPLEX!

Both women are down and writhing as fans fire up! Raquel and Ember go to opposite ends, Raquel runs but Ember dodges! Ember dodges the boot, fires off arms and uppercuts, then mule kicks, front kicks and ENZIGURIS! Raquel wobbles while Ember roars! Ember runs in at the corner, handspring FOREARM! Then a bull- No, no bulldog, and Raquel scoops, but Ember tilt-o-whirls to a DDT! Cover, TWO! Raquel goes to ropes, Ember runs in and dropkicks her out! Ember builds speed and DIVES to send Raquel into the announce desk! Ember sees the girders are still here from WarGames, and she climbs them! But Raquel yanks her off them, to LAWN DART POST her!!

Raquel puts Ember in, covers, TWO!?! Raquel is beside herself that Ember is still in this, but the fans are thunderous! Ember stirs, Raquel stalks her, and then runs in at the corner, but into boots! Ember slips out as Raquel runs in, Raquel POSTS herself! Ember KICKS Raquel back in! Roll up, TWO! Raquel is down but still in this and now Ember is thinking what else she must do. Ember goes to a corner, climbs back up, and takes aim… ECLIPSE- NO?! Raquel catches Ember out of the air, thrashes her around, but Ember throws elbows to get free! Ember runs, but Raquel LARIATS!

Raquel drags Ember back up, ready to end this! Fisherman and lift, but Ember victory rolls out of the slam! TWO!! SUPER- NO! DESPERADO BOMB!!! Cover, Raquel wins!

Winner: Raquel Gonzalez, by pinfall

Pinning the current NXT Women’s Champion at WarGames, pinning a former NXT Women’s Champion tonight, no one can deny the power of Raquel Gonzalez! Will she be #1 contender sooner rather than later?

But first, Toni Storm returns and says, “What do we have here?” Toni picks Ember up but then Rhea’s entrance music alone scares her! The Nightmare saves Ember, and stares down her old NXT UK rival, as well as her newest rival in Raquel. Raquel says Toni can go so that she and Rhea can stare down. The female titans circle and the fans are loving the idea of another go! But Raquel decides that will be for another time, she already did enough tonight. Will Rhea make sure Raquel has to deal with her before she gets at Io Shirai?

My Thoughts:

A great NXT to follow WarGames! We get a lot of well done intermingling of stories while developing the overall stories of contenders for titles. Balor’s promo being interrupted by honestly all great contenders was a natural move, and I liked how he handled it. Kross makes his return already by beating up Priest for what he said, so I bet that’s the first feud for Kross’ in-ring return. That’s honestly a great move, as Priest isn’t quite top title material yet, and his style can pair with Kross’ very well. Kyle wanting in is fitting since he came so close last time. Dunne is definitely the singles guy for “The Kings of NXT,” and I like that Dain came back for revenge. Dunne VS Dain was a great match, and was properly overbooked with Maverick, Oney and Burch doing things. I feel like that will shift Dain and Maverick over to going after them as a tag team program for New Year’s Evil.

The Triple Threat Tag we got was great, because it had three great teams, and was the better type of Triple Threat Tag where it’s a triple threat fused with a tag match. Of course, Ever-Rise were clever to let it be more like the other kind of Triple Threat Tag until it suited them to get in. GYV getting the win makes some sense. They came in with more fire and are the team that would make history by having held both NXT UK and prime NXT tag titles in their careers, so they have to be next for Oney and Burch. Atlas VS Swerve was a great match, and clearly Swerve is going to turn Heel soon. Ciampa VS Grimes was a really good follow-up to both of their TakeOver matches, even with Thatcher and Rust getting involved. Ciampa still wins because he’s moving up those ranks, and could easily be the contender to Balor’s title after New Year’s Evil.

Bivens returning to recruit Rust is a nice move, since Indus Sher kinda shot themselves in the foot way back when Keith Lee won both top and North American titles. The new Bivens Enterprises starting with a young hopeful like Rust is a good move, and I’m interested to see who else joins. The Johnny Gargano Way had a good segment, though I hope they don’t go too hard on Austin Theory being a big of a meathead. Their match with Ruff and Kushida is going to be a lot of fun, and that is clearly setting up Kushida VS Gargano for the NAC at some point, maybe even New Year’s Evil.

We got a lot of great stuff out of the NXT Women’s Division. Toni brawling with Shirai only for Ember to get her own payback was good for setting up the very end of the night. Ember VS Raquel was an awesome main event, practically a contender’s match right there. Raquel has the hot hand so her winning was great. Toni coming back for revenge only to be startled by Rhea was pretty good. Rhea and Raquel teasing their rematch was fun, and I imagine a bit of this is improvising since Candice legitimately injured her arm and Dakota needs her own time off. Maybe we get one massive contender’s match to set up a match with Shirai at New Year’s Evil. Or the contender’s match is on New Year’s Evil and then Shirai VS the winner is given a big build to the next TakeOver. Either way, all the praise people give NXT for the women’s division is well deserved.

My Score: 9.2/10