Coverage
Mitchell’s WWE NXT Results & Report! (8/10/21)
Will NXT plunge back into chaos?
William Regal presides over the Cole-O’Reilly face to face!
Before the 36th TakeOver event in NXT history, before everything comes to blows, William Regal will TRY to keep the peace between the volatile and violent Adam Cole and Kyle O’Reilly!
OFFICIAL RESULTS
- Dakota Kai VS Sarray; Kai wins.
- LA Knight w/ Cameron Grimes VS Andre Chase; Knight wins.
- Gigi Dolin w/ Jacy Jayne VS Amari Miller; Dolin wins.
- NXT Breakout Tournament Semifinal: Odyssey Jones VS Trey Baxter; wins and advances to the finals.
- Boa w/ Tian Sha VS Drake Maverick; Boa wins.
- Ilja Dragunov VS Pete Dunne; Dunne wins.
PLAY BY PLAY
Ember Moon is NOT medically cleared!
She wanted her revenge on Dakota Kai, but the medics couldn’t allow her to compete. So taking her place against Kai is…
Dakota Kai VS Sarray!
But before the match, #CapKota calls out Raquel Gonzalez! “I hope you’re watching, Mami. Because I’m about to defeat the undefeated Sarray and prove that I am no one’s sidekick. Cuz you’re looking at the next NXT Women’s Champion!” Will Cobra Kai sink her fangs into her substitute opponent? Or will she burned by the Warrior of the Sun all the same?
The bell rings and the two circle. Sarray offers a handshake but Dakota slaps it away! Fans boo but Dakota doesn’t care as she and Sarray circle. They tie up, Dakota gets an arm and wrenches to a wristlock, Sarray fights the hold, wrenches back, then wristlocks. Dakota slips through to wrench and wristlock back, but Sarray rolls, kips up and wrenches! Dakota moves around but Sarray wrangles her to the mat. Sarray hammerlocks, Dakota fights up and throws Sarray down! Dakota slaps Sarray around but that only angers Sarray! Dakota whips Sarray to a corner, Sarray goes up and over and elbows! Sarray stomps Dakota and fans fire up!
Dakota turns things around to throw forearms in return! Dakota whips Sarray to ropes, Sarray reverses and springboards to arm-drag! Sarray kips up, fires up, and kicks Dakota! Sarray reels Dakota in to scoop, carry around, and SLAM her down! Sarray gets the legs, ties them up and drops down as fans fire up again! Sarray bridges back for a MUTA LOCK! Dakota endures, and pulls Sarray’s hair! Dakota drags Sarray down and out of the hold to AX KICK her on the back! Sarray gets to ropes but Dakota gets her up. Dakota bumps Sarray off buckles, digs her boot into the throat, but stops as the ref counts 4. Dakota drags Sarray to a cover, TWO!
Dakota is annoyed but she wants the fans to respect her, their future champion! Dakota clubs Sarray, drags her up but Sarray throws body shots. Dakota CLUBS Sarray down, uses one foot for a cover, ONE! Sarray kicks back but Dakota hammers her at the ropes. Dakota bends Sarray back against the ropes but the ref counts. Dakota lets off, fans chant, “YOU SUCK! WOOP WOOP!” but Dakota drags Sarray up to snapmare and KICK her! Cover, TWO! Dakota snap suplexes Sarray to a cover, but Sarray goes Matrix, only for Dakota to throw her by hair! Cover, another Matrix bridge and Sarray elbows Dakota away. Sarray runs, rolling takedown, ONE! TO THE MUTA LOCK!!
Dakota reaches as Sarray focuses on the legs! Dakota grits her teeth, claws her way around, and gets the ROPEBREAK! The ref counts, Sarray lets go at 3 and stomps Dakota down! Sarray kicks Dakota to a corner, then stands on Dakota at the ropes! Sarray uses ropes to go up and DOUBLE STOMP! Cover, TWO! Dakota crawls away, Sarray is after her and gets Dakota up, FISHERMAN SUPLEX! Bridging cover, TWO! Sarray keeps the fire going while NXT goes picture in picture!
Sarray goes to a corner and climbs up top. Dakota stands, Sarray jumps and missile dropkicks her down! Cover, TWO! Sarray stays fired up as Dakota flounders around. Sarray rallies the fans then dares Dakota to stand. Dakota is in the corner, Sarray runs in and Dakota drop toeholds her into buckles! Dakota stomps away on Sarray then drags her up. Dakota whips Sarray to ropes, Sarray holds those ropes, but Dakota slides and trips Sarray to spin and BOOT her! Dakota then gets in to cover, TWO! Dakota grows frustrated and she takes it out on Sarray’s back. Dakota bends Sarray then SLAMS her head down, and repeat! Cover, TWO as Sarray bridges!
Dakota clubs Sarray to ropes, then drags her up. Dakota chokes Sarray on the ropes! The ref counts, Dakota stops at 4, and she clubs Sarray down again. Sarray gets to a corner, Dakota stands on her in return for earlier, but still lets off at 4. Sarray gets up and throws body shots and kicks, but Dakota ROCKS Sarray with a forearm! Dakota snapmares, covers, TWO! Dakota wraps on a chinlock and squeezes tight. Sarray endures as Dakota makes it a straitjacket stretch and thrashes her about. Sarray fights up, then JAWBREAKERs free! And dropkicks Dakota down! Both women are down and fans fire up!
NXT returns to single picture as Sarray throws forearm after forearm! Dakota stays up but Sarray gets around to GERMAN SUPLEX! Sarray aims from a corner, runs in, wheelbarrow takedown to a cover, TWO! DUBLE STOMPS! Fans fire up more as Sarray paces. Sarray gets Dakota up, waistlocks again, but Dakota resists the lift! Dakota throws elbows, gets free and runs, but Sarray dodges to shove and waistlock, GERMAN SUPLEX! Bridging cover, TWO!! Dakota escapes but Sarray is firing up! Sarray gets Dakota up, half nelson but Dakota blocks the rest. Dakota elbows Sarray then whips her to a corner. Dakota goes side to side, BOOT WASH! Dakota drags Sarray to a cover, TWO!!
Fans rally harder for “NXT! NXT!” but Dakota drags Sarray up. She taunts Sarray but Sarray throws forearms. Dakota forearms back so Sarray hits again. The forearms fly faster and faster, turn into haymakers, and fans fire up as Sarray ROCKS Dakota! Dakota wobbles but SCORPION KICKS! Sarray flounders against ropes, Dakota runs but into a DROPKICK! Speaking of, Dakota is on the ropes and Sarray fires up! Sarray runs, SUNLIGHT DROPKICK!! But she’s not done with one, she goes again! Dakota gets out of the way to AX KICK Sarray down!! Both women are down, fans are thunderous, and Raquel Gonzalez has arrived outside!!
Fans are fired up as Sarray rolls Dakota, TWO! Dakota stands but into a wheelbarrow and victory roll! Dakota shoves Sarray away but Sarray rebounds to jackknife! TWO, and both women fire up! Sarray HEEL KICKS Dakota, then HEEL KICKS her again! But Dakota follows Sarray Around the World to BOOT her down!! Cover, Dakota wins!!!
Winner: Dakota Kai, by pinfall
In the blink of an eye, Sarray loses her first NXT match, and it IS to Dakota Kai! But she isn’t done with the Warrior of the Sun! Dakota runs but HERE’S RAQUEL! Dakota runs the other way now! Raquel can’t catch her so she gets a mic to call her out! “DAKOTA KAI! You will never beat Raquel Gonzalez, and you will never have this! If you wanted a chance, all you had to do was ask. Well, chiquita, at NXT TakeOver, you’ll get your opportunity. But at TakeOver, I am going to tear. You. APART!” Former friends turned bitter enemies, will Team Kick’s captain be CRUSHED by Big Mami Cool?
Indi Hartwell prepares for her date!
And both Johnny and Candice can’t stand it. Candice says, “We have done everything for these kids. We bought this house so they could each have their own bedrooms.” But Johnny says they can’t have Indi running away like Austin Theory did. He’s out there, half-naked in the wilderness somewhere, they can’t have this happen. Indi loves Dexter, they’re dating now, Johnny and Candice have to make this work. Ding dong. Dexter’s arrived. Gargano gets the door and the two stare down. Johnny “invites” Lumis in, and Lumis enters.
Indi finishes up her make-up and Candice says everything looks great. But, and Candice doesn’t want to ask, but does she have any- Indi tells Candice to stop worrying. As a former NXT Women’s Tag Team Champion, she’s so strong she doesn’t need protection! That’s not… Sigh.
Meanwhile, Johnny and Lumis are staring down more in the living room, and Johnny asks what Lumis’ intentions are with #IndiWrestling. Not talking, huh? Well then Johnny will Lumis what’s happening tonight: Lumis will take Indi to a nice restaurant, show her a great time, and then bring her up by 10 PM. “And no funny business, okay?!” Indi walks into the room and sees the bouquet of darkened roses Lumis brought. They’re of course for her and she asks what they’re doing. Oh, wait, is it a surprise? Indi loves surprises! She takes him by the hand and they leave. Johnny and Candice reluctantly say, “Have a great time!” but then grumble behind the door.
Johnny tells Candice not to worry, he already has Indi’s phone GPS-tracked! They hurry off to their car so they can follow #InDex! But is there no way they can stop this romance now that it’s rolling?
Hit Row speaks.
An angry Ashante Thee Adonis says, “This all started when Legado started talking real spicy!” B-Fab says they tried to let this go, but then Legado went and jumped Top Dolla and Swerve! Dolla says it’s cuz Legado knows damn well, if they puled up face to face, their teeth would become chiclets. The second Escobar put his hands inside Swerve’s mouth to snatch his grill, he not only disrespected Swerve, he disrespected Hit Row and their culture. Swerve has the luchador mask Escobar used to cheat him once! Here’s Swerve “respecting” Escobar’s culture now. He puts it in the fire! Will this pale in comparison to the fireworks that pop off when Swerve and Escobar meet in a match?
Ilja Dragunov is here!
Just 12 days ahead of TakeOver 36 and his rematch for the NXT UK Championship, the Moscow Madman is here in the CWC to speak! “I’m not a man of big words. Simply because where I come from, and on the path I have been going, words didn’t mean anything. But pain has meant something. The struggle has meant something. The sheer, blind belief in fighting spirit has meant something!” So his strength is not in his mouth, but in his fists! So with his fists and everything else that he is, he will make the “unthinkable” happen.
Dragunov vows that on August 22nd, TakeOver 36, “you will witness chaos! You will witness rage! History will be made, and an unbeatable kingdom WILL fall!” Dragunov will do that by ending Walter’s reign and becoming the NEW NXT UK Champion! However, a former NXT UK Champion arrives! Pete Dunne slowly makes his way into the ring and gets himself a mic in the process. “Beofre you get ahead of yourself, you owe me a big ‘thank you.’ Because without me traveling the world with the UK Championship, putting NXT UK on the map, and carrying the entire continent of Europe on my back,” Dragunov doesn’t get his match, doesn’t get to TakeOver, and damn sure doesn’t get to stand in front of the Baddest Man in NXT.
For that matter, Dragunov should count himself lucky. If Dunne had stayed in the UK, he would’ve put Dragunov in his place a long time ago. Dragunov tells Dunne that speaking of big words, Dunne has a lot of them. Dragunov is not here because of Dunne or anyone else. He is here because he did nothing else than giving everything he has and carried his so-often destroyed body straight to the top! Dragunov will make the impossible possible when he beats Walter, not something Dunne can change, nor something he ever did! But that’s in two weeks. How about Dunne shows Dragunov that his words are as strong as his will? Dragunov wants to fight tonight!
Dunne says Dragunov must be as mental as he looks. After tonight, Dragunov won’t even make it to TakeOver! In other words, Dragunov’s challenge has been accepted! Will the Bruiserweight break Dragunov’s spirit or just his body?
Backstage interview with LA Knight and Cameron Grimes.
McKenzie brings up Knight ditching Grimes last week, and Knight says she can’t be serious. “Let me talk to ya. First, put some respect on his name. He is The Butler, okay? And if anybody left anybody hanging, he left me hanging.” Grimes lost, Knight kept saving him, over and over. The people were going nuts for “L A KNIGHT!” It was a madhouse! Knight gave Grimes a chance to make up for the golf course, but then he failed because Grimes is a failure! But Ted DeBiase- Don’t worry about him, Ted’s filling Grimes’ head with delusions. Just like every millennial when they were told, “You’re special~!” NO NO! Ain’t nothing special about The Butler Grimes. Grimes was always meant to be a butler.
But Grimes will find out how to win, because there is only one Million Dollar Megastar, one man who runs this! Whose game is it? Whose game is it, Grimes? It’s L A Knight’s game… That’s right, dummy! Now put the title on his shoulder. Grimes does as told, and he follows Knight out of the locker room. How much more can Grimes put up with?
LA Knight w/ Cameron Grimes VS Andre Chase!
NXT returns and Knight’s opponent is the former (and self-proclaimed) Number One Seed in the Breakout Tournament. Will Knight be teaching everyone a lesson in winning tonight?
The bell rings and the two tie up. Chase gets around to waistlock but Knight throws an elbow. Knight headlocks, Chase powers out but Knight runs him over. Things speed up and Chase hip tosses Knight down! Chase arm-drags Knight, only for Knight to yank him into ropes! Knight kicks and hits the BFT! Knight covers, Knight wins!
Winner: LA Knight, by pinfall
Knight did make quick work of Chase thanks to #BluntForceTrauma, but now he wants Grimes to attend to him. Grimes wipes Knight’s sweat off his brow, but now Knight wants Grimes to shine his shoes! Grimes crouches down, but here comes Ted DeBiase! Grimes is ashamed and Knight is shocked as the Million Dollar Man walks out. DeBiase blows right past Knight to get a mic. “This has gone too far. Cameron, I know you’re a man of your word. But… But I have a lot more for you. You could be doing a lot of other things.” Knight insists Grimes is destined to be a butler, but everyone tells him to shut up.
DeBiase says the one thing Grimes shouldn’t ever be is a butler. He believes in Grimes, and the people believe in Grimes! The fans chant “TO THE MOON!” and Grimes nods. Knight asks DeBiase what he wants, then insists he should go to the back, then says DeBiase better have something important to say or get punched in the mouth again! Fans boo and DeBiase glares at Knight. Grimes keeps the peace, and DeBiase tells Knight, “You need to shut your mouth.” And Grimes, you can be whatever you want to be. Just follow your heart. Be what you want to be, Grimes. And you want to be a champion, right? DeBiase thinks that if Knight puts the title up one more time-
Knight interrupts with “NO NO NO!” He’s won twice, there’s no third! Feed Grimes all the false hope you want, here’s the reality. Grimes can’t win, it’s scientifically proven. But at TakeOver 36, Knight has a deal. Grimes is Knight’s butler. But at TakeOver, they can have another match, but third time ain’t always a charm! And if Grimes somehow wins by the grace of God, then Grimes can have the title! But the bottom-line is, WHEN Knight wins for a third time, Grimes won’t be Knight’s butler, DEBIASE will be! Grimes doesn’t want DeBiase to accept this but DeBiase says he’s a gambling man. His money’s on Grimes, and he’s got a LOT of money! Challenge accepted!
The highest of stakes for the Million Dollar Man, but what else for the most lavish prize possible? Can Grimes win his freedom while securing DeBiase’s? Or will Knight be gloating all the way to the bank?
Gigi Dolin arranges flowers.
Or rather, starts cutting the flowers off their stems… “We are people that are just surviving. You come home every night, driving yourself insane like I do, because you’re never satisfied. Io Shirai, Ember Moon, Raquel Gonzalez, Dakota Kai, unlike you, this isn’t just our job, this isn’t a 9-to-5, this is everything to us. And it’s not just about surviving. It’s about taking notice and running through every top woman in this business. And I’m not doing it alone.” If Gigi isn’t alone, who else is fighting to do more than survive?
Gigi Dolin w/ Jacy Jayne VS Amari Miller!
Aha! So it’s Jacy who Gigi was referring to. They were both seen talking with Mandy Rose backstage, is this somehow related to that conversation?
The bell rings and Gigi circles with Amari. They tie up, Gigi gets an arm then throws Amari by her hair. Amari scrambles away and Gigi grins. They tie up, Amari gets around, waistlocks, hammerlocks, but Gig switches, spins and wrenches Amari to a hammerlock and snapmare! Gigi then pie faces Amari and laughs. Jacy cheers Gigi on as she and Amari go again. Amari waistlocks, Gigi elbows out hard, then Gigi runs, but into a forearm! Amari back elbows, whips and reels Gigi in for a NECKBREAKER! Cover, ONE! Amari scrambles after but GIgi gets away. Gigi is on the apron, she throws Amari down then YANKS the arm against the apron!
Gigi gets in, drags her by a leg, but Amari holds ropes. Gigi stomps Amari’s hand, gets her up but Amari throws shots. Gigi ROCKS Amari back, whips her to ropes and ROCKS her again! Gigi whips Amari again to ROCK her again, then back around for a wrench and cobra twist! SPINNING COBRA TWIST POWERSLAM?! Cover, Gigi wins!
Winner: Gigi Dolin, by pinfall
Gigi said she’s not like the rest, and that was definitely not like anything anyone has ever seen! Will Gigi have any more surprises for the NXT Women’s Division?
NXT catches up with #InDex on their date.
They’re at Fresco Cucina Italiana and are ready to order. Indi says they will have the calamari, the mussels, the stuffed mushrooms, the chicken fingers and a large salad. After all, Lumis doesn’t (can’t?) talk. But Indi just loves chicken fingers! She’s so glad they ordered those, that’s like a classic thing, right? “All Heart to Poison Pixie. Do you have eyes on Index?” Wait, who? Did Lumis hear that? “I repeat, do you have eyes on Index? Over.” Indi looks around, but Lumis doesn’t seem to notice. Or is it he doesn’t mind? Indi storms over to a propped-up menu and snatches it away. It’s Candice! “Hey…! Wow, of all the rest-”
Johnny asks Candice on their walkie-talkies if she sees Index. Indi tells Johnny to lave her and Lumis alone, they’re on a date. Candice? No, it’s Indi! Over and OUT. Candice says they’re made, abort the plan! Indi goes back to Lumis, they hold hands, and does even Lumis smile? Is this the beginning of a true American love story?
William Regal, and extra security, stands by in the ring.
“In 12 days, at TakeOver 36, it will be Adam Cole VS Kyle O’Reilly III, the Undisputed Finale!” He now asks both men to join him in the ring. First out is Adam Cole, saying he IS the black ‘n’ gold brand, “always have been, always will.” Cole of course gets in his “BOOM!” and “ADAM COLE, BAYBAY!” before Kyle makes his entrance. Regal continues to speak, laying down the rules of the match: It will be two out of three falls, and each man chooses a stipulation for a fall apiece; if there needs to be a third fall, Regal chooses that stipulation. Regal lets Kyle go first. Kyle says the only reason he isn’t ripping Cole’s head off is because he has respect for Mr. Regal.
But Kyle has been thinking of some crazy stipulations and all the tools he could use to abuse Cole. But that loss at Great American Bash doesn’t sit well with Kyle. So for Kyle’s stipulation, it will be a straight-up singles match with pinfall or submission. Cole almost laughs at Kyle but Kyle says Cole is such a narcissist, losing that standard match will shatter Cole’s ego worse than a chair ever could. Cole says Kyle is so predictable. Of course Kyle goes with this, Kyle is delusional! Kyle continues to live in a world where he sees himself as the better competitor, when for 13 YEARS, Cole has proven time and again that he is better than Kyle at this job in every way!
And speaking of The Bash, Cole won 1v1, fair and square. But Kyle is continuing on the “win” at Stand & Deliver. Kyle knows the one, it was where Cole had him beat but the ref was down. And it was the one that doesn’t even count on their records because it was unsanctioned! Then a few weeks ago, Kyle decides to SMASH Cole’s head into steel steps, making it crystal clear what Kyle really wants. And unfortunately for Kyle, Cole wants that, too! The second fall needs to be a Street Fight! And Cole tells everyone not to even worry about Regal’s stipulation, because it ain’t going to the third! Cole will win in a 2-0 sweep, and will win the Cole VS O’Reilly saga!
Kyle asks Cole if he even understands why Kyle did that. It’s because Cole taught Kyle that. As far as Kyle’s concerned, Cole was asking for it by sharpening the blade and handing it to Kyle. Kyle knows what being human garbage has done for Cole. Kyle may be naïve to think he can be a nice, upstanding citizen while still achieving his goals, “but ain’t that just a kick in the nuts?” Kyle has his priorities straightened. He is literally willing to do anything to put Cole down for good. Kyle doesn’t care. And now that he doesn’t care, he’s the most dangerous man Cole’s ever faced.
Wow, does Kyle hear himself? How much of a MORON can he be? Of course Cole taught Kyle! He’s taught Kyle for 13 YEARS, and for 13 YEARS, Kyle has tried to follow in Cole’s footsteps! For 13 YEARS, Kyle has tried to live up to Cole’s standard, and for 13 YEARS, Kyle has ridden Cole’s coattails. Because whether Kyle wants to admit it or not, but Cole has said it over and over, “You will NEVER be Adam Cole!” Cole is the GREATEST NXT superstar of all time! No one can touch him! No one ever has, no one ever will! Kyle is just a footnote in Cole’s career! So how about Cole teaches Kyle something else, right here and now?
Cole tells Kyle that his biggest problem is that he doesn’t have a killer instinct. Kyle is soft. #CoolKyle is pathetic. Oh he’s taking his jacket off now? Big tough guy wants to hit him? He won’t because Kyle is nothing, and means nothing to Cole! They shove then brawl and security rushes in! Regal knew this would happen, so he’s already naming the third fall here! It will be… IN A STEEL CAGE!! The three stages of Hell have been set, but will either of these two survive them?!
Tommaso Ciampa & Timothy Thatcher speak.
Old Man Ciampa says that Pete Dunne and Oney Lorcan want us to fear them as the baddest men in all of NXT. But a couple weeks ago, they could’ve proven just that against him and #ToothlessTimmy. But instead, they needed help. They needed a third man. Enter Ridge Holland: young, big, blue chipper. The industry chooses people like Ridge Holland, and Pete Dunne chose Ridge Holland, too. Ciampa gets that, he does. But here is what Ridge is not: He is NOT Thatcher, he is NOT Ciampa. These are two men who have traveled the world perfecting their craft, sacrificing, passionate, because THEY chose this industry, and continue to choose it.
Hell, let’s get real! Thatcher & Ciampa DEFINE everything that is GOOD, that is JUST, that is PURE about this industry! But Ridge wants to enter this world and make a name for himself? Hell, let’s party! Ridge Holland VS Tommaso- Thatcher puts a hand on Ciampa’s shoulder and says, “Please, sir, with all due respect, Ridge Holland VS Timothy Thatcher.” Alright. Class is in session! What painful lesson will the Northern Grit learn from Professor Thatcher?
Imperium speaks.
“We are here to protect the purity of our sport! By any means necessary-” Wait, MSK interrupt! Payback from last time as they even pretend to be Imperium. “What is wrong with our division?” “Interrupting opponents to have a message said.” “Rude!” “Childish!” They can’t hold in their laughter any longer, and throw off the “ImperiuMSK” jackets. That’s more like it! But Imperium, all that stuff you’re spewing about MSK’s reign being meaningless is crazy! Don’t they understand that MSK is the IV drip in this division, bringing it to life?
So if they want to be next in line for a title opportunity, if they want this work, if they want to risk it, if they want this two-piece side o’ the biscuit…!! Just let them know. They’re fighting champions. MSK All Night and All Day. With the challenge thrown out, will Barthel and Aichner choose to respond with action?
NXT Breakout Tournament Semifinal: Odyssey Jones VS Trey Baxter!
It’s been quite the journey, but there’s just one more step before the finals! Will Odyssey’s epic continue? Or will #AllHeart be enough to see him through to the other side?
The bell rings and the two circle. They approach, Baxter gets around but Jones breaks the waistlock to throw Baxter down. Baxter grins as he sits up and Jones likes the fighting spirit. They circle but as fast as Baxter is, Jones is big and has him cornered. Back suplex but Baxter lands on his feet! Baxter tries a schoolboy but Jones stays up! Baxter shifts but the sunset flip doesn’t work any better. Jones brings Baxter up with both hands, throws him but Baxter rolls! Fans fire up as both guys enjoy this. Baxter says toro toro, but Jones says that’s child’s play! Jones eggs Baxter on so Baxter runs and forearms! Jones stays up, Baxter fires off and throws fast hands!
Baxter goes to run but Jones reels him in and back suplex TOSSES him! Fans fire up with that showing of strength, and Jones storms in at the corner. Baxter slips out and ROUNDHOUSES Jones back, then springboards, but into Jones’ hands! Jones TOSSES Baxter across the ring and fires up! Fans rally for “OD-Y-SSEY!” as he gets Baxter up. Jones gut wrenches with one arm, but Baxter sips out to a sleeper hold! Jones stays up, throws Baxter off hard, then drags Baxter up. Baxter ENZIGURIS, but Jones stays up! Baxter ENZIGURIS again and is free. Jones storms in, gets caught in the ropes, tiger feint to the leg!
Jones staggers, Baxter springboards in and dropkicks a leg out! BASEMENT DDT! HEEL KICK BUZZSAW! Cover, TWO!! Baxter keeps moving while Jones is still down, leaps but Jones dodges! Jones SPLASHES Baxter in a corner, then swinging URENAGES! Cover, Jones wins!
Winner: Odyssey Jones, by pinfall (advances to the Breakout Tournament finals)
Baxter’s heart was all in, but his body just wasn’t big or strong enough! Jones’ odyssey continues, will he be THE Breakout superstar?
Samantha Irvin interviews Jones at ringside, congratulating him on officially making it to the 2021 Breakout Tournament. How does he feel? “Well first thing’s first, WHAT UP, NXT UNIVERSE?!” And they have no idea how excited he is to be going to the finals and finally have his breakout moment. “Look, Mama! I made it!” After waiting a whole year in the back, will Jones finally be a star?
Tian Sha speaks.
Boa says, “Disobedience will NOT be tolerated.” Mei Ying blows her dragonbreath! Who will be next to burn at the hands of Tian Sha?
NXT returns, outside Mr. Regal’s office.
McKenzie Mitchell says Mr. Regal has big news towards next week’s episode, and then Kushida walks out through Regal’s door. Malcolm Bivens is telling Regal that he will not regret this decision. Bivens also seems to be scouting as he looks at the two towering security guards. He hands them his Diamond Mine cards, and tells McKenzie that now Regal has news for her. Bivens leaves, Regal walks out, and he thanks McKenzie for being here. He just finished signing the papers, and next week will be huge.
First, MSK VS Imperium for the NXT Tag Team Championships! Second, after Bivens’ “convincing” argument and Kushida saying he wants a challenger, it will be Kushida VS Roderick Strong for the NXT Cruiserweight Champion! That IS big news! Will much of NXT’s golden landscape change this close to TakeOver?
NXT shares Mandy Rose’s tweet.
“Congratulations Gigi Dolin on your victory! It sure seems like the advice is already paying off.” There’s even a winking emoji, and an @ to get Jacy Jayne in on the tweet. What is the Golden Goddess working on in the background of the black ‘n’ gold?
Boa w/ Tian Sha VS Drake Maverick!
Xia Li may have failed to dethrone Raquel Gonzalez, but there are more titles for Tian Sha to take in NXT. Will Boa begin his own journey to the top of the men’s division? Or can Rockstar Spud halt his progress before it begins?
The bell rings, Maverick rushes in but into kicks! Boa BOOTS Maverick down then dares him to come back. Maverick dodges his boot, kicks the other leg, then keeps kicking! Boa THROAT CHOPS! Maverick sputters and scrambles away but Boa runs in. Maverick BOOTS Boa, CHOP BLOCKS him, then runs. Boa STRAIGHT PALM STRIKES Maverick in the chest! Boa snarls and stalks Maverick. Fans rally for Maverick but Boa stomps Maverick’s hand! Boa wrenches Maverick, knuckle locks and wrenches! Boa has Maverick on his knees and he KICKS Maverick down! Boa wrenches, knuckle locks, KICKS him more, and is toying with Maverick.
Boa wrenches, lifts Maverick with one arm, then SLAMS him down! Boa stands on the arm, digs his heel in, but Maverick pushes him away. Boa drags Maverick up, lifts him again, but Maverick hops onto his shoulders! Maverick spins and RANAS Boa to a corner! Maverick runs to dropkick Boa’s legs out, then keeps going! Fake out and redirect to another dropkick! Boa bails out, Maverick goes to a corner and climbs up, to SUPER SENTON!! Direct hit and both men are down! Fans fire up as both men writhe! Boa drags himself into the ring while Maverick shakes out his arms. Maverick drags Boa back out at 5 of 10 and SLAMS the leg on the apron!
Boa clutches his leg and the ref checks him. Maverick turns around, and GETS SMOKE IN THE EYES! Mei Ying appeared ringside and now blinds Maverick with her dragonbreath! Maverick flounders into the ring, into a ROUNDHOUSE!! Boa covers, Boa wins!
Winner: Boa, by pinfall
Boa redeems himself for past failures, with help from Tian Sha’s fearsome leader. Will he now be the face of their conquest?
NXT checks back in with #InDex.
Indi says Lumis is too funny! Indi feels like she could talk to Lumis all night! How was the food? She’s stuffed, but always has room for dessert. Oh, he’s got a little something. She gets it with her napkin. Here’s a cake for the two lovebirds~! Wait, that voice…? And then the waiter asks her, in a very NOT Italian accent, “You such a beautiful young lady! Why’a you date crazy man?” Johnny! Y-You mean Jonbo! Yes, he is Jonbo the wa- STOP! No, he show you- She snatches the toupee and the mustache. Well, fine! But Lumis better be paying for dinner! And y’know what? No cake for you! This is Johnny’s cake now! Indi says that’s their cake, they really did order one!
The two tug-o-war over the cake, and of course it goes FLYING into Lumi’s face! Lumis glares at Johnny through frosting and Johnny says, “See you at home!” Johnny runs away and Indi says she always has room for dessert. She wipes a piece off his face and eats it up. Then she leans in, as does Lumis, and Indi covers up the camera so we don’t see the kiss!
NXT looks closer at the coming war: Kross VS Joe.
The NXT Champion says, “Good evening. I have had a lot to say for a very, very long time. There are certain people who would’ve never stepped into a ring with me if they knew what my true intentions were. Everything needed to fall into the right place, at the right time. And that time and place… is now.” Kross wont’ deny that he enjoys hurting people. But someone needed to cause this suffering and chaos. And that someone was him. Regal started to doubt himself because of Kross, until SAMOA JOE returned to NXT! Joe speaks now, “Many people asked me, ‘After the injury, why’re you coming back?'”
To Joe, he isn’t returning. “‘Coming back’ is reserved for people who think they’re gone.” For Joe, it was about rebuilding. Kross says Joe is acting like Superman, here to save the day. Joe got to be enforcer, slapping around those who have big mouths. And none bigger than Kross while he’s been NXT Champion. Kross doesn’t bye that “crap.” Does anyone know the real Samoa Joe? He’s really just like Kross. Joe likes to hurt people, and nothing is wrong with that. #UnlessProvoked happened pretty quick. Comparing Kross and Joe is like saying a housefire is a hurricane. Both are dangerous, but one is just that much more.
Kross says, “Sure. But I resent the fact that he’s here pretending like he wants to change things. Samoa Joe just wants to control things.” Kross knew what Joe was all about from the first time they locked eyes: “He’s just another opportunist.” Joe is getting what he wanted, though: a second chance. Joe says it’s not even about the title. “I’m there to f*** him up.” Kross VS Joe, TakeOver 36. They each vow to put the other down, “by any means necessary.” When Joe goes out, so will the past of NXT. Because in the end, everyone pays the toll. Tick-tock. Neither man is going to back down, but they will meet face to face in next week’s go-home episode!
Ilja Dragunov VS Pete Dunne!
The Moscow Madman isn’t just ready for this, he was born for this! Will #UNBESIEGBAR show that even the Bruiserweight DOES NOT know violence like he knows violence? Or will Dunne break Dragunov like he does fingers: in a snap?
The bell rings and the CWC are thunderous already as these two tie up! They go around, Dunne uses a chinbar to wrangle Dragunov, then he cranks the arm. Dragunov rolls, gets up, but Dunne wrangles him again. Dunne has a grounded cording hold, Dragunov rolls through and gets up to roll, fireman’s carry takeover, then cover. ONE, Dragunov has an arm and wrenches it on the mat. The two fight up, Dunne hooks a leg to resists the snapmare, then he bends fingers! Dragunov endures, Dunne shifts to a toehold and then shoot the half. ONE, and the two stand off. Fans keep rallying as the two circle again.
Dunne and Dragunov approach, Dragunov gets a leg and trips Dunne. Dragunov digs his knee into an arm, then traps the other. Dunne headbutts from below, pulls on both ears and then drop toeholds. Dunne ties up the legs, stands on them, then drops back to pull on the deathlock! Dunne gives toying jabs then shifts to a headlock. Dragunov fights up, throws Dunne with a takeover, then shifts to grind the headlock. Fans cheer, Dunne gives quick hammer fists, but then fights up to power out. Things speed up, Dunne leaps and KNEES Dragunov down! Then he KICKS Dragunov in the back! And then another! Dragunov gets mad but Dunne SLAPS him down!
Dunne kicks Dragunov, drags him up, wrenches the arm but Dragunov breaks free. Dune ducks one but not the LEFT LARIAT! Dragunov waistlocks and drags Dunne up, GERMAN SUPLEX! Dunne lands on his feet and Dragunov actually likes that! Dunne rushes in, Dragunov goes Matrix! Then he PELES Dunne to a corner! Dragunov runs in to KNEE Dunne at the corner, then HALF HATCH SUPLEXES! Dragunov goes up the corner, leaps, and KNEE DROPS Dunne in the chest! Cover, TWO! Dunne is still in this but Dragunov knows he’s tough. Dragunov goes up the corner, Dunne rushes up top to get him, and has a wristlock!
Dragunov throws body shots, then CHOPS! Dunne falls back, Dragunov leaps, but into a BIG forearm!! Dragunov flounders out of the ring as NXT goes picture in picture.
Dunne smirks and shrugs while a ring count starts. Dunne goes out to fetch Dragunov, drag him up and around the way, and wrenches the hand and arm to hammerlock against the steps! Dunne STOMPS the arm, then jumps to DOUBLE STOMP Dragunov’s chest! Dunne leaves Dragunov behind with the count getting higher, but Dragunov gets in at 9! Dunne stomps, Dragunov kicks, so Dunne steps through to a modified deathlock! Dunne adds a bit of a toehold into it, but Dragunov endures and even shouts at Dunne. Dragunov pries at Dunne’s grip but Dunne jumps up to STOMP him down! Dunne goes after an arm again, standing on the hand.
Dunne drops knees right on the shoulder! And then bends the arm back, trapping it in his legs, then digs a knee into the shoulder. Dunne stands up to drop more knees! Dunne reaches over Dragunov to get his other arm, and he digs his elbow into Dragunov’s ribs! He even pulls Dragunov’s nose and ear before standing up to STOMP the other arm! Dragunov writhes but he can’t clutch either arm! Dunne sits Dragunov up and punches him right in the forehead! Dunne gets Dragunov up, wrenches an arm and grinds Dragunov down towards the mat. NXT returns to single picture as fans rally up. Dunne digs in knuckles wherever he can, but Dragunov manages a scorpion kick!
Dunne is more annoyed than hurt, so he TWISTS the arm, and kicks Dragunov down! Dunne gives Dragunov more toying kicks but Dragunov starts to grin. Dragunov eggs Dunne on, Dunne gives more kicks but Dragunov stands up. Dunne boots, Dragunov LARIATS! Dunne stays up to ROCK Dragunov, “THIS IS AWESOME!” as Dragunov LARIATS again! Dunne ROCKS Dragunov, Dragunov LARIATS Dunne, repeat! Dragunov gets the edge and CLOBBERS Dunne! Dragunov swings a big hammer fist but Dunne blocks it! Dunne has the arm between his feet and TWEAKS it! But Dragunov rebounds and LARIATS Dunne again! Dragunov keeps moving, ANOTHER LARIAT!
Dragunov is still going, but Dunne BOOTS him! Dunne shoves Dragunov to ropes, CONSTANTINE SPECIAL! Dragunov came back with the 619 clothesline and fans are thunderous for “NXT! NXT!” as these two rise. Dragunov gets Dunne’s arm, wrenches and knuckle locks to then CHOP and CHOP and CHOP Dunne down! Pump handle, but Dunne gets the arm and wrenches to a double wristlock! Dragunov fights through that to cobra twist and rains down elbow after elbow! Then the Gotch lift EXPLODER! Cover, TWO!! Fans chant for “NXT! NXT!” as Dunne and Dragunov stand again. Dragunov storms over but into a BOOT! Dunne runs in but Dragunov goes Matrix!
But Dunne KICKS an arm out! Dragunov is down, Dunne gets his fingers and bends! But Dragunov slips through and CHOPS Dunne off his feet! BACK SENTON! Waistlock, but Dunne slips through to FUJIWARA! But Dragunov rolls and stands, hooks a leg for a takedown and a rain of elbows! Dunne pulls Dragunov’s hair! And gives Dragunov knees right to the forehead! Dunne shifts over to the FUJIWARA! But Dragunov resists so Dunne floats to the other arm, FUJIWARA! Dragunov rolls, but into a TRIANGLE! He makes it a cover, ONE! Again, ONE! Dragunov shimmies out to drop an elbow, but Dunne knees him in the face at the same time!
Dunne again gets Dragunov into the TRIANGLE HOLD! And it’s on tight! Dragunov doesn’t stop, he DEAD LIFT POWERBOMBS Dunne! High stack cover, TWO!! FOREARM DROP!! Cover, TWO!?! Dunne survives that desperate shot and the fans are electric in the CWC! Both men are down but the fans hope they “FIGHT FOREVER!” because “THIS IS AWESOME!” Dragunov waistlocks, Gotch lifts, but Dunne pulls fingers again! Dragunov slips through to BACK HAND! But with the bad hand! Dunne stops both hands then BUZZSAWS! Whip, Constantine- No! The arm can’t hold Dragunov up! BUZZSAW and FOREARM!
Dunne drags Dragunov up, pump handles, but Dragunov slips through! Gotch lift, but Dunne victory rolls to an ARMBAR! Dragunov bridges to relieve pressure, but Dunne has the arm stuck! Dragunov rolls back?! Waistlock, Gotch lift, SUPLEX!! Bridging cover, TWO!?!? More like 2.7, but that’s still not 3! Dragunov goes to a corner, climbs up top, SUPER SENTON!! It just clips Dunne but Dragunov isn’t stopping here, anyway! Dragunov aims from the corner, “UN! BE! SIEG!” Walter?! The NXT UK Champion finally makes his presence known, just as Dragunov has this in his grasp. Dragunov kicks Dunne out of the ring and dares the Ring General to do this now!
But Dunne gets Dragunov in the pump handle! Dragunov fights the lift, switches and shoves Dunne into ropes, to then JUMP KICK him down! Dragunov resets, TORPEDO MO- FOREARM!! Pump handle, BITTER END!! Cover, Dunne wins!!
Winner: Pete Dunne, by pinfall
That was definitely a bitter end to this match, as the Ring General threw Dragunov off his game. Walter gets in the ring, stares down with Dunne a moment, but then Dunne shrugs and leaves. Walter drags Dragunov back up and SLAPS him down! And then wraps on the SLEEPER! But Dragunov still has life as he arm-drags Walter away! Walter rushes to his feet, and into TORPEDO MOSCOW!! Walter underestimated Dragunov’s fighting spirit here tonight, will he do the same at TakeOver? Will there finally be a NEW NXT UK Champion?
My Thoughts:
Another great episode for NXT, and though TakeOver isn’t for two weeks, this episode felt like the go-home. For one, we got a lot of big matches set up for next week. The NXT Tag Team and NXT Cruiserweight Championships are on the line since TakeOver is bringing in the NXT UK Championship and now the Million Dollar Championship. MSK had a good payback promo on Imperium, and of course Kushida will defend against Strong. It was a clever detail that Bivens gave his card to those really big security guards. On one level, Diamond Mine should have always been recruiting, even after their members were revealed. On another, they need new members because Nick Da Prick Khan decided to throw Tyler Rust away despite him being in the Diamond Mine story.
Knight had a good promo and a fast match, DeBiase returns again and of course helps motivate Grimes into going after the Million Dollar Championship one more time. This has to be the time Grimes wins, and the next phase of NXT can have Grimes as the fun-loving, money-spending, title-defending Million Dollar Caveman headed TO~ THE~ MOON~! Hit Row has a short but strong promo segment. Swerve VS Escobar for the North American title just needs to be declared already since we know that’s happening, and then they can go all out to finally settle this score that goes back to their days fighting over the Cruiserweight title.
We got a great pseudo-Prime-Target for Kross VS Joe, and Kross’ line about NXT’s past being done hits differently when you factor in all the talk and concerns about NXT. I will worry about NXT only when/if those things come to pass. All that aside, Kross VS Joe, Sleeper VS Sleeper is still more exciting than Lashley VS Goldberg, Spear VS Spear. Kross may not be a great in-ring guy, but at least both guys are in their prime, and neither guy is resorting to intimidating a teenager. Jones VS Baxter was a really good match for how quick it went. I already sensed the Breakout Tournament becoming The Big Hoss Tournament, so Jones winning makes sense. Hayes VS Hudson could still go either way, giving us a great tournament finals either way.
It was good to see Boa get himself a win, but I hope this isn’t NXT dumping Xia Li. Yes, her heel kick legitimately knocked people out, but the first time it happened, they should’ve realized how strong her heel kick was. Then they should’ve said, “Let’s book matches where that kick never comes into play again.” At the same time, Xia Li is still recovering from rib injuries suffered during her match with Raquel Gonzalez, but Boa’s promo made me think she was out of Tian Sha completely.
Everything with #InDex and The Way was well done and very funny. I’m still betting on Mixed Tag: InDex VS The Way, and THAT is the make-or-break for both the romcom and The Way as we know it. Johnny acknowledging that Theory’s missing is also a good sign, maybe Theory comes back home after the InDex saga wraps. Ciampa and Thatcher have a good promo, and I do like that Thatcher wants to take on Ridge Holland first. Gigi Dolin had a good promo, but the transition messed up the beginning so I don’t think I got those first few words right. But Jacy Jayne at ringside for Gigi’s match, and Mandy’s tweet right after, confirms another trio is forming.
Dakota VS Sarray was a great match, just as Dakota VS Ember would have been. I almost thought Raquel was going to interfere with the match but her getting there just after Dakota wins was still a good call. Raquel has a strong promo in response, and because Dakota is so devious on top of being skilled, I really feel that match could go either way.
Cole VS Kyle III is apparently following in the footsteps of Cole VS Gargano in that is Two Outta Three Falls, or rather an unofficial Three Stages of Hell. Tonight’s Cole-O’Reilly face-off was good, but it was definitely more because of Cole than Kyle. There was one flaw, though: Cole says Kyle has no killer instinct, but this is after the Unsanctioned match and that chain-wrapped knee drop, and after Kyle gave him the brainbuster to the steps. Cole even brought that up himself, so it just seems like a weaker part of his argument.
But at the same time, Kyle choosing a singles match is a weak move from both him and the booking team. Kyle could have at least spiced it up by saying it’d be a Submission Match. And personally, I was hoping Regal would up things a bit more than a Steel Cage match. Yes, NXT Cage matches are far better than RawDown Cage matches, but there’s still that cliché of “Now they can’t escape each other!” when it’s not needed. Cole and Kyle want to settle this, it’d be weird of NXT to write it as “And now Cole turns chicken.” Last Man Standing or I Quit would’ve better escalated things on a proper scale with Cole saying “Street Fight.” Standard match becomes Street Fight, dropping the disqualifications and ring counts, then LMS/I Quit drops pinfalls and submissions and it comes down to sheer will of character.
My Score: 9/10
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Time to defy the odds!
A tag team gauntlet and a Fatal 4 Way determine contenders that will challenge for NXT gold this Saturday at Stand & Deliver: Las Vegas!
OFFICIAL RESULTS
- NXT North American Championship #1 Contender’s Fatal 4 Way: Eddy Thorpe VS Lexis King VS Wes Lee VS Ethan Page; Ethan wins and will challenge Ricky Saints for the title at Stand & Deliver.
- NXT Women’s North American Championship Ladder Match Qualifier: Tatum Paxley w/ Gigi Dolin VS Lola Vice; Lola wins and advances to Stand & Deliver.
- NXT Tag Team Championships #1 Contenders Gauntlet: Hank ‘n’ Tank win and will challenge Fraxiom for the titles at Stand & Deliver.
- NXT Women’s North American Championship Ladder Match Qualifier: Karmen Petrovic w/ Ashante THEE Adonis VS Thea Hail; Thea wins and advances to Stand & Deliver.
PLAY BY PLAY
NXT North American Championship #1 Contender’s Fatal 4 Way: Eddy Thorpe VS Lexis King VS Wes Lee VS Ethan Page!
The Absolute holds what many want, but only one gets their shot. Will the Alpha Wolf be one step closer to his “birthright?” Will the Drama King look to go for another crown? Will the Wes Side return to former glory? Or will it be All Ego that meets Saints in Sin City?
But speaking of Saints, Ricky makes his entrance after everyone else is already in the ring! The fans fire up as the champion decides to join commentary. The bell rings and Eddy kicks at Ethan but Ethan blocks, only for Lexis to DECK Ethan! Wes then rolls Eddy up, but Lexis shoves Wes away! Lexis basement SUPERKICKS Eddy! Wes and Lexis stare down, things speed up, and Lexis hurdles, but Wes leaps over. Wes dodges Lexis, but Lexis steps on Wes’s dropdown! The fans are torn, but Eddy is up. Lexis wants Eddy to calm down, but then Ethan is also up. Lexis tells them both to calm down, but now Wes is up.
Lexis finds himself surrounded, and Wes feeds Lexis to Eddy’s KICK, and Ethan’s HAYMAKER! Wes adds a HAYMAKER, then Eddy KIKS again! Ethan HAYMAKERS, Wes ENZIGIRIS, and Lexis wobbles. Eddy TOSSES Lexis, the fans fire up, but then Ethan DECKS Wes! Eddy ROCKS and KICKS, KICKS, and SOBATS on Ethan! Wes runs up, Eddy gets around to GERMAN SUPLEX! Wes tumbles to a corner, Eddy BOOTS Ethan! Eddy runs and BOOTS Wes! Lexis is back, but Eddy dodges to BUSAIKU KNEE! Cover, Ethan breaks it! Ethan ROCKS Eddy, but Wes ROCKS Ethan! Eddy spins Wes, but Wes BODY BLOWS!
Wes KICKS, KICKS, and ENZIGIRIS Eddy, to then DOUBLE STOMP him down! Wes runs to ELBOW Ethan in a corner, mule kick, and AX KICKS! Wes then runs at Lexis, but Lexis dodges! Lexis dodges Eddy so Eddy runs into Wes! Lexis dodges Ethan, Ethan runs into Wes & Eddy! Lexis then SUPERKICKS Ethan into them both! Lexis runs corner to corner, but everyone clears out! Lexis POSTS himself! Wes BOOTS Ethan, Eddy kicks Wes, then Eddy reels Wes in. Wes wrenches out, slips around, but Eddy elbows free. Eddy runs, Wes dodges, and Ethan holds the ropes down! Eddy tumbles up and out and to the floor!
Wes runs up, Ethan puts him on the apron, but Wes RAMS into Ethan! Eddy grabs at Wes, Wes kicks him away, but Ethan ROCKS Wes! Wes is stuck in the ropes, so Ethan hits a DRAPING CODE BREAKER! Cover, TWO! Wes survives, Ethan drags Wes up, but then he sees Lexis climbing a corner. Ethan pushes Wes aside to ROCK Lexis! Ethan then climbs up to join Lexis, reels him in, but they both fire body shots! Lexis CLUBS Ethan, Eddy UPPERCUTS Lexis! Eddy climbs up to work with Ethan, but then Wes throws hands on the legs! Wes gets under all of this, and the fans fire up for the TOWER OF DOOM!!
All four men are down while the fans cheer on “NXT! NXT!” for making this the opener! Lexis flops out of the ring, Ethan and Eddy flounder, but Wes runs, SHOOTING STAR on Ethan! Cover, Eddy breaks it! The fans fire up as Wes and Eddy stand to trade forearms! Wes fires a body shot then a forearm, but Eddy fires a forearm, an UPPERCUT, and a KICK! Eddy snarls, but Ethan waistlocks! Eddy fires elbows to get free, but Wes BOOTS Eddy! Ethan DUMPS Eddy out, Wes DECKS Ethan! Wes builds speed and he DIVES into Lexis! Ethan let Lexis take that shot while he grabs Eddy. Eddy blocks the apron bump to elbow Ethan!
Eddy runs up, Ethan dodges, and Eddy almost hits Ricky! Ricky says watch it, but then Ethan SHOVES Eddy into Ricky! The fans go nuts, Ricky is pissed, and he THROWS Eddy aside to get at Ethan! The ref tries to stop this, but Ricky is too heated, so the ref EJECTS Ricky from ringside! The fans boo but Ethan just mockingly waves bye-bye. Ricky warns Ethan, the fans chant, “Ref, You Suck!” but NXT goes to break.
NXT returns and Lexis ROCKS Wes. Lexis reels Wes in, but Ethan BOOTS Lexis down! Ethan then scoops Wes to SLAM him onto Lexis! Ethan then THROWS Lexis into Eddy! Ethan drags Lexis up, but Lexis slips free of the Canadian Rack! Lexis grabs the arms, crosses them, then reels Ethan in, but Ethan trips Lexis up! Ethan turns Lexis over, BOSTON CRAB! The fans are torn as Lexis endures, and Lexis claws at the mat! Lexis crawls forward, but Ethan drags him back from the ropes! Wes runs up, Ethan ducks the lariat, but then Eddy YANKS Wes outta the ring! Eddy clamps onto Lexis with a CROSSFACE!!
Lexis endures double submissions, but then Wes STOPS Lexis from tapping!! The fans are thunderous, but Eddy is furious! Eddy lets go of Lexis to STOMP Wes down! Eddy then BOOTS Ethan down! Eddy goes up a corner as the fans duel, and Lexis UPPERCUTS Eddy! Lexis climbs, fires forearms on Eddy, and Eddy falls to the apron! Ethan CLUBS Lexis! Ethan has an Electric Chair, then he has Eddy in a facelock! But Wes goes up, up, and CANNONBALLS onto a DOOMSDAY DDT COMBO!! The fans are going nuts all over again while all four men are down! But then Ethan crawls to cover Eddy while Wes crawls to cover Lexis! Double covers, TWO!!
The fans fire up while Wes and Ethan grow frustrated. They stare down, then they throw hands! Wes fires a flurry, but Ethan ROCKS Wes with one! Wes PELES in return! Wes hurries to go up a corner! But Lexis SHOVES him down! Wes hits apron, Lexis climbs, SWANTON BOMB on Ethan! But Eddy is up top! He MACHO ELBOWS the cover apart! Eddy then drags Lexis up, but Wes rises! METEORA for Eddy!! Cover, Lexis YANKS Wes up! CORONATION!! But Ethan has Lexis! TWISTED GRIN!! Cover, ETHAN WINS!
Winner: Ethan Page, by pinfall (NEW #1 Contender to the NXT North American Championship)
Ethan smirks as he takes advantage of this golden opportunity. Ethan grabs a mic to say, “Well, I guess that makes me the man then, huh?” The fans are torn but Ethan says he is the #1 contender. Ethan knows he isn’t the guy Ricky wanted to win, and he has every right to believe that. Because everyone remembers their first. And the first championship in WWE for Ricky was ruined by Ethan Page! At Stand & Deliver, Ricky’s first title defense will also be ruined by- RICKY SPEARS ETHAN!! No more ringside ban, and the champ gets some payback! But will Las Vegas be absolute? Or will All Ego’s ego only expand exponentially this Saturday?
Jordynne Grace speaks.
“What you see today as The Juggernaut, multiple time TNA Knockouts Champion, this wasn’t how I started. I wasn’t scouted, I never had ‘star power,’ never really been a beauty queen. If it were possible to have negative aura, that is who I was. I was just a little girl wrestling in half-empty gyms, trying to find a place to fit in a world that didn’t seem built for me. I knew what people saw, or really rather what they didn’t see. But something I did have that not a lot of people in wrestling do, is self-awareness. So I finally stopped wishing that I had what I was supposed to have, and started building what I could become.
“I turned insecurity into intensity, doubt into discipline, and that was the day The Juggernaut was born. I fell in love with getting stronger. I became laser focused into building my body into an atomic bomb. Waking up at 3AM to train, jumping into a car to drive 8 hours to wrestle, hit another gym session after that, then sleep two hours and do it all over again the next day. And as hard as that was, I was obsessed with it. It was a way that I could stand out against all the other women. And to me, it was the only way. I wanted the WWE Universe to say, ‘Yeah, the WWE women are killing it, but have you seen Jordynne Grace over in TNA? That’s Jordynne Grace!?’
“I’ve put in the work so that no one could ignore me. I forced my way into the conversation and made people believe in The Juggernaut the way I believed in myself. Now, the biggest hurdle of my career is right in front of me this Saturday, when I have the opportunity to become NXT Women’s Champion. And just like I’ve been my entire career, I’m aware of exactly what I’m gonna have to do to leave Vegas with my first WWE championship.” Jordynne is ready, but will Grace survive in Sin City?
The NXT Women’s Division holds another watch party.
Sol Ruca asks Zaria who she thinks will take the last two spots in the Women’s North American Championship Ladder Match. Zaria isn’t sure, but it won’t matter when the outcome will be the same. Sol agrees there, because it’ll be one of them as the champ. Oh, really? Doesn’t Sol mean Zaria? Kelani Jordan hears this and takes offense. She thought #ZaRuca was fine. Uh, they are. New shirts and everything, thanks for asking. Well, it won’t be either of them, because Kelani’s going to be a TWO-TIME Women’s North American Champion. And she’ll show everyone why no one can do it like Lan- Izzi Dame interjects.
Izzi says good one, idiots. But y’know who Izzi misses these days? The old Kelani. She was way more likeable. Old Kelani, new Kelani, it won’t matter when Izzi’s the one on top of the ladder, holding the title, and bringing it home to The Culling. Keep dreaming, Izzi, it’ll never happen. Those two both head out, and Sol says it’s just like she said, either her or Zaria will walk out as champion. Zaria says sure, something like that. But to the point, who will get the remaining spots and fill out the six pack?
NXT Women’s North American Championship Ladder Match Qualifier: Tatum Paxley w/ Gigi Dolin VS Lola Vice!
The weird girls are hungry for some gold, but so is the MMA Mamacita! Will Tatum take over? Or will there be a Vice in Sin City?
The bell rings and the two tie up. Tatum rolls Lola, TWO, and Tatum narrowly avoids the roundhouse! The fans rally as the two reset and tie up. Tatum waistlocks, Lola switches, and Lola SLAMS Tatum down. Lola holds on as Tatum fights around, and Gigi coaches Tatum up. Tatum pries free, backflips up and over to then Oklahoma Roll, TWO! Lola has Tatum in a modified CROSSFACE! Tatum endures, fights to stack Lola, TWO! Lola runs up but Tatum kicks her away. Tatum wrenches, UPPERCUTS, then CLUBS the arm. Tatum grinds Lola down, the fans duel, and Lola endures. Tatum hits a BRIDGING FUJIWARA!
The fans rally, Lola fights around and reels Tatum into a TRIANGLE HOLD! Tatum high stacks, TWO! Lola lets Tatum go, but then BODY BLOWS! Tatum drops to her knees, Lola clamps on with a headlock, and Lola hits a takeover. Tatum fights around, but Lola puts on the pressure. Tatum fights up, Lola thrashes, but Tatum powers up and out. Lola ducks ‘n’ dodges to then whip Tatum, and Lola catches Tatum to a SLEEPER! The fans rally, Tatum powers out fast, but then Lola hits a SPINEBUSTER! Tatum bails out, Lola rushes after her! Tatum crawls under the ring? Lola grabs at Tatum but Tatum kicks her away!
Tatum scurries under the ring, Gigi taunts Lola, but Lola tells Gigi she’s estupida. Lola goes looking for Tatum, but Tatum YANKS her into the ring frame! Tatum laughs, Gigi says that’s what Lola gets, and NXT goes picture in picture.
Tatum taunts Lola, brings her up and into the ring, then drags Lola up to KNEE the arm again and again! Tatum wrenches and WRINGS the arm, then JUMPING ELBOW DROPS! Cover, TWO! Tatum grabs Lola’s arm, stomps it, then twists the wrist! Lola endures, but Tatum SLAMS the arm off the mat! Tatum bends the fingers, mockingly high-fives the hand, but Lola kicks her away! Tatum comes back and wrenches again, but Lola wrenches and WRINGS it in return! Lola SOBATS Tatum, whips and KNEES her low, and Tatum is in the ropes. Lola goes to the apron to AX KICK Tatum down! Tatum flounders into the ring but Lola pursues.
Lola whips and KICKS Tatum, then drags her up to reel her in. Lola snap suplexes! That’s Una Amiga as Lola gets up, for Dos Amigas! Lola drags Tatum up again, gives some Latina Heat, and hits THREE AMIGAS! Cover, TWO! Tatum stays in this and Lola grows frustrated. Lola stalks Tatum to the ropes, stands her up, and whips her to KNEE- NO, Tatum rolls Lola up! TWO, and Lola KICKS Tatum back down! Lola drags Tatum around, then clamps on with a chinlock. Tatum endures, even as Lola thrashes her around. Tatum fights up, RAMS Lola into a corner, but Lola holds on! Tatum RAMS Lola into another corner, but Lola clamps on again!
Tatum pries at the hold, RAMS Lola into the corner again, and now she’s free. Only to run up into headscissors! Tatum brings Lola off the corner to POWERBOMB! NXT returns to single picture as both women rise. Tatum dodges a kick, and she CLOBBERS Lola! And CLOBBERS her again! And ENZIGIRIS! Tatum wrenches Lola for a NECKBREAKER! The fans fire up while Tatum runs corner to corner and CROSSBODIES Lola in the corner! Tatum whips corner to corner to CROSSBODY again! Tatum goes for a third, but Lola KNEES the crossbody down! The fans rally, Gigi coaches Tatum, but Lola AX KICKS again!
Lola fires LIGHTNING KICKS and she backs Tatum up into the corner! The fans fire up for Lola as she reminds us, “I’m a Latina~!” HIP ATTACK! Lola drags Tatum out of the corner, covers, TWO!! Tatum survives and the fans fire up! Lola drags Tatum up, lifts her up, but Tatum sunset flips! TWO, and Tatum hurries to a corner. Lola runs in, but Tatum dodges! Lola gets stuck in ropes, Tatum CROSSBODIES again! Tatum brings Lola around to hoist her up top, and the fans duel even harder! Tatum climbs, Lola fires body shots, and Lola shoves Tatum down! Tatum comes back to GAMANGIRI! Tatum then climbs up, brings Lola up, and SUPERPLEXES!
The fans fire up, Tatum crawls to the cover, TWO!! Lola survives, but Tatum doesn’t stop! She hooks Lola up, but Lola pops free! SLEEPER!! Lola drags Tatum down, but Tatum rolls back to a cover! TWO!! Lola lets go in time, but Tatum throat chops! Tatum goes up the ropes, springboards, but into a SUPERKICK! And then the BUENAS NOCHES BACKHAND!! Cover, Lola wins!
Winner: Lola Vice, by pinfall (advances to Stand & Deliver)
Lola got the knockout, and now she’s punched her ticket to Las Vegas! Will everything come up LV this Saturday?
Giulia speaks.
“For the past few weeks, I watched Stephanie bask in the glory of being a double champion. I waited and waited for her to give me a rematch, but it never happened. Friendships only go so far when it comes to the NXT Women’s Championship. Last week, I reminded Stephanie of what Beautiful Madness is. Jaida Parker? I don’t know her, but I can tell she is very confident. She likes to dish out punishment, but she doesn’t like to take it. Jordynne Grace is strong, but on Saturday, I will introduce her to Strong Style. Jordynne and Jaida are obstacles in my way to Stephanie. My goal was to win the NXT Women’s Championship. Losing it only made me more dangerous.
“Last year at Stand & Deliver, I introduced myself. This year, I leave as the NXT Women’s Champion.” Giulia is ready, will all succumb to the Beautiful Madness?
A car pulls up real fast.
And out steps Trick Williams! #CrashOutTrick looks ready for a fight, will he find one this close to his NXT Championship Triple Threat?
Ava Raine is arguing with The Fatal Influence and Meta Four!
The NXT General Manager is trying to get Fallon Henley, Jacy Jayne, Jazmyn Nyx, Lash Legend and Jakara Jackson to all listen to her, but then Gigi & Tatum stumble in. Gigi brings up this other opportunity Ava talked about last week, and Ava says yes, that’s what this is about. But Jacy says it won’t be an opportunity for Gigi & Tatum. Ava says hold on, hold on. Everyone will get their opportunity at Stand & Deliver. There will be a Triple Threat Tag Team match, and after talking it over with Adam Pearce and Nick Aldis, the winners will get a WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship match for the NXT after WrestleMania.
Tatum & Gigi are fired up, as are the Meta Girls and Fatal Influence, but then Roxie storms in and says she just knew Ava would do this. Every single woman is going to be on Stand & Deliver except for Roxie, the woman who made this division the best Women’s Division in the WORLD! Ava says yes, hi, how are you, Roxie? Good job losing to Tiffany on SmackDown last Friday. But clearly she didn’t get enough because she’s back here bothering Ava. But hey, if Roxie can charm herself a tag partner, then Ava will happily make this a Fatal 4 Way. The others chuckle and Roxie says Ava has always had it out for her,
Roxie storms off and the others sarcastically wish her luck. Will Roxie be able to salvage one of the many bridges she’s burned around here? Or will the Prodigy be out of luck this close to Stand & Deliver?
NXT Tag Team Championships #1 Contenders Gauntlet!
Speaking of luck, the luck of the draw is going to be tested, and the team that survives the odds will battle Nathan Frazer & Axiom for the titles! But who do we have first? It’s Hank ‘n’ Tank! The Street Profits told them to just be themselves and it’ll be alright, but will Hank ‘n’ Tank be able to run the table?
Starting with them are Tyriek Igwe & Tyson Dupont! Will Ty & Ty represent for the Wes Side?
Hank ‘n’ Tank VS Tyriek Igwe & Tyson Dupont!
The teams sort out and Tank starts against Tyson. They circle, tie up, and are in a deadlock. They break, circle again, then tie back up. Tyson waistlocks, full nelsons, but Tank powers up. Tyson spins Tank to KNEE him in the face! Tyson runs and UPPERCUTS Tank down! Cover, TWO! Tyson storms up but Tank fires a body shot. Tyson ROCKS Tank, SPLASHES in the corner, then tags Tyriek. Tyson feeds Tank to Tyriek for a kitchen sink knee! Tyriek UPPERCUTS, then KICKS a leg out, to then BLINDSIDE LARIAT! Cover, TWO! Tank is toughing it out, but Tyriek bumps him off buckles. Tyriek runs, but Tank BOOTS him back!
Tank storms up, Tyriek headlocks, but Hank tags in as Tank powers up and out! Tank blows past Tyriek, Tyriek gets distracted, and Hank CLOBBERS him! Tank dodges Tyson’s sucker punch to triangle jump LARIAT! Hank ‘n’ Tank take the corners, and as Tyriek stands up, “HONK! HONK!” BIG BELLY SANDWICH! Hank scoops, Tank runs up, GRIDIRON! Cover, Hank ‘n’ Tank ELIMINATE Ty & Ty! The fans fire up while Wes is freaking out! But no time to rest, here comes Niko Vance & Brooks Jensen! Will Hank ‘n’ Tank be victims of The Culling?
Hank ‘n’ Tank VS Niko Vance & Brooks Jensen!
Jensen keeps Vance back, they have to do this the right way. Vance does start against Hank, and the two tie up. Niko RAMS Hank into the corner, then Jensen throws hands! Jensen tags in, and he ROCKS Hank! Jensen whips corner to corner but Hank reverses. Hank runs up and SPLASHES, then he runs side to side! Tank tags in, Hank LARIATS again! Tank adds a LARIAT! Niko runs up, Hank hits him with an atomic drop! Niko hobbles to a corner, Tank runs up to LARIAT! Hank LARIATS Jensen, then Hank ‘n’ Tank switch, more LARIATS for Jensen & Niko! And then more LARIATS! HONK HONK, BIG BELLY SANDWICH for Niko!!
Jensen staggers up, Tank gives Hank the boost into the SEATED SENTON! Cover, TWO! Jensen survives but Tank clamps on, and NXT goes picture in picture.
Jensen endures, fights up, and he bumps Tank off buckles. Jensen gives Tank more buckle bumps, but then Tank stops that! Tank keeps Jensen from running away to give him buckle bumps of his own! Shoutout to Matt Hardy with these “DELETE!” bumps, and then he SLAM DUNKS Jensen off the corner! Tag to Hank, and Tank puts Jensen up top. Hank ‘n’ Tank coordinate, and they DOUBLE HEADBUTT Jensen in the ribs! Hank pushes Jensen down, covers, TWO! Jensen stays in this but Hank stays on him. Hank whips Jensen to a corner, runs up, but Jensen BOOTS him! Jensen brings Hank over, tags Niko, but Hank gets loose!
Hank ROCKS Jensen, DECKS Niko, then dodges Jensen, only for Jensen to DUMP Hank to the apron! Jensen ROCKS Hank, and Niko Electric Chair Lifts Hank! Jensen lines up the shot, DOOMSDAY BULLDOG to the desk!! Hank goes down in a heap while The Culling stands tall! Niko then drags Hank up, bumps him off the apron, and Hank sputters around the way. Niko puts Hank in the ring, stomps him around, then drags him from his corner. Niko bumps Hank off buckles, then CHOKES him! The ref counts, Niko lets off, and he stalks Hank to a corner. Niko whips Hank corner to corner hard!
Niko tags Jensen, Jensen throws hands on Hank, then JABS, JABS, JABS! Jensen DECKS Hank, covers, TWO! Hank stays in this, even with blood in his mouth, but Jensen ELBOWS him in the head. NXT returns to single picture as Jensen whips and CLOBBERS Hank! Cover, TWO! Tank coaches Hank, the fans rally up, but Jensen clamps onto Hank with a chinlock. The fans rally harder, Hank fights up to his feet, and Hank fires body shots! The fans cheer, but Jensen turns Hank! Hank turns that to a backslide! TWO, and we see Fraxiom watching backstage as Jensen grabs Hank’s leg! Jensen drags Hank back, tag to Niko.
Niko stomps Hank again and again, then talks trash. Hank fires body shots in return, but Niko CLUBS him down! Niko taunts Tank, Tank warns Niko, and Hank LARIATS Niko down! The fans fire up, but Niko grabs Hank’s leg! Hank still crawls, but Jensen distracts the ref! The ref misses Hank’s hot tag! The fans boo as Tank has to go back! Niko scoops Hank, Jensen goes up, ASSISTED POWERSLAM! Cover, TWO!! Hank survives and the fans are thunderous! Jensen & Niko have no idea how this is possibly, but Niko facelocks Hank. Hank fights up, fights forward, but Niko CLUBS him down!
Niko tries to suplex but Hank blocks it! Hank suplexes Niko, but Jensen reaches out to push it down! The ref reprimands, but Niko suplexes! Hank slips free, shoves Niko away, Jensen tags in, but Hank hot tags Tank! The fans fire up as Tank rallies on The Culling! Tank LARIATS Niko up and out! Then he dodges Jensen to OVERHEAD SUPLEX! Tank dodges Niko to ROCK him! Tank runs to BLAST Niko off the apron! Jensen runs up, Tank cartwheels and LARIATS! A shoutout to the War Raiders, perhaps? Tank covers, Niko breaks it! The fans boo, but Hank is back! Hank and Niko grapple, Niko TOSSES Hank, but Tank TOSSES Niko!
But Jensen rolls Tank up! TWO, and Jensen runs! Tank ducks under the leg lariat, goes up, up, but leaps into a WHEEL KICK! Niko tags in, then he tags Jensen back! They hoist Tank up to the Electric Chair, and Jensen goes up, DOOMSDAY BELLY2BELLY!? Tank turns things around on Jensen, and Hank trips Niko! Tank covers, HANK ‘N’ TANK ELIMINATE THE CULLING!! Blink and you might’ve missed it! But Hank ‘n’ Tank have to regroup quickly, because here comes the No Quarter Catch Crew! Will Myles Borne & Tavion Heights be the ones to go the distance?
Hank ‘n’ Tank VS Myles Borne & Tavion Heights!
Myles & Heights rush in, they dodge Hank ‘n’ Tank, and Myles DROPKICKS Hank! Tavion fireman’s carries Tank for the DEATH VALLEY DRIVER! Cover, TWO!! Tank survives but Tavion knows he has Tank where he wants him! Tavion ROCKS Tank, whips Tank, and LARIATS Tank! Tag to Myles, the NQCC double whip to then DROPKICK! Cover, TWO! Tank is still in this, but Myles drags him up. Myles ROCKS Tank, ROCKS him again, and then tags Tavion. Feed to the fireman’s carry throw! Cover, TWO! The fans duel while Tavion rains down forearms! Tavion clamps on a chinlock but Tank endures the squeeze.
Tank fights up, the fans rally harder, and Tank fights up to his feet. Tank fights around, and JAWBREAKERS free! Myles tags in, but Tank tags Hank! Hank DUMPS Tavion, then fires haymakers on Myles! The fans fire up as Hank swings away, then fires fast hands from all sides! Hank whips, ELBOWS and then DECKS Myles! Myles staggers to a corner, Hank runs corner to corner, SPLASH and BULLDOG! The fans fire up as Hank goes to the outside, and he gets on the tracks! He uses the steps to FLYING BODY ATTACK on Tavion! The fans are thunderous as Tank is up, too! HONK HONK, BIG BELLY SANDWICH for Tavion!!
Wait, Myles FLIES?! Down goes Hank ‘n’ Tank and the fans are thunderous as NXT goes picture in picture!
Myles drags Hank up, puts him in the ring, and pushes him to a cover, TWO! Hank is still in this, but Myles KNEES him in the back. Myles drags Hank up, ROCKS him, then UPPERCUTS him! Hank flops against the ropes, Myles stomps away, but then stops as the ref counts. Tag to Tavion, and Tavion stomps away on Hank on the apron! Tavion steps in, kicks Hank to the floor, then takes a bow. Tavion goes out to fetch Hank for an APRON BACK SUPLEX! Hank writhes, Tavion pushes him in and covers, TWO! Hank is showing true grit, but Tavion fires forearms! Tavion whisp Hank to ropes, then LARIATS him down! Cover, TWO!
Tavion drags Hank up, whips him into a corner, then tags Myles. Tavion stands Hank up to feed him to the SNAP POWERSLAM! Cover, TWO! Myles is frustrated, but he sits Hank up to KNEE him int he back! Myles CLUBS Hank, ROCKS him, then fires body shots! Hank fires hands in return but Myles kicks low. Myles reels Hank in but Hank blocks the suplex! Hank cradles Myles, TWO! Myles stomps Hank down, then drags him up to ROCK him with a right! Hank flops over, Myles stomps him and taunts him, then ROCKS him again! Hank fires a body shot in return! Myles fires another haymaker! Myles stalks Hank, but Hank ROCKS Myles!
Myles comes back to ROCK Hank, but Hank ROCKS Myles! NXT returns to single picture as the hands keep going! Hank ROCKS Myles, both men flounder to their corners, hot tags to Tavion and Tank! Tank and Tavion fire fast ‘n’ furious fists and the fans fire up! Tavion RIPOS Tank’s shirt off! Tank ROCKS Tavion again and again! Tank whips, Tavion reverses to LARIAT! Tavion runs, but Tank ELBOWS him! Then Tank hits a BIG back suplex! Tavion is up!? Tavion hits a BIG back suplex! But Tank is up!? The fans are thunderous as these two run up, LARIAT from Tavion again! Cover, Hank just breaks it in time!
Myles storms in and TOSSES Hank! NQCC get Tank up, fireman’s carry, but then Hank drags Myles out! Tank shoves Tavion, rolls him up, HANK ‘N’ TANK ELIMINATE NQCC!! What a hot streak! But now, the final team is none other than Josh Briggs & Yoshiki Inamura! Will Hank ‘n’ Tank get past the Bullhead Brawler & Great Rush? Or will being themselves only get them this far?
Hank ‘n’ Tank VS Josh Briggs & Yoshiki Inamura!
Tank steps outside, but Briggs just goes after him! Briggs THROWS Tank into the steel steps while Inamura runs up on Hank! Inamura wrenches Hank to fire those fast hands! Then Inamura hits a BIG suplex! Cover, TWO!! Hank still has something but Briggs tags in. Briggs CLUBS Hank, talks trash, but Hank fires a haymaker! Briggs likes the fighting spirit and eggs Hank on. Hank fires more hands, but there’s not a lot of mustard. Briggs BOOTS Hank, whips him, then scoops him, SIDEWALK SLAM and a SPLASH! Cover, TWO!! Hank still has something left, and Fraxiom likes where this is going. Briggs tags Inamura and Inamura CHOPS Hank!
Inamura CHOPS and JABS on hyper speed! Tag to Briggs, he runs side to side and BOOTS Hank! Briggs brings Hank around, tags Inamura, CHOP into the CHOKE SLAM BACKBREKER COMBO!! Cover, TANK BREAKS IT! The fans cheer and Tank coaches Hank. The fans rally as hard as they can, but then Inamura runs up! Tank takes the CHOP for Hank! Briggs BOOTS Tank down, then he and Inamura double whip Hank! Hank ducks Briggs, shoves him into Inamura, then cradle for Briggs!! Inamura leaps but Tank anchors him! HANK ‘N’ TANK WIN!?!?
Winners: Hank ‘n’ Tank, by pinfall (NEW #1 Contenders to the NXT Tag Team Championships)
Incredible! Hank ‘n’ Tank start and finish this gauntlet, and now they’re headed to Las Vegas! Fraxiom may #NeverSlowDown, but Hank ‘n’ Tank never give up. What happens when irresistible forces meet immovable objects at Stand & Deliver?
Stevie Turner talks with Kali Armstrong.
The Evolve General Manager, and Ava’s assistant NXT GM, is very impressed with Kali, which is why she’s in the Fatal 4 Way main event of tomorrow night’s Evolve! Kali will take on Brinley Reece, Kendal Grey, and Chantel Monroe. Kali likes that, and says thanks for the opportunity, Stevie. Kali heads out, and Ava is there to say Kali’s gonna be a big star one day. Robert Stone agrees. But how stoked are we that Hank ‘n’ Tank just won the tag team gauntlet? He is so happy for those guys. Stevie agrees, the tag title match is set. But alas, there’s one last spot in the Women’s North American Championship Ladder Match to fill.
Ava says yes, but she found a last minute entry for that match. Oh? Who? Ava says don’t worry, you’ll know when the music hits. Ava teases something big, who will make a surprise entry? And will that certain someone soon Stand & Deliver?
A truck pulls into the parking lot.
And it’s Oba Femi! The Ruler brings his NXT Championship with him, but wait! Is that Dark State sneaking up behind him!? Are they going to go after the champ and ruin Stand & Deliver?
Jaida Parker speaks.
“When you see Jaida Parker, you’ve already made your mind up. Because of my old life, people have already made assumptions about me. And to be honest, I don’t care, because I never fit in anywhere anyways. People think just because you look the part that it’s easy. But just because I carry something with ease don’t mean that it ain’t heavy. See, this path to Stand & Deliver started right here, in Port St. Lucie. I laughed in these streets, I cried in these streets, and I started making a damn name for myself in these streets. And Stephanie, Jordynne, and Giulia, they all come from somewhere. I’m the only homegrown talent in this match.
“And yeah, other women might be intimidated by that. Hell, the entire world IS intimidated by that. But I learned right here in Port St. Lucie that if I can hang with the boys, then I can hang with anybody. Because baby, I am pressure. And I ain’t talking about the pressure that burst pipes. I’m talking about the pressure that creates diamonds! Because growing up, if you didn’t apply it, it was damn sure applied to you. See, my dad’s a coach, and he would never let me play football like my brother did. So I decided to go for the next best thing: Soccer. And that physicality, what? Man, I loved it.
“But with my dad also being my coach, people already made the assumption about me. I’ve been in a women’s locker room my whole life, so I know exactly how vicious it can be. All women wanna do is try and cut you down. And out here in NXT, we have the best division in the world. But I know deep down, none of them want me to succeed before they do. And that’s not my problem. My best friend is actually my uncle. Man, you talk about a support system, You wanna talk about keeping a smile on my face. That’s exactly what he did to me. And when I lost him, I learned real early on that I couldn’t trust nobody. Because if I could lose my best friend, who else can I trust?
“See, people assume I have an attitude. Nah, I’m just the way that I am because that’s what happens when you don’t fit other people’s agendas. That’s what happens when you lose the purpose of this all. Life made me hard. So nah, I don’t need no damn friends in no damn locker room. All I need is that big game situation. The moments that make or break you. And ain’t nobody been able to break me. And come this Saturday in Las Vegas, I’m gonna show the entire world that Jaida Parker don’t play. And I’m taking that NXT championship with me.” Miss Parker got #OutTheMud, but will she get that gold?
The D’Angelo Family arrives!
Stacks, Rizzo, Luca, and a few other cousins are here, but where’s Tony? Where’s The Don? Stacks says T ain’t coming. This was Stacks’ call. Wait, Stacks didn’t run this by Tony? Stacks tells Luca that he doesn’t need to justify his decisions, he’s the Underboss, this is his call. Are they with him or not? Luca says they’ve never backed down from a fight before, they sure won’t do that tonight. Dark State is already waiting, so it’s go time! Stacks has Rizzo move aside, and the boys get the crowbars out! Rizzo hurries to call Tony, but the fight is on! The crowbars hit first and they hit hard! The random cousins get taken out, but Stacks & Luca stand their ground!
Luca’s got Dion, Stacks has Saquon, they drag those two inside, but then Dion & Saquon fight free! They brawl around backstage, knocking into ladders and walls. Luca CHUCKS a trash can at Dion! Saquon SMACKS Luca with the trash can’s lid, then throws it into Stacks! Saquon grabs a chair, but Stacks grabs it from him! Luca SMACKS Saquon with another chair! But now Cutler & Osiris have caught up! They’re throwing off the other cousins, as well as security, and Cutler CLOBBERS Luca! Security still tries, but Cutler ELBOWS one, and CHOKE SLAMS another through a table! But then Stacks & Luca get Cutler with a DOUBLE BACK SUPLEX through a table!
Osiris shakes free of security to run up on Luca with a crowbar! Stacks gets Luca outta the way, and that crowbar goes into the wall! Then Luca & Stacks DOUBLE SPEAR Osiris through that wall!! Security drags Luca & Stacks up, Saquon and Dion are back, this brawl moves down some other hallway! They’re in the storage area, they crash into spare pipes, and Dion THROWS Stacks up against some spare lockers! And then Dion SLAMS the lockers down! Stacks avoids disaster, Luca SMACKS Dion off the lockers! Saquon comes back, armed with a fire extinguisher! Cutler & Osiris are back up, they brawl with the D’Angelos, but Saquon just BLASTS everybody!
Saquon is going wild, but then he JAMS Luca up with the extinguisher itself! Cutler THROWS Stacks against someone’s car! Security steps in, but one of them is sent into the car! Stacks CHUCKS a cinderblock! Cutler dodges, the block shatters on the ground, and Cutler scoops Stacks to LAWN DART him into the garage door! Saquon SMACKS Luca off the side of the car, then Dark State gets him up. DOUBLE URENAGE onto the hood! Another car pulls up, and it’s TON! CROWBAR SHOTS FOR EVERYBODY! Dark State is going into retreat as the cops get involved! Tony helps Stacks up, and he says HE called the police.
Tony now asks what the hell Stacks is doing! Going over his head?! Risking the family for something Tony didn’t sign off on?! Stacks says Dark State disrespected the family! Tony says yeah, but Tony had a plan. Stacks says he got caught up, and Tony says yeah, and Stacks should’ve listened instead. Because while Stacks got caught up in whatever the hell this was, Tony was handling business the way it’s supposed to be handled. They all want Dark State, okay? But not in some street, in some parking lot. They’ll do it in front of the entire world, on the biggest stage: Stand & Deliver! Because that’s what they do.
Tony knows what is best for the family. Stacks, do NOT question him again. Understood? Understood. Tony hugs it out with Stacks, but will the D’Angelos be able to end Dark State the right way?
Stephanie Vaquer speaks.
La Primera went home to Chile, and not only does she get to see family and friends again, but she’s also part of Chilean TV specials on this Road to WrestleMania. She is very happy to represent Chile at Stand & Deliver as well as all of WrestleMania Week, the most important week of the year. She reviews how she is not only the first woman to hold both the NXT Women’s & NXT Women’s North American Championships at the same time, but she’s the first Chilean women’s champion.
She then goes to her hometown of San Fernando to have a media moment with the mayor, Pablo Silva Perez, who is very proud that one of their own is now a world class professional wrestler. Vaquer tells the story of when, years ago, she told her father she wanted to be a wrestler. He was of course worried, but she told him she would one day be a champion in the WWE. During her career, she was winning titles all over the world, but he never got to see that because she couldn’t come home. But now, she gets to give him a big surprise, because she brought home replicas of the titles she won in NXT.
Vaquer feels so blessed to be home to have all the love and support of her people in Chile. And at Stand & Deliver, she promises to continue representing them with pride, passion and courage, always keeping Chile’s name high. Vaquer is ready, but will La Primera still be THE champion here in NXT?
Backstage interview with Hank ‘n’ Tank.
Kelly Kincaid is with tonight’s big gauntlet winners, and says they’re going to Stand & Deliver! Yeah, baby! Here we come! These past few weeks, they’ve gotten tons of advice from teams on Raw, SmackDown, and beyond. Some was good, some not so good. But tonight, Hank ‘n’ Tank stayed true to who they are, and they pulled it off! They learned who they are! But they also learned who they’re not. They didn’t change who they are, and they left it all in the ring! They took the gauntlet and gave it a bodacious belly boy booming twice! And now… They’ve got a chance at the titles at Stand & Deliver!
But in steps Frazer & Axiom. Axiom loves it! Hank ‘n’ Tank found themselves and they did it! Now they’re ready to put themselves to the test on the biggest stage, against the best tag team in NXT. Axiom looks forward to it. Frazer says he knew they could do it! He knew the entire time. Uh, no, Frazer gave them the worst advice possible. Oh, did he? They ran the entire gauntlet, but it’s just a shame they did it for nothing. Axiom is annoyed by Frazer, but Tank says agree to disagree. See you at Stand & Deliver. Hank ‘n’ Tank offer handshakes, Frazer says, “We most certainly will,” and then heads out? Axiom shakes hands, so at least one champion is respectful.
But will Frazer also learn to respect the bodacious belly boys? Or will Fraxiom, dysfunctional once again, still pull off the win?
Roxie meets with Ava again.
Roxie is so upset! Even Hank ‘n’ Tank get to go to Stand & Deliver and she doesn’t? Stone says those two beat four other teams, they deserve it. Well so does Roxie! Ava asks if Roxie found a tag partner. Actually, yes. Roxie thought about it, and she realized she’s a Prodigy for a reason. She’ll just be her own tag partner. That’s not how that works… And one Roxie is plenty anyway. Ava asks how bad she wants this. Really badly! Oh, is that so? Cora Jade steps in! Does Roxie want it so bad that she’s willing to apologize? Roxie is speechless, but she’s only got 4 days left. Will Roxie swallow her pride to go for glory with an old friend?
BREAKING NEWS for Stand & Deliver!
It seems during commercial, Roxanne did apologize to Cora, and now the mean girls are back in action! The Fatal 4 Way Tag match is now an ELIMINATION MATCH, and set for the Stand & Deliver Countdown Show! Who will start off their WrestleMania Weekend with a big win and head right for the WWE Women’s Tag Team titles?
NXT Women’s North American Championship Ladder Match Qualifier: Karmen Petrovic w/ Ashante THEE Adonis VS ???
It’s the main event and there’s one spot left in that six pack challenge! Karmen is ready to represent for Team SHING SHING, but who’s she up against? We find out, after the break.
NXT returns and wait, Andre Chase is talking with Uriah Connors & Kale Dixon. The boys want Mr. Chase to reconsider reopening Chase U, but he tells them that while he’s thankful for everything they’ve done for him, he’s… He’s just scared. What if he ruins their lives like he has everyone else’s? “You didn’t ruin mine.” THEA HAIL!? She’s back! And Thea says Mr. Chase has her blessings. He can reopen Chase U. Does that mean she’s back in? No, but she’ll always be a proud alumni. For now, she’s qualifying for the Women’s North American Championship Ladder Match! Then go get ’em, champ! Thea fist bumps Mr. Chase and fires up!
The music starts, “I’m a grown ass woman!” Thea runs out there, the fans go nuts already, Thea almost licks the title! Will everyone be shouting #HailYeah this Saturday in Las Vegas?
The bell rings, the fans chant “Welcome Back!” and even Karmen is happy to have Thea back. But then Karmen kicks, only for Thea to block! Thea spins Karmen, rolls her up, ONE! Karmen trips and covers, ONE! The two stand off and the fans cheer. Karmen and Thea reset, then things speed up. Thea rolls over the dropdown, then arm-drags! And arm-drags again! The fans fire up with Thea, she runs in and ELBOWS Karmen! Thea clinches for an EXPLODER! Karmen bails out, Adonis coaches her, but Thea builds speed! Thea DIVES, but into a GAMANGIRI! Karmen storms in, runs up, and she SLINGBLADES!
Karmen dares Thea to get up, then whips her, only for Thea to reverse. Karmen goes up to JUMP SOBAT! Thea flounders, Karmen DISCUS LARIATS! Cover, TWO! Karmen is annoyed but she rains down fists! Thea kicks free, but Karmen brings her up for a KICK! And KICK! And KICK, but Thea blocks it! Thea HEADBUTTS Karmen, then dodges a lariat to ELBOW Karmen down! And ELBOW her again! And then wrench and kick to the leg! BASEMENT CLOTHESLINE! The fans fire up and Thea runs, ROLLING NECKBREAKER! Thea hauls Karmen up, scoops and POWERSLAMS! The fans fire up with Thea as she shakes the ropes!
Thea SEANTONS, then TRUST FALLS! The fans fire up and Karmen flounders. Thea runs in, floats over, and underhooks for the BUTTERFLY TWIST! Then KIMURA!! Karmen TAPS, Thea wins!
Winner: Thea Hail, by submission (advances to Stand & Deliver)
Thea makes a return in a big way, and she’s on to perhaps the biggest match in her career! Thea looks around at ringside, we see #ZaRuca up in the perch, while Izzi Dame, Kelani Jordan and Lola Vice have appeared in different parts of the crowd. The six pack is complete, but who will be toasting their victory at Stand & Deliver?
Trick Williams heads to the ring!
The fans fire up and chant “Whoop Dat Trick!” as he makes his way out for what is to be one final faceoff between the NXT Championship Triple Threat competitors. Trick grabs a mic to keep that Booker T energy going, “Huh? I like it!” Trick says he’s been doing a whole lot of thinking lately about who he is. A couple weeks ago, Young OG came out here and said Trick… is the new Carmelo Hayes… But Trick gets it now. Because you either die the hero, or live long enough to become the villain. But Trick Willy still alive! And heavy is the head that wears the crown. Oba, your head may be heavy, but on Saturday, Trick’s coming for that crown, dawg!
And Je’Von, that means better luck next year for you! The fans cheer, but here comes Oba Femi! The Ruler changes the mood as he has belt around his waist and mic in his hand. Oba tells “Mr. Williams, it’s funny how you still talk like you’re the man around here. Well guess what? You’re not the man. What you are is a broken record playing the same hits over and over, and over and over again. And nobody is singing along, because you are the only one who is still whooping dat trick!” The fans disagree as they chant, “Whoop Dat Trick!” Oba says he’ll give Trick a word of advice: The spotlight is moving on, so Trick should do the same.
Trick gets one last chance to stand in the spotlight alongside Oba at Stand & Deliver on Saturday, and that will be Trick’s last time. Because when Oba is done with him, Oba is moving on, as well. Trick wants to ask, do Oba’s ears not work that good? Are those braids too tight? The fans are still chanting Whoop Dat Trick around the world, let’s talk about it! The fans cheer, and they again chant for Trick. But hey, what’s Oba got? He’s still The Ruler? It takes more than a few Black Panther chants to be the man around here, dawg! Trick says he’ll help Oba out, because it looks like Oba is struggling to hold that title up ever since Trick let him have it.
Trick will take that from Oba, that’ll help Oba out, and- Here comes Je’Von Evans! The Young OG has them cut his music, and he tells Trick, “Please, please, PLEASE shut yo’ ass up! Oh, I mean, I dunno, I could be trippin’, gang. But like, I guess the Young OG was right about Trick a few weeks ago. I mean, bruh, you come here week, after week, after week, after week, after week, after week… talking about a match that you deserve. And honestly, I’m gonna speak for some people here, at least for some. We tired of that! Like, if you gon’ talk, talk about something else. But you already know how I feel about you, so Trick Williams, you’re dismissed.
“Let’s talk about the Ruler now! HOO!” Je’Von steps in, fans chant “O~BA! O~BA!” Je’Von says, “I ain’t gonna lie, that’s cool. I ain’t gonna lie. Real recognizes real, OG. You’ve been glued to a championship ever since you got to NXT. Y’know what I mean? It’s like you’re on track to success. You walk into a room, and everybody knows who you are. And honestly, I’m not trying to be a smart ass fool, but those two times I dropped you, I was hype about it. Cuz I didn’t drop a regular wrestler, Oba. I dropped the NXT Champion! You feel me? That’s real talk.” The fans do cheer that. Je’Von asks how many times are we gonna hear, “Oba Femi will main event WrestleMania in a couple of years.”
And that’s not an “if,” it’s a “when” Oba gets drafted. And c’mon, Big O. C’mon, champ. Je’Von pats him on the shoulder and says yeah, he did that. But c’mon! Oba from the University of Alabama! Roll Tide! Roll Tide! The fans here being from Orlando, Florida, they’re not as into that. But Je’Von says bruh, Oba was supposed to get to Raw, SmackDown, and be great! But he walks around this arena, around the Performance Center, and around NXT like all this revolves around here. Deadass right now, bro bro… This kid from North Carolina wasn’t supposed to make it to WWE. But what’d he do? He did that!
And you think Oba is the favorite? But little do you know, that’s how Je’Von likes it. YERRR! Oba chuckles, and says, “Ladies and gentlemen, Je’Von Evans!” The fans cheer, and Oba says, “The Young OG! This is what 20 years looks like. Look at him. 20 years old. You’ve had a phenomenal rookie year. If anybody knows anything about having a phenomenal rookie year, it’s The Ruler, isn’t that right? And you’re the future of this place. But like I said, I’m the present. The future is not here yet. And you’re right about one thing: This place does revolve around me, because I have this!” Oba holds up the NXT Championship.
“Because I have this, that makes me the man! Because I have this, I’m the top dog! And you cannot handle this, because you are a CHILD!” The fans boo that, and Je’Von brushes that off. Trick says he’ll hope both of them out. After they’re done hugging and giving compliments, they’ll talk about what matters, and that’s Trick getting that title back. Belee dat! Je’Von says if they’re gonna talk about Saturday, it’ll be how neither Trick nor Oba can touch Je’Von in this ring. Because we all know Je’Von can wrestle circles around both of them, and that’s facts. The mics drop, but then Trick & Oba SHOVE Je’Von out of the ring!
And now Trick and Oba start throwing hands! The fans fire up, Je’Von returns, but he gets TOSSED out this time! Trick and Oba throw more hands, but Je’Von springboards in! DOUBLE O G CUTTER!! Je’Von stands tall over Trick and Oba, then holds up the title! Is this what we’ll see at the end of Stand & Deliver?
My Thoughts:
A great go-home NXT here, especially with the “last minute” builds to some big matches. I was a little surprised the Fatal 4 Way went first, but I suppose it was the match that needed time to breathe, while also one of the matches they couldn’t adjust on the fly if they needed to cut something for time. That technical stuff aside, it was an awesome opener with all four guys looking strong. Ethan did a great job sniping the finish there, but great stuff with Ricky being ejected just to come back and spear Ethan down. I hope Ricky doesn’t lose given he stood tall, but he and Ethan will have a great match for this title.
Very good stuff in the Women’s North American Championship build. Good promo from Sol, Zaria, Kelani and Izzi, and good stuff in connection. Thea Hail making her TV return was a great move, and a great win over Karmen here. Also, I do appreciate she gave Mr. Chase the encouragement to restart Chase U. Lola VS Tatum was also a very good match, and very good win for Lola. I can’t really be sure who wins the ladder match, but I feel like it’d be boring for Kelani to win again, she has to have a proper feud with someone before she becomes a two-time Women’s North American Champion. It’d be the most fun if Thea finally got a title reign with this match.
Branching off from that, good stuff with building a Fatal 4 Way tag. Roxie having to make amends with Cora is an interesting twist but I figured that would happen. I don’t know their chances when we’re talking an Elimination Fatal 4, but I suppose Roxie & Cora wouldn’t reunite if they weren’t going to have a strong showing. At the same time, it really depends on if Liv & Raquel are meant to win against Lyra & Bayley. Speaking of Lyra & Bayley, I’m surprised Hank ‘n’ Tank ran the table just like they did, but it was done in an awesome way. Hank ‘n’ Tank VS Fraxiom will be awesome, and this really will come down to how Hank ‘n’ Tank are of like minds while Frazer & Axiom keep disagreeing.
The backstage brawl of Stacks & Luca VS Dark State was both a bit cheesy but also really good. Tony making the save was great, and now we’re getting a big Six Man Tag out of it. It feels like this will be the make or break for the D’Angelo Family, as Stacks keeps pushing the boundaries of his authority within the family. Great cameo from Kali Armstrong to help plug Evolve, that’ll be a great Fatal 4 Way over there. Great promos from the women in the NXT Women’s Championship Fatal 4 Way. Jaida’s promo felt like the longest and most in-depth, but Vaquer’s was pretty close. I feel like it’ll be between the two of them for who wins the title. I’m leaning towards Vaquer retaining, but Jaida really does deserve some kind of title reign before her NXT run is over.
And a great promo segment from Trick, Oba & Je’Von to close the show. All three made strong points, but then Je’Von standing tall was quite the surprise but also a great image. The math would now say he doesn’t win, but it’s a Triple Threat so maybe there’s a way for him to still win out. It could even have to do with all these theories of someone leading Dark State, but that’s only if there is someone else leading Dark State. It’d be a great way to kick off a new chapter for NXT if Dark State had the NXT Champion leading them, and their feud with the D’Angelos continued as Tony tried to go after that title to complete his Grand Slam.
My Score: 8.9/10
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It’s a truly star-studded Raw!
Ahead of their WrestleMania 41 Night 1 Main Event, Seth Rollins, Roman Reigns, CM Punk & Paul Heyman are all here on Monday Night Raw!
OFFICIAL RESULTS
- Bayley w/ Lyra Valkyria VS Liv Morgan w/ Raquel Rodriguez; Bayley wins.
- Rey Mysterio w/ The LWO VS Julius Creed w/ Team American Made; Rey wins.
- AJ Styles VS Karrion Kross w/ Scarlett Bordeaux; Styles wins.
- PENTA VS Finn Balor; Finn wins, by disqualification.
PLAY BY PLAY
Gunther is here!
Sacramento boos Der Ring General as he storms to the ring. Michael Cole was going to interview the World Heavyweight Champion later tonight, but it seems Gunther wants to get to it. Gunther and Cole meet in the ring, Cole says two weeks ago, he left Jimmy Uso bloodied in this ring. That caused Jey Uso to march out here last week- Gunther cuts Cole off to says that last week, Jey walked out here, looked Gunther in the eyes, and claimed he’s not afraid anymore. The fans boo as Gunther says this week, he is here to look us all in the eyes to tell us that Jey Uso is full of crap! Cole understands the fans are upset, but speaking of that, it seems Gunther is also upset.
We saw last year at WrestleMania, when… The fans “YEET! YEET! YEET!” and Gunther says screw the questions! Screw Jey Uso! Screw everything Jey stands for! And screw everybody who stands with Jey! The fans boo more, and Gunther says ever since he stepped for in the WWE, he is the greatest gift this company has ever received! For 80% of his time in the WWE, he has been a champion! And now, he is the GREATEST World Heavyweight Champion of all time! The fans boo more, but Gunther says he refuses to let somebody like Jey Uso ruin that for him. The fans “YEET!” more and he says fine, do it as much as you want!
Gunther tells Jey to puff his chest out, walk into WrestleMania with the most confidence he’s ever had, because it won’t matter! In the end, the bell has to ring! And when that happens, Jey still can’t lace Gunther’s boots! Gunther will put Jey down for a FOURTRH time! These last two weeks, Gunther has been accused, told he went too far, that he lost control. Jey, trust one thing: In 37 years of LIFE, Gunther has never lost control! The fans chant “You Suck! You Suck!” Gunther says two weeks ago, when he took a bath in Jimmy’s blood, Gunther was in full control, and he LOVED it!
And Jey, go pray to the Lord, thank Him for how Gunther was in control, or else he would’ve drowned them both in Jimmy’s blood! Gunther looks forward to next week, calling his mother and telling her how much he enjoyed beating the living hell out of Jey, and is STILL World Heavyweight Champion! Gunther storms off, having done his part for tonight. Will nothing and no one stop Der Ring General from destroying Jey?
Bianca Belair speaks.
“I’ll be the first to admit that lately, I’ve been in my head. Everything that’s happened with Jade and Naomi, it really messed me up. And now, this whole situation with Iyo and Rhea has brought out a different version of me. But different isn’t wrong. My Road to WrestleMania has filled with nothing but blood, sweat and tears. Not no complaining, no whining, no excuses. No, just straight facts. I’ve been doing nothing but standing up for myself and speaking the truth, something that anybody would do. Something I would hope people are teaching their kids to do. And you don’t have to like the truth, but you can’t deny it.
“Just like I can’t deny now it’s a Triple Threat. Yeah, I’ve been through a lot. But I’m still the best. So I’ma use the bit of everything that I’ve been through to be the Bianca I know I can be. I’m the Bianca that won Elimination Chamber, I’m the Bianca that’s never been pinned at WrestleMania, and I’m the strongest, the fastest, the roughest, the toughest, the quickest, the greatest, the best Bianca that you have ever seen. So it doesn’t matter if it’s a Triple Threat, because there’s nothing that Rhea or Iyo can do to stop me from getting my flowers and walking out of WrestleMania as champion. Because you cannot spell WrestleMania without E S T.”
Bayley w/ Lyra Valkyria VS Liv Morgan w/ Raquel Rodriguez!
The Role Model and the Morrigan ran the table on Friday Night SmackDown’s tag team gauntlet, and now they’re going to WrestleMania! Will they have even more momentum going into that WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship match? Or will the leading ladies of Judgment Day refuse to give up the spotlight even now?
Raw returns and Bayley has made her entrance, Lyra by her side. The bell rings, the fans rally up, and Bayley circles with Liv. They approach, and Liv SLAPS Bayley! Liv laughs, but Bayley smirks. Liv apologizes, then runs away! Bayley chases Liv around the outside, but then they slip into the ring. Liv stomps away on Bayley, the fans are torn but the ref counts. Liv stops at 4, and Liv bumps Bayley off buckles. Liv stomps a mudhole, but again stops at 4. Liv then stomps another mudhole in, and shouts, “OKAAAY~!” as she lets off. The fans are torn, Liv stands Bayley up, but Bayley fires forearms! The fans fire up, Liv swings, but into a fireman’s carry!
Liv fights free, ducks ‘n’ dodges Bayley, but Bayley hits a THESZ PRESS! The fans fire up and Bayley hits a NECK SNAPPER, then a SLIDING LARIAT! Cover, TWO! Bayley stomps Liv around, glares at Raquel, but Liv kicks from below. Bayley rains down fists on Liv, the fans rally behind her, and Bayley whips. Liv reverses, then avoids the up ‘n’ over to DROPKICK Bayley! Liv runs corner to corner, and BACK BODY BLOCKS! Liv rolls, but Bayley follows to LARIAT! The fans fire up again and Bayley looms over Liv. Bayley glares at Raquel, then bumps Liv off buckles. Bayley ELBOWS Liv, then ELBOWS her again.
Bayley brings Liv around, the fans cheer her on as she bumps Liv off buckles. The fans duel, Bayley brings Liv in and snap suplexes! Cover, TWO! Liv is tougher than that but Bayley stays on her. Bayley brings Liv over but Liv stops the buckle bump to give a buckle bump! Liv runs up, but Bayley ELBOWS her! Bayley goes up to FLYING ARM-DRAG! Then she gest around to SAIDO! Liv bails out, Raquel checks on her, but Bayley smiles. Bayley aims, builds speed, and DIVES, but into a forearm! Liv drags Bayley out to snap suplex to the floor! That’s just Una Amiga as Liv gets Bayley up again! Dos Amigas to the floor!
Liv drags Bayley up again, but Bayley stops that to wrench and KNEE low! Bayley RAMS Liv into steel steps! The fans fire up, Bayley runs up, but Liv dodges! Bayley hits steps, then Liv STMOPS Bayley’s hands! Liv drags Bayley up, THREE AMIGAS to the floor, from OFF the steps! Liv gives some Latina Heat while Raw goes to break.
Raw returns again and Liv has Bayley in the ring. Liv grinds Bayley down with a chinlock but the fans rally up. Bayley fights to her feet, then JAWBREAKERS free! Liv staggers, comes back, but Bayley blocks to fire forearms! Bayley fires forearm after forearm, but Liv KICKS in return! Liv kicks again, but Bayley KNEES her down! Liv flounders, Bayley runs up, but Liv dodges! Bayley is sent into the buckles! The ref checks Bayley and she’s still in this, so Liv basement ENZIGIRIS! Cover, TWO! Bayley is tougher than that but Liv gives her cheap hammer fists. Bayley hits back but Liv stomps her down.
Liv goes up the corner, waits on Bayley to rise, and FLYING- NO, Bayley grabs Liv’s legs! Liv fights the turnover, pops Bayley into the sunset flip, TWO! Bayley runs up, Liv ducks the knee to roll her up, TWO! KNEE!! Liv flounders around again, Bayley runs in, SUNSET FLIP BUCKLE BOMB! The fans fire up as Bayley drags Liv to a cover, TWO! Liv stays in this but Lyra coaches Bayley. Raquel coaches Liv while Liv crawls away. The fans duel and Liv stands. Bayley grabs a leg but Liv kicks at her! Liv BOOTS Bayley away, but Bayley comes back and slides out! But Liv gets her for a CODE BREAKER! Bayley flops down, and Liv snarls as she rises up.
Liv aims and MISSILE DROPKICKS to the floor! A little double-edged given that landing, but Liv hurries to get Bayley up and into the ring. Liv crawls to the cover, TWO! Bayley survives and Lyra is relieved. Liv snarls again and waits on Bayley. Bayley goes to the ropes, Liv runs up, OBLIV- NO, Bayley puts her on the apron! Bayley ROCKS Liv, has her in the ropes, but Liv denies the hotshot! GAMANGIRI! Liv storms in, gets moving, she goes up, up, and FLYING- STUNNER! Bayley turns things around on Liv, and hits a BAYLEY2BELLY!! Bayley crawls to the cover, Raquel gives Liv the ROPEBREAK!
The fans boo, they all saw Raquel do it! Lyra goes after Raquel, Raquel fights her off and BOOTS her down! The fans boo, but Bayley DECKS Raquel, and hits the HOTSHOT in the ropes! The fans fire up but Liv hits Bayley with a BACKSTABBER!! And then OBLIV- NO, Lyra anchors Bayley’s feet! Bayley jackknife bridges, AND WINS!
Winner: Bayley, by pinfall
A huge bit of teamwork leads to a huge win over one-half of the tag champions! Liv is livid, will she and Raquel get their revenge at WrestleMania?
Paul Heyman waits backstage.
And like usual, he’s waiting on The Tribal Chief. Will Roman Reigns even bother with The Wise Man knowing he’ll be in CM Punk’s corner at WrestleMania?
Rhea Ripley speaks.
“Bianca, I can see right through you. You said you were just out there to watch, and then you said you were just out there to call it down the middle. But I can see your true intentions now: You thrive on playing with my emotions, winding me up like I’m some sort of toy to you so you can get what you want and make it seem like I’m the bad guy. The thing that you failed to understand is that when I lose something that I love, I wills top at nothing to get it back. And Iyo, I never had to give you a championship match. But watching you pout and moan, it really pulled on the heartstrings that I had left. So I pulled a page out of your book, and I got what I wanted, too.
“So Iyo, I advise you to cherish every single moment you have with the Women’s World Championship. And Bianca, I can’t wait to make you feel what it’s like when I’m the bad guy. Because at WrestleMania 41, I get back what belongs to me.”
Rey Mysterio w/ The LWO VS Julius Creed w/ Team American Made!
Before going up against the supposed greatest luchador of a generation, El Grande Americano, the King of Lucha will take on one of the Creed Brothers. But is this going to be far more than just a tune-up? Or will Rey speed-dial the 619 here in Sacramento?
Raw returns and American Made has made their entrance. The bell rings, Rey and Julius circle, then Rey waistlocks. Julius backs Rey into a corner, the ref counts, and Rey lets go. Julius elbows Rey down! The fans boo but Julius pushes Rey around. Julius wrenches Rey, wristlocks, but Rey endures. Julius uses a straight arm lever to lift Rey! Then he drops Rey, grinds the arm down, but Rey fires forearms! Rey uses the ropes to flip through, then he KICKS, KICKS, and KICKS! Julius wrenches, hammerlocks, but Rey reaches back! Rey jumps up, FLYING-MARE! Julius runs back up to CLOBBER Rey!
Julius talks trash, American Made soaks up the heat, and Julius whips Rey. Rey reverses, then blows past to tilt-o-whirl and RANA! The fans fire up as Julius tumbles to a corner! Rey fires up, but Julius comes back to CLOBBER him again! Cover, TWO! The fans rally for Rey but Julius clamps on a chinlock. Rey endures, the fans rally up more, and Rey fights up. Rey throws body shots, runs, but Julius kitchen sink knees him down! Julius stands Rey up, whisp him to ropes, but Rey KICKS back! Rey dropkicks the legs and Julius ends up on ropes! Rey dials it up, but Julius dumps Rey out! Rey RAMS into Julius, ROCKS him, then climbs up!
The fans fire up, but Brutus distracts the ref! This lets Gable trip Rey up! The fans boo but Julius is right up top! So now Wilde distracts, and that lets Dragon Lee trip Julius! Turnabout is fair play, but now both teams are protesting! So the ref EJECTS everybody! Things will truly be 1v1, after the break!
Raw returns again and Julius has a neck wrench on Rey. Julius whips Rey hard to a corner, runs up, but Rey ELBOWS him! And BOOTS him! Rey goes up, up, but Julius Electric Chair Lifts! Rey fires hands, then spins to MYSTERIO RANA! Both men fall out of the ring pretty hard, but Rey gets back inside! Rey WRECKS Julius with a dropkick, the fans fire up, and Rey builds speed to SLIDING- NO, Julius stuffs Rey into a deadlift suplex! Julius marches with Rey, and then goes up the steel steps! Julius has Rey at the ropes, but Rey fights free! Julius BOOTS Rey back! Julius runs up, Rey moves, Julius POSTS himself!
The fans fire up while Julius flops into the ring. Rey hurries back up, climbs the corner, and FLYING RANAS! Julius ends up in a corner, Julius climbs up again, and he rains down fists! The fans count all the way to TEN! Rey fires up, the fans are with him, and Rey whips Julius corner to corner. Julius springs right up, goes over, but then Rey QUEBRADAS! But Julius catches him! Rey swings through to DDT! Cover, TWO! The fans fire up while both men are down! “This is Awesome!” as Rey rises, and he brings Julius around. Julius blocks the whip, shakes his head, and he whips Rey. Rey slides under, comes back, but Julius KNEES Rey down!
Julius brings down the straps, runs up, but Rey DUMPS Julius out tot he floor! Wait, El Grande Americano is here! Rey runs up, grabs him by his mask, but then Julius rolls Rey up! TWO!! Julius gets up, swings, but Rey shoves Julius into El Grande! Rey dropkicks Julius onto the ropes! Dial it up, 619!! Slingshot, DROP THE DIME! Cover, Rey wins!
Winner: Rey Mysterio, by pinfall
But then El Grande CLOBBERS Rey! The fans boo, the LWO returns, but Julius holds them off! Grande CLOBBERS Cruz, but Dragon Lee fires off forearms! Dragon Lee whips, but Grande FLYING HEADBUTTS! The fans boo, but now Grande goes up top! DIVING HEADBUTT onto Rey! “UH GRACIAS~!” That mask is definitely loaded like last week, but will Rey be able to overcome that tactic and win for the honor of true lucha libre?
The War Raiders speak.
Ivar says, “Xavier, Kofi, you run your mouths about how the New Day is the greatest tag team of all time.” Erik says, “The fact of the matter is, the War Raiders have blazed a path of world domination for more than a decade. We’ve won gold on multiple continents.” “And last week, we had you beat, dead to rights.” The New Day took the cowardly way out because they knew they couldn’t beat the Raiders. The New Day says this is about the titles, but it has gotten much more personal. Kofi & Woods took this to a whole new level. They didn’t come for these titles, they came for Erik’s neck! They tried to put Erik on the shelf! They tried to end his career!
So at WrestleMania, this won’t be a match! It’ll barely be a fight! This is WAR!
The New Day is backstage.
They’re busy playing the Clash of Clans WWE crossover game, not that they’re in it. But Jackie Redmond walks over to talk with them. The New Day says that is rude, they’re busy playing a game. This lack of respect is audacious. Jackie does apologize, but she brings up the War Raiders saying that this match at Mania is now a war. War? New Day’s been in war from how they’ve been treated this whole time! The whole time! But the warpath stops when they take back what belongs to them, and that’s their WWE World Tag Team Championships! The entire world will see that ya bois, the NEW DAY~, are the best team on the face of Planet Earth!
Last week was just a taste of what they’re willing to do to get those titles back. And after Mania, Erik will wish they took his head off so that he and Ivar wouldn’t have to catch the beating they’re getting this weekend. At WrestleMania, every irrelevant and immature member of the WWE Universe will have no choice but to drop to their knees and THANK GOD for the New Day! Woods & Kofi head out, but will they survive this WrestleMania weekend?
AJ Styles VS Karrion Kross w/ Scarlett Bordeaux!
Before taking on The Maverick, Logan Paul, at WrestleMania, the Phenomenal One is going to prove to Mr. & Mrs. Doomsday that this AJ Styles IS the AJ Styles that can get the job done! Does that mean Raw is going to be Too Sweet? Or will Kross be disappointed?
Raw returns as Kross makes his entrance, his femme fatale by his side. Kross is really taking this mirroring stuff to another level, wearing tights very similar to what Styles would wear. Kross still wants Styles to understand, Styles has to be like the Styles of the past in order to finally humble Logan Paul and save professional wrestling. Styles gets mad, but Kross shoves him! Styles RAMS Kross into the corner, RAMS him again and again, but lets off as the ref counts. Styles storms back up, whips corner to corner, but Kross reverses. Kross runs up, but Styles BOOTS him away. Kross comes back to BOOT Styles down!
The fans boo but Kross stomps Styles around. Kross talks trash, but Styles KICKS Kross! And CHOPS! Kross YANKS Styles into ropes, then CHOKES him! The ref counts, Kross says it doesn’t have to be this way, but he lets off as the ref pulls him back. Scarlett CLAWS at Styles’ face in the distraction! The fans boo but Kross stomps Styles. Kross drags Styles up, but Styles JAWBREAKERS back! Styles runs up, but into a SAIDO! The fans boo, Kross stalks Styles to a corner, then he stomps away. Kross whips corner to corner hard, and Styles clutches his ribs as he falls. Kross laughs at Styles’ pain, then stomps him more.
Kross drags Styles up, but Styles DRPOKICKS Kross down! The fans cheer, Kross bails out, and Styles slides to DROPKICK! Kross hits barriers, then Styles PLANCHAS! Kross moves, Styles lands safe on the apron, but Kross sweeps the legs! Kross then whips Styles hard into barriers! Styles almost falls onto that guy cosplaying the Prime bottle. Kross whips Styles hard into more barriers, and Styles falls into the timekeeper’s area! Scarlett kisses Kross’ hand while he soaks up heat, and Raw goes to break.
Raw returns Kross has a chinlock. Styles fights up, fires body shots, but Kross KNEES low! Kross scoops and hits a BACKBREAKER! Kross scoops again, but Styles slips free! Styles goes for a leg but Kross stifles that and shoves Styles to a cover, TWO! Kross drags Styles up, reels him in, but Styles fights the bomb! Kross stops the rana, fireman’s carries, FINAL PRAYER! Cover, TWO!! Styles survives but Kross asks if Styles is sandbagging. Kross looms over Styles, the fans rally up, and Kross smirks as Styles rises. Kross swings, but Styles counter punches! And counter punches! And CHOPS, CHOPS, KICKS!
Styles KICKS Kross again, then whips. Kross hobbles then falls over, clutching his knee! The fans boo, thinking this is an act. Scarlett checks Kross as he clutches the ankle. Styles asks the ref about this, but then Kross sucker punches Styles! It WAS an act, and the fans boo that Kross got away with it! Kross shimmies and shuffles, then taunts Styles. Styles runs up to CLOBBER Kross! Styles fires off the PHENOMENAL BLITZ! SLIDING FOREARM! The fans fire up, Styles runs in at the corner to LARIAT Kross! Fireman’s carry, but Kross slips free! Kick and DDT! Kross vows to end it, and the fans boo as Kross throws off his elbow pad.
Styles rises as Kross winds the hands of time. KROSS- NO, Styles ducks the hammer and fireman’s carries! USHIGOROSHI! Kross hobbles, Styles runs up, but Kross puts him on the apron! Styles HOTSHOTS Kross, then DECKS him! The fans fire up, Kross rises, PHENOMENAL FOREARM! Cover, Styles wins!
Winner: AJ Styles, by pinfall
Kross put Styles to the test, and that was definitely Styles acing that test! But then Logan Paul appears! Sacramento boos Logan as he walks out with mic in hand. Logan asks what’s up with the hostility. Chill, he’s here to congratulate Styles. No, seriously, good win! He did it! In front of Sacramento, “a bunch of people who weren’t cool enough to live in Los Angeles, or work smart enough to live in San Francisco.” But Styles showed these “generic California losers” why Styles VS Logan is gonna cook! But hey, why not show them why it’ll make money? Here is what Styles is up against. Please enjoy this piece of cinema.
Logan has his own hype video package, “I accomplish more in one weekend than you all will in your entire lives. I didn’t join the WWE to take part, I joined to take over.” Styles grabs a mic to say that’s a cute video, smartass. But let’s start Mania earlier! Get your ass to the ring right now! The fans fire up for that! Logan says okay, and he steps closer. But Kross runs up on Styles! Styles ROCKS Kross, ROCKS Logan, repeat! Styles DECKS Logan, ROCKS him again, btu Kross scoops! Styles slips free, REVERSE DDT! Styles snarls at Kross, but Logan is up! ONE LUCKY RIGHT!! Then the PAUL-VERIZER!! The Maverick is feeling so “humble,” but will he be humbled at Mania?
Paul Heyman is still waiting…
Will he be waiting all night at this rate?
Jey Uso is here!
The fans fire up as Main Event Jey pops right through the curtain to walk down the bleachers. Sacramento bounces for him and they “YEET!” along with the song, but Jey is once again very serious. Jey goes to the ground level, but then stands on the desk for everyone to see him. Jey grabs the mic while the bouncing continues, and the fans cheer as the song dies down. Jey takes a breath, fans “YEET! YEET! YEET!” and chant “One More Time! One More Time!” Jey says okay, and the song starts up again! The bouncing starts up again, and then Jey paces as he waits for the music to die down.
“Aight, check it. I said what I had to say to Gunther last week.” “YEET!” “But I really wanted to come out here and holler at y’all.” “YEET!” Jey says what up, Sac Town! Mama out here somewhere in the crowd. But everyone keeps on asking Jey, “Jey, where your mind at?” Is he crashing out? HELL YEAH he’s crashing out! But he’s locked in! Locked in for him! For his family! And for y’all! Check it out, though. Listen to Gunther out here talking. Y’know what that made Jey feel like? He mad. Nah nah nah… Gunther’s afraid! Yeah, Gunther’s afraid! Afraid that Jey will whoop that ass in front of 60 THOUSAND and the world! See you Saturday, Uce!
Jey says one time for the one time… Hey, Uce, please, PLEASE hit his music! UH UH, YEET!! The fans fire up as the bouncing starts up yet again! Jey has all the confidence, all the fire, all the momentum. But will he have it all when it’s all said and done in Las Vegas?
Backstage interview with Bron Breakker.
Cathy Kelley is with the Badass WWE Intercontinental Champion and brings up this Sunday, the Fatal 4 Way that stacks the odds against him. How is he handling what could be the biggest defense of his career? Bron says obviously, this is the biggest match of his career. And- JUDGMENT DAY ATTACKS! Finn Balor, Dominik Mysterio & Carlito mug Bron! They stomp him around, then THROW him onto a road case! They still rain down fists, and Finn says the dog’s bark is worse than his bite! They CHUCK Bron into more road cases! Adam Pearce and producers storm in and stop The Judgment Day, but will Bron be alright in just 6 days?
As for Finn, he has a match to get to! Will The Prince be ready for #CeroMiedo?
PENTA VS Finn Balor!
Raw returns and Finn makes his entrance, only for Penta to DROPKICK him off the apron! Penta then FLIES and takes Finn down! Penta strikes first since Finn did that to Bron, and the fans love it! Penta puts Finn in the ring, then storms in after him. The bell rings, the fans fire up as Penta runs up, but Finn puts him on the apron. Penta GAMANGIRIS, then goes up, up, and CROSSBODIES! Cover, TWO! Finn kicks Penta low, then brings Penta around. Penta WRINGS free, then traps that arm! But Finn trips Penta! Penta BOOTS Finn away, then pump handles! Finn pops free, dragon sleepers, but Penta drops to KICK from below!
Penta runs up to ENZIGIRI in the corner, then he headstands and SWINGING DROPKICKS! Cover, TWO! Finn stays in this, the fans cheer for “CERO! MIEDO!” Penta nods and storms up on Finn to KICK the leg out! Finn flounders, stands back up, but Penta KICKS the leg again! Penta stalks Finn, and KICKS Finn’s leg out again! The fans fire up while Finn flounders around more. Penta has Finn on the ropes, hushes the fans, and he CHOPS! Finn is stinging as he staggers away, and the fans fire up as they want even more of that! Penta whips, Finn reverses, but Penta sunset flips. Finn rolls through to basement DROPKICK! Cover, TWO!
Finn keeps Penta down with an ELBOW, then a chinlock. Finn grinds Penta down, Penta endures, and the fans rally. Penta fights up, but Finn yanks the mask! Finn has Penta down, and he soaks up the heat. Finn drags Penta, then jumps stomps! Finn soaks up more heat, jump stomps again, then argues with the ref. Finn taunts Sacramento, stomps Penta again and again and again! The ref counts, Finn stops, but he soaks up more heat. Finn goes back to Penta and says “Just Too Sweet!” They go to the apron, and Penta scoops! Finn slips free, and APRON EYE OF THE HURRICANE! Both men are down on the outside while Raw goes to break.
Raw returns again and Finn has Penta up top! And then the very top! SUPER DUPER PLEX! Cover, TWO!! Penta stays in this and the fans fire up! Finn grows frustrated, but he clamps onto an arm for a FUJIWARA ARMBAR! The fans rally up, Penta fights to his feet, and Penta fires hands. Penta arm-drags free, then ducks ‘n ‘dodges, for a RANA! Finn flounders up, Penta LARIATS! And LARIATS! The fans fire up again as Penta then SUPERKICKS Finn! Finn wobbles, Penta whips, but Finn reverses, only for Penta to go up and over! BACKSTABBER! Cover, TWO! Finn survives and Penta is frustrated, but the fans fire back up.
Penta stalks Finn, the fans sing, “OLE~ OLE OLE OLE~! CERO~! MIEDO~!” Penta has Finn in the corner, he puts Finn up top, and then he CHOPS! Penta calls his shot and the fans cheer that. Penta climbs up and he goes to the very top! But Finn fires body shots! Penta hops down to the apron and CHOPS again! Then he jumps up to FLYING RANA! Finn staggers back up, Penta BOOTS him! Penta then runs to SLING-DOG! Penta keeps moving, but Finn SLINGBLADES! The fans rally, both men stand, and Finn aims from a corner! SHOT- NO, scoop and BACKBREAKER! Penta has the arm, traps it, and then pulls on the other! “CERO! MIEDO!” SACRIFICE!!
The fans fire up while Finn writhes! Penta stalks Finn, clamps onto him again, “This is Awesome!” as the PENTA- NO, Finn victory rolls the driver! TWO!! DOUBLE LARITS collide! Penta fires body shots, a SOBAT, a KICK, then a SUPERKICK! Finn flops down, but Penta goes to a corner. But then Carlito & Dom rush out here! Penta glares at them, they back off, but Finn rolls Penta up! TWO!! Penta escapes, Finn ducks ‘n’ dodges, SLINGBLADE! Finn aims, SHOTGUN! Penta hits buckles, then ends up in the drop zone, but HERE COMES BRON! You can’t keep a good dog down! Carlito fears for his life after last week…!
Carlito runs away, so Bron runs in and CLOBBERS Finn!! But that lets Finn win!
Winner: Finn Balor, by disqualification
Bron keeps beating up on Finn, so Dom runs in and TACKLES Bron! Carlito joins in now that they have the advantage! They mug Bron 2v1, but Bron fights back! Bron dodges, and he DOUBLE SPEARS!! Sacramento barks for Bron as he aims at Penta! Bron roars, runs up, but Penta KICKS first! And mule kicks! And SUPERKICKS! And then tilt-o-whirl RANA! Bron tumbles out of the ring and the fans fire up! Penta builds speed to go up, up, and SUPER CROSSBODY! Penta wipes out Bron, Dom & Carlito, but where’d Finn go? Finn is already up the ramp! The Prince got handed the win tonight, but will Penta take it all with his #CeroMiedo?
Iyo Sky speaks.
“This message is for Bianca Belair and Rhea Ripley. You keep forgetting that I’M the Women’s World Champion. You push me out of the way of your petty squabbles like I mean nothing. But I’m the whole reason you’re fighting in the first place, aren’t I? Because I have the one thing you both want: The Women’s World Championship! So, I’m done being ignored. I’m done being forgotten. Because you have to go through ME to get this title, and I’m not afraid to take you both on to defend it. I’ve beaten both of you before, and I’ll beat you again! At WrestleMania, you will never forget the name Iyo Sky, Women’s World Champion.”
Paul Heyman is still waiting, but CM Punk joins him!
Punk sits down with a coffee and says he’s never seen The Wise Man so stressed. Look in his eyes, what do you see? The Cult of Personality? No, a real friend. A friend who would never do anything to put Heyman in harm’s way. But then a car is pulling up. It’s ROMAN! Roman sees Punk and Heyman being buddy-buddy, and he storms off! Heyman tries to catch up to his Tribal Chief, but Roman won’t even look at him. Will this favor cause the break-up of Roman and Heyman?
Roman goes to the ring!
The fans cheer and put the ones up as The OTC makes his entrance, Wise Man trailing behind. What will happen with Roman, Heyman, Punk, and Seth Rollins, all in the building this close to WrestleMania? We find out, after the break.
Raw returns rather quickly, and Roman is now in the ring. He raises his finger up for the pyro and the fans cheer. Heyman has the mic while the fans chant “O T C! O T C!” Heyman tentatively holds it out for Roman, but Roman doesn’t take it! Roman gets a mic for himself, leaving Heyman a bit dismayed, but the cheering continues. Roman tells, “Sacramento…! ACKNOWLEDGE ME!” The fans cheer and put up the ones as they cheer on “O T C! O T C!” Roman says, “The whole world can feel that. The whole world can hear that you love and acknowledge your Tribal Chief. And now the whole world understands that you would never betray your Tribal Chief.
“But not everybody’s like you. Some people would betray me. Sacramento, you got any guesses on who that might be?” Obviously it’s Heyman that Roman is referring to, but Roman asks The Wise Man, “How could you betray me?” The fans tell Heyman he messed up. Roman says Heyman can’t hear that well, say it louder. The fans get louder with it, and Heyman is a bit surly about that. Heyman goes to talk, but he reconsiders. Roman still asks him why, and Heyman is at a loss for words. The fans boo, but some do chant for “C M PUNK! C M PUNK!” Roman smirks as Heyman finally says, “My Tribal Chief… It was not a betrayal. I paid back a favor that I owed.”
Roman doesn’t seem to like that answer, but he still smirks. Sacramento, maybe Roman’s a little confused here, but the way favors work is, you usually pay it back yourself, correct? The fans say yes. Roman says it feels the only one getting screwed here is him! And if there’s one thing about Roman Reigns, if there’s one thing about The Tribal Chief, it’s that he’d never ask for a favor. No, Roman takes what he wants! So Roman doesn’t owe a favor, because he never asked for any help, for anyone to join him at WarGames, so how is he supposed to cover the tab for Heyman’s dumbass favor? But now, “BURN IT DOWN!”
Seth Rollins makes his way out, and Roman is no longer in any good mood as the fans sing “WHOA~ OH~ OHH~!” Rollins struts out in a leather vest and black pants that both have a lot of pockets. Rollins steps into the ring, grabs himself a mic, and the fans continue to sing, “WHOA~ OH~ OHH~!” Rollins tells Sacramento, “Let’s give it up for Your Tribal Chief! Because after over a decade, you’re finally getting it, man! You’re finally putting the pieces together all by yourself! You’re almost there, you’re just missing one little piece, and it’s a real shame it’s too little, it’s too late, cuz I still gotta end you at WrestleMania.”
Rollins says it is for the same reason that it always has been: It’s the right thing to do! This Triple Threat at WrestleMania is the BIGGEST, most IMPORTANT one in the history of Mania, of the WWE, of professional wrestling! Because the winner of this match will define the future of this industry. And it can’t be Roman, it can’t be Punk. Because this business is filled with people like Roman, people who show up when it is convenient, expecting everyone else to do all the work. That’s how this business dies! Roman finally sees it can’t be Punk, either.
This business is filled with too many “little Punks” running around who wanna pick up their ball and go home when it gets tough, only to come back and leech off the profits of other people’s success, and that’s how this business dies! The fans chant for Punk but Rollins says okay, they want this business to die? Rollins doesn’t! If there are more people in this business like Rollins, who always sacrifices physical and mental well-being to do what is best for business, then the business not only lives, but it thrives! There can be only one, and it’s gotta be Rollins.
As for that one little piece that Roman hasn’t quite figured out… “Favors don’t happen by chance, Roman. Favors are a choice. I chose not to put Paul Heyman in the hospital last week, and now Paul Heyman can choose whether or not he pays that debt to me. But your Wise Man, he is dishonorable as they come, he is a scumbag, and I expect nothing from him.” The fans boo and Heyman frowns, but Rollins says Heyman is not in CM Punk’s corner by chance. Heyman has made a choice. It isn’t just a betrayal, Roman. What Roman needs to ask himself, what that final piece is, Heyman isn’t just returning a favor, he’s choosing. So why is Heyman choosing Punk over Roman?
Heyman tells Roman he’s not doing that, but Roman seems to be thinking Rollins has a point. Roman tells The Wise Man that Rollins is right, Heyman made his choice. But Roman has made his. LARIAT FOR ROLLINS! The fans fire up as Roman then POSTS Rollins! Rollins flops out of the ring, Heyman is very pleased, and he says he acknowledges his Tribal Chief! Roman nods, but then he PIE FACES Heyman!? Heyman is stunned, but here comes CM Punk! The fans fire up as Punk runs down to the ring, and he dodges Roman to fire hands! The fans fire up as they brawl, and then Punk LARIATS Roman up and out!
The fans are torn as Punk helps Heyman up. Heyman is distraught, but Roman is back! SPEAR for Punk!! Roman HAMMERS away on Punk! Roman shouts at Punk, HEADBUTTS him, but then Rollins returns! And with a chair! SMACK to the back of Roman Reigns, just like the night it all started! Sacramento is all fired up, and Rollins hits a CURB STOMP on Punk! And then CURB STOMP on Roman! Heyman is freaking out as both his guys are down! Rollins stares Heyman down, is Rollins’ favor going to come into play after all?
My Thoughts:
A great Raw, especially for the go-home to WrestleMania. Great promo from Gunther with how he “doesn’t wait” for the proper interview with Michael Cole, and very good response promo from Jey. Gunther definitely sounds a bit on edge, and considering he might lose two WrestleManias in a row as the start of his WrestleMania career, I suppose I would be, too. And very good promos from Bianca, Rhea & Iyo to hype up their match, though I can’t say that changes anything for the go-home math. Iyo stood tall last time, so there’s a chance Rhea or Bianca take the other out to get the win. Rhea and Bianca talking about who’s the bad guy in this, could we see Bianca go Heel?
Good promo from War Raiders and New Day, but unless they add a stipulation, I don’t necessarily see this being “a war” of a match. Well, maybe they can break something like ringside barriers. But I feel like New Day is going to win so that this Heel turn has actual results. Very good match from Bayley VS Liv, but Bayley winning here surely indicates Liv & Raquel retain. Rey VS Julius was really good, but the LWO and American Made all being ejected, that of course meant El Grande Americano would show up. Rey wins here, but then El Grande stands tall, so I would think Rey wins at Mania to expose Grande as Gable.
Very good match from Styles VS Kross, and naturally Styles won. That along with Logan & Kross getting the better of Styles after, this has to mean Styles wins at Mania. I don’t think it’s possible to get anything Bullet Club related, but WWE works with TNA pretty closely now so maybe they can use one of Styles’ themes from TNA to really bring us back to “the Styles that can beat Logan Paul.” Very good stuff with the Men’s Intercontinental Championship build, with Bron being jumped by Judgment Day, then Judgment Day trying to cost Penta, only for Bron to actually cost Penta and give Finn the win. Penta standing tall now sadly might cross him off, but I personally do think Dom pinning Finn or Finn pinning Dom is the better route going forward.
And of course, great stuff with the Punk-Rollins-Reigns story. Heyman finding himself stuck between Roman and Punk, with Roman starting to distance himself from Heyman, that’s also very good stuff going forward. Rollins stands tall again, so not sure if that means he takes the loss or is just not in the decision. No matter who wins, Heyman no longer being Roman’s manager is the best move. Roman needs to do things on his own again, and Heyman can reunite with Punk and perhaps help Punk towards a title. Punk did say that he’d be coming for THE WWE Championship at some point, Heyman by his side for that like 10 years ago would be something.
My Score: 8.8/10
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