They say all champions are created equal…

Bron Breakker called out THE World Heavyweight Champion, Seth Freakin’ Rollins! But will the Visionary return to NXT because of it?

OFFICIAL RESULTS

• Six Man Tag: The Schism VS Wes Lee, Tyler Bate & Mustafa Ali; Wes, Bate & Ali win.
• Thea Hail w/ Duke Hudson VS Cora Jade; Thea wins.
• NXT Heritage Cup Championship: Noam Dar Oro Mensah (substituting) w/ Meta Four VS Nathan Frazer w/ Dragon Lee; Frazer wins and becomes the new NXT Heritage Cup Champion.
• 2v1 Handicap Match: Axiom & SCRYPTS VS Dabba-Kato; Axiom & Scrypts win.
• Malik Blade VS Edris Enofe; Malik wins.
• Roxanne Perez VS Tatum Paxley; Roxanne wins.
• NXT Championship #1 Contender’s Match: Baron Corbin VS Ilja Dragunov; Corbin wins and will challenge Carmelo Hayes for the title in two weeks.

PLAY BY PLAY

Six Man Tag: The Schism VS Wes Lee, Tyler Bate & Mustafa Ali!

Joe Gacy and his followers continue to claim the friendship between Cardiac Kid and Big Strong Boi is a farce, but perhaps that is just frustration on his part. Will the North American Champion lead his friends in victory? Or will the roots of The Schism’s tree dig deeper and deeper?

Speaking of those three, Wes, Bate & Ali don’t wait for a bell, they rush The Schism right away! The brawl is on and fans fire up as Bate has Gacy, Ali has Rip and Wes has Jagger! Rip whips, Ali KICKS back, then runs, but into a LARIAT! Wes BOOTS Rip! Jagger ENZIGURIS Wes! Bate DROPKICKS Jagger! Gacy DECKS Bate! The bell rings, Gacy fires off on Bate, whips him to a corner, but Bate boots back. Gacy blocks but gets a KNEE! Bate goes up to FLYING UPPERCUT! Bate brings Gacy up, wrenches an arm, and he tags in Ali. Ali climbs to then DOUBLE STOMP Gacy’s arm! Fans fire up as Ali wrenches Gacy.

Ali whips, Gacy reverses, but Ali goes up and over! Ali keeps moving, he RANAS Gacy, and then brings him back around. Ali wrenches, but Gacy pulls hair! Gacy puts Ali in the corner, tag to Rip, and Rip stomps Ali down. Rip drags Ali up to ROCK him with a right! And CLUB him on the back! Rip taunts Ali, pie faces him, then whips, but Ali reverses to headlock. Rip powers out but Wes tags in, and Ali ducks ‘n’ dodges, Wes slingshots to SEATED SENTON! Wes then slides under and monkey flips Rip! And then DROPKICKS him! Cover, ONE!! Rip gets up but Wes is on him with a facelock.

Rip powers up but Wes wrenches and headlocks again. Rip powers out and tags Jagger at the same time. The Dyad drop, hurdle, then DOUBLE FLAPJACK HOTSHOT! Jagger taunts Wes while staying between him and his corner. Gacy wants in so Jagger obliges with a tag. Jagger feeds Wes to the URENAGE! Cover, TWO! Gacy CLUBS Wes down, drags him up, and ROCKS him with a right! Fans chant “YOU SUCK!” but Jagger tags back in. The Schism mugs Wes, and Jagger keeps throwing left hands! The ref counts, Jagger lets off, and he then tags Rip. The Dyad trap Wes to clobber him, and WHEEL KICK! Rip covers, TWO!

Rip keeps on Wes with a wristlock and covers again, TWO! Rip pushes Wes to yet another cover, TWO! Rip clamps on with a chinlock but fans rally up. Wes fights up, but Rip short arm LARIATS! Fans boo Rip but he drags Wes up. Wes throws body shots and shots to the legs! But Rip knees low, ROCKS Wes with a forearm, and he tags Gacy in. The Schism mug Wes some more, then Gacy tells Wes he’s a fraud! Gacy ROCKS Wes, then gets in his face! “You think you’re done with me, Wes?! This isn’t done! This isn’t done!” But Wes ROCKS Gacy back! Gacy kicks low, brings Wes around, but Wes throws more hands!

Fans rally for #WesSide but Gacy UPPERCUTS Wes down! Cover, TWO! Tag to Rip, The schism keeps mugging Wes, and Rip KICKS Wes to the apron. Rip drags Wes up but Wes shoulders in! Wes slingshots for a sunset flip but Rip tags Jagger! Wes finishes the sunset but Rip holds him down so Jagger can CLUB him! Jagger talks trash but Wes SMACKS him! Jagger gets mad and he DECKS Wes! Jagger drags Wes up, reels him in, but Wes escapes the suplex! Jagger keeps Wes away from his corner! Fingertips away, but Wes KICKS Jagger! Hot tag to Bate! Fans rally as Bate rallies on Jagger with uppercuts!

Bate whips corner to corner, then back drops Jagger! Fans fire up, Bate runs corner to corner to UPPERCUT! And then clinch for the EXPLODER! Bate kips up, runs in, SHOOTING STAR! Cover, TWO! Jagger survives, but Bate fireman’s carries! AIRPLANE SPIN! Rip & Gacy stop that, but then Wes & Ali get in! Triple Bop, TRIPLE BANG!! Fans are thunderous for “NXT! NXT!” as the Schism bails out. Wes, Bate & Ali all go to the ropes, for a TRIPLE PLANCHA! Direct hit on all of The Schism and NXT goes to break!

NXT returns and Bate fights up while in a chinlock, but Rip shifts to an armlock. Bate fires off haymakers, reaches for his team, but Rip still keeps him away! Rip reels Bate in for a short arm LARIAT! The fans still rally for the Big Strong Boi, but Rip digs his fingers into Bate’s face! Rip scuffs Bate, ELBOWS him in the forehead, then drags him around. Rip taunts Wes and Ali, then he suplexes, but Bate blocks! Fans rally, Bate suplexes Rip! Bate gets Rip up, up, and over! Fans fire up while both men are down! Rip and Bate crawl, hot tags to Jagger and Ali! The Beacon rallies on Jagger with big elbows!

Ali whips, Jagger reverses but Ali DROPKICKS back! Ali goes after Jagger but Jagger YANKS him into the ropes! Jagger DECKS Wes, but Ali CHOPS, and CHOPS! Ali whips, Jagger reverses but Ali uses that to DROPKICK Gacy! Jagger runs in but Ali tosses him out! Rip runs in, but Ali slips out to ROUNDHOUSE back! But then Jagger trips Ali off the apron! Fans boo but Bate UPPERCUTS Rip! Gacy runs in to catch Bate in a BACKBREAKER! But Wes METEORAS Gacy! Jagger SUPERKICKS Wes! Ali slingshots to NECKBREAKER Jagger! Ali goes to the corner, climbs up, and fans fire up!

Ali 450 but has to roll through! Ali heads back but is sent HARD into buckles! Jagger and Ali are both down and crawling for their corners. Tags to Rip and Wes! Wes dodges Rip, fires off fast hands and kicks, then snapmares to basement dropkick! Wes then FLIES out onto Gacy and Jagger! Wes goes back to the ring, up and in, CARDIAC- NO, Rip dodges! Wes SUPERKICKS Rip, but almost into the ref! Tag to Bate, but Rip shoves Wes into him! THROAT CHOP! Tag to Jagger, then to Gacy. The Schism gets Wes up, cuz the ref doesn’t realize Wes tagged Bate! Rockabye POWERBOMB!!! Cover, but the HEAD REF stops this!!

The fans go nuts as the head ref explains what really happened! And then Ali DOUBLE SHOTGUNS The Dyad! Bate turns Gacy around, Bop up! BANG!! Gacy goes down, Ava is upset, Ali hits a FLYING TORNADO DDT to the floor! Rip storms up on Ali but Wes DIVES out onto him! Bate hits the COMEBACKER on Gacy! And then the TYLER DRIVER 97!! Cover, Bate’s team wins!!

Winners: Wes Lee, Tyler Bate & Mustafa Ali, by pinfall

Justice prevails, as do these super friends! The Schism could not divide and conquer them, is their tree withering? As for Wes and Bate, will they look to have their friendly 1v1 title match down the line?

Thea Hail watches film with Charlie Dempsey & Drew Gulak.

Specifically, it’s last week’s battle royal, the moment Thea got the better of Lash Legend with her double wristlock. But the Philly Stretcher says that is “horrible” technique! Dempsey says they could’ve escaped from that. Gulak points out Lash had her own way out, because she picked Thea up and dropped her on the steps! Thea admits they have a point, but she still won the battle royal! No, she hit the steps and was a lump on the ground. But she still got back in and threw Cora and Dana out! Well, tonight, Cora’s gonna eat Thea alive. Cora’s not gonna do anything! Oh no? So she’s gonna actually lock the Kimura in this time? You dang well know she’s gonna!

And what if Cora fights back? What’s GULAK gonna do? Maybe teach her what to do so Cora can’t fight back? Oh, don’t ask for something if you can’t handle it! Uh, did she st-st-stutter? Hey! There’s a ring open right now, let’s go see if she can lock it in. SHE can lock it in! Can YOU lock it in!? They all argue and Duke Hudson walks over, MVP trophy in one arm and clipboard in the other. Could they keep it down? Believe it or not, it is very hard to grade papers around all this yelling. Thea apologizes and says they’re gonna go train. Oh, is that so? You need your chaperone to come train with you?

No! Duke has to grade papers. Maybe Gulak can’t hear with his cauliflowers ears! Hey, hey! Enough. Just go, all of ya. Duke gets some privacy and makes a call. Answering machine again? Ugh. Duke leaves a message to Mr. Chase about an update on his recovery. Look, Mr. Chase. Things around here are getting outta hand… The MVP has his hands full, will THE Andre Chase make his way back to HIS university?

Bron Breakker heads to the ring.

The fans boo as the Big Bad Booty Nephew is here in a suit. Fans already sing “OH~ OHH~ OHHH~” for The Visionary, but Bron says he must’ve made some headlines last week. He took out the biggest star from Europe, and he called out the biggest star on Monday Night Raw. And it’s all for one reason: accountability. Everyone in the WWE is going to be held accountable! You don’t just get to do and say whatever you want! Dragunov didn’t look like the most intense superstar in the WWE after Bron Speared him onto concrete! And Seth Rollins is a Visionary, a Revolutionary, everything he says he is, and then some.

“Until he locks eyes with the Meaner Than Evil Bron Breakker!” Fans boo, but Bron asks where Rollins is! Where is he? Where’s the workhorse, huh? Where? Wait, DRAGUNOV is rushing out here! Refs and security stop him but Bron dares them to let him go. Look how tough he is! But Ilja isn’t on Bron’s level, so get him outta here! The refs and security manage to push Dragunov backstage, and Bron says this is what he’s talking about! “Everyone, I’m talking everyone, will be held accountable from this moment forward. I don’t care if it’s Ilja Dragunov, Seth Rollins, it doesn’t matter to me!”

But wait! Rollins is on the tron! And he tells “Bronnie Boy,” “What do you think this is? Just because we’re both former NXT Champions, and now I’m the World Heavyweight Champion that actually defends his title, that you can just say my name three times fast and I’ll show up and give you a crack at the title? My man… You gotta know, that’s not how things work around here. But uh… I gotta say… I like your approach, y’know? Bold, reaching straight for the top.” And Rollins remembers being in Bron’s position before. Making noise, wanting to be THE Guy. Truth be told, Rollins would like to go back where it all started. To go… home.

And so Rollins can’t believe it, but Bron, “challenge accepted. HAHAHAHA! Next week, I’m gonna go back to the house that Seth built, and it’s gonna be Bron Breakker VS Seth Freakin’ Rollins for my World Heavyweight Championship, live in NXT. HAHAHA!” The Visionary has given Bron what he wants, but will Bron get what he deserves?

Backstage interview with Dana Brooke.

McKenzie Mitchell says that last week, Dana made a return to NXT in the #1 Contender’s Battle Royal, but how long can we expect her to be around. As long as NXT will have her. And yes, while she’s on Raw, she will work any brand, and show, from Raw to SmackDown to NXT to Level Up to Main Event! She doesn’t care, she just loves being in the ring. She’s made lemonade outta lemons every time in her career. From teaming with Emma, to being Charlotte Flair’s protégé, to being 24/7 Champion, she has busted her ass! And now she’s home, where it all started. And the crop of women here-

Oh, the crop of women~! Cora walks in and tells Dana to save it, because if not for Dana and Thea, Cora would’ve won the battle royal. But of course Cora gets screwed out of what she deserves again. SHE should be contender, not some glorified cheerleader. Uh, yeah, well, Cora gets her chance tonight. But she can’t blame Dana for last week. Blame that sense of entitlement. Cora laughs that off. No one here likes Dana, so she should just go. Watch her match and see how good she is. Then Cora SLAPS Dana! Dana tells Cora yeah, she better run. But will Cora end up humbled by Thea in their match? We find out, after the break!

Wes, Bate & Ali celebrate backstage.

Wes says that is what they’re talking about! Dubs up tonight! And hey, if not for that second ref, things might’ve been different. Bate says what matters is that they won, and they put those Schism fools in their place. Bingo! Ali says he is so happy to be back. Not to bring the mood down but what Wes said is true. Without that second ref, things would’ve been so different. But now, the next step is Wes VS Bate for the title! Bate and Wes fist bump, and then Ali sits down with them. He has an idea. A match this important can’t be left to chance. They need a clear and decisive winner. Agreed. So then what if Ali was a special guest referee?

Wes says if they can make it happen, he’s down. Bate agrees. Ali will get on that. But then… Where’re they going to celebrate tonight? OOOH! Bate knows this great little Vegan place they’d all enjoy. Wes says if Bate’s paying, he’s down. Ali doesn’t look so sure about that, but Bate’s excited. Will The Beacon really be the right call for the guy making the calls?

Thea Hail w/ Duke Hudson VS Cora Jade!

The always energetic prospect of Chase U is more than ready for her shot at Tiffany Stratton, but she has to show she isn’t just a fluke. Will Thea #LOCKITIN on Cora? Or will the Generation of Jade prove (to herself, at least) that she is more worthy?

The bell rings and the two tie up. Cora puts Theta in a corner, then lets off with a shove. Thea shoves Cora down! Fans fire up, the two tie up, and Cora throws Thea down! Thea trips Cora, Cora kicks her away, but Thea comes back. Cora headlocks, hits a takeover, and she grinds Thea down. Fans rally for Thea as she fights up. Thea powers out, but Cora runs her over! Cora runs, Thea drops, hurdles, but Cora YANKS her down! Cora laughs at Thea, then basement dropkicks her! Cora drags Thea up, but here comes Dana! Cora tells Dana to watch this, but Thea wrangles Cora down! Cora kips up to wrench back.

Thea rolls, rolls, kips up and reels Cora into a headlock! Cora powers out, but Thea gets around to waistlock, ripcord, and then goes up, up and around, to arm-drag! Thea arm-drags again, then has the armlock. Cora fights up, Thea hammerlocks, but Cora reaches back. They run to a corner and Cora RAMS Thea into buckles! Dana cheers Thea on, but Cora runs in, ELBOW into the ropes! Cover, TWO! Cora drags Thea up, throws knees, and fans start to duel. Cora ENZIGURIS Dana down, then taunts Dana before hitting IMPLODER STOMPS! Cover, TWO! Cora drags Thea up and wraps on a chinlock.

Thea endures, fans rally and Thea fights up. Thea has Cora as a backpack, and she RAMS her into buckles! Cora holds on, but Thea RAMS her in again! And again! Thea is free, runs back in, but misses! Cora runs in but into BOOTS! Thea runs to CLOBBER Cora! And again! Fans fire up, Thea urns and UPPERCUTS, to then clinch. But Cora fights free with elbows! Thea ROCKS Cora, to then HALF HATCH! That must be from Dempsey! Theta SENTONS, then fires up! Up and BOING~! That’s Thea’s name for that senton. Thea then drags Cora up, clinches again, EXPLODER! Cora bails out but Thea runs! And DIVES but into a haymaker!

Thea flops to the floor while fans boo. Cora then ROCKS Dana just cuz! Cora grabs her kendo stick, aims at Thea, but the ref stops her! The ref snatches the stick, and then Dana RAMS Cora into steel steps! Dana says that’s what she gets! Thea puts Cora in, and then gets the KIMURA!! Cora is caught! She taps! Thea wins!!

Winner: Thea Hail, by submission

Dana nods as Cora gets her just desserts. Thea also got to LOCK IT IN, so will she make Gulak & Dempsey proud by taking the title from Tiffany?

Meta-Four heads to gorilla.

And wait, Noam Dar is on crutches? What is going on here? When did he get hurt? Even HBK is tweeting shock and confusion. Will we get to the bottom of this after the break?

HBK tweets some big news!

He’s bringing us “NXT Gold Rush!” A two week NXT TV special, starting with Bron VS Rollins for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship next week in the main event! And then, he’s upgrading Corbin VS Dragunov into a #1 Contender’s Match so that the winner faces Carmelo Hayes for the NXT Championship in two weeks! Who will hold the gold going into the summer?

NXT Heritage Cup Championship: Noam Dar w/ Meta Four VS Nathan Frazer w/ Dragon Lee!

Well, we were hoping to see the Scottish Supernova put up or shut up against the British Rocket, but we still have to figure out what’s going on with Dar. Dar has the mic to sadly say, “Hello, hello, hello. I stand here a victim. Supernova 11 is on crutches because of this snake!” Frazer asks what he did, but Dar says Frazer knew he couldn’t win in a fair fight, so he attacked Dar brutally in the parking lot! Don’t deny it! Does Frazer think he’s gonna be handed the cup? His shortcut isn’t gonna work! Because Dar’s main man, Mensah, is gonna step up and defend Dar’s honor, as well as the cup, and make Frazer pay.

Fans boo but it seems there’s going to be a change. Will Oro do Dar proud? Or will the game plan stay the same for Frazer and blast off with the cup?

NXT Heritage Cup Championship: Oro Mensah w/ Meta Four VS Nathan Frazer w/ Dragon Lee!

The bell rings and the first round begins. The two tie up, Frazer gets around to roll Oro up, TWO! Oro scrambles up and asks what the heck. He shoves Frazer, but then they tie up. Oro powers Frazer to a corner, the ref counts, and Oro lets off at 4. Oro then throws a cheap shot! Oro whips Frazer to the corner, hits a Tiger Wall Kick, then taunts Frazer. But Frazer DROPKICKS him! And arm-drags him! Frazer grinds an arm but Oro endures. Oro fights up, pulls hair but Frazer whips him away. Oro runs Frazer over, scuffs him, then runs. Frazer bypasses to then arm-drag! Frazer keeps going, slides under, and he arm-drags again!

Frazer has the armlock again but Oro fights up. Fans rally, and Frazer wrangles Oro back down! But Oro pokes Frazer in the eye! Oro runs in, Frazer ducks but Oro BOOMERANGS! Oro springboards, Frazer gets under to Quebrada over! Things keep moving, Frazer ducks ‘n dodges and rolls Oro up! Frazer SCORES!!

Oro: 0; Frazer: 1

And already, Dar’s reign is in danger! Lash calms Oro down and gets him to the corner. The entire Meta Four team helps Oro refocus while Dragon helps Frazer. The second round begins, and Oro CLOBBERS Frazer in the corner! Oro fires off body shots and CHOPS! The ref counts, Oro pie faces Frazer then snapmares, to KICK him in the back! Cover, TWO! Oro is frustrated, he covers again, TWO! Oro drags Frazer up, fans rally for Frazer but Oro snap suplexes! Cover, TWO! Meta Four is flustered but Oro stalks Frazer to ropes. Oro CHOPS, whips, but Frazer goes up and out and slides under! Frazer CHOPS back!

Frazer whips, Oro reverses but Frazer breaks free. Oro ducks the kicks to HOOK KICK and BOOT! Cover, TWO! We’re under two minutes in this round but Oro gets the legs. Frazer kicks at Oro, Oro still YANKS him up, but Frazer lands on his feet! Frazer PELES! Oro staggers and wobbles, runs in at the corner but only gets buckles! Frazer stomps away on Oro, lets off at the count, and he CHOPS again! Frazer whips, Oro reverses, but Frazer goes up and over and handsprings away! Oro kicks but Frazer blocks, only for Oro to FLIP AX KICK! Then Jakara gets on the apron! The ref reprimands her, but Lash anchors Frazer!

Oro runs in, WHEEL KICK! Cover, Oro scores!

Oro: 1; Frazer: 1

Fans boo and Dragon protests as he helps Frazer to his corner. Oro also backs off to his corner as NXT goes picture in picture.

Dragon helps Frazer get the starts out of his head while Lash fans off Oro with an actual hand fan. Meta Four is feeling much more confident now that they cheated to tie the score. Time’s up, here comes round three! Oro rushes in again and SHOTGUNS Frazer down! And then BASEMENT DDT! Cover, TWO!! Frazer survives but Oro covers again! TWO!! Oro tries a third time, TWO!! Frazer is not going down so easily but Oro drags him back up. Oro whips Frazer to a corner, UPPERCUTS him, then stalks him to another corner. But Frazer throws hands in return! Oro knees low and RAMS Frazer into buckles!

Oro kicks Frazer, the ref counts, and Oro backs off. Oro drags Frazer into a neck wrench as we go under two minutes. Dar is still a little worried, he could still lose his cup without fighting on his own. Though from the looks of it, he’s ready to fight fans who are taunting him. Frazer fights up but Oro wrangles him back down. Lash calms Dar down while Oro leans on Frazer. Frazer fights up again, pries the hold open and he shoots around to roll Oro up! TWO!! Oro CLOBBERS Frazer! Cover, TWO! We’re at the one minute warning in this round as Oro clamps onto Frazer and drags him up. Oro back suplexes, but Frazer lands on his feet!

NXT returns to single picture as Oro O’Conner Rolls! TWO!! Oro escapes, backslides, TWO!! Frazer sunset flips! TWO!! We’re at 30 seconds, Oro Jackknife Bridges, TWO!! Frazer dodges, QUEBRADA, but Oro snapmares free! Oro QUEBRADA into a SUPERKICK!! We’re at 10 seconds!! Frazer crawls, Dar pleads with the clock, TWO!! And then the round ends!

Oro: 1; Frazer: 1

Oro survives to the next round and Dar can breathe again. Dragon coaches Frazer up, he’s still just one point away. The round starts, and Frazer DROPKICKS Oro! And then Frazer goes up to PHOENIX- NO, he has to roll through as Oro moves! Frazer runs in again but Oro catches him to a cradle! TWO!!! Frazer escapes, goes to a corner, Oro runs in but Frazer puts him on the apron. But Oro HOTSHOTS Frazer, springboards, RIDER KICK! Oro drags Frazer up, ALLEY-OOP BOMB!! Cover, TWO!!! Frazer survives again in this fast ‘n’ furious match! Jakara tells Oro remember what he’s doing this for!

Oro drags Frazer up, tries again, but Frazer fights the bomb, spins and SUPERKICKS Oro in the heart! Cover, TWO!! Oro survives but Frazer keeps his focus. Frazer hurries to a corner, climbs up top, but Oro jumps up after him! Oro CLUBS Frazer, waistlocks, but Frazer fights! Frazer throws elbows, Oro falls back, but then he gets back up! SUPER GERMAN SUPLEX! Oro leaps to the cover, TWO!! Oro is beside himself as we hit the one minute mark in this round. Jakara and Lash try the same screw job play, but then LEON & FEROZ run out! They YANK Lash & Jakara off the apron and start a fight!

Fans fire up as Lash goes into steel steps! Oro hits just buckles!! Frazer hurries back up as we’re under 40 seconds! BEST PHOENIX EVER!! Cover, FRAZER WINS!!!

Winner: Nathan Frazer, by pinfall (NEW NXT Heritage Cup Champion)

Dar is distraught! He trusted his main man, but Oro LOST! The British Rocket is flying higher than ever, will he redefine what it is to be Heritage Cup Champion?

Lyra Valkyria speaks.

“At NXT Battleground, I came within an inch of claiming the NXT Women’s Championship. And last week, in the battle royal, I let immortality slip through my fingers again. I need to have a short term memory when it comes to these failures. Nothing worth having comes easy, and a true champion overcomes great odds to reach the pinnacle of their potential. I’ll keep evolving, adapting and channeling the spirit of The Morrigan to raise me up from these defeats, and to soar once more over the battlefields of NXT.” When and where will Lyra get another shot at the title?

The other women of NXT are watching this.

Jacy Jayne doesn’t even know what Lyra is going on about. What is any of that? Elektra Lopez says she doesn’t get it, either, but you can’t deny Lyra’s ability. Even Tiffany admitted to it. Well yeah, Elektra would know, since Lyra dumped her outta the battle royal last week. Jacy moves on but then Lola Vice gets in her way. Jacy should check the tape, cuz Lyra got her, too. Jacy says whatever and Lola tells Elektra she doesn’t like too many people here. But she does like Lopez. Likewise. They should stick together. Lola is ready to level up, will she and La Madrina take over the Women’s Division?

Robert Stone talks with Von Wagner backstage.

Von’s been seeing a lot of that therapist lately. Yeah, she’s the best. She sure gets a lot out of him. Well, she’s gotta be doing something right, because Von is looking good and feeling good. But then Dijak walks over to say that Stone should drop this loser and manage a winner. Uh, Stone already reps a winner. Dijak chuckles, but Stone says to forget that guy. Von, keep talking about how therapy’s going. No, Von is done talking. Things have been going great, he’s talked about his childhood, but not “the picture.” Why not? Because she says he should talk to someone he trusts about that stuff.

So Von doesn’t trust Stone? If money isn’t the issue, maybe Stone can get Von’s mom, his dad, or some old football friends. No, no, he doesn’t want that. Then what’s the deal here? Who is Von gonna trust? Y’know, for such a smart guy, Stone can be real stupid sometimes. Oh, okay, thanks. Insults when Stone is trying to help. Who is Von gonna trust? STONE! Von trusts you, Stone! It’s always been Stone. Von storms off and Stone realizes what this all means. Will Stone and Von actually become friends?

2v1 Handicap Match: Axiom & SCRYPTS VS Dabba-Kato!

The comic book superhero story hits a new chapter! The Undeniable Truth and the daredevil of the written word are looking to topple this mountain of a man, will they be stronger together? Or will they simply be in for double the pain?

NXT returns, Scrypts & Axiom make their entrance, but then Dabba rushes out after them! They split up and get around him to get into the ring. Dabba rushes back in, they dodge again and they DOUBLE DROPKICK! The ref says to hold on but Scrypts gives Axiom a boost to DROPKICK again! Scrypts goes to the corner, the bell rings, and Axiom runs in, but into a LARIAT! Dabba drags Axiom up and throws him to Scrypts. Scrypts tags in, Axiom throws hands. Dabba DECKS Axiom, then SWATS Scrypts! Dabba TOSSES Axiom into Scrypts! Fans rally for the “POWER RANGERS!” as Dabba drags Scrypts up.

Dabba CLUBS Scrypts down! Fans rally as Scrypts stands but Dabba throws hands! Scrypts goes to the corner, Dabba storms in but Scrypts kicks back! Axiom tags in, but Dabba blocks their kicks, only to get DOUBLE ENZIGURIS! They fire off hands but Dabba picks them both up! Dabba throws Scrypts away to then BOOT him down! But Axiom fights to get a GUILLOTINE! But Dabba powers up to fireman’s carry, then THROW Axiom down! Dabba snarls, drags Axiom up with one hand, and fans rally before the CHOKE- NO, Axiom slips free! And PELES! Tag to Scrypts and he runs in, TIGER WALL KICK!

Scrypts fires off shots, gets around Dabba then under him to KANGAROO KCIK! Dabba wobbles but Scrypts fires off more hands! Dabba shoves Scrypts, Scrypts returns to WHEEL KICK Dabba out of the ring! Tag to Axiom before the DIVE! Direct hi and Dabba wobbles! Axiom tags Scrypts to then DIVE! Another hit but Dabba’s still up! Scrypts runs, but into Dabba’s grip! Axiom manages to tag in, and ENZIGURI! Dabba wobbles again, Axiom builds speed and then YANKS Scrypts up so he can FLY onto Dabba!! DIRECT HIT!! Fans are thunderous as Scrypts gets back up. Axiom goes up the corner, Dabba stands into the ARIHARA MOONSAULT!!

Fans fire up with the “Power Rangers” as they put Dabba in. Scrypts goes up, to QUEBRADA! Axiom aims, fans fire up, for the GOLDEN RATIO!! Cover, Axiom & Scrypts win!!

Winners: Axiom & Scrypts, by pinfall

Two is truly greater than one, because these underdogs pulled off a truly massive win! Will Scrypts & Axiom actually make a top tier tag team? WAIT! LOS LOTHARIOS ATTACK! Angel Garza & Humberto Carrillo beat down Axiom & Scrypts, then pop-up PUNT Axiom down! The fans cheer and jeer as the Lethal Lovers are back in NXT! The NXT Tag Division just got hotter, but what do Angel & Humberto have against Scrypts & Axiom?

NXT Gold Rush is living up to its name already!

Next week adds the North American Championship match of Wes VS Bate with Ali as the special guest referee! And the second week adds the Women’s Championship! Tiffany VS Thea is happening live on TV in two weeks, will Chase U finally have some gold? Or will NXT still be on #TiffyTime?

Channing Lorenzo has a conspiracy board.

Labeled “Operation #FREETONYD,” Stacks looks at all the possibilities. Dijak did it for retribution? Where’s Tommaso Ciampa been? AJ Galante died a hero. El Legado changed their name, and “Petey Poppins” is now a Brawling Brute. Is Two Dimes  still alive somehow? Pretty Deadly somehow swam to SmackDown. But then maybe The Don’s right, it HAS to be Gallus! Bada bing, bada bang, bada boom. At Stand & Deliver, they all knew Tony & Stacks were leaving as champs, so they placed their ace in the hole. But then there was a rematch set for NXT Battleground, and surprise! Tony gets pinched cuz of some rat bastard!

Okay, okay, pump the breaks. Don’t get mad, get even. So what Stacks has gotta do is get The Don out and get them another match. You take the head of the rat, and the rest follows. Stacks will figure it out as the Underboss. If he wants the big seat, he’s gotta make the big moves. He’ll show Tony that his faith is well placed. Will Stacks bring justice to the NXT Tag Division?

Duke and Thea talk backstage.

Duke is so proud of her! She stood up for herself, trained with Gulak & Dempsey- Hey, don’t touch the trophy. She won the battle royal, then beat Cora- Say it! Say it, Duke! Thea is going to become the youngest NXT Women’s Champion in history! YES! She can do it! She can do it! Yes, she can! And she’ll beat Tiff in two weeks. So next week, Duke will put on a Chase U pep rally to amp her up. Thea gets amped up NOW! Tiff walks over and says yeah, hi, her eardrums hate children’s voices, so please, use your indoor voice. Oh, by the way, love this underdog story, it’s so cute. But in this story, the underdog doesn’t win. Tootles.

Tiff heads out and Thea says she can beat Tiff. Gulak walks over and confronts Duke. Thea barely wins a match and now Duke’s throwing her a rally? Dempsey says there’s no celebrating when there’s no guarantee of a win. She needs to get back in the gym and get back to training. Duke tells them that’s enough, she just won a match. Thea says no, she can win, so she WILL see them in the gym! LOCK IT IN! LOCK IT IN! Thea is confident, but is she going to run herself in the ground before the Gold Rush?

Malik Blade VS Edris Enofe!

They say things come in threes, so if it worked for Briggs & Jensen and it worked for Hank ‘n’ Tank, it can work for them! Will Malik and Edris become a stronger tag team after facing off with each other? Or will there be an exception to this rule?

The bell rings and the two tie up. They go around, Edris puts Malik in a corner but then they go along the ropes to another corner. Malik has Edris caught now, but lets off as the ref counts. Edris shoves Malik, so Malik shoves Edris back! Hank ‘n’ Tank make their way out to watch in person. Edris says okay, okay, and he headlocks Malik. Malik powers out, but Edris runs him over! Things speed up, Malik hurdles but Edris ducks to sunset flip! Malik stays up but Edris uses a grapevine to finish the flip! Edris then shifts but Malik rolls him up, TWO! Jensen & Briggs are now ringside, they also wanna see this in action.

Edris waistlocks, Malik elbows free and runs, but Edris jumps, drops, but Malik avoids the dropkick to DROPKICK back! Fans fire up while Edris checks his chin. Edris goes to the apron while fans rally for “MALIK! DA FREAK!” Malik storms over but avoids a shoulder to knee Edris! Malik then slingshots up and over, but Edris holds onto ropes! Edris throws down fists and Malik staggers away. But Malik blocks the kick and trips Edris, only for Edris to handspring through! Edris comes back to CLOBBER Malik! Edris gets in the ring while Malik now checks the chin. Fans fire up as Edris builds speed, to FLY! But Malik moves!

Edris staggers back up and Malik FLIES! Direct hit at the ramp and fans lose their minds! Malik puts Edris in, climbs a corner, and Edris stands. Edris ROCKS Malik first! Edris climbs, fans rally for him now, but Malik throws body shots. Edris still brings Malik up for a SUPERPLEX! Cradle cover, TWO as Malik has it now! MALIK WINS!!

Winner: Malik Blade, by pinfall

Briggs & Jensen celebrate with Malik over the win, and Malik looks to his tag partner. They shake hands, and Malik says it’s all love. Edris says that he knows that Malik’s birthday is April 22nd, and he loves him! They hug it out and all the teams celebrate. But then wait, Booker T gets off commentary. He has breaking news after that beautiful moment. It is time to get down to business! Next week is Gold Rush! And these three teams will be in a TRIPLE THREAT TAG MATCH! Fans like that, because it gets better. The winner of that moves on to week two to face GALLUS for the titles!! And like Booker always says, “Now can you dig that, SUCKAAAH?!”

But wait, Los Lotharios return via the perch. They may not be in the #1 contenders match, but will they be very interested in Gold Rush’s tag title match? And then all three teams start brawling! Fans fire up as three sets of friends are throwing down! Who comes out of the Gold Rush with the gold? As for Angel & Humberto, interviewer Kelly asks them what they’re doing in NXT. Well look at this! There’s a lot of excitement and action in NXT, and of course, they wanna be part of it. This is the tag division to watch! Refs break up the brawl, but is the NXT Tag Division only getting wilder?

Damon Kemp complains to referees.

He shows pictures of him getting “screwed over” in his matches against Eddy Thorpe. The ref apologizes for missing the ropebreak, he was focused on the shoulders. Oh, he’s sorry? Hey, everybody! This guy’s sorry for screwing up! But another ref joins in the conversation, and then Eddy walks over. Wow, Kemp is picking fights with officials now? No, no, no. He’s not picking fights, he’s stating facts! If the ropebreak was called, Kemp would’ve won. But yet again, Eddy gets away with another cheap win. Even Eddy could see that? Well then how about seeing this? Kemp can name the match he wants, and they can run this back.

Any match? Yes, any kind of match Kemp wants. Well, okay, Kemp will think about it. But Eddy should’ve just taken the cheap victories. That’s not Eddy’s way. Kemp heads out, what will the Golden Gopher choose to get even with the Alpha Wolf?

Blair Davenport speaks.

“Enemies of the Heir beware. Now you know how true those words really are. Because you see, in this parking lot, and in that building, I singlehandedly derailed the future, right here. Nikkita Lyons: a threat to the women’s championship. But a threat to me? No more. Over here, Wendy Choo. A locker room leader. Now? She can only guide from home. But how could I forget about Sol Ruca. One of the fastest rising superstars in NXT. She was easy to take out when a wrench is in the room. But after what I’ve done, my road to the top is a lot easier. Everyone is so worried, that they’re willing to do anything to get onto my good side.

“Roxanne Perez. You were saved this time. But don’t worry, my capacity for savagery is boundless. Enemies of Blair, beware.”

Roxanne Perez VS Tatum Paxley!

The Prodigy missed out on another opportunity in last week’s battle royal, but that’s because she let anger distract her. She went after Blair Davenport, but then Tatum helped out Blair! Will Roxie get some semblance of revenge? Or will Paxley be the one to pop Rox?

NXT returns as Tatum makes her entrance. The bell rings and the two rush in. Roxie dodges to drop toehold but Tatum stays up to drag Roxie up. Roxie rolls Tatum, TWO! Roxie wrenches Tatum to a wristlock, Tatum rolls, but Roxie throws her down! Roxie La Magistrol to O’Conner Bridge, TWO! Tatum gets up but Roxie wrenches and headlocks. Tatum powers out but Roxie cartwheels and rolls back to swinging headscissor! Fans fire up with Roxie and she waistlocks, but Tatum runs to ropes to HOTSHOT Roxie! Tatum drags Roxie up, underhooks and puts Roxie in the ropes, BUTTERFLY SUPLEX! Cover, TWO!

Tatum stomps Roxie, drags her up and stomps her more, but the ref counts cuz she’s pulling hair. Tatum lets go, runs in and runs Roxie over! Tatum gets the legs, turns Roxie over, and has a BOSTON CRAB! Roxie endures and fans rally up as Tatum sits deep! Roxie powers up, rolls, covers, TWO! Tatum swings, but Roxie counter punches! And again, but then Tatum half nelsons for a FACEBUSTER! Cover, TWO! Roxie survives but Tatum is right on her to stomp the leg. Tatum tries to turn Roxie over again but Roxie fights the crab this time. Roxie spins, cross leg takedown, TWO!! Tatum runs in but into body shots!

Roxie CLUBS and HAMMERS away, but Tatum shoves Roxie back. Tatum whips, Roxie ducks ‘n’ dodges and springboards to CROSSBODY! Roxie fires off fast hands but Tatum gets away. Roxie roars, runs, and DIVES! Direct hit at the ramp! Fans fire up with Roxie and she puts Tatum back in. Roxie fires up, runs in and UPPERCUTS! Roxie wrenches, hooks Tatum up, but Tatum powers out of the leg sweep to throw Roxie by her hair! The ref reprimands and fans boo but Tatum whips Roxie to ropes. Roxie holds ropes, goes up and over, POP- NO, Tatum blocks, but Roxie still sunset flips! Roxie wins!!

Winner: Roxanne Perez, by pinfall

Roxie rebounds with a win, but this isn’t over. Roxie gets a mic to call out Blair! “You’ve hidden in the shadows for months and put a huge dent in our women’s locker room, striking fear into our roster. Look into my eyes, Blair. I’m not afraid of you! You didn’t get me the way you wanted to, so you can keep hunting me, but now I’m looking for you. And I will hurt you just like you did the rest of our women. That’s not a threat, that’s a damn promise!” Fans fire up, but is the Prodigy biting off more than she can chew?

Gigi Dolin watches back film.

She says Kiana James pulled her tights to eliminate her, but no one says anything. Fallon Henley walks over and asks if that’s the battle royal. Yep. Kiana can be a real pain in the ass. Of all the people to eliminate her, Gigi should’ve just done it herself! Fallon says Kiana won’t let her forget it, either. Gigi cannot stand that stuck-up, elitist “I’m better than you” attitude. It makes you wanna rip her face off! Don’t get Fallon started. But if Kiana’s getting at Gigi, it’s cuz Gigi is a threat. Damn good instincts there. Kiana, like others, fear what she doesn’t understand, which is why she’s after Gigi.

Fallon warns Gigi, Kiana is a snake. Gigi will make sure Kiana knows why you don’t mess with a reject. Will the Toxic Avenger take down another egotistical enemy?

NXT hears from Lucien Price & Bronco Nima.

This is the spot right here, where it all began. That friendship started with a game of “bones” (dominoes) that turned into a brotherhood from the hood. The streets are their home, where they learned not to trust anyone but your brothers. All they need are each other, and they’ve fought against the world as it tried to divide them. But one thing is for sure: NXT ain’t ready for this.

NXT Championship #1 Contender’s Match: Baron Corbin VS Ilja Dragunov!

Before tonight, this match was just about proving a point between classes of NXT superstars. But now, with a shot at Carmelo Hayes and the NXT Championship truly on the line, the stakes and intensity have been raised! Will the Lone Wolf prove he’s what NXT still needs? Or will The Czar show he IS NXT?

The bell rings and the two circle. Fans rally, the two tie up, and they’re in a deadlock. Corbin throws body shots to go after the bad back! Corbin CLUBS Dragunov, runs him over, and then soaks up the heat. Dragunov gets up and eggs Corbin on. Dragunov then BOOTS Corbin, puts him in a corner and fires off forearms! The ref counts, Dragunov knees low then lets off. Dragunov brings Corbin around to bump off buckles, then KNEE him low! And again! Dragunov ROCKS Corbin, bumps him off buckles but Corbin turns things around to CHOP! Dragunov just shrugs it off?! Dragunov CHOPS back!

Dragunov RIPS Corbin’s shirt apart and CHOPS him again! Fans are thunderous as Dragunov CLUBS Corbin right down! Dragunov eggs Corbin on, stomps him, and then drags Corbin up. Dragunov knees Corbin, CHOPS him again, and Corbin is stinging! Dragunov looms over Corbin as fans want that “ONE MORE TIME!” But Corbin hauls Dragunov up to HOTSHOT, then CLOBBER him! Fans boo but Corbin stomps away on Dragunov! Corbin drags Dragunov up to short arm LARIAT! Fans boo more but Corbin just taunts Dragunov. Corbin drags Dragunov up, taunts the fans, but Dragunov gets around to GERMAN SUPLEX!

Dragunov holds on, brings Corbin up, and GERMAN SUPLEXES again! Dragunov drags Corbin back up but Corbin grabs the ropes. The ref counts, Corbin elbows Dragunov and whips him. Dragunov tiger feints for the CONSTANTINE SPECIAL! Corbin flops out of the ring and is frustrated while NXT goes picture in picture.

Dragunov is fired up but he clutches his bad back. Dragunov goes out to CLUB Corbin, and then stalks him to barriers. Dragunov brings Corbin around, CHOPS him, and fans fire up with Dragunov. Dragunov drags Corbin back up to put him in the ring. Dragunov takes a moment to catch his breath, but Corbin BLASTS him off the apron! Dragunov writhes on the floor, Corbin goes out after him, and Corbin brings him up to RAM into barriers! Dragunov drops to his knees but he shakes his head. Dragunov stands to HEADBUTT Corbin, and UPPERCUT! But Corbin throws body shots into the bad back!

Corbin puts Dragunov in the ring, KICKS him in the side, and then CLUBS him down! And again! And again! Corbin throws elbows, then drags Dragunov up. Dragunov blocks the punch to give punches and CHOPS! Dragunov wrenches and clinches, but Corbin fights the lift. Dragunov shifts to get a SLEEPER! Corbin sputters as Dragunov leans on him. Corbin fights up, but Dragunov shifts to put on more pressure. NXT returns to single picture and fans chant “LOCK IT IN!” on behalf of Trick Williams. Corbin fights up, breaks the sleeper, but Dragunov waistlocks again! Corbin pries free to elbow low!

Corbin throws Dragunov out hard! Dragunov hits the apron on the way down! Corbin sputters but he goes out after Dragunov. Corbin drags Dragunov up as fans chant “CORBIN SUCKS!” Corbin choke grips, to APRON CHOKE SLAM! Dragunov writhes while Corbin soaks up the heat. Corbin then rains down elbows on the apron! Dragunov gets in the ring but Corbin drags Dragunov back out! Corbin has Dragunov against the desk as he fires off on the bad back! Corbin then RAMS Dragunov into the apron face first! The ref checks Dragunov, reprimands Corbin, but Corbin pushes Dragunov into the ring.

Corbin stalks Dragunov, stomps his back, and mocks the fans with applause. Corbin puts on a chinlock and he bends Dragunov back. Dragunov endures, the fans rally up, and Dragunov fights his way up. Fans rally, Dragunov fights with elbows, but Corbin choke grips! CHOKE SLAM BACKBREAKER! Cover, TWO!! Dragunov is still in this and he shakes his head. Corbin stalks Dragunov to ropes, drags him up, and he puts Dragunov in the corner. Corbin mocks the fans, then whips Dragunov corner to corner hard! Dragunov bounces off the buckles and Corbin grins. Corbin drags Dragunov up, and whips him into another corner!

Corbin runs in but into an ELBOW! Dragunov goes up, CLUBS away on Corbin, but Corbin YANKS Dragunov down! Dragunov staggers up, into a fireman’s carry! DEATH VALLEY DRIVER! Cover, TWO!! Corbin is frustrated as Dragunov survives that big throw. Corbin argues with the ref but the ref says his count was fair. Corbin sits Dragunov up but Dragunov throws body shots. Corbin shoves Dragunov into ropes to ROCK him in the back! Corbin throws off his elbow pads and he stands Dragunov up again. Another shove, and another forearm into the back! Corbin then drags Dragunov up to shove again, but Dragunov ROCKS Corbin back!

Corbin ROCKS Dragunov, Dragunov ROCKS Corbin, and fans rally as the forearms fly! Corbin then hits low! Dragunov roars, runs in, but into DEEP SIX!! Cover, TWO!! Dragunov survives and shocks Corbin! Fans fire up as Corbin looms over Dragunov. Corbin drags Dragunov up, reels him in, END OF- NO, Dragunov slips through to fire off knees! And a CHOP! And a BOOT! And then a PELE! Corbin falls and fans are thunderous! Dragunov nods and stands, to run in corner to corner, JUMP KNEE! Snapmare, and then Dragunov goes to the corner. Dragunov hops up, to KING KONG KNEE DROP!

Dragunov isn’t done, he just goes right back up! Dragunov leaps for a SUPER SENTON!! But the damage to his back makes that double-edged! Fans love “NXT! NXT!” for this main event as Dragunov drags Corbin up. Corbin THROAT CHOPS! And CHOKE- NO, Dragunov slips free to DDT! “This is Awesome!” as Dragunov gets Corbin up, to suplex! Up and over! And FALLING FOREARM! Corbin flounders away but Dragunov goes to a corner. “UN! BE! SIEG! BAR!” But BRON BREAKKER is here! Dragunov hits Bron with TORPEDO MOSCOW! But then END OF DAYS!!! Cover, Corbin wins!

Winner: Baron Corbin, by pinfall (NEW #1 Contender to the NXT Champion)

The Big Booty Nephew screws Dragunov over, and then keeps after him! That’s the only reason Corbin is a contender! But wait, here comes the champ! Melo fires off on Corbin! Melo DECKS Corbin, SUPERKICKS him, then springboards, FLYING CLOTHESLINE! Fans are fired up for “MEL~O! MEL~O!” NOTHING BUT NET!! Melo hits that three pointer, is he gonna dunk on Bumass Corbin in the Gold Rush?

My Thoughts:

Great stuff for NXT, and for what turned out as a surprise go-home given the coming Gold Rush themed episodes. For one, really good promos from Bron and Rollins to set up their World Heavyweight Championship match for next week, Rollins is gonna have a busy week but also some awesome matches having both the open challenge on Raw and then this match on NXT. At the same time, Rollins of course makes it through next week to still defend his title at MITB against Finn Balor, but the whole point is to show Rollins is a fighting champion who is willing to fight more times in two weeks than Roman has all year.

Meanwhile, really good stuff in the Women’s Championship story. Good promo from Dana and Cora that of course led to Dana helping Thea win that match. Thea is confident, and I would hope she has an amazing showing, but it is still gonna be Tiffany’s title after Gold Rush. But I look forward to the pep rally, and I would love if that’s when Andre Chase decides to make his return. Dana VS Cora will also be good, but I think Cora’s gonna cheat that win as payback. And good promo from Gigi where she and Fallon sorta bond over hating Kiana. Gigi VS Kiana will help Gigi build more momentum towards an eventual title match with Tiff.

Good promo from Blair to recap her “victims” and fairly good match from Roxie and Tatum. I feel like that finish wasn’t quite how it was meant to be, but the Pop Rox being a Sunset Bomb, it was a good adjustment to switch things to a sunset flip. And Roxie has a good promo calling out Blair, that’ll be a really good match, but I feel like Tatum will play a factor in Blair’s win. If Blair is “the heir” in a Harry Potter reference, then Tatum can be Blair’s first Death Eater. Tatum’s make-up has become a bit more smeared, a bit spookier, which is ironic since Alba & Isla brought up the darkness in her but then they got called up. Maybe there was something planned where Tatum would join them, but now she can play that out as Blair’s protégé.

Great opening Six Man Tag, and great win for the Faces. An interesting move for Ali to suggest he acts as special guest referee, I feel like this is gonna lead to him screwing over someone, probably Bate, and then getting himself a match with Wes. Then great stuff with the Heritage Cup, but I can already see Dar claiming controversy. He didn’t wanna face Frazer himself, so in a great and fast paced match, Frazer wins big against Oro, but Dar can perhaps argue this and get a rematch for either Gold Rush or Great American Bash. In that instance, I would hope Frazer retains against Dar, but there’s half a chance Dar gets it back to be a three-time Heritage Cup Champion.

Great handicap match from Axiom, Scrypts and Dabba-Kato, and that is definitely how you book underdog Faces going against one big Heel. I’m thinking Axiom & Scrypts are sticking together as a team, and then what a huge surprise that Los Lotharios are another “callback” here. Great match between Malik & Edris, especially for Malik to win. And I like that as soon as a shot at the tag titles was on the line, the six friends all stuck by their teams and started fighting. And good little vignette from Price & Bronco, who have also been on Level Up getting their reps.  The NXT Tag Division is really heating up again, as I said after watching Battleground, and we are going to be in for a great Triple Threat Tag next week.

In relation, I really liked Stacks’ promo with his conspiracy board. What great use of continuity that just tends to evade RawDown (when Vince is writing things), and I appreciate that they’re even keeping Two Dimes as a possibility even though Cole Karter is still AEW/ROH. I’m intrigued to see where this will go, I hope they really make the payoff a good one. Gallus will probably make it through Gold Rush, and maybe we get more great vignettes from the D’Angelo Family to lead us into Great American Bash. And really good segment from Von, Stone and Dijak. It wasn’t overstated but it was done really well for Von to admit that Stone is his friend, his confidant, and Von VS Dijak is going to be one hell of a match.

And speaking of, that main event was awesome stuff. Probably one of Corbin’s best in awhile. But at the same time, something screwy had to happen for Corbin to win so he could face Melo for the title. Bron has his shot, so he adds Heel heat by being so petty as to screw Dragunov out of his shot. Chances are Dragunov returns the favor, and then we get Bron VS Dragunov at Great American Bash. Melo getting the better of Corbin was great to turn the mood back around for the fans, and I don’t think this affects the math on the title match. Corbin is a great Heel, but the HIM Era should be uninterrupted until the day someone else NXT has been building is ready to dethrone Melo.

My Score: 8.8/10