Adam Cole has shared his thoughts on the impending Wednesday Night War between NXT and All Elite Wrestling (AEW).
The NXT Champion discussed the two brands competing during an interview with SiriusXM’s Busted Open Radio. He spoke about the comparisons between the promotions, highlighting that it is an incredibly exciting time for pro wrestling and wrestling fans.
“I’m incredibly proud of our team,” Cole said. “I stand by the fact that I really do think, bell-to-bell, NXT puts on the best shows on the planet. I stand by that. To now get a chance to do that on such a huge stage weekly on USA Network, two hours live every week, it’s exciting.”
A lot has been made over the last few weeks of "who's counter-programming who" on Wednesday nights come October.
When asked by Mark Henry about the concept of competition and comparison between the two promotions, Cole was forthcoming with his response.
“There’s no question. Of course there’s going to be a lot of comparisons,” Cole stated. “Obviously, we’re going live at the same exact time. There’s these new Wednesday Night Wars that people are calling it, but NXT did get to the USA Network based on the work within NXT. I’ve been hearing for weeks and weeks and weeks that NXT is the third brand […] and now we have a chance to prove it on the USA Network.
He added: “For me, it creates such an exciting situation for wrestling fans. There are so many different options for people to watch and enjoy different types of wrestling or different promotions. So as a fan and a wrestler […], it’s never been a more exciting time.”
WWE NXT on USA Network debuts on September 18th. AEW’s first show on TNT will air a few weeks later on October 2nd.
Current NXT Champion Adam Cole recently defended his title against Johnny Gargano in a competitive Two-Out-Of-Three Falls matchup. The two competed for the gold at WWE’s recent NXT TakeOver: Toronto event over SummerSlam weekend.
In an interview with Lilian Garcia for her podcast, Chasing Glory, Adam Cole spoke about the matchup, and what the backstage reaction was once their bout had concluded.
“This Feud Started Like A Replacement To Tommaso Ciampa”
“I’m definitely incredibly sore from that one,” Cole admitted. “I don’t know how many of those I have in me. This trilogy with Johnny was so important to me and him. We’ve known each other for 10 years. So we had talked forever about getting the chance to maybe wrestle on a really big stage like NXT.”
“This kind of – this feud started, almost, like a replacement to Tomasso Ciampa, ‘cause Johnny and Tommaso were in the middle of their big feud,” he said. “So then, they needed a big main event for WrestleMania weekend, and were like, ‘Okay, let’s do Adam and Johnny.’ And then it turned into this crazy trilogy that had its punctuation mark last night and ended all in that wrestling street fight and crazy steel cage match. It was a lot of fun. Painful, but a lot of fun. And Toronto was great. I love wrestling in Toronto.”
When he came back behind the curtain, Cole described how “everyone was applauding”, and he was greeted with hugs and handshakes. Despite the praise, he shared that he still looks for flaws in his performance.
“I look for it, yeah,” he confessed. “I obsess on – to me, I’ve never had, I know everyone feels this way, but I’ve never had and will never have the perfect match. But I’m going to try so hard to get it. I’ll find 10 different things that I’m like, ‘Oh I didn’t like this, or this could’ve been a little bit better,’ I’m proud of it, for sure. And I’m happy with it. But I definitely don’t think I’ve ever had a match that, start to finish, it was exactly what I wanted. But sometimes that’s not necessarily a bad thing either.”
Adam Cole was the only member of Undisputed Era to leave NXT TakeOver: Toronto with a championship, as the stable continue their attempts to drape themselves with gold.
With WWE officially announcing that NXT will be moving to USA Network on Wednesdays, All Elite Wrestling (AEW) Executive Vice Presidents, The Young Bucks, have stated that they “aren’t scared” of the competition.
Now AEW’s Chief Branding Officer, and head of AEW’s Women’s Division, Brandi Rhodes has offered her thoughts on the announcement, WWE’s supposed counter programming efforts, and her approach to the impending competition.
Speaking with TribLive, she stated that AEW are “all for it.”
“I definitely can’t speak for them [WWE] and their business planning and thinking, but as far as AEW is concerned we’re all for it,” she admitted. “We are excited to be on Wednesday night. We’ve got amazing things lined up. We can’t wait to get to air.”
Brandi continued, “We’re actually on the TNT campus right now with a ton of meetings and going over all sorts of aspects of rolling into Oct. 2. It’s a wild and great time for everyone. Our fans are going to be shocked, satiated and I think they will keep coming back for more.”
Although AEW debut on TNT in October, their next major event, All Out, will take place at the end of the month on August 31st from the Sears Centre Arena in Hoffman Estates, Illinois.
Legendary wrestling announcer Jim Ross is sharing his two cents regarding the upcoming ‘Wednesday Night War’ between AEW and WWE’s NXT brand.
On the latest episode of his Grilling JR podcast, JR spoke with co-host Conrad Thompson about the news that NXT is moving to the USA Network starting Wednesday, September 18th. NXT is expanding to 2 hours and will broadcast live each week from Full Sail University in Winter Park, FL. Two weeks later, the war is on when AEW premieres on TNT and the two shows go head-to-head each week in prime time.
Ross says he’s not at all surprised that Vince McMahon made the call to move NXT to the USA Network right before the launch of AEW on TNT.
“I’m not surprised,” said Ross. “Knowing Vince as well as I do and working with him so closely as I did for over a quarter of a century, he ain’t gonna lay back and let AEW grow independently and freely. That was never going to happen. He feels threatened for some crazy reason and I think that’s interesting to me.
JR was adamant that All Elite Wrestling is focused solely on their own success and was not specifically looking to challenge WWE head-on.
“I’ve seen on Twitter where, well, AEW started all this because Cody busted up a prop, a throne or something, and the Bucks did something. You know, I can see where the point is made, but I don’t know if there were any gunshots at each other. But it did surprise me. Competition is good. It’s like a football scrimmage. Good vs. Good. We’ll be very happy to compete, it was going to be a competition all along, we knew it wasn’t going to be an easy road, but at no time in my interview process or short experience since March with Tony Khan and AEW, have i heard one person say, “We’re going to get WWE on this one. Oh, WWE’s not going to like this” It’s never been brought up. It’s brought up online. It’s brought up in the wrestling media.”
JR believes Vince moving NXT to the USA Network is a clear sign that Vince McMcMahon is at least ‘cautious’ about AEW’s early success.
“When Vince moved NXT off his own network, I’ve been a loyal subscriber to the WWE network since they started .. it tells us all we need to know. Is WWE is aware and cautious about the development of AEW? The answer is obviously, ‘yes.’ Should they be? I don’t really know if they should be or not.”
He continued, “No one is going to supplant WWE as the number one sports entertainment in the world. That’s just the way that it is. Big head start, great infrastructure, there’s power in numbers and they’ve got the numbers. But it’s irrelevant. The goal of AEW is to provide a great product to lapsed wrestling fans, among others, with an athletically-based old-school-oriented product. And to make, more importantly, a profit for the Khan family.”
“It’s all about [AEW] and not about them. So, I’m not surprised. I wouldn’t expect any less and this just shows you, USA paid a lot of money for the rights fees, so now they’re getting more cheese on their Whopper, and it’s also going to motivate our guys. Our guys should see this as a challenge. They should see this as a very competitive challenge and, “Are you ready to play?” All I give a damn about is how good our shows are going to be.” Bring it on. Bring it on, let’s compete and hopefully we won’t break down into some Mickey Mouse infantile bullshit, on either side.”
Conrad Thompson asked about whether or not NXT competing with AEW head-to-head will affect AEW’s storytelling. Without direct competition, they’d have more time to tell stories at a proper pace. If viewers are flipping back and forth between two shows, AEW might feel pressured to accelerate their presentation and re-evaluate their overall approach. JR said that was a good point and a good question.
“I would say, it’s on the radar big time, how do we write TV, how long are we away from action, factoring in how long a commercial break is, do we have a segment that’s only talking or no physicality? We might see less of those. But I don’t think it’s going to be a big deal for AEW anyway.”
You can listen to the full podcast episode at WestWoodOnePodcasts.com, other major podcast outlets like iTunes and in the embedded player below:
With NXT set to debut on the USA Network Wednesday, September 18th, at least some of the performers on the show are reportedly expected to receive more lucrative contracts. The issue was addressed recently in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter.
“The belief is that at least the top tier NXT talent will have new contracts at closer to main roster figures than current developmental figures,” wrote Dave Meltzer.
The report would continue to say that new talent signed to NXT usually earn between $40-$60K annually but that is likely to change.
“While not confirmed, the word going around is that all developmental deals are going to be changed to main roster deals shortly,” Meltzer continued. He would then continue to say the current plan is for Triple H to remain in charge of NXT without involvement from either Vince McMahon or Kevin Dunn.
Mauro Ranallo, Nigel McGuinness and Beth Phoenix are expected to remain as the NXT commentary team. Ranallo Tweeted out the following in regards to the news that the show is headed to the USA Network.
“I had the honor of being part of the first #SmackDownLive broadcast on @USA_Network I am even more excited to be part of the @WWENXT broadcast team with @McGuinnessNigel & @TheBethPhoenix on USA! WE’LL DO IT LIVE!”
WWE and the USA Network recently announced NXT will air live weekly 2-hour shows every Wednsday night. The company won’t be receiving as much in rights fees from USA as was originally reported, however.
The Wrestling Observer recently provided an update on how much WWE will receive in rights fees annually from the USA Network in exchange for NXT programming.
“I guess the number is $60 million over two years,” said Dave Meltzer on Wrestling Observer Radio. “Which would be $30 million a year or $600,000 a week, not $50 million that I said the first time. What I was told was over $50 million but the person who told me I guess meant over two years, not one year.”
He would continue to say it is still enough for NXT to be profitable. The fees will also be more than enough to cover production costs.
NXT tapings had been scheduled for September 11th and 12th next month at Full Sail University. Those events have been rescheduled to the 18th and 25th when they will air live on USA. Ticketholders to the 11th and 12th shows will now have the option of receiving a refund or tickets to the rescheduled shows.
Current NXT Champion, Adam Cole, has opened up about the impact negative social media used to have on him as a performer.
Speaking with Lilian Garcia on her podcast, Chasing Glory, Cole described how he used to value what the internet thought about him and his matches, stating that “it really meant everything to me.” He explained that his mindset came from the fact that, at the time, the only buzz you could generate as an independent pro wrestler was online. Because of this, he allowed any sort of overt negativity to affect how he perceived himself and his work.
“At that point, wrestling on the Independents, your only real buzz was online,” Cole explained. “In the arena, you’d wrestle in front of 200 people tops, so it’s not like the world was talking about it. You would hope that word of mouth, people would speak highly of you.”
“It mattered to me so much that I would have a match that I loved, the guy I was working with loved, and the boys loved. But if two or three people said, ‘that sucked,’ then the match sucked to me. I was like, ‘I gotta stop doing that.’ It was ruining my perception on what is fun and what I know is good.”
He continued, explaining that he barely checks his Twitter account anymore. Instead, he stays away from social media in general.
“People are entitled to their opinion. But it’s when people take hard and crazy, ‘I wish this person wasn’t alive’ type of stuff. I can’t imagine watching a movie and then going online and being like, ‘This movie sucked! Leonardo DiCaprio! Shutter Island! TRASH!’”
WWE NXT General Manager William Regal had little time for Mia Yim following last night’s episode of NXT.
In case you missed it, Yim was confronted by NXT Women’s Champion Shayna Baszler and her Horsewomen, Jessamyn Duke and Marina Shafir. She was offered a spot under Baszler’s “dragon wing,” and was invited to join the three of them. Yim refused their invitation, instead launching an attack before the numbers game caught up with her.
After the show, Mia Yim caught up with a preoccupied William Regal, who was on the phone. She demanded a matchup against Shayna Baszler, highlighting that she was just beaten down in a three-on-one assault.
Regal’s response lacked any sort of sympathy, however:
“Listen, you had your opportunity at TakeOver,” he said. “You attacked two of them, what do you expect?”
He then resumed his phone call and walked off, leaving Mia Yim visibly frustrated.
The matchup Regal referred to was Mia Yim’s recent bout at TakeOver: Toronto. She competed in a losing effort for the WWE NXT Women’s Championship, submitting to Baszler.
Given the fallout of this match and her rejection to join Baszler and her cohorts, it appears this storyline has yet to run its course.
Undisputed Era kicked off the show to a great reaction from the crowd. NXT Champion Adam Cole boasted about defeating Johnny Gargano at TakeOver: Toronto and retaining his title.
The crowd broke out in an “Adam Cole” as he stated that people are saying that he had the performance of a lifetime. Cole claimed that he is the greatest champion that has ever lived and added that NXT’s Mount Rushmore would simply have his face four times.
Roderick Strong claimed that the rest of the Undisputed Era got screwed at TakeOver. Strong pointed out that Dream pinned Dunne to retain the North American Championship and his title reign is on borrowed time.
Kyle O’Reilly grabbed a microphone and rolled footage of Bobby Fish tagging in at TakeOver. O’Reilly got pinned at the end of the match despite not being the legal man. Bobby Fish demanded that NXT GM William Regal get out here and do his job.
Cole told O’Reilly and Fish that they are the greatest tag team in NXT history. He then told Roderick Strong that the NXT North American Championship has his name on it.
NXT Breakout Tournament winner Jordan Myles interrupted with the contract in his hand. Cole laughed in his face and asked if he was joking about challenging him for the NXT Championship. Adam Cole stated that Myles would be wasting his championship opportunity by challenging him.
Cole vowed to make Myles’ career an undisputed failure if he chooses to face him. Jordan made it seem like he was going to hand Cole the contract and then dropped it at his feet. Myles then laughed and made his way backstage.
It was announced that Jordan Myles will battle Adam Cole for the NXT Championship in two weeks. Undisputed Era will face the Street Profits for the NXT Tag Team Championships next week.
Mansoor squared off against Damian Priest on this week’s episode of NXT. Priest drove Mansoor to the corner and slammed him off the top turnbuckle. Damian followed it up with a big boot and a few knee shots to the ribs.
Priest shrugged off a forearm from Mansoor and knocked him to the canvas. Mansoor rolled up Priest for a two count and then hit a Dropkick. Damian grabbed Mansoor by the throat but he escaped and connected with an Enziguri.
Mansoor sent Priest to the outside and flipped onto him. Back in the ring, Mansoor planted Priest with a Neckbreaker and went for a Tornado DDT but Damian blocked it. Priest hit a massive Clothesline and followed it up with the Reckoning for the pinfall victory.
Mia Yim battled Vanessa Borne tonight on NXT. Aliyah accompanied Borne to the ring for the match. Yim beat Borne down in the corner of the ring and connected with a Cannonball. Mia followed that up with the Protect Ya Neck for the easy win.
After the match, NXT Women’s Champion Shayna Baszler came down to the entrance ramp with a microphone. Shayna suggested that Yim join her with Duke and Shafir but Mia declined. Baszler, Duke, and Shafir attacked Yim and beat her down in the middle of the ring.
Bronson Reed faced Shane Thorne tonight on NXT. Thorne booted Reed in the leg and then retreated out of the ring. Shane got back in the ring and went for another kick but Reed blocked it and took him to the mat.
Reed took a seat on top Thorne’s back and then applied an Arm Bar. Shane escaped but walked right into a Spinebuster from Reed. Thorne connected with a Dropkick and followed it up with a Senton in the corner for a two count.
Bronson planted Thorne with a Powerslam and then a Samoan Drop. Reed hit a Senton Splash and followed it up with a Splash in the corner. Thorne retreated out of the ring again and Reed followed him out there. Reed rolled Thorne back in the ring and made his way to the top rope.
Thorne knocked Reed off the turnbuckle and hit a running knee to the face for the pinfall victory.
Killian Dain Defeated Matt Riddle
Killian Dain faced Matt Riddle in the main event of this week’s show. Riddle ambushed Dain from behind before the match. Riddle then started off the match in control and hit a few kicks in the corner. Dain shrugged them off and kneed Riddle in his taped up ribs.
Riddle connected with a kick to the side of the head that sent Dain tumbling out of the ring. Matt hit a flying forearm off the steel steps and the action returned to the ring. Dain hit a Crossbody and followed it up with a Suplex for a near fall.
Dain stomped away on Riddle’s ribs and then hit a Gutbuster. Killian went for a Suplex but Riddle countered into a Suplex of his own. Riddle hit an Exploder Suplex and followed it up with the Broton. Riddle hit a Penalty Kick and went for the cover but Dain was able to kick out at two.
Matt planted Dain with a German Suplex and then a knee to the face. Dain hit a Dropkick and followed it up with a massive Cannonball for a two count. Riddle hit the Bro to Sleep and then a Powerbomb for another near fall.
Riddle went for a Moonsault but Dain got his knees up. Killian slammed Riddle into the ring post and Matt fell to the outside. Dain charged at Riddle but Matt got out of the way and Dain crashed into the steel steps. Riddle went for a Powerbomb but Dain countered into a rough-looking Back Body Drop that slammed Matt onto the steel steps. Dain hit a Senton and then a Vader Bomb off the ring apron.
Back in the ring, Dain hit three Vader Bombs in a row for the pinfall victory. Matt Riddle went after Dain after the match as NXT went off the air. The two superstars then battled into the parking lot as you can see in the video below.
With WWE recently confirming that their black-and-gold brand NXT will be heading to USA Network in September, people are still clamoring for information on what it might mean for Superstars, on-air talent, and the future of NXT.
In a backstage interview posted to WWE’s YouTube account, Triple H discussed what the move to USA Network means for the brand and its long-term plans.
“It’s been a crazy journey of something that I don’t think most people thought would never happen,” Triple H said. “But this was kinda the vision of it.”
Regarding the move to USA Network, Triple H confessed he couldn’t be prouder to see the brand move to television, extending to a new two-hour run time in the process.
“I couldn’t be happier. I couldn’t be more proud. I said it in the beginning, this was gonna be their brand. That’s why we hashtag it ‘we are NXT,’ he said.
He then promised that “As good as NXT is now, it’s only gonna get better. This is gonna expose a whole new side of NXT that people haven’t been able to see yet. I can tell you this about it: as excited as everybody is about this moment, this is the start. This isn’t the destination, this is the start. This brand is just getting started.”
WWE NXT debuts on USA Network on September 18th at 8/7 C.
The wrestling world continues to react to WWE’s announcement that NXT, will debut on USA Network in September.
Former WWE Superstar and current All Elite Wrestling (AEW) wrestler Chris Jericho shared a loaded tweet in the wake of the news. He wrote:
“Oh by the way… @WWENXT on @USA_Network? #YoureWelcome #IndustryChanger”
Turns out that NXT’s General Manager William Regal has seen Jericho’s message. It didn’t take him long to respond:
“Yes,thank you Chris. From us both being on NXT in 2010 until today, being a mentor, announcer and GM, NXT has given huge oppurtunities for many talent who would never of got a chance before, to be real game changers. And it’s all down to you.Thank you so much”
NXT’s September start date puts WWE a few weeks ahead of AEW’s TNT debut on October 2nd. This gives WWE time to try and establish its black-and-gold brand on television before their competitor’s debut.
With both shows airing on Wednesday nights, the wrestling industry is on the precipice of a new ratings war between the two shows. Despite this, AEW EVPs, The Young Bucks, recently stated they aren’t “scared” of WWE’s counter-programming efforts.
WWE NXT will be moving up to a two-hour time slot and will debut on USA Network on September 18th at 8/7 C.
WWE finally confirmed NXT’s debut on Cable TV after a week
full of rumors yesterday and now the company has also started preparing for the
same.
In the preparation for NXT’s Live premiere, the company has
canceled the upcoming tapings of the development brand, scheduled to take place
on September 11th and September 12th respectively from Full Sail Live.
WWE sent out a mail to the ticketholders of the taping to confirm the cancellation. The holders can now choose to replace their tickets.
They can get tickets for the first two episodes of the show on USA Network on September 18th and September 25th or take a refund for their purchase.
NXT going live will also affect the current WWE Network schedule. The Black and Yellow brand’s show will now be airing with a 24 hours tape delay on the network, meaning that the show will air on Thursdays at 8 pm ET after the changes.
There is no word yet on if these changes will also affect the PPV schedule of the show and it will be interesting to see if they increase the number of Takeover specials now since NXT will have more time to develop storylines with a 2-hour broadcast.
WWE announced yesterday that NXT will be moving to USA
Network. The show will be stretched to 2 hours and it will broadcast live
starting from September 18th.
WWE has officially announced that NXT will be debuting on USA Network. Thankfully, it appears as though their announce team will be moving with them come September.
According to Dave Meltzer via Wrestling Observer Radio, the current broadcast team of Mauro Ranallo, Nigel McGuinness, and Beth Phoenix will continue to host NXT after it extends to its two-hour time slot.
Meltzer hinted at the history that exists between Mauro Ranallo and Vince McMahon. He stressed that, at this point in time, Vince is not expected to be at these Wednesday night shows. This is apparently a contributing factor in having Ranallo continue as the lead commentator of the NXT team.
It was only recently speculated that, if NXT were to end up on the USA Network, there would be no way that Vince McMahon would be able to be “hands-off.“
But for now, the WWE Universe will be able to continue enjoying the commentary from NXT’s announce team, led by Mauro Ranallo’s passionate contributions.
NXT on USA Network will debut on September 18th at 8/7 C.
Breezango made their successful television return to the squared circle last week during an episode of NXT. The pair successfully defeated the team of Steve Cutler and Wesley Black from The Forgotten Sons.
Fandango and Tyler Breeze now call the black-and-gold brand their home after time on WWE’s main roster. With Fandango having returned from surgery and reunited with Breeze, the duo discussed what it’s been like for them since joining NXT.
Fandango explained how the two have been teaming for a few weeks at NXT Live Events before their matchup against The Forgotten Sons, which took place before NXT TakeOver: Toronto.
“Being a singles competitor is one thing, you got your timing down, your cardio down,” Fandango said. “But the timing of a tag team match is totally different. Not only do you have to be in sync with your opponents, but you got another guy in your corner that you gotta work with.”
Tyler Breeze added, “It’s fun kind of finding the groove again, especially after 13 months. It was hard for me. I mean all of a sudden, we’re together for what, a couple of years, take him [Fandango] out of there, I’m kind of floating on my own, trying to figure out what I’m doing again.”
The team confessed they don’t think their rivalry with The Forgotten Sons is over, anticipating that their victory may just be the start of a long-running feud between the teams.
With the news recently coming out that WWE’s NXT brand could wind up on the USA Network, fans are wondering what this could mean for the black-and-gold shows future.
Rumors persisted for weeks that NXT may be heading to FS1, joining SmackDown in its move to FOX in October. However, according to Dave Meltzer of F4WOnline.com, the potential move to USA Network isn’t inspired by money.
Instead, it supposedly revolves around Vince McMahon’s competitive nature and fan recognition. He allegedly believes that the USA Network gives him a better shot against competition from All Elite Wrestling (AEW).
Network Familiarity
Meltzer stated that Vince McMahon’s reasoning relates to wrestling fans ingrained familiarity with the USA Network.
He argued that fans are simply not used to FS1, which is more familiar to MMA and UFC fans. Meltzer explained that although people would naturally become adjusted in only two or three weeks, the instant network recognition apparently makes a significant difference to WWE.
It was stressed that if WWE does bring NXT to the USA Network, there is no way that Vince McMahon would be hands-off with the show.
The push for NXT to find a new home may see the show leave WWE’s own streaming service entirely. WWE’s decision to do so reportedly lies in the promotion wanting to actively counter-programme against AEW’s TNT October debut.
According to PWInsider, the promotion’s plans for the black-and-gold brand would see NXT extend to a live two-hour weekly show. Episodes would still take place primarily in Full Sail University, Florida.
Notably, the proposed plans would see NXT’s television debut occur on October 2nd—the same day that All Elite Wrestling launches on TNT.
NXT Runtime
Dave Meltzer of F4WOnline.com also commented on the possibility of NXT going live with USA Network.
He explained that WWE fans are more familiar with watching USA over FS1, which works in USA Network’s favor. He also questioned whether WWE would broadcast live every week or bi-weekly. Apparently, both options have been discussed, but, ultimately, there will be a live element incorporated going forward.
It’s speculated that if WWE doesn’t remove NXT from the WWE Network, then the show could extend to three hours.
If this were to happen, two hours would take place live on the USA Network. The third, presumably, would broadcast via the WWE Network.
If, however, WWE decided to remove NXT completely from their WWE Network lineup, the question becomes: how are Network subscribers going to feel about it, and will it harm their subscriber count?
Breezango faced The Forgotten Sons tonight on NXT. Fandango and Steve Cutler started off the match. Cutler went for a roll-up but Fandango wouldn’t go down and danced a bit before Clotheslining Cutler out of the ring.
Tyler Breeze tagged in and leaped off the apron onto Cutler. Blake charged at Breeze but Tyler hit him with a Back Body Drop. Back in the ring, Blake tagged in as a brawl broke out. Jaxson Ryker hopped in the ring and hit in the back of the head as the referee was distracted.
Blake connected with a Backbreaker on Breeze and went for the cover but Tyler kicked out at one. Cutler tagged in and hit another Backbreaker for a near fall. Breeze fought back and went to tag in Fandango but Ryker pulled him off the apron.
The official saw it and kicked Ryker out from ringside. Breeze tagged in Fandango and he hit Blake with a Clothesline. Fandango lit up Blake’s chest with a few chops and a Powerslam. Fandango connected with a Tornado DDT and made his way to the top rope. Blake brought him down and leveled him with a Clothesline.
Blake hit Fandango with a Frankensteiner and tagged Cutler in. Steve connected with a Diving Headbutt and went for the cover but Breeze broke it up. Blake tagged in and Fandango knocked them both to the outside. Fandango flipped onto Blake and Cutler and rolled Cutler back into the ring. Fandango hit an Elbow Drop on Cutler for the pinfall victory.
Jordan Myles squared off against Cameron Grimes in the finals of the NXT Breakout Tournament. Grimes took control of the match early and applied a Headlock. Jordan battled to his feet but Grimes sent him back down with a shoulder tackle.
Myles connected with a Dropkick and followed it up with a Dragon Screw for a two count. The action spilled out of the ring and Cameron connected with a leaping forearm to Myles’ face.
Back in the ring, Grimes bounced Jordan’s head off the turnbuckle and went back to the Headlock. Myles escaped but got hit with a Clothesline for a two count. Myles battled back with another Dragon Screw and a couple of punches to the face.
Myles hit a Dropkick that sent Cameron to the outside. Jordan hit a Penalty Kick from the apron and rolled Grimes back inside. Myles climbed to the top rope and connected with a Crossbody for a near fall.
Grimes hit an Orange Crush and went for the cover but Myles kicked out at the last moment. Jordan planted Cameron with a German Suplex for a near fall. Cameron connected with an awesome Powerslam for a two count as the crowd chanted “this is awesome!”.
Jordan hit a boot to the face and then a Brainbuster. Myles climbed to the top rope and hit the Midnight Star 450 Splash for the pinfall victory. Jordan Myles won the NXT Breakout Tournament and earned a future title shot. NXT GM William Regal came down to the entrance ramp and raised Jordan’s hand. Regal gave Myles the contract for a future title shot to end the show.
It was announced that Matt Riddle will face Killian Dain on next week’s episode of NXT. A lot of tonight’s episode was spent recapping NXT TakeOver: Toronto with video packages and backstage interviews from Saturday night’s event.
WWE’s NXT Takeover: Toronto 2019 aired live from Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Here are 6 takeaways from the show:
Street Profits Retained The NXT Tag Team Championships
Photo Credit: WWE.com
Street Profits defended their NXT Tag Team Championships against Undisputed Era to start TakeOver: Toronto. Angelo Dawkins shoved O’Reilly to the corner and mocked Kyle by patting him on the head.
The two locked up in the middle of the ring as dueling “Street Profits!” and “Undisputed!” chants broke out in the crowd. O’Reilly brought Dawkins to the corner of the ring and Bobby Fish tagged in. Dawkins greeted Fish with a shoulder tackle and Montez Ford tagged in.
Ford connected with a Dropkick and went for the cover but Fish kicked out at one. Dawkins tagged back in. Street Profits isolated Fish in the corner and took turns beating him down for the next couple of minutes.
Bobby Fish battled back with a flurry of shots and sent Ford out of the ring. O’Reilly tagged in and clubbed Montez in the back of the neck as he got back into the ring. Kyle beat Ford down in the corner as the dueling chants broke out once again. Ford hit O’Reilly with a Dropkick and tagged Angelo back in.
Street Profits hit Bobby Fish with a Double Flapjack as O’Reilly rolled out of the ring. Fish tagged back in and bounced Dawkin’s face off the top turnbuckle. Bobby connected with a Senton and went for the cover but Angelo kicked out at two.
O’Reilly tagged in and hit Dawkins with several punches and applied a Headlock in the middle of the ring. Dawkins escaped but O’Reilly sent him back to the canvas with a kick to the knee. Fish tagged in and walked into a Back Body Drop from Dawkins.
Montez tagged in and hit Fish with a leaping Clothesline. Ford hit a Belly to Back Suppler and then a Standing Moonsault for a near fall. Montez planted Fish with a Spinebuster and set up for the People’s Elbow but Kyle grabbed his feet from outside the ring.
Ford took out O’Reilly with a Penalty Kick and hit Fish with a Rock Bottom/ Uranage for a two count. O’Reilly booted Dawkins off the ring apron and Fish capitalized on the distraction with a chop block to Ford’s knee.
Undisputed Era hit a DDT/German Suplex and O’Reilly went for the cover but somehow Ford kicked out at the last moment. The crowd chanted “this is awesome!” as O’Reilly perched Ford up on the top turnbuckle.
Bobby Fish tagged in and went for a Superplex but Ford blocked it. Ford blasted Fish with a punch to the face but Bobby tripped him up and crotched Montez on the top turnbuckle. Bobby Fish connected with a Superplex and O’Reilly tagged in. Kyle locked in the Achilles Lock and Fish hit Ford with a Splash while the hold was applied.
Dawkins got into the ring and slammed Fish on top of O’Reilly to break up the hold as a thunderous “NXT!” chant echoed throughout the arena. Angelo tagged in and hit Fish with a Splash and then a Bulldog. Dawkins connected with an Overhead Belly to Belly Suplex but O’Reilly responded with a knee to the face.
Ford tagged in as Dawkins lifted O’Reilly up in the air. Montez connected with a Blockbuster to O’Reilly off the top rope and went for the cover but Bobby Fish broke it up. All four superstars slowly made their way to their feet and the two teams traded punches in the middle of the ring.
O’Reilly knocked Dawkins to the outside but was then Superkicked to the outside by Ford. Montez flipped onto Undisputed Era outside the ring and Dawkins rolled them back inside. Dawkins hit O’Reilly and Fish with a Spear as Montez climbed to the top rope. Ford connected with a Frog Splash onto O’Reilly for the pinfall victory. Street Profits retained the NXT Tag Team Championships.
NXT once again displayed how great tag team wrestling can be if done correctly. The crowd was electric throughout this entire match and TakeOver: Toronto was off to a great start.
Candice LeRae battled Io Shirai tonight at NXT TakeOver: Toronto. Io turned heel recently after losing a title match against Shayna Baszler. Shirai brutally attacked Candice and slammed her on top of a steel chair. Io then told the crowd that she doesn’t need any friends and doesn’t need any of you (in reference to the NXT Universe).
LeRae went right after Io before the bell rang and unloaded a few strikes. The bell rang and Shirai scampered out of the ring. Candice hit a Dropkick and brought Io back inside. Io went for a Sunset Flip Powerbomb off the apron but LeRae was able to hang onto the ropes.
Shirai bounced Candice’s face off the apron and followed it up with a Suplex on the announce table. Shirai got up with a giant grin on her face as LeRae slowly rolled off the table. Io got back into the ring as the referee started counting. Candice got into the ring at the last second and Io mounted her and unloaded some more punches to Candice’s face.
Io connected with a Flapjack and followed it up with a Dropkick to the face. Shirai went for the cover but Candice was able to kick out at two. Candice battled back with a Back Body Drop and sent Io to the apron. Shirai went for a Dropkick off the top rope but Candice got out of the way and Io crashed to the canvas.
LeRae beat Io down in the corner and planted her with a Brainbuster for a near fall. Shirai went for a 619 but LeRae countered into a Neckbreaker for a two count. Shirai battled back and connected with the 619 to the back of Candice’s head. LeRae hit a Suicide Dive and then went right into a DDT outside the ring.
Back in the ring, LeRae hit a Double Stomp off the top rope for a near fall. Shirai ducked under a punch and locked in a Crossface in the middle of the ring. LeRae countered into a cover for a two count to break the hold. Io hit a forearm to the face and then a German Suplex. Candice connected with a German Suplex off her own but Shirai battled back with yet another German Suplex.
Shirai hit Double Knees in the corner and made her way to the top rope. Candice got up and Shirai flipped back down to the canvas and landed on her feet. Shirai lifted Candice up in the Fireman’s Carry but LeRae countered into a Reverse Hurricanrana. LeRae hit a Swinging Neckbreaker off the second rope for another near fall as the crowd chanted “this is awesome!”.
Io connected with a Spanish Fly off the top rope and went for the cover but Candice somehow kicked out at two. Shirai screamed out of frustration as the crowd chanted “Mama Mia!”. LeRae rolled up Io for a two count and Io hit a Backbreaker. Shirai connected with a Moonsault off the top rope for another near fall. Io then choked out Candice with the Koji Clutch for the victory.
Shirai and LeRae put on an excellent match tonight at TakeOver: Toronto. I’ve enjoyed the build to this match and the two superstars delivered tonight. It will be interesting to see where Shirai goes from here. She lost her title matches as a babyface and I certainly wouldn’t be opposed to seeing her get another shot in the near future.
Matt Riddle came down to the ring in street clothes and demanded that Killian Dainties get his hairy ass out here. Dain hopped over the barricade and traded punches with Riddle outside the ring.
Killian got the advantage as several referees ran down to the ring to break it up. Dain retreated up the entrance ramp but Riddle followed him up there. Riddle connected with a forearm to the face and followed it up with two knee strikes that dropped Dain on the ramp.
More WWE officials rushed the ramp and separated the two for a moment. Riddle started booting everyone in the face and once again escaped. Killian leveled Matt with a Crossbody and the two were separated once again.
Riddle went for a Sleeper Hold but Dain escaped after slamming Matt into the LED board. Riddle went for a Sleeper Hold again but Dain leaped off the stage and slammed Riddle through a couple of tables.
Velveteen Dream Retained The NXT North American Championship
Velveteen Dream defended his NXT North American Championship against Pete Dunne and Roderick Strong in a Triple Threat Match tonight at TakeOver: Toronto. Roderick sent Dream out of the ring to start things off and then hit Dunne with a chop to the chest.
Pete Dunne connected with a Clothesline and started bending Roderick’s fingers back. Dream got back inside and Clotheslined Strong out of the ring. Strong dragged Dunne out of the ring and slammed him into the ring apron. Back in the ring, Dream leveled Strong with a Dropkick. Pete Dunne stood to the side as Dream set up Roderick’s elbow on the ring. Dunne stomped on it and then sent Strong to the outside.
Dunne went for an Arm Bar but Dream was able to escape. Pete went for the Bitter End but Dream escaped again. Strong crotched Dream on the ring post and slammed Dunne on top of the champ. Roderick brought Dunne back into the ring and hit a Backbreaker for a two count.
Strong connected with a Dropkick to Dunne for another near fall. Dream got back into the ring and hit Strong with a Russian Leg Sweep for a two count. Velveteen connected with a Backbreaker and locked in a Sharpshooter in the middle of the ring. Dunne climbed up to the top rope and broke up the hold with a Double Stomp on Dream.
The action spilled out of the ring and Dunne took out Strong and Dream with a Moonsault off the second rope as an “NXT!” chant broke. Back in the ring, Dunne hit Strong with an Enziguri and delivered a German Suplex on Dream. Dunne hit Strong with a German Suplex that sent him flying on top of Dream. Dunne went for the cover but Velveteen Dream kicked out at two.
Strong and Dream worked together for a moment to beat Dunne down. The two took a look at each other and started to trade punches. Dunne got back up and everyone wound up on their ass after a series of kicks to the head. Dunne was the first superstar up and stomped on Dream’s hand. Velveteen hit Dunne with the Dream Valley Driver but turned around into an Olympic Slam from Strong. Dunne hit Strong with the X-Plex and once again all three superstars were on the canvas.
The crowd chanted “this is awesome!” as Dream stumbled his way to the ring apron. The champ climbed to the top rope but Dunne hit him with a forearm to the face. All three superstars battled on the top rope and eventually, all crashed to the mat after Strong connected with an Olympic Slam.
Strong sent Dream to the outside and planted Dunne with a Backbreaker. Roderick went for a Powerbomb but Dunne countered into a Triangle submission. Dream climbed up to the top rope and hit a coast-to-coast Elbow Drop onto Pete Dunne as the crowd erupted.
Roderick hit Dream and Dunne with a couple of knee strikes and forearms to the face while they were caught up in the ropes. Strong Powerbombed Dunne on top of Dream and put them both in the Strong Hold in the middle of the ring. Roderick couldn’t hold on for too long and all three superstars fell to the mat.
Dunne grabbed Roderick’s fingers and Dream Superkicked Strong in the back of the head. Strong battled back with a knee strike and then Pete Dunne snapped both of their fingers back. Dunne hit Strong with the Bitter End but Dream broke it up. Pete Dunne got pissed off and started stomping away on Velveteen Dream.
Pete Dunne stomped Dream’s face into the mat and went for a kick to Strong. Roderick avoided it and went for a German Suplex but Dunne landed on his feet. Roderick locked in the Strong Hold but Dream broke it up and sent Strong out of the ring. Velveteen hit Dunne with the Dream Valley Driver but Roderick sent him to the outside. Roderick then hit the End of Heartache but Velveteen came out of nowhere with the Purple Rainmaker Elbow Drop and pinned Dunne to retain the NXT North American Championship.
Every match on NXT TakeOver: Toronto has been great so far. I really enjoyed this match and am glad that Dream’s title reign will continue. The only criticism I can think of is that Dream was out of place during Dunne’s Moonsault off the second rope and to the outside. He had to awkwardly run into position at the last moment so Dunne could hit him and Strong.
The rest of the match was fantastic. My favorite sequence was when Strong had Dream and Dunne tangled up in the ropes. He hit a series of forearms and knees to the face in a ridiculously short amount of time. Roderick Strong might not be the best promo in the world but is an insanely talented in-ring performer.
Shayna Baszler put her NXT Women’s Championship on the line against Mia Yim tonight at TakeOver: Toronto. Shayna and Mia locked up to start off the match. Yim knocked Shayna to the mat but Baszler quickly applied and Arm Bar. Mia grabbed Shayna’s hair and then reached the bottom rope to break the hold.
Yim connected with an Arm Drag and locked in an Arm Bar of her own. Shayna escaped but Mia hit her with a Hurricanrana. Yim followed it up with a Cannonball that sent Baszler to the outside. Mia went for a Suicide Dive but Baszler caught her with a punch to the face.
Mia sent Baszler into the steel steps and then slammed her arm into them. Yim trapped Shayna’s arm between the post and the steps and hit it with a Dropkick. Back in the ring, Baszler hit a boot to the head but stopped to grab her arm in pain. Shayna hit a knee to the face in the corner and continued to sell her arm injury.
Shayna connected with a boot to the back of Mia’s head for a two count. Baszler tried to throw a punch but grabbed her arm in pain. Shayna stomped on Mia’s left arm and Yim retreated to the corner of the ring. Baszler went after her and went to work on Mia’s left arm.
Baszler hit a kick to the face and went for the cover but Yim kicked out at two. Shayna bent Mia’s fingers back while applying an Arm Bar in the center of the ring. Yim grabbed a handful of hair to break the hold but Shayna responded with a Clothesline. Baszler once again grabbed her arm in pain before going for the cover.
Yim kicked out at two and once again grabbed Shayna’s hair. Mia rolled up Baszler for a two count and then booted her injured arm. Shayna connected with a Dropkick and went for the cover but Yim kicked out at two. Mia raked Shayna’s eyes and hit a Belly to Back Suplex.
Mia hit a Belly to Belly Suplex that sent Shayna to the outside. Yim followed it up with a Suicide Dive and rolled Baszler back inside. Yim connected with a DDT and went for the cover but Shayna kicked out at two. Baszler hit a knee to the face for another near fall.
Yim bounced Baszler’s face off the turnbuckle and locked in the Tarantula on the ropes. The referee broke it up and Mia climbed to the top rope. Baszler booted Yim in the face and joined her on the turnbuckle. Baszler went for a Superplex but her injured arm wouldn’t allow her to. Mia hit Code Blue off the top rope for a near fall.
Shayna locked in the Kirifuda Clutch out of nowhere in the middle of the ring. Yim grabbed Shayna’s injured arm and broke the hold with a couple of headbutts. Mia shouted “this is karma!” and stomped on Shayna’s arm. Yim went for an Arm Bar but Shayna was able to counter into the Kirifuda Clutch. Mia escaped but Shayna locked in a Triangle with her legs for the submission victory.
Baszler and Yim were put in a tough spot trying to follow the excellent Triple Threat Match. While this match was slow, I still enjoyed it. Baszler’s arm injury was the focal point of the match and she was able to overcome it and win with her legs. NXT has built up Baszler as a true champion and she has completely dominated the women’s division. Mia Yim is a great talent, but I don’t see any reason to take the title off Baszler until she is going to the main roster.
Adam Cole Retained The NXT Championship In A Great Match Against Johnny Gargano
Adam Cole defended the NXT Championship against Johnny Gargano in a 2-out-of-3 Falls Match. Gargano picked a Street Fight as his stipulation and Cole chose a standard wrestling match as his. NXT GM William Regal announced that if the match were to reach a 3rd fall, the two will battle in a steel cage with barbed wire and weapons on the structure in the final fall.
The first fall was a classic wrestling match and Gargano started off in control. Johnny drove Cole to the corner and hit him with an elbow to the face. Johnny hit a Hurricanrana off the second rope and then Clotheslined Cole to the outside.
Gargano brought Cole back inside as dueling “Johnny Wrestling!” and “Adam Cole!” chants broke out. The action quickly spilled back to the outside and Gargano drove Cole’s knee into the ring apron.
Back in the ring, Johnny stomped on Cole’s knee and hit an Enziguri. Cole brought Gargan out of the ring and slammed his back into the ring apron. Adam rolled Gargano back into the ring and hit him with a Neckbreaker.
Gargano applied an Ankle Lock but Cole escaped and sent Gargano face-fist into the turnbuckle. Johnny hit an Overhead Belly to Belly Suplex that sent Cole flying into the turnbuckle. Gargano hit a chop to the chest and a boot to the side of Cole’s head.
Johnny went for the Slingshot Spear but Cole caught him. Gargano hit a Falcon Arrow and went for the cover but Cole kicked out. Gargano applied the Figure Four in the middle of the ring but Cole was able to reach the ropes to break the hold.
Cole hit a German Suplex and bridged into the cover for a near fall. Adam went for Panama Sunrise but Gargano countered into a Sunset Driver for a two count. Cole hit a Superkick and then a Neckbreaker for a two count.
Adam Cole grabbed a steel chair and slid it into the ring. The referee grabbed the chair and threw it out of the ring. Cole took advantage and Gargano with a low blow for a near fall. Cole brought the chair in the ring again and took a seat. The referee told Cole that he will disqualify him if he uses the chair.
Johnny hit a Superkick and then grabbed the steel chair. Gargano hit Cole with the chair and Adam Cole won the first fall via disqualification. Johnny beat the hell out Cole with the steel chair and took a seat as the 2nd fall was announced as a Street Fight.
Cole tried to roll out of the ring but Gargano threw it off of his face outside the ring. Gargano hit a Suicide Dive and the action spilled into the crowd. Gargano beat the hell out of Cole and took a selfie with a fan’s phone. Johnny leveled Cole with a Superkick and and then put Cole on a computer chair. Gargano rolled Cole into a barricade as the crowd chanted “we want tables!”.
Gargano then hit Cole with a Crossbody that sent both superstars through the barricade and back to the ringside area. Gargano cleared off the announce table but Cole raked his eyes. Johnny hit Cole with a Back Body Drop that sent him crashing through the Spanish announce table.
Johnny brought two tables into the ring as the NXT Universe chanted “Johnny Tables!”. Gargano threw a couple of chairs into the ring but Cole hit him with a Shining Wizard out of nowhere for a two count. Cole set up a chair in between the top and middle rope in the corner of the ring. Gargano lifted up Cole onto his shoulders and launched him face-first into the steel chair. Johnny locked in the Gargano Escape for the submission victory in the 2nd fall.
The crowd chanted “thank you Regal!” as the steel cage lowered to the ring. There was barbed wire across the top of the structure with various weapons on the cage. The crowd then transitioned into an “ECW!” chant as Gargano started trash talking. It was announced that there is no escape from the cage and the only way to win is via pinfall or submission.
Gargano and Cole exchanged strikes in the middle of the ring. Johnny connected with a Clothesline and grabbed a kendo stick off the cage. Cole hit a Superkick and grabbed a kendo stick of his own. The two just starting beating the hell out of each other with kendo sticks and then took each other out with Superkicks as the crowd got on their feet and loudly chanted “NXT!”.
Johnny hit a Reverse Hurricanrana and then a Superkick for a near fall. The crowd chanted “fight forever!” as Gargano set up a table. Cole hit Gargano with a chair and slammed him into the cage. Adam connected with a Backstabber and went for the cover but Johnny kicked out at two.
Gargano sprayed Cole with the fire extinguisher and hit him with a Tornado DDT on top of the steel chair for a near fall. Both superstars climbed and tried to grab the sledgehammer at the top of the cage. Gargano leaped down and planted Cole with a Powerbomb for a two count.
Johnny grabbed the sledgehammer and brought it down to the ring. Gargano went to hit with the sledgehammer but Cole connected with a Superkick out of nowhere. Cole climbed to the top turnbuckle and grabbed the ladder. Cole launched the ladder at Johnny but he missed. Cole then hit the Panama Sunrise for another near fall.
Cole climbed up the ladder and hit another Panama Sunrise for a two count. Adam Cole hit Gargano with the kendo stick as the crowd chanted “yowie wowie!”. Cole took down his knee pad and set up Johnny’s face against a chair. Cole went for the Last Shot but Gargano got out of the way and Adam’s knee hit the chair. Gargano went for an STO with the kendo stick but Cole broke it up by biting Johnny’s hand.
Gargano hit Cole in the ribs with the sledgehammer and set up two tables by the ladder in the corner of the ring. Johnny placed Cole on top of the tables and started climbing the ladder. Adam Cole rolled off the table and retreated to the opposite corner. Johnny climbed back down and hit Cole in the back with a kendo stick. Johnny hit a Canadian Destroyer (Panama Sunrise) of his own off the second rope for another near fall as the crowd chanted “fight forever”.
Johnny grabbed pliers and cut a piece of barbed wire off the top of the cage. Cole climbed to the top of the cage to try and escape as Gargano climbed up the ladder. They then battled on the top of the cage as the crowd chanted “please don’t die!”. Gargano tried to rake Cole’s face with the barbed wire but Adam blocked it. Cole grabbed Gargano and the two superstars went crashing through the tables in the ring. Adam Cole landed on top of Gargano for the pinfall victory. Adam Cole is still the NXT Champion.
What an epic match this was and it capped off another terrific TakeOver event. NXT continues to be the best product WWE has to offer at the moment and SummerSlam has a tough task following this event. There weren’t any title changes tonight, just incredible wrestling matches featuring some of the best performers in the world. Every single match had something to offer, and the 2-out-of-3 Falls Match between Gargano and Cole will likely be one of the best matches of the year in any promotion.
WWE’s NXT Takeover: Toronto 2019 took place at the Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario, Canada on August 10, 2019.
Kickoff Show:
– Charly Caruso, Sam Roberts and Pat McAfee are hosting the kickoff show tonight. They introduce some video packages looking at tonight’s card.
– We see a pre-taped promo from William Regal in front of a black screen. Regal talks about the Cole vs. Gargano match and their feud leading up to tonight. Regal says tonight, there will be a definitive end. We then see what the cage round the ring will look like, and there are kendo sticks and barbed wire all over it.
NXT Takeover: Toronto results
– Mauro Ranallo welcomes us to Takeover, and we see a Takeover: Toronto music video playing on the big screen for the fans in the arena. Mauro is joined by Beth Phoenix and Nigel McGuiness.
– The Street Profits (c) vs. Kyle O’Reilly & Bobby Fish: The Street Profits’ NXT Tag Team Titles are on the line in this one. Dawkins starts off in control against O’Reilly and repeatedly wrestles him down to the mat. Fish finally gets the tag for the double team on Dawkins. Ford tags in for the double team on Fish now. Ford and Fish brawl in the corner now until Ford start firing up with some arm drags and a drop kick. Dawkins tags in for the bonzai drop double team on Fish, and then a flap jack slam. O’Reilly tags back in and turns things around against Dawkins. Kyle hits a series of knee strikes on the grounded Dawkins. Ford gets the hot tag and starts cleaning house. Fish tags in and looks for a suplex, but Ford reverses into a suplex of his own. Ford follows up with a standing moonsault for a two count. Ford goes for the People’s Elbow on Fish, but O’Reilly breaks it up. The brawl spills out to ringside where Ford hits a knee to the face of O’Reilly. Back in the ring, Ford hits the Rock Bottom on Fish for a two count. O’Reilly causes a distraction and then tags in for the double team facebuster and German suplex for a two count. Fish tags back in and fights up to the top turnbuckle with Ford. O’Reilly gets involved with a cheap shot on Ford, then he tags himself in. Fish superplexes Ford off the top, then O’Reilly hits a flying knee drop off the top on Ford. Kyle applies a heel hook. Fish comes in with a shot on the already grounded Ford, then Dawkins comes in to even the odds and drops Fish. Dawkins finally gets the tag and cleans house. Dawkins hits a Stinger splash on Fish and O’Reilly in the corner. Dawkins hits a leg capture overhead suplex on Kyle. Dawkins looks for a spear, but Kyle blocks it with a knee to the face. Ford tags himself in for a double team blockbuster on Kyle. Fish breaks up the pin attempt. All four men start brawling in the ring now as the referee loses control of this one. The Profits end up clearing the ring, and Ford hits a suicide dive on both Bobby and Kyle at ringside. Back in the ring, Dawkins spears both Bobby and Kyle, then Ford hits a frogsplash off the top on Kyle for the three count.
Winners & still Tag Team Champions: The Street Profits
– The Street Profits go up into the crowd to celebrate after the match.
– Johnny Gargano is shown backstage warming up for this match tonight.
– Ricochet is shown sitting at ringside enjoying the show.
– Io Sharai vs. Candice Lerae: Io and Candice briefly brawl before the ref calls for the opening bell. Candice dumps Io out to ringside early on, and then on the apron on the way back in, Io slams Candice on the apron. Io suplexes Candice on top of the announce table, then takes her back in the ring for more offense. Io follows up with an inverted pilediver for a two count. Candice fights back with a flurry of strikes and a running hip attack in the corner. Candice follows up with a vertical suplex for a two count.
Winner: Io Sharai
– Shayna Baszler is shown backstage warming up for her match later.
– Matt Riddle storms the ring with a microphone and calls out Killian Dain. He wants Dain to come out and fight him right now. Dain comes out through the crowd, and Riddle meets him at ringside. They brawl all over ringside and towards the ramp. Dain hits Riddle with a big boot to the face at ringside. Referees come out to break it up, but Riddle charges up the ramp and takes down Dain. They brawl across the stage now and Dain goes for Riddle’s eyes. Riddle breaks free and hits a couple of knee strikes, then some elbows to the head. Security comes out and pulls them apart. Riddle fights off the security and hits kicks and knees to the head. Riddle charges at Dain, but Dain levels him with a leaping cross-body. Dain gets on Riddle for more punishment, but security pulls him off. Dain beats down the security, then Riddle gets on Dain’s back with a sleeper. Dain slams Riddle into the LED screens on the stage. Riddle jumps back on Dain’s back, and they end up falling off the side of the stage through some tables, and they take one of the security guards down with them in the process.
– We see the new commercial for the WWE 2k20 video game, featuring Stone Cold Steve Austin and Hulk Hogan.
– Austin Theory is shown sitting at ringside.
– Velveteen Dream (c) vs. Pete Dunn vs. Roderick Strong: This one is a Triple Threat match for the NXT North American Championship. Velveteen Dream has a Canadian-themed entrance and is dressed in ring attire inspired by “The Mountie.” Strong starts off by knocking Dream out to ringside, then Strong goes at it with Dunn. Dunn levels Strong with a lariat, then Dream gets back in the ring and dumps Strong out to ringside. Strong pulls Dunn outside and drops him. Strong and Dream go at it in the ring now, and Dream hits an axe handle off the top. Dunn gets back in the ring, and Dunn and Dream double team Strong with strikes. Dream tries to strike up and alignment with Dunn, and they dump Strong out to ringside. Dream and Dunn go at it in the ring now. Dunn looks for an armbar but can’t get it. Dream misses a shot and Dunn grabs him for the bitter end, but Dream escapes. Strong hits a cheap shot on Dream form the apron, then a running dropkick on Dunn. Strong suplexes Dream on to the ring apron, then suplexes Dunn on to the fan barricade at ringside. Strong then grabs Dunn again and suplexes him on to Dream. Back in the ring, Strong hits a dropkick on Dunn, then he dumps Dream back out to ringside again. Strong follows up with a backbreaker for a two count. Dream gets back in the ring with a shot off the top on Strong. Dream follows up with more strikes and a side Russian leg sweep for a two count. Dream follows up with a backbreaker, and then a flying elbow off the middle rope. Dream follows up with a Sharpshooter on Strong, but Dunn breaks it up with a flying stomp off the top rope on Dream. The fight spills out to ringside, and Dunn ends up hitting a moonsault off the top rope down on to Strong and Dream on the ringside floor. Back in the ring, Dunn continues the beat down on both Strong and Dream. Dunn hits a German suplex on Strong and Strong lands on Dream. Dunn stomps on both of them now until they kick him away. Dream and Strong start going at it now with right hands. Dunn gets back up and trades blows with Strong and Dream. Dream hits the Dream Valley Driver on Dunn, then Strong hits an Olympic Slam on Dream. Dunn gets back up and hits a suplex on Strong. Dream and Dunn fight up to the top rope. Strong joins them, and hits an Olympic Slam on Dunn, and Dream also goes flying down to the mat. Strong knocks Dream out to ringside. Dunn looks for a triangle choke on Strong, but Strong reverses it into a powerbomb. Strong looks for another powerbomb, but this time Dunn reverses it into a triangle attempt. Strong drags Dunn over into the corner. Dream gets up on the opposite corner, and hits a flying elbow drop coast to coast on Dunn. Strong hits a running knee to the face of Dream, then hits one on Dunn too. Strong hits several running elbow strikes on both of his opponents. Strong hits a back suplex on Dream, then he powerbombs Dunn on to Dream. Strong grabs them both by the legs, and puts both Dream and Dunn in a double Boston crab. Dream looks for a double Dream Valley Driver on Dunn and Strong, but they escape. Strong hits a running knee on Dream, then Dunn drops Strong. Dunn grabs them by their fingers, then he hits a suplex on Strong. Dream grabs the ref to break up the pin. Dunn kicks Dream down and puts the boots to him. Dunn puts Dream in the Indian leg lock, and then stomps on him. Dunn misses a kick on Strong, and Strong fires back with an elbow to the face. Strong and Dunn both counter a series of moves until Dunn connects with a kick to the face. Dunn runs the ropes for another kick, but Strong ducks it and puts Dun in the Boston crab. Dream breaks it up and dumps Strong outside. Dream hits the DVD on Dunn, then Strong gets back in the ring and dumps Dream outside. Strong hits the backbreaker on Dunn, but then Dream comes flying off the top with an elbow on Strong to break up the pin. Dream steals the pin on Dunn for the three count.
Winner & still North American Champion: Velveteen Dream
– We see a video package looking at the feud between Mia Yim and Shayna Baszler.
– Mia Yim and Shayna Baszler (c): Shayna’s Women’s Championship is on the line in this one. Shayna starts off strong with several submission attempts on Mia. Mia fights back with arm drags and a big boot in the corner. Mia dumps Shayna outside and looks for a dive on her, but Shayna blocks it in mid-air with an elbow to the face. Mia fights back and throws Shayna into the ring steps at ringside. Mia starts working over Shayna’s right arm. Back in the ring, Shayna fights back with a knee to the face and some kicks. Shayna is selling an arm injury. Shayna stomps on Mia and and starts working over Mia’s left arm. Mia fights back by grabbing a handful of Shayna’s hair behind the ref’s back, but Shayna shuts her down with a clothesline for a two count. Shayna grabs a handful of Mia’s hair now, but Mia fights back with a kick to Shayna’s bad arm. Shayna shuts her down again with another kick, and then Shayna goes back to work on Mia’s arm. Mia hits a shot to Shayna’s eyes, but the ref again doesn’t see it. Mia follows up with a suplex, and both women are down. Mia botches a hip toss the first time, but she hits it the second time. Shayna rolls out to ringside and Mia hits a suicide dive on her. Back in the ring, Mia mises a big boot in the corner, and Shayna follows up with a knee to Mia’s face. Shayna hits another knee to the face and pins for a two count. Shayna and Mia trade submission attempts, and then they fight to the top rope. Mia hits a sunset flip powerbomb off the turnbuckle for a two count. Mia tries to continue the offense, but Shayna grabs her from behind for a submission attempt. Mia headbutts her way out and starts working over Shayna’s bad arm. Mia looks for an armbar, but Shayna escapes. Shayna puts Mia in a choke, and Mia briefly escapes, but Shayna put her in another choke. Mia taps out for the finish.
Winner & still Women’s Champion: Shayna Baszler
– Walter and Tyler Bate are shown (separately) sitting at ringside.
– We see a video package looking at the feud between Gargano and Cole for the NXT Title.
– Adam Cole (c) vs. Johnny Gargano: The NXT Title is on the line in this best two out of three falls match. The opening bell sounds and Cole and Gargano trade strikes in the opening moments, and they both duck several shots. They get up and have a stare down. Gargano takes control with a hurricanrana, then he dumps Cole outside and dropkicks him through the ropes. They continue to fight at ringside, and Gargano slams Cole knee-first into the corner of the ring apron. Back in the ring, Gargano starts repeatedly working over Cole’s knee and leg. They fight out to ringside again, and this time Cole hits a wheelbarrow slam on Gargano into the ring apron. Back in the ring, Cole follows up with a suplex for a two count. Cole misses a shot off the top and lands on his bad leg. Gargano fights back with a belly to belly overhead suplex into the corner. Cole and Gargano trade punches and elbow strikes in the middle of the ring now. Gargano fires up with a series of clotheslines and chops. Gargano goes back to attacking Cole’s bad right knee. Cole fights back and hits a wheelbarrow suplex on Gargano. Gargano fights back and they both start trading kicks now. Gargano hits an inverted piledriver for a two count. They fight to the top rope and Cole looks for a sunset powerbomb, but he lands on his feet and his bad knee gives out. Gargano goes flying off the turnbuckle, but Cole catches him in a Codebreaker. Cole follows up with a version of a piledriver for a two count. Gargano fights back and hits a DDT for a two count. Gargano hits a kick, then Cole fights back with two kicks of his own. Cole follows up with a neckbreaker on to his knee for a two count. Cole looks frustrated now and he grabs a steel chair from ringside. The ref takes the chair, and then Cole hits a low-blow on Gargano behind the ref’s back for a two count. Cole gets in the ref’s face now, which leads to Gargano hitting a superkick on Cole. Gargano grabs the steel chair and the ref admonishes him. Gargano uses the chair on Cole anyways and repeatedly pummels on Cole with the chair. The ref calls for the bell for the DQ, and the score in this best two out of three falls match is now 1-0 for Cole.
The second fall is under Street Fight rules, where anything goes. Cole rolls out of the ring, and Gargano throws the chair at him and then hits a dive on him. Cole and Gargano brawl out into the crowd now. They fight back near ringside, and Gargano tackles Cole through the barricade near the timekeeper’s area. They fight on top of the announce table, and Gargano back body drops Cole off of the one table and through the adjacent table. Gargano throws Cole, a chair, and a table in the ring. Gargano gets in the ring and Cole grabs him for a neckbreaker for a two count. Gargano fights back and picks up Cole, and hits the snake-eyes on to a steel chair in the corner. Gargano puts Cole in the Gargano Escape, and Cole taps out. The score is now 1-1.
The third and decisive fall is a cage match, and the cage begins lowering from the ceiling. There are several weapons in the cage, including a fire extinguisher, kendo sticks, steel chairs and more. The third fall starts and Gargano and Cole start trading blows in the middle of the rope. They each grab kendo sticks off the cage walls and start nailing each other with them. Gargano gets the upper hand and hits a superkick on Cole for a two count. Gargano sets up a table in the ring, but then Cole starts nailing Gargano with a steel chair. Gargano grabs a fire extinguisher off the cage and sprays at at Cole, then Gargano hits DDTs Cole through an unfolded chair. Cole and Gargano climb the cage walls and fight over a sledgehammer hanging on the top, but Gargano lets go and then powerbombs Cole off the cage wall. Gargano grabs the sledgehammer now and brings it down. Gargano swings the sledgehammer, but Cole intercepts him with two superkicks. Cole climbs to the top turnbuckle and grabs a ladder from the top of he cage. Cole throws the ladder down and Gargano ducks it. Cole leaps form the top rope and hits he Canadian Destroyer on Gargano for a two count. Cole follows up with another Canadian Destroyer/Panama Sunrise for a two count. Cole unfolds a chair and sets Gargano’s head on it. Cole looks for a running knee, but Gargano dodges it and puts Cole in a version of an STO submission with a kendo stick. Cole bites Gargano to escape. Gargano comes back with a sledgehammer shot to the midsection of Cole. Gargano sets up two tables in the ring, puts Cole on them, then goes up top, but Cole rolls away. They fight up to the top turnbuckle, and Gargano hits a flying Canadian Destroyer off the top turnbuckle for a two count. Gargano grabs a bag off the cage wall, and it’s full of pliers, handcuffs, and brass knuckles. Gargano takes the pliers and climbs the cage, and cuts off a rope of barbed wire. Cole climbs to the very top of the cage, and Gargano follows him there. Gargano tries to use the barbed wire on Cole’s forehead up there, but Cole grabs him, and they both fall from the top of the cage down through one of the tables in the ring. Cole lands on top of Gargano, and the ref counts the three.
Winner & still NXT Champion: Adam Cole
– After the match, the other Undisputed Era members come out and help Cole to his feet. Takeover goes off the air with Cole celebrating on the ramp, and Gargano on his back in the ring.
While not yet a done deal, it is being reported that NXT is likely to begin airing on FS1. According to the most recent update from the Wrestling Observer, plans are for NXT to occupy a 2-hour timeslot on the channel. There is no scheduled start date, however, or an idea as to how this would impact NXT airing on the WWE Network.
“While not announced, the NXT on FS 1 is tentatively set for 8-10 p.m. on Wednesday nights,” wrote Dave Meltzer. He would continue to say it’s not clear if the show will continue to be held in Full Sail University or not.
NXT To Air Live?
The plan also appears to be for NXT to run live as opposed to taped shows.
“The working idea is for a live two hour show with the feeling that a taped show will not work to head-off AEW,” Meltzer continued.
Triple H was asked about the possibility of NXT ending up on FS1 at some point during yesterday’s NXT TakeOver: Toronto II conference call. He noted that the landscape is ever-changing and avoided saying much else.
“The reason I talk cryptically about NXT is because there’s a lot of exciting thoughts out there,” he said.
Triple H also addressed this possibility during a conference call this April.
“Is (going to FOX/FS1) an opportunity? Absolutely. You see that with today when I was on FS1 and we announced the (studio show). It’ll be a recap show where they analyze different shows: Raw, SmackDown, and NXT. They’ll discuss all those shows. A cross between UFC Tonight and Talking Dead. They really want NXT to be a big piece of that, which shows you the interest level.”
Undisputed Era & Street Profits Kicked Off The Show
Photo Credit: WWE.com
Street Profits joined NXT GM William Regal in the ring. Regal was about to introduce Undisputed Era but Ford and Dawkins interrupted. Street Profits then introduced O’Reilly and Bobby Fish as the team that is going to get their ass kicked at TakeOver.
Bobby Fish told Street Profits that they stand no chance of leaving with the NXT Tag Team Championships at TakeOver. Fish added that not only are they better than Street Profits, but they are funnier as well.
Ford and Dawkins took off their sunglasses and said that Undisputed Era has possibly beaten every tag team in NXT history. Dawkins told Ford and O’Reilly that they are probably the best team in NXT ever. Ford got fired up and shouted that losing is not an option.
He shouted that there is only one option and that is to win. Dawkins vowed to “beat that ass” as TakeOver and the crowd chanted along. Street Profits and Undisputed Era signed the contracts to end the segment.
Shane Thorne Picked Up A Win
Photo Credit: WWE.com
Joaquin Wylde faced Shane Thorne tonight on NXT. Wylde rolled up Thorne for a two count and told Shane that he has a lot more where that came from. Thorne battled back with a Suplex and sent Wylde to the corner. Joaquin connected with a Powerbomb and both superstars crashed to the canvas. Thorne and Wylde traded shots until Joaquin knocked Shane to the outside.
Wylde hit a Suicide Dive and got back in the ring as the referee started counting. Thorne got in the ring at the last moment and then rolled right back out of the ring. Joaquin followed him out there and Thorne launched him into the steel steps. Back in the ring, Thorne hit a running knee to the face for the pinfall victory.
Killian Dain Attacked Matt Riddle
Photo Credit: WWE.com
Matt Riddle was supposed to face Killian Dain tonight but the match never happened. Dain attacked Riddle during his entrance and NXT officials rushed down the ramp. Killian made it seem like he was going to walk away but instead hit Riddle with a Cannonball while he was up against the steel steps.
The majority of this week’s show was spent hyping the matches for NXT TakeOver: Toronto on Saturday night. Breezango vs. The Forgotten Sons was announced for next week’s episode of NXT. The following video packages for NXT TakeOver: Toronto ran during tonight’s broadcast:
An injury to Rachael Evers from last weekend’s NXT live event in Fort Pierce, FL has turned out worse than expected. Her match with Lacey Lane had to be stopped last Saturday due to the injury and it has now been revealed that Evers tore her ACL. She is scheduled for surgery next week.
Recovery time for a torn ACL is listed at 6-9 months.
She posted the following to her social media accounts in regards to her injury:
“Professional wrestling is the love of my life. My heart is at home when I’m in that ring sharing moments with you all,” Evers’ statement reads. “On Saturday night, my heart broke a little bit. At our NXT show in Florida, I tore my ACL. Those three letters have caused me to feel so much pain, disappointment and fear.”
Real-name Rachael Ellering, the 26-year-old daughter of Paul Ellering signed with WWE this January but has been making appearances in NXT since 2016. She’s also competed in 2 Mae Young Classic tournaments.
“I have surgery on Tuesday and Wednesday I begin my journey back to my home — the ring,” Evers continued. “As a wise woman once said, “I am a goddess, a glorious female warrior.” So now its time to prove it.”
WWE has confirmed that former Impact and Ring of Honor (ROH) wrestler Chris Sabin is currently guest coaching at their Performance Center in Orlando, Florida.
We recently reported on Sabin teasing he was at the WWE PC after he uploaded a series of tweets to his social media. One post included a heavily cropped image of the Performance Center logo.
Now, the WWE PC Twitter account has uploaded a video with Sabin. The clip introduces who he is to the WWE Universe for those who might be unfamiliar.
“My name is Joshua Edward Harter, also known as Chris Sabin. I’ve been a professional wrestler for 19 years,” he said.
He touched on his history as a wrestling fan, remembering the specific event that helped him find his passion for pro wrestling: Royal Rumble ’93.
“I’ve been a big fan of wrestling for most of my life. The first VHS tape that I ever owned was the 1993 Royal Rumble. It was the first pay-per-view my parents ever let me order, and I recorded it, and I watched it over and over and over. Wrestling, more specifically WWE, just kind of took over my life from there.””
“You know, I love wrestling, ‘I’m very passionate about it, and I hope I can bring some of that passion here to the Performance Center and help some people out and just be a positive force here.”
Tyler Breeze squared off against Jaxson Ryker tonight on NXT. Ryker drove Breeze to the corner and launched him across the ring to start off the match. Cutler and Blake taunted Breeze from ringside as Tyler made his way back to his feet.
Breeze applied a Headlock but Ryker quickly broke free and booted Tyler in the midsection. Breeze stomped on Jaxson in the corner but Ryker shrugged it off and connected with a Uranage.
Ryker hit Breeze with a Backbreaker and went for the cover but Breeze kicked out at two. Tyler rolled up Ryker for the victory but Jaxson attacked him from behind. The Forgotten Sons surrounded Breeze and beat him down in the corner.
Fandango returned and came down to the ring. Fandango knocked The Forgotten Sons to the outside. Fandango and Breeze hit Blake with a couple of Superkicks and posed in the ring.
Cameron Grimes Advanced To The Finals Of The NXT Breakout Tournament
Photo Credit: WWE.com
Bronson Reed faced Cameron Grimes in the semi-finals of the NXT Breakout Tournament. Bronson dominated the match early but Grimes was able to battle back with a Headlock. Reed escaped and leveled Cameron with a massive shoulder tackle.
Reed brought Grimes to the corner and lit him up with some chops to the chest. Bronson chased Grimes around the ring and then back inside. Grimes connected with a Dropkick while Reed was on the ring apron and followed it up with a Clothesline for a two count.
Bronson planted Grimes with a Powerslam and followed it up with a Senton. He went for the cover but Grimes was able to get his foot on the bottom rope at the last moment. Cameron Grimes hit a leaping Double Stomp out of nowhere for the pinfall victory. Cameron Grimes will face Jordan Myles in the finals of the tournament at TakeOver. The winner of the tournament will get a title shot in the future.
Mia Yim Confronted Shayna Baszler
Photo Credit: WWE.com
NXT Women’s Champion Shayna Baszler marched down to the ring and grabbed a microphone. Baszler said that she heard Mia Yim’s message and blasted her for attacking Shafir and Duke from behind. Shayna vowed to Yim to sleep at NXT TakeOver: Toronto and added that street rats don’t survive long in her world.
Mia Yim interrupted and joined Baszler in the ring. Yim said that she has nothing to lose and everything to gain. Mia added that she is going to be bringing a fight that Shayna cannot train for. Baszler told Yim that she is not special and is nothing but street trash. Baszler raised the title in Yim’s face to conclude the segment.
NXT GM William Regal approached Candice LeRae in the parking lot. Regal told Candice that she is not going to find what she is looking for because Io is not here. LeRae asked for a match against Shirai at NXT TakeOver: Toronto and Regal made it official.
Roderick Strong faced Pete Dunne in the main event of this week’s episode of NXT. Velveteen Dream will defend the NXT North American Championship against Pete Dunne and Roderick Strong in a Triple Threat Match at NXT TakeOver: Toronto.
Strong and Dunne traded submission holds to begin the match. Dunne bent back Strong’s fingers and stomped on Roderick’s elbow. Strong planted Dunne with a Backbreaker and went for the cover but Dunne kicked out at two.
Strong continued to target Dunne’s back for the next couple of minutes. Roderick then hit a Dropkick for another near fall. Strong stomped on Dunne in the corner of the ring and then perched him on the top turnbuckle.
Roderick went for a Suplerplex but Dunne blocked it and knocked Roderick to the canvas. Dunne hit a Dropkick off the second rope but grabbed his back in pain once he fell to the mat.
Dunne hit an Enziguri and followed it up the a Penalty Kick for a two count. Pete hit a Powerbomb and went for the cover again but once again Strong was able to kick out. Strong and Dunne battled in the corner of the ring and Roderick got the upper-hand. Strong slammed Dunne’s back on the apron and planted him with another Backbreaker for a near fall.
Strong hung up Dunne in the ropes and hit a forearm to the face. Roderick went for another one but Dunne escaped and hit an Enziguri. Strong hit an Olympic Slam but Dunne got right up and hit a DDT that sent both superstars to the canvas as the crowd chanted “NXT!”.
Both men slowly got up and traded shots in the middle of the ring. Dunne knocked Strong down and climbed to the top rope. Strong got up and hit Dunne with a couple of chops. Dunne went for a Sunset Flip but it was botched and Strong landed directly on Pete’s knees.
Roderick hit a knee to the face and followed it up with the Tiger Driver for a two count. Dunne locked in a Triangle and then grabbed Strong’s hand. Dunne snapped Roderick’s finger and bent his hand back for the submission victory.
After the match, NXT North American Champion Velveteen Dream snuck into the ring but Dunne saw him at the last second. Strong shouted at Dream that he is taking the title at TakeOver: Toronto. Dream posed in the ring but Dunne grabbed his hand and snapped Velveteen’s finger back. Dunne then hit Dream with the Bitter End to close the show.
Announced for next week’s show:
Matt Riddle vs. Killian Dain
Contract signing for the NXT Tag Team Championship match at TakeOver: Toronto
Pro Wrestling Sheet confirms Chris Sabin is at the WWE PC offering his services as a guest coach to the current crop of WWE rookies.
Sabin, unfortunately, suffered a torn ACL injury back in January, sidelining him from the push he was receiving in ROH. It was projected he would be out of action for approximately 8-12 months. He departed the promotion in March 2019.
Last year, he participated in New Japan Pro Wrestlings Best of Super Juniors tournament. He finished the BoSJ with three wins and four losses. In October 2018, he teamed with current NXT Superstar Kushida for the Super Junior Tag League. Their team didn’t fare much better, once again earning three wins and four losses.
The former Motor City Machine Gun member isn’t the only guest coach the Performance Center has hosted. Others include Danny Cage from the Monster Factory, Pat Buck from Creat a Pro Wrestling, and Mike Mondo from the Spirit Squad.
