Ciampa was originally scheduled to headline the NXT TakeOver New York event on WrestleMania weekend. Ciampa would have defended the NXT title against Johnny Gargano.
That was expected to be the blow-off of their NXT feud, as both men had made WWE main roster appearances this year.
Ciampa originally captured the NXT title on an episode of NXT TV that aired on July 25, 2018. He relinquished the title on an episode that aired on March 20, 2019.
With Ciampa back training, it remains to be seen whether he ends up back in NXT, or slated for the main roster.
Jaxson Ryker squared off against Humberto Carrillo on this week’s episode of NXT. Wesley Blake and Steve Cutler accompanied Ryder to the ring for the match. Carrillo connected with a springboard kick for a near fall. Humberto followed it up with a standing Moonsault for another two count.
Ryker got pissed off and launched Humberto into the turnbuckle. Jaxson beat the hell out of Humberto in the corner and Carrillo tried to retreat out of the ring. Ryker followed him out there and sent Carrillo crashing into the barricade surrounding the ring.
Jaxson then launched Carrillo over the barricade and hit him with several knee strikes to the face as the referee called for the bell. Oney Lorcan and Danny Burch rushed the ring and grabbed two steel chairs. The Forgotten Sons retreated up the entrance ramp. Ryker tried to charge at Lorcan and Burch but Blake and Cutler held him back.
Aliyah shoved Kacy to the canvas and hit her with a knee to the face to start things off. Kacy battled back with Headscissors but got distracted by Borne. Aliyah capitalized and ripped Catanzaro to the mat by her hair.
Borne tagged in and connected with a Suplex for a two count. Aliyah tagged back in and continued to beat Kacy down. Catanzaro battled back with a Neckbreaker and finally was able to tag in LeRae. Candice Dropkicked Aliyah out of the ring and hit Borne with a Jawbreaker. LeRae hit Borne with a Senton and followed it up with a springboard Moonsault for the victory.
Viking Raiders Defeated Street Profits
Street Profits faced NXT Tag Team Champions Viking Raiders on this week’s show. Montez Ford flipped onto the Raiders during their entrance. They then isolated Erik in the ring and hit him with a Splash for a near fall. Dawkins lifted Erik up in the Electric Chair as Ford climbed to the top.
Erik escaped and leveled Ford with a Clothesline. Ivar tagged in and hit Ford with another massive Clothesline. Erik then slammed Ivar on top of Dawkins and sent Angelo to the corner. Dawkins battled back with a right hand that knocked Erik to the canvas.
Ivar and Ford then traded shots in the ring. Montez hit Ivar with a Dropkick and followed it up with an impressive Belly to Back Suplex. Ford Clotheslined Erik out of the ring as Dawkins tagged in. Ivar knocked Ford and Dawkins to the mat and tagged in Erik. Ivar quickly tagged back in as Erik hit Ford with a Dropkick. Erik tagged back in after the Viking Raiders sent Dawkins to the outside. Ivar and Erik then hit slammed Ford to the canvas for the pinfall victory.
Johnny Gargano Defeated Roderick Strong
NXT Champion Johnny Gargano faced Roderick Strong in the main event of this week’s episode. Earlier in the show, Adam Cole was interviewed backstage. Matt Riddle interrupted and pointed out how jealous Cole was that Strong was facing Gargano instead of him. Riddle challenged Cole to a fight but Adam retreated.
Johnny controlled the match early and quickly went for the Gargano Escape but Strong was able to escape. Roderick rolled out of the ring to regroup for a moment before getting back inside. Gargano immediately Clotheslined Strong back out of the ring and hit him with a boot to the face from the apron.
Gargano went for a Baseball Slide but Strong caught him and slammed him into the apron. Strong hit Gargano with a chop to the chest that echoed throughout the arena before rolling him back into the ring. Roderick hit Johnny with a Gutbuster and went for a cover but Gargano kicked out at one.
Strong hit Johnny with a Backbreaker for a near fall and followed it up with another chop to the chest. Roderick stomped the hell out of Gargano and went for another cover but Gargano once again kicked out. Roderick shouted at Johnny to stay down because it is only going to get worse.
Gargano battled back and sent Strong into the steel steps outside the ring. Back in the ring, Gargano connected with the Slingshot Spear for a two count. Johnny sent Strong out of the ring and hit him with a Cannonball off the ring apron. Gargano hit Strong with a Superkick in the ring for another near fall as the crowd chanted “NXT!”.
Johnny hit Roderick with a chop across the chest and spit went flying out of Strong’s mouth. The crowd chanted “one more time!” and Johnny obliged with another chop to Roderick’s chest. Gargano went for another Slingshot Spear but Strong beautifully countered into a Backbreaker for a two count.
Gargano hit an Enziguri and followed it up with a Clothesline. Johnny geared up in the corner but Strong hit him with a knee to the face. Roderick followed it up with another Backbreaker for a two count. Johnny locked in the Gargano Escape but Adam Cole rushed the ring. Strong escaped as Bobby Fish and Kyle O’Reilly came down the entrance ramp. Matt Riddle attacked Undisputed Era from behind and during the confusion, Adam Cole hit Roderick Strong with a Superkick. Gargano then hit Strong with a Slingshot DDT for the pinfall victory.
After the match, Adam Cole said that he thought that he was kicking Gargano. Strong said that it was alright and that he was this close to beating Gargano. Undisputed Era then made their way backstage as NXT went off the air.
Kassius Ohno approached NXT GM William Regal backstage during tonight’s show. Ohno suggested that he face Kushida in his debut match on NXT. Regal liked that idea and made the match official for next week’s episode of NXT.
Velveteen Dream Retained The NXT North American Championship
Velveteen Dream defended his NXT North American Championship against Buddy Murphy on this week’s episode of NXT. Buddy Murphy controlled the match early and trapped Dream in a Headlock in the middle of the ring. Dream broke free and applied a Headlock of his own.
Murphy escaped and shoved Dream across the ring. Buddy connected with a Headscissors that sent Velveteen to the outside. Dream rolled back into the ring and posed right in Murphy’s face. Buddy connected with a knee to Dream’s face for a near fall.
Buddy knocked Dream to the outside and Moonsaulted onto him. Back in the ring, Murphy climbed to the top rope and connected with Double Knees for a two count. Dream battled back with a Superkick out of nowhere and both Superstars collapsed to the canvas.
Dream connected with a Codebreaker and went for the cover but Murphy was able to kick out at the last moment. Velveteen lifted Buddy up in the Fireman’s Carry but Murphy escaped. Buddy hit a boot to the face and made his way up to the top rope.
Velveteen caught Murphy with a right hand to the face and then battled with him on the top turnbuckle. Both Superstars connected with punches and fell to the floor outside the ring. Back in the ring, Murphy planted Dream with a DDT for another near fall.
Velveteen connected with the Dream Valley Driver but Murphy was somehow able to kick out at two as the crowd chanted “fight forever!”. Murphy hit a Powerbomb off the second rope for another near fall. Murphy connected with a knee to Dream’s face and then broke the ref’s count at nine before rolling Velveteen back into the ring.
Dream connected with a Fameasser and followed it up with another Dream Valley Driver. Velveteen then hit the Purple Rainmaker Elbow Drop for the pinfall victory. Velveteen Dream is still the NXT North American Champion. It was announced last night that Buddy Murphy will be joining WWE SmackDown’s roster.
NXT Champion Johnny Gargano came down to the ring sporting a “Johnny Champion” shirt. Gargano stated that this was a long journey, but he stands here proudly as Johnny Champion.
Undisputed Era interrupted and Adam Cole said he is not going stand here and endure another love fest with the NXT Universe. Cole shouted that Johnny got lucky and the crowd responded with “you tapped out!” chants directed at Cole.
Adam called Johnny an idiot for pretending to be proud of his victory and added that Gargano was a punk. Johnny told Adam that he was emotional and there must be trouble in his little boy band.
Gargano asked if everything was NSYNC with Undisputed Era and boasted about tapping out Cole in the final two falls at NXT TakeOver: New York. Gargano added that is not just definitive, that is undisputed.
Johnny noted that if he lost the match, he wouldn’t be out here crying like a little bay-bay. Gargano told Cole to grow some balls and challenged him to come down to the ring. Roderick Strong attacked Gargano from behind and beat him down as Cole, Fish, and O’Reilly came down to the ring.
Undisputed Era continued the beatdown as Cole taunted Gargano. Cole hit Johnny with a Superkick and then Undisputed Era stood over Gargano and posed in the middle of the ring.
Later on the show, NXT GM William Regal interrupted a backstage interview with Undisputed Era. Regal stated that Gargano wanted to face Roderick Strong next week and Cole was visibly pissed off that he wasn’t given another match against Johnny.
Dominik Dijakovic Challenged Velveteen Dream
Aaron Frye had the unfortunate task of squaring off against Dominik Dijakovic tonight during NXT. Dominik connected with a big boot for the immediate pinfall victory. After the match, Dijakovic grabbed the microphone and said that he is only in NXT because his family gave him that opportunity. Dominik stated that he is coming after the North American Championship before exiting the ring.
Shayna Baszler Retained The NXT Women’s Championship
Shayna Baszler defended her NXT Women’s Championship against Kairi Sane tonight on NXT. Sane was informed that this was her final opportunity at the NXT Women’s Championship. Jessamyn Duke and Marina Shafir accompanied Baszler and were ringside for the match.
Sane and Baszler locked up to start off the match. Kairi connected with a spinning backfist and followed it up with a sliding elbow. Sane connected with a Crossbody off the ring apron and rolled Shayna back into the ring.
Baszler and Sane traded forearms to the face but Shayna got the upper hand and connected with a knee to the face for a two count. Sane battled back with the Interceptor Spear as the crowd chanted “let’s go Kairi!”. Kairi locked in the Anchor submission in the middle of the ring but Shayna battled through the pain and reached the bottom rope to break the hold.
Kairi climbed up to the second rope and hit the Insane Elbow on Shayna’s back. Sane made her way to the top rope but Baszler hit her with an Enziguri. Sane hit Shayna with a headbutt and followed it up with a Double Stomp that sent Baszler tumbling out of the ring. Sane went for a flying elbow off the apron but Shayna got out of the way and Kairi crashed into the barricade.
Baszler quickly took advantage and rolled Sane back into the ring. Shayna bent back Sane’s elbow and followed it up with a Side Slam for a near fall. Sane rolled out of the ring and the referee called for a doctor to come and check on Kairi. Io Shirai came down to ringside to check on Kairi as well. Baszler dragged Sane back into the ring and was about to stomp on Kairi’s elbow but Io Shirai shoved her away.
The referee called for the bell and Shayna won the match via DQ. Duke and Shafir dragged Shirai out of the ring and forced her to watch Baszler stomp on Kairi’s elbow to end the show. It was announced on last night’s episode of SmackDown that Sane will form a new tag team with Asuka, with Paige as their manager.
Candice LeRae squared off against Aliyah on this week’s episode of NXT. Vanessa Borne was ringside for the match. Aliyah posed on the turnbuckle and demanded that the Brooklyn crowd cheer for. They decided to boo instead and LeRae connected with a Dropkick.
Borne distracted LeRae and Aliyah capitalized by slamming Candice’s face into the canvas. Aliyah followed it up with a Knee Drop as Borne cheered her on from ringside. Aliyah stomped on LeRae in the corner and hit a Neckbreaker for a near fall.
Aliyah applied a Headlock in the middle of the ring as the crowd got behind LeRae. Candice broke the hold but turned around into a big boot from Aliyah for a two count. LeRae battled with a Clothesline and followed it up with a Senton. LeRae connected with a Neckbreaker and then a Springboard Moonsault for the pinfall victory.
Danny Burch battled Jaxson Ryker this week on NXT. Steve Cutler, Wesley Blake, and Oney Lorcan were ringside for the match. Ryker started off the bout in control and hit a shoulder tackle for a near fall.
Ryker connected with a Belly to Back Suplex and followed it up with a headbutt off the second turnbuckle for a two count. Burch battled back with a Jawbreaker and then a Clothesline in the corner.
Burch hopped up to the second turnbuckle and hit a Dropkick. Blake hopped up on the ring apron and Lorcan took him out with a Crossbody. Ryker connected with the Widow Maker for the pinfall victory. After the match, The Forgotten Sons beat Lorcan and Burch down.
Street Profits faced Marcel Barthel and Fabian Aichner in the main event of this week’ show. Aichner drove Montez Ford to the corner of the ring to start things off. Ford battled back with a Dropkick and posed for the crowd.
Aichner bounced Ford’s face off the top turnbuckle and then beat him down in the corner. Fabian applied a Headlock in the middle of the ring as Angelo Dawkins pleaded for a tag.
Dawkins finally got the tag and immediately leveled Marcel with a Clothesline. Angelo followed it up with a Suplex to both Aichner and Barthel. Angelo connected with a Splash and then tagged Ford back in.
Aichner Clotheslined Dawkins out of the ring. Aichner and Barthel hit a double Dropkick on Ford and then Fabian planted him with a Brainbuster. Aichner followed that up with a double Springboard Moonsault but Ford was able to kick out at two.
Dawkins leveled Aichner with a Spear and then tagged into the match. Dawkins lifted Barthel up in the Electric Chair and Ford connected with a Blockbuster off the top rope. Dawkins then pinned Barthel for the victory.
Don’t tell Johnny Gargano that NXT isn’t the main roster. The new NXT Champion spoke with reporter Chris Van Vliet this weekend and made clear his belief that NXT is the main roster.
“I get the question a lot of when are you going to the main roster and I absolutely hate that question, I hate it so much,” Gargano said. “I get tweeted that a lot and people say ‘I can’t wait to see you on the main roster’ and I tell them you are seeing me on the main roster. NXT is the main roster.”
Gargano defeated Adam Cole Friday night inside Barclay’s Center at Takeover: New York. “Johnny Champion” t-shirts quickly sold out inside the venue after his victory.
“I do believe that Raw, Smackdown and NXT are the three brands and I think that people can come from Raw or Smackdown to NXT and I think that people from NXT can go to Raw or Smackdown. It’s very interchangeable.”
Gargano noted that he sees the NXT Championship as his main roster title.
“This is my main roster title,” he continued. “This is my main roster moment. NXT to me is the hottest thing going not just in WWE but all across professional wrestling.”
The NXT champion also noted that he feels Takeover events are about as good as it gets.
“I think NXT is the hottest brand in sports entertainment and I’m not just saying that because I am biased, I’m not just saying that because I’m me, I’m saying that because I was at TakeOver. I watched the show. I’d put TakeOvers up against anything in the world.”
Gargano also discusses Shawn Michaels influence, celebrating his victory with Candice LeRae and more. The full interview with Chris Van Vliet can be viewed in the player below:
Following Friday night’s Takeover event, Adam Cole was irate backstage at stablemate, Roderick Strong. Cole lost a best 2-out-of-3 falls match to Johnny Gargano at Takeover, dropping a chance to win the vacant NXT Championship in the process.
The following video was posted to WWE’s YouTube channel shortly after Takeover concluded. Cole can be seen arguing with Roderick Strong in the back before instructing the camera operator to stop filming.
During the match, Roderick Strong orchestrated outside interference when the referee was out of position. Kyle O’Reilly and Bobby Fish would double-team Gargano for a period but Cole was still unable to get the pinfall after.
With the teased tension between Adam Cole and Roderick Strong having been broadcast, one might wonder how long both will remain in the Undisputed Era.
Strong was a late addition to the stable. Fish, O’Reilly, and Cole attempted to recruit Strong into the faction in late 2017. They ended up involved in a rivalry with him intead, however. Strong would eventually relent and join the stable at Takeover: New Orleans last year.
NXT TakeOver: New York aired live from the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY. Here are 5 takeaways from the show:
War Raiders Retained In An Amazing Match
War Raiders (Hanson & Rowe) defended their NXT Tag Team Championships against Aleister Black and Ricochet to kick off NXT TakeOver: New York. Rowe and Aleister started off the match by locking up in the middle of the ring. Rowe took Black down and wound up for a punch got back up and allowed Aleister to get back to his feet.
The two Superstars locked up again and Rowe got the advantage and brought Aleister to the canvas. Black got up and went to boot Rowe in the face but stopped short. The two Superstars fist-bumped and then Hanson and Ricochet tagged in.
Ricochet went for a shoulder tackle but Hanson didn’t budge. Ricochet Dropkicked Hanson out of the ring and Black tagged in. Aleister threw Rowe to the outside and then took a seat with Ricochet in the middle of the ring as the crowd chanted “NXT!”.
Back in the ring, Hanson planted Black with a Senton and then delivered a Powerslam to Ricochet. Ricochet battled back and hit Rowe with a Springboard Clothesline and followed it up with a Standing Shooting Star Press for a near fall.
A fan got kicked out as Black had Rowe in an Abdominal Stretch and the crowd chanted “you deserve it!”. Rowe battled out of the hold and elbowed Ricochet off the apron. Rowe connected with a knee to Black’s face and then tagged Hanson in. Ricochet tagged in and walked into a Sidewalk Slam from Hanson.
Hanson set up Ricochet and Black in opposite corners and hit them both with several Splashes. Hanson went for a Crossbody but somehow Ricochet was able to catch him and countered into a Fallaway Slam. Black and Rowe tagged back in and traded shots in the middle of the ring. Aleister connected with a knee to the face and followed it up with a German Suplex but Rowe was able to kick out at the last moment.
Hanson and Ricochet tagged in and Hanson connected with a ridiculous handspring elbow to Ricochet’s face for a near fall as the crowd chanted “this is awesome!”. Hanson climbed up to the top rope but Ricochet brought him back down. Rowe tagged in and lifted Ricochet up for a German Suplex. Hanson bounced off the ropes and leveled Ricochet with a Clothesline at the same time. Rowe went for the cover but Black broke it up out of nowhere with a Double Stomp.
Aleister knocked Hanson out of the ring and took him out with a Moonsault. Rowe hit Black with a Moonsault and then turned around into a Corkscrew Tiger Drop. Hanson then climbed up the top and took everyone out with a Cannonball as the crowd chanted “holy sh*t!”.
Back in the ring, Ricochet connected with a Superkick on Rower and then Black tagged in. Aleister knocked Hanson off the ring apron and hit Rowe with Black Mass. Ricochet tagged in and hit a Shooting Star Press on Rowe. Ricochet went for the cover but Hanson tackled Black on top of him to break up the cover.
Ricochet climbed back up to the top rope and went for the 630 Splash but Rowe got out of the way. Black went for a Moonsault but Hanson got out of the way and leveled him with a Clothesline outside the ring. Hanson then tagged in and was greeted with a boot to the face from Ricochet. Hanson slammed Ricochet to the mat and hit Black with a Suicide Dive. War Raiders then hit Ricochet with the Fallout for the pinfall victory.
After the match, the two teams shared a hug in the ring. Hanson and Rowe showed respect as this was the last match in NXT for Ricochet and Aleister Black. War Raiders left the ring as Black and Ricochet stayed behind. Ricochet wiped away the tears as the crowd chanted “NXT!”.
This match was essentially flawless and was a great way for Ricochet and Black to say goodbye to NXT. I was on the edge of my seat the entire match and I couldn’t come up with a negative thing to say about it if I tried. While tag team wrestling has been a struggle for the main roster, NXT consistently does it well.
Velveteen Dream Retained The NXT North American Championship
Velveteen Dream defended his NXT North American Championship against Matt Riddle tonight at TakeOver: New York. Dueling “Velveteen!” and “bro!” chants broke out at the start of the match.
Riddle connected with a couple of kicks to Dream’s leg to start off the match. Matt and Dream locked up and Riddle tried to transition into an Arm Bar but Velveteen was able to reach the ropes to quickly break the hold.
Dream stomped on Riddle’s foot and hit him with a shoulder tackle for a two count. Dream connected with a Dropkick and a Double Axehandle off the top turnbuckle. Velveteen knocked Riddle out of the ring and climbed to the top rope. Riddle got out of the way and then planted Dream with a German Suplex outside the ring.
Back in the ring, Riddle hit Dream with an Enziguri and followed it up with an Exploder Suplex. Dream battled back with a German Suplex but Riddle hopped right back up to his feet. Riddle connected with a knee strike to Dream’s face for a two count.
Matt got pissed off and unloaded a flurry of punches to Velveteen’s face and the referee had to break it up. Dream capitalized with a Sleeper Hold but Riddle countered into a roll-up for a near fall. Riddle hit a Ripcord Knee Strike, a GTS, and then a German Suplex for another near fall.
Dream hulked up and hit Riddle with the big boot. Velveteen followed it up with a Body Slam and then Clotheslined Riddle out of the ring. Back in the ring, Dream connected with a Fameasser for a near fall. Riddle battled back with a knee to the face but Dream hit a Codebreaker out of nowhere for a two count.
Riddle applied an Ankle Lock in the middle of the ring and Dream screamed in agony. Dream broke free and hit Riddle with a Superkick. Velveteen followed it up with a DDT and then the Dream Valley Driver. Dream went for the Purple Rainmaker but Riddle countered into the Bromission. Dream broke free and escaped to the ring apron. Riddle grabbed him and hit an insane German Suplex that sent Dream back into the ring. Riddle followed it up with the Floating Bro for a near fall.
Velveteen hit a Superkick but Riddle shrugged it off and hit a Powerbomb. Riddle followed it up with a knee to the face and then locked the Bromission once again. Dream countered into a roll-up for the pinfall victory. After the match, Riddle offered to fist bump Dream and Velveteen accepted.
I thought this match was terrific and Riddle looked good in defeat. It would have been far too soon to take the North American Championship off of Velveteen Dream and Riddle’s popularity won’t fade at all after this loss.
Pete Dunne put his United Kingdom Championship on the line against Walter tonight at TakeOver. Dunne controlled the match early but Walter battled back with a couple of chops that knocked Dunne over with ease.
Dunne went for a Clothesline but Walter shrugged it over and knocked Pete to the mat. Walter knocked Dunne to the outside then slammed him into the ring apron. Back in the ring, Dunne applied a Heel Hook in the middle of the ring.
Walter broke the hold after hitting a chop to Dunne’s chest and then locked in the Boston Crab. Dunne crawled to the bottom rope and quickly broke the hold. Walter hit Dunne with a boot to the face that sent Dunne to the floor outside the ring.
Dunne got back into the ring and kicked Walter in the face. Walter rolled out of the ring and Dunne hit him with a Moonsault off the top rope. Back in the ring, Dunne connected with a Powerbomb and went for the cover but Walter was able to kick out at the last second.
Walter rolled to the floor outside the ring and Dunne hit him with a Double Stomp off the top rope. The action returned to the ring and Walter leveled Dunne with a Dropkick. Walter followed it up with a Powerbomb for a near fall. Walter went for another Powerbomb but Dunne escaped and hit an Enziguri. Both Superstars fell to the canvas as the crowd chanted “U.K.!”.
Pete booted Walter in the face and made his way to the but Walter joined him up there. Walter connected with a Suplex off the turnbuckle for another near fall. Dunne bent back Walter’s fingers and hit him with a German Suplex for a two count.
Walter knocked Dunne down and went for a Splash off the top rope but Dunne countered into a Triangle. Walter broke free and stomped the hell out of Dunne in the middle of the ring. Dunne hit a forearm to the face and followed it up with the Bitter End for a two count.
Both Superstars got back up and started trading shots in the middle of the ring. Dunne hit Walter with a flurry of strikes while he was up against the ropes and the referee broke it up. Walter took advantage with a big boot and made his way to the top rope. Dunne met Walter up there but that turned out to be a mistake. Walter planted Dunne with a ridiculous Powerbomb and then a Splash for the pinfall victory. Walter is the new United Kingdom Champion.
Dunne and Walter had a tough task following two terrific matches but they managed to overcome it. They absolutely beat the hell out of each other during this match and it was impressive to watch. Pete Dunne had an incredible title reign, but giving Walter the belt was the correct decision.
Shayna Baszler defended her NXT Women’s Championship against Kairi Sane, Bianca Belair, and Io Shirai in a Fatal 4-Way match tonight at TakeOver. Shirai and Sane teamed up in the beginning of the match and knocked Belair and Baszler to the outside.
Belair and Baszler then sent Sane and Io to the outside and battled in the ring. Shirai broke it up with a Dropkick to Belair as Kairi brought Baszler to the outside. Shirai went for a Crossbody but Belair caught her and connected with a Fallaway Slam. Belair went for the cover but Shayna broke it up at two.
Baszler and Belair battled on the top rope but Sane and Io snuck up behind them. Sane and Shirai then planted both Belair and Sane with dueling Powerbombs. Belair and Baszler rolled to the outside and Kairi hit them with an Insane Elbow. Shirai followed it up with a Moonsault onto Baszler.
Back in the ring, Bianca hit Io with a Spear and then turned around into a knee to the face from Baszler. Shirai then planted Baszler with a German Suplex and all four Superstars fell to the canvas. Bianca sent everyone to the outside and then brought Shayna back into the ring.
Shayna trapped Baszler in the Kirifuda Clutch in the center of the ring. Belair escaped and connected with the KOD but Shirai broke up the pinfall. Bianca went for a Powerbomb but Io countered into an X-Factor. Shirai hit a Moonsault onto Baszler and went for the cover but Sane broke it up at the last second.
Kairi hit an Alabama Slam on Shirai and then sent her out of the ring. Kairi followed it up with the Insane Elbow and went for the cover but this time Shirai broke it up. Io hit Sane with a Dropkick and then a flurry of forearms. Kairi battled back with a DDT and Io landed directly on her head.
Sane climbed to the top rope but Belair hit her with the hair whip. Bianca then lifted Sane and Shirai with a KOD at the same time. Shayna then kneed Belair in the face and locked in the Kirifuda Clutch for the submission victory. Baszler is still the NXT Women’s Champion.
I was surprised that Belair tapped after passing out to the Kirifuda Clutch at NXT TakeOver: Phoenix. There really isn’t any reason to take the title off of Shayna Baszler until she is going to the main roster. The crowd despises her, so whomever finally takes the title from her is going to become incredibly popular within the NXT Universe.
Johnny Gargano and Adam Cole battled in a 2 out of 3 Falls Match for the vacant NXT Championship. Dueling “Johnny Wrestling!” and “Adam Cole!” chants broke out at the start of the match. Cole and Gargano traded shots and Johnny got the upper hand. Gargano Clotheslined Cole to the outside and followed it up with a Dropkick between the ropes.
Cole battled back with an Enziguri as the action returned to the ring. Adam applied a Chinlock and brought Gargano down to the canvas. Johnny broke free and then both Superstars connected with a Crossbody at the same time. Gargano connected with an Overhead Suplex and then the Slingshot Spear for a near fall.
Gargano followed that up with a Tornado DDT off the middle turnbuckle for a two count. Cole battled back with a Lumbar Check and went for a cover but Johnny kicked out at two. Cole hit Gargano with an Enziguri and then took down his knee pad. Gargano tried to roll Cole up but Adam kicked out at two. Cole then hit the Last Shot to the back of Johnny’s head for pinfall to go ahead 1-0.
Adam Cole went right back on the attack and connected with the Last Shot but Gargano somehow kicked out at two. Johnny sent Cole to the apron and hit him with a Spear. Johnny followed it up with a Cannonball off the apron and both Superstars crashed to the floor.
Back in the ring, Cole connected with an Ushigoroshi for a near fall. Cole and Gargano battled on the turnbuckle and Johnny hit an Avalanche Air Raid Crash for a two count. Johnny then planted Cole with the Slingshot DDT on the ring apron and both Superstars fell to the floor outside the ring.
Cole slammed Gargano into the ring post a couple of times before bringing him back into the ring. Johnny quickly locked in the Gargano Escape and Cole immediately tapped out to even it at 1-1.
Cole shrugged off a Clothesline and planted Gargano with a Neckbreaker over his knee for a two count. Gargano hit Cole with an Enziguri and then launched him into the middle turnbuckle for a near fall. Gargano and Cole traded shots and both Superstars hit a Superkick at the same time as the crowd chanted “NXT!”.
Adam Cole connected with a Superkick to the back of Gargano’s head and followed it up with a Straight Jacket German Suplex for another two count. Gargano connected with a Reverse Hurricanrana and then a Superkick but Cole fell out of the ring before Johnny could go for a cover.
Cole hit Gargano with a Wheelbarrow Suplex into the ring apron and then rolled Johnny back inside as the crowd chanted “this is awesome!”. Gargano hit a DDT out of nowhere and followed it up with the Slingshot DDT for a two count. Cole rolled out of the ring but Gargano hit him with a Suicide Dive.
Gargano rolled Cole back in the ring and went for another Slingshot DDT but Cole countered with a boot to the face. Cole followed it up with a Panama Sunrise (Canadian Destroyer) but Gargano somehow kicked out. Cole taunted Gargano and called him a failure. Johnny got pissed off and launched Cole over the announce table. Johnny cleared off the announce table but Cole hit him with the Fairy Tale Ending (Ciampa’s move) but the table didn’t break.
Cole rolled back into the ring and the referee started counting. Johny got back into the ring at the last second and Cole hit him with a Superkick for another near fall. Cole went for the Last Shot but Gargano caught him with a Superkick. Cole hit a Superkick of his own and went for the Panama Sunrise but Gargano countered into the Gargano Escape. Kyle O’Reilly and Roderick Strong distracted the referee while Cole tapped out. O’Reilly and Strong attacked Gargano and Cole went for the cover when the ref got back in the ring but Johnny somehow kicked out.
Gargano sent Cole onto Undisputed Era outside the ring and then took them all out. Back in the ring, Cole hit another Superkick and then another Last Shot but Gargano somehow kicked out again and the crowd exploded. Cole went for the Last Shot again but Johnny countered into the Gargano Escape for the submission victory. Johnny Gargano is the new NXT Champion. Candice LeRae came down to the ring to celebrate with Gargano after the match. Johnny then celebrated with his family in the crowd. Tommaso Ciampa came down to the ramp with a neck brace on and shared a hug with Gargano to close the show.
Cole and Gargano put on an unbelievable match to close NXT TakeOver: New York. It sucks that we were robbed of Gargano versus Ciampa one more time, but this match was just extraordinary. Once again, NXT puts on an incredible event that will likely steal the weekend. WrestleMania will be a spectacle on Sunday night, but when it comes to in-ring wrestling, I don’t see how it can top what we saw tonight.
NXT Tag Team Champions War Raiders (Rowe & Hanson) faced some local talent to start off this week’s episode of NXT. War Raiders dominated and won the match with ease. After the match, War Raiders got on the microphone and stated that NXT GM William Regal is allowing them to deliver a message to their opponents at TakeOver. Hanson shouted: “bring out the next team!”. Bononi and Jaoude then came to the ring and promptly got the hell kicked out of them.
War Raiders will defend their NXT Tag Team Championships against Aleister Black and Ricochet this Friday at TakeOver: New York.
Oney Lorcan squared off against Jaxson Ryker of The Forgotten Sons tonight on NXT. Danny Burch, Steve Cutler, and Wesley Blake were ringside for the match. Ryker started off the match in control and connected with a Gutbuster for a near fall.
Jaxson applied a Bear Hug in the middle of the ring as the crowd got behind Oney. Lorcan tried to battle back but Ryker halted his momentum and slammed him to the canvas for the pinfall victory.
Io Shirai Sent A Message Heading Into NXT TakeOver: New York
Photo Credit: WWE.com
Kairi Sane faced Bianca Belair on this week’s show. Shayna Baszler will defend her NXT Women’s Championship against Belair, Sane, and Io Shirai at NXT TakeOver: New York this Friday night.
Belair and Sane locked up to start off the match. Sane applied a Headlock but Belair quickly broke free and leveled her with a shoulder tackle. Sane got up and punched Belair in the face. Kairi then mocked Belair by twirling her hair.
Bianca got pissed off but Kairi got out of the way and hit the Interceptor Spear. Sane locked in the Anchor in the middle of the ring but Bianca was able to escape. Belair connected with a Powerslam and went for the cover but Kairi was able to kick out at the last second.
Belair stomped on Kairi in the corner and then went for another cover but Sane kicked out at two. Bianca applied the Abdominal Stretch as the crowd got behind Sane. Belair transitioned into a Pendulum Backbreaker for another near fall. Bianca hit Sane with a Suplex for another two count.
Kairi went for a Crossbody off the second rope but Belair caught her and connected with a Fallaway Slam. Bianca went for a Splash but Sane got her knees up at the last moment. Sane sent Belair to the ring apron and then Dropkicked her to the floor outside the ring.
Back in the ring, Belair went for a Suplex but Kairi countered into a DDT. Sane connected with a flurry of strikes and then sent Belair to the canvas with a Dragon Screw. Sane followed it up with two Neckbreakers and then marched to the corner of the ring.
Sane hit Bianca with the sliding elbow and then made her way to the top rope. Sane hit Belair with an elbow to Belair’s face for a near fall. Kairi hit a spinning elbow and made her way back to the top turnbuckle. Belair got up and hit Sane with an elbow to the face before joining her on the top turnbuckle.
Belair hit Sane with a Superplex and followed it up with a Standing Moonsault for a two count. Bainca slammed Sane to the canvas but was then attacked from behind by Shayna Baszler, Jessamyn Duke, and Marina Shafir. Io Shirai then rushed the ring and a brawl broke out as the match ended in a DQ.
The NXT women’s locker room then ran down to the ring to and attacked Baszler, Duke, and Shafir. Belair lifted up Lacey Evans over her shoulders and threw her onto everyone outside the ring. Io blasted Belair in the face and sent her tumbling out of the ring. Shirai connected with a Moonsult onto everyone outside the ring and then posed with the NXT Women’s Championship to end the show.
Tommaso Ciampa has issued a statement addressing his future in wrestling as he recovers from neck surgery.
Ciampa was scheduled to defend the NXT Championship this weekend against Johnny Gargano in the main event of NXT Takeover: New York. Unfortunately, he suffered a neck injury that required surgery. As a result, he was forced to surrender the championship. Gargano will now face Adam Cole for the vacated title.
Ciampa underwent successful anterior cervical fusion surgery on March 7th in Birmingham, Alabama. He will miss significant ring time.
According to the Mayfield Brain & Spine Clinic, “Anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) is a surgery to remove a herniated or degenerative disc in the neck. An incision is made in the throat area to reach and remove the disc. A graft is inserted to fuse together the bones above and below the disc.”
Ciampa’s Statement
On Monday, Ciampa posted the following message on Twitter reflecting on this moment in his career. He talks about the disappointment of missing Takeover and his long history of coming back from injuries. He wrote,
“In May of 2017 they told me that no one has ever had 3 major surgeries in a 12 week span and returned at a competitive level.
I returned to the most successful run of my career.
This week I should be preparing to walk into the main event of Takeover New York on Wrestlemania weekend as the NXT Champion. This match meant more to me than anyone will ever understand.
The opportunity was taken away from me.
In March of 2019 they told me that if I return then I will be on borrowed time.
If there is one topic we can imagine Triple H must love to talk about, then its NXT, a show he has nourished from a development territory limited to a university campus to a global touring brand.
During a recent media conference call, the WWE COO again talked about the Black and Yellow brand and provided some interesting stats on the show and the recent events related to it.
H first discussed the former NXT Champion Tomasso Ciampa’s unfortunate injury and revealed that they were aware of his condition prior to his main roster debut.
They wanted Ciampa to get some main roster experience before surgery, but the situation with him went from something manageable to a risk they couldn’t take.
Another interesting thing he revealed was that Vince McMahon has the final say on all NXT callups. He decides which stars to bring up to the main roster and contarary to the popular belief you can’t say “you can’t have him” to the boss.
Some other notes from the conference call include:
“There is much more to come.” said Triple H when asked about Lars Sullivan
Aleister Black and Ricochet will be assigned to a brand the night after WrestleMania
After SmackDown’s move to Fox, the WrestleMania weekend TakeOver is likely to be moved back to Saturday Night
He is interested in the idea of bringing in more managers to NXT
Apart from this, the Game also revealed that as a touring brand NXT has proven to be profitable. While Triple H didn’t go into detail, this is still a great news for the fans of the brand as it will make his case of possibly moving main roster stars to NXT stronger.
Former WoS/World of Sport Women’s Champion Viper/Piper Niven has officially joined the NXT UK roster. The powerhouse performer appeared following a Rhea Ripley vs Xia Brookside bout. Ripley proclaimed that she was the most dominant women in NXT UK, Niven’s music then hit and the Scottish Superstar appeared.
Ripley quickly escaped from the ring as Niven entered. Piper looked at Ripley and said “The most dominant woman in NXT UK? Not anymore!”
We had previously reported that there was interest from both WWE and AEW for Viper/Piper Niven. ICW Superstar Viper was allegedly offered deals by both AEW and WWE around the time that her WoS deal was expiring. Viper/Piper Niven does have some experience in a WWE ring, having performed in the inaugural Mae Young Classic. The Wrestling Observer confirmed that Viper was given a much “better offer” than Kay Lee Ray as there was apparently interest from All Elite Wrestling.
Whilst the future of WoS is still unclear this constant stream of stars leaving cannot be a good sign. Viper, Kay Lee Ray and Bea Priestley have all left for WWE/AEW respectively. These three Women were the biggest female stars on the WoS roster, there is a chance that new talent could be built around but as of writing we do not have any indicators regarding the promotion.
Adam Cole came down to the ring and stated that last week he earned the right to challenge for the vacant NXT Championship against Johnny Gargano. Cole asked that Johnny join him in the ring so he can tell him exactly what he is going to do to him at TakeOver: New York.
Gargano and Cole stood in the ring as dueling “Johnny Wrestling!” and “Adam Cole!” chants broke out in the crowd. Cole interrupted and shouted that he doesn’t need any of their support. Gargano took a seat on the top turnbuckle and said that he loved the “Johnny Wrestling!” chants.
Johnny asked Cole to list off the one million reasons why he was going to beat him. Adam Cole didn’t say anything and Gargano joked that everyone should get out their cameras because this is the first time ever that Cole has nothing to say. Johnny got off the turnbuckle and told Cole that he is going to show him why people call him Johnny TakeOver.
The crowd chanted “Johnny TakeOver” as Adam Cole laughed in Gargano’s face. Cole brought up Johnny not being in the winner’s circle at past TakeOver and his nickname should be “Johnny Participation”. Cole claimed that Gargano cannot win one fall at TakeOver and then listed off all of his accomplishments in NXT.
Cole stated that it would be the pinnacle of his NXT career to capture the NXT Championship and beat Gargano in the process. Gargano said that he has been told his entire life that he doesn’t deserve to be here but he refused to take no for answer. Johnny brought up the origins of DIY and how they were two unsigned indie guys and had to prove themselves in the first Dusty Rhodes Classic.
Gargano added that every single time he showed up he poured his heart out in the ring. The fans chanted “Johnny Wrestling!” as he stated that he fought and earned his contract in NXT. Johnny claimed that NXT was his life and that he was handed a top spot and a group to fight his battles for him like Undisputed Era.
Johnny vowed to fight to make his dream come true at TakeOver: New York and finally become NXT Champion. Cole and Gargano then had a staredown and each to a look at the vacant NXT Championship before exiting the ring. Cole stopped on the entrance ramp and pretended to get choked up. Cole said Gargano’s story was inspirational but he will be the one leaving TakeOver as the NXT Champion.
Undisputed Era came down to the entrance ramp and Cole stated that Triple H was wrong when he said that the 2 out of 3 Falls match will be definitive. Cole claimed that the NXT Championship match at TakeOver will be Undisputed.
Shanya Baszler Put Kacey Catanzaro To Sleep
Vanessa Borne & Aliyah squared off against Lacey Lane & Kacey Catanzaro on this week’s episode of NXT. Aliyah and Lane started off the match. Aliyah brought Lane to the corner and tagged in Vanessa. Borne slammed Lacey to the mat for a near fall but Lane battled back with an Arm Drag that sent Vanessa out of the ring. Lane posed in the middle of the ring as the crowd chanted her name.
Aliyah tagged in and booted Lane in the face. Aliyah followed it up with a flurry of forearms to Lane’s face and then tagged Borne back in. Vanessa hung up Lane on the ropes and booted her in the back several times. Borne followed that up with a headbutt and then tagged Aliyah back into the match.
Shayna Baszer, Jessamyn Duke, and Marina Shafir made their way down to the ring as Aliyah and Borne retreated. Shayna booted Lane in the face and then went after Catanzaro. Baszler locked in the Kirifuda Clutch but Kacey escaped and Dropkicked Duke and Shafir off the apron. Shayna locked in the Kirifuda Clutch again and put her to sleep. Shayna then got in Percy Watson’s face and shouted that these attacks are going to keep happening as long as she is mistreated. Shayna stood on the announce table, raised the NXT Women’s Champion, and shouted at the crowd to respect their champion.
Kona Reeves battled Matt Riddle tonight on NXT. Riddle won the quick match via the Bromission. During the match, Velveteen Dream showed up with a couple of girls and a couch on the entrance ramp. Dream announced that Riddle won the match but will lose to him at TakeOver. Riddle walked up the entrance ramp and took the microphone from Dream. Riddle told Dream that he will see him in New York and then threw Velveteen’s drink.
Aleister Black & Ricochet Won The Dusty Rhodes Classic
Aleister Black & Ricochet faced The Forgotten Sons in the finals of the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic Tournament. The winner of the match wins the Dusty Cup and will also go on to face War Raiders for the NXT Tag Team Championships at TakeOver: New York.
The match started with a brawl that sent Cutler and Blake out of the ring. Jaxson Ryker joined them as the Forgotten Sons regrouped. Back in the ring, Blake connected with a shoulder tackle on Black and then applied a Headlock.
Cutler and Ricochet tagged in and Ricochet hit him with a Dropkick. Ricochet then flipped onto the Forgotten Sons and then posed with Black in opposite corners of the ring. Ryker hit Ricochet with a cheap shot as the referee was distracted and the Forgotten Sons isolated Ricochet in the corner of the ring.
Blake hit Ricochet with a Backbreaker and tagged Cutler in. Forgotten Sons controlled the next few minutes by isolating Ricochet in the corner. Black finally was able to tag in and hit Blake with a knee to the face. Aleister hit a Springboard Moonsault onto both Blake and Cutler.
Cutler connected with a Backbreaker on Black for a near fall. Blake leveled Ricochet with a Clothesline and then turned around into Double Knees from Aleister Black. Ricochet and Blake took turns blocking each other’s Suplex attempts several times before Ricochet finally connected with one.
Ricochet sent Blake to the outside and climbed up to the top rope. Blake connected with a punch and went for a Reverse Frankensteiner but Ricochet landed on his feet. Black tagged in and hit Blake with a kick to the face and went for the cover but Cutler shoved Ricochet on top of them to break it up.
Blake hit a Backstabber on Black and then Cutler followed it up with an Elbow Drop. Cutler went for the cover but Ricochet broke it up at the last second. Aleister hit Cutler with Black Mass but was planted by Blake. Aleister Black went to put his foot on the ropes to break up the cover but Ryker shoved it away.
The referee saw it and kicked Ryker out from ringside. Ricochet tagged in and hit the 630 on Blake as Black Moonsaulted onto Cutler outside the ring. Ricochet then covered Blake for the victory. Black and Ricochet will face War Raiders at TakeOver: New York for the titles. War Raiders came down to the ring and had a staredown with Black and Ricochet to close the show.
According to a report from Squared Circle Sirens, her injury is not believed to be serious. They are not expecting her to miss much time. Ripley evidently had been dealing with some lingering issues for awhile. She got it checked out and is likely just dealing with a minor sprain.
Rhea Ripley NXT UK
Ripley debuted for WWE in the inaugural Mae Young Classic and has quickly made a name for herself. Real name Demi Bennet, Ripley was plucked from Riot City Wrestling in Melbourne for the 2017 Mae Young Classic. She signed with WWE shortly after and reported to WWE developmental.
By the time the 2018 Mae Young Classic came around, Ripley had established herself as one of the most powerful female prospects in the WWE system.
After making it to the semi-finals of the 2018 Mae Young Classic, Ripley began to carve her path in NXT UK. Ripley marched through Xia Brookside, Dakota Kai, and Toni Storm to win the tournament to declare an inaugural NXT UK Women’s championship. She would end up dropping the title to Toni Storm at NXT UK Takeover: Blackpool, however.
WWE might have spoiled the result of the NXT Title match at TakeOver: New York next month. It was recently confirmed that Johnny Gargano will face Adam Cole for the vacant title in a 2 of 3 Falls match. NXT Champion Tommaso Ciampa was forced to vacate the title due to injury.
Local advertisements for NXT live events in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and St. Paul, Minnesota are advertising a Champion vs. Champion match between Adam Cole and The Velveteen Dream. The events are scheduled for Saturday, April 27 and Sunday, April 28, respectively. Dream is the current NXT North American Champion. As for Cole, he is without a title as of this writing. Perhaps Cole is the man slated to leave New York with the NXT Championship on WrestleMania weekend?
Cole defeated Ricochet, Aleister Black, Matt Riddle, and Dream in a Fatal Five-Way match to earn his way into the NXT Title bout at TakeOver: New York. Gargano was initially slated to face Ciampa, however, his neck injury forced those plans to change.
NXT TakeOver: New York takes place from the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York on Friday, April 5, 2019. Check out the updated TakeOver: New York card below:
Two Of Three Falls match for vacant NXT Championship: Johnny Gargano vs. Adam Cole
WWE NXT UK Championship: (C) Pete Dunne vs. WALTER
NXT North American Championship: (C) The Velveteen Dream vs. Matt Riddle
Fatal Four-Way for NXT Women’s Championship: (C) Shayna Baszler vs. Io Shirai vs. Bianca Belair vs. Kairi Sane
NXT Tag Team Championship: (C) War Raiders vs. Aleister Black and Ricochet
Do you think Cole will leave TakeOver as NXT Champion?
In a WWE conference call hosted back in November, Triple H addressed the possibility of their main roster stars becoming a part of WWE NXT.
‘The Game’ stated that, “I think you could be at a place where you see main level talent stay at NXT. I think we’re also at the point where you can see some talent on Raw and SmackDown that has had success or not had success or for whatever reason aren’t being utilized, they could go back into NXT.”
The WWE NXT Twitter account recently uploaded a video teasing the idea of who they’d like to see come back to the black-and-gold brand. They tagged current RAW and SmackDown Superstars, Dana Brooke, Sheamus and Cesaro, Luke Harper, and Fandango in the Tweet — the majority of whom found success in NXT prior to moving to the main roster.
Their tweet would end with “What are you guys up to Wednesday nights at 8/7c? #WWENXT #NXTPOV”
“I Think Talent Will Begin To Evolve And Rotate Through Territories”
This video will most likely add further speculation over Triple H’s initial comment. It’s worth noting that, in the build-up to WWE NXT UK’s TakeOver: Blackpool event, he discussed the idea of WWE’s show hierarchy:
“I believe that talent are talent and I believe they will sit where they sit. I believe you’ll see talent over the next few years start coming up to Raw and SmackDown, and I think you’ll see them move back over into NXT, or come back into the NXT UK system. I think talent will begin to evolve and rotate through territories, so to speak.”
If this is the case, NXT’s seemingly innocuous tweet could be testing the waters for Triple H’s grand plan on leveling their brand playing field, allowing talent to not only easily jump between shows but also, eventually, continents on a frequent basis.
NXT newcomer Chelsea Green broke her wrist at Wednesday night’s TV tapings from Full Sail University. The injury took place mid-way through her NXT TV debut. She was able to complete the match, but is scheduled to undergo surgery Thursday morning.
She posted a message on social media detailing the situation.
“Today I had the opportunity to wrestle for the first time at Full Sail for WWE NXT after years of dreaming of it! Wow, it was everything I had imagined it would be!!!? Of course, with this job comes occupational hazards. Unfortunately, I broke my wrist mid-match & will require surgery first thing tomorrow morning. It sucks. I’m upset, I’m angry, I’m sore… but I’ll be back soon. This is just a tiny bump in the road to many goals I have set for 2019!”
It’s an unfortunate setback for the talented performer. However, it seems like she is keeping a good attitude about things.
Chelsea Green’s Road To WWE
Chelsea Green was trained by Lance Storm and made her professional debut back in 2014. She has wrestled for various promotions including Lucha Underground and Impact Wrestling, where she is a former Knockouts Champion (as Laurel Van Ness).
Green has actually made a few WWE TV appearances before. She was part of Tough Enough Season 6. That cast also included Velveteen Dream, Mandy Rose and Sonya Deville. She also portrayed Daniel Bryan’s physical therapist back in 2014.
Former Ring of Honor star ACH made his NXT television début at Wednesday’s TV tapings from Full Sail University.
ACH made his NXT live event début last week on March 7 in the opening match at the NXT live event on Thursday in Largo, FL at the Minnreg Hall. He was defeated by Raul Mendoza.
He is using his real name Albert Hardie Jr., and on the tapings he faced Humberto Carrillo in a losing effort.
ACH was announced to have signed a contract with WWE on February 11 where he started working at the WWE Performance Center. He was part of February’s class of recruits which included names such as Jonah Rock and Trevor Lee.
It is not known yet if ACH will get a new ring name or he will continue wrestling under his real one. ACH made a name for himself working in promotions like ROH, New Japan Pro Wrestling, AAW, and more. It will be interesting to see what he brings to the WWE.
Mustache Mountain (Tyler Bate & Trent Seven) squared off against The Forgotten Sons in the semifinals of the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic. Jaxson Ryker accompanied Wesley Blake and Steve Cutler to the ring.
Bate and Blake started off the match by locking up in the middle of the ring. Wesley got the better of Bate and connected with a Body Slam. Cutler tagged in and Bate greeted him with a Suplex for a one count.
Cutler battled back and sent Tyler to the corner. Blake got back in and planted Bate with a Neckbreaker for a near fall. Trent Seven tagged in and hit Blake and Cutler with a flurry of chops. Cutler tagged in and hit Trent with a chop block to his knee.
The Forgotten Sons went to work on Seven’s knee for the next couple of minutes as Bate pleaded for a tag on the apron. Blake applied the Figure Four but Seven reversed it. Wesley was able to reach the bottom rope to break the hold and Cutler tagged back in.
Seven and Cutler connected with a double Clothesline and both Superstars fell to the mat. Bate and Blake tagged back in and Tyler connected with a Back Body Drop. Bate lifted Blake and Cutler up in the Airplane Spin and followed it up with a double Hurricanrana.
Bate went for a Shooting Star Press off the ring apron but The Forgotten Sons got out of the way. Back in the ring, Bate climbed to the top rope and connected with a Corkscrew but Cutler broke up the cover.
Trent Seven tagged back in and connected with a Dragon Suplex. Seven went for the cover but Ryker put Blake’s foot on the rope to break it up. Bate tagged back in and made his way back up to the top rope.
Tyler was shoved to the floor and Ryker hit him with a cheap shot. Cutler tagged in and Forgotten Sons hit Seven with an Inverted DDT/Double Stomp on Seven for the pinfall victory. The Forgotten Sons have advanced to the finals of the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic.
Adam Cole Confronted Matt Riddle
Matt Riddle was interviewed backstage about confronting North American Champion Velveteen Dream. Riddle was quickly interrupted by Adam Cole. Adam claimed that the North American Championship will be wrapped around his waist soon and that is undisputed. The two Superstars got in each other’s face and Riddle challenged Cole to a match.
Shayna Baszler Will Defend Her Title In A Fatal 4-Way At TakeOver
Io Shirai faced Bianca Belair to determine the #1 contender for the NXT Women’s Championship. Shirai connected with a Dropkick that sent Bianca tumbling out of the ring. NXT Women’s Champion joined commentary for the match and claimed that she wasn’t afraid of Shirai or Beliar.
Belair hit Io with a shoulder tackle and followed it up with a Moonsault for a near fall. The crowd got behind Shirai as she hit Belair with a Springboard Dropkick. Bianca tied Io up in the Tree of Woe and whipped her with her hair.
Bianca made her way to the top rope but Io got up and joined her up there. Shirai connected with a Frankensteiner and went for a Moonsault but Belair got her knees up. Belair hit Shirai with a Spear as NXT Women’s Champion marched down to the ring.
Shayna threw Io to the floor and then locked in the Kirifuda Clutch on Belair. Kairi Sane ran down to the ring but Shayna quickly applied the Kirifuda Clutch on her. Io broke it up and thew Shayna to the floor outside the ring. Baszler snuck up behind Io and locked in the Kirifuda Clutch.
Cathy Kelley caught up with Shayna backstage and Baszler said that she just proved that there isn’t a single woman back there that deserves a shot at her title. Cathy then informed Shayna that NXT GM William Regal just told her that Baszler will defend her title against Sane, Shirai, and Belair in a Fatal 4-Way Match at NXT TakeOver: New York.
Ricochet & Aleister Black Advanced To The Finals, Gargano Got Revenge On Ciampa
DIY (Johnny Gargano & Tommaso Ciampa) faced Aleister Black & Ricochet in the semifinals of the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic. Ciampa and Black started off the match. Aleister hit a knee to the ribs and followed it up with a knee to Tommaso’s face. Black then applied an Arm Bar in the middle of the ring before tagging Ricochet into the match.
Ricochet locked in an Arm Bar but Ciampa battled to his feet and countered into a Headlock. Ricochet escaped but Ciampa hit him with a boot to the face and then tagged Gargano in. Ricochet sent Johnny out of the ring with a Dropkick and then posed in the ring. Black joined in on the fun and both took a seat in the ring as DIY regrouped on the entrance ramp.
Back in the ring, Gargano battled back with a Slingshot Spear and then a Suplex on Ricochet for a one count. Ciampa tagged in and stomped Ricochet down in the corner of the ring. Gargano got back in and hit Ricochet with a Neckbreaker for a one count. Ciampa and Gargano isolated Ricochet for the next couple minutes and took turns beating him down.
Ciampa mocked Black by sitting in the ring before tagging Johnny back in. Gargano went for a Slingshot DDT but Ricochet blocked it. Ricochet blasted Ciampa off the apron but turned around into a Clothesline from Gargano for a near fall.
Aleister Black tagged in and hit Gargano with a knee to the face. Black followed it up with a Moonsault for a two count. Black connected with a Brainbuster and went for the cover but Ciampa broke it up at the last second. Ciampa tagged in and booted Aleister in the face. Ricochet dragged Gargano out of the ring but Johnny hit him with a Superkick.
Tommaso planted Black with the Tower of London on the apron. Gargano tagged in and hit a Slingshot DDT but Aleister somehow kicked out at two. Johnny applied the Gargano Escape on Black in the middle of the ring as Ciampa trapped Ricochet in an Arm Bar at the same time. Ricochet countered and deadlifted Ciampa onto his shoulders. Ricochet connected with a Death Valley Driver on top of Johnny to break the Gargano Escape.
Johnny tagged Ciampa and then rolled to the outside of the ring. Gargano leaned against the barricade and sold a knee injury. Ricochet and Ciampa traded shots in the ring and both Superstars fell to the canvas after Ricochet connected with an overhead kick. Gargano hobbled towards the ring apron but his knee gave out.
Tommaso went for the Fairy Tale Ending but Aleister hit him with Black Mass. Ricochet tagged in and hit the 630 Splash for the pinfall victory. Aleister Black & Ricochet will battle The Forgotten Sons in the finals of the tournament in two weeks. The winners of that match will go on to face War Raiders at NXT TakeOver: New York.
After the match, Candice LeRae came down to check on Gargano. Tommaso left the NXT title on the ring apron helped Johnny up. Gargano fell to the floor at the top of the entrance ramp and Ciampa helped him up once again. Ciampa tried to launch Johnny into the screen but Johnny revealed that he was faking the injury. Gargano threw Ciampa into the screen and hit him with a Superkick. NXT went off the air as the crowd chanted “Johnny Wrestling!”.
Ciampa underwent successful anterior cervical fusion surgery on March 7 in Birmingham, Alabama. The usual recovery time from such surgeries is around three to six months. The statement from Tommaso gives hope that the champ will be back in no time.
Ciampa and Johnny Gargano were put on a program in the main roster with the current Raw Tag Team Champions The Revival, and their ongoing feud with each other was not mentioned at all.
The feud with Revival, unfortunately, had to be dropped due to Ciampa’s condition. Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer reported that WWE decided not to resume the feud between Ciampa and Gargano on the main roster because they were aware of Ciampa’s condition and that he “couldn’t go.”
As for the NXT Championship, there is no word yet on when the title will be vacated. Gargano was set to face Ciampa for the title at the TakeOver: New York event on April 5, but now the main event will have to be changed.
At the March 7 NXT Live Event in Largo, Florida, the WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions ‘The Boss n Hug Connection’ made a surprise appearance.
The duo were received with a strong “Welcome back!” chant from the crowd.
Bayley said that since they were present at the WrestleMania 36 announcement press conference in Tampa Bay, Florida, they decided to pay a visit to the yellow brand.
They then stayed ringside to watch the triple threat tag team match between the teams of Io Shirai & Kairi Sane vs Aliyah & Vanessa Borne vs Rhea Ripley & Reina Gonzalez.
The match resulted in a no contest when Shirai and Sane got ganged up by the other four women. Banks and Bayley however came to the rescue and cleared the ring.
The WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship can be defended on any brand, including NXT. The champs previously made an appearance on NXT during the February 20 TV tapings at Full Sail University and announced that the tag titles are open for the NXT women to challenge for.
The Boss ‘n’ Hug Connection will make their first title defense against Nia Jax & Tamina at the Fastlane PPV event on March 10 from the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio.
WWE’s NXT UK brand continued its weekly show this past Wednesday. The main event saw Jordan Devlin take on Travis Banks in a hellacious Falls Count Anywhere match.
Here’s the full results for NXT UK (03/06):
Ligero b. Joseph Conners – Ligero took the win using Drago’s Dragon’s Tail cradle for the pin
Toni Storm cut a promo about the NXT UK women’s division. She mentioned the division being strong and her being on top of the world. The camera then focused on Jinny walking into the arena.
Wild Boar and Primate appeared in a hype package
Gallus cut a promo about being disrespected and how they took out Mark Andrews and Flash Morgan Webster. They stated that their goal is to take out WALTER and make NXT UK THEIR Kingdom.
Fabian Aichner & Marcel Barthel b. Sam Stoker & Lewis Howley – Aichner and Barthel took the win after hitting a double-team powerbomb/uppercut combo
Video packages aired for Nina Samuels and Kay Lee Ray
Nina Samuels b. Charlie Morgan – Samuels took the win after hitting a Ushigoroshi on Morgan
Pete Dunne cut a promo about being able to work with WALTER to take on Gallus
Jordan Devlin b. Travis Banks – Devlin took the win in a falls count anywhere match. The ‘Import Killer’ hit a Spanish Fly off the apron and through the table to win via pinfall
Aleister Black & Ricochet Advanced In The Dusty Rhodes Classic
Ricochet & Aleister Black battled Fabian Aichner & Marcel Barthel in the first round of the Dusty Rhodes Classic. Aichner and Black started off the match by locking up in the middle of the ring. Aichner applied an Arm Bar but Aleister broke free and trapped Fabian in a Headlock.
Aichner escaped and leveled Black with a shoulder tackle for a near fall. Aichner bounced Black’s face off the top turnbuckle and tagged Marcel into the match. Barthel missed with a Clothesline and turned around into a boot from Aleister for a two count.
Black knocked Aichner off the apron and hopped off the second rope but Barthel countered with an uppercut for a near fall. Fabian tagged back in and beat Black down in the corner of the ring. Aichner planted Black with a Spinebuster for a near fall.
Aichner applied a Crossface but Aleister quickly broke free with an Arm Drag. Ricochet and Barthel tagged in. Ricochet sent Marcel into the turnbuckle and followed it up with a Neckbreaker. Ricochet hit a springboard uppercut and then a Standing Shooting Star Press for a two count.
Barthel battled back and sent Ricochet to the corner. Marcel hit an Enziguri and Aichner tagged in. Aichner hit a Brainbuster and followed it up with a double springboard Moonsault for a two count as the crowd chanted “NXT!”. Ricochet sent Fabian out of the ring with a Dropkick but Marcel booted him from behind.
Aichner capitalized with a springboard Tornado DDT for a near fall. Aleister tagged in and hit Barthel with Double Knees. Marcel launched Black into the ring post and Aichner tagged back in. Ricochet connected with a Frankensteiner on Barthel and then hit him with a Suicide Dive outside the ring. Aleister then hit Aichner with Black Mass for the pinfall victory.
The Forgotten Sons squared off against Danny Burch and Oney Lorcan in the first round of the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic Tournament. Steve Cutler and Danny Burch started off the match. Burch applied an Arm Bar and quickly tagged Lorcan in.
Oney applied a Headlock but Cutler broke free and tagged in Blake. Wesley connected with a Backbreaker and Cutler tagged back in. Cutler and Blake controlled the next few minutes and took turns beating Lorcan down as Ryker shouted instructions from ringside.
Burch finally was able to tag in and immediately leveled Blake with a Clothesline. Danny followed it up with a Dropkick and planted Blake with a German Suplex. Cutler tagged in and Burch greeted him with a German Suplex as well.
Danny connected with a Dropkick off the top rope and then tagged Lorcan back in. Oney’s back gave out and Blake launched Burch out of the ring. Lorcan hit Cutler with an uppercut and followed it up with a Suicide Dive onto Blake outside the ring. Back in the ring, Cutler connected with a Backbreaker for a two count. Cutler then applied the Boston Crab in the middle of the ring but Burch broke it up with a headbutt.
Danny tagged back in and Cutler hit him with a forearm to the face. Blake tagged in and hit a Dropkick off the top rope for a near fall. Lorcan got back in and lit up the Forgotten Sons with chops to their chest. Oney followed it up with a double Blockbuster and Burch tagged back in. Burch connected with a DDT but Cutler broke up the pinfall at two.
Oney tagged in and climbed to the top rope. Oney leaped at Cutler but Steve caught him and Powerbombed on into Blake’s knees. Blake tagged in and hit another Dropkick off the top rope for the pinfall victory. Forgotten Sons will battle Aleister Black and Ricochet in the second round of the tournament.
NXT North American Champion Velveteen Dream stood up on top of the announce table and said that he was here to remind everyone that he is the new champ. Matt Riddle interrupted and claimed that he was just out here to say hello. Riddle congratulated Dream on his title victory and that he wanted to get a closer look at the North American Championship.
Matt added that he cannot help but wonder what the title would look like around his waist. Velveteen told Riddle that he was not his bro and that the spotlight belongs to him. A spotlight then shined on Dream as he posed on top of the announce table to conclude the segment.
Street Profits (Angelo Dawkins & Montez Ford) battled Mustache Mountain (Tyler Bate & Trent Seven) in the first round of the Dusty Rhodes Classic. Dueling “Mustache Mountain!” and “Street Profits!” chants broke out as Bate and Ford started off the match.
Bate wrestled Ford down to the mat and applied a Headlock. Dawkins tagged in and leveled Tyler with a shoulder tackle for a near fall. Bate responded with an Enziguri and Seven tagged in. Seven slammed Dawkins to the canvas for a near fall.
Dawkins connected with an uppercut and then drove Seven to the corner. Ford tagged in and stomped on Trent in the corner. Montez applied a Cravate in the middle of the ring but Seven escaped and planted Ford with a DDT.
Tyler Bate and Angelo Dawkins tagged in and traded shots. Bate connected with an uppercut off the second rope and followed it up with an Exploder Suplex. Bate connected with a Standing Shooting Star Press and went for the cover but Ford broke it up at two.
Angelo connected with a Spear and went for the cover but Trent Seven broke it up at the last second. Montez Ford knocked Seven out of the ring and flipped onto him as Bate and Dawkins continue to battle in the ring. Dawkins hit Bate with a Spinebuster as Ford tagged in.
Montez hit an awesome Frog Splash and went for the cover but Bate kicked out at the last second. Dawkins tagged in and Seven took out Ford with a Suplex on the apron. Bate hit Dawkins with a German Suplex and tagged in Seven. Trent lifted Angelo up in the Torture Rack and Bate hit him with a Double Stomp off the top rope. Seven then pinned Dawkins and Mustache Mountain advanced in the tournament.
DIY Advanced To The Second Round Of The Dusty Classic
Bobby Fish & Kyle O’Reilly faced Johnny Gargano & Tommaso Ciampa in the final first round match of the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic Tournament. Ciampa and Gargano walked down the ramp to the DIY entrance theme.
Fish drove Johnny to the corner to start off the match. Gargano battled back with a couple of Arm Drags and then delivered one to O’Reilly right when he tagged in. NXT Champion Tommaso Ciampa tagged in and applied an Arm Bar on O’Reilly.
Kyle escaped and tagged Fish back into the match. Ciampa stomped on Fish int he corner of the ring before tagging Gargano back in. Johnny connected with a Dropkick for a two count. O’Reilly got back in the match and Gargano sent him out of the ring.
Ciampa hit O’Reilly with a knee to the face and Gargano followed it up with a Suicide Dive. Back in the ring, Ciampa connected with a Neckbreaker on O’Reilly for a near fall. Gargano and Fish tagged back in and Undisputed Era regained control of the match. Fish planted Gargano with a Suplex for a two count and drove him back to the corner of the ring.
O’Reilly locked in a Knee Bar but Johnny reached the bottom rope to break the hold. Fish tagged in and hit a Senton for a two count. Bobby beat down Gargano in the corner as dueling “Undisputed!” and “DIY!” chants broke out in the crowd.
Fish connected with a Suplex and went for the cover but Gargano was once again able to kick out at two. Gargano planted O’Reilly with a DDT while hitting Fish with a boot to the face at the same time. Bobby Fish dragged Ciampa off the apron but Tommaso shoved Fish into the steel steps.
Ciampa finally was able to tag back in and connected with a knee to Fish’s face that sent him to the floor outside the ring. Tommaso delivered a knee to the back of O’Reilly’s head and then perched him up on the top turnbuckle. Ciampa connected with the Tower of London on O’Reilly for a near fall. Ciampa deadlifted O’Reilly and hit him with two German Suplexes in a row.
Gargano flipped onto Fish outside the ring as Ciampa hit O’Reilly with a Blue Thunder Bomb for a near fall. Johnny tagged in and hit O’Reilly with a Slingshot Spear. O’Reilly countered into a Guillotine submission but Ciampa broke it up with a knee to the face. Gargano and O’Reilly then traded shots in the middle of the ring. Johnny hit a Superkick but O’Reilly bounced off the ropes and both Superstars hit a Clothesline at the same time.
Ciampa and Fish tagged in and Tommaso connected with a boot to the face. Ciampa and Fish then battled on the top turnbuckle. Fish set up for a Superplex but Ciampa shoved him away. O’Reilly threw Gargano into the barricade and then tagged in as Fish set up for the Superplex once again. Fish hit a Michinoku Driver on Ciampa off the top rope instead and followed it up with a headbutt off the top rope. O’Reilly locked in an Arm Bar on Ciampa but Gargano broke it up.
Tommaso caught O’Reilly between the ropes and hit him with a DDT. Gargano tagged in and planted O’Reilly with the Slingshot DDT for another near fall. DIY then hit the Meeting in the Middle on O’Reilly for the pinfall victory. NXT Tag Team Champions War Raiders came down to the entrance ramp and raised the titles as NXT went off the air.
WWE’s NXT UK brand continued its weekly show this past Wednesday. The main event of the show saw The Grizzled Young Veterans defend their NXT UK Championships against Oney Lorcan and Danny Lurch. WALTER was also in action against NXT’s Kassius Ohno. The two men have previously faced in wXw (at a 16 Carat Gold tournament final), PROGRESS and at WWE at WrestleMania weekend last year. Tyler Bate was also in action against 205 Live Superstar Jack Gallagher.
Here’s the full results for NXT UK (02/27):
Tyler Bate b. “Gentleman” Jack Gallagher – Bate took the win in 9:46 using a roll-up
Eddie Dennis cut a promo at the NXT UK Performance Center
WALTER b. Kassius Ohno – The Austrian Powerhouse took the win in 8:37 after hitting a power bomb
Ligero was shown at the NXT UK Performance Center and replied to Joseph Conners comments from last week. The two men will face next week.
Grizzled Young Veterans b. Oney Lorcan & Danny Burch – The Veterans took the win in 13:09 when Danny Burch was pinned with the Ticket to Mayhem
Next week’s show will see Jordan Devlin take on Travis Banks in a Falls Count Anywhere match. Ligero will also be taking on Joseph Conners in a rematch from earlier this month.
Johnny Gargano came down to the ring and stated that he had one of the toughest matches of his career last week against Velveteen Dream. Gargano admitted that he failed and the crowd chanted “Johnny Failure!”.
NXT Champion Tommaso Ciampa interrupted and said that Johnny Gargano is at his best when they work together. Ciampa brought up offering Gargano help last week and that Johnny refused. Tommaso claimed that they need each other and that this is destiny.
Ciampa showed off his NXT Championship and then proposed DIY enter the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic Tournament. Tommaso added that TakeOver: New York could end with them standing side by side as champions. Tommaso extended his hand and Johnny shook it as the crowd erupted in a “yes!” chant.
Aliyah & Vanessa Borne battled Taynara Conti and Xia Li tonight on NXT. Conti and Borne started off the match. Conti booted Borne in the face for a near fall. Aliyah distracted Taynara and Borne capitalized and sent Conti to the corner.
Borne connected with a Bronco Buster and tagged Aliyah into the match. Aliyah planted Conti with a Suplex for a two count and then applied a Headlock. Conti broke free and leaped across the ring to tag in Xia Li.
Li leveled Aliyah with a Superkick for a two count. Borne tagged in and draped Li across her knee. Aliyah then hit Li with a Neckbreaker for the pinfall victory.
Dominik Dijakovic squared off against Keith Lee on this week’s show. Dijakovic and Lee locked up in the middle of the ring to start off the match. Dijakovic went for a Monkey Flip but Lee landed on his feet as the crowd chanted “bask in the glory!”.
Lee posed in the corner of the ring and Dominik got pissed off. Dijakovic hit Lee with a chop to the chest and then an elbow to the face off the second turnbuckle. Lee battled back and pounced Dominik across the ring.
Dijakovic connected with a Superkick and followed it up with a Chokeslam for a near fall. Dominik climbed up to the second rope and went for a Clothesline but Lee countered with a chop. Dijakovic sent Lee to the apron and then booted him to the floor outside the ring.
Dominik followed it up with an awesome Moonsault off the second rope and both Superstars crashed on the steel entrance ramp as the crowd chanted “NXT!”. Both Superstars tried to make their way back to the ring but the referee counted them both out.
Belair & Shirai Will Battle To Determine The #1 Contender
During this week’s episode of NXT, Bianca Belair and Io Shirai had an argument backstage and the two Superstars needed to be separated. NXT GM William Regal later announced that Belair and Shirai will fight in two weeks. The winner of that match will go on to face Shayna Baszler for the NXT Women’s Championship at TakeOver: New York.
If Bianca Belair and Io Shirai both think they deserve an NXT Women’s Title opportunity, in two weeks they can fight it out, and the winner will go on to face Shayna Baszler at Takeover: New York!
Women’s Tag Team Champions Sasha Banks & Bayley appeared on this week’s episode of NXT. The crowd greeted them with “welcome back!” chants as Sasha said it feels good to be home. Banks stated that their journey to become the first Women’s Tag Team Champions started right here in NXT.
Bayley added that it was very important for them to come to NXT and share the moment with the NXT Universe. Sasha Banks said that they are taking the titles to RAW, SmackDown, and NXT. Bayley challenged the women in the NXT locker room to step up because the next time they set foot in NXT they will defend the Women’s Tag Team Championships.
NXT Women’s Champion Shayna Baszler faced Mia Yim on this week’s episode of NXT. Shayna controlled the beginning of the match and targeted Yim’s leg. Mia finally was able to battle back and connected with Eat Defeat out of nowhere for a near fall.
Shayna connected with a Gutwrench Suplex for a two count and then booted Yim several times. Mia Yim planted Baszler with a Powerbomb and went for the cover but Shayna was able to kick out at the last moment.
Baszler kneed Yim in the face and went for the Kirifuda Clutch. Mia was able to break the hold by bending back Shayna’s hand but Baszler quickly locked it back in for the submission victory.
The Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic Tournament will return on next week’s episode of NXT. The team that wins the tournament will go on to face War Raiders for the NXT Tag Team Championships at TakeOver: New York.
WWE’s UK division will be airing its latest show tonight on WWE Network. The brand has been on a roll since the Takeover: Blackpool show and this week’s show is set to be another gem.
The Grizzled Young Veterans (James Drake and Zack Gibson) will be defending their NXT UK Tag Team Titles in the main event. The team will be defending against NXT Superstars Oney Lorcan & Danny Burch. This will be the first ever defence of the newly created Championships by the Veterans.
Tyler Bate will also be in action when he takes on ‘Gentleman’ Jack Gallagher. Bate and Gallagher are both practitioners of the ‘British Strong Style’ grappling arts and this should be a classic. Both men have appeared for promotions across the UK including PROGRESS.
WALTER will also be part of the show when he faces arguably his greatest challenge. The Austrian Powerhouse will be taking on Kassius Ohno in singles action. Ohno was one of the brightest stars on the UK independent scene before he returned to WWE’s NXT brand. WALTER appeared to take up the mantle of Ohno once the former Chris Hero returned to WWE. WALTER is regarded as one of the best heavyweight performers in Europe and this will be a chance for the Austrian to test his mettle against one of NXT’s best.
Don’t miss WWE NXT UK, today at 3 ET / 8 GMT on WWE Network.
