SEScoops

Category: NXT

  • NXT & 205 Live 12/5 Preview

    NXT & 205 Live 12/5 Preview

    WWE presents two hours of previously unaired programming tonight in prime time. Both 205 Live and NXT will air on the WWE Network beginning at 7 PM est.

    NXT 12/5 Preview

    Tommaso Ciampa Addresses The NXT Universe

    In what will be his first appearance since defeating Velveteen Dream at WarGames, Tommaso Ciampa will address the NXT audience tonight. We’ll find out what Ciampa has to say about his win at Takeover and possibly find out what is next for him tonight on NXT.

    Shayna Baszler vs Dakota Kai

    Dakota Kai used to be petrified of Shayna Baszler. She eventually learned to stand up for herself, however. Tonight, the Captain of Team Kick will be back inside the squared circle with Baszler. Kai’s allies in Io Shirai and Kairi Sane might be nearby but so will Baszler’s teammates Jessamyn Duke and Marina Shafir.

    Matt Riddle vs Punishment Martinez

    The King of Bros will take on the former Ring Of Honor Television Champion tonight. These two only recently started with the promotion this year but both are likely to become major players in NXT moving forward. Neither Riddle nor Martinez will likely want to take a loss this early in their run with NXT so there’s a lot on the line for each tonight.

    The Forgotten Sons vs Raul Mendoza and Humberto Carrillo

    Wesley Blake and Steve Cutler will represent the Forgotten Sons tonight in tag-team action. The team has been getting wins on WWE programming as of late and could start to move up the rankings further as we move into 2019.

    205 Live 12/5 Preview

    TJP & Mike Kanellis vs the Lucha House Party

    TJP and Kanellis might want to have a consulting session with the Revival before this tag match. It’s still not clear if Drake Maverick endorses the use of Lucha House Party rules as is done on Monday Night Raw. It’s possible Maverick has entirely other problems to deal with, however. It is scheduled to be a tornado tag team match tonight between these two teams but as of yet, it’s not clear how many members of the Lucha House Party will be allowed to compete in this match.

    The Brian Kendrick vs Drew Gulak

    Drew Gulak recently kicked the Brian Kendrick out of his cruiserweight bad guy stable. Tonight, Kendrick and Gulak will go one-on-one. Akira Tozawa has recently become aligned with Kendrick as well, so he might need to help fend off Jack Gallagher should he decide to interfere on Gulak’s behalf tonight.

  • Matt Riddle Feels He Should Have Been In WWE Years Ago

    Matt Riddle Feels He Should Have Been In WWE Years Ago

    A large contingent of indie pro wrestling fans would have loved for Matt Riddle amongst the WWE roster years ago.

    Turns out The King of Bros feels the same way.

    ESPN.com recently released an article that explores the ins and outs of the WWE Performance Center in Florida. During the piece, ESPN interview a number of different superstars and backstage talent, including Matt Riddle.

    He discussed his transition from MMA to pro wrestling and the decisions that helped solidify his resolve to commit to sports entertainment.

    Matt was candid in his feelings, stating that he felt he should have been a part of the WWE when he had his first try out.

    “I moved my family down here, I’ve got three kids and a wife, so it’s nice,” Riddle reflected. “I just wrestle in Florida every weekend. We occasionally do tours or TakeOvers, but for the most part, now I get to spend more time with my family. I’m more local, and it’s great. The training here is top-notch,” he continued. “Where I was, I was lucky to even train three times a week, because my schedule was so insane — and I didn’t have the coaches or amenities to do [much more than that].”

    “I just feel like I belong here. I felt like I belonged here three-and-a-half years ago when I had my first try out.”

    Riddle first appeared for the WWE in August during their NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn 4 event, where it was revealed he had signed with the company. He made his in-ring debut last month at TakeOver: War Games II, defeating Kassius Ohno in an astounding six seconds.

    With so much momentum already behind him, it’ll be fascinating to watch how far this bro will go.

  • Sean Waltman Comments On WWE Signing WALTER

    Sean Waltman Comments On WWE Signing WALTER

    News broke on Monday of WWE signing WALTER to be a part of the NXT brand in some form, likely first in NXT UK, and later in the likelihood that NXT Germany is established.

    On this week’s X-Pac 12360, Sean Waltman gave his take on WWE signing WALTER, and specifically what having him in the locker room will mean.

    “Walter is a hell of a commodity, the type of guy you want in your locker room,” Waltman said. “Not a bunch of guys who act like Walter.”

    Waltman is likely referring to someone with WALTER’s natural aura and presence, something I can attest to having seen him perform live at an EVOLVE show in 2017.

    WALTER has reportedly expressed no interest in joining Raw or Smackdown. Waltman sees this as the true expression of an independent contractor.

    “Apparently it sounds like he knows what he wants,” Waltman said. “It’s not like he was begging to go anywhere. The buyers were coming.”

    “It’s like a seller’s market, sort of, when there’s something really good to sell,” Waltman continued.

    The full episode of X-Pac 12360 can be found below. When referencing this transcript, please credit SEScoops.com. This transcript has been edited and condensed for clarity.

  • NXT Spoilers: Championship Match Set For TakeOver: Phoenix

    NXT Spoilers: Championship Match Set For TakeOver: Phoenix

    This Wednesday night, WWE held television tapings for NXT at Full Sail University which saw a number of major developments.

    One such filmed segment consisted of Bianca Belair defeating Io Shirai, Mia Yim and Lacey Evans in a fatal four-way match to win a shot at the NXT Women’s Championship.

    The episode will air on January 2 on the WWE Network.

    The EST will also put her undefeated streak on the line when she goes against the champion as the #1 contender.

    WWE NXT Recap & Results (11/28)

    Bianca Belair will face Shayna Baszler for the NXT Women’s Championship at the upcoming NXT TakeOver: Phoenix event on Saturday, January 26 from the Talking Stick Resort Arena in Phoenix, Arizona.

    The NXT tapings will provide enough content for the remainder of this year and take us into the TakeOver: Phoenix event. WWE is scheduled to tape more episodes for NXT on 3 January.

    Read more:

  • NXT Spoilers: Main Roster Member Appears At Tapings

    NXT Spoilers: Main Roster Member Appears At Tapings

    A main roster member made a surprise appearance at the NXT TV tapings from Full Sail University this Wednesday night.

    Ricochet was set to defend his NXT North American Championship that night as it was announced that he would be challenged by a mystery opponent on the show.

    Tyler Breeze returned to NXT and took on Ricochet in a title match in a losing effort.

    Breeze has also made some appearances on NXT house shows before but this is the first time that he has appeared on NXT television in three years.

    Breeze joined WWE’s developmental territory Florida Championship Wrestling (FCW) where he performed under the ring name Mike Dalton.

    He would later work in NXT after the rebranding of FCW, and would début his heel selfie-taking pretty boy persona under the Tyler Breeze name. He made his main roster début in October of 2015.

    Breeze’s partner Fandango of “Breezango” is injured and that has left Breeze out of the tag team division.

    Currently directionless on the main roster, Tyler Breeze could have a fresh start once again on NXT as a singles wrestler.

    Related: WWE NXT Recap & Results (11/28)

  • WWE NXT Recap & Results (11/28)

    WWE NXT Recap & Results (11/28)

    The Mighty Attacked Burch & Lorcan After Another Loss

    Danny Burch & Oney Lorcan faced The Mighty (Shane Thorne & Nick Miller) tonight on WWE NXT. Burch and Lorcan started off the match in control and isolated Thorne in the corner. They focused their attack on Thorne’s injured shoulder but eventually Shane was able to battle back and tag in Nick Miller.

    Lorcan rolled up Miller for a two count and then transitioned into a Half Crag. Thorne tried to break it up but Burch got in the ring and locked him in a Crossface. Miller and Thorne retreated out of the ring to regroup. Thorne provided a distraction and Miller capitalized by attacking Lorcan from behind and then sent him to the corner.

    Thorne tagged back in and taunted the San Jose crowd. Shane got in a couple more shots on Lorcan and followed it up with a Clothesline for a two count. Oney tried to battle back but Thorne ended his momentum with a devastating uppercut. Thorne applied a Headlock as Burch tried to rally his partner from the apron.

    Oney escaped and leaped across the ring to tag in Burch and Danny came into the ring and cleaned house. Burch launched The Mighty all over the ring and followed it up with a Dropkick off the middle turnbuckle to Thorne. Lorcan tagged back in but Nick Miller shoved him into Burch.

    Miller tackled Burch out of the ring as Thorne connected with an uppercut to Lorcan’s jaw. Thorne followed it up with an impressive Dropkick to Lorcan’s face and both Superstars fell to the canvas. The crowd chanted “Oney!” as Lorcan climbed back to his feet. Lorcan connected with a Suplex that sent Thorne out of the ring.

    Lorcan dove through the ropes and landed on both members of The Mighty. Back in the ring, Burch climbed to the top rope but Thorne shoved Lorcan into the ropes and Burch fell onto the top turnbuckle.

    Lorcan was still able to pull out the victory by rolling up Miller. After the match, The Mighty got pissed off and attacked Burch and Lorcan from behind as the crowd booed. The Mighty slammed Lorcan into the steel ring post and the crowd responded by loudly chanting “you still suck!”.

    EC3 Called Out Bobby Fish

    EC3 squared off against Marcel Barthel on this week’s episode of NXT. “The Impeccable German” Marcel Barthel came down to the ring with his epic entrance and the match started off with the two Superstars locking up in the middle of the ring.

    EC3 shoved Barthel across the ring and shouted “we’ve got a fight!”. Marcel then shoved EC3 and shouted “nein!”. EC3 responded by yelling “one!” and then locked in a Headlock. Marcel broke the hold by driving EC3 to the corner and hitting him with an Enziguri to his face.

    Barthel stomped on EC3 , draped across the ropes and sent him to the apron with a running Dropkick. Marcel posed on the turnbuckle to a chorus of boos and then crowd transitioned into a “USA!” chant.

    Marcel slammed EC3 to the mat and quickly applied a Headlock. EC3 battled to his feet but Barthel transitioned into a standing Arm Bar. EC3 launched Barthel into the turnbuckle and unloaded a flurry of punches to Marcel’s face.

    EC3 followed it up with a Body Slam and an Elbow Drop. EC3 lifted Barthel up onto his shoulders and planted him with the One Percenter for the pinfall victory. After his victory, EC3 cut a promo on Bobby Fish and said that he didn’t finish the job when he tried to take him out on a previous episode of NXT. EC3 stated that he is coming after Fish because he is vindictive and wants revenge.

    Mia Yim Defeated Vanessa Borne

    Vanessa Borne battled Mia Yim on tonight’s show. The crowd was heavily behind Yim as the two Superstars circled each other in the ring. Mia wanted a handshake before the match but Borne opted to slap Yim in the face instead.

    Yim got fired up and connected with a couple of Arm Drags before locking in an Arm Bar. Vanessa broke the hold by throwing Yim to the mat by her hair. Mia went after Borne as she desperately held onto the ring skirt. The referee became distracted by this and Borne capitalized with a poke to Mia’s eye.

    Borne stomped on Yim in the corner and then bounced her face off the second turnbuckle. Borne followed it up with a Bronco Buster and called Yim pathetic as she crawled across the ring. Vanessa clubbed Yim in the back and followed it up with a Suplex for a near fall.

    Vanessa applied a Headlock in the center of the ring as the crowd rallied behind Yim. Borne stomped on Yim once again and told the crowd to cheer for her. Yim tackled Borne to the mat and locked in another Arm Bar but Borne reached the bottom rope to break the hold.

    Borne tripped Mia up and sent her to the corner. Yim locked in the Tarantula on the top rope and broke the hold before the ref counted to five. Mia hit a Dropkick and then a second one that sent Vanessa to the corner. Yim followed it up with running kick and then the Eat Defeat for the pinfall victory.

    https://twitter.com/totaldivaseps/status/1067955745818324992

    Kairi Sane, Dakota Kai & Io Shirai Want Revenge

    Kairi Sane, Dakota Kai, and Io Shirai backstage about what went down at NXT TakeOver: WarGames II. Sane lost her title rematch in a 2 out 3 Falls match against Shayna Baszler at the event. Jessamyn Duke and Marina Shafir interfered in the match, which led to Shirai and Kai running down to the ring to help out Sane. Baszler picked up the win by countering an Insane Elbow into a roll-up. Sane’s shoulders were off the mat but the referee didn’t catch it.

    Sane stated that the referee’s decision was final in the interview tonight but added that she wasn’t done with Shayna Baszler. Kai stated that she simply doesn’t like Baszler for the way she treated her in the past. Shirai chimed in and said that Sane was her best friend and will fight with her. Sane, Shirai, and Kai then challenged Baszler, Duke, and Shafir to a fight.

    https://twitter.com/totaldivaseps/status/1067951906373492736

    Lars Sullivan Outlasted Keith Lee

    Lars Sullivan and Keith Lee battled in the main event of this week’s episode of NXT. Sullivan drove Lee to the corner and shouted “this is Lars Sullivan territory!”. Lee showed off his strength and shoved Lars away but Sullivan responded with a massive shoulder tackle.

    Lee responded with a Crossbody and went for the cover but Sullivan kicked out at one. Sullivan connected with a boot to Lee’s face and drove him back to the corner of the ring. Lars clubbed Lee across the chest and then drove his shoulder into Lee’s midsection. Sullivan picked up Lee with ease and launched him across the ring for a one count.

    Sullivan connected with a Clothesline and followed it up with a headbutt off the middle turnbuckle for a two count. The crowd got behind Lee as Lars hit him with a few forearms to the face. Lars applied a Headlock in the middle of the ring and then clubbed him back to the canvas.

    Lee fought back and tried to get Sullivan off him but Lars held onto a Bear Hug. Lee broke the hold by slamming Sullivan into the turnbuckle but Lars went right back to it. Lars shoved Lee to the corner and hit him with a gigantic Splash. Lars charged at Lee in the corner but Keith leaped over him and Sullivan crashed into the ring post.

    Keith Lee blasted Sullivan in the face with a flurry of strikes. Lee bounced Sullivan’s face off the top turnbuckle and followed it up with a Crossbody for a near fall. Sullivan and Lee traded shots in the middle of the ring. Lee shoulder tackled Lars out of the ring and leaped onto him in an impressive fashion.

    Lee rolled Sullivan back into the ring and went for the cover but Lars kicked out. Keith Lee went for a Moonsault off the second rope but Sullivan got out of the way and Lee crashed to the mat. Lars powerfully lifted him up and slammed him to the canvas with the Freak Accident for the pinfall victory.

    https://twitter.com/totaldivaseps/status/1067959366781939712

  • NXT & 205 Live Preview 11/28

    NXT & 205 Live Preview 11/28

    The WWE Network will present an episode of 205 Live and NXT tonight. 205 Live could get moved back to their live Tuesday night timeslot next month, however, as the Mixed Match Challenge is scheduled to finish at the TLC PPV.

    NXT 11/28 Preview

    Tonight’s episode of NXT was filmed at a San Jose house show on the 15th. WWE will be back in San Jose next month for TLC.

    Keith Lee vs Lars Sullivan

    A battle of heavyweights tonight. Sullivan is main roster-bound but that doesn’t necessarily mean he’ll lose to Lee tonight. Lee is someone who could have a big future ahead of him in NXT and WWE as well so it’ll be interesting to see who comes out looking stronger in this clash tonight.

    Oney Lorcan and Danny Burch vs the Mighty

    The NXT tag-team division will see Burch and Lorcan take on Australia’s the Mighty tonight. The Mighty have seen better results since they started breaking the rules but tonight they’ll be in tough against the hard-nosed team of Burch and Lorcan.

    EC3 vs Marcel Barthel

    EC3 could use a win after being bounced out of title contention before the last Takeover. He was also the target of an attack by the Undisputed Era which took him out of action for a few weeks. You can’t keep the top 1% down for long, however, and EC3 starts his road back to the top of the men’s singles division tonight.

    Mia Yim vs Vanessa Borne

    Mia Yim took a loss to Bianca Belair her last match out. In fairness, only Nikki Cross has faced Belair in NXT and managed to avoid taking a loss. Vanessa Borne has been progressing as of late, however, and won’t let Mia Yim get back in the win column so easily.

    205 Live 11/28 Preview

    Hideo Itami Returns

    Hideo Itami has not wrestled since being defeated by Mustafa Ali in a Falls Count Anywhere match to blow-off their rivalry. Itami will be in single’s action tonight but his opponent has yet to be named, likely meaning they are enhancement talent.

    Mustafa Ali & Cedric Alexander vs Tony Nese & Buddy Murphy

    Things are tight atop the Cruiserweight division at the moment. Murphy’s reign as champ has included just the one title defense against Mustafa Ali thus far but a new challenger could emerge in this match here. Alexander has never received a rematch from his loss to Murphy in Australia and Alexander had previously defeated Murphy in a title defense as well. Their trilogy bout could be upcoming. On the other hand, Tony Nese recently defeated Alexander, so he could be in line for a shot at his training partner’s belt.

  • More On WWE Signing WALTER

    More On WWE Signing WALTER

    We recently reported that the WWE had signed WALTER. With the Austrian currently being one of the most popular independent talents in the world, this is a major acquisition.

    Further details have since come out regarding NXT UK’s most recent signee.

    Speaking on Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer highlighted that WALTER had no interest in joining the black-and-yellow brand in Florida.

    Not wanting to leave Germany has clearly influenced WALTER’s decision, leading him to NXT UK over moving to the United States.

    It’s reported that, though he’s open to taking trips over to America, he has no desire to live there or commit to lengthy WWE tours.

    NXT Germany

    Furthermore, it’s speculated that WALTER will inevitably become a cornerstone for WWE’s planned NXT German brand.

    Popular German based promotion, wXw are reportedly working with the WWE to bring NXT Germany to life. Their plans factor in having WALTER eventually teach at their facility.

    WALTER has been transparent over his feelings about the WWE in the past, expressing disinterest in both Raw and SmackDown. Conversely, the Austrian has always had high praise for NXT, so ending up a part of NXT UK and, ultimately, NXT Germany makes perfect sense.

  • Sean Waltman Praises Johnny Gargano

    Sean Waltman Praises Johnny Gargano

    Sean Waltman praises Johnny Gargano for his performance at NXT TakeOver WarGames II, and talks about the behind the scenes atmosphere at the event, all on the latest episode of X-Pac 123660.

    Sean Waltman Praises Johnny Gargano

    Waltman, who sat backstage in the gorilla position for the bulk of the event, says that Gargano approached him for feedback and advice after his match with Aleister Black, but Waltman was at a loss for words.

    “I said man, the shit you guys are doing now is so next-level, cutting edge, I’m just going to stand back and enjoy it,” Waltman said. “We can pick shit apart at a later date if there’s anything to pick apart.”

    “It was just about as flawless of a match as it gets these days,” he said. “I watched that match and it was the one that I liked the most.”

    Backstage At WarGames

    Waltman also revealed some of the backstage discussion about Matt Riddle’s TakeOver debut.

    “I was sitting there talking with Hunter before he went on. I was like, ‘Hey, have you ever seen Riddle and Kassius Ohno work before?’ because they’ve had matches before, and really good ones. He was like, ‘yeah, but they aren’t going to do a match tonight’ and he kind of told me the whole thing,” Waltman said.

    “I liked that. I like where they’re going with that,” he said. “It’s going to give Ohno something to light a fire under his ass about, and turn it up a notch or two for him.”

    Waltman also talks about his cameo on the WarGames show, the setting at the gorilla position, and breaks down each match on the event on this week’s show.

    The full episode can be found below. When quoting this transcript, please credit SEScoops.com. This transcript has been edited and condensed for clarity.

    Do you agree with X-Pac on Johnny Gargano’s match?

  • WWE NXT Recap & Results (11/21)

    WWE NXT Recap & Results (11/21)

    Keith Lee Picked Up An Easy Win

    Keith Lee squared off against Fidel Bravo on this week’s episode of WWE NXT. The crowd in the Staples Center chanted “Keith Lee!” as the two Superstars locked up in the middle of the ring. Lee shoved Bravo to the corner as the crowd sang “bask in the glory!”.

    Lee posed in the ring and Bravo got pissed off and got in Keith’s face. That was a big mistake as Lee blasted him in the face and followed it up with a double slap to Bravo’s chest in the corner.

    Bravo ducked under Lee’s Clothesline and wound up getting leveled by a massive Crossbody. Lee lifted up Bravo in a Fireman’s Carry and then planted him with a Jackhammer for the pinfall victory.

    Keith Lee Confronted Lars Sullivan

    Lars Sullivan absolutely squashed his opponent on this week’s episode NXT. Sullivan connected with a Splash and then the Freak Accident for the quick pinfall victory. After the match, Sullivan grabbed the microphone and said let that serve as a warning of what is going to keep happening until he gets an NXT Championship match.

    Keith Lee sprinted down to the ring and shoulder tackled Sullivan to the outside. Lee then stood tall in the ring as Lars retreated up the entrance ramp. Lars Sullivan is scheduled to make his main roster debut in the near future.

    Keith Lee and Sullivan then had a confrontation backstage later on the show. Sullivan vowed to take week Keith Lee on next week’s show. NXT GM William Regal made it official and Sullivan will battle Keith Lee next Wednesday night.

    Nikki Cross Defeated Candice LeRae

    Photo Credit: WWE.com

    Candice LeRae battled Nikki Cross in the main event of this week’s episode of NXT. Candice LeRae vowed to get revenge on Nikki for revealing that her husband, Johnny Gargano, was the one who attacked Aleister Black.

    Cross and LeRae locked up in the middle of the ring to start off the bout. Nikki drove LeRae to the corner and cackled in her face. LeRae tacked Cross to the mat but Nikki got right up and charged at her.

    Nikki trapped LeRae in the ring skirt and beat the hell out of her. LeRae battled back with a running knee off the apron and brought Cross back inside. Cross went for a roll-up and followed it up with a Dropkick to Nikki’s face for a two count.

    Cross hit a Belly to Back Suplex and then went for a Bulldog but LeRae blocked it. Candice hit a Neckbreaker and then a Splash in the corner of the ring. LeRae springboarded off of Nikki’s back and hit a Senton for a near fall.

    LeRae connected with the Unprettier and went for a springboard Moonsault but Cross got out of the way. Nikki Cross hit the Purge and LeRae became the first Superstar to kick out of the move. LeRae hit an awesome German Suplex off the middle turnbuckle for another two count.

    Nikki started laughing in LeRae’s face and Candice got pissed off and beat Nikki down in the corner of the ring. Candice bounced Nikki’s face off the canvas and locked in the Gargano Escape in the middle of the ring. Nikki got her foot on the bottom rope to break the hold. Cross then planted Nikki Cross with a twisting Neckbreaker for the pinfall victory.

    https://twitter.com/totaldivaseps/status/1065424427247124480

    The majority of tonight’s broadcast was spent recapping this past Saturday’s epic NXT TakeOver: WarGames II event. The following awkward moment between Aleister Black and Candice Lerae was shown during tonight’s show. Black defeated Johnny Gargano at NXT TakeOver: WarGames II.

    The following recap of the incredible WarGames match at the PPV was also shown during tonight’s broadcast:

  • NXT & 205 Live Preview

    NXT & 205 Live Preview

    WWE will air two previously unaired shows with matches taped inside LA’s Staples Center tonight. NXT will feature matches taped before WarGames on Saturday and 205 Live filmed last night before Smackdown.

    NXT 11/21 Preview

    NXT will feature both Nikki Cross and Lars Sullivan tonight. Cross has been up and down from the main roster a couple of times this year while vignettes featuring Sullivan’s pending call-up have appeared on both Raw and Smackdown this week.

    Candice LeRae vs Nikki Cross

    Candice LeRae says she’s ready to”play” with Nikki Cross this week. With the rivalry between Shayna Baszler and Kairi Sane coming to a likely end at Takeover on Saturday, the field is wide open for a new contender to emerge from the NXT women’s division. That contender could easily be the winner of this match, although Bianca Belair is likely the front-runner, however.

    Lars Sullivan In Single’s Action

    The last time Sullivan wrestled he defeated Velveteen Dream. Tonight, Lars will be in singles action in front of a live Los Angeles crowd. His opponent has yet to be named, however, which likely means they are enhancement talent.

    Keith Lee In Single’s Action

    Keith Lee will also see in-ring action tonight. As with Sullivan, Lee’s opponent has yet to be officially named by WWE, likely meaning they are enhancement talent.

    Fallout From WarGames

    WWE will also be airing highlights from all the action from Saturday’s Takeover: WarGames event tonight as well.

    205 Live Preview 11/21

    TJP vs Gran Metalik

    TJP used to wrestle as a luchador in Mexico but that doesn’t mean he respects the culture. The former Cruiserweight Champion has gone out of his way to disrespect the masks of the Lucha House Party. He’ll be in tough tonight, however, when he goes one on one with Gran Metalik.

    Don’t forget Maria Kanellis is now aligned with TJP as well. She’ll likely be around to help her new client.

    Buddy Murphy’s Next Challenger Revealed?

    With Murphy having taken care of Mustafa Alli at Survivor Series, it opens the door for a new number one contender to be named. Drake Maverick will likely have something to say on this matter tonight. That is, only if he isn’t in segments where he is urinating himself, that is.

  • Triple H Teasing Big WWE NXT UK Announcement

    Triple H Teasing Big WWE NXT UK Announcement

    Triple H appeared after last night’s NXT Takeover event for his usual media conference. The ‘Game’ make some interesting points regarding the NXT UK brand and even teased a big announcement coming next week.

    The COO of WWE stated that “Right now, as far as shows, we are focusing on the UK right now. You’ll see a lot of involvement in them obviously around WrestleMania weekend, whether that be via Axxess and creating content.” There were several UK based stars that appeared at Axxess last year, including Zack Gibson.

    Triple H also alluded to news for the start of 2019, stating that “as we come into the beginning of the year, you’re going to see that brand begin to grow again. We’ll have a big announcement coming up.” It was also confirmed that the announcement will be imminent; “we have shows in Liverpool next week. It is hard to keep track, they are coming fast and furious. When we are in Liverpool, we’ll be making a big announcement about the first quarter of the year.”

    State of the Brand

    Triple H also commented on the health of the fledging brand, saying that “the brand has been wonderfully successful. It took us a while to get it rolling, we wanted it to be right,” The Game continued by stating that “we had a few glitches on our side regarding the timing of it all, but now that it is up and running, Wednesday has been this massive destination site on the Network for NXT UK, NXT itself and 205 Live. The traffic has been amazing, the response to NXT UK is amazing, people love the show. It has the same gritty feel as NXT, yet feels wholly unique. It feels, while still in the same vain of what you love, slightly different, and that was the goal. I’m obviously not happy with everything about it, but we’ll change that. You’ll see that happen towards the beginning of the year.”

    Credit to WrestlingINC for the transcription 

  • 5 Takeaways From NXT TakeOver: WarGames II

    5 Takeaways From NXT TakeOver: WarGames II

    WWE’s NXT TakeOver: WarGames II aired live from the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California tonight. Here are 5 takeaways from the show:

    Matt Riddle Defeated Kassius Ohno

    Matt Riddle kicked off TakeOver to a great reaction from the crowd. Matt said that he was not scheduled to have a match tonight at TakeOver. Matt brought up Ohno interrupting him during the Kickoff Show and challenged him to a match tonight.

    Kassius Ohno came down the ramp and told Riddle that he was too stupid to know that he is not ready for TakeOver. Ohno told Riddle that he is not going to be able to remember this moment after the knocks him out.

    Riddle hit a running knee to Ohno’s face right away to win the match.

    https://twitter.com/totaldivaseps/status/1063947380171698177

    Shayna Baszler Retained The NXT Women’s Championship

    Shayna Baszler defended her NXT Women’s Championship against Kairi Sane in a 2 out of 3 Falls match. Sane attacked Shayna right away and sent her to the mat. Kairi hit back to back Neckbreakers and followed it up with a few chops.

    Sane marched across the ring and hit Shayna with a sliding forearm and Baszler retreated out of the ring. Kairi leaped off the ring apron and connected with a flying elbow. Sane brought Shayna back inside the ring.

    Jessamyn Duke and Marina Shafir attacked Kairi from behind while the referee wasn’t paying attention. They slammed Sane’s face into the ring post and then Baszler applied the Kirifuda Clutch and Kairi quickly tapped out.

    Baszler connected with a running knee to Kairi’s face for a near fall as the crowd chanted “bullsh*t!”. Shayna applied the Kirifuda Clutch once again but Sane was able to break the hold by reaching the ropes.

    Shayna shoved her boot on Kairi’s face and applied a Boston Crab. Shayna broke the hold and delivered a stomp to Kairi’s face. Sane rolled up Baszler for a two count and then Shayna once again applied the Kirifuda Clutch.

    Sane countered into a roll-up for a two count and then the two Superstars traded shots in the corner. Shayna then went for a Suplex on the ring apron but Sane countered into a ridiculous DDT that spiked Shayna’s head on the apron.

    Sane then hit an Insane Elbow onto Duke, Shafir, and Baszler outside the ring. Back in the ring, Kairi hit Baszler with another Insane Elbow for the pinfall victory. Sane and Baszler are now tied at 1-1.

    Kairi hit three Interceptor Spears on Baszler and made her way to the top rope. Shayna got back up and joined Sane on the top rope. Sane and Baszler traded shots on the top turnbuckle. Sane hit a Sunset Flip Powerbomb off the top rope for a near fall.

    Sane followed it up with an Alabama Slam and made her way to the top rope. Duke and Shafir interfered again and Dakota Kai rushed to the ring. Duke and Shafir beat her down. Io Sharai came down to the ring and hit a Moonsault onto everyone outside the ring. Sane then went for the Insane Elbow but Baszler countered into a roll-up for the victory. Shayna Baszler is still the NXT Women’s Champion.

    https://twitter.com/totaldivaseps/status/1063951981067276289

    Aleister Black Got His Revenge In A Terrific Match Against Gargano

    Johnny Gargano faced Aleister Black tonight at TakeOver. Johnny came down to the ring with a smile on his face and said that the crowd still loved him to the camera. Gargano was revealed to be the Superstar that attacked Aleister Black in the parking lot.

    Johnny slapped Black in the face to start off the match. Aleister exploded with a series of kicks and then beat the hell out of Gargano against the ring apron. Back in the ring, Gargano showed off his quickness by dodging Aleister’s strikes. Gargano then sat in the ring like Black and dodged another kick.

    Gargano shoved Aleister to the corner of the ring and hit him with a chop to the chest. Black battled back with a knee to Johnny’s face that sent him out of the ring. Black tried to take pose in the middle of the ring but Gargano hit him with a kick to the face. Gargano then raised his fists in the air to a chorus of boos.

    Johnny planted Black with a Neckbreaker for a near fall. Gargano followed it up with a few chops in the corner but Black battled back with a knee to the midsection. Gargano rolled to the ring apron and Black hit him with a kick to the face. Aleister then flipped onto Gargano outside the ring and rolled him back inside.

    Aleister hit a springboard Moonsault and went for the cover but Gargano kicked out at two. Black hit a Superkick that sent Gargano to the outside. Gargano hit an awesome Tornado DDT after diving through the ropes and then hit a slingshot DDT in the ring for a two count.

    Johnny shouted at Black that he was not the chosen and hit him with an Enziguri. Gargano hit a reverse Hurricanrana but Black shrugged it off and hit an awesome running knee to Johnny’s face. The crowd chanted “NXT!” as both Superstars regrouped on the canvas.

    Aleister hit another knee to the face and followed it up with a German Suplex for a near fall as the crowd chanted “this is awesome!”. Gargano hit a Clothesline that turned Black inside out. Johnny locked in the Gargano Escape in the middle of the ring but Black countered into a roll-up.

    Gargano kicked out at two and launched Black into the middle turnbuckle. Gargano went back to his DIY days with a pose and Black sat in the ring. Aleister dared Gargano to give him his best shot. Gargano exposed his knee and charged at Black.

    Aleister countered into a roll-up but Gargano kicked out and hit a running knee to the face for a near fall. Gargano and Black traded shots in the middle of the ring. Gargano sent Black to the outside and went for a Suicide Dive but Aleister counted into a knee to the face while Johnny was in midair. The crowd immediately broke out into a “holy sh*t!” chant.

    Back in the ring, Johnny begged for mercy but Aleister continued to walk towards him. Gargano pleaded with Aleister to just give him the Black Mass and put him out of his misery. Aleister went for Black Mass but Johnny countered into a roll-up for a two count.

    Johnny locked in the Gargano Escape in the middle of the ring. Aleister reached for the ropes but Gargano brought him back to the center of the ring. Black escaped and hit Gargano with a knee to the face.

    Aleister then took down his knee pad and hit him with a knee to the face. Aleister hit Gargano with the Black Mass but Aleister held him up. Aleister told Gargano that he will absolve Johnny of all his sins. Aleister then hit a second Black Mass for the pinfall victory.

    https://twitter.com/totaldivaseps/status/1063958407663759360

    https://twitter.com/totaldivaseps/status/1063959673123024896

    Tommaso Ciampa Defeated Velveteen Dream In An Instant Classic

    Tommaso Ciampa defended the NXT Championship against Velveteen Dream tonight at TakeOver: WarGames. The crowd chanted “Velveteen!” right when the match started. The two Superstars locked up in the middle of the ring.

    Ciampa took Dream to the mat but Velveteen escaped and smacked Tommaso in the back of the head. Velveteen drove Ciampa to the corner and Tommaso hit him with a poke to the eye. Dream hit another slap to Tommaso’s face.

    Ciampa took Dream’s headband that read “Hollywood” on it and mocked Hulk Hogan. Velveteen got out of the ring and grabbed the NXT Championship. Ciampa chased Dream around a bit until the two got back inside the ring.

    Dream hit a Body Slam and then danced in Ciampa’s face. Velveteen hit a Dropkick and then put the headband back on. Velveteen hit Ciampa with a big boot and went for the Hogan Leg Drop but Ciampa escaped out of the ring.

    Velveteen hit a double axehandle off the top rope but Ciampa quickly battled back and slammed Dream onto the ring apron. Back in the ring, Ciampa delivered a running knee to Dream’s face. Tommaso followed it up with a Neckbreaker against the ropes and gave himself a round of applause after the move.

    Ciampa draped Dream across the announce table and hit him with another running knee to the face. Tommaso brought Dream back inside the ring and applied a Headlock. Dream countered into a backslide pin for a two count.

    Dream and Ciampa traded shots in the middle of the ring. Velveteen connected with a Neckbreaker and both Superstars fell to the mat. Dream hit the big boot and then three Leg Drops in a row. Dream then hulked up and planted Ciampa with a Spinebuster for a two count.

    https://twitter.com/totaldivaseps/status/1063965259860492288

    Dream sent Ciampa out of the ring and hit him with a Crossbody. Velveteen followed it up slamming Ciampa’s knee into the ring apron and then locking in a Figure Four with Ciampa’s knee wrapped around the post. Ciampa tapped out but it wasn’t a legal move.

    Velveteen Dream locked in the Figure Four in the middle of the ring. Ciampa screamed in pain but was able to reverse the hold. Dream then reversed the hold and booted Ciampa in the face for a two count. Tommaso finally was able to reach the ropes to break the hold.

    Ciampa booted Dream into the barricade and then went for a Suplex in the ring. Dream then Suplexed Ciampa out of the ring but Ciampa didn’t let go and Velveteen fell out of the ring as well.

    Dream brought Ciampa back into the ring to stop the referee’s count at 9. Ciampa and Dream traded shots in the middle of the ring. Velveteen went for a Superkick but Ciampa got out of the way. Dream almost struck the ref but Ciampa rolled him up and grabbed his tights for leverage. The referee noticed it at two and stopped the pinfall.

    Velveteen then hit Ciampa with the Dream Valley Driver and went for the cover but Ciampa kicked out at two. Velveteen went for a Crossbody off the top rope but Ciampa countered with a knee to the face. Tommaso followed it up with the Project Ciampa and went for the cover but Dream was somehow able to kick out at two.

    Ciampa rolled out of the ring and grabbed his NXT Championship. Tommaso brought the title in the ring. Dream hit Ciampa with a DDT on the title for a two count. Ciampa then hit Dream with a DDT while he was in the ropes and went for the cover but Dream once again kicked out at the last second.

    Tommaso took off one of his boots and limped out of the ring. He then ripped up the padding to expose the concrete floor next to the ring. Ciampa went for a DDT off the apron and onto the concrete but Velveteen exploded off the apron and tackled Tommaso over the announce table.

    Dream was the first Superstar to his feet. Ciampa threw something at Mauro Ranallo and started shouting at him. Dream hit the Dream Valley Driver on Ciampa onto the concrete and followed it up with the Purple Rainmaker Elbow Drop. Velveteen went for the cover but Ciampa somehow kicked out.

    Velveteen went for another Purple Rainmaker Elbow Drop but Ciampa got out of the way and Dream crashed to the floor outside the ring. Tommaso then brought Dream back inside the ring and planted him with a DDT on the steel partition separating the two rings for the WarGames match. Ciampa then pinned Dream to retain the NXT Championship.

    https://twitter.com/GIFSkull/status/1063968628205268993

    War Raiders, Pete Dunne & Ricochet Won WarGames

    Undisputed Era (Adam Cole, Roderick Strong, Kyle O’Reilly, Bobby Fish) battled War Raiders (Hanson & Rowe), Pete Dunne & Ricochet in a WarGames match. It was the main event of the show.

    Ricochet and Adam Cole started off the match as the rest of the remaining members of each team were locked in a cage on top of the entrance ramp. Undisputed Era won the advantage on this past Wednesday’s episode of NXT and will be the first team to have a Superstar unlocked from the cage. Ricochet and Pete Dunne also had war paint on like the War Raiders for the match tonight.

    Cole and Ricochet stood in opposite rings as the 5-minute timer started. Cole dared Ricochet to come and fight him. Ricochet obliged and Cole attacked him right away. Ricochet battled back with an uppercut and then a chop to Cole’s chest.

    Ricochet connected with a Dropkick and Cole rolled to the other ring to try and regroup. Ricochet followed him and beat Cole down in the corner of the ring. Cole countered while Ricochet was in midair and hit him with a Backstabber.

    Cole blasted Ricochet several times and followed it up with a Neckbreaker. Adam Cole lifted Ricochet up in a Fireman’s Carry and then slammed him onto his knee. Cole brought Ricochet over to the other ring and continued to beat him down.

    Adam Cole raked Ricochet’s face across the steel cage and then booted him in the midsection. Ricochet battled back with a knee to the face and a Dropkick that sent Cole to the second ring.

    Ricochet hit an incredible springboard uppercut from the opposite ring as the timer counted down. Kyle O’Reilly left the cage and rushed down to the ring. O’Reilly and Cole then beat down Ricochet as the 3-minute countdown began.

    Ricochet got on the partition between the rings and punched O’Reilly and Cole in the face a couple of times. O’Reilly took Ricochet down with a Dragon Screw and then Cole joined in with a few knees to Ricochet’s ribs. O’Reilly sent Ricochet down to the mat with a boot to the face.

    Ricochet battled back for a moment but turned around into a kick from Cole. O’Reilly stuck out his knee and Cole slammed Ricochet on top of it. Hanson came down to the ring and shoved Cole and O’Reilly across the ring. Hanson planted Kyle with a Neckbreaker and followed it up with a Crossbody.

    Hanson showed off his athleticism by dodging Cole and leveling him with a Clothesline. Hanson hit a bunch of Clotheslines to Cole and O’Reilly in the corners of the ring. Hanson ran corner to corner nonstop as the crowd cheered him on. Hanson then delivered a Bronco Buster onto both O’Reilly and Cole.

    Ricochet springboarded off of Hanson’s back and hit a Shooting Star Press onto O’Reilly. O’Reilly hit Hanson from behind but turned around into a Clothesline from Ricochet. Ricochet beat Cole down in the corner as Roderick Strong was unlocked from the cage.

    Strong sprinted to the ring and blasted Ricochet and Hanson with a series of chops. Strong followed it up with a Dropkick to Strong and then a running knee to the face. Strong connected with three awesome Backbreakers to Ricochet as the crowd erupted.

    Roderick charged at Hanson but Hanson caught him. Cole hit Hanson with a kick to the face and then Roderick planted him with a Side Slam as the crowd chanted “Undisputed!”. O’Reilly hit a flying knee off the second rope to the back of Ricochet’s head.

    Rowe got out of the cage and rushed down to the ring. Rowe hit a bunch of shoulder tackles and then an Exploder Suplex to Strong. Rowe kneed Cole in the face and then blasted Strong with a forearm.

    O’Reilly locked in a Sleeper Hold on Rowe. Cole charged at him but Rowe somehow was able to slam him to the mat while stuck in the Sleeper Hold. Rowe escaped and Powerbombed Strong to the mat while Powerslamming O’Reilly at the same time.

    Hanson launched Kyle into the steel cage as Rowe did the same to Roderick Strong. Cole retreated out to the second ring but didn’t realize Ricochet was waiting for him. War Raiders launched Cole into the steel cage as Ricochet got back into the other ring.

    War Raiders beat Cole down as Ricochet hit Strong with a chop in the corner of the ring. Bobby Fish was then unlocked from the cage and attacked Pete Dunne in the opposite cage. Fish slammed Dunne’s face into the cage and then stole the key to the cage. Fish launched the key into the crowd and then grabbed a steel chair from under the ring.

    Fish handed several chairs to O’Reilly and then brought one into the ring himself. Undisputed Era beat the hell out of War Raiders and Ricochet with steel chairs as the timer ticked down. O’Reilly and Cole held down the ropes as Strong and Fish launched Hanson into the steel cage.

    Fish and Strong then slammed Rowe onto a steel chair. They followed it up by slamming Rowe into the cage and then doing the same to Hanson once again. Pete Dunne was supposed to be unlocked from the cage but the referees didn’t have the key for the new lock Bobby Fish put on.

    Undisputed Era continued to beat everyone down as Dunne desperately tried to get out of the cage. Fish and Strong delivered Superplexes to War Raiders as Cole mocked Pete Dunne from inside the ring. The referees came down to the cage with bolt cutters and Pete Dunne was finally unlocked.

    Dunne limped down to the ring with his injured knee and grabbed a kendo stick from under the ring. Pete hit Fish and O’Reilly in the hands with the stick as they were trying to keep the door closes. Dunne blasted Cole with the kendo stick and then slammed the door into Strong’s face. Ricochet then took out Undisputed Era with a Crossbody as Dunne started launching weapons inside the ring.

    Dunne grabbed a table from under the ring and handed it to War Raiders. Dunne got another table as the crowd erupted. Dunne then finally got inside the ring and the match officially started.

    Pete Dunne started hit everyone with the kendo stick as War Raiders set up a table in between the rings. War Raiders, Ricochet, and Dunne surrounded Undisputed Era and beat them down with chairs and kendo sticks.

    Dunne bent O’Reilly’s fingers back and then stomped on his elbow. Dunne connected with an X-Plex to Strong and slammed him onto O’Reilly. Cole went after Dunne’s knee and then slammed him into the steel cage. Hanson kicked O’Reilly in the face while he was holding the steel chair.

    Hanson put a trash can over Cole’s face and then Rowe slammed Hanson on top of the trash can. Rowe Body Slammed Hanson onto O’Reilly and then War Raiders took out Strong with a Clothesline. Hanson went for the cover but Bobby Fish broke it up at the second. Hanson went for the Clothesline on Fish but O’Reilly launched a trash can into his face.

    Fish and O’Reilly booted Rowe in the face and then Undisputed Era isolated Richochet in the second ring. Strong kneed Ricochet in the face and Cole followed it up with a Backstabber. Undisputed Era then surrounded Pete Dunne.

    Dunne connected with a few punches and planted Strong with a German Suplex. Dune hit O’Reilly with an Enziguri and then locked Fish in the Knee Bar. O’Reilly broke it up as Fish was screamed in pain.

    Kyle then grabbed a steel chain and wrapped it around Dunne’s ankle and knee. Dunne countered into a Wrist Lock but Fish broke it up with a chair shot to Pete’s injured leg. O’Reilly wrapped the chain around Dunne’s ankle and applied an Ankle Lock.

    Fish and Cole fended off the War Raiders as Strong and O’Reilly teamed up on Dunne. Ricochet flew through the air and took out Cole and Fish. Hanson hit Strong with a Back Body Drop that sent Strong flying into the other ring.

    Hanson and Rowe perched O’Reilly and Strong on the turnbuckles next to the table set up on the partition between the rings. Dunne and Ricochet then hit Fish and O’Reilly with Hurricanranas at the same time.

    Hanson set up a second table and put Cole on top of it. One of the legs gave out but Hanson set it back up. Rowe popped Cole up and Hanson planted him with a Powerslam. Bobby Fish hit Rowe with a kendo stick and then Speared him through the table on the partition between the rings.

    Cole and Ricochet battled in the corner next to the second table. Cole perched Ricochet on the top turnbuckle and joined him up there. Ricochet escaped and hung Cole up in the tree of woe. O’Reilly attacked Ricochet from behind but Ricochet battled back and placed Kyle on top of the table.

    Roderick Strong hit Ricochet with a knee and O’Reilly locked in the Triangle on top of the table. Hanson hit O’Reilly with a Splash and went for the cover but Roderick Strong broke it up by hitting Hanson with a trash can.

    Adam Cole climbed to the top of the cage and Ricochet joined him up there. Cole and Ricochet traded shots on top of the cage as Strong climbed on to the top rope. They tried to shove Ricochet to the floor to win the match but Ricochet booted Strong to the mat.

    Pete Dunne then climbed to the top rope too and grabbed Cole by the hand. Hanson then hit a Powerbomb while everyone else took each other out with Side Slams and a Superplex to Cole and Ricochet was the only Superstar still standing. Ricochet stood on the top of the cage and flipped onto everyone in ridiculous fashion as Mauro shouted “mama mia!”.

    https://twitter.com/totaldivaseps/status/1063984814980780032

    Undisputed Era, War Raiders, Dunne and Ricochet then had a staredown from opposite rings as the crowd chanted “NXT!”. They then all got on the partition and traded shots as the crowd erupted. Fish leveled Rowe with a Clothesline and every Superstar was down again.

    Rowe hit Fish with a knee to the face and then Hanson leaped off the top rope with a Leg Drop. Strong leveled Rowe with a kick and then Hanson hit them with an insane handspring double back elbow. Ricochet jumped into a Superkick from Cole. Adam then hit Dunne with a DDT and then the Last Shot.

    Cole went for the cover but Dunne kicked out at two. Dunne battled back with the Bitter End and Ricochet came out of nowhere with the 450 Splash. Ricochet and Dunne then pinned Cole for the victory. After the match, Ricochet grabbed his North American Championship and Dunne grabbed his UK Championship. The two Superstars nodded their heads at each other in a show of respect. Ricochet and Dunne then posed on top of the cage to close the show.

    https://twitter.com/totaldivaseps/status/1063984506049314817

    https://twitter.com/totaldivaseps/status/1063983604617936896

  • Johnny Gargano Hypes Bout with Aleister Black at NXT TakeOver: WarGames II

    Johnny Gargano Hypes Bout with Aleister Black at NXT TakeOver: WarGames II

    NXT’s Takeover: WarGames II takes place tonight from Los Angeles, California at the Staples Center and will air on the WWE Network.

    One of the featured bouts sees Johnny Gargano take on Aleister Black in a long anticipated bout. Johnny ‘Wrestling’ turned heel when it was revealed that he attacked Black ending speculation on the long built storyline. The reveal took place back in October. Gargano has been spiralling more and more into the ‘delusional heel’ character with him writing in a recent tweet “The humble hard working kid who fights for what’s right vs The self-entitled guy who sits alone in a dark room filled with Birthday candles. You KNOW who the real hero of this story is and you KNOW what to do, Staples Center.” 

    You can check out our live discussion and results on the main page tonight.

    Gargano sent out a tweet with a short video outlining the feud and hyping the bout, check it out below.

  • NXT UK Episodes 7 and 8 Results (11/14)

    NXT UK Episodes 7 and 8 Results (11/14)

    NXT UK continued this week with episodes seven and eight airing on the WWE Network. The shows heavily featured the Coffey Brothers and Wolfgang in their feud against Trent Seven & Tyler Bate.

    Here’s the full results from week’s 7 and 8:

    Episode 7 Results (taped August 25 at the NEC Arena in Birmingham, England)

    • Jordan Devlin b. Sid Scala – Devlin hit the Island’s Call in 3 minutes to take the win
    • Saxon Huxley & Joseph Conners b. Amir Jordan & Kenny Williams – Connors hit Don’t Look Down on Williams to take the win for his team
    • Tyler Bate b. James Drake – Bate hit the Tyler Driver ’97 to take the pinfall win
    • Wolfgang (w/ Joe & Mark Coffey) b. Ashton Smith – Wolfgang took the win after hitting a modified fisherman’s suplex into a slam

    Episode 8 Results (taped August 25 at the NEC Arena in Birmingham, England)

    • NXT UK Women’s Title Tournament First Round Match – Dakota Kai b. Nina Samuels – Kai took the win after hitting the Kairopractor to advance to the semifinals
    • Tyson T-Bone b. Jake Constantino – T-Bone took the quick win after hitting a lariat
    • Dave Mastiff b. Dan Moloney – Mastiff took the win after hitting a cannonball into the corner
    • NXT UK Women’s Title Tournament First Round Match – Jinny b. Millie McKenzie – Jinny took the win after hitting a rolling axe kick to advance to the semifinals
    • Zack Gibson b. Trent Seven – Gibson took the win with a small package, James Drake distracted Seven for the finish

     

  • NXT TakeOver: WarGames II Predictions

    NXT TakeOver: WarGames II Predictions

    NXT TakeOver: WarGames II goes down this weekend, kicking off four straight nights at the STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, California for WWE. The company will be producing their second “WarGames” themed show and their twenty-third overall event under the “NXT TakeOver” banner on Saturday, live via the WWE Network.

    Saturday’s live WWE Network special features an excellent, albeit brief card containing only four matches. Each match is an important one, however, as included in the card are NXT World Championship and NXT Women’s Championship matches, the namesake WarGames bout and a grudge match between Aleister Black and Johnny Gargano.

    The main event will feature Tommaso Ciampa defending his NXT World Championship against Velveteen Dream in one-on-one action, while the NXT Women’s Championship bout will feature “The Queen of Spades” Shayna Baszler defending her title against former title-holder and the first-ever Mae Young Classic tournament winner Kairi Sane in a two-out-of-three falls match. The WarGames bout will include all four members of The Undisputed ERA — Adam Cole, Roderick Strong, Bobby Fish and Kyle O’Reilly — facing off against The War Raiders — Hanson and Rowe — as well as WWE U.K. Champion Pete Dunne and NXT North American Champion Ricochet. Finally, The Black-Gargano bout will be the culmination of a longstanding rivalry that picked up momentum when Gargano turned heel and was revealed as the man who attacked Black in the parking lot of Full Sail University following the August 8th episode of NXT TV.

    SEScoops.com writers Andrew Ravens, Jeff Moss and Ian Carey have prepared their predictions for each of the matches scheduled for Saturday night’s big event. Without further adieu, here are the SEScoops.com staff predictions for NXT TakeOver: WarGames II.

    Shayna Baszler vs. Kairi Sane (2-Out-Of-3 Falls NXT Women’s Title)

    Andrew Ravens: Baszler just won the title back at the Evolution PPV event, and with this current stipulation that goes along with this match, I think it plays a factor into Sane winning here. Baszler had to cheat to even win the title back, and Sane has her number when going one-on-one. Thus, Sane gets her title back and moves onto another program. (Prediction: Kairi Sane)

    Jeff Moss: At Evolution, these two were a high spot in a night of high spots and if ever there was a more deserving pair to pick up the “fight forever” tag, it’s Sane and Baszler. Their matches tend to play off of the previous one, which I love. Too often when wrestlers face each other over and over, they forget what worked and didn’t work last time. These two learn from each match and have surprises for each other in the next one. I have a feeling there’s a Horsewoman battle a-brewing, so I think Sane will win back her title here, freeing up Shayna to play with her friends for a bit. But when that’s done, she might be a rare case of someone who comes back to NXT for a last run before permanent call up. (Prediction: Kairi Sane)

    Ian Carey: I feel as though Triple H is really high on Baszler. Also, at Evolution, she established that her old MMA training partners are now in the promotion as well and looking to help Shayna protect her championship. It seems unlikely to me that they would take the title off of her so quickly after she regained it at Evolution and established new allies in the process. (Prediction: Shayna Baszler)

    CONSENSUS: 2-1, Kairi Sane

    Undisputed ERA vs. War Raiders, Pete Dunne & Ricochet (WAR GAMES)

    Andrew: Wrestling 101 says that the babyfaces go over here and I agree. It just makes sense as The Undisputed Era are up for getting beat as it plays into the story. Unless WWE just wants to go for a swerve with Pete Dunne turning heel and joining the group, I don’t see why the heels would go over here. (Prediction: War Raiders, Pete Dunne & Ricochet)

    Jeff: So, let me just recap here: 1. Ricochet. 2. Double Ring Steel Cage. 3. The rest. Yeah, this is going to be AWESOME. I found myself enjoying last year’s War Games match way more than I thought I would and damn if this one doesn’t look like it’s going to be even better. Pete Dunne is gold, the War Raiders have the ability to be devastating in this kind of match and the Undisputed Era id back to full air-guitar-wailing strength. I cannot wait to see this match and though the Undisputed Era won it last year, I think they will go Back-To-Back, more than likely due to the re-ignition of a Dunne/Ricochet beef. (Prediction: The Undisputed ERA)

    Ian: The last WarGames match was one of the best matches in NXT history so there is good reason to be looking forward to this match. Kyle O’Reilly picked up the win over Hanson to earn his team the advantage at WarGames on NXT last night. The match was far more exciting than the usual coin flip. I’m giving this match to the babyfaces almost purely to even out the wins on the show between heels and faces. Come the next Takeover, however, expect the tag, North American, and UK titles to be on the line in matches involving some of the wrestlers involved in this match. We could find out who will be challenging for what title next Takeover based on how things shape up in the WarGames match on Saturday. (Prediction: War Raiders, Pete Dunne & Ricochet)

    CONSENSUS: 2-1, War Raiders, Pete Dunne & Ricochet

    Johnny Gargano vs. Aleister Black

    Andrew: No doubt this will be a fun match that could go either way depending on how long the WWE wants to extend this program or what plans are in place for these two stars. This is the first match between them in this current feud and should be a barnburner depending on how much time they give them. The obvious choice would have Black going over here, but I have the feeling that we get one more match with these two stars. Gargano cheats and sneaks out a win. (Prediction: Johnny Gargano)

    Jeff: This one is going to be U-G-L-Y. Gargano has snapped and Black is out for blood. This is the real test for Gargano. Has he completely turned to the Dark Side? or is there an idealistic farm boy and ghostly space wizard waiting to bring him back to the light? Or will Black force him to kill Johnny Wrestling for good in order to win. The drama for this match is so wonderfully high, we win either way. But, given how monkey-wrench-prone the main roster is these days, it wouldn’t shock me to see Black on Raw or Smackdown post-Takeover to add a little of his brand of sinister chaos, so I’m picking Gargano here. (Prediction: Johnny Gargano)

    Ian: I’m expecting Aleister Black to tear through Johnny Gargano Saturday night. Even though this will be Gargano’s first big match as a heel, I still don’t think Triple H wants Aleister Black losing any matches before he gets another shot at Ciampa. Black vs Ciampa should main event the next Takeover. What will likely happen not too much longer after Takeover, is Ciampa and Gargano will re-align officially. In fact, we could see the former tag partners start to work together again on Saturday against their respective opponents. (Prediction: Aleister Black)

    CONSENSUS: 2-1, Johnny Gargano

    Tommaso Ciampa vs. Velveteen Dream (NXT World Title)

    Andrew: Might be the funniest match on the card and with the title being on the line, expect for them to go 20 minutes if not longer as they should have enough time to tell a compelling story. I don’t see it being Dream’s time to win the title here as Ciampa has only had the title a few months and this is his real first test outside of working with Gargano. Dream’s character also isn’t one that needs a title to get over. Ciampa is better off as being that heel on top of the mountain in order to gain more heat. (Prediction: Tommaso Ciampa)

    Jeff: Good Lord, this is like Sophie’s choice, isn’t it? Arguably the best heel in the company vs arguably the best performer in the company and EACH OF THOSE TITLES COULD APPLY TO EITHER COMPETITOR!!! if this isn’t the Match of the Year, I’ll eat Ian Carey’s hat. Both men deserve the title. Both are incredible performers and wrestlers. While I would like nothing more than to see the title draped over the shoulder of the Dream, I think that Ciampa will retain here. Unless they are planning an Evil DIY reunion, Ciampa and Gargano still have one more good story to tell and the Wrestlemania Takeover could be a great place to do that. (Prediction: Tommaso Ciampa)

    Ian: Ciampa is likely going to retain “goldie” in his title defense against Velveteen Dream here. As much as I’d like to predict the 23-year-old Dream will win the title, it feels as though Ciampa is going to hold that thing for a while longer still. Dream defeated EC3 at the last Takeover event and has generally been kept strong in 2018 but it doesn’t feel as though he’s hot enough right now to put the title on. Ciampa, on the other hand, is still one of the hottest heels in the business. (Prediction: Tommaso Ciampa)

    CONSENSUS: 3-0, Tommaso Ciampa

    What do the experts think is going to happen on Saturday evening? Check out the online NXT TakeOver: WarGames II betting odds. What do you think of the above NXT TakeOver: WarGames II predictions? Let us know by sounding off in the Comments section below, and make sure to join us here this Saturday for live play-by-play results coverage of the show.

  • WWE NXT Recap & Results (11/14)

    WWE NXT Recap & Results (11/14)

    Bianca Belair Remains Undefeated

    Bianca Belair faced Mia Yim on this week’s episode of NXT. Belair shoved Yim to start things off and then grabbed Mia by the hair. Bianca slammed Yim to the canvas and taunted her by saying “this is my house”.

    Yim took Belair down and applied a Headlock in the middle of the ring. Yim dished out some trash talk of her own as Bianca battled back to her feet. Belair leveled Yim with a shoulder tackle and went for a Dropkick but Mia dodged it.

    Mia hit three Dropkicks in a row and geared up in the corner. Yim hit a fourth Dropkick in a row but Belair regrouped and threw Mia to the outside. Yim got back in the ring and Belair attacked her right away. Belair went for a cover but Yim was able to kick out at two.

    Belair applied a Headlock but Mia quickly countered into a roll-up for a near fall. Bianca hit a Clothesline for another two count. Belair bounced Yim’s face off the top turnbuckle a couple of times and then started choking her in the corner. Belair broke the hold and booted Yim to the canvas.

    Bianca stomped on Yim’s midsection a couple of times and shouting “you are nothing!” at Mia. Belair took a seat on Mia’s back and continued to taunt her. Mia turned the tables and slammed Belair face first to the mat for a two count.

    Belair connected with a Dropkick of her own for a near fall. Bianca locked in a Cravate but Yim broke the hold with a few elbows to Belair’s ribs. Bianca went for a Leg Drop but Yim got out of the way and slammed Belair’s head into the middle turnbuckle.

    Yim followed it up with a Clothesline and a Gutwrench Suplex for another near fall. Belair responded with a big Spinebuster and went for the cover but Yim got her shoulders up at the last second.

    Bianca sent Yim to the corner and drove her shoulder into Mia’s midsection. Yim battled back with some palm strikes and then a Pele Kick for a two count. Biana battled back with a punch to the face and then a Torture Rack/Facebuster (K.O.D.) for the pinfall victory.

    https://twitter.com/totaldivaseps/status/1062876233107718144

    Lacey Evans Dominated

    Photo Credit: @WWENXT on Twitter

    Karissa Rivera battled Lacey Evans on tonight’s episode of NXT. Evans dominated the entire match and taunted Rivera while doing so. Evans started off the match by bashing Rivera’s head into the turnbuckle several times and then hitting her with a Bronco Buster.

    Rivera battled back with a couple of chops and then a Dropkick for a one count. Evans got pissed off and slammed Karissa’s head into the mat several times. Evans hit the Woman’s Right for the easy victory.

    After the match, Evans grabbed the microphone and said that NXT is full of a bunch of “classless nasties”. Lacey scolded the women of NXT and claimed that they have forgotten what it means to carry themselves with sophistication. Evans stated that if they do not adhere to her standards, she will teach them all a lesson with the Woman’s Right.

    https://twitter.com/totaldivaseps/status/1062879616396914691

    Undisputed Era Has The Advantage At WarGames

    Kyle O’Reilly battled Hanson from War Raiders to determine which team will have the advantage in the WarGames match this weekend at NXT TakeOver.

    O’Reilly tried to avoid Hanson to start off the match but Hanson leveled him with a massive shoulder tackle. Kyle rolled out of the ring to regroup as Hanson dared him to get back into the ring.

    Kyle got back in the ring and laid down on the mat and dared Hanson to come at him. O’Reilly got Hanson in a Headlock and tried to take Hanson down but Hanson stayed on his feet.

    Hanson hit another ridiculous shoulder tackle that sent O’Reilly across the ring. Hanson launched O’Reilly into the turnbuckle with an Irish Whip and then delivered 10 shots to Kyle’s midsection.

    O’Reilly tumbled out of the ring and splatted on the floor. Hanson went after him and rolled him back inside. Kyle hit a Dropkick as Hanson tried to get back in the ring and then went after his left knee. Kyle delivered a flurry of kicks and finally knocked Hanson to the canvas.

    O’Reilly went for a cover and Hanson kicked out so hard it sent Kyle flying to the outside. O’Reilly got back in the ring and hit Hanson with a chop block on Hanson’s injured knee for a one count.

    Kyle followed it up with a Dragon Screw and then more shots to Hanson’s knee. O’Reilly applied a Knee Lock in the middle of the ring. Hanson escaped and connected with a Back Body Drop to change the momentum.

    Hanson hit O’Reilly with a punch to the face and then a Sidewalk Slam. Hanson followed it up with a giant Splash and then another one in the corner of the ring. Hanson hit a Powerslam and went for the cover but O’Reilly was able to kick out at the last second.

    Hanson sent O’Reilly to the outside and hit him with a Suicide Dive. Back in the ring, Hanson made his way to the top rope but Adam Cole came down to the entrance ramp for the distraction.

    Hanson went for a Moonsault but O’Reilly got out of the way. O’Reilly locked in the Ankle Lock in the middle of the ring but Hanson was able to reach the bottom rope to break the hold.

    Cole connected with a cheap shot while the referee wasn’t looking and O’Reilly hit a punch for a near fall. Rowe sprinted down the ramp and bounced Cole’s face off the apron. Hanson hit a knee to the face and then a Clothesline that turned O’Reilly inside out.

    Roderick Strong and Bobby Fish came down to the ringside area and attacked Rowe from behind. Pete Dunne joined the party and blasted Strong in the face. Dunne bent Cole’s fingers back but Bobby Fish hit him from behind with a chop block.

    Ricochet sprinted into the ring and hit everyone with a flip. Kyle O’Reilly grabbed an NXT Tag Team Championship title and hit Hanson with it while the referee was distracted by the chaos. O’Reilly then pinned Hanson and Undisputed Era has the advantage at NXT TakeOver: WarGames.

    https://twitter.com/totaldivaseps/status/1062886200145526784

    Announced for next week:

    • Matt Riddle vs. Kassius Ohno

    NXT TakeOver: WarGames airs this Saturday night on the WWE Network. The following videos were also shown during tonight’s broadcast to hype up the event:

  • NXT & 205 Live 11/14 Preview

    NXT & 205 Live 11/14 Preview

    WWE presents the final episode of NXT before Takeover: WarGames tonight. Also, 205 Live will air their final show before Buddy Murphy and Mustafa Ali clash for the Cruiserweight title at Survivor Series.

    NXT 11/14 Preview

    The main event of tonight’s NXT will determine which team gains the advantage at WarGames. Literally, the winner of tonight’s match will see their team gain the advantage in terms of which team has a competitor enter 3rd, 5th, and 7th, giving them the numbers advantage at 3 different intervals during the match.

    Kyle O’Reilly vs TBD

    The Undisputed Era have already announced that Kyle O’Reilly will be their representative in the WarGames advantage match tonight. The team of the War Raiders, Pete Dunne, and Ricochet still have to nominate a competitor.

    Mia Yim vs Bianca Belair

    Mia Yim has a chance to skyrocket to the top of NXT’s women’s division tonight. She is going to be taking on the undefeated Bianca Belair in single’s action. A win here for Bianca, would further solidify her as a top-tier competitor who should likely be inline for a title shot soon.

    Lacey Evans in Single’s Competition

    Another match in the increasingly stacked women’s division tonight sees Lacey evidence in singles competition. Per opponent hasn’t been announced which likely means they are enhancement talent. Evans has picked up wins recently over Dakota Kai and Candice LeRae. As with Belair, Evans seems to be just one or two big wins away from a title shot.

    205 Live 11/14 Preview

    Only only one match has been announced tonight’s 205 Live. Tonight’s episode will also be the go home show before the cruiserweight title match at Survivor Series between Mustafa Ali and Buddy Murphy, however. It’s likely there will be a segment involving champion and challenger tonight.

    Lio Rush vs Cedric Alexander

    Lio Rush has a chance to jump to the top of the cruiserweight division tonight. He will take on former cruiserweight champion Cedric Alexander. Rush is undefeated in singles matches so far in the cruiserweight division. The only blemish on his record thus far was losing out in a fatal 5-way match which was ultimately won by Tony Nese. A win could put Rush in title contention. Similarly, a win for Alexander would put him back on track to getting a rematch with a man who beat him for the title in Australia.

  • Undisputed Era Talk Dream WrestleMania Opponents

    Undisputed Era Talk Dream WrestleMania Opponents

    Undisputed Era recently spoke to Sam Roberts at Ringside Collectibles’ Ringside Fest. The NXT stable have been on a tear since their formation and have only grown in stature since the inclusion of Roderick Strong. The four men revealed to Roberts who their ‘dream’ WrestleMania opponents would be during the interview.

    Bobby Fish made an interesting pick, stating “Give me Vince McMahon. I’m going straight to the top, I don’t mess around, man.” Kyle O’Reilly was Fish’s longtime tag partner in Ring of Honor as part of reDragon, he had a more obvious choice saying “Daniel Bryan. Nothing crazy, just a straight up match.”

    The de-facto leader of the group Adam Cole chose someone who he appears to be emulating more and more as he progresses in NXT, stating “Now that he is back, Shawn Michaels.” Roderick Strong also chimed in saying “He (O’Reilly) took me pick, but I guess I’d have to go with A.J. Styles.”

    Cole finished by saying “That is shaping up to be one heck of a WrestleMania card, if I do say so myself.” Strong also made the comment that “we can do an eight-man, Vince’s team v. us.”

    The Undisputed Era will be taking on the team of Ricochet, Pete Dunne and the War Raiders at War Games NXT Takeover on November 17th.

    Credit to Ringside Collectibles and h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcriptions

  • NXT UK Episode 5 and 6 Results (11/7)

    NXT UK Episode 5 and 6 Results (11/7)

    NXT UK continued this week with episodes five and six airing on the WWE Network. The shows featured a main event pitting Pete Dunne against Danny Burch. Dunne defended his United Kingdom Championship successfully in the bout. Episode 6 also saw Mark Coffey, Joe Coffey & Wolfgang beat Mark Andrews, Flash Morgan Webster & Ashton Smith in the main event.

    Here’s the full results for Episode 5 (taped on July 29 at Cambridge Corn Exchange in Cambridge, England)

    • Dave Mastiff b. Damien Weir – Mastiff took the win after hitting a Cannonball
    • Ligero b. James Drake – Ligero took the win after hitting a Springboard DDT
    • Ashton Smith was attacked by The Coffey Brothers and Wolfgang before his match with an unnamed opponent
    • Eddie Dennis b. Sid Scala – Dennis took the win after hitting the Next Stop Driver
    • Pete Dunne b. Danny Burch – Dunne took the win via Submission to retain his United Kingdom Championship

    Here’s the full results for Episode 6 (taped on July 29 at Cambridge Corn Exchange in Cambridge, England)

    • Toni Storm b. Dakota Kai – Storm took the win after hitting the Storm Zero
    • Zack Gibson b. Amir Jordan – Gibson took the win via Submission with the Shankly Gates
    • Jordan Devlin b. Kenny Williams – Devlin took the win with the Island’s Call
    • Mark Coffey, Joe Coffey & Wolfgang b. Mark Andrews, Flash Morgan Webster & Ashton Smith – Joe Coffey took the win after hitting Webster with a Lariat

     

  • WWE NXT Recap & Results (11/7)

    WWE NXT Recap & Results (11/7)

    Heavy Machinery Defeated The Forgotten Sons

    Heavy Machinery (Tucker Knight & Otis Dozovic) battled Forgotten Sons (Steve Cutler, Jaxson Ryker, Wesley Blake) tonight on NXT. Jaxson Ryker was ringside for the match.

    Knight and Cutler started off the match. Steve took control and tagged Blake into the match. Cutler tagged back in and Knight took him out with a Crossbody. Otis tagged in and slammed Cutler on top of Blake.

    Otis hit Cutler with a Splash in the corner of the ring and followed it up with an Elbow Drop. Dozovic knocked Blake off the ring apron but Cutler capitalized on the distraction by slamming Otis to the canvas.

    Blake tagged in and hit a Knee Drop for a near fall. Blake followed it up with a massive Clothesline and then tagged Cutler back into the match. Cutler stomped on Otis’ shoulder several times for a two count.

    Blake got back and hit a Leg Drop on Otis’ injured shoulder for a near fall. Blake then applied an Arm Bar in the middle of the ring as Otis screamed in pain. Blake transitioned into a Triangle but Otis showed off his strength and broke the hold with a Powerbomb.

    Cutler tagged in and Otis finally was able to tag out. Knight hit Cutler with a big boot and then Clotheslined Blake to the outside. Tucker stomped on Cutler in the corner of the ring and followed it up with a Splash.

    Knight climbed to the top rope and hit Cutler with a Cannonball for a near fall. Blake tagged in and Cutler hit Knight with a Backstabber. Blake followed it up with an Elbow Drop off the top for a near fall.

    Blake perched Knight on the top rope and tagged Cutler back in. Cutler connected with a Superplex and Blake followed it up with a Splash off the top. Blake went for the cover but Otis broke it up at the last second.

    Otis launched Blake out of the ring and then got launched to the outside by Cutler. Knight went for a roll-up but Cutler kicked out. Tucker connected with a Clothesline and tagged Otis back in.

    Blake took out Knight as Cutler planted Otis with a Backstabber. Blake tagged in as Knight launched Cutler onto Ryker outside the ring. Otis then hit a Pop-Up Slam on Blake for the pinfall victory.

    https://twitter.com/totaldivaseps/status/1060339494715641856

    Dakota Kai Picked Up A Win Over Taynara Conti

    Dakota Kai faced Taynara Conti on this week’s episode of NXT. Conti slammed Kai to the mat and shouted “are you crazy?” at her. Dakota caught her attempt at a kick and connected with an Arm Drag. Kai followed it up with a Dropkick for a one count.

    Kai rolled up Conti for a near fall and then locked in an Arm Bar. Taynara broke free and slammed Kai into the turnbuckle. Conti unloaded several kicks on Dakota and went for the cover but Kai kicked out at two.

    Conti tossed Kai and then delivered a kick to her face for another near fall. Conti got pissed off that Dakota kicked out and applied a Wrist Lock. Conti missed with a Splash in the corner and turned around into a kick from Dakota.

    Kai hit a flurry of kicks and then a big boot to Taynara’s face. Dakota followed it up with two Facewash Kicks and then a Chiropractor (Backstabber) for the pinfall victory.

    https://twitter.com/totaldivaseps/status/1060343555019980800

    Johnny Gargano Explained Why He Attacked Aleister Black

    Johnny Gargano sent in a video to NXT to explain why he attacked Aleister Black. Gargano said that he was on a path to right a wrong and to defeat Tommaso Ciampa for the NXT Championship. Johnny accused Black of getting in the way and that it was nothing personal.

    Gargano claimed that he will be the hero at the end of this story. Johnny added that he still fights for what is right but sometimes you have to fight a little dirty. Johnny admitted that he accepts that Black wants to kick his face off but isn’t scared of him. Gargano noted that he is not afraid of the dark anymore and is kind of starting to like it.

    Johnny then took a seat in the same spot he left Black laying. Johnny vowed to leave Black laying once again at NXT TakeOver: WarGames.

    Sullivan Picked Up A Win & Velveteen Dream Sent A Message To Ciampa

    Velveteen Dream squared off against Lars Sullivan in the main event of this week’s show. Sullivan drove Dream to the corner to start off the match and then launched him across the ring with ease.

    Dream connected with a shoulder tackle that knocked Sullivan to the outside and then shoved him into the steel steps. Dream bounced Lars’ face off the steps and then tried to get back into the ring.

    Lars brought Dream to the outside and slammed him into the ring apron. Back in the ring, Sullivan threw Dream across the ring and followed it up by slamming Velveteen’s face into the mat.

    Sullivan hit a massive right hand to Dream’s face and then a giant Clothesline for a two count. Lars launched Dream out of the ring and then posed in the ring. Dream battled back with a Dropkick off the top rope for a near fall.

    Lars hit a huge Powerslam for a near fall as the crowd chanted “Velveteen!”. Sullivan climbed to the top rope but Dream hit him with a Superkick. Dream slammed Sullivan into the ring post and then hit the Dream Valley Driver on Sullivan.

    NXT Champion Tommaso Ciampa came down the entrance ramp and Dream hit him with a Crossbody off the top rope. Lars Sullivan capitalized on the distraction and hit Dream with the Freak Accident for the pinfall victory. Tommaso Ciampa attacked Velveteen Dream after the match and shouted that Dream wasn’t in his league. Dream battled back with a Superkick and hit a DDT onto the NXT Championship.

    Velveteen Dream climbed to the top rope but a bunch of referees came into the ring to prevent Dream from hitting the Purple Rainmaker Elbow Drop. Dream hopped down and then quickly hopped back up to the top rope and hit the Rainmaker Elbow Drop on Ciampa. Dream then posed with the NXT Championship as the crowd chanted “Velveteen!” to close the show.

    Announced for next week’s show:

    • Bianca Belair vs. Mia Yim

    • A member from the two teams competing in the WarGames match at TakeOver will battle next week. The winner of the match next week will earn the 2 vs. 1 advantage in the early stages of the WarGames match at NXT TakeOver.

    Announced for NXT TakeOver: WarGames:

    NXT Women’s Championship 2 out of 3 Falls Match: Shayna Baszler (c) vs. Kairi Sane

  • NXT & 205 Live 11/7 Preview

    NXT & 205 Live 11/7 Preview

    NXT and 205 Live will both air tonight on the WWE Network. In the case of NXT, tonight’s episode will be the penultimate before Takeover: WarGames on November 17th.

    NXT Preview 11/7

    Velveteen Dream vs Lars Sullivan

    To the dismay of Lars Sullivan, Velveteen Dream was awarded the title shot at WarGames. Sullivan has vowed to prove tonight he’s the top contender for the NXT title no matter what William Regal decides.

    Johnny Gargano Provides Answers

    Last month, Johnny Gargano was revealed as the man behind the attack on Aleister Black. Now, Gargano is scheduled to face Black one-on-one at Takeover: WarGames. Tonight, Gargano hs promised to explain why he did what he did. His old DIY tag-team partner, Tommaso Ciampa, might be listening closely to what he says.

    Heavy Machinery vs The Forgotten Sons

    Two teams looking to move up in NXT’s tag-team division face each other tonight. With teams like the Street Profits, the Mighty, and Danny Burch and Oney Lorcan kicking around the division, there is not much room for error or losses.

    Dakota Kai vs Taynara Conti

    The captain of Team Kick has been competing in NXT UK in addition to the North American version. She’ll take on Taynara Conti tonight. Conti may not have a single’s victory yet in NXT but she did make it to the 2nd round of the MYC II before losing to Lacey Lane in the 2nd round.

    205 Live Preview 11/7

    TJP and Lucha House Party Rivalry Continues

    Last week, TJP attacked Gran Metalik after the luchador had won a single’s match. TJP ripped off Metalik’s mask as he continues to disrespect lucha libre culture. Tonight, TJP may have his sights set on stealing another member of the factions masks.

    Mark Andrews vs Buddy Murphy

    The new Cruiserweight Champion, Buddy Murphy, will wrestle Mark Andrews tonight. The champion decided that since tonight’s 205 Live emanates from Manchester that he should take on one of NXT UK’s brightest stars.

    Waiting in the wings for Murphy is Mustafa Ali, however. Ali defeated Tony Nese last week in a #1 contenders match.

  • NXT San Jose Live Event Next Week Changed To TV Taping

    NXT San Jose Live Event Next Week Changed To TV Taping

    An NXT house show scheduled for next week in San Jose has been changed to a TV taping. The abrupt change with only 10 days before the show is an interesting development considering the taping will take place just two days before Takeover: Wargames on November 17th.

    NXT announced the change earlier today through their social media channels:

    “The stakes for the November 15th live event just got raised. NXTSanJose has just been confirmed as a TV Taping. Tickets are still available NOW!”

    NXT Takeover: WarGames and NXT San Jose TV Tapings

    A few matches have been confirmed for Takeover: WarGames so far on NXT programming.

    1. NXT World Championship
      Tommaso Ciampa (c) vs Velveteen Dream
    2. WarGames Match
      The Undisputed Era (Roderick Strong, Kyle O’Reilly, Bobby Fish, and Adam Cole) vs War Raiders, Ricochet, and Pete Dunne
    3. Aleister Black vs Johnny Gargano

    Triple H spoke with ESPN earlier this year and mentioned he’s on the fence regarding NXT going longer than 1-hour.

    “There are times when I look at NXT and part of me loves the hour format because everybody’s got busy lives,” Triple H said. “By the time you get to Wednesday … if you’re a huge fan, by the time you get to Wednesday, you’ve watched five hours of WWE, and then you’re watching NXT. And that’s if you didn’t watch ‘205 Live.’ There’s a lot out there. The great thing is they’re all slightly different, so there’s a little bit of something for everybody. I run into things, for me, when we’re scripting out weekly episodes of NXT, [where] it’s like, ‘Oh, man, I’d really like to debut this person, or do this thing with this new character, or help get a persona going or something [else], and I don’t have the room to do it. There’s a fine line between that and leaving them wanting more, so it’s a balance.”

  • NXT Fort Pierce Results (11/02), Incl. Former ROH Star Debuting

    NXT Fort Pierce Results (11/02), Incl. Former ROH Star Debuting

    NXT held their latest house show from Fort Pierce on 11/02 and there was some newsworthy events at the event. Former Ring of Honor star Punishment Martinez made his debut for NXT in a losing effort plus the NXT UK Women’s Title was defended.

    Here’s the full results from Fort Pierce:

    • Nick Miller (w/ Shane Thorne) b. Punishment Martinez – Miller took the win after Martinez was distracted by Thorne
    • Mia Yim & Lacey Lane b. Aliyah & Vanessa Borne – Yim took the win after hitting the Seoul Food following a series of ferocious strikes
    • Babatunde Aiyegbusi b. Dan Matha – Babatunde took the win over Matha after hitting a huge slam
    • Lars Sullivan b. EC3 – Sullivan took the win after hitting the Freak Accident
    • Danny Burch & Oney Lorcan b. Humberto Carrillo & Raul Mendoza – Burch and Lorcan took the win after an impressive showing from Luchadors Carrillo and Mendoza
    • Keith Lee b. Kassius Ohno – Lee took the win after hitting a SuperNova, this was said to be an incredibly athletic match with both men impressing
    • NXT UK Women’s Championship Match – Rhea Ripley b. Nikki Cross – Ripley retained her title after hitting a Pump Handle Slam
    • Heavy Machinery & Stacey Ervin Jr. b. The Forgotten Sons (Wesley Blake, Steve Cutler & Jaxson Ryker) – Heavy Machinery took the win after hitting the Trash Compactor, this sent the crowd home happy
  • NXT UK Week Three Results (10/31)

    NXT UK Week Three Results (10/31)

    NXT UK Episode 3 aired on the WWE Network earlier this week. The show featured the debut of Jordan Devlin and a big time main event between Zack Gibson and Noam Dar. Here’s the full results from Episode 3:

    • Trent Seven b. Saxon Huxley – Seven took the win in around 5 minutes with the Burning Hammer
    • Flash Morgan Webster b Mark Coffey (w/Joe Coffey) – ‘Flash’ Morgan Webster took the win in around 6 minutes via crucifix pin
    • Danny Burch b. Sam Gradwell – Burch took the win in 4 minutes with a draping DDT
    • Zack Gibson b. Noam Dar – Gibson took the win in along twenty plus minute main event with the Helter Skelter

    In case you missed them Here’s the full results from Episode 2:

    • Ligero b. Mike “The Wild Boar” Hitchman – Ligero took the pinfall win after hitting a Tornado DDT
    • Dakota Kai b. Killer Kelly – Kai took the pinfall win after hitting a code red/backstabber move
    • A highlight package aired of Zack Gibson winning the last United Kingdom Championship tournament.
    • Eddie Dennis appeared for a promo, he refers to Pete Dunne and Mark Andrews.
    • Ashton Smith b. Tucker – Smith took the pinfall win after hitting the Ash Cloud
    • Tyler Bate b. Wolfgang – Bate took the pinfall win after hitting the Tyler Driver ‘97