Gargano Vowed To Fulfill His Destiny At TakeOver
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.
Velveteen Dream Interrupted Matt Riddle
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.