Dusty Rhodes Classic First Round Match: SAnitY vs. Riddick Moss & Tino Sabbatelli
Riddick Moss beatdown Wolfe to start off the match. Sabbatelli wanted to be tagged in and Moss obliged. Tino unloaded a couple of right hands and connected with a Dropkick as the NXT crowd chanted “Tino sucks!”. Tino taunted the crowd and posed in the ring before aggressively tagging Moss back in.
Moss drove his shoulder into Wolfe’s midsection and followed it up with a Neckbreaker for a two count. Sabbatelli tagged back in but held up Wolfe in the corner. Moss went to punch Wolfe but Alexander ducked and Moss accidentally hit Sabbatelli. Moss and Sabbatelli argued for a moment and that allowed Wolfe to regroup and tag in Eric Young.
Young tagged in and immediately blasted Moss off the ring apron before turning his attention to Sabbatelli. Young connected with a boot to the face, followed by a Clothesline that decked Tino. Young got fired up and planted Sabbatelli with a Body Slam. Eric climbed to the top and hit an Elbow Drop. Young went for the cover but Moss dragged him out of the ring.
Nikki Cross hopped up on the ring apron and connected with a Crossbody on Moss. Back in the ring, Wolfe tagged in as Sabbatelli was still in the ring. Eric Young and Wolfe teamed up for a Belly to Back Suplex/ Neckbreaker combo. Young rolled to the ring apron and Wolfe pinned Tino Sabbatelli for the victory. SAnitY advanced to the semifinals of the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic. After the match, Killian Dain and Nikki Cross celebrated with Young & Wolfe in the ring.
Winners: SAnitY
NEVER turn your back on @NikkiCrossWWE! #WWENXT pic.twitter.com/7CKarHArfy
— WWE NXT (@WWENXT) March 15, 2018
Tommaso Ciampa came down to the ring to the same chorus of boos he recieved from the NXT crowd last week. Everyone in the crowd held up pieces of paper with Johnny Gargano’s logo on it. Ciampa stood silent in the ring as the crowd chanted “Johnny!”. Ciampa lifted the microphone towards his mouth but the entire crowd started to boo again. The crowd then transitioned into a “Johnny Wrestling!” chant as Ciampa paced around the ring. Tommaso shouted “he is gone!” as the crowd kept chanting. A few folks started to chant “Johnny lost!”.
Ciampa lifted the microphone again and the crowd booed. Ciampa dropped the microphone and the crowd cheered. The audience started to chant “yes!” as Ciampa rolled out of the ring. Ciampa stopped near the commentary table for a moment and looked into the crowd as they booed him. Ciampa slowly walked around the ring as the crowd began to chant “Ciampa sucks!”. Ciampa held his head in anger as the crowd began to chant “we want Johnny!”. Ciampa walked back up the entrance ramp and stopped to look back at the crowd as they sang “na-na-na-hey-hey-hey-goodbye”. Ciampa shook his head and walked backstage as the crowd continued to sing.
The #NXTUniverse will NOT let @ProjectCiampa get a word in edgewise! #WWENXT pic.twitter.com/mSffPX8pKx
— WWE NXT (@WWENXT) March 15, 2018
Lacey Evans vs. Dakota Kai
Lacey dodged a kick from Dakota Kai and then grabbed Kai’s arm and slammed her to the canvas. Lacey stretched out Kai’s arm and went for an Arm Bar but Kai reversed into a roll-up for the quick pinfall victory.
After the match, Shayna Baszler’s music hit and Shayna marched down to the ring as Dakota looked concerned in the ring. Baszler cornered Dakota in the ring as the referee stood in between them. Ember Moon’s music hit and Moon stormed down to the ring. Moon slid into the ring and had a stare down with Baszler as Kai got the hell out of there. Moon grabbed a microphone and said that it doesn’t matter if she has one arm or two, Baszler started this but she is going to end it at NXT TakeOver: New Orleans. Ember Moon tackled Baszler to the canvas and punched her in the face a few times. A couple of referees tried to break it up but Baszler and Moon kept fighting in the ring.
Shayna connected with a big punch that knocked Moon to the mat. Shayna waited for Ember to get back up and went for another punch but Moon was ready and booted her in the face. Ember climbed to the top rope but Baszler caught her with a kick. Shayna went to apply a Wrist Lock but Dakota Kai hopped up on the ring apron and booted Baszler in the face. Ember then leaped off the top and connected with the Eclipse. Ember Moon stood over Baszler in the ring as the segment concluded. NXT GM William Regal then made the NXT Women’s Championship match official between Ember Moon and Shayna Baszler at NXT TakeOver: New Orleans.
Winner: Dakota Kai
For now, @QoSBaszler can consider herself… ECLIPSED! #WWENXT @WWEEmberMoon pic.twitter.com/P9lJRXWaHV
— WWE NXT (@WWENXT) March 15, 2018
Dusty Rhodes Classic First Round Match: Street Profits vs. Heavy Machinery
Angelo Dawkins and Montez Ford danced their way down to the ring to face off against Heavy Machinery. Tucker Knight and Otis Dozovic chest-bumped on the entrance ramp and made their way to to the ring. Montez Ford and Dozovic started off the match. Dozovic leveled Ford with a shoulder tackle and Montez crawled to corner and took a sip from his solo cup. Otis asked for a sip and Ford slowly slid towards him. Dozovic took a sip from the cup as the crowd chanted “drink!”. Otis got pumped up after taking a drink and then planted Ford with a Body Slam.
Tucker Knight tagged in and Heavy Machinery hung up Dawkins in the corner. Heavy Machinery then used Montez Ford as a battering ram and slammed him into Dawkins. Knight tried to cover Ford but Montez kicked out at two. Knight locked Ford in a Bear Hug. Ford hit a couple of right hands to escape and tagged in Dawkins. Angelo planted Knight with a Dropkick and followed it up with a 360 Splash. Knight shrugged it off and slammed Dawkins to the canvas. Knight hit a Splash on Dawkins in the corner and tagged in Dozovic.
Heavy Machinery went for the Compactor but Ford pulled down the top rope and Knight tumbled to the floor outside the ring. Back in the ring, Dawkins connected with a DDT to Otis and then tagged Montez Ford back in. Ford scaled to the top rope and hit an awesome Frog Splash for the pinfall victory. Street Profits advanced to the semifinals of the Dusty Rhodes Classic. Nigel McGuinness danced at the commentary table to the Street Profits theme after their victory.
Winners: Street Profits
United Kingdom Championship Match: Pete Dunne (c) vs Adam Cole
NXT Tag Team Champions Bobby Fish and Kyle O’Reilly accompanied Adam Cole to the ring and the Undisputed Era posed on the ring apron. United Kingdom Champion Pete Dunne came down to the ring with the title belt hanging from his mouth. The crowd chanted “Bruiserweight!” as he entered the ring. Adam Cole casually leaned against the turnbuckle and watched on as Dunne posed for the crowd. Dunne raised the title and got right in Cole’s face in the corner.
Cole drove Dunne to the corner to start off the match and the referee broke it up. Dunne rolled out of the ring and stared down Fish and O’Reilly. Dunne slid back into the ring and Cole greeted him with some stomps. Dunne connected with a spinning elbow to the face and Cole crashed to the mat. Dunne placed his foot on the side of Cole’s head and started bending back Cole’s fingers. Dunne leaped in the air and stomped on Cole’s back.
Dunne booted Cole’s extended elbow and Adam rolled to the apron. Dunne leaped off the second turnbuckle and booted Cole in the left arm. Dunne Suplexed Cole on the ring apron and smirked at Fish and O’Reilly outside the ring. Fish and O’Reilly hopped up on the ring apron and distracted Dunne, which allowed Cole to boot him to the floor as NXT went to a commercial break.
When NXT returned, the action had returned to the ring and Cole was in control. That didn’t last long as Dunne lifted him up for a Suplex, but elected to just drop Cole on his back. Dunne chopped Cole and unloaded a flurry of punches. Dunne connected with an Enziguri in the corner and followed it up with another stomp to the arm off the second rope. Dunne planted Cole with a Powerbomb for a two count.
Pete Dunne kicked Cole in the side of the face and went for the Bitter End but Cole countered it into a Backstabber. Cole was the first Superstar up and went for a Suplex but Dunne countered into a body scissors and applied a Wrist Lock. Cole escaped and hit a Neckbreaker for two. Cole called Dunne a chump and started smacking him in the face. Dunne responded with a forearm to the face that sent Cole flying to the corner.
Fish and O’Reilly checked on Cole in the corner. Cole went for a Superkick but Dunne blocked it. Cole connected with a Superkick but Dunne shrugged it off and hit Cole with an Enziguri. Dunne charged at Cole in the corner but Adam got out of the way. Dunne scaled the turnbuckles and went tried to flip on Cole but Cole booted Dunne in the back of the head while he was in midair. Cole went for the cover but Dunne kicked out at two.
The crowd chanted “this is awesome!” as Cole went for a Shining Wizard but Dunne dodged it. Dunne hit a German Suplex and went for a Bitter End but Fish and O’Reilly hopped up on the ring apron. Dunne got out of the ring and took out Fish and O’Reilly. As Dunne got back into the ring, Cole connected with a Superkick and followed it up with the Last Shot. Cole went for the cover but the U.K. Champion was somehow able to kick out.
Cole draped across Dunne and was completely shocked that Dunne kicked out. The crowd chanted “fight forever” as Dunne snapped back one of Cole’s fingers. Cole missed with a kick and Dunne got him in position for the Bitter End. Fish and O’Reilly rushed into the ring and beatdown Dunne and the referee called for the bell. Fish and O’Reilly held up Dunne and Cole booted him in the face. Roderick Strong sprinted to the ring but Undisputed Era beat him down. Fish and O’Reilly held up Strong but Pete Dunne blasted Cole in the face before Cole could attempt a kick. Undisputed Era rolled out of the ring and retreated as Dunne and Strong stood tall in the ring. Strong tried to shake Dunne’s hand but Dunne decided to pat Roderick on the shoulder before heading backstage.
Winner via DQ & Still United Kingdom Champion: Pete Dunne
NXT GM William Regal came down to the ring for the NXT Championship match contract signing for NXT TakeOver: New Orleans. Regal introduced Aleister Black first and he came down to the ring to a great reaction from the crowd. Black was decked out in an all black suit as he circled the table where the contract was. Regal introduced NXT Champion Andrade “Cien” Almas but Zelina Vega came down to the ring alone.
Zelina picked up a microphone and informed the crowd that Andrade “Cien” Almas was not here tonight. Vega said that if Almas was here, he would destroy Black so that there was nothing left. Black ignored Vega and Zelina got pissed off. Vega told Black to listen to her but Black put his hand in her face. Black moved the table to see if Almas was hiding under there and took a seat in the ring. Black said to Vega “at least now we are on the same level” and asked Vega to continue.
Vega shouted at Almas before signing the contract. The crowd chanted “too short!” at Vega as she tossed the contract at Black. Aleister signed the contract and joked that Almas was afraid that NXT TakeOver, much like Zelina Vega, he was coming to come up a little short. Black added that maybe was afraid to show up because he doesn’t measure up to him. Vega slapped Black in the face and demanded that he sign the contract. Aleister signed the contract as Vega shouted that he just made the biggest mistake of his life. Black got out of the ring with the microphone as Vega continued to shout at him.
Black said that he didn’t come here alone tonight and Candice LeRae rushed the ring. Candice knocked Vega out of the ring and connected with a few punches. Vega tried to run away but LeRae trapped her on the commentary table and hit her with a few more punches. LeRae brought Vega back into the ring and planted her with a Bulldog before taunting her. LeRae joined Black on the entrance ramp with a smile on her face as NXT went off the air.
You have no idea what you’ve just done @WWEAleister
— Zelina Vega (@Zelina_VegaWWE) March 15, 2018
