Posted in: Sports, TV, WWE | Tagged: Falls Count Anywhere, finn balor, karrion kross, NXT, NXT Recap, NXT Women's Tag Team Championship, street fight, wrestling, wwe

NXT Recap – A Main Event Street Fight For The Women's Tag Titles

Hey gang!  So on tonight's show, we will hear from former NXT Champion Finn Balor for the first time since he lost the title to Karrion Kross at NXT Takeover: Stand & Deliver.  Balor has an ocean of options in front of him, it's only up to him whether he immediately goes to reclaim the title from Kross or take on a new challenge.  Or perhaps that new challenge and challenger will find him before he even makes a choice?  Let's find out!

Leon Ruff vs Isaiah "Swerve" Scott – Falls Count Anywhere

We start things off tonight with a grudge match that can end anywhere in the CWC.  As the bell rings, Ruff runs full force at Swerve, but Swerve has scouted it and knees him hard in the face.  They exchange some fast reversals, but Swerve appears one step ahead. Ruff arm drags Swerve out of the ring and tries a suicide dive, but Swerve catches him on his shoulders, and Death Valley Drivers him into the ring apron.

Swerve slams Ruff into the crowd barrier over and over before side-slamming him onto the ramp for a two-count.  They get back in the ring and Swerve gets Ruff on the top turnbuckle for a top rope superplex for another two-count.  Swerve is laying the taunts and trash talk in now as Ruff rolls out of the ring.

Swerve goes for a running kick on the apron, but Ruff catches him and hammers him with punches and a flipping kick.  He then tries a running attack off the apron, but Swerve punches him in the air and throws him into the barrier again.  Swerve then goes under the ring and grabs a toolbox, which he hurls at Ruff's head and Ruff barely dodges it.

Swerve tries to scoop slam Ruff onto the ring steps, but Ruff gets out of the hold and goes crawling to the backstage area.  Swerve follows and finds Ruff trying to get on top of the lockers.  He grabs Ruff and sets him up for a powerbomb and hits it into the lockers.  He tries to pin him by stepping on his chest, but Ruff kicks out.

As Ruff is on his knees, Swerve grabs an equipment cart and slams it into him.  Swerve then taunts him, but Ruff starts punching back.  Swerve grabs him though and slams him into the lockers again.  Ruff crawls away and onto the stage entranceway and Swerve follows.  Swerve sits on Ruff's back and locks in a one-handed chin lock.

As he releases the hold and taunts the crowd, Ruff knocks him into the lighting rig and off the stage, before hitting him with a senton flip off the stage for a two-count.  They get back to the ring and get on the top turnbuckle, where Ruff reverses a superplex into a crucifix bomb for two.

Swerve crawls to the apron and Ruff slides through his legs and tries to powerbomb him, but Swerve hits him off.  Ruff then leaps up and hits a reverse hurricanrana off the apron to the outside!  What a sequence!!!

As they catch their breath on the outside, Swerve laughs at Ruff, and Ruff charges at Swerve, who turns it to slam Ruff into the barrier again, but Ruff catches himself and does a handstand on the barrier, but Swerve reverses it into a Confidence Boost for a near two-count!

Swerve is screaming in anger now and throws Ruff into the ring steps.  He tries a running knee, but Ruff dodges and hits Swerve in the knee with the toolbox.  They get back in the ring and Ruff hits a Frog Splash for two.  They exchange figure four leglocks and Ruff hits a springboard Stunner first in the ring and then another to the outside.

They go over the crowd barrier and Ruff climbs up to a rafter and jumps off, but he's caught by AJ Francis (the host of WWE's Most Wanted Treasures) who Death Valley Drivers Ruff neck-first onto the barrier.

They get back in the ring for Swerve to hit the JML for the pinfall.

Winner: Isaiah "Swerve" Scott

What a match to open the show tonight!

We now see Finn Balor arriving at the arena.

Next, we see NXT North American Champion Johnny Gargano telling Austin Theory backstage that NXT Commissioner William Regal has been avoiding him all day, so they barge into his office, to find him in a meeting with Scarlett.  Gargano says he demands a meeting and Regal tells him later.  Gargano throws a fit and storms out, but Theory hangs back to tell Scarlett that "those are the biggest I've ever seen!  Are they real?"  We learn he's talking about her nails and Gargano drags him out of there telling him he can't talk to her like that.

Asher Hale vs Cameron Grimes

Grimes immediately grabs Hale in a waist lock and slams him hard.  They then exchange some side headlocks and some crossovers, but Grimes overpowers Hale with clotheslines and kicks.  They trade some sidekicks, but Grimes uppercuts Hale.  He then Irish whips Hale, but Hale hits an enziguri.

Hale takes over with a series of strikes and a top rope dropkick for two.  Grimes rallies and hits a spinning Sambo slam.  He then hits his finisher for the pin.

Winner: Cameron Grimes

Backstage, Kayden Carter & Kacy Catanzaro are interviewed and they say they're done with Tian Sha and are interested in challenging for the Women's tag titles now.  Franky Monet interrupts and tells them they're her favorite team, but they won't be winning any titles anytime soon.

Next, we see Cameron Grimes celebrating his win in the locker room.  He is joined by EverRise who tries to get in with him, but he ditches them.

Tommaso Ciampa & Timothy Thatcher vs Grizzled Young Veterans

GYV start by cutting an in-ring promo on their opponents, trashing them and the fans.

Drake and Ciampa start it off with a lock-up and Ciampa takes over with a shoulder block for a two-count.  He then locks in a series of holds before tagging in Thatcher, who continues the holds on Drake.  Drake is able to escape and tag in Gibson.  Gibson gets a waist lock in, but Thatcher turns it into a wristlock.  He then drags Gibson to the mat, torquing his wrist and arm, before kneeing him in the back repeatedly.

Gibson twists out of it and locks in a toehold, but Thatcher sneaks out and gets a sleeper hold applied.  Drake interferes, but Ciampa runs in and they both pound on Gibson and Drake.

Thatcher works on Drake in the corner and whips him to the opposite corner, but Drake jumps to the apron and tags Gibson while on the apron, which the ref says is illegal and argues with Gibson.  This gives Drake the opportunity to cheap-shot Thatcher and then legally tag Gibson.  They hit a double-team dropkick and Gibson locks Thatcher in a chin lock.

Thatcher escapes from the hold with an arm drag and reaches for Ciampa, but Gibson holds his foot.  He gets free and tags Ciampa, who takes out both men with a series of clotheslines and strikes.  He gets Drake in the corner and chops him over and over.  Thatcher tags in and chops Drake himself.  Ciampa tags back in and they hit double chops before Ciampa hits a running knee on Drake for a two-count.

Thatcher tags in and goes for a leglock, but Drake kicks him off and crawls to makes a tag.  Thatcher belly-to-belly suplexes Gibson and tries to pin him, but Drake breaks it and Ciampa goes after him, clotheslining him out of the ring.  Thatcher and Gibson exchange European uppercuts and Thatcher hits a double under hook suplex.

He then tries to lock in an armbar, but Drake dives in.  Thatcher fights them both and throws Drake into the ropes, which he uses to suicide dive out and knock Ciampa over the announce table.  Gibson hits a twisting suplex on Thatcher for two.

Ciampa pulls Drake off the apron and the ref is distracted when Thatcher hits Gibson in the head with Wade Barrett's shoe and locks in the armbar for the submission.

Winners: Ciampa & Thatcher

Backstage, Gargano says he and Theory are going to bust Regal's door down, but when they arrive at his office, Regal shows up.  Gargano pleads to have his title defense against Bronson Reed canceled, but Regal declines.  He then tells Theory that Scarlett has requested a match with him facing Karrion Kross next week, which Regal agreed to.

We now see Swerve celebrating backstage with his friends and he tells the camera he told us he would beat Leon Ruff tonight and that's what he did.

It's announced that Sarray will face Zayda Ramier tonight.

NXT Champion Karrion Kross makes his way to the ring with Scarlett.  He grabs a mic and demands a fight.  He says he's the champion and doesn't need to prove anything to anyone.  He says next week he's going to divebomb Austin Theory on his head and leave him unconscious.

He is then interrupted by Kyle O'Reilly, who struts into the ring and steps up to Kross in the ring.  He says he gets why he thinks everyone should be afraid because of his sheer dominance.  He then tells Kross he's not afraid of him and he wants a match with him.

They are interrupted by Pete Dunne, who tells them he doesn't care about either one of them and says he's the baddest man in NXT and if they think otherwise, he dares them to prove him wrong.

Finn Balor's music hits and "The Prince" has returned.  He tells Dunne and O'Reilly "been there, done that" and then punches Kross, but Kross throws him off and everyone starts brawling.  Security guards surround the ring and pull all the men apart, though Kross is in the ring suplexing security guards that try to stop him.

Kross is then jumped from behind by Theory and Gargano, but Kross fights back.  They overpower him though and double superkick him and Gargano hits him in the head with his title belt, knocking him out.

We next see Gargano and Theory leaving the building and they say Candice LeRae and Indi Hartwell are fine by themselves.  They get in a car and speed off.

Zayda Remier vs Sarray

They start by exchanging holds and tosses, with Sarray eventually hitting a dropkick.  They then exchange strikes, kicks, and pin attempts, until Sarray locks in a reverse Mexican surfboard, which gets a rope break.  She then hits a running dropkick into the ropes and hits a fisherman suplex with a bridge for two.

Sarray hits a missile dropkick, but Remier punches back and whips Sarray into the ropes, but Sarray hits another running dropkick.  She goes for another, but Remier dodges and rolls her up for two.

Remier dodges the attacks of Sarray and hits a sling blade for two.  Sarray German suplexes Remier and then hits a chickenwing suplex for the pinfall.

Winner: Sarray

We now see Imperium getting lectured by Walter on an Ipad in German backstage.  Whatever he says bothers Alexander Wolfe, who gets up and walks off.

Backstage, Sarray and Remier shake hands after the match, but we see Toni Storm charging over to attack someone.  Zoey Stark steps in and stops her and Storm walks away.

Jake Atlas vs LA Knight

Knight enters cutting a promo on the fans and Atlas.

Atlas immediately arm drags Knight and tries to lock his arm, but Knight escapes and takes over.  He stomps Atlas in the corner, but Atlas comes back with a big boot and a dropkick.  Knight rolls out of the ring and as Atlas tries to follow, Knight attacks him and then hits him with a vaulting shoulder into the ring.

They exchange blows, but Atlas hits a German suplex for two.  Knight pulls Atlas face-first into the turnbuckle and stomps him in the corner.  He gets Atlas on the top rope, but Atlas escapes and hits a series of kicks.  As he goes for a move, Knight escapes and hits a BFT for the pinfall.

Winner: LA Knight

We next see LeRae and Hartwell in their locker room trying to psych themselves up, but LeRae notices Dexter Lumis at the door with flowers.  She distracts Hartwell and closes the blinds on the door so Hartwell doesn't see him and they head to the ring.

Toni Storm cuts a backstage promo on Zoey Stark, saying she doesn't deserve to be in the same ring with her.  She says Stark's a nobody, while she's a star.  She then says she brought her into this business and if she has to, she'll take her out of it.

Legado del Fantasma is in the ring and Santos Escobar tells us that last week we witnessed an iconic moment.  It was a premonition of when he will reclaim his NXT Cruiserweight title.  Wilde and Mendoza then tell MSK that they've never beaten them, but last week, they embarrassed them.  They then challenge MSK for the NXT Tag Team titles, which Escobar follows up with by saying the measure of a man is not what he does for himself, but for his brother.

He is then interrupted by Kushida on the big screen, telling Escobar that he crossed a line last week and next week, he wants him for the NXT Cruiserweight title, which Escobar accepts.

NXT Women's Champion Raquel Gonzalez and Mercedes Martinez do a split-screen interview ahead of their title match next week.  They both say some generic crap and neither has much charisma, especially Gonzalez.  If I can be honest, the NXT Women's title picture has really lost steam with Gonzalez as champion and it's a big step down from Io Shirai.

We now see NXT Women's tag champs Shotzi Blackheart and Ember Moon psyching themselves up on the way to the ring, but they see Franky Monet's dog in their entrance tank.  While Blackheart hugs the dog, Moon notices the dog shit in their tank and they have to ditch it.

Next, we see Cameron Grimes trying to get into a club and go to the VIP room, but a bouncer says he's not allowed in because the whole venue has been rented out and he's not on the list.  We then see a white stretch limo show with a big $ on the hood roll-up.  Out walks "The Million Dollar Man" Ted DiBiase, who tells Grimes to never rent a booth when you can buy the whole place.  He laughs in Grimes' face and heads inside as Grimes screams "that damn Ted DiBiase!!!!!"

Shotzi Blackheart & Ember Moon vs The Way – Street Fight –                    NXT Women's Tag Team Championship

They start brawling off the bell and immediately pour out of the ring.  Hartwell grabs a table from under the ring as LeRae slams Moon into the crowd barrier and then pulls a few chairs from under the ring.  Moon then grabs trash cans from under the ring, as Blackheart slams Hartwell's face into the table.

Blackheart and Moon beat on Hartwell in the ring and hit her with double-team dropkicks.  Moon then puts the trash can on Hartwell's head and they double-dropkick it.  LeRae enters to break the pin and throws Moon out of the ring and then she kicks Blackheart to the outside.  She tries to do a baseball slide, but the champs dodge it and they both smash her with trash can lids.

The champs then grab another table and put it in the ring.  Hartwell throws Moon into the barrier and kicks down Blackhearts.  She then kicks Moon into the crowd and sets up some chairs on the outside.  Blackheart shows up to hit her and Moon grabs Hartwell from the barrier and hits her with a facebuster onto the chairs.  The champs then set her up on the chairs and they go for a double team dive, but before they can jump, LeRae sprays them with a fire extinguisher.

Hartwell now grabs a tall ladder from under the ring and sets it up between the ring and the barrier.  LeRae sets up a table in the ring, leaning it in the corner.  She then goes to get a chair as Hartwell enters the ring.  Blackheart climbs to the apron, but LeRae hits her with the chair to knock her off.

Moon hits LeRae with a dropkick and Blackheart hits Hartwell with an enziguri.  They toss LeRae out and Moon beats Hartwell with the chair.  They then hit a double team slam on LeRae and Moon superkicks LeRae onto the ladder.  Blackheart climbs the turnbuckle and hits a diving senton splash on LeRae through the ladder.

Moon then lifts Hartwell up and Alabama Slams her into the corner table for a two-count.  Blackheart grabs another ladder from under the ring and the champs try to slam Hartwell with it, but she boots it into them.  Blackheart is then leaned on the ladder on the ropes and held by Hartwell, as LeRae hits a moonsault on her from the ropes.  She goes for the pin, but Moon breaks it up.

Hartwell hits a sidewalk slam on Moon onto a ladder and goes for the pin, but Blackheart breaks it up.  Hartwell then takes Blackheart over to the announce table, but Blackheart smashes a coffee mug into her.  Blackheart then climbs the lighting rig and does a flying splash onto Hartwell, through the announce table.

LeRae rolls Moon up in the ring for two, but Moon immediately hits her with a sitdown powerbomb for her own two-count.  Moon goes to the top rope, but LeRae punches her.  Blackheart then knocks LeRae off the turnbuckle.  Moon falls onto the table outside and Hartwell hits her with a flying elbow drop from the turnbuckle, putting her through the table.  In the ring, LeRae hits Blackheart with brass knuckles and then the Wicked Stepsister onto a chair for the pinfall.

Winners and new NXT Women's Tag Team champions: The Way

Very good match with some big spots!

And that does it for tonight's show.  Definitely the best show since Takeover with good matches and a lot of story developments.

Till next time friends!

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