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NXT Recap: A Surprise North American Title Match!

Hey gang!  So it looks like this week's episode of NXT will be all about next week, as next Tuesday night will host NXT's Great American Bash special.  Tonight we'll see face-offs, confrontations, set-ups, and establishing matches all for what will take place one week from tonight.  We should also see more of NXT's newest stable, Diamond Mine, and maybe even learn what they're all about.  Enough from me, let's get to some wrestling!

Shotzi Blackheart & Ember Moon vs Raquel Gonzalez & Dakota Kai vs Io Shirai & Zoey Stark – Triple Threat Tag Team Match

Moon, Gonzalez, and Shirai start it off with a brawl.  Lots of reversals, but then Moon and Shirai team up against Gonzalez.  The champ rallies by planting Shirai in the corner with Snake Eyes, but Moon launches her into the corner and hits a top rope Code Breaker.

All six get involved now and start fighting outside.  Shirai hits a moonsault to the outside on them and then Blackheart hits a suicide dive.  Moon follows this with a senton flip from the turnbuckle to the outside and then Stark follows her with a top rope crossbody to everyone on the outside.

Stark, Gonzalez, and Blackheart trade fists in the ring until Kai tags in and takes over, stomping Blackheart.  Stark hits her from behind and hits a suplex for a pin attempt that Blackheart breaks up.  Gonzalez tags in and slams Blackheart, but Stark grabs her and sets her up for Shirai to tag in and get a roll-up for two.

Shirai locks in a rear choke, but Gonzalez breaks out and Blackheart gets Shirai in a headlock.  Shirai rolls her over for two and they get to their feet to both get clotheslined by Gonzalez.

Gonzalez hits a Military Press on Blackheart and then a rear bearhug on Shirai, but Shirai kicks her off and all three tag out.  Stark kicks everyone and Chickenwing suplexes, Kai.  Shirai tags in and hits a 619 on Kai, followed by a top rope missile dropkick for a pin, but Blackheart hits a senton to break it.

Blackheart enziguris Shirai and hits a reverse sling blade before tagging Moon and they hit a series of strikes on Shirai.  Moon hammers Kai with knees and a spinning forearm before tagging Blackheart.  She German suplexes Kai and tries a submission, but everyone floods the ring and starts fighting.

Kai is set up on the top turnbuckle and everyone tries to powerbomb each other off, but Gonzalez breaks it up and powerslams Moon.  She then powerbombs Blackheart, but Shirai and Stark dropkick her down.  Kai hits a knee from the top rope on Blackheart, but Shirai catches her after and locks her in a crossface, but Kai breaks out.

Shirai hits Kai with a double underhook backbreaker and goes for the top rope moonsault, but Gonzalez eats the move to protect Kai.  Moon grabs Shirai and they fight on the outside.  Blackheart hits a top rope senton splash on Gonzalez, Stark hits a flipping knee to the face on Blackheart, Moon hits an Eclipse on Stark, and Kai hits a Kota Kick on Moon.

Shirai tries to German suplex Kai, but Kai rolls her up for two.  Shirai uppercuts her down and hits a top rope moonsault for the pinfall.

Winners: Zoey Stark & Io Shirai

Next, we see Scarlett and NXT Champion Karrion Kross arriving, when Kross is attacked by Johnny Gargano.  Security arrives and separates them as Kross screams that Gargano is a dead man.

They now show a video package announcing a new Breakout Tournament that will kick off in two weeks.

Bronson Reed is now being interviewed about how the last Breakout Tournament made him a star when Hit Row interrupts him and Swerve challenges him for his North American title tonight, which Reed agrees to.

Karrion Kross and Scarlett hit the ring now and Kross calls out Gargano for being a coward and attacking him as he did.  He challenges Gargano to come to the ring and fight him directly.

Gargano comes out and says he's not afraid of him and he jumped him cause Kross jumped him last week.  Gargano says he has actual talent and is smarter than Kross.

Austin Theory jumps Kross from behind and Gargano joins him in beating on the champ.  Kross breaks out though and Saito Suplexes Gargano.  He gets him outside the ring and slams him into the crowd barrier before grabbing the ring steps and going to smash him with them.

Security and Samoa Joe arrive and hold Kross back from doing it, but Gargano then superkicks Kross.  Gargano and Theory run away through the crowd as Kross screams at Joe for allowing it to happen.

Next, we see Gargano and Theory celebrating their attack and getting in a car to leave as they brag about what they did.

Roderick Strong with Diamond Mine vs Asher Hale

Strong grabs him in a side headlock takedown and locks him in a headlock.  They get up and Hale tries to kick Strong, but he catches him and they do a series of roll-through reversals.  Strong hits Hale with a big lifting backbreaker before hammering him with elbows and forearms.

Strong hits a double underhook suplex for two.  He lifts Hale up and hits a spinning back elbow.  They exchange shots, but Strong hits a jumping knee and then locks him in a front face lock for the submission.

Winner: Roderick Strong

After the match, Diamond Mine joins Strong in the ring and Malcolm Bivens says they are open for business and this is just the beginning.

Cameron Grimes vs Ari Sterling

They exchange some lock-ups and reversals until Grimes taunts him and hits the chops.  Sterling kicks Grimes, but Grimes responds with a hurricanrana to launch Sterling out of the ring.  Grimes goes for a running kick on the apron, but Sterling catches him and drops him on the apron.  Sterling then hits a springboard backflip over the ropes to Grimes on the outside.

They get back inside and Sterling hits a standing corkscrew splash onto Grimes for two.  He chops Grimes on the ropes, but Grimes rallies with running knees.  Sterling goes for a top rope Shooting Star Press, but Grimes dodges it and hits the Cave In for the pinfall.

Winner: Cameron Grimes

After, LA Knight hits the stage to taunt Grimes.  He says no one cares that Grimes won cause he's a natural loser.  Grimes challenges Knight to get in the ring with him.  He challenges Knight for the Million Dollar title next week and Knight teases it but says no cause Grimes doesn't deserve it.

Knight says if Grimes wants it so bad, next week he'll put the title on the line against him. But if Grimes loses, he becomes Knight's butler.  Grimes agrees and promises he'll win.  I guess someone in the NXT writer's room saw the episode of Seinfeld about Jerry and George's NBC pilot.  Same plot kids!  Look it up!

Zoey Stark and Io Shirai are being interviewed, when they're interrupted by Indi Hartwell and Candice LeRae, who mock them for not even liking each other.  Stark says they have mutual respect and that's all they need.  LeRae threatens Shirai to watch her back.  Shirai reminds her that she's never beaten her and tells her that next week, they become tag team champions.

Kyle O'Reilly hits the ring and says this has all been about testing himself against the best of NXT.  He says that continues next week with his match against Adam Cole.  He says Cole should come down and tell them what excuse he'll use next week after he beats him again.

Cole heads out, but Samoa Joe hits the stage with security as he makes his entrance.  Joe says he's making sure none of the nastiness of last week will continue tonight.  He invites them to continue, now that they have the ability to stop them.

Cole says O'Reilly wishes he could be him, but it's never going to happen.  He says O'Reilly is obsessed with him and it creeps him out.

O'Reilly asks how he's obsessed if he beat him, put him in the hospital, and then Cole disappeared for weeks.  Cole says he's nothing without him and nobody would even be talking about him without him.

He brings up their time in Undisputed Era and how he was always the one focused on and was the star who carried him.  He says he's still the star and everyone knows it.  Even his wife knows it (OHHHHHHHHHH!!!!)  O'Reilly threatens him to never mention his wife again.

O'Reilly says he's ashamed of what he did when he was with Cole.  They get in each other's face and start pushing.  Joe separates them, but Cole pushes through and O'Reilly gets him in a leg lock.

Cole begs Joe to get him off him, but Joe walks out of the ring. After a moment, Joe signals to security to break them up and they do.

Next, we have Tian Sha in a taped promo threatening Mercedes Martinez and Jakes Atlas.  They say they offended them and will be punished.

We now see Hit Row prepping Swerve for his match tonight.  Swerve tells Reed tonight he will find out why Swerve is different.

Mercedes Martinez & Jake Atlas vs Tian Sha

All four start brawling off the bell until it's just Atlas and Boa.  They exchange punches and kicks until Atlas hits a top rope arm drag and a big kick.  Li and Martinez tag in and Li hits a series of strikes on Martinez in the corner.  Martinez punches out of a suplex attempt and hits a back body drop on Li.

Boa and Atlas tag in and they double team Atlas.  Boa locks in a headlock and goes for a running strike, but Atlas throws him over the top rope.  Martinez and Li enter and Martinez hits a double underhook suplex from the top turnbuckle for two, as Boa breaks it up.

Boa tries to hit Martinez, but she dodges it and Atlas hits Boa.  They then hit a turnbuckle Hart Attack on Boa and Martinez punches down Li.

Mei Ying rises from her thrown and Martinez goes to confront her.  Li hits her from behind and throws her back inside.  She hits an exploder suplex and a roundhouse kick for two.  The ref separates them as Martinez seems to be hurt.  We can hear both Li and the ref asking Martinez if she's ok in the pin and the ref gives the "X" arm sign.  Not good.  I guess the kick connected with her head for real.

Winners by TKO: Tian Sha

We now see Bronson Reed getting ready for his match against Swerve in the locker room.

Tommaso Ciampa and Timmothy Thatcher hit the ring carrying steel chairs.  MSK now enters, also carrying chairs.  They all set up the chairs in the ring and sit across from each other.  See, chairs aren't always bad in wrestling?

Ciampa talks down to MSK and says they're the underdogs against the challengers.  He tells them Thatcher has never held gold in NXT and is hungry and motivated.  MSK then gets up, followed by the challengers.  MSK tells them they respect them and what they've done, but it's time to put some respect on their names.

They say it's time to remind them that they're the challengers and next week, they'll remind them why they're champions.  They then take a shot at them and as Thatcher tries to respond, Ciampa stops him.  He tells them that tonight they got a free one, but next week they won't be so lucky.

Next, we go to a backstage interview with NXT Commissioner William Regal, who updates everyone on the card for next week's Great American Bash.  He's about to talk about the Breakout Tournament when Sarray (hey, remember her?) enters and asks for a match against Toni Storm, which Regal grants.

We now see Karrion Kross and Scarlett getting in their car to leave, when Austin Theory jumps out to attack him.  Kross throws the car door at him.  Gargano jumps Kross from behind and slams the door on him over and over.  Gargano then yells into the camera, but Kross gets up and puts him in a sleeper hold until he's out on the ground.

He then punches Theory into the garage door and gets in his car to run Gargano over, but Samoa Joe pulls Gargano out of the way and tells him that he may have pushed Kross too far tonight.  Awesome segment!

Isaiah "Swerve" Scott vs Bronson Reed – NXT North American Championship

Reed shows his strength to start, throwing Swerve around.  Swerve is cocky though and keeps dancing around him and talking trash.  Reed gets him in a side headlock followed by a shoulder block.  He stomps Swerve on the mat, but Swerve gets a triangle choke on.  Reed lifts him up and knocks him down.

Reed then hits a military press on Swerve before chopping him in the corner and headbutting him.  He whips Swerve hard into the corner and hits a lifting splash onto him.

They get to the apron and exchange shots.  Swerve tries a sunset flip, but Reed instead sits down and crushes Swerve on the apron.  Reed slams Swerve into the crowd barrier, but Swerve gets to the apron and hits a running front dropkick to Reed, knocking him into the barrier.

They get back in the ring and Swerve hits a flying elbow on Reed.  He slaps Reed around and kicks him into the corner.  Swerve then hits a spinning neck breaker for two.  He gets Reed in a chin lock, but Reed powers out and lifts Swerve to the apron.

Reed hits him with chops on the apron, but Swerve flips over him and hits a German Suplex for two.  Swerve tries a half Nelson, but Reed lifts him up.  Swerve crawls onto Reed's back, but Reed throws him off.  Swerve then hits a Flatliner for two.

Swerve tries a rising kick, but Reed catches him and clotheslines him.  Swerve responds with a dropkick, but then Reed hits a Samoan Drop.  Reed hits a series of strikes and hits a running splash in the corner and then an Irish whip splash, followed by a senton.

Hit Row distracts the ref and Top Dollar tries a running splash onto Reed on the outside, but Reed throws him through the glass of the crowd barrier.

Adonis runs over to check and Reed throws him through also.

Swerve hits a dropkick on Reed as he tries to enter the ring and then hits a 450 splash for the pinfall.

Winner and new NXT North American Champion: Isaiah "Swerve" Scott

Hit Row poses on the stage with Swerve's new title as NXT ends.

Pretty fun show with some cool segments and good matches.

Next week is the Great American Bash, so it should be a big show!

Till next time friends!

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