Posted in: Sports, TV, WWE | Tagged: North American Title, NXT, NXT Recap, recaps, Steel Cage Match, wrestling, wwe

NXT Recap: Who Survived The Steel Cage To Be North American Champ?

Hey gang!  While WWE hasn't announced too many matches for tonight's NXT, we do know what the main event is and it should be a good one, as Johnny Gargano will defend his NXT North American title against Bronson Reed in a steel cage.  Let's get started!

Toni Storm vs Zoey Stark

They start things off with a staredown until Storm slaps Stark across the face.  This pisses Stark off and she explodes on Storm, stomping her all over before dropkicking her out of the ring and then hitting Storm with a vaulting crossbody to the outside.

Storm lures Stark outside and drops her on the apron, before slamming her into the ring steps and hitting a Foley-like running knee on Stark into the steps.

They get back in the ring and Storm is all over Stark, stomping her in the corner before hitting a snap suplex for a two-count.  Storm gets a chin lock on and then Irish whips her into the ropes and hits a big boot.  Stark tries to fight back, but Storm is all over her and hits a backbreaker.

Storm hits some punches and uppercuts, but Stark dodges to attempt a roll-up for two.  As they get back to their feet, Stark hits an enziguri to plant Storm.  The match is even now as they trade blows.  Stark takes advantage and slams Storm's head into the turnbuckle.  She tries to lift Storm, but Storm reverses into an atomic drop and tosses Stark outside again.

Stark rolls back in and tries a roll-up for two.  Storm kicks out and gets her in a headlock.  Stark tries to get out, but Storm slams her to the mat and drops a standing elbow.  They get to their feet and trade punches and kicks until Stark takes over and hits some running strikes.

Stark goes for a half and half suplex, but Storm reverses to try a Storm Driver, but Stark reverses and hits the half and half for two.  They trade holds and Storm hits a German suplex and then Storm Zero for a near two-count.

Storm gets her up and hits a step-over twisting DDT for the pinfall.

Winner: Toni Storm

After the match, the lights go out and Franky Monet appears on the stage.  Nothing happens then.

Well, that was a waste of time…

Backstage, Legado del Fantasma is interviewed and says that Santos Escobar is on vacation.  They then say they are the number one contenders for the tag titles, but they're interrupted by Tommaso Ciampa and Timothy Thatcher, who say they should be the number one contenders.  They then challenge each other to a tag match tonight and it's set.

Next, we see earlier in the day as a white limo pulls up and Cameron Grimes gets out.  Jake Atlas tells him he can't park there because Ted DiBiase parks his limo upfront.  This pisses Grimes off and he challenges Atlas to a match tonight, which is made official.

We now go to a spa, where we see NXT Women's Tag Team Champions Candice LeRae and Indi Hartwell getting facials and massages.  LeRae says they deserve this and then they trash talk Dexter Lumis and say he's a loser, but we see that the guy giving Hartwell a massage is Lumis.  Hartwell says he's a loser and she's done with him and Lumis walks away.

Now we get a video package of Finn Balor and Karrion Kross each watching their title match at Stand & Deliver.  They each go over moments in the match and what they were and are thinking.  We then see other people in the company talking about each competitor and hyping the rematch next week.  Pat McAffee, Paul Heyman, and Jimmy Smith each make their predictions for the rematch.

Jake Atlas vs Cameron Grimes

Atlas is waiting in the ring as Grimes enters with a mic and says he's about to show everyone the real Ted DiBiase.  A video then rolls of DiBiase's biggest losses and embarrassing moments from his career.  Grimes laughs his ass off as the crowd chants for DiBiase, which pisses Grimes off.  He goes for a cheap shot at Atlas, but he dodges it and throws Grimes out of the ring.

Grimes gets back in the ring and hammers Atlas, hitting him hard with forearms.  Atlas responds with a vaulted arm drag off the ropes, followed by a flying hurricanrana off the top rope for a two-count.

Atlas tries a running strike, but Grimes responds with a knee to the stomach and then he begins choking Atlas on the mat.  He whips Atlas hard into the corner and begins taunting.  This allows Atlas to catch his breath and they trade blows.

We now see outside that a limo with a big dollar sign on the hood has arrived.

Atlas goes to the top turnbuckle, but Grimes runs at him and Atlas jumps over him and then they hit each other with a running crossbody.

Ted DiBiase's music hits and "The Million Dollar Man" walks out to the stage.  Grimes is distracted and Atlas rolls him up for the pinfall.

Winner: Jake Atlas

DiBiase laughs and Grimes goes after him.  He chases him outside and bangs on his limo window.  DiBiase rolls down the window and tells him "not bad kid, but you're no Million Dollar Man!"  He then laughs hard as the limo drives off.  Grimes screams "that damn Ted DiBiase!!!" and throws a tantrum in the parking lot.

Next, we have a video package of Bronson Reed in a steel cage, hyping up his title match against Johnny Gargano tonight.  He goes over his past, from his first match in 2007 until now.  He promises he will win and says he will celebrate with his wife tonight.

We now go to Pete Dunne's sitdown interview with Arash Markazi.  Dunne is asked who he wants to face next?  He says he's beaten Kushida but has unfinished business with Walter and Finn Balor and if he wants Karrion Kross, he's there.  Next, he's asked if he gets enough respect and he says he knows he's never had a bad match.  He's asked about his style and he says he gets influence from everywhere he's wrestled, like England, Japan, and the U.S.

He's asked about his goals and he says he doesn't set goals, but it's time he goes after the NXT title.  He's conquered the U.K. and now it's time to take over here.

Alexander Wolfe, with Imperium vs Killian Dain, with Drake Maverick

If you remember, this match was scheduled for last week, but we learn that Wolfe is medically cleared now tonight, so here we go!

They start off trading punches, but Wolfe takes over with a series of uppercuts.  Dain finally responds with uppercuts of his own and then slamming Wolfe from corner to corner.  Aichner gets on the apron and Maverick follows but is booted off.  Wolfe hits Dain with a German suplex and then Barthel throws a chair in the ring.  Wolfe grabs it, but Dain plants him with a running crossbody for the pinfall.

Winner: Killian Dain

After the match, Maverick jumps on Dain's shoulders and celebrates.

Bartel and Aichner tell Wolfe to line up to do the Imperium pose, but when he does, they jump him and beat him to the mat.  They then hit him with the Imperium Bomb and stand over him and pose.  Man, if you can't trust Nazis in pro wrestling, who can you trust?

Raquel Gonzalez and Dakota Kai are interviewed backstage and they talk trash about Mercedes Martinez and then say they are next going after the NXT Women's tag titles.  They're then interrupted by Ever Rise, who insults them and brag about themselves.  Gonzalez says she's never heard of their show and they challenge her to hit them, which she does.

Legado del Fantasma vs Tommaso Ciampa & Timothy Thatcher

Speaking of Nazis, this match is being reffed by WWE's resident real-life hate-spewer, Drake Wuertz!  Seriously, how does this guy still have a job there?

Wilde and Ciampa start us off and they head outside the ring and Ciampa slams Wilde into the crowd barrier.  They get back in the ring and Ciampa is all over him with a series of mat holds.  He tags in Thatcher, who continues to have Wilde in holds until Wilde sneaks a tag to Mendoza.  This doesn't help much, as Thatcher locks him in a wristlock before tagging Ciampa in.

Ciampa drags him to the mat and applies head scissors.  He then whips Mendoza into the corners, but Mendoza responds with a boot to the face and starts pounding on Ciampa.  Ciampa rallies though and tags Thatcher back in, as we see that Mendoza is bleeding pretty good from his nose.

Thatcher gets him in a headlock, but Mendoza fights out and dropkicks his knee.  He goes for a shining wizard, but Thatcher catches him and applies an ankle lock.  Wilde and Ciampa come in, and Thatcher and Ciampa both get ankle locks on Wilde and Mendoza, as Kurt Angle and Ken Shamrock each look on somewhere very proud.

Ciampa now has both men in a corner and hits them with a series of running clotheslines, finally concluded with a big double clothesline to Wilde and Mendoza.

They eventually recover and hit Ciampa with a double sidewalk slam, a stump-splitter, and a double dropkick.  Mendoza and Ciampa then get in a slapping fight, but Mendoza hits him with a running strike to the midsection in the corner.  He goes for another, but Ciampa dodges and Mendoza goes shoulder-first into the post.

Thatcher tags in and takes over, hitting Mendoza with a series of suplexes and slams.  He uppercuts Mendoza in the corner, before tagging Ciampa back in, who hits him with a series of chops.

Thatcher tags in and chokes him.  Ciampa tags back in and they double-team him with a bunch of slaps and chops.  Ciampa and Mendoza trade blows and pinning reversals before Wilde tags in.  They double team Ciampa with some vaulting moves before Thatcher breaks it up.

Mendoza knocks Thatcher out of the ring and he and Wilde go for a double team on Ciampa, but Thatcher grabs Mendoza's leg from the outside and pulls him out to uppercut him.  Wilde then hits a running senton bomb over the top rope onto Thatcher on the outside.

Wilde goes to the apron, but Ciampa hits him with a Widow's Bell for a very near two-count, but Mendoza dropkicks him to break it up.  As Thatcher beats on Mendoza in the ring, Grizzled Young Veterans pull Ciampa outside and hit him with a double team onto the apron, and toss him back in the ring.  Wilde and Mendoza then hit a double team enziguri/Russian Leg Sweep on Ciampa for the pinfall.

Winners: Legado del Fantasma

We now get a backstage interview with the recently returned to NXT Bobby Fish, who says he didn't make the save last week for Kyle O'Reilly, but to get his hands on Pete Dunne and Oney Lorcan for injuring him at War Games.  He then challenges Dunne to a match next week to settle their unfinished business.

Back at the spa, LeRae and Hartwell are saying how great they feel and how great it was going there when a woman tells LeRae that her credit card was declined.  The woman says the card company says there's an unpaid expense, a purchase at a florist three weeks ago.  LeRae plays coy, but Hartwell puts it all together that she set up Lumis for the whole thing with Shotzi Blackheart and Ember Moon a couple of weeks ago.  Hartwell then becomes overjoyed as she runs around screaming that "he still loves me!"

Next, Gargano and Theory cut a backstage promo on Reed, where Gargano claims he's unbeatable.

Aliyah, with Robert Stone & Jessi Kamea vs Sarray

Sarray tries to shake Aliyah's hand, but she cheap shots her instead.  Sarray is able to reverse it and hit her with a top rope arm drag.  Sarray is then distracted, allowing Aliyah to take over.  She hits Sarray with a series of strikes and hair tosses.  You know, really technical stuff.

Sarray recovers and hits a spinning heel kick and a German suplex.  She then hits a missile dropkick from the top rope and a dropkick into the ropes.  She then hits a strong side suplex for the pinfall.

Winner: Sarray

Next, we get a promo from Blackheart and Moon, where they rebuild their tank and call out everyone who has challenged them.

We now see Hit Row making their way to the entranceway.

Hit Row now, umm, hits… the ring.

Hit Row vs Tony Nese & Ariya Daivari

This is a total squash with Top Dollar and Ashante Thee Adonis just totally burying Nese and Daivari.  It ends with Dollar hitting Daivari with a DVD into a vertical suplex for the pinfall.

Winners: Hit Row

After the match, each member of Hit Row grabs a mic and they cut a rapping promo.  Swerve says he has his eyes on whoever wins the NXT North American title match tonight.

Next, we have NXT Commissioner William Regal being interviewed backstage, where he announces Legado del Fantasma will take on MSK in two weeks for the NXT Tag Team titles.  He says he's also bringing in new cruiserweight talents to challenge Kushida and next week Gonzalez & Kai will take on Moon & Blackheart.

The cage is lowering around the ring and you know what that means kids…

Bronson Reed vs Johnny Gargano – NXT North American Championship

Right off the bell, Gargano dives to the door and tries to escape, but Reed drags him back and slams him into the cage.  Gargano then tries climbing the sidewall, but Reed grabs him again.  Reed manhandles Gargano, knocking him out of midair and then tossing him into the cage, over and over.

He gets Gargano on his shoulders and javelins him into the cage.  He then traps Gargano against the cage and rubs him into it.  Reed tries to splash him into it, but Gargano dodges and Reed smashes into the cage.  Gargano tries to dive in at Reed, but he catches him and DDTs him.

Gargano climbs up to the top rope and moonsaults onto Reed.  He then tries to climb out, but Reed pulls him onto his shoulders and hits a DVD for two.  Reed goes to climb out, but Austin Theory climbs on the other side of the cage, allowing Gargano to kick Reed's knee and crotch him on the top rope.

Gargano hits Reed with corner punches and tries to climb out, but Reed grabs him.  Gargano stomps him off and hits a running splash into the corner.  He traps Reed between the ropes and the cage and tries a running strike, but Reed punches him away.  Gargano then kicks the rope into his crotch and then gives him the old crotch stomp.

He then chokes Reed on the second rope before punching him into the cage.  He then hits a running dropkick on Reed into the cage while Theory hits a splash onto the other side.  He goes for another move, but Reed hits a big power slam and an inverted atomic drop, before slingshotting him into the cage.

He gets Gargano on his shoulders and climbs the turnbuckle and hits a Samoan drop off the second rope for a two-count.  Reed climbs the cage, but Gargano grabs his leg and punches his knee.  Gargano climbs up next to him and hits a sunset flip on Reed off the top rope for two.

Gargano now tries crawling to the open door and Theory grabs his hands to pull him out, but Reed grabs his legs and hits a sitdown splash on Gargano.  Reed tries to exit, but Theory holds the door shut on him. Reeds slams the door open, knocking Theory out, but Gargano superkicks Reed.  Reed doesn't drop from this and hits Gargano with a hard punch and gets him up for a powerbomb, but Gargano grabs the cage while up on Reed's shoulders and hits a poisonrana on Reed.

Gargano pulls himself to his feet and tries One Final Beat, but Reed catches him and throws him into the cage.  Reed then almost crawls out, but Theory slams the cage door in his face.  Gargano hits One Final Beat but only gets a two-count.

Gargano climbs the cage and gets to the top, but Reed climbs up too.  They get to the corner and Reed hits a huge top rope super powerbomb onto Gargano!  Reed climbs the cage, but Theory climbs the other side as Gargano climbs next to him.  Reed fights both off and hits a diving splash on Gargano.  He then goes to the top turnbuckle and hits the Tsunami on Gargano for the pinfall and the win!

Winner and new NXT North American Champion: Bronson Reed

Very fun match with a lot of drama and unpredictable action.  Well done!

Afterwards, a very emotional Bronson Reed celebrates in the ring as fireworks go off around him and NXT goes off the air.

A Solid enough show with a really good main event.  Next week's card looks pretty loaded, so this may have been the calm before the storm.

Till next time friends!

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