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NXT Takeover: Stand & Deliver Recap – Night Two.

Hey gang!  So after last night's barn-burner night one of NXT Takeover: Stand & Deliver, our expectations are pretty high for what NXT has in store for us for night two on the Peacock app.  Luckily for us, the card is stacked, and it should live up to the hype.  Now on to the show!

Breezango vs. Killian Dain & Drake Maverick – Winners Become #1 Contenders For The NXT Tag Titles

First, we've got some pre-show tag team action to get us started as Tyler Breeze & Fandango take on Killian Dane & Drake Maverick.

Dane and Breeze start us off, and Dane is not a fan of Breeze's pirate outfit.  He immediately tosses both opponents around and tags in Maverick to go against Fandango.  They have a dispute over who's the best dancer, and then Dane tags back in and wallops Fandango before again tagging in Maverick, who eats a tilt a whirl backbreaker from Fandango for two.

He then gets Maverick in the corner to tag in Breeze, who hits Maverick with a suplex, and he tags out.  Fandango then hits Maverick with a delayed suplex for a two-count.  Breeze tags back in and whips Maverick hard into the corner, and stomps him around the ring before a leg drop for two.  He then applies a chin lock, taunting Maverick, who is reaching for Dane but can't reach him.  He gets him in his corner and tags out, as Fandango then hard whips him into the other corner for two.

He hangs Maverick on the ropes with a suplex before tagging Breeze, and they both kick him.  Maverick is eventually able to sneak by him and tag in Dane for the hot tag, as he slams both opponents and hits Fandango with a eurinagi and then scoop slams both opponents at the same time.

He and Maverick exchange tags to double team Fandango, but when Maverick jumps from the top rope, Breeze superkicks him, and Fandango takes out Dane.  Fandango and Maverick wind up on the top rope, where Maverick hurricanranas him off.  Dane then powerbombs Maverick onto Fandango, earning the pinfall in the process.

Winners and #1 Contenders for the NXT Tag Titles: Killian Dane & Drake Maverick

Backstage, NXT Commissioner William Regal talks about tonight's match-ups.  When it comes to Cole vs. O'Reilly, Regal is asked whether NXT will fine Cole for laying his hands on him.  Regal takes a deep breath and says he won't be fined.

Onto the main card!

We open the main show with a performance by Poppy, doing some screaming emo/death-metal song.  I don't know who she is.  I'm a grumpy old dude and just want to see the wrasslin'.

Santos Escobar vs. Jordan Devlin – Ladder Match for the Undisputed NXT Cruiserweight Championship

Each man's NXT Cruiserweight belt hangs overhead as they start with an intense staredown.  As soon as the bell rings, they start brawling!  Devlin hits an arm drag, and they go to the mat and reverse each other's holds.  Lots of counters and running reversals to start.

Devlin finally hits a slam and then a standing Moonsault on Escobar, who then rolls out of the ring.  Devlin goes to the apron and hits a vaulting moonsault off the apron.  As Escobar gets thrown in the ring, Devlin grabs a ladder from under the ring. Escobar tries a baseball slide to kick it, but Devlin dodges and clocks him with the ladder.

Devlin sets up in the ring and climbs up, but Escobar reaches him and knocks him off.  He sets the ladder in the corner and tries to whip Devlin into it, but Devlin stops.  He then tries to powerbomb Devlin into it, but he escapes.  Devlin tries to whip him into it, but Escobar reverses and throws him hard into the ladder and out of the ring.

Outside the ring, Escobar does a running splash to blast Devlin into the crowd barrier.  He then grabs another ladder from under the ring and leans it against the barrier.  He goes back in the ring to try and climb, but Devlin lunges into the ring.  Escobar sees him and dropkicks the ladder into him.  He then throws Devlin into the corner and hits him with the ladder a few times before dropkicking the ladder into him.

Escobar goes under the ring and grabs another ladder, and brings it into the ring.  He stomps Devlin and sets up the ladder to climb.  Devlin grabs his foot, but Escobar jumps off and stomps him into the mat. Escobar then puts a ladder into the top turnbuckle and tries to whip Devlin into it, but he reverses, and Escobar eats the ladder.  As Devlin tries to get up, Escobar explodes at him with a dropkick.  He then tries to vault Devlin into the ladder, but Devlin instead lands on the steps and tries to climb. Escobar grabs him, but Devlin DDTs him from the ladder.

Devlin goes out to grab the ladder at the crowd barrier, but Escobar hits him with a flying elbow through the ropes into the ladder.  They get back into the ring and Escobar kicks and the grounded Devlin, taunting him.  He then tries to double underhook slam him, but Devlin reverses, and back body drops him onto the ladder.

They get to their feet and exchange punches, but Escobar jumping knees him and goes for a running strike, but Devlin hits him with a Spanish Fly.  Devlin then hits Escobar with a cutter and goes for the ladder.  He sets it up in front of the corner and climbs. Escobar climbs the other side, and they exchange punches at the top, but Escobar falls.  Devlin then climbs to the top of the ladder and hits a moonsault on Escobar!

Devlin drags the ladder to the center of the ring and climbs, but Wilde and Mendoza run in and tip it and him out of the ring and beat him at ringside, throwing him into the ring steps. Escobar slides into the ring, grinning.  He sets up the ladder and climbs, but when he reaches the top, Devlin throws a ladder at him and then sets one up next to Escobar's ladder.

They trade fists at the tops of the two ladders.  Devlin hits a Spanish Fly onto Escobar off the ladders, and they crash to the mat.  Devlin sets the ladder up in the center of the ring and climbs slowly, now bleeding from the shoulder.  He reaches up, but Escobar meets him at the top, and again they're trading fists while reaching for the belts. Escobar then hard headbutts Devlin and Devlin goes crashing from the top through the ladder in the corner.  Escobar then grabs both belts from atop the ladder.

Winner and Undisputed NXT Cruiserweight Champion: Santos Escobar

Excellent match with great action!

MSK is interviewed backstage as they show off their new tag team title belts, and they say they're ready for Dane & Maverick and say they're not losing the titles.  They're then asked for their predictions for the two main events tonight, but they disagree on who will win the matches.

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

The Way jumps their opponents right off the bell, and we've got a slugfest.  LeRae tries a quick pin on Blackheart with no luck.  Hartwell hits Blackheart with a side slam for a two-count.  Hartwell tosses her around, using her size advantage, and gets another two count before tagging out.  LeRae hits a slingshot and gets another two count.  She then locks Blackheart in a wristlock before tagging out.  Hartwell slams her around a bit before tagging out again.

LeRae tries a cheating pin with her feet on the ropes but is caught by the ref.  Blackheart fights back now and hits an enziguri on LeRae before getting the hot tag on Moon, who charges in with fists and running strikes on LeRae.  She goes up top, but Hartwell knocks her from her feet.  They go for a double superplex on Moon, but Blackheart gets involved, and they all end up getting powerbombed from the top turnbuckle by Hartwell.

She then goes to work on Moon, stomping her into the mat before hitting her with a hard sidewalk slam for a two-count.  She tags LeRae, and they try to double team Moon, but she escapes and tags Blackheart, who hits both opponents with a flying crossbody from the top rope.  Both of The Way are on the outside when Blackheart dives through the ropes and lands very badly on her head.  Moon then does a flip onto everyone to the outside.

They all get back in the ring, and Moon & Blackheart hit a double team move for a two count.  LeRae rallies now, and she and Hartwell hit a double team slam on Blackheart, and Hartwell goes for the pin, but it's broken by Moon.  Moon then hits a double Eclipse on both opponents, and Blackheart hits a top rope senton splash for the pinfall.

Winners and still champions: Ember Moon & Shotzi Blackheart

Backstage we see both Balor and Kross getting ready for their match.  Balor is drinking water, while Kross is hitting a heavy bag.

Johnny Gargano, with Austin Theory vs. Bronson Reed – NXT North American Championship

Gargano tries dancing around Reed, but the big man catches him and uses his size against him. Gargano tries a head scissors, but Reed cartwheels out of it.  Reed hits Gargano with a fall-away slam and then takes him to the corner for some beating. Gargano gets to the apron and vaults over the ropes to elbow Reed in the head.  Reed is able to bounce back and slaps Gargano down hard.

Gargano tries some running strikes, but Reed can absorb it. Gargano finally gets Reed down by hitting his knees and ribs.  He strikes Reed until he rolls out, and then baseball slides him. Gargano then vaults himself over the ropes to the outside, but Reed catches him. Gargano slips out and pushes Reed into the announce table, further hurting his ribs.

Back in the ring, Gargano tries some mounted punches and even a top rope splash on Reed but only gets a two-count.  He continues the attack on Reed's ribs, which are clearly hurting.  He knees Reed's midsection over and over and locks him in a reverse choke while kneeing him.  Reed powers out of the hold, and Gargano tries an ax handle from the ropes, but Reed catches him and slams him.  He whips Gargano into the ropes and hits him with a standing splash.  Reed gets Gargano up in the vertical suplex, but once up, Gargano tries kneeing him in the head.

Reed absorbs it and drops him into a Death Valley Driver. Gargano gets to the apron, and Reed tries to suplex him from the corner, but Gargano counters and hits him with a backstabber for a two-count.  Reed reverses a series from Gargano and turns it into a hard suplex.  He sets him up for the Tsunami, but Gargano rolls away.  Reed tries a running senton splash, but Gargano avoids it.  Reed gets Gargano on his shoulders, but Gargano reverses into a Frankensteiner and locks in the crossface.  Reed crawls to the ropes and gets a rope break.

Reed is on the apron, and Gargano tries a vaulting move, but Reed socks him and hits him with a Razor's Edge.  He then goes for the Tsunami but misses, and Gargano superkicks him for a near two-count. Gargano tries another superkick, but Reed catches him and clotheslines him down.  He goes to the top rope, but Theory jumps on the apron.  Reed punches him off, but Gargano crotches him on the top turnbuckle. Gargano goes up and tries a top rope hurricanrana, but Reed gets out of it and powerbombs Gargano.

He goes for the pin, but Theory puts Gargano's foot on the rope.  Reed goes outside and chokes Theory. Gargano does a vaulting splash, but Reed catches him and throws him into Theory.  Reed goes flying to the outside now onto both men.  They get back in the ring, and Reed hits a cross slam for a near two-count.

He goes for another powerbomb, but Gargano gets out and superkicks him.  He goes for another kick, but Reed blocks him down.  Reed goes up top for a moonsault, but Gargano avoids it and hits him with two straight One Final Beats for the pinfall.

Winner and still NXT North American Champion: Johnny Gargano

Gargano celebrates on the stage, sitting atop Theory's shoulders.

Really fun match.  Tons of back-and-forth action, and the ending especially had some great reversals.  Good stuff!

Backstage we see Adam Cole in his locker room, surrounded by security and deep in thought.  We then see Kyle O'Reilly in his room practicing kicks and strikes while also surrounded by security.

Finn Bálor vs. Karrion Kross, with Scarlett – NXT Championship

A hard nose to nose staredown to start as both men look each other over.  They then explode into a lock-up, but Kross pushes Balor off.  They lock up again, and Balor tries a wristlock, but Kross pushes him off again.  Balor again tries a wristlock, but Kross gets out and knees him away.  Balor smiles at the test.  He then gets Kross in a side headlock, moving him around the ring in the hold.  Kross thrusts him off and shoulders him down.  Balor gets up and smiles again.  Kross laughs at him.

Balor then chops him and pisses off Kross, who tosses Balor across the ring.  Balor gets up and smiles again before slapping Kross across the face.  Kross rages now and screams as he tackles Balor into the corner.  He whips him into the other corner and hits him with a running shoulder.  He tries it into the other corner, but Balor dodges it now and begins tying Kross into different shoulder locks.

Kross eventually powers Balor into the turnbuckle and hits him with clotheslines.  He then plants Balor with a hard suplex.  He drags Balor into the corner and puts him in the tree of woe, and hits him with a running knee.  He tries to drag Balor up, but Balor locks him in an armbar.  Kross twists out and gets him up, but Balor twists it into a DDT on Kross's arm.  Balor goes back to work on Kross's arm, locking his wrist behind his back and kneeing it.

Kross is now holding his arm, and Balor keeps targeting it, wrapping it around the ropes and striking it.  He spin kicks Kross into the corner, and as Kross falls hurt, he stomps and kicks Kross on the mat.  Balor then stretches Kross through the ropes and begins striking his midsection.  He goes for a running strike, but Kross nails him with a clothesline.  He then gets Balor on his shoulders and runs him into two corners before Balor twists out and hits a reverse DDT.

Kross gets up and hits a northern lights suplex and then rolls into a series of slams on Balor, finishing with a jackknife powerbomb for a two count.  Balor rallies and dropkicks Kross down before double stomping his midsection.  He then locks Kross in an abdominal stretch, but Kross powers out.  Balor responds with a sling blade and sets up another, but Kross clotheslines him and hits him with a Saito suplex.

He tries a lariat, but Balor hits a Pele kick and dropkicks Kross into the corners, knocking him down.  He goes up top and hits the Coup de Gras for two, but Kross turns the pin into a straightjacket submission.  Balor rolls out of it and again double stomps his abdomen.  Balor stikes him with knees to the ribs and again locks in an abdominal stretch.  Kross eventually breaks the hold and loses it, pummeling Balor on the mat.

He then hits the champ with a German suplex before another Saito suplex.  He then hard charges Balor into the turnbuckle, knocking him down hard.  Balor stumbles to his feet, and Kross again hard charges him with a forearm, knocking him out.  Kross rolls him over for the pinfall.

Winner and new NXT Champion: Karrion Kross

Very good match that told a great story, but Kross really needs a new finisher.  The Saito suplex should be it.

Backstage, Santos Escobar is being interviewed, where he says Devlin kept coming back in their match earlier, but he got him, and he is the Lord of Lucha Libre.

Kyle O'Reilly vs. Adam Cole – Unsanctioned Match

Security guards line the entrance ramp.  After O'Reilly enters the ring, they follow him and create a line in the center of the ring, making a human wall to block him off from Cole's side when he enters.  With both men in the ring, the guards exit, and the bell rings.

Neither man moves from his corner for a moment, but then they charge each other, and the fists are flying!  They take turns to pummel each other before it moves outside, and Cole bounces O'Reilly off the crowd barriers. O'Reilly rallies and grabs a steel chair.  He sits Cole in the chair and does some sidekicks to him.  Cole gets out of it and goes for O'Reilly's injured neck, but he back body drops Cole.

They get back in the ring, and O'Reilly goes to the top turnbuckle.  Cole punches him off, and O'Reilly goes tumbling to the outside, holding his neck in pain.  Cole then whips him into the crowd barrier.  Cole goes under the ring and throws a bunch of chairs into the ring while keeping one to beat O'Reilly with at ringside.  He then whips O'Reilly face-first into the lighting rig.

They get back in the ring, and Cole uses the chair to lean on O'Reilly's neck before whipping him hard into the corner.  Cole then does a neck breaker on O'Reilly onto the chairs.  He again hard whips O'Reilly into the corner before applying a chin lock.  He gets O'Reilly up in a waist lock, but O'Reilly twists out and tries an armbar, but Cole breaks out and hits a modified neck breaker/Death Valley Driver for a two-count.

Cole kicks him in the head while yelling at him.  This angers O'Reilly, and he responds with running knees. O'Reilly hits Cole with knee strikes, punches, and a leg sweep.  He then sets up a chair and does an arm breaker, followed by a backdrop on the chair, before getting Cole in an armlock.

Cole rolls out of the ring and sits in a chair, but O'Reilly hits him with a running dropkick from the apron. O'Reilly throws Cole back into the ring, where he grabs a chair, but O'Reilly kicks him and then punches the chair into Cole's face for a two-count. O'Reilly goes under the ring and comes back with a steel chain.  He throws it in the ring and gets to the apron, but Cole strikes with a hangman neck breaker onto the chains.

Cole then hooks the chain on the top rope and tries to get it around O'Reilly's neck, but he fights out of it and forearms Cole down. O'Reilly then wraps the chain around his leg and kicks Cole in the face a couple of times.  Cole responds with a figure four leg lock. O'Reilly rolls it over, applying it to Cole now.  Cole rolls it back, and they start punching each other while in the hold.

They stumble to their feet, and O'Reilly punches Cole down.  He goes for a running move, but Cole clotheslines him with the chain.  He then wraps him in the chain and hits him with a backstabber for a near two count.  Cole sets up two chairs back to back by the corner.  He gets O'Reilly on his shoulders, but O'Reilly reverses to try a German suplex.  Cole reverses to whip O'Reilly into the chair, where he sits, and Cole hits him with a Shining Wizard for a two-count.

Cole goes out and sets up the ring steps.  He pulls O'Reilly out of the ring and sets him up for a suplex onto the steps, but O'Reilly flips out of it and locks Cole in a guillotine.  Cole is fading, but O'Reilly knees him in the face. O'Reilly then sets Cole up to suplex him onto the steps but says no.  Cole then thrusts him into the barrier, but O'Reilly punches him down.

O'Reilly throws Cole onto the announce table and follows him onto it.  They trade punches on the table before Cole takes advantage.  Cole tries to suplex O'Reilly off the table, but O'Reilly reverses and suplexes Cole onto the table.  Cole crawls into the crew area. O'Reilly follows but is blasted with a tv monitor to the face from Cole.

Cole tosses O'Reilly back into the ring and goes under the ring to grab a toolbox.  He dumps it in the ring and grabs a pair of pliers.  He goes to stab O'Reilly, but he catches Cole.  Cole kicks him away and grabs a tire iron. O'Reilly kicks him and grabs the iron, but Cole hits him with an enziguri into the ropes, which O'Reilly bounces off of and hits Cole with a lariat. O'Reilly then hits Cole with a brainbuster for a two-count. O'Reilly then wraps Cole's arm in the chain and locks him in an armbar.  He locks Cole in a triangle choke, but Cole grabs the tire iron and bashes O'Reilly in the ribs.

Both men crawl to chairs and set them up.  They pull themselves up to sit in the chairs across from each other, both in pain.  Cole screams at him, but O'Reilly kicks him in the face.  They then exchange forearms and get to their feet and exchange punches until Cole hits O'Reilly with a low blow, dropping him to the mat. O'Reilly stumbles up, but Cole nails him with a hard superkick to the face for a near two-count.

Cole then grabs the chair and puts it around O'Reilly's neck.  He grabs another chair as the ref tries to talk him out of it.  Cole then punches the ref out and screams at him as he's unconscious.  Cole then goes to the top turnbuckle and hits Panama Sunrise on O'Reilly and pins him, but there's no one to count, as the ref is knocked out.  Cole goes and beats on the ref, trying to wake him. O'Reilly slowly rolls to the ramp while Cole grabs a chair and follows him.

As O'Reilly gets to his feet, Cole throws the chair at his feet, knocking him down. O'Reilly rolls off the ramp, and Cole follows, slamming him into the crowd barrier. O'Reilly dodges, and Cole hits the barrier. O'Reilly locks him in a guillotine, but Cole smashes him into the barrier.  They crawl back onto the ramp, and O'Reilly locks Cole into the guillotine again, but they both fall and smash through the ramp!

Cole crawls out onto the ramp and kicks through the side of it to drag O'Reilly out. O'Reilly slowly crawls back in the ring as Cole limps after him. O'Reilly then falls out of the ring, and Cole follows.  Cole then sets him up and suplexes him onto the ring steps. O'Reilly is folded over on himself and is out cold.  Cole throws him in the ring and goes for the pin, but at the last second, O'Reilly gets his shoulder up to Cole's disbelief.

He gets O'Reilly up on his knees, removes the kneepad, and goes for the running strike, but O'Reilly just falls over.  Cole lifts him to his knees again and tells him he's nothing.  He goes for the strike, but O'Reilly dodges it and locks him in an ankle lock.  As Cole screams in pain, he grabs the chain and hits O'Reilly in the head.

Cole goes to the top rope, but O'Reilly grabs him on his shoulders and hits him with the neck breaker.  He then hits Cole with his own running knee to the head and goes for the pin but just gets two. O'Reilly then wraps a chair around Cole's ankle and goes to the top rope.  Cole escapes and lunges to hit O'Reilly with the chair in the head.  Cole then puts the chair upside down and sets O'Reilly up in the corner.

As he screams at O'Reilly, he gets hit with a low blow and knocked into the ring. O'Reilly wraps the chain around his leg and does a diving knee from the top rope into Cole's back, smashing him through the upside-down chair! O'Reilly falls on top of Cole for the pinfall.

Winner: Kyle O'Reilly

After the match, both men just lay motionless in the ring as the ref checks on them. O'Reilly eventually gets to his feet as emergency responders rush the ring and get Cole on a stretcher. O'Reilly walks slowly and in great pain up the ramp, looking back sadly at what he had to do as Cole is attended to by the medics.

Wow.  What a match!  Unrelenting and nasty the whole way.  Just as it should be to tell the story, they needed to.

A two-night event seemed like a daunting task, but I think NXT hit a big home run with NXT Takeover: Stand & Deliver.  There wasn't a weak match over the two nights, and there were even some instant classics, especially the Walter vs. Ciampa match from last night and Cole vs. O'Reilly tonight.  Well done, NXT!  Well done.

I had a lot of fun with this event, and as usually seems to be the case, Wrestlemania probably won't look great in comparison.  We'll see, though.

Till next time friends!

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