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Hello everyone, and welcome to our live WWE NXT coverage, and tonight The Man comes to NXT! Becky Lynch is set to battle Tiffany Stratton in the main event for the latter’s NXT Women’s Championship, which should be a hell of a match. But that’s not all; we’ll also see Wes Lee fight Ilja Dragunov to learn who faces Carmelo Hayes for the NXT Championship at NXT No Mercy. Plus the Global Heritage Invitational continues with Akira Tozawa vs. Nathan Frazer and Tyler Bate vs. Axiom. Plus we’ll certainly have much more, so it should be a fun show.
Anyway, we’re gonna have a lot to cover tonight so let’s hop right in.
* We start with a recap of Bron Breakker vs. Von Wagner from last week, which led to Bron smashing Von’s head with the ring steps. We also get a montage of Ilja Dragunov and Wes Lee recapping last week and their chase for the NXT Championship. And finally, Tiffany Stratton defeated Kiana James in a great video package leading to Becky Lynch’s promo and the set-up for tonight’s Women’s Title match.
* Earlier today, Becky survived her walk through the NXT parking lot.
Match 1 NXT CHAMPIONSHIP #1 CONTENDER’S MATCH
WES LEE VS. ILJA DRAGUNOV
Lee collides with Ilja to start and begins battering him in the corner. Ilja escapes and hits a knee but Wes continues beating on him and puts him on the mat with a kick. Another kick but Ilja grabs it and trips Wes, then puts him the corner for strikes. Wes in up but floats over, Ilja grabs a kick and picks Lee to the mat.
Ilja with a Euro uppercut, Lee ducks a kick and hits an enzuigiri. Ilja misses a strike, Lee into the ropes but Ilja with a MASSIVE chop to put Lee down. German suplex, Ilja holds on for another — third one but Lee flips out of it. Lee with a somersault kick palm-strikes Ilja to the outside, and then he dives onto him! Lee is back in the ring and hits another dive!
Ilja staggers to the booth and Wes dives — Ilja kicks him in the head! Ilja grabs Wes—German onto the booth as we go to the PIP break.
We’re back with Ilja in control in the corner delivering rapid-fire chops — and we have Spanish commentary so that’s fun. Ilja batters Lee but Lee counters a powerbomb into a cover for two. Ilja strikes away at Wes and says “FIGHT ME!” so Lee does. They’re trading blows, Lee takes over with forearms and an uppercut, Ilja with a kick. Lee fires back with a kick and another, double stomp to the chest and both men are down.
Lee and Ilja are both back to their feet, Wes with strikes in the corner. He backs up and goes for a chop — Dragunov blocks it and lays into Lee. He charges — Spinner Splash! A near fall, but Ilja kicks out!
Ilja batters Lee with elbows and goes for a German but Lee with a back elbow. He goes for a rana — and Ilja with a BIG knee to the gut! Big lariat, cover gets two and a half. Ilja is back up, he grabs Lee who back elbows out of a waist lock. Lee goes for the Cardiac Kick but Ilja catches him — he goes to plant Lee but Lee with a DDT! Ilja falls to the outside.
Lee leaps OVER THE RINGPOST and dives onto Ilja! He grabs Ilja and rolls him in, climbing up top — Ilja up though and decks Wes. Ilja is up top for a superplex, he hits it and goes right to his feet! He lies in wait, H-Bomb! Cover gets only two-plus!
Ilja backs up and is ready to go again! Lee hits a knee to counter, but Ilja with a shot to the back of the head! Cover for three.
Officla Result Ilja Dragunov Wins
Rating: *** 1/2
Thoughts: Fantastic work by both men to set the bar high for this episode right off the top. Both men really gave their all here and everything was perfectly in place. Ilja vs. Melo is the big money match so that’s not a huge shock, but Lee looked great here.
Melo comes out after the match and they jaw at each other as Lee walks off frustrated.
* Earlier today: Tiffany Stratton arrived for her match tonight.
* We get a replay/video package of the events after the main event including the smash onto Von’s head. We see the video posted to Twitter of HBK telling Bron to leave and then Von being stretchered out. Vic reads the diagnosis from the doctor, Von has a minor skull fracture and due to his history of brain surgeries, a timetable for a return has yet to be determined.
* Baron Corbin is WALKING backstage. He’s next.
* Corbin makes his way out to the ring to talk, looking serious. He says normally he’d come out here and the fans don’t like him, and he doesn’t like the fans. But they get that, tonight is different though. Seven days ago he sat at the booth and saw something so vicious the TV trucks had to cut the feed to black. He saw Bron literally crush Von Wagner’s skull between the steps. He doesn’t like Von and won’t pretend he does. Everything about Von’s story, it’s all very real. Bron knew that and he took advantage. He says he’s no doctor but he assures us that Von will never be the same again. He calls Bron to come down to the ring, so here he comes.
Baron cuts Bron off and says the ramp is far enough. He says what Bron did last week — the crowd chants “YOU GOT TABLED!” Baron says what Bron did last week, he doesn’t know how to put it into words. What he did — was frickin’ awesome, man! Bron celebrates and steps into the ring as Baron says he’s never seen anything like it in his life and it was amazing.
Bron says it was so cool, right? And then calls Baron an idiot. He asks if Corbin really thinks he did it to earn Corbin’s approval. He did it because Von put him through a table, so he ended Von’s career. He can close his eyes and still feel it, being about to smash Von’s head, all the turmoil and fear it created in the room. He didn’t just like it; he loved it.
Baron says he appreciates that Bron isn’t afraid to get his hands dirty and is going to pay Bron’s fine, but he can see Bron doesn’t want that. Bron is so angry, eviller than evil. He ended Von’s career — congratulations. Why doesn’t Bron try ending an Olympian’s career at WrestleMania and then end another Olympian’s career before he gets started? Corbin talks about his accomplishments, and Bron says he doesn’t care. Baron says he is on a higher level and Bron should want his respect. Bron doesn’t want his respect and doesn’t need it. There’s only one thing to do — Bron vs. Corbin, no holds barred, No Mercy. Bron tells Corbin to spend the next three weeks calling his family because he’s going to end Corbin’s career.
Baron says there’s a lot Bron needs to learn — for one, he’s not Von. He slaps Bron, who slaps him back. They go to fight and officials break them up.
* Briggs, Jensen and Borne are doing pull-ups when Fallon says it’s time. They’re heading to the ring.
Match2 JOSH BRIGGS, BROOKS JENSEN & MYLES BORN VS. CHARLIE DEMPSEY, DAMON KEMP & DREW GULAK
Briggs bodyslams Kemp to start and Jensen comes in for a double bodyslam. Dempsey comes in and gets knocked down, Gulak comes in and gets double back body dropped. Jensen whips Kemp in the corner and splashes him, he goes to do it again and Kemp gets the foot up. Gulak tags in, Jensen off the ropes but hits a DDT on Gulak.
Gulak with a headlock and Dempsey tags in, but the babyfaces take over. Borne is in now and he hits a suplex on Dempsey, who hits one back. Kemp and Jensen tag in, Kemp with a knee lift off the ropes but Jensen with a spinning heel kick. The cover gets broken up and it turns into all six men brawling around the ring. Borne saves Henley and they share a moment. Borne then grabs Jensen and swings his head into the post, Kemp takes Jensen out and gets the pin.
Official Result Dempsey, Kemp & Gulak win
Rating: N/A
Thoughts: All about the angle here.
* Chase U time! Andre Chase dismisses the glass and he asks Duke to wait up. He asks if he’s seen Thea and Duke says she’s in the terrible 20s. He checks her phone location but it’s been turned off.
Thea is hanging with Jacy, who says the guys over there are eying them. Here they come. They asked Jacy how her weekend was and they went out. Thea says they went out for their birthday and they mock Thea as being a “little girl!” Jacy says “Don’t talk to her like that” and slaps a guy. Thea loses it and beats the tar out of the other guy, and they run off crying. Thea says next week they’re going shopping.
Match 3 DANA BROOKE VS. LYRA VALKYRIA
Circle and lockup to start, they part and Dana with a waist lock that gets reversed. Brooke with a back elbow, they do some counter wrestling until Lyra dropkicks Brooks to the outside. Dropkick to Brooke through the ropes! She rolls Dana in and climbs up, but Dana pulls her off the top and then crawls over two her. Handstand knee drop, followed by a whip into the corner and clothesline out of it for two.
Dana grabs Lyra’s head and Lyra rolls through but Brooke holds on. Snapmare but Dana still holds on; Lyra finally flips her off and fires off with strikes. Clotheslines to Brooke and a bodyslam, spin thrust kick and an axe kick off the ropes.
Lyra with a Northern Lights suplex but Brooke blocks it and hits an elbow to the head. Lyra is sent into the corner, but she rolls away from a handspring splash. Trip to Dana, Frog Splash finishes it.
Officla Result Lyra Valkyria wins
Rating: ** 1/4
Thoughts: Perfectly fine squash for the time it got.
Kelani Jordan is tending to Dana when Lyra walks over and extends a hand. Dana takes it and then as Lyra turns around, Dana charges but Kelani grabs her to stop it.
* The NXT Women’s Breakout Tournament is coming soon.
* McKenzie asks Eddy Thorpe about his rant about Dijak and asks if he’s calmed down. He says it’s hard to do so when dealing with a snake by Dijak. Dijak appears on the Tron in Eddy’s meditation space and takes off his belt, saying Eddy needs to claim his viciousness. Dijak whips a tree and Eddy is pissed, walking off.
* Dirty Dom is walking backstage and walks up to Melo. He accuses Melo of using the same tactics he used to determine his #1 contender, and Melo says that Dom picked his opponent for No Mercy. Dom says he was the A Champion when he was the NA Champion, and now he’s the NA Champion. Melo suggests they put that to the test next week. Dom says “Talk to Mami.”
* Becky Lynch is with McKenzie and says she’s been reflecting on her time in NXT and how it was about working as hard as she could to survive and no one thought she would be champion. Now 10 years later, he’s here and no one doubts her. She’s more hungry and she’s going to walk out as NXT Women’s Champion.
Kiana shows up and says she doesn’t want Becky here and if it was her facing Becky, she’s send Becky back to Raw. Becky says Kiana’s earned an ass-whipping after she wins the title.
NXT GLOBAL HERITAGE INVITATIONAL GROUP A MATCH
Match4 TYLER BATE VS. AXIOM
Lockup to start, they trade some counterwrestling. Bate with a backslide, turned into a surfboard by Axiom that Bate counters out of. Test of strength, Axiom trips Bate and locks in a headlock. Back up, Bate into the corner but escapes underneath Axiom. A little acrobatics back and forth until Bate sends Axiom to the outside. Axiom back in with a shove, Bate shoves back, into the ropes and Axiom dropkicks Bate to the outside. Axiom with a big moonsault off the top to the outside!
Axiom rolls Bate back in and goes up top, crossbody takedown. Crucifix pin for one but Bate rolls through and gets Axiom on his shoulders for the Big Strong Boy spin and slam. Axiom rolls to the outside as we go to break.
We’re back as Bate and Axiom go off the top to the floor. Axiom up and dives at Bate, but he catches Axiom and slams him down. Bate with a standing SSP, but Axiom goes for an armbar. My feed went a bit wonky but when it comes back Axiom catches Bate with a Spanish Fly as Bate bounces off the ropes.
Noam Dar watches in an inflatable elephant suit as Bate hits a knee on Axiom and goes up, leaping but Axiom catches him in a sleeper and locks in the body scissors! Bate powers through and gets Axiom on his shoulders for another spin — but Axiom counters with the Poison Rana! Axiom grabs him — but Bate counters with a brain buster for a near-fall!
Bate going back up top but Axiom with a big kick to the head. They go up top — SUPER SPANISH FLY! Axiom gets a near fall and transitions into a submission, Bate escapes Rana for two, and Bate comes off the ropes with a clothesline and a Tiger Driver ’97 for three.
Official Result Tyler Bate Wins
Rating: *** 1/4
Thoughts: Great match here, as if we expected anything less. The reversals were really good and they definitely had real momentum at the end.
* Butch is asked about his match with Tyler Bate next week. Butch says they go way back and recount their history of matches. He was Bate’s first opponent when Bate was 15. But he’s not here to reminisce; he’s here to prove he’s the baddest man in WWE and no one brings the best out of him than Bate.
* Earlier today, Joe Gacy and Ava were out in front of the tree. He says the tree is rotten and withered away, and they now stand all alone, more isolated than ever before. They put their hands on the tree.
* Trick is watching the video when Melo walks up. Trick says he can relate to Joe saying he’s alone. Melo says he ain’t alone and says he’s got Dom next week. Trick says he is there to help if Melo needs it, and Melo says he respects that Trick wants to do his own thing. Wes Lee is cleaning out his locker behind them and Melo and Trick say Trick-Melo Gang is always gonna be here. They leave and Wes tears his nameplate off his locker, throwing it in the trash.
Match 5 THE CREED BROTHERS VS. MALIK BLADE & EDRIS ENOFE
Julius gets kicked by Blade to start! He takes Julius down and dives on Brutus on the outside, Edris takes Julius down for a two-count. Angel and Humberto are watching as Edris comes off the ropes and gets turned inside out with a clothesline. Brutus tags in and plants Edris for two. then picks him up on his shoulders for a slam, standing moonsault, senton, and cover but Malik breaks it up.
Malik comes in and hits Brutus with a high crossbody. Edris tags in, and the left neckbreaker gets two. Edris batters Brutus about the shoulders and comes off the ropes with a Rocker Dropper. He talks shit to Julius and nails Brutus, who gets up and pounces Edris off the ropes. Brutus makes the hot tag, Malik in and gets hit with a belly-to-belly! Belly to belly to Edris, another to Blade. Julius takes out Blade, Malik off the top but Julius rolls through and catches him. Brutus up top, Brutus Ball gets three.
Official Result The Creed Brothers Win
Rating: ** 1/2
Thoughts: A fine extended squash.
Hank and Tank are out on the ramp now and get attacked by other guys. Creeds jaw with Angel & Humberto.
* Becky is backstage when Lyra comes in and they hug. Lynch congratulates Lyra on her win and Lyra asks Becky to please win the title tonight.
* Roxy is backstage telling the girls that the NXT Breakout Tournament is a big opportunity. They talk about how stacked the competition is before Elektra Lopez and Lola Vice come up and say she’s causing issues in the locker room. She tells Lola that chaos in the locker room is inevitable and Elektra says that she wants trouble, she found it. Lola says after she’s done with Roxy, she’s winning the Breakout Tournament.
* Vic breaks down the NXT No Mercy card so far.
NXT GLOBAL HERITAGE INVITATIONAL GROUP B MATCH
Match 6 AKIRA TOZAWA VS. NATHAN FRAZER
Lockup to start, Tozawa with a wristlock that Frazer counters. Tozawa knocks Frazer down and they both get back up, Frazer with a headlock takedown which Tozawa turns into headscissors. Frazer out of it and goes into the ropes, BIG dropkick.
Frazer charges Tozawa in the corner and gets put on the apron, they go in, and Tozawa rolls Frazer up for two and ducks a spin kick for a German suplex. Big leaping heel kick, Tozawa goes up top for a front missile dropkick. Nathan to the outside and Tozawa dives onto him! He rolls Nathan in and goes up top, but Frazer leaps up. Tozawa fights him off but he leaps back up for a superplex! He holds on for a neckbreaker for three.
Official Result Nathan Frazer Wins
Rating: N/A
Thoughts: RIP Akira Tozawa.
* Joe Coffey is asked by Kelly Kincaid about his match next week against Duke Hudson. He says he’s been the odds-on favourite and the only person standing in his way is Duke, so he’s going to slap him, win Group B and then go on to win the tournament.
Duke walks up and says that he had a Chase U man crunch some numbers and if he wins it's a three-way tie for Group B. He’s workshopping a new nickname: “The Spoiler.”
* Becky and Tiffany WALK backstage.
* McKenzie is with Mustafa Ali and asks about his win last week under “questionable circumstances.” He says he didn’t like how Dom officiated but it’s not something he can control. The fans weren’t booing him, but Dom. He got caught up in the moment but when he realized Dom was raising his hand, he dropped him. He’s going to bring the title home to NXT.
Dragon Lee walks in and asks if Ali saw the match. He did, but won’t acknowledge the fast count. He says when he wins the title, Lee will get the first opportunity. Lee says he’s not done with him.
* Wes is walking out and says that he told himself if he wasn’t going to No Mercy, he’s going up. He kisses his wife and says he’s done, and leaves.
Suddenly Gigi Dolin is beating up Blair Davenport and officials break it up.
Set For Next Week:
– Melo vs. Dirty Dom
– Roxanne Perez vs. Lola Vice
– Global Heritage Invitational: Tyler Bate vs. Butch
– Global Heritage Invitational: Joe Coffey vs. Duke Hudson
Match 7 NXT WOMEN’S CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH
TIFFANY STRATTON VS. BECKY LYNCH
They circle and lock up, Tiff pushes Becky into the corner and they break cleanly. Back to the circle and a test of strength — Tiff with a kick to the gut and headlock, off into the ropes and she runs Becky over. Tiffany Matrix ducks a clothesline and hits a leg sweep, Becky bridges out and does a cartwheel to showboat. She goes for the Dis-Arm-Her and Tiff gets the ropes.
Tiff takes over and sends Becky into the turnbuckles, then into the ropes for a kidney shot. Lynch battles back but Tiff front suplexes her into the top rope to the apron, then knocks her off to the floor as we go to PIP break.
We’re back as Becky hits a clothesline and then charges into the corner for a splash. Exploder suplex, but Tiff gets her on the apron. Lynch slams Tiff’s head into the turnbuckle and goes up for a missile front dropkick, cover for two.
Lynch grabs Tiff and goes for the Dis-Arm-Her, but Stratton counters with a roll-up for two. Lynch off the ropes right into a pickup bomb for two. Stratton goes up top but Lynch grabs her. Stratton put on the apron, she decks Becky and goes up but Lynch decks her. Lynch climbs up with Tiff and lays in a 10-count of fists. She sets up a superplex, but Tiffany fights it off and drops Lynch! Swanton Bomb! Cover for two-plus.
Tiff is frustrated now and grabs Lynch, putting her on her shoulders — Lynch slides off, kicks to the gut, and double underhook into an armbar! Stratton goes for an escape and manages to get her foot on the ropes. She picks Lynch up — and Lynch with a rana into a pin for two.
Lynch gets shoved into the middle rope, Tiff with a hip attack and then a double stomp off the ropes for two. Lynch is up now and takes aim — Lynch shoves Lynch into the corner, but Tiff with a kick. Tiff goes up but Lynch with a Russian legsweep off the second rope for two!
Both women are down now, and Lynch is first to get to sitting. Stratton rolls out of the ring, and Lynch follows onto the apron but gets tripped. Stratton sends Lynch into the steps and then pulls the top of the booth. Tiff grabs Becky for a powerbomb, Lynch fights it and ends up on the guardrail! She knocks Tiff onto the booth and leaps off onto Tiff and into the table! Stratton is rolled in, Lynch with a top-rope leg drop, cover gets a near fall! Lynch with the Dis-Arm-Her! Stratton is caught! She fights and gets to the ropes.
Lynch pulls her into the centre of the ring, but Tiff stands up with Lynch on her shoulders! She dumps Becky on the outside, they go back and forth, Becky back in, Tiffany with a powerbomb! Cover gets two and 9/10ths! Both slow to get up now, they shove each other — Lynch slaps Tuff! Tiff with a rollup for two, plants Becky, moonsault — Becky dodges! She grabs Stratton — Manhandle Slam! New champion!
Official Result Becky Lynch wins
Rating: *** 1/4
Thoughts: Tiffany Stratton’s star only rose higher with this match, where she delivered big time against a top WWE name. Lynch gets the win, which is a strategy that has worked with WWE for NXT and I don’t mind this. Nice for Lynch to get the title that eluded her, it ends the show on a big moment and puts another big star on NXT No Mercy.
Lynch celebrates with the title and with that, we’re done for the night!
Overall Thoughts
Great episode of NXT this week. The vast majority of the matches delivered, while the few that didn't weren't intended to and were just shorter squash matches. The title change was a big moment and will put more eyeballs on NXT and the upcoming No Mercy, while also making Stratton look like she belonged in there with a star of Lynch's calibre. Pretty much everything hit this week as they're building to No Mercy, which has a ton of potential to deliver in a big way.
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