NXT Results and Recap: Champion vs. Champion
Tonight—and for the first time in NXT history—it’s Champion versus Champion, as both the NXT North American Championship and the WWE United Kingdom Championship are on the line in the main event.
Aliyah & Lacey Evans def. Dakota Kai & Deonna Purrazzo
After that confrontation last week, Dakota Kai and Deonna Purrazzo find themselves in tag team action against Aliyah and Lacey Evans. Also, Aliyah found time to get custom Burberry gear. However, the fact that the announce team doesn’t mention that suggests she’d get a cease and desist if Burberry knew about it. (I’m saying it’s actually a knock-off, you see?)
Purrazzo and Evans start things off, with Purrazzo showing off her technical prowess—she’s a virtuosa, after all—for Evans and the NXT Universe. Seriously, just compare the way she finesses her way out of a
But once Evans’ mean streak gets going, so does her (and her partner’s) cockiness level, which opens her up to early arm attacks from Purrazzo—arm attacks specifically for the purpose of priming Evans for Purrazzo’s Fujiwara Armbar. However, the double team maneuvering works out for Evans and Aliyah, and they’re able to just go to town on Purrazzo. At one point, Aliyah even has Evans wipe Purrazzo’s face—because of sweat—with Evans’ handkerchief:
When Kai finally gets in, she destroys Aliyah with some strikes and, of course, some kicks, and she’d put her away for good if not for Evans coming in to break the count. While she’s able to get Evans out of the picture for a moment, an O’Connor Roll attempt turns into Kai missing a blind tag, then eating a Woman’s Right for the loss. Is it safe to assume Lacey Evans will leave Dakota Kai alone now and go on about her lady business? No? Yeah, didn’t think so.
The
“Better luck next time” also goes out to the person who questioned the Street Profits’ affinity for their chains, especially for calling them “just chains.” Culture, people. Culture. (But at the same time, Street Profits could stand to focus a little less on culture for a second so they can actually win a match for once. Just saying.)
Following the Bianca Belair/Nikki Cross post-match brawl last week, Belair took a few moments to talk about Cross and whatever their current situation is. While Belair admits Cross is “crazy”—understatement of the week—she also points out she’s not going to back down from that particular brand of crazy. Because she’s still “UN-DUH-FEATED.” And, given when this interview occurred, clearly winded.
Jaxson Ryker def. Humberto Carrillo
This match is both men’s NXT TV in-ring debuts, and it’s a battle of beauty (Humberto Carillo) and the beast (Jaxson Ryker). Some fun facts: Carillo previously wrestled outside of WWE/NXT as Ultimo Ninja and is the son of Humberto Garza and nephew of Hector Garza.
Despite Ryker’s decision to interfere in The Forgotten Sons’ debut tag team match, neither Wesley Blake nor Steve Cutler
In General Manager William Regal’s office, Candice LeRae wraps up her Aleister Black case interview. Her alibi is rock solid too, as she was with Kassius Ohno and Kairi Sane, who have both already been cleared. But she
“Cowardly attack? Disregard of authority? Attempt to ruin somebody’s life? Who does that remind you of?”
Note: She’s totally going to freak when she finds out it’s actually her husband. In fact, Regal even brings up Johnny Gargano’s current state of mind and wonders if LeRae knows where Gargano was that night. She says he went to the locker room and asked her to sit tight until he was done, and then they left—a pretty reasonable alibi. Except, from the original video of the night of the attack, we know Gargano headed to the locker room—he enters and passes by Regal as Regal is going to the parking lot—after the attack happened.
As promised, Otis Dozovic vs. Tommaso Ciampa is happening—next week. Lars Sullivan returns to action next week as well.
Ricochet (c) vs. Pete Dunne (c) in a Champion vs. Champion match went to a No Contest
But right now, it’s main event time. This right here the definition of a big fight feel, so I’ll admit right now that words won’t do this match as much justice as seeing the actual match itself. The Full Sail crowd is hot from the jump, with
Neither man is able to get a proper advantage early on during the initial lock-up, but then Dunne gets a hold of Ricochet’s left hand… and you can probably guess just how much glee he gets in destroying that hand for the rest of the match. But surprisingly enough—at least to the announce team—instead of trying to create separation to stop this, Ricochet spends a good portion of this part of the match trying to beat Dunne at his own game. That’s right, instead of flipping and flying his way out of this, he instead proves that he’s just as technically gifted as “The Bruiserweight”: Because “The One and Only” Ricochet isn’t just a high-flyer.
It’s back and forth, where a
But his hand still hurts, and the next time Dunne gets the advantage, he kicks Ricochet’s left hand—hard. Then he just contorts every part of Ricochet’s body, which is the first moment when the crowd chants “FIGHT FOREVER.” Rude… but also understandable. However, Dunne’s getting cocky at this point, kicking Ricochet in the head lazily; so when he’s ready to go with the kill shot hand stomp, Ricochet luckily avoids it. At this point, both men are just trying to get that one big move, but that’s difficult to do when the other reverses everything. Like Ricochet landing on his feet, countering the X-plex, or Dunne just forearming the hell out of Ricochet as he attempts a springboard. Again, Dunne gets the better of their exchanges, and it’s back to the hand. “Pete Dunne has made that hand useless,” according to Nigel McGuiness, so now Ricochet has to resort to his legs. That’s where the springboard attempt right into the forearm comes in though. And with Dunne finally able to hit a brutal looking X-plex, surprisingly, Ricochet still kicks out. More action, more never say die behavior from both men.
So Dunne goes back to hand. Both hands. He stomps on both of ‘em, which honestly wakes Ricochet up, and both men end up just kicking the hell out of each other. Then they end up on the second rope, with Dunne still messing with Ricochet’s hand. Ricochet fights back and lands top rope hurricanrana and a combination of high impact moves, but still, there’s no end in sight. And the NXT Universe wouldn’t have it any other way, as they’re on their feet, applauding this match and these men with every fiber of their being. Another springboard attempt from Ricochet—a springboard 450 this time—gets countered into a triangle choke by Dunne, and although Ricochet is able to power out with a powerbomb, Dunne still breaks his fingers and goes back to break the whole hand. The screams of pain coming from Ricochet at this point in the match are just unreal, especially as he keeps holding on and refusing to quit. And then he’s able to save himself—at least temporarily—by deadlifting Dunne and hitting a brainbuster. With that, with both men spent, Mauro Ranallo asks, “What’s next?” What could possibly be next?
Well… The Undisputed Era arrive to attack both competitors and put a disappointing end to a phenomenal match. The War Raiders chase them off and then out of Full Sail, leaving the crowd to cheer the two men left in the ring. Two men who get to keep their championship titles. They both stand up, beaten up and a little broken, as the crowd against chants “BOTH THESE GUYS” and then finally “NXT.”
You can watch this week’s NXT on the WWE Network.