NXT - 17/06/2020
- LDR
- Jun 18, 2020
- 5 min read
This Wednesday night promised big things for tag teams, with two sets of championships on the line. SmackDown Women's Champion Bayley and her partner Sasha Banks would defend their WWE Women's Tag Team Championships against Tegan Nox and Shotzi Blackheart, while Imperium made their first defence of the NXT tag straps, facing off with Breezango. The impending threat of Karrion Kross was also following NXT Champion Adam Cole, so let's see what went well for the black and gold brand and what was just a waste of time..
Source: wwe.com
Imperium defeat Breezango (NXT Tag Team Championship Match)
Breezango won contendership a few weeks ago and looked to prove themselves to be more than the comedy team that many believed them to be. This got off to a poor start though, as they came to the ring as mockeries of Fabian Aichner and Marcel Barthel. Imperium took control early on, clearly taking offence to Breezango's fun making, and looked to be on their way to a victory. Tyler Breeze and Fandango weren't going down without a fight though, gaining some very close near falls throughout this one before a fight broke out at ringside, with Oney Lorcan and Danny Burch brawling with Indus Sher. The chaos allowed Fandango to get a roll up but on the wrong man and Aichner hit him with a big DDT to claim the win.
This was a fun bout with the right result. Breezango are both good wrestlers and showed as much here, but Imperium are new champions and deserve a good run with the straps. After the match, we saw Velveteen Dream taking an interview from his couch. Dexter Lumis delivered a drawing to Dream, showing the two of them as NXT Tag Team Champions. Dream claimed that he didn't want to team with anyone, but a tag run makes sense as he can't currently challenge for the NXT Championship.
Source: wwe.com
Damian Priest defeats Killian Dain
Priest tried to get back on track here, facing the huge Beast of Belfast, but he was clearly still hurting from his TakeOver loss to Finn Balor. Priest's back was Dain's main focus, trying to take advantage of the pre-existing injury, and Dain managed to control much of this match. The Archer of Infamy isn't one to go down without a fight though and managed to push back enough to hit The Reckoning for the three count.
On the way to the back, Killian Dain punched Robert Stone with enough force that he went through a protective screen. The two big men going up against each other is a staple for WWE, but not NXT. These two are both great on their day, but having a smaller man to bully is probably better for both - this one just felt a little off.
Source: wwe.com
Aliyah v Xia Li
Issues between these two go way back, with Li breaking Aliyah's nose in a match a few months ago. She has been trying to get Robert Stone's help recently and she carried him - clearly intoxicated - down to the ring. Aliyah has never really been able to get an advantage over Li and it was the same story again here. That is, until Robert Stone vomited everywhere, distracting Li and allowing Aliyah to get a roll up victory.
Clearly the Stone/Aliyah angle has legs and should help push Aliyah up the rankings, but this was not the way to do it. Yes, Stone helped her win but having someone throw up is not something I want to see on my wrestling shows. A misfire here for sure, so let's hope they can get back on track next week.
Source: wwe.com
Adam Cole and Keith Lee Face Their Challengers
After The Undisputed Era boys tried to help Roderick Strong with his recent issues, Adam Cole gave an interview backstage about the clear challenge laid down by Scarlett and Karrion Kross but Keith Lee interrupted, destroying the hourglass and claiming that he wanted to be the man to take the NXT Championship from Cole.
Cole went to the ring to address his challengers, claiming that Kross wasn't ready but that he would happily take Lee's North American Championship. Lee hit the ring to face the champ, but Johnny Gargano and Finn Balor both injected themselves into the conversation, claiming to be worthy of championship opportunities themselves. This all led to a huge decision from NXT General Manager William Regal, who told the men that Lee, Gargano and Balor would face off next week for the North American Championship, with the winner of that match going on to face Adam Cole two weeks later in a winner takes all championship match.
Source: wwe.com
Dakota Kai defeats Kayden Carter
Given what has gone down between these women recently, Kayden Carter was out for revenge and had her friend Kacy Catanzaro at ringside with her. Kai, as usual, had her equaliser in Raquel Gonzalez and the sidekick paid off. Distracting Carter, Gonzalez created the opportunity for Kai to lock in a Koji Clutch on Carter for a quick win.
It is clear that Dakota Kai is someone that NXT are looking at for the future, but Carter and Catanzaro are both great wrestlers who could have done with some more shine in their matches against the Captain of Team Kick. Neither of them gained anything from facing Kai and Kai has no reason to go back against either woman, so nothing has come from this.
Source: wwe.com
Bronson Reed defeats Leon Ruff
Leon Ruff is known for being something of a jobber to the stars in NXT, so this one was only going one way. Reed destroyed the smaller man, hitting a diving splash for the win. After the bell, Reed threw out a challenge to Karrion Kross, looking for retribution for Kross' recent attack on the big man.
Someone of Bronson Reed's dominating size and power should be something of a project in NXT, as there aren't many like him on the black and gold brand. Wins like this will help to raise his profile and it takes stones to call out someone like Karrion Kross so - even in inevitable defeat - this was a net positive for the big man.
Source: wwe.com
Sasha Banks & Bayley defeat Tegan Nox & Shotzi Blackheart (WWE Women's Tag Team Championship Match)
Being WWE Women's Tag Team Champions means that Bayley and Sasha Banks can defend the titles on any brand and they headed home to NXT tonight to do just that. The veteran duo were overly confident though, allowing Nox and Blackheart to surprise them early on. Nox hit a huge chokeslam on Banks, throwing her onto Bayley on the outside before Blackheart hit a diving cross body. The champs managed to take over, with Banks putting Blackheart into the Bank Statement, but Tegan Nox looked to use a chair that Bayley had previously brought into the match to stop the submission. Blackheart managed to counter the submission into her own - the Cattle Mutilation - but, while the ref was taking the chair from Nox, Bayley helped Banks to reverse back into the Bank Statement and Blackheart had no choice but to tap out.
After the match, NXT Women's Champion Io Shirai stormed the ring, attacking Banks and Bayley and sending them reeling and showing who the boss was in NXT. The tag champs have been great since taking the belts from Alexa Bliss and Nikki Cross. It was Banks and Bayley, as inaugural champions, who claimed that they would defend the tag straps on all three brands and it is nice to see that come full circle after barely seeing the belts move from the holder's show. Shirai is the top dog in NXT's female ranks and showed that to send the tag champs running, possibly setting up some phenomenal encounters further down the line.
What did you think of this week's NXT? Who do you think will emerge as North American Champion next week? Will Velveteen Dream cave to Dexter Lumis' tag team request? Who will step up to challenge Io Shirai for the NXT Women's Championship? Let us know your thoughts on this and more down below...
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