NXT - 27/05/2020
- LDR
- May 28, 2020
- 5 min read
For this week's NXT, Hall of Famer Kurt Angle was drafted in to officiate the cage fight between bitter rivals Timothy Thatcher and Matt Riddle. We also had Io Shirai and Rhea Ripley - Charlotte Flair's upcoming challengers for the NXT Women's Championship - teaming up to take on Flair and a partner of her choosing and the final match of Group A of the Interim Cruiserweight Championship Tournament. What went well tonight for the black and gold brand? Read on to find out!
Source: wwe.com
Drake Maverick v Kushida v Jake Atlas (Cruiserweight Championship Tournament)
Opening this week's show was the Triple Threat match to determine a clear winner from Group A in the Cruiserweight tournament. Drake Maverick entered the match with a heavily taped arm after Kushida aimed his attack on the limb last week, but continued the pure babyface fire he has shown in recent weeks. Kushida's technical work put him on top for a while but each man put up their best efforts, lading to a chaotic back and forth. Kushida eventually managed to lock Atlas in a vicious armbar, but Maverick sneaked in to drape his arm over Atlas, whose shoulders were to the mat. Group B winner El Hijo del Fantasma made his way out to congratulate the underdog winner and shake his hand ahead of their match. Maverick was interviewed backstage on his way, where it was revealed that Atlas had tapped out moments before the three count. Maverick, showing the purest intentions, offered to face Kushida in another match to determine a clear winner, but Kushida just instructed the Englishman to win the tournament. Maverick told him he would and that, once he had, Kushida would get the first shot at the championship.
Johnny Gargano v Adrian Alanis
Gargano made his way to the ring with his wife and talked down to the Performance Centre trainees around ringside. He announced the Gargano Invitational, stating that he wanted to give the "good hands" a start in NXT. His first opponent would be Adrian Alanis, whom he swiftly put away with a Gargano Escape for the submission victory. After the fact, Mia Yim and Keith Lee appeared on the TitanTron, mocking the Dinner with the Garganos segments that we have seen recently. Tegan Nox delivered them pizza - but had eaten most of it - while they poked fun of the couple still in the ring.
Source: wwe.com
Shotzi Blackheart v Raquel Gonzalez
Gonzalez took control of this match early on, using her power and size advantage to keep Blackheart down. Dakota Kai, supporting Gonzalez at ringside, took the opportunity to hijack Shotzi's tank, breaking pieces off of it as she went. Kai's long-term rival Tegan Nox ran down to take out Kai, spending the rest of the match in Blackheart's corner. Gonzalez maintained control for a while but, just as it looked as though Shotzi was in the ascendency, Candice LeRae got in Tegan's face for her part in the previous vignette. The ensuing argument was enough of a distraction to allow Dakota Kai to catch Blackheart on the top rope, from which Gonzalez hit a huge powerbomb for the win. LeRae was approached for an interview backstage, in which she called Nox a disgrace for her part in Yim and Lee's mockery and also challenged Yim to a match next week.
Source: wwe.com
Io Shirai & Rhea Ripley v Charlotte Flair & a Partner of Her Choice
It was a real case of "the enemy of my enemy..." tonight as Shirai and Ripley teamed up against the NXT Women's Champion. Her choice of partner was inspired, bring Chelsea Green down in her corner. Chelsea is automatically elevated by association with women of this calibre and being in this match gave her the drive to prove her worth. While Green did look outmatched for most of this, she fought hard and survived long enough to make a tag to Flair. Io Shirai looked to be setting up for a springboard dropkick on The Queen, but Green took the bullet, diving in front and allowing Flair to roll up the Genuis of the Sky. With her feet on the ropes, Charlotte took the win, gaining an advantage over her opponents for the upcoming TakeOver event.
Adam Cole Negotiates The Undisputed Era's NXT Position with William Regal
NXT General Manager William Regal had promised to hear Adam Cole's gripes with The Undisputed Era's treatment on the black and gold brand and negotiate anything that he thought was fair. Cole's first request was that his stablemates get a shot at the NXT Tag Team Championships as they were forced to face an unknown opponent in their last title shot, with Timothy Thatcher replacing the unavailable Pete Dunne. He also demanded that Velveteen Dream never be allowed to involve himself in UE business again and that he not be allowed another shot at Cole's NXT Championship. Regal told Cole that Velveteen Dream would never get another shot at the NXT title - so long as Cole could retain it against the Purple Prince at TakeOver: In Your House.
Source: wwe.com
Tommaso Ciampa v Leon Ruff
Ciampa has some ongoing issues with Karion Kross - the two will face off at In Your House - and Kross' wife Scarlett made her presence known at ringside as this match started. This one didn't last long, with Ciampa dominating Ruff and staring down Scarlett as he hit the Fairy Tale Ending for the win. Kross appeared on the screen after the match, echoing Ciampa's statements of their match being special and claiming that at TakeOver, Ciampa would feel something "truly special".
Source: wwe.com
Timothy Thatcher v Matt Riddle in a Pit Fight
It always adds intrigue and excitement when WWE move away from their original presentation and that is exactly what happened here. The scaffold-like cage around the raised black floor made this seem a suitable arena for vicious warriors to do battle. These two went at each other with everything they had from minute one, hitting hard and taking no prisoners. Matt Riddle knocked out two of Thatcher's teeth, causing a short stoppage, but he was able to continue. Thatcher took control, hitting Riddle with some vicious strikes and trying his very best to hurt his opponent. Thatcher made a mistake by moving up to the higher level of The Pit, where Riddle threw him off the top before hitting a Floating Bro. It looked like Riddle was on his way to a win, but Thatcher locked in a rear-naked choke, slamming The Original Bro against the cage before taking him to the floor. Special referee Kurt Angle tried to get a reaction from Riddle but he had no choice other than to call the submission victory in Thatcher's favour. This was a vicious fight, with both men looking great. It was Thatcher's best outing since joining NXT and Riddle looked completely at home getting serious in the cage. Riddle is a very flexible performer and will go far as long as he doesn't get himself into too much hot water, but giving Thatcher the win was the right move here.
What did you think of this week's NXT? Will Oney Lorcan and Danny Burch be Imperium's first challengers for the tag titles? Is Matt Riddle and Timothy Thatcher's rivalry over? What will happen when Pete Dunne returns? Let us know what you think on this and more down below!
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