Posted on 9/03/125 by Bob Magee
NXT is back on the air in front of a live studio audience at
a sound stage from the Performance Center in Orlando.
Participants in the eight-man tag match arrive to the
building. Ricky Saints brought swagger, while Hank & Tank
arrived with a rotisserie chicken. NXT Champion Oba Femi
arrives to rule, while Darkstate saunters into the building.
Opening the show from inside the building is the entrance of
Jaida Parker. She is over with the studio audience, as the
crowd chants “Miss Parker” as she enters the ring. Following
her entrance is that of Lash Legend. Those two meet in t he
opening bout tonight on NXT.
Jaida Parker vs. Lash Legend
They wrestled through a commercial break. They were given a
lot of time, and they worked hard. Push Jaida Parker and she
would become a superstar. She has the tools in the ring and
an “it” factor, but they put Legend over here.
Parker got to shine in the match despite dropping the fall,
including getting near falls on Legend. Before they went
home, the fight spilled outside the ring on the floor.
Legend executes her Lash Extension on the floor, and Parker
takes the finisher on the announce desk. Back in the ring,
Legend with another Lash Extension in the ring, and Legend
covers Parker for a three count.
Match result: Lash Legend defeated Jaida Parker via pinfall
This feud must continue, so they brawled after the match.
Parker attacked Legend in the aisle after the bell, and
Legend is sent into the barricade. Parker then delivers a
hip attack, and Legend crashes through the barricade in a
stunt.
— Blake Monroe is backstage when she meets up with Arianna
Grace, and there is some product placement with Maybelline
in a skit. Stacks is there with Grace, but he exits stage
left. Jordynne Grace enters the scene and has a pull-apart
with Monroe.
Evlove Woman’s Champion Kalli Armstrong rushes in to cut a
promo on Grace for barging into an “ruining” another
segment. Not only does Grace have a problem with Monroe,
Armstrong warns Grace that she now has a problem with
Armstrong too. This clearly sets up a singles bout between
the two.
— An in-house commercial plugs AAA while promoting When
Worlds Collide in Las Vegas.
Josh Briggs trolls and attacks Je’Von Evans
Evans is somber as he cuts a heartfelt promo about losing to
championship match against Oba Femi. Josh Briggs interrupts
after trolling the audience by teasing a cameo from The
Undertaker. Briggs then jumps Evans after a cheap shot.
First, Evans wears his heart on his sleeve as he recounts
his failure to capture the NXT title. He cannot be positive
after Heat Wave. Evans appears emotional and takes a moment
to collect himself. He went into excited, and he even called
his sister to say he would become the youngest NXT champion.
But he did not do that.
Evans apologizes to the fans for letting them down, and the
studio audience responds with “NO” chants. Evans says he
also let himself down. The crowd chants they love him, and
Evans is appreciative of that. He continues to speak when a
motorcycle is seen arriving to the building. Evans says this
is not time for games.
The motorcycle is seen again, as it arrives at the building.
This is all a tease for The Undertaker. The dong sounds, and
the studio audience comes unglued for a huge pop.
Out comes Josh Briggs to troll everyone. He is drowned in
boos but the studio audience. Briggs gets into the ring and
cuts a promo on Evans, with Briggs complaining about Evans
getting so many title shots only to lose. Briggs goes to say
Evans should have gotten in Femi’s face and demanded a
rematch. Briggs says try being himself. Being better than
everybody else and not getting an opportunity. Briggs
proclaims that Evans will never beat Femi.
Evans tries to respond, but Briggs hits him with a cheap
shot. Big boot by Briggs, and Briggs sets up a metal folding
chair in the ring. Briggs then gives Evans a chokeslam on
the chair. Evans is left for dead, and these two are
programmed together for a grudge match.
— Xia Brookside is the focus of a personality profile
sponsored by an insurance company. She is in a match
tonight.
— Hank & Tank are hyping up Oba Femi and Ricky Starks in a
backstage skit.
Candice LeRae vs. Xia Brookside in a Speed Championship
Number One Contenders tournament match
Being a Speed match, the action was fast-paced and quick. To
set up the finish, LeRae springboards off the top rope with
a tornado DDT. LeRae follows up by leaping off Brookside’s
back into a senton. LeRae then jumps off the middle rope
with a Lionsault, and Lerae covers Brookside for a pinfall
with about 30 seconds remaining in the time limit.
Match result: Candice LeRae defeated Xia Brookside via
pinfall to advance in the tournament
In winning, LeRae moves on to the semifinals to meet the
winner of Faby Apache vs. Lainey Reed.
— Josh Briggs and Andre Chase are set for a singles match
after a locker room skit. Chase U students basically get
Chase in a match with Briggs after a confrontation.
— In another skit, Ava is in her office with tag teams from
the women’s roster. She announces a number one contender’s
triple threat tag match for next Tuesday.
— Darkstate is the focus of a personality profile on the
faction. They cut promos as highlights hype them up. This
was a good piece of business.
— TNA World Champion Trick Williams is heading to the ring
before a commercial break.
DYI returns to NXT to confront Trick Williams
Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa make a surprise appearance
in a cameo that builds up the “Homecoming” show in a few
weeks.
Trick begins the segment by boasting about himself. He
bemoans none coming out to respond after calling himself the
greatest NXT superstar ever, seemingly suggesting the past
NXT stars do not care about the brand anymore. Trick does
not blame them, as he plans to never return when he signs a
million dollar contact when called up to the main roster.
Trick claims all of the NXT favorites do not love NXT
anymore.
The team of DIY — Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa — enter
to a huge pop. They soak it in before getting in the ring to
confront Trick. Gargano insists they still love NXT, and he
notes today is the 10 year anniversary of their NXT debut.
Ciampa and Gargano goad Trick about them both being two-time
NXT champs. Gargano also held the North American title three
times, and DIY were also tag team champs.
Trick bickers with them some more until a shoving match
begins. Ciampa shoves Trick, and Gargano hits Trick with a
superkick. DIY then do their stereo finisher on Trick, and
they celebrate their return by posing on the turnbuckles.
— In a skit from the trainer’s room, Ava comes to an
agreement with Je’Von Evans. If Evans does not interfere in
Josh Briggs’ match tonight, then Ava will book Evans against
Briggs for next week.
— In another skit after a commercial break, Ava books a flag
match between Tavion Heights and North American Champion
Ethan Page. The stipulation came after Page opened his big
mouth and talked his way into a gimmick match.
— Kalli Armstrong is featured in a video package ahead of
her match tonight. This was good, but too bad she loses
clean.
Jordynne Grace vs. Evolve Women’s Champion Kalli Armstrong
in a non-title match
They had a really good match, and the audience was into it.
Armstrong with a decent push on this show coming into the
match, only for her to lose clean. She is the champ of
another brand no less, and she still lost clean. No fault of
Grace, as she is the one they have pushed for some time now.
Still, whatever momentum Armstrong had is minimized by
dropping the fall. Unless the NXT viewing audience does not
care about wins or loses, but that seems like an existential
question for another time.
The match itself went through a commercial break, and
Armstrong was able to look strong at times. For the finish,
Grace drops Armstrong with a back elbow. Grace then executes
a scary rendition of Beast Mode, and Grace scores the clean
pin on Armstrong.
Match result: Jordynne Grace defeated Kalli Armstrong via
pinfall
Blake Monroe runs in after the match, and she gets into a
post-match brawl with Grace. Monroe is sent crashing into
the ring steps before security pours out to separate them.
Monroe appears to be bleeding from the mouth after the
brawl. Armstrong was unfortunately an afterthought here, but
the program is Grace and Monroe in a feud.
Josh Briggs vs. Andre Chase
Briggs spoofs Undertaker during the match, which is surely
building to Undertaker making an appearance to give Briggs a
comeuppance of some sort.
Chase can still get over with the studio audience, even if
he is more of a bit player than his previous role. He is so
much better than his push would indicate. He gets a close
near fall on Briggs during the match, and the crowd bought
into it hook, line, and sinker.
Chase had the crowd behind him when Briggs hulks up and cuts
off Chase. Briggs goozles Chase and deliver a chokeslam.
Briggs then hits Chase with a high kick, and Briggs pinned
Chase clean as a sheet.
After the match, Briggs gets more heat by attacking the
Chase U students at ringside. Briggs sends Kale Dixon
crashing into the barricade, which would have been more
effective if we had not seen a similar spot several times
earlier in the show. Nonetheless, Briggs also attacks Uriah
Connors. Briggs chokeslams Connors on a gimmicked announce
desk, and the desk implodes on impact. Briggs stand over his
prey after the carnage is complete.
Match result: Josh Briggs defeated Andre Chase via pinfall
— Trick Williams is backstage cutting a promo on DIY. After
they attacked him earlier tonight, Trick will not let that
slide. Trick says they are not the only ones here with a
history, and he will see them next week.
— Canelo vs. Crawford is hyped in a video package, which is
cross-promotional marketing within the TKO family.
NXT Champion Oba Femi, Ricky Saints, Hank Walker & Tank
Ledger vs. Darkstate (Dion Lennox, Osiris Griffin, Saquon
Shugars & Cutler James) in an eight-man tag team match
The team of babyfaces stand tall as the show cuts to its
final commercial break. Darkstate gets heat on Hank after
the break, until Hank creates some separation. Hot tag to
Tank, and he cleans house. Blind tag by Saints, and he runs
wild with a tornado DDT. Femi makes a bling tag by smacking
Saints hard on the back.
Femi and Saints argue, and they collide into each other when
Shugars shoves them into each other. Saints in turn shoves
Shugars into Femi, and Femi tosses Shugars on Saints. After
getting back to his feet, Saints smacks Femi. Slugfest
between Saints and Femi, despite them being tag partners in
the match. Bling tag to Tank, after Femi and Saints go over
the top rope with a Cactus Jack clothesline. They brawl
their way up the ramp and exit stage left. That leaves Hank
& Tank to face Darkstate — two against four.
Shugars gets sandwiched by Hank & Tank, and they are on a
roll. Not for long, as Tank is posted groin-first. Hank has
his eyes raked by Shugars. Darkstate gang up on Hank & Tank,
but the babyfaces fight back. Nevertheless, Hank is cut off
by Cutler James. After grabbing him but the throat, James
asks Hank who will save him now. Hank says, “Joe Hendry.”
Speak his name, and he appears.
Hendry suddenly appears on the apron to distract James and
Darkstate. James then takes the combo finisher from Hank &
Tank. Following the powerslam/spear combo, Hank pinned James
to win the match.
Match result: Hank Walker, Tank Ledger, Oba Femi & Ricky
Saints defeated Cutler James, Dion Lennox, Osiris Griffin, &
Saquon Shugars when Walker pinned James
Joe Hendry celebrates with Hank & Tank after the match, with
them posing together in the ring.
TO THE BACK, Saints and Femi are still brawling as security
tries to separate them. The show goes off the air in the
midst of the pull-apart brawl. After that cliffhanger, it
would be funny if they were still brawling when the show
goes on air next week.