Posted on 10/29/125 by Bob Magee
NXT is on the air from the Performance Center in Orlando in
front of a live studio audience. The results and happenings
at NXT Halloween Havoc are recapped in a video package. It
somewhat reminded me of WCW Halloween Havoc in 1999 since
both shows were overbooked.
After the canned intro, Trick Williams is in the television
control room ranting and raving at production staff. Trick
is hijacking the show like he is NWO in 1996. He screams
about this being his house, and he runs things. He orders no
one touch any buttons as he storms his way into the
building, and Trick grabs a microphone on his way to the
ring.
Trick says to shut up because grown folks are talking. He
then proceeds to say he beat NXT Champion Ricky Saints “like
a bum.” Trick calls Saints a bum numerous times, prompting
NXT General Manager Ava to interrupt Trick’s diatribe.
Ava tells Trick a temper tantrum will get him nowhere. Ava
insists there is no controversy from the title match, and
Trick simply lost. Trick strongly disagreed. He rants some
more, and Trick claims to the fans support him. The studio
audience chants “Trick got whopped,” which plays on common
chant during Trick’s segments and matches.
Trick cuts a promo listing some of his recent victories over
the likes of Carmelo Hayes, Ethan Page and Pete Dunne. That
includes some fights in the “underground” and last man
standing. With that, out comes Ricky Saints with his NXT
championship belt in hand. Saints runs to the ring while
yelling into a microphone, saying that it is tough talk for
“a guy that got his ass whipped on Saturday.”
Saints rushes into the ring with security rushing in close
behind him. Saints and Trick have a silly pull-apart brawl,
as this feud seemingly must continue.
— Sponsored by an insurance company, a video package hypes
the Speed tournament final with Axiom against Jasper Troy,
which is up next.
Axiom vs. Jasper Troy in of the WWE Speed Championship
Number One Contender’s Tournament
—
On commentary, the announcers likened this to tales old as
time where speed meets brute strength. That includes David
against Goliath. Booker T also likens the match to “The
Tortoise and the Hare”. Sure, Booker.
That was indeed David against Goliath, except the Goliath
character won this time. The match was short of course,
given the time limit. There was some cat and mouse. Axiom
used his speed, but this match was more about getting Troy
over. For the finish, Troy gives Axiom a Black Hole Slam.
Troy then pins him to become the number one contender to the
WWE Speed Championship. His opponent, El Grande Americano,
was sitting in the crowd watching the match.
Match result: Jasper Troy defeated Axiom via pinfall in the
finals of the WWE Speed Championship Number One Contender’s
Tournament.
— Sol Ruca is backstage talking with Ava. Alongside them is
Zaria. Ava says Ruca is making “progress” with her injury,
but not sure when Ruca will be cleared to compete. Ruca
forfeits the WWE Speed Women’s Championship to Ava, much to
the dismay of Zaria. Ruca had also declined to have anyone
sub for her, and Zaria storms off.
— The Culling is heading towards the ring.
New women’s champ spins the wheel to make a deal
Newly-crowned NXT Women’s Champion Tatum Paxley is joined by
The Culling, as they celebrate her win with an in-ring
promo. Paxley shouts “We did it!” as chants of “Tatum” fill
the sound stage. She dreamed of this moment, she says before
calling Halloween Havoc the greatest night of her life.
Paxley goes to cut a babyface promo, much to the chagrin of
her heel faction.
Paxley wanted to share the win with everyone. Not because of
who holds the title, but what the title represents. Paxley
talks about the journey getting there, and how she made the
most of her opportunity. If a creepy weirdo like her can
become the women’s champ, then anyone can. Paxley wants to
be a fighting champion.
Izzi Dame, Paxley’s stablemate in The Culling, interjects
trying to talk sense into Paxley. Dame does not picture
Paxley as a fighting champion, and Tatum can lose the title
fast as she won it. Dame mention it took Paxley four years
and countless title challenges, and Dame insists that Paxley
make challengers earn their shot like Paxley did.
Paxley dismisses Dame’s concerns, and Paxley herself insists
this is going to be amazing. Paxley mentions fans were upset
about no wheel at Halloween Havoc, so she brought it back to
determine a challenger. A gleeful Paxley hurries to the
wheel gimmick that is on the entrance ramp. Notably, Dame’s
name is not on the wheel. Paxley says they would never fight
over the title as she wants nothing to come between their
friendship.
Paxley spins the wheel and it stops on the name of Lola
Vice. Paxley is pumped up, and her first title defense is
set for later tonight.
— Evolve Women’s Champion Kendal Grey enlists the help of
Wren Sinclair to be her second for the title match that is
up next.
Kendal Grey vs. Lash Legend for the Evolve Women’s
Championship
—
Grey really shined here. They were given a lot of time, and
this could possibly be among the longest matches in the
career of Lash Legend. Especially so with no smoke and
mirrors.
The match goes through a commercial break. Legend lands a
big boot, and she is standing tall as the show cuts to
commercials. The big boot spot would play a part in the
finish. As they go home, Legend misses a big boot. Grey
counters to deliver her flatliner finisher (“Shades of
Grey”), and she scores a pin on Legend. And still…
Match result: Evolve Women’s Champion Kendal Grey defeated
Lash Legend via pinfall to retain her title.
—
Myles Borne vs. Tavion Heights
—
Good match that was given time, as it went through a split-
screen commercial break.
Josh Briggs is at ringside at the announce desk for guest
commentary, and Briggs goes on to play a part in the match.
Heights finds himself outside the ring near the desk. He
exchanges sharp words with Briggs, and Briggs jumps on the
apron after Heights rolls into the ring. Briggs is knocked
off the apron by Heights, but the distraction allowed Borne
to clothesline Heights out of the ring. Borne follows up
with a plancha on both.
Back in the ring they are going back-and-forth down the home
stretch, when Borne counters a belly-to-belly into an inside
cradle. Borne scores a pinfall with the small package.
Match result: Myles Borne defeated Tavion Heights.
Borne and Heights shake hands after the match, but they are
soon each attacked in post-match angles. Briggs brawls with
Heights at ringside as security tries to break them up.
Meanwhile, Trick Williams rushes into the ring with a metal
folding chair. Borne takes a chair shot from Trick, and
Trick grabs a microphone.
Trick against calls out Ricky Saints as he rants and raves.
Trick is ranting and looking towards the entrance ramp.
“Stone Cold” Ricky Saints jumps the barricade for a surprise
attack on Trick. They have a pull-apart brawl. I have lost
track of the number of pull-apart brawls on this show.
Please give it a rest. Security could use a break.
— Chelsea Green in a cameo appearance is talking with Ethan
Page backstage. Page, who is still NXT North American
Champion, hypes up their mixed tag team title match on a AAA
show this Sunday. As they talk, Thea Hail walks by and name
drops Joe Hendry. Say his name and he appears, and he does
appear by jumping out of a trash bin like a jack in the box.
As Page and Green leave, Hail comes back to push Hendry away
as he rides in the trash bin. This was an odd skit.
Tatum Paxley vs. Lola Vice for the NXT Women’s Championship
—
This was more of an angle than a match, as the heel trio of
Fatal Influence interfere to render a no-contest. Former
champ Jacy Jayne is joined by her cohorts, Fallon Henley and
Lainey Reid, as they surround the ring. Vice and Paxley get
back-to-back trying to fight off the heels. However, they
are no match for the heel trio. Paxley is held so that Jayne
can deliver a Rolling Encore. Both Paxley and Vice are laid
out in the ring as the heels pose in the ring.
Despite the numerous pull-apart brawls throughout the night,
security was nowhere in sight on the Fatal Influence run-in.
No security rushing to the ring, even though they rushed to
the ring earlier in the show. Maybe they were too tired from
all the other pull-apart brawls. Or they could be busy still
trying to break up Trick and Saints. Nevertheless, the heels
just run amok here on the babyface champ and her new friend.
This sets up a trios match with Fatal Influence against
Paxley, Vice and Dame next Tuesday on NXT.
Match result: NXT Women’s Champion Tatum Paxley and Lola
Vice wrestle to a no-contest after interference by Fatal
Influence.
— New NXT North American Women’s Champion Blake Monroe cuts
a promo in bathtub. This includes product placement with
Maybelline. Monroe reveals her first title defense is in New
York City for the “Gold Rush” specials held from The Theater
at MSG.
— Darkstate has a confrontation with Je’Von Evan, which
helps set up Evans teaming with Leon Slater against the
heels in a tag title bout.
— Kelly Kincaid interviews Sol Ruca and Zaria as they are
leaving the building. Zaria blurts out that she is entering
the Speed tournament, and she vows to win the title back for
Ruca. They are then interrupted by Jacy Jayne and company.
Jayne then cuts a promo on regaining the women’s title she
lost.
Kelani Jordan vs. Jordynne Grace for the TNA Knockouts
Championship
—
The match goes through a commercial break. Jordan rams
Grace’s leg into the ring steps just before the show cuts to
the break.
They do a close near fall on a Spanish Fly, and Grace kicks
out at the nick of time. At that point, there is a commotion
at ringside. The fight between Ricky Saints and Trick
Williams spills out into the aisle, which interrupts the
match that is still going in the ring.
With the referee distracted by the melee at ringside, Jordan
retrieves her Knockouts title belt. Jordan stares at the
title belt, and she throws it down like she thought better
of using it to cheat. Grace rolls her into German suplex for
another near fall. Jordan got a shoulder up.
Saints and Trick fight their way into the ring, where Saints
spears Trick. More brawling before a Cactus Jack clothesline
sends them both out of the ring. Security rushed in trying
to separate them. Meanwhile, Jordan grabs the title again.
Grace goes to grab Jordan, and Jordan turns around with a
belt shot. Hit by the title belt, Grace sells like she is
knocked out. Jordan then covers her for the winning three
count.
Match result: TNA Knockouts Champion Kelani Jordan defeated
Jordynne Grace via pinfall to retain her title.