Posted on 9/13/123 by Bob Magee
Opening the show is a bout that decides the next challenger
for the NXT Championship. The winner gets a title shot at No
Mercy.
Ilja Dragunov defeated Wes Lee in a number one contender's
match
Dragunov pinned Lee to become the next challenger for the
NXT title. Fantastic opener. Helluva match. An injury angle
follows the match, as Lee is placed on a stretcher and
loaded into a waiting ambulance.
Lee showed a lot of fire at the start, taking the fight to
Dragunov. In return, Dragunov fights back. Lee begins to
fly, but he is cut off. Dragunov with a series of suplexes,
but he is knocked out of the ring by a koppo kick. Lee then
torpedoes through the ropes with a tope. He went for another
tope, but he is cut off by Dragunov. Lee then takes a suplex
on the announce desk, just before the show cuts to its first
commercial break.
The war continues during the break, and it wages on when the
show returns. They eventually begin trading strikes and
kicks. Looks like a few potatoes being thrown, including
Dragunov eating a kick. Lee with a running Spanish fly for a
near fall. These dudes are beating the snot out of each
other.
Lee goes for his finisher, but Dragunov seemingly blocks it.
Lee counters the counter with a tornado DDT. A moment later,
Lee runs corner to corner to launch into a flip dive over
the ring post. Lee goes to follow up by climbing the
turnbuckles. He is cut off, and Dragunov sets for the finish
with a superplex. Dragunov then drops a falling forearm
smash for a close near fall.
Dragunov signals for a his finisher, but Lee blocks with a
knee strike. Lee is unable to capitalize as he is on rubber
legs, while Dragunov falls backwards into the ropes.
Dragunov bounces off the middle rope, and he drops like a
falling tree into a forearm that rocks Lee from behind.
Dragunov then covers Lee for a three count.
NXT Champion Carmelo Hayes comes down the ramp after the
match is over to stare down Dragunov. Lee is taken away on a
stretcher surrounded by medical staff, producers and Shawn
Michaels. Lee leaves the building in an ambulance.
NXT Women's Champion Tiffany Stratton is seen arriving to
the building ahead of her title match main event tonight.
In a follow up to the cliffhanger from last week, a video
package recaps Bron Breakker injuring Von Wagner in a angle
that ended the previous episode. The story is Wagner has a
"minor skull fracture," and there is no timetable for his
return because of his previous medical history.
Heading to the ring to address the incident from last week
is Baron Corbin, who was at ringside as a guest commentator
when Breakker injured Wagner. Out comes Corbin for a
monologue on the subject.
Corbin says what he witnessed was "vicious," and he adds at
Wagner will never be the same after Breakker smashed
Wagner's head with the ring steps. Corbin calls out
Breakker, and Breakker obliges him. Corbin begins to address
Breakker when the live studio audience begins to mock him
with a chant. Corbin tries to ignore them.
Corbin's serious demeanor flips to joy as "that was freaking
awesome!" Breakker lets out a holler, and he and Corbin
celebrate like frat boys. That to is a ruse. Breakker turns
on Corbin by calling him an idiot.
Breakker says he ended Wagner's career because Wagner put
him through a table. Breakker basks in the horror he caused
last week. Corbin then starts cutting another promo on
Breakker, as this segment starts to drag. They get in each
other's face and they yell. Breakker makes a challenge for a
match at No Mercy. Breakker threatens Corbin, and Corbin
responds by slapping Breakker. Corbin in turn slaps
Breakker. A slugfest erupts into a pull-apart.
A trios match is next.
Damon Kemp, Charlie Dempsey & Drew Gulak defeated Myles
Borne, Brooks Jensen & Josh Briggs (with Fallon Henley) in a
six-man tag team match
Kemp pinned Jensen after Borne turned on his teammates. The
match was rather short, as the turn and finish came out of
nowhere.
When the fighting spilled outside, Borne pulled Henley out
of harm's way, like her knight in shining armor. More like a
snake in the grass. They lock eyes for a second. A moment
later, Borne turns on his tag partner when he slings Jensen
into the ring post. Gulak and Dempsey double team Briggs at
ringside, while Kemp covers Jensen for a pinfall in the
ring.
Thea Hail and Jacy Jayne get into a bar fight with a couple
dudes in a pre-taped skit. The two dudes makes fun of Hail,
and Jayne takes up for her by slapping one dude. Hail kicks
the other dude's ass. Hail then says they are going shopping
next week. She apparently does not want dress in Chase U
clothes anymore. I would not either if it led to bar fights.
Lyra Valkyria defeated Dana Brooke (with Kelani Jordan)
Valkyria pinned Brooke after a splash. Valkyria gets to
shine early on, until being cut off by Brooke. Valkyria
eventually fires up on Brooke. Valkyria lands a roundhouse
kick, and she follows up with a flying body press off the
top rope and a three count.
Brooke shakes hands with Valkyria after the match. When
Valkyria turns to leave, Brooke goes for a sneak attack. She
is stopped by Jordan, who pulls Brooke away.
Eddy Thorpe is being interviewed by McKenzie Mitchell. They
are interrupted by a video message from Dijak. He is
"marking" Thorpe territory by whipping a tree with a belt.
Dijak took his belt off and whipped the tree repeatedly,
which caused Thorpe to end the interview and leave.
NXT North American Champion Dominik Mysterio and NXT
Champion Carmelo Hayes have a backstage confrontation where
they exchange words. Hayes challenges Mysterio to a match.
This sets up a champion vs. champion match for next Tuesday
on NXT. The titles are apparently not on the line. At least
I don't think the belts are up for grabs. Their announcement
later on is somewhat vague on that.
McKenzie Mitchell interviews Becky Lynch. She is interrupted
by Kiana James, who tells Lynch that she is not wanted here.
Lynch warns James that "'The Man' is coming around to NXT a
whole lot more." Lynch warns that is "not good" for James.
Tyler Bate defeated Axiom in a Group A match in the Global
Heritage International tournament
Bate pinned Axiom in an action-packed match. Both are so
good at what they do. The match goes through a commercial
break. They trade near falls in the closing moments. Lots of
great action and counters. Bate executes a Tyler Driver '97,
and he covered Axiom for the pinfall.
Updated Group A standings:
Butch - 3 points
Bate - 2 points
Axiom - 1 point
Charlie Dempsey - 0 points
Butch is interviewed by Kelly Kincaid in a backstage viewing
area. Butch talks about his storied history with Bate. Next
week Bate and Butch meet in a tournament match.
Joe Gacy and Ava are outside by their cult's tree in a pre-
taped skit. Gacy says their tree is dying as they stand
alone. They both place a hand on the tree for whatever
reason. Cornball kooky stuff.
Carmelo Hayes and Trick Williams have an awkward meeting
where they try to make up after a tense encounter last week.
In walks Wes Lee into the background. Lee is dragging a
trash can to his locker, and Lee cleans out his locker by
throwing stuff in the trash. Lee then takes his bag and
leaves.
The Creed Brothers (Brutus & Julius Creed with Ivy Nile)
defeated Edris Enofe & Malik Blade
Blade & Enofe shine early on with fast-paced high spots.
Brutus is getting worked over, but he fights back. Hot tag
to Julius, and he runs wild. Blade tries to cut off Julius,
but Blade is caught instead. They go home after a "Brutus
Ball" finisher, which is essentially a Doomsday Device where
Brutus does a cannonball.
Humberto Carillo & Angel Garza watched the match from a
perch overlooking the ring. They have a stare down with the
Creeds. Hank Walker & Tank Ledger came down the aisle to
join the staring contest. Walker & Ledger are then jumped by
Lucien Price & Bronco Nima. Those two teams brawl around
ringside.
Becky Lynch has a warm reunion with Lyra Valkyria in a brief
skit.
Because there are not enough skits on this show, Roxanne
Perez is in the locker room for yet another skit. Perez is
confronted by Elektra Lopez and Lola Vice. This seems to set
up a match between Vice and Perez. Vice also mentions she
will go on win the Breakout tournament. So that is coming
back soon, because the word certainly needs another
wrestling tournament.
Akira Tozawa vs. Nathan Frazier in a Group B match in the
Global Heritage International tournament
Frazier pinned Tozawa to win. Tozawa is so damn good when he
gets to be a serious wrestler. Dame shame Tozawa has zero
points so far. Big fat goose egg is a travesty.
Frazier is impressive as usual. For the finish, they do a
superplex. Frazier holds on, floats over and lifts Tozawa
into a twisting neckbreaker. Frazier then covers Tozawa for
a three count.
Frazier is now tied with Joe Coffey as the points leaders in
their group.
Updated Group B standings:
Joe Coffey - 4 points
Frazier - 4 points
Duke Hudson - 2 points
Tozawa - 0 points (insert sad face emoji)
Mustafa Ali is interviewed by McKenzie Mitchell. Ali
continues is slide into the dark side. Dragon Lee confronts
Ali about the fast count from last week. Ali scoffs at that,
but he does promise to give Dragon Lee the first title shot
when Ali wins the North American title. Ali vows to do so.
Wes Lee is seen leaving the building with his wife. Wes Lee
says he told himself if he was not going to No Mercy, he
would leave NXT.
Gigi Dolan attacks Blair Davenport, leading to a pull-apart
brawl.
Becky Lynch defeats NXT Women's Champion Tiffany Stratton to
win the title
Lynch pinned Stratton after a Manhandle slam.
Lynch got a superstar reaction from the live studio audience
the moment she entered the soundstage. She is definitely
more over than anyone on the NXT roster, which stands to
reason. Lynch even carries herself more like a star than the
rest on this show. "The Man" has swagger.
The match goes through a split-screen commercial break.
Lynch takes a bump off the apron just as the show cuts to
commercial. Stratton works over Lynch during the break.
Lynch is making a comeback when the show returns from that
last commercial break.
They trade near falls in the closing minutes. Missile
dropkick by Lynch, but Stratton kicks out. Lynch gets a
shoulder up after taking a pop-up powerbomb from Stratton.
Lynch blocks Stratton's attempt at her moonsault finisher.
They tease a superplex, but Stratton counters with an
avalanche gourdbuster. Stratton follows up with a swanton
bomb for another near fall. Lynch catches Stratton in a
cross-armbreaker. Stratton tries to power out with a
deadlift, but Lynch counters into a Frankensteiner. Stratton
with a double stomp, but Lynch kicks out yet again.
Stratton goes for her moonsault finisher as she springboards
on the middle rope. Lynch with a springboard of her own to
cut off Stratton. Lynch then executes a super Russian leg
sweep off the middle rope. Stratton gets a shoulder up.
Stratton baits Lynch into getting out of the ring. Lynch is
sent crashing into the ring steps, as Stratton starts
clearing off the announce desk. Stratton teases powerbombing
Lynch on the desk, but Lynch escapes by hopping onto the
barricade. Stratton is shoved backwards, and she falls on
the desk in just the right spot. Lynch leaps off the
barricade with a flying legdrop on the desk. The table
failed to break, but Lynch fought on.
Lynch leaps off the top rope with a Bobby Eaton Alabama Jam
(flying legdrop). Stratton kicks out, and Lynch transitions
into applying a Fujiwara armbar. Stratton escapes the hold,
and she delivers a Liger bomb for another near fall.
For the finish, Stratton goes for the Prettiest Moonsault
Ever. No water in the pool as Lynch moves out of the way.
Stratton lands on her feet, only for her to walk into a
Manhandle slam. Lynch then covers Stratton for a three
count. AND NEW...
For the fist time in her career, Becky Lynch captures the
NXT Women's Championship.