Posted on 8/27/125 by Bob Magee
Highlights from NXT Heatwave begin the show, which recaps
the supercard from Sunday on the road in Lowell, MA. NXT is
back tonight in Florida before a live studio audience at the
sound stage from the Performance Center.
The entrance of Ricky Saints opens the show, with Saints in
street clothes doing his signature entrance. Saints gets
into the ring for an opening monologue.
Saints says he is here to “kick off NXT the right way — the
Ricky way!” The studio audience chants for him as Saints
briefly brings up Heatwave. Saints will always put his money
behind Je’Von Evans, who lost on Sunday in an unsuccessful
challenge for the NXT Championship. Saints then shifts to
NXT Champion Oba Femi.
Saints calls out the champ, but out comes Josh Briggs
instead. Briggs cuts a promo on Saints as the studio
audience drowns Briggs in boos. The crowd then begins chants
of “WE WANT JE’VON!” Briggs continues his promo, but he was
hard to follow with the chants.
Saints responds to Briggs with a fiery retort. Likening him
to the Sid character in Toy Story, Saints goes on to tell
Briggs that he is not waiting in line for a title shot.
Saints is the line! Briggs and Saints banter some more
before NXT General Manager Ava interrupts their argument.
Ava says she knows where this is going, and she has an
announcement. Since she has not heard from Evans since
Sunday, she needs to find a challenger for Femi at No Mercy.
So, Saints and Briggs are in a singles match tonight to
determine a number one contender.
— In a skit from Sunday posted to social media, Ava is
backstage talking with Blake Monroe. Kelani Jordan storms in
to cut a promo on Monroe, which sets up a match tonight.
Monroe gets a full entrance before the show cuts to a
commercial break. Jordan has her entrance after the match
returns from the break.
Blake Monroe vs. Kelani Jordan
Jordan and Monroe previously met in a singles match three
weeks ago. In that match, Monroe fled after being chased by
Jordynne Grace. The match tonight played on that finish with
a callback, except Monroe was unable to escape this time.
Grace walked with purpose down to the ring, and Monroe begs
off. Monroe then tries to flee from Grace, but the door
Monroe ran to was locked. Grace then yells at Monroe to get
back into the ring. Monroe does, and Jordan airplanes her
into an Olympic slam. Jordan follows up with a split-legged
moonsault. Jordan then covers Monroe for a three count.
Match result: Kelani Jordan defeated Blake Monroe via
pinfall
— Myles Borne is interviewed by Sarah Schreiber on his way
to the ring for his match tonight. Borne is asked about his
eyesight after being blinded last week by Lexis King. Borne
says his vision is still blurry, but he notes tonight he is
in a blindfold match. Borne then calls on the crowd to help
him tonight with their energy and directions. Borne then
charges to the ring like a 1980s babyface.
Myles Borne vs. Lexis King in a blindfold match
King is reluctant to put on the blindfold (or what was
really a hood) at the start of the match. Once blindfolded,
King fumbles around the ring. He takes a nasty bump outside
the ring, and he stumbles over the ring steps. In between
those spots, Borne also executes a lovely dropkick while
both are wearing the hoods.
King eventually cuts off Borne, and they fumble around some
more. King backs Borne into a corner, and the referee
separates them. King feels his face and knows it’s the
referee before he somewhat inadvertently pokes the ref in
the eyes.
With the referee selling the eye poke, King smirks as he
takes off his hood. King hits Borne with a low blow, and
King delivers a Coronation finisher. King then covers Borne
for a pin.
Match result: Lexis King defeated Myles Borne via pinfall
— Wren Sinclair is pacing backstage when Charlie Dempsey
walks up. Sinclair is distraught because does not have a
partner for her tag match tonight. She asks Dempsey why he
is so calm. Dempsey answers and reveals he has a tag partner
for Sinclair. Kendal Grey walks up and Sinclair is thrilled.
Dempsey and Grey do a comedy shtick before they all head for
the ring.
Kendal Grey & Wren Sinclair (with Charlie Dempsey) vs. Izzi
Dame & Tatum Paxley (with Shawn Spears & Niko Vance)
While Dempsey is in the babyface corner, The Culling are in
the opposing corner. Yet, they do not factor into the match
itself. The skit beforehand with Dempsey does play into the
match. Dempsey mentioned that Grey had a great armbar. That
plays into the finish.
Grey gets an armbar on Paxley, but they are apparently not
the legal participants. Meanwhile, Sinclair takes a sit-out
powerbomb from Dame, and Dame pins Sinclair. Grey was busy
applying the armbar, so she could not make a save.
Match result: Izzi Dame & Tatum Paxley defeated Wren
Sinclair & Kendal Grey when Dame pinned Grey
— TNA World Champion Trick Williams hypes himself up in a
pre-taped promo that also plugs three upcoming shows. Those
shows are a “homecoming” show on September 16, NXT No Mercy
on Sept. 27, and Halloween Havoc on October 25.
Ricky Saints vs. Josh Briggs in a number one contender’s
match
The match went through a commercial break, and they worked
hard throughout the bout. The studio audience gets hot for
the match, and they get behind Saints. They really dislike
Briggs.
Before a commercial break, Briggs catches Saints on a dive.
Saints escapes the clutches of Briggs, and Briggs crashes
into the ringpost. They go on to trade near falls after the
show returns from the break.
Heated exchanges as they go home. For the finish, Saints
fires up and springboards into a tornado DDT. That seems to
be a new finisher for Saints, as he used in his last several
matches. Saints goes on to cover Briggs for a pinfall. With
the win, Saints is the number one contender for the NXT
Championship.
Match result: Ricky Saints defeated Josh Briggs via pinfall.
After a commercial break, Saints is still in the ring. He is
cutting a promo on NXT Champion Oba Femi when out comes Femi
to confront Saints.
Saints cuts a promo on Femi with Saints implying that Femi
is slipping as champ. Saints cautions that Femi cannot be
the “Ruler” forever. Femi claims he sees fear in the eyes of
Saints. As Femi continues his promo, the lights go dim in
the sound stage.
Darkstate enters the scene, and they surround the ring.
Darkstate members cut promos (and some are wearing the NXT
tag team title belts) as they close in on the ring. They
rush into the ring and jump Femi and Saints. The numbers are
too much for Saints and Femi, and they are being beaten
down. Hank & Tank run in to make a save. Hank & Tank (who
lost the tag titles to Darkstate at Heatwave) help send the
heels packing. This would seem to set up an eight-man tag
match.
— A backstage skit sets up a singles match between Jaida
Parker & Lash Legend.
— WWE Speed is the focus of a video package that explains
the concept of the Speed Championships, which are coming to
NXT. Ava then says Speed Champion Sol Ruca needs a number
one contende, so Ava announces a tournament to decide Ruca’s
next challenger. The tournament begins next Tuesday on NXT.
Participants in the Speed tournament are Candice LeRae from
Smackdown, Lainey Reed from NXT, Faby Apache from AAA, and
Xia Brookside from TNA. Brookside against LeRae kicks off
the tournament next Tuesday.
Tyra Mae Steele (with Tavion Heights) vs. Alba Fyre (with
Chelsea Green, Piper Niven & NXT North American Champion
Ethan Page)
While Steele is green, they play to her strengths. Frye is
also really skilled in the ring, so that greatly helps make
for a good match. Steele shines at first, until she is cut
off by Fyre (with help from Page and Green at ringside).
Steele is distracted by the antics of Page and Green, and
Fyre is able to nail a dive through the ropes.
Steele blocks Fyre’s finisher, and Steele goes on to apply
an ankle lock. Page interferes by trying to help Fyre
escape. Instead, Page gets his hand stomped on by Steele.
Fyre goes for a superkick, only for Steele to sidestep her.
Steele then rolls up Fyre for the deciding pinfall.
Match result: Tyra Mae Steele defeated Alba Fyre via pinfall
Chelsea Green attacks Steele after the match, and Heights
jumps in to save Steele. Heights teases he will strike
Green, who first struck Heights. Page then ambushes and
blindsides Heights. Page delivers his finisher on Heights.
Page goes on to drape a Canadian flag over Heights, which
builds heat for a match between them.
— Hank & Tank are in Ava’s office, and they do some comedy
before Ava makes an eight-man tag match official for next
Tuesday. This plays off the angle shot earlier tonight.
— Sarah Screiber interviews the Fatal Influence trio. There
is bickering and tension between Jayne and Nyx. Jayne
remains the NXT Women’s Champion, despite dropping the TNA
Knockouts title over the weekend.
Fallon Henley, Jaxmyn Nyx & Jacy Jayne vs. Lola Vice, Sol
Ruca & Zaria in a six-woman tag team match
Today is apparently Ruca’s birthday, which is mentioned on
commentary. The match itself goes through a commercial
break. Lainey Reed is seen watching the match from a perch
overlooking the ring, as she is apparently scouting Ruca
(who is the current Speed champion).
Lots of action, especially during the closing moments. Hot
tag to Vice, and Vice runs wild with a flurry of kicks. Hip
attacks by Vice, but Vice is soon cut off after getting
distracted by Jayne. High/low knee strike combo by Henley
and Jayne on Vice. Ruca superkicks Henley for a save on a
subsequent near fall.
As they go home, Zaira spears Jayne on the floor. Henley
almost inadvertently hits Nyx. Then, Vice shoves Henley into
Nyx. They bonk heads when they collide. Ruca rushes into the
ring to execute a Sol Snatcher on Nyx. Vice then hits Henley
with a spinning back fist, and Vice cover Henley for a
pinfall.
Match result: Lola Vice, Sol Ruca & Zaria defeated Fallon
Henley, Jacy Jayne & Jazmyn Nyx when Vice pinned Henley.