Posted on 6/17/126 by Bob Magee
NXT is back on air in front of a live studio audience from a
sound stage at the Performance Center in Orlando.
Corey Graves returns to NXT this week for commentary in
place of Booker T. Graves joins the current voice of NXT,
Vic Joseph, in the broadcast booth at ringside.
The show begins with a recap of last week, which culminated
in Zaira winning the NXT Women’s North American Championship
from Tatum Paxley in the main event a week ago. The recap
proceeds the entrance of the new North American champ.
Zaria enters the sound stage holding in the air her newly
won NXT Women’s North American Championship. She proudly
marches to the ring for an opening monologue to start the
show. This eventually leads to an angle setting up a tag
team match for later tonight, but Zaria first addresses the
audience.
Zaria starts by looking at the title belt and saying she
spent so long in the shadow of Sol Ruca that ZAria says she
forgot what the sun looked like. The studio audience chants
“you deserve it” after she loudly proclaims herself the new
champion.
Every time somehow talked about the future of the women’s
division, Zaria was left out of the conversation. Zaria
declares her winning the title is not a dream come true. Her
winning the championship is a “course correction”, before
she heels on the crowd by saying she owes none of them
anything.
Kelani Jordan is the first of three others coming out to
interrupt Zaria’s crowning moment as a new champ. Jordan, as
the first-ever Women’s North American Champion, is here to
congratulate Zaria on winning the title.
Zaria asks why else Jordan is out here. Jordan is seeking a
different title, but she is here to offer some advice to
Zaria. Jordan heels on the crowd as well as she claims they
will eventually turn on Zaria. Jordan then bemoans Kendal
Grey earning a title shot at NXT Women’s Champion Lola Vice,
which Grey earned by beating Jordan in a match last week.
Kendal Grey enters the scene to take exception to Jordan’s
comments. Lola Vice so joins the talking segment as well.
Vice takes exception to Zaria claiming to be the dominate
women’s champ in NXT.
All four in the ring start arguing among themselves when out
coming NXT General Manager Robert Stone doing the Teddy Long
gimmick of booking a tag team match with those bickering in
the ring. Vice sarcastically says she gets it, and she
announces the tag match for later tonight. Stone says that
is why NXT has the best women’s division, and the segment
ends. Vice teams with Grey against Zaria and Jordan in a tag
bout this week on NXT.
Tavion Heights vs. Jakson Drake (with The Vanity Project) in
a Men’s North American Championship number one contender’s
match
—
NXT North American Champion Myles Borne appears at ringside
at the finish to save Heights from cheating heels. Borne
then watches Heights pin Drake to become the number one
contender to Borne’s championship.
NXT Tag Team Champions Ricky Smokes & Brad Baylor are at
ringside in Drake’s corner for the match. They get wiped out
being a base for Drake when Heights gives him a belly-to-
belly suplex over the ropes to the floor.
Smokes & Baylor get into the ring looking for payback, only
for Borne to rush in and drag them out of the ring. Borne
proceeds to clothesline both of them on the floor. Heights
then executes a high belly-to-bell, which is his finisher
called “Height of Glory”, and Heights pins Drake.
When leaving, Heights tells Borne he does not need help. But
then again, Borne should know that. That remark by Heights
is a callback to heat between himself and Borne.
Match result: Tavion Heights defeated Jackson Drake via
pinfall to become number one contender for the NXT North
American Championship.
—
Thea Hail vs. Izzi Dame (with The Culling) in a Speed
tournament match
—
The hyper Thea Hail’s new gimmick is being over-caffeinated.
During her entrance, she pulls an energy drink from a
holster strapped to her leg. Hail then tries and fails to
shotgun what looks to be a 16-ounce canned beverage.
Shotgunning the drink did not work, so Hail chugs from the
can and gets in the ring to pose.
Three-minute time limit, so the match was very short. Hail
gets a near fall before going for a submission hold as the
last minute nears. Hail springboards into a Nestea Plunge,
but no water in the pool. Dame follows up with a running
knee strike, and Dame covers Hail with 45 seconds remaining
in the time limit.
Match result: Izzi Dame defeated Thea Hail to advance to the
finals of the Speed tournament
— Kendal Grey and Wren Sinclair are chatting Backstage when
they are approached by Lola Vice, who bickers with Grey
ahead of their title match The Bash.
NXT Champion Tony D’Angelo sits downs with Naraku
—
This was a pre-taped segment they edited together, yet
somehow the acting is laughably bad. D’Angelo reluctantly
sits down with Naraku after coming to Naraku’s place. Naraku
has the contract to sign for their title match at The Bash.
D’Angelo did research on Naraku, and Tony D mentions Naraku
won the “biggest” championship in Japan. D’Angleo also
mentions Naraku having a stable that ran roughshod in Japan.
Naraku cautions D’Angelo to not judge him by his past. Look
at him as the warrior he is today. D’Angelo remarks he sees
Naraku as an “evil” man that left Japan to come take the NXT
title. Naraku came alone without his stable. D’Angelo says
Naraku is a man without a family, which is also ironic as
D’Angelo himself being a loner since leaving his family.
They eventually sign the contract, with D’Angelo warning
Naraku to get ready for war. As the champ leaves, Naraku
says “evil is coming” before letting out a cackle.
— A recap of the feud between Jaida Parker and Nattie
Neidhart hypes their match that is next after a commercial
break.
— Keanu Carver storms into Robert Stone’s office looking to
lobby and complain to the GM. EK Prosper interrupts for a
confrontation with Carver. They have a match booked against
each other, and Carver tells Prosper he must have a death
wish.
Nattie Neidhart vs. Jaida Parker
—
Really good hard-hitting match with Nattie bringing her
shooter persona to NXT to help get Jaida over. Jaida fought
valiantly until tapping out to the sharpshooter. They
wrestle through a commercial break, and Nattie targets a leg
at one point. Great grappling and matwork, especially from
Nattie. She also kicks out of Jaida’s Hipnotic finisher at
one point.
In the closing moments, Parker gets a near fall with a small
package. Nattie drops her with a discus lariat, and Nattie
applies the sharpshooter. Parker struggles and crawls
towards the bottom rope, but Nattie drags her back to the
center of the ring. Parker eventually taps out. Nattie
refused to break the hold, and she jaws with the referee
after finally letting go of the hold.
Match result: Nattie Neidhart defeated Jaida Parker via
submission.
—
Arianna Grace (with Birthright) vs. Layla Diggs in a Speed
tournament match
Diggs gets to shine, but her moment of glory is dashed when
Grace steals a pin on her. Diggs does a leaps off the top
rope into a quebrada on the members of Birthright at
ringside. When Diggs rolls back into the ring, she is
cradled by Grace for a three count. Grace advances to the
tournament final to meet Izzi Dame.
Match result: Arianna Grace defeated Layla Diggs via
pinfall, and Grace advances to the tournament final.
— Prior to The Great American Bash on June 28 is a tailgate
party starting at 6pm ET outside the Performance Center,
along with a watch party during the supercard.
— “NXT Chronicle” features a personality profile about
Saquon Shugars. The video package hypes Shugar’s feud with
Darkstate since they kicked him out of the group. Shugars
cuts a promo on Darkstate ahead of his match at The Bash
against Dion Lennox.
Kelani Jordan & NXT Women’s North American Champion Zaria
vs. NXT Women’s Champion Lola Vice & Kendal Grey in a tag
team match
—
This is essentially a pareja increíbles match, with two
wildcards teaming against each other. Grey and Vice meet in
a title match at The Bash, but they are teammates here
tonight.
Hot tag to Vice after a commercial break. Vice runs wild and
cleans house with a series of kicks. Jordan takes an Umaga
splash from Vice in a corner, but Zaria makes a bling tag
unbeknownst to Vice. Zaria strikes with a pump kick, but
Vice fights back.
Jordan with a frog splash for a two count on Vice. Jordan
attempts an armbar submission, only for Vice to counter her.
Grey soon tags in and she is fired up. Jordan briefly cuts
her off to set up a them doing a spot off the top rope where
Jordan flips over and lands on her feet.
Zaria spears Grey and knocks Vice off the apron. Zaria is
seemingly looking to finish the bout as she attempts a F-5.
Grey counters the F-5 into La Mistica. Grey has a Fujiwara
armbar applied as Zaria struggles for the ropes. Grey
transitions into a cross-armbreaker, and Zaria deadlifts her
into a sit-out powerbomb for a near fall.
Vice broke up the pinning attempt, which leads to her
colliding with Jordan. All four are down selling in the
closing moments of the match. They all rise and the fighting
continues.
Grey is trading strikes with Zaria, and Grey knocks Zaria
off her feet. Vice then jumps on the apron to make a blind
tag. Vice and Zaria go for a spot and botch, but they fight
on with Vice applying a guillotine choke. Jordan tries
jumping in to save Zaria, only for Grey to catch Jordan in
an ankle lock. Jordan escapes and uses Grey’s momentum to
send Grey crashing to the outside.
Parade of high spots as they go home. Jordan with an Asai
moonsault on Grey. Vice jumps off the apron with a seated
senton on Jordan. Zaria strikes by spearing Vice at
ringside. Zaria has Vice in a fireman’s carry when Tatum
Paxley pops up from out of nowhere in the front row. That
distracts Zaria, and Zaria soon turns around and walks into
a kick from Vice.
Back in the ring, Vice drops Zaria with a spinning back
fist. The top singles champion in the women’s division then
pins the secondary singles champion.
Match result: Lola Vice & Kendal Grey defeated Kelani Jordan
& Zaria when Vice pinned Zaria.
Tatum Paxley with a flying crossbody on Zaria after the
match. That leads to a pull-apart brawl at ringside.
Meanwhile, Vice and Grey are face-to-face in the ring
glaring at each other. Jordan rushes in to play tug-o-war
with the NXT title belt. Vice is inadvertently struck with a
belt shot from Grey. Jordan laughs at Grey while Grey goes
to check on Vice as the credits roll.