Posted on 7/09/125 by Bob Magee
The show is opening with a gauntlet match from the sound
stage at the Performance Center in Orlando. The mastermind
of this match is NXT North American Ethan Page, who enters
the sound stage ahead of The Vanity Project. Page joins the
announce team for guest commentary alongside regular
commentators Vic Joseph, Booker T and Corey Graves.
Ricky Saints runs the Vanity Project Gauntlet
The first two matches feature the tag team of Swipe Right in
singles matches.
Ricky Saint defeated Brad Baylor in a gauntlet match
Saints pinned Baylor after springing off the top rope into a
tornado DDT.
Ricky Saints defeated Ricky Smokes in a gauntlet match
Smokes gets heat on Saints as the show cuts to a split-
screen commercial break. Smokes works over Saints during the
break, but Saints makes a comeback after the show returns
from picture-in-picture.
Saints glares at Page at ringside, which almost costs
Saints. Smokes rolls up Saints for a two count. Moments
later, Saints uses an inverted atomic drop to set up a roll
through that Saints used to cradle Smokes for a pinfall.
Ricky Saints defeated WWE Evolve Champion Jackson Drake in a
non-title gauntlet match
Saints pinned Drake after a Roshambo. Drake got heat on
Saints, and Drake got a near fall. Nonetheless, Saints makes
a triumphant comeback to complete the gauntlet.
In winning, Saints gets to pick the stipulation for his
title match on Saturday against Page. Saints vows to “dog
walk” Page all over Atlanta, and Saints in a post-match
promo informs Page their match for The Bash is falls count
anywhere.
NXT Women’s North American Champion Sol Ruca is chatting in
a locker room with her pal Zaria. Lainey Reid eavesdrops on
their conversations and takes exception. Up walks Kelani
Jordan to cut a promo on Reid, which sets up a singles match
later on with Reid against Jordan.
Jordynne Grace reluctantly agrees to do a glamour workout
with Blake Monroe. Grace rolls her eyes when she arrives at
the spa for the “workout” with Monroe. The vignette
continues later in the show.
Charlie Dempsey defeated Tavion Heights
They had a good long match that goes through a commercial
break.
Wren Sinclair is ringside for this clash between No Quarter
Catch Crew, and she threw in the towel to end the match. If
Heights won, he could leave No Quarter Catch Crew. Instead,
Dempsey wins after targeting the leg of his own stablemate.
Dempsey was cranking on the leg when Sinclair threw in the
towel to stop the match. Heights never gave up. The finish
teased further dissension within No Quarter Catch Crew.
The NXT Tag Team Champions — Hank & Tank — are backstage
dancing with Je’Von Evans when Evans is ambushed by Jasper
Troy. Evans is slammed against a roll-up door. The tag
champs try to pull Troy off Evans as he smashes Evans again.
Joe Hendry & Mike Santana defeated Tyriek Igwe & Tyson
Dupont (with Wes Lee)
Santana pinned Dupont to win the match, despite interference
by TNA World Champion Trick Williams. After the match,
Williams joins High Ryze in a beatdown on Hendry and
Santana.
The tag bout goes through a commercial break. Santana and
Hendry both do dives at one point. As they go home, Wes Lee
gets on the ring apron to distract the referee. Meanwhile,
Trick Williams runs down to ringside and sends Hendry
crashing into the metal ring steps. After glaring at Tick,
Santana rolls through a missed stomp to deck Lee with a
right hand. Lee takes a Bobby Heenan bump off the apron.
Soon thereafter, Santana delivers a spinning lariat on
Dupont. Santana then covers him for the pinfall.
Trick joins with High Ryze in attacking Hendry and Santana
after the match is over. The four heels leave the TNA
babyfaces laying prone on the mat, and the NXT heels stand
over the TNA faces.
Yoshiki Inamura is the focus of a vignette, which features
Keiji Mutoh, Naomichi Marufuji, Ulka Sasaki, IYO SKY, and
Kaito Kiyomiya all wishing luck to Inamura in his title
challenge against NXT Champion Oba Femi at The Bash this
Saturday.
Inamura, dressed in a suit and flanked by Josh Briggs in a
leather vest and t-shirt, heads to the ring for
confrontation with Oba Femi. But first comes more
commercials.
After the commercial break is a pre-tape promo from
Darkstate, where they threaten to interfere in TNA matches
along with NXT.
Inamura and Briggs enter the ring, followed by NXT Champion
Oba Femi. Inamura cuts a promo on Femi, with Inamura calling
Femi his greatest challenge. Inamura says he is supported by
Briggs and his family, and he vows to fight with honor. Femi
responds by asking if Inamura is ready to lose with honor.
Briggs says Inamura grabs the mic and cuts a promo on Femi
on behalf of Inmaura. Briggs also vows to make sure Inmaura
wins, because it’s their only chance. Femi tells Briggs this
is not his fight, and they start brawling. Briggs is sent
outside the ring by Femi, only for Inamura to bodyslam Femi.
Referees and producers run in to break things up as Inamura
honorably backs away.
Blake Monroe tries getting Jordynne Grace to enjoy a spa
day, much to Grace’s chagrin. Grace eventually enjoys the
spa.
Kelani Jordan defeated Lainey Reid
Jordan pinned Reid after springboarding into a split-legged
moonsault.
After the match, Thea Hail runs down to ringside to fight
with Reid. They seem set for a singles match.
Je’Von Evans is in the trainer’s room when he is again
attacked by Jasper Troy.
My local over-the-air channel is glitching as Adrianna Rizzo
calls a sit-down meeting with Stacks, Luca Crusifino and
Tony D’Angelo. After all that time she was missing, Rizzo
shows up unexpectedly. Rizzo wants to bring The Family back
together, but they are having none of it.
Rizzo does have one more item to discuss in the meeting.
Rizzo then announces a triple threat match next Tuesday on
NXT. She calls it the “final battle” in the family business.
Jasper Troy rushes into the ring to issue a challenge to
Je’Von Evans. Out comes Evans to fight with Troy, and they
have a pull-apart brawl.
Tatum Paxley joins The Culling in a vignette where they cut
a promo on Hank & Tank ahead of the tag title match later
on.
NXT Tag Team Champions Hank Walker & Tank Ledger defeated
The Culling (Niko Vance & Shawn Spears with Izzi Dame &
Tatum Paxley) to retain their titles
Tank pinned Speaars to win the match. Paxley and Dame
interference in the match, leading to Sol Ruca & Zaria to
run down to ringside.
They had a good tag bout. The title match goes through a
commercial break. Just before cutting to commercials, Vance
with a shoulder tackle sends Hank bumping over the announce
desk.
Paxley joins in the fun by distracting the referee. That
allows Dame to boot Tank in the head. Spears then gets a
near fall on Tank.
Sol Ruca runs in to jump Dame. Zaria also appears and she
carries Paxley away. That counteracts the interference as
Hank & Tank run wild. For the finish, Spears takes a bullet
for Vance, and Spears takes a finisher from Hank & Tank with
a powerslam/spear combo. Tank then covers Spears for a three
count. And still…
NXT General Manager Ava is heading to the ring for a
“summit” of sorts.
Ava first puts over the first Evolution. She was in high
school at the time, but it inspired her. Ava goes on to put
over the women on that show and what they have done since.
Ava also announces the six entrants from NXT in the battle
royal at Evolution on Sunday. Those six are Jaida Parker,
Lola Vice, Kelani Jordan, Lash Legend, Izzi Dame and Tatum
Paxley.
Out comes the Fatal Influence trio to interrupt. NXT Women’s
Champion Jacy Jayne cuts a promo while flanked by Fallon
Henley and Jazmyn Nyz. They are soon interrupted by Jordynne
Grace.
Grace cuts a promo on Fatal Influence for trying to steal
the spotlight. Yet another interruption as Lash Legend
enters to cut a promo.
Stephanie Vaquer is out next to interfere, and she is super
over with the live studio audience in attendance. Vaquero
cuts a promo of her own.
In a surprise cameo, Natalya enters with Maxxine Dupri
introducing her. Natalya also cuts a promo.
Jaida Parler is next to cut a promo. She then rushes into
the ring and a huge brawl erupts. Hyping the battle royal on
Sunday, the show goes off the air with the women brawling in
the ring.