Tonight on WWE NXT, Kyle O’Reilly returns, KUSHIDA begins his Cruiserweight open challenge and Dexter Lumis takes on LA Knight in singles action!
WWE NXT
Capitol Wrestling Center, Orlando, FL
Commentators: Vic Joseph, Wade Barrett & Beth Phoenix
Kyle O’Reilly comes out to start the show off. He says at TakeOver he faced one of his toughest challenges. He says he’s in a great mood right now because he’s not around Adam Cole anymore. Cole is behind him now and it’s time to move on. What is next for KOR? To succeed here, he has to have that killer instinct and he’s found it. Gotta be willing to go through those extremes. But what are is goals? Does he continue to prove that he is “the guy” here? Does he challenge for the North American Title? Or does he take care of Karrion Kross? He begins to call him out before Cameron Grimes comes out. He came out to say congrats. He said he made a killing on DraftKings betting on him. He sees him as a big dog and he thought if he needed someone to invest in him, and that guy could be Cameron Grimes. Some of the crowd’s behind it and Grimes notes it. NFTs and KO coins are pitched. KOR says he loves it, he’s a genius. KOR notes that he’s officially cleared to compete. He’s looking around. Cleans his shades and then slugs Grimes.
Sarray is shown entering the building and Zoey Starks stops her and William Regal to request a match against the debuting Sarray. Regal makes it official and sets the match. The two competitors shake hands.
LA Knight cuts a cutting promo on Dexter Lumis and that bout is next.
MATCH 1
LA Knight vs. Dexter Lumis
The two lock up and Lumis gets some shots in before Knight jacknife pins him for a two count. LA begins talking trash to a downed Dexter who grabs hold of him but Knight bails. Guillotined over the rope is Dexter before LA vaults himself in with a shoulder tackle. Big back drop by Lumis. Lumis backs LA’s crotch into the ring post. Soon, Lumis charges at Knight but gets caught with a neckbreaker. We go to picture-in-picture.
Back from break, Dexter delivers a spinebuster. Hard right hands by Lumis followed by a bulldog. Belly to back and then a leg drop. Slingshot suplex ala Tully. Two count. Soon Knight sends Dexter into the barricade and Dexter sees Indi Hartwell at ringside. Distracted, LA Knight attacks him from behind. He talks trash to Indi and Lumis hits Knight from behind. Getting back in the ring, LA catches Lumis with his neckbreaker finisher and gets the pinfall.
WINNER: LA Knight
Post-match, Indi gets on the apron as Lumis approaches her for an apparent kiss, but Candice LeRae and Johnny Gargano pulls her off.
Leon Ruff is fired up against Swerve Scott. He says it’s his move.
Beth Phoenix is standing with Io Shirai. She takes her back to TakeOver: In Your House. She says that was the biggest night of her night, definitely. Beth then talks Stand & Deliver. She shows the boot and powerbomb by Raquel and then shows her the pinfall. Io says Raquel was her biggest and toughest challenge. She will get her rematch. She says “rest” is next for her. In comes Franky Monet with her pooch. She came in to congrat Io on an amazing reign. Monet says she’d be willing to fill her shoes at the top of the NXT women’s division. Io talks trash to her in Japanese before saying she likes cats. Franky seems a touch miffed.
MATCH 2
Breezango vs. Grizzled Young Vets
Breeze and Fandango come out as British guards and both GYV aren’t pleased. Bell rings and the brawl begins before the heels bail. Zack Gibson and Breeze begins the bout. Gibson corners him but Breeze catches him with a hurricanrana. Tag to Fandango. Pin attempt for two. Drake interferes from the apron and it allows Gibson to suplex for a near fall. Fandango handles both men before hanging Drake over the ropes for a kick. Fandango dives on top of the GYT on the outside and we go to break. Back from break, Drake misses a top rope foot stomp and his knees in pain. Official talks to Drake as everyone watches, but as officials back is turned, Gibson thumbs Fandango in the eye and Drake takes advantage. Gibson grinds the face of Fandango. He does tag in Breeze who is a house on fire. He delivers a Superman Punch off the apron to Drake. Back in the ring, Breeze hits a Russian leg sweep, but Drake almost steals a pin after some help from Gibson. They catch Breeze with their vaulting double team facebuster for the 1-2-3.
WINNERS: Grizzled Young Veterans
Indi Hartwell is about to have an interview, but Gargano and LeRae stops her. In comes Bronson Reed to give them flack for that, but Austin Theory wants to fight Reed in the ring tonight.
Grimes isn’t too pleased with KOR. He has a Ja Morant (NBA) NFT, but then realizes that Ted DiBiase bought it!
MATCH 3
Zoey Stark vs. Sarray
Zoey and Sarray do a test of strength, Stark tries to power her down, but no dice and we’re met with some pin attempts. Sarray knocks Starks down several times. before kicking her in the mush and ties up Stark in a deathlock in a bridge! Stark makes it to the ropes. It’s then Starks who begins to dominate for a while.
Sarray tries to break double arm hold, but can’t. She does however boots Stark off the apron not long after. Sarray hits her with major shots. She catches her with a dropkick against the aprong before hitting her with a running one. Fisherman’s suplex for two. Big kick by Stark, She hits a sliding knee strike for two.
Stark goes for a 450 but misses. Roll up attempt by Sarray for two. Two pin attempts by Zoey after a spinning heel kick. Spinning heel kick by Sarray. Exploder suplex and she gets the three count.
WINNER: Sarray
Post-match Stark and Sarray embrace, but TOni Storm comes out and attacks Stark on the outside.
Dakota Kai and Raquel Gonzalez are backstage. Gonzalez says she was impressed with Io’s reign, but she aims to do one better. Dakota Kai is smarmy and Raquel says she’ll take out the women’s locker room one-by-one if they want to step up to her. We go to break.
Candice LeRae tries to make Indi less boy crazy as she searches for Shotzi and Ember Moon. They find her. Candice notices Indi is not behind her. She flips coffee in Ember’s face but gets cornered in the locker room as the door shuts.
KUSHIDA comes out and asks who wants a title shot for his Cruiserweight Title? Out comes Oney Lorcan.
MATCH 4
NXT Cruiserweight Championship
Open Challenge
KUSHIDA (c) vs. Oney Lorcan
KUSHIDA gets Oney down with a rolling leg lock, but Lorcan comes back with a ground head scissors. Bow and arrow lock by KUSHIDA. The two go back and forth with mat holds. Lorcan slows it down with a side headlock. Big time cross armbreaker by KUSHIDA and Oney gets to the ropes. Big back elbow by KUSHIDA and attack sends Oney to the outside. We go to break.
Back from it, KUSHIDA hits some kicks, but Oney catches him with a rolling European uppercut. Kitchen sink by Lorcan for a two count. Another pin, but nothing doing. Abdominal stretch. Elbows free KUSHIDA. Big time diving lariat from KUSHIDA. Charging palm strike in the corner by KUSHIDA. He almost gets Lorcan in the armbreaker, but it’s not long before he hits a blockbuster. Slow cover only gets Oney a two. Hard chop to KUSHIDA, not one but five times. Oney goes for a hip toss, but KUSHIDA kicks free and eventually locks in his hammerlock submission for the W.
WINNER and STILL NXT Cruiserweight Champion: KUSHIDA
Post-match, KUSHIDA celebrates, but gets attacked by Legado Del Fantasma. Escobar joins in as KUSHIDA is getting further beat down. MSK come in for the save and all three men clear house.
Mercedes Martinez makes her claim for Raquel Gonzalez’s title.
Gargano Family sees a beaten up and sulking Candice, but Indi comes in to reveal that she and Candice have a tag team titles shot.
MATCH 5
Ever Rise vs. Imperium (Fabian Eichner & Marcel Barthel) (with Alexander Wolfe)
Eichner lariats Martel hard and continues that offense until Martel hits a jawbreaker. Tag to Chase Parker but he gets caught with a fallaway slam. Tag to Marcel. Out comes Killian Dane and Parker almost gets a roll-up win. Out comes Drake Maverick and he tries to get to Wolfe. Imperium hits their uppercut Doomsday Device on Parker for the W.
WINNERS: Imperium
Backstage, we see KOR stare down Karrion Kross before he walks out for his main event match.
MAIN EVENT
Kyle O’Reilly vs. Cameron Grimes
Grimes gets KOR in a toe hold but Kyle gets him in an arm wrench. Side camel clutch by KOR. Headlock takedown and another headlock to keep Grimes grounded. Grimes fires back with his own headlock takedown. Grimes has a headlock but then he shoulderblocks KOR down. KOR does an arm wrench. Grimes rolls to his feet and frees himself. KOR catches him with a knee before slapping him. Modified flatliner. Harsh kicks from KOR. Grimes goes for a sunset flip but KOR gets him in an armbar. Grimes rolls to the ropes for a break. KOR holds onto Cameron’s left knee but Grimes turns it into a German suplex. We go to break.
Back from it, Grimes is wrenching the nexk. He hits KOR with a close lariat for a close fall. “This is awesome” chants by the CWC. Grimes has KOR down in the corner and boot chokes him. He sends KOR hard into the opposite corner and gets a near fall once more. Camel clutch with a knee to the back by Grimes. KOR fights to his feet and a kitchen sink opens up the window. Barrage of knees by KOR before sweeping the leg. O’Reilly hits Grimes with a corner forearm. Suplex and leg hold by KOR but Grimes does make it to the ropes.
Front chancery submission by KOR and he releases it to kick Grimes. Grimes gets KOR for a spinning slam for a near fall. Both men struggle to their feet. Grimes may be going for another German, but the two fight it out. And O’Reilly nearly gets pinned while doing a submission. Both men trade high impact blows. Big slam by Cameron has another two count in his column.
Big front kick by KOR. Superkick by Grimes, but KOR downs Grimes. Brainbuster by KOR. He hits his knee to the back from the top and gets the 1-2-3.
WINNER: Kyle O’Reilly
