This was a hard show to not have spoiled. I’m pretty sure if you’ve been on the internet at all since these tapings you already know the end of this episode.
Cold Open
The show opens with a video package showing Aleister Black beating Lars Sullivan at the most recent Takeover, as well as Tomasso Ciampa winning his match against Johnny Gargano. Leading to Ciampa challenging Black for Aleister’s NXT championship. Ciampa calls himself the Devil, but Black claims that is not true. The story is basically Ciampa trying to claim his right as champion and Black not thinking Ciampa is worthy enough. Very serious promos by both, looks to be a promising main event.
Adam Cole vs. Sean Maluta
Commentators say Adam Cole calls himself “the hottest commodity on any brand”. Mauro states that Adam backs up his boasts so there isn’t much you can say to deny that.
Sean Maluta makes his entrance to polite claps and commentary saying this is a huge opportunity for Maluta’s career.
Even though Cole is the heel, the crowd is firmly behind him. We get some aggressive collar and elbowing followed by the Scott Hall classic of paintbrushing the back of Maluta’s head. Cole took Sean too lightly and Maluta was able to get a few moves of offense in which surprised much of the crowd.
Adam Cole hits a beautiful superkick that leads to his finish the “Last Shot” which is a shining wizard to the back of the neck and wins the match in a convincing matter.
Cole takes the mic and says he is the most buzz worthy Superstar on any brand. He lists his accomplishments of defending his North American championship across the world and gives anyone a shot. Ricochets music hits and the crowd gets hype. Ricochet kinda stutters through the beginning of his promo, he puts over Adam Cole but then calls him a coward. As Ricochet is challenging Adam Cole to a title match at Takeover, he fumbles the promo a little bit more. Cole turns down the match offer and walks away. Ricochet calls Cole a coward again and while Cole looks shook it doesn’t shake him enough to accept Ricochet’s challenge. Undisputed Era shows up to back up Adam Cole and the War Raiders show up to back up Ricochet. Nice little set up here because when Undisputed Era shows ass and tries to leave they run into Mustache Mountain. Hot segment to end the first part of the show.
Backstage contract signing for the NXT Woman’s championship. Shayna Baszler and Kairi Sane exchange some words. Well, Shayna says she has improved since last year and said Kairi hasn’t done anything since. Kairi signs the contract and says “I know it, you know it, I will beat you”.
We see a replay of when EC3 and Velveteen Dream were tagging and Dream left EC3 to lose in the ring.. Nice little reminder of the feud that is building. I like it because both Dream and EC3 act like heels but are massively over with the NXT faithful. A battle of the coolest heels.
Tenilla Price vs. Lacey Evans
Tenilla makes her entrance and we are told she has a degree in Criminology and almost got her pilots license. She also likes Lucha House Party?
The First Lady of NXT Lacey Evans makes her entrance and starts the match with some Fabulous Moolah style wrestling. By that I mean a hairmare after a lock up.
Lacey then ties Price’s hair to the ropes just to land a few kicks and salute the boo’ing crowd. This isn’t even a match, it’s just Lacey getting tons of shit in so we can start to learn her moveset. Lacey does a Big E classic and pulls a handkerchief out of her gear to dab some sweat off and then drops the garment on her opponents face.
Bianca Belair gets an interview about how she is undefeated and injured. She has an amazing shirt of a brown Betty Boop that says “Melanin Monroe”. Bianca SLAYS this promo and shows why she is the EST of NXT.
Shayna and Candice LeRae have a small verbal skirmish in the back.
NXT World Heavyweight Championship
Aleister Black (c) vs. Tommaso Ciampa
Tommaso makes his silent entrance to a chorus of boo’s. The heat this man generates is amazing. He relishes the hatred and holds up one finger, to indicate that all he needs is one chance.
As the lights darken and the arena is blacked out, the crowd claps along to the drums of our champions theme song. Black rises from the darkness with those in attendance singing along “No man is ever truly good. No man is ever truly evil.” There is a big fight feel to this and you can tell the crowd is ready to see this. I am getting some goosebumps myself and I’m watching from the comfort of my home.
Tommaso expressionlessly puts his fingers up to symbolize he only needs three seconds to win. He has gotten Aleister angry which doesn’t fair well for Black. A man who fights with emotion is easily taken advantage of by a man who fights with composure.
These guys start off hot with some hold trading and a near fall for Ciampa. He smiles at Black while waving two fingers to Aleister. Ciampa is still diving deeper into Black’s psyche as the match progresses. Let’s not forget commentary, who are breaking this match down better than any team I’ve heard in WWE. They state that since both men are strikers, more wrestling will happen until one can get an upper-hand to unleash the blows.
Black starts landing said strikes and it puts Ciampa on the outside. Black goes for a dive but Ciampa moves so Aleister backflips into a seated position and does the iconic wave that Ciampa taunted Gargano with at the end of Takeover.
Not to be outdone, Ciampa gains advantage and waves right back at Black. This match is wrestled at a slow, physical and deliberate pace. The moments that happen are very special and every attack or strike has time to breath and let us absorb the damage that these wrestlers are doling out to each other.
Ciampa is wrestling his best heel self by grabbing the ropes while applying an abdominal stretch and letting the refs count go to 4 before letting go. We are at a point in the match where Black is now fighting from underneath in a believable fashion. Both men are starting to counter one another in between massive strikes, they end up colliding with dual shoulder blocks and both men are down. Which seems to be the end of the second act of the match.
Both men are spent and are doing offensive flurries during their spurts of energy. The pace is really picking up adding a sense of urgency to each near fall. Black seems to have Ciampa’s number and has found his rhythem to possibly retain the championship. The closest near fall comes after a few successive strikes to Ciampa’s head ending with a kick to the head. Ciampa is begging Black to let up and give him space. Black yells “TWEET ABOUT THIS” and delivers three strikes to Ciampa’s chest.
It seems like Ciampa is biding his time and taking punishment in hopes of Black to make a mistake that Tommaso can capitalize on. He is still composed and Aleister is showing more emotion than he ever has. Ciampa is able to turn the tide and attempt his finish of a knee to the head. Black counters and attempts a Black Mass but Ciampa dodges. The strikes are bigger, the emotion is stronger, the near falls are.. nearer. This match hit its final gear and the crowd knows it too with a HUGE “NXT” chant.
Aleister sets up for Black Mass again by putting his foot under Tommaso’s chin, but Ciampa is able to counter once again. One more burst of offense by Black and he can not put Ciampa away. Tommaso kicks out and the crowd breaks into a standing ovation because of the show these two are putting on.
A camera man is taken out, the ref is distracted and Ciampa hits Black with a crutch to the face with ANOTHER NEAR FALL! Ciampa dodges a dive to the outside and finally hits the rope hung DDT that got him the win against Gargano. Black kicks out again and the crowd doesn’t know how to contain their excitement. There is clapping, yelling and NXT chants. The match continues to build. Ciampa takes the padding off of the concrete on the floor and is going for another rope hung DDT. The ref is telling Ciampa not to do it and threatens DQ. The ref is then bumped onto the concrete and Aleister hits Black Mass with a visual 10 count pin attempt while the ref is laid out on concrete. THIS IS AMAZING.
Ciampa fights off Black by grabbing the mans EYE! The NXT belt is brought into the ring but Johnny Gargano is in the ring to screw Ciampa. A superkick by Gargano. Johnny tries to wrestle the belt away from Ciampa but in the tug of war Gargano hits Black. Tommaso hits his finish and becomes the NEW NXT CHAMPION. The crowd is shocked and appalled. People with genuine disguston their face as Ciampa holds the belt to huge boo’s.
Probably the best non Takeover NXT match of the last few years. Bravo to NXT. Yellow Ropes Forever.
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