The landscape of NXT changed last night at the promotions 36th Takeover event. Samoa Joe handed Karrion Kross his first (non-main roster) WWE loss to become the new NXT Champion, Ilja Dragunov submitted Walter in a 5-star classic to end the Austrian’s 870-day reign as NXT UK Champion, and Kyle O’Reilly defeated Adam Cole in a brutal 2-out-of-3 falls match in what could very well be the Panama City Playboy’s last appearance in NXT (and WWE as a whole).
We will update this post with any and all news and results from tonight’s NXT tapings as they happen.
– Drake Maverick joins Nigel McGuinness and Vic Joseph on commentary for the pre-NXT taping of 205 Live
– Grayson Waller defeats Andre Chase
– Ikemen Jiro defeats Tre Baxter
– Amari Miller defeats Cora Jade
– Joe Gacy defeats Josh Briggs. Briggs received “305 Live” chants from the CWC crowd.
– 205 Live tapings have finished and Alicia Taylor has come out to address the crowd while the ring crew switches the ring aprons. Taylor announces that NXT Champion Samoa Joe and Million Dollar Champion Cameron Grimes will both be appearing.
– NXT begins as a pre-tape airs of Cameron Grimes and “The Million Dollar Man” Ted DiBiase getting out of a limousine and entering the arena.
– Grimes & DiBiase enter the arena to a big reaction. The two cut a promo talking about the evolution in their relationship over the past couple of months. DiBiase puts over how Grimes is the perfect person to carry on the legacy of the Million Dollar Man. The two scream Grimes’ “To The Moon” catchphrase before hundreds of fake dollar bills are shot into the crowd with Grimes’ face on it. The two continue to be one of the most popular acts in NXT.
– Ridge Holland defeats Timothy Thatcher. After the match, Ciampa attempts to check on Thatcher before Holland pulls him off. All four men, including Dunne get into a scuffle before Oney Lorcan and a returning Danny Burch come to the aid of Holland and Dunne. The four men walk backstage together after subduing Ciampa and Thatcher.
– A backstage interview is held with Indi Hartwell and Dexter Lumis. The two, debuting a new “In-dex” engagement t-shirt, are asked about a potential wedding date, and they reveal that the wedding will take place on the Tuesday, September 14th edition of NXT.
– Kayden Carter and Kacy Catanzaro pick up a victory over Gigi Dolan and Jacy Jayne.
– A backstage interview with NXT Women’s Champion Raquel Gonzalez airs. Raquel says she’s been waiting for Kay Lee Ray to make her way over to NXT before she’s interuppted by Franky Monet, Robert Stone, and Jessi Kamea. Monet makes it known that she’s coming for the women’s title before walking off.
– A hype package for Kay Lee Ray
– A hype package for the NXT Breakout Tournament Finals airs, featuring an interview with Odyssey Jones.
– Kay Lee Ray defeats Valentina Feroz in dominating fashion.
– A pre-tape airs of new NXT Champion Samoa Joe making his way to the ring.
– Samoa Joe comes out to a huge reaction. Joe cuts a great promo challenging anyone to come and try to take his title. Pete Dunne answers Joe’s call to another big reaction. Dunne says he isn’t afraid of Joe before calling on NXT GM William Regal to make the match. The two are then interrupted by L.A Knight. Knight has mega heat from this crowd, easily the strongest reaction anyone has gotten all night. He also challenges Joe to an NXT Championship. Kyle O’Reilly then joins the fray, walking out with a very noticeable limp. O’Reilly verbally attacks L.A Knight before Ridge Holland attacks him on the stage. Dunne and Joe prepare to face off before Tommaso Ciampa enters through the crowd and attacks Dunne from behind as a receipt from earlier in the night/last week. All five men (excluding O’Reilly who was taken out by Holland) brawl for a bit before Ciampa & Joe clear the ring.
William Regal enters the arena to a brand new-Poppy sung theme song with a contract in hand for the NXT Breakout Tournament Finals.
Carmelo Hayes defeats Odyssey Jones to win the NXT Breakout Tournament in a huge upset. Both men were super over with the crowd and received “This is Awesome” chants for the performance. Crowd is chanting so loud for Hayes that it’s difficult to hear William Regal congratulate him on stage. Hayes says it’s too early to say which champion he will challenge with his contractual championship match from winning the breakout tournament. The crowd gives Hayes one last chant before heading to the back.
The new group of Pete Dunne, Ridge Holland, Danny Burch, and Oney Lorcan cut a promo on Samoa Joe.
A graphic appears showing that new NXT UK Champion Ilja Dragunov will appear next week.
Up now: Boa (with Tian Sha) Vs Xyon Quinn
Update: Our source was removed from tonight’s NXT tapings for “potentially being a dirtsheet writer”. An opportunity missed, but alas, life moves on.
