Results
- Zaria def. Lizzy Rain (10:32)
- Bronco Nima & Lucien Price def. Shawn Spears & Niko Vance (9:30)
- Jackson Drake def. Tate Wilder (8:37)
- Lexis King def. Romero Moreno (WWE Speed Championship) (4:35)
- Osiris Griffin & Dion Lennox def. Myles Borne & Tavion Heights (11:02)
- Tony D’Angelo def. Kam Hendrix (NXT Championship) (10:47)
Zaria earns North American title shot following latest win
This week’s episode of NXT, live from the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Florida, opened with action in the women’s division, as Lizzy Rain went head-to-head with Zaria. This match was made following a pull-apart between these two last week.
The woman these two have both been after recently, NXT Women’s North American Champion Tatum Paxley, appeared at ringside early on in this match and joined the commentary desk.
It seemed like Rain was gaining some momentum after a commercial break, connecting with a hurricanrana out of the corner, but Zaria shot up to her feet and immediately responded with a spear. Rain once again went on a run, scoring a pair of clotheslines, a springboard back elbow, then a springboard DDT for a near fall.
Zaria lifted up Rain in a Doomsday Device-type position, but Rain countered it into a roll-up attempt. Rain was caught with a discus lariat from Zaria for a near fall.
Rain had a power-up moment and started to battle back beginning with a cutter. Rain had her momentum stopped by a sudden string of brutal moves from Zaria: The former Sol Ruca teammate countered a springboard move mid-air into a German Suplex, then followed up with a spear and an F5 for the pinfall win in 10 minutes. A fun closing sequence between these two. And, considering Rain just had her shot against Paxley, it made sense for Zaria to get the momentum here.
Zaria attempted a post-match attack, but was backed down by Paxley. The champ said that if Zaria wanted a shot, all she had to do was ask for one. Paxley then confirmed that she’ll put her belt on the line next week against Zaria. That should be a fun one.
The broadcast reminded us that NXT Great American Bash will take place on June 28.
The Culling suffers another loss
The next segment was scheduled to see DarkState face Myles Borne and Tavion Heights, but plans changed! Former DarkState member Saquon Shugars attacked the duo as they were on their way to the ring, causing General Manager Robert Stone to postpone the match.
As a standby match, we saw OTM go head-to-head with Shawn Spears and Niko Vance of The Culling. This was scheduled to go down last week, but the match was thrown out due to OTM suffering an attack before the bell by the heel faction. This was the first OTM match on NXT we’ve seen since March, although they’ve been featured in segments since then.
OTM returned the favor this week, jumping Spears and Vance before the match officially got started. Lucien Price got a hot tag as the show returned from a break, taking on both Spears and Vance at the same time. After delivering splashes in the corner to both, he had an impressive moment when he tossed Spears at Vance like a lawn dart.
The Culling earned a near fall of their own with a double-team slam on Price. It was at this point that Spears started to sport a cut around his nose, although it was unclear what caused it. There was a slight pause from The Culling after Price shoved Spears into Vance, causing a near collision. This distraction allowed Price to knock Vance off the apron with a strike. Price gave Spears an Uranage then tagged in Bronco Nima for their double-team slam finisher, earning them the pinfall win in nine minutes. Just one week after Izzi Dame lost a title shot, The Culling continues to struggle.
Tate Wilder goes another week without a win
Tate Wilder, the over-the-top NXT newcomer still in search of his first win, faced off against Jackson Drake in the next match. Just before heading out for the bout, EK Prosper told Wilder that he needs to tone it down a bit in his matches – we have seen in recent weeks that his risk-taking style has been detrimental at times.
Wilder had the momentum as the show went into a break, wiping out Drake and the rest of the Vanity Project with a dive off the ringside steel stairs.
The fight went to the ring apron after they returned, where Drake scored a crafty Pele Kick, then a terrifying spear through the ropes. A 450 Splash off the top was dodged by Wilder, who then connected with a cutter for a two-count.
Wilder climbed to the top rope, but was tripped up by Drake before he could go flying. Wilder was able to connect with a Sunset Flip Powerbomb, then a huge frogsplash for a near fall.
Ricky Smokes and Brad Baylor got on the ring apron, but were both taken out by Wilder. Drake was sent to the outside, where Wilder attempted to connect with another dive, but that move didn’t go as planned. Vanity Project’s newest member, Myka Lockwood, got in the way and caught Wilder, then ran him spine-first into a ringpost. This all happened as Baylor distracted the referee on the other side of the ring.
Lockwood rolled Wilder back into the ring, where Drake won with a 450 Splash. I’m digging the story that Wilder is doing too much in his matches, although it didn’t feel like that was much of a theme in this one. Nonetheless an enjoyable performance from these two, Vanity Project have been fun, Lockwood has fit in with the group well, and Wilder has been an easy new name to buy into.
Backstage, Jasper Troy got into a heated verbal exchange with Osiris Griffin. This caused Griffin and DarkState teammate Dion Lennox to jump him, an attack which only ended after the entire office they were in was trashed.
Lola Vice books match to find next contender
NXT Women’s Champion Lola Vice hit the ring for the next segment to answer the question of who’s next for her title.
Kelani Jordan was the first to interrupt her promo. Mentioning that she has already beaten Lola Vice once, and has wins over contenders like Wren Sinclair (among many others), she feels annoyed that she hasn’t already gotten an opportunity: “I am done asking and I am demanding.”
Next to come out was Kendal Grey, who said that she pinned both Vice and Jordan in the Iron Survivor match this year (let’s ignore that she has lost to both of them more recently).
Jordan and Grey started to go back and forth with trash talk which frustrated Vice. The champ was done with the bickering, so she booked a #1 contenders match between these two for next week, with the winner facing her at the Great American Bash. That’s cool. I mean, Jordan does seem like the significantly more qualified contender, so much so that it’s hard to feel like she even needs to go through a #1 contenders match, but whatever. It’ll be a good match at least.
As Vice left the ring, Jordan attempted to attack her. Vice felt a touch on her arm and instinctively hit a spinning backfist, but dropped Grey instead of her intended target, Jordan!
We got a video package hyping up the Mr. NXT pageant next week between Shiloh Hill and Tristan Angels. The video mentioned that they will be graded on attire, talent and public speaking.
Romeo Moreno falls short in Speed title challenge
Backstage, Mason Rook said that he should’ve been the one to get a title shot tonight instead of Kam Hendrix. General Manager Robert Stone appeared in frame and said that Rook will face Naraku next week in a #1 contenders match. Stone gave a stern warning to Rook not to get involved in tonight’s main event.
In the first of two title matchups this week, Noam Dar understudy Romeo Moreno challenged Lexis King for the WWE Speed Championship.
As per the typical Speed championship match rules, a five-minute clock started ticking once the bell sounded. The PC was seemingly in a World Cup mood, as the flags of USA (King) and Spain (Moreno) appeared on the venue’s LED display.
Moreno got a two-count halfway through the match after scoring with a Death Valley Driver. He followed up with a Rings of Saturn, which King escaped by transitioning into a roll-up pin. King rolled out of the ring for a breather. Moreno tried to take King out with a dive at ringside, but instead landed on Stacks and Uriah Connors of Birthright.
Back in the ring, a top-rope move from Moreno was countered into a Half Crab. Moreno reversed into a roll-up for a two-count. A springboard monsault from Moreno was dodged by King, who hit a forearm running off the ropes, then his Coronation finisher for the win in just under five minutes. The three-minute Speed matches feel too short, but I can get into the five-minute time limit ones. This match worked at a frantic pace late, and honestly, was quite enjoyable. Excited to see more from Moreno soon.
Backstage, Jaida Parker and Nattie, who have been going back and forth with comments in recent weeks, had a face-to-face. Nattie said that she “sees through” Parker’s fake intimidating act, and once again claimed that she’s “soft.” Parker looked shaken by Nattie’s comments!
DarkState score tag win in rescheduled bout
In a match we were originally scheduled to see in the first hour of the night, DarkState’s Osiris Griffin and Dion Lennox faced off against Tavion Heights and NXT North American Champion Myles Borne. The question in this one was whether Borne and Heights, who have struggled to see eye to eye over the past few months, could coexist.
Heights gave Griffin an insane belly-to-belly overhead suplex at ringside before the show went into a break. Borne was isolated for a large portion of the match, setting up for a Heights hot tag late.
A run of moves from Heights was meant to include a belly-to-belly suplex to Griffin, but the move was stopped by Lennox, who held onto a leg of Griffin from ringside. Griffin ran Heights shoulder-first into a ringpost, then hit a double-team Doomsday Device alongside Lennox for the pinfall win in 11 minutes.
Saquon Shugars, who attacked DarkState earlier in the night, was seen watching on after their win.
Here’s what the broadcast confirmed for next week:
- Shiloh Hill, Tristan Angels compete in Mr. NXT Pageant
- Naraku vs. Mason Rook (NXT Championship #1 Contenders Match)
- Kelani Jordan vs. Kendal Grey (NXT Women’s Championship #1 Contenders Match)
- Tatum Paxley vs. Zaria (NXT Women’s North American Championship)
It was clarified later in the broadcast that the winner of Naraku vs. Rook will face D’Angelo at Great American Bash.
Tony D’Angelo overcomes the confident Kam Hendrix in title matchup
The main event of the night saw NXT Champion Tony D’Angelo face the arrogant Kam Hendrix. This was the first time D’Angelo had defended his belt in over a month, so it goes without saying that this was also the first time he had faced one of the brand’s newer call-ups in a title bout.
Hendrix caught D’Angelo right out of the gates with a head kick. He followed up with a DDT, but it wasn’t enough to score the shock win against the champ. D’Angelo was quick to respond with a few huge moves, tossing Hendrix around the ring and gaining the advantage as the show went into its final break.
Early in the match, it was revealed that title contender Naraku was watching the match from ringside. D’Angelo was gaining some momentum after the show returned, connecting with a Spinebuster, then a Fisherman Suplex for a near fall.
Hendrix attempted to leverage his body during a pin attempt by putting his legs on the ropes, but the referee caught him. A Dead to Rights from Hendrix was escaped. Instead, the NXT rookie scored a Showtime kick then a powerbomb for a two-count of his own.
A striking exchange between these two ended after D’Angelo hit a powerbomb, causing another two-count. Hendrix snapped D’Angelo’s head on the top rope. Hendrix grabbed a steel chair at ringside, planning to use dirty tactics in the title match, but was stopped by Mason Rook, who suddenly appeared at ringside. D’Angelo tossed Hendrix onto the commentary table, then gave him the Dead to Rights chokeslam in the ring for the victory in 10 minutes. This was a short but enjoyable match.
Hendrix was showcased well here as a dirty heel, and we got some solid hype for the next two contenders in line for D’Angelo’s title. While Naraku is the more recognizable name of the two, I’m hoping Rook gets the win, as his introduction in NXT has been fun thus far.
