A tournament seeped in history comes to a conclusion on this week’s episode of NXT. Grizzled Young Veterans will square off against Pete Dunne and Matt Riddle in the finals of the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic. Which duo will come out on top and take home the trophy? This, and more, will be discussed in the Inquisition!
Prior to the action, we receive a word from Beth Phoenix, who speaks on Randy Orton’s attack on Edge this past Monday on RAW. Despite wanting to be by her husband’s side, an emotional Phoenix declares she will do her job. From there, Finn Balor makes his entrance for the opening match.
Match 1: Finn Balor vs. Trent Seven
The night before, Balor attacked Seven in the parking lot. Balor demands that Seven stay out of his business as he chokes him against a car door. Bruised larynx and all, Seven is set to compete. As Seven makes his entrance, Balor dropkicks him to the outside. A weakened Seven makes his way back into the ring, the bell ringing. Balor continues to attack Seven in the corner and across the middle rope. Balor follows up with a series of vicious stomps and a baseball dropkick to the outside. Back in the ring, Balor cinches in a chinlock. Seven escapes, but Balor cuts off his brief momentum with a double stomp for a two-count.
https://twitter.com/NXTUK/status/1222690041828343808?s=20
Seven rolls up Balor with a small package for a two-count, firing away with chops. Once again, Balor cuts him off, hitting a sling blade. Balor floors him with a chop across the throat before NXT goes to commercial. The show returns to Seven escaping another chinlock, firing off with several strikes and a running DDT. Seven chops Balor in the corner and lands a half nelson suplex. Seven Star Lariat makes its mark for a two-count. From there, Seven hits Balor with a tope suicida. Back in the ring, Seven struggles to make his way to the top rope. Balor takes advantage, sending Seven to the mat and hitting a running dropkick into the corner. Balor ends the match with Coup de Grace followed by 1916 for the 1… 2… 3!
Winner: Finn Balor
NXT cuts to a backstage interview with Dunne and Riddle, who says he sees the love in his partner’s eyes. Dunne says that they will walk away with the trophy, even if he has to snap fingers. Riddle says that, when they win, they will see why Dunne is the life of the party. From there, we cut to a video package hyping Tegan Nox versus Dakota Kai, which will go down later tonight!
After commercial, we are treated to a promo package, the numbers “5,” “20,” and “2” appearing in circles. What can this be alluding to?
Match 2: Shotzi Blackheart vs. Deonna Purrazzo
After a slow exchange, Blackheart hits Purrazo with an enziguri. Purrazzo drops Blackheart and begins to work on the arm. Purrazzo hits a series of clotheslines and attempts a few covers. Blackheart fights back with jawbreakers and a swinging neckbreaker. Blackheart follows up with a corner splash and a running bulldog. A series of kicks by Blackheart earn her a two-count. Blackheart finishes with a lungblower before going up top for a senton! 1… 2… 3!
https://twitter.com/WWENXT/status/1222693631494107137?s=20
Winner: Shotzi Blackheart
After commercial, the new NXT North American Champion, Keith Lee, makes his entrance. Mic in hand, Lee is showered with chants of adoration by the crowd. Lee says that, two months ago, he told The Undisputed Era which title he would take first. With the title, he is a moment-maker, game-changer, and prophecy-ender. Lee is interrupted by Damian Priest, who tells him he likes taking meaningful things and gets what he wants. What Priest wants is the North American Championship and he wonders how Lee will give it to him.
Cue Dominik Dijakovic, who tells Lee that he deserves the championship. However, Dijakovic says he should be the one challenging, not Priest, or “bootleg Marilyn Manson.” Lee starts to exit the ring, but is interrupted by Dijakovic, who is then interrupted by Priest. As Lee leaves the ring, Priest drops Dijakovic with a forearm. Dijakovic stands up as a referee enters the ring for the following match!
Match 3: Damian Priest vs. Dominik Dijakovic
Both men attack each other in separate corners to begin. Dijakovic hits a backbreaker followed by a splash for a pin attempt. The match spills to the outside, where Priest crucifix powerbombs Dijakovic on the apron! Following another commercial break, NXT returns to Dijakovic planting Priest with a suplex. Priest escapes a chokeslam attempt with various strikes. A flatliner by Priest earns him a two-count. Priest blocks Feast Your Eyes, but is dropped by a chokebomb for a two-count. Priest rolls to the outside, where Dijakovic lands an asai moonsault!
https://twitter.com/WWE/status/1222699189924237312?s=20
In the ring, Priest catches Dijakovic with a chokeslam for another two-count. Priest follows up with a tope con hilo. With the action returning to the ring again, the two big men hit one another with simultaneous cyclone kicks. Dijakovic superkicks Priest on the top rope. Priest escapes Dijakovic’s grasp and hits an avalanche poisonrana! 1… 2… Dijakovic kicks out! Dijakovic hits Feast Your Eyes for the 1… 2… 3!
Winner: Dominik Dijakovic
NXT cuts to a backstage interview with Tommaso Ciampa. William Regal will announce who faces Adam Cole for the NXT Championship at TakeOver: Portland. Ciampa is confident he will bring “Goldie” home. The show returns to the sight of Bobby Fish, Kyle O’Reilly, and Roderick Strong laid out, Ciampa walking over their bodies with a lead pipe in hand. Ciampa drops the pipe and grabs a table on his way to the ring. He sets up the table and spraypaints a yellow “X” in the center.
https://twitter.com/WWENXT/status/1222702928470925312?s=20
Meanwhile, an irate Cole makes his way to the ring. He calls a Ciampa a coward, but Ciampa says he never lost the NXT Championship. Ciampa tells him to get in the ring so he can whoop his ass. He also says he will send Cole through the table, sign a contract, and take back his title at TakeOver: Portland. Regal makes his entrance, saying that Cole signed his name already. Cole takes the contract and drops Ciampa with a mic shot. Ciampa kicks Cole in the face and powerbombs him through the table!
Ciampa retrieves the contract to sign his name. “Use Your Blood” chants prompt Ciampa to wipe his own blood on the contract before dropping it on the fallen Cole. Ciampa lifts the NXT Championship, smiling menacingly, speaking to it all the while.
Next week, Bianca Belair and NXT Women’s Champion Rhea Ripley meet face-to-face. Also next week, new NXT Cruiserweight Champion Jordan Devlin arrives!
Match 4: Tegan Nox vs. Dakota Kai
The match begins in brawling fashion, Nox getting the better of the early exchange. Kai hits a running kick in the corner. Nox fires back with a running inverted senton in the corner. The match spills to the outside and through the crowd. Nox fights Kai back to ringside, the latter dropping the former with a kick. Kai takes a steel chair, but Nox catches her with a kick to the midsection before sending her into the ring post. After sending Kai back in the ring, Nox retrieves the chair. The official scolds her. Meanwhile, Kai removes her knee brace as a weapon. However, Nox catches Kai with a German suplex!
https://twitter.com/WWE/status/1222706059355283459?s=20
Kai catches a running Nox with a forearm. Before Kai can use the chair, Candice LeRae intervenes. Behind the official’s back, Nox strikes Kai with the knee brace and the Shiniest Wizard for the 1… 2… 3!
Winner: Tegan Nox
Another “5,” “20,” and “2” promo plays, only the numbers rearrange to read “2,” “5,” “20.”
Match 5: Chelsea Green (w/Robert Stone) vs. Kayden Carter
Carter starts fast with a running dropkick. Green takes control by choking Carter against the ring ropes. Green lands a running basement dropkick for a two-count. She sends Carter into the middle turnbuckle, stretching her before sending her into the bottom turnbuckle. From there, Green applies a chinlock and slams her to the mat. Carter rolls up Green for different pin attempts. Green hits Carter with a big boot and plays to the crowd. This gives Carter the opportunity to roll up Green for the 1… 2… 3!
https://twitter.com/WWENXT/status/1222707991008378880?s=20
Winner: Kayden Carter
A disbelieving Carter and Stone are left in the ring as a victorious Carter makes her way back up the ramp.
Match 6: The BroserWeights (Pete Dunne and Matt Riddle) vs Grizzled Young Veterans (James Drake and Zack Gibson) (Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic Finals)
Dunne and Drake start things off. Dunne wrenches the wrist before stomping on the arm. Riddle tags himself in as The BroserWeights stomp on both of Drake’s arms. Drake attempts to sunset flip Riddle, who latches in an ankle lock. Drake escapes and tags Gibson, who takes down Riddle. They fight in the corner, Riddle laying in a series of kicks followed by a gutwrench suplex. Riddle tags Dunne, The BroserWeights hitting tandem offense. Gibson tags Drake, who’s met with a clothesline by Dunne. After hitting a moonsault off the apron on Gibson, Dunne is met with a forearm by Drake. Grizzled Young Veterans hit a tombstone on Dunne on the outside.
Back in the ring, Drake covers Dunne for a two-count. Dunne fights back with a series of strikes, but Drake cuts off his momentum by sending him into the ring post. NXT goes to commercial, returning to Drake tagging Gibson, who attempts a German suplex on Dunne. Counting, Dunne tags Riddle, who attacks Grizzled Young Veterans with strikes. Riddle hits an exploder suplex, a Bro-Ton, a penalty kick, and a German suplex for a two-count. Gibson makes the tag to Drake, who Riddle hits a spear on. Riddle hits the Bro-Hammer on Gibson before tagging Dunne, both of them attacking Drake for a two-count.
Dunne tags Riddle while Drake tags Gibson. Grizzled Young Veterans hit a tandem sit-out powerbomb on Riddle for a two-count. Gibson hits a side suplex on Riddle, who kicks out at two. Gibson and Riddle exchange strikes. Drake tags himself in as Grizzled Young Veterans floor Riddle and send Dunne off the apron. Miscommunication by the Grizzled Young Veterans gives The BroserWeights the advantage. Riddle hits the Final Flash on Drake for a two-count. A fisherman buster by Riddle, on Drake, gets a two-count as well. Riddle follows up with multiple techniques on Drake, who catches him with a DDT out of nowhere.
https://twitter.com/WWE/status/1222713145405386753?s=20
Soon, Dunne and Gibson are tagged in. They exchange fists and forearms, Dunne planting Gibson with a German suplex. Dunne cinches the ankle lock on Gibson while Riddle goes the same to Drake. Grizzled Young Veterans escape as NXT goes to commercial once more. The show returns to Dunne escaping a Doomsday Device by Grizzled Young Veterans. They resume control, Drake diving out onto Riddle. Back in the ring, Gibson hits Dunne with Ticket to Rye for a two-count. Gibson follows up with Shankly Gates on Dunne. Riddle intervenes, Drake on his back, by tackling Gibson.
Dunne and Riddle powerbomb Drake onto Gibson. They proceed to break Grizzled Young Veterans’ fingers. A tandem maneuver on Drake only gets a two-count. Gibson interrupts another attack as Drake rolls up Riddle for a pin attempt. With Dunne on Gibson’s shoulders on the outside, Drake hits a tope suicida! Drake tags Gibson as Grizzled Young Veterans gang up on Riddle. They hit a suplex/450 splash combination! 1… 2… Riddle kicks out! Riddle and Dunne regain control, dropping Drake and Gibson in stereo! They then hit simultaneous dives. One last combination by The BroserWeights grants them the pinfall victory and a future NXT Tag Team Championship match at TakeOver: Portland!
Winners: The BroserWeights
The victors stand tall, the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic trophy in the center of the ring. Regal applauds Dunne and Riddle, fireworks behind them, as this week’s NXT comes to a close.
