On this action-packed episode of NXT, we kick things off with a championship match. Challenger Angel Garza and NXT Cruiserweight Champion Lio Rush square off to open what should be another action-packed episode on the black and gold brand!
Match 1: Angel Garza vs. Lio Rush (c) (NXT Cruiserweight Championship)
Rush attacks Garza in the corner during the introductions. The official separates them before signaling for the bell. They quickly attack one another with strikes and pinfall attempts. The action spills to the outside, where they continue to brawl. Garza yanks Rush off the apron, causing him to crash face-first on it. Back in the ring, Garza is tackled by Rush, the two continuing to exchange moves. The crowd seems firmly behind Garza as he goes for a pin. Garza traps Rush in the corner and peppers him with slaps followed by a superkick! 1… 2… Rush kicks out!
Garza and Rush exchange lefts and rights before Garza drops him across the rope. Rush rolls to the outside as we cut to commercial. The show returns to Garza trapping Rush in a full nelson. Rush rolls up Garza for a two-count and follows up with a headscissors. He goes for another headscissors but Garza catches him. Rush uses the momentum to dump Garza to the outside before hitting a moonsault. Back in the ring, Rush lands a spinning kick for another two-count. Garza lands a Come-Up of his own! 1… 2… Rush powers out!
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Rush reverses an inverted suplex to pin Garza for another two-count. Garza catches Rush on the top rope with an enziguri. Garza hits an avalanche Spanish Fly! 1… 2… Rush kicks out! Both competitors rise to their feet, exchanging punches and slaps in ferocious fashion. Rush lands a spinkick, to which Garza responds with a superkick. Both men collapse out of exhaustion as the crowd chants, “NXT.” Garza attempts the Wing Clipper, but Rush counters with one of his own! 1… 2… Garza kicks out! Rush runs the ropes, only for Garza to catch him. Garza launches Rush into the ropes but receives a Come-Up for his troubles! After a two-count, Rush lands the Final Hour! Before Rush can cover Garza, the challenger rolls out of the ring, Rush ripping off his tearaway pants all the while.
On the outside, Rush goes for the Final Hour! Garza gets the knees up before rolling the champion back in the ring. Wing Clipper on Rush! 1… 2… Rush kicks out! Garza quickly locks in full nelson submission! Rush has no chance but to tap!
Winner: Angel Garza
With this victory, Garza becomes the first Mexican NXT Cruiserweight Champion! During the commercial, Garza brought his girlfriend into the ring. He proceeded to propose to her in front of the crowd. Happily, she accepted before they embraced.
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The show cuts to a video package showcasing NXT Women’s Champion Shayna Baszler. She refers to herself as a “muscle car” whereas other wrestlers are “Teslas.” She lists off various opponents she’s beaten, including Bianca Belair and Candice LeRae, before telling Rhea Ripley she will fall as well. Baszler and Ripley will face off for the title next week.
Finn Balor speaks about the upcoming triple threat match including Keith Lee, Tommaso Ciampa, and himself. Balor lists off his accomplishments, including the Universal and Intercontinental Championships, before declaring that he will become a two-time NXT Champion.
Match 2: Raul Mendoza vs. Cameron Grimes
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The opening bell sounds and Mendoza dashes at Grimes with a series of attacks. Mendoza lands a running enziguri, sending Grimes to the outside. Quickly, Mendoza lands a springboard dive to the outside before sending Grimes back in the ring. Grimes catches Mendoza with a flipping slam. KUSHIDA makes his way down the ring. This distraction allows Mendoza to land a pop-up hurricanrana for the surprise pinfall victory!
Winner: Raul Mendoza
Post-match, KUSHIDA grabs Grimes’ hat, wearing it in a taunting fashion.
Mia Yim is interviewed backstage regarding her upcoming match against Dakota Kai. Yim says that Kai took WarGames from her, so this won’t be a standard wrestling match. Instead, this will be a fight. Yim promises that Kai will be the one carted off in an ambulance.
Match 3: Jaxson Ryker (w/Steve Cutler and Wesley Blake) vs. Travis Banks
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Banks starts the match by unloading on Ryker with a variety of strikes. The match spills to the outside, where Banks lands a running apron kick followed by a suicide dive. Ryker catches him with a forearm and rolls him back in the ring. In the corner, Ryker chops Banks across the chest. Banks fights back but Ryker catches him with a big suplex. Once again, Banks fights back, landing low kicks, running dropkicks, and a cannonball. Banks goes for a diving stomp, only to be caught by a double axe handle by Ryker. On the apron, Banks lands an enziguri followed by a missile dropkick. Slice of Heaven on Ryker! 1… 2… 3!
Winner: Travis Banks
Match 4: Mia Yim vs. Dakota Kai
Yim starts the match fast with a running dropkick followed by chops in the corner. She proceeds to toss Kai by her hair. Yim cuts down Kai at the legs and lands a basement dropkick for a two-count. In the corner, Yim cinches in the Tarantula before landing a missile dropkick. Kai takes control with kicks to the back. Yim ejects Kai to the outside and tosses her into the nearby steel steps. Cannonball by Yim against the steps leads us into commercial. NXT returns to Yim focusing on the leg with a dragon screw. 1… 2… Kai kicks out!
Kai takes control, landing a running kick in the corner. 1… 2… Yim kicks out! Kai lands a number of kicks, but Yim fights back, landing an overhead belly-to-belly. Kai lands the Code Blue for a two-count! She catches Yim in the corner, landing a sit-out powerbomb for a two-count of her own. Kai executes a series of toe kicks. She goes for another running kick, but Yim avoids the attack, planting Kai with a German suplex. Yim takes control of the match.
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During this, Kai grabs the nearby knee brace, to which the official fights with her over. Kai removes the turnbuckle pad from the corner before slamming Yim headfirst into the exposed steel! Kai rolls up Yim for the 1… 2… 3!
Winner: Dakota Kai
After the match, Yim attacks Kai on the outside. The brawl spills into the crowd and near the tech area. Yim backdrops Kai off the platform and through the tables down below! Yim crawls out of the wreckage as the official checks on the fallen Kai.
Keith Lee cuts a promo, reminding Balor and Ciampa that he’s the only man in the match that can lift up two men at the same time. They will have to bask in his glory.
Match 5: Breezango (Tyler Breeze and Fandango) vs. The Singh Brothers (Samir and Sunil Singh)
Breeze and Sunil kick things off. In the corner, Breeze takes control, landing a backcracker. Breeze tags Fandango. In the corner, Sunil attacks Fandango before tagging Samir. Fandango avoids a corner attack and lands a leg drop on Samir for the two-count. Fandango tags Breeze, who is tackled into the opposite corner. Sunil is tagged in and unloads with a series of punches. Breeze is thrown to the outside, where Samir stomps away. Sunil rolls Breeze back in the ring and tags Samir, executing a backbreaker/elbow drop combo! 1… 2… Breeze kicks out!
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Breeze starts to fight back, landing an enziguri. He tags Fandango while Samir tags Sunil. Fandango lands a missile dropkick before dropping Sunil. He follows up by landing an avalanche falcon arrow on Samir. Fandango plants Sunil with a falcon arrow. Breeze ejects Sunil to the outside. Fandango apron powerbombs Samir before Breezango plants Sunil with tandem offense. Back in the ring, Fandango lands a flying leg drop on Sunil for the 1… 2… 3!
Winners: Breezango
The show cuts to a video package featuring Rhea Ripley, showcasing her career from the Mae Young Classic tournaments to her NXT UK Women’s Championship victory and beyond. The next challenge, standing in her way, is Baszler and the NXT Women’s Championship.
Match 6: Kayden Carter vs. Bianca Belair
Belair tosses her shirt at Carter before blindsiding her with a tackle. The attack continues in the corner. Carter fights back, landing a kick to the head. She then lands a springboard kick to the face of Belair. Fighting back, Belair catches Carter with a pendulum backbreaker followed by a gutbuster. Belair executes a Canadian backbreaker, which Carter fights out of. Belair shoulder tackles Carter in the corner. She hoists Carter on her shoulder, performing squats in a taunting manner. Belair deadlift slams Carter into the mat, which is good for a two-count.
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Belair blocks a tornado DDT and hits a slingshot suplex on Carter. Belair goes for a standing moonsault, but Carter gets the knees up, ejecting her opponent to the outside. Carter lands an apron kick before rolling Belair back in the ring. Belair hits a spear followed by the KOD! 1… 2… 3!
Winner: Bianca Belair
NXT Champion Adam Cole makes his entrance to spectate the following main event.
Match 7: Tommaso Ciampa vs. Keith Lee vs. Finn Balor (Number One Contender’s Match for the NXT Championship)
Action starts quick, Balor being ejected to the outside. Lee follows Balor before being dropped on the ring apron. Lee tosses Balor in the ring. Ciampa goes for the apron DDT, to which Balor interferes. Lee hits a slingshot crossbody on both men as we cut to commercial. NXT returns to Lee in control of the match, crushing Ciampa and Balor with corner splashes. Balor and Ciampa team up against Lee, sending him to the outside. In the ring, Ciampa takes control of Balor, stomping him in different corners. Ciampa follows up with a running knee to the face and does the same to Lee. He then apron DDTs both Lee and Balor!
Ciampa lands an air raid crash on Balor on top of Lee! With Balor on the outside, Ciampa focuses on Lee, who lands a stiff forearm. Ciampa pokes the eye of Lee and attempts to lift him. Lee is able to fight back with big chops. Lee goes for a splash, but Ciampa gets the knees up. Ciampa attempts the Fairytale Ending, only for Lee to fight out. Balor reenters the ring, double stomping his opponents. Lee starts to fight back, flooring Balor and Ciampa before splashing them in opposite corners. Lee launches Balor into Ciampa before tossing them overhead at the same time. Ciampa catches Lee as he goes to the middle rope. Balor joins as they drop Lee to the mat, NXT cutting to commercial.
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The show returns to Ciampa catching Balor on the top rope. Lee hoists Ciampa, who’s still holding Balor, in the electric chair position. They all drop to the mat with authority! Lee goes for the middle rope moonsault on Ciampa, who rolls out of the way. Ciampa goes for the Fairytale Ending, but Lee counters with the jackhammer! Balor rolls up Lee! 1… 2… Lee kicks out! Lee catches Balor for the Spirit Bomb, but Balor counters with the Coup De Grace! Balor lands a tope on Lee on the outside! Afterward, Balor dropkicks Ciampa into the barricade before sending him back in the ring.
Balor ascends to the top. Ciampa avoids the Coup De Grace and Balor is immediately tackled by Lee. Shifting his focus to Ciampa, Lee goes for the Spirit Bomb. Ciampa escapes and attacks the leg before planting Lee with the air raid crash! 1… 2… Lee kicks out! Lee plants Ciampa into the mat and follows up with the middle rope moonsault! 1… 2… Ciampa gets the arm up! Lee lands the Spirit Bomb! Balor immediately lands the Coup De Grace on Lee for the 1… 2… 3!
Winner: Finn Balor
Balor poses in the ring as Cole makes his way back up the ramp. They mouth off to one another as this week’s episode of NXT comes to a close.
