NXT
Date: August 1, 2018
Location: Full Sail University, Winter Park, Florida
Commentators: Nigel McGuinness, Percy Watson, Mauro Ranallo
Last week, evil won. Tommaso Ciampa defeated Aleister Black to become the new NXT Champion, thanks to an accidental belt shot to Black’s head at the hands of Johnny Gargano. That is Gargano’s, as well as a lot of other people’s, worst nightmare and it’s going to make for an interesting future. Let’s get to it.
In Memory Of Nikolai Volkoff and Brian Christopher.
Long recap of last week’s title change. The crowd energy really did make that so much better, as is normally the case around here.
Opening sequence.
Heavy Machinery vs. The Mighty
The Mighty have new black coats and throw them at Heavy Machinery’s faces. Those coats are thrown back at them and followed by right hands before the bell even rings. Otis spins Miller around before planting him with a slam but Thorn is right back with a high dropkick (to a not very high Otis) to take over. A double belly to back suplex gets two and Thorn starts in on the arm.
They switch to the more traditional route with a chinlock, along with the traditional comeback via a belly to back suplex. That’s enough to bring in Knight to throw the Aussies around, followed by a Cannonball off the apron to take them both down. Back in and a chop block cuts Knight off…and we’ve got the Street Profits in the crowd. The Mighty are distracted enough to allow the hot ta to Otis and the Compactor finishes Miller at 5:15.
Result: Heavy Machinery b. The Mighty – Compactor to Miller (5:15)
Moustache Mountain vs. Matt Knotts/???
Bate starts with the bigger Knotts, who mocks the wave. That means one heck of a left hand to Knotts’ jaw and Seven comes in for the chops. The unnamed jobber (Mauro: “His opponent.”) comes in and gets chopped as well, setting up a dragon suplex. Bate’s t-bone suplex drops ??? and the top rope knee/Burning Hammer combination is good for the pin on ??? at 2:21.
Result: Moustache Mountain b. Matt Knotts/??? – Top rope knee/Burning Hammer combination to ??? (2:21)
Post match Moustache Mountain apologizes to the fans for losing the titles. Bate apologizes for throwing in the towel but they’re invoking their rematch clause for Takeover: Brooklyn.
EC3 vs. Kona Reeves
Reeves can’t get out of a headlock to start as Nigel actually tries to compare him to Barry Windham. EC3 hits a good looking elbow for two and hammers away. A cobra clutch (the Kona Clutch) has EC3 in trouble for all of a few moments before coming back up with left hands. EC3’s running flip neckbreaker but here’s the Velveteen Dream who says someone still can’t get over Royal Albert Hall. Dream points behind EC3 and the Hawaiian Drop gives Reeves two. Reeves yells a lot and the One Percent finishes him off at 5:32.
Result: EC3 b. Kona Reeves – One Percent (5:32)
In the back, EC3 says he’d love to join Dream’s experience because he knows it’s going to turn into a fight. He is the best here, he is the best there, he is the best anywhere.
Shayna Baszler vs. Candice LeRae
Non-title. Baszler offers LeRae a chance to leave and gets dropkicked for her efforts. LeRae goes for the arm but gets tossed outside, setting up a whip into the steps. That means Baszler can start in on the arm, bending it all over the place and stomping on it to bend it backwards. An enziguri gives LeRae a bit of relief and she takes Baszler down with a one armed snapmare.
Baszler staggers up and walks into a spinning middle rope Downward Spiral for one. A suicide dive has Baszler in even more trouble and the jumping tornado DDT gets two. Ms. LeRae’s Wild Ride is pulled down into the Kirifuda Clutch (the same way Baszler beat her in the Mae Young Classic) but this time LeRae grabs the rope. An Unprettier sets up a Lionsault but LeRae only hits mat. Baszler kicks her in the arm and the Clutch is good for the tap at 7:57.
Result: Shayna Baszler b. Candice LeRae – Kirifuda Clutch (7:57)
Baszler goes after her again after the match but Kairi Sane makes the save. Sane checks on LeRae and Baszler kicks at her again, meaning referees have to hold Sane back as Baszler leaves.
Moustache Mountain is ready to beat the Undisputed Era again. They run into the War Raiders, who says they’re coming for whoever leaves Brooklyn with the titles.
Regal makes EC3 vs. Dream and Adam Cole vs. Ricochet for the North American Championship for Brooklyn.
Next week: Ricochet is back and Keith Lee makes his in-ring debut.
Here’s Ciampa for his first comments as champion. Mauro says Ciampa makes Thanos look like the Wizard of Oz. Ciampa is reveling in being the champion and points at individual fans, laughing about his win and saying he told us so. Once he’s in the ring, Ciampa says he and the title make a beautiful couple. He’s a man of his word and won’t be listening to the fans telling him to shut up.
This is what happens when the most dangerous man in NXT takes his place at the head of the table. The fans chant at him even more so Ciampa complains about how heavy the title is on his shoulder. The icing on the cake was Gargano proving himself to be a failure because Ciampa won again. Ciampa was the magic answer to Black and now Black and Gargano can bicker about who is 2A and 2B. It doesn’t really matter because the gap between 1 and 2 has never been stronger. NXT will forever be the A show because he is the greatest sports entertainer (erg) of all time.
Ciampa sits in the ring and here’s Black to interrupt. Gargano sprints past him though and the fight is on with Ciampa being knocked to the floor. The champ bails through the crowd and Gargano says he’s the reason Ciampa is champion. Black superkicks Gargano and the fans think Gargano deserved it. Black agrees with Gargano being to blame to end the show.
Results
Heavy Machinery b. The Mighty – Compactor to Miller
Moustache Mountain b. Matt Knotts/??? – Top rope knee/Burning Hammer combination to ???
EC3 b. Kona Reeves – One Percent
Shayna Baszler b. Candice LeRae – Kirifuda Clutch
