Cameras caught General Manager Robert Stone in an office with Matt Bloom and Shawn Michaels in tonight’s opening segment. Stone confirmed Ethan Page, Joe Hendry, Sol Ruca, Fatal Influence and Blake Monroe’s departures to the main roster and suggested opening opportunities up in NXT. Michaels responded, “We’ve been through this before, many times… you can throw a stick of dynamite in that locker room and see who runs out.”
Contrary to previous mass exoduses, NXT attacked the roster depletion head-on in spite of doubters. Former competitors from Evolve, LFG, AAA and NJPW made instantaneous marks in light of Michaels’ implication of opportunity, facilitating an unpredictable NXT tonight and beyond.
Saquon Shugars vs Myles Borne (c) – North American Championship
Someone worth investing in is DarkState’s Shugars, who’s wrestling in his first singles championship match. The perpetually animated Shugars eventually rolls to the floor, and Borne follows with a deep ringside dive onto DarkState. The challenger takes control by throwing Borne’s lungs into the exposed turnbuckle connector. After picture-in-picture, Borne reverses a superplex by squashing his opponent in a tough landing. They trade pinfall reversals, and Borne catches him with a dropkick to the top rope to begin his Randy Orton-esque comeback.
Dion Lennox provides a distraction, but Shugars stops him from weaponizing a steel chair. The champion capitalizes with Borne Again, and DarkState’s dissension continues. Vic Joseph says, “There was a lot of Zigging, when there should have been some Zagging,” after Borne wins with his adopted Zig-Zag finisher.
Winner: Myles Borne
From the stands, “Mr. England” Tristan Angels interrupts Borne’s celebration, making his NXT TV debut following an introduction on WWE Evolve. “Do not let my looks have you fooled,” he says before WWE LFG’s Kam Hendrix blindsides the champion in-ring. Shawn Michaels wasn’t kidding.
In the locker room, Kehlani Jordan complains about Kendal Grey’s two-part vignette and multiple championship opportunities. She insinuates a split between WrenQCC and challenges Women’s Speed Champion Wren Sinclair to a non-title match tonight.
NXT Champion Tony D’Angelo enters the ring, addressing new blood and last week’s “war” box gifted to him – “a warning.” The lights dim, and a cloaked newcomer arrives – the recently signed EVIL. Vic Joseph simply says, “The rumors, they’re true, that is the former IWGP Heavyweight Champion!” He gives D’Angelo a shirt marked with “war” before exiting the ring. Tavion Heights jumps the ring with a belly-to-belly suplex to the champion, telling the camera, “I deserve it all,” as another man enters the picture. “Is that a fan?” Joseph asks, as the heavier-set stranger connects with a top-rope moonsault.
A cinematic package from last night follows Shiloh Hill and Women’s North American Champion Tatum Paxley into the cemetery. They bury Blake Monroe into the depths of Smackdown and chat over the gravestone; Hill prepares for his match against Ricky Saints tonight, and Paxley lays next to the gravesite.
BirthRight vs EK Prosper and Dorian Van Dux
“There’s no such thing as a slow news day when you are the fastest man alive,” Speed Champion Lexis King says, throwing over to the tron. Arianna Grace films BirthRight’s attack on Dorian Van Dux, who was scheduled to team with Prosper. The latter jumps the ring, and a returning Sean Legacy, his original partner, evens the odds. “How unpredictable has this Tuesday been?” Joseph says. Prosper pops Orlando with a backflip-dropkick combo onto Uriah Connors and Stacks, but the latter duo comes back with consecutive ringside dives.
After break, Prosper makes a lightning comeback with a springboard moonsault. The teams trade strikes, and Connors hits a Swanton for a two-count. Legacy regroups with a Spanish Fly, Prosper hits Stacks with a running knee and follows with a moonsault. His partners tags in with a corkscrew driver in a statement, returning victory.
Winners: EK Prosper and Sean Legacy
BirthRight attacks the victors, and WWE Evolve’s Tate Wilder makes the save with a missile dropkick. He delivers a Slingblade to King and clips the faction with an apron Shooting Star Press, backed by Orlando with “Tate” chants.
Back in the locker room, Kali Armstrong tells Jaida Parker she’s scared of competition. Armstrong says she’ll be a difference-maker, and Parker prompts a pull-apart in the women’s locker room.
Footage from earlier shows an announcement from Shawn Michaels: NXT Premium Live Events will exclusively air on The CW starting this summer. Vic Joseph says the word: “It truly is a brand new era here in NXT.”
Robert Stone shakes Wilder’s hand before NXT Women’s Champion Lola Vice walks by, looking to call out Izzi Dame, who attacked her last week. Shawn Spears appears on the tron instead, saying The Culling is always one step ahead. Dame and Niko Vance appear behind her, unprepared for the counterattack by AAA Mixed Tag Team Champion Mr. Iguana.
Saquon Shugars blames Dion Lennox for tonight’s loss, and Cutler James and Osiris Griffin step in. “Our first goal was tag gold… we’re gonna go get that back,” James says.
Lizzy Rain vs Nikkita Lyons
“Lizzy Rain and heavy metal will never, ever die,” the English newcomer says over her entrance,” greeted by a standing ovation of heavy metal hands. In a pre-tape, Lyons says she’s stopping newcomers like Rain from jumping the line. Lyons, on the NXT roster for years, just premiered on WWE LFG Season 3. She takes control with a spinning heel kick, and Rain comes back with chops to the chants of “make it rain.” She hits a running headbutt – “She’s a headbanger, Vic,” Booker T says – and finishes with the Thunderstruck knee for victory.
Winner: Lizzy Rain
Myles Borne confronts Tavion Heights for attacking NXT Champion Tony D’Angelo. “The spotlight ain’t big enough for the both of us?” Heights asks. “You can add me to that list, champ,” referring to tonight’s intruders. Keanu Carver steps up to Borne, calling himself the great white – although demoted to the midcard despite teasing D’Angelo last week. Bigger sharks entered the water tonight.
The Vanity Project celebrate Ricky Smokes’ birthday and Jackson Drake’s relationship with Myka Lockwood. Jasper Troy steps in, telling him to focus on gold instead of dating. “Looks like somebody got ragebaited,” Troy says. “You wanna date so bad, how about you and me next week?”
Kehlani Jordan vs Wren Sinclair
The WrenQCC leader ties Jordan up, and the latter comes back with heatless offense. Orlando directs dueling “you can’t wrestle” and “yes, she can” chants to one of them – or both. After picture-in-picture, Jordan targets the left knee, but Sinclair counters a frog splash with them. Jordan hits an Angle Slam and split-legged moonsault to finish the match.
Winner: Kehlani Jordan
A blatantly AI vignette depicts Zaria parting the ocean and disintegrating Sol Ruca. Following their main-event match last week on NXT Revenge Night Two, this is blatantly awful.
Set for next week, AAA Mixed Tag Team Champions Lola Vice and Mr. Iguana face The Culling’s Izzi Dame and Niko Vance. Kali Armstrong takes on Jaida Parker and Jasper Troy challenges Jackson Drake.
Shiloh Hill vs Ricky Saints
Although not listed in Robert Stone’s opening segment, Ricky Saints is indeed heading to Friday Night Smackdown this week. They brawl to the floor, Hill crawls under the ring, and Saints pull out a lifesized decoy. Saints regains control in picture-in-picture, and Hill comes back with powerslams. He escapes a sleeper hold, and Saints regroups with a spear. Hill hits an inside-out senton, but Saints pushes the referee to crotch his opponent. He follows with a top-rope Jackhammer of sorts, Hill crotches him back, and Saints hits Rochambeau on the floor. Saints tries to weaponize a steel chair, but Hill faceplants him on it, following with a neckbreaker for victory. Better luck to Saints on Friday.
Winner: Shiloh Hill
As Hill celebrates in the stands with his lifesized decoy, NXT Champion Tony D’Angelo meets with Shawn Michaels regarding the new sharks. “You wanted this. You’re the NXT Champion, now it’s time to prove it,” Michaels says.
