Bridging the short international gap between Orlando and AAA, NXT Women’s Champion and AAA Mixed Tag Team Champion Lola Vice championed corporate synergy heading into a monumental Noche de Los Grandes on Saturday. Some more international flair injected itself into NXT as Belgium (Dorian Van Dux), Spain (Romeo Moreno) and Jersey (Nathan Frazer) filled out tonight’s Speed Tournament.
Wren Sinclair vs Kehlani Jordan
“Wren” chants from Orlando accompany the Women’s Speed Champion’s club-pop entrance. “Happy birthday” chants follow for the NXT favorite, who overcomes Jordan’s cheap shot. Pushing through the injured left knee, she shoves Jordan into the ring post and back-drops her ringside. After break, Jordan targets the knee with a single-leg Boston Crab over the top rope. Sinclair escapes a moonsault attempt, but Jordan cinches an STF and Cloverleaf for victory. “The headline will be Kehlani taps Sinclair,” Vic Joseph says, as Jordan exercises her grappling for once against the WrenQCC affiliate.
Winner: Kehlani Jordan
Women’s North American Champion Tatum Paxley and Lizzy Rain call Zaria obsessive as Shiloh Hill enters. “Mr. NXT” continues getting signatures, including from comedian Matt Matthews. “Mr. England” Tristan Angels interrupts, scoffing at signatures like ball-knower Timothee Chalamet.
After turning on Saquon Shugars last week, DarkState enters the ring with an X on his respective logo. Osiris Griffin calls him the outlier, comparing their collegiate backgrounds to the indie standout. Dion Lennox accuses Shugars of distrusting his leadership when John Cena championed him. Orlando trades “we want Saquon” and “no, we don’t” chants, but Lennox ends by threatening all current NXT champions.
NXT Women’s Champion Lola Vice supports Sinclair in the trainer’s room, where “Difference Maker” Kali Armstrong says she’ll be watching tonight’s main event.
Sean Legacy vs Dorian Van Dux – Speed Tournament
“There’s something about this Van Dux,” Booker T says, refraining from his famous line – “you’re looking real jacked, baby!” Legacy’s rope-running trip works again, but Van Dux comes back with a springboard leg drop. “Hits like a heavyweight, moves like a cruiserweight,” Vic Joseph says about Van Dux,” who effortlessly powerbombs his opponent. Legacy hits a top-rope hurricanrana at the one-minute mark and connects with a mid-air dropkick at 30 seconds. He delivers an Avalanche Spanish Fly at the buzzer, eliminating both competitors to boos.
Winner: N/A
Legacy and Van Dux share respect in-ring, and Joseph announces that Moreno versus Frazer defaults to the finals. Tonight’s winner advances against Speed Champion Lexis King of Birthright.
Jaida Parker vs Layla Diggs
In the locker room, Nattie thanks Diggs for standing up to Parker and accompanies her ringside. Diggs caught eyes on WWE Evolve last week for her incredible, floating moonsault. She hits a Booker T-esque leg lariat, but Parker overpowers her and connects with a corner tear drop. Parker avoids Diggs’ picturesque moonsault, capitalizing with Hipnotic and Sky High for victory.
Winner: Jaida Parker
Birthright is interviewed backstage, and King says Charlie Dempsey will make a casualty out of Shiloh Hill tonight. Nathan Frazer and Axiom interrupt, calling King a cow to a cheetah when it comes to speed.
NXT Champion Tony D’Angelo ditches the fur trench coat in the summer heat, and Vic Joseph puts over his “Master of Fate” moniker on his t-shirt. D’Angelo defends the NXT Championship against Kam Hendrix next week but turns his attention to Naraku. “I am here to keep you and your title safe,” Naraku says. “It is our destiny to go to war.” Hendrix interrupts, calling himself the fastest-rising superstar – after years in the Performance Center of course. D’Angelo says Hendrix hasn’t earned anything in NXT, the latter throws a punch, and Naraku clotheslines him ringside before bowing to the champion.
Backstage, Tavion Heights apologizes for costing Myles Borne his match last week. “Everyone’s gunning for my title right now,” North American Champion Borne accurately says as DarkState jumps both men.
NXT Tag Team Champions The Vanity Project take credit for DarkState’s dissension as Tate Wilder steps in. Brad Baylor makes fun of Wilder’s four stitches around the eye courtesy of Keanu Carver last week, and the latter challenges Jackson Drake next week.
Nathan Frazer vs Romeo Moreno – Speed Tournament
“Welcome back” chants accompany a returning Frazer and his returning, superior singles theme. Axiom and Noam Dar take respective sides, and Frazer backs up his cheetah comment with signature rope-running. The 6-foot-3 Spaniard hits a springboard missile dropkick, and Frazer comes back with a second-rope Spanish Fly. Moreno hits a top-rope belly-to-back suplex, and Frazer delivers a twisting suplex at the one-minute mark. The Spaniard box-jumps into a ringside dive, Frazer hits a superplex, and Moreno counters the Falcon Arrow combo with a small package. Moreno gets his first NXT victory at the two-second mark and shakes Frazer’s hand.
Winner: Romeo Moreno
Mason Rook tells General Manager Robert Stone he should be challenging D’Angelo instead of Hendrix. The latter technically got the pinfall last week, and Rook threatens to do something about it. Naraku steps in, not allowing Rook to ruin the match.
OTM is scheduled to face The Culling, and before break, Izzi Dame and Niko Vance hope the MIA Shawn Spears is getting ready. He blindsides OTM with a steel chair, and Vance storms off for the no contest.
The women’s locker room files out to watch Lola Vice versus Izzi Dame, and Sarah Schreiber catches Kali Armstrong. The latter claims she’s eyeing both the NXT and Women’s North American Championships, and Thea Hail says it isn’t so easy. “It is a dream – for you,” Armstrong responds.
Charlie Dempsey vs Shiloh Hill
Zaria declines to sign Hill’s petition, and the latter suggests being worried about Lizzy Rain. The newcomer attacks Zaria until officials separate them, and Hill enters the ring. He takes control with a top-rope lariat, a la his WWE LFG mentor The Undertaker. They exchange strikes after break, and Hill counters a double-underhook suplex for the sneaky pinfall.
Winner: Shiloh Hill
“Order, order, order,” Tristan Angel’s music interrupts. Angels says Robert Stone agreed to hold a “Mr. NXT” pageant in two weeks, and Hill can’t wait to embarrass him.
Lizzy Rain versus Zaria and DarkState versus Myles Borne and Tavion Heights are made official for next week. Plus, Kam Hendrix challenges Tony D’Angelo for the NXT Championship.
Izzi Dame vs Lola Vice (c) – NXT Women’s Championship
Dame chastises Shawn Spears for the OTM decision and passive-aggressively says to not worry about it. Spears and Niko Vance accompany her ringside, where Vice lands a seated dive. Spears grabs Vice’s leg, and OTM brawls away with The Culling before break. The champion hits a corner hip attack, and Dame delivers a Sky High for a two-count. They trade submissions, and Dame inadvertently hits the referee with a running knee. A hockey fight ensues, and Vice catches her with a spinning backfist that Dame kicks out of at seven. The challenger grabs the belt and connects with an assisted big boot for a two-count. The referee finally composes himself, and Vice delivers another spinning backfist for victory.
Winner: Lola Vice
DarkState talks down the camera outside, saying, “When DarkState strike, ain’t nobody safe.” Lurking on top of a production truck, a vengeful Saquon Shugars looks on.
