Like John Cena and Chris Jericho in 2005 or Cena and The Rock in 2012, NXT paid another homage to Monday Night Raw with dueling concerts. TNA Champion Joe Hendry sang, and Trick Williams rapped before their match this Sunday at Battleground at the Yuengling Center in Tampa, Florida. It will be the first time the TNA Championship is defended on a WWE PLE, but will it also be the first time it changes hands?
Je’Von Evans vs Sean Legacy vs Ashante “Thee” Adonis
North American Champion Ricky Saints exits his Uber, straight into the Performance Center and commentary desk. The winner of tonight’s opening triple threat challenges Saints for the title, and Adonis jumpstarts after stealing a kiss from somebody front row. All three are smooth high-flyers, including Adonis who overachieves as the presumed pin-eater. After break, they trade crisp strikes to “they are cooking” chants, Legacy hits an outside dive on Adonis, and Evans delivers an avalanche hurricanrana to the former. Legacy breaks a pin with a 450 Splash and another after Evans’ Frog Splash. Ethan Page then arrives to brawl with Saints, and Evans dives onto the mass of security. Legacy capitalizes on Adonis with a Stormbreaker of sorts for three, setting the bar for WWE Evolve talent. Cliche “this is awesome” and “fight forever” chants were justified.
Winner: Sean Legacy
WWE Evolve General Manager Stevie Turner celebrates the purple-brand victory, and NXT General Manager Ava welcomes in WWE LFG winners Tyra Mae Steele and Jasper Troy. ”Imma make an impact on NXT, and it starts tonight,” Troy says. Steele is just happy to be here.
A Jordynne Grace vignette shows parallels to her and NXT Women’s Champion Stephanie Vaquer’s roads to WWE. Lola Vice wishes Vaquer luck on Sunday, and Fatal Influence bicker amongst themselves. Jacy Jayne goads Fallon Henley into a match against Vice tonight.
“I ain’t ever backing down to an average Joe,” Trick Williams says in a rap performance on TNA Champion Joe Hendry. Williams brings the swagger, but only half the audience catches the vibe. “Boy, imma take your gold,” Williams closes.
Shawn Spears vs Josh Briggs
Backstage, Briggs dedicates this match to former partner Yoshiki Inamura, who recently returned to Japan. He enters during picture-in-picture, but when he inevitably decides to join Spears in The Culling, he’ll get a real entrance. Briggs fends off Niko Vance, Izzi Dame delivers a big boot, and Spears capitalizes with a small package for three. The loser tries to blindside Spears, The Culling jumps him, and NXT Tag Team Champions Hank Walker and Tank Ledger even the odds.
Winner: Shawn Spears
In the locker room, Kehlani Jordan clarifies that she’ll get a Women’s North American Championship match against Sol Ruca at Battleground if she beats Zaria tonight. “Don’t worry, I got this,” Zaria tells her Za-Ruca partner.
Thea Hail attempts to console Tatum Paxley before Jaida Parker takes her out. “I do feel bad for you,” Parker tells Paxley. “Hell nah, stupid,” Parker swerves.
Kale Dixon and Uriah Connors vs OTM
Andre Chase accompanies the rotting carcass of Chase University, and a returning OTM act as vultures. Lucien Price and Bronco Nima crush their slight opposition, hit their double-team finisher and pick up the victory. Chase, in his Vector jumpsuit, looks on in dismay.
Winners: OTM
No Quarter Catch Crew’s Myles Borne enters the ring solo, one week after a breakout promo on ability over disability. This week, he meets NXT Champion Oba Femi face-to-face before challenging him at Battleground. “This match is not just a fight for the title,” Femi says. “It’s a funeral,” a fan adds. Femi says this isn’t a Disney movie, and Borne’s dream will die on Sunday. “I’m carrying an entire community,” Borne responds. “I’ve been surviving battles ever since I was born.” Borne says he might be deaf, but the NXT fans will hear the pinfall “loud and clear.” WWE LFG winner Jasper Troy blindsides the champion, who refuses the helping hand from the challenger.
In Ava’s office, Ricky Saints and Ethan Page scream across opposite ends of the table. Ava gets angry and makes Saints versus Page for the North American Championship official for next week.
Tony D’Angelo is alone at the dinner table. “You’re worried about yourself – that’s easy. That’s why you’re never gonna sit in the big chair,” he says towards Channing “Stacks” Lorenzo. “On Sunday, there is no betrayal, there is no bailout – just me, breaking your face.”
Lola Vice vs Fallon Henley
It’s a shame a good entrance theme like “The Chosen” belongs to Fatal Influence, a faction apparently on its last legs. Vic Joseph and the commentary team give their thoughts to Zoey Stark, who suffered a brutal injury on Monday Night Raw. Jacy Jayne eventually climbs the apron, Henley inadvertently knocks her down, and Vice takes advantage with a spinning backfist for three.
Winner: Lola Vice
In a vignette, NXT Women’s Stephanie Vaquer reminisces about sweeping floors and cleaning shoes in her journey to WWE. “The late nights in Japan, the early mornings in Mexico – it has all been worth it,” she says. “Jordynne Grace, she conquered championships. But I conquered continents.”
A Darkstate vignette plays next, although they’ve been a lot less threatening. They each cut a highlighting promo for another individual, and it’s very wholesome actually.
Kehlani Jordan vs Zaria
Much like the previous match, Jordan is stagnating in the division behind the influx of elite women’s roster members. Corey Graves hilariously compares Zaria to the one friend at the bar who says, “Uh-uh, she’s not talking to you.” Booker T adds, “They call it blocking in the hood.” Zaria meets Jordan’s speed with power, at one point cannonballing into the corner with a human backpack. Women’s North American Champion Sol Ruca is then inadvertently booted, and Zaria inadvertently sends her off the apron. Deja vu hits as Jordan capitalizes for the win like Vice did 10 minutes ago.
Winner: Kehlani Jordan
New matches are announced for Battleground: Ruca defends against Jordan, and Josh Briggs teams with Hank Walker and Tank Ledger against The Culling.
The red carpet is set for TNA Champion Joe Hendry’s in-ring guitar concert. He tells Orlando to be nice to Trick Williams for trying and dedicates this song to his Battleground opponent. Orlando claps along with no rhythm and thankfully switches to phone flashes. “I’ve obtained some footage from the good old days of when you were a crappy sidekick to Carmelo Hayes,” he sings. Hendry’s face is then pasted onto Halloween Havoc footage of when Williams and Hayes ran out of a haunted house. “Whoop that trick, whoop that trick, everybody else said, ‘Melo’s bi—,” Hendry sings before Williams interrupts. The challenger drops Hendry with a right, but the latter reverses Trick Shot with a guitar shot to the knee. Hendry delivers a Standing Ovation, raises the TNA Championship and stands tall on the Battleground go-home show. Uh-oh, Joe.
