We are days away from NXT Vengeance Day and to be honest, I am not entirely sold on the card simply because of the involved of so many main roster stars. It seems to me that defeats the purpose and reason for NXT existing to begin with. Let’s see if tonight’s go-home show can change my mind.
One thing that may is that Ricky Starks made his NXT debut on tonight’s show after finally getting his release from AEW.
“This feels really good right about now,” he said as he made his way through the audience in the middle of the show.
The crowd started chanting his name immediately.
“It is obvious you know who I am. If NXT is the future of professional wrestling well guess what? You need an ‘absolute superstar’ of the future! If this is the hottest brand, well, you need the hottest free agent right now. Do not let the handsome face or expensive fragrance fool you. I am here to turn this place upside down,” he said claiming the revolution will be televised once again but this time in NXT.
Starks then left through the crowd.
D’Angelo and Holland are shown arriving at the arena. A grumpy Holland rips up a fan’s sign.
Bayley versus Cora Jade
Before the bell even rings Jade takes a swing at Bayley with her kendo stick. Jade bails from the ring when Bayley starts pounding on her. Bayley bounces Jade’s head off the ringside barricade. Jade continues to bail on Bayley hiding out on the floor. Bayley smashes Jade’s head off the announce table. Giulia is watching the match backstage. Jade takes Bayley from one side of the ring to the other forearming her in the ropes. Jade counters the Rose Plant with a roll-up. Bayley has had enough of Jade seeking refuge on the floor. She dives on her.
Jade rams Bayley’s back into the ring apron. Jade blocks an attempted DDT pulling Bayley’s throat across the ropes. A running knee in a corner knocks Bayley down to the mat.
“Who do you think you are?” yells Jade into Bayley’s face.
Jade puts Bayley in a headlock for quite some time. Bayley arm drags her way out of it. Bayley guillotines Jade over the ropes. Things break down into a slugfest. Jade kicks out of a Bayley To Belly. Bayley gives Jade double knees in a corner and a suplex for a two count.
Bayley is about to head to the top rope. Bayley’s old music starts playing. Roxanne Perez comes out dressed like old school Bayley causing the distraction. Bayley hits an elbow vrop from the second ropes. Jade kicks out. Baylay attacks Perez. Jade catches her from behind and DDTs her on the floor and in the ring for the win.
Winner: Cora Jade
We see GM Ava talking to Giulia backstage. Ava comes out making this weekend’s match for the NXT Women’s Championship at Vengeance Day a four-way match now between Bayley, Jade, Perez and Giulia. As Jade and Perez argue Bayley shoves them into one another. She gives Perez a Bayley to Belly.
Zaria and Sol Ruca discuss strategy backstage. They are going to do some training at the beach. Nikkita Lyons interrupts telling them to touch grass and not sand for once. She claims that one win doesn’t make them a threat in the tag division.
Nikkita to Zaria: “Sol is holding you back.”
Nikkita challenges Zaria to a match tonight.
NXT Heavyweight Champion Oba Femi is heading to the ring. He wants to address the NXT universe as Ridge Holland goofs with a resistance band backstage.
Femi knows that A-Town Down Under is going to gang up on him at Vengeance Day but he predicts their egos will clash as only one person can be NXT Champion. A-Town Down Under come out. Waller calls Femi overrated. Theory claims that Waller is the one who raised the bar in NXT.
“He is the pillar who helped shape NXT into what it is today,” he says. “It is the same help he is going to help me become the NXT Champion.”
A confused expression creeps across Waller’s face. Waller praises Theory. He says when Theory was in NXT he ran shotgun with Johnny Gargano.
“This weekend he can run shotgun with me,” says Waller.
Waller and Theory start bickering a bit. Waller says he is sick of hearing Theory brag about beating John Cena.
“Guess what? Nobody cares,” says Waller.
Theory fires back. Waller has never had a singles title so he cannot possibly understand.
Waller explains that nobody will get in the way of him winning that championship, not even Theory. He is about to walk away but Theory spins him around. Waller shoves Theory. Theory shoves him back. Wallers takes a swing at Theory. Theory ducks and Waller hits Femi. Waller pounds Femi in the ropes. Theory pulls Waller off Femi. They then both start pounding on Femi. Theory gives Femi A-Town Down. Waller follows up with his stunner leaving Femi laying.
We are given an update by Dr. David Cohen that after “reconstructive surgery and several weeks of recovery” Je’Von Evans’ jaw is healing “on schedule”. Dr. Cohen is worried that Evans could reinjure his jaw.
“I have my concerns but I am clearing Evans to compete at Vengeance Day,” he concludes.
In her office, Ava will give Evans his match if he signs a waiver stating that if he gets hurt at Vengeance Day, it is his problem not WWE’s. Ava asks him to take time to think about it. He immediately signs the waiver.
“I have thought about it,” says Evans walking away.
Josh Briggs and Yoshiki Inamura versus Hank Walker and Tank Williams versus Tavion Heights and Myles Borne
Briggs and Inamura win with Briggs’ big clothesline and Inamura’s splash from the top rope.
Winners: Josh Briggs and Yoshiki Inamura
Fraxiom, who has been watching on, give the winners a title shot at Vengeance Day.
Lexis King vs. JDC – NXT Heritage Cup Match
With the changes King made to the rules last week, the Cup match is just one fall to a finish match now. JDC comes out to The System’s music not Fandango’s.
King tries to outwrestle JDC but JDC locks him in an arm bar. King backs him into a corner. Instead of clobbering him, he fluffs his own hair. JDC comes out of the corner chopping Lexis. Lexis counters a backslide with a knee to the face. As JDC falls to the floor Lexis goes to his corner and wipes his brow with a handkerchief. JDC clotheslines him to the floor then dives onto him. The crowd starts chanting…TNA! TNA!
Lexis lifts up and drops JDC down on the ring apron. A backbreaker slows down JDC. King leans into the rope, has an invisible smoke as he chokes out JDC. King puts a single leg crab on JDC. JDC fires back with a clothesline and running forearms that rock King. JDC gets a two count with a Falcon Arrow. JDC dives onto Lexis on the floor.
JDC hits his leg drop from the top rope. Lexis barely kicks out. JDC goes up for a second one. Lexis bounces off the ropes causing JDC to crotch himself. Lexis lays JDC on the top rope for a Coronation.
Winner: …and still NXT Heritage Cup champion, Lexis King.
In Ava’s office, Perez complains to her about Bayley being added to the match this weekend…with Bayley right there.
“That is the best you have ever looked, you ugly idiot!” laughs Bayley.
Cora Jade enters the office. She tells Perez it is about time she won a championship and Perez will be right there to see it.
“Yeah, right. Over my dead body,” responds Perez with Jade gone.
Fatal Influence chats backstage. Kelani Jordan tells Fallon Henley if she comes out of Vengeance Day with the title she wants another crack at it. Henley tells Jordan she already had her shot. Jaida Parker arrives. She challenges Jordan as well. Ashante “Thee” Adonis buds in. He reminds everyone that Jordan has beat both of them and Karmen Petrovic deserves to be the next in line.
“I don’t have time for this crap. How about you guys figure it out?” laughs Henley walking away.
Nikkita Lyons versus Zaria
Lyons is impressive doing the splits as she rears back with a neck lock on Zaria. Zaria stands up with Lyons on her back. She falls back to escape. Lyons misses a splash from the top rope. Zaria spears and slams Lyons for the pin.
Winner: Zaria
Trick Williams announces that he and Eddie Thorpe will battle in a strap match at Vengeance Day.
Ricky Starks makes his NXT debut.
Giulia and Stephanie Vaquer chat backstage. Stephanie warns Giulia that once she wins the NXT North American Women’s Championship there is only one place to go. Ridge Holland walks by as does Tony D’Angelo.
Andre Chase is wondering around backstage. Kale Dixon introduces him to Uriah Connors. Connors invites Chase out with them. “I cannot do that on a school night,” answers Chase. Connors thought Chase U was dead. “Chase U is dead. Maybe old habits die hard,” responds Chase before walking off really dejected. Connors hasn’t given up on Chase just yet.
Tony D’Angelo vs. Ridge Holland – NXT North American Championship, Cage Match
Tony comes out with his family and tests the cage before entering it. Both men start out with the heavy artillery just pounding on each other. Tony uses Holland like a punching bag in a corner. He hammers on his stomach before suplexing him. Tony slingshots Holland into a corner and then clotheslines him.
Holland goes to the eyes. Tony fires back by backdropping Holland into the cage. He charges at Holland who dodges. Tony flies into the cage hard. Holland clotheslines Tony down and drops haymaker after haymaker.
Holland climbs to the top rope for a splash. Tony is nowhere to be found. Holland splatters on the mat. Tony smashes Holland over and over off the steel cage. Tony almost pins Holland with a cradle suplex.
Tony charges at Holland. Holland just kicks him in the face. A Snow Plough has Tony barely kicking out. Both men battle on their knees throwing hands.
Tony powerbombs Holland into the cage and spears him for a two count.
Izzi Dame comes down to the ring. She pulls out a crowbar. Stacks stops her from sliding it into the ring.
“I am trying to help him!” she screams.
Stacks slides the crowbar into the ring instead. There is a tug of war. Holland wins hitting Tony in the stomach and over the back with it. Holland runs hitting Tony in the back of the head.
Incredibly, Tony kicks out. The NXT universe goes mental. Holland screams in Tony’s face. Tony goes for his eyes. tony gains possession of the crowbar. He whacks Holland and spinebusters him to retain.
Winner: …and still NXT North American Champion, Tony D’Angelo.
Holland gets to his feet. He shoves Stacks and Luca Crusifino out of the doorway of the cage. Stacks and Luca brawl with him to the back. Back in the ring, Dame and Adriana check on Tony.
Spears and his followers show up. Tony dares them to enter the cage.
Dame betrays Tony by hitting from behind with the crowbar. Dame slams Adriana as the cage is chained shut by the others. Brooks Jensen, Spears, Niko Vance and Dame surround Tony. Jensen and Vance stomp Tony into the mat as Spear batters him with a steel cage. Stacks and Luca are knocked off the cage and cannot rescue Tony. Spears drops Tony with a neckbreaker on a steel chair.
