Tonight’s NXT episode opens up with NXT General Manager William Regal talking about how Keith Lee recently became the NXT Champion and NXT North American Champion.
Regal, via video, says Lee has asked for time to address the NXT Universe. We cut to Lee, who is also speaking via pre-recorded segment. Lee also talks about his historic title win over Adam Cole two weeks ago.
Lee goes on about realizing what it takes to get to the top and says he will enjoy being limitless, but he doesn’t want to limit anyone else. Lee announces that he will continue to defend the NXT Title, but he is relinquishing the North American Title. He says this was not an easy decision, but he wants everyone to have the same opportunities that he had. Lee wraps his speech and Regal announces that there will be a series of Triple Threats that begin tonight. The winners will then go on to Takeover on August 22 in a Ladder Match to crown the new NXT North American Champion.
– We’re live on a tape delay from the NXT Arena on the campus of Full Sail University as Mauro Ranallo welcomes us. Mauro is not in the arena once again this week. He’s joined by WWE Hall of Famer Beth Phoenix and she’s also calling the action from home. The developmental trainees cheer in the crowd as we go to the ring.
Dexter Lumis vs. Killian Dain
They lock up and Dain with a side head lock and back elbow. Dain with a shoulder tackle and Lumis turns over and stares at Dain. Dain with a European uppercut and Lumis slides under the bottom rope and goes to the floor. Dain goes to the floor and Lumis slides back into the ring. Dain pulls Lumis to the floor and Lumis with uppercuts and punches. Lumis with more punches but Dain tries to Irish whip Lumis into the ring steps and Lumis dives over the steps. Lumis with a punch and Dain with a cross body on the floor.
Dain sends Lumis into the plexiglass a few times. Dain with forearms to the back followed by a knee lift. Dain with a knee to Lumis on the apron followed by a forearm and leg drop to the back of a hanging Lumis and Dain gets a near fall. Dain with a wrist lock. Dain sends Lumis to the floor. Dain with a European uppercut on the floor and he puts Lumis’ face against the plexiglass. They return to the ring. Dain with a splash into the corner followed by kicks and forearms. Dain chokes Lumis in the ropes. Dain with a hard Irish whip.
Lumis with punches to the midsection and Dain with a thrust kick. Dain with a camel clutch. Dain works on Lumis’ face and then applies a modified Regal Stretch. Dain with a forearm to Lumis and Lumis wants more. Dain with chops and punches. Dain with a bicycle kick and the straps come down. Dain charges and Lumis with a spinebuster. Lumis with a Thesz Press and punches followed by a bulldog. Lumis with a belly-to-back suplex and a leaping leg drop for a near fall. Lumis goes up top and misses a swanton. Dain with a running drop kick that sends Lumis into teh corner and Dain with a cannonball. Dain with a power bomb and elbow drop for a near fall.
Dain gets Lumis on his shoulders but Lumis gets to his feet and Lumis with a sit out side slam. Dain misses a power bomb and he misses a splash into the corner. Lumis with a punch from the apron and Dain with a punch. They fight on the turnbuckles and Lumis with punches and he pushes Dain to the mat. LUmis with a swanton and sit out side slam followed by a head and arm choke. Dain passes out and the referee calls for the bell.
Winner: Dexter Lumis
– McKenzie Mitchell is backstage with Roderick Strong. He sees the North American Title situation as a way for The Undisputed Era to get back on top. Bronson Reed interrupts and they have words with Reed confident about his chances. Johnny Gargano then interrupts and mocks them both, commenting about how he will go on to make history again and win the North American Title.
– We get a video package with Dakota Kai taunting NXT Women’s Champion Io Shirai over taking her out last week. Back to commercial.
Matt Martel and Chase Parker vs. Breezango
We go back to the ring and here comes Matt Martel and Chad Parker of Ever-Rise. The Mountie’s familiar music hits next and out comes Fandango and Tyler Breeze of Breezango. Their normal music resumes as they hit the ring, dressed like The Mountie.
Breeze and Parker start things off and Breeze with a side head lock. Breeze with a shoulder tackle and he relaxes on the turnbuckles. Parker misses a splash into the corner and Breeze with a drop kick. Parker avoids a super kick and falls back. Breeze with a super kick to knock Martel off the apron and Parker hits Breeze from behind. Martel tags in and Breeze is sent to the floor. Martel with kicks and he sends Breeze into the plexiglass.
They return to the ring and Martel with a forearm and Irish whip. Parker tags in and punches Breeze. Breeze lands on his feet on a belly-to-back suplex and Fandango tags in and he chops Parker and hits a back body drop. Fandango with a back body drop to Martel followed by a side Russian leg sweep to Parker. Fandango goes to the turnbuckles and dives onto Martel and Parker. Breeze tags in and they hit super kicks on Martel and Parker for the three count.
Winners: Breezango
– We go to Tom at the announce table. He hypes the Takeover Ladder Match and Karrion Kross vs. Dominik Dijakovic. Tom sends us to McKenzie backstage with Dijakovic now. He talks about how Kross attacked him last week and warns that Kross will be getting a fresh version this week. Dijakovic goes on and threatens to leave Kross unconscious tonight. He walks off and we go to commercial.
Aliyah vs. Shotzi Blackheart
Shotzi almost crushes Stone’s injured leg against the ring steps with her tank.
Shotzi with forearms and then she hits a leg drop to the midsection. Shotzi with a cannonball into the back against the ropes. Shotzi misses a drop kick and goes through the ropes to the floor. Aliyah with a bulldog off the apron. They return to the ring and Aliyah gets a near fall. Aliyah with a curb stomp. Aliyah sends Shotzi into the turnbuckles followed by a suplex and she rolls through and hits a Northern Lights suplex for a near fall. Aliyah with a camel clutch on Shotzi. Shotzi with a double leg take down and Oklahoma roll for a near fall. Shotzi with a palm strike and a splash into the corner.
Shotzi with a spinning bulldog and boot to the head. Shotzi with a forearm and kick to the temple followed by a Saito suplex for a near fall. Shotzi with a double chicken wing but Aliyah escapes and goes for a rollup but uses the ropes and the referee does not make the count. Shotzi with an enzuigiri and a Tiger suplex. Shotzi goes to the turnbuckles as Stone goes to the apron. Shotzi with a bicycle kick that knocks Stone off the apron to the floor. Shotzi with a back senton for the three count.
Winner: Shotzi Blackheart
After the match, Stone falls down and Shotzi runs over the good leg. Mercedes Martinez with a kick out of nowhere to Shotzi to knock her out of her tank. Martinez walks back up the ramp as we go to commercial.
– We are back and Isaiah Scott says swerve is a lot of things, but Swerve is confidence. Music would get him out of his shell. He mentions performing Billie Jean in front of his high school and how everyone got behind him. He knew he wanted to perform. Being in the studio helps him get loose and zone out. Just like in the ring. The similarities between wrestling and music is being in sync with everything. When your footwork and timing is off, it leads to losses. Being in the ring with Johnny Gargano is special. Taking him to the limit makes him know what it takes to become a champion. I have heard that Santos Escobar said the Cruiserweight Division needs a leader, but he has beaten Escobar. When you step into the ring with me, you are looking at the next Cruiserweight Champion.
Roderick Strong vs. Bronson Reed vs. Johnny Gargano in a Qualifying Match for the North American Championship Ladder Match at Takeover
Reed with a shoulder tackle to Gargano and then Strong bounces off Reed and goes to the floor. Strong tells Johnny to show something and they argue on the floor. Gargano tells Roderick to go into the ring on the count of three and they both stop at the apron. Reed stomps on Gargano’s hand and hits a shoulder tackle on Strong. Gargano goes for a head scissors take down but Reed blocks it and slams Gargano. Reed with head butts to Strong and he gets him on his shoudlers. Reed catches Gargano and Strong gets to his feet and he chops Reed. Gargano with an enzuigiri to Strong. Reed blocks Gargano into Strong and Strong goes to the floor.
We go to commercial.
We are back and Reed with forarms to strong and a running hip strike into the corner. Reed with a running hip strike to Gargano. Reed sets for a dive to the floor but Strong with a flying boot on the apron to stop Reed. Strong with forearms and chops to Reed. Gargano climbs the turnbuckles and punches Reed. Strong pulls Gargano off Reed and punches Reed. Gargano and Strong argue while working over Reed. Gargano with a chop to Reed and then Strong with a chop. Reed with forearms to Strong and Gargano but Strong kicks Reed in the knee.
Reed sends Strong into Gargano and Reed with a head butt to Strong and a body block to Gargano. Strong with a jumping knee and he sets for a Gibson Driver but Reed counters into a back body drop and Strong sets for a sunset flip. Gargano catapults Strong’s head into Reed’s groinal region. Strong runs into a slingshot spear from Gargano. Gargano with a suicide dive to Reed. Strong blocks a slingshot spear and Strong with a butterfly back breaker for a near fall.
Strong goes for the Strong Hold on Gargano but Reed returns to the ring and Reed with forearms to Strong followed by a reverse atomic drop and elbow. Reed with a uranage to Strong onto Gargano while hitting a reverse DDT. Reed with a splash to Gargano and a back senton to Strong for a near fall that is broken up by Gargano. Gargano punches Reed and Reed punches back. Reed presses Gargano up but Strong with a chop block. Gargano and Strong chop Reed and Strong hits an Olympic Slam after Gargano hits Reed with an enzuigiri. Gargano sends Strong to the floor but can only get a near fall on Reed.
Gargano puts Reed in the ropes and Gargano with a super kick. Strong with a back breaker to Gargano. Strong with running forearms to Reed. Gargano sends Strong to the floor and tries for a baseball slide and Strong stops him. Reed with a suicide dive onto Strong and Gargano.
We go to commercial.
We are back and Gargano and Strong both chop Reed but Reed with a double clothesline. Strong with kicks to Reed and Gargano. Reed gets Gargano and Strong on his shoulders for a Samoan drop and he gets a near fall on Gargano. Reed puts Strong on the turnbuckles and Reed with a chop and punch. Reed climbs the turnbuckles and Gargano with a chop block. Gargano chops Reed and Gargano goes for the superplex but Strong blocks it. Strong gets Gargano on his shoulders and Gargano stops Strong.
Reed gets Gargano on his shoulders and Strong goes for a clothesline and Gargano avoids it and hits a poisonrana on Reed. Strong with a running knee to Gargano and Gargano breaks up the cover with a super kick. Strong with forearms to Reed and he goes for a back elbow but Reed with a forearm. Gargano goes for a power bomb off the apron but Reed holds on to the ropes. Strong kicks Reed and Gargano hits the power bomb to the floor.
Strong with a drop kick through the ropes to Gargano. Strong with a knee in the corner followed by a face plant for a near fall. Strong goes for the Gibson Driver but Gargano with a rana. Gargano goes for the GargaNo Escape but Strong escapes. Gargano avoids the Strong Hold. Gargano gets a near fall with a handful of tights. Gargano with a lawn dart but Strong with the double knee gutbuster. Gargano with an enzuigiri and a slingshot DDT to Strong. Reed with a frog splash for the three count.
Winner: Bronson Reed
After the match, the music hits as Reed celebrates. Gargano and Strong try to recover, disappointed. We go to replays. Reed yells at the camera about his big opportunity as the announcers declare he’s going to Takeover for the Ladder Match.
– Still to come, Timothy Thatcher vs. Oney Lorcan. Back to commercial.
Timothy Thatcher vs. Oney Lorcan
Back from the break and out comes Timothy Thatcher. He marches to the ring and is all business. Oney Lorcan is out next for this Great American Bash rematch, which Thatcher won by submission.
The bell rings and they size each other up, getting a feel before locking up. Thatcher takes Lorcan down first. They get back up and trade holds, going back down for more back & forth. Thatcher works on the arm. Lorcan takes control right back as the mat wrestling continues. They get back to their feet but Thatcher takes Lorcan down into a body scissors. Lorcan counters but Thatcher nails an open palm strike to the face.
They get up and Lorcan fires back with big strikes of his own. Thatcher with a belly-to-belly suplex but Lorcan kicks out at 2. Thatcher grounds Lorcan as the crowd tries to rally. They tangle on their feet some more. Thatcher with a big one-arm suplex into another 2 count. The clinic continues but we finally get some explosive action as Lorcan unloads. Thatcher pulls Lorcan to the floor and works on the arm some more. Lorcan sends Thatcher shoulder-first into the ring post as the referee counts. We go to commercial.
We are back and Thatcher with forearms and a front face lock. Thatcher with a forearm to the back followed by a half nelson and more forearms. Lorcan with a boot from the turnbuckles followed by a European uppercut. Lorcan goes for the half and half suplex but Thatcher blocks it. Lorcan with a double wrist lock take down. Thatcher with shots to the shoulder and Lorcan with a single leg crab. Lorcan turns it into a Fujiwara arm bar.
Thatcher with a fish hook to Lorcan to escape the hold. Lorcan with chops and a half and half suplex for a near fall. Lorcan with a chop but Thatcher blocks a chop and Lorcan continues with the chops. Lorcan with a double wrist lock and Thatcher sends Lorcan into the turnbuckles to try to get out of the hold but Lorcan holds on. Lorcan takes Thatcher to the mat but Thatcher with a cover for the three count.
Winner: Timothy Thatcher
Robert Stone is in the back and he is in agony over getting run over again by the tank. He tells McKenzie to leave. Mercedes Martinez stops by and she wants someone to take care of the crap outside of the ring so she can focus on hurting people in the ring. Robert tells Mercedes he is her man. Mercedes tells him not to overstep his bounds or she will break both of his legs. Stone welcomes Mercedes to the Robert Stone Brand.
We go to commercial.
Karrion Kross vs. Dominik Dijakovic
We go back to the ring for tonight’s main event. Out first comes Karrion Kross and Scarlett with their unique entrance. Dominik Dijakovic is out next.
The bell rings and they meet in the middle of the ring, staring each other down. Kross smirks and they lock up, going into the ropes and then the corner. They finally break the lock up with aggression. They stare each other down and lock up again as Scarlett looks on. They go to the ropes and Kross strikes. Kross takes Dijakovic down and grounds him to one knee with a front face lock. Dijakovic drives Kross back into the corner. Kross still has the lock applied. Dijakovic drives Kross back again but Kross keeps the hold locked in.
Dijakovic powers up with Kross on his shoulders for Feast Your Eyes. They tangle and he can’t hit it. Dijakovic avoid the Doomsday Saito suplex. Dijakovic unloads and knocks Kross to the floor. Dijakovic follows but Kross rocks him. Kross goes to deliver a big right hand but Dijakovic moves and Kross punches the Plexiglas. Dijakovic comes back and kicks Kross to the floor.
The referee counts and Dijakovic brings it back into the ring. Dijakovic runs into a big boot in the corner. Kross mounts offense and drops Dijakovic on his head in the middle of the ring with a big DDT. Kross sits up and looks around, taking his time as we go back to commercial.
Back from the break and Kross is in control, keeping Dijakovic grounded after dominating through the break. Dijakovic fights up and out of the hold. Dijakovic looks to mount offense now but Kross launches him with the big Doomsday Saito. Kross yells out as the crowd pops. Dijakovic counters the Kross Jacket. They go back and forth for a second. Dijakovic rocks Kross with a huge right hand. The crowd rallies and Scarlett cheers her man on as they meet in the middle of the ring. Dijakovic beats Kross into the corner. Dijakovic launches Kross across the ring as Scarlett watches. Dijakovic with the big chokeslam bomb but Kross easily kicks out. Kross goes to the floor for a breather. Dijakovic runs the ropes and leaps out with a big suicide dive for a pop. Kross counters a move and sends Dijakovic face-first into the steel ring steps. Kross puts a boot to Dijakovic against the steps, keeping him down as the referee counts.
Kross steps back and runs, smashing the top half of the steps into Dijakovic with a running boot. The crowd boos. The referee comes out and checks on Dijakovic, telling Kross to get back in the ring, saying it’s over. The referee starts counting again while Dijakovic is still laid out against the steps. Kross goes back out and the referee asks him what he’s doing. Kross brings a motionless Dijakovic back into the ring as the boos get louder. Kross mounts Dijakovic, who is flat on his back now. Kross delivers big forearm shots to the face. NXT Champion Keith Lee comes walking down to ringside.
Kross sees Lee and looks up at him while keeping Dijakovic down. Kross gets up off of Dijakovic, who is trying to get up but he’s dazed. Lee shakes his head and looks worried for his friend. Kross goes back to mounting Dijakovic, delivering a few more big strikes. Lee looks on concerned as the crowd boos. Kross picks Dijakovic back up, making him face Lee. Kross asks Lee if he’s watching. Kross aggressively applies the Kross Jacket submission, forcing Lee to watch. Dijakovic tries to hang on but he starts fading and eventually goes out for the finish.
Winner: Karrion Kross
After the bell, Lee immediately rolls into the ring and checks on Dijakovic. Kross takes a few steps back and stares at Lee. Kross has his arm raised by the referee as the music starts up and the boos continue. We go to replays. Scarlett joins Kross at ringside now and she looks on laughing. Kross just stares at the ring as Lee and several referees check on Dijakovic, then call for help from the back. NXT goes off the air with a satisfied Kross looking on.
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