Good evening Fight Fans and welcome to our coverage of tonight's edition of WWE NXT! Please enjoy the show and be sure to stick around afterwards for the post-show podcast!
- We open the show with a video package where we're told that Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa have gone too far and must answer to Triple H who will be ain the building tonight before we are told about the Takeover: Tampa matches will be on NXT television.
Austin Theory vs Tyler Breeze
Austin backs Tyler into the ropes for a clean break before Austin tells Tyler that he is the future and that Tyler is the past before they lock up and Austin backs Tyler into the ropes again for a second clean break before reclining on the top turnbuckle. Tyler locks in a standing side headlock before Austin counters into one of his own and drops Tyler with a shoulder block before dropping Austin and reclining on the top turnbuckle before suplexing Tyler for two. Austin puts Tyler in a rear chin lock before Tyler hits a stunner. Austin then snaps Tyler's throat across the top rope before sending him out of the ring and down onto the floor at ringside in a heap as we go to commercial.
We come back to Tyler in control of Austin, hitting running superman forearms in the corner before Austin hits a blue thunder bomb for two and hits him with forearms at ringside before sending him into the railing that gives way. Austin gets back into the ring before Tyler gets back in right before being counted out and Austin immediately stomps him once he's back in before Tyler counters a powerbomb into a huricanrana with a jack knife pin attempt for a near fall before dropkicking Austin. Austin hits a buckle bomb before Tyler catches him coming in and superkicks him for a near fall before Austin sends him out onto the apron and Tyler hits an enzuigiri and Austin grabs him from the top turnbuckle and hits an ushigaroshi for a near fall. Austin then stomps on Tyler before grabbing a cell phone and taking a video before Tyler drops him with the Beauty Shot for the pin and the win.
Winner: Tyler Breeze defeats Austin Theory via pinfall.
- After the match we're informed about a message for the NXT Universe from NXT champion Adam Cole later tonight as we go to commercial.
Killian Dain vs Tehuti Miles
They mock each other before Miles shows off his speed by dodging the much larger and more powerful Dain until Dain boots him off of the apron and sends him into the steps before sending him into the railing and back into the ring. Dain drops Miles with a knee lift before stomping and choking him in the corner and hits a back drop driver for two before wrenching the neck of Miles before Miles rocks Dain who clotheslines him. Dain then slams Miles down onto the mat before hitting a running senton into a Vader bomb fo the pin and the win.
Winner: Killian Dain defeats Tehuti Miles via pinfall.
- After the match we get another graphic for Triple H as we go to commercial.
Cameron Grimes vs Tony Nese
Nese backs Grimes into the corner before they grapple on the mat until Tony gets two off of a roll up and locks in a straight armbar, Grimes getting to his feet and hitting Tony across the back before hitting a snake eyes for two. Grimes drops Tony before Tony comes back with a running uppercut in the corner and hangs Grimes' throat across the top rope before hitting a triangle moonsault for two before they exchange strikes until Grimes hits the Cave In for the pin and the win.
Winner: Cameron Grimes defeats Tony Nese via pinfall.
NXT Women's Championship Number One Contender Ladder Match Qualifier
Aliyah vs Xia Li
Before the match we go backstage to Xia having been attacked backstage and unable to make it to the ring before the announcer introduces her replacement, Io Shirai.
Winner: Match never started.
NXT Women's Championship Number One Contender Ladder Match Qualifier
Aliyah vs Io Shirai
Io immediately dropkicks Aliyah and stomps her in the corner before Aliyah slams her to the back by grabbing her hair and stomping Io in the corner before Io comes back with a right hand and a butterfly backbreaker before hitting a moonsault for the pin and the win.
Winner: Io Shirai defeats Aliyah via pinfall to qualify for the ladder match.
- We come back to a video package for a new NXT superstar coming soon before we go to the ring to the NXT North American champion Keith Lee who comes out to the ring and is interviewed about defeating Cameron Grimes before he was struck from behind by Damian Priest and that he assumed it was Dominik Dijakovic who he attacked before saying that he owes Dom an apology before Dom comes out to the ring. Dom says that he doesn't care about an apology and that he just cares about the title and that he has more respect for Keith than to attack him from behind before they're both interrupted by Damian Priest who mocks both Keith and Dom before saying that his eyes are on the title because it will give him more money, women, fame and legacy and that his name will live forever if he wins the title. Lee says that the man he attacked means that he won't live forever and that he's standing right there among all of the fighting between Dom and Damian before Dom shoves Lee out of the ring and attacks Priest before Lee knocks Damian off of the apron and Lee goes out after Damian before Dom hits a flipping senton that takes everyone out.
- We then get a graphic for Adam Cole up next as we go to commercial.
- We come back to a cell phone promo by Adam Cole who's on vacation where he says that he should have never been flustered by Velveteen Dream before naming off his accolades including the longest reigning champion of all time before saying that Bobby wants to face Dream and that he will lose and Adam will have proof that Dream is a loser.
Danny Burch & Oney Lorcan vs Shane Thorne & Brendan Vink
Danny and Brendan start things off, Brendan showing that he's stronger than Danny who's strong in his own right before dropping Danny with a shoulder block and Shane comes in and they double up on Danny before he gets the tag to Oney who sends Brendan out of the ring and Danny and Oney double team Shane. Shane then gets the tag to Vink who hits Oney with a uranage for a near fall before Danny hits Vink with a cutter and a missile dropkick before both Lorcan and Burch take Shane and Brendan down to the mat and submit them with a double submission for the tap and the win.
Winner: Danny Burch and Oney Lorcan defeat Shane Thorne & Brendan Vink via submission.
NXT Women's Championship Number One Contender Ladder Match Qualifier
Candice LeRae vs Kayden Carter
Candice takes Kayden down with a side headlock takeover before Kayden gets to her feet and takes Candice down to the mat before she hops up and drops Kayden with a shoulder block for two before they run the ropes until Candice hits an arm drag into a straight armbar. They sweep each other before mirroring a dropkick and Kayden takes Candice down with a single leg before they exchange pins until Kayden hits a basement dropkick for two. Kayden whips Candice into the corner before Candice hits a running uppercut in the corner into a snap mare and a neck snap for two before locking in a front headlock and beating Kayden down with clubbing blows across the head. Kayden comes back with clotheslines and a double ax handle into a superkick before hitting a running boot for two before Candice comes back with chops and forearms before hitting a snap mare and going for a Gargano Escape, but Kayden counters into a crucifix for two. Candice then misses a springboard moonsault before Kayden misses a shining wizard and Candice locks in the Gargano Escape for the tap and the win.
Winner: Candice LeRae defeats Kayden Carter via submission with the Gargano Escape to advance to the ladder match.
- After the match we get a match for tonight's main event between Matt Riddle and Roderick Strong which is up next as we go to commercial.
Matt Riddle vs Roderick Strong
Strong takes Matt down before they grapple on the mat and chain together holds before they hop to their feet and Strong counters a single leg momentarily before Matt takes Roddy down with a single leg for a quick one count. Matt yanks Roddy down to the mat before Roddy goes for a guillotine and Matt gets to the ropes before the referee breaks them up and Roddy mocks Matt before they grapple and Roddy ends up on Matt in mount before Matt gets to his feet and backs Roddy into the ropes for a clean break. Matt hits a gut wrench suplex before Roddy backs into the ropes and they have a knuckle lock before Matt counters an Olympic slam into an attempted double wrist lock, but Roddy gets to the ropes. Roddy then chops Matt before they exchange forearms and Matt counters the Olympic slam before Strong counters Matt and hangs him out across the top rope as we go to commercial.
We return to Roddy in control of Matt, having locked in a camel clutch before Matt comes back with kicks and a running forearm in the corner into a superman forearm and an exploder suplex before Roddy catches a kick when Matt goes for a PK. Roddy locks in a Boston crab before Matt kicks him away and hits a BTS into a bridging German suplex for two before Roddy comes back with a running knee lift in the corner and an Olympic slam for two. They counter each other until Strong hits a high knee and running forearms against the ropes before Matt hits the Bro-Derek for the pin and the win.
Winner: Matt Riddle defeats Roderick Strong via pinfall.
- After the match Matt is laid out by two new, unnamed superstars who are revealed to be a new tag team managed by Malcolm Bivens as we go to commercial.
- We get the announcement of Velveteen Dream vs Bobby Fish as well as a second chance gauntlet match between the women who failed to make it into the ladder match before we go to Triple H in the ring, Triple H almost immediately interrupted by Tommaso Ciampa who comes out to the ring. Triple H tells Tommaso that there will be no physicality tonight before Johnny comes out and says that it was Ciampa's fault they destroyed the PC and that he's crazy if he thinks he'll get into the ring. Triple H says that Regal wanted to fire the both of them and they're only there because he wants them there and he demands Johnny to get into the ring while telling Ciampa not to touch Johnny. Triple H tells them that he understands what they're going through because he did the same thing with Shawn Michaels and that it should end on the biggest stage, Johnny saying that he regrets not breaking Ciampa's neck. Ciampa says that he gave away his life and that he's telling both Triple H and Johnny that it deserves to end, Johnny saying that they don't need a big stage, just a referee and a ring before they both call themselves the heart and soul of NXT and that Johnny is going to show Ciampa he's a monster.
Triple H says that he'll give them an opportunity to settle it for good before Johnny asks for two weeks to get ready before Ciampa agrees, Triple H saying that when it's over it's over for good, their rivalry must end. Triple H then says that if it continues after that match they're both be fired and that NXT will carry on without them before saying that he will send them a message to the location of their match before they exchange words until they're interrupted by Killer Kross' intro on the big screen as we go off the air.
