Good evening Fight Fans,and welcome to our coverage for tonight's edition of WWE NXT headlined by a grudge match between Matt Riddle and Timothy Thatcher! We hope you enjoy the show and will stick with us afterwards for the post show podcast!
NXT Interim Cruiserweight Championship Tournament Triple Threat Tie Breaker Match
KUSHIDA vs Drake Maverick vs Jake Atlas
Everyone exchange chops to start the match before Drake dropkicks KUSHIDA and Jake hits Drake with a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker for two before KUSHIDA goes for a double wrist lock and Jake tosses him out of the ring before hitting a moonsault off the top and down onto KUSHIDA on the floor. Back in the ring Jake then hits a springboard blockbuster for two before KUSHIDA hits a cartwheel dropkick into a PK and running shotei's in both corners before KUSHIDA gets a double near fall off of a bridging German suplex with an O'Connor roll as we go to commercial.
We come back to Drake in control before KUSHIDA hits a hand spring kick to Jake and knocks him off of the apron before hitting a DDT into an armbar that Drake turns into a pin for a near fall before Drake hits a bulldog to Jake for a near fall that KUSHIDA breaks up. KUSHIDA drops Drake with a right hand before Jake catches him when he goes for a hand spring back elbow and suplexes KUSHIDA who rolls out of the ring before Jake hits Drake with the Rainbow DDT for a two count that KUSHIDA breaks up by dragging Jake out of the ring. KUSHIDA then hits a flying armbar before Drake covers Jake while KUSHIDA has him in the armbar for the pin and the win.
Winner: Drake Maverick defeats Jake Atlas and KUSHIDA via pinfall to go to the finals of the tournament and will face El Hijo Del Fantasma for the Interim Cruiserweight Championship.
- We come back from the break to Timothy Thatcher talking backstage to Kurt Angle ahead of his match against Matt Riddle later tonight in which Kurt will be the special guest referee before we are informed that upon video review KUSHIDA submitted Jake before Drake pinned him, but the referee's discretion stands before we go back to the PC with Johnny Gargano and Candice LeRae for Johnny's match against Adrian Alanis.
Johnny Gargano vs Adrian Alanis
Johnny teases a hand shake before sucker punching Adrian and Adrian momentarily comes back before Johnny superkicks him and locks in the Gargano Escape for the tap and the win.
Winner: Johnny Gargano defeats Adrian Alanis via submission.
- After the match Keith Lee and Mia Yim show up on the big screen having dinner while mocking The Garganos before they're joined by Tegan Nox who delivers a pizza from Johnny's family's pizza shop before we go backstage to an interview with Drake Maverick before he's interrupted by KUSHIDA who tells him to win and do his best. Drake then says that when he wins the title he wants KUSHIDA to have the first shot before they shake hands and KUSHIDA leaves as we go to commercial.
- We come back from the break to a promo by the NXT Tag Team champions, Marcel Barthel and Fabian Aichner of Imperium who cut a promo on Oney Lorcan and Danny Burch before we go back to the ring for our next match between Shotzi Blackheart and Raquel Gonzalez.
Shotzi Blackheart vs Raquel Gonzalez w/Dakota Kai
Raquel muscles Shotzi into the ropes for a clean break before Raquel counters a standing switch and drops Shotzi several times before countering a head scissors and a sunset flip before Shotzi comes back with kicks. Raquel hits an elbow drop when Shotzi misses a running meteora and gets caught in the ropes before Dakota gets into her tank and gets booted out of it by Tegan Nox before Raquel clotheslines Shotzi as we go to commercial.
Back from the break Raquel is woman handling Shotzi and slamming her to the mat before locking in a bear hug that Shotzi manages to get out of before getting hit with a backbreaker for two before Shotzi hits a sunset flip into the ropes and a running senton in the corner. Raquel rolls out of the ring and regroups with Kai before Shotzi hits a trust fall onto the floor and helped back into the ring before Candice comes out and shoves Tegan and Raquel finishes Shotzi with a uranage for the pin and the win.
Winner: Raquel Gonzalez defeats Shotzi Blackheart via pinfall
- After the match we get a video package narrated by Finn Balor who talks about Damian Priest ahead of their match at Takeover: In Your House before we get a graphic for the women's tag team match between Io Shirai and Rhea Ripley against Charlotte and a Mystery opponent up next as we go to commercial.
Io Shirai & Rhea Ripley vs Charlotte & Chelsea Green w/Robert Stone
Chelsea and Rhea start things off for their respective teams with Rhea forcing Chelsea down onto the mat before Charlotte distracts Rhea and Chelsea claws her back before Rhea flap jacks Chelsea onto the mat and boots Charlotte off of the apron. Rhea headbutts Chelsea and falls back into her corner where Io gets the tag before Io does several flips into a shotgun dropkick and a running back elbow in the corner and stomps and chokes Chelsea. Chelsea counters a 619 and sends Io through the ropes before hitting a 619 and dragging Io back into the ring by her corner so Charlotte can easily tag in and Charlotte and Chelsea isolate Io in their half of the ring until Io hits a suicide dive to Chelsea before beating on her at ringside. Chelsea then whips Io into the barricade before tossing her back into the ring as we go to commercial.
We come back to Charlotte keeping Io from nearly tagging in Rhea before she's driven into the corner and Charlotte chops Io while mocking Rhea before accidentally chopping Chelsea on the apron and drops her before Charlotte goads Rhea into the ring and the referee makes her leave. Chelsea mocks Rhea before Io hits a diving cross body and Rhea comes in legally and clotheslines Chelsea several times before rocking her with knees in a cravat before hitting a basement dropkick. Rhea hits an electric chair facebuster for a two count that Charlotte breaks up before dropping Rhea with another boot and locking in a figure four that Io breaks up with a running meteora. Io hits a head scissors into a running meteora in the corner for two before hitting a rolling stomp and a 619 into a springboard dropkick that Chelsea takes when she shoves Charlotte out of the way. Io then accidentally sends Rhea off of the apron and Charlotte rolls her up with her feet on the ropes for the pin and the win.
Winner: Charlotte and Chelsea Green defeat Io Shirai and Rhea Ripley via pinfall
- After the match we get a brief interview with Johnny Gargano and Candice LeRae where Johnny challenges Keith to a match for the North American Championship at Takeover and Candice challenges Mia Yim to a match next week before we see Matt Riddle getting ready back stage before we go to a graphic for NXT champion Adam Cole having negotiations with NXT General Manager William Regal about his title defense against The Velveteen Dream at Takeover as we go to commercial.
- We come back to William Regal talking to Adam Cole via Zoom about his defense at Takeover where Adam tries to get his title put on ice and tries to get his way out of defense against Dream before they agree that if Adam defends against Dream at Takeover, Dream cannot get another title shot as long as Adam is champion. We then get a video package narrated by Oney Lorcan and Danny Burch before we go back to the ring for our next match.
Leon Ruff vs Tommaso Ciampa
Leon immediately goes for a quick roll up for two as Scarlett comes down to the ringside before Ciampa hits a running knee lift and a running knee in the corner before hitting The Fairytale Ending for the pin and the win.
Winner: Tommaso Ciampa defeats Leon Ruff via pinfall.
- After the match Scarlett and Tommaso lock eyes before she leaves and Ciampa waves before Kross plays a message on the big screen and Ciampa and Scarlett stare at each other before she leaves and we get a graphic for our main event between Timothy Thatcher and Matt Riddle up next as we go to commercial.
- We come back to the announcement of Candice LeRae versus MIa Yim next week as well as a special look at two of the matches at Takeover on next week's show and Drake Maverick versus El Hijo Del Fantasma for the Interim Cruiserweight Championship.
Special Guest Referee Fight Pit Match
Matt Riddle vs Timothy Thatcher W/Special Guest Referee Kurt Angle
Matt takes Tim down to the mat before he takes his back and Tim reverses into Matt's guard before they get to their feet and Tim locks in a rear naked choke before Matt back flips off of the cage and suplexes Tim before hitting a running senton and a Showtime kick ala UFC's Anthony Pettis. Kurt then checks on Tim who has lost teeth before he's checked on by the ringside physician as we go to commercial.
We come back to the action in the cage to Riddle in control of Tim against the cage before they exchange strikes and Matt dodges a showtime punch before Tim suplexes him and locks in a standing heel hook before kneeing him in the ribs and kicking him in the face before stomping him against the cage. Tim hits a float over butterfly suplex before taking Matt's back and they try to take each other's backs before Matt goes for a twister and Tim focuses on the bare feet of Riddle to get free before Tim goes for a triangle armbar and Matt hits a one armed powerbomb, Tim grabbing the top of the cage to avoid being slammed onto the mat. They end up on top of the pit and exchange strikes until Tim locks in an ankle lock as Matt dangles off of the side of the platform. Matt misses a running senton onto the platform before Tim suplexes him and tries to choke Matt out on his feet before Matt comes back with a roundhouse kick and Tim falls off of the platform and down onto the mat. Matt then hits a flipping senton off of the platform and onto Tim back in the ring before kicking Tim against the cage and chopping him before Tim sends him face first into the cage and Tim chokes Matt unconscious for the referee stoppage.
Winner: Timothy Thatcher defeats Matt Riddle via referee stoppage.
