Good evening Fight Fans and welcome to our coverage of WWE NXT Takeover: WarGames III! We hope you enjoy the show and be sure to stick around afterwards for the post-show podcast!
Pre-show
-We immediately go backstage to Rhea and her team and paramedics checking on Mia Yim who was attacked by an unknown assailant. We then get a run down of the four matches on tonight's show as well as the pre-show match between Angel Garza and Isaiah Scott which will start immediately.
Isaiah Scott vs Angel Garza
They kick off the match at a high pace, scoff and Garza running the ropes before sweeping each other and posing before Scott sends Garza out of the ring. They get back in and Scott chops Garza before slamming him down and hitting springboard slam before hitting a diving uppercut to the back of the neck of Garza. Scott hits a diving cross body before Garza suplexes him into the corner before tearing his pants off and superkicking Scott for a two count. Garza hits a rebound reverse suplex into a superkick for a two count before trapping Scott in the ropes and dropkicking him for another two count. Scott drops Garza with a lariat and hits a butterfly slam for a two count before they exchange chops and Garza hits a rebound sit-out powerbomb for a near fall.
Scott hits a DVD onto the apron into a diving stomp off of the apron before rolling him back into the ring and hitting his finisher for a near fall. They then block each other's kicks before Garza hits the Wing Clipper for the pin and the win.
Winner: Angel Garza defeats Isaiah Scott via pinfall with the Wing Clipper.
-We get a graphic for Finn Bálor versus Matt Riddle before we're shown an extended video package recapping their budding rivalry since Finn returned to NXT as we go to commercial.
-We go backstage to Mia Yim being helped into an ambulance and taken to a local medical facility for evaluation before Regal asks Rhea what she's going to do and Rhea enlists a reluctant Dakota Kai as as we go to commercial.
-We come back to a cryptic tweet by Tommaso Ciampa about the final member of his team as we go off the air.
Main Show
-We open the show with a video package for tonight's matches narrated by Triple H.
Womens WarGames Match
Rhea Ripley comes out first and gets into the cage before she's subsequently joined by Bianca Belair, Candice LeRae, NXT UK Women's champion Kay Lee Ray, Tegan Nox, Io Shirai, Dakota Kai and NXT Women's champion Shayna Baszler and the women go to their respective cages on the ramp. Io and Candice then start the match off for their respective teams before the cage is locked and the five minutes begins. Candice and Io roll around on the mat before Candice goes for a huricanrrana, but Io lands on her feet before Candice slams her down and Io rolls out of one ring and into the other. Io catches Candice with a forearm before hitting two 619s and a double knee in between the rings before hitting a springboard missile dropkick. Io hits a running dropkick in the corner and chokes her in the corner before the time counts down and Io hits a drop toe hold that sends Candice face first into the steel between the two rings. Io presses the face of Candice into the cage before Candice comes back with a jawbreaker and Io immediately drops her before Bianca Belair enters the match.
Bianca slams Candice and hits a running shooting star press before Candice counters a powerbomb and lays into both Shirai and Belair with strikes. Bianca hits two powerbombs before powerbombing Candice into the side of the cage and puts Candice in a camel clutch before Io runs the ropes and hits a drive by knee. Rhea comes in next with several trash cans, kendo sticks and steel chairs before Rhea drops Bianca sternum first across a trash can. All four women brawl before the NXT UK Women's champion Kay Lee Ray comes out next and brings more chairs into the match before hitting Rhea and Candice with them. Ray hits a tornado DDT to Rhea onto a chair before Io sends Rhea into the side of the cage and Ray piles up chairs before they hit a tower of doom and Bianca hits a 450.
Kai is chosen next and attacks her best friend Tegan Nox before slamming the cage door into the surgically repaired knee of Nox before ripping the brace off before she's forced to the back only to return seconds later. Kai finally leaves as Rhea is enraged in the ring, Shayna reveling in the dismay of Nox before she enters the match. Rhea and Shayna brawl before Ray and Belair beat her down as we're told that the match has started even if it is four on two as Candice momentarily takes out Io and Ray. Shayna tries to handcuff Rhea to the ropes before Candice makes the save and Rhea goes after Shayna as Candice hits Io and Kay with a trash can lid. Rhea suplexes Ray into the side of the cage and locks in the double cloverleaf in one ring to Ray as Shayna chokes Candice before Candice hits a springboard moonsault for a near fall that Bianca breaks up.
Ray launches Candice into Rhea before hitting a Gory bomb and Io hits a moonsault for a near fall before Bianca whips Rhea with her ponytail. Candice wears out a kendo stick on Bianca before Io hits a suplex and climbs to the very top of the cage before Candice and Ray follower her before Candice hits a reverse frankensteiner to Ray for a near fall. Io hits a moonsault off of the very top of the cage and takes out Bianca and Candice before Rhea beats Shayna down with a chair and hits Ray with a trash can before Shayna grabs her out of nowhere and tries to choke Rhea out. Rhea then handcuffs herself to Shayna and hits the Riptide onto two chairs set up for the pin and the win.
Winner: Team Ripley defeats Team Baszler via pinfall when Rhea pins Shayna with the Riptide onto two chairs.
-We see Finn Bálor and Matt Riddle getting ready backstage for their match between we get a video package for the NXT Championship Number One Contender Triple Threat match up next as we see three members of Imperium in the crowd.
NXT Championship Number One Contender Triple Threat Match
Pete Dunne vs Damian Priest vs Killian Dain
Pete drops Dain before he and Priest run the ropes and Pete sends Priest out of the ring before bending the fingers of Dain. Priest clears the ring and plays to the crowd before he goes for a springboard senton and Dain hits him with a running cross body before hitting Priest with Pete using a Michinoku driver. Dain hits Pete and Priest with a double fall away slam before rolling Pete back into the ring and whipping him across the ring before hitting Dain with an enzuigiri in the corner. Pete hits a snap German suplex and drops Dain with a kick before locking in an armbar to Priest before Dain and Priest hit Pete with a double powerbomb. Priest and Dain exchange until Pete joins in and all three men brawl until they collapse before Priest hits South of Heaven to Pete for a near fall.
Priest tosses Pete out of the ring and hits a razors edge onto the announce table before Dain hits a suicide dive into a cannonball into the barricade. Back in the ring Dain gets a long two count before slamming Priest down and hitting a senton before Priest stops him from hitting a Vader bomb and hits a razors edge for a near fall that Pete breaks up. Pete and Damian exchange running moves in the corner before Priest takes out Dain at ringside and Pete hits a moonsault onto the floor before Damian and Pete go back and forth once they're back in the ring until Damian turns Pete inside out with a lariat. Pete and Damian counter each other's finishers until Dain breaks up an armbar by Pete and hits Damian with a one winged angel for a near fall before Dain sends Priest into Dunne who he put in the tree of woe before hitting a cannonball in the corner. Dain hits a Vader bomb for a near fall that Pete breaks up before hitting the Bitter End for a near fall that Priest breaks up and hits a frankensteiner with Pete into Dain. Priest hits Pete with The Reckoning for a near fall that Dain breaks up before chop blocking Pete and dropkicking Priest off of the apron. Pete hits Dain with an enzuigiri when Dain is on the top turnbuckle before Pete snaps the fingers of Priest and sends him off of the top and down onto the floor. Pete then hits a superplex to Dain before hitting Priest with the Bitter End for a near fall that Dain breaks up before Dain drops Pete on top of Priest and Pete pins him for the win.
Winner: Pete Dunne defeats Damian Priest and Killian Dain via pinfall when he pins Priest to gain a shot at Adam Cole's NXT Championship tomorrow night at Survivor Series.
-We get the announcement of the next Takeover event in Portland, Oregon on February 16th before we see Team Ciampa getting ready for the mens WarGames match before we get an extended video package for Finn Bálor and Matt Riddle which is up next.
Finn Bálor vs Matt Riddle
Matt backs Finn into the ropes for a clean break before Matt goes for an armbar and Finn gets free before they get back to their feet and go right back down to the mat and grapple. Finn locks in a headlock and takes Matt down with it before Matt applies a head scissors that Finn counters into another headlock. Matt gets to his feet and hits a series of dead lift suplexes before Finn rolls him up for a quick two count. Finn hits a basement shotgun dropkick for a quick two count before chopping and kicking Matt in the corner before hitting a running dropkick in the corner for a two count. Finn tosses Matt out of the ring and hits a baseball slide before rolling him back into the ring for a two count before stomping on Matt while playing to the crowd.
Matt comes back with a flurry of punches and kicks into a suplex and a PK into a senton for a two count before hitting Finn with Kawada kicks and a running forearm in the corner. Finn drops Matt with a flying forearm and Matt rocks him with a roundhouse kick before locking in an ankle lock, Finn getting to the ropes for the break. Finn clings to the ropes when Matt goes for a suplex before Finn dropkicks Matt and hits Matt with a German suplex, but Matt is right back up and drops Finn with a bicycle knee. Matt hits a bridging German suplex for a two count and the Final Flash before hits a jumping stomp and a sling blade before Matt spears him out of nowhere. Matt hits a jack hammer suplex for a near fall before Finn hits a high angle reverse DDT for a near fall of his own, Matt countering Bloody Sunday into a GTS before climbing to the top rope. Finn gets his knees up when Matt goes for a diving senton and hits a shotgun dropkick before missing the coup de grace and Matt puts him in the Bromission.
Finn then gets free and Matt kicks him before Finn hits 1916 for the pin and the win.
Winner: Finn Bálor defeats Matt Riddle via pinfall with the 1916.
-We get an update on the conditions of Mia Yim and Tegan Nox before we're told that Rhea Ripley will join Triple H on Facebook Live after the show to announce the members of the women's team for the Survivor Series match tomorrow night before we get an extended video package for the men's WarGames match between the Undisputed Era and Tommaso Ciampa and his team of Keith Lee, Dominik Dijakovic and a mystery partner yet to be revealed.
Mens WarGames Match
Strong and Ciampa start the match off for their respective teams by brawling before Ciampa drops Strong with several clotheslines and Strong comes back with a backbreaker. They exit one ring and enter the other before Strong chops Tommaso in the corner and Tommaso hangs Roddy over the top rope before hitting a sliding knee. Ciampa hits Strong with right hands in the corner before hitting a running knee, Strong coming back with right hands of his own before Ciampa hits a cheeky nandos knee. Strong counters a draping DDT before they exchange forearms between the rings and Ciampa clotheslines Strong over the top rope and back into the first ring. Strong counters the Fairytale Ending into a double knee gut buster and beats on Ciampa in mount before playing to the crowd and stomping on Ciampa as the clock runs down.
Kyle comes in next and takes Tommaso down before O'Reilly and Strong take turns beating Tommaso down, Ciampa trying to mount any offense he can before he's outnumbered. Dom comes in and takes out Strong before turning Kyle inside out and dropping Strong with a thrust kick before tossing Kyle on top of him. Dom tosses Strong into the side of the cage before doing the same thing to Kyle when he goes for a standing guillotine. Dom and Tommaso beat on O'Reilly and Strong as the time counts down before Bobby Fish enters the match and immediately traps Ciampa in between the ropes and the cage. UE triple team Ciampa and Dijakovic as their leader and NXT champion Adam Cole looks on from the cage at the top of the rope before Keith Lee enters the match.
Lee single handedly takes out all three members of the Undisputed Era as the NXT Universe erupts before he's out numbered and Tommaso and Dom even the odds. Adam joins the match and brings tables with him to the crowds elation, Adam setting up one against the barricade and four into the ring before Ciampa sends Adam through the one at ringside before he gets into the ring. The seven men brawl before Fish low blows Keith and the timer counts down for the final member of team Ciampa who is revealed to be the returning Kevin Owens. Kevin takes out three members of UE before he squares off with the NXT champion and they counter each other before Kevin hits Adam with a stunner for a near fall that Strong breaks up. Dom and Keith throw Strong over the top rope of one ring and into the rest of UE in the other ring before Ciampa hits Kyle with a draping DDT.
Team Ciampa set up tables before everyone pairs off and exchanges until Keith takes out everyone with a diving cross body and Kyle hits a diving knee before Kyle locks in a kneebar. Dom breaks up the kneebar with a springboard moonsault for a near fall before Kevin hits a diving senton for another near fall and Strong hits an avalanche Olympic slam before UE hit the High Low for a near fall that Dom breaks up. UE hit Dom with a High Low before Kevin sends them into the cage and Adam superkicks Kevin before hitting a Panama Sunrise onto the steel between the two rings. Tommaso takes out Fish, O'Reilly and Strong before countering an ushigaroshi by Cole after Cole superkicks him, Ciampa sending Adam into the side of the cage before Adam climbs to the top of the cage and Dom chokeslams Strong through a table. Dom lies Kyle on a table before Kevin hits a frog splash through it and Keith powerbombs Bobby through another table as Tommaso and Adam exchange on the top of the cage. Ciampa then hits an air raid crash off of the top of the cage and through a table for the pin and the win.
Winner: Team Ciampa defeats the Undisputed Era via pinfall when Tommaso pins Adam with an air raid crash off of the top of the cage and through a table.
