NXT
Date: July 1, 2020
Location: Full Sail University, Winter Park, Florida
Commentators: Mauro Ranallo, Tom Phillips, Beth Phoenix

We’re bringing back the Great American Bash over the next two weeks and that could be an interesting situation. NXT tends to know how to do these big shows pretty well and that could make for some interesting stuff over the following two shows. Next week is the big one but tonight could be a heck of a strong outing as well. Let’s get to it.

Here are last week’s results if you need a recap.

Opening sequence, including a look at the history of the WWE Great American Bash.

Mia Yim vs. Tegan Nox vs. Dakota Kai vs. Candice LeRae

Elimination rules and the winner gets a title shot against Io Shirai next week. Candice bails to the floor to start with Kai joining her, leaving the other two inside early on. They circle each other until LeRae slides back in to roll Nox up for two. Kai comes back in to go after Nox, who she pulls to the floor. A kick to the head misses but Mia breaks up Candice’s suicide dive with a running dropkick. Candice is back up with a springboard spinning dive onto Kai.

Back in and Nox kicks down Kai and LeRae at the same time, setting up a parade of kicks to the face in the corner to take everyone down. Nox and Yim are up to run LeRae over, setting up Protect Yo Neck to get rid of LeRae at 4:06. Back from a break with Yim and Nox turning their attention to Kai, who kicks out of a double pin attempt. Kai bails to the floor so Yim can block a chokeslam attempt from Nox. Yim lays in the ropes ala Andrade, making Nox miss a charge.

Kai comes back in to kick Nox in the face and grabs a sitout hiptoss. Yim is back in for a dragon suplex on Kai and dives onto Nox. Kai gets a dive of her own, followed by a Code Blue for two back inside to give Yim two. Soul Food sends Nox right back to the floor but Kai snaps back in and rolls Yim up for the pin at 10:01.

Back from another break with Kai and Nox slugging it out and pulling themselves back up to keep fighting. Nox elbows her in the head and hits the reverse Cannonball in the corner for a delayed two. Kai avoids a dive off the top and hits a Kairopractor for two of her own. A faceplant gives Nox two more but Kai is back with the reverse Rings of Saturn. That’s broken up and Nox goes up top for a Molly Go Round of all things. The Shiniest Wizard gives Nox the pin and the title shot at 20:29.

Rating: B. Good match here, though I’m not sure it needed to be that long. Nox winning was a surprise as I would have bet on LeRae winning here so points for going with a twist. Nox is someone who could be a big star if she can stay healthy and while I don’t think she’s winning next week, it’s a great sign to see them putting this much faith in her.

Damien Priest wants to know what kind of a man Cameron Grimes is by challenging him to a match. The beating will live forever.

Timothy Thatcher vs. Oney Lorcan

Lorcan goes straight to the armbar to start and pulls it into a short armscissors. Thatcher can’t pick him up so Lorcan rolls forward to keep him down. Lorcan is finally reversed into a short armscissors from Thatcher, who switches to a mount and shots to the face. A double wristlock keeps Lorcan in trouble and Thatcher gets in a few more shots as we take a break. Back with Thatcher hitting a belly to bell to send Lorcan outside.

Lorcan slips over the back and hits a half and half suplex for two of his own. They uppercut it out as Mauro manages to explain Thatcher’s training history for a second time. Lorcan wins a slugout and grabs the half crab but Thatcher reverses into something similar. That’s broken up as well and it’s a butterfly suplex to give Thatcher two. Thatcher has had it and pulls Lorcan down into the Fujiwara armbar for the tap at 11:31.

Rating: B-. Good back and forth submission brawl here with a fairly obvious result. There is something very special about the two of them working each other over with hold after hold and Thatcher is someone who can do it with the best of them. Lorcan can do some awesome things as well and it was a good choice for both guys.

Post match Thatcher doesn’t let go of the hold immediately.

Karrion Kross video.

Rhea Ripley vs. Aliyah/Robert Stone

Stone is in boxing gloves and if Rhea loses, she has to join the Robert Stone Brand. It’s Stone starting for the team and throwing in an Ali Shuffle, meaning Ripley sends him outside without much trouble. The distraction lets Aliyah snap off a headscissors for two but Ripley gives her an electric chair faceplant. Stone makes the save and Ripley is sent outside, with Stone’s slingshot dive completely missing. Aliyah’s dive connects though and we take a break.

Back with Ripley caught in a Crossface/Boston crab combination but she powers out in a hurry. A double suplex plants Ripley but the team can’t decide who should cover. Rile gets in her own double suplex and dropkicks Stone into the corner. Aliyah is thrown into him, followed by another whip head first between Stone’s legs. A big boot drops Aliyah and there’s a headbutt to Ripley. Just to show off, Ripley grabs a double Prism Trap for the double tap at 9:56.

Rating: C. The match was nothing to see of course but the good thing was they didn’t do something crazy like stick Ripley in some lame comedy angle. She comes off like a star and didn’t have any trouble here, as she shouldn’t have. The Prism Trap is a cool hold on its own and the finish, with Ripley using one arm for each of them, was a great looking finish. This went how it should have and that’s a good sign.

Video on Roderick Strong vs. Dexter Lumis. Strong doesn’t like Lumis staring but is ready to face his fears.

Roderick Strong vs. Dexter Lumis

Strap match with pinfall or submission to win. Strong jumps him before the strap goes on but Lumis fights back and ties them together to get things going. They’re on the floor in a hurry with Lumis getting the better of it and taking Strong into the corner back inside. Strong is sent over the top for some choking and then gets slammed onto the mat again. Back in and Strong hits a knee to the face but right hands in the corner are countered with an uppercut to Strong’s jaw.

They head outside again with Strong being launched into the steps and then into the set. Lumis opens up the trunk of the Dodge Viper next to the set but Strong isn’t letting that happen and grabs an Angle Slam. Back in and Strong whips away but the chinlock doesn’t last long. Instead Strong chops away to a seated Lumis, who pops back up with a running clothesline.

A slingshot suplex gives Lumis two and the whipping is on again. The Silencer is blocked and Strong hits a jumping knee to the face. Strong nails a top rope superplex and ties Lumis’ legs up for a modified Stronghold. A rope is grabbed and Lumis fights up again but here’s Bobby Fish, who is taken down with a strap shot. Lumis’ Side Effect sets up the Silencer for the tap at 16:00.

Rating: B. It was a good, back and forth match and they’re trying something with Lumis, but it’s still Lumis. I’m not sure what the big appeal is for him as he’s just kind of standing there with a creepy look on his face. I can give NXT points for taking a shot with him though, as they could use some fresh blood around here. It also helps to have Strong out there as someone who can lose to almost anyone and be just fine.

We get a Prime Target video on Keith Lee vs. Adam Cole. Lee is ready to the biggest win of his career because he is Mr. NXT. He’s been on a roll in recent months and now he’s ready to take care of Cole for the title. Cole talks about how awesome Lee is but he’s beaten everyone thrown at him. They know only one of them can leave as champion, and Cole says he’s the one who gets things done. They’re ready for the showdown.

Candice LeRae is annoyed at being ganged up on in the four way. Johnny Gargano likes her aggression, including her attacking Mia Yim. Referees and Isaiah Scott of all people break it up and Gargano doesn’t like Scott getting involved with his wife with a match being teased. Works for me.

Here is Legado del Fantasma for a chat. Santos Escobar talks about shaping the wrestling world and following his role models. The fans were led to believe that lucha libre was all about masks and now they are going to rediscover lucha libre in his image. They are going to leave a legacy and right the wrongs of those who disrespect what it means to be a lucha libre artist. Cue Drake Maverick, in a neck brace, to interrupt. The brace comes off though and he charges into the ring, only to be cut off by Escobar’s goons. Cue Breezango to make the save and clean house. Breezango issues the six man challenge for next week.

Cameron Grimes doesn’t think much of Damien Priest and is ready to take care of him so he can go after the winner of Lee vs. Cole.

Io Shirai vs. Sasha Banks

Non-title and Bayley is here with Banks. As you might expect, Sasha and Bayley come out in a Jaguar, with Bayley carrying a dog. They also both have the red, white and blue gear on for some flavor. Banks drives her into the corner to start and strikes the signature pose. Shirai slips away though and gets to the top for a missile dropkick to send Banks outside. That means a suicide dive to drop Banks again, followed by the running knees in the corner.

Shirai hammers away but Bayley runs over to honk the car horn, allowing Shirai to slip away and drop Shirai to take over. The chinlock goes on, followed by some elbows to Shirai’s face. Banks’ running Meteora gets two but Shirai sends her into the corner. A super hurricanrana drops Banks again and there’s a flapjack as well. The 619 sets up a springboard dropkick for two but Banks grabs a quick Bank Statement.

That’s broken up as Mauro messes up his history, saying that Banks beat Bayley in the thirty minute Iron Woman match. Banks misses the running knees in the corner but Shirai misses the moonsault as well. A middle rope Meteora gives Banks two but she comes up favoring her ankle or leg. Another 619 misses for Shirai and they forearm it out on the apron.

Shirai gets caught on the top for a kick to the head, setting up a running sunset bomb into the Plexiglas. Back in and Banks misses the frog splash, setting up a Crossface from Shirai. Bayley throws the belt in for a distraction though and forearms Shirai to break it up. Banks goes after Shirai but cue Asuka to spray mist into Banks’ face, setting up a rollup for two. A palm strike sets up the moonsault to finish Banks at 14:05.

Rating: B+. This was a great showcase for both of them as Banks is someone who can do all kinds of things no matter what you ask of her and Shirai got one of the biggest wins of her career. It wasn’t the cleanest finish in the world but Bayley interfered and Shirai had to do something else to pin Banks. Either way, they looked sharp here and it was a rather good, hard hitting match.

Shirai and Asuka celebrate and it’s a preview of next week (now with Breezango/Maverick vs. Legado del Fantasma and Mia Yim vs. Candice LeRae in a street fight) to end the show.

Overall Rating: A-. This was where NXT shines: let the wrestlers wrestle and tear the house down. The main event felt like a main event and they set up a bunch of stuff for next week. It was a heck of a show with nothing being bad and the worst match on the card being a match that was put together as well as it should have been. The best thing here is the fact that that they have a huge main event set for next week and we should be in for another major night. Great show here.

Results

Tegan Nox b. Dakota Kai, Mia Yim and Candice LeRae – Shiniest Wizard to Kai

Timothy Thatcher b. Oney Lorcan – Fujiwara armbar

Rhea Ripley b. Aliyah/Robert Stone – Double Prism Trap

Dexter Lumis b. Roderick Strong – Silencer

Io Shirai b. Sasha Banks – Moonsault

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the paperback edition of KB’s Complete 2004 Monday Night Raw Reviews (also available as an e-book) from Amazon. Check out the information here:

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2019/08/26/new-book-and-e-book-kbs-complete-2004-monday-night-raw-reviews/

And check out my Amazon author page with cheap wrestling books at:

http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Hall/e/B00E6282W6

NXT
Date: June 24, 2020
Location: Full Sail University, Winter Park, Florida
Commentators: Mauro Ranallo, Beth Phoenix, Tom Phillips

It’s title night as Keith Lee is defending the North American Title against Johnny Gargano and Finn Balor in a triple threat match. That’s big enough, but the bigger story is that the winner will be facing Adam Cole for the NXT Title in a title vs. title match in two weeks. And yes, that is the same night as the second week of AEW Fyter Fest. Let’s get to it.

Here are last week’s results if you need a recap.

Mauro explains the main event.

Cameron Grimes has attacked Damien Priest.

Here’s Grimes for a chat. He accuses Priest of no showing the biggest match of his career by faking an attack in the parking lot. That’s fine with Grimes though and he’ll accept a forfeit win. Cue the banged up Priest though and we’re ready to go.

Cameron Grimes vs. Damien Priest

Grimes jumps him before the bell and gets punched down with a single right hand. Priest stomps away but misses a charge in the corner. He’s fine enough for the big sitout chokeslam but the ribs are too banged up to cover. Grimes teases walking out but managed to send Priest ribs first into the apron. The Cave In on the floor rocks Priest again, though he manages to beat the count. Back in and the regular Cave In finishes Priest at 3:16.

Rating: D+. More angle advancement than match here as Priest wasn’t going to be able to do much of anything with the banged up ribs. They’re doing a good job with having Grimes rack up wins though and we could be in for something big if he is ever give a push a little higher up on the card. The talking alone will get him a long way.

Rhea Ripley wants the Women’s Title back. A slightly less disheveled Robert Stone comes in to say Aliyah has officially signed with him. He rarely gives seconds chances but he’s willing to give Rhea another shot. Rhea hits him low and throws him in a trashcan. Aliyah comes up and a match is made for later.

Back at the Catch As Thatch Can wrestling school, Timothy Thatcher shows how to torture more people.

Santos Escobar vs. Jake Atlas

Non-title and Raul Mendoza/Joaquin Wilde are with him. Atlas starts fast with a running crossbody before snapmaring Escobar into a chinlock. An armdrag lets Atlas hammer and stomp away as Escobar isn’t starting well. There’s a running headscissors but Atlas gets distracted by the goons, allowing Escobar to knock him to the floor.

Back from a break with Escobar grabbing the chinlock and then switching to a seated abdominal stretch. Atlas fights up with some ax handles to the chest and a standing moonsault gets two. Another distraction makes Atlas dive onto the goons, though he’s back up in time to get two off a bulldog driver. Escobar catches him on top though and the Phantom Driver finishes Atlas at 10;31.

Rating: C. This was more of a way to establish that Escobar can win matches without the mask but with the goons, which worked well enough. Atlas losing so soon was a little surprising but it would seem that either Drake Maverick or possibly Isaiah Scott is going to be the real threat to the title anyway. This got its point across without being all that great, which is fine.

Earlier today, Roderick Strong was still undergoing therapy with Dr. Kyle O’Reilly in a bad disguise to overcome his fear of car trunks. Strong thinks he’s ready and somehow finally recognizes Kyle. All four of them go outside and Strong gets in the trunk, which is immediately closed. The driver is told to pop the trunk and Strong gets out just fine. Tonight, he gets to face Dexter Lumis and he’s ready for that too. Well, maybe at least.

Malcolm Bivens and Indus Sher are ready for Danny Burch and Oney Lorcan.

Video on the North American Title match. All three of them want to be champion, but they also all want to get their hands on Cole and the NXT Title.

Video on Karrion Kross.

Kacy Catanzaro/Kayden Carter vs. Raquel Gonzalez/Dakota Kai

Carter chops at the much bigger Gonzalez to start and gets powered down. Kacy comes in and it’s a double shot to the leg to send Gonzalez into the middle rope. Back in and Carter catapults Catanzaro into a Thesz press for two on Kai. A Gonzalez threat distracts Catanzaro enough for Kai to send her into the corner though and things slow down.

Cater makes a save off a powerslam and comes in to kick Kai in the face. It’s back to Catanzaro but the delay lets Gonzalez come in. Cater launches Catanzaro at Gonzalez, who powerbombs the heck out of her. Kai comes in with the reverse Rings of Saturn for the tap at 4:06.

Rating: C-. This was more a showcase for Gonzalez and that’s a good idea. She’s so much bigger than almost the entire division that she is going to stand out in a big way. That’s what she did here and while she’s fine as a bodyguard at the moment, she could be a nice enough force in the division in the future.

Post match Kai says she wants the Women’s Title.

Bronson Reed vs. Karrion Kross

Scarlett is here with Kross. Reed gets thrown around to start but pops up yelling with a kick to the head. They slug it out until Kross hits a northern lights suplex. A hard clothesline drops Reed again and it’s the Doomsday Saito into the Krossjacket to finish Reed at 2:19. Reed brought it for awhile there.

Adam Cole doesn’t care who he faces.

Mercedes Martinez is coming.

Rhea Ripley vs. Aliyah

Robert Stone is here with Aliyah. Rhea starts with the power but Aliyah snaps her throat first across the top. Aliyah’s high crossbody is pulled out of the air but she goes to the eyes for a break. Ripley powers her down again though and it’s a running basement dropkick for two. The Prism Trap goes on so Stone gets on the apron and throws in his shoe. The chase is on and Ripley rips off Stone’s jacket. Aliyah’s cheap shot fails and Riptide is good for the pin at 3:04.

Rating: D+. What else were you expecting here? I’m getting some good chuckles out of Stone being humiliated every single week as it’s certainly a different twist on the classic manager trope. It’s a funny idea and it’s not like anything is being hurt since it’s so low level. Ripley beat Aliyah in short order as she should have so it was entertaining all around. Not good mind you, but fun.

Roderick Strong vs. Dexter Lumis

Bobby Fish has to make Strong go to the ring. Strong bails to the floor to start and gets stalked around the ring by Lumis. The slow motion chase sees Strong hit the Plexiglas and that’s enough for Strong, who runs off for the countout at 1:47. They never made contact.

Post match Fish is annoyed and it’s made even worse as Lumis chokes him for a bit.

Robert Stone asks William Regal for one more match between Aliyah and Ripley. Regal agrees and makes it a handicap match, but Stone wants one more thing: if Ripley loses, she joins the Robert Stone Brand. Ripley pops in and accepts for next week.

Also next week: Mia Yim vs. Tegan Nox vs. Dakota Kai vs. Candice LeRae for the next shot at Kai.

Also next week: Strong vs. Lumis in a strap match.

North American Title: Keith Lee vs. Johnny Gargano vs. Finn Balor

Lee is defending and the winner faces Cole, title for title, in two weeks. Gargano drops to the floor at the bell so Balor launches himself at Lee to no avail. That lets Gargano come back in for a failed rollup attempt, meaning it’s Lee running both challengers over in a hurry. Back from a break with Balor’s sleeper not doing much good on Lee, as he powers Balor into the corner.

Lee northern lights suplexes both of them at the same time and then taking them to the floor. Balor catches Lee with a Sling Blade though and Gargano hits a running flip dive off the apron. A double team sends Lee into the steps and we take another break. Back again with Gargano hitting the slingshot spear for two on Balor, who is right back up with a suicide dive to keep Lee on the floor. The Final Cut gets two on Gargano back inside and Balor goes to the corner….but Lee rises up next to him.

Lee slingshot crossbodies both of them down but Balor goes for Lee’s legs. That’s fine with Lee, who puts him in an electric chair but gets caught in a sleeper. Gargano superkicks Lee down and hits Balor with the One Final Beat for two. A tornado DDT plants Lee while also kicking Balor in the chest but Lee bails to the floor. Gargano hits a suicide dive on Lee but Balor blocks a second attempt.

1916 to Gargano on the floor is broken up by Lee’s Pounce (Why?) and it’s time to go back inside. The Spirit Bomb to Balor is countered into a stomp to the chest but Gargano superkicks them both. A rollup with feet on the ropes gets two on Lee, who hits the Big Bang Catastrophe on Gargano. Balor’s Coup de Grace save hits Gargano, so Lee adds another Big Bang Catastrophe to finish Balor at 19:42.

Rating: B. Good stuff here and I wasn’t sure who was going to win until the end, which is always a nice feeling. Lee winning is the right call though as he has been on such a roll as of late that it makes sense for him to have the big showdown with Cole. Balor can come later and Gargano feels like he is always going to be around, but it’s Lee’s time at the moment.

Post match Cole comes in for the staredown with both titles being held up to end the show.

Overall Rating: B-. Outside of the main event, the wrestling was absolutely nothing worth writing home about this week. That being said, the point of the show was to get us ready for the next two weeks (with next week being announced as the Great American Bash as we came back from a main event commercial) and it did that well enough. I’m not wild on some of the matches we’ll be seeing, but they were set up properly and that’s what matters most here. Not a great show, but it did what it was supposed to.

Results

Cameron Grimes b. Damien Priest – Cave In

Santos Escobar b. Jake Atlas – Phantom Driver

Dakota Kai/Raquel Gonzalez b. Kayden Carter/Kacy Catanzaro – Reverse Rings of Saturn to Catanzaro

Karrion Kross b. Bronson Reed – Krossjacket

Rhea Ripley b. Aliyah – Riptide

Dexter Lumis b. Roderick Strong via countout

Keith Lee b. Johnny Gargano and Finn Balor – Big Bang Catastrophe

 

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the paperback edition of KB’s Complete 2004 Monday Night Raw Reviews (also available as an e-book) from Amazon. Check out the information here:

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2019/08/26/new-book-and-e-book-kbs-complete-2004-monday-night-raw-reviews/

And check out my Amazon author page with cheap wrestling books at:

http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Hall/e/B00E6282W6

NXT
Date: June 17, 2020
Location: Full Sail University, Winter Park, Florida
Commentators: Tom Phillips, Beth Phoenix, Mauro Ranallo

After everything that happened last week, we could be in for a big night. Well actually we could be in for some big nights on July 1 and 8, as AEW’s Fyter Fest probably need some competition. That could be set up tonight, but we also have some guest stars with Bayley and Sasha Banks. Let’s get to it.

Here are last week’s results if you need a recap.

Opening recap.

Opening sequence.

Tag Team Titles: Imperium vs. Breezango

Breezango is challenging and do their own version of the Imperium (or Emporium, under the names of Marsupial and Fabio). As you might guess, Imperium doesn’t like this and Aichner takes Breeze down with an armbar to start. Breeze is sent outside and into the Plexiglas as a WE WANT FABIO chant starts up. The chinlock doesn’t last long as Breeze fights up and sends Barthel to the floor. The hot tag brings in Fandango and the big dive to the floor takes out the champs as we go to a break.

Back with Fandango hitting a slingshot elbow onto Barthel onto Breeze’s knees, with Aichner making the save. The Last Dance gets two more but Breeze is backdropped to the floor. Barthel is sent outside with him and it’s Indus Sher coming out, only to have Oney Lorcan and Danny Burch Cutting them off. The distraction lets Aichner hit a DDT on Fandango to retain at 12:24.

Rating: C+. I’m not sure how much drama there was here and that became an issue. The interference wasn’t exactly interesting either, though that might just be to the general existence of Indus Sher. They didn’t look great in their previous appearances and “we’re foreign monsters” isn’t quite interesting. Other than that though, Breezango aren’t about to take the titles and I don’t know how many people bought it. The action was pretty good though and that’s enough to easily carry this one.

Post match Malcolm Bivens yells at Indus Sher.

Velveteen Dream sees one of Dexter Lumis’ drawings of the two of them as Tag Team Champions. That is a dream though, because Dream is a solo act.

Damien Priest vs. Killian Dain

They run the ropes for a standoff to start but Priest may have hurt his back on a leapfrog attempt. Dain dropkicks him into the corner and hammers on the back. Priest is sent to the apron and bangs his back up even more, allowing Dain to clubber some more. A middle rope legdrop to the back makes it even worse and rolling belly to back suplexes cut off Priest’s comeback.

Dain hits a belly to back faceplant for two but misses a charge into the corner. Priest strikes away and a big clothesline finally puts Dain down. A running crossbody gives Dain two but Priest is back with a rollup for two of his own. Priest kicks him in the head and the Reckoning finishes Dain at 5:41.

Rating: C. Are they turning Priest face? That’s one of the weirder ideas I’ve heard in a good while but I’m oddly intrigued by it. If nothing else it is something new for him, unlike having him fight another monster. Priest might need to change some things up about his character, but at least they are trying something with him, which NXT is often willing to do when necessary.

Video on Santos Escobar, along with his designated goons.

Xia Li vs. Aliyah

Robert Stone, holding a bottle in a brown paper bag, is down near the entrance but Aliyah pulls him up to ringside to put him in her corner. Aliyah takes over with a Thesz press and right hands but Li drives her into the corner for the kicks to the ribs. A northern lights suplex gets two on Li so she scores with a jumping kick. More kicks put Aliyah in the corner and a running kick has her down. Stone gets on the apron and vomits at Li, allowing Aliyah to grab a fairly sloppy rollup for the pin at 1:51. Is anyone surprised that this kind of thing has made it to NXT? Stone continues to be amusing though so well done in a way.

Post match Stone falls off the apron and crashes to the floor.

Timothy Thatcher has his students in the ring and demonstrates a Fujiwara armbar. The students are not shown, other than the one tapping a lot. A double wristlock makes him tap even more. It’s all Thatch As Thatch Can wrestling you see.

Earlier today, Adam Cole and Bobby Fish gave Roderick Strong Undisputed Therapy to deal with Strong’s fear of Dexter Lumis. They have Strong lie down and the doctor lowers his Justin Timberlake book to reveal…..Kyle O’Reilly in glasses and a hat. Strong talks about his history of incidents with Lumis, who he can’t get out of his head.

O’Reilly, using his thick accent, suggests a Rorschach Test, with Strong seeing muscles, Lumis, and the trunk that he was locked inside. O’Reilly says that’s a breakthrough because the trunk is what’s causing everything. Strong needs to face the trunk and Cole and Fish talk him into it. They go outside and go towards the trunk…but Strong sprints away. Cole: “Aside from him running away and stuff, I think that went pretty good.” I think this is all the evidence you need that they are rapidly running out of ideas for the team. Or that O’Reilly wasn’t in the same room.

Back in the arena, Adam Cole has the hourglass from last week and says it doesn’t matter who comes for the title. Keith Lee comes in to say he’s taking the title from Cole, and then smashes the hourglass. Lee: “Tick tock.”

Here’s Cole in the ring (he’s busy tonight) to talk about how great his NXT Title reign, now at 381 days, has been. After everything he has done, he can’t believe that people think they can just throw their name out there and get a title shot. Look at Killian (yes Killian) Kross, who beat Tommaso Ciampa (Cole: “Been there, done that.”) and thinks he should be #1 contender. Then there’s Lee, who has his eyes on the NXT Title but Cole has his eyes on the North American Title. Remember that he was the first champion and of course the best. Maybe he’ll come after Lee and become Champ Champ Bay Bay.

Cue Lee but before he could say anything, it’s Johnny Gargano interrupting to say Johnny Gargano (speaking in the third person) doesn’t care about moments anymore. Now it’s all about results, which is why he wants the North American Title back. But why stop there? Why not win the NXT Title too so he and Candice LeRae can be the co-champions that they should be. Lee finds it interesting that he was more concerned about LeRae last week and LeRae said thank you.

Cue Finn Balor to say they can stop being marks for themselves and start being a mark for him. Balor is coming for both titles because Cole is a great little transitional champion. Balor points at Cole’s chest and that’s where he’s going to punch him. Cue William Regal on the screen to make Lee vs. Gargano vs. Balor next week for the North American Title match. The winner of that will move on to face Cole at July 8 in a winner takes all match. And yes, that is the second night of Fyter Fest if you were suddenly curious.

Post break, Candice LeRae interrupts a Keith Lee interview but Mia Yim shows up for the brawl.

Kayden Carter vs. Dakota Kai

Kacy Catanzaro is here with Carter and Raquel Gonzalez is here with Kai as is customary. Carter knocks her to the floor to start and the chase is on but Gonzalez’s distraction lets Kai get in the scorpion kick for two. The comeback is on in a hurry with Carter hitting some right hands and rolling her up into a low superkick for two. Gonzalez gets on the apron for a distraction so Catanzaro goes after her, allowing Kai to grab a rollup for two. With that not working, it’s a reverse Rings of Saturn to make Carter tap at 2:43.

Scarlett finds the broken hourglass and looks at the sand. A foot steps on the glass.

Mercedes Martinez is coming. Cool.

Bronson Reed vs. Leon Ruff

Standing splash, backsplash, frog splash for the pin on Ruff at 24 seconds.

Post match Reed says he wants Karrion Kross for next week. Reed even helps Ruff up and carries him to the back in a nice (I think?) moment.

We cut to the parking lot where someone has flattened all of Damien Priest’s tires. Cameron Grimes pulls up, asks if Priest wants an Uber, and drives off.

Here are Santos Escobar, Raul Mendoza and Joaquin Wilde for a chat. Escobar talks about how El Hijo del Fantasma was known as the best cruiserweight artist in the world, but no one knew who he was because of the mask. Then he came to NXT and knew that the time of El Hijo del Fantasma would come to an end. He is a leader and knew that he would lead the two of them…but here’s Drake Maverick for the brawl. Maverick gets in a few shots but the trio gets the better of him and it’s a Phantom Driver through a table.

During the break, Maverick was taken out on a stretcher.

Women’s Tag Team Titles: Shotzi Blackheart/Tegan Nox vs. Bayley/Sasha Banks

Bayley and Banks, who are serious legends around here, are defending. Banks takes Nox down to start and sends her into the corner for some trash talk. A rollup gives Banks two but Nox pulls her to the ropes so Blackheart can come in for two of her own. Bayley comes in and gets rolled up as well. That doesn’t work for Bayley, who knees Blackheart in the head as we take a break.

Back with Bayley driving shoulders into Nox’s shoulders in the corner but Nox gets over to Blackheart for the tag. Everything breaks down as Blackheart cleans house and suplexes Banks for two. Banks sends her outside for the Meteora off the apron for two back inside. The Meteora in the corner missed (that looked painful) and the stereo reverse Cannonballs crush the champs.

Bayley and Banks are sent outside so Blackheart runs the corner for a big crossbody to the floor. Back in and the assisted Sliced Bread plants Bayley for two but Banks slips out of what looked to be a Doomsday Device. Blackheart’s missile dropkick gets two but Banks pulls her into the Bank Statement. Blackheart grabs Cattle Mutilation of all things so Bayley grabs a chair, with the distraction letting Bayley flip the hold over. Now the Bank Statement makes Blackheart tap at 11:39.

Rating: B-. The action was good but there wasn’t exactly a ton of drama about who was leaving with the titles. Given that they are already advertising the IIconics getting a shot on Raw, the doubt wasn’t strong here. Nox and Blackheart were fine as challengers of the week but that’s about as far as they were going to go int his situation.

Post match the celebration is on but here’s Io Shirai to take out both Banks and Bayley, who bail so Shirai can moonsault into a pose. A long staredown ends the show.

Overall Rating: C+. Pretty good show here with the big announcement of the title matches being the focal point throughout. The main event felt like a big deal because of the star power, but it’s not like Nox and Blackheart were some red hot team. Other than that they set some stuff up for the future, which is a rather important role that needs to be filled at some point. This wasn’t the big show, but rather the show getting to the big show and that’s not a bad thing.

Results

Imperium b. Breezango – DDT to Fandango

Damien Priest b. Killian Dain – Reckoning

Aliyah b. Xia Li – Rollup

Bronson Reed b. Leon Ruff – Frog splash

Bayley/Sasha Banks b. Tegan Nox/Shotzi Blackheart – Bank Statement to Blackheart

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the paperback edition of KB’s Complete 2004 Monday Night Raw Reviews (also available as an e-book) from Amazon. Check out the information here:

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