The CW and Netflix will air a new episode of WWE NXT tonight, with Vic Joseph and Booker T at the commentary table, live from the Performance Center in Orlando, Florida. The show will feature several matches and segments of interest, highlighting the continuation of the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic with two new tournament matches.
Additionally, Zaria will defend the NXT Women's North American Championship against Thea Hail. As the main event, Grayson Waller will defend the NXT Championship against an opponent yet to be revealed after the company announced that Mason Rook is not medically cleared to compete. As always, we invite you to comment on the article to give your opinion on what happened on the show.
WWE NXT starts on Netflix!
The show begins with an In Memoriam in memory of Benjamin Satterley, better known as Neville in WWE, who passed away last weekend.
A pre-recorded video outside the venue shows Robert Stone approaching Grayson Waller to inform him that Mason Rook will be out indefinitely due to medical reasons. Nevertheless, his title defense will go on with an open challenge to the entire male roster of the brand.
Match for the NXT Women's North American Championship
Zaria (c) vs. Thea Hail
Thea goes after Zaria looking for a Kimura Lock. The champion hits her opponent against one of the turnbuckles to break free. She then throws her around the ring. Zaria continues to hit her opponent, applying a rain of corner spears. Hail kicks the Australian to stop her offense. Thea catches Zaria in an armbar on the mat. The champion breaks free, but her opponent insists on applying the hold.
Thea throws Zaria out of the ring. Hail tries to dive with a suicide dive, but the champion stops her with a right hand. Thea falls headfirst to the ground. The referee quickly goes down from the ring to check on Hail's condition, but Zaria advances by delivering a clothesline. "You'll never have this! NEVER!", shouts the Australian to her opponent while pointing at the NXT Women's North American Championship.
Zaria takes Thea back into the ring to continue dominating the match. Zaria chokes Hail from the second rope until the referee orders her to stop. Zaria covers a knocked out Thea. 1..2..NO. Zaria traps Hail in a painful submission hold. The fans cheer for their favorite wrestler. Thea breaks free, only to receive a headbutt. Zaria charges at Hail. She moves aside so the champion ends up on ringside.
Thea dives with a suicide dive, which hits the Australian head-on. After that, she uses the apron for support to execute a tornado DDT. Hail takes Zaria back into the ring to dive with a diving crossbody. Thea continues hitting Zaria, who she knocks out with a headbutt. The Australian's back is supported on the ropes.
Hail executes a running meteora on the champion before applying a bodyslam. Hail is about to finish her with a Boing, but Zaria reverses it into a german suplex. Both women struggle. Thea surprises Zaria with a Kimura Lock. Zaria breaks free to throw Hail against the ropes. Zaria continues with a spear, followed by a definitive F5. 1..2..3.
Winner and STILL NXT Women's North American Champion: Zaria
Noam Dar and Romeo Moreno talk with The Wagner Brothers backstage when Fraxiom appear on the scene. Nathan Frazer congratulates Dar and Moreno on their great performance as a team. However, their luck will run out when they have to face them in the next round of the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic. Axiom suggests to his partner not to rush and not to turn friends into enemies. Axiom addresses Hijo del Dr. Wagner Jr. and Galeno, pointing out that it would be an honor to face them in the tournament. For Hijo del Dr. Wagner Jr., it would also be an honor to face a team that has made history in NXT. The Vanity Project join the conversation. Ricky Smokes reminds The Wagner Brothers that they are the dominant pair in NXT, as evidenced by their titles and their privileged position in the tournament. A zone where Dar, Moreno, Frazer, and Axiom are also located. Jackson Drake imagines a tournament final where the champions of NXT and AAA face off... as long as the latter are able to make it that far. Drake and his teammates leave the place. "Are they always such idiots?", Galeno asks Dar. "A lot of idiots," the Scotsman replies in a particular Spanish.
Myles Borne makes his entrance in the ring. Microphone in hand, Myles assures that everything he told Tavion Heights two weeks ago was true. He never intended to attack him. However, when he apologized, he finally understood. "Damn it, I had become the man I didn't want to be again. I was just half Myles, half Tavion. But all this time, all I wanted was to be simply Myles Borne. I was never going to let Tavion take me for a fool. Honestly, it was never going to happen, but I put myself in a situation where that could happen.", he says. The fans boo him.
Borne confesses that there was a moment when he really believed he could have it all, but he finally realized that it wasn't possible. When he lost his two championships, a name appeared in his head: Ethan Page. He tried to warn him. He told him he needed to have a killer instinct. "He was right about the business: there can only be one face of the brand. There can't be two people in charge at the same time. There can only be one man, one boss. And that's where I deserve to be", he says. That's when he had to make a decision: settle for being half or become the star he always knew he could be. So that decision was very easy to make. That's why he had to crush Heights' ankle with a metal chair, just as he did with Ethan Page before.
That moment felt very good, as he knew he was creating the real version of Myles Borne. And what does he get in return?: the rejection of the fans, who try to make him feel guilty. Borne assures that the audience only supported him because they felt sorry for him. They felt the need to support the deaf boy. They bought his merchandise and approached him to say he was an example for everyone, an inspiration. However, they only did it to feel better about themselves. Myles points out that he has also been an inspiration to Heights, as thanks to him, he was able to win the only championship he has held in WWE. On the other hand, if it weren't for Heights, he would still be carrying the North American Championship on his shoulders.
"So don't pity me. I don't. In fact, I feel sorry for all of you. I'm the deaf one here. And still, I'm the one in the ring, while all of you look at me", he says. Borne doesn't understand how they could be surprised to see him become a double champion, as his shoulders are designed to carry gold. Myles assures that he has changed things: he's no longer the underdog, but the favorite. Borne encourages the fans to continue mocking his way of speaking, or saying they don't understand him. He doesn't care. It's over to treat people the way he would like to be treated, because all he will achieve is to surround himself with a bunch of hypocrites. Now he will simply be the version of himself he has always wanted to be. That said, he has one last message for the fans. "Luckily, I know you're not deaf, so you can hear me loud and clear when I tell you this: Go to Hell", he says before throwing the mic on the canvas. Myles smiles as the segment comes to an end.
Robert Stone talks with Lizzy Rain in his office. Lizzy wants to know what plans the General Manager has for her and assures she is ready for any challenge. Stone hints that he has something in mind and that she will be involved. At that moment, Chazz "Starboy" Hall and Mini Vikingo appear on the scene. Hall asks Stone why he called them. The General Manager simply wanted to wish them luck for tonight and explains that both he and Rey Mysterio agreed to form this particular team, composed of two outstanding talents from EVOLVE and AAA. Additionally, Mysterio told him that, in a way, he sees himself in Hall and Mini Vikingo. They exchange some compliments before heading to the ring. Lizzy then asks Stone if he thinks this team will work. "We'll see," the General Manager replies.
Emily Agard interviews Grayson Waller backstage. The Australian recalls that last week he told the world that Mason Rook would surrender tonight. Luckily for the Brit, he won't have to do it, as the medical team has done it for him. Regarding tonight's open challenge, Waller is ready for it. Grayson points out that the male roster of the brand is hungrier since he called them "soft". However, none of them have the hunger necessary to snatch the title from him. "Colleagues, tonight is your opportunity," says the Australian. He notes that the first man to reach the ring can face him for the brand's top title. However, whoever it is, will leave empty-handed.
Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic - First Round
Mini Vikingo and Chazz "Starboy" Hall vs. BirthRight (Channing "Stacks" Lorenzo and Uriah Connors) (with Arianna Grace, Charlie Dempsey, and Lexis King)
Mini Vikingo and Connors start the match. Uriah corners Mini Vikingo in the ropes to taunt him. Connors knocks down the Mexican with a powerslam before giving the tag to Channing. Mini Vikingo shows off his agility to escape his opponents. Hall receives the tag. Lorenzo grabs Chazz by the hair to knock him down on the mat. "Starboy" surprises his opponents with his great ability to expel them from the ring. Hall and Mini Vikingo jump on both, but they stop them in mid-air. Lorenzo throws Chazz against the metal steps while Connors pushes Mini Vikingo against one of the posts.
Uriah takes the Mexican back into the ring to punish his back with several backbreakers. Channing receives the tag to continue the offense. Mini Vikingo doesn't take long to escape from him to give the tag to Hall. He takes care of both opponents at the same time. Hall performs a standing shooting star press on Connors before jumping on Channing on ringside. "Stacks" stops Chazz to apply a chokeslam on the apron. Uriah continues punishing the EVOLVE talent inside the ring.
Connors applies painful chops on "Starboy". "Stacks" is about to emulate his partner, but Hall doesn't allow it. Chazz tries to escape from his opponents, but they prevent it. Channing throws Hall against the ropes so Connors can kick him with a superkick. Lorenzo continues the offense with a springboard back elbow for Uriah to finish him with a Swanton Bomb. Connors covers him. 1..2..NO.
Hall escapes from his opponents to give the tag to Mini Vikingo, who enters with everything. Mini Vikingo performs a Satellite DDT on Uriah and then executes a standing Spanish fly on Channing. Mini Vikingo looks for height to jump on Lorenzo, but he stops him in mid-air. Mini Vikingo escapes from "Stacks" to cover him with a roll-up. 1..2..NO. The Mexican runs to his corner to give the tag to Chazz. Lorenzo, on the other hand, gives the tag to Uriah.
Hall knocks down Connors to perform a standing moonsault. 1..2..NO. Channing interrupts the count. The match descends into chaos until the four men are lying on the mat. Both teams stand up to exchange attacks in the center of the ring. Mini Vikingo surprises Uriah with a crucifix before jumping on him with a tope. Connors is out of the game on ringside. Chazz executes a DDT on Lorenzo for Mini Vikingo to finish him with a Phoenix 630 Splash. 1..2..3.
Winners: Mini Vikingo and Chazz "Starboy" Hall
BirthRight launch an assault on the winners. Zilla Fatu comes to the rescue! The Samoan gets rid of all his enemies. Fatu performs a pop-up Samoan drop on Channing before finishing him with a Triple Z. After that, he takes a microphone to address BirthRight. Zilla promises to take them all down one by one. That said, he announces that tonight he will answer the open challenge for the NXT Championship, promising that the title will end up around his waist by the end of the night.
Cruz Montana delivers a promo backstage. Montana announces his intention to answer the open challenge for the NXT Championship. But before that, he wants to send a message to Dion Lennox. Cruz acknowledges that Dion's words affected him personally. Montana is calm knowing that his daughter will never go through what he did. For him, it was even difficult to go to school, as he had to help his mother raise the rest of his siblings. "Yes, Dion, my mother sold drugs. But there wasn't a single day she felt proud of it", he says. He, on the other hand, is tremendously proud of her for doing everything possible to take care of her family. Cruz gets emotional remembering his father, whose photo he wears around his neck. A doctor informed his father when he was only 12 years old that he would go blind when he turned 25. "I was born when he was 17 years old. He didn't complain a single day. Yes, he drowned in his own demons. But, besides all that, what was most difficult for him was feeling that he couldn't be the father he wanted to be with me", he says tearfully. Montana is glad he could tell him in life that his mere presence was the greatest gift he could ever give him. Cruz confesses that he never imagined that he would also have to face his own demons, and that one day he would have to sit in front of his daughter to explain that he was an addict. Now his goal is to give the best possible life to his daughter and be an example for her. "Dion, I want you to understand something. My past is my superpower. My past is that flame. Do you want to start this? I'll be the one to finish it", he says before leaving.
Zaria enters the women's locker room, from which a smiling Izzi Dame emerges. "Just in time. Congratulations, champ," says Dame before walking away. The Australian heads toward her locker room. However, she soon notices that her fellow wrestlers are smiling as she walks past. Zaria doesn't understand what is going on. The NXT Women's North American Champion finds her locker decorated with photos from her past as an amateur actress, balloons, and a pink costume used in one of her plays. The rest of the women laugh. "I'm not that girl anymore. Stop looking", says an annoyed Zaria.
Kelani Jordan makes her way to the ring. Jordan admits that she feels great being the NXT Women's Champion. After going from being overlooked by her fellow wrestlers to becoming everyone's target, Kelani encourages them to try to take the title from her, but warns them that they won't succeed. Jordan has been thinking lately about who could be her opponent at Halloween Havoc. Kendal Grey has not been medically cleared. Wren Sinclair brought her suspension upon herself. La Catalina may be the Queen of Queens Champion, but she still has a long way to go before reaching Kelani's level. Kelani points out that she is so good that she has already taken out almost all of her potential challengers. And no, she is not going to "give away" title opportunities or issue open challenges, because nobody has ever given her anything. "Last time I checked, I was the standout, not the handout", she says. Jordan points out that earning an opportunity and being given one are two very different things. So she will only put the championship on the line when the right challenger comes along. "We want Wren!" the fans chant. Jordan reminds them that she is suspended. Besides, it doesn't matter who her opponent ultimately is, because the result will not change.
Robert Stone appears on the scene. The General Manager agrees with Kelani. Neither she nor he will choose her next opponent. The women's division itself will do so. With that said, he announces that next week there will be a battle royal, where 20 women from NXT, Raw, SmackDown, EVOLVE, AAA, and TNA will compete for a title opportunity at Halloween Havoc. Suddenly, Reina Volcan appears on the scene to attack the champion from behind. The Dominican addresses the camera. "NXT. What you see here is a force of Nature. I'll be in the battle royal," she says. Reina poses in the ring as the segment comes to an end.
Robert Stone talks with Naraku backstage. The Japanese wrestler tells the General Manager that he will deal with his problem with Shiloh Hill once he answers tonight's open challenge and wins the NXT Championship. Saquon Shugars appears on the scene to make it clear to the Japanese wrestler that he will be the one answering the challenge. Stone informs Saquon that in two weeks he will get his desired match against Tristan Angels. A confident Shugars points out that by then, he will already be NXT Champion. Naraku reminds the General Manager that he also has unfinished business: bringing the shadows of darkness to Hill. Saquon advises the Japanese wrestler not to underestimate Shiloh, as he is a very intelligent guy. "We'll see," says Naraku as he walks away laughing.
Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic - First Round
Fraxiom (Nathan Frazer and Axiom) vs. DarkState (Cutler James and Osiris Griffin)
Griffin and Axiom start the match. The Spaniard keeps his distance to kick his opponent. Axiom tags in Frazer. The two team up to take Griffin down with a stereo dropkick. Osiris catches Nathan and throws him into one of the turnbuckles. Frazer is quick to respond. Nathan showcases his agility to confuse Griffin, but the latter eventually takes him down with a shoulder tackle.
Griffin tags in Cutler. The two take Nathan down with a double clothesline. James continues to punish Frazer. Frazer catches Cutler off guard with an enzuigiri before tagging in Axiom. Fraxiom team up against their opponents, but they are quickly stopped. James hits a painful backbreaker on Axiom to regain control. Cutler takes Axiom down before tagging in Griffin. He hits two consecutive elbowdrops on the Spaniard, finishing him off with a Vader Bomb. 1..2..NO.
DarkState team up against the Europeans. Cutler hits an uppercut on Axiom, sending him to ringside. Osiris brings the Spaniard back inside the ring, where he continues to punish him. James traps Axiom in a grounded headlock. The masked man escapes and hits a dropkick to his opponent's right leg, forcing him down to one knee. Axiom uses the ropes for momentum, only to be taken down by another uppercut.
James continues to punish Axiom, repeatedly driving him down across his knees. Axiom escapes his opponents to tag in Nathan, who comes in firing on all cylinders. Frazer sends James out of the ring before diving onto him with a spinning tope. Nathan returns to the ring to hit a frog splash on Griffin. 1..2..NO. Fraxiom hit a combined Missile Dropkick on Osiris. Axiom covers him. 1..2..NO. James breaks up the count.
The action continues. Cutler gets rid of Nathan at ringside while Griffin takes Axiom down with a clothesline. Osiris follows up with a spinning neckbreaker. 1..2..NO. Griffin and James prepare to finish Axiom with their combined finisher, but Nathan stops them. The match descends into chaos. Axiom hits a Spanish Fly on James before diving onto Griffin with a suicide dive. With the path clear, Frazer finishes off Cutler with a Phoenix Splash. 1..2..3.
Winners: Fraxiom
Kendal Grey attends another session with her sports psychologist. He reminds her of the last conversation they had. Now he wants to know how Kendal has been spending her time. Does she have any hobbies? The former NXT Women's Champion lists some of the activities she has tried, such as playing guitar, painting, and even learning Spanish. But none of that has worked. Her only interest is wrestling. The psychologist asks her whether this lack of balance is what makes her so good in the ring or, on the contrary, whether it could be what ultimately destroys her. Kendal points out that her solution to everything has always been to work harder. "Right, but isn't working harder enough?" the psychologist asks. "That's a good question," Grey replies. And with that, we reach the end of this segment.
Izzi Dame meets with Robert Stone in his office. The General Manager calls Dame out for her jokes at Zaria's expense. Dame points out that she merely decorated her locker a little. Besides, she believes the world deserves to know about the past of the NXT Women's North American Champion, the most feared woman in this division. "We were all different when we were young," says Stone. With that said, he informs her that both she and Zaria will be part of next week's women's battle royal. The smile disappears from Dame's face as she leaves the office.
Grayson Waller makes his way to the ring. The Australian steps inside the squared circle, where he grabs a microphone. Waller berates the fans for booing him. In fact, they should be grateful to him because he has come to work. Unlike Mason Rook, who couldn't handle the pressure of "The Grayson Waller Effect." With that said, he declares the open challenge officially underway. The first man to make it to the ring will get his title opportunity. The entire NXT and EVOLVE roster heads toward the ring, slowly but surely, with some pushing and shoving. Once they reach the entrance ramp, a fight breaks out. Meanwhile, Zilla Fatu and Cruz Montana make their way to ringside. Both men prevent each other from entering the ring. Suddenly, BirthRight and DarkState rush onto the scene to attack them. Amid all this chaos, we see that someone has already entered the ring. It is EK Prosper, who waits in one of the corners without Grayson noticing his presence.
NXT Championship Match
Grayson Waller (c) vs. EK Prosper
EK Prosper catches Waller off guard with his incredible agility. EK Prosper sends Grayson out of the ring before diving onto him with a spinning tope. EK Prosper brings the champion back inside the ring before finishing him off with a frog splash. 1..2..NO. The challenger continues to punish the Australian, hitting him with a dropkick directly to the back of the head. Waller catches EK Prosper off guard by throwing him face-first into one of the turnbuckles. Waller unleashes a flurry of punches on his opponent, who responds with a dropkick.
EK Prosper gets his revenge with a barrage of punches straight to the champion's face. Waller takes the challenger down with a back elbow. EK Prosper catches Grayson with a backslide. 1..2..NO. EK Prosper takes Waller down to the mat before hitting a springboard moonsault. However, Grayson stops him with his knees. Waller crushes EK Prosper with a double stomp in the opposite corner. EK Prosper tries to recover, but the Australian takes him down with a spinning kick. 1..2..NO.
Waller hits his opponent with a suplex before trapping him in a grounded inverted headlock. EK Prosper escapes and unleashes a barrage of attacks on the champion. Waller hoists him onto his shoulders before taking him down with a side suplex. 1..2..NO. Waller mockingly kicks his opponent. EK Prosper tries to respond, but the champion lands two well-placed right hands. The champion prepares to execute a suplex, but EK Prosper counters with a Slumdog Millionaire. EK Prosper climbs to the top turnbuckle, but Waller knocks him down.
Both men struggle on the apron. Waller hoists his opponent onto one of his shoulders before dropping him face-first onto the top of the turnbuckle. EK Prosper ends up on the ringside floor, writhing in pain as he clutches his throat. Waller goes after him to crush the injured area. After that, he throws him into the steel steps. The referee checks on the challenger. Meanwhile, Grayson approaches a young girl in the stands, who shows him a replica of the World Heavyweight Championship. The Australian tries to take the belt, but the girl won't let him. The fans applaud the young fan for taunting the heel.
Grayson returns to the ring. Meanwhile, the referee begins the 10-count. EK Prosper crawls back inside the ring, where the Australian quickly covers him. 1..2..NO. Waller continues to punish the challenger, taking him down with a clothesline. The fans boo the Australian. Grayson traps EK Prosper in a headlock. EK Prosper escapes and goes for a DDT, but the champion blocks it and responds with a back elbow. The action continues. EK Prosper catches Waller with a superkick before taking him to the top of one of the turnbuckles. Grayson escapes his grasp before making him trip. Waller hoists EK Prosper onto his shoulders and hits a rolling senton.
Waller climbs to the top turnbuckle. EK Prosper catches him with a Frankensteiner. EK Prosper launches an assault on the champion, ending with a Michinoku Driver. 1..2..NO. Waller kicks EK Prosper in the throat before crushing him with a stomp. 1..2..NO. Grayson sends his opponent out of the ring. He then heads over to him to hit a clothesline. Grayson clears off the commentary table and places EK Prosper on top of it.
Waller climbs to the top turnbuckle, ready to dive onto EK Prosper, but the latter recovers in time to knock him down. Now the challenger places Grayson on the table. EK Prosper heads toward the apron. From there, he launches himself with a beautiful Asai Moonsault that lands flush on the Australian. The table is destroyed. The fans go wild.
EK Prosper brings Waller back inside to finish him off with a diving legdrop. 1..2..NO. The champion places a foot on one of the ropes to break the count. Waller seeks refuge at ringside. EK Prosper tries to dive onto him, but the Australian stops him with a kick. Grayson returns to hit a Rolling Thunder Stunner. A second Rolling Thunder Stunner puts an end to the match. 1..2..3.
Winner and STILL NXT Champion: Grayson Waller
Waller poses with the championship inside the ring. Grayson walks over to the ropes to address the camera. "There's nobody in this locker room who can beat me! You tried, EK! I'm impressed, but it wasn't enough!", he exclaims before returning to the center of the ring.
A battered Zilla Fatu cuts a short promo backstage. "BirthRight, you're the reason I'm not the new NXT Champion right now! So next week, Lexis King, I'm going to FUCK YOU UP!", exclaims the Samoan before walking away. And with that, we reach the end of this week's episode.
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