The Big News: Shinsuke Nakamura appeared at the end of the show, declaring himself to be the next opponent for Finn Balor.
The Medium News: Andrade Cien Almas defeated Tye Dillinger in a rematch of TakeOver.
The Little Beaver Sized News: In perhaps the first time in WWE history, we had a tag team match where neither member of either team had their name mentioned.
The Authors of Pain (w/Paul Ellering) defeated Two Nameless Opponents (Sean Swags and CJ O’Doyle)
The first show after TakeOver kicks off with Paul Ellering and his giant new tag team, the Authors of Pain. At the big show last week, they attacked American Alpha after their title loss to The Revival.
This may be the most unique match in WWE history as neither the winners nor the losers were named by the announcers. This was just an out and out squash match. It was something completely different than just about anything else on NXT. AOP won with a combo Side Russian Leg Sweep/Clothesline.
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Andrade Cien Almas attempted to cut a promo backstage when Tye Dillinger walked up and said he wants to right the wrong from last week. They set up a rematch.
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Backstage, Ellering said he will let everyone know what they’re doing here in due time.
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Carmella submitted Tessa Blanchard
The biggest news of this match was they announced the Almas-Dillinger rematch would be tonight’s main event. The nicest thing to say is this has was better than most of Carmella’s matches have been and she submitted Tessa with the legscissors, which is now called the Code of Silence.
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After his match last week, NXT Champion Samoa Joe declared this the start of his era and no one has enough to sacrifice to take the belt from him.
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Blake & Murphy cut a promo. Yeah they broke up a few weeks ago, but they are giving teaming up the old college try tonight to face TM61. They blamed their problems on Alexa Bliss.
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TM61 defeated Blake & Murphy
The Mighty 61 lost their debut match 3 weeks ago to Ciampa & Gargano, so they are looking to even up the old win-loss column. However if they lose they shouldn’t worry too much since Sami Zayn has easily lost 75% of the matches he’s wrestled in WWE and NXT. In case you forget, their new names are Shane Thorne and Nick Miller.
This match was a backdrop to Corey Graves openly making things up about Murphy and Miller’s respective backgrounds and Tom Phillips calling bs on it. If you actually paid attention to the match, it was a fun bout that the crowd was into.
Blake and Murphy crossed themselves up on two different occasions, knocking themselves out. Unfortunately it was not something they could come back from and TM61 won with Thunder Valley, which is a double team Gorilla Press into a reverse slam.
Blake and Murphy stared at each other after the match.
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After their match last week, The Revival bragged about doing exactly what they said they were going to do. They talk heavy and hit hard
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Bayley has a doctor’s appointment next week and if all goes well, Mr. Regal will let her back in the ring. (Just don’t tell William about all the matches you have had on house shows the last few weeks.)
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Andrade Cien Almas defeated Tye Dillinger
Main event time. Last week these two had a very good match that got the crowd into Almas, who they reacted tepidly to at first.
The match wasn’t at the same level of last week, although both men seemed at times to be recreating the match move for move. The fans had a half hearted dueling chant of “We Want Almas/Perfect 10” during a chin lock spot. Just like last week Almas won with the running double knees to his seated opponent.
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The final segment of the show saw Finn Balor come out to address the audience following his loss in the steel cage match to Samoa Joe last week. The fans loved Balor, giving him a standing ovation and chanting at him to please not go.
Balor talked about watching NXT for the first time, seeing Enzo & Big Cass and saying he wanted to be a part of this. As much as he became a part of NXT, NXT became a part of him and became what he was. He put over his wars with Neville, Kevin Owens and Samoa Joe and yet, here he stands not the champion. The question being what’s next for Finn Balor? The fans chanted Balor Club, which he acknowledged by saying “Too Sweet”. He asked what was next for Finn three times, almost as if the production team messed up cuing the music, but I think he was just going for a dramatic effect.
Out came Shinsuke Nakamura, with the fans singing Nakamura’s theme song and chanting “This is awesome” before anything happened. Nakamura said that when he was in Japan he watched Balor and watched Balor become the icon of NXT. Nakamura said that even though he is not champion anymore he is still an icon. Nakamura said if he wants to be champion he has to beat the icon. To become the icon he has to beat Balor. The fans chanted “YES! YES! YES!” and then “Match of the Year”
Balor accepted the challenge, they shook hands and the show ended there. That should be one amazing match when it happens.
Until next week, thank you for reading, say your prayers, and take your vitamins!