The WWE announced some of the names and concepts for this week’s WrestleMania Axxess and not only does it involve some Invitational Tournaments, but it’s showcase matches will also feature WWE Superstars squaring off against talent from both the UK’s PROGRESS and US indie EVOLVE. Both indie promotions will also feature championship matches, with their champions defending their titles at WWE’s fan fest on WrestleMania weekend. Here’s a run down of what’s going down. NOTE: Times DO NOT indicate the time of the match, but rather the time of the Axxess Session’s start.
WWE UK CHAMPIONSHIP INVITATIONAL
Starting on WrestleMania Axxess opening night, the UK Championship invitational features NXT’s Lio Rush and Raul Mendoza, Performance Center/NXT Live Event’s Dan Matha, and 205 Live‘s Buddy Murphy, Drew Gulak, and Lince Dorado. Rounding out the participants is WWE UK star Mark Andrews (also of PROGRESS) and PROGRESS’ Zack Gibson.
Thursday April 5, 6pm
Round One: Lio Rush vs. Buddy Murphy
Round One: Dan Matha vs. Drew Gulak
Friday April 6, 5pm
Round One: Lince Dorado vs. Raul Mendoza
Round One: Mark Andrews vs. Zack Gibson (PROGRESS)
Saturday April 7
Semi-Finals, 8am & 1pm
Finals, 6pm
Sunday April 8, 8am
WWE UK Championship Match: Pete Dunne (c) vs. Winner
NXT NORTH AMERICAN CHAMPIONSHIP INVITATIONAL
While the inaugural NXT North American champion won’t be crowned until Saturday at NXT Takeover: New Orleans, the tourney for the first challenger kicks off on Thursday night, with NXT’s Fabian Aichner facing Live Event regulars Kona Reeves and Christopher (Donovan) Dijak (formerly of ROH and EVOLVE), 205 Live‘s Hideo Itami, Ariya Daivari and Akira Tozawa, the UK’s Wolfgang (from ICW and WWE’s UK division), plus EVOLVE’s Jason Kincaid. The winner will face the new North American champion on Sunday at WrestleMania Axxess before WrestleMania 34.
Thursday April 5, 6pm
Round One: Fabian Aichner vs. Jason Kincaid (EVOLVE)
Round One: Akira Tozawa vs. Kona Reeves
Friday April 6, 5pm
Round One: Chris (Donovan) Dijak vs. Ariya Daivari
Round One: Hideo Itami vs. Wolfgang
Saturday April 7
Semi Finals, 8am
Finals, 1pm
Sunday April 8, 8am
NXT North American Championship Match: Champion (to be crowned at NXT Takeover) vs. Winner of Invitational
NXT TAG TEAM INVITATIONAL
The Tag Team tourney kicks off on Thursday with Moustache Mountain getting a second chance after having to withdraw from the Dusty Rhodes Classic due to injury. They’ll join NXT’s Sabbatelli & Moss, SaNiTy, TM61, Forgotten Sons, Martin Stone & Oney Lorcan and NXT Live Event regulars Cezar Bononi & Adrian Jaoude. The winner faces whomever walks out of Takeover as NXT Tag Team Champions.
Thursday April 5, 6pm
Round One: Moustache Mountain (Trent Seven & Tyler Bate) vs. Tino Sabbatelli & Riddick Moss
Round One: Street Profits (Montez Ford & Angelo Dawkins) vs. Cezar Bononi & Adrian Jaoude
Friday April 6, 5pm
Round One: SaNitY (Eric Young & Alexander Wolfe) vs. Forgotten Sons (Blake Wesley & Steve Cutler)
Round Two: TM61 (Nick Miller & Shane Thorne) vs. Martin Stone & Oney Lorcan
Saturday April 7
Semi Finals, 8am
Finals, 6pm
Sunday April 8
NXT Tag Team Championship Match: NXT Tag Champions (following Takeover) vs. Winner
NXT WOMEN’S INVITATIONAL
The only Invitational that doesn’t have a Championship match as it’s finale, it features all NXT women, and kicks off on Thursday.
Thursday April 5, 6pm
Round One: Nikki Cross vs. Aliyah
Round One: Kairi Sane vs. Bianca BelAir
Friday April 6, 5pm
Round One: Dakota Kai vs. Lacey Evans
Round One: Candice LeRae vs. Peyton Royce
Saturday April 7
Semi Finals, Semi Finals
Finals, 6pm
EVOLVE MATCHES
EVOLVE has its presence with some big matches at WrestleMania Axxess, including Keith Lee defending his WWN Championship twice, first against Kassius Ohno on Thursday night and then again on Sunday (should he still be champion). Doom Patrol (Chris Dickinson & Jaka) will be defending their EVOLVE Tag Team titles on Saturday against an unnamed set of challengers (assuming Doom Patrol is still champions by Saturday).
WWN Championship Match: Keith Lee (c) vs. Kassius Ohno, Thursday April 5. 6pm
EVOLVE Tag Team Championship Match: Doom Patrol (Chris Dickinson & Jaka) vs. TBA, Saturday April 7, 1pm
WWN Championship Match: Keith Lee (or Kassius Ohno) vs. TBA, Sunday April 8, 8am
EVOLVE talent will also be featured in other showcase matches.
PROGRESS MATCHES
PROGRESS also joins the fray at WrestleMania Axxess, starting with Germany’s WALTER also facing Ohno, but on Saturday prior to NXT Takeover: New Orleans. On Sunday, they’re featuring three Championship matches, as Toni Storm, Travis Banks and Grizzled Young Veterans (assuming all three are still champions by Sunday morning) defend against yet to be announced opponents.
WALTER vs. Kassius Ohno, Saturday April 7, 6pm
PROGRESS Women’s Championship Match: Toni Storm (c) vs. TBA, Sunday April 8, 8am
PROGRESS World Championship Match: Travis Banks (c) vs. TBA, Sunday April 8, 8am
PROGRESS Tag Team Championship Match: Grizzled Young Veterans (Zack Gibson & James Drake) (c) vs. TBA, Sunday April 8, 8am
PROGRESS talent will also be featured in other showcase matches.
