After NXT TakeOver: Phoenix, a new era is well and truly upon us in the ‘Black and Gold’ brand as, following on from a new-look episode last week, a number of fresh feuds and faces took centre stage this week as well.
Dijakovic
After his former tag-team partner Nick Miller requested his release, Shane Thorne has begun a new singles journey in the WWE. This week, however, he ran into the imposing Dominik Dijakovic, clad in impressive new ring-gear, to start the show.
Thorne put in a good showing against the newcomer, countering a few major moves, but Dijakovic was too strong in the end, getting the victory. Dijakovic surprised many in attendance with some of his offence in this match, taking to the air on more than one occasion – once doing a moonsault in the ring and landing on his feet.
Dijakovic put in an entertaining performance with the Full Sail crowd even chanting “holy sh*t” during the match.
Tag-Team Division
Humberto Carrillo teamed up with Stacey Ervin Jr. with the duo scheduled for tag-team action. However, before the opposition could be revealed, Kassius Ohno came out with a microphone and declared that the Full Sail audience made him sick. In Ohno’s words, he was “outta here”.
Before he could make good on his promise, however, Ohno turned around and straight into a spinning punch to the jaw from Keith Lee. As Ohno lay on the entrance ramp, the Limitless One would grab the mic and dramatically say “Oh-No” before going on to tell Kassius that he could’ve hit him from behind in the “dangly bits” just like he did to him. But instead he punched him in the face.
Keith Lee then left the arena as the Street Profits made their entrance for the match – even pausing for a photoshoot with Kassius as he lay on the ground – as per schedule against Carrillo and Ervin Jr.
Ford and Dawkins would eventually knock off the new tag-team in what was an entertaining, high-flying match between four babyfaces.
European and Brit-Am Alliances
As the Street Profits celebrated their victory, the “European Union” pairing, as Mauro Ranallo would call it, of Fabian Aichner and Marcel Barthel would interrupt.
Barthel would grab a mic and inform the Street Profits that opportunities in NXT were sacred and it was time for them to step aside.
This would not the end of the chaos though as the British-American alliance of Danny Burch and Oney Lorcan made their way out. The smashmouth wrestlers made no effort to grab any mic as they went straight to the ring to look the other two tag-teams in the eye.
War Raiders
Speaking of tag-teams, the NEW NXT tag-team champions, the War Raiders, soon made their way out to address the situation. The champions would say that there was too much talk and too little action going on for their liking and they started making their way to the ring.
As Hanson and Rowe stood outside the ring, O’Reilly, Strong and Fish, the Undisputed Era, attacked the champions from behind, gaining the upper hand. The trio would then throw the champions into the ring where three teams awaited them before walking up the entrance ramp themselves.
The champions, however, would stamp their authority as they disposed of each tag team one by one, hitting big moves on Aichner and Lorcan. The War Raiders stood dominant in the ring as the Undisputed Era fumed at the sight.
Women’s Division
Taynara Conti made her return to NXT TV, this time as a face against the heelish Aliyah. The Brazilian judoka showed off her impressive submission prowess in this match, having Aliyah struggling on a number of occasions.
However, it was timely interference from Vanessa Borne at ringside which handed Aliyah the advantage as she locked on her own version of an arm bar combined with heel strikes to Conti’s neck and ribs which forced her to tap out.
Shayna Baszler
Wait. What business does the NXT Women’s champion have with Aliyah, Vanessa Borne and Taynara Conti? The champion’s music hit and the two heels ran as the champion made entered the ring but, from behind, Jessamyn Duke and Marina Shafir ambushed the exiting ladies and threw them back into the ring with Shayna.
The trio would hit their big moves on Borne and Aliyah but they were not done there as Taynara Conti, lying prone in the ring, also felt the wrath of the Horsewomen.
Baszler would then grab the mic and warned the entire women’s division “not to piss us off”.
Next Week
Johnny Gargano will defend his new NXT North American championship against the Velveteen Dream next on NXT TV.
Main Event
The One and Only, Ricochet, clashed with the leader of the Undisputed Era, Adam Cole, in the main event this week.
The first two NXT North American champions put on another instant classic. In a match full of near-falls, it was Ricochet who would emerge victorious, pinning Cole after planting him with a vertigo move onto his neck and shoulders for the pin.
There would not be much time to celebrate though for Ricochet as the three members of the Undisputed Era inevitably made their presence known, coming out to attack Ricochet after the match. However, the chaos in this episode of NXT did not end here as Aleister Black made his way down to the ring to even the odds. However, after a superkick from Cole and a lung-bursting backbreaker from Roderick Strong, Black lay looking up at the lights just the same as Ricochet. The Undisputed Era standing tall once again.
After the show, Roderick Strong versus Aleister Black was made official for next week.
