The final checkpoint before NXT TakeOver XXV proved to be a fiery stop as all hell broke loose this week. A wrestling-heavy episode of NXT added more fuel to the TakeOver fire with every match having adding an extra bit of spice to the Saturday special.
Women’s Division
The women kicked off this week’s episode Bianca BelAir taking on Mia Yim in a rematch from three weeks ago. A flashback from their last match was shown pre-match with a reminder of how Bianca used the ropes to get one over Mia that day.
Bianca tried to talk trash early on but the Blasian Baddie responded by beginning the proceedings with a swift drop kick. This match was a slow burning, back-and-forth encounter with some innovative moves from both women.
Mia Yim managed to hit her eat-de-feet finish late on but Bianca smartly rolled out of the ring. As Yim went in pursuit, BelAir countered and lifted her up before dropping Mia Yim face-first onto the ring apron. Mia managed to avoid the referee’s ten count before making her way back in.
As Bianca looked to put Mia away, Mia countered by using BelAir’s own hair against her before hitting another face-buster and getting the pin. Mia Yim moves up in the Women’s Division.
NXT Women’s Championship
Is @QoSBaszler worried about facing @shirai_io THIS SATURDAY at #NXTTakeOver: XXV??? … Not exactly. pic.twitter.com/vv1rmvjmHE
— WWE NXT (@WWENXT) May 30, 2019
Later on in the show, NXT Women’s champion Shayna Baszler took questions backstage about last week’s attack with a kendo stick by Io Shirai. Baszler remarked that Shirai had to do what she did because she’s run out of friends while she still has hers.
In an interview with the challenger later on in the show, Io spoke in Japanese but was soon interrupted by Candice LeRae who she helped against Baszler and her cronies last week. Candice told the no.1 contender that she would have her back, just like Io had hers last week, and she would be in her corner come Saturday.
NXT North American Championship
A riveting video package was broadcasted, hyping up the match between champion the Velveteen Dream and NXT OG Tyler Breeze. WWE never seems to go bad with these promo packages.
KUSHIDA
KUSHIDA took on 205Live star Drew Gulak this week on NXT. This was another slow-burning match with the Japanese star wowing the crowd with his style and chain-wrestling technique early on. Gulak turned the tables with a half-Boston crab soon after but KUSHIDA soon countered with a submission manoeuvre of his own by employing a crossface.
Both men were extremely methodical with their offence throughout the match. KUSHIDA busted out an incredibly athletic hip-toss move midway through which brought the Full Sail crowd to the edge of their seats. This was a match where both men looked to one-up the other with counter after counter. Gulak had the ankle lock locked in at one stage before KUSHIDA managed to escape.
The finish came when Gulak, still at a vertical base, got caught in the hoverboard lock. He countered but KUSHIDA got the upper hand crucially by hitting a flatliner before rolling Gulak up for the 1-2-3. This was a great technical bout between the two. Hopefully, Gulak stays on NXT which would breathe some fresh life into his character.
After the match, both men stood face-to-face exchanging words. KUSHIDA looked disappointed with Gulak’s post-match reactions as 205Live star walked out of the ring.
Main Event
The tag division main evented the show as Oney Lorcan and Danny Burch took on Wesley Blake and Steve Cutler, accompanied by Jaxson Ryker. This wasn’t the first time the two teams were facing each other as the Forgotten Sons got the better of the Brit-Am Brawlers in the Dusty Rhodes Tag-Team Classic.
Danny Burch started like a house on fire, taking it to Wesley Blake before the heels double-teamed on him. Burch managed to tag in Lorcan who came in hot but Ryker on the outside tried to trip him up as he was running the ropes. The ref saw it and told Ryker to make his way to the back.
As an irate Jaxson Ryker walked up the entrance ramp, he was met by the Street Profits who laid him out. All hell broke loose as Dawkins and Ford ran into the ring and joined the ongoing melee between the Forgotten Sons and Burch and Lorcan. As the faces took out the heels, the two face teams clashed before Blake and Cutler rejoined the affair, this time with chairs in hand.
Standing Tall
As two-thirds of the Forgotten Sons stood tall in the ring, all four members of the Undisputed Era made their entrance and threw Jaxson Ryker, who was recovering on the entrance ramp, off the stage. Cole, Fish, O’Reilly and Strong made their way to the ring as the numbers game was too much for the Forgotten Sons.
Heels beating on heels is not something you see very often – especially on the main roster – so this was something fresh. All four members of the UE hit their finishes before making their way back up the entrance ramp before Ryker lay. They grabbed a ladder and proceeded to run over the muscle of the Forgotten Sons with it. Adam Cole would then place the ladder on top of the prone Ryker before grabbing a mic and climbing up and cutting a promo. Cole would call out Matt Riddle and Johnny Gargano and claimed that TakeOver XXV will be undisputed.
The Undisputed Era posed on the ladder to end the show.
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