The stage is set for the semi-final of NXT’s first Men’s WWE Speed Championship Tournament. Two exciting opening round matches were announced by NXT GM Ava on last week’s episode of NXT, confirming the first men’s tournament for the Speed Championship since coverage on X came to an end over the summer.
Competing for a shot at WWE Speed Champion El Grande Americano in the first opening round match were TNA’s Zachary Wentz and NXT’s Jasper Troy. The encounter was a real mismatch of styles, pitting the high-flying energy of Wentz against the brute strength of Troy.
Jasper Troy Looks Dangerous during his Opening Round Match
Despite dominating the opening 90 seconds with an onslaught of high-octane offense, Troy showed just how dangerous he could be. In a matter of seconds, the LFG Season One winner turned the tide in his favor. Delivering a Swinging Sidewalk Slam, he brought the match to an end with just under a minute left on the clock.
The second Speed bout of the night was a far closer match in terms of style and approach. SmackDown’s Axiom returned to his old stomping ground, locking up with Evolve standout Sean Legacy. A WWE ID prospect, Legacy was looking to make headlines with a win over one of NXT’s greatest graduates. Axiom, meanwhile, was in unfamiliar territory, as he looked to strike gold without the help of his tag team partner, Nathan Frazer.
Axiom Leaves it Late Against Legacy
And it was an encounter that took the ‘Speed’ element as far as it conceptually could. Trading momentum through a series of top rope set pieces, the match looked like it might be heading for a draw. That conclusion would spell disaster for both Axiom and Legacy, as they would both be eliminated, and Jasper Troy would proceed to the final.
But as Legacy climbed onto the top turnbuckle once more, Axiom sniffed out one last opportunity. With just two seconds left on the clock, Axiom landed a Spanish Fly Moonsault from the top rope to secure the win via pinfall.
With Americano’s underlings, Bravo and Rayo, watching on, Axiom set up a semi-final clash with Jasper Troy on next week’s episode of NXT. Fans have yet to see El Grande Americano with the Speed belt in tow on NXT programming, and the scene and date of the tournament final have yet to be confirmed either.
NXT’s next PLE after the Speed Tournament semi-final will be NXT Deadline on December 6th. With that date still a while away, it looks likely that the first men’s Speed title defense could take place on a weekly NXT episode.
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