The first-ever triple threat match for the WWE Speed title saw a new champion crowned on WWE NXT last night. Elio LeFleur and Eli Knight provided double trouble for reigning champion Jasper Troy. But sadly for the Texan powerhouse, he could not extend his title run beyond 106 days.
LeFleur and Knight battled it out in last week’s tournament final, with the bout ending in a time-limit draw. The clearly impressed Interim GM Robert Stone decided that both Superstars would advance to a triple threat title match with Troy – the first of its kind for the WWE Speed Championship.
The cruiserweights pooled their resources early on, neutralizing the power of Troy. The titleholder was very much a spectator in his own title defence in the opening minutes. LeFleur and Knight’s united front essentially restricted Troy to ringside. But with an extended seven minutes to decide a winner, Troy was always going to figure in the match.
LeFleur and Knight picked up where they left off, running down their batteries with a series of high-flying moves. And Troy picked his moment wisely, looking to reestablish dominance as the match hit the halfway mark.
A New WWE Speed Champion Crowned
For Jasper Troy, it became a question of how he could match and then slow the rapid tempo of this title match. A trip to the top rope very nearly cost him the title, as LeFleur countered into a Sunset Flip Powerbomb/450 Splash combo for a close pinfall.
As the Performance Center faded from green to orange, Troy was perhaps hoping for another time-limit draw to save him from these relentless cruiserweights. Then the opportunity for a Black Hole Slam presented itself, but LeFleur again evaded impact.
Using the momentum to his advantage, Lefleur landed a Leg-Scissor Slam to flatten Troy. And without a second of hesitation, Knight followed this with a Moonsault on the downed champion. Clearly feeling the impact of the move, Knight rolled away, clutching his abdomen. But LeFleur was focused on the small window of opportunity Knight provided.
The French Luchador reacted quickly, pinning Troy before Knight could react. It was a conclusion worthy of a chaotic title match that did a great deal to elevate all three competitors and the championship itself. It delivered a first title in WWE for LeFleur, who has made an impressive start to life on the black and gold brand.
Incredibly, LeFleur is also just the second France-born wrestler to claim gold in WWE. The Luchador joins Andre the Giant in that very exclusive group. The WWE Speed title win ends a 36-year wait for a France-born champion, with Andre’s last title win being a tag team gold triumph with Haku in 1990.
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