Thanks to Tara for the following WWE NXT spoilers from tonight’s tapings at Full Sail University. These will be the final tapings before the “Takeover: Phoenix” event during WWE Royal Rumble weekend.
January 9 Episode:
* Johnny Gargano opens the episode with an in-ring promo. Gargano sounds babyface but it feels fake, and he says his 2019 will be different from his 2018, in that he will be better and he will become champion. Gargano says what happened in the Steel Cage match with Aleister Black was a one-time mistake and it won’t happen again. He says NXT Champion Tommaso Ciampa is not his friend, is a piece of trash, and he has the title that Gargano is coming for. Gargano also has his eye on the NXT North American Title, held by Ricochet. Ricochet interrupts and says Gargano can have a title shot. Ciampa interrupts but Gargano tells him to shut up because he doesn’t belong out here. Aleister interrupts from the big screen and says Ciampa will fade to black at “Takeover: Phoenix” later this month. The lights go out and when they come back on, Black is in the ring. He attacks Ciampa. Gargano takes advantage of Ricochet being distracted and lays him out with a superkick. Gargano leaves and Ciampa retreats
* Bianca Belair defeated Nikki Cross. It looks like this was the last NXT TV match for Cross, who is headed to the main roster. She played to the crowd after the match and stayed in the ring for a few minutes. She received a standing ovation and a “thank you Nikki” chant that went on for a few minutes
* Marcel Barthel and Fabian Aichner defeated two enhancement talents, Hector Kunsman and Stanley Watts
* Adam Cole defeated EC3. After the match, EC3 was attacked by The Undisputed Era. They beat EC3 down until The War Raiders made the save, clearing the ring
January 16 Episode:
* The Street Profits defeated enhancement talents The Metro Brothers. After the match, The Forgotten Sons attacked The Street Profits and laid them out
* Bianca Belair comes out for an in-ring promo and mentions how she beat Nikki Cross last week to send her out of NXT. Belair says 2019 will be her year and that starts with taking the NXT Women’s Title from Shayna Baszler. Baszler interrupts with Marina Shafir and Jessamyn Duke. Baszler says Belair doesn’t have the “it” factor and she may be athletic but she’s not too bright. Belair slaps Baszler and retreats from the ring before the Horsewomen can get her
* Dominik Dijakovic defeated Adrian Jaoude
* Johnny Gargano defeated Humberto Carrillo
* Kassius Ohno defeated Keith Lee after hitting a low blow. Ohno went to attack after the match but Matt Riddle ran out and Ohno retreated
January 23 Episode:
* The Velveteen Dream returns to cut an in-ring promo on winning the NXT North American Title in 2019. Adam Cole and Bobby Fish of The Undisputed Era interrupt. 2019 will belong to The Undisputed Era as they will hold every NXT title – the NXT NA Title, the NXT Title and the NXT Tag Team Titles. They intimidate Dream and go to attack him but he gets away
* Lacey Evans defeated Xia Li
* Oney Lorcan and Danny Burch defeated Marcel Barthel and Fabian Aichner
* Io Shirai and Kairi Sane defeated enhancement talents Amber Nova and Tanea Brooks (Rebel)
* The Velveteen Dream defeated Bobby Fish
* NXT North American Champion Ricochet comes out and says Johnny Gargano lied about being a better man in 2019 because he hit him with a cheap shot last time they saw each other. Gargano comes out with a mic and tries to attack but Ricochet blocked. NXT Champion Tommaso Ciampa comes out and drops Ricochet from behind. Aleister Black runs out and attacks Ciampa but Gargano makes the save. Gargano meets Ciampa on the stage and it looks like we’re about to get a DIY handshake but Candice LeRae comes out and gets in between them, telling Gargano not to trust Ciampa
Follow Marc on Twitter at @this_is_marc. Send any news, tips or corrections to us by clicking here.
