WWE nXt Results
April 11, 2018
Smoothie King Centre, New Orleans, LA
Commentary by Mauro Ranallo, Nigel McGuinness, and Percy Watson
Opening Segment
Singles Match: Kairi Sane vs. Lacey Evans
Evans in army green, Sane in silver. Match kicks off with a slower pace, submission applied by both women alternately. Off the ropes, Sane ducks a clothesline, evades another, and flying head scissors on Evans. Dropkick! 1-2-kickout by Evans.
Sane whips Evans into the corner. Evans flips over the top rope and on to the apron. Slingshot elbow drop from the outside. 1-2- kickout by Sane. Sane responds with a quick pinfall attempt, but Evans just gets mad and clotheslines her to the mat.
Evans takes control of the match, even chopping Sane on the chest. Another submission attempt from Evans and then she presses Sane to the mat for a 2 count pinfall attempt.
Commercial Break
Broncobuster from Evans on the return. It was all offense from her until now. Sane’s double chopping Evans until she runs off the ropes, gets caught on Evans’ shoulders and slammed to the mat for a 2 count. Overhand chop from Evans. Sane blocks the second. Off the ropes…SPEAR from Sane! Both women are down for a 6 count.
Blockbuster from Sane. She stomps towards the corner, stomps some more and hits the sliding D.
Up to the top rope, Flying Kabuki Elbow! 1-2- kickout by Evans. Modified Boston Crab by Sane but Evans breaks free quickly. She lifts Sane on the shoulder…spinning back chop by Sane as she returns her feet to the mat. Evans is out. Sane goes to the top rope and connects with the Insane Elbow. It’s all over!
Winner: Kairi Sane via pinfall in 9 minutes
One cool point for Sane whose offense really stood out in this match. Although Evans had the early advantage and looked good in the loss, this was a big win for Sane who needs to start building up her credibility again. Baszler needs championship oppponents; Sane should be one of them in the near future.
Second Segment
Highlights from the North American Championship Ladder Match were shown, featuring new champion Adam Cole.
“Lord of Flies” by Cane Hill is one of the Takeover: New Orleans theme songs. Check it out on Apple Music or Spotify.
Highlights from the Dusty Classic Tag Team Final match, with teams fighting for the nXt Tag Team Championships were shown. Undisputed Era won, thanks to Roderick Strong turning on his partner, UK Champ Pete Dunne.
Backstage, the Undisputed Era, with Roderick Strong refused to give an explanation for their actions on Saturday evening.
Highlights of the Authors of Pain’s RAW debut were shown, including the post-match where they indicated that manager Paul Ellering would not be welcome with them moving forward.
In a WWE.COM exclusive, Akam and Rezar were asked about it. Akam says it’s not about him, but destroying the RAW tag champions. Manager Paul Ellering shows up in the camera view and asks what is wrong with their minds? It was his plan that got them the nXt Tag Championships.
Rezar says your plan has ended in nXt.
Third Segment
Highlights from the unsanctioned match between Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa are shown. It was incredible. Gargano got the victory after an intense brawl. Next week, we will see him and Candice LeRae live at Full Sail University.
Coming Up: Heavy Machinery vs. Riddick Moss & Tino Sabbatelli, and exclusive footage from the nXt Championship match between Andrade “Cien” Almas and Aleister Black
Fourth Segment
Highlights from the nXt Women’s Championship match between Ember Moon and Shayna Baszler were shown. Baszler made Moon pass out in her armbar.
In a WWE.COM exclusive, Baszler is asked how the championship victory feels. Baszler says this is a war wagon, not a bandwagon. She knows who was with her from the beginning. Wrestling in the nXt Women’s Division is going to be about who can wrestle, not who gets compliments.
Ember Moon’s RAW debut is shown, as she tagged with Women’s Champ, Nia Jax against Alexa Bliss and Mickie James.
In a WWE.COM exclusive, Moon has a mix of emotions and she’s excited to start a new chapter on RAW. Her biggest regret from nXt is that she lost to Baszler, but the other ladies will dethrone her.
Highlights from the nXt Championship match between Andrade “Cien” Almas and Aleister Black were shown. Black became the new nXt Champion, despite everything that Almas and manager Zelina Vega threw at him.
Final Segment
No Way Jose’s RAW debut is shown, and so was Billie Kay and Peyton Royce’s debut on Smackdown Live.
Next Week: Lars Sullivan will face Killian Dain again to try and resolve their months long conflict.
Tag Team Match: Heavy Machinery vs. Riddick Moss & Tino Sabbatelli
Knight and Sabbatelli start this one off.
Highlights include: Knight surprising Sabbatelli with a two-hand slap on the chest, and then all men are in, brawling in pairs. Knight and Dozovic do a Bushwhackers homage and then meet up mid-ring for some contemporary tag team celebrations.
Commercial Break.
On the return, Moss and Knight are in battle. Fallaway slam by Moss. 1-2- kickout by Knight. They punish Knight in their corner before trying another pinfall, to no avail. Sabbatelli boasts at Knight while choking him in the ropes with a knee on his back. Tag is made. Diving crossbody! Moss with the cover 1-2- kickout by Knight.
Knight tries to make the tag to Dozovic but he’s pulled back by Moss. He endures a little more from Moss & Sabbatelli, but eventually does a forward roll to evade his opponents, and tags in Dozovic.
Dozovic with the running splash on Sabbatelli. CATERPILLAR. BIG ELBOW! 1-2- Moss breaks the count. All 4 men are down on the mat.
Suddenly, it’s the War Raiders running down to the ring! Crowd reacts for this debut. The match is thrown out. War Raiders are having their way with everyone, smashing into Heavy Machinery in opposite corners. Rowe and Hanson with a massive leg drop on Sabbatelli and that’s how this show ends.
No contest
One cool point for the War Raiders debut, completely disrupting the lives of these two tag teams who have all but become perennial stepping stones for other teams. It’s a shame, too, because I’ve got a big soft spot for Heavy Machinery who continue to attract fans to their fun yet hard-hitting antics.
Tonight’s episode was pretty easy-going, but, as usual after a Takeover special, we can expect things to get going again in the next few weeks.
Here’s the official Takeover card from Saturday. My predicted winners are in white.
nXt Championship Match: Andrade “Cien” Almas (c) vs. Aleister Black (1c)
nXt Women’s Championship Match: Ember Moon (c) vs. Shayna Baszler
nXt Tag Team Championship Match: Undisputed Era (c) vs. Authors of Pain vs. Strong/Dunne
Unsanctioned Match: Tommaso Ciampa vs. Johnny Gargano
nXt North American Championship Ladder Match: Adam Cole vs. EC3 vs. Velveteen Dream vs. Killian Dain vs. Lars Sullivan vs. Ricochet
I went 3 for 5 in my predictions, with which I’m pleased, given that the ladder match had multiple possibilities.
Looking forward to reading your cool point suggestions and comments on tonight’s nXt show and Takeover: New Orleans.
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Peace!!
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