– Tonight’s WWE NXT opens up on the USA Network, live from the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Florida. Vic Joseph welcomes us, and he’s joined at ringside by WWE Hall of Famer Booker T.
– We go right to the ring and out comes The Judgment Day – Finn Balor, Damian Priest, Dominik Mysterio and WWE Women’s World Champion Rhea Ripley. Alicia Taylor does the introduction. Priest is carrying his Money In the Bank briefcase.
Fans chant “Mami!” as the music stops. A “welcome home!” chant starts up. Balor says daddy’s home and fans pop. This is the house Balor built and he’s back to lay down some house rules with The Judgment Day. He introduces Priest and Ripley to boos, but the loud boos start up for Dominik. Priest orders all to rise for The Judgment Day. Priest addresses Trick Williams and NXT Champion Carmelo Hayes, who thought they were calling out a divided group, but this is who runs WWE, who runs NXT, this is The Murderer’s Row of WWE. Dominik tries to speak but the boos are too much.
The music interrupts and out comes Trick and Carmelo. Ripley yells at them for interrupting Dominik. They joke on Dominik and hit the ring. Hayes thanks them for coming but says this is about Balor. He says Balor is on the NXT Mount Rushmore but NXT is full of Trick & Melo influence now. Hayes says Balor did get the best of him on RAW, but this is NXT and Trick & Melo run things. Ripley laughs at him and says that’s pure ego. Priest also dismisses this.
Trick and Priest have words now as fans pop. Hayes goes to suggest a match but Balor warns him – if you come at The Prince, you better not miss. Hayes says let’s do this then. Hayes drops the mic as the music hits and they face off.
– Vic says it looks we might have a big main event. He hypes tonight’s show.
– We see McKenzie Mitchell conducting a split-screen interview earlier today with Tony D’Angelo, who is still in jail. She asks about tonight’s match with Channing “Stacks” Lorenzo vs. Joe Coffey. If Stacks wins, Tony D will be released from jail with all charges dropped and The Family will receive a shot at NXT Tag Team Champions Gallus, but if Stacks loses, Tony will have to stay in jail until his trial is over. Tony says he is at Stacks’ mercy, but he’s not worried. She asks how confident Tony is in Stacks winning his freedom tonight. Tony says Stacks has changed and isn’t visiting as much. Tony goes on and expresses some doubt in Stacks.
Andre Chase and Duke Hudson vs. Charlie Dempsey and Drew Gulak
We go back to the ring and out comes Chase University – Andre Chase and Duke Hudson with Thea Hail. We go to commercial.
Back from the break and we get a vignette with Gigi Dolin cutting a promo on Kiana James. We see James saying the gloves come off as she found her office ransacked last week. Dolin tells her to please take the gloves off. Dolin goes on and says what sets them apart is she embraces who she is while James lives a lie. James is backstage in the locker room now. We see her trying to delete something, perhaps from social media, then she says that’s not her, and storms out as others look on. Vic says something about James’ past catching up with her. We go back to the ring and out comes Charlie Dempsey and Drew Gulak with an attack.
The brawl goes to the ring, then they settle down and we get the bell with Chase and Dempsey going at it. Chase takes control and in comes Duke for the double team.
Bronco Nima and Lucien Price are out to watch the match as Gulak tags in and works Duke over. Duke manages to hit a huge hurricanrana for a pop and a “MVP!” chant. Duke goes on and drops Gulak with a DDT for 2. Duke goes up top but Gulak cuts him off and works on the arm.
Duke turns it back around and hits a super Michinoku Driver from the middle rope but Gulak hangs on. Chase tags in but Gulak takes him to the corner. Dempsey tags in for the quick double team and a 2 count on Chase. Dempsey grounds Chase now. Duke tags back in but Dempsey stays on him and goes for the throat.
Duke unloads and both teams are in the ring now. Chase U clears the ring and stands tall, declaring this to be a teachable moment. Back to commercial.
Back from the break and Dempsey has Duke grounded, focusing on the arm he hurt earlier with the big slam from the middle rope. Dempsey goes on but Duke kicks out at 2. Duke slams Dempsey and in comes Gulak to block the tag. Duke levels Gulak again, and in comes Chase.
Chase unloads on Dempsey, who is legal again, and hits a big dropkick. More back and forth now. They trade punches in the middle of the ring. Chase with the leg sweep, then the C-H-A-S-E-U stomps. Chase with a top rope crossbody but Gulak breaks the pin up. Gulak with a German suplex to Chase, then Dempsey hits one but he kicks out.
Hail is fired up as she rallies. Hail ends up applying a Kimura Lock to Gulak at ringside but the referee can’t see the hold. Duke and Chase unload on Dempsey and Duke hits the big Flatliner for the pin to win.
Winners: Andre Chase and Duke Hudson
– After the match, Chase U celebrates as the music hits.
– Bron Breakker is backstage with words for Ilja Dragunov. Bron says Ilja has been champion and will probably be champion again, but not as Bron’s expense. Bron goes on and says there won’t be enough referees or officials to hold Bron back from breaking Ilja on his way to The Great American Bash.
Kelani Jordan vs. Cora Jade
We go back to the ring and out comes Cora Jade. Back to commercial.
Back from the break and we get a video with Von Wagner and Mr. Stone. Von admits he got a little out of hand with Javier Bernal last week. Von goes on about how he was bullied as a kid at school. People thought he was a monster, so that is what he would be, and he came to NXT to be that monster. Von saw the fans get behind him last week and didn’t know what to do, but he finally feels like himself and has Stone to thank for that. We go back to the ring and Kelani Jordan is already out with Dana Brooke.
The bell hits and they go at it. They trade offense for the first several minutes. Jade with a double stomp to the back for 2. Jade chokes Jordan on the ropes. Jade continues to dominate until she misses an elbow and gets rolled up for 2.
Jordan mounts offense now as fans rally. Jordan with a cartwheel back elbow. Jade blocks a modified Playmaker. Jade decks Jordan in mid-air to block a springboard. Jade goes on and nails her DDT for the pin to win.
Winner: Cora Jade
– After the match, Jade goes to attack Jordan with the kendo stick but the dodges it. Brooke hits the ring and also ducks the attack, then unloads on Jade to send her to the floor without the kendo stick.
– We go to Ilja Dragunov backstage now. He says he will finish what Bron Breakker started a month ago. Ilja felt Bron’s power and rage, but tonight Bron will feel his wrath and fury. Ilja says his intensity cannot be matched, and it will lead him to The Great American Bash and the NXT Title.
#1 Contenders Match: Bron Breakker vs. Ilja Dragunov
We go back to the ring and out comes Bron Breakker. The winner of this match will go on to challenge NXT Champion Carmelo Hayes at The Great American Bash on July 30. We go to commercial.
Back from the break and we see highlights from NXT Underground last week, which saw Eddy Thorpe defeat Damon Kemp. We also see footage of Thorpe and Gable Steveson leaving the building last week. Thorpe thanked Steveson for his help. Steveson was asked what is next for him. Steveson says it could be a NCAA wrestling title or the Olympics? He has so much to think about but he also loves it here in NXT. We cut backstage to newcomers watching NXT Underground, and they are impressed. Dijak walks up and can’t believe they think Thorpe is the toughest guy in NXT with just one win. They acknowledge the praise for Thorpe and Dijak says give him a break as he walks off. We go back to the ring and out comes Ilja Dragunov.
The bell rings and Ilja charges but Bron quickly drops him and goes to work. Breakker with shoulders and punches in the corner. Ilja fights back but Breakker chokes him. They go on and Ilja intercepts Breakker with a big Spinebuster for a 2 count.
Ilja blocks the Exploder. Breakker blocks a German suplex. More back and forth now. Breakker chokes Ilja again. They trade big strikes and Ilja gets the upperhand, then flies with a big knee, then an uppercut. Breakker blocks a suplex and goes on with more offense. Ilja blocks a suplex. Breakker ends up launching Ilja over the top rope to the floor. Breakker also lands with him as we go to commercial.
Back from the break and they trade big shots in the middle of the ring. Ilja levels Breakker with a lariat. We see how Ilja dropkicked Breakker during the break as he flew off the top.
Ilja with two German suplexes. He goes for a third but Breakker nails one of his own. Ilja cuts Breakker off and drops him for a big pop. Ilja looks to put Breakker away but Breakker cuts him off. Breakker goes to the top and barely connects with the Bulldog. Ilja still fights Breakker off and launches him into the turnbuckles with a running TKO. Fans chant “NXT!” now. Ilja goes to the top and taunts Breakker, then flies with a big Coast 2 Coast.
Fans chant “this is awesome!” now. Ilja hits Torpedo Moscow but Breakker somehow kicks out. Ilja can’t believe it. Fans rally for him now. Ilja goes to the top again but Breakker meets him in mid-air with a huge Spear. Ilja kicks out and Breakker can’t believe it. Fans chant “holy shit!” now. Breakker mounts Ilja and slams his head into the mat. Breakker says it’s over now. Breakker presses Ilja high up but Ilja turns that into a DDT in the middle of the ring. Ilja with a powerbomb in but Breakker kicks out.
Ilja rocks Breakker and hits the sliding forearm for 2. They get back up but Breakker drops Ilja. Breakker goes for a Spear but Ilja meets him with a big knee. Ilja with a running elbow to the back of the head for the pin to win.
Winner and New #1 Contender: Ilja Dragunov
– After the match, Dragunov stands tall as the music hits and we go to replays. Dragunov vs. NXT Champion Carmelo Hayes is confirmed for The Great American Bash on July 30.
– McKenzie Mitchell is backstage with NXT North American Champion Wes Lee, asking about his Great American Bash match with Mustafa Ali. Lee goes on about how he takes all matches serious, but this one is different as he can’t get a good read on Ali and come up with a strategy. Dominik Mysterio walks up with Rhea Ripley. Dominik says Lee must be the Open Challenge guy, so he accepts. Lee says he hasn’t held an Open Challenge in some time. Dominik says that’s because he’s around now. Ripley says Lee is pathetic. Lee says he hasn’t held an Open Challenge because things got crazy around here, but if Dominik wants to get crazy, he will go get the match made. Dominik stops him and says they will do it next week.
NXT Women’s Champion Tiffany Stratton vs. Ivy Nile
We go back to the ring and out comes NXT Women’s Champion Tiffany Stratton for this non-title match. Back to commercial.
Back from the break and we get a new vignette from Baron Corbin as a follow-up to last week. Corbin has torched his past but what does the future hold? He says he’s without a compass. Corbin goes on and says as he looks back at the last 8 years, he knows he has nothing in common with who he once portrayed. Corbin wonders who he is. He drives to an undisclosed place and gets out, then walks to a circle of tiki torches. Corbin asks if he has found himself. We go back to the ring and out comes Ivy Nile. She’s wearing a Creed Brothers t-shirt and is introduced as being a member of The Diamond Mine.
Vic shows us how The Creed Brothers lost the Losers Leave NXT match to The Dyad last week. The bell rings and they go at it as the “you tapped out!” chants start to taunt Stratton over what happened with Thea Hail at Gold Rush. They trade holds early on. Stratton drops Nile with a shoulder.
Stratton with a headlock after they lock up again. Stratton with another shoulder. Nile comes back with a big powerslam for a 2 count. Nile keeps control for several minutes, nailing a head-scissors. Stratton comes back with a cartwheel elbow. Nile fights back but Stratton sends her to the apron. Stratton clotheslines Nile, then knocks her off the apron with a hip attack.
Stratton ends up bringing it back into the ring for a stomp. Nile kicks out at 2. More back and forth now with Nile paying homage to The Creeds at times. Nile fights Stratton off and hits the enziguri into the corner. Nile with more offense into the corner, then a rolling DVD. They tangle and Nile applies the Dragon Sleeper. Stratton breaks it and drops Nile on her head, then hits the Prettiest Moonsault Ever for the pin to win.
Winner: Tiffany Stratton
– After the match, Stratton stands tall as the music hits and we go to replays. Stratton takes the mic but the “you tapped out!” chants just won’t stop. Stratton yells back about how she beat Hail fair and square. The chants go on until Stratton screams for the fans to leave her alone. Stratton’s music starts back up.
– Thea Hail is backstage with Andre Chase, celebrating the earlier win. They don’t like Charlie Dempsey and Drew Gulak, but Hail says they taught her the submission she used earlier, and now she can tap anyone out. Duke Hudson walks in and tells them about how Tiffany Stratton was just booed out of the building. Hail talks about what’s next but Chase says she’s not done with Stratton, this was not a one & done. Chase and Duke hype Hail up now, making her believe she can win the NXT Women’s Title. They chant “rematch!” to end the segment.
Channing “Stacks” Lorenzo vs. Joe Coffey
We go back to the ring and out comes Channing “Stacks” Lorenzo as he hopes to free The Don from jail. Back to commercial.
Back from the break and we see how Noam Dar tweeted to cancel tonight’s Supernova Sessions segment because he can’t show his face to the fans without his NXT Heritage Cup. He’s lost without it. We see the other Meta-Four members tweeting to support Dar. McKenzie Mitchell is backstage with Blair Davenport now. She brags about what she did to Roxanne Perez. She says Perez was a decorated champ but now Davenport is here. Davenport says the NXT women’s division is for grown ass women, not little girls with ribbons in their hair, and girls like that can’t beat women like Davenport. Davenport says when Perez comes for her, she will put her on the shelf like she did to all the others she attacked. We go back to the ring and out comes Gallus – Joe Coffey with NXT Tag Team Champions Wolfgang and Mark Coffey. If Stacks wins this match, Tony D’Angelo will be released from jail with all charges dropped and The Family will receive a shot at NXT Tag Team Champions Gallus. If Stacks loses, Tony D must stay in jail until his trial is over.
The bell rings and they go back & forth for the first few minutes, trading holds. They go on until Coffey and Stacks say something to each other, then “it’s time!” Coffey drops Stacks for a close 2 count and now Coffey is shocked at the kick out.
Wolfgang and Mark are also shocked at ringside. Gallus is not happy now. Joe tells Stacks they had a deal. Stacks sits up and shakes his head… never! Stacks goes on about how he’s not a snitch as we go back to commercial.
Back from the break and they’re going at it. Tony D calls in from jail and his phone call plays in the arena. Tony is fired up… he says Gallus fell for it, we got them. Stacks unloads on Coffey now.
Mark hits the apron for the distraction, allowing Joe to turn it around. Bronco Nima and Lucien Price come walking down the ramp to taunt Gallus. Stacks and Coffey continue trading offense now. Coffey unloads with punches, yelling at Stacks about how they had a deal.
Stacks fights back with punches and a dropkick, then a big back drop. Stacks decks Wolfgang on the outside. Mark hits the apron but Stacks brings him in as the referee tries to restore order. Stacks grabs a crowbar from the apron and hits Joe in the gut with it. Stacks throws the crowbar to Wolfgang and he catches it, but the referee sees him holding it. The referee ejects Wolfgang to the back now as fans pop. Stacks unloads on Joe now and hits Cement Shoes for the pin to win and free The Don.
Winner: Channing “Stacks” Lorenzo
– After the match, Stacks celebrates as the music hits. We go to replays. Stacks talks into the camera now, telling Tony he’s coming home, and he will see him soon.
– Ivy Nile is backstage when The Schism walks up. Joe Gacy, Ava, Rip Fowler and Jagger Reid are walking with several followers, who are wearing yellow masks. Gacy says Nile is the lone survivor of The Diamond Mine. Nile blames The Creed Brothers’ loss to Gacy and his loaded mask, accusing him of being the masked attacker last week. Gacy says he was kicked out of the building last week, there’s no way that was him. Reid tells Nile that The Schism’s tree is blossoming, and it’s stronger than ever. Ava says there’s always room for one more. They laugh and walk away.
– McKenzie Mitchell is backstage with Valentina Feroz and Yulisa Leon now. She asks about Noam Dar canceling Supernova Sessions, and they go on about how annoying he is. Angel and Humberto walk up now. They invite Feroz and Leon to join them tonight to they can put smiles back on their faces. Feroz and Leon don’t appreciate how Los Lotharios are hitting on them. Dragon Lee and NXT Heritage Cup Champion Nathan Frazer show up, and ask Feroz and Leon if they are OK. Lee and Frazer have a few quick words and looks with Angel and Humberto, then Los Lotharios walk away.
The Judgment Day vs. NXT Champion Carmelo Hayes and Trick Williams
We go back to the ring for tonight’s main event and out comes NXT Champion Carmelo Hayes and Trick Williams. Back to commercial.
Back from the break and out comes The Judgment Day – Finn Balor and Damian Priest with Dominik Mysterio and WWE Women’s World Champion Rhea Ripley.
The bell rings and Priest locks up with Trick. Trick with a headlock and a shoulder but Priest is still standing. Priest unloads on Trick in the corner now. Priest keeps control until Balor tags in and works Trick over. Balor chokes Trick on the ropes.
Balor kicks Trick around and tags Priest back in to take over. Priest goes on and hits a Broken Arrow for a close 2 count. Priest grounds Trick and blocks a comeback attempt. Balor tags back in with chops. Trick looks to turn it around but Balor takes him back to the corner. They go on until Trick finally comes out of the corner with a big clothesline on Balor.
Hayes tags in to a pop now. They unload on Priest with a big double team, and Balor was also sent to the floor. They go on and hit an assisted springboard to Priest, sending him back out. Hayes and Trick pose in the ring as The Judgment Day regroups at ringside and we go to commercial.
More back and forth after the break. At one point Priest and Balor unloaded on Hayes with kicks, then Balor hit a scissors kick to taunt Booker T. Balor controls Hayes now, shutting down his comeback attempt and preventing a tag. Balor ended up hitting a backbreaker, then Priest hit a leg drop for a 2 count.
Priest and Balor keep control. Priest with a knee strike, but Hayes comes back with a jawbreaker. Trick tags in and unloads on Priest, hitting strikes and a dropkick and high knee. Trick with a Flapjack and a neckbreaker for a 2 count. Priest and Trick trade big kicks now and both go down.
Hayes and Balor tag in and they go at it. Hayes with the Atomic Drop and a superkick for a close 2 count. Balor comes back with a Slingblade and the corner dropkick. Balor goes up top for Coup de Grace but Hayes dodges it and nails a springboard lariat. Priest tags in and knocks Trick off the apron but Hayes rolls him up for 2. Priest goes for the South of Heaven chokeslam but it’s blocked with a big Stunner. Priest keeps control of Hayes and drops him for another pin attempt as Trick makes the save. Priest ends up pulling Trick to the floor and slamming him on top of the announce table with a Razor’s Edge.
Priest goes back in and flies off the top but Hayes superkicks him in mid-air, then spikes him again. Dominik hits the apron to distract Hayes, but Hayes decks him. Priest rocks Hayes and goes on as fans rally for Hayes. Hayes blocks South of Heaven with a big DDT. We see Ripley whispering something to Dominik at ringside now.
Dominik grabs a steel chair and tries to bring it in but the referee keeps stopping him. This allows Ripley to go over and toss the Money In the Bank briefcase to Priest. Priest waits to hit Hayes with the briefcase but Ilja Dragunov runs down and jumps up on the apron, then grabs the briefcase from Priest. Hayes charges at Priest but he side-steps and Hayes accidentally knocks Dragunov to the floor.
Priest comes right back with South of Heaven to Hayes in the middle of the ring. Balor tags in and goes up top for Coup de Grace, nailing it for the pin to win.
Winners: The Judgment Day
– After the match, The Judgment Day stands tall to mostly boos. We go to replays. Hayes is in the ring now, yelling out at Dragunov on the floor. The Judgment Day pose together at the entrance-way as NXT goes off the air.
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