Opening Segments

Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic Final Match: Roderick Strong & Pete Dunne (UKc) vs. Authors of Pain w. Paul Ellering

AOP use the numbers game to overpower Strong at the beginning of the match. Strong retreats to his corner and tags in Dunne. He and Akam lock up as…

We go to commercial break.

On the return, AOP are double-teaming Dunne against the ropes. Akam beats on Dunne, then immobilizes him with a headlock. Soon after, Dunne’s on his feet, fighting back until Akam throws him into the corner and humbles him to the mat.

Rezar gets the tag and continues to club Dunne in the torso. Quick cover for a 2 count. Dunne’s trying to get some kind of offense in but it’s not happening. Akam’s tagged in and he covers Dunne for a 2 count.

Finally, Dunne fights back until he’s held by Rezar for a second rope jumping stomp by Akam. 2 count again. Rezar uses his weight to press Dunne to the mat, in the AOP corner of the ring. Quick tag again. Lots of chants from the crowd, including “AOP” and the other half of the crowd yelling “SUCKS”.

Dunne gets in his finger manipulation, followed by kicks to the legs and seems to build momentum. He tags in Strong! Chops to Rezar’s chest. Elbows to the head. Off the ropes, Strong knees Akam to the floor below. Enziguri using the ropes. Strong forearms, running forearms, then a big dropkick that sends Rezar into the corner. Roddy vs the world, says Watson. Olympic slam! 1-2- kickout by Rezar! Close one.

Rezar tags in Dunne and they deliver consecutive running strikes in the corner. Dunne with a double foot stomp on Rezar’s back. 1-2- kickout by Rezar again! Akam’s nowhere to be found, still out on the floor. Rezar picks up Dunne. Akam slaps his back. Combo neckbreaker/powerbomb! 1-2- Strong makes the save! He nails Rezar through the ropes to the outside.

Dunne’s sent to the ropes by Akam. He steps up and does a backflip to evade the charging Akam. Strong tags in there. Step up enziguri by Dunne. Strong lifts Akam up for a Bitter End from Dunne. 1-2- nooooo, Rezar makes the save. Double kicks from Strong and Dunne on Rezar! Then running kicks on Akam.

Momentum comes to an abrupt halt following clotheslines from the Authors of Pain. Everybody’s down but the crowd is up on their feet with “NXT” chants!

Suddenly, it’s Adam Cole and Kyle O’Reilly who rush into the ring and attack both teams! They chuck the AOP out of the ring and beat up on Strong and Dunne.

Winners: None due to double disqualification in 15 minutes

Cole and O’Reilly survey their work from the ramp when nXt General Manager William Regal’s music hits. Regal says maybe you think you won’t have to defend the Tag Team Championships at Takeover: New Orleans if there’s no tournament winner? Not smart enough. Regal books the title match as a triple threat, and the winner of that match wins the Dusty Classic and nXt Tag Titles!

One cool point for both teams. This match played out exactly as you would suspect. AOP dominated early. Dunne found a way to escape and make the hot tag to Strong. Strong unleashed a furious amount of offense, isolating the Authors of Pain from one another, which allowed Dunne to support him with some great double-team striking.

Undisputed Era surprisingly interfered and made their job, on Saturday, possibly easier or more difficult, depending on your perspective. Now they have two teams gunning for them in one match, but those two teams could cancel one another out and let UE play the scavenger role. Will it be swift pickins for the champs?

An nXt promo highlights the talent on the roster from around the world. This transitions into a promo for the debut of the nXt North American Championship and the inaugural 6-man title Ladder Match, which will take place this Saturday. It features interview footage from ECIII, Velveteen Dream, Adam Cole, Killian Dain, Lars Sullivan and Ricochet, all claiming victory in the match.

Coming Up: Lars Sullivan vs. Killian Dain

Third Segment

“Lord of Flies” by Cane Hill is one of the Takeover: New Orleans theme songs. Check it out on Apple Music or Spotify.

A promo is shown, summarizing the long-lasting breakdown of #DIY and the feud between Tommaso Ciampa and Johnny Gargano. It features separate interview footage with Gargano and Ciampa, discussing why the tag team split apart, which stems from Gargano always getting the spotlight when Ciampa worked just as hard as him.

These guys are ready to fight. Ciampa wants to end everything that Gargano stands for, especially that symbol of his. Gargano wants to be reinstated on the nXt roster and get vengeance for all of Ciampa’s attacks. Could be match of the weekend.

Singles Match: Kairi Sane vs. Vanessa Bourne

Sane still holds the title of inaugural Mae Young Classic winner. I wonder if we’ll see that tournament again?

Borne with the takedown and she steps on Sane’s back. Test of strength. They lock hands. Bourne with the arm twist. Sane counters with a takedown. She runs at Bourne in the corner. Sane evades and rolls up Bourne a few times for brief 1 counts. Beautiful bridge pin for a 2 count.

Sane off the ropes…flapjack by Bourne. Elbows to the head by Bourne. 1-…kickout by Sane. Bourne stretches Sane and another pinfall attempt. Bourne attempts another submission but Sane fights her way out of it. She runs the ropes and hits a spear on Bourne. Sane screams to the crowd and gets them clapping. She charges from the corner with a sliding knee. Up on the top rope, Black Kabuki elbow for a 2 count.

Both women up on the turnbuckle. Sane slams Bourne to the mat with a stomp. Sane goes right back to the top rope, poses and delivers her trademark InSane Elbow. 1-2-3

Winner: Kairi Sane via pinfall in 5 minutes

1 cool point for Sane, for making short work of Bourne after it appeared that Bourne might have some chops. She will likely show them another time, but Sane needed a TV victory

Lacey Evans is speaking to reporters backstage. She says, as a mother and US Marine, she’s done nothing but show what a strong woman is capable of. Speaking of Nikki Cross, she’s a complete psycho who can’t sit down for an interview to save her life.
Evans trashes most of the women’s roster and she’ll do her best not to lose her manners.

GM Regal is accused by Cole and O’Reilly, backstage, of being unfair to the Undisputed Era. Regal gives them a few options of what they can do if they don’t like being booked in two matches. They shake their heads in frustration and walk away.

A promo for the nXt Championship match between Andrade “Cien” Almas and Aleister Black is shown. It focuses on Black’s quest for the title, being like a devil on his shoulder. Zelina Vega and Almas are shown talking about their desire to humiliate and disrespect Black because he disrespected the champion.

Last week, we see again the footage of Moon and Baszler fighting at the WWE Performance Centre, being split up by a number of trainers.

Earlier this week, Moon is in a sit-down interview and says she’s not sorry about what happened. Baszler offended a coach and she shouldn’t do that. That’s not how you get respect around here. Moon says Baszler started all of this, but Moon will finish it at Takeover: NOLA.

Up Next: Killian Dain vs. Lars Sullivan

Final Segments

Singles Match: Killian Dain vs. Lars Sullivan

It’s a super-heavyweight battle tonight! Both men engage in a shoving match. Sullivan clubs Dain. Uppercut. Dain retorts with a high kick, which sends Sullivan to the outside.

Commercial break.

On the return, Dain’s head is being crushed and contorted by Sullivan. Sullivan clubs the neck and head of Dain multiple times. Dain endures it and tries to punch his way out. Sullivan lifts Dain but can’t do anything else. Dain punches Sullivan repeatedly. He lifts Sullivan on his shoulders for a fireman’s carry slam. Running senton! Vader bomb is blocked!

Sullivan with a huge clothesline on Dain. Now HE’s going up to the top rope! This is ridiculous. Dain stops him and now he’s getting up on the same turnbuckle as Sullivan. Oh my. Will the ropes survive their weight? Dain with a headbutt and Sullivan lands
awkwardly on the apron and then to the floor below. Fans cheer.

Here comes Velveteen Dream! He sees the big men on the floor and ascends the turnbuckle. Suddenly, it’s Adam Cole rushing to the ring. Dream descends. They pose against one another and then ECIII struts down to the ring in his dress clothes. Dain’s up on the apron and he’s seething mad. Sullivan’s there too. All 5 men in the ring and new theme music hits with spotlights: it’s Ricochet! He runs down, springboard backflip and he takes off his hood. Fans chant his name and we are witnessing the six members of the North American Championship ladder match. It’s a standoff as the show ends.

One cool point for both men who are consistently willing to take unnecessary yet extremely interesting risks, like climbing up to the top rope. Neither man truly needs to do that for their offense and, yet, it’s quite impressive seeing them do it. No finish to this match but it serves its purpose to allow all 6 contenders for the new title to square off. History will be made, folks!