NXT ‣

Looking Glass · Aug 17, 2023

NEWS & NOTES ‣
NEW MATCHES FOR NXT TAKEOVER: HIGH STAKES. INTERNAL NEWS ON THE NXT BRAND. NXT SUPERSTAR CALLED UP TO SMACKDOWN. NXT SUPERSTAR RETURNS AS PART OF DIAMOND MINE.

The card for NXT Takeover: High Stakes continues to take shape with the Lucky 7 Ladder match being announced. Nigel McGuinness confirmed that the match would work similarly to the Money in the Bank match but with an added risk and reward system. Seven Superstars will qualify to enter the match and compete to obtain one of three briefcases - the first will grant the recipient a shot at the NXT Championship, with the second allowing the recipient to challenge for any other title they'd be eligible for. The final briefcase will terminate the contact of the holder with immediate effect. The wrestling community took no time in commenting how the match stipulation 'borrowed' from Impact Wrestling/TNA's Feast or Fired match, but it is understood that there are no ill feelings between the two companies over the matter. Interestingly, the legitimacy of the fired briefcase has not been confirmed.

Earlier in the week, McGuinness announced that both Finn Bálor and Samoa Joe automatically qualified for the Lucky 7 match, following their exhibition match that saw Joe turn on the "The Prince" in the closing moments of the show. This week, Kyle O'Reilly returned to action to defeat Roderick Strong to claim the third spot. Next week's episode of NXT will see Pete Dunne battle against Timothy Thatcher for the fourth spot, while there's speculation that Bobby Fish versus Cameron Grimes will feature at some point, following their interactions in the last week.

Additionally, next week's NXT will feature a women's tag team gauntlet match to determine who will face The Way at the premium live event. It was previously reported that NXT Women's Tag Team Champion, Candice LeRae, was not medically cleared to compete, which left many confused as to why she was booked for this past week's episode of NXT Evolve. LeRae and tag team partner, Indi Hartwell, defeated Amari Miller and Zayda Ramier in a non-title match that saw plenty of shenanigans by "The Poison Pixie" but not a lot of ring-time. Her status for the PLE is currently up in the air, though she continues to turn up weekly as part of segments.

Kushida is also expected to defend his NXT Cruiserweight Championship. This past week, Nigel McGuinness booked the champion to team with Ari Sterling to face Fabian Aichner and Marcel Barthel of Imperium. If Imperium win, they will both face "The Time Splitter" in a triple threat match. If Kushida and Sterling are successful, they will square off in singles action. However, it is unknown whether this will take place at Takeover. McGuinness had previously teased a 'mystery opponent', who had to be put on hold for Kushida, while this situation played out.

NXT Takeover: High Stakes will take place on Sunday 22nd August, broadcasting live on Peacock and the WWE Network.

- Internal talks suggest that the powers that be are happy with the relaunch of NXT. It was previously reported that Vince McMahon wanted to utilise the entire NXT brand to return to its roots of building new stars, while still maintaining star quality and the essence of the show that drew fans in the first place. NXT Evolve was introduced as a way to shift the momentum of talents, who struggled to feature on the weekly NXT show and to 'widen the net' to allow talents that weren't cruiserweights to feature more prominently (hence the decision to bring 205 Live to an end). Evolve has also been used as an additional platform to build stories previously featured on both 205 Live and NXT.

Since its debut nearly a month ago, the show has reintroduced Carmelo Hayes, Arturo Ruas, Zayda Ramier and Kona Reeves to programming, while debuting talents such as Dante Chen, Ru Feng, Edris Enofe and Malik Blade. While there's no hard brand split in place, there is a feeling of a tier system, with some newer talents using the show to get reps under their belt, while some others will trial feuds with the intention of getting them ready for NXT, which will continue to feature veteran talents. Samoa Joe was recently brought back following his initial release from the main roster, which inside sources claim to be a result of Triple H's vision to balance the NXT roster. It is thought with NXT UK returning to screens that there are plans for to utilize the brand to further feed into the main roster once travel restrictions have eased.

- It is officially confirmed that former NXT Champion, Karrion Kross, alongside Scarlett, are now officially part of the SmackDown roster. While "The Devil of Monterrey" was seen as a dominant force of the brand and one of their feature stars, it seems that Kross was seen as someone that needed to be brought to the main roster while he was still hot. Kross lost the NXT Championship to current champion, Bronson Reed, at NXT: End of the Line in what was his first pinfall loss.

Kross made an immediate impact on the blue brand by attacking WWE Hall of Famer, Edge, during his main event tag match. "The Rated R Superstar" required medical attention following the ambush.

- This past week's episode of NXT Evolve saw the reintroduction of "The Brazilian Tiger" Arturo Ruas as the mystery figure featured in the revamped Diamond Mine vignettes. It was previously confirmed that plans had been changed to accommodate Ruas' return to the roster. The MMA Fighter was previously tipped for a singles push in December 2019, though this was quietly cancelled for unknown reasons. As indicated by the vignettes, the Lion's Den structure - now known as the Diamond Mine - is expected to feature in Ruas' return to action as a way of the brand experimentation with different concepts, recently seen with the Three Strikes and Lucky 7 match types (as well as the positive response to the larger scale Fight Pit match back in 2020). The Lion's Den match - most often associated with Ken Shamrock - is held in an octagonal structure and can only be won be knockout or submission. However, the official rules and Ruas' first opponent have yet to be named.

UPCOMING SPECIAL EVENTS ‣

NXT TAKEOVER: HIGH STAKES [TAKEOVER #36] ‣ SUNDAY 22 AUGUST, 2022
SAM'S TOWN HOTEL & GAMBLING HALL ‣ LAS VEGAS, NEVADA

CONFIRMED MATCHES:

CHAMPION vs. 'CHAMPION':
WINNER TAKES ALL MATCH FOR THE NXT, NORTH AMERICAN & MILLION DOLLAR CHAMPIONSHIP
BRONSON REED vs. LA KNIGHT

THE LUCKY 7 LADDER MATCH:
HIGH RISK. HIGH REWARD.
SAMOA JOE vs. FINN BÁLOR vs. KYLE O'REILLY vs. 4 SUPERSTARS TBD

TAG TEAM MATCH:
FOR THE NXT WOMEN'S TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIPS
THE WAY [CANDICE LERAE & INDI HARTWELL] w/ PERSIA PIROTTA
vs. WINNER OF THE TAG TEAM GAUNTLET MATCH

Looking Glass · Aug 20, 2023

NXT [EPISODE #467] ‣ "WHAT'S NeXT" PREVIEW

What's up, everyone? I'm McKenzie Mitchell and welcome to "What's NeXT", the show where we look ahead to everything coming up on NXT. We are now well and truly on the road to NXT Takeover: High Stakes, with another Lucky 7 qualifier set to determine who will be going to Vegas. Meanwhile, we have not one but TWO championship contender matches and the Million Dollar title is once again up for grabs. Let's take a look, shall we?

"It was confirmed heading into last week's main event that the number one contender, LA Knight, would be defending the Million Dollar Championship once more against another rising star. Knight has taken every opportunity to remind the NXT Universe that he is a fighting champion, seemingly trying to get under the skin of his Takeover opponent, Bronson Reed. However, I can exclusively confirm that the NXT and North American Champion will be joining Vic and Wade on commentary this week to help call the match. Is "Aus-Zilla" getting lured into Knight's mind games or is it the champion the one trying to unnerve his opponent ahead of the premium live event? Tune in this week to see if someone's Million Dollar dreams will come true of if Knight will still have a title to defend come High Stakes."

Pete Dunne versus Timothy Thatcher was confirmed to be the second qualifying match, to determine who will enter the Lucky 7 match at Takeover. Both men are hungry for the opportunity to move their careers forward and claim championship gold, with "The Bruiserweight" declaring himself as the sole King of NXT and taking a more self-centred approach, while Timothy Thatcher has impressed in his recent bouts across NXT Television. Critics would say that these two men are some of the finest technical wrestlers on the planet, so strap yourselves in, this is going to be one you don't want to miss."

"Raquel González's war against Tian Sha continues to rage on into this week. The NXT Women's Champion previously challenged any member to face her, culminating in an attempted ambush by "The Noble Man" Boa, who was later joined by Xia Li. Mercedes Martinez managed to even the odds, but "Big Mami" is now on the warpath as she demanded this rare intergender bout. Nigel McGuinness made the decision to ban Martinez, Li and Mei Ying from ringside to even the odds but will Raquel be able to avenge the blinding of Dakota Kai or will she continue to be haunted by Tian Sha?"

"Kushida has dominated the cruiserweight division since winning the title back in April, creating a bigger target on his back with every defence made. This week he finds himself in a precarious position as teams with Ari Sterling to battle Fabian Aichner and Marcel Barthel of Imperium. Nigel McGuinness laid out the unique stipulation that if Imperium were to win the match, both Aichner and Barthel would challenge the champion in a triple-threat match at a later date. However, if "The Time Splitter" and Sterling win, "The Exclamation Point" - who has his own desire for the title - will be the one to challenge. Regardless of the outcome, Kushida will have a brand new challenger after Tuesday, but just who will it be?"

"Tensions amongst the women's division reached an all-time high last week, with the rivalry between Toni Storm and Sarray, continuing to affect the whole dynamic of the locker room. Additionally, this past edition of NXT Evolve saw Nigel McGuinness fight back against Candice LeRae's reluctance to wrestle or defend her tag team championship by declaring a tag team gauntlet match that will determine who will face her and Indi Hartwell at Takeover. Each team have been assigned colours that will be drawn at random to decide the running order but with so much animosity within the division, who will walk out as number one contenders?"

"And finally, having not been seen since losing their trios match against Hit Row at NXT: End of the Line, things have been suspiciously quiet within the Ledgado del Fantasma camp. However, we've come to learn at "What's NeXT" that Santos Escobar, Joaquin Wilde and Raul Mendoza have actually been granted a leave of absence to return to Mexico City. The NXT Universe has been invited to join them on their spiritual journey back to Mexico. What lies ahead for them and what does this mean for their future? Tune in to find out more."

And that's it for this week's show! Remember to get involved across all of our socials and let us know your thoughts on all things NXT. For now, I've been McKenzie Mitchell, I'll see you next week.

Looking Glass · Jan 24, 2024

AUTHOR'S NOTE: It's the return that no one asked for. Honestly, I had set a target for myself to get to High Stakes at the very least. I really love this project but match writing - not so much - as I find that I can't do it in a way that isn't bloated and taxing for me to do on a consistent basis. I thought to try and meet my goal and give this a fighting chance, I'd try something less match heavy and full disclosure, I drew inspiration from my old writing buddy The EC/HOSS and his entertaining WCW/TEW project (go check it out if you haven't already!). I'm not saying it's any shorter but it definitely felt easier to write and as much as I love the E-fed style character moments and all the titantron stuff, I might leave that for special events to give it a sense of occasion.

Ironically, I saw that the Three Strikes Match at NXT: End of the Line was nominated. I didn't think I had a lot of traction/engagement here so while I have zero expectations at all, to be acknowledged is an unexpected compliment, so thank you to whoever put it forward, it's much appreciated.

NXT [EPISODE #467] ‣ TUESDAY 27 JULY, 2021
CAPITOL PERFORMANCE CENTER ‣ ORLANDO, FLORIDA

It had been two weeks since the official relaunch of NXT. While the initial internal and viewer feedback appeared to be positive, the proof of the brand's success, the proof would be in response to their next premium live event (PLE), High Stakes, which marked the first time that a Takeover event would be held in Nevada. Furthermore, it would mark the first Takeover outside the Capitol Wrestling Performance Centre since Takeover: Portland in a year and a half due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

One of the key attractions of the event was the first-ever Lucky 7 match - what many had surmised was NXT's attempt to piggyback off of the success of the long-established Money In The Bank formula and the (kayfabe) brainchild of new General Manager, Nigel McGuinness, whose introduction was used as a platform justify some of the sudden creative changes signed off behind the scenes. While the announcement of the match garnered a positive response from the fans (for the most part), the 'feast or fired' aspect popularised by one-time rivals TNA, was seen as the company 'copying homework'. Nonetheless, it was excused given the gambling theme that High Stakes presented.

Three names had already been established for the match; returnees Finn Bálor and Samoa Joe for their performance at NXT: End of the Line, and Kyle O'Reilly, who had returned to the squared circle for the first time since End of the Line to defeat former Undisputed Era bandmate, Roderick Strong. "Cool Kyle" didn't have much time to celebrate before being interrupted by "The Samoan Submission Machine", who made his presence known from the entrance ramp. Although the two men had words previously in the night, with Joe claiming to have opened the doors for independent wrestlers to come into NXT, the former NXT Champion did not get physical in the closing moments of the show.

This animosity would be revisited later on in the show when Kyle O'Reilly interrupted Samoa Joe in the interview pit to tell him that he wasn't going to be pushed around anymore. Having sent Adam Cole out of the company (seemingly for real if the rumours were true), O'Reilly claimed that he came second to no one and no one opened any doors for him, but instead, he had to kick them down. Joe tried to laugh this off but as he went to exit, Finn Bálor blocked him and told him that he was lucky there was a no-contact clause in their match contract. Joe retorted that they (O'Reilly and Bálor) were the lucky ones and stopped himself from pushing past "The Prince", choosing to walk by him instead.

Later in the show a town hall segment was announced, which would see the first 4 men to qualify for the match come together for the first time.

Tonight would be the turn of two technical pros, looking to make their way up from the midcard. While he had only been with WWE for a year, Timothy Thatcher was a 16-year veteran at this point, whose only thing left to learn was the 'style' of sports entertainment that the company had prided itself on for decades. Thatcher had previously campaigned for title opportunities and his in-ring success appeared to be paying dividends at last.

Meanwhile, Pete Dunne, despite being a decade younger than his opponent, had also been wrestling for 13 years at this point. Dunne came into NXT having already forged a legacy in the UK territory as WWE/NXT United Kingdom Champion but was looking to similarly establish himself overseas as a singles competitor. Dunne also had momentum on his side, leaning into his new moniker as "King of NXT" following the absence of Pat McAfee, the injuries of Ridge Holland and Danny Burch, and his recent dismissal of Oney Lorcan, Dunne was once again a lone wolf, free of the 'dead wood' that weighed him down.

Thatcher had pointed out on the previous week's edition of NXT Evolve that his opponent had bested him during their previous encounters. A theme that would continue in the opening match of episode #467. While the match was everything you would expect it to be, "The Bruiserweight" was able to punch his ticket and become one of the Lucky 7 after swatting a dropkick attempt and executing the Bitter End for the three-count. Following the match, "The Beast of Belfast" Killian Dain was seen looking out from the newly constructed mezzanine level of the NXT set. While Dain was a man of few words, he had seemingly taken an interest in Timothy Thatcher since running into him in a tense exchange backstage and further interrupting Thatcher's interview segment with a vignette of his own. How Thatcher would respond to his loss and this new threat, would remain to be seen.

Following the commercial break, Oney Lorcan was asked to give his thoughts on Dunne's victory. Lorcan had been dropped from "The King of NXT's" circle, following his inability to defeat Dexter Lumis in an unforgiving Extreme Rules match (this is after Lorcan had claimed Lumis had kidnapped him). Lorcan started that while he was previously aligned with Dunne et al, he had always been on his own and that he now had an opportunity to regroup and decide what he wanted from his career. Lorcan confirmed that he would be competing in next week's Lucky 7 qualifier and that there would be nothing he'd love more than to show Pete Dunne that he was the star of the group. When McKenzie Mitchell asked who his opponent would be, "The Boston Brawler" seemed to be in the dark - however things soon became clear when Austin Theory bounced into the interview pit. Lorcan looked disgruntled and shocked as Theory presented McKenzie with a doctor's note, officially clearing him to return to the ring. Turning serious, Theory told Lorcan that it would take more than a pipe to keep him down and next week, karma would be collecting.

The women's tag team division had come into focus over the past couple of weeks, with Candice LeRae and Indi Hartwell seemingly M.I.A., save for backstage segments with their stablemates (including Indi's 'friend from home', Persia Pirotta). However, The Way had pushed their luck too far when they fulfilled Nigel McGuinness' demand to return to the ring, only for Candice to barely feature in the match until she collected the pin for herself. Not one to be outdone, McGuinness announced a tag team gauntlet match to determine who would face LeRae and Hartwell at the PLE. The confirmed teams included Zoey Stark and Sarray, who were at odds with The Brand, who would be represented by Aliyah and Jessi Kamea, the newly introduced team La Vision (Yulisa and Valentina), managed by Elektra Lopez, Kayden Carter and Kacy Catanzaro, who had made it their business to call out The Way's ducking and diving on in-ring competition and finally, Tegan Nox and Shotzi - two singles competitors, who had found themselves drawn together by their mutual dislike for Dakota Kai in previous months.

Candice, Indi and Persia joined Wade Barrett and Vic Joseph on commentary as Kacy Catanzaro and Kayden Carter started things out with La Vision, introducing us to the ring prowess of Yulisa and Valentina in a debut they hoped would catapult them to the top of the contender's list. Valentina - a mixed martialist - and Yulisa, who had received gold medals for powerlifting, used their sports background to their advantage while they wily Lopez tried to garner the advantage where she could. It wasn't long before this behaviour drew the ire of the referee, who ejected "La Madrina" from ringside. Once the numbers were evened, Team Ninja (a name both created and loathed by the IWC) were able to overcome the newbies to advance to the next round.

The Brand would be out next, with Franky Monet seemingly allowing her cohorts to go it alone in this match. The action ran through the commercial break but ultimately resulted in a blind tag spot that allowed Jessi Kamea to hit a spinning heel kick on Catanzaro to extinguish the hopes of Kacy and Kayden, much to the delight of the NXT Women's Tag Team Champions. With little time to celebrate, The Brand then were faced with Stark and Sarray, who were baying for blood following their recent encounters (most of which resulted in some form of ambush or brawl). "The Warrior of the Sun" had remained undefeated in singles action and continued to impress the NXT Universe alongside, Zoey Stark, who was slowly but surely building her fan base. The faces were able to decisively score a victory when both of them were able to hit their finishers on Aliyah and Jessi to score synchronised pins.

Nox and Shotzi would enter as the final participants in an even contest that took up the majority of the extended match time, illustrating that the powers that be wanted to pay attention to the ailing women's tag team division and give prestige to the championships. The ending moments of the match saw The Brand appear once again, squaring up to Zoey Stark on the outside. Stark battled Jessi and Aliyah off once more, only for Franky Monet to strike with a thunderous slap (all out of the referee's sight). Monet seemed to regret the slap almost immediately and ran to the back, followed by Zoey Stark, leaving Sarray on her own as she looked for the tag. The referee had spotted Aliyah and Jessi, issuing the second ringside ejection of the match as Toni Storm climbed up on the apron and struck Sarray with her Mae Young Classic trophy.

While Nox and Shotzi did not seem best pleased, refusing to immediately go for the cover, they ultimately finished Sarray off with a Shining Wizard/Diving Senton combination that earned them the number one contender's title. Following the match, Shotzi and Nox squared up to Storm, who made a hasty exit. Meanwhile, Candice LeRae went quiet on commentary, leaving Indi Hartwell reassuring herself that they would be ready for their new challengers. The segment ends as Zoey Stark re-emerges in a state of shock, her success seemingly depleting week by week.

The tag team division on the men's side was also proving especially competitive, with Tony Nese and Ariya Daivari bragging to Hit Row about their victory on NXT Evolve the previous week. While Swerve Scott and Co. weren't having any of it, they were further dismissed by the arrival of Johnny Gargano and Dexter Lumis. Since returning to NXT, Lumis had managed to win over his former foe and secure a place in The Way. However, when Gargano and Lumis put their names on the map, Top Dolla and Ashante Adonis were quick to point out that The Way was a brand new tag team also, therefore they needed to earn their stripes. To add to the tension, the NXT Tag Team Champions MSK, appeared and put all three teams on notice, reminding them of how they beat Ever-Rise on last week's episode, extending their record to 12-1. Wes Lee put over Hit Row's impressive performance and felt like they deserved the opportunity but Nash Carter pointed out that Daivari and Nese were also climbing the ranks.

An outraged Gargano disputed this to the point where all four teams erupted into a classic backstage brawl. As opposed to running scared, B-Fab was all too quick to throw off her earrings and jump on the back of Dexter Lumis., digging in her nails as she raked his back. Nigel McGuinness would enter the shot and demand silence, claiming to have heard the dilemma and proposed that as Hit Row would face the team of Ikemen Jiro and August Grey,(despite the fact that Daivari and Nese had already beaten them) with the winner becoming one of two teams to challenge Lee and Carter for the belts.

Hit Row began to cheer, liking their chances given the dysfunction going on with their opponents (predominantly on NXT Evolve) as the other two teams began to appeal to McGuinness. Nigel would then confirm that the second match would see The Way face Nese and Daivari to determine the second team to fill the spot. MSK embraced the challenge, despite the rising odds as the exited.

Later in the evening, Gargano attempted to motivate Lumis when he looked over to see the recently returned Austin Theory alongside Candice LeRae, Indi Hartwell and Persia Pirotta. Theory ran towards Gargano, throwing his arms around him before hesitantly patting Lumis on the back. Gargano assured 'the family' that they were now complete and nothing would stop them from being the pinnacle of the NXT tag team division. As the scene came to a close, Indi curiously asked Lumis how he got all those scratches on his back...

"The Infamous" Bobby Fish was a new character concept that saw the ROH veteran and former NXT Tag Team Champion adopt the persona of a thespian, believing that wrestling was his art and the ring was his stage. This character work seemed to bode well for Fish, who had been respected for his in-ring work but often subjected to minor acting roles during his tenure with WWE. Fish had taken issue with Cameron Grimes, ever since "The Carolina Caveman" had interrupted his match review. Fortunately for Grimes, his fortunes had improved after claiming a victory on last week's NXT Evolve (against Tyler Rust). In this segment, Fish broke down the closing moments of Grimes' match, where he was able to take advantage of the disruption caused by Rust's manager, Malcolm Bivens, to hit a Cave-In for the pinfall.

Fish picks holes in Grimes' technique and says that he lacks star quality, giving him an overall star rating of a measly 1/5, which would undoubtedly further tensions between the two in weeks to come.

Speaking of characters, it would appear that Legado del Fantasma were heading in a new direction as they invited the audience into their 'journey to self-discovery' in Mexico. True to their word, the segment was shot in Mexico City, Mexico (with plenty of establishing shots to drive home the point), where Joaquin Wilde and Raul Mendoza were just as confused about their trip. Despite their recent losses, the powers that be were high of all three men and the budget allocation on this segment alone appeared to indicate that the win/loss ratio was only to further drive the story being told. In the short segment, Santos Escobar says that they have come home to be reborn, that they would need to relearn everything and return to NXT revived. While this wasn't indicative of a face turn, it seemed that we would find out throughout several further segments just exactly what direction the trio were going in.

The cruiserweight division had become a particular highlight of Tuesday nights following the impressive showing of its champion, Kushida. Having battled through most of the division, including several guest stars, the 108-day champion needed a new contender. Ari Sterling (better known as Alex Zayne on the independent scene) had frequented 205 Live in the past two months but was rarely seen on the black-and-gold brand. Part of the decision to axe the land of the Cruiserweights was to properly integrate the division into regular programming, which boded well for "The Exclamation Point", who not only had his eyes on the title but found himself an ally to the champion following an attack by Imperium.

Continuing to try and reinvent the wheel, Nigel McGuinness had booked a tag team match which stipulated if Kushida and Sterling won, the latter would be able to challenge for the NXT Cruiserweight Champion at a later day. Whereas if Marcel Barthel and Fabian Aichner won, the two of them would be able to challenge as part of a triple threat match at a later date - Barthel now being able to challenge as the weight limit had been increased to 215lbs in a bid to broaden the pool of challengers.

Despite professing that the ring was sacred to them, the Europeans made every attempt they could to dominate Kushida, believing that if they wore down the champion now, they would simply need to 'pick the bones' at their eventual title match - although once again Vic Joseph made an interesting point at the dynamic of a triple threat match involving tag team partners.

In the end, Kushida had the Hoverboard Lock on Barthel, prompting the Italian to make the save with a stiff running knee. Fortunately, Sterling was able to tag himself in on time to remove Aichner from the occasion, finishing Barthel off with a 630 senton for the three-count victory, while earning himself some fans due to his impressive aerial ability.

While Kushida appeared irritated at Zayne's blind tag initially, he could not argue with the way his new contender handled business and raised his hand as a mark of respect. Once the NXT Cruiserweight title was handed back to the "Time Splitter", Sterling couldn't help but look longingly at it. Despite the initial awkwardness, the two men would shake hands, promising that their eventual bout would be without the typical animosity.

The feud between Tian Sha and NXT Women's Champion, Raquel González, raged on despite mixed reactions online. As expected, some found the stable led by 1,000-year-deity, Mei Ying, to be farfetched, despite their appreciation for other 'out-there' gimmicks such as NXT alumni, The Wyatt Family. Regardless, the formation of the group had given a sense of menace to "The Special Girl" Xia Li and "The Noble Man" Boa, two roster members who had been painted as bland and generic in their early showings.

The champion, who had undertaken a slow turn to babyface without Dakota Kai at her side had challenged any member of Tian Sha to face her, only for Boa to attempt an attack with a foreign object, leading to the penultimate match of the evening. In a rare intergender showing, a confident González came out to a good response from the crowd alongside Mercedes Martinez, a former foe but mutual enemy of Tian Sha. Boa was wrestling his first match since the 2019 Breakout Tournament (in which he was eliminated in the first round), for the occasion, he donned a new look with white face paint marked with a black cross.

The match was a short affair with "Big Mami" unleashing her wrath and neutralising another member of Tian Sha. "The Mother" Mei Ying was nowhere to be seen since being suspended for previously blinding Dakota Kai, potentially ending her in-ring career. González hit a Chingona Bomb for the three count as "The Brass City Badass" Martinez applauded her newfound friend.

Raquel would take the microphone and point out that she had eliminated yet another member of Tian Sha and that there would only be one left - Ying herself. Xia Li then made her way out to confront González and Martinez with a surprising invitation to a Chinese Tea Ceremony with all of Tian Sha. The champion appeared confused, wanting to send a message rather than sit down for tea but "The Special Girl" assured her that she would get everything she wanted if she showed up with respect. Smelling a rat, Mercedes tried to intervene, but despite this, the champion accepted in a segment that was later confirmed to take place on NXT Evolve.

One of the hottest takes from recent weeks had been the ascension of LA Knight, the new number one contender to the NXT Championship. The former Eli Drake-turned-Million Dollar Champion had risen to the main event scene, declaring himself "The New People's Champion", a nod to the IWC's comparisons The Rock. With so many boxes ticked, it was hard to doubt that Knight was a viable contender that could legitimately dethrone NXT Champion, Bronson Reed, who had only won the title back at NXT: End of the Line.

The winner takes all aspect of the match - in which either Reed or Knight would take the NXT Championship, the Million Dollar Championship and Reed's North American Championship - had added an additional layer of intrigue to the match. Furthermore, "Big" Bronson's appearance on an episode of Main Event the previous month encouraged speculation that Reed could follow in the footsteps of his predecessor Karrion Kross in making his way to the main roster.

It was previously confirmed that Knight would been competing in another Million Dollar Dreams match - a bout that typically saw the Million Dollar Championship defended against younger talents under the guise of making them a 'star'. Knight had previously defeated Demetri Jackson three weeks ago and Cal Bloom the week prior and tonight was set to face Josh Briggs, who despite having a won his only television match on 205 Live at the start of June, had gone largely unnoticed by the WWE Universe.

Earlier in the evening, McKenzie Mitchell interviewed the NXT Champion asking for his thoughts on comments made by Knight about not being a fighting champion. Reed would argue that Knight needed all the tuning up he could get for High Stakes because he didn't need to be turned into a star, reminding us that he was already champion. Reed would continue to put himself over, getting some much needed time on the mic to really get himself over as champion with the fans when Cal Bloom appeared and thanked Reed for having his back last week. Acknowledging that the second generation giant had approached Knight the previous week ahead his match, Reed empathised and recited the old adage of 'not meeting your heroes' before the segment came to a close.

As you'd expect, the match itself was largely in Knight's favour, although similarly to Bloom's performance the week before, Briggs was able to get some offence in and play to the limited crowd - including a point where he attempted a chokebomb on the champion, though Knight would muscle out and shove his opponent into senior official, Jason Ayres, causing enough commotion to allow Knight to hit a low blow followed by a BFT driver for the three count.

While Wade Barrett applauded Knight for using his cunning once again to 'teach the newbies how it's done', his broadcast colleague lambasted his performance in disbelief that the man who had to cheat against a relative newcomer would be challenging for the brand's top prize.

As Ayres handed Knight his Million Dollar Championship, he looked down at it and then back up to Briggs who recovered in the corner. Knight would proceed to establish himself as a top heel on the brand by attacking Briggs with the title before demanding that Alicia Taylor fetch him a sharpie from ringside. However, before he could do anymore damage, the familiar tune of "Battle Tested" cried out, playing in the arrival of the champion.

Reed hit the ring as the fans egged both men to fight. However, much like the Lucky 7 contenders, Nigel McGuinness had made them sign a 'no contact' contract - a move that was being utilised to build tension and excitement so that the audience would buy into the PLE. Knight played up to the fact that the NXT and NA Champion couldn't touch him when Cal Bloom hit the ring!

Both Reed and Knight look surprised to see the young superstar but it slowly dawned on LA Knight that there was no ban on physical contact between himself and Bloom and after last week's post-match antics, Bloom was justified to seek vengeance.

The fans chomped at the bit to see the rookie humble the number one contender, but in a shock turn of events, Bloom turned round and floored the NXT Champion with a Big Boot! Josh Briggs tried to remind the crowd he was there by interjecting but Knight and Bloom teamed up to hit an impressive sequence in which Bloom would boot Briggs into a crucifix driver by the Million Dollar Champion.

Knight demanded that Bloom dispose of Briggs, who willingly obliged as Knight presented the sharpie to the WWE Universe and grabbed Reed's head, SIGNING HIS AUTOGRAPH! The crowd booed as Vic Joseph demanded someone intervene. Jason Ayres called for back up officials but Knight had already he had his fun as he backed off but not before reaching down and collecting the NXT and North American titles as he raised all three belts above his head, with Bloom at his side. A new alliance forged.

With Reed now embarrassed not just by his opponent but a newcomer, his future as champion looked to be in doubt but how he would respond to these events would remain to be seen until next week.

Pete Dunne def. Timothy Thatcher in a Lucky 7 Qualifier Match
Tegan Nox & Shotzi def. La Vision (Yulisa & Valentina), Kayden Carter & Kacy Catanzaro, The Brand (Aliyah & Jessi Kamea) and Sarray & Zoey Stark in a Gauntlet Match to become the No. 1 Contenders to the NXT Women's Tag Team Championships
Kushida & Ari Sterling def. Imperium (Fabian Aichner & Marcel Barthel)
Raquel González def. Boa in an intergender match
LA Knight def. Josh Briggs to retain the Million Dollar Championship

Jam · Jan 26, 2024

YOU'VE BEEN HIT BY!
YOU'VE BEEN STRUCK BY!
A JAM REVIEW!

Hell yeah, LG. Good to see this back.

First of all, TNA shout out! Hahah.

After reading the first segment of the show, I can already tell I’m going to enjoy this type of writing moving forward. A strong opening to the show with three of your biggest stars going back and forth. Joe was the star of this segment, having strong words against both Balor and O’Reilly. The announcement of a town hall segment sounds like a fun segment waiting to happen as well.

I like how you gave us a short history lesson for Dunne and Thatcher. Always good to be reminded of things that have happened in the past. Dunne being on his own once again seems to be a good direction for him. Dunne qualifying for the Lucky 7 match is cool. Another big name to add to the match. That match is truly star-studded and with only so many prizes up for grabs, it creates more intrigue for the match. Dain possibly going to align with Thatcher? Guess we’ll see.

Can’t help but root for Lorcan here even though he’s probably losing to Theory. Makes sense though as Theory’s star is only just rising at this point while Lorcan should be able to make Theory look good in the match.

The match writing was easy to read despite many people being involved in the match. Enough detail is given so that we know exactly what every teams’ motivations were and how they were eliminated, which is pretty much what we need to know anyway. I’m glad you’re working on the women’s tag division as it definitely needs work and this match shows the potential the division has. Not very familiar with La Vision, but they seem interesting enough. This is automatically match of the show because you had Shotzi win… and Tegan, but mostly Shotzi

The men’s tag team division getting some love with this segment as well – awesome! I’m liking the logic of the booking for everything in this segment. I’m a fan of MSK, so them embracing the challenge of defending their titles against two other teams will always be fun to watch. The Way are seemingly all getting pushed, so I wouldn’t be surprised to see The Way claim one of the spots here. Fun stuff here with Lumis and Indi as well.

I absolutely love this gimmick for Bobby Fish. It’s giving me Deonna Purrazzo Virtuosa vibes. He could be the Virtuoso! Haha. Fish breaking down Grimes’ technique was brilliant. This’ll be a fun feud.

Interesting development for Legado Del Fantasma. Will they return as luchadors complete with masks? I can dig that. Looking forward to seeing more.

Yeah, the motivations between this match with Kushida/Sterling vs. Imperium was good. Interesting stipulation given to Imperium here. Hinting at a possible break up down the line? Sterling getting the win for his team here makes for a good dynamic as he now is able to face Kushida one on one.

Wyatt Family shout out! Yeah!

Intergender match, interesting. Definitely don’t see that often in WWE. Kudos to you for wanting and continuing to use Tian Sha. Not sure if this’ll be the end of them when Raquel’s done feuding with that group. But if so, not a huge loss. I know in previous talks with you, you mentioned that you enjoyed the Chinese tea ceremony segments that happened irl, so I’m looking forward to seeing how you put your own spin on it. Martinez being a little too buddy buddy with Raquel so far. Expecting that to change as soon as Raquel’s done with Tian Sha.

Not sure if this was intentional but the coding for Karrion Kross’s name – does that mean he moved on to Smackdown? I forget if that was mentioned or not. If so, very nice touch.

I’m a fan of the Million Dollar Dreams match stipulation with Knight getting his reps in and the new guys trying to make a name for themselves. Again, another good reminder of your past shows.

I like how you mentioned Reed needed more mic time to really establish himself as the Champion. I don’t think many were expecting Reed to be in this position, but with Kross moving on to the main roster, there wasn’t much choice.

Involving Riggs and Bloom here is another genius move, giving them air time with the bigger stars of the brand. I’m not particularly a fan of Bloom, but I understand why he’s being given a shot. Knight and Bloom should be a formidable duo and I’m looking forward to seeing how they’re booked – if it’s the classic student/teacher dynamic, big star/body guard dynamic, or whatever else.

Overall, a very enjoyable episode. The writing style made it so easy to understand everything going on and I’m a fan. I hope you continue to write your shows like this. I’m sure High Stakes will be written a bit differently as it’s a big show, but if you were to write it the same way as this show? I wouldn’t mind at all. Obviously, I couldn’t end this review without complimenting the graphics. They’re so good and it just looks very organized, adding to my overall enjoyment of the show.

Looking Glass · Jan 27, 2024

NXT EVOLVE [EPISODE #4] ‣ "WHAT'S NeXT" PREVIEW

Drake Maverick thought he found his tribe when he aligned himself with August Grey and Ikemen Jiro but it soon became clear that his effort to help the duo was doing more harm than good. This all came to a boil last week when Maverick's intervention cost Grey and Jiro the victory, causing "Retro AG" to unleash a brutal attack on the British Superstar. Unsurprisingly, Maverick was quick to ask for an opportunity to face Grey one-on-one, a challenge that he was all too happy to accept! Now going solo one more, can Drake Maverick prove that he wasn't the thorn in the side of the pair and what will August Grey's new attitude mean for his partnership with "Japan's Most Handsome" ahead of a big title contender opportunity next week?

Following months of anticipation, the Diamond Mine was finally unveiled by Arturo Ruas. An unforgiving steel structure - not too dissimilar from the Lion's Den of years gone by - seemingly Ruas' stomping ground. This week the Diamond Mine opens its doors as the Brazilian-born Martial Artist invited the NXT roster to step into his playground. "All Heart" Trey Baxter has since answered the call, looking to make an immediate impact by beating his opponent at his own game, but will the high-flyer overcome the odds or get tangled into Ruas' web?

"The Franky Monet Experience premiers on NXT Evolve this week! While many might have been distracted by Monet's style, charisma, or even her underhand tactics, this week she intends to showcase her dominance when she returns to singles action in the squared circle. The Brand's 'working relationship' with Toni Storm has seen them cause havoc for Zoey Stark and Sarray, but Chilean-born Katrina Cortez claims she will put an end to the mean girl antics when they face-off. Will "La Diva del Ring" be able to back up her claims or will "The Perfect Woman" steal the spotlight once more?"

NXT Women's Champion, Raquel González, has made it her mission to wipe out the sinister Tian Sha since its leader, Mei Ying, blinded her friend and tag team partner, Dakota Kai. Having retained her title against "The Special Girl" Xia Li at NXT: End of the Line and a dominant performance over "The Noble Man" Boa this past Tuesday, González called out "The Mother" to complete the collection. However, in a bizarre turn of events, Ying instead sent Li out to invite the Women's Champion (and her new-found ally Mercedes Martinez) to a traditional Chinese Tea Ceremony. Despite Martinez's warning, "Big Mami" proceeded with caution, so when the two sides collide this week, will they finally be able to make peace or are Tian Sha's intentions more sinister?

Hoss · Jan 28, 2024

I think this writing style suits you quite well pal. And, its benefits are kinda twofold, because it's also allowing you to include information that I need to know to be caught up to speed.

I really like the looks of High Stakes and how you're leaning into the theme with the matches you're booking so far. The Lucky 7 having the Feast Or Fired element to it is perfect for this event, and perfect for NXT because someone getting booted from NXT doesn't have to equate to being completely fired... it can be a segue to the main roster. The field is looking very strong right now, especially with the addition of Pete Dunne. I'm thinking Theory wins next week's, but I'd favor Lorcan.

Your booking of women has always been a strong suit and I feel like the women's tag gauntlet is emblematic of that. I enjoy reading about all these interweaving stories you have going across the division already. Both Shotzi and Nox vs. The Way and Storm vs. Sarray sound promising. And on that some note, I found the bits involving B-Fab attacking Lumis and Indi later asking why his back was scratched up to be amusing and a fun little detail to throw in.

The rework of Fish's character definitely works for me. I think you've come up with something really great for him. It is both fitting for his style and a creative concept. Well done.

I'm here for Alex Zayne aka Ari Sterling getting some love in this project. Same goes for Trey Baxter. In fact, glancing over this project and reading this latest show, I'm reminded how deep this roster was in this era :lol

Strongly support the choice of doing the intergender match. I think TNA/Impact have proven that it's a viable option for a major company. You'd obviously want to be selective about who you use in one, but Raquel mowing down an underling like Boa fits the bill. Very intrigued what the Chinese Tea Party will entail.

And finally, the build for Reed and Knight was all super well-executed. I'm a mark the big guys so I was happy to see Reed carrying the brand. Of course, LA Knight's star quality is undeniable and he would make a very valid champion as well. Pulling off the swerve and forming an alliance between Knight and Bloom was a great piece of booking, and of course it's going to benefit Bloom a lot to have Knight's charisma to piggyback off of.

All in all, highly entertaining edition of NXT here and I feel it did a great job bringing me into the know of things and getting me looking forward to High Stakes. I really appreciate your dedication to the small details, that even though you aren't writing the shows out in full as you've previously done, I'm still able to visualize much of what's happening. Very nice, LG.

Deco90 · Jan 30, 2024

Firstly, it's been a long time since I came onto this forum but of course, I got the notification for your thread and totally had to check it out as I always enjoy your work, LG .

Really good to see you back writing and pushing forward with another NXT episode!

Review time:

- Really good opening! I like the introduction which set the scene and takes us back to the point of time you're booking from here, not far removed from the horrible covid era, and how big of a deal this is for NXT to have a TakeOver in Vegas. I know I've told you before but the idea of the whole Vegas/gambling theme with the lucky seven match is great; I really dig that.

- Lets go Bruiserweight! Really glad to see Dunne progress and this new style and match format works for me. I think it will hopefully stop you being bogged down by the match writing which is less enjoyable, and can also save it for the Pay-Per-Views.

- Theory with the Doctors note, I don't know why but that popped me. I can totally picture his facials while showcasing the note Haha! Sets the tone for next week though.

- Good job with this next match man and looking to showcase some of the tag teams. Some good progression with potential stories and different things set up. Cool with Nox & Shotzi getting the win. Toni Storm using the Mae Young trophy was good stuff.

- Minor, minor criticism but I maybe wouldn't have had back to back tag team showcases I guess, for the lack of a better word. I know they're completely different divisions with it being female & male, but I'd have maybe just spaced it out a little but that's probably minor preference. Man, I miss MSK together. I really like the way you're using the Way (See what I did there? Didn't actually notice till I read it back ) and the stuff between Indi & Lumis was good here.

- Your portrayal of Bobby Fish with this new character arch is for sure one of the highlights of your whole thread to me. it's so good and different. I really like it. Intrigued to see how far you can push this character but it's already given Bobby a new lease a life in a time period where he doesn't have the Undisputed Era to fall back on.

- LE-GA-DO! Interesting segment. I like the idea of them returning to Mexico to be reborn, and I look forward to seeing how this develops even more in the coming weeks.

- Nice job with the next match! Really nice showing and use of Ari Sterling. I've said before but you're so good as using the less favourable and doing something with them, making them interesting or given them a new direction. Mark of a real good booker in my opinion man. We can all a book the horsewoman, but using people like Shotzi & Nox for example, that's the benchmark for a good booker in my opinion. I liked the dynamic and stip on this match too. A little different but it worked. Oh and I almost forgot, something so small but makes a difference - the little acknowledgement that the Cruiserweight Championship weight limit had been upped to broaden the field was nice.

- Great outing for 'Big Mami Cool' by defeating Boa and with Raquel being such a powerhouse, it's not unthinkable that she couldn't beat him so that helps with suspending reality which didn't really need to do in this situation. I like Mercedes being involved too! Big fan of hers and again, using people that were not complete standouts on the Black & Gold brand.

- Did I like the ending scene to your NXT? Yeeaaaaaahhh! This was good stuff man! I don't think it's been picked up, but maybe was intentional but while LA Knight is facing these "rookies" - he's also facing pretty big guys with "Big" Bronson to come. Wondered if he might make mention of that down the line, maybe. Blood as LA Knights bodyguard is also an interesting choice. The megastar feels even more like a star with his own bodyguard. I like it.

Overall; This was a good episode man, really enjoyable and an easy read too. I think the new format works well and suits you, hopefully as I said previously - this way won't bog you down with trying to motivate yoiurself to write matches and can hopefully allow you to keep progressing and pumping out shows. As always man, I'll be reading along!

Looking Glass · Feb 2, 2024

NXT EVOLVE [EPISODE #04] ‣ THURSDAY 29 JULY, 2021
CAPITOL PERFORMANCE CENTER ‣ ORLANDO, FLORIDA

The reaction to NXT Evolve had been positive on the whole - fulfilling the brief of providing a space for new talent to get in front of an audience. Although the offerings weren't quite on the scale of the champion vs. 'champion' feud between Bronson Reed and LA Knight or the Lucky 7 qualifiers, Cal Bloom's attack on the NXT Champion was symbolic that the brand was committed to both building and integrating new talent. No one was surprised that the B-show wasn't getting the same numbers as its companion show but the comparisons to classic editions of Heat had won over plaudits, who appreciated the time and attention given to stars like Leon Ruff, Carmelo Hayes and Drake Maverick.

Unlike 205 Live (at least the majority of its run), the aim was for Evolve to be more episodic, featuring additional segments from NXT storylines to provide value but also providing the opportunity to be more experimental and gauge audience feedback before making any commitments. Episode #4 featured two examples of this experimental nature, the first being the debut of the 'Diamond Mine Match', an invitational hosted by Brazilian-born mixed martial artist, Arturo Ruas - a modern-day retelling of the Lion's Den match that was made famous in the late 90s. The other, set up on Tuesday night was the Traditional Chinese Tea Ceremony held by Tian Sha, in which Raquel González's challenge to Mei Ying was met with an invitation to a sit-down discussion.

Ahead of the opening match, a clip of the women's tag team gauntlet match, in which "The Perfect Woman" Franky Monet lured Zoey Stark backstage allowing Toni Storm to ambush Sarray with the Mae Young Classic trophy, putting an end to their NXT Women's Tag Team title hopes. Stark joined McKenzie Mitchell backstage, with "The Warrior of the Sun" being noticeably absent. Stark confirmed that Sarray had to receive medical attention following the attack by Storm when McKenzie asked for her thoughts regarding the antics of the past couple of weeks. Stark answered that the gauntlet match was her ticket to compete in front of her home crowd (Las Vegas) at a Takeover event but Franky Monet and Toni Storm had to make it all about them. Closing the interview, Stark says that while she doesn't know where she goes from here, her main goal now was to wipe the smile off of that "Regina George-looking b*tch".

Heading to the ring, Dennis Arnell introduced Katrina Cortez, the Chilean Luchadora (who competed briefly as 'Catalina' on Raw between 2019 and 2020). A quick picture-in-picture showed "La Diva del Ring" cut a babyface promo backstage in which she called herself the true Reina de Reina (a nod to Monet's history as champion AAA) and that tonight she would introduce the WWE Universe to the true art of Lucha wrestling. Production spared no expenses for Monet's entrance as she came to the ring for her first singles match in a month - proof that the division had become so bloated that it had become increasingly challenging to get everyone on the card.

Of course, wherever Franky was, The Brand weren't far behind with Aliyah and Jessi Kamea setting up their VIP booth on the newly constructed mezzanine set that overlooked the ring. Monet would take the microphone and tell Cortez that she had heard rumblings that a 'certain someone' had been running their mouths backstage. "The Perfect Woman" would chastise Cortez in Spanish and tell her that the smartest thing that "La Diva del Ring" had ever done was wear a mask because once she had finished with her, she was going to want to hide every last scar on her face. Cortez would reach her limit and strike Monet before a brawl broke out between the two.

Even from the VIP Lounge, Aliyah and Jessi would attempt to distract Cortez, who put on a solid effort but would ultimately prove no match for the former Taya Valkyrie, who would take advantage of a Cassadora Bulldog attempt by the Chilean and turn it into a Glam Slam for the three count.

Post-match, Monet barely had any time to relish in her victory before Zoey Stark rushed the ring! Fortunately, The Brand were on hand to help once more, warning their leader as Franky made a desperate scramble to the back. Aliyah and Jessi would mock Stark from the VIP Lounge as she looked on, seething with rage.

Two tenured stars who had received attention as part of the new era of NXT were Timothy Thatcher and Killian Dain. "The Beast of Belfast" and Thatcher had come face to face on a previous episode of Evolve but it was becoming apparent that the former Sanity member had taken an issue with the Thatch-as-Thatch-Can Master. Dain's new look was indicative enough of the momentum gathering behind him, cementing him as a legitimate singles star following a lengthy run as part of a faction (and later tag team). Thatcher had previously competed in the week in a losing effort to "The King of NXT", Pete Dunne, with Dain watching on from afar after the match. In a backstage segment, the drama continued with a defiant Thatcher angrily shouting that he had faced many beasts and many monsters, pointing out that he was still living to tell the tale.

Thatcher outlined his goals - in an Evolve exclusive, he stated that he had spoken to Nigel McGuiness, who had told him that he (alongside others who had lost their qualifying matches) would enter a second chance fatal four-way match for the final spot in the coming weeks. Then, once he had achieved that, he would silence "the lullaby of woe" and cut down the giant.

Oney Lorcan was also featured having previously been announced as one of the competitors for the next Lucy 7 qualifier, against none other than the recently returned Austin Theory, who had put on the shelf. While certainly not main event ready just yet, Lorcan had found himself somewhat of a sleeper hit, despite being in the shadow of his former ally and stablemate, Pete Dunne. "The Boston Brawler" was seen as a consistent worker, who had a good approach to recent changes in booking and direction following the breakdown of The Kings of NXT stable (mostly due to injury). Acknowledging this in his interview, Lorcan said that this was the opportunity he was long overdue to break out on his own. Over the past few months, he had been 'held back' by an obnoxious brat (Dunne) who had kept him in line only for him to be abducted by Dexter Lumis and tormented by The Way....allegedly. Lorcan states that he has the strongest strikes in the game and says that next week he'll put Theory on the shelf for good and quite literally PUNCH his ticket to Las Vegas.

Tian Sha's Traditional Chinese Tea Ceremony was a running thread throughout the show. Backstage, Mercedes Martinez approached the NXT Women's Champion, Raquel González, whom she had aligned with due to their shared dislike of the trio of heels. "The Brass City Badass" asked González if she was ready and reminded her that she had her back. "Big Mami Cool" assured Martinez that she would be fine and said that she had to do this - to avenge the blinding of Dakota Kai. Martinez's intentions were soon made clear as she supported González's thought process but firmly said that she should continue to help her take down Tian Sha but would expect her to remember this - i.e. grant her a championship opportunity down the line.

Later on in the evening, the duo would be seen on location as they attempted to enter a tatami room, only to be stopped by "The Noble Man" Boa. There was a moment of tension between the NXT Women's Champion and Boa following their match earlier in the week but as Mercedes went to intervene, he held up a pair of slippers for the two to wear as Xia Li appeared with traditional dresswear. The two women would look at each other before accepting graciously to end the second scene.

Li and Boa would show the pair to be seated as "The Special Girl" began pouring tea. Martinez would hold her hand up only for "The Special Girl" to pour her a cup regardless. Turning, they would see "The Mother" herself, Mei Ying.

González would break the silence and repeat her challenge to Ying, using her terminology to say that 'the obstacle' had knocked off her minions but now it would have to end with her. Ying would beckon Li in as "The Special Girl" would relay the message that the fate awaiting 'the obstacle' would be far worse than 'the bad seed' (Kai). González would stand to her feet only for Boa to step in the way. Raquel offered to put her championship on the line, causing Xia's eyes to sparkle but Ying would whisper once more to Li to end the third scene.

In the final scene, Xia Li reminded González that years ago Mei Ying had to sell her soul and complete a tumultuous trial before she returned a warrior and defeated her brother in order to ascend. Raquel was told that if she wanted to ascend she too would need to face a trial and defend her honor (and her title) in a Warrior's Way match. Before Mercedes could even question what the stipulation entailed, Raquel hastily accepted. The segment ended with an uneasy exchange where the champion held out her hand to make the deal as Ying calmly accepted.

The audience would be treated to a brief recap of the mounting tension between Carmelo Hayes, Leon Ruff and Kona Reeves. Ruff and Hayes would compete in the first-ever match on the premier episode of NXT Evolve, where Reeves appeared, seemingly scouting the talent - Hayes in particular. While 'Melo didn't seem to accept "The Finest's" offer, Ruff had a chip on his shoulder and challenged Reeves to his first match since returning from injury. Despite an impressive display, the former NXT North American Champion was able to pull of the victory with a surprise roll-up, humiliating the Hawaiian-born Superstar. In a display of bad sportsmanship, Reeves would slap Ruff across the face before exiting the ring.

Carmelo Hayes - who had been nothing short of impressive since his debut - then appeared stating that he didn't appreciate the lack of respect that "The Finest" displayed last week. Hayes said that the display was not fine at all and that he should make amends for his cowardice next week by stepping into the ring with him, "The Top Talent". The segment is left open-ended as 'Melo shows no signs of fear.

Following much of the intrigue of the cinematic Chinese Tea Ceremony segments that were interwoven throughout the night, the Diamond Mine match also proved to be divisive. Away from the Capitol Wrestling Center (or so it appeared), Arturto Ruas was already standing inside the Diamond Mine - an octagonal cage with no ceiling - surrounded by selected members of the WWE Universe (who in reality were ushered to the area to provide live reaction but disguised with low lighting). It appeared that the higher-ups were invested in showcasing Ruas' legitimate fighting ability following several stop-starts in his WWE career - the most recent being last year during the Raw Underground segments.

Ruas' opponent was Trey Baxter, who was introduced retaining his "All Heart" moniker. Ahead of his entrance, the former Blake Christian was seen getting a good luck kiss from real-life girlfriend and fellow NXT Superstar, Cora Jade, before making his way through the curtain (an obvious plant that their relationship would play a part on-screen). Unsurprisingly, the shoot-style match didn't go on for long, with Baxter using the steel structure to gain some elevation to perform some impressive moves, earmarking himself as a potential star in the cruiserweight division but the fly was soon caught by the spider (or tiger in this case). Ruas would catch Baxter following an elevated impact DDT attempt but instead threw him onto his feet and striking with a stiff forearm. The crowd seemed genuinely concerned for Baxter, who sold the move perfectly but before the referee could check, "The Don of the Diamond Mine" would forcibly drag "All Heart" up and execute a striking combination that culminated with a cartwheel into a knee strike. This time, Darryl Sharma got in between the men and confirmed that Baxter had been knocked out, declaring Ruas the winner.

Post-match, Ruas exited the Diamond Mine structure as Cora Jade ran out to check on Baxter, alongside medical staff. Ruas dismissed the commotion in the background in favour of having his photo taken before being given a microphone and saying that the Diamond Mine was open for business, welcoming all challengers.

Kevin Patrick and Wade Barrett would remind us of the tag team tension from earlier in the week, resulting in Nigel McGuinness booking an unofficial mini-tournament to determine MSK's new challengers for NXT Takeover: High Stakes. The first match would see Johnny Gargano and Dexter Lumis of The Way take on Tony Nese and Ariya Daivari, and the second would feature Ikemen Jiro and August Grey going against two members of Hit Row.

One team that wouldn't be in contention was Ever-Rise, the Canadian duo of Chase Parker and Matt Martel. Management had wanted to promote the tag team but much like the women's division, it had found itself stacked with talent and not enough television time to showcase it. This meant that Ever-Rise were perfect for NXT Evolve and had currently found themselves in a storyline with Malcolm Bivens, who had been trying to get the duo on his books at the expense of ignoring his sole client, Tyler Rust.

Martel and Parker were backstage pitching ideas for segments for Ever-Rise Live, which they were hoping to bring back to NXT Evolve over the coming weeks. The two tried to one-up each other with pitches, each one more ridiculous than the last as they looked for their intern to bring them coffee only to question if they even had an intern in the first place. It was clear that despite their occasionally obnoxious demeanour, the two had a certain charm that was worth tapping into.

Bivens would appear and offer his services only for Martel to state that he was too old to be an intern. Promising the team the earth, Bivens guaranteed that he could get them a tag team title opportunity within the next month. At first, Parker seemed like he could be swayed but Martel quickly put Malcolm in his place and reminded him that his only client hasn't had a title match yet. Bivens would begin to confide in the pair that he was starting to get cold feet about representing Rust, only for him to charge onto the scene having heard the entire conversation. Wincing at the awkwardness of it all, Parker pitched that they could do an exclusive sit down with the pair to try and mend their relationship but Martel would point out that Rust and Bivens were beyond repair as they tip-toed away leaving Bivens to try and talk his way out of trouble with Rust.

Confirmed for next week's week's NXT - LA Knight and his new associate, Cal Bloom, will open the show following the latter's turn against NXT double-champion, "The Big Boy" Bronson Reed. We are also reminded that there will be a town hall featuring the first four Lucky 7 competitors - Samoa Joe, Finn Bálor, Kyle O'Reilly and Pete Dunne ahead of the fifth qualifier later that evening. Plus, the previously mentioned tag team matches to determine which teams will challenge for the NXT Tag Team titles at Takeover and title action as Raquel González heads into the unknown, defending her Women's Championship against "The Mother" Mei Ying in a Warrior's Way Match.

Before looking ahead to their tag team match on NXT, August Grey had a score to settle with Drake Maverick - who despite being a loveable underdog to many was perceived as a nuisance to "Retro AG", he would also appear ahead of his main event match alongside his tag team partner, Ikemen Jiro, who seemed conflicted about what was going to unfold in the main event. Grey listed off all the things he disliked about the former GM of 205 Live - both personal and professional - including their recent losses. "Japan's Most Handsome" still seemed unsure leaving Grey to 'reluctantly' tell him that he didn't want to have to make him choose between the two of them, especially ahead of an important match next week. Grey would go to head into his match alone but a guilty Jiro would comply and follow, prompting a smirk from "Retro AG".

Maverick would enter the match with the fans firmly on his side as Grey received a mixed reaction, namely due to him still not fully integrating into the roster with a solid character (despite a strong look) but the ones who did recognise him weren't best pleased with his recent actions. The wearer-of-jackets, Ikemen Jiro, did get some positive responses from the fans but put on a more cautious approach during his entrance, not wanting to get involved in the breakdown between his friends. Maverick would get a PIP promo where he was at a loss of why Grey turned on him last week.

Drake acknowledges that his efforts to support them had backfired but stresses he only ever had Grey and Jiro's best interests at heart. Beginning to doubt himself, he begins to identify with Grey and wonder if he is a curse to them. Nonetheless, he states that what happened last week was 'not cool' and that it put Jiro in an awkward spot between them. He proposes that tonight they go out and vent their frustrations, feeling optimistic that it could put things right.

Surprisingly, the match was given a good 10 minutes to unfold with the natural charisma of Maverick getting the live crowd on his side while Grey appeared more muted but visibly annoyed at the situation. Even at the start of the match, Maverick would extend his hand as a mark of respect, which Grey would accept after a pregnant pause.

The time allotted allowed the fans to get into the dynamics more with more subtle nuances such as Grey catching Jiro clapping along with the WWE Universe when they cheered for his opponent. There was also a moment where Grey began to remove the top turnbuckle only for Jiro to act as the angel on his shoulder.

The match also served as a reminder that despite his character work, Drake Maverick was a good cruiserweight wrestler, much in the same way that Trey Baxter had impressed earlier in the night. In the final moments of the match, Grey would return to the turnbuckle only for Jiro to hop up onto the apron again as the referee tried to warn "Japan's Most Handsome" to get off the apron. Meanwhile, unbeknownst to everyone, a masked figure came down and began to unbuckle the turnbuckle from the other side of the ring! Hopping back down, the figure exited as quickly as they arrived.

"Retro AG" would turn back around forcing Maverick to his feet but playing possum, the Brit would soon get into position for an Underdog (a springboard cutter) but Grey would push him forward straight into the exposed turnbuckle! Before the referee would have a chance to notice, Grey would mirror his actions from last week and hit a Doctor Bomb for the victory.

Following the match, Jiro would enter the ring, noticing the exposed turnbuckle and trying to question Grey, who pleaded his innocence. The tension between the pair seemed to continue as Jiro opted to check on Maverick in the ring rather than leave with his tag team partner, who walked to the back alone.

As for the mystery figure, we'd have to wait - at least for now - to find out who it was and what their motivations were.

Looking Glass · Feb 3, 2024

NEWS & NOTES ‣

*NEVADA MASK MANDATE TO BE ENFORCED AT SUMMERSLAM AND TAKEOVER*	In the wake of the CDC’s updated mask guidelines, the state of Nevada reinstated its mask mandate, which could impact both WWE SummerSlam and NXT Takeover: High Stakes events, which are scheduled to take place in Las Vegas. Within hours of the CDC’s recent recommendation that both vaccinated and unvaccinated people wear masks in public to curb the spread of COVID-19 and its variants, the state of Nevada reinstalled a state-wide mask mandate that could have serious repercussions for the company's upcoming events. Starting on Friday, July 30, Nevada will require face coverings to be worn indoors in public in counties with “substantial or high transmission.” At the time of writing, 12 of Nevada’s 17 counties meet that criteria, including Clark County, the home of the state’s most populous metropolitan area, Las Vegas. On August 21, the Allegiant Stadium in the Las Vegas suburb of Paradise will play host to WWE’s 34th annual SummerSlam pay-per-view event. Despite being a large stadium designed to predominantly host NFL games, the newly-built Allegiant Stadium is classified as an indoor stadium due to its domed roof. Meanwhile, Sam's Town will play host to NXT's 36th Takeover event and the first under its new era. If not lifted between now and August 21, which seems unlikely, Nevada’s mask mandate is going to give WWE brass a big headache. The state may issue special exemptions to the mandate for entertainers. If this happens, WWE talent could be exempt from having to wear face coverings while in the arena which would make the whole situation a lot easier to manage. Fans will need to be prepared to wear a mask if they plan to attend either event. *Source:* WrestlingNewsBlog NXT Takeover: High Stakes will take place on Sunday 22nd August, broadcasting live on Peacock and the WWE Network.
*LUCKY 7 MATCH UPDATE - LAST CHANCE MATCH CONFIRMED*	As confirmed on this past week's episode of NXT Evolve, there will be a Last Chance Lucky 7 Qualifier match - likely to take place on the 17th August edition of NXT, assuming that the remaining matches continue airing each week. Samoa Joe, Finn Bálor, Kyle O'Reilly and Pete Dunne have all qualified, while Austin Theory and Oney Lorcan will compete for the fifth spot next week. As of writing, Timothy Thatcher and Roderick Strong will make up the Last Chance Fatal Four Way.
*SENIOR VP RELEASED*	PWInsider’s Mike Johnson reported that WWE Senior Vice President of Talent Development Canyon Ceman was released by the company on Friday. Before his release, Ceman had been with WWE for the past nine years and had been the Vice President of the company’s Talent Development department since August of 2015.
*PRAISE FOR "THE INFAMOUS" BOBBY FISH*	Bobby Fish's new theatrical "Infamous" character has been receiving praise both backstage and across social media. The former NXT Tag Team Champion has been held in high regard for showing willingness and experimenting with new gimmicks. Fish had appeared in a series of vignettes before returning to the ring on the 13th July edition of NXT, where he was victorious over Andre Chase and was more recently seen critiquing Cameron Grimes' performance. The 44-year-old talent is likely to become a prominent fixture across the NXT brand over the coming months.
*BACKSTAGE NEWS ON LEGADO DEL FANTASMA SEGMENTS*	The Legado del Fantasma 'discovery' segments have been filmed in Mexico City, Mexico. It's understood that COO, Paul Levesque, was keen to add some diversity to the segments featured across NXT television. Despite some countries operating on a traffic light system for travelling as part of the attempts to reduce the spread of COVID-19, Mexico's travel restrictions were not as strict. That being said, Santos Escobar, Raul Mendoza and Joaquin Wilde would all have to provide proof of vaccination and/or a negative test before they could enter the country. The trio are expected to remain in Mexico as part of their ongoing angle, which is considered to be part of a change of direction for them. It is unknown whether includes the introduction of masks. Escobar had previously worn a mask on the brand upon his debut as El Hijo del Fantasma.
*TITLE REDESIGNS TO DEBUT AT TAKEOVER?*	New championship belt designs have been discussed internally. To commemorate the move away from the black and gold era, the NXT, Women's, Cruiserweight and Tag Team titles are expected to have minor tweaks made (including a white strap for the Women's Championship) and colour added to the center plates. It is unknown whether the North American or Women's Tag Team Championships will be included in the re-design. If plans are accepted, these belts could be introduced at the NXT Takeover: High Stakes premium live event.
*MAIN ROSTER CALL-UPS RUMOURED*	Rumours from the main roster indicate that several talents may be called up in the future. While names have not been confirmed, Austin Theory, Indi Hartwell, Aliyah and Performance Center prospect, Odyssey Jones, had all previously been invited to take part in try-out matches. NXT and North American Champion, Bronson Reed, and Dakota Kai had also previously competed in the dark matches earlier in the year.

UPCOMING SPECIAL EVENTS ‣

NXT TAKEOVER: HIGH STAKES [TAKEOVER #36] ‣ SUNDAY 22 AUGUST, 2022
SAM'S TOWN HOTEL & GAMBLING HALL ‣ LAS VEGAS, NEVADA

CONFIRMED MATCHES:

CHAMPION vs. 'CHAMPION':
WINNER TAKES ALL MATCH FOR THE NXT, NORTH AMERICAN & MILLION DOLLAR CHAMPIONSHIP
BRONSON REED vs. LA KNIGHT

THE LUCKY 7 LADDER MATCH:
HIGH RISK. HIGH REWARD.
SAMOA JOE vs. FINN BÁLOR vs. KYLE O'REILLY vs. PETE DUNNE vs. 3 SUPERSTARS TBD

TAG TEAM MATCH:
FOR THE NXT WOMEN'S TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIPS
THE WAY [CANDICE LERAE & INDI HARTWELL] w/ PERSIA PIROTTA
vs. TEGAN NOX & SHOTZI

Looking Glass · Feb 4, 2024

NXT [EPISODE #468] ‣ "WHAT'S NeXT" PREVIEW

The WWE Universe was stunned last week when up-and-comer, Cal Bloom, attacked the NXT Double Champion, Bronson Reed - the same man who saved him from a beating the week prior. To add insult to injury, Bloom seemingly has aligned with "The New People's Champ" and Number One Contender, LA Knight, showing that the Million Dollar Champion is seemingly one step ahead of "The Big Boy" in the battle of the minds. In a Digital Exclusive, we were able to catch up with Cal Bloom, who said he would be at the Capitol Wrestling Center this Tuesday alongside LA Knight, to set the record straight. Many are predicting this to be something of a gloating ceremony by Knight as he gears up for his Winner Takes All Match against Reed at NXT Takeover: High Stakes, but how will the charged-up "Aus-Zilla" respond following this betrayal and will there be consequences to pay?

The battle between the NXT Women's Champion, Raquel González, and Tian Sha could be about to reach its climax following the agreement at the Tea Ceremony that took place on NXT Evolve. If you missed it, "The Mother" Mei Ying told "Big Mami Cool" that she would need to prove herself as a warrior by facing a trial, as she did herself many years ago. While it appears that no one other than Tian Sha knows the implications of the Warrior's Way stipulation, judging by their history, this one could ugly really fast. Has the champion bitten or more than she can chew in the quest for vengeance? And will Tian Sha be able to complete the prophecy and claim what they believe to be theirs?

The fifth entrant into the Lucky 7 Ladder Match at High Stakes will be determined as Oney Lorcan collides with the recently returned Austin Theory. To say that these two have history is an understatement, with Lorcan being the man who put the Atlanta-born Superstar on the shelf. "The Boston Brawler" looks determined to make a name for himself on his terms after the dissolution of his alliance with Pete Dunne, but will he be able to follow in his former friend's footsteps and book a ticket to Las Vegas or will Theory's return see him walk out with the spot at Takeover and the taste of sweet revenge?

Speaking of the Lucky 7 Ladder Match, Nigel McGuinness has confirmed there will be a town hall meeting between the first four entrants to ease some tension. It'll be interesting to see just what will unfold, with a strict no-contact clause signed as part of the contract for the match and Samoa Joe making himself public enemy number one, surely this one can only go south?

By the end of the evening, MSK will know who they're defending their NXT Tag Team Championships against at Takeover, with not one but two matches on this week's NXT. Two members of Hit Row will square off against the team of August Grey and Ikemen Jiro. Fresh off of NXT Evolve, the dysfunction between Grey and "Japan's Most Handsome Superstar" could spell trouble in this all-important match. The two will need to make sure they're on the same page if they hope to take down the harmonising unit of Hit Row. Will they be able to put aside their recent dramas or will Swerve and co. continue to rise through the ranks of NXT?

The second of the NXT Tag Team Championship Contender bouts will see the newly formed team of Johnny Gargano and Dexter Lumis against Ariya Daivari and Tony Nese. The former gatekeepers of 205 Live believe that they are entitled to a title opportunity after carrying the land of the cruiserweights and their recent success on NXT Evolve but Gargano - a former NXT Tag Team Champion himself - is on a mission to adorn The Way with gold. Will the former foes be able to turn their newfound chemistry into a tag team title opportunity or will Nese and Daivari finally get their wish?

Hoss · Feb 4, 2024

This episode of NXT Evolve seem to really achieve its purpose of advancing "main NXT" storylines and developing some of the lower profile stars like Ever-Rise, Trey Baxter, Carmelo Hayes and all three guys in the main event segment.

I loved the concept of the Chinese Tea Party, I've always been a big fan of creative skits in wrestling. It was a big part of what drew me into Impact pretty heavily when I was getting back into wrestling around 2017, with all the LAX vs. OGz and Undead Realm stuff they did. I'm curious what the Warriors Way match will entail.

On that same note, great call on the Diamond Mine match. I think there's a place for these kinds of matches in wrestling as well, as the Fight Pit in NXT and whatever that Wardlow vs. Hager match in AEW was. It's definitely one of the best ways you could get me to really care about Arturo Ruas.

I look forward to the next episode of NXT, it seems like a really stacked edition you've got lined up.

DTP · Feb 7, 2024

WWE NXT - July 27, 2021:

It's been quite some time, and that's not a bad thing - it's a good thing! A break can always refresh the creative mind. Hopefully you're able to pick up where things left off.

NXT High Stakes is shaping up to be a solid line-up, and I do like the amount of hype that's going into the fact that it's the first time an NXT show will be presented outside of Florida. Las Vegas will be a good place for things to unfold.

Pete Dunne advancing for the Lucky 7 Ladder match was the right call, and honestly, I feel he should be a favourite to win it. Timothy Thatcher would have done an excellent job with him, and I do feel that Thatch definitely does have a rightful place in this incarnation of NXT. There's just so much you can do with a role like his. I see you are revitalising Killian Dain, though I can't see it going too far beyond a brief detour for talents en route to the top.

The women's tag team gauntlet achieved exactly what was needed in not only providing exposition to a lot of underutilised and newcomer talents, but also providing further development of what is a division created sheerly out of the creation of the NXT Women's Tag Team Championship. Shotzi and Tegan Nox getting the win did make sense as perhaps the most established stars of the bunch, but really any of the teams could have gotten the win here.

I continue to enjoy what is being done with Bobby Fish, and I suspect his segment with Cameron Grimes sets us up for what should be a fun little storyline. You just have to wonder what legs a forty-something year-old guy like Fish has in the 2.0 incarnation of NXT.

Legado del Fantasma's segment enhanced them as serious participants, which certainly helped. I still see Joaquin Wilde and Raúl Mendoza as the geeks they were before Santos Escobar came along, sadly. But this was fine as it reminded me of what AEW has done more recently with La Facción Ingobernable.

It's good to see Ari Sterling get fair shake, considering he was here one second and gone the next. I like that with 205 Live gone now, we've seen the NXT Cruiserweight Championship limitation weight rise. I'm not as keen on Marcel Barthel and Fabian Aichner fitting this category, but it does allow for greater competition for Kushida. I hope Kushida finds something that can really make and help his career further.

Oh God, this Tian Sha angle that played out in real life was the worst. It gave Raquel González the win, but I hope the NXT Women's Champion is able to get away from this scene in a hurry. I guess it gave Mercedes Martinez justifiable cause to get involved.

LA Knight's promo was really good, and I liked it as a means to set things in motion for the situation building up towards NXT High Stakes. Bronson Reed is an interesting NXT Champion by design, but against a challenger like Knight, he is sadly overshadowed. Nice twist with Cal Bloom's involvement - not the biggest fan of that name in practice, but it's still miles better than Von Wagner. One day I'm certain Josh Briggs can be a big star here.

Overall, I really like this new presentation you're going for. It's infinitely easier to read, though I wouldn't mind seeing the quick results implemented better to allow ease of access. Sometimes I had to read paragraphs to understand the matches that played out on this show, and while the intention is to cut down on match detail in favour of important angles and events, it made things slightly trickier in that sense.

That said, the writing was excellently formal (perhaps there is some room to be had here to introduce a little comedic flare that suits the NXT aesthetic here?) and the graphics, as always, are amazingly done.

NXT EVOLVE - July 29, 2021:

I do enjoy the fact that with 205 Live no longer, you've successfully managed to keep the color scheme. It works for the former EVOLVE, and I do like this a lot better than I do LVL Up. In all intents and purposes, it should work as exactly what we have here - an NXT to NXT, almost.

Katrina Cortez has so much potential to be a break-out star, and it's a shame she never had that opportunity. I think the transition to NXT 2.0 really dampered her efforts to be that, as well as the mass cuts, of course. Franky Monet getting a better run here is for the better, as she too got a raw deal in being hired, relocated and fired. Monet should be a future contender for the NXT Women's Championship. I like the trio of herself, Aliyah and Jessi Kamea. Zoey Stark has more potential in a heel role, so really this worked for what it was designed to do - but I anticipate more substance for her in the future.

Timothy Thatcher and Killian Dain could be a real monster battle, and that I look forward to seeing come to fruition as we close in on NXT High Stakes.

I'm glad that the convenience of injuries has allowed Oney Lorcan to gain an opportunity as a singles competitor, even if I don't see too high a ceiling for the poor guy.

Segments like the Traditional Chinese Tea Ceremony, in my mind, are better suited for the main NXT show - particularly after seeing Raquel González and Boa have a match on Tuesday. It was a unique plot device that set us up for Xia Li getting a shot - but again, I'm simply not vibing with this angle. González deserves better, and I generally consider the Mei Ying experiment to be the worst thing about NXT's final year in black and gold.

Arturo Ruas is an interesting character, and one I suspect will be a prominently featured competitor moving forward. Nice work against Trey Baxter, who has a way to go but will no doubt be a future frontrunner in the NXT Cruiserweight division. The right person won. I do like Cora Jade as the love interest of Baxter. I had no idea they were an item.

I'm hopeful of Ever-Rise getting a good run, as everything they do is can't-miss as far as I'm concerned. Fun segment here, though I don't know if I vibe with Malcolm Bivens in their corner. Maybe the chemistry of Matt Martel and he could gel really well.

August Grey getting the win over Drake Maverick made sense, and it wasn't a bad match. I don't know how it fared as a main event considering everything else that took place on it, but considering it's the B-show, it just makes sense. I liked Ikemen Jiro sticking around to show remorse for Drake.

Pretty good week, I'm glad to see this back and hitting the ground running.

Looking Glass · Jul 7, 2024

NXT [EPISODE #468] ‣ TUESDAY 3 AUGUST, 2021
CAPITOL PERFORMANCE CENTER ‣ ORLANDO, FLORIDA

The latest episode of WWE NXT kicked off with a buzz of excitement, the crowd's anticipation palpable, we were now just three weeks away from the superstars of NXT heading to Sin City and while the recent mask mandate had caused some unease around the impact of the pandemic, it was still ful steam ahead.. The energy in the arena hit a new high as LA Knight’s entrance music blared through the speakers, signaling the arrival of one of NXT’s most controversial figures. The mixed reactions from the fans—both cheers and boos—only seemed to fuel the Million Dollar champion's confident stride to the ring, microphone in hand, ready to address the NXT Universe.

Once in the ring, LA Knight wasted no time in targeting NXT Champion Bronson Reed. With his trademark smirk, Knight taunted Reed, dismissing the champion’s sense of invincibility. Knight claimed that while Reed had been 'playing the hero' and 'basking in his glory' as the dual-title holder, he had been meticulously planning his next move. The reveal of this plan came swiftly and dramatically as Knight introduced Cal Bloom, the man responsible for a recent attack on Reed last week.

However, in typical LA Knight fashion, Bloom’s introduction came with a twist. Knight rechristened him as “The Mountain” Cal Lannister, a name he deemed more fitting for a future superstar. Lannister’s imposing presence beside Knight underscored the seriousness of the threat to Reed’s reign. Knight's speech took on a grander tone as he declared his mission to be the true People’s Champion—not by merely holding titles, but by creating stars. He belittled Reed’s dual championships, suggesting that his role in the industry went beyond personal accolades to fostering new talent.

Knight elaborated on his strategy, asserting that despite the no-contact rule in place before their clash at NXT TakeOver: High Stakes, he had already secured a psychological victory over Reed. As the segment drew to a close, LA Knight issued a bold promise. He vowed to strip Reed of both his NXT and North American titles at High Stakes, predicting Reed’s downfall with a mix of confidence and scorn. With a final, defiant drop of the microphone, Knight’s music played again, leaving the crowd buzzing about the unfolding drama.

However, the tension reached a boiling point as The Big Boy himself suddenly appeared, storming down the ramp with a determined look. The crowd erupted as Reed charged into the ring, shoving Cal Lannister into Knight, knocking the self-proclaimed Megastar to the mat. Seizing the moment, Reed delivered a few punishing blows to Lannister, seeking some revenge for the double-cross attack. LA Knight, realising the tables had turned, quickly scrambled out of the ring. Fixated on the rookie, Reed delivered a running hip attack to the corner, knocking Lannister silly. The live crowd cheered as Aus-Zilla made the climb to the top rope, looking for a Tsunami when the number one contender returned to ringside and dragged his bodyguard to safety. Climbing down from the top rope, Reed steps across the ring and glares out across at LA Knight - this was far from over.

On commentary, Vic Joseph and Wade Barrett emphasised the magnitude of Knight’s claims and the potential impact of The Mountain's presence, while also highlighting Reed’s show of strength and resolve with Joseph reminding us that it was Reed who dethroned Karrion Kross when no one else could. The segment closed as Reed held both of his titles up in the air, reminding Knight and the NXT Universe what was at take. Knight mirrored the action by raising his own Million Dollar title, though seemed less confident than he when he initially walked down the aisle.

Vic and Wade continued with rundown of tonight's line-up: The Way's Austin Theory would be facing Oney Lorcan for a chance in the Lucky 7 Ladder match at NXT TakeOver: High Stakes. Additionally, Nigel McGuinness had previously announced a town hall for confirmed entrants, and the NXT Women's Championship was set for a Warrior's Way match, with Raquel González blindly agreeing to Mei Ying's conditions to potentially rid NXT of Tian Sha.

In a pivotal match on NXT, Johnny Gargano and Dexter Lumis of The Way teamed up for the first time since reconciling their differences. They faced the formidable duo of Tony Nese and Ariya Daivari, who were determined to prove themselves and earn a spot in the triple threat tag team match at NXT TakeOver: High Stakes.

The atmosphere was charged with The Way receiving strong support from the crowd. From the outset, Nese and Daivari, portraying bitter heels overlooked by NXT management, used their technical prowess and underhanded tactics to gain an early advantage. The former Gatekeepers of 205 Live isolated Gargano in their corner, preventing him from tagging in Lumis and showcasing their aggressive offense, playing up to the crowd as Nese would flex his impressive physique.

Despite the odds, Gargano displayed his resilience and ring IQ, managing to escape and finally tag in Dexter Lumis. Lumis, known for his silent intensity, unleashed his eerie strength, turning the tide of the match with his unorthodox offence. Lumis' ability to absorb punishment and dish out impactful manoeuvres began to wear down Nese and Daivari.

The climax of the match saw the budding team of Gargano and Lumis synchronise their teamwork, with Gargano using his agility to create openings, while Lumis maintained a dominant presence in the ring. The turning point came when Lumis managed to hit his signature Silence submission hold on Nese, locking it in tightly despite as Gargano thwarted Daivari's attempts to intervene, delivering a precise superkick to Daivari that sent him crashing to the outside. Lumis maintained the submission until Nese tapped out, securing the victory for The Way.

As the crowd cheered, Gargano and Lumis shared a moment of mutual respect in the ring, signalling their effective reconciliation as a team. The victory not only earned them a spot in the triple threat tag team match at NXT TakeOver: High Stakes but also showcased their ability to overcome adversity and work together towards a common goal.

Backstage, Hit Row watched on, observing their potential competition with keen interest as they prepared for their own contender's match later in the evening. Ashante and Top Dolla would turn to look at Swerve Scott, who seemed indifferent about the victors as B-Fab played down any strength in Gargano and Lumis' teamwork, reminding them that they are the strongest unit in NXT and that they would be taking the titles at High Stakes.

After the commercial break, Raquel González, the reigning NXT Women's Champion, is seen backstage at the WWE Performance Center, preparing for her imminent title defence against "The Mother" Mei Ying in the first ever Warrior's Way match. Mercedes Martinez, her ally, stands beside her, providing encouragement and support. González asserts her determination, stating that tonight she will defeat Mei Ying, just as she overcame Xia Li and Boa, seeking justice for the blinding of her friend and mentor, Dakota Kai. Despite the challenge posed by Mei Ying's dangerous mystique, González remains confident in her ability to prevail. As she completes her warm-up routine, González stands poised and resolute, prepared to defend her championship and demonstrate her dominance. Martinez looks uneasy for a moment but eying her own future title opportunity, she continues to motivate Big Mami in preparation for tonight's main event.

Backstage, McKenzie Mitchell interviews Timothy Thatcher. She expresses her condolences for his recent loss to Pete Dunne, which cost him a spot in the Lucky 7 Ladder match at NXT TakeOver: High Stakes. When asked about Killian Dain's post-match appearance, Thatcher emphasises that he left everything in the ring against Dunne and is now focused on the second chance fatal four-way match. He acknowledges Dain's attempt to intimidate him but asserts that he won't back down. Thatcher invites Dain to watch him in action this Friday on NXT Evolve, promising to show that he won't be easily dominated.

We see footage from last week's NXT in which Cruiserweight Champion, Kushida, and his tag team partner Ari Sterling fended off Imperium in tag team action. As per the rules, the winner or winners of the match would be able to challenge the Time Splitter for the Cruiserweight title. In a pre-taped video package, we see The Exclamation Point put over how dominant Kushida has been as champion, defeating the likes of Mustafa Ali and former training partner Alex Shelley. Sterling says that Kushida hasn't met anyone like him before in the squared circle and while he would love to wait until NXT TakeOver: High Stakes to challenge for the belt, he is going to take a risk and cash in his opportunity next week on NXT - should the champion honour him that privelege. The promo ends with Sterling telling Kushida it's his call to make.

In a thrilling and competitive encounter, Oney Lorcan took on the returning Austin Theory, with the winner earning a coveted spot in the Lucky 7 Ladder match. The intensity of the match was palpable from the start, as both competitors showcased their skills and determination. Lorcan, known for his aggressive style, zeroed in on Theory's previously injured hand, aiming to exploit this weakness and gain the upper hand. He relentlessly targeted the hand with brutal strikes and submission holds, trying to reinjure it and force Theory to submit.

Despite Lorcan's focused assault, The Young Lion of The Way demonstrated remarkable resilience. Feeding off the energy of the crowd, who were clearly behind him, Theory fought back valiantly. He showcased his athleticism and strength, executing a series of impressive moves that gradually shifted the momentum in his favour. The crowd's support only seemed to fuel Theory's determination.

In the climax of the match, Theory overcame Lorcan's attacks. After breaking free from Lorcan's submission attempt, Theory countered with a devastating superkick that stunned his opponent. He quickly followed up with his signature move, the ATL (Austin Theory Launch), a spinning fireman's carry cutter, driving Lorcan into the mat with authority. Theory covered Lorcan for the three-count, securing the hard-fought victory.

The crowd erupted in cheers, celebrating Theory's triumphant return and his entry into the Lucky 7 Ladder match. Meanwhile, Lorcan, visibly frustrated and furious with the outcome, threw a tantrum in the ring, venting his anger and disappointment. Theory stood tall, basking in the crowd's adulation, his comeback marked by a significant victory that positioned him as a formidable contender in the upcoming ladder match.

Vic Joseph promotes the upcoming town hall meeting while Wade Barrett points out that tonight has been a good night for The Way, who are two for two in their matches tonight.

Backstage, we see The Way celebrating. Johnny Gargano says that they will clean house in Vegas when Theory wins the Lucky 7, he and Lumis win the NXT Tag Team Championships, but he notices Candice LeRae's stern look before he can finish. Johnny Wrestling tries to reason with his wife saying that Shotzi and Tegan Nox are no match for the NXT Women's Tag Team Champions.

The Poison Pixie says she's not running scared from the challengers, she just doesn't think she should have to face them in the first place. This rouses the attention of the number one contenders, who just so happen to be in the vicinity as Shotzi tells The Wicked Stepsister that she's running out of excuses. Persia Pirotta acts as a human shield, cementing her place in the stable. Indi Hartwell chimes in that it's going to take a lot more than matching neon hair to take their titles off of them but Tegan Nox reminds her tag team partner that they need their opponents to be in top form as Nigel McGuinness wants a public contract signing next week on NXT. Candice starts to look a little sheepish at thought, dragging her husband away as Persia and Indi are left to shoo away the smug Nox and Shotzi.

Speaking of Nigel McGuinness, the NXT General Manager was facing another busy week as he stopped NXT Champion, Bronson Reed. McGuinness asks the Big Boy what he thought he was playing at earlier when he attacked Cal Lannister. Reed points out that the no contact agreement was only between himself and LA Knight, not his lackey. McGuinness tells Reed that he wants TakeOver to be a success and that he's staking his reputation on it and while William Regal may have played favourites, he wasn't William Regal. He continues to say that he wouldn't normally put his champion in harms way two weeks before the premium live event but seeing as Reed is "itching for a scrap", he will be facing Lannister next week in a non-title match. The double champ looks far from concerned and simply thanks McGuinness, revelling in the opportunity to unleash some of the rage caused by the Million Dollar Champion and his new protégé.

Up next, the second match to determine the final team to challenge MSK for the NXT Tag Team Championship at NXT TakeOver: High Stakes. Following The Way's victory over Ariya Daivari and Tony Nese at the start of the show, the last spot would be taken by either Hit Row or August Grey and Ikemen Jiro. While Hit Row had been a cohesive unite, predominantly in trios action, Grey and Jiro's partnership had been rocky to say the least over the past few weeks. While Retro AG blamed Drake Maverick's attempts to invade their tag team for their recent losses, Jiro didn't seem best pleased with Grey's attack on the former 205 Live General Manager last week on NXT Evolve. Grey was heard in gorilla trying to reason with Japan's Most Handsome Superstar, telling him they needed to cut the dead wood and refocus on themselves again. The duo would make their way to the ring to a mixed reception from the crowd.

During the entrance of Hit Row, who tonight would be represented by Ashante Adonis and Top Dolla (and accompanied by Swerve Scott and B-Fab), the NXT Tag Team Champions threw a little shade of their own by interrupting proceedings to join commentary. Carter and Lee justified themselves by saying that they wanted to get a better view of both teams but Scott had his own ideas as he made his way to the booth, causing chaos on commentary. Vic Joseph and Wade Barrett would do their best to try and control the rowdy energy as Swerve roasted the champions.

Throughout the match, the tension between Grey and Jiro was evident, leading to several miscommunications and missed opportunities. Despite Jiro's flashy offense and Grey's technical skills, their lack of cohesion hampered their performance.

The match reached its peak when Grey accidentally knocked Jiro off the apron with a mistimed move, leaving him vulnerable. Seizing the moment, Top Dolla hoisted Grey onto his shoulders while Ashante Adonis climbed to the top rope. With precision, they executed their devastating double team finisher, Adonis delivering a flying elbow drop while Top Dolla held Grey in place, ensuring the three-count for the win. Swerve would stand up and throw his headset on the desk before telling Nash Carter and Wes Lee that he'll see them at Vegas.

While Hit Row departed in high spirits, the same couldn't be said for the Jiro and Grey. An enraged August Grey berated Jiro for the loss, shoving him to the mat. As Jiro prepared to retaliate, Drake Maverick hurried to the ring to defuse the situation. "let them fight" chants began to break out but Maverick continued to persuade Jiro to let sleeping dogs lie, only to turn and strike Grey himself! The crowd popped as the two men came to blows with Jiro getting between the two once more. For a moment, things seemed to calm down until a hooded figure came up behind Jiro and delivered a low blow!

The figure and Grey proceeded to stomp away at Drake Maverick until Grey's ally took their hood down and the attacker was revealed as Curt Stallion! The two left Jiro and Maverick down and out as the chaos finally came to an end.

After the commercial break, we were treated to another ominous segment from Legado del Fantasma. In this postcard, Santos Escobar had taken Joaquin Wilde and Raul Mendoza to an old warehouse in Mexico City, Mexico. Wilde asks what they're doing there, to which Escobar says they are returning to their roots. He turns and knocks the door, which is answered by the foreboding presence of a larger man, who instantly dismisses the trio and says that they are not open. The former NXT Cruiserweight Champion stops the man and speaks to him in Spanish, the subtitles reading "I know the man who runs the place". The larger man scoffs, responding "Everyone around here knows El Grand Jefe". Escobar bravely puts his hand on the man's shoulder and shows him something - a coin, perhaps a medallion? Wilde and Mendoza look on curiously with the mounting tension culminating in the foreboding man stepping aside and welcoming the trio into the premises. Mendoza asks Escobar what it was that he had shown him, but before an answer can be given, another door is swung open to show an old wrestling ring filled with a colourful cast of luchadors in action, while spectators go crazy. Wilde asks again, "where are we?". The segment ends with Escobar answering, "home" with a knowing smile.

Before we head to the town hall segment, Vic Joseph reminds us that Ari Sterling challenged Kushida for the NXT Cruiserweight Championship on next week's episode of NXT. We are treated to a simple response promo from Kushida, who says that he has yet to back down from a challenge and while he is yet to face Sterling, their tag match has allowed him the opportunity to understand just what kind of man he is in the ring. Kushida graciously accepts the challenge and says that Sterling will see what kind of man he is next week.

In a highly charged town hall segment on NXT, the stage was set for an intense confrontation as Finn Bálor, Samoa Joe, Pete Dunne, and Kyle O'Reilly gathered in the ring. Each man was focused on the upcoming Lucky 7 Ladder match at NXT TakeOver: High Stakes, where the victors would earn a coveted shot at a potential NXT title opportunity, while someone else's risk wouldn't pay off at all and their contract would be terminated from NXT.

Finn Bálor was the first to address the audience. His presence was commanding, and his words carried the weight of his extensive experience. Bálor confidently outlined his credentials, emphasising how he had faced and defeated the best in the industry. He made it clear that the Lucky 7 Ladder match was just another opportunity for him to reclaim the NXT Championship, a title he believed was rightfully his. His speech set a serious tone for the segment, reminding everyone of his storied career and his determination to once again become the top champion.

Samoa Joe, always ready to stir the pot, took the floor next. With a condescending grin, he addressed Bálor directly, suggesting that Bálor’s best days were behind him. Joe patronised Bálor, suggesting that he should consider other title opportunities or even take a pink slip and leave NXT to Joe. Joe's remarks were filled with sarcasm and bravado, designed to undermine Bálor’s confidence and assert his own dominance in the ring. Joe's confidence and dismissive attitude towards Bálor's accomplishments added a layer of tension to the already charged atmosphere.

Kyle O'Reilly, filled with determination and a need to prove himself, was next. He passionately described his journey from the bottom of the roster to this critical juncture in his career. O'Reilly emphasised his hard work and perseverance, positioning the ladder match as his chance to show the world that he is a main event player.. He noted how both men, while talented, represented the past of the brand he was ready to take it to the future. However, Samoa Joe cut him off with a mocking retort. Joe dismissed O'Reilly's efforts, claiming that O'Reilly had been carried by his former faction, the Undisputed Era. Joe went further, advising O'Reilly to aim for the tag team titles where he could rely on someone else to carry him. Joe's comments were biting and intended to belittle O'Reilly, suggesting that he was out of his depth in the singles competition.

Throughout these heated exchanges, Pete Dunne remained a silent observer, his eyes cold and calculating. His presence was menacing, and his silence spoke volumes. Dunne’s strategy seemed to be one of quiet observation, watching his competitors carefully while biding his time.

The tension escalated when Austin Theory unexpectedly joined the fray, attempting to assert his presence in the conversation. Theory tried to position himself as a legitimate contender for the ladder match, but his attempts were met with unanimous disdain. Bálor, Joe, and O'Reilly each cast doubts on Theory's chances, dismissing him as an afterthought. Their collective rejection of Theory’s bravado highlighted the intensity and seriousness of the competition among the top contenders.

As the verbal jabs turned physical, the situation exploded into a massive brawl. Each man, determined to assert his dominance, began trading blows. The ring erupted into chaos as security rushed in to break up the fight. Amid the chaos, Pete Dunne seized the moment to deliver a devastating headbutt to Kyle O'Reilly, sending him crashing to the mat. Dunne’s action was swift and brutal, underscoring his ruthless approach and readiness to capitalise on any opportunity.

The segment closed with security struggling to separate the furious competitors, while commentary speculated on the ramifications of the men breaking their no-contact agreement. The explosive encounter left a shadow of uncertainty over the upcoming match, making it clear that the road to NXT TakeOver: High Stakes would be anything but smooth. Wade Barrett noted that each man had sent a clear message: they were willing to do whatever it took to climb the ladder and claim their shot. However, Vic was less buzzed by the entire affair, pointing out that there was a no-contact rule issued by Nigel McGuinness, The chaotic end to the segment only heightened the anticipation and stakes for the Lucky 7 Ladder match but with contracts violated, what penalty would McGuinness issue?

Returning from the commercial break, McKenzie Mitchell was stood by with "The Infamous" Bobby Fish, who had requested the interview time. McKenzie asked Fish for his views on the brawl that occurred before the commercial break. Fish responded that the display was nothing short of animalistic and that he would expect nothing less of the 'roughians' that had qualified so far. Fish said that none of the men who qualified were masters of the art, they were just Neanderthals looking to throw punches for applause. Fish claimed that none of the men deserved to be part of a prestigious event and that what the Lucky 7 ladder match needed was a star - someone who would draw the crowds in. When jokingly asked who that may be, Bobby looked poised to step forward only for Cameron Grimes to step into the scene. Fish reminded him that he did not like to be upstaged.

The former Million Dollar champion corrected him and said that he was actually his co-star as he knows good and well Fish was about to announce himself for the final Lucky 7 match ahead of the last chance qualifier. Fish accuses Grimes of espionage, stating he has no right revealing information he shouldn't have been privy to but Grimes says that given Fish's harsh critiques, he pulled a few strings to make sure that he had a chance to prove himself against Fish next week for the Lucky 7 spot. Things seem tense for a moment until Fish bursts out into a fit of laughter and says Grimes' foolishness has just guaranteed his billing at TakeOver. Grimes looks disgruntled as The Infamous One blesses him for being so naïve. The segment ends with Bobby telling Grimes he'll never work in this town again.

Ahead of the main event, we were treated to a promo highlighting the feud between NXT Women's Champion, Raquel González, and Mei Ying of Tian Sha. What started as Xia Li's quest for gold, broadened to Tian Sha's mission to destroy any obstacle between them and the championship. We are reminded of how Dakota Kai blamed Mei Ying for costing her a match she believed would have elevated herself and Big Mami towards the NXT Women's Tag Team Championship - wanting her own belt after coaching Raquel into singles title glory. However, this sourced when the enigmatic "Mother" sprayed her with a mist that has seemingly put her career on hold. Since then, alongside "The Nobleman" Boa and "The Special Girl", Tian Sha have targeted the champion, grinding her down until this very moment. We see clips of the Chinese Tea Ceremony in which Raquel blindly accepted the challenge and promised to rid NXT of Tian Sha.

Various members of the NXT roster are questioned on who they believe will win tonight's encounter with Mercedes Martinez - a key ally of González and mutual enemy of Tian Sha - saying that Raquel has to win this. Meanwhile, Franky Monet, with Presley the Pomeranian and The Brand regrettably says that Mei Ying will probably win because she's a 'zombie, or something' but reassures the NXT Universe that she will redeem the prestige of the title when she takes it from her. Zoey Stark says that the champion has a massive challenge ahead of her, reminding the audience that she doesn't even know what the stipulation of the match means. Toni Storm, on the other hand, could care less and reminds everyone that she is the the MVP of the NXT Women's locker room as she holds up her Mae Young Classic trophy as if it were evidence. Matt Bloom says he knows how hard Raquel has been training for this but he's seen what damage the challenger can do. The final shot is of Dakota Kai, donning sunglasses to cover the damage to her eyes, she says that she wishes it didn't have to come to this but she wants Raquel to think about what she's doing, while she lusts for justice, she also wants her friend to walk out unscathed and not end up like her. When asked again, who she thinks will win, Kai says she can't continue with the interview and leaves.

In the climactic finale of tonight's episode, the Capitol Performance Centre was transformed into a mystical realm, bathed in the soft glow of lanterns and adorned with traditional Chinese dragon motifs.

Alicia Taylor's voice echoed through the venue, announcing the unique stipulations: no submissions, no countouts, and no pinfalls—the only path to victory was sealing one's opponent inside the ominous casket positioned ringside.

Before the match officially began, Mercedes Martinez, a commanding presence at ringside, intercepted Xia Li and Boa's attempts to interfere, swiftly neutralizing them and ensuring a fair contest between Raquel González and Mei Ying. With the potential threats handled, Raquel and Mei Ying wasted no time and met on the entrance ramp, immediately engaging in a fierce brawl that reverberated throughout the arena.

Raquel, clad in black and silver, clashed fiercely with Mei Ying, draped in black and crimson—a testament to her supernatural strength and unwavering resolve. The audience was captivated as the two titans exchanged thunderous strikes and calculated manoeuvres, each striving to assert dominance and claim the NXT Women's Championship.

As the battle spilt into the ring, the atmosphere crackled with tension and anticipation. Raquel seized a bamboo kendo stick, its swift strikes echoing through the arena as she aimed to neutralize Mei Ying's unyielding onslaught. Mei Ying, utilizing the casket lids as both shields and weapons, showcased her mastery of the macabre environment with fluid grace, countering Raquel's every move with supernatural agility.

As the match progressed, Mei Ying gained momentum, overwhelming Raquel with her otherworldly strength. With Raquel teetering on the brink of defeat, Mei Ying seized the opportunity to hoist her opponent towards the awaiting casket, poised ominously at ringside. The audience held their breath as Mei Ying neared victory, preparing to seal Raquel inside and bring the championship back to Tian Sha.

Midway through the match, Mei Ying gained the upper hand, temporarily overpowering Raquel and positioning her perilously close to the awaiting casket. With Raquel teetering on the brink of defeat, the arena plunged into darkness, save for the flickering lanterns casting ominous shadows. Dakota Kai emerged from the back, using a cane to guide her following Mei Ying's previous mist attack. Both Vic and Wade find common ground, applauding Dakota for showing up in person for the first time to support the champion, but both share concerns that she is left in a vulnerable position, particularly when coming face-to-face with The Mother.

With a precise strike, Dakota disrupted Mei Ying's concentration, stunning the challenger and creating a crucial opening for Raquel. Seizing the opportunity with unyielding determination, Raquel summoned her remaining strength and hoisted Mei Ying. In a breathtaking display of power and skill, Raquel executed a Chingona Bomb, sending Mei Ying crashing into the casket's unforgiving interior. The crowd erupted in a deafening roar as Raquel swiftly closed the lid, securing her victory as referee, Jason Ayres, raised the champion's arm in victory and the crowd went wild.

Amidst the solemn atmosphere of the traditional Chinese-themed setting, Raquel and Dakota shared a moment of hard-earned celebration, acknowledging the gravity of their collective triumph. Vic says that no matter what challenges lie ahead for the champion, tonight she achieved her goal and earned justice for her friend as Mercedes Martinez returns to the ring to celebrate alongside Raquel, who hoists Dakota onto her shoulders in an emotional moment as the show comes to a close.

The Way (Dexter Lumis & Johnny Gargano) def. Ariya Daivari & Tony Nese
Austin Theory def. Oney Lorcan in a Lucky 7 Ladder Match Qualifier
Hit Row (Ashante Adonis & Top Dolla) def. August Grey & Ikemen Jiro
Raquel González def. Mei Ying to retain the NXT Women's Championship

Looking Glass · Jul 10, 2024

NXT EVOLVE [EPISODE #5] ‣ "WHAT'S NeXT" PREVIEW

Since his return weeks ago, NXT's finest, Kona Reeves, has shown an interest in rising star, Carmelo Hayes. However, the Top Talent has made it clear that he is not looking to form an alliance and instead issued a challenge last week. Despite a rocky return to NXT, following a loss against Leon Ruff, Kona Reeves has accepted Hayes' formal challenge and the two will go head-to-head in this week's Evolve main event. Will Melo continue to rise through the ranks or will the devious Reeves make him regret his hasty rejection?

This past Tuesday on NXT, Timothy Thatcher - incensed by recent events - spoke about the actions of The Beast, Killian Dain. Since their collision backstage, Dain has focused his attentions on Thatcher, showing up at the end of his Lucky 7 Qualifier match weeks ago. We've seen Dain dominate in the squared circle since conducting his 'lullaby of woe', which begs the question as to whether Thatcher is making a mistake by choosing to ignore The Beast in favour of focusing on his second chance qualifier match in two weeks time. Before then, he plans to send a statement to the entire WWE Universe as he takes on newcomer Duke Hudson - who aims to send his own message to the locker room.

...Meanwhile it appears whatever Timothy Thatcher can do, Killian Dain will try to do better! The Beast will return to action this week as he takes on "All Heart" Trey Baxter. The Beast almost certainly aims to make quick work of his opponent in what promises to be a David vs. Goliath affair. However, the impressive high-flyer Baxter is not one to be counted out! Although following the beat-down he suffered at the hands of Arturo Ruas in the Diamond Mine last week, one would have to question whether All Heart is alright to compete?

While Baxter aims to reverse his fortunes, Arturo Ruas has been celebrating his. Hot off his debut victory in the Diamond Mine, we'll have exclusive footage from Ruas' press conference, where we'll find what's next for the MMA specialist.

And finally, while we've seen August Grey's mean streak emerge recently, this past Tuesday saw him vent his frustrations on his own tag team partner and friend, Ikemen Jiro. Retro AG had already snapped on Drake Maverick, who he believed to be meddling in his and Jiro's tag team but no one was expecting for Grey to take this a step further and attack Japan's Most Handsome Superstar. While Maverick was quick to intervene, it soon became clear that Grey didn't come to the Capitol Performance Center alone as a hooded figure gave Grey the assist. This week we'll hear more from August Grey and the hooded figure - revealed to be Curt Stallion - but what how will they justify their actions and how will Maverick and Jiro respond?

Looking Glass · Jul 14, 2024

NXT EVOLVE [EPISODE #05] ‣ THURSDAY 5 AUGUST, 2021
CAPITOL PERFORMANCE CENTER ‣ ORLANDO, FLORIDA

Some small changes were introduced to the NXT Evolve, namely a change to the previous orange and purple logo that retained the former Evolve wrestling branding. It seemed that that powers that be were doubling down on the bright, poppy colours of the so-called 'NXT 2.0' era. Despite the minor change to presentation, the booking of the fifth episode remained largely the same, albeit with a surprise appearance from the NXT Championship number one contender and Million Dollar Champion, LA Knight. Despite the show being taped on Tuesday, the match has not been announced on WWE.com, as would typically be the case.

While the Megastar wasn't the first notable name from the NXT brand to appear on the sister show, his quest to become the new People's Champion had seen a surge in popularity from the often-fickle internet wrestling community. Knight wouldn't be competing however, instead he would be supporting the newly renamed Cal Lannister in his 'debut match'.

Before we could even to that, the show opened with a short segment backstage in Nigel McGuinness' office. The General Manager apologises to the WWE Universe for the misconduct that took place in the Lucky 7 town hall meeting. McGuinness says that all men involved have been appropriately fined based on their breach of the no-contact rule. The former Ring of Honor Pure Champion says that with NXT TakeOver: High Stakes just weeks away, his intention was to keep his stars in peak condition to allow them to give the fans the best match they can. He apologises again that his Superstars could not act with more grace and blames William Regal's regime for allowing the roster to think they can do as they please. The segment closes as McGuinness hints that he has a plan to set an example to the roster.

Back to LA Knight, he would open the show by cutting a promo on NXT Champion, Bronson Reed's attempted attack on him earlier in the week. He thanks Nigel McGuinness for not playing favourites (another shot at Regal) and penalising the double champion by putting him into a match on next week's show. The Million Dollar Champion says that while it's not a lot of time to prepare, it will also provide an opportunity for him to show to the world his newest pet project - "The Mountain" Cal Lannister! Lannister arrives to a brand new entrance theme and video as Knight tells the crowd to forget all about 'that loser' Cal Bloom who he beat up weeks ago and says that this is his protégé. Knight says that he is teaching Lannister how to be a star and to be a star, you have to embrace the unexpected, something which Aus-Zilla has failed to do on multiple occasions.

Knight surprises Lannister by saying that McGuinness has also granted a tune-up match to allow The Mountain to prepare and asks the NXT roster to come out if they dare. Out emerges Josh Briggs, the last ever Evolve Champion, answers the challenge. On commentary, Kevin Patrick reminds us that Briggs was one of the unfortunate competitors who came up short in one of Knight's Million Dollar Dream matches.

From the outset, both competitors showcased their unique strengths. Briggs utilized his power advantage, delivering punishing slams and strikes that kept Lannister on the defensive. However, Lannister's agility and technical prowess allowed him to counter Briggs' offense effectively, creating a back-and-forth dynamic that had the audience on the edge of their seats.

Midway through the match, LA Knight's presence at ringside began to play a pivotal role. His vocal support and strategic advice seemed to invigorate Lannister, who fought back with renewed intensity. A series of high-impact moves, including a stunning spinebuster shifted the momentum in The Mountain's favour.

Despite the set-up of the match, this was an evenly fought affair, focusing on how Lannister had to put in the work to get his first victory as opposed to squashing Briggs outright. The match's climax saw Briggs bellow at Lannister to get to his feet, looking to hit a clothesline from hell. In a moment of hesitation, Briggs allowed himself to become distracted by LA Knight's trash talking. By the time Briggs went to strike, Lannister used his opponent's momentum against him and lifted him into a Death Valley Driver, quickly hooking the leg for the three count.

Post-match, Knight re-enters the ring and shoos off referee Daryl Sharma to raise his protégé's hand in victory. Wade Barrett says that our NXT/North American Champion should watch out as he might not make it to High Stakes now that Lannister is under the Megastar's tutelage.

Backstage, McKenzie Mitchell is interviewing Trey Baxter. We know that the latter will be competing later in the evening but before the McKenzie goes any further, she takes us back to last week when Baxter was swiftly defeated by Arturo Ruas in the first-ever Diamond Mine match. Baxter looks embarrassed by his performance and tells McKenzie that while he didn't get the outcome he wanted, he's still proud to say he was the first match to challenge in the unique match-type. McKenzie points out that post-match, we saw his partner, Cora Jade, rush to his side and asks whether he's at 100% for tonight's match against Killian Dain. Playing the plucky underdog, Baxter responds that he knows a lot of people will underestimate him but why he's "All Heart" and that he will shock the world tonight.

Baxter also points out that Dain seemed hyper-focused on Timothy Thatcher, so the WWE Universe should be questioning if The Beast is mentally prepared for tonight's match, especially if Thatcher picks up the victory. The interview comes to an end as Cora Jade appears and tells McKenzie that she believes in her beau, with him finishing that's all that matters. The couple depart, with McKenzie relieved of her third-wheeling duties until she is distracted by some commotion off camera.

The cameras pan around to show Tyler Rust arguing with his promoter, Malcolm Bivens. Rust says that he's had it with Bivens, calling his a snake oil salesman and tells him to go crawling back to Ever-Rise before storming off. Bivens, noticing the camera feigns and smile and plays down the situation, telling McKenzie that Rust is just a little agitated. Bivens says that the interview is over before trying to cover the lens with his palm and pushing it out of his face.

As promised earlier in the week, Timothy Thatcher would be in action, in an intense match against Duke Hudson, determined to bounce back from his recent loss to Pete Dunne. Thatcher's recent interviews had revealed his struggle to stay focused amidst the looming threat of Killian Dain, but tonight he was set on proving his resilience.

From the opening bell, Thatcher displayed his renowned technical prowess, immediately locking Hudson into a series of painful submission holds. Hudson, however, showed his character and resilience by escaping each hold and countering with his own offensive manoeuvres. The crowd watched as Hudson's personality shone through, taunting Thatcher and showing a cocky confidence that added an extra layer to the match.

Midway through the bout, Hudson capitalized on a momentary lapse in Thatcher's focus, delivering a series of powerful strikes and a well-executed suplex that had Thatcher reeling. Hudson's brashness came to the forefront as he taunted Thatcher, but this only seemed to ignite a fire within Thatcher.

Thatcher rallied with a series of hard-hitting European uppercuts and brutal knee strikes, showcasing his no-nonsense wrestling style. Hudson tried to regain control with a powerful big boot and a spinebuster, but Thatcher's determination was unwavering.

The climax of the match saw Hudson attempting his signature running powerslam, but Thatcher expertly reversed it into a Fujiwara armbar, wrenching back with vicious precision. Hudson screamed in agony, reaching desperately for the ropes, but Thatcher's grip was unrelenting. With no escape in sight, Hudson was forced to tap out.

Thatcher emerged victorious, his impressive win a testament to his focus and tenacity despite the distractions of The Beast of Belfast. Thatcher stood tall in the ring, his eyes scanning the crowd and mezzanine as if daring Dain to make his move. The victory was a crucial step in Thatcher's journey to establish himself as a formidable competitor on NXT as Kevin Patrick noted that Thatcher had put his opponents on notice ahead of the last chance qualifying fatal four way match for the Lucky 7 Ladder match.

A promo played to hype the upcoming NXT Cruiserweight Championship match between challenger, Ari Sterling, and the champion Kushida. Sterling put the champion's reign over by saying he didn't just want the championship but the honor of defeating NXT's most dominant champion. The Time Splitter would respond slightly less calm than usual, advising not to take his kindness for weakness because while The Exclamation Point may have honorable intentions, many before him have had the same goal to defeat him but he's still calling himself champion. The promo shows a supercut of each man in the action, overcoming their opponents before closing on a graphic as Kevin Patrick and Wade Barrett comment that this match will be unpredictable.

Continuing with the heel turn of August Grey, commentary show us a brief history of how Drake Maverick's best intentions repeatedly backfired, drawing the ire of Retro AG. While many assumed Grey's victory over Maverick last week would be the end of the feud, the post-match tension between Grey and his tag team partner, Ikemen Jiro, indicated that this was just the beginning. Jiro was not only upset with how poorly his friend had treated Maverick but at the tactics he had utilised to win the match. A hooded/masked figure had appeared at ringside to expose the turnbuckle, which would Grey would use to his advantage.

While it could be argued that Retro AG was not behind the interference, this past week on NXT proved otherwise when the figure appeared again and assisted Grey in an attack on Maverick and Jiro. Curt Stallion was eventually revealed to be the figure, to a confused reception from the crowd. Much like the other men in the feud, Stallion wasn't a massive name and seemingly disappeared during an on/off NXT Cruiserweight title feud with Santos Escobar back in February and disappeared shortly after.

Armed with microphones, Grey and Stallion arrogantly made their way to the ring to address the crowd. Grey discusses how relieved he feels to finally be free of the deadweight he has had to carry, drawing boos from the crowd. He continues that coming to NXT was his dream and while he thought he was riding a wave to success with Jiro, he soon found his dream being taken from him by parasites. Grey accuses Japan's Most Handsome Superstar of wasting his talents and settling for mediocrity and promises that he won't follow him down that path. He explains that while he won't be competing at NXT TakeOver: High Stakes for the NXT Tag Team Championship, he no longer has to deal with a burden for a tag team partner and has found an upgrade. Stallion takes the microphone and says that he tried doing things the 'right' way but he was repeatedly stood on, so he decided things needed to change and agreed to help Grey out. The pair proclaimed that they were now 'untouchable'.

The segment was interrupted by the disgruntled pairing of Ikemen Jiro and Drake Maverick, who didn't seem to appreciate the jibes being thrown in their direction. Maverick tells August Grey that he only ever tried to nurture his talent but that he was too much of a self-centred brat to appreciate it, telling him that Jiro was the true star of the tag team. Turning his attentions to Curt Stallion, Maverick says he knows that sometimes you have to do whatever it takes to stay relevant - which draws some laughter from the crowd. Jiro takes the microphone and tells Grey that he's the parasite before the two men rush the ring. The Untouchables live up to their name as they make a hasty escape while Jiro and Maverick look on in anger.

Following the commercial break, we return to see Trey Baxter in the ring with his girlfriend, Cora Jade. Wade Barrett and Kevin Patrick discuss Baxter's fighting words early tonight, suggesting that his opponent may be too focused on Timothy Thatcher to take his seriously. Barrett says that given Baxter barely lasted a minute in his match last week and the fact that The Beast is ten times the size of him, is probably the reason he doesn't take him seriously.

Dain charges to the ring to a chorus of boos from the crowd with Patrick speculating that Thatcher's victory earlier in the week has probably not helped his mood. As Dain steps onto the apron, Baxter ambushes him with a dropkick that knocks him to the outside before the bell can even ring. The crowd get behind Baxter, who follows with a daring corkscrew moonsault.

Cora cheers on from ringside while Baxter struggles to get Dain off the floor and onto his feet. Instead, Baxter slides into the ring as referee, Aja Smith, initiates the count to ten. The Beast begins to roll back into the ring but Baxter manages to hit a snap DDT barely scraping a one count. Kevin Patrick applauds "All Heart" for not allowing his opponent a moment to breathe but the tone soon changes when he misses a springboard twisting splash. Getting back to his feet, Dain squashes Baxter with a running senton, Barrett pointing out the impressive speed from the 322 pound Superstar.

Dain ragdolls Baxter around the ring, smiling as he looks out to a concerned Cora before hitting a cannonball (Belfast Blitz) into the corner. "The Beast" drags his opponent across the mat and steps up to the turnbuckle to hit not one, not two, but THREE Vader bombs to collect the easy three.

Following the match, Dain heads to hit another Vader bomb when Cora steps up to the apron and begs him to stop. The crowd begin to cheer as Timothy Thatcher rolls into the ring and begins to hammer away at his rival. Barrett says that this doesn't look like a man who isn't threated by Dain. Referees begin to swarm the ring as Trey Baxter is helped out of the ring, accompanied by Cora. The other officials have to forcibly step in between Thatcher and Dain before other members of the Evolve roster (Edris Enofe, Malik Blade, Ru Feng, Dante Chen, Demetri Jackson and Guru Raaj) join the fray. Dain manages to overpower each of the men before looking back to Thatcher, showing him how easy it was to outpower the roster members. Dain voluntarily makes his way to the back with Barrett referencing that "The Beast of Belfast" would make the lullaby of woe the soundtrack to Timothy Thatcher's life.

After many stop-start attempts, the Diamond Mine finally opened its door last week on NXT Evolve, where the "Master of the Mine" made short work of his opponent in a new spin on the Lion's Den match concept. The response was positive, with many praising the Evolve brand for taking risks and experimenting with new ideas. The focus on the Brazilian MMA star would continue this week with exclusive footage of Ruas' very own private press conference held at the Diamond Mine Dojo.

Throughout the conference, the self-assured Ruas talks about how the Diamond Mine brand has revolutionised the WWE, injecting much-needed change into the company. He also says that that Nigel McGuinness has personally reached out to him to congratulate him on his match. When asked about his goals, he responds that he's laid down the challenge and now it's for the world to take him on. While he sees championship gold in his future, he knows that the task of defeating him in the Diamond Mine is a prestige in itself. The conference ends with Ruas repeating his post-match sentiments from last week, that the doors were open and while many have put their names forward, he's only interested in REAL competition.

Before the main event there was a video package recapping how NXT Women's Champion, Raquel González, overcame Mei Ying to defend her title and vanquish Tian Sha from NXT by sealing The Mother in a casket in a brutal Warrior's Way match (thanks to the assist from Dakota Kai). Commentary confirm that Raquel González has requested time to address the WWE Universe. Continuing to hype next week's NXT, Patrick and Barrett confirm that in addition to the the aforementioned NXT Cruiserweight Championship bout, Cal Lannister will take on the North American and NXT Champion, Bronson Reed, in a non-title match. Also, there will be contract signing for the NXT Women's Tag Team title match between champions, The Way and challengers, Shotzi & Tegan Nox. Finally, Cameron Grimes will square off against "The Infamous" Bobby Fish for the penultimate spot in the Lucky 7 Ladder match.

The main event of the evening took an unexpected turn as it appeared officials continued to back the former Christian Casanova, carving him out as a future star of the NXT brand with this storyline focus.

Ahead of his entrance, Carmelo Hayes was stopped by Leon Ruff, who wished him luck against Kona Reeves. Melo professed he didn't need luck - especially as Ruff has beat him - before acknowledging the gesture and showing some appreciation (pushing a more tweener/face alignment). The former North American Champion offers to walk Hayes out for his match but the ever-confident Hayes assureds him that he will be just fine.

And fine he was! The match between Carmelo Hayes and Kona Reeves kicked off with high energy, as both competitors were eager to prove themselves in the ring. Hayes, known for his athleticism and innovative offense, dazzled the crowd with his agility and quick strikes. Reeves, on the other hand, utilized his size and power to ground Hayes and assert control early on.

Hayes started to build momentum halfway through the match, countering Reeves' heavy blows with swift evasions and striking combinations. The turning point came when Hayes executed a spectacular springboard clothesline, leaving "NXT's Finest" stunned on the mat. Sensing victory, Hayes ascended the top rope, preparing for his signature diving leg drop.

Just as Hayes was about to launch, the arena lights flickered and two unknown men stormed the ring. They ambushed Hayes, viciously pulling him down and unleashing a brutal assault. Referee, Eddie Orengo, had no choice but to call for the bell, disqualifying Reeves and awarding the victory to Hayes.

The attack continued post-match, with the two men - the first, a muscular imposing figure covered in traditional Samoan tattoos and a blonde hair. The other, taller man, also had tattoos but a cleaner cut look. The pair continued their assault on Hayes, leaving him defenseless. The crowd's boos reached a crescendo as the beatdown intensified. Suddenly, Leon Ruff sprinted down the ramp, attempting to even the odds and save Hayes. However, his valiant effort was quickly thwarted as the numbers game caught up to him. Reeves and his henchmen teamed up, Reeves hitting a Hawaiian Drop before the two debuting stars climb the ropes and each hit stereo splashes from the top onto both Ruff and Hayes.

The show ended with the heels standing tall, raising their arms in triumph as the audience expressed their outrage. The unexpected alliance between Reeves to form this threatening trio, leaving fans eager to see how Hayes and Ruff would respond in the coming weeks.

Cal Lannister def. Josh Briggs
Timothy Thatcher def. Duke Hudson
Killian Dain def. Trey Baxter
Carmelo Hayes def. Kona Reeves via disqualification

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