After a staggering debut last week, it’s time for NXT on USA Episode 2! I’m Jordan Huie of the Overtimer here with a live recap! Let’s get after it!
After a video package for last week, we get a shot from behind of the Undisputed Era coming out onto the balcony to start us out! The announce table is set right under this, looking very unique!
Keith Lee vs. Dominik Dijakovic
God, what a thing to open a show with… “Bask In His Glory” chant as they circle. Tie-up, Dijakovic with a side headlock, short-arm heel kick misses, Lee with an RVD style spin kick barely gets ducked as the crowd marvels at Lee’s athleticism! Dijakovic thrown to the ropes, Lee with a couple of leapfrogs, huge crossbody! Running body block takes Dijakovic over the top rope but he stays on the apron just barely! Like a near-elimination in a battle royal. Lee tries to suplex Dijakovic into the ring, Dominik looks to reverse, we have a battle for this suplex… Lee hoists Dijakovic up but gets a knee to the face! Dijakovic tries to batter him but eats a huge heatbutt! Lee goes out and hooks him on the apron… Dijakovic gets his hand on his throat! Lee pushes it away… second attempt though, Dijakovic chokeslams Lee right onto the apron! Huge chant of NXT as we go to commercial.
We come back to seeing Dijakovic miss a right hand, Lee with another headbutt, Modified Uranage slam takes him down! Dijakovic struggles to slam Lee’s head into the top turnbuckle, chops the hell out of his chest until he manages it. Dijakovic is pleased with himself, but Lee is furious… smacks his head against the turnbuckle pad in retaliation, taking him to the floor. Corkscrew Tope lands flush, Lee once again a master athlete! But back in the ring, Dijakovic gets the guillotine on a standing Lee! Lee tries to counter with a suplex but Dijakovic gets him with an inside cradle, in the ropes forcing the break. Lee with a series of spinning elbows to Dijakovic’s head, finishing with yet another headbutt! Lee goes to the middle rope… gorgeous moonsault! Nearfall!
Lee takes Dijakovic up top, pursues… Dijakovic wins out on a struggle, AVALANCHE CANADIAN DESTROYER FOR A NEARFALL WHAT THE HELL. Dijakovic with a moonsault of his own! But Lee sits up with him in his arms, deadlifting him from the mat! Rolls to his feet with Dijakovic still held! Into a fireman’s carry… hits the jackhammer, and that is it!
Winner: Keith Lee
God. I mean what can you say? Insane athletes.
Street Profits with a vignette/promo promising to reclaim the NXT Tag Team titles next week and declare that they want all the smoke.
Making her return, out comes Dakota Kai to a big chant of ‘welcome back’. She’s got a kneebrace on now.
Dakota Kai vs. Taynara Conti
Conti gets in Dakota’s face, slaps her and eats a big spinning head kick as a result! Taken to the corner, Dakota goes up, Conti counters with a head kick of her own! Kai falls to the mat, sharp kick to the arm! Pulls her to the center, spinning back kick, pin for 2! Taynara grabs Kai by the chin and pulls her up, Kai kicks her away and gets a combo started. Slides from the ring, high kick to Conti’s head on the apron! In the ring, axe kick gets 2! Running big boot to Conti in the corner! Fireman’s Carry, GTK!
Winner: Dakota Kai
Kai not quite 100% yet, lacking some speed and crispness, might be a little hesitant. But she’ll work that off. For now, it’s just cool seeing her back.
Cathy Kelley announces that tonight WALTER’s Imperium boys will be in a 6 man tag team match against Kushida and two partners of his choosing.
Street Fight is next!
Street Fight: Matt Riddle vs. Killian Dain
Swiftly the brawl begins, trading forearms. Riddle wins out initially, but Dain hoists him up, Riddle escapes with a wristlock, gets dumped outside the ring but Riddle swiftly re-enters, gets a double leg, tries a cross-armbreaker, Dain rolls it into a cover for 2 to break the pin! Dain wants another fireman’s carry, Riddle escapes, ducks a clothesline, Pele Kick, kip-up, waistlock into a deadlift German Suplex for 2! Dain bails. Riddle pursues, running start, launches himself off the steps into a flying forearm! Big “Bro” chant as we go to the commercial break.
We come back to see Dain avalanche Riddle in the corner. Grinds the knee into his head against the ropes. We see during the commercial break, Riddle took a kendo stick to Dain’s back, but later ate a Buisaku Knee! Riddle fights back, standing moonsault misses but Riddle lands on his feet, gets two Brotons and hits a Penalty Kick for 2! Riddle goes up top, Dain gets him into an Electric Chair attempt, victory roll counter for a quick kickout. Bicycle Kick is dodged, Dain nails a brutal Throw-Down Powerbomb for a nearfall! Tries for another, Riddle counters with an Alabama Slam! Up top, Corkscrew Senton gets another nearfall!
Riddle dashes, Dain low bridges, Riddle falls out to the floor where a few chairs have been pulled out, Dain hits the ropes and goes right through Riddle with a tope! Dain gets up a chair and just throws it onto Riddle’s back! He repeats this, targeting Riddle’s shoulder. Fight spills out into the crowd, trading blows, Dain gets seated on a chair, roundhouse kicks to the chest take him to the floor. Throws the chair onto Dain in retaliation. We near some tables as Riddle lays in chops. Dain just shoves him away. Slams him into a case. Dain mocks him for being a UFC fighter which means nothing to him, Riddle responds with a series of strikes. Dain is knocked back, but gets a running start, crossbody takes Riddle right through a plywood wall! Commercial break.
We come back and Riddle is atop the bleachers, which they apparently have now, and gets a running kick to Dain’s head! Broton follows and puts Dain through a table I didn’t even see! Madness. Riddle with kick after kick to Dain now. Tosses him into the ring, Hilo of sorts gets a 2 count. Riddle with a chair now. Dain runs right through him, crossbody with the chair sandwiched between them! Dain goes up to the middle rope, Vader Bomb! Callback to before, Vader Bomb #2… goes up for a third and hits it as well! But on the cover, Riddle kicks out! Dain gets a kendo stick and slams it furiously into Riddle’s abdomen, hell of shot! Dain gets a chair onto Riddle’s ribs… wants another Vader Bomb, but Riddle gets up and hits him in the back with the chair! Power bomb off the top, rolls Dain to his knees, Riddle tosses him a chair Van Dam-style, huge knee right through the steel! Somehow, Dain still kicks out!
Riddle lays the chair on Dain, takes up the kendo stick and cracks it loudly on the steel! Ground and pound now as Riddle pummels the back of his head, wants a Bromission, Dain elbows his way out of it. Dain gets up the chair but Riddle just punches it right into his face! Palm strikes and slaps follow until Dain gets him with a brutal body shot! Dain throws hands until Riddle counters one with a Fujiwara Armbar! Wrenches in deep, and Dain taps!
Winner: Matt Riddle
Very good match, nice to finally see them have this fight. And Riddle gets his long-awaited shot at the NXT Championship to boot. Also cool to see him establish yet another finisher.
Afterwards, Cole makes his way out into the ring, talking down to a beleaguered Riddle. Cole yells at him and tells him he will never be champion… Riddle takes Cole down into another Fujiwara Armbar! Cole has to tap! The rest of the Undisputed Era comes out to run Riddle off but the damage seems to have been done as Cole is now favoring the arm.
Flipping over to the Network now for the second hour!
We come back to see Cole still tending to his wounds as the crowd chants “You Tapped Out”.
Rhea Ripley vs. Kayden Carter
Carter is former MYC competitor Lacey Lane making her first televised appearance under her new name to my recollection. Kayden gets the immediate running dropkick, tries to build up momentum but catches a stunning dropkick from Ripley in return! Rhea pummels her in the corner. Takes her to the center, delayed vertical suplex leads to major impact. Nearfall. Ripley with the mount, raining down strikes. Kayden rolls away from a stomp and avoids a kick to try a roll-up, Ripley kicks out. Ripley wants a poppa Powerbomb but Kayden counters into a rana for a quick 2! Wristlock, Kayden takes a page out of Fenix’ playbook, going up top and springing on the top and middle rope before hitting a stylish armdrag! Running headstart, Rhea with a pop-up just letting her fall. Riptide follows and that’s it.
Winner: Rhea Ripley
Brief but fun match.
Oney Lorcan & Danny Burch vs. Ever-Rise
Saw this opposing team for the first recently and they were actually impressive in a squash setting. Debuting their new tag name here. Lorcan starts and ties up with Martel, gets him into the corner but has to make the break. Martel wins on a wristlock exchange. Takes him to the mat. Oney fights to his feet but still in the hold. Spinns out of it and tries to reverse, eventually gets it. Tag to Burch, double team chop! Burch continues the wristlock until Martel gets him with a knee to the gut, tag to Chase Parker but Burch swiftly gets him down with a headlock. Parker gets to his feet, whip to the ropes, leapfrog countered with a mid-air ankle pick. Tag to Oney, double side slam but Martel then runs in and tosses Oney to the outside!
This lets them get the advantage, throws Oney into the ring and pounds him with fists. Tag to Parker, tag team slam into the boot for a 1 count. Parker with a great snap suplex, floatover cover for 2! Tag to Martel, another slam into the boot follows. Pendulum backbreaker barely gets a 2. Tag to Parker, another pendulum backbreaker sets Oney up for a running knee to the head for 2! Parker rains down fists. Lorcan fights up in a reverse headlock, Martel tags in before he can break it up. Snapmare into a short-arm scissor. Oney up to his feet but gets clotheslined in the back of the head. Tag to Parker, they try yet another whip into the boot but Oney reverses setting up the hot tag to Burch! Many European Uppercuts follow! Missile dropkick, kip-up! Headbutt to an interfering Martel! Lorcan heats up, tags in, Assisted DDT finishes them off.
Winner: Burch & Lorcan
I’ve seen Burch & Lorcan have tons of better matches than that one but Parker and Martel are presumably still developing so it’s fine that this was kept simple.
Deonna Parazzo and Chelsea Green are spotted in the front row.
Trevor Grimes vs. Raul Mendoza
Let’s see how long this one is... Cameron wants another immediate stomp, but Mendoza rolls out of the way! Grimes signals ‘that close’. Mendoza gets the advantage with a top wrist lock! Northern lights suplex but Mendoza lands on his feet. Mendoza again takes up the wrist lock, Grimes is struggling. Double leg into a jackknife, Mendoza rolls out, sunset flip for a quick kickout, Grimes tries a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker but Mendoza escapes, hurricarana from Mendoza! Springboard Hip Toss! That sounds so dumb to say but it looked beautiful. Flashiest hip toss of all time, and it lands Grimes in a side headlock. Grimes escapes, they both hit the ropes, Mendoza tries a crossbody but Grimes gets him with a flipping slam out of the air! Hard stomp to the chest. Forces him up, lights him up with a vicious knife edge chop. Power throw to the corner, cover gets 2.
Grimes with an arm-wringer countered into a crucifix, Grimes kicks out. Missed a spot thanks to my cat trying to steal my food there but Grimes hit a move. Short-arm scissors, Grimes controls Mendoza. Keeps the heat on with this for a bit. Mendoza fights to his feet and gets some body shots, slams Grimes into the corner but Grimes still holds on. Mendoza bounces Grimes against the ropes to aid in an arm drag to break the hold! Hits the ropes, huge running enziguri nearly knocks Grimes right out! Grimes stumbles to his feet, Mendoza with sharp chops, running enziguri in the corner! Walks the top rope, missile dropkick! Grimes shoves Mendoza away and goes up top but a cartwheel kick cuts him off! Hop Up Avalanche Frankensteiner gets a nearfall! Fight over a wiastlock, Grimes gets a roll-up, Mendoza kicks out but immediately eats the Double Foot Stomp out of nowhere and that was it!
Winner: Cameron Grimes
Nice match, cool for Grimes to establish his move as an outta nowhere finish bit-by-bit. Mendoza as always slowly climbing towards getting pushed, should get some opportunities with the cruiserweight division now.
Now time to see who Kushida’s partners are…
Imperium vs. Kushida & Breezango
Didn’t figure that one. Fun match-up though! Kushida and Fabian Aichner start off. Aichner counters a side headlock with a front suplex, Kushida and Aichner with some catch-as-catch-can, Aichner makes the tag to Bartel despite being in the arm-wringer, Bartel clips Kush as Wolfe is blind-tagged in as well, German Suplex stacks Kush up for 2. Kush escapes to tag in Fandango who comes in with a sunset flip for 2. Dropkick clips Wolfe. Stun Gun hangs him up as Breeze tags in, double team running kick to the head of Wolfe for 2! Breeze with a snap suplex, legdrop for good measure for a quick pin attempt.
Bartel distracts the ref as Aichner low bridges Breeze to the floor. Bartel is tagged in, running european uppercut to Breeze outside! Throws him into the ring and pounds him. Tag to Wolfe who gets a short-arm scissor that takes Breeze to the mat. Transitions into a backbreaker for 2. Triple team dropkick takes Breeze to the floor! Bartel tagged in, huge right hand to the face. Wolfe tagged in as we get back to the ring, grinding double stomp to the face! Aichner is tagged in as they chant “Not the face!” and clips him with a big boot to a huge chorus of jeers! Back suplex gets 2. Bartel tagged in, snapmare, running european uppercut gets a nearfall.
Breeze forced to the Imperium corner, knocks Wolfe and Aichner off and ducks Bartel to try to get to his corner, but Bartel catches him with a sunset flip; Breeze kicks out and tries the tag but the opposing Imperium members take Fandango and Kushida off the apron! Isolation in the corner, the ref is distracted when Kush and Fandango try and run in! Aichner is tagged in and repeatedly stomps Breeze in the head, pulls him for a wicked slap. Aichner forces Breeze’s partners off the apron, but turns around into a step-up enziguri! Hot tag to Fandango! Running forearms take the others off the apron as knife edge chops light up Aichner! Falcon Arrow and Aichner powders – Tornado DDT to Wolfe whilst kicking Bartel simultaneously! Tag to Kush, Fandango with a Tope Con Hilo to take out Bartel and Aicher!! Springboard dropkick to Wolfe! Kushida gets in a cross armbreaker, Aicher and Bartel in to break it up, match breaks down as the illegal man brawl to the floor. Wind-Up Punch gets Bartel in the ring, O’Conner Roll and that is it!
Winners: Kushida & Breezango
Kushida celebrates up the ramp only to turn around into a big boot from WALTER! Kushida looks entirely out as Imperium stands over him.
And that’s all for tonight! Not quite last week, more of a setup show for October 2nd as well as it should be. Still a very good episode all the same.
We are set now for an incredible night and an amazing week in general for professional wrestling. Big things on the horizon and I couldn’t be more pumped.
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