Johnny Gargano is now a three time NXT North American Champion, thanks to none other than Austin Theory. He was pivotal in the last two title wins for Gargano, and tonight they try their luck in tag team action. Their opponents will be none other than Leon Ruff & KUSHIDA. Ruff is still trying to prove he’s not a joke, while KUSHIDA is hungry for gold in NXT. Could this be the match that finally puts KUSHIDA in a title hunt?
Johnny Gargano & Austin Theory Show Their Tag Team Ways
KUSHIDA wanted to start this one with Gargano, but Theory was tagged in to start instead. Theory was able to catch KUSHIDA on the mat but couldn’t maintain control. KUSHIDA got an inverted Manhattan Drop and a dropkick to the side of Theorys head in, before letting Ruff into the match. Together, they would try to go after the arm of Theory, but he’d be quickly thrown to the mat with a suplex.
Ruff would use his speed to run around Theory, bouncing around the ropes and slipping through the legs before a single leg dropkick. Gargano distracted Ruff, and Theory got the big back elbow to the head. Ruff would be beaten down by Gargano, but was able to make a comeback and once again would hold his own.
Gargano would regain control and hit a front suplex after preventing a tag to KUSHIDA, before starting the isolation in The Ways corner. Theory & Gargano showed A+ chemistry, but KUSHIDA knows a thing or two about being a partner and saved Ruff from a double suplex. Together they would take Gargano & Theory out of the ring before Ruff nailed the outside dive. By nailed, I mean he missed and landed hard on his ankle.
Leon Ruff Never Gives Up
Theory would throw Ruff back in the ring, thinking this one was a done deal but was hit with a jumping DDT. Ruff stayed in this with a running headscissors, sending Theory to the outside. Theory would simply just roll back into the ring and nail a front dropkick, causing Ruff to turn right into the slingshot spear of Gargano.
Ruff would remain isolated from KUSHIDA through the commercial break, but broke free after a running forearm to Theory and a Enzugri to Gargano. KUSHIDA exploded into the ring and took Gargano down for some ground and pound, before having to go after Theory with a springboard back elbow.
Gargano took the hip toss into dropkick and almost got stomped into the mat, but Theory made the save again. KUSHIDA got the armbreaker on Theory and kicked the arm of Gargano and went for the hoverboard lock. Gargano mounted a comeback, but got hit with a missile dropkick from Ruff after a blind tag. Theory would be tagged in after Gargano ran over him with a lariat, and a big Blue Thunder Bomb got a two count.
Gargano tagged back in, KUSHIDA tried to save Ruff but was taken out again before Ruff took a double superkick. KUSHIDA came back and dropped Theory with a right hand before taking a superkick. Ruff got a superkick of his down, but missed a tag to Theory before hitting a flying cutter into the Crucifix Bomb on Gargano. Theory nailed a superkick and what looked most like a rough attempt at Pete Dunne’s Bitter End for the finish.
Is this the end of Ruff & Gargano? Will KUSHIDA get a more focused shot at Gargano in the coming weeks? Let us know what you think in the comment section down below.
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