Recently luck was on the side of Bronson Reed. By luck, I of course mean that Austin Theory put Reed in a number one contenders match for the NXT North American Championship. This was a terrible choice, as Theory was still suffering the effects of a tsunami splash from the week prior. Then, Johnny Gargano decided to break a pencil and William Regal took this as an excuse to make this into a Steel Cage match. Reed couldn’t win the NXT North American Championship at Takeover, but tonight without The Way able to get into the match? He might finally claim gold.
Johnny Gargano Never Stops Talking Smack
Reed & Gargano were almost getting to blows before the bell rang, but they would stick to a verbal battle during the introductions. Gargano got in the face of Reed as he raised the title, and got shoved away with ease. The door was shut and the bell rang, and Gargano ran to the door instantly but Reed caught him.
Gargano would be pulled into the middle and sent into the corner, where he tried another escape. Reed wasn’t having any of this, and would keep Gargano inside as he threw him around and into the cage. Gargano was lawn darted into the cage, and tried to come back with a spear only to get caught on the cell.
Reed would slam Gargano into the middle of the ring and start a climb, only to have Theory distract him. Gargano hit a superkick to the back of the knee, and Reed got crotched on the top rope. Now with control, Gargano would just have to pick him apart with some well placed strikes. He’d do that and use the steel cage as a weapon, and finally had Reed down in the middle of the ring.
Some quick stromps would be followed up by more attacks using the cage, and would get an assist from Theory who hip attacked the cage by Reed as Gargano nailed a dropkick. Gargano went climbing, but got pulled into a powerslam from Reed. Reed would hit an inverted atomic drop before launching Gargano into the steel.
Bronson Reed Doesn’t Take The Easy Way To The Gold
Taking Gargano onto his shoulders, he’d climb to the top rope and hit a Samoan Drop off the top for a two count. Reed went climbing, but got caught on the top rope with a hit to the back of the knee, before Gargano nailed a sunset flip style powerbomb to drive Reed into the mat. This got a near fall, but Gargano went for the door.
Theory tried to pull Gargano out of the ring, but fell before he could save his mentor. Reed nailed a hip drop and looked for the door, only for Theory to block. By the time he’d fight Theory off, Gargano was in position for a poison rana which spiked Reed on his head. Gargano would nearly get out of the cage, before Reed slammed him again.
Reed went to the door, and Theory slammed it into his head. Gargano hit the One Final Beat DDT to follow up, but somehow only got a two count. They’d climb the cage together, but Reed nailed Gargano with a powerbomb off the top rope into the middle of the ring.
Reed climbed the cage, but both Theory & Gargano were there to stop him. He’d manage to fight them off, before nailing a Tsunami Splash off the cage to crush Gargano. The door was open, but he slammed it shut and nailed a second splash for the win. He won this his own way.
NXT only pulls out cage matches when they’re truly needed, and that makes them special. Their solid track record with this match type extends past tonight, as Reed & Gargano had an absolute war in the cage. It was Reed’s best match in NXT yet, and a sign of great things to come as champion. Match Rating: 4.25/5 (**** 1/4)
Who will Bronson Reed face first as NXT North American Champion? Let us know what you think in the comment section down below.
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