Jordan Huie of the Overtimer here for another night of recap action and this is a big one here as we have NXT TakeOver WarGames! For the first time, we’ll be seeing two of these matches in one night, including the first-ever women’s edition of the famed stip match! Plus, a high stakes triple threat and a dream singles match. And I’ll be giving a live play-by-play of the whole thing! Watch this space!
We open with Pat McAfee, Sam Roberts and Cathy Kelley as our panel. We see Mia Yim having been taken out backstage in her Bull Nakano tribute paint. Rhea Ripley is furious.
Angel Garza vs. Isaiah “Swerve” Scott”
Swerve stops Garza from taking the pants off early. Quick transitions, dodges and evasions, staredown from the knees as they each offer a hand but don’t take it, applause. Scott with a headscissor takes Garza to the floor, flips over the ropes for another big headscissor on the floor! Throws him into the ring, cover for a quick kickout. Takes him up, chops to the chest. Front suplex! Runs to the ropes, quick twist of his whole body for a splash, 2 count! Garza takes Scott up to the second rope, but Scott makes him pay for it, flying uppercut to the back of the head!
Garza forces Scott to the apron, eats a right hand, Scott up top, crossbody but Garza rolls through, fallaway slam takes Scott into the bottom turnbuckle pad! Aaaaand there go the pants, Garza with a superkick for a nearfall! Springboard Inverted Superplex, thrust kick to the face for a nearfall! Angel kicks Scott in the face as he struggles his way up. Scott fights his way to the top rope, but Angel spreads his legs to capture him, verrrry low dropkick! He steps up to the middle rope, poses before a moonsault attempt but Scott avoids it, Garza lands on his feet but eats a lariat, Swerve with a tilt-a-whirl sideslam for a nearfall! Open hand strikes to the chest from both men! Trading simultaneous shots! Garza springs off the ropes off a back body drop attempt, flips right back into a big sit-out powerbomb for a nearfall! Lovely stuff.
Garza goes up top, Swerve tries for a flying uppercut but gets caught in a waistlock! Swerve forced to the apron! Garza off the top, but gets caught onto Swerve’s shoulders! Death Valley Driver onto the apron!!! Garza lands on the floor, double foot stomp from Swerve!! “You got Swerved” chant as Swerve throws Garza into the ring, leaping back kick to the back of the head, nearfall! Garza forces Swerve into the ref, tries for a low blow but it gets blocked. Garza blocks a kick of his own though, knee to the face, Wing Clipper gets the win!
Winner: Angel Garza
As expected, super fun stuff.
Video package for Finn Balor/Matt Riddle plays. Finn threatens to embarrass, expose and hurt Riddle. Matt says he’s been having fun playing around with him, but in Chicago, biggest match of his career, he’ll get his pound of flesh and Finn won’t ever get it back.
Cut backstage to see Mia still being tended to. Dakota Kai is noticeably there with the team but in her street clothes, looking extraordinarily innocent. Regal turns to Ripley, says “You’re the captain, what are you gonna do?” Ripley turns Dakota around and says “You’re in!” Dakota argues that she’s not prepared but Ripley tells her tonight is her night, this is the chance to get revenge on Shayna for bullying her all these years. Sam Roberts chastises the pick to great heat.
After the vignette for the men’s WarGames match, it seems McAffee left just to get to have his own entrance. He runs through the crowd acting like the hype man.
Main card on now! Sisrens and a light show and smoke show plays as the cage lowers for our first battle in the steel, and the first-ever women’s WarGames match! Everyone gets their entrances. Io Shirai makes her way to the ring first for her team and the crowd is into it! Candice LaRae opts to enter first as well!
WarGames Match: Rhea Ripley, Tegan Nox, Candice LaRae & Dakota Kai vs. Shayna Baszler, Io Shirai, Bianca Belair & Kay Lee Ray
Five minute timer starts. And before long the two rivals are off to a brawl! Candice and Io trade the mount. Io tries to throw Candice into the cage but she blocks, sends her off. Tries for a running headscissor but Io lands on her feet! Shake of the finger. Chants for both, LaRae with a unique facebuster. Io rolls over to the opposite ring. Candice tries a ring-to-ring suicide dive but Io clips her off! She’s left hanging in the ropes, Io with a Tiger Feint Kick! Candice forced to the other ropes, and Io hits a second one from that direction as well! Candice ends up against the double ringposts, eats a meteora! Candice rolls to the left ring, Io with a beautiful rope walk across the gap for a springboard dropkick! Awesome!!!
Io gets Candice in the corner, hesitation dropkick. Loud dueling chants start for the two, drop toe hold sends Candice against the metal divider between the two rings. Io grinding Candice’s face in the cage now! Io with a springing double knee as the timer winds down. Snap suplex. Io rips at the hair. Candice abruptly gets a comeback as we get to the last ten seconds. Candice throws Shirai to the corner and lays in on her, just as Bianca comes in! Candice leaps over her off the top rope, but eats a shoulderblock. Double Chickenwing Facebuster! Running Shooting Star Press! Tries for a powerbomb, LaRae with a rana counter. She forces Bianca and Io into the corner and batters both, but Bianca with a powerful forearm! And a powerbomb… takes her back up, second bomb, a third, AND THE FOURTH SENDS HER RIGHT INTO THE CAGE!
Bianca gets Candice in a Camel Clutch, Io hits the ropes… and again and again and again as the crowd goes mental, basement dropkick! Timer going down now as Candice is in all sorts of trouble. Rhea Ripley herself is the next one out! And she’s looking under the ring as the crowd is on their feet! She throws a trash can into the ring, slams the door into the face of Bianca! Then goes right back for the weapons, another can and several lids! Still not done, here comes a series of kendo sticks! Gets a chair in there too, loud chant of “We Want Tables”. Not answered on this occasion though, Rhea just tosses Bianca right onto a can, flattening it! Chair sat up in the ring. And a second and third. “Rhea’s gonna kill you” chant.
They try a double suplex on Bianca but Io pulls her to safety. Brawl ensues. Timer ticking down. KLR is out now… goes under the ring… pulls out several chairs stacked up. Back under… teasing the table! Just to shove it back under. Into the ring, she slams the chair into the stomachs of Candice and Ripley. Springs off the ropes for a Tornado DDT onto the chair! KLR puts Ripley onto the chairs as Bianca goes up top, but Candice LaRae here for the save. Candice and Ripley hook Bianca for a superplex! KLR makes the save, then slowly folds up all the chairs and throws them down to avoid the spot. Tower spot coming up now… RIPLEY WITH THE POWERBOMB UNDERNEATH, TOWER OF DOOM ONTO A STACK OF CHAIRS! And Bianca off the top with a big splash!!!!
TImer down… Dakota Kai comes out of her cage… only to turn and assault Tegan Nox!!!! Dakota Kai has turned on her team to a big reaction! “Holy shit” chant as she continues to decimate her best friend Tegan! Closes the cage door on her hard! Singles out her leg and slams the door into it over and over and over, geeze. Ripping off the knee brace now. Regal comes out to stop her, she shoves him away! Dakota swearing furiously, having to be censored. Kai flies back in onto Nox, decimating that leg. And after the timer hits, out comes Shayna Baszler where it is now a 4-on-2 scenario. And just to make sure she scopes out Tegan Nox, but she doesn’t have to even touch her. In the ring, Ripley is being held by Bianca and KLR as Shayna enters the ring. Ripley headbutts her way free and brawls with Shayna but they attack her again from behind.
Trash can set up in the corner. Because Dakota and Tegan are no longer involved in the match, it is now considered officially started so pinfalls and submissions are legal. Candice gets a double DDT on Bianca and KLR. Shayna grinding the hand of Ripley, she escapes to the middle. Candice and Ripley find themselves trapped at the center with two women on either side of them. But they come out swinging, Candice swinging a garbage can lin as Ripley rushes in and pounds Baszler with her fists! Ripley throws Bianca into a can. Standing dropkick to KLR! KLR wants her springing tornado DDT but Ripley counters into a brutal suplex into the cage!
Io is caught on the top rope, and Ripley grasps her legs in the cloverleaf as she’s hung from the top rope! But on the opposite side, Shayna has Candice in a Kirifuda Clutch! Two finishing submissions at once here! But Candice escapes, as KLR helps Io. Candice with an Iconoclasm to Baszler, Lionsault for a nearfall, Bianca Belair launches her with a military press to the other ring onto Ripley! KLR with the Gory Bomb on Candice! Io up top, Moonsault! Ripley has to drive KLR into them to break up the pin! Tosses her to the cage, big boot to Io. Belair in with the hair whips now! Snapping with every shot here! Until Candice comes in to wear her out with vicious kendo stick shots! Io Shirai with a boot to the gut, Double Underhook Backbreaker quells her! Io up top once more… but now she’s climbing ever higher, up top the cage! Candice pursues her… KLR up top with her… CRAZY ASS POISON RANA! Bianca has to break up the pin!
Bianca has Candice setup as Io goes up top… MOONSAULT OFF THE TOP OF THE CAGE WIPES OUT BOTH OF THEM!!! Huge chant of “NXT”! And then “Mamma Mia”! Ripley now assaulting Shayna with chair shots. Sits up a couple of them together, with a trash can between them. “This Is Awesome”. Kay Lee comes springing onto the top rope and flying only to eat a trash can! But Shayna grabs Ripley into the Kirifuda Clutch! Ripley struggling wildly! Rhea handcuffs herself to Baszler?! That’s how she escapes! And now she lays in kicks to the chest! RIPTIDE ONTO THE SAT UP CHAIRS! COVER AND SHE GETS IT!!!
Winners: Team Ripley
That was utterly phenomenal, holy crap!!!
That has gotta be by far the most definitive loss I’ve ever seen Shayna take. When it came to 4-on-2 I figured it might take a hopping-off-the-stretcher moment from Tegan or Mia disobeying the medics to come in and help but nope, just straight up won with the biggest disadvantage possible. And pinning Shayna! Incredible.
Pete Dunne vs. Damian Priest vs. Killain Dain
Dain immediately tries for a pump kick but misses, Dunne tries an enziguri but misses, Priest avoiding both men. Pete tries for Dain’s fingers, he throws him towards Priests who gets him with a dropkick. Throws Dain to the ropes, leaping back elbow. Dunne gets him with leg kicks, ducks a clothesline, goes under, leap frog, clothesline nails, and Dain with one of his own taking Priest to the floor though he lands on his feet. Dunne again grabs the fingers of Dain, singles out the elbow for the crushing stomp! But Priest in the ring with a knockout punch out of nowhere! Priest wants a tope to Dain but Dunne gets him with an uppercut! Priest tries a Razer’s Edge but eats a crossbody from Dain! Dain with a Michinoku Driver on Dunne right onto the face of Priest! Covers both men for nearfalls.
On the outside, Dain gets Priest onto his shoulders, Dunne tries a crossbody but gets caught, Fallaway Slam/Samoan Drop combo onto the floor! Throws Dunne into the ring. Power whip to the corner. Dunne fights hsi way out of the corner but a knee to the gut quells him. Dain gets him up onto his shoulders, Dunne escapes with chops to the chest! Dain with a whip, Dunne floats over, enziguri. Priest misses Dunne and hits Dain, Dunne lands on his feet off a german suplex attempt, enziguri kick to Priest, nails a German Suplex to Dain and snaps the fingers! Triangle Choke onto Priest, but Dain helps Priest hoist Dunne up, powerbomb! The two big men trading shos now. Priest with knee strikes, simultaneous elbows! Simultaneous clotheslines! Dunne comes between them with clubbering shots. Three way brawl! Discus elbow to Dunne from Priest! Jumping knee strike from Dunne! Double stomp to both men’s feet! Kicks to the face traded, just hard shot after shot for all three men. Chokeslam attempt from Priest, Dunne knees his way out of it, they each go for flying dropkicks and nail each other simultaneously! “NXT” chant as they’re all down!
Dunne pulls Dain up by the hair, Damian Priest with a Swanton off the top taken them both out! Broken Arrow slams Dunne into Dain! South Of Heaven for a nearfall! Priest takes Dunne to the outside – Razor’s Edge onto the announce table for a hard landing! Dain with a suicide dive going through Priest!!! Gets a running start, cannonball slams Priest right through the barrier! Dain drags Priest up and into the ring, Dain rolls in for the cover, 2 count. Pulls him to his feet, hoists him onto his shoulders, Wasteland, senton. Dain wants the Vader Bomb but Priest grabs him. Kick to the gut. Razor’s Edge off the second rope, Dunne has to break up the pin! Priest grabs Dunne’s hands, Dunne counters with upkicks, turns it into stomps to Priest’s face!
Charges, Priest with a running leaping elbow in the corner to Dunne! Hits the corner, Dunne pursues – BUT PRIEST LEAPS OVER THE TOP TURNBUCKLE TO TAKE OUT DAIN ON THE OUTSIDE! Dunne up top now – TRIANGLE MOONSAULT TAKES THEM BOTH DOWN! Dunne and Priest weakly roll into the ring. They struggle to their feet as Priest goads Pete on. Loads on shots, Dunen fires back with furious chops! Forearm! Hits the ropes, turned inside out on a forearm! Priest wants The Reckoning, Dunne counters with a try for the Bitter End, Reckoning attempt again countered with a snapmare. Priest tries for a Chokeslam, turned into a Cross Armbreaker! He starts to single out the fingers, Dain with a brutal dropkick to the face breaks up the hold! Dain damn near hits a One Winged Angel on Priest, nearfall! Gets Dunne into a Tree Of Woe, throws Priest onto him, cannonball crushes both men! Dain with a Vader Bomb to Priest! Dunne flies off the top rope with a moonsault to break up the pin! BITTER END TO DAIN! Priest barely manages to break it up with a roundhouse kick to Dunne!
Dunne gets the boots up in the corner, goes up top, but a Cyclone Kick from priest! Super Rana sends Dunne right onto Dain! Cyclone Kick to Dain and another to Dunne! Nails The Reckoning on Dunne!!! Dain just falls back and lands on them to break up the pin! Dunne with a floatover to avoid Priest, eats a vicious chop block from Dain! Running dropkick from the big man takes Priest to the floor! Dain up top now… Dunne with a WWE Headkick to block him! Dunne pursues, Priest on the apron, everyone weary. But they’re all up there now! Grabs them by the head, but Dunne snaps his fingers! Dain shoves him to the apron where he hits hard! Dunne with a superplex to Dain! Dunne wants the Bitter End on Priest, nails it! But a running senton from Dain breaks it up, this is crazy! Dain hoists Dunne up, but he turns it into a sleeper hold! Dain escapes with a heavy senton onto Priest… but it’s Dunne who gets the pin out of nowhere!!!
Winner: Pete Dunne
Man, just ridiculous match. Awesome stuff.
Matt Riddle vs. Finn Balor
Lock up. RIddle wants a single leg, hoists him up for a bit but Finn has the ropes to break it. Stuffs another takedown with a scrawl. Riddle rolls him onto his back and grabs for an arm, Finn rolls him back, Riddle escapes, tries for a PK but it’s barely ducked. They each stand and square off. Side headlock takes him against the mat. Riddle wants the headscissor escape, but Finn manages to reapply it. Riddle fights to his feet. Tries to shoot him off but Finn stays on, Riddle with a deadlift gutwrench suplex! And holds on for a second! Finn escapes on the third though, roll-up for a 2 count. Riddle catches a kick, big forearm! Snapmare from Finn, basement dropkick, side headlock.
Finn chops and kicks Riddle into the corner, trips him up, puts the boots to him. Hesitation Dropkick! Pulls him out for a cover for a nearfall. Finn with another headlock. Sends Riddle to the floor, wicked flying dropkick through the ropes to the floor! Takes him onto the apron, slams his head into it before shoving him inside. Cover for 2! Finn stomps Riddle around the ring. Poses, soaking up the response. Pulls Riddle up only to eat a ton of palm strikes. Charging forearm in the corner, exploder suplex! PK! Broton! Nearfall! Charging forearm in the corner, tries another but Finn gets the boot up. Riddle reverses an irish whip but eats a flying forearm! Finn tries a slingblade, Riddle escapes, Roundhouse Kick! Pele Kick caught, Riddle with an ankle lock! Finn with upkicks to try and escape but Riddle gets him to the other ankle! Finn grabs the bottom rope, forces the break.
Finn goes up to the middle rope, but Riddle grabs him for a deadlift German! Finn is clinging tightly to the ropes to try and avoid this! Riddle rips him away from the ropes, Balor elbows his way out but can’t stay standing. Riddle hits the ropes, Finn with a wicked dropkick out of nowhere! Deadlift German Suplex, Riddle rolls through though! Hits one of his own, bridging for a nearfall! Ripcord Knee!!! And now thrusting him up for a powerbomb, but Finn counters, double leg takedown, double footstomp! Slingblade nailed! Balor charges, but Riddle runs through him with a spear out of nowhere! Hooks him up, nails the Jackhammer for a nearfall! Riddle wants a Package Tombstone, but Balor escapes, Slingblade, 1916 for a nearfall! Balor pulls him up, but eats the Bro To Sleep! “CM Punk” chant of course, obviously. Riddle up top, poses, corkscrew senton but Finn gets the knees up! Running dropkick, Riddle bounces off the ropes! Balor up top, Coup De Gras, but Riddle rolls out of the way, Bromission! Finn rolls but still can’t get to the ropes!
Batters his way out, but an upkick takes him down! Ripcord attempt, but Finn hooks him by the head – Bloody Sunday!!! That is that!
Winner: Finn Balor
Hooot dayam.
Now the lights and dramatic music plays as the cage goes down once more for our main event and we’re about to learn who the fourth man is… but before then, Ciampa strides down the ramp, he’ll be starting the match out himself. Looks like we’ll only see who the fourth is once the time comes for them to enter. Roderick Strong will be opening for The Undisputed Era.
WarGames Match: The Undisputed Era vs. Tommaso Ciampa, Keith Lee, Dominik Dijakovic & Kevin Owens
Ciampa throws Strong his crutch! Strong says he doesn’t need it, tosses it over the cage! Ciampa blocks his next shot, brawl starts, kick to the face off a body drop attempt, Roddy throws Ciampa to the ropes, Ciampa with shoulder blocks and clotheslines! Tries to throw Roddy to the cage, but he catches himself. Comes back in, Uranage Backbreaker! Roddy hooks Ciampa with a suplex, Ciampa counters with a stun gun, running kick to the head! Chops him in the corner. Roddy with a knee, wants to drive him into the cage but Ciampa fights out, back elbow. Takes him into an opposite corner, Corner Ten Punches! Except after nine he curses Strong out and rains down shot after shot! Poses to a big ovation. Roddy turns the tables, Corner Ten Punches but Ciampa counters, gets him in Cheeky Nandos position and just knees him in the face! In the center, Ciampa wants a draping DDT but Roddy escapes over to the divider. Shots back and forth, Ciampa clotheslines Roddy to the left ring.
Ciampa wants the Fairy Tale Ending, Roddy reverses, Military Press Gutbuster! Time ticks down now! Aaaand it’s Kyle O’Reilly out now! Makes his way into the ring, Ciampa going crazy with chops to both men until Kyle double legs him! Gets his showy MMA knees and elbows. Hits the ropes, eats a forearm, but a quick combo ends with a sweep of the legs! Ciampa is caught against the ropes, roundhouse kicks and chops aplenty, he’s helpless! Double team continues, double irish whip, Ciampa with the boots up. O’Reilly hooks Ciampa in the ropes, Roddy hits the ropes time and again for one elbow strike after another! Uranage Backbreaker, holds him in place, O’Reilly with a flying knee drop to the face!
Roddy and Kyle with stomps as the timer ticks down and Dominik Dijakovic is in! Discus kick to Strong! O’Reilly hits the ropes, eats a big boot! Knee Facebuster, hops over a leg sweep, thrust kick, Discus Clothesline! Clobbers him in the corner. Superkick to Roddy! Hooks Kyle up, suplex tosses him right onto his partner! Gets him onto his shoulders, Roddy does not want to Feast His Eyes and escapes but gets tossed into the steel cage! Three times, one for each convenient side! Kyle O’Reilly leaps up into a guillotine, but Dijakovic counters, knee in the back, spins and just hurls him into the steel cage! Kyle gets caught in the middle of the ring, Dominik with elbow after another as Kyle keeps springing back up for more punishment! This gets applause.
Timer goes down and Bobby Fish is coming in now! Running elbow to Ciampa slams him against the cage. Roundhouse kicks to the caught Ciampa. Dijakovic clothesline ducked, Bobby chops him down with strikes. Pummeling the hell out of Ciampa, back kick keeps Dijakovic quelled. O’Reilly leaps onto the back of Dominik to keep him in place, Fish hits the ropes, Total Elimination! Roddy with a big backbreaker to Ciampa, Chasing The Dragon suplex variant gets Dominik down. Charging knees and forearms as Ciampa is caught! “Bask In His Glory” chant as the timer gets closer.
Babyfaces very much in peril, but now Keith Lee is the cavalry! Rushes down to the ring, knocks Roddy down on his way in. Everyone down swiftly in fact. Double leapfrog! Big shoulder block to both men! Huge ovation. Double crossbody! Tope from the middle of the ring to each! Keith hoists him up, Roddy escapes, all three members with a roundhouse kick takes him to his knee,s running double knee. Ciampa firing up from nowhere to get into the swing of hings. Fish with a sleeper scissors on Lee. Crossface blows. Everybody grinding on the faces as Adam Cole is let loose, last member for his side! Cole down to the ring… whips out a table! Biggest face in years! And now a second one! But he sets this one up on the outside?!
“Thank You Adam” chant as he takes out yet another two tables, these set up in the ring. And a fifth?! Cole’s about to enter… but Ciampa shoves him from the apron right through the table! Ciampa sitting on the apron and staring. Babyfaces fight Undisputed Era to the right ring, stalk on them. Staredown! Add a wild brawl ensues! Lee hoists Kyle onto his shoulders, but Fish with a low blow! Roundhouse kick to the head take him down! Timer ticks down… who is the fourth man…? No music hits at first. Undisputed Era gloats “It’s nobody!” NO! KEVIN OWENS’ THEME HITS?! Enormous ovation as he enters the ring, takes it to every member of the Undisputed Era! Poppa Powerbomb to Fish! Pumphandle face breaker to Kyle! Sleeper Suplex from Owens to Roddy!
Owens face to face with Cole now, we get a loud “Weclome back” chance. Cole seems to offer him a spot in the Undisputed Era. Owens tells him to suck it! Stunner, has to be broken up! Chops aplenty now! Roddy tossed from one ring to another, through the ropes! Owens riles up the people in a big way! CIampa with a Draping DDT to Kyle O’Reilly! Dijakovic picks up a table! Several of them setup now in each ring. Brawling between both rings, big chant of “Kevin Owens”. CIampa tossed into the cage. Keith Lee off the top rope takes out everyone! Except Kyle O’Reilly who dives off the top after his leg, transitions into an achilles lock! Dijakovic from the middle of the ring, springboard moonsaults over one set of ropes!!!! Cover, Bobby Fish needs a moonsault of his own! Fairy Tale Ending to Fish, swanton from Kevin Owens! Cole scales upwards. Cole clips him with a shot to the midsection.
Roddy wants a powerbomb, instead gets an avalanche Olympic Slam! “This is Awesome”, Total Elimination to Dijakovic! Owens throws both tag champs into different cages! Hoists Cole onto his shoulders over the divider, Owens beats the hold, reverses, wants the Package Piledriver but Cole escapes, superkick! Cole off the top… PANAMA SUNRISE ONTO THE DIVIDER!!!!!!! “Mamma Mia” chant. Everybody is in the left ring struggling to get back up here. Tables re-setup here. Lined up near the corner. Takes CIampa onto the tables. Ciampa fights off though, throws Fish and Strong into the cages, Kyle eats a knee! Project Ciampa! Running knees to Fish and Strong against the steel! Cole finally comes in with a superkick to cut him off! Ciampa reverses off his shoulders, toss to the steel! Running knee to the face over and over! Cole is absolutely laid out.
Ciampa takes Cole up top, wants a superplex through the two tables! Cole fights his way out of that but still up top. Looking for Panama Sunrise! But Ciampa hoisting him up here… slams his head into the steel over and over! Headbutts now from Ciampa! Adam Cole goes all the way to the top of the cage! On another side the rest of them are looking to go up top but Dijakovic with a chokeslam to Strong through the table! O’Reilly has a hold in but Dominik fights it! He ends up leaning O’Reilly onto the table… OWENS OFF THE TOP WITH A FROG SPLASH! KEITH LEE WITH A SPLASH ON FISH THROUGH THE TABLE!
Meanwhile Cole and Ciampa are fighting atop the cage! Hoists him to his feet… onto shoulders now! AIR RAID CRAAAAASH THROUGH BOTH TABLES THAT IS THAT!
Winners: Team Ciampa
Holy. Shit.
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