Tonight’s show finds us at Full Sail, for the first episode from a taping (spoilers from which are here) full of big story beats designed to get us through to August’s TakeOver: Brooklyn III. Here's what to expect.
The Headliner(s)
There’s a huge, history making main event, which will be called by the new announce team of Nigel McGuinness, Percy Watson and Mauro Ranallo!
Now about that main event.
When the Triple Threat elimination match got down to just Women’s champion Asuka and Nikki Cross a few weeks back, things got so out of control the bout was declared a no contest - and the brawl continued until Cross put both the Empress of Tomorrow and herself through a table, rendering them both unresponsive for a time.
Given that, what else was General Manager William Regal to do but book a Last Woman Standing match for the title?
The first-ever #LastWomanStanding match takes place THIS WEDNESDAY on @WWENXT at 8/7c only on @WWENetwork! @WWEAsuka @NikkiCrossWWE #WWENXT pic.twitter.com/ONlcu1LSFU
— WWE (@WWE) June 27, 2017
Nikki and Asuka are plenty familiar with one another as their rivalry stretches back to late 2016, and Cross has had her eye on that belt since she showed up as a member of Eric Young’s SAnitY stable. Is this the night she puts the champ down for good and takes it for herself? Or will she just be Asuka’s latest victim?
The Title Scene
When Roderick Strong couldn’t take any more of NXT champion Bobby Roode’s jokes and insults about his family, he snapped - attacking The Glorious One in the midst of a backstage photo shoot. In so doing, he goaded Roode into giving him the title shot he wanted, and we’ll see the Messiah of the Backbreaker get his opportunity next week.
Paul Ellering’s been adamant that his book of destruction says no one is worthy of a shot at Authors of Pain’s tag titles. But with every other champ on the brand defending their straps before the next TakeOver, you have to think someone will get a date with Akam & Rezar. Will it be Heavy Machinery? Tino Sabatelli & Riddick Moss? SAnitY?
Other stuff to keep an eye on:
- Ember Moon’s road back to the top got off to a good start when she overcame the numbers game of Peyton Royce & Billie Kay last Wednesday. She’ll be ready from whoever emerges from the Last Woman Standing match with the strap... but she really hopes that’s Asuka.
- Sonya Deville kept momentum on her side last week with a win over Rachel Evers. Will Deville, Evers or anyone else find a way into the upcoming Mae Young Classic tournament?
- Despite making up with and receiving some words of encouragement from Hideo Itami, Kassius Ohno still couldn’t pick up the big win that’s eluded him since returning to NXT. What’s next for Ohno after falling to Aleister Black?
- Will we ever learn more about that mystery woman who showed up to slap the hat off Andrade “Cien” Almas’ head, and hopefully some sense into it, a couple weeks back?
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See you tonight for NXT, Cagesiders!