WWE NXT preview (April 11, 2018): On to the next

Tonight’s show finds us in back in New Orleans’ Smoothie King Center for highlights and fallout from TakeOver: New Orleans... plus a couple dark matches.

Here's what to expect.

The Headliner(s)

Probably the biggest cliffhanger comingout of last Saturday night, at least for this writer, came after the third match on the card. At the conclusion of The Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic finals, United Kingdom Champion Pete Dunne delivered a Bitter End to Undisputed ERA’s Kyle O’Reilly. The ring was clear of both O’Reilly’s partner and Authors of Pain, so The Dusty Cup and the Tag Team Titles were all but in the hands of The Bruiserweight and his partner, Roderick Strong.

But Strong shockingly broke up the pin and hit his own finisher on Dunne. He then accepted the ERA armband he’s been shunning for months, and even Adam Cole and KOR seemed shocked by the move.

Why, despite numerous opportunities to join UE, did Roddy act now? Frustration at not being able to win a belt on his own is the likely explanation, but then - why when he was seconds away from earning one with Dunne?

He declined to provide any answers in his fallout interview with his new faction - even to his partners. That may have to wait, however, as Dunne’s already recruited his partners from Moustache Mountain, Trent Seven and Tyler Bate (the team he and Strong replaced in The Dusty when Bate had to withdraw due to injury), for some trios action... and the battle already started at WrestleMania Axxess on Sunday.

But all that will likely have to wait until the episodes NXT is filming tonight at Full Sail. First, we get highlight packages and dark matches!

The Title Scene

It didn’t look like Aleister Black had an answer for Zelina Vega this time. But Andrade “Cien” Almas’ business associate went on the attack one too many times at TakeOver, and her last gambit backfired. Now Aleister Black is the NXT Champion.

Not only do we have a new Women’s champ thanks to the nap Shayna Baszler made former titleholder Ember Moon take, The She-nom went to Raw on Monday. That doesn’t guarantee Moon won’t be back for revenge - precedent isn’t 100% for vanquished champions who get promoted being immediately gone for good. But with the way NXT kept Kairi Sane on our screens in the build to The Queen of Spades big win and the fact The Pirate Princess is set to face Lacey Evans tonight, it certainly seems like they’re setting up another rematch of the Mae Young Classic finals.

Not only is Cole a tag champ, he also became the first man to hold the new North American title. But British Strong Style aren’t only ones gunning for The Panama City Playboy. The five men he beat in the ladder match - Lars Sullivan, Velveteen Dream, Killian Dain, Ricochet all likely want another shot at the black-and-yellow’s newest belt.

Other stuff to keep an eye on:

- Don’t expect much more but an amazing highlight package recapping Johnny Gargano’s beautiful, brutal, job-securing win over Tommaso Ciampa on Saturday night. But that’s enough for now.

- While it seems Undisputed may be tied up with some lads from across the pond for a while, the tag division rolls on. Tino Sabatelli and Riddick Moss will face Heavy Machinery tonight.

- Ember wasn’t the only call-up. We’re also facing a future without AoP, The Iconic Duo and No Way Jose. There are plenty of folks already on television ready to replace them (heck, Peyton Royce, Billie Kay and The Dancing Dominican couldn’t get on our screens before their call-ups), but that doesn’t mean Triple H and company don’t have more talent waiting in the wings.

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See you tonight for NXT, Cagesiders!