:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/66660454/interim_nxt_tournament_matches.0.jpg)
The tournament to crown an Interim Cruiserweight champion kicked off tonight (April 15) when Akira Tozawa pinned Isaiah “Swerve” Scott. We’ll see both men at least twice more in Group B matches, as this is not a one-and-done tourney.
We won’t see either Tozawa or Sweve next week, however. Three tournament matches were announced for April 22, and they contain lots of news-worthy angles.
El Hijo del Fantasma will make his WWE television debut. The man many U.S. fans knew as Lucha Underground’s King Cuerno got a video package on this week’s episode hyping his lucha libre roots. He’ll face Gentleman Jack Gallagher in Group B action.
All four men from Group A will also wrestle on the 22nd. In one match, Tony Nese faces Kushida. Hopefully Nese won’t be kidnapped in the aftermath - that fate befell both of Kushida’s last two opponents, and many believe Fantasma is behind the abductions of Joaquin Wilde and Raul Mendoza.
The other Group A bout will be one of the last matches of Drake Maverick’s first WWE run. He was released earlier today, but says he asked to compete in the tournament regardless. Maverick faces the highly touted Jake Atlas.
Whoever has the best record in each Group after facing the three other men in their Group will face off in the final to crown an interim champ.