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Here's a place to check results and comment along with the newest episode of WWE NXT, airing live in its regular Wednesday night at 8PM Eastern time slot on USA Network.
Check out our Wednesday morning preview post to get caught up on what's been happening, and what we expect this week.
Advertised for tonight: Matt Riddle and Timothy Thatcher have a Kurt Angle-refereed cage fight, Drake Maverick makes his latest last stand in an Interim Cruiserweight Championship Tournament Triple Threat tiebreaker against Kushida & Jake Atlas, Adam Cole negotiates with General Manager William Regal about Velveteen Dream, Charlotte Flair & a MYSTERY PARTNER vs. Io Shirai & Rhea Ripley, and more!
Come right back here at 8 p.m. ET when the NXT live blog kicks off once the show starts on USA. It will be below this line here. (REMINDER: NO GIFS OR PICS ARE ALLOWED IN THE COMMENTS SECTION. OFFENDERS WILL BE BANNED.)
Enjoy the show!
WWE NXT RESULTS AND LIVE BLOG FOR MAY 27
We have fans, and Tom Phillips, Beth Phoenix & Mauro Ranallo on the call. Then a quick recap of Group A of the Interim Cruiserweight Championship Tournament, since we’re starting with the Triple Threat Tiebreaker.
Drake Maverick vs. Kushida vs. Jake Atlas
Cruiserweight scrambles are not my strong suit, but here goes. Kushida gets blasted early when Atlas flips Maverick into him, who turns it into a drop kick. Jake with a moonsault onto Kushida on the floor, then springboards into a blockbuster on Drake. The Japanese Superstar returns with palm strikes for everyone. There’s a battle in the corner, and right before a break there’s a double German for a double cover.
Everybody’s in it when we return. Maverick takes out Atlas with a kick, and hits another dropkick off the ropes on Kushida that gets two. Kushida sweeps the leg on Jake on the apron and follows with a dive. He looks to have Drake in the Hover Lock, but Atlas breaks it up. Atlas with a suplex and cover.
Honestly missed a few sequences, but let’s start back with Maverick and Kushida fighting on the top, but Atlas saves Drake from a Sakuraba Lock. Kushida grabs Jake’s arm and flips down into the cross armbreaker. He extends it, but at the same time Drake stretches his arm across Atlas’ chest. The referee counts three before Jake taps.
Drake Maverick def. Jake Atlas & Kushida via pinfall
El Hijo del Fantasma out with some words for his opponent in the finals.
A reminder about the Women’s title match at TakeOver and Charlotte Flair’s MYSTERY PARTNER take us into another ad break.
Kurt Angle going over pre-match instructions Timothy Thatcher, then we see another angle of the finish of the Triple Threat. Atlas was tapping during the count, but the ref’s decision stands. It’s Maverick vs. Fantasma next week.
Johnny Gargano & Candice LeRae are out to boos. He tells them they have jobs because of him, and thinks his message is getting twisted. There’s talent in NXT, a few good hands. They want to give opportunities to people who deserve them. That’s how he started. So tonight is our first ever Johnny Gargano Invitational. One lucky person gets to work with the best performer of his generation. He signals Candice to open the envelope. They think it’s Adrian Adonis, but it’s...
Adrian Alanis vs. Johnny Gargano
Alanis starts hot, but quickly charges into a superkick after a cheap shot. A pissed off Johnny locks in Garga-No Escape and that’s it.
Johnny Gargano def. Adrian Alanis via submission
Keith Lee & Mia Yim come up on the big screen. They’re looking at Yim kicking Johnny in the face. They mock “Dinner with the Garganos”, and Mia says the centerpiece is cheap like the Garganos. She busts out a flashlight and cuts a promo on Candice saying she’s more comfortable in the shadows and hasn’t won a title despite being in NXT for years. Keith doesn’t want to do it, but Mia talks him into it. Lee’s voice gets chipper, and he says he’s Johnny. He’s got something in common with his action figure (they’re the same size), carries a flag for NXT even though no one asked him to, and spends more time looking at himself in the mirror than his wife. He jokes that he’s blind. then they both shift to talking about what a mistake Gargano/LeRae made messing with them. Lee asks what’s for dinner and Mia says same thing Candice always makes - takeout. Tegan Nox knocks and let’s herself in. She’s got pizza, but already had some. She grabs one more slice and bolts, and Keith is frustrated there’s only one left.
McKenzie Mitchell is interviewing Drake Maverick, who didn’t want to win this way. He talks about ways to make it right when Kushida comes in and tells him he fights for the title and his job, so go win. Drake promises to give him the first shot WHEN he wins the belt.
After some more commercials, Imperium gets a promo. The tag titles aren’t coming off their shoulders, just like the UK title is staying with WALTER. They heard what Oney Lorcan & Danny Burch said after their win last week, but they set the terms. The ring is sacred, etc, etc.
Shotzi Blackheart vs. Raquel Gonzalez
Dakota Kai is out with her heater, and Shotzi gets right in Gonzalez’s face but is powered into the ropes. Raquel holds a wristlock through a couple shoulder blocks, but Blackheart fights back with upkicks. This one is going fast and neither woman can connect during the flurry until Shotzi lands some forearms and a question mark kick. She spring off the ropes but Kai tells her friend to move and Blackheart eats the mat. Big elbow drop from Gonzalez, but only gets two. Dakota starts messing with Shotzi’s mini-tank as a distraction, but Nox runs in and flattens her. Time for a break.
The big Texan in control when we return. Boot to the face in the corner, then a powerslam gets two. Gonzalez follows that with a bear hug, but Shotzi elbows free. Forearm, but she charges into a backbreaker for another nearfall. More forearms officially starts Blackheart’s comeback. That leads to a big senton, but Kai pulls her partner out. Shotzi looks to hit a coffin drop on the pair but overshoots a bit and lands hard on her back (they still sell for it). Tegan comes over to check on her friend, and Candice LeRae runs in to beef with Nox over her role in the Lee/Yim video. While the referee deals with that, Blackheart is heading toward the corner to hit Gonzalez with something when Dakota gets in the way and Shotzi ends up crotched on the top ropes. A big powerslam follows and that’s it.
Raquel Gonzalez def. Shotzi Blackheart via pinfall
Video package for the already announced Finn Balor vs. Damian Priest at TakeOver. The women’s tag match is next, after these words.
Io Shirai & Rhea Ripley vs. Charlotte Flair & Chelsea Green
Mauro actually gives us WWE’s first mention of Hana Kimura while Shirai enters. Robert Stone is out with his client, and pays tribute to The Queen with a royal handshake. Flair lets Green start with Ripley, and the Nightmare puts her down and demands she tag Charlotte in. Rhea’s fixation on Flair keeps giving Chelsea openings until Io tags herself. The Genius of the Sky is a house afire, but eventually ends up being on the receiving end of a dive from Chelsea. Charlotte wants a tag while Shirai is woozy, but doesn’t stay in long. When Green is legal again, she gets hit with a dive from Io. Flair looks to swoop in, but Rhea backs her off. That gives Green a chance to recover, and she throws Shirai through the barricade as we go to commercial.
The champ is working the heat on Io when we return. She crotch chops at Ripley, but when she turns back to chop Shirai, she hits Green. The Queen baits Rhea into charging, so the heels double team Io while the ref deals with that. Shirai escapes Green and makes the tag, and Ripley is all over Chelsea. She ends her attack with facebuster, but Flair breaks up the pin with a boot. She gets the tag and locks in the Figure Four, but Io with a dropkick. She gets the tag and hits Charlotte with the running knees in the corner, but Flair kicks out. They roll through a few pinning predicaments, then Shirai with the stomp. Tiger Feint Kick, but Green pushes Charlotte out of the way and taking the springboard dropkick follow-up. Charlotte ties up Rhea and ducks out of the way just as Io runs in with knees that take out her partner. Flair with a surprise cover, gets both feet on the ropes, and that’s it.
Charlotte Flair & Chelsea Green def. Io Shirai & Rhea Ripley via pinfall
Mitchell with a steaming hot Gargano & LeRae. Johnny challenges Keith Lee for the North American title at TakeOver, and Candice face Mia next week. And Tegan... you should be ashamed of yourself.
After a break, Phillips kicks it to a Zoom meeting between NXT champion Adam Cole & General Manager William Regal. Cole complains about having to cancel his celebration, but Regal’s had enough of his condescending tone. The champ cuts to the chase, he wants Undisputed ERA to get a fair shot at the Tag titles and... The GM says it’s all about Cole, but what about what he wants. He thinks Dream deserves another shot at the title, and it’ll probably happen at TakeOver. They bicker about whether Dream or Cole is the bigger narcissist, and Regal makes a “BAY BAY” joke that Cole responds to by referencing the Man’s Man gimmick. They settle on a TakeOver match at a location of Regal’s choosing, and if Cole wins, Dream can’t challenge for the title again as long as he has the belt.
More commercials, then Lorcan & Burch get a video package. They love fighting, respect each other, and meet at a pub to agree they want to take the titles from Imperium. We then confirm the NXT title match for TakeOver.
Leon Ruff vs. Tommaso Ciampa
Scarlett follows Ciampa dow the ramp, and he’s focused on her when Ruff attacks and gets a quick cover at the bell. He uses his speed to get in another shot and evade before he gets caught with a high knee. The Blackheart works Ruff over in the corner while locking eyes with Scarlett, then blows her a kiss before hitting Fairy Tale Ending.
Tommaso Ciampa def. Leon Ruff via pinfall
He points at his watch and waves bye-bye to Scarlett. As she leaves, Kross comes up on the big screen, or his eyes do, anyway. He agrees with what Ciampa said last week, their match at TakeOver is special. He promises to make Tommaso feel something he never has before on June 7. Tick Tock.
Next week, it’s the Cruiserweight final between Maverick & Fantasma, and LeRae vs. Yim is official. Now it’s time for FIGHT PIT! There are no ropes or turnbuckle inside the fence. It’s just a big square mat. Knockout or tap out only. After Kurt Angle’s entrance, we get a video package recapping the feud that set-up tonight’s Cage Fight.
Matt Riddle vs. Timothy Thatcher
Drake Wuertz is fully checking both me before they enter, and the combatants start on the elevated platform around the cage. Thatcher jumps in first, and Riddle follows, rolling through to land the first strike. They grapple when Thatcher catches a kick, and Riddle ends up using the cage to escape and hit a German suplex. Broton, but Thatcher fires back with a loud slap. Riddle uses the cage again for a Showtime Kick, and Angle counts ten. Thatcher comes up with a mouth full of blood and spits out some “teeth”. The doctors check on him and he can continue, so he does... after this break.
The King of Bros is in charge as they work in the guard when we return. Thatcher scrambles to his feet and grabs an arm when Riddle tries a strike off the cage again. Thatcher goes to work on the legs, and when Riddle gets to the cage there’s no break under these rules. He transitions to kicks to the ribs, and Angle asks for a break and counts again. Riddle up, but right into a butterfly suplex. Thatcher goes to arm, then the crossface, but Riddle takes his back and starts going for the Bro-mission. Thatcher switches and gets the ankle, then drops an elbow on the side of his knee.
Action stays on the ground. Triangle from Thatcher, but Riddle powers up. Timothy grabs the platform and pulls himself up. Riddle follows and they battle up there (there’s another referee there, too). Riddle kicks Thatcher to his knees, but Thatcher gets the ankle lock and keeps it in as Riddle is draped off the side. Back up, Bro with kicks. He gets free and goes for a Bro-ton, but misses! Suplex from Thatcher! He sets up for a butterfly suplex to the canvas, but Riddle gets free. He sends Thatcher flying down, and follows with a Floating Bro!
Riddle up, and Thatcher crawls to the fence and pulls himself up. Riddle with kicks to the ribs, then charges, but Thatcher evades and Riddle crashes into a steel post. Rear naked choke! He smashes him into the post again, then re-grabs the hold. Riddle bounces off the fence, but Thatcher keeps the hold. Angle checks on him, then calls for the bell.
Timothy Thatcher def. Matt Riddle via TKO