Night one of WWE NXT TakeOver: Stand & Deliver is all set to pop off tonight (Wed., April 7, 2020) at 8 p.m. ET, live on USA & Peacock!
CagesideSeats.com will provide LIVE blow-by-blow, match-by-match coverage of NXT TakeOver: Stand & Deliver Night One below, beginning with the first match of the evening and right on through to the main event.
Tonight's show comes our way from the Capitol Wrestling Center in Orlando, and it's offering up the usual stacked card. While you're waiting for the show to begin, dig into our predictions - as well as a preview of tonight’s card!
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WWE NXT TAKEOVER: STAND & DELIVER NIGHT ONE QUICK RESULTS
Raquel González def. Io Shirai via pinfall to win NXT women’s championship
WALTER def. Tommaso Ciampa via pinfall to retain NXT UK championship
MSK def. Grizzled Young Veterans & Legado Del Fantasma via pinfall to win NXT tag team championship
Bronson Reed wins Gauntlet match for right to challenge for NXT North American championship on night two
Pete Dunne def. KUSHIDA via pinfall
Zoey Stark def. Toni Storm via pinfall
WWE NXT TAKEOVER: STAND & DELIVER NIGHT ONE LIVE BLOG & MATCH COVERAGE
We’re live with the Takeover pre-show on Peacock! So far we’re getting a rundown of tonight’s card, followed by a video package previewing WALTER vs. Tommaso Ciampa. Ciampa is interviewed by Samoa Joe next. The hosts are Jimmy Smith & Sam Roberts.
“He’s a big man, 700 something days as champion, but I’ll tell you this is the most excited and anxious I’ve been for Takeover since New Orleans with Johnny Gargano. I’ve been through it, not just wrestling for 16 years, but life. Neck surgery, ACL surgery, shoulder surgery, becoming a dad, I’ve just been through it. Physically, mentally, spiritually, I’m the best I’ve ever been going into this match. I know it’s going to be physical. I like that. There are certain ones that are special — this is one of those.”
“I feel like at 35 years old, post neck surgery, becoming a dad I have so much to prove. Not only do I need to prove I’m what I was in 2018, but I’m better, I’m more focused, and if WALTER doesn’t think so he’s in for the night of his life. Physically I don’t think he can hang with me. That title, the NXT UK Title, from Tyler Bate to Pete Dunne to WALTER, that’s one of the most prestigious titles. I’ve held ‘Goldie’ now it’s time to hold ‘My Lady.’”
Now it’s WALTER’s turn to talk to Samoa Joe about what he wants to prove tonight.
“Whenever I step in the ring I want to put on the best performance possible. I owe this not only to the audience, but to the sport itself. I think that Tommaso Ciampa from two years ago is very similar to what I am today, how I think and how I feel about wrestling, putting wrestling first in our lives. I don’t think he is that any more. I think he took out of the sport what he needs and now he drops it.”
“For me it’s not just one match that solidifies what you did over the last two years. I think every step counts and I think Tommaso Ciampa is the next biggest challenge for me. Coming here as NXT UK champion and having the privilege to defend it in front of the American fans, I love it. But the NXT UK brand, I want to make that the best in the world today. At some point everybody has to make that next step (in their career), but when it will be, I don’t know yet.” A teaser for Toni Storm vs. Zoey Stark and commercial break follow.
After the break LA Knight promises that he’ll take Johnny Gargano’s place as Mr. Takeover after he wins the gauntlet tonight and goes on to face him tomorrow night. Considering he gets to enter the gauntlet last, he gets as good of a chance to do so as anybody in it, at least as far as the storyline is concerned. This leads to a breakdown of Pete Dunne vs. KUSHIDA, with Jimmy Smith using his MMA commentary experience to talk about how “submission grappling” will play a part in their battle. Stark vs. Storm is up next!
Zoey Stark vs. Toni Storm
Our commentary team from ringside is Mickie James and Vic Joseph. Toni Storm enters first to a chorus of boos from the NeXTras, sneering right back at them through her rock star shades. Stark wastes little time getting to the ring, leaping over the ropes and running back and forth before striking a pose. Storm stares her down. The ref calls for the bell and Storm sneers again as a “let’s go Zo-ey” chant breaks out.
The competitors circle for a bit, tie up, and break with no advantage gained. Stark with a go behind takedown into a headlock. She gets up and tosses Storm, but Storm counters into a head scissor, and Stark has to kip back up to her feet. Storm grabs a headlock and gets multiple warnings from the ref for pulling on the hair. Stark counters with an arm wringer. Storm with reverse elbows but Stark with fisticuffs and a missile dropkick. Storm dodges a charge to the corner and throws Stark down neck first for some ground and pound. Stark kicks out at one. Storm works the neck and nearly pins herself in the process. She snaps the neck off the mat for another near fall.
Stark crawls to the corner to recover and gets stomped on. Storm with a suplex and a near fall. She goes for the single leg crab, Stark escapes, Storm knocks her down again. Hands to the jaw from Storm and another warning from the ref for her to not grab the hair. Stark fights back with chops. Storm counters into a takedown. I mean this in the nicest way but it doesn’t feel like these two women are on the same page. The match feels like a series of spots and not a fluid story. Stark cuts off Storm as she goes to the top rope. Suplex from the middle rope leaves both women down. They trade “boo” and “yay” punches as they get up. Kick to the jaw, Stark misses with a knee, standing switch, kip up, running knee and Storm kicks out at 2.9. Roll up, 2.9. Stark puts Storm on her shoulders but she gets free. Storm puts Stark on her shoulders and smashes her face into the mat for 2. She goes for Storm Zero and Stark counters with a reverse kick to the jaw for 2. Stark hammers Storm’s back and hits a knee to the gut but Storm has a standing switch and two German suplexes. Storm Zero is blocked and Stark gets the inside cradle for a very sloppy looking finish.
The winner of this contest: Zoey Stark
That was no good. I know how good Toni Storm is, so I can only blame Stark’s relative lack of experience compared to her. MSK were cutting a promo on the triple threat match but my stream on Peacock just crashed so I have no idea what they said. Hopefully it works better tomorrow night.
And now it’s time for the main card, being kicked off by Nita Strauss on guitar! She plays the National Anthem like only she can as all of the NeXTras stand and applaud. The lights go down, the sounds of thunder and lightning (very very frightening) fill the building, and we’re officially underway on USA!
Pete Dunne vs. KUSHIDA
Dunne heads to the ring with his trademark look of disdain, while KUSHIDA comes down with his trademark Marty McFly jacket on. The referee’s ponytail whips back and forth and she tries to get between the two. She calls for the bell and both men are going for submissions immediately until they stand up and stare each other down. Test of strength leads dueling knee bars. KUSHIDA gets the advantage and wrings the left arm. Dunne reverses and has the arm lock. KUSHIDA counters it right back. Dunne kips flips and rolls his way out. He avoids KUSHIDA by sliding out of the ring and then suplexes him right onto the apron (it’s the hardest part of the ring y’know). Back in the ring Dunne stomps on KUSHIDA’s headand he writhes in pain. They trade chops when KUSHIDA gets up. Boot to the face from Dunne. Hip toss and drop kick by KUSHIDA. Dunne rolls out. KUSHIDA goes top rope but Dunne gets out of the way. They fight on the entrance way and KUSHIDA his the springboard elbow, then a running kick from the top of the ramp that sends both men back inside the ring. Pete Dunne pulls guard looking for a submission but KUSHIDA reverses to a hoverboard lock. Both men break. KUSHIDA goes for another back spring elbow but Dunne snaps the fingers. KUSHIDA drills his head into the mat for 2 and a commercial break!
We’re back almost immediately from break (that was ridiculously short) and we’ve got a double down with KUSHIDA trying to shake the feeling back into his fingers. They trade headbutts from their knees as they slowly get back up. KUSHIDA knocks Dunne away with a body kick and then hits a dropkick to Dunne’s arm. Dunne leaps to the ropes but KUSHIDA flips up to land a kick and knock him down. He climbs up to the top for a hoverboard lock and hits a suplex with it still locked in. Dunne crawls for the ropes and gets a break. KUSHIDA tries for another submission but this time Dunne gets a boot on the ropes. KUSHIDA jumps to cinch up another hoverboard lock but Dunne tries to fall backward and pin his shoulders to the mat. Two count, rope break. Dunne is selling his left arm. He catches a hand coming toward his head, snaps the fingers, stomps on them twice, and kicks KUSHIDA in the head. Bitter End! One, two, three.
The winner of this contest: “Bruiserweight” Pete Dunne
That was fun. A very fine start to night one of Takeover: Stand & Deliver! My compliments to all parties involved. We go to footage of Io Shirai (with Zoey Stark) and Raquel González (with Dakota Kai) arriving at the CWC earlier before our next commercial break.
North American title #1 contender Gauntlet
We’re getting a hot start to the match as both Leon Ruff and Isaiah Scott are in the ring as we come back. Scott drags Ruff in front of the commentary table, waves to them, picks him up, Ruff shoves him away, leaps onto the announce table and hits a diamond cutter! He throws Scott back into the ring for a near fall. Ruff with right elbows to the face. Scott gets back on offense by snapping Ruff’s neck into the ropes. They go up to the middle turnbuckle and come off of it in a heap that leaves both men struggling to stand. They count down to zero and the next entrant is Bronson Reed!
Ruff goes out to attack Reed and he picks him up and throws him back INTO the ring, then takes his ring jacket off and flexes his pecs. Scott is picked up for a delayed vertical suplex, and Ruff jumps off the ropes to lend an assist. He tries to clubber Reed from behind, tries to slide through Reed’s legs, and he gets squashed like a bug for his efforts. Reed does it again and Beth Phoenix screams “ANYBODY GOT A SPATULA?” Reed pulls Ruff back up, Ruff goes for a go behind, Scott tries to join, so Reed hits the standing switch on both men with Ruff trying to hang onto the ropes, and then Reed suplexes BOTH MEN. (Okay let’s be real all Ruff did was jump in the air but it still looked good.)
Our next competitor is in and it’s Cameron Grimes. He hits a moonsault and Reed is down! Reed rolls out to get a breather as Grimes pulls a wad of money out and offers it to Scott. Scott takes the money, puts it in his waistband and gives Grimes a hug, and the two take turns working over Ruff in the corner. Personally I think it would have been funnier if Scott took the money and then immediately decked Grimes and pinned him, but the agents clearly have other ideas. Reed finally gets up to the apron and gets knocked back out to the floor. Ruff fires up with elbows but Grimes takes him down with a clothesline. Scott throws him off the ropes and does the same and the two high five.
Dexter Lumis is in now and nobody has been eliminated from the gauntlet thus far! As soon as I say that Scott pins Ruff, while Lumis hits Reed with a DDT on the entrance ramp. He gets in the ring and crawls toward Grimes, and Grimes takes a powder. He tries to get back in after Scott takes a suplex, but he fails in the sneak attack and takes a suplex too. Fisticuffs all around from Lumis. Reed gets back in the ring and stares Lumis down. They trade haymakers! Uppercut from Lumis. He tries to pick Reed up and fails. He tries again but Reed breaks free! Grimes pulls down the ropes and Lumis sends Reed out, then both Grimes and Lumis spill out to the floor.
LA Knight is here (dummy, yeah). He can’t resist cutting a promo as he walks down to the ring, and Reed gets sick of the shtick and grabs him by the top of the head to throw Knight into the ring and send US to a well earned commercial break!
The breaks are really short tonight. We’re back with Knight throwing his ring jacket into Reed’s face and taking out both Grimes and Scott in short order, the latter with a suplex off the ropes. Lumis stares Knight down. Grimes takes advantage but Lumis locks in The Silence. Knight leaps over them both and uses leverage to pin Lumis’ shoulders to the mat. Dexter Lumis is out! Reed lands on the chest of Knight and he’s out too. Lumis gets payback when Knight gets out of the ring and puts The Silence on him until he goes to sleep. Back to the action though as it’s Reed, Grimes and Scott trading blows with each other in the middle of the ring. Reed falls on top of the other men when they’re down. TIM-BERRRR!
Reed chops both men when they get up, the alliance between Grimes and Scott breaks down as they go for pins on each other, and Scott reverses into a cradle to pin Grimes! Now Scott and Reed are the last men standing waiting to face Johnny Gargano tomorrow. Reed knocks Scott down with his belly and goes top rope. Scott flies through the air with a kick to slow him down. He goes out to the ring apron and suplexes Reed off the ropes onto the apron. You don’t have to sell that Reed, it looked like it REALLY hurt. Scott throws him back in and hits the 450 splash but Reed kicks out at 2.999! Kick to the head. Another “house call” from Scott right after. He pulls Reed back up and goes for a third but Reed goozles him! Scott kicks him in the gut to break it up and connects but the doctor ISN’T in as Reed kicks out. Scott works over the left arm but Reed gets up and hits a powerbomb and goes to the top rope for the tsunami!
The winner of the gauntlet to face Gargano is “Colossal” Bronson Reed
WALTER (NXT UK champion) vs. Tommaso Ciampa (title match)
The lights go down after Ciampa and WALTER enter for our first “big match intro” of the evening. Ciampa gets in WALTER’s face and starts yelling as he’s introduced. WALTER just stands stoically with the belt over his right shoulder as he’s introduced. The ref holds up the UK title and calls for the bell, and it’s on like Donkey Kong. Here we go!!
Dueling chants from the NeXTras in the building. They lock up and WALTER pushes Ciampa into the corner. Ciampa ducks a chop after the clean break and wags a finger at WALTER. Ciampa wrings the left arm but WALTER pushes him into the corner. Ciampa goes for a headlock, WALTER shoots him off, but so far Ciampa is scouting every move WALTER makes. Ciampa starts stomping WALTER down in the corner and the ref makes him back up at the four count. He yells in WALTER’s face but WALTER gets back up and FINALLY lands a chop. He puts Ciampa in the ropes and tries to stand on his neck but Ciampa spills to the floor. WALTER follows him out to the announce table and they throw blows. WALTER tries to chop him on the announce table but breaks the cover of the table in half!
WALTER throws Ciampa on the apron, Ciampa tries to hit Willow’s Bell, but WALTER overpowers him. Ciampa blocks a chop with his elbow and goes on offense with his own chops. He tries and fails to pick WALTER up. Ciampa goes to wring the right arm and kick it repeatedly. He tries to hit an overhead suplex but WALTER blocks it and lands a boot to the face. WALTER is down selling but he gets up first though. He puts Ciampa in a crab and then just flattens him out. Ciampa gets up but takes a boot to the face and is laying on the ropes. WALTER walks over and puts a boot to his throat and Ciampa spills to the floor.
WALTER gets Ciampa back in the ring and pummels him mercilessly, even though you can see his chest is bright red from the chops Ciampa landed. Usually with WALTER it’s the other way around. Ciampa gets back up and delivers a series of short arm clotheslines. He has WALTER wobbling on his feet as we go to commercial!
We’re back with Ciampa landing knees, WALTER is picked up and dropped straight on his face, and WALTER kicks out at 2.9. Running knee by Ciampa. WALTER catches Ciampa in a sleeper but Ciampa works WALTER’s fingers. WALTER hits a German suplex and a lariat for a near fall. WALTER goes for a powerbomb but it’s blocked. Right hand from WALTER. Ciampa drags him to the mat and works over the right hand looking for a submission. WALTER gets a rope break with the toe of his boot but Ciampa just stomps on his head instead. The ref has to keep making Ciampa break as he’s wild on offense. WALTER narrowly avoids the Willow’s Bell by falling backward to the floor. WALTER goes to club the chest and Ciampa keeps working over that hand. Ciampa puts him on the ropes for a chop. WALTER pulls him up to the top but Ciampa counters for a suplex and a near fall!
The NeXTras are chanting “fight forever.” Both men get up slowly. Ciampa lands a pair of chops and a third right to the neck. A fourth connects. WALTER avoids the last one and then they start trading back and forth, WALTER forced to use lefts as his right hand is injured. WALTER stomps on Ciampa’s head, twists his neck, hits a powerbomb, hits a second, and puts all his weight onto Ciampa’s legs... and he still kicks out! The NeXTras are now pounding on the barricade and chanting “this is awesome.” Yeah, it is. WALTER takes Ciampa off his feet with a few more chops and pins him. Well... that was anticlimactic.
The winner of this contest and still NXT UK champion: WALTER
MSK vs. Grizzled Young Veterans vs. Legado Del Fantasma (for the vacant tag titles)
Honestly with all three teams in the ring at one time it’s a little bit hard to live blog who is doing what. Eventually James Drake is in control in the middle of the ring, and delivers as much punishment as he possibly can before covering Nash Carter for two. Carter fights back to his feet and despite a distraction on the Apron, Drake boots him away and fish hooks Carter until the ref forces a break. Wade Barrett compliments Drake on how nasty he’s become before Wes Lee gets the hot tag. We get a series of double team spots that leave all six men down on the floor. Legado Del Fantasma are trading hot tags and working over Carter, landing coast to coast dropkicks. Gibson breaks up the pinfall. Legado stomp a mud hole in him for his trouble and toss him outside for a commercial break!
And we’re back with Carter again being the face in peril of the match, with Legado working him over until James Drake runs in to give Raul Mendoza a roll up for a near fall. Carter fights to hot tag Wes Lee again and he throws kicks at every body he sees that’s not his partner before a suicide dive and a tope con hilo. Gibson and Lee both try to go to the top rope and end up fighting with each other until Drake kicks this hands into the turnbuckle. Gibson works over the left hand with a submission, Drake tries to prevent Carter from interfering, Carter reaches out his hand to keep Lee from tapping, Legado break it up and now they’re in control. They drag Lee back to the center and hit a double team move for a near fall. MSK try and fails to get back into the match as everybody brawls on the outside. Doomsday device from the Vets! Double stomp to the chest of Mendoza from MSK! The Vets get to ropes and step through to face MSK as Legado is nowhere to be seen. They face off and throw haymakers. Carter blocks a Ticket to Mayhem and hits a double cutter. Lee gets the tag! Lee goes to the second rope as Carter lifts up Gibson, cutter from the ropes by Lee, MSK get the pin and win the gold!
Your winners and NEW NXT Tag Team Champions: MSK
Io Shirai (champ) vs. Raquel González for the NXT Women’s Title
González came out first (as you’d expect), and while Shirai was making her entrance commentary informed us that Lita (Amy Dumas) had joined the Takeover Watch Along. Like I’m supposed to turn off Takeover to see that? Kind of a pointless fact to know even though I’m a big fan of hers. The lights go down for the big match intro, the bell rings afterward, and González takes Shirai down with a boot! She starts throwing Shirai all around the ring, Shirai goes for a head scissor and kicks González in the head, she kicks her again from the apron and climbs to the top, and a tilt a whirl head scissor follows. Shirai with chops in the corner. Boot to the gut as the ref tells Shirai to back off. She ignores him. González just picks her up but Shirai knocks her out to the floor and hits the suicide dive into the barricade. The NeXTras applaud politely. Dakota Kai runs in to interfere and the ref ejects her from the premises. Back heel kick to the chest from Shirai to González and a moonsault into the barricade. She goes to the apron again so González picks her up and lawn darts Shirai into the steel ring post. Ouch!
González is firmly in control now. Shirai goes for a six one nine but González cuts her off and snaps her head off the ropes for two. Shirai rolls under the ropes trying to get a breather but González drags her back to the center for a series of elbows and another near fall. González goes for a vertical suplex but Shirai floats over and hits chops. González catches the next chop and knocks Shirai down with a head butt. She pulls Shirai up by the head and puts her in a form of torture rack until Shirai can break free land on her feet and uses her legs for a takeover (pun intended) and a stomp on her chest. González eats the six one nine this time and Shirai follows up with the springboard missile dropkick. Shirai gets a near fall moments later as the announcers tell us Takeover is trending at the top of Twitter. González goes for the single arm powerbomb but Shirai escapes and goes for the cross face. González crawls to the ropes and forces the break with her fingertips. Shirai with a moonsault onto the stage. The ref tells Shirai to get it back in the ring, but as González crawls away, Shirai hits double knees right to her face. We’re approaching the overrun!
Shirai climbed to the top of the skull on the entrance stage (Wade Barrett says it’s 20 feet high) and dived off of it to crossbody González, and her knees seemed to connect with the steel grating as she did so. Was that really a good idea for anyone involved? Made for a great camera shot though for whoever was up in the scaffolding to catch it (or whatever remote camera was switched on to catch it). Shirai brings González back to the ring and hits a top rope moonsault, but González kicks out! NeXTras chant “this is awesome” again. The women fight on the outside and González hits her one arm powerbomb on the floor. Both women are down at 10:01 ET. González throws Shirai back in when she gets up and mocks her, then takes her inside out with a lariat when she gets to her feet. González with the one arm powerbomb for three!
The winner and NEWWWWW NXT Women’s Champion: Raquel González
That’s the end of Takeover: Stand & Deliver night one!