Velveteen Dream returns on NXT, will face Finn Balor next week

In his first in-ring action since May, Velveteen Dream returned to NXT Wednesday as the surprise third entrant in the final three-way qualifying match for the North American Championship ladder match at TakeOver XXX.

The former North American Champion was unsuccessful in his effort to advance, getting rolled out of the ring by Cameron Grimes after Grimes hit the Cave In on Kushida while he had the hoverboard lock on Dream. Grimes then pinned Kushida to become the third entrant in the five-way ladder match for the vacant title.

After the match, Dream attacked Kushida, slapping him several times and hitting him with a superkick. Finn Balor then made his way to the ring and the two stared each other down as the show ended.

Dream and Balor will face off on next week’s NXT with the winner earning one of two remaining slots in the ladder match. Johnny Gargano vs. Ridge Holland is the other qualifier.

This was Dream’s first match since losing to then-NXT Champion Adam Cole in a Backlot Brawl on the May 27th TakeOver: In Your House. He (real name Patrick Clark) had been off TV since the June 17th NXT which commentator Mauro Ranallo attributed to him taking time off after unsuccessfully challenging for the title.

There have been been allegations against Clark of displaying inappropriate behavior involving minors that emerged as part of April’s #SpeakingOut movement that were revived in June. He denied the claims publicly back in April, but neither he nor WWE addressed the issue after that.

The 24-year-old also was involved in a car accident in late-June and was discharged from the hospital the same day.