WWE NXT live results: TakeOver 31 fallout

NXT’s fallout from TakeOver 31 takes place at the Capitol Wrestling Center tonight.

After making her return to NXT at TakeOver, Ember Moon will kick off tonight’s show. Moon was revealed to be the former champion who WWE hyped was returning to NXT to take what’s theirs. She confronted NXT Women’s Champion Io Shirai at TakeOver after Shirai retained her title against Candice LeRae.

Kushida displayed his new vicious side as he defeated Velveteen Dream at TakeOver. That included Kushida attacking Dream both before and after the match. Tonight, Kushida will face Tommaso Ciampa in the first match of the show.

We’ll get injury updates on NXT Champion Finn Balor and Kyle O’Reilly after Balor retained his title against O’Reilly in the main event of TakeOver. WWE will also follow up on the show-closing angle at TakeOver, which saw Ridge Holland carry a laid out Adam Cole over his shoulder and dump him over the barricade. O’Reilly, Roderick Strong, and Bobby Fish then checked on Cole and questioned what happened.

Our live coverage begins at 8 p.m. Eastern time.

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The first episode from the Capital Wrestling Center began with a change of plans. After advertising an appearance by Ember Moon was opening the show, that is not what kicked off the show. A match is opening the show instead. Apparently, there was an angle on social media that made William Regal book the match to open the show.

Tommaso Ciampa defeated Kushida via disqualification

Velveteen Dream ran in to cause the DQ. This was good while it lasted, but the finish was lame.

Kushida’s gear looks to now include blue jeans like he wore at TakeOver. I guess maybe it’s supposed to make him look more like Marty McFly.

They began with grappling and chain wrestling. Kushida with a handspring into a dropkick, and Ciampa went to powder. Kushida quickly got him back into the ring, where he targeted a wrist. 

Ciampa cut off Kushdia when he went for another handspring, and Ciampa grounded Kushida. Ciampa dashed a hope spot and went back to punishing Kushida. 

Kushdia made a comeback before the show cut to commercial. When the show returned from break, Ciampa was somehow back in control. Ciampa was fighting with Kushida on the turnbuckles when Kushida snapped Ciampa’s arm on the buckle.

Kushida fired up with a flurry of offense. When Ciampa tried to cut him off, Kushida stomped the injured wrist. Kushida went back to work on Ciampa, and he tried applying a Fujiwara armbar. Ciampa fought to block the hold, and Kushdia got him a triangle of sorts. Ciampa deadlifted him into a sit-out powerbomb. 

They traded strikes, and Ciampa hooked him for a fisherman’s buster. Ciampa went for his finihser, but Kushida countered. They traded more strikes, and Kushida leveled him with a kick that dropped Ciampa. Kushida stomped on Ciampa, and then he applied the Hoverboard Lock.

Velveteen Dream, with a cast on his arm, ran in and climbed the turnbuckles. He jumped looking for an ax handle on Kushida, but Dream hit Ciampa instead. The referee called for a DQ as Kushida threw Dream out of the ring. Kushida did a flip dive over the ropes on Dream. Kushida went to attack again, but Dream fled ringside as he stumbled into the darkness at the CWC.

A Brawl Erupts During Ember Moon Promo

Ember Moon, after a commercial break, was in the ring to address the audience. She thanked the crowd for their welcoming response. Moon said she was surprised “they” let her on the microphone. “It’s been awhile,” she said.

She has been in isolation for 14 months, but now she is back. Moon went on to say she sees a lot has changed in NXT. She rode her motorcycle for miles, and she found clarity.

Moon says she found “Ember’s Law”, and no one will walk over her. She is going to do what she wants to do, because “I’m Ember Moon, damnit!” One thing is the same: “Mama wants some gold, baby.” With that, NXT Women’s Champion Io Shirai entered stage left.

Shirai got in the ring face-to-face with Moon. Before Shirai could speak, enter Rhea Ripley to interrupt them. Ripley began to speak on the stage when she was attacked by Dakota Kai and Raquel Gonzalez. Moon jumped in to make a save, causing a brawl to erupt. Officials poured out to separate them, and William Regal came out to book a tag team match like he was Teddy Long.

In a skit from “earlier today”, Drake Maverick informed Killian Dain that they were booked in a tag team match. Maverick insisted they were now a team. Dain was not pleased by this news.

Undisputed Era was backstage for a promo, and Adam Cole addressed the supposed attack by Ridge Holland, which was a cliffhanger that ended TakeOver. Cole said he has broken ribs, and he called a Holland a “dead man” for attacking him.

Drake Maverick & Killian Dain defeated Ever-Rise (Chase Parker & Matt Martel)

Maverick pinned Parker after Dain powerbombed Maverick on to Parker. Maverick & Dain had wacky theme music like they were starring in a buddy sitcom. 

Maverick started the match, and Dain stuck out his hand in a lackadaisical manner offering a tag. Maverick was reaching for tag when Martel clotheslined him. Ever-Rise worked over Maverick, and Martel with a cheap shot got Dain’s attention.

Dain got in the ring, and he dragged Maverick back to their corner so he could make a tag. Dain proceeded to clean house. Dain was going for a Vader bomb when Maverick made a blind tag. Dain, of course, was upset by this. They argued, and Parker rolled up Maverick for a pinning attempt. Dain broke up the pin with a pump kick.

Despite pleas from Maverick, Dain picked him to powerbomb Maverick on to Parker. Maverick landed on top of Parker, and the referee counted three. The odd couple team win. 

Maverick tried to get Dain to celebrate by dancing, but Dain knocked him out with a punch instead. Dain then put Maverick on his shoulder, and he carried him away. This is the weirdest buddy sitcom I’ve seen.

A great vignette profiled Toni Storm. 

Johnny Gargano & Candice LeRae were walking their dog in a neighborhood. They wore matching track suits. His was blue and hers was pink. They wanted rematches for the titles they challenged for at TakeOver. Gargano said they needed a plan.

As they approached their house, they saw a new television set on the porck. It had a bow on it, and was sent by Indi Hartwell. Gargano buried her until LeRae told him it was a gift from Hartwell. He changed his tune and put her over. He was excited about getting a free TV.

Austin Theory defeated Leon Ruff

Theory pinned Ruff in a very short match.

Ruff showed fire at the start, but Theory soon cut him off. However, Ruff fired up again to get a near fall. The announcers talked about Theory needing to mature. Ruff went to do a lucha spot similar to Rey Fenix springboarding on the ropes, but Ruff slipped on the ropes. Theory then grabbed him, and he executed an ATO (TKO cutter) to score the pinfall.

Theory cut a promo after the match where he warned Adam Cole and others. Theory claimed he was the future of NXT, and said there nothing anyone can do about it. Dexter Lumis, with a new entrance video, interrupted him. This led to an impromptu match.

Dexter Lumis defeated Austin Theory

Lumis submitted Theory in a match that dragged on seemingly forever. Cameron Grimes ran in after the match to attack Lumis.

Lumis had the advantage when the show cut to a commercial break. Theory during the break sent him into the ring steps, and Theory was in control when the show returned from the break.

Theory worked over Lumis, and used a standing moonsault for a two count. Lumis eventually made a comeback to give Theory a spinebuster. Lumis monkey-flipped Theory, and he gave him a slingshot suplex for a near fall. 

Theory rocked Lumis with his roll through dropkick. Lumis no-sold it as he quickly rose to his feet. Theory tried to flee, but Lumis dragged him to the center of the ring. Lumis delivered an uranage, and then applied his vice hold finisher. Theory tapped out.

Right after the finish, Cameron Grimes ran in to give Lumis a Cave In double foot stomp. So they are probably having a match at some point. Grimes was mad Lumis did not answer his question in a skit from last week.

During a “Prime Target” mini-doc there was a “Championship Epilogue”. It focused on the NXT Championship title match at TakeOver. Finn Balor retained his title defeating Kyle O’Reilly this past Sunday. This was a great video package, and it made the title seem important.

Ridge Holland defeated Danny Burch

Holland pinned Burch to win the match. Holland may have injured himself during a brawl after the match. Apparently the story before this was someone gave Holland a new Mercedes-Benz as payment for attacking Cole at TakeOver.

Burch got in some offense as he fired up on Holland during the match, but Holland cut him off. Holland executed the Northern Grit, and he covered him for a pinfall.

Holland put on his cap, and he went to leave. Burch was angry he lost, and he slapped Holland across the face. Holland’s cap went flying for a nice visual that made the slap look even more impressive. Holland proceeded to maul Burch. Oney Lorcan ran in to a make a save. He brawled with Holland until officials ran down to separate them.

Lorcan did a flip dive over the ropes on to a pile of bodies. They brawling started over until Holland mowed him down with a lariat. Lorcan fought back to leapt over the ropes with a plancha. Holland went to catch him, and Holland’s right leg buckled. He would eventually leave on a stretcher.

Back at the Gargano-LeRae household, Johnny was watching his new TV. Hartwell sent a USB drive with footage from a recent battle royal. Gargano was impressed with her, as Hartwell saved LeRae several times during the battle royal. Gargano & LeRae said they were starting to like Hartwell.

Timothy Thatcher was conducting another seminar where he tortured a poor student. The lesson today was life will try to grind you down until you quit. Thatcher said he won’t let it do that to him, and he stretched the jabroni.

Back in the arena, Ridge Holland was shown being taken away on a stretcher. He seemingly suffered a leg injury. That really sucks. He gave the audience a thumbs up as he was carried away, showing he would be okay.

Shotzi Blackheart defeated Xia Li

Blackheart pinned Li in a short match. Blackheart countered a superplex, and she leapt into a senton before scoring the pinfall.

Boa, wearing a suit, approached Li after the match. He gave her some papers, but it was unclear what the papers represented. Maybe a contract. Could be her mail. I guess we shall find out at a later date.

Rhea Ripley & Ember Moon defeated Dakota Kai & Raquel Gonzalez

Moon pinned Kai to win the match for her team.

Moon started the match with Kai, and Moon was soon in control. Gonzalez tagged in, and Moon fired up on her too. Moon was cut off when she was backed into the heels’ corner. 

Kai slapped Moon, and she fired up like Tomohiro Ishii. Moon sailed through the ropes with a tope on Kai. Ripley with a somersault senton took out Gonzalez.

Ripley tagged in to rock Kai with a kick. However, Ripley was unaware that Kai had tagged out. Gonzalez knocked Ripley off the apron with a kick before the show cut to its final commercial break.

Gonzalez was applying a modified Gory Special as the show returned from the break. Coming in off a hot tag, Moon ran wild on the heels. They bumped and fed. Moon jumped off the second rope to execute a codebreaker for a near fall on Kai. 

The heels regained the advantage. Gonzalez got a near fall after holding Moon so Kai could deliver a pump kick. Ripley tagged back in, she got a face planted Kaii for a two count. Kai with her Kai-ropractor on Ripley, but Ripley kicked out.

Moon back in to hit Kai with a discus lariat for another near fall. Gonzalez broke up the pin, but she was DDT’d by Moon. Kai took a botched powerbomb.

Gonzalez tripped up Moon when Moon climbed the turnbuckles. Ripley made a save, and she fought with Gonzalez on the floor. Ripley had Gonzalez in a fireman’s carry when Kai kicked Ripley. That sent Ripley backwards. She and Gonzalez tumbled over the announce desk at ringside.

Moon off the top rope with The Eclipse on Kai to score the pinfall