WWE NXT live results: TakeOver XXX fallout

The fallout from TakeOver XXX takes place on NXT tonight.

After winning the title from Keith Lee at TakeOver, new NXT Champion Karrion Kross will open tonight’s show. Kross suffered a separated shoulder during the TakeOver match and was scheduled to undergo an MRI on Monday. He told ESPN that he doesn’t expect to miss significant time due to the injury.

Tommaso Ciampa, who Kross defeated at TakeOver: In Your House in June, will return to NXT television tonight.

Two title matches have also been announced for tonight’s show. NXT Cruiserweight Champion Santos Escobar will defend his title against Isaiah “Swerve” Scott. Plus, Breezango will challenge Imperium (Marcel Barthel & Fabian Aichner) for the NXT Tag Team titles. Breezango became the number one contenders to the titles by defeating Oney Lorcan & Danny Burch and Legado del Fantasma’s Raul Mendoza & Joaquin Wilde in a triple threat match on the TakeOver XXX pre-show.

NXT Women’s Champion Io Shirai will team with Rhea Ripley against Dakota Kai & Raquel Gonzalez. Shirai retained her title against Kai at TakeOver despite interference by Gonzalez. Ripley made a save for Shirai after the match but also took a look at Shirai and her NXT Women’s Championship.

Plus, we’ll find out what’s next for new NXT North American Champion Damian Priest. He won a five-way ladder match at TakeOver to win the vacant title.

Former WWE wrestler Wade Barrett will be part of the commentary team for tonight’s show. Our coverage begins at 8 p.m. Eastern time.

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The show started with a recap of NXT TakeOver XXX.

Karrion Kross, with Scarlett, came out to open the show. He had his arm in a sling. He said and warned that he would become NXT Champion, and everyone would suffer. He kept good on his word and ripped the NXT title off of Keith Lee’s carcass. He said his shoulder was separated, but he loves it. It gives him life.

But he’s also a realist, and understands the reality of the situation. There is no way they will let him defend the NXT title in this condition. He said on the path, there are obstacles, but the obstacles are the path. He placed the NXT title on the ring mat, I guess vacating the title. Kross said this changes nothing, doomsday is still coming, as in the end everyone pays the toll. 

Breezago defeated Imperium (Fabian Aichner and Marcel Barthel) to win the NXT Tag Team titles

This was a solid opening match. Very WWE structured, perfectly fine, nothing more.

Breezango attacked the champions before the bell rang, but things were restored once the bell did ring. Fandango and Aichner started, but Barthel was immediately tagged in and worked on Fandango’s arm. 

Back from commercial, Aicher was tagged back in as the champions continued to isolate Fandango. Barthel was tagged back in, but Fandango fought both off and tagged in Breeze, who made the hot tag comeback. Breeze connected with a spinning heel kick as Barthel was coming off the top rope for a two count.

Breeze fights off Aicher as he’s tagged in. Fandango and Breeze double team, then Fandango flies off with a tope that takes out Aicher. Barthel, however, drills Fandango with a clothesline.

Back from the second commercial, Barthel and Aicher were in total control, with Aichner taking out Breeze with a reverse tilt-a-whirl slam. Barthel worked over Fandango, After some miscommunication, Aichner was tagged back in but Breeze came back and tagged in, escaping a powerbomb attempt and hitting superkicks on both men. After some back and forth, Fandango was tagged back and hit a double legdrop from the top rope, taking out both men and pinned Aichner to win the titles.

Damien Priest in a promo said the afterparty was still ongoing following his NXT North American title win. Timothy Thatcher walked up and said it was embarrassing the way he was acting as champion. Thatcher said he should be the person who gets the first shot, and would show Priest how inadequate his wrestling was.

Triple H, William Regal, Shawn Michaels and Matt Bloom were shown discussing what to do with the NXT title.

Tommaso Ciampa defeated Jake Atlas

Ciampa immediately dominated at the bell with a headbutt and finished Atlas in under a minute with the Widow’s bell. Zero idea why Jake Atlas needed to be the one in this role.

Ciampa destroyed Atlas after the match, throwing him into the plexiglass and the steel steps. He then dragged Atlas under the ring and slingshotted his throat directly into the steel. Atlas was then put on a stretcher. This still wasn’t enough for Ciampa, who grabbed Atlas on the stretcher and gave him a DDT.

So in case you didn’t get the hint, Ciampa is a heel now for Reasons.

A Candice LeRae promo aired talking about Tegan Nox. She recounted travelling with her all over, telling each other stories. She said that she had Nox’s back, but where was she when LeRae needed her? LeRae said if she doesn’t want to follow this path, then she should stay out of her business.

McKenzie Mitchell was with Bronson Reed, who was talking about his own aspirations regarding the NXT North American title. Austin Theory, who was last seen on Raw before being taken off TV in a mysterious manner, showed up out of the blue and mocked Reed, saying he made it to WrestleMania at the age of 22, so maybe Reed would become a champion at 55. Reed slapped him in response.

If there’s one thing I have learned in the last month, NXT loves to bring back people who were gone mysteriously for a while! 

Mia Yim entered the ring and was ready for her match when Robert Stone same out, saying after last week he wasn’t letting Mercedes Martinez compete tonight. All of a sudden Shotzi Blackheart came out, ran over Robert Stone with her tank and entered the ring for the match.

Shotzi Blackheart defeated Mia Yim

I liked this while it lasted, both looked pretty good. Blackheart has great potential.

The two traded offense for a bit before exchanging fist bumps, a sign of friendship. Yim attacked right after, putting her in control. Blackheart cut off Yim with some kicks and landed a suplex for a nearfall. Yim gave Blackheart a dragon suplex and a big boot in the corner.

Yim went for a missile dropkick, but Blackheart cut her off and hit a senton. She went to the top rope and hit another for the win.

William Regal came out of his office. An unidentified interview asked Regal if they came to a conclusion regarding the fate of the NXT title. He said yes, and headed to the ring to make the announcement.

Regal announced that Johnny Gargano, Tommaso Ciampa, Finn Balor and Adam Cole will face off in a four-way 60-minute Iron Man match on next Tuesday’s NXT to decide the new NXT Champion.

Santos Escobar defeated Isiah ‘Swerve’ Scott to retain the NXT Cruiserweight title

Best match on the show thus far. Finish was real dopey, like straight out of 1986 WWF television with the Killer Bees.

Escobar took control of the match early, brawling with Scott on the outside and throwing him into the steps at ringside. Grabbing each other by the arm, they both went to the top rope. Swerve tried for a hurricanrana, but in mid-air Escobar countered with a powerbomb.

Back from commercial, Escobar teased Swerve with kicks, which causes Swerve to retaliate with strikes. He went to the top rope and landed an elbow to the back of Escobar. When Escobar went to the outside, Swerve flew to the floor with a fosbury flop. 

Joquain Wilde and Raul Mendoza then hit the ring to interfere. Breezango came out as the two teams brawled to the backstage area. Swerve came back with a knee then hit a deadlift German suplex. Swerve connected with another kick, but Escobar kicked out.

Swerve cut off Escobar and hit something that looked like a driver, but Escobar grabbed the bottom rope. Escobar bailed to the floor, then grabbed a mask and put it on. He headbutted Swerve with the mask on, then took it off and pinned him to retain the title. The idea is that the masked is loaded with an object.

Johnny Gargano said he has been called the iron man of NXT for years, and on Tuesday he will prove it.

Finn Balor said life comes at you full circle in this business. All the pieces are set, the four cornerstones of NXT. Balor said he wasn’t the cornerstone, he was the centerpiece. He said he will prove to the network, the media department, and internet trolls that he will become NXT champion.

Kyle O’Reilly defeated Drake Maverick

This was good. Maverick showed great babyface fire and O’Reilly is still one of the best overall workers out there.

Drake went wild at the bell, sending O’Reilly out of the ring. Maverick hit a big tope that took out Roderick Strong and Bobby Fish, who were at ringside. O’Reilly cut him off, but Maverick soon fired back with a bulldog and a senton. O’Reilly cut him off again with a knee. They exchanged strikes, with O’Reilly getting the better of Maverick.

Maverick fired back with an enziguri and went for a sliced bread, but O’Reilly grabbed Maverick’s leg and applied a leglock. Maverick tried to fight out of it, but O’Reilly shifted his weight to the side, which led Maverick to tap.

The rest of the Undisputed Era, minus Cole, attacked Maverick afterward. Killian Dain came out for the save, sending all of them packing. Dain then turned his attention to Maverick. Maverick walked up to him, but Dain laid him out with a clothesline.

Rhea Ripley in a promo said she didn’t come out at NXT to save Io Shirai, she came out to let her know she wants to challenge Io next. In regards to Raquel Gonzalez, Rhea said if Gonzalez wanted her out of the way, she would have to make her.

Adam Cole said the Mt. Rushmore of NXT will be in the ring next Tuesday to determine the next NXT champion. A match like this is right up his alley. He said being NXT champion once was something, but being champion twice was a whole different ball game.

Dakota Kai and Raquel Gonzalez defeated Io Shirai and Rhea Ripley

This was solid while it lasted. Felt a bit rushed as it didn’t get a ton of time.

Kai and Ripley started things off for their team. After a commercial break, Ripley and Shirai were in control. Gonzalez and Kai try to isolate Ripley, but it’s to no avail as Shirai is tagged in for the hot tag comeback.

Shirai hits a 619 on Kai and knees to the corner on Gonzalez. Shirai hit a big knee on Kai and hit a German suplex, but Gonzalez broke up the pin. Gonzalez laid out Shirai with a clothesline then tagged herself in. Shirai tagged Ripley, but the referee didn’t see it. 

Suddenly, Mercedes Martinez came out and took out Rhea Ripley on the apron. Gonzalez hit a tilt-a-whirl slam for a nearfall. Shirai manages to tag Ripley in, but Gonzalez hit Ripley with a big boot and pinned her with a chokeslam.

Final Thoughts:

The wrestling on tonight’s show was largely good. Some of the finishes felt too main roster-ish, but I guess at this point that is to be expected. 

The show’s main goal for tonight was to set up the fatal four way NXT title match for next week’s show, and it did a good job accomplishing that. Not sure how a fatal four way 60 minute match will work, but I’m intrigued enough to see what it ends up being.