WWE NXT live results: Triple threat contender’s match

After a huge episode last week, tonight’s NXT will set the stage for Halloween Havoc.

Halloween Havoc is a two-week event taking place on October 24 and October 31. Tonight, we’ll find out Ilja Dragunov’s NXT Championship challenger for Havoc. Carmelo Hayes, Baron Corbin, and Dijak are facing off in a triple threat number one contender’s match.

Dragunov won the NXT Championship from Hayes at No Mercy.

A “Bada Bing Bada Boom Battle Royal” on tonight’s show determines which team will challenge Tony D’Angelo & Stacks for the NXT Tag Team titles at Halloween Havoc.

NXT Women’s Champion Becky Lynch is defending her title against Lyra Valkyria at Halloween Havoc week one. Valkyria faces Tegan Nox one-on-one tonight.

Nathan Fraizer looks to be the next challenger for NXT North American Champion Dominik Mysterio after the two got into an altercation after Raw.

Last Tuesday, Cody Rhodes served as the special guest general manager of NXT. Rhodes has teased that he made one final decision as guest GM last week that will be revealed tonight.

Opening the show is the 10-team battle royal. The Creed Brothers get an entrance, but few others do. NXT Tag Team Champions Tony D’Angelo & Channing “Stacks” Lorenzo are on perch overlooking the ring. The tag champs are seated at a table eating a pasta dish, while they watch the gimmick match that will determine their next challengers.

Chase U (Andre Chase & Duke Hudson) win the Bada Bing Bada Boom Battle Royal to become number one contenders

Chase U found themselves as one of the final two teams in the battle royal, setting up an immediate tag team match against Humberto Carillo & Angel Garza. Chase & Hudson go on to win the tag bout, after interference by the Creed Brothers.

If you have seen a battle royal, you have seen much of the early portion. Battle royal spots galore, with a few stories woven into the match. For example, the Creeds eliminated Gallus, which plays off a previous rivalry. The finish itself sets up the Creeds against Carillo & Garza as an upcoming program.

Another future match set up is Butch & Ridge Holland against Bronco Nima & Lucien Price. All four were tied up in a wad when Scyrpts jumped on top of the pile. Everybody went tumbling over the ropes, eliminated both teams. They all brawl at ringside as the match continues in the ring.

That left three teams remaining in the ring. Julius Creed dumped Humberto Carillo over the ropes, eliminating Carillo & Angel Garza. Or so it seemed. The referees apparently missed the elimination, as the refs were all busy trying to stop the brawl at ringside. Garza & Carillo rush back in and throw out the Creeds. The refs actually see that elimination, and the Creeds are out. 

The final two teams came down to the Chase & Hudson against Garza & Carillo. With two teams remaining, now the match becomes a traditional tag match. Out comes Thea Hail and Jacy Jayne with pom poms, acting as cheerleaders for Chase U. 

The tag bout goes through a commercial break, and Carillo & Garza are in control after the break. They work over Chase, and Hudson is also knocked off the apron. When Chase finally creates some separation, Hudson is not there for the tag, as Hudson is still selling on the floor. Hudson would eventually get back in the corner for a hot tag.

Hudson cleans house after the hot tag. Hudson is on fire. Chase recovers and joins in the fun, while flying back into the ring with a high cross. Chase is on a roll, but Hudson is given a DDT on the floor. Chase fights on, but he is now outnumbered by the other two.

The Creed Brothers run down to ringside. Brutus Creed distracts the referee while Julius Creed interferes in the match. Julius pulls Carillo out of the ring. That allows Chase to cradle Garza for a pinfall. Chase U is victorious. They go on to challenge the tag champs at Halloween Havoc.

Blair Davenport challenges Gigi Dolan to a match at Halloween Havoc.

Lexis King is the focus of another vignette. He talked about how wrestlers in the locker room would tell him they loved his father Brian Pillman. King said he lied to them, saying he loved his father too. King in reality doubts he love him. King says he is no one’s shadow. This is the start of his career, not the continuation of someone else’s career. King vows to make his name bigger than his father. King debuts next week.

Triple threat match becomes a fatal four way … or so it seems

Carmelo Hayes, in street clothes and a leather jacket, comes to ring for a monologue. Hardly anyone ever gets to finish an in-ring monologue in NXT, so Hayes faces several interruptions. Hayes is bragging about him being in the ring last week with John Cena and Undertaker. Hayes is supposed to be a babyface, but there is a subtle heel element in the way he brags. 

Baron Corbin, also wearing a leather jacket, interrupts Hayes. Corbin accuses Hayes of being a fanboy. They bicker about it, with Corbin basically accusing Hayes of marking out for the legends. Their bickering is interrupted by Dijak, which leads to even more bickering.

Dijak storms the ring, and he too is wearing a leather jacket. Dijak bickers with Hayes and Corbin. Suddenly, NXT Champion Ilja Dragunov appears on the Titantron, and he announces the triple threat match set for later in now a fatal four way. Dragunov then reveals the fourth possible contender.

Out comes Trick Williams, and Hayes is in shock. He is shook. His associate is now going against him in a number one contender’s fatal four way. Williams comes out wearing a letterman jacket. Although it was not completely leather, it does have leather sleeves. Join the meeting of the leather. Williams jacket was way too small for him, though.

Dijak and Corbin try to pit Williams and Hayes against each other. Williams is accused of stabbing Hayes in the back. Corbin jumps Williams, and Dijak jumps Hayes. Williams and Hayes throw the other two out of the ring. There is a tease Hayes will turn on Williams, but they instead embrace in a united front. 

After all this, turns out the fatal four way would become a triple threat again. In a swerve after a Tonya Harding angle later on, Williams would be taken out of the match by an unknown assailant.

Tiffany Stratton and Fallon Henley have words in a locker room skit

Karmen Petrovic defeated Jaida Parker in a first round match of the NXT Women’s Breakout Tournament 

Petrovic submitted Parker to win the match. Petrovic advances to the next round, where Petrovic meets Lola Vice. 

In an in-set promo, Petrovic says she is bringing her 23 years of combat experience along with her 3rd degree black belt. Petrovic also had a sword for her entrance.

They tried, but the match probably went too long. Arguably, they are probably not ready for a live match on national television. Both still show a lot of promise.

In a locker room skit, Natalya surprised Tegan Nox. Nattie will be in Nox’s corner for her match tonight, just like Nox had Natte’s back last night on Raw.

Lyra Valkyria defeated Tegan Nox (with Natalya) 

Valkyria pinned Nox to win the match. WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions Chelsea Green & Piper Niven came down to ringside just before the finish. This was a much better match than the previous women’s bout. Levels above even.

The match goes through a commercial break. When Green & Niven come down to ringside, Nox leaves the ring to briefly argue with them alongside Nattie. Nox then gets back into the ring, and she runs through some spots before Valkyria hits her with a spin kick. Valkyria then covers Nox for a pinfall. 

In a post-match promo, Valkyria cuts a promo on NXT Women’s Champion Becky Lynch. Valkyria is clearly the next contender for the title. Lynch appears on the video screen, and Lynch responds to Valkyria. Great promo by Lynch. She welcomes Valkyria to “the big time.” They meet next week in the main event of the first week of Halloween Havoc.

Trick Williams and Carmelo Hayes bicker in a locker room skit, but they make some amends. However, there is tension heading in their match tonight.

An announcement plugged ticket going on sale for Crown Jewel in Saudi Arabia. I could not think of a worse time to visit the Middle East than right now. 

Gigi Dolan responds to Davenport’s challenge from earlier. Dolan ups the stakes, making it a “Spin the Wheel, Make the Deal.” Dolan then spins the wheel and makes the deal. The wheel stops on a “light out match,” thus setting up a gimmick match for Halloween Havoc.

Von Wagner is focus of a vignette showing him doing physical therapy. Wagner in storyline is recovering from the injury angle weeks ago. Mr. Stone was helping to motivate a depressed Wagner. 

Kiana James, who has a new entrance routine, enters the soundstage for a grudge match set up last week. 

Shotzi defeated Kiana James

Shotzi pinned James, thanks in part to interference by Roxanne Perez.

The match runs through a commercial break. There was a wacky DDT spot on the apron, and thankfully no one was injured doing it. 

Just before they go home, Roxanne Perez appears at ringside. She goes over to James’ loaded bag. Perez pulls out a brick from the bag, but Perez puts drops the brick back into the bag as James snatches the bag away. 

Perez is on the apron arguing with the referee about the loaded bag. Shotzi takes the bag away from James, and Shotzi waffles James with the bag. Shotzi then does an Eddy Guerrero spot where she tosses the loaded bag to James, and Shotzi takes a phantom bump. The ref turns around to see James holding the bag, and the ref has a tug-o-war over the bag with the ref. 

The ref takes the bag away, and James then runs shoulder first in the ring post. Shotzi leaps off the top rope with a back senton, and Shotzi covers James for a three count.

Akira Tozawa is in a wacky skit with Oro Mensah and Lash Legend, who are the phone with Noam Dar. Jakara Jackson is out with an injury, and Dar is taking care of her. Meanwhile, Tozawa wants it known he is looking for Dar.

Next up is a Tonya Harding angle. Trick Williams was ambushed, and he is down selling his knee like Nancy Kerrigan. Carmelo Hayes is there to check on Williams, and Hayes acts like he is super concerned, but he supposedly does not know who jumped Williams. 

Reporter Kelly Kincaid offers an update after a commercial break. Williams was taken to a local hospital, and he is out of the main event. The fatal four way is now once again a triple threat match.

McKenzie Mitchell interviews NXT North American Champion Dominik Mysterio. Nathan Frazier interrupts and starts a brawl with Dom. They brawl around the backstage area. They brawl their way on the set and into the ring. Frazier is getting the better of Dom, and Frazier sets up for Phoenix Splash. Rhea Ripley runs down and pulls Dom out of the ring, as “Mami” saves her man. 

A skit with Shotzi and Roxanne Perez sets up another Spin the Wheel gimmick. Perez spins the wheel, and it stops on “Devil’s playground match.” That stip is added to the grudge match at Halloween Havoc between Perez and Kiana James.

Arianna Grace, dressed like she won a beauty pageant, cuts a promo in the ring. Grace, wearing a sash that reads “MISS NXT,” talks about Jakara Jackson being injured. Grace wants to “gracefully” accept her bye in the tournament now that Jackson is out. The bookers have other ideas.

Arianna Grace defeated Brinley Reece in first round match of the NXT Women’s Breakout Tournament 

Grace cheated with an eye rake just before the finish. Grace then suplexed Reece, and she pinned her to advance. Grace now moves on the semifinals, where Grace meets Kelani Jordan next week at Halloween Havoc. 

McKenzie Mitchell interviews Bron Breakker, and Mr. Stone walks in to interrupt Breakker. Stone cuts a promo on Breakker over Von Wagner’s condition. Breakker laughs at Stone, and that angers Stone even more. 

Breakker dares Stone to do something about it. Stone blurts out a challenge for a singles match at Halloween Havoc. Breakker accepts the challenge, and Breakker threatens to put Stone in the hospital. So, it’s Stone against Breakker at Halloween Havoc.

Carmelo Hayes defeated Dijak and Baron Corbin in a number one contender’s triple threat match

Hayes pinned Dijak to win the match. Good match, and easily the best bout on tonight’s card. 

The early portion of the bout is Hayes basically having a handicap mach against the two larger men. Dijak and Corbin eventually tangle with each other. Hayes still attacks them both like he is a David facing two Goliaths. 

After a commercial break, the match is more typical of a triple threat, with more fighting among all three. Several near falls along the way, as they run through a bunch of high spots.

Hayes teases his finisher, but Corbin pulls Hayes down off the top rope. Corbin gives Hayes a Spicolli Driver on the floor. Even more near falls as they get back in the ring, and several were really good near falls. They build to a Tower of Doom, in which Corbin does an avalanche German on Dijak while Hayes powerbombs Corbin.

Closing moments were great, as Dijak went for Feast Your Eyes. Corbin counters to deliver End of Days on Dijak. Before Corbin can capitalize, Hayes leaps in for Nothing But Net on Corbin. Hayes then covers Dijak and hooks a leg for the deciding pinfall. 

Hayes becomes number one contender, and he goes on to face Dragunov in a title match in the main event at Halloween Havoc in two week’s time.

Lyra Valkyria is seen watching the match from a monitor in a locker room. Valkyria takes a picture down from her locker of her with Becky Lynch. Valkyria rips up the picture, and Valkyria vows to win the women’s title next week.

Jade Cargill then appears on the screen, and Cargill points to her wristwatch as the show comes to a close. Her time is soon.