WWE NXT live results: Two steel cage matches
Two steel cage grudge matches are set for tonight’s episode of NXT.
Velveteen Dream vs. Roderick Strong and Tegan Nox vs. Dakota Kai will both take place inside of a steel cage tonight. Nox vs. Kai will kick off the show.
The steel cage match between Nox and Kai was announced after Raquel Gonzalez interfered in their street fight at NXT TakeOver: Portland and helped Kai win.
Velveteen Dream defeated Strong in the main event of NXT two weeks ago but was attacked by Undisputed Era after. Last week, Dream issued the steel cage match challenge and Strong accepted.
In non-steel cage action, Undisputed Era’s Kyle O’Reilly & Bobby Fish will take on Oney Lorcan & Danny Burch. WWE also posted a video where Austin Theory accepted a challenge from Isaiah “Swerve” Scott for tonight.
Finn Balor was ambushed by Marcel Barthel & Fabian Aichner last week, with the Imperium duo sending their regards to Balor on behalf of NXT United Kingdom Champion WALTER. WWE will follow up on that tonight.
WWE will also follow up on Johnny Gargano returning last week and laying out Tommaso Ciampa after his match with Theory.
Our live coverage begins at 8 p.m. Eastern time.
**********
The show opened with one of two cage matches set for tonight.
Dakota Kai (w/ Raquel Gonzalez) defeated Tegan Nox in a steel cage match
Kai escaped the cage to win the match after interference by Raquel Gonzalez.
Like any grudge match should, they started by throwing hands. Nox with a flurry at the outset, but Kai soon cut her off. Nox battled back, but Kai ended the rally before throwing Nox into the cage. The show cut to commercial with picture-in-picture.
Nox countered Kai to sent her crashing into the cage as the show returned from the commercial break. Nox threw Kai into the cage a few more times as she fired up on her.
Kai executed the Kai-Ropractor for a near fall. Nox countered with an a small package for a two count. Nox went to climb the cage and Kai followed her. Nox then chokeslammed Kai off the top rope.
Nox paused after the high spot, and Kai recovered to pull her back into the ring. They traded strikes before Nox began to climb the cage again. Gonzalez at ringside was daring her to jump. Nox instead turned back to the ring, and then she leapt into a flying crossbody the top off the cage.
Nox was crawling towards the open door when Gonzalez shut the door and blocked Nox from exiting the cage. A referee stationed at the door was sandwiched between Gonzalez as she held the door closed. Kai charged towards Nox, and Nox sidestepped her. Kai crashed into the door, and Gonzalez went flying at ringside.
Nox with the Shinniest Wizard for a close near fall. Gonzalez entered through the door and got on the apron. Nox rocked her with a kick, and went to climb out. Kai gave chase, only for her to take a Nestea Plunge off the cage.
Nox was on trying to climb out near the door. Gonzalez was dragging Kai out the door by her feet when Nox kicked the door — and it slammed into Kai previously injured knee. Gonzalez retaliated by slamming the door on Nox and wedging her between it and the cage.
Kai then crawled out of the door to win the match.
Finn Balor in a great vignette cut a promo on WALTER. Balor said WALTER forced his hand, and he is not going to like Balor’s reaction. Balor warned WALTER that he would see him sooner than he thinks.
A video package showed NXT Champion Rhea Ripley touring Raymond James Stadium ahead of her title defense at the venue against Charlotte Flair. Ripley talked about her journey to NXT, and Ripley said she was often compared to Charlotte upon Ripley’s arrival at NXT. Ripley then put over Charlotte, before saying to be the best you have to beat the best. She vowed to do that at WrestleMania.
Chelsea Green (w/ Robert Stone) defeated Shotzi Blackheart
Green in winning qualified for the number one contender’s ladder match at TakeOver in Tampa.
The match was fairly competitive until Green hit a missile dropkick off the top rope. She then delivered the I’m Prettier for the pinfall.
A mysterious and ominous vignette presumably hyped the arrival of someone.
NXT North American Champion Keith Lee in street clothes came to the ring for a promo. The crowd chanted for Lee before he began to address the audience. The crowd then shushed each other so they could listen to Lee.
Lee was talking about the challengers he has faced so far as champion when Cameron Grimes interrupted him. Grimes got in the ring to confront Lee.
Grimes bragged about beating Dijakovic last week. Lee told Grimes he made the gravest mistake of his career. The crowd showered Grimes in boos whenever he began to speak.
Grimes said William Regal granted him a title match against Lee next week. Lee shoved Grimes out of the ring, and he told Grimes if wanted an opportunity then Lee would give him an “equal opportunity ass whipping” in their match next week.
Austin Theory on a YouTube promo was boasting about being the greatest in NXT. Isaiah “Swerve” Scott got in his face to scoff at Theory saying he was the greatest. Swerve challenged Theory to a match later in the show.
Backstage in a dressing room, Undisputed Era was pumping up Roderick Strong ahead of his cage match later on against Velveteen Dream.
Undisputed Era (Bobby Fish & Kyle O’Reilly) defeated Brit-Am Bruisers (Danny Burch & Oney Lorcan)
O’Reilly pinned Lorcan after a double team high/low combo out of nowhere.
Fish and Lorcan started the match, but it soon broke down into a melee. Lorcan jumped off the apron with double blockbuster on the floor as the show cut to commercial. No picture-in-picture this time.
Lorcan was hulking up on Fish as the show returned from the break. Burch tagged in to run wild. Undisputed Era would use tandem moves to cut him off. They began working over Burch while proverbially cutting the ring in half.
Lorcan cleaned house after a hot tag, and then he did a flip dive over the top rope. Undisputed Era in a flash caught Lorcan with a high/low combo, and O’Reilly covered Lorcan for the pinfall.
O’Reilly & Fish cut a promo after the match. They are back to their winning ways, but they are missing something — their tag team titles. They warned the Bro-serweights they were coming for the NXT Tag Team Championship.
Matt Riddle & Pete Dunne interrupted the promo. Riddle was about to book a match when the Grizzled Young Veterans in a sneak attack jumped the Bro-serweights. Zack Gibson cut a promo positioning themeselves as the next challengers.
Velveteen Dream was shown taping his fists ahead of his cage match later on.
Austin Theory defeated Isaiah “Swerve” Scott
Theory pinned Scott after using his ATL finisher.
Swerve got to shine early on as he rocked Theory with kicks. He looked strong as he delivered a jumping back kick before the show went to a commercial break.
Theory was in control when the show returned from break. Swerve fought back with strikes and more kicks. A flying uppercut by Swerve led into a flurry of kicks and a flatliner for a two count.
After blocking a hurricanrana, Theory sent Swerve into the corner with buckle bomb, and followed with the RP1 for a near fall.
Theory rolled through for a pop-up move when Swerve caught him in an armbar. Swerve did a modified version of the arm break spot similar to Pentagon Jr.
Still selling the arm, Theory was able to trip up Swerve and execute the ATL (Austin Theory Launch) to score the pinfall.
Johnny Gargano in sit-down interview conducted by Mauro Ranallo at the PC was supposed to explain why he turned heel. Ranallo got right to the point asking why he attacked Tommaso Ciampa. Gargano started to answer by mentioning to Mauro that he was “the only guy” to attend the red carpet premiere of the documentary on Mauro’s life (Bipolar Rock ‘N’ Roller — which is a must watch if haven’t seen it).
Gargano brought that up to say Mauro was the person telling their stories. Gargano asked Mauro who he was, and the reply was “Johnny Wrestling”.
Gargano was deflecting from the initial question so far, but Mauro pressed him some more about the ambush on Ciampa. Gargano said he saw in Ciampa’s eyes what he needed to see, and he did what he had to do. He scoffed at the ambush last week being a sneak attack. Gargano yelled he was wearing a powder blue sports coat — insinuating he stood out.
Gargano grew increasingly more angry with Mauro as he continued to yell. He almost got out of his chair. Mauro again asked why, and Gargano jumped out of his seat to get in Mauro’s face. He screamed at Mauro that he knew why.
Mauro had called him “Johnny Turncoat”, and Gargano was angry. Mauro stammered in saying he said that in the moment. Gargano continued to scream at him, and he demanded an apology. Mauro said he was uncomfortable and he rushed off set.
Gargano warned Ciampa next week that they are doing things the Johnny Gargano way.
Announced for next week on NXT were two titles matches. Keith Lee defends the NXT North American Championship against Cameron Grimes stemming from an angle earlier in the show. Also announced for the next episode is Bro-serweights (Riddle & Dunne) defending the NXT Tag Team Championship against Unisputed Era (Fish & O’Reilly). NXT next week airs live from the PC.
Roderick Strong defeated Velveteen Dream in a steel cage match
Strong won when Dream sacrificed the match in a ploy to lock himself in the cage with NXT Champion Adam Cole. Dream shoved Strong out of the door, and then he trapped Cole in the cage. This clearly sets up Cole vs. Dream in a title match.
Dream was wearing gear while Strong came to fight in street clothes made up of jeans and a cut-off t-shirt. The announcers sold this as more of a street fight than a wrestling match.
It began with a slugfest and brawl inside the cage. Strong took control and started to pummel Dream. Strong took a back drop into the cage as the momentum looked to shift. Marina Shafir ran down to ringside to give Strong a kendo stick.
The show went to commercial as Strong looked to use the kendo stick. There was picture-in-picture during the break so viewers saw Dream take the kendo stick away from Strong and use it on him. Moments later Dream became tied in the tree-of-woe.
Dream with a low blow blocked Strong from escaping the cage. Dream then applied Strong’s own submission hold — The Stronghold (Boston crab). Strong soon escaped to apply The Stronghold on Dream.
Strong countered an attempted DVD, but he found himself trapped against the cage as Dream kept hitting him with kicks. Strong broke free and retrieved the kendo stick. They fought over it until Strong used it to help with a pump handle backbreaker.
They did the Ultimate Warrior-Rick Rude full moon spot from their cage match at SummerSlam in 1990. Although Dream has channeled Rude during this program, Strong was in the Rude role here as Dream blocked him from climbing out of the cage by grabbing him by his pants. Strong’s pants were pulled down and his butt was exposed for a full moon over Full Sail.
Strong with an Olympic Slam off the top rope sent Dream crashing to the mat. That turned into a double down that led into the finish.
They were both jumping over each other trying to get out the cage door. Dream executed two DVDs and went to climb the cage. He got to the top when Strong’s Undisputed Era stablemates rushed to ringside. Fish brought with him another kendo stick.
The heel faction were trying to climb the cage tried to fight them off. Adam Cole was able to inside the cage, and Dream sent him flying with a Ric Flair press slam off the top turnbuckle.
Strong headed out the door when Dream blocked him. Dream then turned to look back at Cole, and Dream proceeded to shove Strong out of the door. Strong landed on the floor to win the match.
Dream immediately slammed the door shut and locked himself inside the cage with Cole. Dream pummeled Cole as Undisputed Era tried to climb in to help their stablemate. Dream swatted them down and continued to assault Cole.
Dream used a kendo stick, and then he gave Cole a DVD on a chair. Strong tried to make a save, but he was crotched and fell into the tree-of-woe.
Dream picked up the NXT Championship belt and held it high. He hit Cole with a belt shot. Dream climned atop the cage and posed with the title belt as the show closed.